Private/Closed Bootleg Bros. Ultimate - The Banished Campaign (Act 1)

[comic]

CREST OF CEPHEUS​

—Day 495 Late Evening, High Council Chamber—
Co-written w/ Shen​

“Their forces encroach on our lands,” the War Chief said in reply as he lifted a metal-encassed paw before jabbing his finger into the table. A blue holographic map of Augur materialized in the center of the table. “Surtr has thus far proven incorrigible to our efforts to reach out... his enemy is soon to fall, and he knows this. His sights have turned away from them.”

Red markers began to appear along the nother-eastern border of Augur, as well as Nexus Island, indicating known points where Muspell forces had been encountered, witnessed, or otherwise suspected to have appeared. “Tell me, my young friend,” Escharum grinned, a glint in his one good eye. “What is the reason you fight under our banner? That you work among the Banished as more than hired help... after all, were you merely a lowly mercenary, you would not be invited to meetings of such high esteem.”

He was being rhetorical, well aware of the answer to his question, but he still paused to allow Maripos to respond, Escharum building into a point he was making.

Maripos slid an eye to Escharum. He seemed to have found something quite amusing about what he said, but he put a pin in it for the moment.

“Mhm. My reasons are quite simple, actually. I am a collector, or a treasure hunter if you would prefer. I seek out the most marvelous, one of a kind treasures out there. Wonders that shake the mind in their uniqueness. And here, in this place where worlds of the vast unknown are colliding together? That sounds like an opportunity of a lifetime.”

Maripos stood up, the cultured collector gesturing to the room around them, the people around them, having a certain look about him like he was cherishing the moment.

“Look at where we are and those who sit at our table. The Banished is a perfect opportunity to find interesting people and objects. As crass as some of the methods of the banished are, they have already unearthed some precious discoveries, and I would like to see more of what the universe- no, ALL universes have to offer!”

Putting his hand back to himself, he exhaled, slowly placing himself back at the table. He did have one final piece to add though.

“Oh, and I'm older than you, young man~”

Escharum chuckled and tapped his temple with a long claw. “Age isn’t everything, you know...” his cracked voice seemed to imply something more, but he didn’t elaborate. “But that, Maripos, is exactly my point. The Banished purpose. Crass, we can be, but there is something far greater—cooperation. The Mupell know nothing of its benefits. Simple soldiers with crude weapons, toxic ambition, and no true purpose to speak of. You are here because of opportunity. Cooperation. Purpose. Surtr enslaves and intimidates all beneath him—a tyrant with no purpose beyond his own power. He will never be an ally, and Atriox does not seek his friendship. But the Muspell? They don’t have to suffer his cruel fate...”

“Surtr’s kingship could go beyond enslavement,” Bri noted. “Loyalty—indoctrination, they may fall on their sword to the last warrior in his name. Dissuading their allegiance could become an impossibility.”

“Indoctrination can be overcome,” Escharum reminded the sangheili. “After all, we have grown beyond the Covenant that thought to control our mind and spirit, once, and reigned for a thousand years. Look around you—we meet in their most sacred of sites. They are no more, while we still stand.”

“And what do our new friends think of this?” Ilsa Zane finally broke her silence, her voice weathered for a woman of her age. “If we had decided their judgement unfavorably as we do now for Surtr?”​

 

[ArmedBlue]

Teseo
​

"OH HAI KYLE," the green-haired boy greeted upon the Hermit's arrival. "I LOWKEY THOUGHT U WOULDN'T SHOW UP. ALL GOOD THO."

With that, the meeting was properly underway. Teseo stared at Escharum with his usual grin as he spoke of the forces of Muspell, the newest faction of the Nexus World. Most seemed like ordinary humans for the most part, not even having much in the way of technology, but any new face around here could hold a lot of cool information, and that was enough for him to think them worth checking out.

At the mention of Decimus' interrogation results, Teseo jabbed an elbow in the brute's direction, giving him a mocking smile. "DAMN BRO. TALK ABOUT OVERKILL."

The conversation continued. Surtr commanded fire, making him a little more awesome in Teseo's eyes, though the king's forces were starting get a little too deep into Augur, probably guided by his desire for conquest. He got why that could be an issue – everyone being on the same side was both a lot more fun and a lot more efficient. While he cared more about the former, breaking out into a fight would just be a waste of everyone's time.

Discussion turned toward Maripos for a moment, the deceptively old treasure hunter revealing his motives for joining the ranks of the Banished. Teseo nodded in agreement, pointing a finger at the man.

