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Last Updated: 2008-05-17 16:30:02 EST
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The Kheldian War (Levels 23-28) |
The
Kheldian War
Summary:
- Defeat
all vampyri - Striga Isle - Defeat
- Defeat
all villains in cave - Striga Isle - Search for clues
- Take
flask to Stephanie Peebles - Striga Isle - Delivery
- Defeat
Archon Fontain & his men - Striga Isle - 6 hostages
to rescue
- Interrogate
agents on Striga Isle - Striga Isle - Defeat 20 Council
- Rescue
Dr. Todd - Striga Isle - Rescue
- Defeat
all villains in base - Striga Isle - Defeat, seek clues, find
schematic
- Take
the schematics to Dr. Engles - Skyway City - Delivery
- Defeat
Archon Salvator & his men - Striga Isle - Find list
of names
- Interrogate
agents on Striga - Stiga Isle - Defeat 20 Council
- Defeat
Arakhn - Striga Isle - Defeat
Details:
I have
been watching this little
island for some time, heroes, and I am greatly troubled. I fear that
the heinous crimes of the Council (and of those they have allied
themselves with) may spell the destruction of this entire planet, its
people, and all its glorious mysteries. I must beg you to help me.
Perhaps together, we can stand between this Earth and the coming
disaster.
Before we begin, know that I am not of this world. Or, not
entirely.
This body was born here, yes, but there is much more to me now. You
see, my body was fused with the life force of a Kheldian, a wise but
short-lived alien race. In a very real sense, there is more to me than
just a single soul. if we continue, you will learn things that are
secret to most humans. I must be able to trust you.
You will earn my trust if you can journey into Vampyr
Mountain and take
down a clutch of Vampyri. Only true heroes would risk such a feat.
A code name seems in order. I like the sound of Task Force
Astral.
Thank
you, my
friends. I suppose
I can trust you now. Remember, what you learn from me is not for other
ears. I will tell you of the villainies of the Council, most
particularly, those of the wicked Arakhn.
You have earned my
trust, and it
is only fitting that I reward you by disclosing one of my secrets. Like
me, Arakhn is only partly of this world. Her body is human, but the
life force that guides her is that of a Nictus. The Nictus are ghastly
creatures, the dark and twisted cousins of my race. Yes, the Kheldian
legacy is frought with misery and war. A war that has, most
regrettably, some at last to Earth.
I have sensed a vast build up of Nictus energy in a nearby
cave
complex. Go there. I believe we will gain a clue to Arakhn's most
recent plans.
The cave was full
of War Wolves?
Strange. I have observed them for some time, but I have not yet
determined their origin. They are like the beasts of this world's
legends, and yet they are also strangely familiar to the part of me
that is Kheldian. Perhaps this flask you found can help us solve that
mystery?
I have the greatest fears
about the contents of that flask you found, Task Force Astral. before
we proceed, my theory must be confirmed. There is one on this island
who is wise in the ways of all things. Take the flask to her, my
friends. Perhaps she will be able to confirm my dread suspicions.
I can only hope the contents are not what I fear them to be.
So. My worst
suspicions have
been confirmed. Within that flask, heroes, is a fragment of a Nictus!
The cruelest race my galaxy has ever known, the sworn enemy of every
right-thinking Kheldian! Be thankful that it is not a full-blooded
Nictus Stephanie Peebles has bound to you. be thankful, Task Force
Astral, but also be afraid.
Listen, heroes, and you
will
hear a terrible tale: the history of the Kheldian race. You see, the
Nictus and the Kheldians were once one people. Our lives were brief -
ten years by this world's reckoning - but we were content. Or so we
imagined. There were those among us who wanted more.
They became the Nictus. They learned to envelop other
Kheldians, drain
their life force, and thus become immortal. Inevitably, war followed.
It is a war that has brought us halfway across the universe, to this
unspoiled and beautiful planet. Perhaps it is foolish of me, but I hope
to bring it to an end.
There are Kheldians still living on this planet in their
natural form,
though most of us have chosen to fuse with a human, like myself. I can
only assume there are Nictus still living here as well. that flask you
found contained a fragment of such a creature. Perhaps in another of
Arakhn's strongholds, you can learn more.
So,
Arakhn and the
Council are
using Nictus fragments to fashion their galaxy troops. And when
something goes wrong, however slight, the merger results not in a
powerful soldier, but in a bestial war wolf! How disgusting! Listen,
heroes. When I became fused with a Kheldian, it was with my full
knowledge and consent. Indeed, that is the only way that such a merger
is possible, either for Kheldians or for Nictus. But it seems that the
Council is able to force these mere fragments on their recruits. I
cannot imagine anything more diabolical! Nor can I doubt that Arakhn is
behind it all.
Task Force Astral, I believe Arakhn has met her match!
If those men you saved are
correct, there is still another prisoner in the Council's clutches.
This Dr. Todd they spoke of must be rescued. I don't know whether
Arakhn plans to infuse him with a Nictus fragment, as she tried to do
to those recruits, or whether she has some darker purpose in mind. But
I am certain her plot must be stopped. Go and interrogate Arakhn's
soldiers, Task Force Astral. Perhaps one of them can tell us where Dr.
Todd is imprisoned.
I know Arakhn's cruelty, Task Force Astral. I know what she
is capable of.
The device Dr. Todd
described is
a thing most terrible, Task Force Astral. I have told you that the
Nictus once fed upon other Kheldians. What I did not tell you was how.
