Opening
Insert actual story here. Basically, the GaioCorps teleport to the forest where they first united, near Dr. Nizbon's hidden house. Kiara and the others admonish Viko for going overboard and raging out of control, which he tries to get them off his back while simultaneously processing the guilt. At some point after a Long Rest (but before dawn), Garen's Fist arrives in his airship, hovering above the woodlands. ARTA-5 tracked them down through his attunement to Drog's weapons and armor, which Viko took. As the airship cuts off all their viable escapes and them being out of teleportation charges in their Warp Stone until the dawn recharge, the GaioCorps has no choice but to face their ultimate foe: Knightlord Garen. Kiara Mind Links (1st level) just before the fight.
Combat: GaioCorps vs. Garen's Fist
Initiative
- Garen: 23, 0/360 HP (deadl). 8/8 1st, 3/6 2nd, 4/6 3rd, 5/6 4th, 4/4 5th, 2/2 6th, 2/2 7th, 1/1 8th, 1/1 9th. 18/20 sorcery points, 2/2 Action Surges, 2/3 Gaiodrenalines.
- ARTA-5: 16, 0/171 HP (dead). 14/20 antimatter rounds, 10/10 antigrenades
- Imperial Archmage: 16, 0/100 HP (dead). 4/4 1st, 2/3 2nd, 3/3 3rd, 3/3 4th, 3/3 5th, 2/2 6th, 1/1 7th, 1/1 8th, 0/1 9th
- Viko: 22, 23/147 HP (dead). 4/4 1st level, 3/3 2nd level, 2/2 3rd level, 0/1 4th level
- Haku: 20, 23/117 HP. 2/4 1st level, 2/3 2nd level, 3/3 3rd level, 2/2 4th level
- Nyrus: 23, 10/131 HP. 4/4 1st, 2/3 2nd, 2/2 3rd, 0/1 4th. 9/9 shurikens, 5/6 sharp arrows & 2/4 explosive arrows
- Kiara: 9, 10/85 HP. 1/4 1st level, 2/3 2nd level, 0/3 3rd level, 3/3 4th level, 2/2 5th level, 1/1 6th level, 1/1 7th level, 1/1 8th level. 2/2 Wild Shapes
- Hana: 9, 17/135 HP. 4/4 1st level, 1/3 2nd level, 3/3 3rd level, 3/3 4th level, 2/2 5th level, 1/1 6th level, 0/1 7th level, 0/1 8th level. 13/15 sorcery points
Round 1
- Nyrus: Seeing the open doorway of the airship, Nyrus fires a sharphead & explosive arrow. Garen Reaction casts Repulsion Bublle on himself and his team, covering the doorway and knocking the sharphead arrow away. The explosive arrow hits for 10 piercing/7 lightning to Garen and 10 thunder to Garen, the Archmage & ARTA-5. Nyrus runs and perches in a tree, but unbeknownst to him, Garen took NONE of the thunder or lightning damage, being immune and smirking.
- Garen: Points at a forming cloud above where he sees the group and casts Lightning Strafe (7th level). The whole group must Dex save as a lightning cloud wrecks them; Nyrus fails for 11 lightning , Viko nat20s for 24 lightning, Haku succeeds for 22 lightning, Kiara fails for 41 lightning, & Hana passes for 24 lightning. He then casts Flame Lift (4th level) to soar out of the airship, nodding to the Archmage to do her thing.
- Viko: Casts his own Flame Lift (4th level) to soar into the sky, then casts Gamma Gaze (3rd level) at Garen for 20 radiant damage. Hovers and waits.
- Haku: Runs through the trees to land in a clearing, casts Geostrength (1st level) as a Bonus Action, then casts Rock Throw (2nd level) by launching them at Garen from his landing, dealing 34 bludgeoning damage thanks to Geostrength.
