A Beast Has Been Disturbed

Their armsmen and women are well-equipped with weapons and magitek forged by a small team called Ironsmoke.

They have been capturing local wildlife, and infusing them with Garlean magitek fashioned by traitorous Ala Mhigan Merida Stoneheart.

One of their members is an aetherologist (Ilsent Naidins) capable of gorging animals on aether until they become monsters. His position is unknown.

Witch's Bite briefly captured a conjurer in The Shroud when it safeguarded illegal logging on the border. This incited The Band of The Black Basilisk to violence against Witch's Bite. The fighting continued when Witch's Bite occupied the village of Holmet. A local healer left with The Black Basilisk, possibly under duress.

Monsters terrorized Thanalan settlements in some sort of live-test experiment. These monsters, engorged on aether, were the subjects of Ilsent Naidins. Several adventurers aided in the defeat of these monsters. (His fate belongs to another storyteller participating in this story, so leave his ultimate fate to them! <3 )

Hingan Heiress Ayumi Akane infiltrated a private auction and determined Merida Stoneheart is the magitek expert of Witch's Bite. Thanks to that, it is known she is the one who shall be responsible for implanting Garlean tech onto the behemoth.

2 p.m. EST Oct. 11: The Band of The Black Basilisk has engaged the last of Witch's Bite's camps, taking advantage of the confusion sewn by the behemoth, now that there is nothing to keep its wrath at bay. But the enemy is not defeated. During the campaign, it managed to infuse a dragon turtle with magitek. We'll need to defeat it to keep the offensive safe.

2 p.m. EST Oct. 12 With the behemoth seeking its revenge, the dominion can be approached. What can we learn there? What magic can be gained from the younger behemoth? What more can be acquired?

5 p.m. EST Oct. 15 Spoils! Magitek bits, magic artifacts, weapons, and more need to be packed away for profit. But everyone is owed a share. Any special items found during the campaign will be up for grabs. Some need to be deciphered, discovered, or interpreted.

Finale Hook: The last major obstacle is Ilsent Naidins, the aetherologist who engorges monsters on aether, and is known as "necromancer" in some circles. There is a reward for finding him, or felling his horrid minions. ((Killing him remains the only "reserved" story beat in the campaign, for one of the participants!))

Scheduled Saturday, Oct. 4 at 3 p.m EST The Behemoth's nest has been found. We can now intercept the magitek team of Witch's Bite before it makes its next attempt to infuse the beast with untold horrors.

Completed Hook: Ayumi Akane pointed out ruins nearby the newly established camp should be investigated. Anyone is welcome to do so.

Open hook. Call to... science? A team recently learned Witch's Bite is using magic rituals to make their people (and probably magitek-infused monsters) resist the cold. Lightning neutralizes the spellwork. Can anyone come up with a good means of creating a lot of lightnig, or creating levin magic?

Completed Hook Someone should check out the frozen shipwreck in Coerthas. Tonsa heard rumors of blue smoke rising up out of it...~

Open Hook: We need updated information on where The Behemoth is. Anyone willing to scout for it in Dravania or Western Coerthas is more than welcome, and will be paid for the help.

Completed hook: We need to find where in Eorzea Witch's Bite is having their weapons and magitek manufactured by Ironsmoke. We know the shipments are coming in by airship. If you find them? Take them out if you want the bounty. Ishgard wants them dead for piracy on the open skies.

In the aftermath of battle, and the chaos of the behemoth rampaging across the land, it turned out only one baby remained in its domain. Why only one? Whatever the case, it was taken by The Band of The Black Basilisk.

Battles broke out across Dravania and western Coerthas, as The Black Basilisk and other parties finally moved, in earnest on Witch's Bite. But from the depths of the mountains came one successful magitek experiment — a dragon turtle infused with horrid machine parts and weapons. Dahlia, M'kana, Tiki, Emilia, and Orisic managed to destroy it, cobbling together a plan with precious little time before it began to bombard allies. But victory came with severe injury.

The campaign has reached its final chapter.

Tiki Feradana, M'kana Tora, Dahlia Deloncret and Orisic Warder led a team to ambush Merida Stoneheart, her soldiers, and her team of technicians on their way to the behemoth's lair, following up on prior scouting. In a decisive battle, for once no one fighting for The Black Basilisk was hurt, though it was a narrow escape for Orisic from an explosion, with a rescue by Dahlia. Two choices were made during the battle. The tech meant to defeat the behemoth (and allow it to be infused with magitek) is destroyed, but its power source salvaged. Merida is dead.

