Story begins 1 month after Marineford War which happened on June 15.

Island's

Metropolis island

- Loud with commerce and human traffic jams, the cacophony of shouts and jingles and and discussion
creates a busy and slightly overbearing but sociable and comfortable feeling

- The high rising roof tops and towers that stretch higher than any of the crew had seen anywhere else
were suddenly lit up by magnificent lights and lanterns and posts come the setting of the sun giving a
warm orange glow to the whole city, simultaneously casting dangerous, harsh shadows that hid alleys
from view perfectly representing the one-sided nature of the city

After Metropolis Darius will be split up from his crew and they arrange to regroup and recover on
another island. Everyone heads to Kakara to party.

Jack's letter summed up:

- Fuyuko Hinode is his real name

- He's from a powerful ancient clan that was all but destroyed because of their unique ability to see
souls

- he needs to find his fathers bodyguard on Bandeean Island in the Grand Line and he asks for a lift there
if they ever plan on heading that way

Kakara Island

- Madagascar-esque jungle not unlike Pickzar due to their similar regions. The main locations of interest
is the ruins of Kakara city and the "new" jungle town of Kashik

- Kashik is similar to the Ewok homes on Endor in that they are situated high in the trees with wood
bridges and ramps allowing access from building-to-building but with a distinct touch of Aztec
architecture to the structures.
The letter that Braul has about this place reads

Proven ye be worthy

Now head to Pickzar's neighbour

The jungle town will direct you

To find the fruit of labour

A rigid back and leather hide

historian will be your guide

The middle sibling knows the most

For this particular island coast

Kakara calls who seeks its prize

Your eyes will gleam and glow

But always keep in front of mind

The threats that lurk below

This riddle refers to a devil fruit hidden in the ruins of the old city on the South coast of the island. The
history book "Kakara Island: A History - Vol. 5" contains the hint that will lead them to this southern ruin
of Andorra and hint at the idea that it may be a devil fruit.

- Treasure clue in the town library at Kashik in the 5th volume of Kakara: A History. History regarding the
now fallen ruins of Andorra, remarks that in ancient times there one day formed an irregular fruit that
was said to have carried a powerful and terrifying aura. The villagers regarded it as the will of a vengeful
god, intending for them to eat it and be punished by its poison or power. So instead to appease the god
they took the fruit deep inside their holy temple and prayed to it to spare them and protect their village
in return for their unending gratitude.

- They continued to watch over and protect this fruit till the civilisation collapsed very suddenly due to a
plague probably brought by travelers (this is deduced by historians to be most likely due to the location)
that wiped them out nearly overnight according to the old paintings and vague scriptures. This would
imply that the fruit remained however all manner of traps and dark forces protect it and no expedition
had ever succeeded from the time of the collapse to the most recent one about 60 years ago

Inside the town is an extremely old man who calls himself Tarax. He knows a riddle that unbeknownst
to him contains the secret to finding the hidden temple.
"Head your way to South by West

A stone cold stare marks the place

To find their way back, night or day

The hunters sing "I'm back, dear home"

To which he adds that it only rhymes in the original language

"Tweli vuun'bab keth"

- If Sun is present he also recognises his face as very similar to a man he used to know named Theodare.
If Sun is not there he'll wistfully remember it based on something else. If asked he'll note that he was a
headstrong young man who eloped with a mysterious and beautiful angel woman some years back. He'd
heard terrible news that they'd both been in an accident of some kind at Sea and the villagers presumed
them dead when they didn't hear from them again like most other victims but he supposed only the
government would know for sure who survived it.

Inside the temple are spike/arrow traps and a puzzle that prevents them from moving through the only
way to continue. A single dead marine skeleton lays upon the ground just after this puzzle giving the hint
that they may have been through here at some point.

After this strange voodoo cursed tigers larger than men assail them from behind. Getting to the end will
find them in a massive open room lined with fancy pillars wall to wall ending in a stair case leading up to
a crumbling pedestal now surrounded by glass shards but if they find the dead marines journal a little
farther ahead from his body they will learn the marines came only days ago and that the fruit had been
taken by Captain Needa's unit along with their furry prisoner

Isla's old unit is here tracking what they believe to be the slave she rescued, and will take her in if given
the chance. If she doesn't split off they will give her a threatening message to come alone and tell no
one lest they kill her fellow escapee (a lie since they don't have her) on the spot. If caught she will be
sentenced to immediate execution which does not sit well with her old friend Watt.
Mycro uses an umbrella sword not dissimilar to Brooks but relies more on his wit and skill than his
dexterity

Holum is a martial artist with incredible deductive reasoning allowing him to predict what comes next

Watt has knowledge of the human body and is handy with firearms. Knows how to get himself out of a
grapple/bind

Both the fruit and Islas friend were taken by Captain Needa and his men who leave South for the calm
belt.

Needa's ship

Captain Gregory Needa: Stubborn, old, proud, croaky voice, Good-hearted deep down

Lieutenant Mitch Granville: Mean-spirited, conniving, under-handed, ambitious, jaded

Lieutenant Darla Tillman: Soft, wishy-washy, indecisive, self-conscious, un-confident

Baltomere Island

- Coastal, sandy, uneven. Very few trees. Home to the Griphook pirates who have been tormenting the
villagers and using them as slave labour for his tropical beach palace.

- A young man named Eobard (Ballar D. Eobard) is living on this island 16 years old with his
grandparents.

- Charles Bettany leads the Griphook pirates. Mean, spiteful, immature, cruel, unreasonable, selfish and
conceited

- Charles first mate Olido is a grappler/wrestler with lots of health, Aquida is a specialist who has an
angry spirit living in her body, Guererra is the Crackshot Jailer who sits in a room high above the ground
in the prison room and shoots down at those below with a steel net gun and a sniper rifle that uses large
caliber rounds

- Luna meanwhile is imprisoned on Needa's ship when a massive storm hits sending everything into
disarray, and with it being a full moon that night Luna gives into her rage and transforms in hopes she
would escape

- She wakes up on the beach of Baltomere and is found by Eobard who helps hide her from Bettany's
men who are collecting supplies from the enslaved towns people for a feast
- He explains that he plans to help turn the dock hut into a hideout

- While sneaking away some collectors are at the village and due to exhaustion Luna trips herself up and
attracts their attention

- Eobard tries to fight but is beat down with little effort

- Luna manages to bargain a sword out of one of them in return for peacefully allowing herself to be
taken to Charles Bettany's feast

- Bettany notes her exhaustion and eventually makes her a deal, join or be his slave (unaware of minks
and sulong)

- if she declines/attacks Olido and Aquida together make short work of her exhausted state

- A few days later the Dreamcatchers arrive

- people are malnourished and Eobard has had enough after being forced to work more leaving him with
less time to help his grandfather run the farm and the taking of Luna

- His defiance results in henchman coming to put him in his place but he fights back and they decide to
kill him instead

- The crew arrives at this point in time witnessing his imminent execution

- his grandfather steps between them and takes the shots for him with a determined stare that makes
the shooters sweat as he declares that they would not lay a hand on his family

- They raise their guns to fire again and its up to the crew whether they prevent this or not but if they do
Eobard learns his true name then and there from his dying grandfather

- Eobard asks the crew for the strength/help to bring down the tyrant hurting his family and people and
offers to tell them everything he knows to do it

- Bettany has a multitude of prisoners, at least one from almost every family (Eobard's grandmother
being an example) and so a direct assault could easily backfire if he used them as leverage

- Going straight to the prisoners would get them trapped in the prison room with them.

- Eobard suggests they split into 2 groups, 1 to distract Bettany and most of his men and the other to
free the prisoners and get them out the palace

- Luna is kept in a separate special cell and will need someone to specifically head after her

- Bettany stays in his palace throne room mostly, guarded by Olido and Aquida. Aquida uses her magic to
rearrange their paths like a maze and keep them from getting around easily and splitting them up where
she can to have Olido and his men pick them off separately.
- Isla feels a pull towards her that will lead her to Aquida if she follows it (hinting at her unique power) at
which point they'd have a battle of the hosts

- Darius Tilan and Talan, who will be looking after their ship Jack and Sun, are attacked by Marines (the
two lieutenants) and have to fend them off (Darius wins) and maybe even the Captain himself

- Bettany's throne room is full of traps and the like to capture and stop his opponents

- Bettany's private secret escape ship is hidden far beneath the palace in a cave that's set into the far
south cliff face at water level that he will attempt to use to escape

- Darius fends off the marines for long enough that Needa becomes irritated and demands that they
return his criminal prisoner and Darius informs him of Luna's true reason for being hunted shocking
Needa just before Tilan and Talan set off a cannon high on the clifface which brings down some large
rubble that separates the ships with a large wave

Fuun Province

Upon arriving at Marco's destroyed home town of Fuuna they will find an old man wrapped in a cloak
sitting atop the rubble pile that is Marco's childhood home holding a book

The man reveals himself as Merlin, one of 5 Paladins of the New Holy Order, one of the few deemed
worthy enough to hold a seat at the Round Table.

"I will not waste your time with pointless gloating from this point on so spare me a moment to explain
the situation

The dead in this town are dead because of their sins, for one reason or another they were judged
sinners and refused any other method of repentance. So indiscriminate of age, race or gender I helped
them repent the only way there was left.

In my hands I hold a book, in this book is the reason your father is among the dead. If you defeat me
here you may take it, do not and I take it with me"

If allowed he will follow with

"I expect no mercy from a pirate like yourself and I expect no forgiveness or understanding from a man
in your place. I have wronged you and from where you stand I'm a heartless villain who deserves death
for my crimes and truth is what the beholder thinks it is. And from where I stand you are a sinning pirate
in a crew of murderers, liars and thieves, a scourge on the world that need be cleansed for the good of
all. We are but men with different perspectives on the same things and for that reason we will clash,
bleed and die, so come at me with everything you have so God's plan may take its course."

