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DemonicDarkwraith -> Chasing Answers (3/25/2023 13:10:33)
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Chasing Answers
Location: Swordhaven Castle -> Queen Victoria -> Quests! -> Convergence -> Chasing Answers
Requirements: Completion of From the Embers
Release Date: March 24th, 2023
Objective: Now that everyone's here, it's time to get some answers, and plan the next step to take.
Objective completed: Surely the Magesters will be happy to see you?
Experience rewarded: Scaled
Gold rewarded: Scaled
Monsters
(9) Mana Elemental
(1) Tog
(11) Void Elemental
(5) Void Spawn
NPCs
Alteon
Amadeus
Eirn
G. M. Hansa
Kara SuLema
Ostromir
Queen Victoria
Vseslava
Warlic
Rewards
Crown of the Lost Hawk (I-VI)
Access to CA Loot for DCs.
Dialogue
*In Swordhaven Castle's strategy room, Queen Victoria—accompanied by Warlic, Alteon, and Amadeus—have caught the Alliance up to speed on events that transpired while they are on way back to Swordhaven.*
Queen Victoria: ...I had hoped to send you ahead to Battleon, <Character>, but as you can see, there are more pressing matters.
Amadeus: ...
<Character>: Confronting Akanthus directly is out of the question. I doubt he'll be as merciful if we were to challenge him again.
<Character>: But Warlic, even if the airship has wards, it sounds like the Ivory Tower has been drained of its power.
<Character>: Surely you could overpower whatever defenses the airship might have?
Warlic: I...
Warlic: I don't know if I can. I don't want to push too hard. Too far.
Warlic: ...Lose control in the city.
<Character>: You know, when we were defending Swordhaven from the Proclamation rift, Jaania was afraid to use magic as well.
<Character>: But she did. And she saved the city, and all of us, with her shield.
Warlic: ...
<Character>: And I trust you, Warlic. I certainly trust you more than I do Jaania!
<Character>: I believe you know your limits. And we're not asking you to push them, either.
<Character>: If you feel yourself slipping, we're here for you.
Warlic: ...
Warlic: You're right, <Character>. Thank you.
Warlic: I still have my doubts...
Warlic: ...but it can't hurt to try!
Amadeus: Finally.
Warlic: Queen Victoria, I shall require use of a balcony facing the Ivory Tower, if possible.
Queen Victoria: Certainly!
Eirn: Don't bother. They're already gone.
*Eirn—carrying the unconscious Circe—enters the strategy room following their attempt to sabotage the Rose airship.*
Queen Victoria: Eirn!
Queen Victoria: Circe?!
*Sometime later, as Kara heals Circe, Queen Victoria and her allies are caught up to speed on events that transpired during Eirn, Circe, and Yix's sabotage of the Rose airship.*
Queen Victoria: No. No. This is all my fault— I ordered you to—
Queen Victoria: And poor Yix as well...
Eirn: Staying behind was his idea. While it does put him in considerable risk, having him aboard provides us with valuable data.
Eirn: According to my calculations, the ship is already beyond the reach of conventional magic.
<Character>: Then we have no time to lose. They have a head start, but we need to leave as soon as possible.
<Character>: Kara, can you use your wind magic to transport us to Outpost Yeden?
Kara SuLema: I'm sorry, <Character>. I can take one, maybe two others. Certainly not everyone required.
Kara SuLema: The winds of the Whispering Steppes are unkind, and may delay us further still.
Ostromir: This... Akanthus... I wonder...
Warlic: He does present a rather large obstacle.
Warlic: I have never encountered a being such as he. Whatever hypotheses you may have, Magester, I would like to hear them.
Vseslava: Ostromir, I do not know if—
Ostromir: You have had the same suspicions as I, then?
Vseslava: I have. But... Think of the repercussions! It is not our place to disclose such information to foreign entities!
Ostromir: All of Lore is in peril. We can pay for our sins later.
Vseslava: ...Very well, Ostromir.
*The Golden Hand prepares to tell Akanthus' origins to their allies.*
Ostromir: So... Akanthus. From all I have heard described of him, I believe his origin is indeed from Azaveyr. From the Magesterium.
Ostromir: And when I say he originates from the Magesterium, that is very accurate indeed.
Ostromir: As you may know, we Magesters draw our power from a fragment of the Mana Core.
