Storyquests - Chapter 2
Chapter 2 – Quest 1: Painful memories
There's no way this is a coincidence! In a state of near-paralysis you stare at the drawing on the first page of the old book that you've just recovered from the chambers of Ionar Peserdur. The symbol, composed of two interwoven snakes, has been familiar to you since your earliest childhood. Then, as a small boy still unaware of the trials and tribulations that life had in store for you, these snakes were an almost daily sight in your parents' house. And the specific way they are arranged rules out any doubt that this is the exact same symbol. You'll need to examine the entire situation from top to bottom and gather as much information as possible. The residents of the neighboring villages would seem like a good place to start. Conduct four raids (8 hours each) to extract information from the villagers!
Reward: 25.000 Gold, 40.000 Points
While your army clearly enjoyed their time 'interviewing' the population, no useful information emerged at first. That is, until several hours in when your units discovered an old man who apparently had knowledge about the matter.
Chapter 2 – Quest 2: The Scribe
Once the old man lies groveling at your feet, it becomes clear that this is a well-travelled scribe who possesses a tremendous amount of knowledge about myths and stories of the various peoples. Even after a bit of 'persuasion' he's unable to tell you anything about the symbols themselves, but he does know who you can ask. There are nomadic peoples in the wastelands of Mellwall; when faced with important decisions they defer to the 'Media of the Steppes'. These latter figures are unbelievably perceptive, starting with their choice to live in the tricky, well-guarded wastelands of Mellwall, where an incursion is too risky even for you. The losses from such an incursion would almost certainly be unacceptably high for you. It occurs to you that the Beastmaster in your fortress might be able to help with this problem. Buy the Medium of the Steppes from the Beastmaster.
Reward: 30.000 Gold, 50.000 Points
Your instincts were good — the Beastmaster did in fact have precisely what you were looking for. And while he demanded a horrific price for the Medium, when you think about that symbol — and you're finding it hard to think about anything else right now — the price became secondary. You pace restlessly in the throne room while your underlings bring the Medium of the Steppes to you.
Chapter 2 – Quest 3: On expedition
The strange aura of the Medium of the Steppes brings you back to full attentiveness. It's a demented sight — the Medium has veiled its eyes yet appears to be able to perceive its environment with extraordinary precision. Abruptly it ceases its chatter and a knowing smile plays across its mouth. It names the place where the book was composed. Deep in the southern part of the country are the Swamps of Oblivion — a vast, inhospitable moor that has been avoided by all living creatures since time immemorial. There, deep in the interior of the swamps, stands a tower that is home to several powerful mages. This is where the book was created. Curiosity burns in you, but you force yourself to master it and not send out your forces right away. A rash expedition into the unknown requires a certain amount of preparation. Store up 7,500 stews, 20,000 legs of beef, 7,500 hard alcohol and 20,000 wine.
Reward: 35.000 Gold, 60.000 Points
Now that your army has enough supplies for the difficult trip, there's no more time to be wasted. You and your entire army head off to locate this tower.
Chapter 2 – Quest 4: The Mages' Tower
Your supplies start dwindling sooner than expected. You send squads of your troops off on periodic plundering raids to ensure that nothing runs too low. Finally you reach the outer edge of the Swamps of Oblivion. This last portion of your trip takes every ounce of your determination — not just because there isn't a bit of solid ground to stand on, but also because a thick veil of fog prevents any light from penetrating this strange place. After several days of searching, the weak silhouette of a tower appears suddenly in the distance. You make the decision to spare no reserves and go for broke, pressing on until you finally stand below this nondescript structure. You're well aware that it won't be as easy as it looks to capture this tower. But you nevertheless give your units the command to make ready for fighting. Attack the mages' tower!
Reward: 40.000 Gold, 70.000 Points
The tower is protected on all sides by a magical force field! Your units attack it with every ounce of strength they possess yet are unable to dent the force field in any way. There's no way through — at least not directly. But there must be another way.