- Imperial Archmage: Nodding to Garen, the Archmage casts Solar Flare (9th level) on the forest, aimed in the GaioCorps' area (48 fire & 44 radiant). Nyrus fails for 24 fire/22 radiant, Viko fails for 24 fire/22 radiant, Haku fails for 48 fire & 44 radiant, Kiara fails and goes down, & Hana fails for 48 fire & 44 radiant. She also casts Flame Curse (2nd level) on this attack, which adds 6 fire to Nyrus, 3 fire to Viko, 12 to Haku (goes down), Kiara fails a Death Save, and Hana takes 12 fire. With that blast, Garen is surprised and impressed at her power; he orders her back to the bridge, as he can take care of Viko while ARTA-5 picks off the rest. Throughout all this, Viko BARELY manages to hold concentration on his Flame Lift, remaining aloft to fight Garen.
- ARTA-5: Using his scopes, ARTA-5 cannot find Nyrus (too well hidden), but does see Hana running over to treat Kiara. He takes aim and fires 3 antimatter rounds at the witch; two rounds fire through the trees and bush without hitting Hana, but the third strikes her right as she gets to Kiara and drops her unconscious with 15 radiant damage.
- Kiara: Succeeds on a Death Save.
- Hana: Succeeds on a Death Save.
Round 2
- Nyrus: Realizing that ARTA-5 will pick them all off if he doesn't take him out, Nyrus casts Plasma Enhancement (2nd level) on his explosive arrow and fires with advantage, dealing 8 piercing/3 lightning/5 lightning/13 thunder damage/27 sneak attack/6 lightning Rogue's Bite (62 total). Then runs to another tree to hide (closer to Hana/Kiara), rolling 21 Stealth.
- Garen: Seeing Viko in front of him, Garen activates his sword with Plasma Enhancement (2nd level) for a 2d10 plasma double-sword, with one lightning side and one fire side. He lunges at Viko with ferocity and competitive desire, unleashing 4 strikes (3 hit, while Viko parries the first lightning swing with his sword). 10 fire/13 lightning damage to Viko.
- Viko: Activates Gaiodrenaline and unleashes 3 sword strikes against Garen; the Knightlord casts Repulsion Bubble (2nd level) in Reaction to block the first two, but the raging Viko cuts through on the third for 11 slashing/18 radiant (29 total).
- Haku: Succeeds on a Death Save.
- ARTA-5: Searches for Nyrus at nat20s, finding his target. He locks on and unloads; all hit with one crit. 10 (used Uncanny Dodge), 22 & 19 damage (51 total).
- Kiara: Succeeds on a Death Save.
- Hana: Fails on a Death Save.
Round 3
- Nyrus: Surrounded by the burning woodlands, Nyrus runs over to Kiara and casts Defibrillate (4th level) to get her back up, knowing that she will be able to heal Hana and Haku. Kiara regains 24 HP and is brought back to consciousness, thanking Nyrus and seeing the devastation around her. Nyrus then hides in a tree away from Hana/Kiara, rolling a 20 Stealth.
- Garen: Unleashes his own Gaiodrenaline and hacks away at Viko with four more strikes. Viko parries the first fire strike, but the other three attacks hit (lightning, lightning, fire) with the first one being a crit; 27 lightning/26 lightning (53 total) that drops Viko like a lightning strike; all on the battlefield hear and see it. As Viko falls, Garen barrels after him as a jet of fire plummeting to the ground and using gravity to impale Viko to the ground with his final lightning stab, expending the sword's energy but killing Viko on the spot. Being literally dead again, Viko's demonic rage bubbles up even quicker this time, as he hallucinates the vision of him falling into an endless pool of blood & fire. Interested, but still feeling the high of his kill, Garen happily engages this raging warrior while surrounded by the flames of the solar flare.
- Viko: Regains 18 HP and charges Garen with three sword strikes; all hit for 22 slashing/13 radiant, 16 slashing/16 radiant, 16 slashing/10 radiant (93 total). Garen is taken aback by the ferocity, right as Viko fires a Plasma Shot at his face; however, Garen dodges it due to the close range. Viko regains a 3rd level spell slot, and Garen loses concentration on Flame Lift.
- Haku: Succeeds on a Death Save.
- ARTA-5: Searches for Nyrus, but does not find him this time. Instead, he follows his instructions and tries to pick off the rest, firing 3 shots at the now conscious Kiara. However, as he is about to unload, Kiara is ready and casts Mind Stall (3rd level) as a Reaction on the android, who fails the save and takes their Action to be confused.
