Esoteric Chase Arc

Please know that this is a major summary and collection of major interactions throughout many RP sessions. Some details may be missed and it will not collect every single action. Also understand that certain details might have been altered or added to give context as well as fluidity. Everything summarized is considered canon. Not all thoughts from every character is tracked here. For more personal perspectives, check character pages and their biographies. As this is an entire summary written out post-role-play, there is the possibility of grammatical errors and mistakes. Don't hesitate to let us know.
== The Esoteric Chase Arc ==
=== Campaign One: The Blue Helmets ===
=== Plot Synopsis ===
A man with a shameful past within a wasteland of future Earth presses forward to a new place with promise. But when he finds that his life is interconnected with a vast conspiracy rooted deep in the hands of his extended family, he soon realizes that his life might be meant for more. With the desire to uplift a child he comes across that's desperate to survive, what will he do when tragedy is struck and lives of others are tied to his fate?
=== Chapter 1 ===
====== Into the world of eldritch hunting - Year 2162 ======
The story introduces August West, a twenty-seven year old man living in a cramped room at Bargetown, having only recently moved in a short amount of years ago after leaving the Alumni territory. He's strapping on his clothes rather slowly as his body appears to be shaking and his expression in deep intense stress. After changing, he ventures out and is greeted by his long time friend—Jacky Anderson. Having been in Barge for a while, they were invited to live out in a settlement nearby after the leader of said settlement heard of a conversation between Jacky and August with living away from the fish-stunk boat-town. After a period of time, August did several odd jobs as well as missions with several mercenaries while also doing security work for this community he was invited to join. Discovering a vast treasure and splitting the rewards with his colleagues, he eventually takes up a bounty to kill a troublesome Eldritch nearby. His friend, Jacky wanted to avoid anything dangerous, deciding to take up a security position in the town earlier. Eventually after a successful hunt, the payment August received led him towards the venture of becoming an Eldritch Hunter... finding it a viable means to funding his lifestyle. He meets with Azure, his first apprentice he trained a while ago to repair his existing armor. Eventually Azure would tell August he's leaving the islands to pursue new things and doesn't know when he will return. They bid their final farewell for now.
After a few weeks of living in Bargetown, August met a kind woman in Katelyn Nevin. They would have a couple of dates and at some point during a mission August went on with his friend, Charlie (who was one of the mercenaries August worked with prior). He'd come across dangerous wounds from an eldritch fight by the river. Katelyn and another doctor would then save his life. They'd plan another outing but the doctor disappeared without any mention to August, ending their brief relationship. He would also work alongside a man named "Bounty" during a couple eldritch hunts and with the settlement August briefly joined with Jacky. 
Two scavengers named Sola and Berach, the former known for her serious attitude and latter his crazed childish behavior. They would hunt together as well as scavenge but were located on the island specifically for Sola's backer, someone whom she looks to as a father. A man named Xavier Cardenas. The duo would have a sweet dance together before Sola ups and pushes Berach away. 
=== Chapter 2 ===
====== Sunrise on new responsibilities - Year 2162 ======
After a particular hunt alone, August was burying the head of an eldritch he killed. He was doing this discreetly behind a city skyscraper along some visible dirt underneath piles of snow. A young girl would watch him closely from behind a tree, eventually catching the hunter's attention. After a brief interaction with the child, August learns her name to be Dion and takes her to Bargetown. They get to know each other over the weeks and she becomes his apprentice, learning how to survive on her own with the intent to eventually find her family as they both agreed upon. August would introduce Dion briefly to the settlement he was with, including co-workers like Bounty and the leader of said place. Hoping to establish a home there together, but alas the community collapsed to the death of their founder. 
