And so it was that some members of the Help Structures got together to swing their weapons a little after work.

 

 

They arranged to meet in the Kretches' Lair. Naturally, the exemplary  Guards were the first to arrive, closely followed by the equally exemplary  Mentors. The representatives of the  Social Media Team and  Discord Moderators were delayed along the way because they had met the  Consecrators and needed to post where they were going - with lots of hearts in the picture. The  Heralds arrived right on time, having quickly looked up the best way to get around the lair. Everyone waited for the  Jesters, who once again found it funny to be late.

In the lair, they relaxed and fought their way through the kretches until they came to a nest. They quickly hid behind a rock and discussed the best course of action.
They agreed that it would be good to combine their strength and defeat them all in one go. To make sure it works, and for an extra dose of strength, they summon their trusty pets.

Together they unleashed their combined might on the nest. The force of the blow was immense and the whole cave shook. Unfortunately, this was too much of a good thing, they created a passage to the outside.
The kretches that were still able to move poured out of the lair - and there were a lot of them. A great many! They were also very angry. There was simply nothing they could do, even the precious pets were almost overrun.

The Structures have caused quite a mess...

The kretches are invading Faeo now more than ever and the Structures need your help, warrior!

 

 

The skies over Faeo darkened long before twilight as a heavy, unnatural fog rolled across the lands. From deep beneath the earth, the Kretches emerged - an endless horde of armored rats with gleaming claws and venomous red eyes. The very sight of them churned the stomachs of even the bravest Magmars and Humans.

 

 

Village bells rang in desperate warning. Farmers abandoned their plows, and traders fled toward city gates. Fields that once flourished were overrun by gnashing teeth and relentless claws. The Kretch swarm left ruin in their wake, gnawing through wood, iron, and flesh alike.

But Faeo would not fall without a fight. The mighty structures of the real - Mentors, Jesters, Heralds, Guards, Consecrators, Socializers, and Mods - stood shoulder to shoulder, united against the oncoming darkness. For the first time, old rivalries were cast aside.

 Mentors gathered knowledge with unmatched precision, their sharp minds piecing together clues about the Kretches' origins and weaknesses. At their side prowled Mentorious, ever watchful, its eyes gleaming with cunning intelligence. It was clear that brute force alone would not be enough to turn the tide. Strategy, wit, and cooperation were needed.

Word spread quickly: the inhabitants of Faeo would face not just a battle of swords and spells but a battle of minds. Over the coming weeks, riddles would test the sharpest intellects, and challenges would push even the bravest warriors to their limits. Only by solving these mysteries could they hope to weaken the Kretches' hold on the land.

The call went out to all of Faeo's warriors. They would need to join forces, navigate the trials ahead, and aid the structures in their struggle against the merciless invaders. The first of many challenges loomed on the horizon, and the fate of Faeo hung in the balance.

 

 

Now that the Mentors had gathered all the information they could, the  Socializers wanted to do their bit for the community and all of Faeo's warriors.

 

 

More and more Kretch were sighted and they continued to ruthlessly ravage villages, fields and forests. No one was safe from the red-eyed creatures. The unwelcome inhabitants of the land could be seen roaming the countryside, at least in pairs, but mostly in small groups. The Kretch had not yet penetrated every corner of the continent, but the dark cloud was spreading rapidly. This is where the  Socializers came into play.

They had also sat down together and thought about how they could best help their beloved Faeo. Their reach was wide and their communication channels very fast, and they were determined to make the most of these advantages. But there were simply too few of them to prepare everything in such a short space of time. Unfortunately, even the active support of their loyal pets, the Munkeys, was not enough. The animals seemed just as saddened by the situation; after all, the Munkeys also wanted to romp around in peace and catch the best stories for social media.

But despite everything, they were sure that, together with the Munkeys and Faeo's brave warriors, they would manage to compile the information and spread it to the far corners of the continent!

On and on the Kretch mercilessly made their way through the land. If there was a time to do something about it, it was now.

 

 

Fortunately, all of Faeo's inhabitants had been warned first. Unfortunately, it soon became clear that, despite all their efforts, it hadn't done much good. A solution to the problem really needed to be found urgently!

 

 

In the meantime, the Kretch were everywhere - really everywhere. You met them on the paths and streets, in the back alleys, in public buildings, stores and houses. They occupied battlefields and instances and the Elder swears that they gnawed his favorite socks!

Life in Faeo was no longer what it used to be. At first, the residents had dared to go out in company, but now nobody was to be seen. The initial amusement at a few escaped Kretch had long since vanished. The mass of these creatures seemed unstoppable and no one really had any good ideas on how to get rid of them.

Maybe there was a creative way to find out how to end the invasion - at least that's what the  Moderators had thought. They now launched a call for everyone to shed light on the invasion of the circles from all perspectives. Who knows, maybe there were a few useful ideas?

Unfortunately, the inhabitants currently had no choice but to hide and protect themselves from the Kretch as best they could.

 

 

The Grand Library stood as the last beacon of knowledge in a world overrun by the Kretch menace. For weeks, reports had flooded in - swarms of the vile rat-like creatures emerging from the depths, gnawing through defenses, overwhelming entire settlements. Now, they had set their sights on the library itself, a place holding centuries of wisdom, including ancient texts that might reveal the key to their defeat.

 

 

The  Heralds had no choice: they had to act fast. With the Kretches already clawing at the outer walls, they divided their tasks:

Some began hastily drafting battle guides, scribbling furiously by candlelight, piecing together everything they knew about the monstrous Kretches - their weaknesses, their behavior, and the best tactics to counter them.

Others scoured the library for every mention of the creatures, listing all the different kinds that had ever been recorded. Could there be rare, forgotten species lurking in the depths of these texts?

Meanwhile, a group set out on a riddle hunt. The Kretches had already broken in, tearing pages from books, scattering them like fallen leaves. Small, cryptic clues were all that remained - fragments of parchment, barely legible. The Heralds worked together, tracking the stolen knowledge, piecing together where each torn page belonged.

Outside, Argos, the Heralds' loyal winged companion, circled above the battlefield. Whenever the Kretches tried to breach the main gates, he dived down, kicking up winds to drive them back. His watchful eyes caught movement in the shadows, alerting the Heralds to every new threat.

But just as they neared victory - just as the last page was restored, the final piece of information uncovered - Argos let out a sharp cry. In the depths of the library, hidden among the fallen bookshelves and overturned desks, lay a mysterious locked chest.

No key. No markings. Only a lingering sense of something powerful waiting inside.

Was it a weapon? A forgotten relic? Or a secret the Kretches wanted buried forever?

The answer would have to wait. Because outside, the skittering of claws against stone had begun again. The fight was far from over.