Souvenir: The Book 'The
Rites of the Dark'
You kept a copy of this thin book on the strange secret society you
fought as a memento of the adventure you call
A Path Into Darkness
It all began when you stopped a group of 5th Column soldiers who were
about to be sent overseas. After capturing them, you found that each of
them carried a book of strange initiation rites for something called 'The Path of the Dark'.
You began to look for more information on 'The Path of The Dark.' Deep
in the Circle of Thorns' city of Oranbega you found the firsthand
account of a Roman soldier, who encountered the Path while guarding the
last Roman Emperor, Romulus Agustulus.
With this chilling account heavy in your mind, you were contacted by
Bentley Berkeley, an immortal who had fought The Path of The Dark back
in the 1920s. When you went to meet him, you found that the 5th Column
had already captured him. But all wasn't lost yet.
You received a tip to Bentley Berkeley's location, and were able to free
him from the 5th Column. He told you something about his own battles
against the Path of the Dark in the 1920's and directed you to find a
man named Sam Bassie, the descendant of Henry and Jennie Bassie, people
he used to battle the supernatural with. You contacted Paul Stemitz, who
had also worked with the Bassies in an earlier incarnation. You went to
get Sam Bassie's grandmother's Journal, but had to defeat the 5th Column
in order to protect him and get the book. The Journal detailed the
battle against the Path from almost a century ago, including the final
fate of Ridolfo Uzzano, a power-hungry Italian fascist. Most chilling of
all was Jennie Bassie's certainty that Requiem was none other than
Uzzano, given power by the Path of the Dark.
With a better idea about the Path's history, you continued investigating
it's connection to the 5th Column. By following the travel records and
personnel files, you were able to discover that many of the initiates
sent overseas by Requiem to join the Path of the Dark returned as War
Wolves. You also discovered that Requiem was planning on setting up a
branch of the Path of the Dark beneath Paragon City using something
called a Shadow Seed.
You struck the 5th Column to intercept the Shadow Seed, but found out
that it had been a trick! They knew you were looking for the Seed and
had already made off with it deep beneath the city.
Just when all seemed darkest, you received a message from Bentley
Berkeley. He'd followed up on the whole operation, and had tracked the
5th Column and the Shadow Seed deep underground. You attacked the 5th
Column at Bentley's location, and found that the Circle of Thorns had
also moved to stop the 5th Column from planting the Shadow Seed and
starting a branch of the Path of the Dark so close to their own sunken
city. The caverns beneath Paragon city became the battle-field for a
three-way war, but you emerged victorious.
The 5th Column has suffered a major defeat, and the Shadow Seed is now
in MAGI's hands, where their studies will help to determine the nature
of it's malign power. You are left with a number of questions about the
Path of the Dark, Requiem, and the 5th Column; but for now you know that
the City is safe again thanks to your actions.
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