Dark Preparations was an event that took place during August 2011. In this event, the Marauders made preparations to once again invade the New Lands, and the players were tasked with stopping them. (Or, if they so chose to, aiding them.)
Having failed to conquer the New Lands several times already, the Marauders' plan this time was to arm local rebel factions to fight for them. To this end, they sent an escorted caravan of weapons to each of the 4 nations that the rebels would use to attack with. The actual attacks took place in the next Event:Ultimate Provocation.
Contents
Part 1: The meeting
The event started with a Zoraï informant warning homins of the Marauders' plans. This Zoraï informant was a defected member of a rebel Zoraï faction known as the Syndicate of Despair[1], one of the rebel faction that was going to have a secret meeting with the Marauders[2].
- Sunday, 14 August, 2011.
Disguised players attended this secret meeting in the Prime Roots, and learned there that caravans loaded with Marauder weapons would make their way into the New Lands. After receiving these caravans, the rebel factions would then prepare their assaults on the respective nations. Rewards were promised to those who helped escort the caravans.
Part 2: The caravans
The Zoraï informant warned the players of the approximate times that each caravan would arrive[3], but could not tell the exact time or destination or the route they would take. Thus players had no choice but to guard and scout as many places as possible and hope they would catch the caravans in time.
First caravan
- Friday, 19 August, 2011.
- To Syndicate of Despair, Witherings
The first caravan was spotted just as it entered Void through the tunnel from Wastelands. It is engaged and destroyed as it reaches Lost Valley Stronghold, but this turned out to be too late, as the packers with the weapons escaped during the battle and reached their destination.
Second caravan
- Sunday, 21 August, 2011.
- To Cynics of Liberty, Aeden Aqueous
Better knowing what to expect this time, and with fewer routes to watch, scouts already spotted the second caravan deep in Trench of Trials. This allowed assault parties to harass the caravan in the Prime Roots and weaken it before it could reach the tunnel to Bounty Beaches. Upon exiting the tunnel, what was left of the caravan was immediately destroyed by the defenders that laid in waiting. The contents of the caravan is captured and distributed amongst the victors.
Third caravan
- Friday, 26 August, 2011.
- To Coalition of Flames, Burning Desert
Despite people guarding the portals from the Prime Roots to the desert, the third caravan reaches it's destination without ever being spotted. Rumours abounded that it exited the Prime Roots at Knoll of Dissent and travelled to the desert through Hidden Source, with the approval of the Matis.
Fourth caravan
- Sunday, 28 August, 2011.
- To Council of Dissent, Verdant Heights
The fourth caravan is already spotted deep in Wastelands, and is trailed by scouts as it travels through Nexus and Abyss of Ichor. Due to the extraordinary speed with which this caravan travels, defenders decide not to attempt to intercept it en route but to set up a defensive line at to north end of Abyss of Ichor. The caravan fails to breach this line and is destroyed before ever setting foot in the forests. The contents of the caravan is once again captured and distributed amongst the victors.
Outcome
Three of the four caravans were destroyed, though only two in time to stop them from delivering their cargo. The Marauder Lackeys in charge of the caravans were killed in all three cases, as were all the Marauders escorting the caravans. The two caravans that were captured obtained quantities of a perfect generic raw material, with literally perfect attributes for crafting with.
This Event continued in Event:Ultimate Provocation.