New Era Storyline

Sketch Pad for Brain Pan — by Bardan

WIP

The war ends, folks go back to things, yadda yadda.
/Filler

ACT I: Picking up where we left off. Recap very briefly the Great War - disagreement of the uses of Magic, per Garacaius' adherence, and the ever-looming fate of the Kandrans - and then the war against Creon and their savage machines. This intro video will be a bit longer than those between missions, and can be more thorough, but shouldn't get bogged down in details, and more broad-stroke painting a big picture - and it revolves around the Legacy of Garacaius and the role of Magic.

Things to include:
-Defeat of Taros, Death and Rebirth of Lokken the Necromancer... and why was he against Creon again?
-Defeat of Zhon, Wounds and Flight of Thirsha the She-Beast, and what remains of Zhon's power and pride?
-Narrow Victory of Veruna on the High Seas, and the need to improve and learn as much as revel in victory!
-The Constant Troubles of Aramon, and having now dodged too many bullets to count - Taros, Buriash, Creon, Yellowjackets... what’s next?
-Creon, a Case Study in Occupation... Of Humility, Meaning of Life and Magic, and the Future!

This effectively sets the stage for what these states are experiencing and hints and what might be in the offing…

1. The Return of the King!
Player: Aramon (Elsin)
Target: Aramon Rebels. These should *not* be Yellowjackets, better to indicate there’s more domestic troubles rather than Creonite-backed troubles here at home.
Where: Aramon hinterlands, indeterminate for the moment.
Objective: Conquest
Desc: Elsin to eradicate last rebel redoubts. Three fortified positions to give Player’s flanks a workout.

2. Gunboat Diplomacy
Veruna goes on a bit of a Public Relations tour, "encouraging" Creonite ports to open up and host trade quarters.
(Player Veruna must destroy specific enemy defensive structures AND build structures in specific areas. These should likely be all coastal, of course, but with Veruna’s starting base on the mainland with them, like situated in a Creon City, as if they were leaving the country when they started all this – it)

3. Taros picking a small fight with Zhon, ya know... To instigate raids on Verunan coastal outposts. (Player Taros conquest on Zhon shores.)

4. Creonites punch back... At other Creonites, the ones that opened ports to Veruna. (Player Creon attacks Traitorous, Cowardly Creonites; sets stage for Mechs vs Arcans)

//Option for a Sage vs Anti-Sage sort of hijinks, parody to the Pope and Anti-Pope of our history. Possible allowance of secondary Creon mission to ‘purify’ the ranks before war can be taken to the enemy; essentially an introduction to new techs.

5. Zhon does indeed punch back, razing several outposts to the ground. (Player Zhon conquests Verunan bases.)

6. The Lionheart!


ACT II: All of this sets the stage, starts the machine of date moving, the dirty gears grinding toward...

6. Creonite civil war. A few years have passed, indeterminate, but the stage is set and skirmishes have continued and only gotten worse. Now Creonite forces have evolved greater killing machines and are split between more traditional machinery and even more evolved, much more magic-infused killing devices. It gets nasty. (Player Arcanist Creon vs Mechanist Creon; Hold Out situation to indicate the bloody slog the war has become in the intervening years.)
7. Veruna supports a new Arcanist Creonite offensive against the Mechanists. (Player Arcanist, now with Verunan units, conquests Mechanists.)
8. Veruna also hits back at Zhon whom have occupied some outlying Verunan islands. Seems the beasts have some fight left in them after all. (Player Veruna, conquest. *Much bigger Zhon presence than anticipated, though.)
9. Taros plots, foments in the shadows, and stirs dissent in far-corners of Aramon where rebellions pop up with dangerous frequency. (Player Taros commando mission. Capture Mage Builder? Turn Aramon forces on the peasants in the countryside.)
10. Tarosian "pirates" pick off some Verunan ships “suspiciously close to Aramon shores,” seeking to further spread Veruna thin. (Player Taros hit and run with Ghost Ships and Supporting Units; kill specific enemy naval units.)
11. Lokken reports to Veruna Zhon on their shores, attacking Tarosian ports - some which house Verunan garrisons. Requesting aid. This is, of course, false flag as Taros attacks those Verunans - to blind their forward bases. (Player Taros conquests Verunan outpots in Taros.)

ACT III: Things get a bit more... rash.