The Dreamcatchers manage to defeat him but not without losing Sir Hiss to a coma he might never wake
up from and very nearly Marco in the process who is injured to the point of needing hospitalization and
being put out of action for an indefinite time along with Darius
Astila Country

- grassy plainsy large landmass

- currently on brink of civil war due to conspiratorial plot by Govt to take over leadership of the country
through the current king's jealous brother

- Royal Astilan Palace is in the capital city Altis in the centre of the country and houses King Alvonce Altis
and his successor-in-training oldest son Petias

- Altis is set into a cliff face with 4 major levels each abundant with a particular kind of commerce (minas
tirith) made entirely of marble

- Dora is the city of wealth where the kings brother Henrique lives gathering his forces

- Teilos is the city of heaven where Petias and his vassals hail from

- Henrique, jealous of his brother's right to the crown, makes a deal with the World Government to join
with them once he owned the country and had all the wealth he wanted

- In return he would become their puppet and enact whatever rules they see fit

- Cipher Pol Agent Steezy is assigned to making sure Henrique is victorious

- Henrique has a fishman underworld mercenary by the name of Hoei assassinate the old king days
before Petias' coronation to put the crown into question so he may challenge him

(If the Dreamcatchers investigate the crime scene evidence they may be able to guess that a fishman
was involved due to their encountering them on the way there)

- Petias' refutes his claim and civil war opens up across the country

- Strategic locations must be won to secure victory

- Dreamcatchers arrive at this point as forces are mobilized for the coming war and some of Henriques
men encounter and attack them recognising them as wanted pirates

- Later their adventuring takes them to a group of soldiers in different uniform who mistake them for
more mercenaries, they eventually get utterly surrounded as one of Petias' vassals (Sir James) steps
forward and laughs

- James declares that they are not mercenaries but pirates and steps forward to offer Braul his hand and
reveals that he has a brother (The Banker) who lives on Metropolis who saw them attack the embassy
and read about them in the news
- They explain the situation to them and thank them for the supply drop and promise to have it
distributed immediately and offer to let them pass on and leave

- Native Astilan heritage can be discovered for Tilan and Talan in the ruins of an old city in the middle of
the country which sits atop an old underground larger network of cities that all lead to this one with it
being the capital

- The underground capital is split into 3 vertical levels, with traps, collapsed bridges that they will have
to surmount to make their way through the old city

- Searching in the lower level will find them a still partially intact reference map that indicates an old
library on the middle level as well as the name of the city; Bariva

- Searching the library will find them a few useful old books if they roll well, an old barely legible tome
will talk about a great tragedy befalling their home of Hirahdia forcing them to leave (this will confuse
Talan as the only tragedy he'd been told of was the colonisation, and the country had never been
referred to as Hirahdia in his memory)

- Another book will talk of the treasure of the bones of Suhl - a deity in their old culture - and that
resides hidden at the Holy Land, only accessible by the Breath of Mila,which was scattered in an

- Another will mention some old training tradition referred to as the joining of the chosen in masterful
teamwork that would carry the will of the people in times of hardship

Inside an old temple they find transcripts written on a small stone tablet that - once translated - reveals
that the Astilan people migrated from another place. It gives enough info via diagrams to tell them that
they arrived at Astila by boat from a country shaped like a sideways bird in flight

- The brothers soon realise this must be Hirahdia and that they fled their original home because of a
tragedy, and they piece together that the key to this great treasure of their people was taken by elders
and scattered around the place for safe-keeping and that all that's left is to translate the character that
describes the shape they were scattered in so they can find the pieces and get the treasure from the
Holy Land which they are unsure of the whereabouts for.

Logue Town

- On the way there Darius gets a letter from the Gunnit Pirates that asks if he can meet them
somewhere for something important so lets the crew know where they can find Greenbeard and when
(2 days later at an inn called the Pilferers Pit-stop) which is a pirate inn that you have to have a known
bounty to gain entry to
- He tells them that while there are layers of precautions to prevent marines from finding/entering the
place, it also relies heavily on mutual distrust between pirates and nobody squealing

- Instructs them to go meet up with his crew there and that if shit hit the fan they could escape into the
Grand Line and wait at the cape and he'd catch up with them there

- Rear-Admiral Rocksteady is waiting at the local Marine outpost for them to arrive so that he can begin
his plan to meet Greenbeard

- At this inn upon being recognised by their posters the inn-keep hands them a letter especially for them
from Greenbeard informing them that hiding was necessary as Rocksteady was on the island

- Greenbeard declares that they will meet at the docks and escape into the Grand Line all at once in a
few days at dawn and that during the night before they should move their ship around to the docks
under cover of darkness

- Instructs them to do all their shopping and whatnot while they can since as long as they lay low,
marine presence is focused on him and they'll be fine

- Eugene meets with the Dreamcatchers at the inn also waiting for Greenbeard and is mean and
unfriendly to them except for when he needs info from them

- He hangs out with them while they wait for the meeting time

- Sun receives a letter from Eugene that was written by Islington who wants to tell him about his past
and where to go but he has to keep it all a secret

- Isla will be separated and captured by Hollums and Watts and Hollums will try to turn the crew against
her and interrogate her on why she wants to be a warlord

- When the crew comes the now Captain Hollums will be frustrated and challenge Braul to the 1v1 he
was promised on Kakara

- Isla meanwhile will fight Watts and he'll emotionally demand an explanation as to what she has
planned to do as a warlord at which point she explains herself

- When they eventually make their escape attempt they are quickly spotted by marines and here Eugene
will either immediately seek out Greenbeard and "kill him" or momentarily travel with the DCs and kill
Greenbeard on the way up reverse mountain after trapping the Dreamcatchers on/with their own ship
and using his haki to frighten them

- On the other side of reverse mountain he will take a sub prepared by his new allies of the World Govt
and leave the Greenbeards broken and captainless

- Jayne looks mortified as the Dreamcatchers arrive and she lets them know he got away in a submarine
and she cries in Braul's arms
- If they wait there with them long enough Darius will arrive and be devastated to hear the news and see
his crew in the state they're in and be overcome with an uncharacteristic rage before declaring that they
should stay at this point

- Darius vows to make it all right and sets off alone on his paddle raft to avenge his captain and get
answers from his old best friend and superior and make him apologise to Jayne

Dirocco

- Owned by rich man Albert McLennon who is a Peace man from the peace-peace fruit and prevents any
violence from taking place on the island and the nearby seas.

- it will take 10 days for the Log Pose to lock onto the next island once they make landfall here, bustling
markets and all kinds of entertainment imaginable is found here keeping everyone well occupied.

- A competition is being held here, called the Tournament of Wishfuls which will be a safe-environment,
high-stakes/low-risk fighting tournament for the entertainment of the whole island that has 3 prizes
available.

- The top 3 winners each get a prize but they are chosen in order of victory (1st place gets 1st pick etc)

- The prizes include an unidentified Devil Fruit, a paid for trip to the nearby Sky Island Viskya including
optional return trip, and a 10,000,000 Beli Cash prize

- During the tournament, Marco notices Knight sneak out the med bay suspiciously down a side corridor

- If he follows he will eventually find Knight talking to someone called Bishop on a Den-Den Mushi who
has a feminine voice

K: Alas Bishop, I hath been defeated, by that Lancelot fellow. From what land or organisation doth a
monster such as he hail from?!

B: Tch, King will be disappointed but it can't be helped, you did what you could

K: Did your subjects at least manage to sneak aboard the Emerald Breeze whilst I suffered? Did they
learn more of our enemy?

B: Yeah but I'm going to have to head over there myself now, they just reported back with photos of
something interesting, the idiots didn't realise just how important it was

K: What could be of such importance to our cause?

B: They showed me pictures of an ancient tome, looks old Astilan

K: Remarkable! Could it be-!

B: Quiet Knight!... It might be, so I'm going to go steal it now

K: How doth you plan to accomplish this task? You cannot kill the harbourmaster, that troublesome
ability shant let you lay a malicious finger on him

B: I have a drug with me that will put him to sleep for a bit while I get to work, they have apprentices
fetch them coffee fairly soon and I'll slip in amongst them and spike his drink. If things go south I have a
gas pellet of the same stuff to prevent anyone from stopping me directly, you tell me if the tournament
finishes or they otherwise get wind of me.

K: Of course m'lady, do the Bastille proud! Knight over and out.

On the way

Mastico

- Horrible wasteland desert country with little civilisation due to a bad experiment 20 years ago that left
the country badly radiated and full of terrifying creatures, predominantly a large mutated warg-like
creature

- Weather is near constantly bad and consists of dangers like sandstorms and earthquakes and the land
is mostly barren and full of canyons cracks and crevices

- Storms due to it getting close to Summer make it exceptionally dangerous to be at but Talan and Tilan
are used to it and ask to go exploring on the island for fun

- An encounter with the desert beasts gives the Dream Catchers the inkling that perhaps someone is
controlling these beasts

- Soon they will find a village that is mostly ruined called Argo in which the people live an unhappy life
and they call the desert beasts Dreadhounds

- They are tormenting villagers, killing their livestock and wrecking their crops and if Dreamcatchers offer
to help them they tell them the nest seems to reside in a great canyon to the South the villagers call the
boneyard

- Talan and Tilan happened to head this way and meanwhile unbeknownst to the others they discover a
man-made base here and Talan infiltrates it and learns much of the layout

- Doctor Hulio is disfigured and dying from the experiment which his mentor was the head of and he
works in a secret facility built in the wall face of a deep crevice formed by the original accident

- He is keeping the masses weak and at bay in secret using the beasts which are mutated animals from
the accident that have been weakened biologically to be subservient to Hulio

- The constant chemical waste is keeping the island from healing as it should
- He is attempting to cure himself of the disease and the World Government is working with him to try
and weaponise the radioactive material for military use and funding his research and they plan to use
the people of the island as a test and must keep them weak and hiding

- CP7 Agents are working with him, Dale and Prunella, (Dale has the Mosquito Fruit, Prunella has the
Firefly fruit) along with an infected large henchman Hulio calls Warby who exhibits inhuman physical
strength and ridiculous endurance due to the radiation

- A recent prototype of the chemical drug has been completed and will be received and shipped off by
another agent, CP9 rookie Steezy (who they recognise from the Tournament of wishfuls) if they take too
long

- When they go to the base they are confronted by Warby who foolishly gives up information about the
layout and escape plan once defeated

- His office has an alarm system on the lab which is deeper into the chasm that will alert him if there's an
attempt on the lab that he can self-destruct making the island unliveable as he escapes in a sub

- This info means that to successfully and safely stop the drug from being processed they need to
simultaneously hit the lab, office and extraction point

- Jack and Tilan stay behind to distract Warby

- Marco has to sneak around other guards and officers to find the office and deactivate the security
system

- Isla heads to the Lab and encounters Agent Dale guarding the professor and Kagaku

- On the north coast CP9 agent Steezy awaits Prunella's arrival with the prototype when Ken and Luna
arrive

- Once all this is done

Olympia

- On the way to Janjee after Mastico a short man wearing a sleeveless wetsuit with tattoos on his arms
flippers and a sailors hat wielding a harpoon will steal something/someone from the crew and run
leaving an eternal pose straight to the fairly new island of Olympia where his crew, the Contest Pirates
await challengers.

- Olympia is a resort island with green grassy golf fields, pristine sandy beaches for volleyball, luxurious
swimming pools and tastefully designed bowling alleys and basketball courts

- Its inhabitants are all members of the Contest Pirates, led by Captain Fig. Captain fig commands a crew
of 50 people (most of which maintain the grounds and tend to guests) including his top officers, Banjo
(the one who robbed them who excels at water based sports) Kaz (A burly dark skinned man with a bald
head and an exceptional height of 16 feet tall wearing a uniform of shorts and singlet who excels at
game sports on land) and Uka (a long leg tribesman who wears short pink shorts and sporty runners who
excels at track-based contests)

- Viktor has a thick bushy beard and a wool hat accompanied by a burgundy tracksuit and a plain white
undershirt. He wields the Button-Button fruit where he can place buttons on objects that will trigger a
physical phenomenon if pressed.

- Pierre has a long sad face with dark groomed hair and a pink polo shirt tucked into nylon running slacks
and sneakers with strange paper wrapped around his forearm. Pierre wields the Fold-Fold fruit, allowing
him to pinch the space between/around static/solid objects and fold them over themselves.

- Captain Fig is a Logia user of the Sap-Sap fruit, which makes him intangible and able to manipulate the
viscosity of his body as well as the stickiness.

- Here they will compete in various different games/sports to earn points to decide a victor.

