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The Thoth Invasion

What you see as corruption, is merely Control. You will submit to me

— Thoth

The Invasion of Thoth was a battle that took place in several locations of the Nexus, as Thoth infected enemy and ally alike in hopes of overwhleming those who lived within. The denizens of the Nexus rallied to its defense, and emerged victorious. This led to the permanent installation of the intraplanar defense system on the Gates.

The Conflict

Prelude

The Three have existed longer than any one creature should, turning time and the lives that exist within it into something trivial. Hoping to find kind of reprieve from their endless conflicts, an entity took on a humanoid form and called themselves the Arena Master, working within the Nexus. This vacation met its inevitable end when one of the three, known as Thoth, discovered the Nexus and its greatest potential. As a creature of Control, a plane connected to all others was a perfect base of operations. The original Arena Master left the Nexus, hoping that would turn Thoth's gaze elsewhere, but it did not work. Seeing the danger, and the price to pay, The current Arena Master, Oberon, started a costly ritual to give the Nexus a chance to survive.
The defenders had two missions set before them, help lead the Nexus to drive the grip of Thoth out for good, and to help Oberon complete the ritual in the Arena to summon Thoth's physical form. The original Arena Master would rejoin the Three, to permanently ensure the safety of the Nexus from further influences. Thoth believed their victory was guaranteed, but what the Nexus lacked in power, it more than made up for in preparedness and heart.

Deployment

Thoth intiated attacks at several strategic locations to try and surround the Nexus from multiple points. The main attack was orchestrated over a planar bridge powered by several arcane towers, that was designed to appear only as the bulk of the invading forces were ready to march on the Nexus. To scatter focus, they also setup forces to invade through the Gardens, as well as a tower secretly constructed deep within the forest to act as a powerful arcane cannon to hit the back of the defending forces and scatter them.
Gil commanded the Nexus forces, directing them to help force Thoth their self to manifest in the Arena. Hurting them was the only way to remove their control over the forces that were ordered to invade the Nexus, and stop the spread of his corruption as well. Regiments were formed to guard the most vulnerable parts of the Nexus, to avoid ambushes, while he focused on the ritual that would bring about a real final battle.

Battlefield

Forces clashed upon multiple battlefields during the Invasion of Thoth.

Battle of the Bridge

Beyond the Gate, as the mist disperses, two towers rise up into view. Though distant, movement can be seen between the stone structures, as well as faint shimmers of silver glinting off it's surface, unnatural and oily. Damned wails and blood curdling shrieks start to rise up as two more towers appear in the mist. One more set, and the bridge will be connected.
The mist disperses through the forest surrounding the gates. Two more towers come into vision and at once, the battlefield is set. A hush falls over the gates and then shadows start to materialize at the bases of the towers. A crescendoing, piercing wail echoes as it fills the air.

The denizens of the Nexus found themselves looking at a bridge with six towers, holding the planar bridge in place. As long as the towers stood, ghasts and frightening creatures of all sorts would continue to pour into the Nexus until they swarmed every inch of the world. With a combination of those who ran forward to confront the horrors, those who held fast at the Gates to stop any who made it past from gaining access, and those on rooftops shooting ballistae to help take out the towers, they fell one by one, until only one remained. And then they heard the roar.

Everyone hears something roar and reverberates in their bones. They hear something grip at the stone tile of the crumbling bridge, digging in. They see two eyes, then another pair, and then a final pair, hovering 60ft above the ground, just beyond the fog.

The fighters panic, swarmed by creatures, they cannot reach the last tower. Spells nor weapons have any effect on the creature gripping the end of the bridge, and they all realize the last tower must fall before they do. They manage to smash the lost tower to pieces, and the bridge starts to crumble and fall into the Nothing, right under their feet. It is a desperate dash to the Gates, and tentacles lash out, trying to drag anyone it can reach with it into the Nothing, but all successfully make it out, and the bridge was no more. And then the tendrils grabbed the Gates instead. The fighters fought with renewed vigor, hitting the tendrils with everything they had before it ripped the Gates protecting the Nexus apart. And the final blow was delivered by a powerful caster by the name of Aurora, reaching deep within herself to end the first blow against the Nexus.

