This is the log of a Mass Effect D20 Campaign: Apotheosis. Herein are event summaries, notes, resources, and information pertaining to the story. This is a fan-made campaign unaffiliated with Electronic Arts or Bioware.
Commander Xavier Rathis took a solo mission for the Alliance to investigate Commander Shepard’s distress beacon going off – for a second time is a time more than any other beacon, and the name attached makes things more distressing.
Regardless, he seems focused on his work and seems to be glad when conversations that dither and humor with no point fades – or is cut off when his patience is tested. Relatively warm in better circumstances, Xavier is a man tested and will continue to be tested.
Powers:
Energy Drain
Incinerate
Proximity Mine
Tactical Cloak
Disruptor Ammo
Marksman
The Golden Gun: Xavier fires a shot from an extremely powerful hand cannon that takes a rare sort of ammunition. He deals x3 weapon damage and leaves the enemy with a x2 vulnerability for one attack. [1 per Event]
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Cerberus Presence Rumored in Omega: There have been rumors that a recent firefight was had between Cerberus agents and an unknown party. The legitimacy of these claims are ambiguous, and it seems regardless that both parties have dissolved at the particular moment.
Cerberus Agents Compromise the Security of the Migrant Fleet: Agents of Cerberus had boarded a quarian ship in the Flotilla and the fight that ensued had seen many lives lost. Two Grissom Academy employees were responsible for helping rid the Fleet of Cerberus’s wrongful presence.
Efforts to Recolonize Mindoir Become Middling at Best: The human colony on the Terminus Systems sees hesitance in the form of a lack of volunteers, no doubt the result of fears regarding the batarian slaver attacks that had caused its destruction. However, they have won the right to use the deceased Commander Shepard’s likeness in future efforts.
Aria Flushes Block of District in Omega: A massive riot formed in the Gozu District as two gangs fought for a large shipment of potent drugs that spilled in the ensuing chaos. Aria chose to space the entire district at the peak of its fighting.
Bulwark Salvage:
Nam Ha and Empyrinus gathered the unwanted items looted in missions and has sold them and divided the credits among the crew.
Each member of the Bulwark receives 3531 credits to do with as they see fit.
Nelin Jardab: From my multiple prognoses, age seems to have little effect on your body. Short of advanced scan or explorative surgery, I cannot seem to figure out.
Knoxus: ...I don't figure you for dumb, Nelin. Perhaps this may be a joke, a salarian doctor trying to, ah... 'check up' on an old krogan...
Nelin Jardab: I will not insult your intelligence, either. You know well my past, as well as lack of connection with my species and its ideals. My curiosity should be taken at face value.
Knoxus: ...Alright. I use implants. Keeps me younger on the inside. Most krogan don't use them because of pride. But I pride myself on results. Age will not stop me until it comes to claim me as a whole, and not before.
Carver Roncevaux: So what did you think of Archangel?
Raa'va nar Qwib Qwib: He's Garrus Vakarian, former C-Sec. He doesn't want us knowing that, but his visor had a memory leak in the targeting systems and took up space that hacking failsafes would have been.
Carver Roncevaux: You... hacked Archangel?
Raa'va nar Qwib Qwib: Did you know he has a music application that's synced to his targeting system? It's set to play when certain helmets and uniforms are detected in the recognition software. He still has one for Commander Shepard.
Carver Roncevaux: How many people do you do this to?
Raa'va nar Qwib Qwib: How many people have we met that aren't in the Bulwark?
Carver Roncevaux: At least be careful in the future.
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“I... I suppose that’s done, then. At least it’s no longer a ticking timebomb.” - Eghedd Canturil
Korin Kulth, Empyrinus Sidonis, and Lexington Rowntree visited the Bulwark’s supplier, the salarian shopkeeper Eghedd Canturil, and managed to bring down the malfunctioning AI with minimal injuries. While Korin managed quite a few rounds of its special radioactive rounds, their methods proved too crude to manage any other salvage.
Items Gained: 24 phasic radioactive rounds that deal 10% total damage to health through shields, plating, and barriers, and 25% against unprotected targets. Korin Kluth is is possession of these rounds.
Afraid Again: Relative Success
“Ana’s safe, and we have someone at our backs for one time only, I guess. With the credits we spent, it kind of feels like we hired him against our will.” - Raa’va nar Qwib Qwib
Ivan Taggart and Raa’va nar Qwib Qwib successfully deterred her stalkers from antagonizing her, though it came at a cost to their credits. However, they have gained a one time use ping that summons Zaeed Massani to any conflict that which he might be needed in. Make it good...
