Volume 01: New Title Pending

Plot points/Scenes

High-Level Overview of Volume

• Act 1: Balthazar suffers the Realm Tear on Mars. Ragnir is dismissed from service to his Lord Uncle. Medraut suffers visions of Mordred and expels himself from his homeland. They will be trained on Obbairia for five years by the Round Table.
• Intermission 1:
• Act 2: Balthazar, Ragnir, and Medraut end up stranded on a pirate space station with the Blaq Sun pirates as they lay under siege from the Debt Collectors of the Interstellar Banking Tower Trade Federation.
• Intermission 2:
• Act 3: The Blaq Sun Pirates and the Squires crash on the planet Bannavǫllr, and aid young Unaduti El. Together, they slay the corrupted Kami of the planet and escape the dying planet to the Realm of Tears.
• Intermission 3:
• Act 4: Captured by the Tower in the Realm of Tears, the Squires are caught in a massive battle between five forces. The Lich from Bannavǫllr corrupts the Dragon of the Realm.
• Intermission 4:
• Act 5: The remaining Squires of the Chapter are knighted. Unaduti and his people find haven in an Imperial World.

Relations

Protagonists

• Bālthazar "Billy" Reyes Skyburner II | Billy The Hero:
• Medraut Kyōmori:
• Rāgnir Dünhaupt:

Allies

• Unaduti El:
• Talutah El:
• Lucas Hayashida Mavrides:
• Melpomeni es-Harkeness:
• Yisu Qatun Torganiin:
• Drindried “Basq” Nagut:
• Falcó Llucià Holmes | Prisoner of the IBT Trade Federation: Known as Falcó the Immortal, this gunslinger is of the line of Judas Iscariot. He makes money as a Rōnin, selling his skill to make a living. His debts with the Tower Bank have finally caught up to him and he will settle his debt with immortal life.

Neutrals/Bystanders

• Riona the Radiant:

Competitors

• Melanie "Melly" Henninger:
• Dokuohtei Lyncoot:
• Andreas El-Cornog:
• Guiying Ishtaar-Cervus:

Adversaries

• Sir Stennis, the Many-Handed One:
• Des, Ies, and Pes, the Sovereign Judge:
• Minerva the Skyborne:
• Ysaeg the Great Devouring One:
• Kagami, Speaker of Yig:
• Cri'djen:

Backdrops

Locations

• Planet Mars, Martian System, the Milkyway Galaxy, the Miðgarðr Realm, Mortal Multiverse: The planet Mars is the capital of the Martian Star system in the Milkyway Galaxy in The Outer Worlds.
• Planet Obbairia, the Iria System, the Milkyway Galaxy, the Miðgarðr Realm, Mortal Multiverse: Obbairia is a planet within the Irian star system in the Milkyway Galaxy. It is under the authority of the Iron-Horned Knights, the 17th Division of the Arthurian Knights, and serves as a popular location where Squires are trained for the 17th Division.

Past Events

The Desolation

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The Fall of Planet Bannavǫllr

The fall of the planet Bannavǫllr did not begin with war, but rather corruption. The Kami of Bannavǫllr was Riona the Radiant and was the figurehead of the planetary faith, the Church of the Rising Star. Riona was attended by the Head of the Faithful Union, Lucas Hayashida Mavrides, a learned man of great devotion to his world and his people. However, the curiosity of Lucas would lead him to ancient magic and dark science that was an affront to Order itself; Khaos. Lucas was taken with it and was convinced that honing the power of Khaos was the only way to protect his world and his beloved Kami from the Desolation.