Ostromir: Doing so bestows upon us great power. However, in exchange, it diminishes our connection to the main body of the Mana Core.
Ostromir: This is why we are dependent on the Ignominious or other specialized Foci when traveling.
Ostromir: It is a rather... crippling dependency that the Magesterium has attempted to solve since its inception.
Ostromir: The search for such solutions often involved... experimentation.
Ostromir: I...
Ostromir: ...
Vseslava: ...Many of the subjects did not survive. Those that did were mercifully disposed of.
Vseslava: Except for one. The Magesterium's greatest success, and greatest failure.
Ostromir: ...Sobieslav.
Ostromir: He was one of many products of experiments in the Wastes...
Ostromir: ... to determine the viability of a human with no connection to the Mana Core in any form.
Ostromir: He was the lone survivor of his peers, the others failing due to imperfections or... or...
Vseslava: ...Unviability.
Ostromir: ...Yes. By all means, he became a normal child, except for his imperviousness to magicks and harm.
Ostromir: And so, he was given over to the Magesterium to train and raise until such a day that any magical talent may manifest.
Ostromir: That day never came.
Ostromir: That is not to say the Magesterium has no use for those disinclined to magic, but there had been great expectations placed upon his head.
Ostromir: Despite his lack of magical ability, he still grew to be a ferocious Magester, eventually leading research expeditions of his own.
Ostromir: After that... Well, according to his account at his trial, there had been an accident at his research facility in the Wastes.
Ostromir: ...As he was the only survivor, it was difficult to question his telling of events.
Ostromir: As punishment for his failures, he himself suggested a self-imposed exile.
Ostromir: Some were in favor of harsher punishment, but it was then that realization dawned on the Magesterium.
Ostromir: We had no means by which to contain Sobieslav.
Ostromir: Should he come to desire it, he could eliminate all of Azaveyr, and meet no resistance.
Ostromir: And so, we agreed to his terms of exile.
Vseslava: His demeanor in the trial gave us no suspicion to suspect that he would threaten the Magesterium.
Ostromir: He was ever the smooth-talker. We had believed that he would view the parting amicably.
Ostromir: Seems we have found where he has turned up!
*After the Golden Hand tell Sobieslav's origins and how he became Akanthus in the present day, Amadeus believes that their information won't be at help to stop Akanthus.*
Amadeus: While intriguing, I fail to see how this information helps us stop him.
Ostromir: You underestimate the Magesterium, my friend! We are not the type to leave a potential threat be!
Ostromir: While I have not personally been kept apprised of the developments...
Ostromir: ... there has indeed been official research on how to deal with beings such as Sobieslav.
Vseslava: Rather low priority research, as I recall.
<Character>: But with Nieboheim's fate unknown and the fall of the Magesterium... Even if that research met with success, we have no way of learning the details.
Ostromir: Yet another reason to visit Outpost Yeden!
Ostromir: It may be a small chance, but the remaining Magesters and Golden Hand may have the resources we need.
Queen Victoria: Then it seems like it's the only chance we have.
Queen Victoria: That just leaves the method of transportation. Where is Outpost Yeden?
Vseslava: It is located far south of Kaer Sierra, to the west of the Fissure.
Queen Victoria: Sailing would take too long then. If there's too many of you for Kara to take... then we have another dilemma on our hands.
Warlic: I... I can try to teleport you there.
Warlic: I'll need a more exact location, of course, and it has been a long time since I've traveled south of the Whispering Steppes...
Warlic: But I can do it. I can teleport whoever needs to go.
Queen Victoria: Thank you, Warlic.
Queen Victoria: Kara, how is Circe?
Kara SuLema: She is stable. Thankfully she seems to have avoided much of Akanthus' attack. But... her wounds are still severe.
Queen Victoria: That is... that is good to hear. I... don't want to burden you further, but...
Queen Victoria: May I ask you to remain? I would like to call upon the Vind to defend the western front from the Rift's incursion.
Kara SuLema: Certainly.
Queen Victoria: Thank you. Grand Magus Hansa, I have a similar request of you.
G. M. Hansa: Oh?
Queen Victoria: With Jaania's departure, I mean to wrest control of The Rose she's left behind.
Queen Victoria: If I want to do this peacefully, I'll need your help.
G. M. Hansa: You shall have it. I am no longer beholden to Jaania's twisted dreams.
Queen Victoria: I am glad to hear it.
