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Lore Wiki » Epic Weeks » Epic Week 2023 » Main Plot

Prologue


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The camera pans over the map of the land of the RPR, moving to focus on the second "R" shaped landmass. At it's southern tip, to the south of The Port of Tropes, we see an island. A hand enters the frame, and taps the island to draw further attention to it. Then a scroll is placed on top of the map, and unrolled to reveal a second map, presumably of that very island. It has a mountain range on its eastern coast, and what appears to be jungle over much of its landmass. Then the screen goes black and the RP Repository logo comes up.


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Panel 1
A struthian man with the typical feathers in place of hair, and wing feathers coming from his arms. He is walking down a cobblestone alley, carrying a bindle over his shoulder, looking a little dejected.

Unseen narrator: You’ve seen them, here and there… the Struth.

Panel 2
A family of Struth people walking over the water on the rainbow bridge. There are two mothers, and one child. One of the mothers holds the hand of the chick, while the other waves at someone not visible in the panel as if glad to see them.

Unseen narrator: Once there were many more Struth. You’d see us start to arrive as the spring thaw set in, leading our new hatchlings over the rainbow bridge to the mainland.

Panel 3
View of a tropical island with sandy white beaches and lots of reddish cliffs.

Unseen narrator: Back then, we were migrating from paradise, the Struthian isle. That was our true home. It was the place our eggs were laid and hatched.

Panel 4
A nest of eggs with a very scary looking lizard looming over it, mouth open, teeth glistening. A lightning strike in the background emphasizes the scary atmosphere.

Unseen narrator: Then the lizards came.

Panel 5
Bird feet walking on a dusty plain.

Unseen narrator: It’s been a century since a Struthian has set foot on the isle. A century since our hatchlings could thrive. We migrate endlessly, with nowhere to go.

Panel 6
We see Moa with a grim smile in the foreground, gesturing back to her army of walruses. Some wear chainmail or helmets. Some are in their mech suits. One is being ridden by Sylviornis the Struth warrior, and another by Apteribis, the Struth sage.

Narrator, now revealed to be Moa, top left corner: But this is the year that will end.

Moa, bottom right corner: This is the year I have finally raised the funds to equip an army.


Setting Sail


We embarked from the Port of Tropes with Moa, her army of Walruses, and the generals she's recruited to help pull off her daring plan. We were going to help the Struthian people take back the isle where their eggs were once laid and hatched.

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Panel 1
On the deck of a ship, Kim, Server, Sylviornis the Struth warrior, and Apteribis the Struth sage. There is a table with a battle map between them. Moa is in the background, arms crossed, watching the proceedings with a critical eye.

Sylviornis: We appreciate you lending us your fleet, and joining our quest to retake our homeland.

Kim: I can’t think of a more worthy birthday adventure we could take part in, Sylviornis.

Panel 2
A close up of the battle-map of the Struthian isle. There are little pieces representing lizards, walrus units, supply lines, etc.

Sylviornis:: Our numbers are few, and although Moa has trained and equipped her walrus battalions for us, their capabilities are somewhat… limited. We rely on the people of the RPR for their might, strategy, and their cleverness with supply lines.


Panel 3
A view of Apteribis, a Struth sage with a staff made of a living tree branch on his back.

Apteribis: Not just that! We won’t truly be able to reclaim our homeland until we have repaired the rainbow bridge, so that the Struth can migrate to and from the isle and the mainland again.

Panel 4
A view of Kim, looking extremely enthusiastic.

Kim:You can count on us! Server, you know what to do…

Panel 5
Server concentrates intensely.

Panel 6
A forum post made by the RPR Server. The text reads: Calling all citizens of the RPR! Meet at the Port of Tropes to be transported to a birthday adventure!


As the first symbols on the prisms were solved, our scouts set off into the jungle to see what they could learn about what had been happening on the Struthian Isle since its original inhabitants were driven out.


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The RPR navy is pulled up along the beach. People are disembarking, and supplies are being set out on the beach, tents pitched, etc. The Hero and Princess walk up the beach and follow a trail into the jungle. Palm trees shade them as they walk.

Hero: The Struth warriors told us there would be an army of lizards here. I thought they would be more… armylike. Is this just a regular invasive species problem?

