u/amurgiceblade44

Got Eva, praise the pink fox and thought to share

1. We learn the event when Evanescia was imagenated, during the Antimatter Legion Invansion. Before that she was just existing as a tree, vibing and sometimes visiting the dreams of Supplicants to be mischievous. It was only when the Destruction came that things changed, as people offered their wishes to the Ambrosial Arbor which in turn painted Evanescia into existence. She is very much an Imagenae even though her true body is the tree in the courtyard.

2. She does truly only manifest during the Games, much of her time when not being the arbitrator is spent just catching up with media and eterntainment, and just melding into pop culture speak. It actually does seem like she approves of the IPCs pressence on the world, as she has been around since before they came and is very much enjoying all the entertainment they have brought onto the planet.

3. We see one of the instances she has used her power, outside of during the Demon King Invasion which we already know. She used her power when the wish was made for all words and language to run away, you know from the promotional video. It caused monsters to begin to form from the histories of calamities and all technology to collapse as code disappeared from all electronics. She as the tree absorbed all the monsters and cut them apart with her sword, turning them into new words for future generations. When she did this however its noted the world became more yellowed and aged, with mountains crumbling to dust. This along with another part of her character story really points to her Abundance powers being tied to life draining.

4. We learn a little about her past but not much. Her species to seem to have some form of advanced aging, quickly becoming old after reaching the peak of their youth. She became an Elixer Seeker to save them from that fate, becoming known as the Swordsinger to her people. She eventually did make contact with Yaoshi and gained their favor. After this, in a bout of pride she invaded the Xianzhou, going straight to their forbidden area before facing off against whats implied to be Hua and was surprised how strong they are. Apparently lost to the slimmest of margins, her other self remarks on her resisting her true nature, becoming a great eternal tree who can suck all life and vitality though Evanescia counters saying if she became her, she no longer be able to catch up with comics.

Its interesting because her Abundance self is similar yet different from Shuhu. Shuhu didn't drain people but rather they merged with them, becoming a thousand face tree. Their assimilation is also present on Rahu as well given how its described the people of the Cangcheng still being alive as part of the planet. Evanescia though doesn't merge with others, just drains them of life or thats how her Abundance form is described. Could be part of their noted pride, Evanescia did call herself Yaoshi's most luxurious branch. Perhaps her Emanator self doesnt take sharing despite her selfless motive in seeking immortality

Thats basically it, some neat details but nothing to big or was touched briefly upon on the main story.

Anyone have any Flashpoints or story ideas relat3d to the IPS-N? In the core book, the IPS-N flashpoint is probably my least favorite as I feel its just an extension of the HA plot in Dawnline Shore, instead of having its own seperate theater to explore the corpo-state thus feels a bit one note compared to the others

So what plots and story beats have tou used in your games, stuff to make the IPS-N more interesting and have a more central focus for players to rally against or with.

We got a new Readable in 4.2, Letters to the Detective. It details hints about Ashveil's past and I thought I will break it down all here

1st Letter

>To Mr. Ashen Detective:

>Greetings from Moria Ecological Island. We strive to create breathtaking natural landscapes and idyllic climates to provide our clients with meticulous and caring restorative services.

>We regret to inform you that the account on file has insufficient funds to cover the service fees for the upcoming cycle for the guest under your care. Please mail a check to the designated location within one standardized month. Otherwise, we will suspend all value-added services. This includes fresh bananas, rainforest rockeries, and heated baths.

>If you have already made a payment, please ignore this mail. Thank you for your support and cooperation.

For the leader of the Galaxy Rangers, why is Ashveil a bum? This was mentioned a bit by Pearl in 4.1 but its further supported here. Ashveil pays for the treatment for all the infirm Galaxy Rangers, especially those that fell to Dr. Primitive during their conflict in Vonwacq. This is the simplest of the details in the readable but its still very wholesome and show's Ashveil's true character.

Something interesting to note, while it is stated that Rappa dropped off Narrator with Ashveil, his character story actually implies it was originally a whole group. It appears to have been Narrator and his teammates, Robin Hood the Archer, Cole the Poet, and Coria the Musician.

>Character Story II

>He really worries about his companions. Due to severe regression, they can't think or talk as fluently as I can.

>As the boss of the monkeys, he has to warn them over and over:

>"Archer, this city isn't a laboratory. Don't let the noise scare you, got it?"

>"Nana?"

>"Ploos might be yellow, but they're not bananas."

>"Nana?"

>"You can't eat the mechatron either, Poet. That's the second time I've told you."

>"..."

>"And that goes for you too, Musician. No more stealing snacks."

>"Nom nom!"

>He sometimes tells me their stories: how Archer lost their hands in the crossfire while covering for their companions; how the mute Poet used to be so witty; how Musician wielded a man-sized hammer to carve a path through the carnage...

As Narrator says, they seem to have regressed far more then him. Speaking to Narrator and Ashveil in their office, Narrator would mention that Poet and Musician has already left. Most likely then not, what they mean by this was putting them in Moria for care and treatment.