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This obsession led Lucas to commune with the Temple of Khaos, with Speaker of Yig, Kagami, and her sect, the Cult of Cri'djen. It was through Lucas that Speaker Kagami brought the orbital moon superstructure Bearut to Bannavǫllr. Bearut was a Prayer World and the Cult's Seat of Power and housed the remaining power of Khaos Champion Cri'djen after his death an age ago. And with Bearut came the corruption of Bannavǫllr and by extension, the corruption of Riona the Radiant. The world was consumed by the Speaker and her forces as they began the process of turning the Bannavǫllr Yggtree into a Khaos Vessel-bearing tree. Bannavǫllrians not converted into Khaos Daemons or shipped to Bearut to become Praise-Singers were filled with Khaos Energy and turned into Seedbeds, their bodies and blood soaking the roots of the Yggtree, bringing its corruption even deeper. Riona was embedded within the heart of the structure, her divine flesh allowing for the creation of new beings capable of bearing the power of Cri'djen. And finally, at the crown of the Yggtree Speaker Kagami had another superstructure built, the Sky Temple, where new Khaos Vessel fruit would be born, plucked from the now desecrated branches, and nurtured to maturity.

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A Khaos Vessel is a being capable of containing the raw Khaos power of Cri'djen, allowing him to once again manifest in real space using the power of the Bannavǫllr Yggtree. His cult has done this several times before and squeezed entire planets until nothing but dust remains. They have perfected the process and are closer than they ever have been to bearing a Vessel fit for Cri'djen. In all of this madness, was Lucas the betrayer, the defiller, the Judas. Lucas was granted Khaos Magic for his role in the plot by Speaker Kagami and was instrumental in defeating the three mythical Kami Knights and the subjugation of his people. He converted the Church of the Rising Star into the Temple of Khaos and created the Faithful, noting more than fanatics who obeyed the Speaker now as well. Khaos' hold over him would eventually be eroded by time as his senses returned to him but his power and his body further degraded. He attempted to oppose the Speaker but was mortally wounded in a Faithful civil war, led by the new Head of the Faithful, Melpomeni es-Harkeness, appointed directly by Kagami herself. Lucas and his the rebellion was snuffed out and those who survived were sent to Bearut.

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Talutah El was a member of the Faithful selected to be a Silent Maiden, given a potential Khaos Vessel to care for until maturity. Talutah was experienced at this, having raised 7 prior failed Vessels to maturity, just like her mother before her. But, to Talutah, the weight of seven failed vessels was the death of seven children she had raised as her own and the weight began to crush her. She was given another, a boy this time, which showed great promise in the eyes of the Speaker, whom Talutah named Unaduti El, naming the Vessel. When the Speaker sent for Unaduti, Talutah rebelled, attempting to escape with her son, but she was captured and elected to be fed to the roots of the Yggtree as a khaos seedbed. Unaduti also escaped before his death with the aid of Old Man Lucas, still alive so many years later.

The Realm of Tears and the Blaq Sun Raid on the Tower Bank

The Realm of Tears is a plane within the Mortal Multiverse under the authority of Ysaeg the Great Devouring One (a Koi Dragon), Lord of the Realm of Tears, Master of the Tower, and Slayer of God-Eaters. The Realm of Tears is a massive treasury where Ysaeg hoards his immense wealth, so much so that mountains and valleys of precious valuables stack high. And under it Ysaeg slumbers. Of his many tributes received from all across creation, were a great many slaves and bound peoples who created a life and a society for themselves within his realm. It was these people who would become stewards of his great wealth and create the Interstellar Banking Tower, a bank that holds significant power and authority across the entire cosmos.

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At its core, the Tower operates as a repository for the immense wealth hoarded by Ysaeg, the Great Devouring One. Mountains of precious gems, rare artifacts, and cosmic currencies form the backbone of its assets. Yet, beyond mere physical riches, the Tower harnesses the power of arcane magic and advanced technologies to manage, invest, and safeguard these resources. The banking functions within the Tower are overseen by an elite cadre of scholars, sorcerers, and financial experts known as the Custodians, led by the Master of the Count. Clients from across the Mortal Multiverse flock to the Tower seeking its services, which range from simple currency exchange to complex investment portfolios spanning galaxies. Using a combination of traditional banking methods and otherworldly enchantments, the Tower facilitates secure transactions, loans, and asset management tailored to the unique needs of each client. Moreover, the Tower's influence extends far beyond mere financial transactions. As a nexus of power within the Mortal Multiverse, it wields considerable sway over political alliances, economic policies, and even cosmic destinies. Those who control the wealth of the Tower hold the keys to vast opportunities and unfathomable power.