Jacky would then meet Dion and the group would be in the clinic during a couple injuries from an eldritch attack. Dion and Jacky wouldn't get along, arguing with one another. August would be in the middle, stopping their bickering. After a while, the duo would meet with Jacky again at his security checkpoint, making plans to meet at the place he's staying later in the week. Such a place is a lighthouse. On the way there, August and Dion befriend a young boy around her age who runs a traveling business related to crab stew as well as other sea-foods. Assisting his business along the way due to August feeling guilty over Dion trying to take a meal for free, mostly because the girl got caught. On their way to the lighthouse, August protects the kids from a group of guppy eldritch and this frustrates Dion after realizing the boy her age performed better during the fight. 
Making their way to the lighthouse, August finally greets Jacky and they let the kids follow suit. They then decide to gather ingredients to have a good meal and Dion decides to head out to do so, utilizing her skills she learned from August with hunting animals. Jacky is asked by August to follow after her when he noticed it becoming dark and the sounds of guppies once more, followed by a large gar eldritch which attacks Dion and her pursuer. While this was happening, August and the young boy are fending off the guppies which end up overwhelming the young chef. August rushes in, pulling him away from the battle and into the lighthouse while Jacky runs with Dion to escape the Gar. Evidently leading the more dangerous eldritch to their shelter. 
It would attempt to break into the lighthouse which forced August to battle with it outside while Jacky attempted to both support-fire from the upper window of the tower and help patch-up the boy. While this was happening, also assist Dion whom had her leg broken to the previous encounter. Fighting the large eldritch, August eventually overwhelms it and causes it to flee into the lake water. He would then rush back inside to check on the group before deciding they should leave for Barge soon or the young man won't make it with the injuries he had. 
=== Chapter 3 ===
====== Don't do this alone - Year 2162 ======
The boy wouldn't make it, as he dies in the emergency room. Dion is now terribly injured with her leg and requires weeks to recuperate from the injury. And so, August is left to babysit the young girl again. The Eldritch Slayer would reveal the challenges he faces raising her as well as his PTSD with close relationships, but Dion would be stubborn. Now deciding to share his dream to live a peaceful life in the future, together like a family. As time goes on, August would be left to doing eldritch jobs to fund him and Dion's stay in the town while she watered a plant which was a hobby her surrogate father introduced. They would read stories together and generally live a casual life. There were moments of conflict like when Dion and Jacky read August's journal without his permission, which created a temporary rift between the group but overall it was a somewhat peaceful time.
On one trip to hunting an abomination that was sighted nearby a building within the ruined city, August comes across a scavenger after killing the eldritch. A woman named Sola. They were already pointing guns at each other, as the woman threatens August to drop his eldritch head and all the food on him. Not wanting to be robbed, August drops a can of beans to distract the woman, eventually defeating her in combat. This crushes Sola's ego, whom was always seen highly for her skills with fighting, but having been outclassed by this man so quickly led her to be vengeful. She then researches into August, sending Berach to find out everything about the man. Learning he had garnered a reputation as one of the best Eldritch Hunters around and that he raises a child by Barge, she finds an opportunity to get back at the man for kicking her ass over a can of beans. Sending Berach to successfully kidnap Dion, she lures August who decides to bring Jacky to assist him. Confronting Sola and Berach in a gymnasium within the same building August fought the abomination nearby, the two sides conflict before August and Jacky successfully save Dion while sparing the scavenger couple from further harm. Sola would then blame Berach for the failure, since he was the one to be surprised and beat up by the very people they tried to exploit.
Eventually she discovered that August has ties with her backer, Xavier, and is the person he was looking for. In fact, to make matters worse in her opinion... he was Xavier's nephew. And so, Xavier is hailed by Sola to bring him and his small army to the islands to retrieve August. Something she didn't really understand why was necessary but found exciting nonetheless as her narcissistic anger towards August heightens. 