Aurora attempts to use telekinesis to force one of the tendrils to let go. She manages to somehow unwind the edge of tendril. She remembers back on the ballista when she was working on earlier and how it was the biggest thing she had ever lifted. She holds ouot her hands, and forces, wrenching against its hold, concentrating with all her might and suddenly there is a sharp TWANG as the tendril lets go. The gate cracks, the runes glow a brief red, before they go out.
The dipping silver sinks into the ground, the corruption has entered the Nexus.

Garden Overload

The sound of thunder cracks as a Silver Rift opens up from the direction of the Gardens. As you run towards the source, tendrils of silver seem to reach out of the Labyrinth and grab at the air. Cloaked creatures flood out of the rifts, dividing up and going for the four devices that are projecting the Cleansing Aura throughout the Nexus.

Five groups of fighters pledged themselves to saving the Gardens from invasion, each employing their own strategies to beat back those who would dare threaten their home They found the corruption had given rise to sentient plants, driven to destroy. Using common garden tools and items, many quickly formed blockades and rudimentary traps and trips to slow the attack as best they could.

Kithe & Clover

Bolstered by inspriation and magic, victory with only minor damage to one cleansing device

Izzy

Restrained, a hard fought victory with massive damage to a cleansing device and hedges by fire

Ella & Zeelo

Triceratops, spiritual scythes, and moxy lead to victory with only a slightly damaged cleansing device

Quarter

Kill it with fire was the strategy, and it worked very well against the sentient plants.

Maisie, Rolhen, Cray, & Hassan

Plants, Zombies carried by a plant, and even a Demon, but they still emerged victorious, with a lot of fire damage to the Gardens

Allies of Thoth

Allies of Thoth Transcript in The Thoth Invasion

The husk of a tent flares in the darkness of the forest. From within steps out a brutish looking individual with brown flowing hair, scars adorn his face with shimmering silver eyes. A throated growl erupts from his voice as the wavering air behind him breaks and four cloaked individuals slide out. Standing still for a moment Darkblade looks out at the husks of the destroyed Tigers, no emotion shows as he walks over and extracts a power core from it. “About time...I was told that you would be quicker.”
The shrill voice erupts from the silver glinted gateway as a goblin wanders out grinning widely. Snatching the power core from Darkblade, Vediskt inserts it into a covered creature behind him. Silver energy crackles throughout the frame as it starts to expand. The goblin cackles maniacally as the form starts to stab into the Ground. A cannon opens up and points up towards the Gardens. Vediskt nods to Darkblade with a wild grin on his face.
“Give me ten minutes boss and you will see some serious shit.”

The Allies of Thoth were commanded by Darkblade, corrupted by Thoth and turned into their general. With the goblin Vediskt powering up the arcane tower, and Navroth defending them with wraiths by their side, the people of the Nexus knew they needed to destroy the tower before it brought destruction down upon them.
It was a hard won battle, With Drift, Ayala, and Del the first line of defense until backup arrived. Drift attempted to keep Darkblade occupied for as long as possible, Ayala focused on the wraiths, while Del focused on Navroth. Both Drift and Del went down just as Gorlyl, Akrmir and Knife arrived to help. As the battle raged on, the fighters feared that Vediskt would complete the tower as Darkblade and Navroth used the corruption and the wraiths to power themselves up further.
As Ayala rushed to Vediskt, no one expected the goblin's overpowered arcane gun to fail spectacularly. Over modded, and cranked up to maximum in their rage, it exploded, killing them instantly and destroying the tower they were supposed to protect. Realizing this unexpected turn of events ruined their chances of success, Darkblade and Navroth fled, defeated.

