Year 1 Recap

For a time, there was quiet across the Many Worlds. Not peace, exactly, but an equilibrium of power between the great Nations. But something so fragile only lasts until that little nudge changes the balance of power. When the Illarans discovered the world of Andromeda, they unknowingly gave it a shove.

 

The 18th resurrection stone found there changed everything for the people of the Many Worlds. Illara’s claim to the stone and the world it was placed upon threatened to give them access to more Lapis Vitae than any other nation. And it left the Wardens of the Pact, the organization with the purpose of guarding and administering the extra resurrection stones, in a precarious position. Already the calls were coming to release their stones, giving up any political power they had, to the other nations to balance against Illara; and Illara itself did not seem willing to turn the Lapis Vitae over to the Wardens. 

 

While the tension around the Many Worlds grew, heroes from every corner of the known realms found their way to Andromeda. A world, unexplored and full of new opportunities and adventure. Andromeda became the outpost for all the nations and their bravest adventurers. The once quiet world was now bustling with activity and it was not long before their actions garnered notice. The people of the settlement were attacked by the Thalasi, a previously unknown blue-skinned species native to Andromeda.

 

The Thalasi live in the oceans of Andromeda, but the resurrection stone, and now the settlement, lie within a sacred place of great import to them. At first, the relationship between the settlement and the Thalasi was hostile, but the adventurers have tried to make in-roads with the unknown group to better understand their needs. Still, tensions with the Illarans are high, and the heroes will have to continue to broker peace between the Thalasi and the rest of the Many Worlds or face conflicts from the natives of Andromeda.
 

The problems the heroes have faced have not just been those of the settlement, but indeed of all the Many Worlds. The Sixth Family, a radical Illaran family seeking power and validation attacked the settlement on more than one occasion. Empowered by strange stones embedded in their skin, the Sixth Family battled against the heroes several times. While the leader of the organization was defeated, many members got away. They have remained quiet since their defeat, for now.

 

Around the time of discovery of Andromeda there was a mysterious murder in the Illaran Senate. Many of the heroes have been investigating the strange occurrences around that and other deaths. They have started to unravel ancient secrets about powerful creatures, discovering that there seems to be a lot more going on than meets the eye.

 

The people of Riavan have been locked in their war with their Teras Akir for a long time, and things are looking bleak for the nation. Many of the heroes have helped fight against these monsters and some seek their secrets in hopes of finding a way to defeat them once and for all. As more has been uncovered about the creatures, many mysteries still remain; including the document that was found describing the Teras Akir as the servants of the Dragon of Passion.

 

The heroes of the settlement who count themselves as members of the Calid Circle have started the process of building their own circle on Andromeda, but they have found tension brewing amongst their culture. While many have sought a place among the six nations which means pulling back on some of the Circle’s more aggressive raiding traditions, others feel that those are fundamentally part of what makes the Calid the Calid and are trying to return to the raiding heritage of the past. The settlement must decide their values for themselves and determine what the future of the Calid on Andromeda looks like.

 

Across the Many Worlds the Cult of the Wanderer causes havoc and mayhem. Reviled by many, the cult has come at cross purposes with the heroes of Andromeda a few times. Backed by a powerful entity known only as “The Patron” the cult has made targeted attacks and the heroes have done their best to intercede. What The Patron wants with the cult is unclear, but what is clear is that both The Patron and the cult must be stopped.

 

Known to some as the Realm of Dreams, the Norelkar has been an item of interest for several of the heroes of Andromeda. Expeditions into the realm have been frequent, including the whole settlement spending an entire holiday trapped within. While there, the heroes encountered beings known as the Nightmare Lords, such as the gruesome Vivisector. These dark entities seem to have sinister plans for the adventurers of Andromeda and their attention has shifted to the settlement.

Recently an agreement was brought before all the six nations and the Thalasi. The heroes helped to facilitate tense negotiations between the political factions while a mythic entity known as the Maw of Truth sent its agents to disrupt the proceedings. While the heroes valiantly fought back the creatures and their whispers of madness, others were able to get the nations to agree to a tentative peace treaty regarding Andromeda and the Lapis Vitae.

 

When last the heroes gathered, they were helping a demonologist with his research and they accidentally found themselves through a gateway to Hell, the seat of demonic power. Instead of the silly little demons they had come to expect, Hell was filled with a very different kind of demon; horrendous monsters of extreme power. Facing certain death, the heroes tried desperately to return to their own world. Just when all seemed lost, they were aided in their escape from Hell by the legendary figure, the Stormwalker. With her help, they returned to Andromeda to spread the word of what they had seen.

 

While travelling in Andromeda, the heroes have met many fascinating people willing to share with them knowledge that cannot be found anywhere else. Teremas, the monster hunter, has come to teach secrets and skills about the dangerous creatures known as vampires, and how one might hope to survive an encounter with them. The Prince of Deals, another visitor willing to share what he knows… for a price, has provided assistance in trying to find and destroy a monster known as the Unbound.

 

The Augurs of Andromeda have found a strange world steeped in magic, where it is rumored the greatest augury of all time occurred. In trying to understand the place, the augurs had a dangerous vision of the Man in Black killing an unknown scholar. There is still much to discover about the strange world and exactly how it relates to the Man in Black.

 

So much has happened at the settlement, this is just a small glimpse. However, the adventure is far from over. There is so much still to explore and discover in the months and years to come.