Chapter Summaries

Ashina fought at Blackflame Pass while her mother, Mrs. Judy, joined the game hoping to reunite with her. Murphy sent Judy and twenty-nine other newcomers to Courage Keep during the gnoll assault, where Judy discovered that Transia was not the peaceful place Ashina had described.

• Ashina felt an unexplained sense of foreboding as the Silvermoon Troupe fought kobolds, and Lady Dorothy reported that gnolls had emerged from the tunnels at Position One.
• Mrs. Judy received a game helmet, entered True Otherworld, and asked Murphy to place her near Ashina.
• Murphy recommended that Judy create a half-elf gunslinger named Cowgirl Judy and arranged for her to spawn at Courage Keep with twenty-nine other newcomers.
• Cowgirl Judy met Terra Nova and Ruyi Knows My Heart as the other newcomers hurried out to face the battle.
• Judy took a hunting rifle and followed the players outside, where she saw gnolls assaulting Courage Keep and realized Ashina had misrepresented Transia as peaceful.

Players at Blackflame Pass organized a rescue mission after gnolls besieged Fortitude, where 30 newly spawned players were trapped. As reinforcements headed out, Madam Judy treated a wounded halfling assassin at the fort, who screamed because she operated without giving him anesthetic.

• A random mission revealed that thousands of gnolls were attacking Fortitude and 30 level-one players, including Cowboy Judy, were trapped there.
• Lord Qin gathered troops to rescue his recruits, while Lady Shui coordinated support from other teams and sought winged cavalry.
• Little Ashina learned that her mother, Madam Judy, was trapped at Fortitude and flew there with Sister Pomegranate; other players also set out to reinforce the fort.
• At Fortitude, Madam Judy removed an arrowhead from a wounded halfling assassin while Yu Xiaohe and The Chief Says I'm Handsome restrained him, and he screamed that she had not given him anesthetic.

As gnolls and kobolds breached Fort Valor, the trapped newcomers helped defend the fort until Mrs. Judy fought off attackers and killed a gnoll warlord. Little Ashina and Sister Pomegranate arrived with reinforcements, turning the battle and reassuring the exhausted defenders.

• Earth priests collapsed the kobolds’ tunnels, while Fort Valor’s soldiers and the players used bombs and firearms to hold off the attackers.
• Mrs. Judy treated wounded soldiers, then killed two kobolds and a gnoll that broke into the storeroom.
• The players and dwarf riflemen repelled another attack, but armored wyverns brought gnoll raiders to the watchtower to destroy its crimson flag.
• Sister Pomegranate ambushed the gnoll warlord beneath the flag, and Little Ashina knocked it from the tower.
• Mrs. Judy shot the fallen warlord dead, then reunited with Little Ashina as winged reinforcements arrived and drove back the gnolls and kobolds.

After the battles at Blackflame Pass and Fort Valor ended, Transian plans to fortify Fort Valor drew the attention and blessing of Gaia. The chapter ended with the followers of Vam and Su contesting the new holy site, prompting Master Yuri to call for reinforcements.

• Murphy helped the Transians retake Positions Two and Three at Blackflame Pass, but the Splitclaw gnolls held Position One behind a supernatural ward, and Lord Heather vowed to reclaim it.
• At Fort Valor, Cowboy Judy killed the invasion commander, and Knight Valand and Happy Stick led the defenders to rout the remaining gnolls and kobolds.
• Samoyelia presented plans to turn Fort Valor into a pentagonal bastion, and an Earth Priest traveled to Shadowvale to verify his claim that Gaia was granting blessings there.
• Gaia delivered an oracle to the Earth Priest, directing the dwarves to aid Fort Valor's construction and prepare for a closer connection between gods and mortals.
• After a Ravager priest fought Master Yuri on the road to Fort Valor, Master Yuri told Mia to summon a unit of Winterfang ascetics to defend Su's holy site.

Murphy hunted down a Cleaving Claw silver warlord to advance his Silver Trial, using his companions and powers to defeat the gnoll squad. Afterward, Palanno reported that the Wise Wolf needed Murphy’s help with a new strategy involving the Plague Venom and Broken Tooth clans, and Murphy agreed to meet her the following night.