After that prolonged experience, August finds himself in a strange predicament. He noticed that many groups of guppies have been tailing him. And that eldritch activity seems to be exceptionally hostile towards the slayer. Seemingly having grown a reputation amongst the eldritch mutants with some intelligence, they have become hyperaware of his presence. Especially the aquatic-based types. In addition to this, he received a letter from the man that destroyed his childhood... his uncle, Xavier, stating that he should turn himself in and greet his his family once more. Concerned, August decided to keep Dion whom has grown extremely attached to August from following him. She with the enlisted help of Jacky would seek out August across the island, following hints left by the man. It appears August had went to a man from his connections who works the water rig, purchasing diving equipment. After following a trail of dead guppies and a large gar corpse, they then realized August had successfully taken down many monsters alone. Concerned for his state of health, they continue to follow August's trail towards an alumni dock. As they go this direction, they notice a wave of guppies swimming across the water, heading towards a specific direction. The two would assume this would lead them to where August may be. Eventually the two would find August past out by the side of a cliff, waking him up. He had several injuries all across his body and looked extremely exhausted. 
A sudden wave of guppies would then crawl up towards the cliffside in this grand final attempt to kill August. With the group trying to take August and run, the man pushes the two aside to take a massive risk, scaling down the cliff to cut down several eldritch before being dragged to the shore. He's eventually saved by a group of men who nurse him back to health, but Dion thinking he was dead was left alone, having separated with Jacky. Thinking she had nothing left until the men brought August to her alive. But this small moment of happiness was short-lived as Xavier and his men approach the group, demanding they hand-over August. That they'll make sure he's alive. Of course, the men would threaten the lives of August's saviors, which led them to believe Xavier couldn't be trusted. Dion having learned of August's past prior understood Xavier was a bad man at large, so she denied them her father but after a prolonged encounter filled with threats and risk of death, August awakened to eventually let them take him away. 
Dion tracked the group, following them to the place they were stationed. Successfully snuck in and found August in his room, passed out. Eventually they greet each other and she hides in the washroom, listening to Xavier choke August and speak poorly to him. After he'd leave, they would make an escape. With the assistance of a stranger with vast connections and Jacky, they get away. Now hiding out in an old cottage, August and Dion proceed to live simply. 
=== Chapter 4 ===
====== Familial Bonds - Year 2162 ======
After a couple months of living in the cottage, August and Dion discovered someone with close connections to her parents. People from the Frostlight community. Eventually after an intense back and forth between the duo, August is convinced by Jacky to let the child go. Much to Dion's dismay, not wanting to be separated from August. Dion's mother, Talia Hart didn't like or trust August... proactively taking the child away. Eventually, August followed after them after noticing their escort being suspicious and Dion decides to run away with August after killing the same escort, leaving Talia on her own with Dion promising she will visit once every 20th each month. Eventually, August and Dion would make their visit to the new Frostlights camp... eventually staying there. Weeks in, a man from Xavier's camp would visit the camp, threatening they give up August to spare the lives of their people. Of course, having been bullied by Xavier in the past, they knew not to trust such claims and defended August who has grown to be part of the community. 
From there, Xavier marches to the Frostlights camp with Sola, a mercenary-gunslinger named Ben, and Berach... including a large amount of wastelanders loyal to him. But to their surprise, Jacky was chained up by the neck and dragged around like a dog by Sola. After a short back and forth between the leader of the Frostlights as well as Xavier, a shoot out occurs. Many people from both sides die and Jacky attempts to flee multiple times, causing Sola to struggle. Eventually, Xavier would see August and threaten to hurt his best friend if he doesn't turn himself in. Everyone would try and stop August from doing so, but with another attempt to escape by Jacky—would cause him to be shot in the back, killing him. Holding him in his arms, August would sob and eventually be taken by his uncle again. Sola would watch this, at first enjoying the chance to have her revenge but would then think of how she would feel if Berach died the same way. 
Tied up against the couch in the same house he escaped with Dion prior and angered, August mocks and riles up Sola, Berach, and Ben whom were monitoring him. They would try to torture him for enjoyment but would fail to do so as August attempts to escape. While this happened, Dion and a group of survivors from the Frostlights camp would head to the house in an attempt to free the Eldritch Slayer. After a gruesome back and forth, Dion and her biological father Clemont managed to escape with August. A mother and good friends were lost during the rescue mission for August. In a desire to repay them, August worked towards rebuilding their settlement with the funds he made with Eldritch Hunting again. 
