Opening
narrator
Expedition I
Encountered minor spatial distortion.
Seventeen locals lost in exploration.
Result: Keep sending them in. There
must be artifact hotspots in here.
Expedition III
Expedition is waylaid by unknown party.
Thirty-three expedition members maimed
and killed by unknown attackers.
Result: Increase expedition recruitment.
We can afford sustained losses.
Expedition VI
Expedition had three survivors, each with
contradictory accounts of death.
One recounts a cave-in, another mutiny
and the third, supernatural interference.
All seem to be of sound mind.
Result: Locals are no longer willing
to accept task at reasonable price.
Have some forcibly sent down.
Note from Archsage Ulach:
Researcher Cornelius has wasted time,
resources and personnel for no purpose
other than to satisfy his own curiosity.
I forward that these operations be shut
down and redirected towards my projects.
-Archsage Ulach
(Ellerie, Oriana, Tower, and Lindros enter a tunnel identical to the one in Chapter 1. Two Tomb Terrors emerge and a fight plays out identically to the one in Chapter 1: One attacks Oriana but misses, she counterattacks, and then Tower defeats the other.)
lindros
This is awful.
I hate it down here.
ellerie
No one forced you
to come down.
tower
Then quit your yapping. You've
lost your right to complain.
oriana
Let the guy vent his frustration.
He's not hurting anyone.
tower
He's hurting me.
ellerie
Hold on, what do you mean the most
infamous anomaly on the Crescent?
I thought this was one of Irinde's mines.
oriana
You really don't know? This is the Puncture,
infamous for all sorts of bizarre happenings.
tower
This is common knowledge.
Come on, Captain.
ellerie
I'm not from the Crescent,
I don't have this knowledge.
lindros
But I'm also-
ellerie
You don't count.
oriana
You've stuck with us for so long I've nearly
forgotten. I'll let Lindros do the explaining.
lindros
Because the person with glasses
has to do the exposition.
Long story short, there's plenty of
foolhardy adventurers who return
with tales about the Puncture, anything from items appearing where
they shouldn't to hearing the voices
of the deceased.
Of course, there's a few that never return
or worse, returned as undead.
ellerie
Let me get this straight. This place
has a history of terrifying incidents, and Irinde decides to build a mine
in the middle of it? Are they mad?
tower
The Puncture is rich in ore and gems, and if there's one thing that drives
men to madness, it's possible profit.
oriana
Considering Irinde's miners have remained
active in these mines for so many years, either much of the tales are made up or
the Puncture is no longer as dangerous.
tower
There's no free meal when it comes
to what the Gods leave behind.
Mark my words, eventually they
will be met with a horrific fate.
ellerie
Well no wonder Nerysa asked us
to bring all the Seahawks here.
I thought we'd be rescuing miners
from a cave collapse or something,
now you're telling me anything
could be on the table.
lindros
Hey wait. Doesn't this
tunnel look familiar?
oriana
What about it?
We're going in circles?
lindros
No, no. This is identical to that tunnel
we ran through in our first expedition.
Those crates are stacked the same way.
ellerie
That's a funny coincidence. You sure you're
not seeing patterns where there aren't?
tower
I don't believe in coincidences,
especially given where we are.
oriana
Didn't Tower and I fight those exact same
two undead when we were running through?
ellerie
Now that you mention it, I don't like
what this could be suggesting.
lindros
I remember the tunnel vividly.
Every part of my body hurt, my legs were like pudding.
And then Pomelo came
through that entrance-
(Pomelo appears from the tunnel ahead.)
pomelo
Captain! I have- Why's everyone
looking so worried?
ellerie
Did anything happen?
pomelo
Not really, just came back to report
the crew is still sweeping the area.
Still haven't found the miners.
oriana
You gave us a good scare.
pomelo
Did I miss something?
lindros
Nothing important. Maybe being
underground is just getting to me.