12. Elsin mercilessly smashes peasant bread riots. There are no other factions beyond civilians hunger and angry at the levies, taxes, and strife. Public opinion turns bleak. (Player Elsin goes a bit mad, destroy all foes – including peasants.)
13. Mechanist Creonite forces on the fun, hold Arcanist-Verunan forces at Bay while they evacuate all men and material they can. (Tables turned, Player Mechanist Creon vs Arcanist Creon/Veruna must Hold Out OR Reach Destination.)
14. Veruna lands raiding parties in Zhon. Pyrrhic victory due to hard fighting. They will grow closer to Taros as a result, since Taros had also reported fighting with the beasts. (Player Veruna ransacks Zhon encampments – must destroy locations OR build X in those locations.)
15. Mechanist Creonite forces flee into Aramon hinterlands, find surprisingly hospitable locals. Aramon Garrison commander tries to defend the crownlands. Sucks for him. (Player Mechanist Creon must destroy Aramon garrison and establish own base.)
16. Veruna assumes pirates in their own waters - because what idiots would dare? - and suppress perceived rebels. Burghers and Merchants begin to question Kirenna's power... And power hunger. (Player Kirenna must establish defenses in specific locations in the isles, battling various other forces to do so.)
17. Zhon begins to piece together Taros's plan and attacks Taros-backed Verunan bases deep inside Zhon. Thirsha begins a hunt for a mystical Kandran ruin for guidance. (Player Zhon conquests Taros-Veruna forces.)
//Option for a secondary Thirsha-specific hunting mission.

ACT IV: Stage is set. It's now or never!

18. Aramon suffers considerable internal conflict. Elsin must hold against Aramon-Mechanist forces. (Player Elsin in a Hold Out situation against multiple foes, Creon and Aramon rebels.
19. Veruna demands that Aramon defeat these terrorists. Or else they will take the matter into their own hands. Elsin, now convinced half of the upheaval is Kirenna’s fault - else wouldn’t she offer help? - tells dear sister to \"****\' off.
20. Kirenna orders an invasion of besieged Aramon to teach her brother a lesson in respect. (Player Kirenna conquests coastal Aramon townships.)
21. Taros takes the initiative against Zhon. Seems Lokken has heard about this mystical item and wants it for himself. (Player Lokken hell-bent on finding Kandran ruin must eliminate multiple Zhon encampments / Units to Specific Locations – HEAVY use of Kamikaze rats!)
//is there a trigger for victory conditions if a unit reaches veteran? Making Lokken go Belial-shape could be fun.
22. Mechanist Creon embraces the term terrorist and strikes at the heart of Veruna with well-timed surgical strikes. Key members of the Trade Council must be assassinated to turn the support of the war against Kirenna. (Player Mechanist Creon goes a’raiding into Veruna’s heartland. Several locations, multiple assassinations – kill specific targets.)
//OPTION: one could throw in a mission or two for Creonites to try to reach the Zhon power before Thirsha does, just to give a Creon vs Zhon one-on-one.
23. The Sleeping Giant is awake. Zhon trades thunderous body blows with Taros. Thirsha's feral armies exact a huge payment in blood from Lokken's forces. Heligrin begins to question the mind of Lokken. (Player Zhon conquests Tarosian coasts – cutting off reinforcements to Lokken in Zhon and forcing his retreat.)

ACT V: Trigger point.

24. Verunan forces in Aramon make headway. Shocked at disorder and ease of advance. (Player Veruna simple conquest against warring Aramon factions.)
25. Aramon frays as Elsin flees the battlefield. What has happened? (Player Elsin must evacuate to specific location / Hold Out.)
26. Aramonian peasants engage royalist forces and breach the capital. A new flag flies, of soil and wood, brown for the labors of man. (Constant reinforcements of peasants & deserting Aramon troops; Player must kill Elsin.)
27. Creonite forces clash again as Veruna cannot aid the Arcanists. (Player Creon Mechanist captures capital from Arcanists; build X specifics in certain locations.)
28. Zhon attempts to kill the Necromancer in a massive raid. They fail, but Heligrin becomes convinced there is only one way forward. (Conquest, player Zhon; Lokken not on map.)
29. Heligrin plots the assassination of Lokken. He takes out the royal guards protecting the king. (Eliminate specific targets.)
30. Lokken realizes the betrayal, but is caught off guard. He must flee while his entourage buys time. (Lokken must reach destination / Hold Out.)
31. With Lokken escaped, Heligrin calls a truce with Zhon, requesting their aid in tracking the Necromancer. (Moving units to certain spot(s).)
32. Heligrin and Thirsha’s horde follow through, murdering Lokken before he reaches his remote fortress. (Player starts with split forces, Zhon in front of Lokken via drops, Heligrin behind coming up fast with mages and things. Lokken caught in the middle with hardcore veterans/loyalists.)