"SEE, THIS GUY GETS WHAT'S DOPE ABOUT CROSSOVERS!" he commented, before letting out a quieter "OOO...!" upon Maripos' 'I'm older than you' bit, as though he'd just witnessed a sick roast.

After some more analysis from Escharum, determining the army of Muspell could be useful to them even if Surtr could not, Ilsa Zane called for the opinion of the other members at the meeting. The Adept didn't hesitate to chime in again.

"IMO IF THEY D'WANNA PLAY NICE, IT'S THEIR LOSS. THEY SHOULD PROLLY THINK TWICE BEFORE TRYING TO BATTLE SOMEONE THEY DON'T HAVE TYPE MATCHUP ADVANTAGE ON LOL. #SUCKSTOSUCK"

He paused for a moment before continuing.

"...THOUGH, I'M NOT SAYIN' IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO BRING THE ANIME SWORDFIGHTERS IN..."​

 

[Psymallard]

Kyle Merkulov
The masked hacker remained quiet as the bratty treasure hunter squabbled, and the chronically online superhuman made his point clear. While others would likely cringe at this... dialect, it wasn't anything new to the Hermit King, and he remained stoic.

While everyone took in the words of the other hacker, a noticeable pause gave Kyle room to speak. His eyes turned into dashes, communicating that he was deep in thought even as he spoke.

"...So our boys have been getting some target practice in. Big deal. Most of them are waving around pointy sticks, they're practically tribals."

One of his eyes opened.

"...Although... I hear they've got magic over there. Real magic, and dragons too... Like something straight out of Fire Emblem. Personally, I'm not a huuuge fan of missing opportunities... nor genocide. So. I say... we ice the hothead and put in someone a little cooler in charge."

 

[Captain Cardboard]

General Veers​

The older human stayed silent as the members of the Banished gave their reports. Even with how alien they were, these meetings never failed to remind him of the meetings he had attended between the various Moffs and Admirals of the Empire. Stalwart debates and clashes of personality. But here, there was no Grand Moff Tarkin or Lord Vader to keep them in line. Only Lord Atriox, and he wasn't here. Of course, there were other differences as well. Namely, the ones of Teseo and Kyle Merkulov. Kyle was not too unusual to Veers. He had met his fair share of hackers and technology experts, enough to know that some of the best were usually equally eccentric. Teseo, on the other hand, was like nothing Veers had seen before. The boy's abilities, attitude, the way he spoke, everything. It was intriguing to Veers. Clearly, the boy was powerful enough for Atriox to take a personal interest in him. But still, using someone so young...

The General's interest was piqued when Decimus and Escharum brought up the primary focus of the meeting. The new faction. Veers had heard rumbles of this group, the Muspell, and patiently listened as the others reported on what they had found. He would have to send some probe droids to investigate them, himself...

Ilsa opened the conversation to the 'newer' allies of the banished.
“And what do our new friends think of this?” She asked. “If we had decided their judgement unfavorably as we do now for Surtr?”
It was a troubling question, for certain. What would he have done? He pondered the question as Teseo and Kyle gave their opinions of what to do. He recalled the reports he had seen, the distant battles between the Banished and their enemies, when he had first arrived to the Nexus World.
"Ms. Zane." General Veers said, addressing the rogue spartan directly. "Had the Banished decided I was to be eliminated, I would have ordered my troops to fight against the Banished with all their might. The Banished make it very clear, the fate of those they deem their enemies. Even before we joined, we heard the reports of what happened to the enemies they captured."

Veers paused for a moment, looking across the room at the others present.
"Even if I was killed, I believe my men would have continued to fight. Your tactics and beliefs are alien to us. In the Empire, it is seen as wrong to offer your enemy terms of surrender or truce, but intending to not follow them. We had no way of knowing if the Banished followed these rules of war as well. The risk of it being a deception may have been too much for my men." Veers said.

"More importantly, however. While we knew how the Banished treated their enemies. We were unaware how the Banished treated their allies." Veers said. He looked to Teseo, Maripos, and Kyle as he said that, before addressing the original Banished commanders once more.

"Eliminating Surtur before we fully understand his relationship and connection to his kingdom may result in a complete loss of the people of Muspell to the Banished. Such a rash action, so quickly, may prove... clumsy." Veers said.

 

[comic]

CREST OF CEPHEUS​

—Day 495 Late Evening, High Council Chamber—​

“Exactly my point,” Ilsa Zane gestured to Veers once he’d concluded his contribution, turning her head to Escharum.

The old jiralhanae’s lips peeled back to reveal his yellowing fangs in a wicked grin, though it was Voridus who next spoke. “Clumsy?” He spat the word out. “The Muspell are not needed, we have our fill of alliances.”

