The Story so Far

A fresh batch of recruits was just what the Company needed. While their name held sway on everyone’s lips 30 years ago, the past three decades had not been kind. The failures in Na-Keb surrounding the Death of Min left the Company broken and a shell of its former self. Only the Techni stronghold had any remaining sway, and even that was wearing thin. But new recruits brings new opportunities.

Company Resurgence and Early Conflicts

Things started slowly, a guard mission, some investigation in to monster attacks, but soon two main threads could be seen

Fraternitus Liberatus Under Cult Influence

The next batch of recruits was being held up at a farm while multiple Fraternitus Liberatus groups kept them there. The reason for the attack - chaos, disrupting grain shipments from Theria. This was different than normal FL fare, and when the Company emerged victorious they found out why, the Cult of Tiamat had gained sway in the Fraternus. These cultists didn’t want a world without gods lording over men, but a world where chaos reigns, and Tiamat’s cleansing fire brings all low. This would be a problem. But not the only one facing the Apolitain League.

Investigation in Doxian Forest

Several reports of undead roaming the Doxian forest drew need for extra security, the company needing the cash and the cache leapt at the chance. In their investigations however, they uncovered something much more sinister - The cause of the undead was the Sarmanian Special Forces commanding them. A few stragglers were found, and while putting up a good fight, all ended up killing themselves “In Our Lady’s Name” no useful information to be found, but a worrying trend none the less.

Rising Renown and the Cult of Tiamat

As the Company continued to rack up successful contracts, their fame grew far and wide. Savior of the northern forest towns the group defeated a crazed mythic boar saving a village and their dryad’s grove. To the south they rescued several House Carical merchants, accosted by pirates. In Lycia they broke a siege, destroying several Pontinate holdouts. Each time a new bond was forged, renown growing, the Company was ascendant.

But the Cult of Tiamat never left, time and time again the Company found themselves crossing paths with the cult, dsetroying their stronghold in the Apolitain league, the path forward was clear - the Cult of Tiamat must be destroyed.

Mercenary Contracts

The group leveraged their contacts. Ships from the Maurkim, A full legion from the Lycians, supplies and navigational technology from the Apolitains. They found an eccentric guide in the form of Caadan Carical the Astronomer, brother-in-law of Baltizar they rescued him from Serpopard attack while he was making observations about Syzygy arriving early. Whoever knows what that means. But his penchant for navigation means he was one of the few people that might be able to get a fleet to Atlantis. The Company prepared to raid the Cult’s final base.

Sarmanian Influence

But things were not settled at home, finally after months of strange sightings the group learned exactly what the Sarmanian forward forces were.

Battle of The Raze Boar

The Company was assisted in their fight against the Raze Boar by an unlikely ally - A squad of Sarmanian Special Forces distracted the boar, giving their lives to let the party attack unimpeded. They said that they were sent specifically to assist the group by their Mistress, and that she wanted an audience with the Company. She had a contract for them.

Meeting Goddess Inanna

This far from Sarmania, what could that mean? Was an emissary of Ereishkegal somehow the cause of these things? Wary the party went to the Sarmanian camp deep within the Doxian forests, at the base of the Doxian Mountains. There they found a member of the Sarmanian Pantheon, just not the one they expected. Inanna, God of Love was there in the flesh. She explained that her goal was to kill her sister and resumer her rightful place as the head of the Sarmanian Pantheon, the true goddess of undeath. Unfortunately, she needed some assistance, and her troops were not up to the task. However, she offered money, monster parts, and perhaps most importantly her forces, including her Immortal to help in the fight against the cult. Having seen Lycian forces at their best, the party decided this was a strong offer.

Inanna needed an ancient bow - The Vjaya Danush. A gift to the Primordial Ogdoad from the far east, the sound of it’s string bering drawn was said to strike fear in to asura and deva alike. This was a weapon built to kill gods. Held deep inside the largest Temple to Ogdoad the group delved.

The Quest: Retrieving the Vjaya Danush

Time had preserved all stone, but the flesh was not so lucky. Horrifying abominations, former cultists transformed by time and deep magiks roamed the halls. The Company had to fight their way through all manner of creatures restoring ancient technologies, slaying wretched creatures, and communing with stone priests of ogdoad. However, once this was done, and the final abominable creature was slain the bow was recovered. Tempted, the party discussed keeping it, perhaps to turn on their current employer if things turned deadly, but with reluctance they handed it over - Inanna insisting she alone could unlock its godslaying potential.

The Assault on Atlantis

With these forces assembled The Company set sail to Atlantis to remove the cult once and for all. The cult however was not without tricks.

The Pyroclastic Fleet

Flaming ships sailed out to meet the party once they got close to Atlantis, magical flames wreathed the cult’s ships. The Company fought off boarding actions, their forces able to make it through with only one ship lost.

Giant Batteries

Approaching the shore, enslaved giants were used as artillery batteries, throwing stones at approaching ships. The Company swiftly disembarked, using the still excellent engineering of the Lycians to rapidly throw up bridges to close the gap, slaying the giants and flame throwers the cult had placed. With a beachead established The Company began to scout for a way in, sending the Sarmanians to investigate the sea caves and the Lycians to invstigate the caldera, The Company explored the ancient Atlantean Sky Bridges.

Ascending the Sky Bridges

After a false start, the party was able to ascend and found only a token guard. Long range and clever dragon companion decoys made quick work, and the rest of the army was brought to enter. A brutal descent down a well defended wooden stairwell eliminated even more Cult forces, and at last the Company could stop the Cult’s last ditch effort. A massive ritual to raise a lesser titan of Fire to give the cult some semblance of power back.

Tiamat’s Children

Several rituals were in place, children of Tiamat summoned in to this world to break the chains holding bound Prometheus. The Company rushed forth, the Lycians proving invaluable with their engineering bridging gaps over lava in moments. Their numbers also proving useful as hundreds threw themselves at the primordials. The Sarmanians proved adept as well, despite their significantly smaller numbers they surrounded the primordials, blocking blow after blow.

With ranged attacks The Company disrupted the rituals, the summoned Primordials only being unchained with a fraction of their power, and using the skills of all their combined allies, The Company emerged victorious, the cult of Tiamat’s last stand stopped.

The Return to Techni

The Company sailed back, their legend only growing stronger. However, When the Gods are involved things are never so simple, as the Company returned to Techni, the sight of Ganzir, the Sky Citadel floating above the city greeted them. What Ereishkegal’s presence means is yet to be seen.