Cydonia Encounter

The **Cydonia Encounter** was a mission lead by Alec Kylar and the Rune Rogues to meet and gather information from Vikkard and Alanis regarding the whereabouts of Captain Rose Vasili, who had found and held vital information regarding an ancient source of rare and powerful magic runes.

## Prologue

Having received a purse of Zod runes from his allies at the Witchwood and learned of their source through the mysterious witch Alanis, Alec was quick to summon the Rune Rogues and pursue her whereabouts. The Knavemire trio caught wind of her trail and made haste to inform Alec and his group. On Kale Monath 1st, Alec and company departed east through the mountains and toward Aranoch. Before their departure, Alec learned of a recent underworld bounty placed on Alanis for allegedly stealing a large stash of runes.

Through investigating the Trio's source of information regarding Alanis, Alec was able to establish contact with gang leader Vikkard's associates. He learned that it was not Alanis who was the source of gathering the rare runes but rather Vikkard's contact and Alec's lover Rose Vasili, Captain of the Nocturne. The Rune Rogues arrived at the base of the Aranoch desert near a small village where they received directions towards the secret headquarters within the ruined city of Cydonia.

Having not established contact with Alanis in over a decade, Alec kept his past romance and connection with her a secret from his peers and subordinates, and maintained the masquerade at finding her on behalf of Vikkard's gang, for she had stolen several stashes of runes from Vikkard's hideout in Lut Gholien including the rare that were handed over by Rose to be given to Alec. In truth, and unbeknownst to anyone else, was that Alanis was seeking the runes to use for herself against the Dark Coven.

On Kale Monath 9th, the Rune Rogues were visited by Vikkard's associates and tasked at picking up a large shipment of runes that had been retrieved from Alanis the Witch, yet she remained free and at large, and last seen heading towards Cydonia a day prior, presumably to steal the items she had stolen once more. The following morning the company trekked together to rendezvous with the larger faction of Vikkard's gang to Cydonia.

Kale Monath 10th, Alec and company joined under Morhen, Vikkard's right-hand, and his subordinates in the hunt for Alanis who they suspected was still after the runes. Several scouts reported her whereabouts within the ruined city of Cydonia that lay on the roots of the Khanduras mountains. After further scouting, Terji found traces of Alanis' magic and traps that she had set up to hinder her pursuers, and was quick to dismantle them without her knowing. Once the path was clear, Alec and Terji, without telling Morhen and his men of their discovery, ventured together away from the group to find and confront the Witch.

## The Encounter

The main group of arrived near the outskirts of Cydonia on Kale Monath 11th at noon, whilst Alec and Terji had already entered the city before dawn in an attempt to locate Alanis before Morhen could. During a brief moment of separation from Terji, Alec managed to bait out Alanis within the city courtyard by summoning an illusion; when she passed through a stone wall through intangible magic, she and Alec clashed briefly for a moment in might and magic before conceded to each other.

The long lost friends spent several minutes catching up on the time that had passed since they had last been acquainted. They also gave compliments to one another on their fighting abilities and honed magic. After several minutes Alanis eruptly yielded on chatter and informed Alec on the current status of the Dark Coven as well as their whereabouts. It is here where Alec began to understand the scope of the Dark Coven and their strength and influence within the Western Kingdoms. Alec also learned of their profound connection to the Burning Hells.

Meanwhile, several hunters of the Dark Coven who had been closing in on Alanis through pursuit rendezvoused with their leader, Inquisitor Esfand, outside the city and prepared to launch an attack on their unsuspecting foes. Above all, their main objective of assassinating Alanis remained a priority due to the information she had gathered on their secret organization. Esfand, a prodigy of summoning magic, prepared a portal for a demonic incarnation to unleash against the Witch to counteract her destructive magic.

Terji stumbled upon the reunited friends and informed them of the imminent arrival of Morhen and their men, deducing that their brief skirmish attracted attention, and quickly departed on Alec's orders to summon them to the courtyard. Alanis initially rejected the idea of remaining in Cydonia and allowing Vikkard's thugs to detain her due to the bounty on her head, but she concede to Alec when he informed her on his masquerade of helping them catch her for the bounty, and that Vikkard would personally grant him leniency upon council. Alec despaired when she informed him that the Dark Coven stilled hunted and they would find her nigh, as she was willing to die fighting them if needed.

Shortly before the duo deduced battle was about to ensue, Alec pressed Alanis is to why she willingly delivered the Witchwood coven Rose's purse of Zod Runes, she protested it was because it was simply because Alec was written on the bag and that she did not wish to wrong him. She also confessed that she had wanted to maintain a friendship despite a decade of separation with Alec. The two briefly held hands as the company approached. Upon contact, Alec briefly probed Alanis' mind to discover in that moment of her years of spying on and fleeing from the Dark Coven had made her weary, alas she delivered the purse in an attempt to conjure Alec's help at defeating those who hunted her.

Morhen approached Alanis and Alec with a demanding voice, but his interrogation was quickly interrupted when the Dark Coven launched an ambush into the courtyard. Jeremiah and several others were immediately killed by ranged attacks. As Coven members bolted down the hill the Rune Rogues were quick to engage them in combat, as were Vikkard's gang shortly after. As battle ensued between, both Alanis and Esfand prepared their incantations; while Esfand opened a portal to unleash demonic beasts, Alanis summoned protective shields around her allies.

As the battle reached its end, Alanis managed to close the portal on her own. With her magic exhausted, Alanis became unable to teleport away from a falling tower of the ruined town, resulting in Esfand's death as well as hers.

Members & associates of the Rune Rogues

* Alec Kylar
* Alanis the Witch ✝
* Terji Joensen
* Horvath
* Krea
* Merline Lionheart
* Ulfred
* Jesmund
* Zira
* Octavian ✝
* Jeremiah ✝
* Clamavi
* Arnold Vanko
* Brienne Thorne