- After the contest has ended, the crew will receive the latest newspaper that contains a host of
important events taking place

- Firstly about a massive battle between what has recently become known as The New World Order
against Marine Vice Admiral Persephone and her captains on the Sky Island of Nebulara directly above
Dirocco which recently hosted the Tournament of Wishfuls

- The reason for and cause for this battle are unknown at this time and the battle left the capital city of
the Sky Island mostly ruined

- Similarly shockingly, news surfaces about Darius Roughnight and some well known Underworld
members including Benzino of Benzino Bonanza and shady hit man Hoei the Dartfish clashing with The
Rolling Thunder Pirates over their attempted robbery of the Marine Base G1

- The legendary Pirate Lord Pentagon was finally formed in full for only the second time since their
inception and the collective fleet was enough to repel Darius and his Underworld affiliates as the
renowned pentagonal formation proved impregnable once again

Janjee and the Crescent Moon Isles

Upon arriving at the Western Coast of Janjee they are greeted by a strange feeling. For as far as the eyes
can see there is sprawling slightly hilled grasslands. The wild grass is almost waist high for average sized
people and is a deep, almost blue colour and the constant mild winds lightly whisper over the open
grounds giving an eerie yet cozy sensation.
As soon as they step foot on the island the hairs on Marco's neck raise and he feels a sense of dread like
a terrible presence rests somewhere in the far distance. They don't know how they know but there is a
slumbering threat somewhere on this island, monstrous in its demeanor.

It is very easy to get lost in these sprawling grasslands but with some level of self-awareness you will
suddenly arrive at a large totem pole that has a sign in Astilan that warns visitors of the dangers this
island contains and has arrows pointing to the direction to each town. It is a full days walk to any of the
towns from this totem pole and a half a day walk between towns.

- On their first night, Giraidon will attack them in numbers, their shiny thick carapaces will prove difficult
to overcome. Then the ground will shake and there will be an earth shaking roar with a shrill clicking
sound underneath it and Kabutomushi's body will be launched in their direction.

- Kabutomushi is no longer able to move properly after the beating he received in the fight against it and
is covered in injuries. It will take him time to recover. If they offer to take him back a friend named
Marcus has a place in the city of Agrabah he can stay at to recover.

- Meanwhile the Hollow Pirates have also arrived at Janjee as of a few weeks ago and are spread out
amongst the island for the Dreamcatchers to interact with

Jumanji

- Gigantic ancient trees that stretch high overhead, their vibrant green/blue canopies blocking out most
of the sunlight, their gigantic age old roots stretching this way and that across the forrest floor which is
covered by layers of fallen branches and mossy foliage.

- Interwebbed cities built throughout using the trees themselves similar to the apes on Pickzar or Kakara
but much more complex and advanced

- In the center of the interwebbed platforms and tree dwellings is a greater, taller tree that stretched
higher than any other that they called the Home tree, hanging from its every branch were lanterns of
bright colours that swayed in the breeze and lit the shadowed canopy with dazzling colour like a
discoball. The trunk of said tree was painted with ancient stories and it had a ramp that wound up
around its outside to where there was a wood and leaf built curved building amongst the branches to
which the broad doorway was curtailed by strings of beautiful coloured crystals tied together by a
sparkling white silk string that swept down to the floor of the entrance, guarded by thick-muscled men
wearing pelts and leathers. Here lived the chieftain Mowgli a powerful quiet man with wisely discerning
and judgemental eyes.

- Kuro-Shinzo meets Ken on his way out from the sword appraiser and initiates a fight with him where
Ken's lack of formal sword training is made clear as he is humiliated and Bloodbeard is killed while trying
to defend his honour
- Kozei Yukaido the sword appraiser tells Ken the story of the history of the blades and asks that he keep
Bloodbeard's murder a secret to prevent the continuation of the cycle of hatred.

Khazad

- The seas of white diamond against the black rock of the cliffs makes a beautiful yet almost sad sight as
the lonely biting winds howl over the empty mountainsides. Trekking through the deep snow is slow and
taxing with no end in immediate sight.

- With Giraidon on his tail Kagaku is forced to forge on deeper into the mountains as they steadily gain
on him. Right when it seems like he's going to be caught there's a sudden avalanche and he and the Girai
are washed away in a tidal wave of freezing ice that burns his exposed skin and he loses sight of
everything around him

- he bursts from the deep snow that submerged him shivering and shaky as he looks around and finally
sees through the blizzard around him orange lights of fire and silhouettes of a town

- Approaching on his last legs he finds a snow covered village of armed men layered in furs guarding the
entrance of a great opening in the mountain, inside of which are rows of lit torches illuminating the
insides.

- The guards rush to aid him and bring him to their fire and cover him in blankets. They tell him this is an
outpost to warn of potential Girai attacks and that Khazad is within the mountain itself and that he will
feel better if he gets out the wind.

- Stepping through the gigantic cave entrance finds him walking down a large open hall filled with
people who are murmuring and looking out to the outside due to the avalanche. The pillars that support
the roof off the giant hall are wide and carved out of the mountain in a great show of craftsmanship.
Passing through the hallway leads to a great set of steps that lead down. The hollowed inside of the
mountain is in a cone shape with the point down with the top of the stairs being the widest point. The
city was build in levels as ring shaped platforms carved out of the mountains walls supporting districts of
the city. Each of the levels of the city shrank as the cone narrowed towards the distant floor where a
castle like structure stood proudly.

- The entire city lit from wall to wall by cozy warm orange flames that lined the stairs and buildings
painting a warm sturdy city for warmer and sturdier people

- Pannat's Emporium is on the 3rd level down as part of the merchant rings where he sells a great many
uses for the strange rocks within the tundra they lived in

- Pannat is a strange old man who tells Kagaku that the mountains here often had a strange quality to
them due to the magi and that strange icy crystals grew deep within some and that he had found many
uses.
- If asked what Magi is he will be told to seek the archives available only to the lords of the 3 great cities
on Janjee. The lord of Khazad being a short stocky, wide man with a thick beard, Lord Durin who had a
proud-and-loud demeanor and a logical pragmatic approach

- After Kagaku does his shopping Johnny Johart will confront him about the use of JoJo and eventually
take him to be trained by Rico

Agrabah

A blistering desert of boiling dunes that seemed to shift like waves rolling and breaking at sea, and an
indefinite dryness to the blistering air around them whipping them with grains. Surrounded by great
Timber pittons that tower high overhead walling out the Girai. Here there is only one way out or in, this
gigantic gate guarded by men atop a tower with a beacon resting among them, and an outpost at the
foot. They will instruct them to follow the beacon towers to reach the city of Agrabah.

- Once they arrive they will find a tightly knit city of sand coloured buildings lined with bronze rungs and
wood pittons from which vibrant silks, cloths and tapestries hang, there is an ever-present
amalgamation of scents and colours as people draped in golds and purples and greens walked this way
and that shoulder to shoulder in the streets alleys and rooftops.

The buildings are all so close together it is difficult to see anything beyond them save for one
extravagant sky reaching structure towards the bay with golden tear drop caps atop white stone towers
from which deep purple banners hang and great arched bridges stretching between them. This is the
Sultan Jafar's palace, a thin smoothskinned man of middle age with a trimmed goatee and friendly but
mischevious eyes and a sultry smooth voice, clever and quick-witted

- Main danger is from beasts called Girai that are pack-hunting insect-beasts with hard carapaces and
razor sharp teeth/mandibles that serve their giant but somehow elusive Queen that people call Giraidon

- Giraidon has a 10,000,000 Beli bounty if you can bring some proof of the fact you killed it, though they
warn that cutting or stabbing weapons will be ineffective against the carapace as will heat/cold and stun
based attacks as the carapace insulates it well. Its weakness like all Magi-Spawn is Haki.

- Arriving at Marcus' place they are greeted by an average height man with ridiculously broad shoulders
and powerful tanned arms. He wears a wide straw hat with bright yellow boardshorts and a sky blue
open overcoat that's ragged and shows his bare chest

- He insists they stay with them for the night as in this city they are likely to be scammed in some way by
the other inns and merchants and so he can thank them properly

- Luna decides to go out and look around and she and Tilan go shopping. They get jumped by men with
nets who want to sell her

- She and Tilan easily beat them and interrogate them for info
- soon after a strange and terrifying beast-like woman in a leopard pelt comes hunting them and they
have to hide until she passes. They call Braul and quickly regroup at Marcus'

- At some point during the day Marcus will see the brothers going over translations and recognise them
as the same as the ones he saw on the ruins of the Volcano island

- Braul heads out to see the Sultan that day and gives his bodyguard Cassim a den-den-mushi

- They discuss their mission and Braul asks about the people who tried to capture Luna. Learns it is
someone calling themselves The Banker

- They do not recognise the beast woman. Braul copies out the story told on the wall above the Sultan's
throne, of 2 warriors doing a special dance that gave them new powers

- The next day Kabutomushi will be gone at dawn and Marcus will be sitting nearby sipping at coffee and
stroking his beard. If they ask he'll tell them Kabutomushi's story

- Afterwards they meet with Sultan Jafar in his palace and he explains the situation that faces them. His
men are armed with a small handful of special arrows that were gifted to them by a woman from the
Kuja clan. But they must be kept to defend the walls of the city in case Girai comes

- They had started work on an entirely underground route that ran between Khazad and Agrabah
however an unexplainable cave in left it exposed to the Giraidon to continue raiding

- They need the Dreamcatchers to protect their workers as they fix and continue the tunnel

- If they chase the Banker arriving at the warehouse they were given will have two outcomes. If not
stealthy they will be swarmed with men and the Banker will be nowhere to be found

- If they stealth they will see the personnel packing up and The Banker head down a hidden exit in the
ground accompanied by a strange figure they do not recognise

- At this point his anger will mostly deflate and he'll tell Kagaku that he should follow straight away to
meet Rico who decides to train him

- Inside are some particularly ancient wall carvings that tell the story of the great tragedy that befell the
people of The Holy Land, the Astilan precursors, nearly destroying them. A strange set of full-sized
carvings of people depict a series of dances and poses and there are 2 small musical pieces carved
alongside it

- One of the musical pieces is a section of the tune that will unlock the holy land, the other is the battle
song depicting the horror and awesome destruction of the tragedy, playing this tune will awaken the
sleeping stone women.
- They will erupt the volcano and escape after battering the characters. Marco is in life threatening
danger, Luna and Isla are also recovering. Mushi heads home to Khazad feeling that he must get
stronger to meet the challenge of the extraordinary threats around him.

- Braul portals to the ship and travels to Jumanji to meet Ken and Bloodbeard. Ken gives him
Bloodbeard's letter explaining his sickness and they celebrate his life. The next morning Braul tells Ken to
go back to the ship once he recovers and he is going to Khazad to collect Kagaku (in actuality he's
hunting the man who injured Ken)

- Meanwhile Kagaku continues his training with Rico and Johnny when they become surprised and ask
Kagaku to follow. Mushi has just returned when he encounters Desanan who is speaking in person with
Henri Averforth.

- If they begin fighting then Kagaku, Rico and Johnny will arrive to break it up. Seeing Kagaku brandish a
firearm he will challenge him to a test of marksmanship

- Afterwards, Mushi will hopefully have recognised Kagaku's name and joined their group. Rico will bring
up the reason that they are staying in Khazad currently, due to an Underworld group that creates
technological weapons having a base here that they wanted to hit, known as JumbleTech.

- They have been planning to bring down this group and have lined up a mastersweep to take them out.
Rico explains that they have information that JumbleTech is planning to ally with the Black Widow
Bastille for some kind of big joint operation.

