(2002)

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In the steam-driven spires of Balerno City, the metropolis’ heart pounded to the rhythm of gears and pistons. The clouds above occasionally broke to reveal the looming silhouette of the Gwyndir, Valmort's legendary skyship. It was a masterpiece of metal and wood, powered by the engineering genius of Ginzo and armored by the designs of Professor Thrimm.

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Below, in the labyrinthine streets, a nimble figure weaved through the crowd. Kelsha, a renowned pickpocket with a penchant for mischief, had her eyes set on a new prize. Rumor had it that Goyne, a salesman, recently procured a vial of Grin, the mysterious drug through which the Shast, twin evil space women from the planet Olkath, spied upon all. They did this with the help of the Oculi, a council of evil youths dedicated to their wicked cause.

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The bustling market was the perfect cover for Kelsha's operations. Falmo, the street merchant, hawked his wares loudly, drawing attention away from her nimble fingers. But her actions did not go unnoticed by Faze, the seedy street person who always seemed to lurk in the shadows.

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Suddenly, a puppet with jagged black hair and a large brimmed hat appeared before her, blocking her path. It was one of Valmort's creations. The puppeteer himself wasn't far behind, pulling the strings with precise skill. His appearance was reminiscent of Vivi from old tales, mysterious and enchanting.

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"Looking for this?" Valmort whispered, holding up a vial of Grin.

Kelsha smirked, "Always one step ahead, Puppet Man."

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In the background, the extravagant Monbraide paraded with his circus troupe, drawing in the crowds. Among them were the Dyven sisters, Rinzi and Kinzi, and Garshalle, the flamboyant man who always seemed to have a flair for the dramatics. They were an eccentric backdrop to the tense standoff between Kelsha and Valmort.

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Suddenly, a Brolg, the giant crocodile-dog, leashed by Neya Buldat, the captain of the guard, snapped its jaws, causing a commotion. In the chaos, Kelsha tried to make her move, but Valmort was quick. With a flick of his wrist, his puppet lunged, snatching the vial from her grasp.

But their little scuffle was not the main event. A loud horn echoed, announcing the arrival of the Lothurias, the royal vessel. It docked, bearing news of the Utmiens, the latest trade agreement which held the promise of peace.

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Yet, Balerno City was anything but peaceful. Ralqua, Lady of the Estate, and Crozelle, the Balerno constable, discussed in hushed tones the increasing influence of the Shast. Geshley, the wise clown, spoke in riddles, hinting at a coming storm. Eija, a village not far, had already fallen under the Shast's influence.

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It was in a hidden brothel, run by Laceley, that Valmort and Kelsha found themselves forming an unlikely alliance. They needed to stop the spread of Grin and keep the Shast from gaining more control.

The duo soon discovered that the Shast's intentions were not just limited to Balerno. They had their eyes set on the distant tribe of Parabuxi and even had agents like Alvorath, Ulzan, and Zamiro, beings of stone, liquid, and fire, infiltrating various regions.

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The story took a turn when Valmort received a message from the Eijut shaman, Danraj. The Shast's next move was going to be at Rilva, a settlement that held a secret weapon. The weapon, if fallen into the wrong hands, could spell doom for all.

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As the Gwyndir set its course, the steam-driven world below prepared for a confrontation. Every alleyway in Balerno whispered of the coming storm, and every gear clicked in anticipation.

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On the night of the new moon, as the skyship approached Rilva, a figure stood waiting. It was none other than one of the Shast, bathed in eerie moonlight. Beside her, the Oculi watched with malicious intent.

"Welcome, Puppet Man," she hissed.

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As the tension rose and the stage was set for an epic confrontation, the world held its breath, waiting for what would come next...

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The descent of the Gwyndir was silent, its massive gears and turbines humming softly, juxtaposed against the eerie stillness of Rilva. Ralqua's deer pet, Famble, darted anxiously across the grassy fields, sensing the foreboding air.

