Stage requirements:

Completed the quest "Clash of Warriors"

Dialogs:

NPC:/talk We take our orders from another party, but I mean it when I say, we both fight for the same cause. Our leader's name is Damian and our fight against the Akasch brought us here to the Ipnya Ridge.

NPC:/talk He has a personal interest in seeing these evil fanatics removed for good and all three of us have pledged to help him do just that. Our names truthfully are Tukko, Brooks and Wrex, that part wasn't a lie either.

NPC:/worry Damian you say? I've heard the name before, but I can't place it…

NPC:/talk Damian is our brother and savior. He set us Warborn free from the shackles placed by the Harani slavers and now we have the honor of helping him in return.

NPC:/talk Wait! We shouldn't be telling people that we're working with Damian. His name might attract the attention of the wrong people…

Actions:

Stage map markers:

Stage summary:

Talk to Damian at the Verdant Vault.

Dialogs:

NPC:/talk It's quite alright to mention my name to these folks, Brooks. I sense no evil from them and one of them seems to already have proven their good intentions to you, isn't that so?

NPC:/surprise Damian!

NPC:/worry Why don't you introduce me to our new friends?

NPC:/talk I'm glad you sense no evil from us, but unfortunately I can't say the same of you… this ominous aura surrounding you..

NPC:/worry Yes I can sense it too! You've been touched by the same magic that surrounds the stone ruins scattered around the Ipnya Ridge.

NPC:/talk What? How?! Are you the reason those stone ruins are all over the Ridge? Did you obtain Raevens powers and corrupt the Risopoda in Mysthrane??

NPC:/angry You better watch your tongue! Damian has nothing to do with the evil that has befallen the Ipnya Ridge or the Mysthrane Gorge! Despite what you may think, he is a good person, the best I've ever known in fact!

NPC:/worry I appreciate your concern, Brooks, but there is really no reason to get so heated. Their concerns are justified and I can understand why they're suspicious of me.

NPC:/argue We are more than suspicious at this point. Your friends here lied to us about being members of the Crimson Watch and only told us the truth after we caught them in their lie. We have no reason to trust or believe you.

NPC:/worry Please forgive Wrex, Tukko and Brooks for lying about their identity. None of the fault lies with them, they assumed these personas to protect me and our cause. They never meant to cause trouble for allies such as yourselves.

NPC:/foldedarms Woah, calm down buddy, we're not allies! And a lie is a lie, regardless of the reason, so you're in no position to demand forgivness for anyone!

NPC:/talk Allow me to ask: other than the fact that they deceived you about their affiliation with the Crimson Watch, have these three done anything that warrants your suspicions of ill-intent?

NPC:/fact Well… uh… Brooks sort of took a swing at them, after the Elf asked one too many times to reveal who we are.

NPC:/talk I see, then perhaps I must offer you a bit more insight to, if not gain trust, try and convince you that we mean you no harm and wish to cooperate.

NPC:/fact Yeah, Nami beat the crap out of your guy, for the record. And you can start by explaining what's going on with this evil aura clinging to you like a jealous ex-girlfriend!

NPC:/talk Your senses were right to identify my aura as that of the Wizard of the Amaitan Highlands. Raeven is my grandfather and Orchidna, my mother, but I stand polar opposite to Raeven's ambitions.

NPC:/worry Your mother is Orchidna, the Demon Queen? Then not only does Raeven's legacy run through your veins… if rumors are to be believed, you also share Akasch blood.

NPC:/talk That is what the rumors say, but I am unaware of how my actual conception worked, or if my mother already shares the blood of the Akasch, therefore that second part should be treated as such: a rumor.

NPC:/fact If you are really Orchidna's son then I can at least vouch that I've heard stories of your good deeds before. What Wrex mentioned earlier, that supposedly you freed the Warborn?

NPC:/talk Some of them unfortunately still live in chains, serving the Harani as though they need to repent for the sins of the past, but many of them have regained their free will. To take credit for any of their hard work though would be wrong of me.

