Deception

Deception

Information

Conflict: The Evanescent and Pacre Datship attempt to take control of the Cocytus System.

Date: 39 ABY

Commanders
Xen'Mordin Vismorsus Eetherbiail Koryn Thraagus Kell Dante	Lord Onasi Emperor Vanis
Strength
Dark Jedi of Scholae Palatinae Palatinaean Military Praetorian Guard	Evanescent Forces Pacre Datship Forces
Casualties
None	Lord Onasi

[ Source ]

Deception was a Scholae Palatinae campaign that took place in 39 ABY as the second act to the Forgotten Storyline. The Evanescent, a group headed by Lord Onasi, succeeded in their trial run of awakening the Old Gods. Together with Emperor Vanis, of the Pacre Datship, the Evanescent seek to complete the final ritual needed to awaken the Old Gods before the forces of Scholae Palatinae can stop them.

Prelude

Ptolomea spent weeks in chaos as a result of the Evanescent’s first ritual.

"Stop them before they finish the ritual."

―Xen’Mordin issuing command to the members of Scholae Palatinae

In the days following the Evanescence's first ritual upon Ptolomea, the jungle planet erupted into chaos. The planet had been used as an experimental breeding ground for members of the Infinite Empire, and the creatures they created, had been left slumbering beneath the surface. Now awoken, they cause all the civilians of the planet to fall into the major cities in a state of panic. All available military forces of Scholae Palatinae were diverted to the planet to defend the civilians.

On the planet of Antenora, Emperor Vanis discovered final pieces of information on the ritual that would properly awaken the Old Gods. This information was sent to Lord Onasi, who had been in hiding on his home planet of Caina. With this information in hand, the Evanescent had all they needed to complete their goals.

Information passed to Xen’Mordin by two of his Intelligence Spies, Chaz Carlton and Mira Spar, who had infiltrated the Pacre Datship and Evanescent respectively, was used those he could spare to stop this final ritual.

The Operations

"Defend and Kill. Do whatever is needed."

―Dante to his men

With information on the ritual, and where it would be taking place, some members of Scholae Palatinae ventured to Antenora to stop the ritual, while others remained on Ptolomea to stop the horrid monsters that were spawning.

The Strike

Leading the forces on the ground of Ptolomea, Kell Dante was moving to the new front that had been established against the unnatural monsters wreaking havoc on the planet. His MAAT, crashed leaving him the sole survivor. Alone in the wilderness he spent three long days using his wits and survival skills to return to his men. It was a feat few would even dream of attempting, and garnered Dante a renewed status of respect among his men when he finally arrived to the outpost, caked in mud and blood.

Computerized

Recovered information from Tomb on Antenora

Dr. Elincia Rei was able to quickly recover information from the computer drives found on Antenora. While most information was deleted and wiped there were multiple pieces of information that had been seemingly left behind for them to find. This included the location of the final ritual on Antenora, information on reversing the ritual, and target locations including the capital city of Ohmen on Judecca.

Power Overwhelming

One of the most common things found by the interrogators of Scholae Palatinae, was that the Evanescent forces and Pacre Datship devotes all had a reverent respect for the Old Gods. Nearly every single one would eventually turn to reciting psalms to help prevent them breaking to the torture they were being subjected to. One of the most common has been recorded below:

Enigmatic, nebulous, tenebrous,

Darker than the blackest night,

Brighter than the morning sun,

Walking the line of chaos and order,

They are not judgemental,

No sinners and no saints,

Only those who believe,

Will be liberated from the heathens.

They watch over us,

They give us strength and power,

We are the warriors of the Gods,

They land their strength to our cause,

The faithful will be protected,

The heathens struck down,

When we strike to claim our freedom,

We will have the wind at our backs.

The Gathering

The final ritual was to take place near the south pole of Antenora

Archangel was the first to respond to the news of the final ritual’s location. Leading a small team of skilled Scholae Palatinae members he arrived outside the Forgotten Temple on Antenora and established the forward command base for what would be the assault on the temple. His quick action in arriving on Antenora was what helped Scholae Palatinae manage to breach the Temple grounds just in time to stop the ritual.

Destruction

The battle outside the Forgotten Temple was surprisingly difficult for the members of Scholae Palatinae. The Evanescent and Pacre Datship had deeply entrenched themselves in the temple grounds and each was fully committed to give their live if needed. Aware they were running out of time, the Scholae Palatinae forces had to abandon their efforts to leave the temple itself intact for further study, and were forced to cause rampant amounts of damage to reach the inner chamber in time.

Aftermath

"I want all resources devoted to finding Vanis."

―Xen’Mordin following the events on Antenora

Having deciphered the final information for the awakening ritual, Scholae Palatinae learned that killing whomever did the ritual, would end its effects in the system. A team was sent to the Forgotten Temple on Antenora to kill Lord Onasi and Emperor Vanis.

As the assault team dispatched Evanescent and Pacre Datship forces outside the Temple, Lord Onasi and Emperor Vanis kept their focus on completing the ritual. Unable to complete it before the Scholae Palatinae Forces breached the temple, Lord Onasi threatened to blow the entire temple complex up unless they let him leave. He was betrayed by his close operative Mira Spar, who was actually a spy for Xen’Mordin named Ashlyn Neka.

On the upper balcony of the temple, Emperor Vanis attempted to flee, but was stabbed by Chaz Carlton, who also revealed to be a spy for Scholae Palatinae, named Silus Cherra. A blast to the temple sent stones falling, one of which hit Cherra in the head, knocking him out before he could finish his assassination of Vanis.

With Onasi dead, the plague of monsters on Ptolomea finally came to an end. Attempts to locate the wounded Vanis were unsuccessful. With at least some order restored to the system, Scholae Palatinae focused on regrouping, and tracking down the illusive Pacre Datship Emperor.