- Upon attempting to hit the place they will find nothing as Kagaku's earlier visit tipped them off and the
important members made their escape. One man remained behind however to attempt to prove
himself. Making use of a powered suit and modification technology creating an annoying minor threat.
Rico and Johnny play support for Kagaku and Mushi as a test

Meanwhile at the makeshift port hospital at Agrabah Isla awakens with a few bits of gauze and
bandages around her body, if she asks to see Luna she will find her bruised and unconscious still, and
have it explained that she shouldn't even be awake but her body appears as if something protected it
from the rubble.

If she asks to see Marko she will be told that he is still undergoing a unique and experimental surgery
that cannot be interrupted or risk interference with her presence. But she is assured her friend is in
good hands.

She is told she should go and enjoy the city while she waits for further word on her friends. Outside the
little camp hospital there's a heap of people clambering to get to what appears to be some kind of stage
where a portly man with blonde hair in a suit stands holding an umbrella and a microphone

A huge banner billows overhead illuminated by the harsh desert sun reading "Fish Dish Wish and
Splish!"
If she asks what it is she'll be told that it's a quadriannual event that celebrates the most profitable
business in Agrabah, the fishing business. Its a competition that involves hunting rare and exotic sea-life
in the port and using it to cook a dish. The best dish as decided by 3 judges wins

The judges are a thin hook-nosed man with a greying widows peak at the front of his short gelled-back
hair dressed in a drab dark grey suit, a broad heavy woman with 2 chins and a pink cocktail dress under
a white button-up blazer with an orange perm bouncing atop her head, and an unshaven tired looking
man with long messy dark hair in a black jumpsuit. These 3 judges sit beneath a covering behind a desk
overlooking the port from a raised platform behind the stage.

The announcer (Donald Tee) then claims that the winner of the competition would receive a special
recipe containing the list of ingredients, and cooking instructions for a dish that would help people
recover from serious or chronic physical injuries.

If Isla signs up her main competitors in the first round will be Ashanti, Malik, Darryn and Shayne. The
first round is the gathering round, contestants are allowed to take whatever gear that they wish or
require to catch their quarry. The only rule is you may not harm or directly interfere with another
contest, though going for the same quarry as some one else is allowed and whoever catches it gets it.

Right before they begin someone will mention to her since she's a newbie that though technically you
can take any fish or sea creature and use it in the food, the person who catches a Dalmation Tiger
Salmon almost always wins as its natural flavour far outclasses any other sea-life in the bay and that she
should go for that if she wants a chance at winning. Its white with black splotches with deep gray
translucent fluttery fins.

Malik has throwing knives which he uses to catch fish, Darryn has a pair of serated axes that he slices off
the fins with and Shayne has a harpoon attached to a rope, Ashanti has an extending sword whip that
can curl around and lock into a ring blade. A hi-tech weapon developed by her comrade Desanan.

Meanwhile a Crescent Isles Council is being held in Agrabah and the 3 lords are meeting there to discuss
the recent events.

Marko and Isla are still at the Fish Dish Wish and Splish as it enters its next phase. Ashanti forfeits and
gives her ingredients to a contestant named Voiroux, who according to the announcer, never entered
the water in the 1st phase. Voiroux instantly takes a liking to Isla and keeps flirting with her to Ashanti's
dismay. Voiroux shows favour to Isla but any time Marko tries to enter the conversation Voiroux shows
his cold violent side and threatens him. His interest in her causes him to throw the match for her to win
and it makes Ashanti furious and she knocks him out causing medical personnel to come look at Voiroux.

Both Voiroux and Marko are put in the same room together in the hospital where Voiroux continues to
provoke him.

At the council the attendance consists of Durin and the Dreamcatchers, Jafar and Cassim, Mowgli and his
two guards.
To open Durin will stand from his seat and thank the others for heeding his call and attending,

Durin: It has been a good while since I saw one of you two, and longer still since we last held one of
these councils, but I felt it was necessary we share information regarding recent events with one
another.

Jafar: A feeling shared by me, I too was beginning to consider if I should be attempting to open
communications between the cities. And to ensure all here are on the same page, I feel it would be
prudent to start at the beginning and collate information as we proceed.

Mowgli: Hmph, very well, who shall start?

Jafar: I will start with the events that have taken place in Agrabah. The story I feel begins with the arrival
of these fine gentlemen you have brought as your escort Durin. Shortly after they arrived one of their
group was assaulted by kidnappers. Kidnappers who wished to sell her into slavery on a black market.
They tracked some information that led them to their base. They realised this was an infamous
Underground Organisations, what did you call them? *to Braul*

Can you please explain to the group the events that took place afterwards Braul Fistington, up to when
you contacted Cassim and I for aid following the eruption? There is a large hole in our accounts of these
events

Durin: As I'm sure we can all agree, these events are disturbing.

Mowgli: Indeed there are tales of such creatures, hateful beings focused solely on destruction. From
what I have managed to learn these beasts are likely responsible for the great cataclysm that befell our
people long ago and caused them to scatter around the world in tribes. The Astilan precursors had some
method of combating them, a ritual dance taught to a chosen duo of warriors that would enhance their
strengths, but even with this they were overcome by the sheer numbers of these enemies it seems. It is
highly likely that Magi is behind this. The archives imply this much.

Durin: Braul your crew faced them head-on. Is there any signs that they could be somehow connected to
Magi?

Jafar: Well if as we suspect Magi is the root cause of both the Giraidon and this new devilry in humanoid
form, then it stands to reason they share the same weaknesses to the Black Arrows and Durin's axe.

Durin: Aye, but that's not gonna cut it. We don't have enough arrows for a whole army and my axe only
goes so far.

Mowgli: You say this as if we need enough for a whole army...

Durin: Yeap time to get to the main reason I called this meeting, something has happened and I suspect
its to do with the Women who came from the cave. Braul if you'll please explain to them what you
explained to me
Revolutionary Army Arc

Rico will ask Kagaku and Marco to come with him to help deal with the Salviani crime family who are
planning to join forces with the Black Widow Bastille as he has a special method of doing so.

Johnny first questions Marco about a serial killer from his hometown in the Fuun province

Sindarra

Mushi and Isla are met by Minerva from the ToW and Kelly Goldclaw. Minerva will take them first, to
one of the other islands in the archipelago, called Sindarra. A small vibrant jungle island full of wild
animals and beasts. Before even stepping a foot into the forest she will begin teaching them the art of
meditation. How to quiet not ones mind but ones heart, to feel their surroundings clearly, as it will be
the first step in their training to become stronger in a short period of time.

Once they have practiced this and are capable of doing it to a satisfactory level Kelly will send them both
into the jungle to retrieve/make focus objects, they'll have to complete this task whilst avoiding wild
animals and they are not allowed to kill them. The greater the significance the more effective the focus.
They are to associate their peace of mind and soul with that focus, for its very visage to becoming
calming and soothing without conscious thought or effort.

Once they have done this she will take them and send Mushi off into the jungle without her to bond
with the animals there, friendly and vicious so that he may understand the hearts of even beasts. To co-
exist with the animals of the jungle without using extreme force is the goal of this exercise.

Isla meanwhile will be given a mantra and asked who she is and what her goals are in life by Minerva.
She will frequently question her sense of self and her self-confidence. She will ask her difficult and often
painful questions in order to draw out her inner fears and look into Isla's psyche

Once they can do so they will have a final task. To spend their time co-existing with the beasts of the
island and enduring frequent transformations into their uncontrollable states at which point Kelly and
Minerva would show them their focuses. When it failed they would meditate on their focuses whilst
amongst the animals and try again.

This process would repeat up until they displayed some semblance of self/control over themselves. Isla
will improve at this faster due to the fact she can transform every day whilst Mushi is constrained to the
moon cycle.

Depending on the focus, the meditation discipline and effort they can achieve different abilities.

Isla can potentially gain control enough to consciously control a portion of her purple flames. She will be
able to coat her attacks with them and possibly a new kind of ranged move.
Mushi will learn enough self control not to attack Isla, Kelly or Minerva, potentially able to safely
recognise when to stop due to the danger of death by exhaustion.

NEW

In Mushi's absence and refusal to be taught he will only make physical gains and whatever skills he
trains for. Whilst teaching himself to hold his breath underwater he'll be attacked by several Black-
skinned sharks with glowing white eyes. These sharks have been enhanced in death by Magi like the
Giraidon. Mushi will initially find underwater that he cannot swing with as much force meaning his
attacks do less damage than they should but these creatures are weaker than the Giraidon.

By the time Mushi's training has ended he will have no trouble swinging his axe underwater and he will
have unlocked the 'Monstrous Strength' feat which adds +5 to your Strength stat and enables you to
carry/throw double what your strength stat normally allows.

Minerva will reveal to Isla she was working for the Revolutionary Army part-time as a trainer and
recruiter. With her she brought Alquida who has been recruited along with her brother to avenge
Guerrera and their now deceased Captain who was driven mad by the leader of the Poltergheist Drug
Ring. Alquida reveals that what is residing within Isla is a separate living entity. The lingering will of an
infernal demon. Stories say that demon's were creatures that roamed the Earth many thousands of
years ago and were hunted and destroyed by the Nameless King of old. Somehow what was left of their
Magi had re-entered the world at some point recently and took hold of what they deemed suitable host
bodies.

Valentia

Arriving with Rico they get led to a safe-house of some kind that he has set up containing the essentials.

Order of power:

Don Mafioso, Venicio Silviani

Capo, Zio Juliano, Zio Risotto, Zio Favioni, Zio Alessi, Zia Gianna

Other notable officers: Alonzo, Allegra, Baldasare, Marzia, Tonio, Luca

Vato, Julius, Silantro

Codenamed, Marco = Giovanni, Kagaku = Ilario

Rico is going to have his contact Leone set them up as soldiers under the lieutenants to work their way
up gathering Intel for Rico who will openly wage war against them as the Revolutionary Army a few
weeks after they get in. Whenever possible they will return to the safe house and report or receive new
orders and receive training in basic Haki.
Their first assignment will be to go in deep cover for Zio Alessi who is currently in the process of cleaning
out another small mafia. They are to prove themselves useful members of the family and get in his good
graces. He will respect their personal wishes not to kill people and they will only be expected to
incapacitate them for the family to deal with. They are not innocent people and they are instructed not
to feel empathy for them. As long as they do their job and get results they won't care whether you kill
your enemies or not.

To accompany them are 3 other rookies, Vato, Julius and Silantro

If they prove themselves especially on this task he will be pleased enough to invite them to his wing of
their home a few days later for a dinner. In the mean time Johnny will appear with a question about
Marko's past. He will inquire about a serial killer who originated in Marko's hometown in Fuun some 20
years ago. If he gets an answer he will grimly thank him and take his leave for what Rico describes as "a
personal matter" of great importance to Johnny.

Rico will begin the explanation of the observation colour of Haki.

"Haki is a manifestation of your very will. Most pirates who enter the second half of the Grand Line have
enough willpower to make some use of Haki and those who don't, don't last long. The one that I'm going
to teach you first - in anticipation of its necessity in the coming missions - is the colour of Observation.

What I mean is I'm going to first teach you what it is in theory, and then practically how to make use of
it.

The Colour of Observation, in practice refers to ones will not to be stopped, in effect making them aware
of their surroundings to avoid threats. Your will can enhance your senses to a level far beyond normal
human capabilities. You will be able to make audible the instincts most people no longer hear. That
ancient primal warning system in our minds and hearts.