NPC:/talk I appreciate your willingness to share such sensitive information with us and I'm willing to call a truce. It's not a secret that we could use an ally against the many threats we've uncovered so far and you seem to require the same.

NPC:/conclude We'd be glad to join forced with your group, as long as both parties can reserve the right to deny participating in any action that might go against their own cause.

NPC:/talk Our overall desire to rid these lands of the Akasch and our willingness to spill their blood if neccessary seem to overlap, but not all goals of ours might align as nicely as these.

NPC:/talk If these terms are agreeable, then we should join our minds and continue with our work.

NPC:/fact That seems more than fair and in many ways also benefits us. If we see evil done, we will not hold back to fight it, even if it's your grandfather… or mother.

NPC:/talk I would expect no less from members of the Crimson Watch and their associates.

NPC:/worry Good. Please give us a moment to discuss among ourselves. I might be the one speaking at the moment, but we all have to agree to this cooperation.

Actions:

Stage map markers:

Stage summary:

Talk to Ardios at the Verdant Vault.

Dialogs:

NPC:/worry You heard the man. First of all, do we believe that he is Damian and all the things he claimed, and if yes, do you agree with joining forces?

NPC:/talk I believe there is no benefit for him to be lying about who he is. If anything, confessing to being Damian makes him even more suspicious to people like us. Why take the risk, if it's not true?

NPC:/talk The way I see it, if he really is Damian, then we found ourselves a powerful ally with generally good intentions. And if he's not Damian, then he likely wouldn't be able to win in a fight against us, should they decide to turn on us.

NPC:/fact After all, Nami took out that brute with a single spell, so if it came down to it, I think we can defend ourselves well enough against them. So much about how "safe" I think it is to work with them.

NPC:/talk The reason I really think we should agree to work with them at least temporarily though, is the potential for new information about this whole situation. They must have some knowledge that can be beneficial for us.

NPC:/talk They could be playing down their own strength to not fully reveal their potential to us as part of their ruse. But as much as I hate admitting to it, I agree with joining parties.

NPC:/talk We should enter this alliance and try to extract as much knowledge as possible. But if there is the slightest hint of suspicious behavior or concern for any of our wellbeing, we immediately break away from them.

NPC:/worry That seems the best approach. I wish we had the luxury of working slower and more careful, but with the Akasch already appearing at the Ethereal Haven, we must throw at least some of our caution to the wind, in order to make progress.

NPC:/worry Louisa, you also mentioned that Raeven had something to do with the situation in Mysthrane. We might be able to also learn more about his magic and perhaps even find a way to regain control over the Risopoda that were corrupted.

NPC:/talk If the Akasch really are about to return to our world, then regaining full control over the Risopoda would give us a huge advantage. I guess we're all in agreeance that we'll take this opportunity to learn from Damian and his friends.

NPC:/worry Oh by the way, what about the dormant Risopoda we saw at the Cragtear Scars Camp? Nami, you saw it. It didn't have the afflictions we observed in most of the Risopoda in the Mysthrane Gorge.

NPC:/talk Yes, I remember it sitting there. Alright booger, you and I will go to the Cragtear Scars and check out the Risopoda situation, while Ardios, Timbo and @PC_NAME(0) work with Damian. Is that the plan?

NPC:/talk Yes, that's the plan. Come back and join us as soon as you finished your assessment. We will start operation information extraction in the meanwhile.

Actions:

Stage map markers:

Dialogs:

NPC:/worry And? Has your group come to a conclusion?

NPC:/talk Yes, we agree to join forces. @PC_NAME(0), Timbo and myself will be going with you, but Nami and Louisa will head to the Cragtear Scars, to assess the Risopoda we found there.

NPC:/worry A Risopoda? A powerful weapon in the fight against the Akasch. I like the way you think, but is it quite safe to let two people wander off by themselves?

Actions: