Repentance
Required: Slimy Doubt quest.
→ Go to Gurgus Dahnik
YOU: Salutations Gurgus. I believe I am ready to train further with you. I would be glad to show you how well I handle the Beat Attack now.
- Gurgus Dahnik smiles but kra seems preoccupied.
Gurgus: I am very happy to see you Huarwar, you have made yourself quite a reputation in the Order and deserve to be its Champion.
YOU: Oh? Does that mean... .
-Kra nods, still smiling, though you can see that kra is not fully paying attention.-
Gurgus: Yes.
Gurgus: We now consider you a Champion of the Order of the Keen Edge, congratulations.
Gurgus: I will be glad to share my knowledge with you, but first...
Gurgus: We need to speak about the Platinum Warriors matter, if you don't mind.
YOU: Of course not, I can see that you are preoccupied Gurgus. Did you learn some news concerning them?
Gurgus: Not much more than what you told the Order; they are a group of mercenaries who are over-equipped, mysteriously financed, lead by an even more mysterious 'G.'.
Gurgus: Their strategy is to create dangerous events, then swoop in as the solution.
Gurgus: This is preoccupying in itself but what worries me the most is our fellow Order members...
Gurgus: And the citizens that could be at the wrong time in the wrong place.
YOU: I agree. We need to go further in our investigation about them.
Gurgus: Well, I am glad you suggested this...
Gurgus: I have to tell you that once again, we are without news from Thrynt Glass after he told us he was leaving the Order.
Gurgus: I am conscious that it is the second time we send you to him but he is the only one that confessed about his difficulties.
Gurgus: All the other members left in silence and have refused to talk with us.
Gurgus: I believe it could be important to go and speak to him again.
YOU: All right, I will contact him again.
-Kra nods, thankfully.-
Gurgus: Be sure to follow the leads of your investigation, listen to your instincts, it has served you well to this point and...
Gurgus: Oh!
Gurgus: To learn more about Roniston Shane, you could speak with Grand Master Stevald's brother, Polyuntri.
Gurgus: He is the official advisor of the Shadow Squadron's commander, Raithen, and a fervent adept of Laanx.
→ Go to Thrynt Glass
YOU: Hello Thrynt. How are you?
-Upon seeing you, Thrynt starts chewing his lower lip, embarrassed but resilient.-
Thrynt: Huarwar...
Thrynt: Look, I know why you are here!
Thrynt: Yes I quit, I did it and I don't regret it...
Thrynt: Or maybe a bit but I had no choice!
Thrynt: Look, I've already notified Gurgus and Gregori about my problems and how do you think they reacted?
Thrynt: Do you think they showed any sign of solidarity?
Thrynt: Well, no.
YOU: Are you happy with your new situation? Is it going as you hoped?
- Thrynt Glass swallows, looking in the distance.
Thrynt: I never truly wanted to leave the Order.
Thrynt: I liked it there, made some good friends and have learned much.
Thrynt: It also gave me certain prestige that would have surely helped my candidature in the Shadow Squadron.
Thrynt: But at least now I have pay and can bring food almost every day on my family table!
YOU: The Order never hid that their missions only brought glory. But I understand, I really do. [You try another approach] So, what have you heard about the Platinum Warriors? I grew curious about them.
- Thrynt Glass stays silent a few seconds, his eyes showing a surprising fear.
-He approaches you and whispers.-
Thrynt: Believe me, Huarwar, don't join them...
Thrynt: I...
Thrynt: I had to do things...
Thrynt: Things that I regret, they made me do things, mind tricked me!
YOU: What things? [As Thrynt stays silent, you insist.] What things Thrynt? You know I am here to help.
- Thrynt Glass shakes his head, deciding not to say anything more.
→ Go to Polyuntri Stevald
YOU: Good day. I am a Champion of the Order of the Keen Edge. I have been advised to seek information from you.
Polyuntri: Yet another wannabe-noble-apprentice of my brother Gregori.
Polyuntri: Magnificent.
Polyuntri: Well go ahead, shout your question but be brief please, I am a busy Ynnwn.
YOU: [You ignore his acidic tone and proceed.] I heard that you were a Laanx adept and I was wondering if you knew someone named Roniston Shane. A Ylian, tall, very devoted to the God.
Polyuntri: I am forcing myself not to wonder why you are asking me such a thing.
Polyuntri: Not that I care anyway but I don't like speaking about others...
Polyuntri: So yes, I do know Roniston Shane and very devoted to Laanx is an understatement.
Polyuntri: This man is a fanatic.
Polyuntri: He even has some followers in the church, especially among youngsters.
YOU: Do you know where I can find him? I have some questions for him.
