April 25, 2026

Hook

Beyond the Gray Fog XII (Finale)

Plot Synopsis

The party was transported directly to the Tree of Shadows by Shanks, conveniently where Temperance was waiting for the party. As the party conveniently enters into a doorway placed onto the tree, they lose sight of Temperance in a watery abyss. As they delve further, their footsteps begin to drag, sinking them into the depths below. The party eventually wakes up in a mysterious theater, spectated by the people’s desires. They are immediately confronted by Shanks, who in preparation with his intended performance, strings them up and performs mock combat. After a few rounds where the party seems to be restored back to their full strength, Zapahni is able to break the script by projecting his astral form. At that moment Temperance breaks through the ceiling in-guise of the Marionette to battle Shanks directly. The rest of the party falls through the floor, into a mysterious room. A giant hand throws in wooden puppets resembling figures drawn directly from the party's memories. After the party is able to easily dispatch the initial wave, the curtains close. The party is transported into a new scene, and given roles to act out. A tragedy where Bubbles decided to embrace the Abyssling hivemind in her desperate bid to survive. As the curtains re-open, they see the wooden puppet re-form and morph into a monstrous orca form. As it roars the entire scene shifts into a pitch-black thunderstorm on a boat, as Abysslings begin to rise out of the water. The party is able to beat back the overwhelming swarm with their regained strength. The curtains close once more and the party is transported to a scene between Sylva and her sister Myo. As they share a sentimental moment, the curtains open to a desolate landscape. Myo seemingly appears and begins attacking the party head-on. Though able to cut down and curse much of the party, eventually Sylva is able to melt away the snow with her fiery wings, bringing about a new spring. The scene finally shifts to a memory of Kali, facing the woman that slaughtered her colleagues. As the puppet reforms into a monstrous distortion of that woman, Kali is brought into a mental world. There a voice guides her through the events in her life. It reflects on her fall into violence and how she was eventually able to re-discover her inclinations as a ‘hero’. How events out of her control, led her back into the infinite cycle of violence. How she made the choice to leave her ‘home’, to self-exile herself in hopes of finally being able to escape and prove herself. How she failed and succeeded to live up to her ideals in the adventures she found herself on. Despite the failures she had accrued, she still held on to that hope. That no matter how foolish her inclination was, it was still a hope worth having. That if she could just protect one person, then she was making a positive difference. Thus she re-awakened her courage to protect, the power that had been the invincible shield of her colleagues. With this newfound power she easily dispatched the false imitation of her worst nightmare, shattering the arena into an empty void. Left behind was only Temperance and Shanks engaged in a final clash. The party launched a final wombo combo, stringing their attacks into one another, ending with J.I.M. destroying the realm in one fiery explosion. Dropped back into 4th Epoch Trier, Kali ended Shanks with one final Greater Split. With their mission complete, the party was transported back to their homes, though with a new power nestled within them.

Noteworthy Postgame Events