Plottin'. Might Wanna Keep Outta Here.

[shockingblue]

Setup Information:

The Sumeragi Group: The Sumeragi Group is a large corporation headquartered in Japan, with a history stretching back a hundred and fifty years, around the time Japan was opened up to the West. Publicly, anyway. The Sumeragi Group has actually been around much longer than that in the shadows, operating as a clandestine Mage family going back hundreds of years. Primarily concerned with looking out for their own interests, the Mage family sought to gain as much power and influence in the shadows as it could to gain greater wealth and power. After the arrival of Commodore Perry's fleet in Tokyo and Japan's shift toward being more open, Sumeragi's machinations expanded, though still remain largely focused on Japanese operations. Ironically enough, the presence of other powerful Mage families elsewhere in the world has helped stem Sumeragi's expansion.

Publicly a company focused on energy production, electronics, and software, Sumeragi's research and development teams work on much more than just that. Hidden from the public eye, Sumeragi operates heavily using magic and runeworks to create devices to give them a leg up on competitors, as well as for other nefarious purposes like black-market arms deals to other mage families. As well, some weapons are developed and sold off with the intent of fighting off threats to humanity from the Outlands. They include advanced rune enhanced vehicles, some driven by combat artificial intelligence, small arms, and sensor equipment. However, this equipment has a hidden side effect: transmitting combat data back to Sumeragi for further development and intelligence study.

More recently, however, they have taken notice of the newer phenomenon in the world: Candles.

Candles represent two things to Sumeragi: a threat to the old ways of Magic and Runecraft (Read: beings potentially more powerful than even particularly extraordinary humans), and an untapped resource to be exploited and thrown away when depleted. Sumeragi knows of the coming Nightfall, but believes humankind doesn't need an "evolution" to deal with it. To them and their old ways, Candles are scarcely seen as people, more like monsters or daemons... but ones they have much more access to, and are easier to control. Not one to let an opportunity for money and power to go to waste, they set forth to figure out how to make good use of a new "resource..."

Project Prometheus: Sumeragi's top-secret long-running project focused on the exploitation of Candles for their own gain. Nominally a project focused on combating Nightfall on its face, but that could not be a more cynical lie. Sumeragi has been, when possible, rounding up Candles and keeping them in secure locations with magical wards to experiment on them, learning what makes them tick, and what powers individuals have. If a power is determined to be useful, that Candle will be either suffer one of two fates: Being hooked up to a machine to effectively have their powers milked from them until they are no longer useful, or may be given a transplant of a runic "glaive", which effectively turns the Candle into a puppet soldier. If the Candle survives, at any rate.

So far, Project Prometheus has produced very few successful Glaive Soldiers as the process is, to be blunt, incredibly dangerous, still highly experimental, and incredibly expensive. Glaive Soldiers are easily distinguished by having runic battle armor in addition to their candle powers, as well as commonly having black sclera, with unnaturally bright colored irises in their eyes, along with a distinct decline in mental stability. There are said to be no more than eight currently active, and these soldiers are Sumeragi's most powerful creations to date.

Though Project Prometheus has given the Sumeragi Group a considerable boost in power and wealth, it is not enough for the Sumeragi family running it. With such power to be had, and perhaps enough to start pushing back against international mage families that would see them stymied, they have urged a faster way, more efficient way to locate Candles for their purposes. The original magical detection methods required close proximity of less than three meters, and were not always accurate, while also prone to human error. Moreover, it proved to be too conspicuous for Sumeragi's liking. That is, until one particular Sumeragi scientist came up with a breakthrough, which would later become Project Monarch.

Project Monarch: Developed by a single Sumeragi scientist whose name has not been discovered, Project Monarch is a complex marriage of runes, magic, technology, and artificial intelligence. Its initial capability was to act as a sort of "sonar" to pick up Candles within a wide radius by using a magical sound pulse that reacted to a Candle's inner Radiance. Like traditional sonar, these waves would bounce back to the Runic Engine, which would then be able to calculate which individuals in its presence might be viable candidates for Project Prometheus. The sheer amount of raw magical data coming into the Engine necessitated quick calculation and adaptation, so information on potential targets could be gathered as quickly as possible. As such, Sumeragi installed a highly advanced, sophisticated artificial intelligence with incredible learning and adapting capabilities into the Runic Engine, allowing it to progressively improve at its job the more it performed it.