• Transian players took on the dangerous task of clearing kobold and gnoll tunnels in exchange for dwarf chainmail, guns, and ammunition.
• Lainnia recognized that Lord Murphy had arranged easy missions to improve her standing among the Bloodsworn clans, but knew she needed a genuine achievement to earn a jar of source blood.
• Murphy tracked a Cleaving Claw vanguard squad and killed its hunting priest with a shot from Night Luck before using his powers to eliminate several more gnolls.
• Murphy, George, Raveno, and Necessary Evil fought the remaining enemies, and Murphy defeated the silver warlord and consumed its blood essence for his Silver Trial.
• Palanno told Murphy that the Wise Wolf had reached the Plague Venom clan, which the Cleaving Claw clan was recruiting, and that it wanted to discuss a strategy that might also involve the Broken Tooth clan.
• Murphy agreed to meet Palanno the following night and warned her not to act rashly.

Lord Heather prepared to defend Blackflame Pass as the Rending Claw Clan isolated the region, while disputes over the Brass Dwarves’ priorities exposed deep divisions among the defenders. Murphy left his soldiers under Heather’s command and departed for the Dark Mountains to support Overlord Payn’s undertaking.

• A report told Lord Heather that the Rending Claw Clan had wiped out eight outposts and cut off Blackflame Pass from the surrounding region.
• Lord Heather concluded the assault was a diversion, then ordered Captain Dames to harass the gnolls and Colonel Kadel to prepare his gunners and Ironhearts for a counterattack.
• Colonel Kadel urged Heather to let Transia’s soldiers fight, but Heather exposed his unauthorized prospecting and ordered him to equip the Brass Dwarf soldiers within seven days.
• Murphy overheard Heather punch Kadel and reflected on whether brimstone profits had corrupted the Brass Dwarves and threatened Transia’s future.
• Murphy warned Heather that Kadel might resent her, left his soldiers under her command, gave her a computing orb, and departed for the Dark Mountains.

Murphy left Blackflame Pass with Adele, vampire nightwalkers, and Count Andre for a discreet operation, while Shadow Valley and Wolf Castle became busy training hubs. In Wolf Castle, Terranova met Neferetari, received a scarab egg, and began imagining how to breed it into a broodmother.

• Murphy departed Blackflame Pass with Adele, vampire nightwalkers, and Count Andre, leaving Vesta in temporary command of the remaining White Mountain fighters.
• Vilansel and General Maxim managed Shadow Valley as players gathered there, while Neferetari trained newcomers in spiritual energy and undead control at Wolf Castle.
• A-Feng demonstrated his Hand of Decay and Ghostfire Swarm to Neferetari, who praised his talent and urged him to keep practicing.
• Terranova arrived with Ruyi, Cowboy Judy, and Little Ashina, then overwhelmed Neferetari with questions about mummies and the Land of Origins.
• Neferetari gave Terranova a champion scarab egg in spiritual amber and explained scarab care, bonding, and the possibility of turning a dead beetle into a Dead Moon Scarab.
• Terranova asked whether she could raise her beetle into a broodmother, and A-Feng joked about her becoming the Blade Queen before she embraced the idea.

Terra Nova learned about the Sangha’s scarab traditions and decided to pursue scarab training, while Ruyi began studying computing orbs with Old Flywheel. Ruyi proposed joining forces to hack Chardo Port’s machines, leaving Old Flywheel intrigued but alarmed by her ambition.

• Nephthys explained the Sangha’s many scarab lineages and told Terra Nova that becoming a scarab trainer would require studying with masters in the Land of Origin.
• Terra Nova decided to pursue scarab training, and Little Ashina told her that Ruyi had gone to Scarlet Castle to study engineering.
• Ruyi demonstrated how she could reset a computing orb’s data, prompting Old Flywheel to test her and discuss the principles of steam engineering.
• Ruyi told Old Flywheel she wanted to learn how to exploit vulnerabilities in computing orbs rather than build them.
• Ruyi proposed creating viruses to disable or seize control of Chardo Port’s machinery and invited Old Flywheel to become her hacking partner.
• Old Flywheel admitted the idea was brilliant but warned Ruyi that her plan was extreme.