A little after his experience with the Frostlights and Xavier, August and Dion continued to live in Bargetown as well as the cottage. Having to travel back and forth occasionally, August met a woman sitting by a table and chair near the motel. He asked her if the motel had any rooms, hoping he could re-purchase the room he had before. They would have a nice talk and introduce themselves, which would cause the woman to be surprised hearing his name. She called herself Tanya Wren and after a few days of talking, August thought to introduce her to his line of work... both connecting somewhat for having similar jobs with bounty hunting, her with people and him with eldritch. She was surprised by the steps and beastly form of an eldritch gar, and watched August kill it mercilessly. Eventually he would tell Tanya about the young girl he's caring for and would bring her to the cottage he was staying at. Tanya would meet a distant and suspicious Dion, whom didn't like the women around August—especially those interested in him for the very reason they would act out of line with her to get close with her surrogate father. Eventually, Tanya would head off on her own with implications to her behavior that she's in danger for some sort of failure with her job. Leaving the cottage to eventually kill herself by a beach nearby, August catches up to her and she revealed that she's the best in her field. An assassin who can't ever bail on a job contracted to her. That she was raised like this all her life and August was her target, but she couldn't bring herself to kill him. That if she chooses not to do this, she would die in his stead. He asked why she couldn't go about killing him and she explained that she fell in love with August. 
Eventually August convinced Tanya not to go through with this and that they would fight this problem together. Heading back to the cottage, they would then be greeted by Ben who gave them a friendly warning that Xavier is on his way. And thus, the Esoteric Chase continues. 
=== Chapter 5 ===
====== Counterattack - Year 2162 ======
Hiding out in Bargetown, the group would meet up with a man named Samuel. A former cannibal and eldritch hunting co-worker of August. They would then travel back to the cottage, somehow meeting numerous orphaned children along the way. Finding it to be ransacked, the August takes it up to help the group adapt and learn to survive the wasteland. Starting a short orphanage with the children they came to know. Dion was quite frustrated she had to share her living environment with annoying brats. For a brief period of time after, August would also spend time with Tanya and they would find themselves trapped underground in a building—having to fend off against a feral eldritch with violet fur. After surviving the attack and August saving Tanya from the eldritch, the duo would return to the cottage. August would have nightmares of the incident with Jacky which affected his eventual decisions to deal with Xavier permanently. 
Ben was only working for Xavier for the money but he has grown rather sick of being in the group. He especially hates working with Sola, thinking she's stuck-up and many more derogatory terms. During a brief scavenging hunt together, Berach and Sola would be robbed by other wastelanders. This would lead Sola to blaming Berach which would eventually cause the latter to walk away, ending their strange relationship. Of course, a betrayal like this would be a death sentence for Berach but he wouldn't have it, ignoring Sola's pre-determined warning. After a period of time, Sola would explain Berach's departure and Xavier would tell his surrogate daughter to do what must be done. If she can't put a leash on her dog, she must put it down. Ben would be assigned to monitor the outcome of this. While this happened, Xavier received news that August was giving himself up. 
Eventually, August would have the kids smuggled to safety, coordinating this with Talia, Dion's mother, who became the new leader of the Frostlights after the previous one died to Xavier. This smuggling mission was led by a man named Jojack King, who owed Talia a favor. Much to Dion's protest, wanting to work alongside August this time. This was a plan carried out by August to permanently stop Xavier's constant chase, prioritizing Samuel to gun-down and steal Xavier's funds from their base while he lures his uncle out to retrieve him. Pretending he has given up. Tanya would come with August, keeping her self up on a tree in the deadlands to shoot down the men supporting Xavier. Unfortunately, Xavier would gain the upper advantage, having men hidden under the snow. They would capture the two and escort them across a ruined city. The couple would eventually escape and destroy the camp by blowing up explosives Xavier's men were bringing. Many of Xavier's remaining forces would die here as well as the house where Samuel managed to storm through. The remaining men that were searching for Dion and the other kids would be evaded as they were taken from Kingfisher to the Alumni docks. 
