Vindicator In-Game Timeline

Below are listed the in-game events of Vindicators.

## CHAPTER 1

Vindicators have planned an attack on Crucible for a long time, and finally launch it on New Years Eve, as celebrations are in progress at the arena. The charges they have set cause a part of the great arena to crumble, bringing commoners and nobles alike tumbling into the ground.

Although some Vindicators are conflicted about the sheer damage and death they’ve caused, they proceed with their mission: try and capture or kill the Aodhian monarch, and free as many slaves as possible. They are unsuccessful in locating the King, however, and must retreat.

Another division of Vindicators uses the explosions at the Crucible as a diversion to blow their way into the Dark District, freeing almost a quarter of the labor slave population.

Vindicators also sustain losses, and several of them are captured during the raid. The mission as a whole is a great success for the faction, but this comes with a caveat:

For the first time, Aodh considers them a real threat.

## CHAPTER 2

The Vindicators have returned to the safety of a campsite in Onea, but many of them are still injured, and the silent, sneaked journey from Eithne has been long and tiring, to say nothing of the mental scars acquired in their attack. They are laying low, healing, trying to keep out of trouble.

Their peace is shattered by the sudden and violent arrival of the Cultists.  A battle and a chase ensues, as the cultists attempt to destroy their already battered enemies. Major casualties are avoided on both sides, but the relationship between the two factions is as hostile as ever.

## CHAPTER 3

The Vindicators, still recovering from the losses and injuries of the Crucible raid and the subsequent cultist attack, search for new allies in Eithne and Onea. They are trying to recruit hedgewitches and mercenaries to their cause, and break off into two groups to search for anyone who might be willing to assist them.

Although both groups find some success, especially on the front of mercenaries, most of their efforts end up being by naught, as the situation in Eithne becomes too tense, and final Vagabonds leave the area, scattering any new allies there to the winds.

Some time after Chapter 3, one of the Vindicators captured in the Crucible raid returns to their midst with other freed slaves.

## CHAPTER 4

Healed up and emboldened, but also desperate at the news of an oncoming war, the Vindicators step back into the fray. They organize two blockades in Onea in an effort to delay the oncoming war.

On the southern blockade, they stop a troop of Chevaliers traveling to Skeldr Town to reaffirm and negotiate the war alliance. They successfully ambush the small troop, and after a battle, manage to take some of them prisoner - however the rest of them slip away, their arrival in Skeldr Town only slightly delayed. Although unable to stop the war preparations, the Vindicators celebrate the victory.

At the northern blockade, the Vindicators stop a troop of Raiders, the War Forged ambassador to Eithne, as well as the slaves they are transporting. In the ensuing battle they are able to free the would-be slaves, and quickly retreat out of the combat with them.

In the following months, their Aodhian prisoners are interrogated for information, and many of the newly freed slaves are integrated into the Vindicators, greatly bolstering their numbers in preparation for another direct strike at Aodh.

## CHAPTER 5

Armed with the information received from their Chevalier prisoners, the Vindicators return to Eithne. Months of planning and weeks of slowly traveling towards their target are about to pay off. Sneaking into New Valore by lesser known pathways, they know they can only manage this feat once before they need to find a new way in.

The first team set off to burn the records office that kept transactions and registrations of many of Aodh’s slaves. Its destruction would mean the loss of thousands of ownership papers, and perhaps the freedom of more than a few slaves, although the symbolic impact would be much greater. Torching the records office and escaping into the street, the Vindicators fought off the slavers present, and led a few of the oppressed into safety and freedom.

The second team used their newfound access to try and gain access to the labor slaves of Dark District. However, their journey in the tunnels was interrupted by a group of Aodhian smugglers and the newly-freed slaves they were attempting to smuggle out of the city. The situation was tense to say the least, but an agreement was reached - the Vindicators would help the current troop of slaves out, and Smugglers would make an effort to help even more slaves.  Perhaps it could be the beginning of a new alliance?

Far away, en-route to Sedo, a few Vindicators travel among the War Forged-Aodh warband in disguise to gather intel on the war effort. They, along with the rest of the group, come under attack, and the Vindicators must fight alongside their enemies so they can safely leave the warband behind.

## CHAPTER 6

Their last great double strike foiled by circumstance, the Vindicators return to Eithne once more. Now tentatively allied with the smugglers of Aodh, they make their way to the Dark District. Under the cover of darkness and the noise of fireworks, the Vindicators set about freeing as many slaves as they could. However, the Vindicators were planning to do more than just free the slaves, and as some of the slaves refused to leave, an argument erupted between the Smugglers and the Vindicators. Although the Vindicators ended up getting their way - freeing majority of Aodh’s labor slaves as well as blowing up a part of the Dark District, their alliance with the Aodh Smugglers was destroyed, making future access to the city harder.