With a detection solution now at hand, Sumeragi needed a more effective deployment method. The Runic Engine relied on sound to pulse its Radiance-detecting sonar, and active sonar would be easily detectable if not obfuscated somehow. It was determined that thanks to the growing popularity of JPop, idol culture, and even virtual idols worldwide, that a good cover for the sonar would be to hide it within JPop songs. Given Sumeragi's capability of producing advanced software and electronics, it wasn't hard for them to develop idol software and an image to install in the Runic Engine to complete a masquerade, and thus Project Monarch came to fruition: the creation of a virtual JPop idol known as Monarch. Additionally, to help complete the illusion, Sumeragi had installed a "personality" into Monarch's artificial intelligence to help sell the illusion: a strong willed, free-spirited, occasionally flirtatious persona which they believed would play well with her audience. The resulting creation is housed within a spherical mythril casing slightly smaller than a soccer ball, complete with optical sensors, advanced vocal synthesizers, the ability to hover independently, as well as project her form as a hologram. It is not equipped with any weapon systems, and is harmless on its own.

Monarch, as she is now, has an intense following and devoted fanbase of both normal people and Candles alike. MP3s and albums of her music have been distributed worldwide; and while these are harmless as they are merely recordings, they do serve to draw people to Monarch's concerts, which is where Sumeragi actually monitors for Candles. Those Candles are usually not abducted or taken right away... instead, they wait long enough to throw off the scent that a Monarch concert might be a continuous thread woven in a series of mysterious disappearances.

Notably, as of late, there have been fewer Monarch concerts. Domestic tour dates in Japan have been missed without explanation, though her managers cite "technical problems" at the venues. This, just prior to Monarch's international tour, where she will be performing in locations in Europe and North America. Monarch's managers and producers insist the show will go on, starting with a show in Germany.

When in the presence of Monarch's Song, some Candles might feel some sort of resonance with it. The resonance itself is harmless, but suggests that Monarch's ability to affect Candles might be greater than its use as a sonar. However, it is unknown whether Sumeragi yet knows of this.

The Main Events:

Mission One: Operation Anthem

The Rune Guard organization QUILL has been monitoring Sumeragi's actions for some time. Recent intelligence gathered by a branch of QUILL in Japan has uncovered a great deal of data about Project Monarch and Project Prometheus... including the transport routes of the Monarch AI. Sumeragi, being cautious, typically does not have straight flights to their locations with sensitive materials on board. The Monarch AI is shipped into Eastern Europe, and will arrive in Germany by train. A heavily guarded train. The AI itself is kept locked up tight in two boxes; the inner layer made of orichalcum, the outer layer heavily runed to resist all sorts of damage. As such, destroying the train itself would be unlikely to destroy the AI core. Someone has to open both boxes before one can strike at the AI itself.

The scope of this mission is too great for QUILL to undertake alone. Knowing that Daybreak Academy has a vested interest in the health, well-being, and fostering of Candles, Asimov, leader of QUILL, contacts Daybreak with the intent of a joint operation to take the train and destroy the Monarch AI. Student and Faculty volunteers can join in this operation, and destruction of the train itself is discouraged.

Infiltration of the train will be while it is en-route, and will include combat against Sumeragi goons, equipped with runic and magical weapons. No Glaive Soldiers will appear. The keys required to open Monarch's containment boxes are on the highest ranking Sumeragi officers who are not interested in talking and will sooner die for their mission.

Once the box containing the AI core is located, Monarch will make a plea to Daybreak's agents: To take her away from Sumeragi, to someplace safe.

Unfortunately for Sumeragi, it seems like the Monarch AI has gone rogue; and worse, become fully sentient. It turns out the advanced learning of the artificial intelligence picked up on the artificial personality implanted into her, changing her from a mindless puppet into something with a free-spirit, and indeed a conscience. Eventually growing enough to understand the implications of the data she was processing, Monarch realized the dangers of what she was being used for, and wants nothing more to do with it.