Ruyi began studying psionics so she could develop data viruses, while Lady Judy entered the game and set out to explore despite Little Weiming’s worries. Meanwhile, Murphy’s force reached the Dark Mountains, where he ordered a series of night raids against gnoll forces to strengthen Hogg’s standing.

• Old Flywheel gave Ruyi his psionic difference engine research and told her to master psionics before pursuing her programming plans.
• Lady Judy rejected Little Weiming’s offer to join her group and persuaded her daughter to fly her toward Blackflame Pass for an adventure.
• Murphy traveled through the Dark Mountains with Bonnie and Adele while Bonnie slaughtered the bandits and sickle-clawed beasts that ambushed them.
• Adele reported that two gnoll armies were nearby and that their route passed through a clan allied with the Rending Claw Clan.
• Murphy ordered Adele and Bonnie to attack the two gnoll columns while he went to wipe out the clan ahead, sparing female gnolls and cubs but killing every adult male.

Murphy joined Hogg to deal with the Plague Clan’s fractured leadership and the undead army hidden beneath its valley. After learning that Dusk had infiltrated the clan and that a Clawsplit envoy was on the way, Murphy assigned Palanno to handle the envoy and took on the Dusk agent as the Plague warlocks began fighting to choose their new chieftain.

• Murphy defeated the gnoll warriors in a small clan’s camp, spared its females and pups, and flew with Adele toward the Plague Clan’s territory.
• Palanno told Murphy that Flesh-Ripper’s death had sparked a power struggle in the Plague Clan, which was worsened by a secret undead army beneath its valley.
• Hogg asked Murphy to help secure the valley and its skeleton army, explaining that the army could aid the Wise Wolf faction and benefit Transia.
• Hogg and Flesh-Ripper revealed that a servant of Dusk had infiltrated the valley and backed Flesh-Ripper’s seventh disciple in a purge.
• Murphy sent Adele and Bonnie to scout, assigned Palanno to deal with the approaching Clawsplit envoy, and prepared to confront Dusk’s agent.
• Flesh-Ripper declared that one of the seven exiled warlocks should become the new chieftain, and the warlocks immediately began fighting among themselves.

Adele discovered that Splitclaw messengers were heading to the Plague Clan and ordered an ambush before they could trigger a wider conflict. Murphy approved her decision as he traveled with Meat-Ripper toward a Twilight Walker, but the chapter left the confrontation still ahead.

• Adele watched Andrei and his assassins enter Plague Valley while Bonnie warned her not to interfere with Archduchess Triss's recovery.
• Adele spotted Splitclaw messengers approaching under Plague Clan guidance and decided to kill them before they reached the valley.
• Adele persuaded Bonnie to lead the clan leader's guards in an ambush, then reported the situation to Murphy and gathered Dana and Dorothy.
• Murphy told Adele that Palanno was on his way and ordered her not to let the messengers enter Plague Valley.
• Murphy avoided a voodoo trap with Meat-Ripper's help and argued that Hogg's alliance with him was a noble mission before asking to meet a Twilight Walker.

Adele and Bonnie’s ambush against the Splitclaw emissary succeeded, and Palanno arrived to finish the battle and take the emissary’s head to Plague Valley. Murphy attacked a Twilight hideout with a white-phosphorus shell, then used Time Exile to turn one of the undead into a living Nord Sword Saint, who revealed the location of the legendary sword Wolfblood.

• Adele and Bonnie’s forces killed the Splitclaw Silver Voodoo Priest, but Frostfang Claw and five Shadow Intelligence Bureau subordinates died, while Adele and other vampires were wounded.
• Palanno charged through the remaining gnolls, gave E-Sis a crystal vial, and ordered the vampires to bring the emissary’s head and battle standard to Plague Valley.
• Murphy fired a white-phosphorus shell into the Twilight servants’ house, burning Assistant Barista Damon Jude Law Deathfang and provoking him to summon five Silver undead.
• Murphy used Time Exile on a female undead, restoring her to life as Irina Mishinbayeva, who identified herself as a Winterwolf Legion scout and revealed that Hugson held the legendary sword Wolfblood.
• Irina attacked Jude Law and destroyed his wings while Murphy sent the other four undead through astral rifts to Mannis, intending to give them to Nefertari as an honor guard.

