001: The Blighted Hollows
Vivienna: The Evening Star descended to the Imperial Wastes outside Ascelia and neutralized the threat brought to our attention by the Earthdwellers. Their leader, Iapetus, proved to be behind the kidnappings, and was transforming their children with Mourclesis' blight. He had lost faith in his people's project, and decided this was the only way they could adapt to the new earth. Approximately 300 Earthdwellers remain below the city.
Iapetus had become a powerful necromancer, but he did not act alone. He spoke of a "master" who showed him his new power, but provided no other identifying details. Caution is advised in case this individual makes another attempt to return monsters to the region near Ascelia.
Bulov: Well done.
Reward: 9,000 Dust.
Research: None.
Treasure: Salve of Power, Ozwaldean's Grace.
002: The Airship Graveyard
Vivienna: It turns out that a powerful monster was the force behind Grace in Valor's disappearance, as well as the loss of many other airships. Some of the casualties attributed to Padan Iskander may even have in reality been this Ayperos' victims. With the demon slain, the Evening Star was able to recover a significant amount of material from the neutralized area. Executor Castor will doubtless be pleased.
Unfortunately, the rescued Sir Tarn has been deemed clinically insane, and institutionalized for his own good for the time being. That the demon has some lingering influence on his mind cannot be discounted.
Addendum: It turns out that Meera Tarn was not the individual who requested this mission. She committed suicide some time after her husband's loss. The true source of both the mission itself and the blade we were given as a reward remains unknown…
Bulov: Well done.
(Off the record: The appearance of this "Ayperos" and Vivienna's classified reports of what he said as you engaged him disturbs me. His nature and his words match all too well those of a "demon lord" described in a religious text from before the mists long held apocryphal.
I have provided a copy of this text, "The Numbering of Demons," to your headquarters. You may read and consider it at your leisure.)
Reward: 12,000 Dust.
Research: New airship weapons available! See Cloudchaser.
Treasure: Backlash Tattoo, Ring of Dwarf Lords, Ayperos' Mostly Broken Machine Gun (Twin Strike at +18, 1d12+10 per attack, 1/encounter), Iaoth (see Artifacts).
003: The Broken Cathedral
Vivienna: The Evening Star escorted Hand of the Goddess Dalavesta through a critically damaged Xuruthite Living Palace. With their aid and might, she was able to consecrate the demonic masters' lairs and completely extinguish life from the construct. The guild proceeded to overcome the weakened but still dangerous Hivemind, Aeshma Xuruth.
Congratulations are in order: this may be Ascelia's most significant victory over the Xuruthites since the time of Guardian Patriach Sargon.
Additional information about this mission has been deemed classified and is not reflected in this report. It may be updated at a later time with the Grand Executor's approval.
Bulov: Well done. I have successfully obtained permission to increase your original reward substantially.
Reward: 36,000 Dust.
Research: New airship parts available courtesy of the Azure Blades.
Treasure: None.
004: Kasdeya and the Seven Dwarves
Vivienna: Pursuant to the Goddess Tower's request, the Evening Star guild flew away from the main continent of Asherah to an island where it was thought several missing Dwarves had traveled using a stolen airship. Details with respect to the island's condition and inhabitants have been classified and are not included in this report.
It turned out that one of the Dwarves, Eblis, had turned against the others and bound himself to a powerful demon called Kasdeya. The Evening Star's fighters successfully destroyed both Eblis and his new master, after rescuing the seven remaining Dwarves.
Bulov: Well done. More appears to have been written, but deleted from the report.
Reward: 19,000 Dust.
Research: New materials have been given to Drusas Quidare, and promising research is ongoing!
Treasure: Transforming Cloth Armor +3, Cerviel (see Artifacts), Ama-no-Habakiri (see Cloudchaser)
005: Lord Nergal's Wild Ride
Vivienna: This mission was not what it seemed - which is exactly what we expected. The Evening Star's fighters were incapacitated by a strange airborne toxin shortly after departing Maelthrazra. They were immediately attacked by a powerful demon calling itself Nergal within some sort of dream world.
Fortunately, Nergal was defeated, ending another threat to the people of Asherah.
Bulov: Well done.
Reward: 16,000 Dust.
Research: Details relating to the poison Nergal used to knock out the Evening Star are under investigation.
Treasure: Amriel (see Artifacts), Nergal's Questionably Useful Wand (Three 10 damage Magic Missiles that push 1, 1/encounter).
006: Classified Anti-Terrorism Activities
Bulov: No public record of this mission will be made available. If you feel that such an accounting is necessary to your business in Ascelia, contact the office of the Patriarch.
Reward: None.
Research: None.
Treasure: Iskander's Gambit (Consumable, free action to gain 100 THP).
007: Zselat's Conclave
Vivienna: The Evening Star and the Azure Blades traveled to Caspyga together to hunt down the largest sect of Grey Ashes remaining. They prevailed against both the mechanized forms of the three Archmages Zselat, Grey Ashes leader Tessia Zselat, and numerous aberrations including Mind Flayers and Beholders. Yet these fights were only a prelude to what awaited both guilds at the Conclave's pinnacle: Ascelia's old nemesis Asulian appeared and unleashed a golem from the ancient empire!
The so-called "Elder Eidolon" was destroyed, and Asulian is also presumed dead in the aftermath of the Conclave's collapse, although obviously we cannot be sure until we find her remains. The location of the Conclave is being evaluated by Tower Security even now.
Though some Grey Ashes remain, they are scattered and leaderless. The war is over!
Bulov: Well done.
Reward: 30,000 Dust.
Research: Quid successfully converted the arcane essences left behind by the Zselat Sentinels into a weapon for Samara and a Foe-Binder Ring!
Treasure: Scepter of Domination (Daily item power. +20 vs Will, Dominate,Save Ends), Enduring Spirit Feyweave +4, and an additional 72,000 Dust (12,000 per PC).
008: The Case of the Missing Sandwich
Vivienna: The search for the lost sandwich of Raki Rapefist was much more than it appeared, though to no one's great surprise. The legendary monster hunter had become a monster collector, and sought to pit his so-called "pocket monsters" against the Evening Star in a coliseum (or maybe more of a gym). Our heroes prevailed, as always!
Additional information about this mission has been deemed classified and is not reflected in this report. It may be updated at a later time with the Grand Executor's approval.
Bulov: Well done. ("Pocket monsters?" Seriously?)
Reward: 87,000 Dust.
Research: Quid was able to study an ancient cloning machine! Who knows where this will lead…
Treasure: Emberweave Staff, Bow of Gale Force
009: Volmir's Revenge
Vivienna: Serges Volmir betrayed Ascelia, and paid the ultimate price for his crimes - but it turned out that he had left one last bomb behind, one big enough to threaten the entire city. The threat presented by the bomb and crazed former assassin Thierry "Moonblade" Asante, who had taken possession of it, was great enough that even some of Volmir's former allies joined the Evening Star to take it out!
As always, the Evening Star was victorious, though no one is sure what happened to Moonblade in the end.
Bulov: Well done.
Reward: 59,500 Dust.
Research: None.
Treasure: Sword of St. Croix, Sehedion, Chandrahas, Deva Shard.
010: Classified Anti-Terrorism Activities v2
Bulov: No public record of this mission will be made available. If you feel that such an accounting is necessary to your business in Ascelia, contact the office of the Patriarch.
Reward: 127,000 Dust.
Research: None.
Treasure: Raythe's Gambit (Consumable, free action to recover all expended Encounter powers), Muramasa Fragment.
