Story/Arcs/Grand/1

## Ice Devil: Xan'Ko (levels 6-10)

~~A pit fiend~~ An ice devil has received word of a self-sustaining rift with very powerful magic, and aims to take complete control of it for ~~himself~~ his master; when this can't be done via infiltration, he then tries to slaughter the plane's inhabitants in order to raise it from the ashes using the raw magic stored there.

### Featured tracks:

* Placed: *The Nightmare Continues*, *True or False*, *Slug Poison*, *Root Canal*, *Blood Hunt*, *Dirge of Drakan*, *The Lord of Vampyrium,* *Regal*, [more TBD]
* Unplaced: *Bad Idea*

### Ice Devil tactics:

* reference - http://themonstersknow.com/devil-tactics-greater-devils/

## The plot:

### Background

* Xan'Ko [zan-koh]
	+ Powerful devil, tries to take over the dungeons
* Discovery
	+ minion wanders into dungeon network via Elemental rift
	+ ~~reports back~~ unable to report back (doesn't have Sending)
* Exploration
	+ ~~Forces way into dungeon~~
	+ Behaves as player, goes between a few dungeons
* Infiltration
	+ minion
		- accepted into Quarters
		- discovers Forum
			* Finds more about merchants
			* reports back (via an unsuspecting merchant, or by bribing a merchant)
	+ spy: a "simple merchant"
		- appears in Forum, creates stall, trades as normal

### Enter players

* Information
	+ minion
		- goes through dungeons
		- explores main area, explores edges of plane
		- discovers more about Denizens, reports back
* Subversion, 1
	+ minion\_2, outclasses previous minion; intended to take some control
		- infiltrates dungeons, accepted into Quarters
		- sneaky communication with minion\_1
	+ minion\_1
		- learns more about multiple denizens, reports to minion\_2
	+ minion\_2 gets close to denizen
		- learns more about the power denizens hold
		- sneakily searches for how it works
		- silently seeks apprenticeship
* Subversion, 2
	+ minion\_1
		- tests dungeons, learns more about their nature/resources/weak-points
	+ spy
		- to minion\_1: asks about Forum boundary
			* minion\_1 to minion\_2: research
	+ rogue
		- infiltrates via Forum, similar to spy
		- spy stays back, rogue aims to infiltrate denizen's office
			* learns about Simul
			* learns about apprentices
		- spy retreats, more planning
		- minion\_2 investigates about Simul, INDIRECTLY
	+ minion\_2 seeks apprenticeship
* ~~ INCIDENT 1 ~~
	+ rogue detains denizen (NOT Simul), minion\_2 asserts succession
	+ minion\_2 found out (won't be trusted for Cultist-...ship... so easily, or ritual went wrong)
		- Cultists aim to dispatch
		- Can't find lost Cultist
	+ Clues for players
	+ the players find and free the lost Cultist
* Infiltration, 2
	+ rogue sent back in, charms cultist, hides
		- minion\_1 learns more about power
		- tests boundaries
* ~~ INCIDENT 2 ~~
	+ Simul possessed - ♫ Slug Poison ♫, ♫ Root Canal ♫
		- (this is EXTRA BAD because Simul controls the dimensional folding of the 'Rift)
		- (the players, presumably:) to Putra: *"Simul's gone rogue"*
			* Putra: (fiercely:) "... *WHAT?" \*entire composure changes as she leans forward and looks intently, with severe intensity and concern, eyes burning more than normal\* "HOW?"*
			* Reprieve - ♫ [track TBD] ♫
	+ Xan'Ko gains information about Simul's dimensional folding
		- Reckless appearance; "tries" to disrupt main area
		- "defeated"; it seems the threat has been handled
* Expanding power
	+ Xan'Ko seeks to infiltrate domain (minion\_1's cultist)
		- creates backdoors
* Assaults, 1
	+ Xan'Ko begins sending in forces to new domain
	+ Seeks more points in other domains to send forces
	+ "The plane is safe, the dungeons are just getting unruly"
* Assaults, 2
	+ forces break into Nexus via domain (minion\_1's cultist)
	+ Nexus begins experiencing encounters - ♫ The Nightmare Continues ♫
	+ cultist (charmed) makes excuses (to cover for minion\_1's goals)
* ~~ INCIDENT 3 ~~
	+ forces breach into Quarters (NOT players' quarters)
	+ ~~Defenders of Arxsec's Rift show up~~
		- ~~Nothing authoritive; just more residents with Jobs (Defender job)~~
		- higher-class, non-job residents assist
		- Xan'Ko's minions not at the scene
* [more TBD: eventually seek total control]

### -> Level-up: 8

* More aggressive efforts - strong underlings begin making appearances
	+ Target the denizens
	+ (?) Attempt to claim some rooms as strongholds of power
* [more details/events TBD]
* Xan'Ko sends powerful underlings, specifically to kill the players (who by now have distinguished themselves as a high-level threat)
	+ ♫ True or False ♫
		- attempt fails
	+ charmed Cultist sends players to domain (secretly, it's a trap; "I'd like you to investigate there.")
	+ Chase - bone devils, in infiltrated domain
		- Flee - ♫ Blood Hunt ♫
			* Hide - ♫ Dirge of Drakan ♫
			* Players discover this may be the source of the underlings
			* Reprieve - ♫ [track TBD] ♫
		- Players reveal infiltrated domain
		- Come back to fight - ♫ The Lord of Vampyrium ♫
			* Twist: players discover minion\_1 & rogue, who enter the battle
			* "Xan'Ko's had enough of your meddling." - ♫ [track TBD] ♫
* [more TBD: after failing full control a few times, attempt destruction & rise from ashes]
	+ Back doors widened, in an effort to slaughter all inhabitants.
* Face Xan'Ko

### -> Level-up: 10

* Players formally recognized - ♫ Regal ♫