The Exodus

Lance advanced towards the tables, surveying his surroundings before settling upon a choice that seemed almost instinctive. He reached for a towering shield, its dimensions nearly three-fourths the size of his own body. With untrained precision, he positioned the shield before him, assuming a crooked blocking pose.

[Would you like to choose the 'Tank' as your primary archetype? This cannot be changed!]

[Yes] [No]

In Verra Lance played a Knight, which was a multiclass of the Tank and Fighter archetypes, so it was almost obvious that he was going to go for a class that he understood almost as much as his own body

[Yes]

Upon pressing the button, a mesmerizing transformation ensued as the tables and weapons seamlessly melded and morphed into the majestic, fiery form of a phoenix. This ethereal creature hovered gracefully, its intense gaze fixed upon Lance's corporeal presence, as if in silent observation.

"CAW" The Phoenix made an ear-piercing screech as it gracefully descended towards the ground, towering over Lance's body.

And then, it started to speak.

"In the tapestry of Verra's genesis, where the canvas was void and the echo of monsters reverberated, the Ten emerged. Born from the primordial nothingness, they embarked upon a celestial odyssey, traversing the emptiness to discover 'The Essence.' Within the confines of this mighty power, they forged the first realms of our world: the Celestial Plane, the dwelling of gods; the Ethereal Plane, the realm of elementals; and the Material Plane, harboring the magical tapestry of Verra.

To govern this nascent land, they sculpted their first progeny, 'The Ancients.' Endowing them with formidable resistance to magic and boundless intelligence, the Ancients, in turn, crafted other entities—Dragons, Behemoths, Giants, Cyclops—each entity bearing a diminishing connection to the essence.

Yet, the Ancients harbored aspirations beyond their creation. Convinced of their right to stand alongside gods, they seduced three of the Ten into revealing the dual powers of the essence—both benevolent and malevolent. This act birthed a rebellion in the Celestial Plane, where chaos unfolded as the Ancients sought to claim their perceived rightful place among the divine.

Alas, the Ancients' ambition surpassed their strength. The Seven, remaining resolute in their judgment, banished the Ancients and their misguided allies back to the void. In exile, the Ancients were condemned to battle amongst themselves and the lingering monsters.

Learning from this fateful mistake, the Seven forged four races—the Aela, the Pyria, the Kaivek, and the Dün. These races, devoid of direct power, were bestowed with the capacity to grow and learn. Harmony persisted for eons until the insatiable greed of King Atrax, the Grand Wizard of the Toren Empire, inadvertently unveiled the location of Verra to the Ancients.

Envious and spiteful, the Ancients, witnessing the races flourishing on Verra, unleashed the Harbingers—massive orbs of ice, dust, and corruption. The Seven, in a desperate bid to save their creations, activated the divine gateways. These ancient portals transported the four races to Sanctus, a non-magical world, where they awaited the day to reclaim their ancestral homeland.

After millennia of striving, the cities and progeny of the four races have rekindled the divine gateways. Their fervent desire is to reassert dominion over the realm of their forebears, as the echoes of Verra beckon them to return." 

As the epilogue of its tale unfolded, the Phoenix shattered into billowing smoke and swirling ash, a dance of ethereal particles that enveloped and trembled around Lance. An intricate masquerade unfolded, concealing him within its ephemeral embrace until the ephemeral spectacle coalesced into the awe-inspiring shape of a colossal portal forged from flames. A resonant voice echoed through the fiery gateway, declaring, "It is time for your journey, my child."

________

As Lance ventured through the portal, he was met with a haunting tableau of a fractured and disintegrated Orkish civilization. Surveying the desolation, his gaze widened to take in the intricate mechanics of the divine gateway tethered to Sanctus. Scattered before this celestial conduit, a diverse assembly of Ren'Kai and Vek Players congregated, forming an eclectic gathering around a nomadic Orc trader. This merchant, dealing in fundamental necessities, stood amidst the intersection of two worlds, a solitary figure amid ancient ruins and cosmic machinery.

"Dang, there are a lot more people with early capsules than I would've assumed!" Lance exclaimed as he walked towards the gathering of players.

"Yo Wazzah, how you doing man!" A small Vek sang out towards Lance, "I see you're a tank, wanna party up with us? We wanted to level up a little bit before going out to find a good Military Node" The tiny Vek led him over to a group of 6 other people.

"Let me introduce our crew. I'm 'LordKay,' your friendly neighborhood Ranger." He bowed with a flourish, directing attention to a lean Ren'Kai nearby. "Meet 'Elize,' our Summoner extraordinaire." Elize offered a casual wave.

Pointing to a stout Ren'Kai, about half Lance's height, LordKay continued, "And this is 'PonkyMcBearMuncher,' or just Bear. He's also a Ranger." The Dwarf-like Orc flexed imaginary muscles with pride.

"Next up is 'Konnor,' our bard. Fun fact – he's a real-life musician." A skinny Vek with large teeth and horns shook Lance's hand. A bear-like bipedal creature, almost Lance's height, joined them. "Say hello to 'Nyxius,' our mage, and her brother, 'ATrain.' They have a sibling rivalry, so just let them be." As LordKay spoke, ATrain swung from Nyxius's horns with playful abandon, adding an amusing twist to the introductions.

LordKay ushered Lance to the final member, a petite Pyrai. "And here's our Cleric, 'Osiris.' He wasn't too keen on our Monster Motif, but he's the heart of our team." Lance bent down to meet Osiris's handshake, capping off the diverse and dynamic lineup of their 8-man party.