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The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One The Hooded One
The Hooded One on The Weapon
The Hooded One on The Weapon
The Hooded One
The Weapon is radiating intense Corruption… It will sicken and madden all those who near it… Quickly… he has returned to Ngakanu… You must stop him!
The Hooded One
The final piece… these symbols…
Doryani
The translation work we’ve done… is it enough?
The Hooded One
Something about a forge… This part says ‘You must finish it,’ or something like it. ‘You must forge it.’ The word forge is drawn like a name. It’s not an action. It’s a place.
Doryani
So, we must find an ancient Precursor forge.
Warrior
But where? It could be anywhere.
Witch
And how are we supposed to do that then?
Sorceress
A forge? How do we find it?
Ranger
Do we have a trail? Where do we start looking?
Huntress
I’ve hunted many things… never a forge. Where do we look?
Monk
A forge? Where are we to start looking?
Mercenary
What! How do we do that?
Druid
A forge? Hmm… where would such a place be?
Doryani
This is the first time in my life I’m forced to admit - I have no idea. Ask the crew perhaps. The Karui. They live here, after all.
The Hooded One
The more I consider it, the more I believe I’ve seen a depiction of the Weapon. Especially now that I can study the piece in Doryani’s possession…
Doryani
A depiction? Where? The scraps I know, I learned from incredibly ancient ruins.
The Hooded One
Yes… when I consulted the ancient being Kalandra, she told me where to find the Seed of Corruption… She was cryptic, and said that it already belonged to me. That it always had. I can still only guess what she meant… In the ruins where the Seed was sealed, I saw carvings on the wall. It was a message, left for anyone who might follow in the eons to come. A series of giant murals. The first was broken, but the second depicted the creation of the Seed. The third mural portrayed the Seed’s destruction. At the time, I thought it was a warning. Now, I see the Weapon was depicted quite literally, being driven into the Seed. It might not have been a warning. It might have been… {instructions.}
Doryani
This confirms my hypothesis. The Weapon is the key to destroying the Beast. We must find and reassemble it, no matter the cost.
Warrior
I will do whatever it takes.
Witch
Leave it to me.
Sorceress
I am honour-bound to do this, but I would still volunteer.
Ranger
If it’s the only way to save the lands I love, I will give my all.
Huntress
I will give my very life, if I must.
Monk
We will succeed. Together.
Mercenary
Least we’ve got a plan.
Druid
Aye. The Beast falls – or we do.
The Hooded One
It is curious that the Weapon was broken into pieces and dispersed here.
Doryani
From what I’ve seen, I don’t believe the Weapon was broken apart. It was never fully completed at all. I have only ever seen it portrayed in pieces. The third mural, the one you saw, {must} have been an instruction. It is my belief that the creators of the Weapon were… interrupted.
Warrior
Interrupted? How?
Witch
Ooh that sounds ominous! What do you think happened?
Sorceress
Let me guess, did something destroy them?
Ranger
What befell them?
Huntress
Sounds a nice way of putting it…
Monk
Do you know their fate?
Mercenary
Interrupted? By what then?
Druid
By who? Or what?
Doryani
It’s impossible to know for certain. They were wiped out thousands of years before my time. Do… {you} have any notion?
The Hooded One
I was too young to remember much. I was among the Azmeri when it happened. But they did tell stories… I recall tales of… a great fire, a great wasting…
Doryani
{You} were alive for {that?} The historical record… it’s always been conjecture…!
The Hooded One
I remember fear. I remember sorrow. But the Azmeri had chosen their homes carefully. They were separatists. They rejected technology. And in the end, they were right…
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The Hooded One on Doryani
The Hooded One on Doryani
The Hooded One
Doryani sees the world through a different lens. We must remember that he is of a bygone era…
Doryani
… I can hear you, you know.
The Hooded One
Indeed.
Doryani
And of what era are you, exactly?
The Hooded One
Older still. I have seen many civilisations rise and fall.
Warrior
We all have our differences.
Witch
Yes… fight!
Sorceress
Must I listen to squabble?
Ranger
You are both equally questionable.
Huntress
Hey now… Break it up.
Monk
Please. We must remain calm.
Mercenary
Heh. I’d pay money to watch you two brawl it out.