Princess: Even if they don’t have swords, they are plenty dangerous! Remember, many of them are venomous…

Hero: Right. Let’s see if we can work our way inland to do some forward scouting.

Princess: Yes. Just be very careful with every step. We don’t know what’s lurking out there.

They walk further into the jungle together.


They soon made an important discovery.


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The Hero and Princess are climbing the cliffs. They pull themselves up onto a ledge and find themselves facing a cave.

They go inside tentatively. With a lit torch, they find paintings on a wall of an egg bathed in glowing energy. In the next painting, it hatches into a Struth child.

Princess: This is what that Struth sage was telling us… It’s the energy of this island that made the Struth what they are today.

Hero: Right. If they aren’t laid here, in the energy field of the island, their eggs hatch into just regular flightless birds. That’s why there are so few of them left.

Princess: Wait… could that mean?

A lizard assassin appears in silhouette at the mouth of the cave. They whirl to meet him, pulling their weapons. Other lizards emerge out of the darkness behind them, brandishing weapons. One Lizard wizard sparks up a fireball in his clawed hand, illuminating his face.

The Hero and Princess exchange a look.

Hero: I guess it worked on the lizards too.

The lizards rush them. They swing their weapons.


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Panel 1
Apteribis the Struth sage, Moa, and the Elven scientist gaze at one of the prisms that is being repaired. They are on a beach, with palm trees waving in the breeze and surf lapping up the sandy shore.

Apteribis: You have made much progress on taking back our island from the invasive forces.

Panel 2
Apteribis: But these prisms will be the key to victory. The lizard invasion didn’t begin to overwhelm us until they shattered these prisms.

Panel 3
A view of Apteribis, a Struth sage with a staff made of a living tree branch on his back.

Apteribis: The prisms focused the energies of the Struthian isle, keeping magic and natural forces in balance. And twice a year, as the planets aligned, they formed our rainbow bridge.

Panel 4
Moa looks reflective.

Moa: I remember the first time I walked across the rainbow bridge with my mother… It seems like a whole other life.

Panel 5
The Elven Scientist grins reassuringly.

Panel 6
Elven scientist: Not to worry! The citizens of the RPR have become experts at restoring and recharging magical artifacts. They’ll all be back to working order in no time!


We were doing so well on repairing the prisms that a Hulking Lizard was sent to stop us, taking up position in front of the Heptagonal Prism.

A 10 foot tall lizard-man, bulging with an absurd number of muscles. He wears only a pair of tan shorts, and is kneeling down, slamming the ground with one fist and making the Earth shake.

Then, a slithery, spiney Lizard Lurker was sent to stop us.

A large, lean lizard, vaguely humanoid in shape but primarily reptilian. Its lithe body is covered in sharp spikes, and its eyes are black as night. It creeps on all fours, long tail flicking silently behind it.

Finally, the Gila Dragon came flying from the mountains to stop us.

A massive dragon in flight. It has back legs, but the front legs are muscley wings. Its coloration is similar to that of a Gila Monster.

But together, we fought through and completed all 30 prism challenges, defeated hundreds of monsters, captained our walrus companies, crafted potions, and helped Doubutt send a steady supply of weapons to the warriors. Leading to...

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Panel 1
Elven scientist, Apteribis, Moa and one or two other characters are holding hands around the repaired but inactive Heptagonal prism, their eyes closed, as if they are focusing energies or casting a spell on it.

Panel 2/3
Closed eye of Apteribis, open eye of Apteribis

Apteribis: There! It’s done!

Panel 4
The prisms shoot beams of light out that meet in the middle.

Panel 5
The Elven Scientist in silhouette, holding up an arm to shield her eyes from the blinding light.

Panel 6
View of the island from the sea, the rainbow bridge forming out toward the “camera”

Panel 7
Moa sits back in the beach sand, mouth agape.

Moa, top text: That’s it. We’ve done it.

Moa, bottom text: We’re home.




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The Hero and Princess are back on the beach. Behind them, various adventures celebrate and cheer.

Princess: Victory! We’ve helped the Struth reclaim their home!

Hero: And I hear the first eggs have already been laid.

Princess turns to the camera.

Princess: Now they’ll be safe, thanks to you. Happy birthday, RPR!

Lore Wiki » Epic Weeks » Epic Week 2023 » Main Plot