(Nerysa approaches from the other end of the tunnel.)
nerysa
Still haven't found them?
ellerie
No, but my crew has been catching
me up on history regarding the Puncture.
Seems like a dangerous place to be mining?
nerysa
I've heard the stories as much as anyone
else but I've seen little tangible evidence.
On the other hand, all the iron, silver and
gems mined straight from the Puncture have been a major contributor to Irinde
becoming one of the coastal powers.
ellerie
And nothing of note has
happened in all those years?
nerysa
There have been isolated reports,
but none that warranted serious alarm.
ellerie
Until now, that is. You should have better
informed me regarding the circumstances,
I have little idea what we could be facing.
nerysa
There isn't much I can tell you about
that does not come from hearsay.
I fully believe this is an ordinary mining
accident and not something otherworldly.
(The tunnel begins shaking.)
ellerie
And there it is.
nerysa
This is perfectly
explainable-
offscreen 1
Tunnels behind us
are collapsing!
offscreen 2
Move! Move!
(Everyone runs further into the mine as the tunnel collapses.)
The Sanctuary
jeziel
So our plan is settled. Sequoia's crew will
take the Guild outpost on Lake Lotugyr,
while Unari's and my forces on land will
strike Yalunzar from opposite sides.
sequoia
My Cormorants are simply
unmatched on the ocean.
The John Fisherman Clan Alliance
will be finished by breakfast.
unari
I have no further objection save
for one more important matter.
We must send an envoy to Irinde, both to explain the situation, and to
promise the safe return of the Chief.
sequoia
The commander speaks sense.
We can only juggle so many enemies.
I'm certain I would be able to ease
their worries with honeyed words, but alas, I can't be in two places.
jeziel
I see little need. What can they do,
swing pickaxes in mild outrage?
But I suppose it can't hurt.
unari
We should send someone of decent
rank to assure them of our sincerity.
Perhaps I could send my lieutenant.
jeziel
What skilled diplomats could either
of you have in your employ?
I'll just send one of my knights.
unari
This is a delicate situation. Are you sure
your knight can properly resolve it?
jeziel
Of course. Unlike you commoners, my knights are raised with the finest
education in speech and diplomacy.
sequoia
(Elis knows if that education
went through to you.)
Well then, I will depart for the Lake.
Let us meet again after our glorious,
glorious victory over the Guild!
unari
May Elis be with us all.
jeziel
Elis may be with us, but
the Sect certainly will not.
The Puncture
(The crew find themselves in a strange ruin cast in an eerie purple light.)
ellerie
My head feels like it's been hit
by a rock. What a terrible sleep.
tower
Because it was. You got knocked by a falling
rock and I carried you the rest of the way.
ellerie
Hopefully I wasn't
too heavy.
tower
You weren't, but your backpack was.
Consider not carrying your entire
livelihood with you next time.
ellerie
I will (not) consider it. Why is
it so hot all of a sudden?
Actually, what even is this place?
nerysa
We appear to be in a
ruin from the old world.
tower
In other words, a death
trap waiting to happen.
ellerie
Surely this place has been cleaned up given
how long Irinde has operated these mines.
nerysa
That's what worries me. I've never
heard of such a thing from the miners, who we still haven't yet found.
tower
That's plenty worrying, but I believe
a more important matter is at hand.
Our entrance has been blocked.
ellerie
Tempted to tell you to knock me out
again and wake me up when this is over.
I suppose we'll just find another exit.
nerysa
I'm starting to suspect there's more to
tales about the Puncture than I assumed,
I'd rather not have found out first-hand.
ellerie
I plan to survive whatever this place has to
throw at us and add our tale to the pile.
(Oriana approaches.)
oriana
I have good news. Lindros discovered three
switches that control the ruin's entrance.
tower
And I have bad news.
Look over that way.
ellerie
Is that a person
down there?
oriana
I wish it was.
