Contact:
Iron Samurai
Location: Portal Corp, Peregrine Island, Paragon City
Transdimensional Cybernetic Samurai
A hero of the city, agent of Vanguard, and a reserve member of the Freedom Phalanx, the mysterious Iron Samurai has made quite a name for himself in this world after his suddenly appearance near the beginning of the Rikti War. Claiming to be from a parallel Earth where science and technology is much more advanced and was attacked by the Rikti as well, the Iron Samurai was flung into our universe when he was caught in the blacklash of the Rikti portal on his homeworld when it collapsed during a major battle. Arriving on our Earth severly damaged, he has since repaired and improved his cybernetic body, rising rapidly through the ranks of heroes and become a valued ally in the fight against the Rikti. Even he has been able to put aside his hatred of his old enemy when he rescued the Traditionalist Negotiator C'Kelkah from assassination at the hands of the Malta Group in hope that she could indeed bring peace to the conflict.
Initial Contact:
Greetings fellow hero. I would have need of your talents, but there are more important tasks awaiting you. Please return if you have the time after completing them.
(Obtain the following badges: Recieved the Atlas Medallion, Freedom Phalanx Reserve Member, Redeemer, Portal Jockey)
I couldn't burden you with my problems when others needed much more urgent help. Being a hero requires putting others before ones self.
Now I am not known to be one to delegate and would normally take care of these tasks myself but recently I have suffered severe damage during the second Rikti invasion and must stay out of action for a bit. That is why I am asking for your assistance, as one hero to another.
[u]The Samurai's Way Home (45-50)[u]
1) Investigate Kaon's Lab:
While this Earth has become my new home, I have been eager to return to my own dimension as soon as possible. It has been a long time since I have seen my homeworld and I have no idea what has happened to it since I was hurtled across space and time only to end up here.
Brilliant as they are, the scientists at Portal Corp here have not been able to open a stable portal to my world. However, a collegue of mine, Miss Kaon, believes that she has found a way and has been working on it in her own lab. Today I have stopped hearing from her and nobody at the lab is answering any calls.
I would go myself but it would be foolish to do so in my condition. I am asking you to please visit her lab and find out what happened.
Mission Acceptance:
Thank you for granting me this favor. I will of course make it worth your while. Here is the address of her lab and the passcode to gain entry. Tell me what you find as soon as possible.
1) Investigate Kaon's Lab
i. Find Kaon
ii. Defeat all villains in lab
iii. Secure Kaon's work
Notable NPCs:
Kaon (Dark Miasma/Radiation Blast/Dark Mastery Defender) (Hero)
Cobalt Stinger (Radiation Blast/Traps/Mace Mastery Corruptor)
Enemies: Malta Operatives
Mission Entry Blurb: "The passcode worked to get you in, only to find the lab has been invaded by the Malta Operatives!"
Notes: Typical tech lab map with several floors. Malta are everywhere and there are random lab technicians that can be freed for extra XP/Inf. The room containing the item Kaon has been working on will have a locked door, but Kaon has a key so she will need to be rescued before you can enter than room. Once rescued she will follow you as a ally pet along with her Dark Servant. She will use Tar Patch, Fearsome Stare, Petrifying Gaze, and Twilight Grasp frequently. She will only cast Darkest Night on bosses.
Once you enter the locked room, a cutscene will play out inside.
Tac Ops Commander: You again!
Cobalt Stinger: I can't let you have all the cool toys.
Tac Ops Commander: Toys? Missy, this isn't a job for little girls and we're getting quite sick of your inteference!
Gunslinger: Can I just shoot her now? This is the third raid she's cut in on this week!
Cobalt Stinger: Speaking of cutting in... <points towards camera>
Tac Ops Commander: Damn it! Don't let ($playername) get the package!
Cobalt Stinger: Excellent, you do that! <teleports out>
You can then fight the Malta operatives in the room.
Clue: After defeating the Malta who had invaded her lab, Kaon filled you in.