“Another can always prove fruitful,” Bri claimed.

“Or it can bite us off at the knees!” Voridus pounded a fist on the table.

“It has been some time since we have seen newness produced from the Nexus,” Escharum spoke, removing himself from his side of the table and beginning to walk slowly behind each individual, circling the table. “Some sit at this table now... some lay the fertilizer of our fresh crops... and some others ARE the fertilizer...”

He placed a hand on the still-silent Jega ‘Rdomnai’s shoulder for a moment before letting go, representative of their unspoken and almost brotherly bond, a rarity between jiralhanae and sangheili. “The Muspell are certainly assertive. They have not been here for as long as any of us, yet they prod and poke at the borders of those around them, and Surtr marches with his army to finish one war and ready himself for the next.”

Escharum waved his hand over the heads of those he now stood behind, being Veers, Kyle, and Ilsa Zane. He gestured over the map of Augur, its hologram flickering briefly. “Half of us believe in patience and virtue. The other promote action and authority. Are we still hungry for more numbers to fill our ranks? Or are we bursting at the seams?”

Finally, the War Chief came to a stop back at his spot. “Perhaps agreement can be found with the context of other issues. You may have noticed, but our meeting lacks many of its members. Some are too busy with tasks they cannot be pried from. Others turn their nose up in their frustration and impatience. Others still...”

Escharum paused before he leaned against the table. “Rubikis. Jugger. Grievous. Colony. Grief. Yapyap—all have ignored the call to meet. Each name I’ve brought up has various reasons to shake their loyalty. Rubikis is disillusioned and ambitious... Grievous is overconfident and blunt... Yapyap is unsatisfied and anxious... if war should come with Surtr, be it on his terms or ours, are we ready for this? Or has our house begun to divide too greatly? United, the Muspell would fall beneath us. Yet if we were to fight our enemies on multiple fronts, we become disadvantaged. It is not an impossible situation, but I think it unfavorable. Tell me, what do you think should be done about our restless members? Quell their fears and inspire prolonged loyalty? Let them be to make decisions with impactful consequences? Or should we remind them of their pact, and show them their place?”

He ceased his speech to let the other speak again on this new issue.​

 

[Shen: King of Digimon]

Crest of Cepheus


Pavium exhaled through his nose, not too pleased with his brother's rashness despite his warnings. Still though, he couldn't say he completely disagreed with the position he took up. Adding another factor did complicate things in an already unfamiliar situation. Now Escharum seemed to put a three pronged choice to the group, the eldest brother Jiralhanae wrinkled their nose.

"None of those are ideal." He spoke up. "Hollow words don't impact those with existing concerns, reckless decisions cause further complications for the banished, and ruling through fear only would cause this same issue to arise later in a larger form."

He paused, deliberating his next words to those around him. He did a look around, scanning the faces of those in the chamber, gesturing to the hall.

"The Banished has an unshakeable foundation. If my council were taken on this matter, I would see to it that we build upon it as we have always done. If such forces are having doubt amongst themselves, they are not working hard enough to further the future of the Banished. Being idle causes one's mind to deviate. I say increasing efforts, creating not only footholds but strongholds shall increase both morale and our military readiness to acceptable levels."

 

[Psymallard]

Myle Kerkulov
Kyle listened intently. It was quite the rough position, but, as Pavium pointed out, much unrest tended to stem from stagnation. A similar principle applied throughout human history as well, though the Hermit imagined it was even more significant when aliens with clashing natures were thrown in the mix.

"...If they have a reason to rebel, they have a reason. So... they need somewhere to vent their energy somehow."

He shrugged.

"Even if we're appeasing them... if we don't trust our friends, we're doing something wrong."

 

[ArmedBlue]

Teseo
​

The next point of discussion came from Escharum, the jiralhanae noting the growing turmoil within the ranks of the Banished. In the face of a potential conflict, it made sense to keep everyone buddy-buddy to prevent any issues from popping up.

"KINDA BETWEEN THE FIRST TWO RN. YA SEE, WHEN I WAS WITH MY FOLKS AT EDEN, THINGS RAN SMOOTHLY CUZ DUDES COULD PRETTY MUCH DO STUFF THEY FELT LIKE DOING, LONG AS IT HELPED WITH OUR GOAL. SO LETTING 'EM TO GO OUT ON THEIR OWN A BIT WORKED OUT FOR US."

Still with a clear smile on his face, Teseo continued.