Imperceptibly your body already detects the subtle scents, the faint changes and the shifts in demeanor
of a person. The presence of a predatory creature, the pheromones it radiates in bloodlust. The Colour
of Observation is simply the will to survive manifested in the detection, focus, and enhancement of
these signs. Many can become so skilled at this their will manifests a presence around them that
penetrates and surrounds the people and creatures in their vicinity and reads their own will effectively
allowing them to predict ones actions before they make them.

Rarely, on occasion, one becomes so gifted in this ability their will to succeed and to not fail reaches into
the fabric of reality and becomes able to perceive 'the breathing of the world' and the rhythms of all
things living or inanimate. To sense the deepest intonations of the intentions of those in their
surroundings before they have even become conscious thought. These subconscious ticks take form as
vibrations in ones spirit. One who can read these vibrations should be revered and feared as only
legends could tell what those people could accomplish.

In any case for even the average user of the Colour of Observation has opened a gateway to many
different uses and specialisations that can give you more choice and inform your decisions on how to
approach things. However in order to learn it you must empty your minds of all these thoughts. It will
first manifest as instinct, not as a technique. Your thoughts must be mute and you must simply learn to
feel the rhythm and let it guide your body to safety. Through extended trial and error and meditation
eventually you will learn to feel what the creature is feeling. Once you've grasped that feeling once your
progress will quicken."

In his spare time he will have them meditate and quiet their minds to hear and feel their surroundings
better. They will make listen checks with a DC of 25 to hear him flicking the spark on his unloaded pistol
around them. Based on their listen check they will be given clues on where from 12 to 12 around them
the sound came from and they have to guess to within 15 minutes where he is in relation to them. Once
they do this successfully once or twice they will get +5 to their checks to represent growing skill.

Once they get good at this he will call the session and say next time he'll blindfold them and begin
throwing bullets at them and they will roll Reflex saves at DC 30 to dodge them. For the next couple of
days they will alternate between this and physical training.

On the day of the dinner Zio Alessi will bring them before the table lined with the other mafia leaders
and their right hand. Don Silviani sits at the head of the table in a Dark Blue suit in a comfortable
position with an expensive cigar between his teeth

Allesi: Don Silviani, these are the two new guys I was tellin ya about, they were a real help in bringing
the Bucciarati family uhhh... under thumb.

Silviani: *Stands up from his seat and, with a calm quiet and smooth confidence, takes his long heavy
footsteps across the room* Welcome, fine young sons of mudda nature, I was told you two know how'ta
get things dun, and that you have a vested interest in continuing to get things dun for us, am I thus far
correct?

Then boys, take a seat will ya? This here table of classy, finely dressed individuals is my family, do either
of you two currently have a family? Here in this family, everybody looks out for eachudda. Kids like you
get looked after by your big bruthas, they keep you safe and you respect their authority. Ya big bruthas
are looked after by your uncles, your Zios, and I; the Don, the Godfather look after alla yous and alla
youse listen t'me. I tell yous what's good for'da family and yous DO that good capisce?

O'course you always got the right to give your opinion on these mattas if you feel they are needlessly
dangerous for one or more members of the family, but you don't jump the queue and run ya mouf at
your papa right? You tell ya big bruthas, they tell your uncles, and if need be, THEY tell me whatchu got
to say, and then I make a decision. And that decision is always final, no matta how dangerous, nuts or
horrific you may think your instructions are, you follow thru for the family, am I making sense to you?

Good, if you can follow these rules strictly then you will be rewarded. Fail to and you will be...
Reprimanded. What say you to these simple rules gentleman? Wonderful! Welcome to the fold my sons,
I already love you! Now lets have dinner I'm starving. Alessi after this have Cilantro take them to get
some nice suits, give em double the budget we give to regular new guys. Oh one more thing! *he grips
their shoulders tightly from his position standing behind them* if you betray the family, you'll wish you
had another family so there were someone who cared enough to pick up the amount of pieces you'll be
left in for a funeral. But I'm sure that won't be necessary, so eat. Try the cannoli its my grandmuddas
recipe.

Blacksky Station

(The Weeping City)

A modern highly urbanized island made up of one big city called Blacksky Station living in a thus-far
unending downpour of torrential rain all throughout the small island of towering grey steel constructs so
tightly packed most of the city exists above the ground level which is constantly in knee deep water and
mostly abandoned by the depressed miserable populace.

Due to its unpopularity and lack of tourists this place was chosen to be the location of a top secret
World Gov't R&D base for their war front. Almost as ominously and mysteriously as the unending rain,
for some unknown reason the island could not be locked onto with a Log Pose, as its magnetic signature
was unreadable from afar. There were exclusively two ways to access this place; ride the sea train in
from one of the other connected stations or use an Eternal Pose.

Shin then holds up an Eternal Pose for Blacksky Station, explaining that they had to have Revolutionary
Army operatives sneak in using the train and log the location on a blank pose. The operation cost them
the life of every man and woman they sent on that mission for the pose and information they acquired
for the cause.

(The reason for the downpour is that the Sky Island Starrelda directly above it is home to a factory
attempting to maximise the power of the now awakened Heaven's Ring)

Shin will refresh them on their core objective on the way.

"So a quick refresh for you both. Our objective is to find the location of the weapon, and destroy it. If by
some chance we can learn what the weapon is, then great! But our main job is to destroy or disable it so
that it cannot be used later.

Our infiltration unit launched their mission about the time the Tournament of Wishfuls took place. They
ascertained through great effort that the weapon is located at Black-sky Station, either of you familiar?
Well its not exactly a popular tourist destination, much less now. Several months ago it started raining
there, and it hasn't stopped since. No one knows why. There's no evidence for this but I fear it may have
something to do with this weapon.

Now according to the report I received the team was discovered pretty quickly somehow, only hours
after arriving they had perished, sneaking a final message and eternal po, and we have no idea what
kind of surveillance picked them up. It could have been hidden or camoflauged surveillance snails
Upon arriving here Shin will lead them to a hotel where they rent rooms. Shin suggests they go around
asking people if they've noticed anything strange in the area recently. One of them will learn that an
office building was bought out a few months ago by a data-security company called InfoGuard and since
had been made private property. A lone shady buyer also purchased a warehouse in the upper levels
that has since seemingly sat there doing nothing except occasionally a truck will come and go and the
contents will be loaded onto a train by shady men. Someone else will hear about a crazy old man named
Maurice who works in security at the train station who has been telling a story about a ghoul he saw
recently.

"There I was 8 days ago now, jus' minding me own business, sipping on me coffee to try to keep awake
in the early hours of the mornin' like always. It was rainy like usual of late and near dark as a tunnel. I
was at me undercover post when I seen somethin move out the corner of me eye. Some bat come to
vandal the antenna I thought, s'happened before they grow big out here. So I grabbed me night-stick
and flew to me feet, ready to scare the blaggard off. Twer then I layed eyes on a terrifyin sight. A
disembodied face floated there glidin past me window, glowin softly and pale white as the moon, a
wicked grin wide 'cross 'is features, stretchin thin lips to naught I could separate from 'is skin. A single
black tear tattooed under his eye. I frightened and squeezed me eyes shut tight, thinkin 'yer tired
Maurice it ain't real, trick o' the light s'all'. But when I opened them again he were starin at me, nay -
through me! - his lidless, lightless eyes blacker than the depths of the ocean view through me and into
me very soul. A cold terror washed through me and froze me to me spot, me spine tinglin with icy cold
pin picks as a similarly disembodied white hand appeared from thin air and began to reach for me. I
passed out then, and when I awoke he were gone. I rushed straight home then, climbed into bed with
me wife and prayed that whatever gods may have power would protect me from that thing...

Scariest of all was WHERE I saw him, up there 60 feet above the ground. Twer a demon I'm tellin ya, and
it cursed this wretched city to these infernal rains, v'got half a mind to run away but we can't afford to
move houses. I can only hope I don't see it again, and you should hope as much ye'selves"

Shin's watch

An hour or so into my watch a cloaked figure approached the office building, couldn't make out any
features but they had a slumped or hunched posture it seemed. He arrived and security came out to
meet him, then security left and a short time later the man we presume to be the mayor exited the
building to meet with the hunched figure, they were standing in a shadowed corner right up against a
wall when I reached my hand up to wipe the rain from my eyelashes. When I looked up again they were
gone, completely disappeared. Their presence was completely nonexistent. About an hour later they
seemed to simply reappear in the same spot by unknown means only now the mayor was holding a
small case in his hand. The two talked briefly and entered the building together.
The office building is a 10 story simple structure built on the floor level surrounded by a 10 foot iron wall
topped with barbed-wire and with a surveillance snail watching from each of the 4 corners of the square
blocks perimeter. Within the walls one or two pairs of private security personnel roam the grounds
armed with rifles. A pair also stands at the front door. The roof has a hot-air balloon landing platform
and an accessway leading into the building. There are several secure rooms with information for various
companies being stored in safes. The weapon is being stored underground one level below, in a secret
R&D lab.

The warehouse is a giant iron box with no external guards and a few cameras hidden around. There are
empty crates and storage containers that seemingly have been left here for some time now. There's 2
main doors in and multiple windows high off the ground level of this platform which sits 60 feet above
ground itself.

Janjee Return

Mushi Isla and the brothers are all on the island when they feel a rumble that shakes the entire
Archipelago. It is a much more pronounced version of what normally happens when Girai emerges.
Mushi smells an awful odor and the hairs on the back of his neck stand-up. The scent is that of an
incensed predatory animal seething with rage mixed with the musky suffocating stench of death. Kelly
mentions that something is on the move towards Agrabah, Khazad and Jumanji. Minerva advises that
Mushi and Isla protect the gate that leads to Agrabah, she would help Durin at Khazad and her crew
would split between the 3 different cities to protect the civilians as best they could. Mowgli and
Tilan+Talan are also at Jumanji as well.

They are met with a small scout legion of Giraidon, led by all new slightly larger species spearheading a
unit each. These larger leaders are more scorpion-like and have poison stingers that cause you to
become sluggish and dizzy. Once they are slain one of the stone women will appear and ask Isla to fight
her and mentions that Mushi and Speedy may help if she likes. Truthfully she is investigating for people
with Haki as that (specifically Armament Hardening) is the only thing that counteracts their ability to
regenerate. They will hit her with everything but she will defeat them after regenerating as none of the
3 can use Armament Hardening and spare their lives out of pity before wondering aloud if it was "the
one with glasses who chased them all the way out the cave..." Before leaving to investigate. She
identifies herself as Metsiala (she has Water Magic).

When the Revolutionaries and Dreamcatchers return the population of the cities will still be in the
middle of evacuating the population to the outlying islands of the archipelago as they don't have enough
vessels for the whole island. By the time of the attack they will still have only managed to evacuate 75%
of the population of each of the cities and an army of Giraidon have been spotted in the Grasslands in
the center of the island and splitting off towards each city.