"I was working on a new way to target the destination of a dimensional portal. Right now Portal Corp and everyone else can only open it within a certain area of the target as irregularities in the spacetime fabric make it sometimes impossible to place it exactly where you want it. Sometimes you can only do it if someone goes there and places a beacon ahead of time, like what the Rikti Communication Officers do.
But I found a way to better map the spacetime fabric and improve the stability of the portal so that it can be done without any need for a beacon. Portals where ever you want, you can see why Malta would want it once they got word somehow. It's going to take me a while to find out who in my lab leaked that info.
But that little wench stole the prototype and put a virus on the mainframe to corrupt the backup copies of the blueprints! It might take me weeks to salvage the data and get a new one assembled. In the meantime, a villain now has a dangerous piece of technology and who knows what she plans to do with it!"
Debriefing: I know, Kaon called me before you even got here. That device is my best hope for returning home and now it is in the hands of one of the most infamous mad engineers in the world. I fear it would only be a matter of time before she starts selling replicas on the black market and then who knows what will happen from there. Portal technology is not something to be abused.
Let me meditate on this development for a while.
2) Investigate the Attacks
Kaon has begun work on rebuilding the Janus Device, as she calls it. This setback has hardly discouraged her, I only wish I had such unflappable ethusiasm.
In the meantime, I have a little task I'd like you deal with while I continue my attempts to trace the whereabouts of Cobalt Stinger.
Mission Acceptance:
There has been an incident Eden. A group of heroes were attacked there by something other than the Devouring Earth. As far as we know there were no Crey operating in that area nor any sightings of Arachnos. Those heroes who got out via their emergency medical teleporters do not know what hit them, other than that they were picked off one by one. There are still three heroes still out there.
The hero team was attacked in a cave, here are the coordinates. Take these extra medical teleporters with you. Find any survivors as soon as possible and whoever is behind this!
1) Investigate the Attacks
i. Rescue 3 Trapped Heroes
ii. Defeat Naga Obscura
Notable NPCs:
Naga Obscura (Ninja Blade/Energy Aura/Mace Mastery Stalker) (Elite Boss)
Enemies: Devouring Earth
Mission Entry Blurb: "You wonder what threat lies here that could take down several heroes so easily."
Notes: This mission takes place in a cave map where the hostages are being detained by Devouring Earth creatures. The hostages are too wounded to help you and teleport out once rescued. The map will transition to an outdoor tree maze like Perez Park at the end of the cave system. Naga will be roaming this area. Depending on the size of the team and the difficulty setting, she will range from Elite Boss to Archvillain.
Naga patrols this area rather than waiting for your arrival and can attack you at any time once you exit the cave. She will remain Hidden until she attacks, though heroes with very high perception may be able to see her when she gets close. She can use a single target hold on those lacking hold resistance, which will also remove any ability to jump or fly. If she placates you, expect an assassin strike almost immediately afterwards. She can also drain your endurance to refill her own and will activate Overload when her health drops below 15%.
Clue: Naga Obscura managed to escape before you could detain her after she lost the battle, but the strange alien creature did tell you something.
"I was watching them, laughing as they tormented creatures that were of little threat to them. Not true warriors, they. So I showed them what it felt to be overwhelmed and stripped the ones who behaved most maliciously of their escape device. I left them to see how the creatures felt."
Debriefing: Is she implying that the heroes were abusing the Devouring Earth and that she was giving them a taste of their own medicine. As preposterous as it sounds, especially coming from a villain, I can almost entertain the possibility. I have before seen heroes who didn't understand the concept of excessive force and how they almost fell to the side of evil as a result.
Never the less, this Naga Obscura is a known accomplice of Cobalt Stinger. I will try to track down other accomplices, perhaps we can use them to lead us to her.
3) Rescue the Prisoners
We may be in luck! I have recieved word that a hero who goes by the title of Zetsumei Mitsukai was recently captured while inside a Council base. Of course you're wondering why this is good.
Mission Acceptance:
Before we lost contact, Zetsumei reported through her radio that she had seen a woman in the Council base who resembles Kathode, a known associate of Cobalt Stinger. I want you to go into that base, rescue Zetsumei Mitsukai, and try to interrogate Kathode.