"BUT, THOSE GUYS REALLY TRUSTED US LEADERS, AND THE BANISHED'S A WHOLE LOT BIGGER TOO. WE SHOULD PROLLY MAKE SURE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE SO THE OTHERS' OWN STRATS DON'T END UP THROWING THE GAME FOR THE TEAM. KINDA LIKE WHAT KYLE SAID. TRUST = BIG WIN."

He finally pointed a finger to Pavium. "MY M8'S DOWN FOR BUILDING MORE STUFF. MAYBE WE CAN GIVE THE OTHERS SOME CREATIVE LIBERTIES ON THAT SO THEY CAN BLOW OFF STEAM, RITE?"​

 

[Captain Cardboard]

Veers​

The General of the Blizzard Force looked from Kyle to Teseo, and shook his head. What Pavium spoke made sense, but Kyle and Teseo's responses showed a clear lack of military experience between the two hackers.
"The Banished already gives their allies an incredible amount of freedom to do as they wish. And so far, their wish has been to desert their responsibilities. They believe they have a reason to rebel, but it does not mean it a good one." Veers said, placing a hand on the table.

"Fear is a capable motivator. It is used skillfully where I am from, to keep systems in line. I have also seen it used just as skillfully to motivate troops." Veers said. Lord Vader had demonstrated that as much, with the final failure of the late Admiral Ozzel. It had shown to all the price of continued, deliberate failure to the Galactic Empire.
"Even so. A sense of duty is the strongest motivator of all." Veers said. "These renegade troops must be reminded of what they are fighting for. That they are contributing to something larger than just themselves."

"Fear. Duty. Material reward. And..." Veers nodded to Pavium. "Clear goals, objectives, and means to obtain them. These are the tools to satisfy these 'restless troops' as you call them."

Of course, had the Banished maintained order among their troops the way the Empire had, this situation would not have happened...

 

[comic]

CREST OF CEPHEUS​

—Day 495 Late Evening, High Council Chamber—​

Escharum listened to each counsel as it was given, attentive and patient for a brute. He waited until all had been given, and a pause followed the words of the leaders. “I spoke with Atriox of this very matter, shortly before he departed for Specter’s territory. Focus... Unity... Incentive... Even fear... he told me many similar words, and I am in agreement.

“So the solution becomes simple. As the Muspell encroach on our borders, we will mobilize the restless and the bloodthirsty to defend what is ours. And, if necessary, we will set them upon Muspell’s own borders to contain them. Yet that will not be enough. As the general said, there needs to be a reminder, and I believe an example is to be set. Failure within an army almost always comes from the top. If your soldiers are poor ones, then they have a poor leader.”

Escharum turned his gaze on Voridus. “I will travel to Grakken Province soon and decide what to do with Rubikis.”

“Finally,” Voridus peeled his lips back in a grin. “Some accountability!”

“A favor I would ask of you, old friend,” Escharum now looked toward Jega ‘Rdomnai. “Make your way to the Seal of Argus and find out why Jugger stopped receiving our transmissions.”

The silent shadow warrior bowed his head, his ebony armor seeming to shift for a moment before the elite turned invisible. His footsteps couldn’t even be heard as he left the room, setting out immediately on his mission.

The War Chief looked toward the others. “General Veers, you will assist Pavium. Advance on Chokepoint and find out what Grievous is up to—and if something should be done about it. Bri 'Filkom, you will investigate Kormariot, uncover Grief's motives. Merkulov, I need you to quell the grunts in Wynternal. They're easily radicalized and an uprising would be annoying. As for the Baeryn Peninsula... I will leave that decision to Atriox."

The holographic table turned off at Escharum’s command, the brute taking a step back from it. “This meeting is dismissed.”

Escharum turned his gaze toward Maripos at this, letting out a grunt to draw his attention. “There is one more thing, Maripos. I have a task for you.”

The War Chief gestured to the far side of the room, a non-verbal gesture for the bounty hunter to follow him as he stomped his way over.​

 

[Shen: King of Digimon]

Crest of Cepheus


Pavium hit his chest, bowing his head briefly in respect before turning to leave, motioning for his brother to leave alongside him. The meeting was over, and it seemed as though many things went both said yet others unsaid.

Maripos who seemed to be listening silently to the meeting with his hat pulled over his eyes was called by the eldest brute in the room. Pressing his thumb and sliding it alongside the rim of his hat, he exposed his eyes, smirking upon his call. His intrigue was tingling. Soundlessly stepping away from the chair as if weightless, he practically glided atop the floor, sweeping to the side of Escharum.

"Mmm. To what do I owe the pleasure~?"