The Engagement

The Avatar of Thoth

Raw Transcript in The Thoth Invasion

The door to the Cabin swings open as Oberon walks out dressed in full battle garb. No longer looking pale, but full and in control he walks to the center of the Fighting Grounds. Behind him is Nashaldo who is carrying what looks to be a folded platform. When they get to the middle they lay down the platform slowly it forms. Oberon watches Nashaldo with a hint of pain in his eyes. Walking up to Nashaldo Oberon puts a hand on their arm and Nashaldo nods.
“This One knows what to do…” Nashaldo’s voice rumbles then bows to Oberon as tears fall from their eyes. “Thank you for everything you have done for me Master Oberon.”
Oberon shakes his head. “Just Oberon….”
Nashaldo chuckles then steps onto the Platform, all around the Fighting Grounds red runes flare as the Mist above the Platform opens up. Nashaldo waves as their Third Eye opens up and is fully silver. A beam of silver shoots out of the eye into the air, a crackling effect overtakes the beam coming from Nashaldo and consumes their body. Silver pulses out as the beam disappears and instead of Nashaldo there is now a pale skinned, long pale haired, golden eyed scaled elf in the Fighting Grounds. Thoth holds up his hand examining the scales and claws that are part of his body.
“I see...Little O-bee with his sacrifices…” The hand clenches as Thoth holds it up to the Arena laughing loudly.
“COME LET US DANCE!!”

The fight against Thoth took on multiple phases as they tried everything in their arsenal to stop the defenders from succeeding. The first phase was bolstered by the cleansing devices that had survived the Garden invasion, allowing them to fight the Avatar of Thoth directly without the worry of falling under their Control.
Threatened, Thoth destroyed the devices and summoned a small regiment of creatures to guard them against further attacks. A concentrated effort smahed through the line, heading right for Thoth. And that was when Navroth, former ally, dove down, intent on betraying Thoth now that they believed their time was up. Thoth destroyed Navroth, wasting his most powerful attack on the traitor. Phoebe calls upon their power to shield everyone from the blast, which gave the fighters a much needed moment to heal and regather.
When the ritual was finally ready to be cast, Oberon appeared, commanding everyone to keep Thoth off of him to have the time needed to cast the spell. The defenders made a line, and fought with every ounce of their strength to hold him back, allowing the attack to go off. Just as Thoth would be erased, one of the Three appeared, sparing him a brutal death.

Outcome

The denizens of the Nexus successsfully repealed Thoth's invasion, and brokered a deal with the Three that they would not further their attempts to kill Thoth if they promised to never set sight upon the plane again. The Three promised to deal out their own flavor of punishment for their straying sibling, and left the Nexus for good.
To make sure nothing like this ever occurred again, the Gates of the Nexus were permanently enchanted to protect against intraplanar threats, and any powerful entities that would only try to harm those within.

Thoth Event Manuscript

This includes the raw manuscripts from the players during the event, including conversations that occurred after each battle while they healed in the Spa.

The Thoth Invasion

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Conflict Type

Battle

Invaders

Thoth

Navroth

Yolon

Darkblade

Vediskt

The Corrupted

Defenders

Gren

Daemin

Knife

Aurora

Sevin

Izzy

Cas

Lotus

Kithe

Clover

Ella

Zeelo

Quarter

Maisie

Rolhen

Cray

Hassan

Gorlyl

Del

Arkmir

Drift

Ayala

Illari

Phoebe

Wren

Ursu

Bradash

Alqamar

Tafari

Craig

Shayra

Skamos

Casualities

Navroth

32 defenders wounds

Yolon

Residual damage to the Gardens

Objectives

Stop the planar bridge letting the invaders into the Nexus
Protect the cleansing machines hidden in the Gardens from creatures infected by Thoth

Take out the Allies of Thoth and the arcane tower before it powers up and fires.
Hold off Thoth long enough for Oberon to finish their ritual that would end Thoth's reign.