3) Rescue the Prisoners
i. Rescue Zetsumei Mitsukai
ii. Locate Kathode
iii. Defeat all Council in base
Notable NPCs:
Zetsumei Mitsukai (Dual Blade/Dark Armor/Dark Mastery Scrapper) (Elite Boss)
Kathode (Electrical Meelee/Electrical Armor/Mu Mastery Brute) (Elite Boss)
Enemies: Council
Mission Entry Blurb: "With all of the underground bases and caves in this city, you wonder how it does collapse into the ground."
Notes: This is a standard Council map. However, you will not find either Zetsumei or Kathode being guarded in the normal way. Instead, you will have to break both of them out of the prison.
Clue: Upon freeing Zetsumei Mitsukai, she told you the following.
"Thanks partner, I got a bit overwhelmed and couldn't port out in time. What, you're looking for Kathode? Oh, she's right over there."
Clue: Upon freeing Kathode, she told you the following:
"Oh, back for more are you! Wait, you're not one of them. You want what, to know where Cobalt Stinger is? Tell you what hero, I'll make you a deal. If you help me get some revenge on these Council I'll be happy to tell you."
From this point on both will follow you as ally pets. Zetsumei Mitsukai will cycle through the Weaken, Empower, and Attack Vitals combos while fighting, as well as alternately running Cloak of Fear and Oppressive Gloom. She can self heal through Dark Regeneration. Kathode will use Lightning Rod and Electric Fences frequently as well as draining endurance through Power Sink periodically. She will activate Power Surge when her health drops before 15%.
WARNING: If Kathode is defeated during the mission, it will fail. The result will be about the same though.
Clue: Kathode told you:
"Ok, truth is that I don't really know where Cobalt is. If you really want to know, go talk to Anna Nethema. Last I heard, she was looking for something called the Blood Sigil."
Debriefing: I know it must have felt odd for you, fighting alongside a villain for a change. It happens more often than you'd think, as while our methods greatly differ, often our goals coincide. At least we got another name out of this, Anna Nethema. We also know what she is after, assuming that Kathode was telling the truth.
4) 'Guard' the MAGI Vault
I have found out what this Blood Sigil is. It is an old Mu artifact of power, and Anna Nethema is part Mu. She seems to have an interest in the leftovers of the dead civilization of her ancestors.
To save yourself the time, I had another hero locate and obtain the Blood Sigil from the Circle of Thorns. It will be placed in the MAGI Vault for safekeeping shortly. You know, I can tell that you are trying not to laugh.
So you want to know the plan?
Mission Accepted:
So of course we know that Anna will shortly break into the MAGI Vault and steal the Blood Sigil. In fact, I am counting on it. I have had the artifact fitted with a tracking bug that can also record audio as well as intercept radio transmissions. Whether Anna takes it directly to Cobalt Stinger's location or calls her while in range of the bug, we will have a chance to find out where she is and then can attempt to retrieve the Janus Device.
Now I want you to stand guard inside the MAGI Vault and make sure that ONLY Anna Nethema steals it. Don't let her just walk in and take it of course, give her a fight or she will get too suspicious.
4) 'Guard' the MAGI Vault
Notable NPCs:
Anna Nethema (Dark Meelee/Firey Aura/Mu Mastery Brute) (Elite Boss)
Enemies: Circle of Thorns, Carnival of Shadows
Mission Entry Blurb: "On the way in you saw a sign reading '2 Day(s) Since Our Last Robbery'."
Notes: This mission takes place in a warehouse filled with mystical looking items. The map will be assaulted in waves by Circle of Thorns and Carnival of Shadows, three waves of each. After the final wave, Anna Nethema will appear alone and attack you. Depending on the size of the team and the difficulty setting, she will range from Elite Boss to Archvillain. When her health falls below 5% she will take the Blood Sigil and escape. If you are defeated, the mission is still considered successfully completed.