- Kiara: Sensing her downed friends, KIara can feel that Haku is close to pulling through on his own. As such, she casts Cure Wounds (2nd level) on Hana, giving her 13 HP and bringing her back up. She then casts Healing Mind (3rd level) on Haku, even though her Mind Link isn't active; he gets 16 HP and is up.
- Hana: Casts Aquaflesh (1st level), then Hydro Rush (5th level) to hit ARTA-5 and knock him out of the airship door, as he was hanging out slightly to get better shots. She hits dead on for 36 cold damage and pushes him out of the airship, causing him to fall 100 ft and take an additional 18 bludgeoning damage as he hits the ground. Hana looks to her husband, knowing that wounded prey in the forest is his specialty. However, Nyrus dashes out to the crash site before Haku even takes off.
Round 4
- Nyrus: Runs up to where ARTA-5 fells and uses his Grapple Blades to close the distance from the trees. Deals 25 piercing/29 Sneak Attack/7 lightning Rogue's Bite with the blades (61 total), then uses thm to draw himself towards the android with a drop kick for 7 bludgeoning to crush the chest of ARTA-5. The android is down, and will probably not get back up.
- Garen: Seeing the seriousness of his opponent, Garen casts Plasma Enhancement (3rd level) to add extra lightning damage to the first swing. Without a physical weapon, Garen resorts to masterful martial arts, hitting once for 3 bludgeoning/21 lightning (dropping Viko) and then punching him while down for two Death Fail. The Demonic Rage takes both Death Fails to even Viko out, but dissipates in consequence. Garen looks pleased, knowing that this "boy" still stood no chance.
- Viko: Fails a Death Save.
- Haku: Knowing Nyrus has ARTA-5 handled, Haku hunts and searches for Viko & Garen, knowing they were engaged the last time he had eyes on the sky. He does find them, casts Geostrength (1st level) and dramatically leaps through a blazing tree while tossing his boomerang at Garen, landing a crit with advantage. With all the boosts, Haku pulls a legendary move and deals 154 force damage to Garen with a 1st level spell & a boomerang (need to raise Geostrength's level or nerf it). Stands on the other side of Viko's unconscious self, feeling a staredown between himself and Garen.
- ARTA-5: Succeeds on a Death Save.
- Kiara: Runs in Haku's direction to support Viko, but heals Hana another 11 HP with Cure Wounds (1st level).
- Hana: Knowing this doesn't end while the airship stays in the sky, Hana channels all the loose water in her Bag of the Sea and the surrounding forest to cast Akana's Wrath (8th level). She uses this (currently undefined) spell to lay waste to the airship over the course of this round and probalby the next.
- Archmage & Airship: dead & destroyed
Round 5
- Nyrus: Seeing that the robot is still kicking, Nyrus fires a fatal Grapple Blade through ARTA-5's core, shutting him down for good but setting it to be unstable. Realizing the mistake too late, Nyrus uses both blades to try and hurl ARTA-5 into the sky (at the airship). With an impressive feat of Goultani speed & strength, Nyrus creates enough momentum to launch ARTA-5 at the airship, which detonates as it makes contact with the already-damaged airship. Hana reflexively uses Akana's Wrath to contain the nuclear explosion, but it expends the spell and evaporates all the water used. However, with the airship destroyed and the Imperial Archmage along with it, the tide has rapidly turned against Garen. Nyrus rushes over to where Garen is, but doesn't break the clearing yet
- Garen: Sensing th approaching GaioCorps and feeling his health waning, Garen realizes that he has to finish this now and escape to rule his empire. He uses 2 sorcery points to Quickened Spell his Vibrosense (5th level) to map out the whole area, sensing where each of his targets are. He then unleashes Infernal Star (9th level) on the entire GaioCorps: Nyrus succeeds on his Dex save and takes no damage, dodging the fatal fireball unsinged. Viko fails automatically and takes a second Death Fail, Haku succeeds but takes 20 fire damage and is downed, Kiara fails and is downed, and Hana evaportates from Aquaflesh form while only taking 7 fire damage to herself. Garen unleashes the big fireball on Viko & Haku, dealing a Death Fail to each of them. Not satisfied that his opponents are still technically, Garen Action Surges and deals killing blows to both warriors with a kick to each head. He then charges out with his last two attacks into the blaze, coming head-first with Nyrus for 7 bludgeoning/16 fire (halved to 11 because Uncany Dodge), then 8 bludgeoning/14 fire damage (22 total) to knock Nyrus unconscious.
