Nationalist and fascist forces remain strong throughout certain nations on Shem. An alliance of these forces continues to threaten conquest. The nations of Krevzuk, Stolzen, Turraing, Furich Amol, and Urayme form the Slate Axis, five nations devoted to enslaving the world. Historically, Agikaan, Vesturia, Harkanheim, Jorgendheim, and many other nations allied with these, and currently, many fear this may happen again. Further, many fear Srisia has formed some sort of pact with Furich Amol. War has already begun in some parts of the world, especially where Krevzuk has begun raiding coasts for a slave-army. Some nations have already fallen to conquest.

Resistance movements are springing up. International intrigue is at play. War has begun.

Arcs:
1. Sisters of the Chain:
A group of devout servants of the Tyrant Divine dwell in a cloister away from prying eyes. There, they begin a ceremony in which they sacrifice seventeen different slaves, each provided from a different vile source, in order to make an invincible Kyriarch out of the ruler of Furich Amol. Players would be slaves trying to escape the cloister and warn the world.

PCs:

Vignette: Word of the ritual reaches Maraddon.

2. After the Raid:
A raid on the Tara'hinian coast leaves a town sacked and hundreds kidnapped by a Krevzuk force. In the aftermath, locals try to pick up the pieces and appeal for help. Players would be local authorities trying to sort things out. Connects to Golden Sun.

PCs:

3. Raider Ship:
A Jorgendish ship full of slaves and raiders off the coast of northern Ranu meets a Vesturian warship. A tense meeting occurs between the two ships, both of which belong to nations that hold neither love nor disrespect for one another, and both of which might soon be allies. The ships' leaders are well aware that any incident might have international implications, and their crews are belligerent and rowdy, and on the lookout for sea monsters. Players would either be all Vesturians or all Jorgendish sailors, figuring out the situation.

PCs:

Vignette: Stolzen invades nations around it with an unstoppable blitzkrieg.
Vignette: In Dalurine, the Autocrat summons massive sea beasts to unleash upon neighboring nations.

4. Death Knell:
In Turraing, the ringing of a bell means death. Biloko have small bells that kill with their tintinabulation. The small nation is part of the Winter Empire, and their petty tyrant seeks to gain favor in the new Court of Jasper. He has sent raids into the neutral lands to capture slaves to bring to the rulers of the Unseelie, and this means there is an excess of non-biloko in the nation. Eloko nobles have taken to hunting extra slaves for fun. Players would be neutral faerie slaves trying to survive a hunt and avoid the sound of bells. Connects to Indigo and Jasper.

PCs:

5. Moment of Resistance:
The Grinning Men are an international terrorist organization that disrupts order in the name of mischief. They have chosen a day on which they will cause massive headaches and public displays of resistance in areas controlled by the Slate Axis. This game would be a series of narrated vignettes across the world, including subterranean and underwater. Connects to Citizenship game.

Characters:

Vignette: Xilisi people make alliance with agents of Furich Amol while pretending to join Tecumseh's alliance. Connects to War of Daggers.
Vignette: Atanaxans swarm over their borders and begin conquering their neighboring nations.

6. Atrocity Exhibition:
The Empire of Krevzuk is the most powerful slaving operation in the world, but they have rivals in groups like the Red Sapphire Guild (who specialize in sex slavery), the Order of the Worms (who specialize in child slavery), the Rune-Farmers (who capture people to make them rune-slaves), and Seventeenth Day (also known as the Green Cloaks, who are generalized slavers). While they often coordinate, especially where specialties are concerned, there are other times where they come into conflict. When a client hires all of them to raid a specific spot, chaos ensues. Players would be members of one of the slaving groups dealing with the conflict. Connects to Autumnal Equinox game.

PCs:

7. Writing on the Wall:
In Urayme, the legendary resistance group the Runners have resurfaced, seeking to disrupt the meeting between a dragon lord and the Walkerian Emperor. Players would be Runners. Connects to Fivefold Path game.

PCs:

Vignette: The Merukisi Enforcers raid a slaving ship and hang the slavers.
Vignette: In Izzellan, a slave rebellion erupts.

8. Preventative Measures:
The worst is on the horizon. A Srisian diplomat is sent to Furich Amol. An alliance between the two would make the Slate Axis almost impossible to defeat on the world stage. International intelligence agents, vigilantes, and other secret agents seek to make this not happen. (And what role does Agikaan play in all this?) Players would be Theresans, Washerwomen, and Chrysanthemum agents. Connects to Gossamer Intrigue, Holy Matrix, Golden Sun, and Veil and Hood.

PCs:

9. The Architect of the Camps:
The Quill of the Architect is a Gifted pen that allows the user to design perfect buildings for any purpose. In Aldergast, an ancient undead lord has Mastered this Gift to create concentration camps that will create untold horror throughout the world. Players would be various agents seeking to destroy the Architect.

PCs:

Vignette: Agikaani eugenicists alter the camps in their nation so that they can still operate after the Architect dies.
Vignette: Insiemese fascists bomb a Chrysanthemum citadel.

10. Reichstag:
Stolzen is at the heart now of a powerful empire that spans most of southern Jesenya, many of the nations around it either flocking to its banner or falling to its armies. Racist supremacists operate openly, and violence against non-human, non-white people is common. The Reichstag is the seat of imperial power, where representatives of all the Axis nations are to meet. Players would be resistance forces seeking to disrupt, assassinate, or otherwise terrorize government officials and visiting emissaries.

PCs:

11. Cloaks:
A Silver Torch (Silver Cloak), a Staff of Justice (White Cloak), and a Stormrbinger (Red Cloak) walk into a bar and plot to save the world, coordinating with a Shadow of Death (Black Cloak) and a Seventeenth Day (Green Cloak) agent to do so--and maybe a Truepseaker (Purple Cloak). Players would be agents of one of these groups coming together to liberate a massive slaving caravan holding prize slaves of the Champion of Krevzuk.

PCs:

Vignette: A Galdish freedom fighter assassinates the Stolzene fuhrer.
Vignette: Obusingyean agents take down the Atanaxan Empress.

12. The Kyriarch:
The Tyrant of Furich Amol, who wields the Obiefune Sword Dominion, has ridden out to the front, and agents of various opposing forces (PCs from previous arcs in this game) come together to kill him.

PCs:

Conflicting Visions | Kyriarchy | Golden Sun | Fivefold Path | Holy Matrix | Autumnal Equinox | Aeonian Configuration | Black Velvet | The Old Stories | War of Daggers | The Frontier | Branches | Veil and Hood | Indigo and Jasper | Citizenship | Gossamer Intrigue | Setting