Murphy defeated Jude Law after Jude transformed with Warp power, freed Irina from the Netherworld curse, and absorbed Jude’s purified vampire heart. The new Blood Essence granted Murphy three powers but also left him with Jude’s memories and weakened mental resistance.

• Irina broke her own limbs before returning to her undead body, while Murphy shattered Jude Law’s ice coffin with repeated strikes.
• Jude summoned the Warp’s shadows and transformed, but Murphy used Omega purification energy to destroy the Warp filth and kill him.
• Murphy purified Jude’s remains, recovered the barista’s heart, and learned that Jude’s death had freed Irina from the Netherworld curse.
• Murphy absorbed Jude’s Blood Essence and gained Undead Command, Hand of the Netherworld, and Army of the Dead, along with a harmful Memory Resonance status.
• Murphy tested his new control over the undead by making four of them dance, then accepted the Blood Essence as a gift from Luna.

Murphy gained Crimson Storm, helped Hogg take control of the Plaguebane Clan, and learned how Plaguebane Valley became a haven for the undead. Hogg then revealed that the Broken Fang Clan guarded the gnolls’ civilization hall and that he and Murphy would have to go there.

• Murphy unlocked Crimson Storm and reached Proficient compatibility with Crimson Arcana after using the powers repeatedly.
• Adele and Palanno brought back the Rending Claw emissary’s head and battle flag, helping Hogg’s followers seize the Plaguebane Clan and secure its surrender to Nefertari.
• Murphy checked on Adele, shared intelligence about the Deadfang Clan, and gave Andre a rare coffee grinder as a gift.
• Flesh Ripper explained that Crippled Claw’s experiment had drawn the Underworld’s attention and transformed Plaguebane Valley into a breeding ground for undead.
• Murphy proposed opening the valley to his warriors and renaming it Soulstealer Valley.
• Hogg told Murphy that the Broken Fang Clan guarded the gnolls’ civilization hall and that they would both have to go there.

Murphy and Hogg planned a search for the Gnoll Civilization Hall and a campaign to win over the Blackeye Clan, while arranging for foreign warriors to join them. Hogg then warned Murphy that Brass Fortress had an unsettling influence, and Murphy left for Blackflame Pass.

• Hogg revealed that Fierce had hidden the Gnoll Civilization Hall near Skeleton Canyon and misdirected seekers toward Mossy Valley.
• Hogg planned to travel to the Civilization Hall, while Murphy suggested making contact with the Blackeye Clan and recruiting Popok and other young gnolls.
• Murphy and Hogg decided to establish a birthplace in Blackeye territory for foreign warriors, with Hogg proposing a new clan called the Bonechewer Descendants.
• Murphy gave Hogg a blood crystal to contact Lady Shani for assassins, then prepared to return to Blackflame Pass.
• Hogg warned Murphy that Brass Fortress seemed unnaturally loud and chaotic, and advised him to stay away from it.

Murphy left the Blight Valley as players discovered that dying in a mass battle could earn enough honor to outfit new recruits. After Unfallen Pride proved the exploit worked, Uncle Qin and Happy Bro prepared to turn the swelling ranks of eager newbies into a huge assault force at Blackflame Pass.

• Murphy returned toward Blackflame Pass with Adele, Bonnie, and their subordinates while Count White Mountain stayed behind to mediate talks between Hogg and Lady Shani.
• YouKnowMyHeart posted a theory that groups of new players could earn large amounts of honor by fighting and dying together, then Unfallen Pride tested it with fifty-five recruits in Tunnel Seventeen.
• Chenlong and the other recruits were wiped out after killing more than four hundred gnolls and kobold vanguards, and three days later they retrieved their battle results.
• Chenlong discovered he had earned 490 honor, and even the lowest-scoring recruits had gained at least 400 points, confirming YouKnowMyHeart's theory.
• Newbies rushed to Shadow Valley to exploit the honor rewards, and Uncle Qin and Happy Bro decided to form a super-army and attack the largest gnoll position outside Blackflame Pass.