- Viko: dead
- Haku: dead
- ARTA-5: dead
- Kiara: Succeeds on a Death Save
- Hana: Senses the death of her beloved and goes into a rage, rushing towards the site of the flaming clearing with haste. When she gets close enough to see Garen wreathed in flame standing over an unconscious Nyrus, and with no water to use, Hana goes dark and casts Bloodboil (7th level) on Garen, dealing 24 necrotic damage and downing Garen as he burns from the blood in his own veins. Rushes over to restore Nyrus, using Quickened Spell (2 sorcery points) to cast Organic Mending (2nd level) for 10 HP. She prepares to find the others and heal whoever she can, still in a state of shock and grief.
Round 6
- Nyrus: Runs off and gathers the unconscious Kiara, bringing her over to Hana for healing. Uses his Bonus Action to search for Viko & Haku, resisting the urge to spend that time finishing off Garen as he knows their fate could lie in the seconds.
- Garen: Fails a Death Save.
- Viko: dead
- Haku: dead
- Kiara: fails a Death Save
- Hana: Casts Organic Mending (2nd level) to heal Kiara. Then helps her up and rushes over to where Nyrus ran, worried about what she will find but knowing all the same.
Round 7
- Nyrus: Finds Viko & Haku's bodies, calling Kiara and Hana to his direction so they can get there and help their fallen friends. Then, in a fit of rage, Nyrus bursts over with astounding speed towards Garen, pins him through the legs with his Grapple Blades, then charges through the woods recklessly as Garen's body slams across the trees, finally killing him.
- Garen: dead
- Viko: dead
- Haku: dead
- Kiara: Following Nyrus' directions, Kiara rushes forth and finds her friends, immediately letting out a sob as he laid eyes on them. However, she doesn't let it stop her duties; she senses that both died around the same time, but knows that Viko has a haphazard relationship with death. Therefore, she casts Revivify (3rd level) on Haku, expending one of five 5 300 gp diamonds that she carries for this instance. She then uses her Bonus Action to cast Mind Link (1st level) on everyone except Viko (since he's dead).
- Hana: Rushes up and is instantly sobbing/relieved to see Haku alive. She embraces him, only duly noting Viko's body in her whirlwind of emotions.
Round 8
- Nyrus: Runs back to the group, rageful and mourning the loss of two friends. However, he gets back and sees Haku & Hana's embrace, then Kiara leaning over Viko with her Revivify diamond. He calms down slightly and stands guard in the area.
- Garen: dead
- Viko: dead
- Haku: Jokes that Hana should teach him some of her healing magic. She seriously agrees, and will teach him Organic Mending in the near future.
- Kiara: Revivify's Viko, but sees a darkness within him as she does. The ritual pulls her into a hallucinatory dreamstate where she has to sift through the same pool of blood that Viko fell into. She finds him thrashing around in it, having died while in the Demonic Rage state and not being particularly stable. Slowly approaching him and talking down his rage, Kiara gets close enough to cast Pacifying Blat (5th level), which clears out all the anger plagueing the area long enough to complete the Revifiy ritual and bring Viko back to life.
- Hana: Casts Organic Mending (3rd level) on Haku & Viko, giving them both 22 HP. She then starts using whatever water she can gather to start putting out the forest fire.
Mid-Season Ending
With the battle narrowly won with a near insurmountable cost, the GaioCorps flee to the nearby village after completely putting out the blaze. A scarred space of blackened trees remain as a reminder of what happened here. The GaioCorps takes up shelter with the village they first saved, who returns the favor they paid long ago by feeding & sheltering them for the night. Hana & Haku state that after all this turmoil and loss, they are heading back to Dalterra to complete their honeymoon travels, which were mostly finished when they started this quest. However, they wish to extend it now, and invite the GaioCorps to join them on this vacation. Since taking down Garen was their main goal, Kiara feels inclined to take this vacation, but knows that the Grettanian Empire won't just dissolve with a leadership vaccum. However, she decides that she will just report her findings during this case/mission on Garen to her superiors at the Warian Collective, letting them take over the political aspect of things from here. As such, she agrees to the vacation, elating Haku & Hana.