A Song of Steel: Relative Success
“At the very least, we know the guy you’re after is still here. Specifics and a plan, however...” - Carver Roncevaux
Gabriel Terranis, Korin Kluth, and Carver Roncevaux visited Club Afterlife to see if anyone knew of the rogue Corsair-now-Blue-Suns-Merc Marcus Steele’s whereabouts. In an act of arrogance, Marcus seems to be still somewhere near the Ardat District, with the Blue Suns.
Wing Clippers: Success
“I’m here now, so it’s time to tell me what you’re playing at here. Why is there a teenage defense force and why did it just come pull my ass out of the fire?” - Archangel
Gabriel Terranis, Korin Kluth, Knoxus, and Nam Ha Nyueng intercepted an ambush set for Archangel by the Blood Pack. While Garm managed to flee the scene, Archangel awaits words in the Bulwark Hideout.
Items Gained: Vorcha Slicers, a melee set of weapons that add +2d6 damage to any melee attack and have the following properties:
Once Per Session, instead of a regular melee attack, the wielder may make a Shank Fury attack. The person may roll 1d5, the result being the number of melee attacks made that round. The bonuses to damage from Tactical Cloak may be kept on each attack made in this manner.
If applied with a special poison costing 500 credits, the target must make a fortitude save equal to the attack roll + Dexterity Modifier. If they fail, the wielder may roll 10d10>7. The wielder may roll then Xd10, X being the amount of successes made on the previous roll. The poison fades after the first strike and must be reapplied afterward as a full round action.
CAMPAIGN UPDATE – Moving past the Prologue and into Act I:
– BOOKEEPING AND ITS REMINDERS:
All player characters are Level 4, and players should update their character sheets to reflect that before next they come to a session.
All characters are to make note of the 3,585 credits from salvaging.
All players are encouraged to double-check the logs of the campaign to make sure they have taken note of all upgrades end equipment received.
Players that chose the Outsider backstory category shall receive from their benefactors 1500 credits.
Players that chose the Native backstory category shall recieve (in time, as it is completed) a full map of territory controlled by the Bulwark and all territories directly adjacent of it. USE CAUTION: Those that receive this map shall NOT show this map to any player who does not have the Native backstory. Any evidence of such shall result of all backstory benefits being revoked in full.
– UPDATES REGARDING THE GALAXY AT LARGE:
It has been a week since the raid on the Blue Sun's outpost, and Omega seems not too perturbed by its disappearance, and the powers that be in Omega understand the necessity of it.
The biological weapon EHE, or "exotic humanoid encephalopathy", is used by the human terrorist organization Totenkopf in an attack on Gagarin Station. The Alliance cruiser SSV Manila is deployed to monitor the asteroid Israfil, the supposed origin of the miroorganisms used to produce EHE.
After a Cerberus attack on the Quarian Flotillia, the Quarians abandon their conservative policy and send ships away from the Flotilla for worlds to inhabit or quite possibly a dormant Reaper.
– MISSIONS FORMAT: Events in Omega are constantly shifting, and so the Bulwark must decide how it must shape its influence in the territory it controls. They will come in three qualities.
One quality of mission is MINOR, and so can be completed by any number of player characters without much change in its difficulty. In theory, any one player character can complete a Minor mission with NPC companions. These can nudge the story in a direction and can influence other missions, though material rewards may be insignificant. There will be very, very few minor missions that would be required to move the story towards the ends of Acts.
The second quality of mission is MAJOR, and must be completed by at least two player characters and a small number of NPCs. These missions can influence how other missions may turn out, and as such should be treated with discretion and sense. There are times that it may be recommended that the Bulwark complete these missions before moving on to missions that move the story towards the ends of Acts.
The final quality of missions is PRIME, and are to be considered full group sessions. All player characters are recommended (and sometimes required) in order to take on and continue, and as such should be planned accordingly. It is not often at all that the player party may take more than one NPC companion in a Prime mission, and should be kept in mind for party compositions. These missions move the main story forward towards the ends of Acts, and can be influenced by the outcomes (or lack thereof) of Minor and Major missions.
– BULWARK MISSIONS: These are the missions available for Act I, Chapter 1,
Once Were Abled (Minor): Empyrinus has suggested that the merchant they sell their goods to may require assistance with some matters. Perhaps someone could come down and see what might need be done.
Afraid Again (Minor): A human woman near the Bulwark is claiming to be stalked by an aggressive debtor. Lex figures someone of ill-temper and ability to stay hidden may as well be dispatched, along with relieving the woman of danger from loan sharks.
A Song of Steel (Minor): Perhaps those who were interested would be open to once more trying to find leads on Marcus Steele, one of the Corsairs who betrayed Gabriel Terranis and left him to die.