The Nictus scientists developed a powerful energy transfer device that
could rip away a Kheldian's life force, even at a distance of light
years. This terrible weapon is the reason we Peacebringers have
resolved to destroy all Nictus, wherever they may be. If Arakhn plans
to recreate this device, she must be stopped! Immediately!
You are remarkable heroes. With your help, I shall triumph
over Arakhn at last!
Follow
the trail:
If
Arakhn truly intends
to replicate the machine that allowed the Nictus to feast upon the
Kheldians, it will be disastrous. There are hundreds of Kheldians
living on this planet, and millions more in our home galaxy. In an eye
blink she could murder us all!
Dr. Todd mentioned another
facility where he was briefly imprisoned. I want you to go there and
see what you can learn. If you find anything of note, please take it to
one of this world's wise women. Her name is Dr. Ann-Marie Engles.
It has been a long time
since I have been this badly shaken, Task Force Astral. Please, help me
end this dreadful plot!
So,
Arakhn plans to plant the remaining Nictus within Paragon City's
people? And she has found a way to make the merging permanent without
their consent? Her evil can pain me, Task Force Astral, but it can
surprise me no longer. She must be stopped. For the good of humanity,
and that of the entire universe.
I have a plan I
would like to
share with you, Task Force Astral. It is a bold one. I intend to use
Arakhn's plot against her, but it will require knowing the names of her
intended victims. Do you think you can get that information for me?
If we can figure out who Arakhn plans to infect with her
Nictus
invaders, we can get to them first, and lay a pretty trap! While you're
there, it would behoove you to take out a few of her men. The more we
can weaken her power, the better the next phase of the plan will go.
Look at this list
of names, Task
Force Astral. Arakhn hopes to force permanent mergers with Nictus upon
many of this city's greatest people. This cannot come to pass. Now that
we know her intended targets, I will rally the Kheldian Army, known far
and wide as the Peacebringers. We will set a trap for Arakhns Nictus.
I want to bring the
Kheldian War
to a close once and for all, and to do that, I must end the Nictus
threat. I intend to use Arakhn's plan against her, and lay a trap for
her Nictus brethren. I want you to seek out Arakhn's stronghold. Then
you must defeat her, while I gather the forces of the Kheldian
Peacebringers. My bodiless bothers will go to her intended victims, and
ask permission to protect them from the Nictus. And then they will wait.
When you defeat Arakhn, I have no doubt her loyal minions
will put her
plan into effect, sending the Nictus into their intended hosts. But
each Nictus will be surprised by a Kheldian lying in wait, within the
very body they had planned to assume. There we will defeat them , once
and for all.
I know this sounds dangerous, but it is the only way. If we
do not stop
the Nictus once and for all, Arakhn may develop an even more twisted
plot. And that plot might succeed.
Wonderful job,
Task Force Astral! Wonderful! You delayed Arakhn's plan
long enough for my people to lay a trap for the Nictus she intended to
force upon human hosts. Some of the people we protected even invited
the Kheldians to remain. I have no doubt they will become some of this
world's greatest heroes.
As for the Nictus, I believe we have vanquished all of them,
or at
least weakened them greatly. I suppose it is possible that some of them
may have fused with their human hosts, but I do not believe it is
likely.
Event Story Line:
It began with a request from a mysterious watcher: Moonfire, a woman
fused with the life of a Kheldian alien. Though she wanted your help,
she was unsure as to whether she could trust you with the secrets of
her race. To earn her trust, you took down a nest of vampyri on Striga
Isle.
At Moonfire's request, you went next to a cavern network,
where you
encountered a legion of War Wolves. You defeated the creatures, and
came away with a strange flask, which seemed to contain a quivering
energy form.
Moonfire sent you to the wise witch known as Stephanie
Peebles, who was
able to determine what the flask contained a fragment of a life form.
She wove a complex spell to bind the energy to you, so that you could
make use of its powers. Moonfire was troubled by what you learned. She
was now convinced that the flask contained a fragment of a Nictus, the
sworn enemies of the Kheldians.
She told you the terrible history of the Kheldians: how the
Nictus,
once a port of the Kheldian populace, began preying on their own kind,
thus becoming beings of pure darkness. Intent on finding another Nictus
fragment, she sent you to one of Arakhn's strongholds. There you
discovered a number of Council recruits who were about to be combined
with such fragments against their will. You learned that by doing so,
they would gain the powers of the Galaxy troops. Those who were less
lucky would instead be transformed into War Wolves. You freed the
unwilling recruits and learned of another prisoner, a Dr. Robert Todd.
Whatever Arakhn wanted with Dr. Todd, you knew it would not
be good.
You resolved to find him. You had to interrogate wuite a few troops to
do so, but at last you learned the doctor's location. When you rescued
him, you learned that he had been forced to help Arakhn build some sort
of machine for transferring energy.
Moonfire was stunned. She was convinced this machine was a
replica of
the one the Nictus had originally used to suck out the life forces of
Kheldians, allowing them to feed on the aliens' energy from afar. For
the sake of every remaining Kheldian, this had to be stopped! However,
when you investigated another of Arakhn's bases, the blueprints you
found did not support Moonfire's conclusions. Dr. Ann-Marie Engles told
you that the machine was probably used to permanently merge Nictus life
forces with those of unwilling humans.
The threat was different that Moonfire had imagined, but it
was no less
dire. She hatched a brilliant plan. First, you had to uncover the names
of Arakhn's intended victims.
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