Polyuntri: I thought my brother was leading an Order of warriors, not of chroniclers.
- Polyuntri Stevald shakes his head.
Polyuntri: I saw him speaking with Sharven yesterday.
Polyuntri: Thinking back, he had a grim look, seemed withered.
Polyuntri: He said he had to unburden himself.
Polyuntri: I suppose you should speak with High Priest Sharven Xant-Areth.
→ Go to Sharven Xant-Areth
YOU: Good day Hight-Priest Xant-Areth. I am sorry to disturb you but I need to speak to you in private.
Sharven: Ah?
Sharven: I suppose it is important, then.
Sharven: Well, I can dedicate a minute to you.
Sharven: Approach here and let us talk.
Sharven: How can I be of help?
YOU: [With carefully chosen words, you explain the matter to Sharven, including your need to know more about Roniston Shane.]
-The high-priest takes a minute to ponder before answering.-
Sharven: I know no priest of Laanx that would willingly repeat what one of the faithful said in confidence.
Sharven: Plus, Roniston is a fervent follower of Laanx and the church protects him as it protects all its adepts...
Sharven: However, I do understand the distress of the situation.
Sharven: I've heard about this group, the Platinum Warriors, and not often in a good way.
YOU: Is there a way for me to show the temple my good will?
- Sharven Xant-Areth smiles, maybe at your smartness, maybe in the perspective of a gesture of good will.
Sharven: Well you could always make a donation to the temple.
Sharven: To help maintain its structure for example, or pay for the thousands of candles we use every week.
Sharven: There is a lot of work to be done around here and a sum of 200 tria would surely ease our burden for some time.
Sharven: Of course, the generous contributors are always included in our daily prayers.
→ Give Sharven Xant-Areth 200 Tria
YOU: [Despite the importance of the sum and the fact that the Order will probably never repay you, you make the donation with a smile, hoping for information.]
- Sharven Xant-Areth slightly bows his chest and explains, in a conversation tone.
Sharven: Of course, it doesn't change a thing.
Sharven: I won't say a word to you nor be the one entering into details.
Sharven: It will not be necessary.
Sharven: Laanx sent you here for his repentance, it is clear now.
YOU: His repentance?
- Sharven Xant-Areth takes time to explain, slowly.
Sharven: When Roniston came to me he was in a state of disarray, anger and despair.
Sharven: He said he had committed terrible acts for this group and Laanx had guided him back here to the temple.
Sharven: He came to repent, truly, sincerely.
Sharven: I told him to go to the wild, around the Eagle Head Fortress to face himself and let Laanx be the judge.
Sharven: That is where you will find him.
Sharven: There's a lot of area around there, so look around.
Sharven: Tell him 'He has already decided, the time of repentance has come.
Sharven: You must speak.' He will understand...
Sharven: But be aware Huarwar, that his faith is a sensitive matter.
Sharven: Tread carefully...
Sharven: May Laanx frighten the shadows from your path.
→ Go to Roniston Shane
YOU: [Roniston looks to you as you approach.] [You notice his expression, but cannot tell if he is mad or illuminated.] Roniston, sorry to disturb you in such a moment. I am a member of the Order of the Keen Edge. [Option 2/2]
- Roniston Shane nods quickly, hand on the hilt of his sword where you can see a ripped piece of cloth, hanging.
Roniston: I heard about you but I cannot speak right now and you shouldn't have come here.
Roniston: I should be alone with Laanx and you shouldn't have come, you are ruining everything!
YOU: [Roniston seems constantly on edge, about to burst with anger or madness his jaws pulled forward, the warmth of his faith feeding the fire.] I am extremely sorry, but I came from Hight-Priest Xant-Areth. I have a message for you.
- Roniston Shane blinks, his hand slightly more relaxed on the hilt.
Roniston: And what would that be?
YOU: Sharven asked me to tell you that 'He has already decided, the time of repentance has come. You must speak'.
- Roniston Shane falls to his knees as heavily as if a string that was holding him up was cut.
-He breaths loudly, his eyes fixed on the ground.-
Roniston: May He forgive me.
Roniston: May Laanx extend His benevolent arm upon me, I was lost...
Roniston: He sat temptation on my road and I wasn't strong enough to pass it by, I was WEAK and unworthy of His greatness.
Roniston: I am a worm, sacrilege...
- Roniston Shane digs through the grass with his bare hands, dumping handfuls of earth onto his head, spreading it everywhere on his face.
Roniston: I pledge guilty Laanx!
Roniston: Take me!
Roniston: Take me now, slay me!
Roniston: I am not worth walking in your realm!