Upon landing, Valmort and Kelsha, followed by Ginzo and Professor Thrimm, stepped onto the settlement's grounds. They were met by Carrick, a noble constable, and Clavis, the concerned man with secrets lurking in his eyes.

"You shouldn't have come," Carrick whispered urgently. "It's a trap."

From the shadows, Enuja, the female merchant, stepped forward. With a sly grin, she presented a scroll – the original Utmiens trade agreement. However, upon closer inspection, Professor Thrimm noticed discrepancies in the document.

"It's a forgery!" he exclaimed.

Shock spread across Valmort's face. "That means..."

"... The real agreement is still out there," Kelsha finished, her eyes narrowing.

Just then, Geshley, the wise clown, appeared, juggling three glowing orbs. Each orb depicted a scene: the Oculi receiving orders from the Shast, the council members of Balerno secretly meeting with Deplatt, the casino owner, and lastly, Laceley's brothel where many deals of the dark world transpired.

"This city," Geshley began cryptically, "is like my orbs. What you see on the surface is but a performance, a distraction. The real play unfolds behind the curtains."

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Suddenly, a Tavuk, one of the beasts of burden, collapsed nearby, its body revealing a hidden compartment full of Grin vials. Among them was a tiny puppet, eerily resembling Valmort's creations but with a dark twist.

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The shocking revelation was clear. Someone in Balerno was manufacturing these dark puppets and using them as mules for the Grin drug. Was it possible? Could there be another puppet master?

Goyne, the salesman, approached the group with a proposition. He whispered of a conspiracy that reached the highest echelons of Balerno's society, involving Ralqua and even the flamboyant Garshalle. But his most shocking revelation was about the Lothurias. The royal vessel wasn't just a symbol of power; it was the hub of Grin distribution.

Realization hit Valmort. His once-beloved city was not just under the threat of the Shast; it was rotting from within. Trust became a rare commodity.

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The group decided their next move should be to infiltrate the Lothurias and uncover the truth. But as they neared the royal vessel, they stumbled upon a sight that sent chills down their spine. Danraj, the Eijut shaman, was in a trance, surrounded by the figures of Alvorath, Ulzan, and Zamiro. Above them, in the night sky, Olkath's silhouette loomed ominously.

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Valmort and Kelsha exchanged a determined look. They had to get on that ship, expose the conspirators, and save Balerno. As the duo stealthily approached the vessel, an eerie voice echoed through the night.

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"Puppet Man, your strings are not your own," it whispered, leaving the group in stunned silence, the weight of conspiracy heavy in the air.

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Beneath the ornate, steam-driven clock towers of Balerno, deep in its industrial heart, was Deplatt’s Distillery – the rumored epicenter of Grin production. Its smokestacks spewed forth a violet-colored steam, hinting at the sinister concoctions brewing within. The distillery was said to be heavily guarded, not by men, but by the automated puppet soldiers designed by a rival puppeteer, a shadowy figure whose identity remained a mystery.

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Valmort, Kelsha, and their band of unlikely allies approached the distillery under the cover of night. The streets were silent, save for the rhythmic chugging of the nearby machinery. Carrick and Clavis had procured weapons for the group, while Ginzo, with his engineering expertise, had rigged up a device that could potentially disrupt the puppet guards' mechanisms.

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As they neared the distillery, they noticed the guards—puppets, human-sized with a metallic sheen, patrolling the entrance. Each puppet soldier bore a distinct mark, a twisted version of Valmort's insignia.

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Kelsha, ever the agile one, climbed onto a nearby rooftop to get a vantage point. Through her spyglass, she caught sight of Goyne, the salesman, speaking hurriedly to Laceley. Their conversation seemed heated, and Goyne handed Laceley a small, glowing vial – pure, concentrated Grin.

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The plan was clear; Valmort would use his puppetry skills to distract the guards while Ginzo's device would disable them. The rest of the group would then storm the distillery.

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But things rarely go as planned.

