Year-End Recaps

## Year One Recap

The year started with a draft which was quickly followed by the anniversary parade. (Event 1)

New recruits got to get to know their comrades at a simple banquet held close to the central wall. It was a way for the two territories to show off their own wealth and success. As the recruits settled into their new routines, they were given the opportunity to create floats to be presented along during the parade. At the parade itself, a rogue sniper created trouble by shooting at those that were on the floats. Chaos took over -- the groups dissipated and each side retreated deeper into their territories. And so it began.

The first real mission outside of patrols was to hunt out a mysterious stranger. (Event 2)

Recruits spent days trying to find this woman that had become the talk of the town. After catching glimpses of her, each side was able to actually speak with the vagabond. She made promises to help any friendly face -- so long as they had no intentions of turning her in to their superiors. Diva became a wandering merchant; a legend amongst the citizens. [*She will buy whatever goods a character finds during their patrols.*]

The governments, however, found the case of a stranger to be disturbing. If someone survived beyond the walls, who was to say that deserters weren’t surviving out there as well. The new expectation to **!explore** was put out with little information for the world beyond. People reported strange creatures that had been spotted in the woods. Struck with fear of the unknown, the citizens remained in the city. They refused to look deeper into the world beyond their familiar walls.

The city seemed safe from the outside world for now. However, the citizens started to find invitations to a masquerade.(Event 3)

A small organization of Sympathizers wished to recruit like minded individuals. Naturally, the only safe way to discuss such an idea would be in anonymously. People felt comfortable to express their ideals in the safety of their peers. Unfortunately for them, there were enemies hidden amongst the flock. One of the organizers of the event was murdered in cold blood and the entire masquerade dissolved as quickly as it had appeared.

Lyra of House Solak -- a cat that controlled a prestigious orphanage -- was declared dead on site. Her co-conspirator, Corrin of House Elswood, was declared missing by the Canine Government. Both were recorded as being avid advocates that were interested in the ‘rehabilitation’ of cross-specied children. No cases of crossbred children had been reported.

There was a disquiet amongst the citizens and whispers of sympathizers spread throughout the city.

When another wave of notes were found in citizens’ homes it seemed that it would be related. If one solved the riddles, maybe one would find the sympathizers. (Event 4)

A web of intrigued people solved the riddles one after another. Though, they found something more sinister than Sympathizers. A group of cloaked strangers whisked into their presence with whispered invitations to the Black Market. [*Members could find goods at a cheaper cost or some things that shouldn’t be sold at all.*]

As the intrigue wore thin, the city sank back into quiet complacency. The routine of patrols took over the lives of the soldiers, but the governments had yet to settle. Not with so many strangers drifting in and out of their territories. A new draftbegan to recruit more soldiers as the governments prepared themselves for their next step.

The territories organized several raids on the surrounding woods with Experienced Five Stars leading them. This time, it was mandatory. (Event 5)

The soldiers of the city were forced out beyond the walls with disregard for their safety. The goal was to hunt out one of each monster and bring back a sample to be properly investigated. In theory, if the citizens were able to understand their enemy better, they would be able to destroy them without question.

One side was moderately more successful than the other, but both were able to gather the same information. An organized handbookwas given to the active soldiers to better equip themselves for what they faced beyond the wall. The booklet included information regarding the strangers that had made themselves known throughout the raids. In the same breath, the government put a hush order to quell any rumors of Avian existence.

Without any excuses to hinder their progress, the soldiers were instructed to begin exploring the woods once more. It was now vital to find what was in the world beyond their city.

An undercurrent of dissent spread throughout the city as rumors churned on loose lips while the soldiers were back to work. Simple jobs are sometimes a requirement. Even something as simple as finding a bunch of lost toys. (Event 6)

The superiors were in need of a simple win to quiet down some of the more boisterous members of society and each soldier is rewarded for their efforts.

However, the quiet couldn’t last.

A group of terrorists attacked the city and destroyed large chunks without care of who they harmed. (Event 7)

In total, there were five successful attacks that destroyed key portions of the city -- including the Senate of both sides. The gang was lead by a woman named Mongoose. On the day of the next planned attack, she was captured much to the dismay of her comrades. She was dragged forth for a public execution. It seemed that both governments were in agreement. The only course of action was to make an example out of her.

On the stage, her true name(s) were revealed.  Evangeline of House Solak and House Elswood. She was the heir to the two conspirators that had hosted the masquerade and she wanted revenge for her parents. She was the only ‘evidence’ of a viable hybrid that existed and she used her platform to reveal other supposed hybrids.  Mongoose spoke into the crowd, intent on making herself a martyr. A position that she seemed destined to fulfil.

Instead, she was rescued by the strangers. The Birds.

They revealed themselves to the tumultuous crowd and a riot broke out -- several soldiers attacked the Birds at once. The rescue team was forced to flee, but not without their prize. Mongoose was gone and the city was left in civil unrest. Mandatory blood testing was held for every accused Hybrid. The results rolled in and every test read negative despite the Terrorist’s accusations.

It was only natural that something had to give. The government sure wasn’t going to. Words began to filter over the radios. Report any and all evidence that may point to Sympathizing behavior. (Event 8)

Neighbor turned against neighbor, friend against friend, comrade against comrade. Before long, fights spread throughout the streets and more than ever *sympathizer* was the most dangerous word. Every report was rewarded handsomely and in one sweep, sympathizers were wiped from the city.

Some traitors to the cause had even seeked refuge with the Birds. But nobody could escape the might of the government. Two birds were captured while they tried to aid a fleeing sympathizer.

The message is clear; Fall in line or simply fall.