Druid
Aye, you’re both as old as stone. Let’s not quarrel over it.
The Hooded One
It is a strange feeling, meeting someone so gifted in sciences I unintentionally brought to the world. All of Vaal technology and advancements, derived from my ultimate mistake…
Doryani
You call the Beast a mistake? On this, I do not agree. The gods were nothing but monstrous tyrants. The power of Corruption allowed humanity to seize back control of their destiny!
The Hooded One
And what did you do with that control? In your experiments, I saw death. Dismemberment. A living nightmare.
Doryani
A means to an end. They were all willing sacrifices.
The Hooded One
That is, somehow, even more frightening. The zealotry. The fervor. I’ve seen it all too often… a kind of madness, seemingly fundamental to mankind.
Doryani
Perhaps, but it was their choice to make. They gave themselves in the hopes of saving our people. My only regret is that I failed.
The Hooded One
Oh to bear but {one} regret…
Warrior
One day, all regrets will be cast aside. We will put things right.
Witch
And this is what I get for trying to make small talk.
Sorceress
Regrets are what shape us. Learnings observed about ourselves. No one is perfect.
Ranger
Regrets are useless. We have to move forward. Best you both try to as well.
Huntress
I’ve certainly made some mistakes I wish I could take back. But we must accept them and move on.
Monk
The burdened mind drags itself down. The past is behind us.
Mercenary
Oof, sorry I asked.
Druid
Regret’s a root ye cannae cut. Best learn to grow around it.
The Hooded One
I am struggling to reconcile two men. One is history’s greatest monster, maligned across Wraeclast’s written and oral traditions. The other is the man we brought back from the past, one who portrays himself as desperately trying to save his people. Are they one and the same? He accepts responsibility for the things he has done, claiming they were necessary. I suppose I have no moral high ground to stand on… Doryani could not have done any of what he did if I had not grown the Beast…
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The Hooded One on Allies
The Hooded One on Allies
The Hooded One
Now, we need allies. I believe we have earned good will throughout Wraeclast. It is time to call upon those debts. One last journey, recruiting any who will join us, before we assault Oriath. The Karui are already with us. We should call upon the Ezomytes and the Maraketh.
Doryani
As it so happens, I may… also have some forces in reserve.
Warrior
Forces in reserve? You mean {living} Vaal?
Witch
Where would you be hiding something like that?
Sorceress
You have {living} warriors? Where?
Ranger
What? Living Vaal? How?
Huntress
Really? Where might they be?
Monk
What does {that} mean?
Mercenary
You’re a tricky one, aren’t ya, mate?
Druid
Oh, kept that close to the chest, didn’t ye?
Doryani
Suffice to say, I’ve always got a contingency plan.
The Hooded One
On we go, then, to build an alliance against the end.
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The Hooded One on Unity
The Hooded One on Unity
The Hooded One
It has been thousands of years since I’ve seen an alliance such as this. Wraeclast has finally united the way I always hoped it would. Come, let us plan our assault on Oriath.
Doryani
I’ve been working on a strategy of sorts.
Warrior
Let’s hope it’s a good one this time…
Witch
That’s good. For once, I don’t think blasting my way in will work.
Sorceress
Indeed, the time of heroes is upon us once more.
Ranger
I’m ready. Let’s end this.
Huntress
The final rush of the hunt.
Monk
The end is nigh, one way or another.
Mercenary
I’m glad you’re with us, boss.
Druid
Then let’s be done with it. Time the Beast met its end.
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The Hooded One on First Weapon Piece
The Hooded One on First Weapon Piece
The Hooded One
This piece of the Weapon… it has writing on it…
Doryani
The first example of Precursor writing I’ve ever seen!
The Hooded One
I… recognise some of these symbols…
Doryani
What? How?
The Hooded One
When I was very young, but a boy, and still mortal… hmm. Such a faded memory… I was… in her lap… and symbols like these, decorated a vivid book… I can almost hear her saying the words… what they mean…
Warrior
Who was this person?
Witch
Are you saying what I think you’re saying?
Sorceress
Please. You must recall. What do they mean?
Ranger
What’s happening? What do you remember?
Huntress
What’s goin’ on?
Monk
Clear your mind. Try to recall. What do they mean?
Mercenary
What are you saying, old fella?