After her transport was ambushed, Dahlia Deloncret arrived at camp in time for the increased activity. Her skills of healing and aethersight will be crucial.

The Magus Mirenna Lauthry has provided The Band of The Black Basilisk with the weapons it needs to counter enchantments placed to protect the magitek beasts of Witch's Bite. It took some time, but she was able to gather resources and create devices that will give a levin charge to weapons wielded by The Band. Her approach required hardsilver and lightning crystals combined into a scabbard, guard, or shaft attachment, creating live levin when the weapon is drawn or swung.

Tiki and Emilia followed the behemoth's trail down the river, realized they were being tailed, and attacked the people following them, but both were injured in the process. Tiki's injury wasn't too severe so she told Emilia to head back to camp and get treatment while she kept going. The behemoth headed west and is currently nesting in or near the Dravanian Hinterlands and the ruins of Sharlayan.

Wizard Mirenna Lauthry has offered to infuse multiple weapons with levin. This should help address the issue in the below report.

A team recently investigated ancient Dravanian ruins near camp. A ritual circle was discovered. With a series of trial-and-error experiments, it was found someone new to the area (probably Witch's Bite) has devised a ritual using fire, ice, and water magic to protect from the cold. This is likely how they keep their magitek-infused monsters running in the frozen lands. It was found Levin neutralizes the ritual.

Dravanian Ambassador Esredes made introductions between M'kana and Fiachna, a disgraced and exiled dragon of Nidhogg's brood. Through him, the dragons of Anyx Trine are now aware of the Band's activities in Dravania, of Witch's Bite and the Behemoth threat.

M'kana, Aiskelt, and Orisic led a team to investigate an icebound ironclad ship, and rumors of blue smoke. They learned Ironsmoke, the team responsible for making Witch's Bite's weapons, was using the ship's engine to power a workshop. Ironsmoke was taken mostly prisoner for bounty, and the supply of weapons and magitek to Witch's Bite cut off. M'kana and Aiskelt also managed to secure Ironsmoke's submarine, and rescue a little firebreathing scalekin. So cute!

Veteran of the Bozjan resistance Tiki joined the cause!

A highly skilled navigator, Aiskelt, helped supplies reach The Band faster than usual.

After a break back in civilization, M'kana returned to camp with Tiki in tow, who has asked to join the cause.

While spending a little time in town, blending in and socializing, Tonsa took the opportunity to eavesdrop and learn what she can about local rumors. Her viera ears detected a whispered conversation about blue smoke rising up out of a shipwreck somewhere nearby... in Coerthas!?

Skatayan cartographer Etheria Vasilwesfv assessed (with escort from M'kana) a potential approach to the ruins he identified as 'The Iron Feast'. He found a direct approach from the camp possible via scaling the ridge nearby, followed by a climb up the cliffs — a grueling but direct approach that spares a long trip around the mountains. Rest stops along the way were found. A brief reconnaissance highlighted what may be a side entrance to the ruins, though they seem to be flooded.

A scouting party went in search of the behemoth's current whereabouts. It is believed they found evidence the behemoth has young. During the search, the party found: A creature the size and shape of a behemoth, with claws like a behemoth, traveled along a nearby river. While there, a creature or creatures the size of a cow fed upon all the local, tiny wildlife they could find, including fish. The larger creature was then so angered by a single person on a nearby bridge, that it attacked the bridge and destroyed most of it.

Ry'lah Dinhe arrived in Dravania to help the new operation. She joined Orisic Warder, Ayumi Akane, M'kana, and Isara Sundrake as they helped members of The Band of The Black Basilisk scout for a viable location to dig in and create an encampment! Ayumi pointed out a mission is required to check out nearby ruins for danger.

While searching for a white lion near Twinpools, Orisic and M'kana were beset by wolves twisted into monsters by magitek. They survived, but some injuries may be permanent. The lion was not found.

A supply caravan in Western Coerthas was ambushed by magitek hounds. Tonsa Seay survived the encounter, along with several armsmen, but all were not so lucky.