The blackness of the Void and Lower Planes has manifested as the Thl. A warlike species of many sub-species, all invertebrates, varying from jellyfish to insectoids and quasi-reptilians. Their craft scintillated from Void Black to iridescent black as they 'surfaced' into the Mundane to launch energy attacks against the GYS Cruiser Electrum Arrow ('Idabun Iarmun' ~ pronuc. 'Eedahboon Eearmoon') and the three other Cruisers now in orbit around Cold Home. More Yirinn blood-shenanigans when a first use of the Dark Energy weapons system was fielded in attack craft. This action (another high result after burning lots of Blood) propelled the PCs into a post-war situation where the GYS was successful in defeating the Thl, and Captain Qulak stood upon the enemy flagship and received the forced surrender of the alien leader. After most of the officials had left the ceremony aboard the vessel, Qulak and his cadre oversaw the transfer of the Thl to the Blood Guard for ... analysis.
Then a sabotage device grafted onto the Thl leader dropped and was triggered, causing a small explosion of flesh eating goo, and the Aetherboyant craft to 'submerge' back into the Deeper Darkness. Ashta and Delver were both contacted and kindly asked to tender rescue for the Commander (for millions of Credits). They arrived and folks disembarked the sinking ship. Talk included the possibility that the Thl ship could pass through the planet with unforeseen consequences or simply 'glub' beneath the Dark Aether that held it aloft. We held it there, but other stuff had also happened, such as:
* TV shows dealing with the Elemental legacy of Humanity from the Ancients to the Imperials grow in popularity in the mediaweb and after the war is over, Vern's show enters the coveted Top Ten Shows ranking, although the other PCs have thus far have declined participation, citing a lack of desire to re-introduce the Patrons in an age that learned to tame the energies through technology.
* Mela Mela went shopping in the Vae market and scored a nice suit of armour and a magicked sword connected to a high-ranking water spirit. The Winter Court is nearly finished with its Autumnal Purge and the blue-tinted snow-white Vae creatures have opened session with an invitation for Mela Mela to visit the Court. These actions tie-in with Osyl Molen's thread to do Lady Arctise's will and depose her previously favoured champion, a long-lived cyborg dwelling in a craggy mountaintop cave.
* Ashta's relationship with the Earthman, Jake, continues apace and was challenged when Jake accepted a contract to explore the Deeper Dark aboard a salvage ship fitted with an experimental drive, and then responded to the rescue call. Jake and crew were able to return.
Folks seem to find the new, spookier turn, exciting, and it challenges their previous conceptions of 'what-was-what' with Elemental reality.