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As Valmort initiated his performance, his puppet eerily dancing under the moonlight, the puppet guards suddenly stopped, their heads turning in unison towards him. A high-pitched frequency emitted from them, counteracting Ginzo's device.

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It was a trap.

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The night erupted in chaos. Bullets flew from the distillery’s windows, forcing the group to scatter. Carrick and Clavis, guns blazing, provided cover as Professor Thrimm lobbed one of his inventions, creating a smoke screen.

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From her rooftop perch, Kelsha spotted Deplatt and Laceley escaping through a backdoor, clutching a case of Grin. Taking a deep breath, she took aim and fired, the bullet narrowly missing Deplatt but causing him to drop the case. Vials of Grin shattered, releasing their eerie luminescence into the night.

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Rinzi and Kinzi Dyven, having once been performers, utilized their acrobatics, scaling walls and disarming opponents. Neya Buldat, with her Brolg, charged headfirst, the giant crocodile-dog tearing through the enemy ranks.

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Valmort, in a desperate move, pulled forth his special puppet, channeling all his energy. The puppet grew in size, towering above the guards, its appearance shifting to mimic that of their design. With this giant puppet, Valmort began battling the puppet guards, the streets of Balerno echoing with the clashing of metal.

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Amidst the smoke and confusion, Geshley appeared once more, his orbs depicting the ongoing battle. But one orb showed something different – the mysterious puppeteer, controlling the guards, watching from a hidden room within the distillery.

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The battle raged on, but as dawn approached, the tide seemed to turn in favor of Valmort and his team. Yet, the identity of the puppeteer remained a mystery, a secret locked within the walls of Deplatt's Distillery, waiting to be unveiled.

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As the sounds of the battle died down and the smoke cleared, the streets surrounding Deplatt's Distillery were littered with deactivated puppet soldiers. Kelsha, having made her way down from the rooftops, approached Valmort, her eyes filled with concern.

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"They have escaped," she said, referring to Deplatt and Laceley. "But perhaps we can still find answers inside."

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Inside the distillery, amidst massive copper vats and winding pipes, was an intricate web of machinery designed for a singular purpose: the production of Grin. But more interesting than this was a dimly lit room, its walls covered in blueprints and sketches. Among them was a design strikingly similar to Valmort's puppets.

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Valmort, holding up one of the sketches, felt a pang of recognition. "This is... my design, but I never made this."

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Ginzo, studying a nearby console, gasped. "Look at this," he whispered, motioning for the group to gather. On the screen was a live feed from various parts of Balerno City, including the estate of Ralqua and even the inner chambers of the Lothurias. The mastermind behind Grin had eyes everywhere.

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And then, in a corner, Kelsha found a series of letters, correspondence between the mysterious puppeteer and a member of the Parabuxi tribe. The letters spoke of a pact, an alliance to ensure the successful distribution of Grin and the eventual downfall of Balerno City.

The true shock came from the signature at the bottom of the letters: Monbraide, leader of the circus troupe.

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Suddenly, it all made sense. The performances, the troupe's timely arrivals and departures, and their extensive knowledge of the city. The circus was a front.

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But why? What did Monbraide stand to gain?

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As they pondered, Geshley, ever enigmatic, stepped forward, his orbs now dim. "The strings of destiny are tangled," he murmured. "But remember, every puppeteer has their puppet, and every puppet, their master."

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The realization hit Valmort like a ton of bricks. Monbraide was but a pawn, a puppet in a much larger game. Behind him, likely, stood the Shast or even someone or something more sinister, using Grin to sow discord and chaos.

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As the group left the distillery, the sun began to rise over Balerno City, casting a golden hue. The battle had been won, but the war was far from over.

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Their next mission was clear: They had to find Monbraide, confront him, and uncover the puppet master behind the scenes, pulling the strings of Balerno's fate.

 

And as Balerno City awakened, none were wiser to the mysteries and conspiracies that had unfolded in the night. But one thing was certain; the city would never be the same again.