Look closer.
ellerie
It's a bit uncanny, almost as
if it was imitating a person.
(The figure suffers damage as souls and phantoms erupt from its body.)
ellerie
The way they burst out of the flesh.
I'm going to remember that.
oriana
Please don't describe it again.
Needless to say, we have a problem.
tower
Like we do with all our
problems, we put it down.
ellerie
We outnumber that thing
by far. Shouldn't be hard.
(Clones of the Seahawks enter from the other side of the cavern.)
ellerie
...
oriana
Oh no.
tower
I've not been surprised in decades,
but what in the name of Elis?
ellerie
That's us. Well, not us.
What the hell.
tower
I don't know what twisted remains of the
old Gods enabled such things to happen.
But what I do know is that I have an
axe and something to use it on.
oriana
Captain, we must defend the switches!
We can't allow those things to escape.
ellerie
If they can imitate our forms, Elis knows
what else they can do. Seahawks, hear me!
We won't be defeated by cheap imitations!
[After this, the player and enemy Seahawks switch factions.]
[Wisp appears on turn 2. No one comments on her appearance.]
Ending
(The Seahawks emerge outdoors.)
johnny spices
What happened to you guys?
The miners have been out for hours.
miner
We're honored you all personally came
to save us, but it was just a minor delay.
ellerie
That doesn't make sense.
It was a single tunnel. How could dozens
of people have missed each other?
miner
It's a network of caves. Did you all go
down a side entrance or something?
johnny spices
Maybe you just got lost in the dark.
I'd rather swim across the ocean
than go down one of those holes.
Probably safer too.
ellerie
But there were no other entrances
and- No matter. Glad you all are safe.
Will you join us in the fight for Irinde?
miner
Of course! We'll do
what we can to help.
ellerie
Your loyalty is welcomed. We'll make
preparations for our assault in the morning.
(The miners leave.)
johnny spices
So soon? You seem rather
confident in our victory.
ellerie
I have fought the Saltsworn enough
to have a good grasp on our odds.
Besides, some contacts should
further tip the odds in our favor.
johnny spices
You're the expert, I suppose.
If you need any additional provisions
or alcohol for your crew, I'll be here.
ellerie
I'll skip on the second offer for obvious
reasons, but I could always use more food.
lindros
What was that? Archsage Nerysa, you
must understand what happened right?
nerysa
Sorry to disappoint you, but
I'm as clueless as you are.
No amount of my knowledge
could let me explain that.
tower
They were illusions defending
the ruins of the old world.
Ones that imitated our
appearance, nothing more.
lindros
But they bled, they
screamed and- Oh Elis.
nerysa
Their familiar mannerisms, the way
they communicated with each other, the details of their arms and armor...
lindros
I remember how not me
bled out on the ground.
If I were to die, is that
how I would sound?
tower
Between the stress and the fumes,
your mind was playing tricks on you.
It is for the best if you left it at that.
nerysa
I'm inclined to agree, better
if we all just forgot about this.
And that Irinde should take its
mining operations elsewhere.
lindros
That can't be right.
There must be more to it.
nerysa
Do you really want
answers, Lindros?
lindros
... Perhaps not this time.
Irinde
(A Glade Gallant officer has arrived to speak with Irinde.)
secundus
I'm sick of dealing with riff-raff.
Are you something resembling
the leader of these masses?
ellerie
In a sense. Who are
you supposed to be?
nerysa
We don't see many knights out here.
Could you be from the Iron Realm?
secundus
Ah, I see you've got a fraction
more brain than your partner here.
Not that it means much.
nerysa
What business does one of
Jeziel's knights have here?
secundus
I will not be addressed as “one of Jeziel's
knights”. I am Sir Secundus the Second, the Sacred Spear, Captain of the sec-
ellerie
Get on with it.