## Year Two Recap

At the end of the previous year, two birds were captured by the cats.

This information was common knowledge; the mystery was where the cats were hiding the birds. Desperate for access to the same information as their enemies, the Dogs took drastic measures. A heist. For the first time in over a hundred years, the Dogs had surged in large numbers over the wall and into the depths of the cat colony.

During the heist, thousands died in glory for their respective colonies. However, the dogs prevailed.

A Four star dog lead her team into the depths of battle, uncovering the hidden location of the captives. A bird rescue team arrived at the same time, comprised of two commanders and a small ragtag team of birds. In an attempt to allow the two captives to escape without harm, one commander volunteered to go willingly with the dog team.

After several weeks of silence; the commander and the five stars had come to an agreement. A comradery between the Birds and the Dogs.

A quiet settled over the capital that is filled with a somber heaviness. So many lives had been lost and so much destruction left in the wake of the invasion. The soldiers received orders to give back to the community, cleaning up their homes and their streets.However, tired and beaten down by war, it was difficult to rise to the occasion. With a brief chiding from the 5 stars, it was back to work.

No rest for the wicked.

In a ploy to get more space for their respective sides,the capital decides to begin mapping the tunnels beneath the city. If they soldiers could sort out the messy underground, then the capital could take advantage of the open space below. The soldiers were expected to sign up with a team to explore the tunnels bit by bit (with some added help from the birds.)

Too bad, the underground seemed too much for them to handle. Between trap rooms, ghoulish graveyards, strange portals and a mysterious room with a hole in the center -- the soldiers were horribly under prepared for the tunnels and what was crawling around inside them.

Several soldiers recalled encountering a shadowy figure or a wall of bugs. These phenomena were unexplainable -- but one thing was certain. A single entity was found in the center of the map with only one bit of advice.

You do not belong here.

All soldiers were expelled from the tunnels and some even appeared days later with their memories lacking.

The only thing to show for their trouble was a map that appeared to be little more than a winding web to trap people inside.

That wasn’t the only map that the citizens of the capital were able to uncover. During their dutiful explorations, they were able to discover more of the surrounding woods.With the expansion of their knowledge, the citizens found Cloud Nine and a mysteriously abandoned village.

The soldiers were able to take a small reprieve as the city turned cold with the onset of winter. The winter solstice festival marked the start of the season. A glittering lightshow filled the capital and peace swept back in. Something that everyone could take advantage of.

Both sides came together for an ice sculpture contest; the reward was a strange mask that sat between the five stars on either side of the wall.

The birds were to be the impartial party, deciding the final vote and which side would claim yet another victory. Unfortunately, as soon as a victor was chosen, a strange figure darted out between the crowd to take up the mask.

With a single flick of their bushy orange tail, the stranger is gone and the chase begins -- leading them to the outskirts of the abandoned town on the map.

The abandoned city was surrounded by a perimeter of traps and explosives. With the intention of uncovering whomever was hidden inside of the ghost town, the soldiers were sent out to discover a path leading into the depths.

The cats were the first to breach the line of defenses, meeting the leaders of the hidden city and uncovering the fact that the Weasels had been living beneath the surface all along. They proved to dislike the Birds greatly and agreed to align themselves with the cats -- through means of providing supplies. They refused to take part in the war themselves and were more concerned with ensuring that nobody entered their city.

A lesson that the Dogs experienced first hand.

Once the Cats were sent on their way, the dogs were captured one by one and interrogated. When it was confirmed that they were allied with the Birds, the Weasels were determined to leave a lasting impression. Nobody was to enter the Silver Burrow, but especially not an enemy. The tunnels were flooded, washing the dogs out into the ocean.

Their bodies turned up on the shores, awaking to a monster eating one of the corpses of their dead. A shroud. A monster under the control of a strong Weasel and a promise was made. If one were to cross a weasel, the outcome would be the same. The dogs gathered the rest of their dead and ran home with their tail between their legs.

And with that, the Cats established a strong -- if passive -- ally.

After the rough start of the agreed allyship, the superiors of each species agreed to set up small meetings between soldiers. They attempted to stroke the bonds of comradery. A coffee dinner here, a walk in the park there -- anything to help the soldiers get to know the new species better than before. After the trust was built, an olive branch was extended. A password given and the markets were opened once more.

Darline was introduced as the bird merchant and Sangyal as the weasel merchant.

With a new order established, a calm washes over the city. As does a strange fog.

The memories of the Capital are washed away and replaced with a shiny utopia -- Metro. The citizens of Metro could not recall any unpleasant memories or anything of the war. Cats and Dogs mixed freely as did the allies of the city. Everyone could only recall that they wanted to meet a stranger in their midst, a beautiful woman named Chimere.

The closer that the citizens were to Chimere, the more that their minds were filled with the pleasant dreamy quality. Euphoria.

Until it was ripped away.

A disembodied voice told the Dreamer to leave and so she did, leaving cats and dogs stranded on the wrong side of the walls. Everyone scrambled to capture enemies or to escape back into the safety of their own territory. What was that hallucination? Why did it feel so strange to attack or capture their hated enemies now?

Most made it back home safely and those that didn’t? They were forgotten, just like the foggy memories of Metro.

But it seems as though the effects of the dreamer were not temporary. Instead, they were long lasting.

The war settled into an unspoken truce for a year. A quiet and unexplainable peace. Many soldiers experienced memory loss, especially those that were inexperienced or unskilled with magic. But they never forgot the war… Rather, they just seemed to forget the pain and heartache that had plagued them since the start.

A year stretches on…

And then the war awakens once more, in the midst of a blistering cold winter when goods and rations are short…