Druid
My own memory’s a blur. If yours is still in there – dinnae let it slip.
The Hooded One
I’m not sure… I have to think on it… I have to try to remember…
Doryani
Then {we} must find the other pieces. We need more information.
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The Hooded One on Oriana
The Hooded One on Oriana
Warrior
Oriana… Ogham’s downfall… was part of the Twilight Order all along! Greatwolf ravage her!
Witch
So, the Twilight Order and Oriana are one and the same. Who knew?
Sorceress
It makes sense. Oriana is part of this Twilight Order.
Ranger
Oriana’s working for the Twilight Order. First Ogham, then the Vastiri… now the world.
Huntress
Oriana and the Twilight Order… she’s got a lot to answer for.
Monk
Oriana is behind the Twilight Order. Pulling its strings.
Mercenary
Count Geonor’s missus is the leader of the Twilight Order! What a bloody twist!
Druid
Oriana and the Twilight Order - one and the same, all along.
The Hooded One
We should have known. Their goals were in alignment. It’s obvious, in retrospect.
Doryani
We had centuries of science at our disposal… and still we could not control the Beast. These religious fools are going to cause another Cataclysm.
The Hooded One
We must find them. We must make them see reason!
Doryani
I was the most reasonable man of my era, and until my hand was forced, I didn’t listen. I suspect… they won’t, either.
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The Hooded One on The Twilight Order
The Hooded One on The Twilight Order
The Hooded One
I thought I could deal with the gods single-handedly, without consequence. It should always have been a communal choice. I applaud them for their efforts.
Doryani
It seems they despise the gods. I dare say, it is understandable. Mankind has no need of divine tyrants.
Warrior
I wonder if the Order {could} be of some aid to us. They have the numbers.
Witch
I find those overly-happy types truly unsettling… leave them to it, I say.
Sorceress
The gods are not inherently evil. We have seen them do great things for the Vastiri and our people.
Ranger
I don’t trust this ‘Twilight Order.’ Keep your beliefs to yourself, I say.
Huntress
Gods derived from mankind are flawed. The Spirit… is beyond all of that.
Monk
We cannot fathom the weight of such a thing… to be divine.
Mercenary
Either way, them lot on Arastas… they feel a bit off.
Druid
Gods rise and fall… but the Draíocht abides in all livin’ things. The Order won’t change that.
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The Hooded One on The Third Edict
The Hooded One on The Third Edict
The Hooded One
There is no doubt now in my mind. It {is} the Weapon I saw in that third mural. The forging revealed an inscription. The symbols declare it ‘The instrument of the Third Edict.’ It was designed for the sole purpose of cleansing Corruption… … and destroying the Beast.
Doryani
The Third Edict? What is the meaning… of these Edicts? Perhaps it follows that the Seed was the instrument of a {Second} Edict… But why? What part of this tale are we missing? Why would any civilisation intentionally create the Seed of Corruption?
Warrior
A question lost to time. All we can do now is destroy it.
Witch
The pursuit of power, obviously. Now, we have to clean up their mess.
Sorceress
They must have had a good reason… but we have no choice. We must destroy the Beast.
Ranger
The hubris of man never changes. Just look at history.
Huntress
You can fuss over that. We have the Weapon. The hunt is on.
Monk
The truth may come to us in time. Until then, we have what we need.
Mercenary
That’s above my pay grade. Let’s go destroy the Beast and be done with it.
Druid
I’ll not concern myself with the motives of dead men. What matters is we wield it true.
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The Hooded One on Second Weapon Piece
The Hooded One on Second Weapon Piece
The Hooded One
This piece has writing, too! I have some sense of the meaning…
Doryani
Give me everything you recall, no matter how insignificant. We must try to translate them.
Warrior
What does it mean to you? Do you remember?
Witch
Something very strange is going on here… explain!
Sorceress
There must be a tale, locked in the back of your mind. Focus on it.
Ranger
Do you know why, yet? Why they seem familiar to you?
Huntress
Some mysteries are best left untouched, you know.
Monk
We are stumbling upon some sort of hidden truth here.
Mercenary
Oh boy. This is gettin’ good.
Druid
Strange what lingers - and what’s lost. I’d give much to know {my} past.