Quotes:
(on arrival)
Anna Nethema: "The MAGI Vault. It might as well have a revolving door at the entrance."
(on aggro)
Anna Nethema: "A guard? This is a bit unusual."
(at 50% health)
Anna Nethema: "This calls for a more violent approach!"
(at 25% health)
Anna Nethema: "You're starting to make me mad!"
(on victory)
Anna Nethema: "Anyone else want some?"
(on escape)
Anna Nethema: "Maybe next time!"
Debriefing: Excellent work! Soon after she escaped with the Blood Sigil, she made a call to Cobalt Stinger. This is almost too good!
5) Raid Cobalt Stinger's Lab
We've already traced the signal and now know where the lab is. All that is left is for you to go there and retrieve the Janus Device.
Mission Acceptance:
I'm sorry that I cannot send any help in with you. While I can have Longbow set up a perimeter outside, if we send a task force in now she might panic and flee with the device again. Once you're inside, we can deploy the anti-teleport field over the area. By then it will be too late for her to sneak out and if she does, it'll have to be on foot where she'll find heroes waiting for her.
Good luck and make me proud.
5) Raid Cobalt Stinger's Lab
i: Find 3 Keys
ii: Defeat Cobalt Stinger
iii: Escape the Lab
Notable NPCs:
Cobalt Stinger (Radiation Blast/Traps/Mace Mastery Corruptor) (Elite Boss)
Anna Nethema (Dark Meelee/Firey Aura/Mu Mastery Brute) (Elite Boss)
Kathode (Electrical Meelee/Electrical Armor/Mu Mastery Brute) (Elite Boss)
Naga Obscura (Ninja Blade/Energy Aura/Mace Mastery Stalker) (Elite Boss)
Gummi Bear (Shivan Decimator) (Elite Boss)
The Warden (PPD Enforcer) (Boss)
Sarge (Vanguard HVAS) (Elite Boss)
Enemies: Reprogrammed Robots (MekMen, Jumpbots, Rikti Drones, PPD Drones/Guardians/Enforcers, Jaegers), Automated Defenses, Enhanced Rikti Monkeys
Mission Entry Blurb: "Where does she get such wonderful toys?"
Notes: This map is essentially a mad scientist's funhouse. The setting is a multilevel tech lab inhabited with robots that have been captured and reprogrammed, rikti monkeys that have been semi-tamed and enhanced to minion status, automated base defense guns, and a pet shivan decimator. Cobalt Stinger is inside a room not far from the entrance that is sealed with a series of locked doors. You will need to obtain the keys by defeating her minions.
There is a prison room that you will be sent to if defeated. It is guarded by PPD robots, including The Warden, who has one of the keys. The Sarge carries another key and can be found in the robotic lab, which is filled with MekMen and Jaegers. The Rikti Drones are all over the map and accompanied by the monkeys. These mobs can often be found near base defense guns, as list of which can be found
here.
In the chemistry lab you can find some hazmat suits. They are not needed to complete the mission but will come in useful as they provide a special resistance until the end of the mission.
Once two keys have been found, you can approach Cobalt's inner sanctum. After the first two doors you will find yourself in a room with Gummi Bear, who has a key embedded within his gelatinous body along with other debris. After defeating him you will get a cutscene.
Cobalt Stinger: "Ok, so you found me. You're mad about that Janus thingamajig? Fine, come get some!"
You will not be able to enter the last room. Depending on team size and difficulty setting, Cobalt Stinger will be either an Elite Boss or an Archvillain. She will constantly summon her traps during battle and can repair minions that you injure. She will initially be flanked by two Jumpbot bosses and will be aided by more minions as the battle rages on. When her health hits 10%, Cobalt will use Atomic Blast.
You will notice a pair of chemical tanks inside this room. If destroyed, they will go off like Warburg Chemical Burn Warhead, dealing -Resistance and -Defense. The blast radius is big enough to cover the entire room and anyone without a hazmat suit will be affected, while those with the suits will be safe. This gives those who picked up the suits a way to debuff Cobalt and her minions.