What is your business?
secundus
Silence, worm! I am Sir Secundus the
Second, the Sacred Spear, Captain of the
second battalion of the Glade Gallants,
slayer of Wilfred the Wicked, and chosen
by his highness Prince Jeziel the Just
himself as envoy for this populace.
ellerie
That was a lot of words that meant
nothing. I still don't know what you want.
secundus
I couldn't expect some commoner
to understand, you probably can't
even write your own name.
But I will explain things clearly
to your small and feeble mind.
Your buffoon of a Chieftain decided
to interfere with His Royal Highness'
righteous war against the Guild scum.
He has been crippled and imprisoned.
nerysa
Oren is what?
But the peace treaty-
secundus
Why should His Royal Highness
abide by some rules imposed
on him by those beneath him?
His Royal Highness declares that
Irinde will stay out of this conflict, or your Chieftain will be headless,
and the Glade Gallants will burn
your little hovels to the ground.
tertius
Sir! We were told to resolve
this as peacefully as possible.
secundus
You haven't been educated like I have.
The only way to properly deal with these
ants is to put them under the boot.
nerysa
Is this a joke? Why would Oren
interfere on the Guild's behalf?
ellerie
Show us some proof. We only
have one man's word for it.
secundus
My word should be enough for the likes
of you. But I was provided evidence.
nerysa
That's Oren's favorite lance!
secundus
I would give this to you but you clearly
have not given me the respect I'm due.
So I think a penalty is in the order.
(Secundus breaks the lance over his knee.)
Any disobedience will see your chief
broken in half, just like his precious lance.
nerysa
You- ...
ellerie
(What am I watching?)
tertius
Sir, the crowd is looking angry.
I think we should leave, right now.
secundus
You've much to learn, young Tertius.
A stern hand is required to keep these
simpletons from getting too uppity.
But I've wasted enough time here. Let us
depart from these foul smelling cretins.
tertius
Yes, Sir. I value my life.
(The knights leave.)
ellerie
I come from the Mainland Capital and
I've never seen anyone that ridiculous.
Was that really not a performance?
nerysa
I don't want to believe it. I very much
wish it was a performance so that Oren...
But I wouldn't put it past Jeziel's cronies.
There's precedent for their ego and for
breaking agreements they consider lesser.
ellerie
You warned me of the Guild, yet it would
be this Iron Realm that took action.
At least we know for sure Chief Oren lives.
nerysa
He will live if we agree to their demands.
As much of that Sir Secundus is how he is,
he did not demand anything outrageous, just our neutrality in their private spat
between the Guild and the Iron Realms.
ellerie
You really think they'd
stick to their promise?
We see for ourselves the
agreement they broke.
nerysa
I can't gamble with Oren's life. We have
little to gain from entering this conflict.
I'm sure they have as little to
gain from sending back a corpse.
ellerie
I may have heard little of the Iron
Realms compared to the Guild, but I know of Prince Jeziel, of his
flight from the Mainland decades ago.
If stories of his behaviour ring true,
we cannot let him get his way.
nerysa
And what do you suggest?
We cannot possibly support the
Guild, that's utterly ridiculous.
I only see one option; we will have
to wait for them to return Oren.
ellerie
This is a discussion we will
have to save for later.
Listen up, everyone!
It is grave news, but the Chief
would not want our morale
to be affected because of him!
Tomorrow, we march towards
Enan and show the Saltsworn
the price of messing with Irinde!
Night
dune
Why did you want us
at such a late hour?
ellerie
To discuss our next move,
given what happened today.
johnny spices
The Crescent is really going to war? And I
thought we were pushing the boundaries.
guard
We should mess them up like
we will do to the Saltsworn!
Nobody screws with us
and gets away unscathed.
ellerie
I was getting to that.
johnny spices
I'm a simple spice trader,
that seems out of my league.
dune
Let them duel. If the Guild takes a
hard hit in this war, all the better.
ellerie
Ideally, they will fight to a standstill.