The Hooded One
As a child, I was sent to live among the Azmeri with my brother and sister… But before that, I lived… {somewhere else…} Somewhere with great works of stone and metal and glass… And a kind, smiling face… a woman’s face… I haven’t thought about this in thousands of years… it’s a mortal memory, faded to static…
Doryani
Don’t get distracted. Keep the thought in your mind. You must find the last piece. Now go. We will work on this.
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The Hooded One on Third Weapon Piece
The Hooded One on Third Weapon Piece
The Hooded One
The final piece… these symbols…
Doryani
The translation work we’ve done… is it enough?
The Hooded One
Something about a forge… This part says ‘You must finish it,’ or something like it. ‘You must forge it.’ The word forge is drawn like a name. It’s not an action. It’s a place.
Doryani
So, we must find an ancient Precursor forge.
Warrior
But where? It could be anywhere.
Witch
And how are we supposed to do that then?
Sorceress
A forge? How do we find it?
Ranger
Do we have a trail? Where do we start looking?
Huntress
I’ve hunted many things… never a forge. Where do we look?
Monk
A forge? Where are we to start looking?
Mercenary
What! How do we do that?
Druid
A forge? Hmm… where would such a place be?
Doryani
This is the first time in my life I’m forced to admit - I have no idea. Ask the crew perhaps. The Karui. They live here, after all.
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The Hooded One on Travel to Ogham
The Hooded One on Travel to Ogham
The Hooded One
To Ogham, then. Hopefully, they’ve had time to rebuild.
The Hooded One
To Ogham, then. Hopefully, they’ve had time to rebuild.
The Hooded One
To Ogham, then. Hopefully, they’ve had time to rebuild.
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The Hooded One on Travel to the Vastiri
The Hooded One on Travel to the Vastiri
The Hooded One
At this time of year, I know where to find the Ardura {Akhara.} Let us travel to the Vastiri.
The Hooded One
At this time of year, I know where to find the Ardura {Akhara.} Let us travel to the Vastiri.
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The Hooded One on Travel to the Vastiri Desert
The Hooded One on Travel to the Vastiri Desert
The Hooded One
At this time of year, I know where to find the Ardura {Akhara.} Let us travel to the Vastiri.
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The Hooded One on Travel to Mount Kriar
The Hooded One on Travel to Mount Kriar
The Hooded One
Let us seek out Doryani’s reserves… whatever they may be.
The Hooded One
Let us seek out Doryani’s reserves… whatever they may be.
The Hooded One
Let us seek out Doryani’s reserves… whatever they may be.
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The Hooded One on Travel to Oriath
The Hooded One on Travel to Oriath
The Hooded One
The time has come. We can only hope our alliance will be enough. That fateful hour… a return to Oriath. We can set sail immediately.
Warrior
How far we’ve come… and now, to war.
Witch
Oriath. How I’ve always wanted to see that fell city from the inside.
Sorceress
Let us show the world that we will not allow it to be destroyed!
Ranger
I feel calm. And dread. All at once.
Huntress
Spirit guide me.
Monk
The Dreamer leads and I follow.
Mercenary
Lock n’ load.
Druid
To war, then - and whatever end awaits.
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The Hooded One on Tukohama Tribe
The Hooded One on Tukohama Tribe
The Hooded One
I am glad the Tukohama Tribe still thrives. In the early days, Tukohama was a good man.
Doryani
You… knew him?!
The Hooded One
Yes… and I also helped kill him, too. Much to my regret.
Warrior
It’s true, then? The tales of the Godslayer, in decades past…
Witch
So you really did rampage with the Godslayer?
Sorceress
The tales are true! You journeyed with the Godslayer?
Ranger
So, the Godslayer really existed.
Huntress
The stories of the Godslayer are true?
Monk
Ah, so the Godslayer was indeed real.
Mercenary
Oh, so the Godslayer wasn’t just a tavern tale after all.
Druid
I {did} hear tell of a ‘Godslayer’… but I thought it meaningless drivel.
The Hooded One
Not drivel. You heard truth.
The Hooded One
Yes… at the time, there was no other way… There is one consolation… his spark was not lost…
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The Hooded One on Kulemak
The Hooded One on Kulemak
Warrior
My mind… I see… I hear…
Witch
Ooh… that’s a neat trick.
Sorceress
It’s like a tale being told in my mind…
Ranger
What did you just do?!
Huntress
So many voices…
Monk
I’ve felt this sensation before.
Mercenary
That’s a hookah hit and a half. Whew!
Druid
Like roots diggin’ into my skull…
The Hooded One
You now possess understanding of their language. Tread carefully. In ages past, these creatures served a dark god… Kulemak, the Lich Lord, master of Undeath. The alliance destroyed his body in battle countless times, but the Well of Souls remained beyond our reach.
The Hooded One
I must go. I cannot risk capture.
The Hooded One
I must go. I cannot risk capture.
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The Hooded One on The Lightless
The Hooded One on The Lightless
The Hooded One
So the ancient enemy has returned! Hmmm… but why is this one not attacking us?
Lurking Creature
The Thief of Virtue! Stealer of Kulemak’s spark!
Warrior
What’s it saying?
Witch
This language… it was in some of the forbidden tomes.
Sorceress
Step back, vile wretch!
Ranger
Do you understand me, creature?
Huntress
What’s it saying? Evil dreams whisper like that…
Monk
Greetings… friend. I don’t understand you.
Mercenary
I can’t understand a bloody word it says.
Druid
A tongue twisted by darkness… I cannae follow it.
The Hooded One
In a time long past, I aided an alliance that fought these beings for centuries. They are the Lightless. The Abyssals. The spawn of the Well of Souls. I can teach you its ancient tongue, for knowledge was our greatest weapon. Hold still.
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The Hooded One on Follow the Beast’s trail
The Hooded One on Follow the Beast's trail
The Hooded One
The trail of Corruption leads east, so east we shall go. It seems fate conspires to return me to the Plains of Vastiri…
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The Hooded One on The Ezomytes
The Hooded One on The Ezomytes
The Hooded One
We must leave this place. It is best the Ezomytes come with us. If we survive what is coming, we will return here with force, and face the origin of this Nameless threat… But for now, we must away.
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The Hooded One on Dark Forces
The Hooded One on Dark Forces
The Hooded One
There is something very wrong in these lands. It is not Corruption… it is something far older, far darker… I must search my memories… give me time…
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The Hooded One on Memories
The Hooded One on Memories
The Hooded One
The longer one lives, the heavier the weight of time. I must cast myself into the realm within, seeking states of mind, seeking the man I was in a given era. Despair has taken my poetry from me. In my divine youth, I was quite the passionate soul. And in that era, we fought for the light…
The Hooded One
The longer one lives, the heavier the weight of time. I must cast myself into the realm within, seeking states of mind, seeking the man I was in a given era. Despair has taken my poetry from me. In my divine youth, I was quite the passionate soul. And in that era, we fought for the light…
The Hooded One
The longer one lives, the heavier the weight of time. I must cast myself into the realm within, seeking states of mind, seeking the man I was in a given era. Despair has taken my poetry from me. In my divine youth, I was quite the passionate soul. And in that era, we fought for the light…
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The Hooded One on Khari Bazaar
The Hooded One on Khari Bazaar
The Hooded One
I can still see this place, as it was. There was so much life. Colour. Noise. Children playing in that fountain. Merchants selling wares. Nothing but dust and wind, now…
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The Hooded One on Zarokh
The Hooded One on Zarokh
The Hooded One
I have long considered it a mistake to bind souls to {baryas}. Not only is the punishment egregious, but it allows them to persist long past their time. Zarokh achieved many great things during the war against the Abyssals, but his ambition outgrew his sense. Now, he remains to torment us, when he should have passed from this world long ago. He worked closely with the tale-women of the era, and stole their wisdom, becoming the first Chronomancer. If he has lent his powers to Azmadi, this will not be a simple contest of strength. It will be far more dangerous than that.
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The Hooded One on The Cuachic
The Hooded One on The Cuachic
The Hooded One
The Cuachic may have joined our cause, but that will last only as long as we share a common enemy. Be wary. If we do manage to stop the Twilight Order and slay the Beast… we may suddenly have more to worry about.
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The Hooded One on Doryani’s Contingency
The Hooded One on Doryani's Contingency
The Hooded One
Just between us, the existence of this ‘Cuachic Vault’ gives me pause. How many other plans does Doryani have in motion? Keep your eyes open.
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