Event synopsis: Path of Life
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This synopsis page is contributed by the community. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, some details may be omitted. For a full understanding of the plot, readers are encouraged to consult the original source.
| “ | The city of Milliarium breaks through the heavy siege, and seeks cooperation with the land on behalf of Aegir for the first time in history. The horde of the We Many empty their nest and migrate toward where the land and the sky ripple. The lost precursor returns to his former city, the lone hunter again sinks into the abyss, and the extinguished beacons are once more rekindled... The unprecedented super Waterway forms among the waves, connecting the ocean and the land-- Aegir and the Seaborn, which one of them can rush to the last path of life? | ” |
| —Unofficial translation by RobinYPW |
Taking place three months after the events of Stultifera Navis, Path of Life puts the spotlight on the undersea nation of Aegir for the first time, where the Inquisition receives an invitation from Milliarium, the nearest Aegirian settlement to the Iberian coastline, prompting Gladiia, Skadi, and Specter of the Abyssal Hunters to return to their homeland for the first time in years alongside Lumen, Irene, the Doctor, and Kal'tsit as escorts. However, Ulpianus suspects that the invitation could be a bait for some nefarious plot, and follows the group to ensure that they do not walk straight into a trap. From here, the story develops into revealing more about the Seaborn and how the Church of the Deep came to be, as well as everything about Aegir previously unknown to the rest of Terra.
Invitation from the Sea[edit]
One week ago, the reclusive underwater nation of Aegir suddenly contacted Iberia, announcing that Aegir would be establishing a "Waterway" that would connect Aegir's home territories to the land. In lieu of this, Kal'tsit arrives in Gran Faro to act as Iberia's official envoy, along with the Abyssal Hunters and the Doctor. The Inquisition then receives another message from Clementia, one of Aegir's Chief Designers of Warfare. Clementia cordially invites the Iberian envoys to visit the city of Milliarium in order to explain the Waterway Program in greater detail and clear up any doubts the group may have. Saint Carmen decides to send both Irene and Jordi to join Kal'tsit.[1]
After boarding the Aegirian vessels, the envoys soon arrive at Milliarium. The group is provided with briefing videos explaining what they may encounter in Aegir, yet Jordi and Irene can't help but marvel at how technologically advanced the city is. The two run into a scholar named Avitus, from the Institute of Prehistoric Studies. Jordi, interested in Aegirian history and hoping to trace his roots, follows Avitus to the Sophontheatrum, a public arena for hosting debates.[2] Meanwhile, the Doctor follows Skadi and Specter for a tour throughout the city. One of the notable things they see is a defunct beacon launcher containing nanomachines designed to create networks for interstellar travel.[3]
Gladiia meets with Consul Clementia to discuss the issues surrounding the Waterway Program and the Seaborn. Clementia explains that the Seaborn's evolution has been rapidly outpacing their weapon engineers' progress; the Seaborn are now even beginning to develop resistance to their Class III weapons. In order to eliminate the Seaborn once and for all, Milliarium has been developing Class IV weapons: biological weaponry designed to induce death in Seaborn nests. Once all the planted beacons successfully activate, they would be able to clear a "waterway" for Aegir's home territories. However, concerned by the recent changes in the Seaborn's behavior and the Hunters' sudden return, Clementia decides to hold a tribunal at the Sophontheatrum.[3]
At the tribunal, the scholars express their concerns over the physical mutations exhibited by the Abyssal Hunters, questioning if they will turn into Seaborn. A researcher named Blandus, former technical advisor of the Abyssal Hunter project, comes to their defense. He explains that the Hunters have an effective auto-immune response that helps to suppress the normally dominant Seaborn genes. Gladiia is also questioned regarding the possibility of multiple Firstborn, an idea first proposed by Ulpianus, who has since gone rogue. The tribunal concludes with the Hunters pronounced innocent and an arrest warrant for Ulpianus.[4]
Coincidence or Conspiracy?[edit]
Irene approaches Praefecta Secunda of the Sea Patrol about hearing about a missing persons case. A data scientist named Tullia disappeared the day before, and though it does not affect the Waterway Program, the timing of the incident is nonetheless suspicious.[3] Worried that the Church of the Deep could be involved, the two investigate Tullia’s house[5] and question two of her colleagues, Cassia and Lucilla.[6] Cassia suggests that Tullia may have had ulterior motives for wanting to join the Waterway Program, but besides that, they are unable to come up with anything conclusive. Theorizing that Tullia may have fallen off the city plates while they were moving, the two dive and trace the city’s route. They discover signs that the poor scientist may have run into Seaborn, bringing the case to an unfortunate dead end.[7]
Lucilla later re-approaches Secunda with new information about Tullia. After hearing about Tullia’s passion for cultivating seaweed, Secunda decides to conduct a search for locations suitable for enclosed hydroponics.[8] They find an illegally owned facility at the edge of the dome, which is more hospitable for growing seaweed. Inside, Irene and Secunda discover that Tullia has turned into a Seaborn. What little remains of her consciousness manages to tell them that someone has been tampering with the Waterway Program’s beacon signals, and that she had reported it to Cassia. Before she completely assimilates with We Many, Secunda grants her a merciful death.[9]