Chapter 2 – Quest 5: Emotion and clarity
You withdraw your army back to the edge of the Swamps of Oblivion to come up with a plan on how to overcome the force field. The humiliation burns deep in you. But you know just the thing to make yourself feel better: vent your shame on your minions. You indulge yourself in a bout of towering rage, unleashing your wrath on anything and everything within reach. After seemingly countless minutes your spirit slowly regains its clarity: a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. That makes the surrounding peoples once again the subject of your acute interest. After all, the mages in their tower must dare to leave their secure loft now and again — and thus the local residents are certain to have some knowledge of them. Conduct 3 raids of eight hours each to acquire information about the mages and their tower.
Reward: 45.000 Gold, 80.000 Points
Your army has carved through the surrounding areas like a true hurricane of destruction, laying all low in an orgy of violence. On a small farmstead in a forest clearing near the swamps your units finally locate something of value. The farmer who lives there, terrified of the look of your units, offers some interesting information.
Chapter 2 – Quest 6: The early bird catches the worm
Into your tent the farmer is dragged. To your mind he is little more than a waste of flesh, but the information he bears is worth his weight in gold. Several times he has observed one of the mages of the tower, a female, going down to the nearby lake in the early morning hours, evidently to gather herbs by the shore. This is precisely the opportunity you've been seeking! The Medium of the Steppes, too valuable not to be embedded in your army, detects the presence of 5 mages in all in the tower. So you can be certain you won't be outmatched in any encounter by the lake. Send your troops down to the lake in the morning between 5 and 8 o'clock on an 8 hour raid to locate the sorceress.
Reward: 50.000 Gold, 90.000 Points
The wait is taking an interminably long time. You are hiding deep in the brush and thickets encircling the lake when suddenly the sorceress comes into view. Suspecting nothing and lost in her own thoughts she meanders peaceably down toward the lake.
Chapter 2 – Quest 7: Rabbit and snake
You draw your noose ever tighter around her. The sorceress is encircled by your units, with no path for flight left to her. All at once she looks up and recognizes the gravity of the situation. The time has arrived to strike! Defeat the sorceress.
Reward: 55.000 Gold, 100.000 Points, 10.000 Herb, 1 Sickle sword
Your first unit plunges out of its hiding spot and charges at her with a wild battle cry. They launch themselves with abandon at the target. Yet the sorceress is too fast, summoning up an energy ball in an instant that knocks your unit backward while still in flight and into a tree, where it slumps unconscious to the ground. The next opponent fares no better. Eventually though your numerical superiority begins to pay off, and your foe is finally subdued by your followers. Just as you are about to start in on her yourself, the sorceress's entire body begins to glow and disintegrates into ashes. Poof! Simply gone! It was all for nothing... downcast you start into the journey back to your fortress.
Chapter 2 – Quest 8: Quiet before the storm
The emptiness that envelops you on the return journey to your fortress soon gives way to a dark sense of foreboding. The death of the sorceress will not remain unpunished. The Medium of the Steppes claims that there are only 4 mages left. You're nevertheless certain that a counterstrike will come, and it's urgent that you prepare for it. And because you're finding it difficult to sufficiently assess the power of the remaining mages, you should be ready to welcome them with something they don't know. Namely your mech! And to make sure the surprise goes off as planned, you'll need to invest some work into it. Develop your mech into the Intruder.
Reward: 60.000 Gold, 110.000 Points, 10 Souls
The work on the mech is completed! Although your premonition is as strong as ever, just looking at this deadly monstrosity gives you a bit of inner peace. You now feel ready to handle whatever awaits.
Chapter 2 – Quest 9: Man the guns
The deceptive quiet around your fortress this morning should have been all the warning you needed. You are unsuspectingly going about your business in the throne room when a voice suddenly booms like thunder out of nowhere. Looking around in panic, you realize that the voice must be coming from outside. You step out onto the balcony and spy 2 cloaked figures standing on a rise a safe distance away from your fortress. This is now the moment of reckoning to your deeds! The voice sounds through your entire fortress and announces your impending doom. Defeat the 2 mages.