YOU: [With a renewed prudence, you try to direct Roniston towards more practical repentance.] Roniston, I am not a specialist but maybe Laanx provided you this test, to prove the strength of your will. You can repent by correcting your acts and trying to do better from now on.
- Roniston Shane looks at his sword and sighs.
Roniston: Entering the Order was a true achievement for me, it was my greatest achievement.
Roniston: Then there were the Platinum Warriors.
Roniston: They offered me a position, I was lieutenant!
Roniston: I had a whole host under my lead, 20 ready to do exactly what I commanded of them, to fight in Laanx's name, to shout His name before battle, to praise His fiery arm as we fought alongside Him, to sing His greatness as a battle is won!
Roniston: I finally had found my place, this was the right way to love Him!
YOU: I see. But something went wrong... [You point a finger at the piece of flag hanging off his sword's hilt.]
- Roniston Shane follows your lead and he nods.
Roniston: Gibbsite informed us that a group of cut-throats planned to attack caravans along the road to the Bronze doors fortress.
Roniston: Kra told us to go there and set an ambush to save the caravan.
Roniston: So I went with a small part of my men.
Roniston: We installed the trap, but at the last minute everything went as I had feared...
Roniston: We received a message from Gibbsite ordering us to let the cut-throats do their attack and then to eliminate them and take their loot.
Roniston: He demanded that we act quickly and avoid leaving witnesses of any kind.
Roniston: Kra said it was to reward us for our service, said it was the only way he could pay us this time.
Roniston: Unfortunately, it was not the first time it happened...
Roniston: When we stormed upon the cut-throats, one of them shouted: We had a contract, betrayers!
Roniston: and that was what made me finally realise.
Roniston: I...I just ordered my men out and we ran away.
YOU: Oh. And it's during that fight that you lost your sword's flag?
- Roniston Shane nods a bit surprised.
Roniston: Yes...
Roniston: One of the cut-throats gave me a pretty serious hit, slicing one of my pockets, my flag, and a piece of my leg.
- Roniston Shane shrugs his shoulders.
Roniston: All of Gibb's strategy is there.
Roniston: When you are a Platinum Warrior, you are treated very well.
Roniston: You are fed, equipped from head to toe with the best stuff, you are paid and feel secure.
Roniston: There is an atmosphere of solidarity there...
Roniston: But after some missions the real deal starts.
Roniston: They ask you to do small things first and it seems like nothing.
Roniston: Like..take the purse on the chimney, they won't notice it, they would have given it to us anyway, we just saved their children...
Roniston: Then each time more is asked starts to get vicious, even.
Roniston: At the end you are dependent on them, they know what you did, they own you.
Roniston: At the end you have no choice but to do as asked.
- Roniston Shane sighs, still knelt, he seems sincerely full of regret.
Roniston: By the time you realise what you are doing and it is too late!
YOU: [You wait a second for Roniston to compose himself before asking.] Who is Gibbsite?
- Roniston Shane looks up toward the Dome, resilient.
Roniston: Kra is the leader of the Platinum Warriors, a sandstone Kran.
Roniston: I saw kra only once but I know that Gibbsite isn't kras real name, kra took this nick because of kras colour.
Roniston: Kra said it's easier for business, that people remember you better when you have a nick.
Roniston: I ignore Gibbsite's real name and that's another sign that I shouldn't have trusted kra.
Roniston: I have no idea where kra comes from, I simply had the impression that kra was military, the way everything is planned meticulously, based on strategy, etcetera...
YOU: I see. Thank you for the information, Roniston. Are you still a Platinum Warrior member?
Roniston: No.
Roniston: No, Laanx enlightened me, I quit.
Roniston: I did it on His orders, followed His wisdom.
Roniston: And so I am taking an oath now, in front of Laanx, with you as witness from the Order, Huarwar...
Roniston: I swear to dedicate my life defending Laanx's principles and serving His will in all manners He deems worthy...
Roniston: I swear to be His ruthless paladin.
- Roniston Shane stands up, he seems taller suddenly as he raises his sword toward the Dome.
Roniston: I give you my life Laanx, and with it my soul.
- Roniston Shane shouts.
Roniston: May your enemies tremble!
Roniston: May your will be law!
Roniston: I swear!
- Roniston Shane slices his left hand, his blood drips onto the floor, to seal the oath.
Roniston: Be gone now Huarwar, I regret to have left the Order but my life is elsewhere, I understand it now.
Roniston: Laanx is my light, in Him lays my glory.
Roniston: Be gone or pray with me.
YOU: [You choose to pray with Roniston and as you recite with him, Laanx's light fills you.]
Roniston: Lord, make me an instrument of your will!
