A Royal Adventure (Adventurers)

A Royal Adventure is an storyline for The Adventurers supergroup which began on May 1, 2018.

Chapter 1: The Big To-Do

It is the evening of May 1, 2018. Red Spider, AKA Cassandra Olsen, has scored some invitations to a major diplomatic reception being held in Millennium City. The party is meant to wow some young royals from the Aegean country of Cretoa that has recently signaled it is ready to ease its long-standing closure to the West.

Part 1 - The Reception

There has been so much excitement over the possibility of the tiny island of
Cretoa opening a dialogue with the west for the first time since the Cold War.
Apart from its natural beauty, and its location in important shipping lanes,
Cretoa is also the only known location on Earth possessing a rare mineral
called 'vitanium', which can promote amazing health effects.

Some Notable Guests at the Party

• Bill Olsen, C.O.O at DTO, a major investment company based in Millennium City (and Red Spider's father)
• Jessica Fiorelli, a 25 year-old artist heading up major branding and marketing initiative for the municipality of Millennium City. (returning NPC from the 'Adventurers App' storyline)
• Dr. Nancy Cooley, Dean of Political Sciences at MCU
• Sana Georget, a leading investigative reporter in MC
• James Harmon IV, appearing via VR-controlled hologram from Mumbai
• The leaders of the USA, Canada, and Mexico
• Sarah Ellison, heiress to the Ellison Hotels chain
• Shawrelle Martin, an NBA player
• Kendra McKnight, a world-famous martial artist and stunt professional
• Gene Melton, an a-list actor

Adventurers Mingling in the Crowds

Many of the guests were bureaucrats in the diplomatic corps, and a few unremarkable businesspeople. But the Adventurers did meet some useful guests...

• Cassandra (Screech Owl) met a shy Cretoan named Isidora, who turned out to be aide to Princess Taina. Because Cassandra was kind to Isidora, the aide secured Cassandra a seat at the Princess's table.
• Meltdowner met Dr. Nancy Cooley, who had much to say about the rumored political unrest in Cretoa that might boil over into a full revolution.
• Maya (Sombra) got a photo with President Enrique Peña Nieto, who showed her great kindness and wished her well now that she had moved to the USA.
• Black Bird got in a reception line for a photo with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
• Catfight (Eva) met Kendra McKnight, a world-famous martial artist and stunt performer. She offered to grant Eva an interview if it would give Eva's broadcast career a boost.

Part 2 - Dinner

Speech from Kyros Kallikrates, Cretoan Minister of Foreign Affairs

Thank you for that kind introduction, Mr. Ambassador. Our nation stands at a crossroads. It is five months since our revered Prince Iason passed away after a full life as our monarch. Now, his children, the Prince Alexandros, and Princess Taina, carry together the burden of leadership. We are in a new century. The old international divisions to which the late Prince Iason adhered, are no more. The 21st Century calls to us to join it. But we must do so carefully, slowly. Our people hold strong to their traditions; whatever reforms shall come, they must come under the steady hand of our rightful rulers. So it is that I am pleased to introduce Prince Alexandros, and Princess Taina, to our friends in America, Canada, and Mexico. We in Cretoa admire much about your nations, and the traditions that have led them to their prominent places in the world. We hope you will come to appreciate our traditions, and our need to protect them.

Cretoa has much to offer the world. I know that 'vitanium' is something many of you greatly desire, but we have so much more to offer: a beautiful landscape, little known to the outside world; ancient cities; a rich culture; varieties of fruit and wine rarely sampled beyond our borders. Keep that in mind as we open up to the possibility of trade between our nations. I, for one, look forward to finally owning an iPhone. *audience laughs* And some Canadian maple syrup. *More laughter* And I cannot wait to try some of these Mexican peppers I have heard so much about.

I thank you for your attention. May God smile upon our future dealings.

Potential Poisoning?

During dinner, Cassandra, secret identity of Screech Owl, thinks she smells
something off about the water being poured at the Princess's table. Security
guards take the water away but their examination is inconclusive. Sarah
Ellison, secret identity of Night Star, notes the disturbance at the Princess's
table; she sits near Prince Alex but fails to prevent him drinking the water.

Yet, Alex seems fine.

Part 3 - The Dance

Following dinner is a dance.

Poisonings Take Effect

The poison in the water begins to act. Members of Prince Alex's table who drank
the water start falling to the floor and convulsing. In this manner, Kyros
Kallikrates, the Cretoan Minister of Foreign Affairs, dies. Alex, secret identity
of Meltdowner, offers to a Secret Service agent to teleport Prince Alex and one
of his aides out to a hospital. The agent grudgingly relents, knowing that they
have zero chance of survival with this fast-acting poison otherwise.

Aftermath

The Adventurers, as with all party guests who were present when the poisonings took
effect, are held for questioning.

Prince Alex is in critical condition at Mercy Hospital, under heavy guard.

Princess Taina is ushered out of the hotel for her safety, but when news breaks of a
uprising in Cretoa, she feels compelled to head home to calm the situation.

Sarah Ellison (Night Star) kept some samples of the tainted water so that the team
can determine the nature of the poison used.