Reward: 65.000 Gold, 120.000 Points, 1 Improved healing elixir, 1 Hooded crow
Your army storms out of the fortress with wild determination and makes a path directly at the mages. A wild battle ensues, with neither side giving any quarter. The mages were experienced fighters, but they fought with honor. Which put them at a distinct disadvantage, since to your mind all's fair when you're fighting for your life. The first mage fell when he was isolated from his companion. Now you've surrounded the other mage. He too soon succumbed to your army's powerful thrusts. Yet his final breath before departing was issued as a powerful scream that seemed to be calling something.
Chapter 2 – Quest 10: Attack from the air
For quite a while all is quiet and the air is vibrating. A powerful shadow emerges in the sky — and it's headed straight for your fortress. A wind is whipped up beneath the beating of its powerful wings and a growling scream shakes the land. It would appear the last mage managed to summon him. A giant dragon has you and your fortress in its sights! Vanquish the dragon.
Reward: 70.000 Gold, 130.000 Points, 2 Dragontooth
The battle was a flaming nightmare! Before the dragon could be eliminated, it set ablaze numerous buildings and production facilities with his fiery breath. Yet ultimately your Intruder was able to concentrate its immense firepower on the target and bring it down from the skies. Heavily injured by the fall, it is helpless to prevent your army from finishing the job.
Chapter 2 – Quest 11: Fire!
Your fortress is a massive conflagration — a veritable lake of flames engulfs you! With the original danger now averted, you must save whatever can still be saved. And for that to work you need water. You command all of your servants and army units to head to the well to put out the flames as quickly as possible. If you don't get things under control quick, your painstakingly erected fortress will soon be little more than a ruins, and as such an easy target for your opponents. And you've had more than enough of them for right now. Acquire 1,000,000 water to save your fortress.
Reward: 75.000 Gold, 140.000 Points, 500 Honor
Black smoke rises to the heavens from every corner of your fortress. Yet at least the fire has been tamed. The last small blazes are being stamped out at this moment and while your fortress suffered some significant damages, the worst has been averted.
Chapter 2 – Quest 12: Gold and gems
An envoy claiming to have a crucial missive is announced. Something about him isn't quite right, as he declares that he's only willing to deliver his message if he's promised safe passage. You agree, with no intention of actually living up to it. All of a sudden the messenger begins to glow and is lost from view in a foul smelling cloud of smoke. From that cloud emerges a mage who appears not to have been involved with the attack on your fortress. With a clear sense of triumph he indicates that he can help you conquer the mages' tower. But his help comes at a price, one that for his own safety he demands in advance. Deliver 100,000 gold and 5,000 jewelry to the mage.
Reward: 100.000 Gold, 150.000 Points, 1.000 Eternite stone
You order your servants to bring the gold and jewelry to the throne room. You have no intention of allowing this fool to ever leave your fortress alive, so there's no harm in playing along for now. The mage nods in acknowledgement and begins to speak. To defeat the force field on the mages' tower, you'll need the help of a necromancer. His talents, paired with the power of an Erodus' wand, can weaken the force field to the point of failure. This is the information you needed! The mage is now superfluous, and you give a brief nod to your bodyguards to seize him. He instead breaks out in raucous laughter, disappearing with his prize before your eyes.
Chapter 2 – Quest 13: Hounds after the hare
Enough is enough! These sorcerers have pushed you too far! This mage will bitterly rue the day he toyed with you. Not just because his ilk dared to set flame to your fortress. No, now they've also embarrassed you in front of your servants. Blind with rage you rail at your henchmen to begin the hunt for the mage. Your army knows all too well that if they fail to bring you the head of the sorcerer, they will soon receive the wrath you've saved for him. They prepare quickly to start the hunt. Kill the mage.
