We hope you enjoyed our October event, In The Flesh! For those of you who missed it, want to get caught up, or have a better perspective on the big picture, here's a rundown of important story beats that occurred over the weekend. These will have you better filled in ahead of our season closer November event, Apocalypse – which takes place in just two weeks.
Friday Night
The preparations for combatting the attempted Integration of Flesher Calonyction – Graverobber of the ever-dangerous Taleholders – into the local Mortis began. From seasoned Wasteland vets to our bluebirds, the town mobilized in garnering the resources needed – including a massive amount of Cracked Psionic Crystal – through every possible avenue. As they did so, bluebirds in the town encountered horrifying signs of the Broken Angels, a terrible faith Undead. For those newer to the area, this threat shaped Barker Meadow into what it is today.
Through hedonistic rituals, Mortis-damaging Cracked Crystal mining out of the Morgue and Helscape mine, and more, the rush was on to get the resources to prepare the Weapons of Mortis Destruction that would be key against Flesher's attempt. In the context of this, several Survivors went on an Infectus Mortis, slaying a sacred beast of ego and screams in the Gravemind to gain back pieces of themselves. Following that, a group embarked on a Videbit Mortis to gain intel on Flesher – the preparations for which had killed the doctor, Ashe Danvers, who had performed them alone.
In the Videbit, they discovered Flesher's original name – Calonyction Sprucewood, later "Flesher", the "humble butcher" – and Hawk was left behind in the process, trapped in a recreation of the cage that had held Flesher in the Gravemind for a decade by Graverobber Tomas.
Saturday Morning
Tomas came into town and required new faces to help put together piece by piece his great Grave working, the Oblivio Mortis, meant to stop Flesher. Through strange ritual, Tomas prepared for oblivion with the town.
Nearing lunch, Owen Grace returned with Cassady Jaunt on his heels. Missing and absent at best for months, Owen's whereabouts had been heavily wondered about. The reveal that the Fixation menaces of Barker known as the Hobbes collective used Owen as a "backup" for their thought bending, ended with death – including townsfolk, Cassady, and the permanent death of Owen (who arose as a Devout Dead, which was a precursor to the Broken Angels). Whiskey, experimented on by the Hobbes, was turned against the town and the lingering effects are unclear.
Saturday Afternoon
With preparation at a fever pitch, the Taleholders struck. A sprawling battle throughout Barker Meadow combatting Taleholders, Workers, Sin-Eaters, and more, commenced, deploying Weapons of Mortis Destruction to shell the Grave monstrosity that Flesher had become and to fight the Workers. Finally, the Grave node Flesher was becoming was shelled into the ground and attempted to breach the Mortis.
Tomas' Oblivio Mortis found himself and a group of daring Barkers fighting to complete his original Oblivio Mortis to destroy the Taleholders, with a twist: This time, he had help. Denying and attacking Flesher at every turn, using his name and fears to protect Tomas, the Oblivio Mortis was successful and Tomas fed his last, poisoned Infection to the Flesher-node, destroying it and permanently killing Flesher and himself in the process. Flesher's zed assaulted the town shortly after – a Broken Angel of the Seasons – wreaking havoc before being put down.
Saturday Night
That was only the beginning. The Big Bad Wolf, a Nemesis looking to teach important lessons, came into town that evening. The town's response was... complicated and mixed against the Profane Wolf-controlling Big Bad. Did they pass the test, and what does this mean for them going forward?
Before the night was out, the Ghost's haunt and home was discovered, and diaries found giving the story of the killer who had menaced Barker for so long. Would the Barkers be able to catch them now, armed with their tale?
What’s Next?
With the Taleholders defeated, and the Broken Angels descending upon Barker Meadow, what does the future hold as the Wicked White – and our next event, Apocalypse – approaches? We hope to see you in two weeks to find out together!