Doctors Without Borders (Major): A clinic has popped up in the Afterlife District and has stirred quite a many things. Bodies of those who cause trouble within are put on display was warnings. Nelin wishes to see who exactly is the sort to run the establishment and gauge their standing with the powers the be within Omega.
Red Sand Beach (Major): Raa'va has recieved intel that suggest that the Eclipse mercenaries plan to strategically distribute Red Sand for free to those who seem vulnerable to hook in potential customers on the outskirts of their influence. It might reduce dependence on the gangs to eliminate the Red Sand production facility just past Ardat territory.
Wing Clippers (Major): Nam Ha has caught intel that a Blood Pack Leader, Garm, plans an ambush against a figure named Archangel. While little of the figure is known, she figures anyone who can piss off the gangs might be worth reaching out to. Perhaps this would prove a better window to reach out to him than any other.
Last Will and Testament (Prime): Carver has tasked the Bulwark with finding artifacts left by Earnest Shepard that had fallen into the wrong hands. The location of the base is fortified, but perhaps a multi-pronged approach would see the relic loosed from Blue Suns hands.
Unscrupulous Deals (Prime): Nam Ha thinks it's high time they figure out what deals were being made when last the Bulwark acted as a unit. Further intel suggest that two gangs made a temporary truce for the sake of this deal, and that doesn't sit well for anyone in the Bulwark.
Knoxus: I did not come here with as noble intentions as your clan's. This was meant to be a test for what remained of my clan. We failed, and dissolved.
Emyprinus Sidonis: So... why did you stay, then?
Knoxus: I do not back down easily. Neither do you. It is why we are both here.
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THERE WAS AN IRONY IN WHAT HE WAS ABOUT TO DO, to intentionally forgo the imparted graces instilled into him by the two people who had instilled the most – those whom he sought to figure out. Despite this, discretion was not entirely thrown out. Empyrinus was clever, but Lex knew his limits and how to project a personality that would let him slip from the turian’s watchful eye. With that, Lex let him haggle with the shop owner, a tedious process to get every credit they could out of what they were selling. Of course, it was an all-consuming process for the turian – as it always was, ‘Pyr was the other side of the coin to Lex. He projected himself freely to the world, and it took him out of the world in turn to do so.
“You handle him. I’ll make sure our ‘recon’ buddies don’t blow our cover.” Was all that Lex said, spoken right as Empyrinus was at the peak of his frustration.
“Yeah, sure.” ‘Pyr said back idly. He waved Lex off without even turning from the salarian at the counter.
And so he left. Charm was easy when everyone suspected a lack of pretense to what he said, a subtlety earned by throwing oneself into the fore. Despite all the words that resided in him – the honeyed language he would occasionally let slip – there was indeed an appeal to masking it behind a brusque demeanor.
Regardless, Lex was free to mill about the streets of Omega, at least that was the extent as far as what Empyrinus cared to ascertain at that moment. From where Lex stood, the graces held just moments before were naught but hurdles as his stride became more purposeful. Towards a place held in secret to even his makeshift family was his destination, surely where Carver planted himself to lay eyes upon the message left only for him.
His footsteps set the pace for his thoughts, fragmentary passages that weaved to and from each other to match his pulsing heartbeat. That Earnest, the name and the word, the sound that meant home and family and a compassion that never sat right in him, rung a touch hollow with the way he kept secrets. A message for his first was the last thing on his mind, despite how it sent the sentiment everyone else seemed to have for him tumbling down for Lex.
Through the crooks and alleys, he found the little haven. It was marked by a panel on the wall, a panic room built by someone who most likely now no longer had the means to panic. Lex stemmed the urge to unlock the panel, though what little inhibitions he had left reminded him that there was no point. If he barged in, there would be no trust left to find anything out. If he eavesdropped, it would be no matter for Carver to figure out the interloper. Only he and Lex knew the way to unlock the door.
And so he waited. It was not Lex’s intention to steal with his eyes and ears the information Earnest left for Carver, rather it was to coax honest answers from him. Such things would be harder with others – some possessing a very tenuous right compared to others, mind – shouting him down in the process. In the place only the two could know, he could at least ask for everything to become bare before he heard everyone’s loud nothings come between.
It was not long, and Carver shuffled from the opening panel on the wall. From his rest Lex pushed himself from the wall next to it and met his wary gaze.
“Lex. I think you know the answer to your question.” From Carver, a skeptical glance with it.
Lex heaved a bitter sigh and set his jaw. “I want to know why with all the secrets.” He said as he walked into the small room, but a finger beckoning the other to do the same.
Carver shook his head. “And why would I make an exception for you?”
Lex leaned on the small hallway leading into the panic room. “Because no one’s going to question when you go back there and tell them nothing’s wrong.”