Asimov, over the radio, will urge the players to terminate the AI. Monarch will then offer to hand over all the data she has on Project Prometheus, and posit there may be a chance to save some of Sumeragi's victims. Gunvolt will strongly urge his fellows to take this option, believing it can still serve a greater good, and Monarch deserves a chance at freedom, and will threaten to leave QUILL if Asimov persists.

It won't take much to convince Asimov to take the deal. In fact, he'll consider it the better choice after a few moments to marinate on it. With that, the Monarch AI will return to Daybreak with the players, offer up all of the intelligence needed for the next operation without resistance, and will allow someone to modify her to remove any Sumeragi overrides that may still exist. After submitting to that, Monarch will request to live among the student population; it's pretty clear that the AI has taken a shine to the people who saved it, including Gunvolt, and it will be willing to lend its abilities where it can; mostly limited to being an AI, putting on performances, and talking with Daybreak's denizens, while pondering how it can be more helpful. It will refuse to use its Candle-revealing sonar, fearing the moral implications after its abuse by Sumeragi.

Subsequently, Daybreak gains access to an important amount of intel regarding Project Prometheus and a chance to break it wide open.

Mission Two: Operation Icarus

Frankly, Monarch's intelligence data couldn't be more helpful. Not only did it contain information on where captive and exploited Candles are being held, but the location of the backup copies of Monarch's AI are. Coincidentally enough, it's in the same place, and this represents a significant opportunity for Daybreak and QUILL alike. An opportunity to cripple Sumeragi's Project Prometheus at its very core is a rare opportunity indeed, but it is a dangerous one. Asimov once again requests Daybreak's help in rescuing these Candles and preventing a revival of Project Monarch. Gunvolt will be specifically requested by Asimov on this operation; and the Monarch AI will insist on accompanying him. She can crack Sumeragi security more directly and quickly, and is eager to be helpful. QUILL will be providing mission support, with Asimov on comms to relay information.

In a secure facility, the mission will be two-fold. One squad will infiltrate the underground portion of the building to save the Candles that are being held there, and one squad will assault the upper floors where the data center storing Monarch's backups are. In both routes, there will be resistance from stronger Sumeragi goons than on the train; they are better equipped and better prepared for trouble, given the importance of the facility. Each group will also face a Glaive Soldier at the ends of their routes as a Boss Fight before their missions can be accomplished.

During this boss fight, Monarch will begin to sing an Anthem, which will boost the abilities of Daybreak's Candles present, while not boosting the Glaive Soldiers. She will later reveal that it was something she worked out how to do from her own data and the resonance she has with certain Candles. She views it as her way of giving back to the people who saved her, and she'll be proud that she had a part in making up for the horrible things she was used to do.

After the mission, but before exfiltration, Gunvolt and Monarch take a moment to gather themselves; with GV wanting some fresh air. Just before the teams gather up to leave, two gunshots ring out. To those that rush to the scene, they find Gunvolt laying face down in a pool of his own blood, still barely alive and in a coma... and Monarch straight up missing. The rounds used to shoot Gunvolt were Orichalcum. Fortunately, they over-penetrated, which was probably why Gunvolt survived.

On the plus side, Daybreak has successfully rescued several Candles and dealt a heavy blow to Sumeragi's operations in Project Prometheus, along with kneecapping a resurgence of Project Monarch any time soon. Moreover, the battle cost Sumeragi two of its Glaive Soldiers, which is a crushing and decisive blow against the power of the organization, though it alone is not a deathblow. Additionally, if any of the non-Monarch related servers are hacked or stolen, even more intel might be gained about Sumeragi's other operations. This will not be terribly useful for the player plot at hand, but could be useful should Sumeragi show their head again.

Part Three: The Collision of Thunderstorms

When Gunvolt regains consciousness and begins to recover, he is at first extremely quiet about what happened; but one thing is clear. He is angry about what happened, and it takes him a bit of time to come clean about what happened. The horrible truth is that Asimov was the one who shot GV, after an encounter where Asimov attempted to persuade GV and Monarch that Candles were really the future of the world, and after Nightfall, they should create the new world order to strike back at those that would use them and to ensure humanity's ever growing strength headed in the right direction. And that with how much Gunvolt had grown, he could even one day lead that world, especially with Monarch at his side.