Roniston: Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be great as to make you great; To be served as to serve you; To be loved as to love you; For it is in giving you that we receive; It is in trusting you that we are acceptable; And it is in following you that we are born to eternal light!
- Maulbernaut attacks Huarwar Eruera with normal stance
→ Go to Gurgus Dahnik
YOU: Hello Gurgus, I gathered very important information! [You summarise what you know.]
-A brief but loud noise, sounding like a stone was hit on another, emanates from kras chest as kra interrupts you.-
Gurgus: Gibbsite you say?
Gurgus: The leader of the Platinum Warrior is Gibbsite?
Gurgus: I know kra!
Gurgus: It's all clear now, it all makes sense!
Gurgus: I should have thought of them from the beginning!
YOU: Them? What do you mean? Who are they? Who is kra?
Gurgus: I never knew kras real name, kra was always known as Gibbsite.
Gurgus: Listen, a couple of years ago, after some poor political decisions leading to the authorities being understrength, a situation arose in the Barn.
Gurgus: So much so that a central part of the land was off-limits, invaded by of small groups of bandits and not even the guards would risk intervening.
Gurgus: When the Octarch finally took the lead to deal with it, he decided to solve the problem in a radical manner.
Gurgus: He secretly founded The Militia.
Gurgus: Supposedly to act as his hand to systematically eliminate the bandits.
Gurgus: He recruited some of the most merciless mercenaries, ex-criminals and veteran soldiers.
Gurgus: Gibbsite was from one of the labyrinth outposts, I believe, and was known for kras strength and charisma.
Gurgus: Kra quickly ascended to The Militia's leadership!
Gurgus: In the end, the solution worked all to well and when the situation returned to normal, the Octarch decided to disband the group that proved barely controllable.
YOU: Ah! So the Platinum Warriors would be the remnants of this Militia.
Gurgus: Exactly!
Gurgus: The Militia disbanded but not the fascination of its members for Gibbsite, their leader.
Gurgus: Some of them must have stayed together, Gibbsite planing their next move...
Gurgus: To the Dome!
Gurgus: Where much tria might be gained if you are fearless.
Gurgus: This is a very serious problem.
Gurgus: I will write a report immediately.
-Without further ado, Gurgus writes on a parchment that kra hands to you after some minutes.-
Gurgus: Take this to Gregori immediately, Huarwar.
Gurgus: Do not delay, the situation is worse then I thought.
→ Go to Gregori Stevald
YOU: Gregori, I have an urgent report from Gurgus to hand you, if you have a minute.
- Gregori Stevald salutes you and nods.
Gregori: Champion...
-He grabs the report and reads it.-
Gregori: Laanx's mask, this is a serious affair!
-He looks up at you and states.-
Gregori: I will say this only once Huarwar because I am always very parsimonious with compliments but you have been remarkable in this whole story.
Gregori: Thanks to you, the Order has unveiled a terrible menace that could have stormed the entire Dome.
Gregori: Well done.
YOU: Thank you, Master...
- Gregori Stevald interrupts you with a raised hand.
Gregori: Don't get too sentimental yet, it is not over.
Gregori: I know Gibbsite, I know kras strategies.
Gregori: Kra has no limit, no regrets, no feelings.
Gregori: And kras swordplay style is merciless.
- Gregori Stevald sights then unsheathes Tarr.
Gregori: If I could I would confront kra myself, right now, man to Kran!
Gregori: But It would be stupid to engage the entire Order image that way...
- Gregori Stevald puts a hand on your shoulder.
Gregori: You are way out of Gibbsite's league...
Gregori: For now.
Gregori: But we will work on it, you are the Klyros for the situation.
Gregori: Unsheathe your blade and get ready for yet another move, the Disengage.
Gregori: This one can save your life.
YOU: [After some intense exercising, you seem to have learned the move and ask.] What now Gregori, how to reach the Platinum Warriors and stop them?
- Gregori Stevald sheaths Tarr carefully as he answers you.
Gregori: I have a plan.
Gregori: Or what seems to me like one...
Gregori: Gurgus states clearly that we don't have enough evidence to report the facts to the higher authorities.
Gregori: So I will keep the Order in alert, we will continue investigating because we have yet a small chance that time will bring us more witnesses like Roniston, so we will get more valuable testimonies.
Gregori: As for you Champion, go train like a beast, give it all.
Gregori: The Arena is open for you at any time.
Gregori: Come back to me here, when you are ready.
QUEST COMPLETED
Rewards: 1 Level in Sword, 'Single Handed Sword' Combat Move 'Disengage', 20 Faction with Order of the Keen Edge.