Beyond the Gates

Beyond the Gates is the first story arc of the Rediscovery Endeavor, spanning September to December 392 AC. It chronicles the opening of the Solstice Gate, the battle against The Kraken, and the reclamation of Caer Oorun—the first Asgarthan province recovered in over two centuries.

Overview

After centuries of isolation behind The Rampart, Asgartha finally launches its great expedition into Terra Incognita. The arc follows the Exalts and Expeditionary Corps as they confront the Kraken—the Leviathan that had devastated Caer Oorun and blocked westward expansion since ~146 AC.

Timeline

September 392 AC

• September 13th: The Solstice Gate opens for the first time since the exile of Ayxas, the Mad Kuningas
• Tocsin sounds his horn as Gulrang Oduro calls the Coalescence, connecting to all recruits she trained
• The Rediscovery Endeavor officially launches
• The Ouroboros, converted from the Kasirga Clan’s Sahanka into a military flagship, serves as mobile command
• The hunt for The Kraken begins across Caer Oorun

The Kraken Battle

• Admiral Temera Singh uses The Ouroboros itself as bait, racing over churning waves while pursued by the Leviathan
• All six Factions coordinate: Aegis infantry, Ordis Scribes, Axiom sappers, Bravos fyrds, Yzmir Battle Mages, Muna Druids
• Muna create massive plant cages; Yzmir attempt a meteor strike
• An unknown saboteur (later revealed as Sylas) destroys the meteor, freeing the Kraken and killing Battle Mages Asta and Elewa
• Kaibara, the whale Leviathan, is summoned by Teija and engages the Kraken
• Kojo Oduro gathers massive amounts of Mana, creating localized Tumult conditions
• Afanas Korovinovich opens a portal for Kojo to strike from above
• Kojo delivers the killing blow that vaporizes the Kraken entirely

October 392 AC

• Securing of Oorun, the region directly adjacent to Asgartha
• The Cebir fortress is reclaimed—evidence of esoteric experimentation is discovered within
• Wanjiru intervenes, leading Yzmir to quarantine the site

November 392 AC

• Kojo Oduro receives the Carnelian Crown, Asgartha’s highest honor, from Avkan ruun-Heshkari
• Gulrang Oduro watches her brother’s ceremony with pride mixed with fear about his recklessness
• The Age of Rediscovery is officially proclaimed

December 392 AC

• Systematic exploration of Oorun begins across multiple regions: Elikadura Fjords, Strand Region, Irundu, Tilted Steppes
• The wreck of Mesektet is recovered from the Irundu valley by an Ordis expedition led by Gulrang Oduro
• Oorun is formally renamed Caer Oorun as a rightful Asgarthan Province

Key Revelations

The Kraken’s True Nature

The Kraken left no physical remains after its defeat—no bones, no flesh. Suha discovered the creature’s name originated from a literary source (“Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea”) rather than taxonomic classification. In 393 AC, Wanjiru would propose that the Kraken was not a true Leviathan but an Eidolon summoning created by The Perjurers to prevent Asgarthan expansion.

The Cebir Secrets

The reclaimed fortress contained evidence of esoteric experimentation hidden for centuries—research protected by the Kraken’s presence in the region.

Aftermath

• Caer Oorun becomes the first province reclaimed in over two centuries
• The Carnelian Crown ceremony marks Kojo as a national hero
• Yzmir Magisters vote 3-2 to add Kraken to their summoning arsenal
• Waru Toowoom begins the lengthy process of reincorporating the province
• The expedition gains a forward base for further westward expansion

Related Tales

• Solstice - The opening of the gates through Nevenka’s perspective
• Far Far Beneath in the Abysmal Sea - Hunt for the Kraken
• Until the Latter Fire Shall Heat the Deep - The Kraken battle
• Carnelian Crown - Kojo’s triumph and coronation

What Comes Next

With Caer Oorun secured, the expedition sets its sights westward toward a luminescent mountain glimpsed beyond the Tumult. In January 393 AC, the Expeditionary Corps would reach a frozen region they name Storvhit—beginning the second arc: Trial by Frost.