Mission 03

Mission Three: The Affairs of Passing Gods

M3:C1 | Magenta Red

• Arena Fallout:
  • After the arena fight, Ethan Kane is found unconscious with severe electrical burns that originated from within him. This strange phenomenon raises concerns about his condition, though medics deem it non-life-threatening.
  • The squad receives an invitation to meet Magenta Red, leader of the Magenta Syndicate, at the Velvet House Casino in the Crimson Alleys. The meeting is presented as a rare and prestigious opportunity, marking the squad as significant players in Messummur.
• The Meeting:
  • Magenta Red, an imposing eight-foot-tall woman infused with mysterious glowing liquids, proposes an alliance. She needs the squad’s help to deal with the Dustbranded, a gang of ex-laborers operating in the Dune Shadows. In return, she offers intelligence about the MesmerTrance virus and the subaltern involved in Emily’s abduction.
  • While acknowledging Magenta’s criminal activities, the squad agrees, understanding the strategic value of her resources. Marty attempts to charm her further, which she rebuffs until he proves himself in the upcoming mission.

M3:C2 | Elevator Pitch

• The Dustbranded Assault:
  • The squad descends into the Dustbranded’s underground base via a freight elevator, alongside Magenta Red’s forces. They split up, with Magenta targeting the mech hangar and the squad focusing on the gang leader, Durst Slaughter.
  • Slaughter’s taunts echo through the tunnels before the squad confronts him. The battle is chaotic, with Slaughter deploying unconventional tactics, such as creating a deadly “box fort.” Ultimately, Rizz destroys Slaughter and his defenses with a massive shot.
• Recovering the Subaltern:
  • Amid the wreckage, the squad finds the subaltern that abducted Emily. Initial analysis reveals it was infected with the MesmerTrance virus, a highly advanced self-consuming malware capable of puppeteering machines. This virus is too sophisticated for the Dustbranded, raising questions about its true origin.
• Underground Ambush:
  • As the squad attempts to leave, they are ambushed by black-painted IPS-N mechs equipped with optical camouflage and strange modifications. After intense combat, they narrowly escape to the surface.

M3:C3 | Dustgrave

• Alliance with the Talons:
  • The squad is contacted by Leonora McGrath, leader of the Talons of the King, who explains that her covert task force is also investigating psionic and NHP abductions. Leonora proposes a temporary alliance against Dr. Victor Virga, the scientist responsible for the MesmerTrance virus and other atrocities.
  • While wary of the Talons’ secrecy, the squad agrees, understanding the threat Virga poses to both Genesis and Messummur.
• Entering the Forgotten Wells:
  • The Talons secure a King’s Seal to grant access to the Forgotten Wells, a massive Iterator beneath Messummur. As the squad descends, they encounter dilapidated machinery and horrors similar to their previous encounters with Iterators.
  • The Talons reveal that Virga’s experiments aim to create a gestalt consciousness, codenamed KHEPRI, by merging human and NHP minds.

M3:C4 | Suffering on an Industrial Scale

• Virga’s Laboratory:
  • The squad infiltrates Virga’s lab, encountering traumatized NHPs, psionics in comas, and grotesque machinery designed to fuse consciousnesses. They rescue Emily from her casket and disable much of Virga’s equipment.
  • The lab contains disturbing clues about Virga’s ambitions, including notes referencing RA, KHEPRI, and cryptic phrases like “a temple so silent the universe speaks its nature aloud.”

M3:C5 | Transcendence

• A Surreal Encounter:
  • On their way to confront Virga, the squad experiences increasing anomalies: distorted time, ghostly apparitions, and eerie music. These effects culminate in a bizarre encounter with Garfield's, a seemingly impossible street food stall operated by Juan Tismon.
  • Juan offers the squad their favorite meals and cryptic advice, warning them about Virga’s hubris and the danger of his success. He speaks of “accords” and cosmic balances, choosing not to answer many of the squad’s direct questions. He implies the Iterators are sentient constructs, “children of a long-distant people,” and hints that Thea’s cycles are tied to these ancient beings.
  • After the meal, Garfield's and Juan vanish without a trace, leaving the squad to ponder the encounter.

Final Confrontation:

• The squad confronts Virga in a vast chamber bathed in light and music. Virga, merged with KHEPRI, proclaims his intention to ascend and challenges the squad’s understanding of reality.
• The battle is desperate, with the squad exploiting KHEPRI’s vulnerabilities to destroy it. Virga’s final words, “Tell ATHENA,” and KHEPRI’s dying declaration, “You have damned us all,” hint at greater cosmic consequences.
• The squad awakens to find themselves in a retrofitted Iterator hall, surrounded by rescued NHPs, psionics, and a rainstorm above Messummur—a phenomenon not seen for thousands of years.

Mission Three Key Takeaways

1. Garfield’s and Juan’s Role:

   • Juan’s cryptic warnings and disappearance suggest he represents a greater cosmic force observing or guiding the squad. His knowledge of Iterators and accords ties into Thea’s cycles and the squad’s fate.

2. KHEPRI and Virga’s Ambitions:

   • The destruction of KHEPRI and Virga reveals the dangers of psionic and NHP manipulation, aligning with overarching themes of hubris and cosmic intervention.

3. Messummur’s Iterators:

   • The discovery that Messummur is built on an Iterator underscores the centrality of these constructs

4. ATHENA’s Connection:

   • Virga’s dying plea to “Tell ATHENA” suggests her pivotal role in the cosmic narrative,