Another group of Vindicators sneaked all the way into the palace, hoping to vandalize, ransack, make a statement and perhaps gather some valuable intel. They were quickly discovered by the castle guard, and pursued through the palace underbelly, where they found a blind juvenile wyvern. The Vindicators manage to draw the beast into the tunnels after them, and in so doing gained a wyvern as an addition to their cause… Should they be able to tame it.

Back in Onea, a third group intercepts two rangers and their traveling party, intent on robbery. Instead they find the party is that of the should-be-dead Aodhian King, Amadeus. The Vindicators capture the King and his party, bringing them back to the Bunker.

With greatly bolstered numbers, the Vindicators begin to find their base in the Bunker quite cramped. So many new faces have joined their cause, it’s sometimes hard to keep track. At the same time, they find their lifeline, the land trade between Aodh and War Forged, dwindling rapidly. With less caravans to rob, the Vindicators have to rely on their own food farming and gathering - which, combined with their numerous new recruits, isn’t exactly easy.

## CHAPTER 7

Still no caravans are coming through, and there are disturbing rumors coming in from Aodh that the Vindicators must investigate. Setting off are two patrols - one scouting patrol into Eithne, and another training patrol destined to check out the end station of the Aodh rail line, the place where supplies have always been ferried.

The training patrol, with cadets and fresh recruits in tow, reaches the train station without issue, but while there, they are ambushed. Put between rock and a hard place, the Vindicators choose to pursue two captured cadets, rather than an apparent traitor, and fight off the initial Chevalier and Raider force. While the rescue is successful, they have to make a hasty retreat before reinforcements arrive.

Deeper in Eithne, the scouting patrol comes across a familiar face, and a trail of bodies. They soon run across the perpetrators as well: The Heralds of Ash. The scouting party is initially hopeful, seeing a potential ally, but their hopes are dashed - The Heralds will spare no one, and will not stay their attacks long enough for any slaves to be rescued. They chase off the Vindicators with a hail of fire, warning them to stay out of Eithne.

Back home, tensions from cramped quarters and lack of resources reach a boiling point as recruits become aware of King Amadeus’ presence. In the ensuing argument, the different views among the Vindicators become clear, culminating around what should be done with the once-King. Shale gives her an ultimatum: join, or die. Amadeus and her company, reluctantly, join their cause.

Outside, the Vindicator gathering teams come across a strange sight: an unnatural storm. The storm speaks to them, calling herself Digend, the god of your nemesis, the Cult. She claims you once followed her, and because of your abandonment, she has withdrawn her favor from your cause.

Soon after the scouting parties return, bringing dire news - the Bunker might be endangered, and Eithne will soon be on fire, slaves and masters alike.

## MINI EVENT - A Fork in the Road

After the events of the summer scouting missions and the reveal of their secret hideout, the Vindicators are forced to move. As preparations are being made, the inner tensions come to a head, and the faction splinters into two groups. Although still allied and closely connected, it is decided that the two Vindicator bands will now have their own bases of operations to provide additional safety.

The ranks of Keeper and Elite are established during the same discussions on how the split should be done.

## CHAPTER 8

The autumn is not the kindest to Vindicators. A group led by Dinah heads back to the Old Bunker to recover some supplies, but is ambushed by Chevaliers and Raiders. They sustain casualties, and almost everyone in the party is wounded, some seriously.  The Old Bunker is completely destroyed in the aftermath.

Another group is on a mission to breach New Valore, but they are unable to do so. Instead they discovered that Aodh was preparing for a full blown war with the kirins, with a massive refugee crisis budding at their gates. This was plenty to report back to base, and they managed to lead a few slaves to safety as well.

Shale’s group is also in Eithne, but further north near Opulence, where they rescue an Aodhian civilian group from kirins, and as their reward, leave with a wagon of supplies and four new recruits in the form of rescued labor slaves.

Back at the New Bunker, Dinah discovers that one of the boxes recovered from the Old Bunker contains a strange instrument - a relic with mysterious powers.

## CHAPTER 9

As spring comes, Vindicators still struggle with the near-inaccessibility of Eithne. A small scouting party sent out by Dinah seeks to discover a potential new, safer land route to New Valore. Instead, they come across a large scale conflict where kirins are attempting to kill Aodhian civilians, while a military force attempts to hold the kirins back and get the Aodhians to safety via ship. The Vindicators decide to join the fight on Aodh's side to protect everyone there, and slip away once the ships leave the shore.

Even deeper into hostile territory, a party gathered by Shale attempts to track down Dinah, who left on a mission a month ago. Unfortunately, they do find her - dead at the hooves of kirins. Following the trail of a potential survivor, they come into an Aodhian village, and bear witness to the arrival of an ancient wyvern, before escaping with their wounded comrade in tow.

In Sirith, at the Wisteria Inn safehouse, several Vindicators have established in-person contact with the Keeper, Adari. Their meeting is cut short by the arrival of Cultists, who are not openly hostile, instead inquiring about the nature of the Vindicators relic, and announcing that She will soon rise.

After the Vindicators reconvene at their bases, they enter a time of mourning at the loss of Dinah - and are faced with the question of what comes next.