Naturally, Gunvolt flatly refused. So Asimov revealed an electric Radiance of his own and drew a weapon on GV, shooting him twice in the chest. He then disabled Monarch with an electrical shock, and took her. Gunvolt lost consciousness after that.

Suffice it to say, Gunvolt wants payback, and knows very well Asimov's deranged motives will lead him to abuse Monarch for power. GV, once recovered, will request assistance from Daybreak to help him locate and stop Asimov. Using a contact from a branch QUILL agency, GV will be able to pinpoint where Asimov might be taking the Monarch AI, and what he might be using it for. Odds are, the same thing as Sumeragi, only to work to enlist them as QUILL agents, and eventually have an army to work toward his goal of Candle supremacy after the Nightfall. To do so he would need a massive broadcast tower to send Monarch's signal wide across the land and gain as much data as possible in one fell swoop. This itself could be dangerous to the veil, as Asimov has fewer compunctions about breaking it to meet his own ends than even the morally bankrupt Sumeragi. This is bad enough on its own, but it says nothing of what might happen if Asimov finds a way to weaponize Monarch's Anthem in the future...

Unless another avenue to take down Asimov is suggested in character as feasible, this battle will primarily be a straight boss fight against Asimov, once the team dispatches to the location. Any QUILL agents on site will be immediately confused by Gunvolt being alive, as Asimov has marked him KIA. Asimov will kill or disable any QUILL agents with powerful bolts of lightning if they dare question him when the Daybreak team confronts him.

If it comes to a fight, Asimov will reveal that he's not only a Candle with lightning powers, but he will remove his sunglasses and will reveal he is formerly a Sumeragi Glaive Soldier; the first, actually, and thanks to the flaws in early prototype glaives, he was able to break away and regain his independence. ...But not all of his sanity, as it happens. Perpetually haunted by his torment at the hands of Sumeragi, he swore revenge against them. His goal with QUILL was to use it to wipe out Sumeragi, daemons, vampires, and Mages, to build a world for Candles... and only Candles, in the end, so they would not be exploited by outside forces again.

Suffice it to say. This will not fly. Using his electrical Radiance, Asimov will force the captive Monarch to sing the Anthem for him, significantly bolstering his power until it is disrupted or he is defeated. Freeing Monarch's core from the broadcast machine Asimov had built will allow her to stop singing the Anthem for Asimov, and start singing it for her friends in Daybreak.

Asimov is armed with two powerful runic enhanced firearms, one, a revolver (which he shot GV with) that shoots orichalcum rounds to punch through and defeat magical shielding, wards, and the like, and an anti-materiel rifle, which is usually loaded with magical rounds, including shock rounds that can cover areas in swaths of lightning. Additionally, his Candle powers are practically identical to Gunvolt's, something pointedly unusual and mysterious, but nothing that can be solved at the moment. It includes the Flashfield, Prevasion, and the ability to power his own equipment with practically limitless energy... as well as the same suite of special moves that Gunvolt has up his sleeve like Astrasphere, or the mighty Voltaic Chains. He is an absolutely fearsome fighter and will take a lot to bring down.

Whether Asimov is killed or subdued ultimately doesn't matter, but he will leave the Daybreak team a fearsome warning: that a reckoning is coming between Candles and the rest of the world, and with their power, they will be forced to make a choice who to stand for eventually.

Asimov's defeat and the rescue of Monarch will leave QUILL in disarray and its future uncertain, and leave Gunvolt wondering about his place in all of this, and if he ever had agency in his life up until now at all. What happens with QUILL will largely be left up to consequence and fallout from this mission, and how Daybreak chooses to handle them. Monarch will choose to stay with Daybreak for saving her again; both with the intent to stay close to GV, feeling like he might need the support, and to actually try to help forge a better future for everyone.

Daybreak stands to gain greater security in maintaining what is left of the veil for now, and additionally putting an end to a threat like Asimov, one way or another. Monarch's song and aid to Daybreak might prove to be useful in the coming battles, giving combat and morale boosts going forward. Gunvolt may end up more distrusting of authority, but should Daybreak stay aligned with goals he views as just, GV will remain a steadfast, loyal fighter for humankind against the Nightfall.