Carver let out an exasperated huff and hurried inside. “Let’s at least not expose ourselves if we’re going to do this.” With that, he closed the door panel.
In the room ahead lied a couple footlockers and the VI projector, little else. The small panic room was meager and made to be dismissed by those who found it, and they would be pressed to deviate from the original design. Lex found his seat on one of the two bedrolls and thinned his lips. “How bad is it?”
Carver rolled his eyes. “No comment.”
“Pretty bad, then.” Lex surmised as he crossed his legs.
A groan. “I didn’t say that.”
“Didn’t have to.”
“What the hell do you want from me, Lex?” Carver snapped.
The tide of words pressed against his mouth and spilled all at once in the same moment. “Why Earnest kept so many secrets. Why was he uncle to Commander Shepard while he himself was left in the dregs? How the hell did he manage to have all that he had while not even having a job? Very little contacts, and yet he could supply Raa’va with growing child-sized exo-suits all throughout her childhood in Omega. How the fuck did he do damn near anything he was able to do and raise five kids?” He shook his head. “Who did he piss off... y’know, in the end?”
Carver looked down. “No one’s ready for that, Lex.”
“For what?” A stern gaze.
“Stuff they aren’t ready for. Not with all they just heard.” Carver sighed.
Lex canted his head. “Will you tell me, at least?”
Carver closed his eyes. “I… don’t know. I don’t even want to hear it out of my own mouth.”
“So you trust me?” A twinge of hope within.
“Not enough people to trust to say no…?”
With furrowed brows, he shrugged, “I’ll take it, I guess.”
Carver gave Lex a gentle jab on the shoulder. “Once more, not enough people to trust to say no.”
Lex returned the gesture with a hand rested idly on Carver’s shoulder. “Sure, why not.”
He wasn’t entirely satisfied, though he supposed such things would come in time. Such things were an eventuality, at the least, even if it were only for him.
An old Krogan Battlemaster, he served as Chief to a destroyed tribe he refuses to name. Little is known about Knoxus, but his curt (and loud) demeanor and thirst for battle make for a typical, albeit fierce, vanguard with a warhammer. Despite how he might conform to the expectations as to what a krogan might be, there may yet be wisdom in the bones of someone who nears more than most a millennium of life.
Gneaus seems to be a powerful and fierce combatant with a sense of altruism. He boasts impressive propulsion packs on his shoulders and legs that launch him with blinding speed and deadly force. He has identified himself as a Spectre protecting an influential company representative. It is unknown why he is in Omega.
POWERS:
His propulsion packs carry him a great distance and make for a deadly melee attack when launching himself at enemies.
He seems proficient at tech powers and combat abilities.
The specifics regarding the depths of his abilities remain unknown. Speculation can only occur from hereon.
The Bulwark gathered and deliberated upon two matters at hand. The group concluded that they would split in two to better deal with the situations.
Xayla T’Sara, Korin Kluth, Gabriel Terranis, Ivan Taggart, and Raa’va nar Qwib Qwib performed a standard supply raid on an encroaching Blue Suns outpost.
On the route to the outpost lied a firefight between the turian Spectre Gneaus Aboltius and a squad of Blue Suns over a corporate representative’s son taken hostage. He and the party disposed of the Blue Suns kidnappers, the Spectre leaving as fast as they introduced themselves.
In the outpost proper, the party disposed of the Blue Suns within with the help of the owner of the occupied house, the krogan battlemaster Knoxus. Raa’va convinced him to join their ‘clan’. Within the house lied supplies and a VI Projector labeled “E.S. – If something happens”. They return to the Hideout, dread clutching Raa’va’s spirits.
Carver Roncevaux, Lexington Rowntree, Nelin Jardab, Nam Ha Nyueng, and Empyrinus Sidonis investigated a Blood Pack negotiation with a still unknown entity. They could retrieve no information from a delegate, a third party that could not be traced.
All return to the Hideout to play the message. Raa’va was proved right to be nervous, as it was their Patron’s last words to the original Bulwark if something were to happen to them. Emotions ran high as old wounds opened up once more, the party sympathizing – and perhaps empathized in some cases.
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What lies at yonder tholos is yet still the empty void she knew years prior. There is no reason for this to be a surprise. Bodies were litter upon Omega, The End, and Earnest served to show that no one was above it. Not before, not still. But this cannot be her internal narrative still, she doesn’t have a long enough life to dwell on the events of three months ago.
Yet still her fingers were poised to continue the work she started but her memories kept them mired in musings. Her eyes were anywhere, everywhere, somewhere not here, she found herself begging.
But there was no time for that. There’s not enough time for her to mourn her Patron still.
Everything was easier then, but life is not meant to be easy.
Everything felt safer then, but this is not a safe place.