Each city has its share of traps and or strategies prepared to slow the horde and thin its numbers:

Agrabah has the heavily defended wall lined with guards (led by Guard Captain Razoul) wielding recurve
bows firing the Black arrows. In order to prolong the time until the wall is destroyed a choke point
defended by the fighter allies will occasionally open to let them in, in small manageable groups. When it
becomes obvious the wall will never fall this way, a mutated sub species of Giraidon with wings will
arrive and begin attacking the men on the walls controlling the door mechanism, making it clear they are
following orders. With the door mechanism destroyed eventually they will break through. Once it is
clear the wall can no longer be defended the soldiers will load into large carriages and be drawn towards
the city on them. Along side the narrow marked path from the gate to the city are rows of pits filled with
flammable tar and ignition sources. There are 2 fallback points between the gate and the city as the
Girai will be slowed by the necessity to follow the narrow path in such a large horde. At each of these
points are the triggers for explosives set up in the watch towers, 2 towers are rigged per fall back point
that will collapse the path and light fuses to the trap trenches.

At the second fall back point the second tower will fail to go off and Casim will give the fighters there a
time-sensitive mission to get there and light the fuses manually. After which point it will be full retreat
to the city where they will engage in guerilla warfare around the city which has blocked off many
paths/streets to mostly concentrate the flow.

In Khazad the base of the mountain is surrounded by a wall of jagged magical ice created with Frost
Crystals. Behind it are platforms and towers where men wielding crossbows fire the Haki arrows and
they use high power javelin firing devices invented by Pannat. After a while a handful of larger Giraidon
that are more heavily armoured will make their way to the front and begin spraying an acid at the ice
that slowly starts to melt the wall away. When part of the wall begins to melt and creates a gap. Durin
then requests that Mushi buy his men some time by barring the gap with a large wooden barrier that
only he's capable of holding, he must make a STR check. Isla will need to lob Frost-Crystal bombs over
the wall opposite the barrier to build another wall section to stall the attack longer using Dex checks

At this point the men abandon their posts and retreat to another of Pannat's creations, a cable pulley
system that will pull these large sleds up the mountain quickly, on their way out someone will have to
shoot the payload to start the chain reaction of frost crystal deposits lining the ground beneath the
platforms.

They will retreat to the top of the mountain and there they have a regular explosive device that will start
an avalanche once the defenders are inside the gates. They will hold the gates whilst the guards retreat
to Khazad and set up defenses with their trebuchets and ballistas and once the gates are melted through
by the acid spitters they will toboggan down ramps to the castle and defend the inner walls from the
outer courtyard
Jumanji has a great many drops into spike pits throughout the forest as well as giant log payloads held
up on trees that can be dropped down to roll. Several trees have easy access to them in the form of
paths from the ground to control their movements and prevent them from swarming and possibly
bringing the trees down by mistake. Each of these trees have large boulders that can be rolled down
these half-pipe paths to great effect. Eventually the flying mutants will attack the men releasing these
payloads to get a foothold. Once they crest onto the platforms the men will swing by vine cord to the
chief's den-tree, which they will quickly scale and defend.

For his part Ken will be tasked with releasing log payload traps onto the encroaching swarm. He needs to
move quickly between them for maximum damage. While doing so he will notice 4 much larger mutated
Giraidon with battering ram bodies, each of them surrounded by 4 acid spitters who protect them.
These will have to be slain or they will begin bashing trees down causing massive casualties. If they
succeed nothing will happen for a bit until the flying Giraidon come in numbers, picking off many guards
who were otherwise tasked with pushing boulders down the ramps. Ken will be asked to use his
strength to get some of them going while Shin mostly deals with the flying Giraidon. Tilan and Talan run
around killing and stragglers that make it up.

Amidst the battle eventually Talan will be overrun and Ken notices. Surrounded as he is and with the
chaos going on he will need to make a Reflex check to avoid getting hit by acid. Then he will need to
make a tumble check to recover. Then the platform they're on will begin to collapse and he will have to
make a Balance check to not fall off the platform. Then finally a jump check to reach Talan. After this
they will hear Shin telling everyone to fall back to the Chief's Den. By now 8 hours have passed of almost
non-stop fighting and all the regular guards are exhausted and taking a break. Ken must make a
constitution save to see how tired he is from the fighting. Suddenly Inoshishi will arrive with a handful of
other Minks to help and together they turn the tide back. In the aftermath of the battle Shin will let Ken
know the Den-Den is getting nothing but static and they hear a bone-chilling roar out in the distance
accompanied by a green flash of light from the Grasslands.

As all 3 groups make their way in-land towards the flash, Braul will feel a slight pull towards an empty
underground cave and he and Marko will find they have stumbled upon the Den of Girai during her
change. Lots of left-over cracked bits of carapace are scattered all over the gigantic cavern and a good
search check will turn up signs of a human-sized bi-pedal creature in the cavern alongside the massive
trails left by the transforming Girai. If they investigate the scene further they'll find

OPTIONAL ISLAND STOPS

Cobertura Grove
Notable people: Pollen Pirates, Maze owner Han Dover, Babaria, Sinea

Cobertura Grove opens with a tropical beach shore with a simple port that is guarded by paid
mercenaries. It is a simple island with little natural danger in the way of wild life. The jungle does
however have some interesting environments and wildlife beyond the town. Notably there are some
huge Pteranodon-esque bird creatures that roam the cliffs around the Spear-Beak Peak. They are
remarkably fast in the air and have long sharp beak tips which they impale their enemies with in self-
defense. They are not aggressive but given that their unfertilised eggs contain a substance that aids in
strengthening ones immune system during sickness to speed up recovery, brave adventurers must often
fight them for these eggs which are distinguishable from fertilised eggs by the slight yellow coloration at
the 2 long ends of the shells.

On the island there are 2 major events happening. 1st of all there is a big competition being held around
the expansive Cobertura Grove Hedge Maze built several hundred years ago and conquered by a
champion. Since then a rich entrepreneur named Han Dover has purchased the land the maze sits on
and placed a grand prize at the end of 2 million Beli. Anyone can enter for 5,000 Beli per person to
attempt to find the treasure. You are strapped into a harness that will get you out of the maze quickly
and safely and allowed to enter.

Isla falls very ill from the fight with the Giraidon and the injuries they dealt her. A decent Heal check will
reveal she's got some kind of blood disease from her injuries that is quite serious and she will not be
able to participate in the maze due to her condition. They have the opportunity to ask for help and if
they do they will they will be told about the recovery properties of unfertilised Spear-Beak eggs which
can be found in Spear-Beak peak.

All manner of traps and dangers await inside the maze, from spike pits, arrow traps, hallucinatory fungi,
the Pollen Pirates, dangerous beasts such as South Blue Wolf-Rats and a creature that resembles a large
Gorilla with the head and hooves of a bull (some think its an ape that ate a Devil fruit, others think its a
failed experiment) they call it a Cobertaur and it is the king of the maze. Very strong and very dangerous.

The morning after the maze competition the mayor will broadcast what is being called The Marine Civil
War, for all to see.

Vertigo

Notable people: Mayor Thror, Wootz-smith Balin, General Store Oin, Wootz guards Bombur, Bofur,
Bifur, Dwalin, Ori, Nori, Dori, Gloin

Villains: Grumpy, Angry, Sneaky, Surly, Woozy, Floozy, Sleazy

A mysterious place even by the standards of the Grand Line. The island appears to be little more than a
desolate rocky out-cropping of isles that are surrounded by some very strangely low-set storm clouds
that hang steady over the small archipelago which coalesces and congeals together to form a massive
central mountain peak guarded by 4 very uninterested sleepy men who were quite short in stature with
very stocky builds. Each bearing an Axe, Hammer or Sword along with an almost golden rectangular
tower shield dressed in similarly Golden armour who will fiercely defend the mountain and appear to be
quite powerful. If they determine the Dreamcatchers pose no threat they will ignore them almost
completely, perhaps giving them a small hint. The rocks that make up the mountain are a strange
sparkly glassy dull orange and the entire island has a strange reduced sense of gravity. If anyone jumps
higher than 20 feet they will feel the force of their weight shift and they will suddenly tumble mid air
and be sucked into the thick storm clouds that surround the island. The person in question would pass
through a terrifying thunderstorm as they fly further upwards for a time before eventually they pass
through the cloud layer and into a Sunny bright blue sky where they will see a tumultuous blur of blues
and greens before slamming into what feels like solid ground but with something fundamentally wrong.
The island is upside down in the sky with a huge mountain of the dull sparkly orange rocks in the center.
Apparently the island used to be known for its 2 twin peak mountains rich with Wootz ore but a knock-
up stream appeared and blasted half the island up into the air and back down on the other half.
However rather than destroying both halves and killing everyone, it instead created a strange
phenomenon due possibly but not certainly to their rich Wootz deposits. The inherent magnetic field
that all islands in the Grand Line have seemed to be absorbed by the vibrating Wootz minerals
conditioned by the impact of the blast which magnified the magnetic fields and created a consistent
powerful repelling force between the two peaks of the twin mountains, suspending one half in the air
upside down with the repelling force creating a near-perfect replication of the Earths gravitational pull.
The one side effect being that after generations of living like this the odd gravitational pull has caused
residents to become stocky, broad and short.

Wootz can be offered as a reward if the Dreamcatchers defeat a band of thieves who have been
repeatedly attempting to steal Wootz ore from the mountain on the sea. The guards posted there could
capably but were unable to chase the bandits who would flee as soon as the tables turned against them
making them very bothersome. If the Dreamcatchers defeat them and return the Wootz they've already
stolen, they would be given some of what they retrieve if that's what they wanted. The band of thieves
are called the Miners Seven.

Aalta Prima

A sprawling modern city built on a small island using verticality to build skyward. The structure is 100
stories tall with 50 foot high stories. With the addition of an security floors, maintenance rooms and VIP
accomadation the building comes to nearly 2 km tall. The permanent population of the tower numbers
only 500 but there is space enough for 5000 people during the peak of tourist season (the tower is
accessible by Sea train). Occupying only the first 25 floors is the residential area. Each of these 25
residential stories has within it 4 10 foot high floors of apartments that can safely house an average of 4
humans. (The remaining 10 feet is ventilation/maintenance shafts). 55 floors of the building are
entertainment, shopping, amenities and public spaces.They have everything from public pools, to
arcades, department stores, thrill rides and more! It is known as a popular tourist attraction and one of
the great wonders of the world.

If they ask they will find out the person who payed to have this tower built is none other than Albert
McLennon, who had construction on it started 20 years ago just after Roger's execution.

Dubbed 'Super Mall Tower' the island of Aalta Prima and its community are too small to be considered
their own nation, making them free of the World Gov'ts care. Instead the tower is guarded by a privately
formed special security service that are highly trained and equipped to deal with threats common in the
Grand Line such as pirates. Every 5th floor is a security floor (for a total of 20 security/maintenance
floors throughout) with a contingency of security guards who have access to what is called a Helix-Tube,
which are shafts accessible only to Security Guards that allow them to travel up or down the tower at
extremely fast speeds. Helix-Tubes are small cylindrical shafts that run up and down the tower aside the
elevators. They are made of a special low-friction metal with grooves in them that spiral around the
inside of the shafts in a double helix shape. These grooves align with a special design using the same
metal on the security guards uniforms that allow them to slide up and down the shafts by locking into
these grooves which are controlled by magnets. (Kagaku can get an idea from this)

Wünderland

Notable people: Gunther Schmitt, Minister Frosch, Minister Betrüger (Bet), Kal (RH boy), Hasel (Bunny
girl), Luther the Lycan, Head of Engineering Naggi

A magical land of unbelievable happenings, at sea level this island appears as a collection of sharp rocks
in a formation in the water forming a dam around a deep hole in the sea with big light up signs guiding
people to a gap in the formation, announcing itself as a magical island. Upon approach you will quickly
be drawn into the current leading to the lone gap on the dam where a giant waterfall disappears into
the darkness below. After plummeting over the side they will quickly find themselves safely caught by a
pink fluffy tree canopy that gently lowers them down to the next, then the next, and finally to a lake
port where they are greeted happily by sailors and fisherman on the water. They will soon find that they
have no way back out. The harbourmaster greets them joyously and welcomes them to the magic island
of Wünderland. (If they ask it has been beneath the water level since the beginning many years ago but
they were a poor and tradeless island a few years ago despite the magical nature of the island because
no-one knew they were here and always avoided them. That was until the new Prime Minister
campaigned with an idea that would save them. Together with a cunning scientist he invented a special
chemical fuel that hydraulically powered the island to light it up and to guide more people to visiting and
they were much more prosperous now.)