2nd Letter

>Old Man,

>You never went back to Kronstadt after that, did you?

>I remember you mentioning your homeland. You said it was always shrouded in gloomy clouds. You said every step in the alleys was soaked in blood, and that fur-clad beasts were always howling in the withered, blackened wilderness.

>I was passing by that area recently, and guess what?

>A group of refugees has settled there to start anew. They cleared the thickets of thorns, toppled the old churches, and built gardens from the rubble. Soon, they will forget that this was once the bloody den where Zulo cultivated his minions. They will forget the last hunter who hunted every monster down. They will even forget the nickname "Black Church." When night fell, I watched the smoke from their cooking fires dissipate. The candlelight in their tents flickered on, one by one. It was bright yet fragile. A single insignificant storm in the cosmos could snuff those lights out.

>I plan to stay. Maybe just for a while. Don't blame me for making this decision on my own, Old Man. Neither of us has a home anymore, but they still do.

We now know Ashveil's homeworld. The planet Krondstadt, the Black Church. As is a pattern with the Galaxy Rangers, they all have their own specific targets. For Ashveil, it seems like it was Zulo, who ruled his world and used it to cultivated his armies.

https://preview.redd.it/2j7z7p9jggxg1.png?width=320&format=png&auto=webp&s=344fa541ea642d0414d17b0ff466ccb104cee257

Basically, its because he was born on HSR's version of Bloodborne, so that's fun. A decrepit, ruined world, overrun by monsters. It does bring in question, what Path was Zulo connected to? From the sound of all this, it seems like to be Voracity yet Luxbane already fills that role. Did they come after Zulo's death? What if its Abundance or Propagation which are also instinctual Paths? Interesting stuff to speculate about for now. Until then, feel satisfied that Ashveil is indeed Mr. Bloodborne.

3rd Letter

>To my favorite regular:

>Mr. La Mancha, it has been a while, but your name still comes up often in this lounge.

>Half of those talking about you want to find you, and half of those looking for you want you dead. Your admirers call you the Lead Hunter, the solitary First Fang whose teeth once shredded a Lord Ravager's chest. Your detractors call you a kinslaying monster who dragged the Rangers into the abyss for a private vendetta before vanishing. Years back, a Galaxy Ranger who survived Vonwacq showed me his scarred arms and swore to settle the score. I know the feeling, you still owe me for that unpaid tab, after all.

>Even further back, Cloud Knights came knocking, claiming you broke into the Shackling Prison and got someone out. Quite a feat, considering you were supposed to be visiting Zhuming's master craftsmen. You certainly have a talent for finding trouble in the darkest places.

>Lately, word is the "One-Eyed Owl" has picked up your scent. She tracked down the brothers you were providing for in Moria and took their eyes, hoping to see your location through them. I found a prosthetic doctor to treat them, but that lady plays dirty.

>You certainly made plenty of enemies during your glory days. I am not one to judge, but having both of the Galaxy Rangers' Lead Hunters on your tail at once is a special kind of reckless.

>I say "both" because just yesterday, some recruits following the "Heartless Bear" tried to shake me down for information. They wanted to get revenge for their boss.

>They claim you sold Dr. Primitive's archives, stole Navigator Isee's relic, and are now living it up on an IPC planet. Those naive kids actually think they can squeeze a share of the loot out of you.

>There is a young cowboy here with a steady hand who taught them some manners, but he is a terrible liar. He knows where you are, doesn't he? I am trusting him to deliver this letter. Long story short: watch your back.

>And don't you dare die before settling your tab.

>A frantic, handwritten note on the margin: Mister N, keep the doors and windows locked for the next few days.

Now this is the big one, as it explains why Ashveil is in hiding. He is being hunted, by no one else but the Galaxy Rangers themselves. In 4.1, when talking about Rappa and Boothill he denies knowing them, instead saying of the Rangers he knows, one sees him as a traitor and the other as prey. These seem to be referring to the One-Eyed Owl and Heartless Bear, La Mancha's co-founders of the Galaxy Rangers and their current Lead Hunters. Hoyo actually spoke of them as part of promotion for Ashveil, summarizing their story in a fairy tale which I'll show here.

https://preview.redd.it/8gtpgujhggxg1.png?width=320&format=png&auto=webp&s=eceed4ec293e20f69f16a68c8152e1618abd5347

It is unclear who among the two sees him as traitor or prey, nor who the identities of the two are.(though i have seen people speculating the One-Eyed Owl could be Loretta, mentioned in the assignments as a Ranger who fought against Zulo). It looks like the Hunters experienced a huge schism after the fight with Zulo, likely as a consequence of Ashveil unleashing his shadow as it implied to have devoured his comrades alongside his enemies. Given how long ago this was, I'm curious how Rappa and Boothill came to know Ashveil, being part of the Rangers who is sympathetic to him rather then try to hunt him down. I wonder if we will ever learn the story there.

In any case, that is the readable broken down, hope it was enjoyable.