Quotes:
(on aggro)
Cobalt Stinger: "Alright, let's settle this!"
(at 50% health)
Cobalt Stinger: "Did you think I was gonna be fair?" <ambushes arrive>
(at 25% health)
Cobalt Stinger: "I didn't come into your house and break your toys!"
(at 10% health)
Cobalt Stinger: "That's it, I'm going critical on you!" <detonates Atomic Blast>
(on victory)
Cobalt Stinger: "I'll be waiting for you to come back."
(on defeat)
Cobalt Stinger: "Silly hero, I don't have your device anyways."
Clues: Upon her defeat, Cobalt Stinger told you this:
"I don't have your stupid Janus Device anymore but I know who does. Mindskewer and her sisters ran off with it to some old base in Faultline. Go there if you want it."
After Cobalt is defeated, Anna Nethema, Kathode, and Naga Obscura will spawn between this room and the base exit.
Anna Nethema: "Well that wasn't much of a blockade outside."
Kathode: "The Candy Cane Brigade went down hard. Let's hope we're in time."
Naga Obscura: "I don't think we are."
Anna Nethema: "Sonofa...don't let that hero escape!"
Notes: Defeating Anna, Kathode, and Naga is optional. You only have to escape to the mission exit but they will block your path. They will be either Elite Bosses or Archvillains depending on team size and difficulty setting.
Debriefing: None
6) Retrieve the Janus Device
Notable NPCs:
Menshenbrecher (Gravity Control/Energy Assault/Mu Mastery Dominator) (Elite Boss)
Amanita Infernus (Plant Control/Fire Assault/Mu Mastery Dominator) (Elite Boss)
Winterkill (Ice Control/Ice Assault/Coralax Mastery Dominator) (Elite Boss)
Mindskewer (Mind Control/Thorny Assault/Coralax Mastery Dominator) (Elite Boss)
Enemies: Arachnos
Mission Entry Blurb: "You didn't want to waste time calling the Iron Samurai, so you came straight here to finish this."
Notes: Once again, depending on the team size and difficulty setting, they will be either Elite Bosses or Archvillains. The map is a ruined base in Faultline. You will find them initially fighting Arachnos, but they will all turn on you once aggroed. They can be found in the following order as the map is fairly linear: Menshen and Amanita, Menshen and Winterkill, then all four together at the end. In the first two encounters they only fight in pairs, if one is defeated they will both teleport away. Only in the last room do they fight to the last villain.
Menshen flies while Amanita and Winterkill are superspeeders. Mindskewer is a superjumper and possesses stealth as well as casting leadership powers on them all. When one of them is defeated, they will cast vengance on the remaining. Try to avoid letting them all activate Domination at the same time.
Clue: Upon defeating all four of the villains, you got the truth from Mindskewer.
"What Janus Device? I have never heard of such a thing, who told you we had taken it? Cobalt Stinger! She lied to you, hero, and you bought it!"
Debriefing: Yeah, Cobalt Stinger took you for a ride in the end. That crew she sent you off after, I don't know if she held a grudge on them or if they were just conviently placed diversions. In the end, it's doesn't matter much.
You're wondering why I'm not sending your back after Cobalt Stinger and her friends again? Well get this, a package arrived containing the Janus Device. Nobody saw who delivered it, but I can hazard a guess. As far as Kaon can tell, it's all in working order but it has been disassembled and reassembled. Cobalt probably sent you on a wild goose chase so she could have more time to finish her reverse-engineering of it.
Well I just might be able to get home now, we're going to try very soon with the Janus Device plugged in as soon as Kaon is sure that it won't sabotage the portal equipment. We still got to keep an eye out though, in case this tech does start showing up elsewhere. Until now we can only wait as Cobalt and Company went back into hiding.
Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it. Oh, and this was also in the package, for you.
Souvenir: A photo of Cobalt Stinger, Anna Nethema, Kathode, and Naga Obscura on a tropical beach somewhere. Is this to mean that they have already left the country? Or gone further? With that new portal technology, they could be anywhere by now.
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