The dark secret of the town is that Prime Minister Gunther Schmitt is a tyrannical ruler who is bringing
the island to prosper using slave labour of the poor. Minister Betrüger is using his Wasp-Wasp fruit
powers to inject the people with a venom that makes them constantly in a sort of drunken stupor where
they're happy and forgetful and nothing makes sense so they don't go asking about their loved ones. The
bunny girl is terribly allergic to the venom however and becomes extremely ill when stung, which Marko
can investigate to find she's been stung by some kind of bee or wasp. If she is cured she will remember
that her father was taken by the Prime Minister and ask for help.

Also on this island is a half-buried crystal statue of a woman holding a sword surrounded by an army of
stone soldiers. There is an inscription in an unknown language on the statue (Latin) and it tells of a
terrible weapon that must be stopped at all costs called the Tears of God. Included is a spell that will
supposedly stop the weapon.

In the South there is a mountain pass that is populated by feathered giant cats of rainbow plumage with
projectile claws that will hunt. But then the disembodied whispers begin and scare them away.
Prolonged exposure to the whispers will begin to affect the crew inducing a sort of madness slowly. The
effects if explored will turn out not to be permanent and are the result of audio transmitters at audible
and inaudible frequencies used to induce certain effects both mental and physical. Setup by a cranky old
man who found much of a certain kind of plant in the valley that has certain recreational uses he wishes
to keep to himself by warding others away with his tricks.

Far in the West is the Tower-Arch, an open field where the ground has turned to black glass like the
tower. You can only enter through the door at the bottom end and there you will find a staircase with
ever climbing stairs that only seem to go straight upwards, many large old tomes reside on these stairs,
many in languages incomprehensible, but there are 2 that can be read it they check them. One of the
books will be of the Annals of Anathema, volume 13 specifically. Another will be a book that is largely
destroyed and illegible, but is about the basics of Magi theory. How to utilise it may be learned through
extensive research of this book. After several hours of climbing the party will reach a platform that
forms a room similar to the bottom floor but here is a reflective silver glass-like bowl the size of a palm
floating in the air as if suspended but can be taken without issue. Staring into the bowl will allow the
holder to see what is seen by others who hold a similar bowl, though the same can be said for others
seeing through the player's eyes. The Bowl of Sights.

To the North is the Moving Mountain, a massive almost furry or overgrown mound that comes and goes
and moves about the Northern Plains. This mountain is actually Luther the Lycan sleeping in the plains in
his monstrous Zoan form.

In the lake live a population of Aboleths that will attempt to defend an old Pearl-white trident that
attracts sea creatures to it. A wielder attuned to this weapon will attract the attention of sea creatures
and gain speed in the water but unless they can talk to them they will simply become a target for attack,
meant to be wielded by Fishmen and Mermaids, also worth a lot of money on certain markets.
Accompanying the trident is 30 ancient pearl carved coins that are worth 100,000 Beli each at a bank.

The entire island is kept underground as it turns out by a massive machine built by the World Govt long
ago to make a hidden base, the town itself was only the home of the staff’s families who could not leave
for security reasons. The base was infact abandoned after a magic experiment went wrong but no
explosion collapsed the island as Gunther told them. The island was discovered and populated by
delirious slaves at the hands of the Black Widow Bastille who allied with the Schmitt Pirates due to their
strength and unique skillset. The people are kept under the delusion created by Schmitt using Betruger’s
venom daily to induce extreme mental illness which they control with brainwashing on drugged victims.

Black-Sky City

Mayor Quimby sends a letter and an eternal pose to the Dreamcatchers as well as a frequency to call
him by. He tells them that the World Government is back in the city in greater numbers though he
doesn't yet know what theyre up to there. He also tells them that he received reports that a man
matching the description of their crewmate Sun was with them. He just thought they should know and
to remember to be careful about how they entered the city and to choose wisely.

Kraven Port

A port city island with a renowned Shipwright Company called Sea-Emperor Shipwrights

Notable characters: Goliath, Commodore Hound Dog, Head-Shipwright Barry Khan

Bandeean Island

Jack's fathers retainer is waiting here for the last living heir of the Hinoda clan to arrive and collect him.
He knows that the Hinoda clan were responsible for causing the Dancing Crimson Lotus War between
the Shinzo and Hinoda's own cousin clan, the Ichidai. They did it so they could inherit the combined
lands the 2 clans held together to vy for more control and a chance at becoming Shogun. The Retainer is
an Ashigaru Samurai Warrior named Heitaiwaru (Wicked Soldier)

This particular island is quite near a newly built marine base, as a result the normally oft-attacked
tropical island town rarely sees trouble anymore and so has become a highly coveted spot for Marines
who want an easy job where they can get paid well to boss people around and slack off. This particular
island is under the authority of Captain Pedro Urdemales, a trickster. Pedro is quite a weakling with sub-
standard combat abilities for someone of his rank. Previously a student of Captain Needa he was
inexplicably passed on his tests after failing every practical exam or task. Since then Pedro quickly
ascended the ranks due to success via pure luck.

Duraraga

Derelict Den

Notable characters: Crocodile, Mr 1/Daz Bones, (WIP)

A Tear of God is kept on this island in a tall tower. Tear’s of god, called Lacrima in the old language from
the time period they were discovered, are head-sized crystals in the shape of tear drops that are imbued
with a massive amount of magical energy in ages past when they were used as weapons. To shatter the
crystal would be to release all the pent up energy in an explosion usually big enough to level a town
according to tales of them. The crystal sword they have is attracted to the frequency of the magic kept in
these Tears and if they are broken with the sword it will absorb all the magic energy within and disperse
it safely over time in the form of pure life-energy.

When the sword has a significant amount of energy stored in it, a ritualistic incantation will come
unbidden to the wielders mind. While wielding the sword full of energy they become able to cast the
spell: Restoration. Restoration is a spell with an hour long casting ritual which can bring life to even the
bleakest of places. It can be used to restore someone recently dead to life or it can return someone to
fill vitality and other such feats of restoration on people, objects, plants and animals etc.

Ex-Warlord Crocodile and his associates have come here to acquire the Lacrima for use as a weapon,
only they found themselves stumped by the puzzle in the hint given by the Cobertura Grove Maze.
Knowing though that others who won in the maze would come to the island he has set up a temporary
base of operations in the tower and he keeps constant sand-storms raging across the surrounding desert
to keep common folks away from it. When he is defeated he will mention that someone has been
collecting many of the Lacrima from around the world. Horatio Nelson.

Also inside the tower where the Lacrima is, is a spell left behind by a once very powerful magician, who
tells them that the Lacrima are meant not as bombs (though that is what they have traditionally been
used for, but in fact are actually Arcane batteries of a sort, that can amplify the Magica of a trained user.
Only once before in recorded history has more than five Lacrima been used for a single magical creation.
Long ago a mysterious sorcerer used 10 Lacrima in a ritual and the result was the creation of a magical
paradise said to match the beauty and splendour of Heaven, after which that place became named
Heaven. A place so magical and wondrous that even just the Gates themselves are awesome to look
upon, and at their feet grows a single magical flower that can make even the craziest of wishes come
true.

He urges the group to recognise the potential for peril inherent in such power and asks that if one would
seek other Lacrima, that they do the right thing with them, the only right thing to be done with them.

Saobady Archipelago

The Red Line Run

Notable characters: EVERYONE

Teams:

- Bluedap, Fluxon, Polaritanya, Tohm

- Diavolo, Fugo, Narancia, Illuso

- Terrance Torts, Van Vencing, Kai, Kiwi

- Alaster 'Alan',

- Finnlay, Chappelle, Ralphie, Noah

- Origami, Target, Valentine, Mysterio

- Hazard, Pinprick, Charade, General Shingen

- Catie, Aethan, Fredde, Joanne

- Kelly, Inoshishi, Bullock, Doc

- Rose, Lily,

- Queen, Knight, Rook, Bishop

- Deborah Hatchet

- Ice JJ,

- Heracles, Napoleon, Hannibal, Achilles

- Henri, Kurotaro, Ashanti, Desanan

- Urunari, Skahs, Hama, Marine

- Steezy, CP9 Agents

- Onsop, Gin, Lilith, Kidu

- Basho,

- Jeronimo, Sinea, Fares, Hiscola

- Knight (centaur), Rook2 (Eli Nosk, Velcro Man), Bishop 2 (Archer), Pawn

- Eugene D, Clint, Walter Winkle, Cam Elon 'Nightcrawler'

- Figueroa, Pierre, Muerta, Olido

- Mekajiki, Aiden Graves, Terrence Lockjoints, Seymour Flintfingers

- Long Limbs (Calico Jack,

- Pedro Urdamales, Eobard Thatch, Jora and Lauri Mormont

Albert McLennon hosts another event, a race around the Redline with multiple stops and objectives. The
first person to reach the finish line wins first choice between three prizes: An all expenses paid round
trip to the Sky-Island of Starrelda, a mystery Devil Fruit, and a 50 million Beli cash prize.

The rules are as follows: Competitors may take any path or route they wish in the race except for going
west over Reverse Mountain, you must move around the entire circumference of the Redline in an
easterly direction. Competitors will be given four-passenger all terrain vehicles constructed for this race,
called "Crawlers" to use in the race, which move at a steady 75mph, which means that you will need to
drive for 332 hours, or the equivalent of 14 days straight to complete the race. It is expected that
competitors will need to rest and sleep during these times and so many rest stops and facilities have
been constructed along the way to facilitate this and make the trip comfortable for them. Along the
track however will be devices, challenges and people who may interfere with the race, some of which
can be acquired by the competitors. These are non-lethal and meant to challenge the competitors with
the risk of their crawlers being slowed or made temporarily inoperable. At no point may any competitor
use violence or direct force against other competitors or their crawlers or - depending on the severity
and context of the infraction - they will be penalised or even disqualified. Staff apart of the race will be
made aware of this fact and report infractions (non-negotiable) and camera den-den mushi will be set
up in various places along the tracks. Powerful security guards called Peace-afistas will also be patrolling
the routes and will use non-lethal but extreme force to apprehend competitors caught breaking the
rules.

Amidst the race however is a dense web of interconnecting schemes and plots by various minds and
entities from all over the world. The New World Order seeks to prevent anyone else from reaching
Starrelda so that their plans cannot be interfered with. To this end they have hired Black Order assassins
to act on their behalf in the race and eliminate threats.

A select few Marines have entered in an attempt to keep yet another Devil Fruit out of the hands of the
public, but unbeknownst to them among their number is someone who seeks to put an end to the New
World Order's evils on behalf of Admiral Rocksteady.