Around the same time, Specter and Gladiia are sent to aid Legion soldiers after receiving a distress signal, while Skadi stays behind to protect the Doctor. They head in the direction of Nest 37, a vital choke point that stands in the way of the Waterway’s completion. By the time they arrive, all other ships have been destroyed by the Seaborn except for one. The Hunters swiftly and easily dispatch the onslaught of Seaborn.[7] Of the one-thousand-plus men sent, only 26 survived. It is the highest number of casualties Milliarium has sustained on its journey. With such drastic losses, Clementia decides to send the Abyssal Hunters to the front lines. Before the operation, the Hunters are sent back to Blandus’s lab to undergo organic regeneration surgery.[8]
Meanwhile, the Doctor decides to assist Ulpianus after being approached by him during the Abyssal Hunters’ tribunal.[6] The Doctor helps to distract Blandus and secretly gives directions to Ulpianus as he infiltrates the laboratory.[10] Ulpianus manages to obtain evidence of someone tampering with the beacon system and the Class IV weapons. He begins to suspect Blandus and proceeds to break into Milliarium’s beacon tower, where he discovers Blandus waiting for him. Blandus admits that he has been working with the Church of the Deep and made a minor adjustment to the Class IV weapons that would affect the Seaborn's behavior. He believes that since violence has been futile, then they should attempt to control the Seaborn’s behavior by deleting their hostility towards humankind. Ulpianus does not agree with Blandus, condemning his arrogant actions before executing his former partner with his anchor.[11]
Symbiosis[edit]
Unaware of Blandus’s machinations, the Hunters continue their mission to infiltrate Nest 37. After successfully planting the beacon, the Hunters are about to leave when it suddenly activates. Instead of killing the Seaborn, it reinvigorates them, and they begin to propagate at an unprecedented rate. The Hunters, affected by the adjustments Blandus made during their surgery, struggle to fight back. The beacons also alert the Seaborn of Milliarium’s location; every Seaborn on the continental plate begins to rapidly approach the city and seep through its dome, covering the entire city in coral. The Waterway Program has just been turned into the city’s biggest threat.[12]
Consul Clementia attempts to evacuate the Doctor and Kal'tsit using a ship, but they're forced to abandon it when it starts to lose control. Using the artificial gravity system, the three manage to land safely in Milliarium’s Sophontheatrum, where they encounter a mysterious humanoid Seaborn. Clementia recognizes the Seaborn as Mártus, one of the most prominent historical figures in researching the Predecessors, who was presumed dead after a botched expedition.[13] Mártus reveals that in the Predecessor ruins he had discovered Ishar'mla and received visions of calamity from it. Mártus has been secretly aiding the Feranmut in guiding the evolution of We Many, believing that the Seaborn are Terra’s best hope at survival. Yet Kal'tsit and the Doctor rebuke the transformed man’s claims, stating his actions would reduce civilization to nothing but a "hollow concept".[14]
As the city is swarmed by Seaborn, Jordi can only watch in horror from the beacon tower. So many there are that even the color of the ocean has changed. Ulpianus states that there is only one way to solve this: by ejecting the beacon drawing the Seaborn in. Seeing as the beacon tower has a similar interface as the Eye of Iberia, Jordi begins to operate it, but the Church cultists have sabotaged the linkage. He seeks out Avitus, believing that he may have known about the problem beforehand, and rescues him from the approaching monsters. With his help, Jordi manages to re-establish connection to the beacon tower. With the terminal unlocked, Ulpianus detaches the tower from the city and sinks with it to the depths.[14]
Within the darkness of the ocean, Ulpianus sees a remarkable sight: the Seaborn have assimilated with the abandoned nanomachines in the tower and revived them. Blandus’s plan has partially worked, as it has caused the Seaborn to see the nanomachines as “kin,” providing them with huge amounts of bio-energy. Billions of nanomachines extend out from the tower and across the seas, connecting every beacon with each other. Sea Terror nests along the planned Waterway’s path form an unexpected network that covers the entire sea, re-establishing communications between Milliarium and their home territories, even reactivating the dormant Eye of Iberia lighthouses along the coastline.[15]
After the Tide Recedes[edit]
Cassia is arrested by Secunda for the murder of Tullia. Clementia soon receives a message from Consul Horatia of the Institute of Scientific Development Planning. Horatia boldly proclaims that she wants to use Milliarium as a port to connect to the terrestrial nations, allowing Aegir to aid in improving their technology and resolve their internal conflicts. However, Kal'tsit and Gladiia believe that Aegir does not yet have sufficient understanding of the nations and that much discussion will be needed.[16] Soon after, Aegir makes a global broadcast to the land nations to unite against the threat looming over Terra "under the leadership of Ægir." Combined with this broadcast is geographical data on the Foehn Hotlands and Infy Icefield, and images from "even further north of the continent."[17]
The Inquisition assists Milliarium in suppressing the Seaborn as they await reinforcements from home territories. The process will only take a week, as entire fleets and cities can speed through the newly-established nanomachine Waterway. The Abyssal Hunters are able to make it back safely due to an unexpected rescue from The Last Knight. While cleaning up the Seaborn in the city, Skadi encounters Mártus escorting his fellow kin. Mártus recognizes Skadi for having Ishar'mla's blood in her and ponders why He chose her. He deduces that she may have a significant role to play in the near future. Before departing, he declares to Skadi and the Doctor that they will meet again at "the endpoint of evolution."[16]
Ulpianus, who had sunk along the beacon tower, managed to survive and chase after Mártus. He follows after him into a Seaborn nest and questions how the Milliarium conflict is related to the awakening of the Firstborn. Mártus promises that he will provide Ulpianus with answers about everything, under the condition that he join We Many. Understanding that it could lead to his complete assimilation, Ulpianus decides to follow him.[17]