Amadeus: I'm going.
Warlic: ...
Alteon: I am, as well.
Eirn: Well, I'm not. There's been more than enough excitement for this gnome, thank you very much.
Vseslava: The broken one will be fine, I think, as will the former king.
Vseslava: <Dragon> and the extremely powerful mage, however...
<Dragon>: I'm not being left behind! | *Determined roar!*
Ostromir: Perhaps it would be best for you to stay hidden until diplomacy has been smoothed out, then, little one.
Warlic: And I will find my own way to help, worry not.
*Queen Victoria turns around to face Alteon.*
Queen Victoria: Father.
Alteon: I am sorry, Victoria. I...
Queen Victoria: There will not be a throne waiting upon your return.
Alteon: I... understand.
*Alteon looks down with regret for not helping Queen Victoria enough.*
Warlic: Right. Well, I will need some space. And if someone could get Vseslava a map...
*Sometime later, you and your allies—consisting of your dragon, the Golden Hand, Alteon, and Amadeus—are in a runic circle as Warlic focuses his teleportation spell to Outpost Yeden; as Warlic finishes up his spell, Ostromir appears to be fixated to the spell's runes.*
Alteon joins you as Guest A.
Amadeus joins you as Guest B.
Ostromir: How peculiar. Vseslava, take a look at this array of runes!
Ostromir: It appears we are to travel through the Void, in a contained... pocket of sorts?
Vseslava: A stable pocket?
Ostromir: Indeed! How very interesting.
Vseslava: But surely the amount of mana expended to maintain such a large and secure tunnel is beyond that of a... normal... person.
Vseslava: You. Mage. Are you...?
Warlic: Can't hear. Focusing! Almost... ready...!
Queen Victoria: Take care, everyone. All of Lore is counting on your mission.
Ostromir: Hold on. I don't recognize this rune!
Ostromir: It bears resemblance to the archaic rune for "protection", but the usage is different from—
*Ostromir points at the protection rune before touching it, unintentionally tampering the spell's protection from the Void in the process.*
Ostromir: Oops.
<Character>: "Oops"? What do you mean, "Oops"?! That's the last thing you want to hear before being—
*As you are about to finish your sentence, you and your allies are teleported to the Void in a flash of light; you fight your way through the Void, battling various monsters along the way; after escaping the Void, you and your allies find themselves in a land affected by the Fissure, signified by a field of overgrown cyan and pink grass.*
<Character>: ...Whoa.
*Before they can confirm that they have landed at proximity of Outpost Yeden, you and your allies briefly look at their newfound surroundings.*
Amadeus: Ugh. It's too bright.
Alteon: Did we make it?
<Character>: Ostromir? Vseslava?
Vseslava: This looks to be close by.
Ostromir: We are here! Welcome, friends...
Ostromir: To Outpost Yeden!
Ostromir: ...Or, well, close to it. It's somewhere around here, I'm sure!
*Scene fades to black.*
Complete Quest
Loot for DCs - opens CA Loot for DCs shop.
Other information
A HP/MP healing pad can be found during the quest.
Pop-up headlines during the quest:
quote:
Vseslava: "Oh, well done, Ostromir. I believe we have been stranded in the Void."
Ostromir: "I only disturbed the protection rune. Our path should still lie ahead. I think."
Amadeus: "The path splits. Lead the way, hero."
Alteon: "What was that tog doing here? No, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."
Ostromir: "Perhaps the Magesterium should have focused more research on the Void. This is quite interesting, is it not?"
Alteon: "Amadeus, your fighting style... Were you perchance a knight of Swordhaven in the past?"
Amadeus: "...I have nothing to say to you, Alteon."
Amadeus: "Eyes up. More enemies ahead."
Alteon: "..."
Vseslava: "If you are feeling fatigued, you have only yourself to blame, Ostromir."
Ostromir: "Normally, teleportation does not involve physical exertion. I wonder how far we have to go?"
Amadeus: "If you won't help fight, help by keeping quiet. Don't draw the attention of even more of these creatures."
Ostromir: "Ah, but you are quite interesting yourself, Amadeus. I look forward to learning more about you!"
Amadeus: "...I have nothing to share with you, Magester."
Alteon: "Watch your step, everyone!"
Vseslava: "I am getting rather dizzy. Please, Shapeless, let this be the last."
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