After an overall successful counterattack, the group would convene in the Alumni grounds and celebrate at the pub. But there, August would be confronted by a bartender he recognized as a former leader from his past in Texas. A man called Razorsnake who sold him out over the very thing his uncle is chasing after him for. Realizing it was him that connected the dots and probably assisting his uncle, he proceeds to get drunk before leaving with his group. 
Sola and Ben managed to track Berach to the Alumni grounds, finding him to be sheltered by a couple engineers there. Sola would attempt to sneak in while Ben was distracted as he noticed August and his group walking by. Having heard through the radio about what August and his allies have done, he would attempt a ploy to ensure Dion's safety by staging a kidnapping. Misunderstanding this, August and Tanya successfully outclass Ben in a shoot-off, freeing Dion as well as the other kids from their captor. Sparing Ben, August leaves him some bandages to deal with his wounds and departs the campus with the group. Frustrated, Ben walked it off and followed Sola in, finding the both of them having a heart to heart. Sola looked ready to shoot Berach and the latter accepting his fate. Knowing Xavier's entire enterprise is collapsing, Ben found no reason to continue supporting Sola and instead asks Berach how much he has in funds. Confused, Berach explains the amount he has left, and Ben then kills Sola in front of her lover whom she was supposed to execute, but before her final moments decided not to do so though that didn't matter to Ben. As the gunslinger intended to save Berach and be paid, surprisingly instead of taking all his coin, Ben only took a single cent as any form of payment would be enough for him to kill Sola. Both Berach and Ben decide for themselves to leave the islands for good. 
=== Epilogue ===
====== Assassin's Pace - Year 2163 ======
Although Xavier has been stopped, his whereabouts were unknown but the group had a feeling he escaped from the explosion with their camp. The cottage was destroyed with explosives during a brief encounter with remnants of Xavier's men and most of the funds stolen from Xavier were given to the Frostlights rebuilding efforts. Though recently several encounters around the Barge in regards to violence occurred, especially around Tanya. Being a target for capture, due to her failed attempt to kill August, she had to temporarily separate from her partner for the sake of survival. Dion would also be forcibly separated from August after an attempt on her life caused her parents to shelter the child from immediate danger. Believing August's preferences in women need to change. Samuel goes on the run after a bounty on him skyrockets in popularity after his actions with Xavier's base and his past being revealed to the world. 
From there, many of August's close friends and family scattered—the slayer now living alone in Bargetown, waiting to hear back from Tanya. 
This plot-line continues into the Arachnophobia arc. 
=== Main Character Cast ===
* August West - Protagonist (Appears in chapters 1-epilogue)
* Dion Smith-Hart - Deuteragonist (Appears in chapters 2-epilogue)
* Jacky Anderson - Deuteragonist (Appears in chapters 1-4)
* Xavier Cardenas - Main Antagonist (Appears in chapters 3-5)
* Sola - Antagonist (Appears in chapters 1-5)
* Berach - Antagonist (Appears in chapters 1-5)
* Tanya Wren - Supporting (Appears in chapters 4-epilogue)
* Samuel - Supporting (Appears in chapters 5-epilogue)
* Ben - Supporting/Antagonist (Appears in chapters 4-5)
=== Significant Character Minor Appearances ===
* Katelyn - Minor Character (Appears in chapter 1)
* Bounty - Minor Character (Appears in chapter 1-2)
* Azure - Minor Character (Appears in chapter 1)
* Antonio - Minor Character (Appears in chapter 5)
* Talia Hart - Minor Character (Appears in chapters 4-epilogue)
* Clemont Smith - Minor Character (Appears in chapters 4-epilogue)
* Razorsnake - Minor Character (Appears in chapter 5)
* Jojack King - Minor Character (Appears in chapter 5)
===RP-Setup Credits===
*Main GM: Light
*Assistant GM: Halo & Capu
*
Category:Plot Summaries