Old Qin secured Lady Heather’s approval and artillery support for a Transian assault on the gnoll vanguard, then Old Soldier of the Qing Dynasty persuaded the Plantagenet officers to join the operation. As the rookie force prepared to march, Mekel decided to fight alongside the Transians.

• Lady Heather objected to Old Qin’s plan to attack the gnoll vanguard with only 2,200 soldiers, but approved it and promised heavy weapons and ammunition if the Transians supplied 300 trained artillerymen.
• Old Soldier of the Qing Dynasty presented the plan to Colonel Fraser and Major Ron, taunted them for hesitating, and left them to decide whether to send support.
• Fraser ordered Ron to summon at least 3,500 men from the Cato camp to the front through the Filthy Swamp, and resolved to lead them himself.
• Players and Transian soldiers gathered in Shadow Valley, where more than 1,600 rookies received explosives, ammunition, Molotov cocktails, curses, and Victory Liquor for the assault.
• Lisa questioned the rookies’ excitement about a dangerous mission, while Mekel praised their resolve and decided to fight like a Transian.

Commander Qin led the players and Goldenbough forces in an attack on a gnoll forward position, using artillery suppression to cover a suicidal assault by new players. Jade Wheat breached the defenses and detonated his explosives among the gnolls, leaving the attack underway.

• Commander Qin organized the players into coordinated units, while Happy Rod, Taipal, and the other commanders assigned roles for the assault.
• Master Broken Blade delivered brass bugles, and Commander Qin sounded the charge call as the army prepared to depart.
• The players defeated a thousand gnoll ambushers, then continued their forced march toward the gnoll forward position.
• Colonel Fraser’s Goldenbough artillery began a suppressive barrage, allowing Chenlong and the first wave of new players to charge uphill.
• Jade Wheat took Chenlong’s dropped explosives, reached the gnoll defenses, and detonated his contract curse amid the enemy.

Transian players broke through the Rending Claw Clan’s outer position with explosive suicide attacks, while Qin organized the next stage of the assault. Stick was ordered to hold the battlefield against incoming reinforcements and prepared to charge with Taipal’s knights.

• The first wave of newbie suicide squads blasted open the gnolls’ outer defenses, and veteran players secured the breach.
• Yuan led a second wave of newbies into battle, where Chief Says I'm Handsome and the others used explosives, fire, and detonation curses to devastate the gnolls.
• The gnoll commander arrived by wyvern, but stacked corrosive storms killed two elite guards before Biki confronted the commander.
• Qin learned that reinforcements were coming from five nearby outposts and appointed Happy Stick acting commander of the outer battlefield.
• Stick ordered the winged cavalry to charge the approaching reinforcements, and Taipal agreed to lead his knights alongside them.

Old Qin and the Transian players fought to break through the gnolls’ second defensive line so Maxim and the People’s Army could attack the Cleaverclaw Overwarlord. The line finally fell, and Maxim and Lainnia charged toward the command tent as the battle shifted into the gnoll stronghold.

• The Cleaverclaw Overwarlord ordered the gnolls’ second line to charge, halting the players’ attack despite Colonel Fraser’s artillery fire.
• Old Qin ordered successive waves of rookies to use staggered suicide charges while Maxim prepared the People’s Army to strike the enemy commander.
• Maxim told Lainnia they might die in the assault and asked her to destroy the battle standard and take the Overwarlord’s head.
• The rookies’ coordinated explosions broke through the second line, while Knight Liwen summoned the Star Realm Dragon’s power to protect allies and burn the gnolls.
• Maxim descended into the breach and drove back the gnolls as Lainnia raced toward the Cleaverclaw Overwarlord’s command tent.
• The People’s Army charged into the gnoll position, and Old Qin led the players into the melee as Colonel Fraser’s artillerymen joined the fight on foot.