Meanwhile, Nyrus wrestles with his own actions during this conflict and the battle with Garen, having flashbacks to his time with Master Yen and his lessons on how revenge will give you temporary satisfaction followed by an empty, corrupted existence. He recalls how he didn't listen and ran away from the monastery once he had enough skills to assassinate his parent's killer, leading him on the path he's on today. He recalls the brutality of running through the woods with the full power of the Goultani Gaioforce to kill Garen, wincing at his loss of control.
In his lonesome, Viko ruminates on his recent actions, from his rageout at the colisem to dying, raging and dying again yesterday. He has flashbacks to his childhood (bullies in Banatar shown), implications and flashes of the incidient that got him banished (killing said bullies during a rage episode), his mother allowing the banishment to go through without helping or joining him, and his training with Lord Goruk. Eventually, he goes up to Kiara privately and agrees to go on the trip as well, hoping to learn more with his powers and how to control these rage episodes. United in a positive light, the GaioCorps congratulate themselves on their victory with a day of celebration at the village tavern, then head off north to Dalterra.
"Post credit scene"
In the partially scorched woodlands near the battleground, shortly after the GaioCorps left, a flash of teleporation magic drops Dr. Nizbon onto the ground, unconscious and freshly teleported from the battle in
KoA Finale: The Inevitable End . When he comes to in the morning, he walks the woods and wonders what happened, recognizing certain landmarks and realizing this is his home. On his way back to it, he finds Garen's battered corpse, recognizing him immediately. While he feels no life radiating off the body, he can tell the flesh is still undisturbed enough to potentially implement his ultimate experiment: Project Zaethis. He takes the body back to his home and begins preparations.
A few days later, Dr. Nizbon has a ritual set up on top of his hill home, when the sun rests at its peak. He channels the energy from the sun & the remaining woodlands that surround him (casting Bio Drain) into a magitech apparatus containing Garen's body, encased in and physically bound to an android-like suit of armor. He also uses the vials of Goultani Extract that he bought off the GaioCorps in this apparatus, pumping the body full of his serum. Finally, he pulls open a specialized Magic Jar/Soul Swap spell scroll written by a Daidrin scientist/colleage in exchange for some of his other work/research. As the final piece of the ritual, Dr. Nizbon casts this customized spell on himself and the Garen body in a detonating of Goultani energy, creating a temporary beacon in the sky. When the dust settles, Dr. Nizbon's body lay fried on the ground, but the metallic body of Garen rises from the apparatus, radiating with barely stabilized Goultani energy. It looks over to Nizbon's corpse and starts speaking to itself, sharing the same voice as Nizbon with a mildly robotic echo. Pleased at the success of his ultimate experiment, Dr. Nizbon takes on the new name of Dr. Zaethis, speeding off to gather his scientific works/artifices and spread his newly empowered will across Hythenos.
Overall End Result
- GaioCorps defeat and kill Knightlord Garen, ARTA-5, a high-ranking Imperial Archmage, and a Grettanian Flagship. Viko takes Garen's Plasma Doublesword for himself.
- GaioCorps leaves to go on vacation in Dalterra, hoping to explore each of their individual magicks as a result.
- GaioCorps levels up to 16. This will be the final level of Fighter, Rogue & Ranger that Viko, Nyrus & Haku take, respectively.
- Temporary end of the GaioCorps operations in Hythenos
- Permanent end of the Knights of Anarchy (one surviving member gone rogue as Dr. Zaethis, the other returning to his life as the Dealer)
- Dr. Nizbon completes Project Zaethis and implants his soul within Garen' refurbished cyborg body, infused with mass dosages of the Goultani Extract. He is now Dr. Zaethis, shedding the old identity of Nizbon with the gnome body he left behind.
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