ACT VI: One down. Three to go.

33. Revolutionaries push Verunan forces into the sea. The tide has turned. Now it's time to hunt down Elsin. (Player Aramon Revolutionaries conquest Aramon Loyalists.)
32. Elsin is besieged, but the builder has dig deep, and build high. The outer walls must be breached. (Player Aramon Revolutionaries must ‘Walls of Elam’ this \"*****\".)
33. Revolutionaries capture Elsin and execute him for high crimes against the people. (Player Aramon Revolutionaries kill Elsin.)
34. Thirsha mops up foreign adversaries as she completes her hunt for the ruins. (Player Thirsha on hunter-kill mission; several Veruna/Taros bands of soldiers.)
35. Thirsha finds the ruins and must battle the ancient dragon within. Once it is dead, she can then proceed. Upon entering, she is overcome with a vision of the future, a future of Zhon's powerful birthright... Without her. She sacrifices herself to be energies, and is gone forever. (Thirsha kills specific critter and reaches location a’la Heart of Thesh.)
36. Kicked from Creon, kicked from Aramon, kicked from Zhon, kicked from Taros, Kirenna lashes out at those whom have betrayed her. Veruna on Veruna now, the bastards on the Trade Council must die. It turns... Bloody. (Player Kirenna seeks to purge her own house, straight conquest!)
37. Trade Council is sundered, but not giving up. Others who have witnessed Kirenna’s descent into madeness turn on her chaotic forces. (Player Veruna must Hold Out against Kirenna’s ravaging forces; Kirenna has three bases – one Creonite, one Tarosian, one Verunan – to indicate her collection of forces she will unleash on her own people.)
38. Kirenna's power is spent. After seeing the devastation, she breaks down and abdicates, pleading for forgiveness as she willingly announces her self-exile. Her fellows don’t believe this, and further will NOT allow her to return and do worse. They catch her attempting to flee with the last of her Entourage, attempting to follow in Garacaius's footsteps. She dies, foiled. (Player Veruna must battle past the remnants of Kirenna’s coalition of goons and kill her.)

ACT VII: Mopping up.

39. Heligrin polishes off opponents as he reaches his palace to rule. (Specific location destination.)
40. Ayla/Joreth/whomever *attempt* to reassert managerial control. Clearly the various factions of Aramon won’t be re-knit easily. (Conquest or People to Places?)
41. Creon has a few Chief Engineers vying for the next position of Sage. (Conquest to declare yourself Sage.)
42. Thirsha is gone, but Zhon is flexing and consolidating. (Build Stuff in Places – any and all peoples of the Zhon interior will be brought to heel under this new tribal council!)
43. Veruna… war-weary and battered, must batten down the hatches and hold against the myriad mercenaries, pirates, turncoats, and monsters. If they can last, Veruna may yet emerge more united than ever… (Hold against all comers.)
44. Meanwhile, a young scientist in a distant land stumbles upon a startling discovery… (Person to Place)
^^Basically leaves open for any future projects.

//ROOM FOR INPUT, ADJUSTMENTS, ADVENTURES, ANS SOLILOQUYS.
 
OG CAMPAIGN (50 missions, some overlap)
Complete/Destroy Important Targets = 10
Conquest/Eliminate ALL = 22
Move Unit to Spot = 22
Hold Out = 1

IP CAMPAIGN (total 25 missions, some overlap here as well, and questions)
Destroy Targets = 4
Hold Out = 4
Move Unit to Spot = 9
Conquest = 9

*Chapter 3 – kill “enough” to win (?)

By ChatGPT.

ACT VII: Mopping up.

39. Heligrin polishes off opponents as he reaches his palace to rule. (Specific location destination.)
The war-torn lands of Aramon begin to settle under Heligrin's rule. The remnants of rebellious factions either kneel before him or face swift retribution. Heligrin, once a loyal general, now finds himself at the pinnacle of power. With the demise of Elsin, the Lionheart, and the eradication of internal strife, Heligrin establishes his dominion. His palace, perched on a hill overlooking the capital, symbolizes both victory and the heavy toll exacted on Aramon.

40. Ayla/Joreth/whomever attempt to reassert managerial control. Clearly, the various factions of Aramon won’t be re-knit easily. (Conquest or People to Places?)
As the dust settles, Ayla or Joreth, the once advisors and now struggling leaders of Aramon, attempt to piece together the shattered remnants of their kingdom. The rebellion, the Creonite intervention, and Elsin's descent into madness have left the realm fractured. The advisors find themselves confronting not only external threats but also the internal divisions sown by years of conflict. Their task of rebuilding Aramon seems an insurmountable challenge.