THE RACE

As the race begins each and every crawler launches into motion at incredible speeds, either by wheel or
mechanical limb. A gigantic cloud of steam that swallows the grounds surrounding the track billows from
the rear of the crawlers and sweeps across the crowd at ground level, who scream in adulation and
excitement despite their inability to see the racers or even hear anything, save for the roaring of the
engines and the chugging of gears and pistons.
Almost as soon as the crawlers are off the start line the chaos begins, as hundreds of munition rounds
are fired in every direction, and the sky is writhing with the Stikfast rounds which soar and wobble like
suspended jelly before splattering onto their targets. A dozen crews are swamped by the stuff almost
instantly and their crawlers are jammed up with the Stikfast until neither they nor the crew within them
can do much as move a muscle. More than half the crawlers in the race take at least 1 hit in this
onslaught that carries even into the crowds at the edges of the track and covers bystanders in the fast
acting adhesive that sticks them where they stand. They watch as a muscular man carrying a wide blunt
instrument like a great metal fan uses it to scoop flying Stikfast globules out of the air and redirect them
away and even at other nearby crawlers, and in the same instant you witness his likeness projected onto
one of the dozens of large projection screens that surround the track and the audience zones, and a
large banner is splashed across his image that says "INFRACTION".

Looking up you can see a Denden affixed to a little steampunk gyrocopter that is filming the race from
overhead, and it is one of several. A staff member's voice comes over an amplified communication
Denden to boom over the din of the race with incredible volume in a jovial tone, "Competitor Basho,
you have violated rule number 2 of the Red Line Run, Fair is Fair is fair, by using your own capabilities to
interfere with the intended mechanisms set forth for the race, and thus have been issued your first
warning. Please desist or further action may be taken. Thank you!"

Throughout that advisory message the chaos on the rest of the track had not stopped and a very lean
man carrying a wicked looking blade with a saw-like edge leapt from his crawler and sought to bring it
down on the heads of the crew in the crawler next to him, but his arms seem to seize up while raised
above his head, and his face turns from wicked glee to confusion and frustration as he plummets -
unable to complete his move - and he falls short of the crawler and hits the track and then is hit by three
separate crawlers. Another advisory message plays on a different screen informing that competitor he
had violated Rule 1 of the Red Line Run, Peace and Love. This process goes on half a dozen more times
before the competitors one and all realise that they cannot get away with their rule breaking so long as
they were this closely watch and from there the race continues in an orderly fashion...for now.

*Series of checks by the crews to determine performance*

A crawler with legs comes charging and attempts to ram Team Braulers from the side. It is crewed by
Urunari, Skahs, Hama and a young marine captain they don't recognise.
"Trust me when I say that this is for your own good, you need to stay out of this!"

Hama is in the defender's position and Urunari is steering, with Skahs and the other marine on the
cannons. Meanwhile another crew of randoms assaults the other Dreamcatcher half.

They overhear, "And it appears that Team 'Earth, Wind and Fire' is getting right to business with Team
Sillybuggers!"

Basho is driving this crawler as it slams into them,

"Bewail your misfortune and prepare yourselves fools! I am the mighty Basho, with a bounty of 85
million!"

As they come out the tunnel there are 3 separate paths to take, each with a sign at it. On their left as
they emerge is a path that slopes down into a fair amount of low-lying mist and fog, the sign next to it
says Potential Passage Time: 1.5 days. The path in the middle is not really a path so much as a rocky cliff
face that should be scalable for the climbers that seems to plateau about 70 feet up. The sign for this
one claims the potential passage time is 2.5 days. The road going right climbs upwards into sort of hilly,
rough terrain that hugs a wall on the side of a sheer overhanging cliff, open to the ocean below on the
right side of it. It claims to have a potential passage time of 2 days.

Path 1:

The team will be plunged into a foggy and maybe even artificially created wetlands full of swamps and
such. Visibility is low and RLR overwatch will be devoid here unless directly signalled for. Here they must
avoid plunging into the water and becoming bogged, constant perception checks must be made and
driving checks to avoid last minute obstacles. Getting bogged can set them back hours and leave them
open to attack.

Staying the night along this path will have them attacked by a team consisting of Hazard, Pinprick,
Charade and General Shingen

Path 2:

Taking the high climbing path will put them on a very high and very narrow track where a number of
large, fast birds who hate crawlers will attack their vehicles. Overwatch here is strongest so only the
tools of the crawler will be able to be used in Defense. Up here they will also have the chance of
snagging a bright red crate with RLR printed on the side in yellow. Inside are "Net-Gainers" which are 10
balled-up metal net projectiles that unfurl after being fired. +3 to hit on top of usual bonus, and if they
hit a large or smaller target they become entangled and fall prone, only able to escape via a STR check or
an Escape Artist check, DC 20.

They get teamed up on by 2 teams of unknown competitors.

Path 3:

The mountain-side road is bumpy and dangerous. Drive checks to maintain top speed will be necessary
as potholes and awkward jumps will slow down racers. The main road itself quickly narrows out to only
40ft wide with only a simple metal barrier walling it in from a long and sheet drop to the Sea below. It is
mostly visible to the RLR but there are tunnel sections and crevice passes which will provide shelter from
prying eyes, making ambush sections. A sabotaged rock wall will start a miniature rock slide on a team
that takes this path.

They get teamed up on by 2 separate cars of unknown competitors.

Leaderboard at the start of this session:

1. Punchbuggy
2. Fort-knights
3. Rolling Thunder
4. Sword and Shield (Eobard, Mormonts, Pedro)
5. Great Menaces (Achilles, Heracles...)
6. Golden Fur
7. Jumble Tech
8. Competitors
9. Bold and Brash
10. Heavy Duty
11. Hatchet Gang
12. Boyz 2 Fish-men
13. The Gangstars
14. Low-low slow to go
15. Armoured Panda (Black Widow 1)
16. Team 1000 (CP9)
17. Craw-lico Jack
18. Flower-Power
19. Gat and Gratz
20. Stay Out

100. The Braulers

300. Team Sillybuggers

The Braulers

Continue on their path and come to a stretch of road with lots of holes and obstacles. Will need to make
checks to avoid them. Also will get jumped by two separate crawlers, Team Victory and Team Triumph.
Later they will come across a gorgeous lake-side town/resort. The people there are very friendly and
accommodating of all RLR participants free of charge. There are no other participants staying at this
place at the moment though several other teams have been by. If they stay they are offered the
grandest suite which is a little away from the rest of the village and up on a hill. It's a gorgeous Japanese
style structure glowing with warmth and full of creature comforts, including a hot spring.

While there they will hear the sound of a beautiful melody and see the glow of a fairy-like creature
wandering near the trees behind their building. If they approach it they will find they have met a
friendly, gentle forest nymph who loves the tranquil sound of their hearts and wishes to hear about
their adventures. Then suddenly they are shot in the head from out of nowhere and fall dead, and they
hear a voice scream "Get away you idiots!"

At that they make reflex saves as the nymph fades and a gigantic dinosaur-like creature with huge white
eyes and an angler-fish lure reveals itself as having been camouflaged as it tries to eat them. It is very
durable but not particularly strong or fast, and can easily be beaten and driven away.

The Sillybuggers

They at last find their way out the swampland that they have been trapped in for days, and the road
they are on leads them towards a small town with a sort of dusty cowboy-like vibe. The people there are
friendly and helpful, and the inn is comfortable enough. There's even a small RLR garage in this town,
only large enough for 1 crawler at a time and it's currently full.

The crew of said crawler is staying in the inn. Team Shadow is the one, and Clint Northtimber is drinking
at the bar when they enter. He may recognise and reintroduce himself to Kagaku, offering him the
chance at a Showdown to see if he's improved at all.

Eugene D. Bellamy is also present upstairs and will come down if he needs to. The whole building will
warp and twist around them as he descends the steps into the common area, as he flexes his powers.
Walter Winkle will also come down whilst the Nightcrawler will watch and wait in the shadows to
ambush if necessary.

Team Braulers session 3

The one who saved them is a gunman for hire named Davis Tutt Jr. (Gravelly Brooklyn Accent). Davis Tutt
Jr. is here hunting Clint Northtimber because he killed his older brother a few years ago. He explains to
them that he didn't realise how dangerous it would be traversing the Red Line by himself, and asks team
Braulers if he can travel with them for a while. Safety in numbers, and he will help them out where he
can.

That night while camping if hidden from view they will overhear a conversation from another team
nearby. This team will be made up of Marines led by an unfamiliar Captain.
"-But sir, why so many of us?"

"Because, recruit, there's pieces moving behind the scenes. Vice-admiral Blackthorn told us he had a
feeling that there was something in the air here, a tension or a palpable danger. He says something is
going to happen and I believe him, it's just a matter of when."

"Is that why the government has agents here as well?"

"Never you mind that, kid. They're about something else entirely, and even I don't know what it is."

Team Sillybuggers session 4

They will continue until they happen upon what looks to be a campsite with a tent that reminds them a
bit of the people who lived by the beach on the island of Kakara where they met the brothers. This tent
reveals one lone man being attacked by a large group of pirates led by a dual captaincy of warriors from
the Kano kingdom. Shanxio and Tangwi, who each have a bounty of 130,000,000 Beli.

The person being attacked is a lone racer by the name of Poratpa. He has dark brown skin and large dark
eyes, with his long dark-blue hair braided down his back. He wears somewhat monk-like robes. He
claims his brothers are nearby but that he entered the race as a team of 1, Team Garuda. He does not
elaborate on this, instead just laughing at the question. He asks if they'd like to eat beneath the stars
with him and if they agree he cooks them a meal using rice, herbs and spices he brought with him, and
the meat from a giant monster he killed earlier.

He talks to them about their goals and reasons for being in this race, and offers to give them a hand if
they ever need it. He is playful and friendly. If asked he will explain that he is in this race because he
owes a great deal to a friend (Julius) who asked for his help. He is trying to win one of the prizes for his
friend. After eating they will go their separate ways and he will wish them good luck.

A few days after this a giant dinosaur-like monster will attack their crawler while they're in the midst of a
gun-off with another crawler.

Starrelda

Notable characters:

Saobady Archipelago Return

Notable Characters: Persephone, Urunari, Hollow Pirates, Goldclaw Pirates, Pollen Pirates, Shade
Pirates, Long-Limb Pirates, Revs, Stone Women

Fishman Island

Notable characters: Bastille, Shade Pirates, Jumble Co., Silviani Crime Family Competition Pirates.

Twilight Bay

Spookesville(?)

The-Island-That-Never-Was

An Island frozen in time(?)

Departure Town

Shortcut Terminal

A hidden illegal passageway over the Red-Line to cross between seas without a permit to use Red-Port.
Commonly used by Pirates.

Crowfall Peninsula

HQ of the Black Order, part of the larger Baralku Majoris in the Arcadia Miles strait

Sierra / Cor Sanctorum Militum

- Old Paris esque island with large peaceful forests, smaller towns and a major city with underground
catacombs

- Arthur Dayne is attempting to recruit more manpower to their cause and Sierra is a city of strongly
religious people that would easily be manipulated
- A rebellion is working against the New Holy Order from underground utilising the catacombs as their
hidden base

Scala ad Caelum (ladder to heaven)

A giant ark that will carry the Christians to paradise