Jay
Marauderator
🧭
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 Loose Ends
Location: Falconreach (Book 3) -> Ash -> Quests -> The Thorns -> Epilogue: Loose Ends
Requirements: Completion of Unraveled
Release Date: August 16th, 2019
Objective: See how the fates of Theano and Belle play out.
Objective completed: The Thorn Saga has come to an end!
Experience rewarded: 0
Gold rewarded: 0
Monsters
None
NPCs
Belle
Jaania
Theano
Vitael
Warlic
Rewards
None
Dialogue
*In Swordhaven's Ivory Tower, Theano kneels between you and Jaania, Tipu, and Ahimsa.*
Jaania: I see...
Jaania: <Character>, let me start by expressing my sincerest apologies.
Jaania: You must believe me when I say that if I had known what these... "Thorns" were doing, I would have stopped them immediately.
<Character>: That's the thing, Jaania. You didn't know! So many people died, because you didn't know!
Jaania: I am aware, <Character>! Do you think I like people dying? Do you think I like people seeing me as a villain?
Jaania: I don't. I built the Rose with my bare hands. I wished for people to see us as something beautiful, something to look up to for protection.
Theano: I am Death... I am Death...
Jaania: And then monsters like this scurry in.
Jaania: Trampling over the reputation of the Rose and its good deeds.
Theano: They all need to die... Magic corrupts absolutely...
Theano: I know you feel the same, Jaania!
Jaania: Pitiful.
Jaania: I will make an example out of you, Theano.
Jaania: And all of your "Thorns".
Theano: Let me kill them for you!
Theano: The Mages—
Jaania: Worry not, <Character>, the ramblings of a madman do not sway me.
Theano: Set me free, and I will kill whoever you want!
Theano: I am Death!
Jaania: As for you, Theano, I admire the punishment that your daughter has seen fit to carry out.
Jaania: Therefore, if you can do no evil, I will make it so you can see no evil.
Jaania: Or hear no evil.
Jaania: Or speak no evil.
Jaania: This will not bring back those whom you have harmed, but...
Theano: Do not lay your hands on me, you witch!
Jaania: I hope that their souls find solace in your misery.
Theano: I am Death!
Theano: I will kill you for this!
Theano: I will...
Theano: P-plea—
*With the touch of Jaania's hand, Theano—or whatever's left of him—appears to be trapped within his own mind, void of any color. He attempts to look around, before Death appears behind him.*
Theano: ...
*He looks down, realising this is his ultimate fate. He tries to scream, but cannot.*
Theano: ...!
*Back in the Ivory Tower, we see the effects of Jaania's spell; Theano's face appears to be covered in a magical barrier, preventing him from seeing, hearing, or saying anything.*
Jaania: Ahimsa, Tipu, take him to his cell.
Jaania: And please inform Akanthus that I have another mission for him.
Jaania: Would you say that his punishment was sufficient to his crimes?
<Character>: I... what did you do?
Jaania: As punishment for his senseless actions, I have rendered him quite literally senseless.
Jaania: He cannot see, hear, nor speak. And we will maintain him in such a state until his final breath.
*You do not protest Jaania's cruel punishment, but your expression hints otherwise.*
Jaania: Now, about this Belle...
Jaania: I understand that she is a scout for the Rose. To have awakened to such power...
Jaania: Where is she?
*You worry what Jaania would do to Belle if she were to ever find her.*
<Character>: She's gone...
Jaania: What do you mean?
<Character>: When she "unraveled" Theano...
<Character>: The burden on her body...
<Character>: She died from exhaustion.
<Character>: It was just... too much for her.
Jaania: ...Sudden overload of magical flux... depending on the vessel...
Jaania: I see.
Jaania: Perhaps that is for the best, then.
<Character>: What?! How can you say that!
<Character>: Belle sacrificed herself to clean up your mess!
Jaania: And for that, I am forever grateful to her memory.
Jaania: However, the power to control the fine workings of mana that maintain the—
Jaania: I'm sorry, you described her power as an... unraveling?
*You once again do not protest, but are reluctant to indulge Jaania with information as she treats Belle's alleged death as a learning exercise.*
Jaania: Curious.
Jaania: As I was saying, I have no doubts Belle was a fine woman.
Jaania: However, such power brings on not only the threat of abuse, but inspires potential imitators who in turn may do great harm.
Jaania: So while I would have greatly loved to thank Belle in person, I am also glad that she no longer poses a threat to Lore.
*You appear to have had enough of Jaania's callous views.*
<Character>: Goodbye, Jaania.
*After you leave, Jaania reflects on your conversation, and how the discovery of Belle's unraveling abilities may impact her research.*
Jaania: ...But that would mean the leyline theory is...
Jaania: ... Have all these experiments been using the entirely wrong model?
*Scene fades to black. After your visit with Jaania, you return to Warlic's Mage Tower to touch base.*
Warlic: It appears to have worked.
<Character>: It's done. I did what you told me, Warlic.
<Character>: Theano is in the Rose's custody...
<Character>: ...and Jaania thinks you're dead, Belle.
Warlic: Good. If Jaania thought Belle was alive, she would never stop looking for her.
Warlic: I must admit, Belle's abilities would have proven incredibly useful to my own studies. However...
<Character>: But think of how easy it will be to stop Jaania now!
<Character>: Belle could easily...
Belle: I can't, <Character>.
<Character>: What do you mean?
Belle: I can't Manaweave anymore.
<Character>: Why not?!
Warlic: Belle and I discussed it and we both decided to remove the power from her.
<Character>: How— why would you do that?!
<Character>: Warlic, threats like Jaania, even Sepulchure, and the Mysterious Stranger, or any other! They would be no match for her!
Belle: <Character>, stop! I'm not a weapon!
Belle: That's what Theano wanted me to be!
Belle: But I'm not that! I'm a human being!
Belle: When I was Manaweaving, I felt like an Avatar... maybe even beyond them.
Belle: I felt like I could take life. I could create life. I could do anything...
Belle: Even then, it nearly killed me! And almost destroyed Vitael!
Belle: I was so angry. I was afraid of myself.
Belle: I'm not an Avatar. I'm just me...
Belle: No one should have that power.
Belle: Theano gave it to me. And I want nothing to do with him.
Belle: So, with Warlic's help, I Manawove myself a "filter".
<Character>: I'm not following?
Warlic: I will admit, the fine details escape even me. But the theory behind it is quite fascinating.
Warlic: As you saw before, Belle had a direct, unrestricted connection to the Mana Core.
Warlic: She was able to draw any amount of Mana she wished from it, with training, of course.
Warlic: However, Manaweaving was a different story.
Warlic: While her body could withstand the Mana flowing through it, her soul was not as durable.
Warlic: As she Manawove, the amount of Mana flowing through her threatened to unravel her soul, as well as Vitael who was bonded to it.
Vitael: If she would have pushed herself even a fraction harder, her soul would have unraveled completely and ceased to exist.
<Character>: Avatars...
Warlic: In order to prevent something like this from happening, even on accident, Belle and I applied a sort of... mana filter.
Warlic: In theory, it restricts the amount of mana that Belle has access to at any time.
Warlic: Belle was the one who created it, I just offered some insight on the theorywork.
Belle: It's hard to explain how I did it! I kind of just poked around until it felt... right.
Warlic: As a result, Belle has normal access to the elements...
Warlic: ...but no longer has access to the unlimited flow of mana that allowed her to Manaweave.
Belle: So now I'm just... normal!
<Character>: I see. That sounds... complicated, but I'm glad you're happy now, Belle.
Vitael: I'm proud of you, Belle.
Belle: Thank you for all your help, Warlic.
Warlic: Of course, Belle. You've greatly improved my understanding of the workings of mana.
Warlic: It will take some time for me to fully test my theories, but you've set me on a new thread to follow.
Belle: And thank you, <Character>, truly. Without you, I would have never stopped Theano.
<Character>: Don't mention it! You did all the heavy unweaving!
<Character>: Sooo...
<Character>: What's next for you, Belle?
Belle: I'm leaving the Vind.
Belle: I'll let the Rose finish off the rest of the Thorn. I can't stand to see anymore bloodshed.
Belle: I need to get new SpiritLooms, and then I'm going to Ravenloss.
Belle: I want to study among the Soulweavers there to become a Master Soulweaver, and try to put all this behind me.
<Character>: I wish you the best, Belle.
<Character>: If you ever need help, I'm always here for you.
Belle: Same for me.
Belle: Thank you, <Character>. I hope we'll meet again someday!
*Scene fades to black.*
Complete Quest
Other information
Completion of this quest unlocks the quest chain The Fear Engine, beginning with the quest A Serious Encounter.
Completion of this quest unlocks Thorns badge.
< Message edited by DemonicDarkwraith -- 7/21/2024 22:11:02 >
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