41. Creon has a few Chief Engineers vying for the next position of Sage. (Conquest to declare yourself Sage.)
Within the Creonite realm, the power vacuum left by the civil war triggers internal strife. Several ambitious Chief Engineers vie for the coveted position of Sage, each seeking to shape Creon's destiny. The battlefield shifts from external conflicts to internal power struggles. The race for technological dominance and magical prowess intensifies, and only one can claim the title of Sage to guide Creon into the future.

42. Thirsha is gone, but Zhon is flexing and consolidating. (Build Stuff in Places – any and all peoples of the Zhon interior will be brought to heel under this new tribal council!)
With Thirsha's absence, the Zhon tribes find themselves at a crossroads. The charismatic Heligrin, having forged an alliance during the latter stages of the conflict, leads the tribes towards unity. The Zhon interior witnesses unprecedented construction as Heligrin consolidates the various tribes under a new tribal council. The lands that once echoed with the roars of the She-Beast now resonate with the sounds of progress and collaboration.

43. Veruna… war-weary and battered, must batten down the hatches and hold against the myriad mercenaries, pirates, turncoats, and monsters. If they can last, Veruna may yet emerge more united than ever… (Hold against all comers.)
Veruna, battered and bruised from the prolonged conflicts, faces a new wave of challenges. Mercenaries, pirates, and opportunistic turncoats converge upon the maritime kingdom, seeking to exploit its vulnerabilities. Veruna's survival depends on its ability to endure these final onslaughts. If they can weather the storm, Veruna may emerge from the chaos more united and resilient than ever, ready to reclaim its status as a maritime power.

44. Meanwhile, a young scientist in a distant land stumbles upon a startling discovery… (Person to Place)
Amid the remnants of the Great War and the recent conflicts, a young scientist in a distant and secluded land makes a groundbreaking discovery. Unearthing ancient artifacts and studying forgotten texts, the scientist stumbles upon knowledge that could reshape the fate of the world. The revelation hints at the existence of powers and technologies long thought lost. As the world recovers from the recent turmoil, this discovery becomes a beacon of hope and uncertainty, opening doors to a future yet unwritten.

ACT VIII
45. Veruna, having weathered the storm, begins a bold initiative for international cooperation. Recognizing the interconnectedness of their world, Verunan emissaries travel across the seas, proposing treaties and alliances. Their efforts aim to foster a new era of diplomacy and prevent the resurgence of conflicts that have plagued the lands for far too long. (Player Veruna must establish alliances with specific factions; some may resist, requiring strategic negotiations.)

46. Aramon, now under the rule of Heligrin, faces internal dissent. Noble houses, once united against external threats, now vie for dominance. Heligrin must navigate the intricate web of Aramonian politics to ensure stability. (Player Heligrin in a series of political conquests and negotiations; securing allegiances and quelling potential uprisings.)

47. Creon's internal strife escalates as Chief Engineers resort to subterfuge and sabotage to eliminate rivals. The race for the position of Sage becomes a treacherous battlefield, with technology and magic pitted against each other. (Player Creon must eliminate rival Chief Engineers and secure technological dominance; choice of paths leads to different outcomes.)

48. Zhon, under the new tribal council, faces resistance from traditionalists who resist the centralization of power. Heligrin, now a key figure in Zhon, must navigate the delicate balance between progress and tradition to solidify the council's authority. (Player Heligrin in a conquest to unite Zhon tribes under the tribal council; balancing modernization and tribal customs.)

49. Taros, having observed the chaos unfold, seizes the opportunity to expand its influence. Lokken's legacy lives on as Tarosian agents infiltrate key regions, stirring unrest and sowing the seeds of future conflict. (Player Taros in a covert conquest; destabilizing regions and manipulating events to create favorable conditions for Taros.)

50. Kirenna's fall from power has left a void in Veruna. As the Trade Council rebuilds, it must contend with internal challenges and external threats. Veruna's fate hangs in the balance as the once-proud maritime nation strives to regain its former glory. (Player Veruna in a conquest to rebuild the Trade Council's influence; securing economic and political stability.)

With these final chapters, the fate of the once-warring factions hangs in the balance. The choices made by players will shape the future of the world, determining whether it plunges into another era of conflict or rises above the ashes toward a new era of peace and prosperity.