But look here, this is updated information
I've received from the great Persimmon.
dune
They've made a bigger alliance than
I thought. And talk of monsters?
guard
I am not literate.
Could you explain?
ellerie
The long and short of it is that the Iron
Realms launched a devastating initiative.
It is possible the Guild cannot recover
from this surprise and will be consumed.
guard
That's a good thing, right?
We hate the Guild.
ellerie
Did you not see that messenger?
There's little doubt once they've
beaten their biggest competitor, they'll want the whole coast.
With how one knight treated us,
you think we'd be better
off under their reign?
johnny spices
Irinde is on the opposite side of
the coast so I don't know much, but from that knight guy,
they do seem like bad news.
ellerie
We do not have the manpower to
conquer these titans of the Crescent.
But we can tip the scales enough such
that neither the Guild nor the Iron Realms, can score a convincing victory, weakening
them both for us to enter the scene.
dune
Why not invite Archsage
Nerysa to this discussion?
She'd be the hardest to
persuade to enter this mess.
ellerie
The Archsage is far too influenced by
her feelings to see the bigger picture.
With Chief Oren out of the picture and
the Crescent heading towards all-out war, we need leadership willing to take action.
That's why I am asking for your support.
johnny spices
Hold on, that seems
rather abrupt?
dune
That's... direct.
ellerie
I speak not only of this matter, but of the
direction Irinde must take in general.
Waiting for the dust to settle will make us
pawns of the victors. We must take action!
guard
(smiles) You're a brilliant warrior, Captain,
and that's what Irinde really needs.
You have my full support.
ellerie
(smiles) I like you a lot,
you know that?
johnny spices
Archsage Nerysa has done a pretty
good job supporting Chief Oren, I say.
She's done a lot for Irinde.
ellerie
(serious) In a time of peace, perhaps.
But this is not a time of peace.
Her aversion for Irinde to take
action will cost us in the long run.
dune
I will ask what Spices is too polite to ask.
The Archsage is an outsider, but so are you.
Why should Irinde follow your leadership?
ellerie
Because I can win us battles.
I've scored more victories in less
than a year than most in a decade.
Could Irinde have so easily obliterated
the Corsair Coven without my efforts?
dune
Prowess in battle does not
represent a clear mind.
ellerie
Unlike the Archsage, I'm aware of my own
limited knowledge regarding the Crescent, and will take decisions from those qualified.
Such as you, Dune, of the old bloodline
of the first settlers, and you, Spices, who let gold flow into Irinde, and you...
who really embodies Irinde's courage.
guard
(grins) Yeah!
dune
The Archsage's stubbornness does
infuriate me, I readily admit.
johnny spices
You think highly of me, but I don't have
that much to do with Irinde's affairs.
ellerie
What of the John Clan? When the
Guild inevitably invades Lake Lotugyr, how will you help them, if not without
the might of Irinde by your side?
johnny spices
How do you know about that? I made
a clean start all those years ago.
dune
Bloody John disappeared from Lake
Lotugyr and Johnny Spices appeared.
Not a hard connection to make.
johnny spices
And I thought I hid myself well. I split from
my clan due to them answering to the Guild, but surely they're just hired hands. Would
the Iron Realms really focus on them?
ellerie
They've obstructed the Iron Realm
from the waterways for years now.
They're likely high up on the
Guild's priority list to dispose of.
johnny spices
I hope you're wrong, even after all these
years I'd hate for my clan to be in danger.
ellerie
Of course, all this rests upon if I
can replicate my feats at Enan.
If I cannot, you're free to forget
this conversation.
But I will prevail, and I will need your decision then.
Now, let us rest for tomorrow.
johnny spices
...
(Johnny Spices leaves.)
dune
You make big promises, Seahawk Captain.
Let's see if you can live up to them.
ellerie
I am sure your choice
will be correct.
(Dune leaves.)
guard
(serious) I don't need to wait.
I've already decided.
ellerie
I thank you for it.