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The Tower Bank is one of the most powerful organizations in the Mortal Multiverse, with the economy of entire Realms and Galaxies controlled by the accountants of its mega-complex facilities. With every transaction, Ysaeg grows in wealth and influence all while he slumbers, the other arm of their success being the Debt Collectors. The Debt Collector Agencies (DCAs) employed by the Interstellar Banking Tower are a formidable force, known for their ruthless efficiency and unwavering dedication to the Tower's motto: "COLLECT ALL DEBTS. SETTLE ALL ACCOUNTS." These agencies operate as well-armed and well-supplied paramilitary forces, equipped with legions of soldiers and fleets of starships. Trained in combat tactics and negotiation skills, DCAs are tasked with tracking down debtors across the Mortal Multiverse, regardless of the obstacles they may face. From remote planets to bustling metropolises, no corner of the cosmos is beyond their reach. When faced with resistant debtors, DCAs employ a range of tactics, from persuasive diplomacy to forceful coercion. They have the authority to seize assets, liquidate clients, and even resort to military action if necessary, ensuring that all debts owed to the Tower are collected promptly and efficiently. With their formidable presence and unwavering determination, the Debt Collector Agencies are the enforcers of the Tower's financial supremacy, ensuring that no debtor escapes their reach.

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The Custodians are the higher executive leadership of the Realm, and they sit on the Small Council of the leader of the Tower Bank, the Master of the Count. The current master of the count is Melanie "Melly" Henninger, and her authority has been called into question by one of the Custodians, Dokuohtei Lyncoot, who seeks to be the Master of the Count. Lyncoot plots to vote Melly out but first must create a situation that will allow him to do so. To this end, he sends his sons, Andreas El-Cornog and Guiying Ishtaar-Cervus, to hire a third party to raid the Tower under Melly's new security directives, embarrass her in front of the Small Council, and vote her out. Andreas finds the Blaq Sun Pirates (“Our Banners Mean Death”), a band of pirates, marauders, raiders, and sellswords under the command of Yisu Qatun Torganiin, an exiled prince who was EXCOMMUNICATED from his own galaxy. Andreas pays Yisu Qatun a Small Fortune and several Military Grade Starships - MIL (purchased by the Mydland Capital Management Group, a Debt Collections Agency owned and operated by Andreas El-Cornog and Guiying Ishtaar-Cervus). The Blaq Sun were given resources and information on how to infiltrate the Realm, exploit Melly's new security system, and cause mayhem. Andreas and his folks would disable some defense systems and create an ideal environment for the raid. The plan was well put together, except for the biggest flaw, which was to trust pirates.

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Yisu Qatun was paid handsomely (a more than fair price for his services) to infiltrate the Realm of Tears and cause some mischief and then, well noting. Andreas assured him of an escape route once he was inside the Realm but Yisu Qatun anticipated Andreas turning to eliminate them once they had served their purpose (the Mydland company was going to do just this). Once inside the Realm, Yisu Qatun and his pirates raided one of the bank's vaults, the first successful raid in 700 years, on Melly's watch. With this change of plans, Lyncoot had Andreas allow the pirates to escape, to further humiliate Melly and create an opportunity for himself. He went before the Small Council to humiliate Melly and dispatched Mydland Collections to correct her mistake. Melly, well aware of the plot, commands Patri-LEX Collections (a DCA operated by Roliand-92, a close comrade of hers) to retrieve the stolen assets, shatter the pirates but bring back their leader alive to testify before the Small Council to damn Lyncoot. The pirates escape to a medical space station, Shepherd Colony 04, which has been taken by the desolation, isolating the people and pirates.

A Brief History: On the State of the Iron-Horned Knights, the 17th Division of the Arthurian Knights

Regarding the current state of the 17th Division.

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Parent Plot

The Legend of Bālthazar Series Plot

Related Characters

• Billy The Hero
• King Medraut of Old Libyē
• The 5th Wonder of Mars