Reward: 85.000 Gold, 160.000 Points, 1 Demonic goblet
Your army delivers you the bundle you've been awaiting: blood-soaked snippets of cloth wrapped around the decapitated head of the mage. After a tenacious hunt they managed to corner him and pay him back appropriately for his audacity. The only downside is that neither the gold nor the jewelry were recovered on his person.
Chapter 2 – Quest 14: Necro...what?
Now that this scandal has been avenged, you return to your preparations to storm the mages' tower. The sorcerer was apparently hoping to sweep the arch-mage out of his way and assume that position himself. Thus his words seem likely to be true. First you need to ensure that your army features a necromancer somewhere in its ranks. You set your researchers to the task immediately. To ensure that they are absolutely clear about what is at stake here, you select a random page and demonstrate horrifically on him what will happen to the rest if they don't hurry. Research the necromancer.
Reward: 90.000 Gold, 170.000 Points, 2 Improved rage potion
You receive the report from your servants that a necromancer has now been added to your forces. This part of your plans is completed. And now there is also news about where to acquire an Erodus' wand.
Chapter 2 – Quest 15: The Wand
One of your scouts has determined that the elite merchant at the arena of Myrimar has the Erodus' wands that you so urgently need. Without a moment's hesitation you set off with your retinue toward Myrimar to acquire a wand. Upon arrival you determine that it's going to be more difficult than you imagined to acquire the Erodus' wand. It turns out the elite merchant has a few firm rules. You must earn this powerful wand through heroic victories in the arena. The stature of the merchant — not to mention his powerful bodyguards — cause you to abandon any thoughts of taking the Erodus' wand from him by force. It appears that you have no other option but to enter the arena and attain the necessary glory. Buy the Erodus' wand from the arena merchant.
Reward: 95.000 Gold, 180.000 Points, 10 Souls
And now it's finally complete — after numerous bitter arena battles you now hold the coveted Erodus' wand in your hands. Now it's time to bring your plans to their conclusion!
Chapter 2 – Quest 16: Size does matter
You will not underestimate these arch-mages and their damned tower again — you've sworn it to yourself. While you now have the means to penetrate through the force field, you're uncertain what awaits you on the inside of the tower. Your mech has already had a general rehaul. Now you decide it's time to dedicate that same attention to your fighting forces and outfit them with the most powerful weapons you can find. To shorten the production times for the equipment you should now expand your weapons workshop. This will minimize the risk that your units will depart this world prematurely while storming the tower. Expand your weapons workshop to the "large" size.
Reward: 100.000 Gold, 190.000 Points, 3 Imps
You look on with true joy at the speed at which your weapons workshop churns out arms. The sound of steel on steel as the weapons are produced is a symphony to your ears.
Chapter 2 – Quest 17: Nisfit's Secret
Naturally you weren't inactive yourself as preparations were underway for the assault on the mages' tower. You directed your scouts in their explorations around the Swamps of Oblivion. And it turns out these precautions were of critical importance. Your scouts inform you of a rumor by which the only countermeasure against the power of the arch-mage is to take possession of a certain object — Nisfit's riveted plate helmet. This prevents the arch-mage from controlling the bearer's thoughts. It's now clear that this arch-mage is a serious foe who must not be underestimated. You order your armorers to construct this kind of helmet. Produce 1 Nisfit's riveted plate helmet in your armory.
Reward: 105.000 Gold, 200.000 Points, 1 Barbed axe
Whatever its inherent powers, this helmet is actually quite unobtrusive. You would have preferred something more majestic. But in this case function trumps form. And this helmet seems to fit the bill.
Chapter 2 – Quest 18: Too much knowledge
Now that you've collected all of these tools and have also taken measures to secure against the unexpected, the time has come to crush the arch-mage. Yet it seems that the arch-mage has also heard that you're angling at eliminating him. An ear-shattering scream suddenly rises from the marketplace up to your chambers. A skoar is running amok in the interior of your fortress! Tall as a house, the skoar is a creature with powerful wings and pointed horns that is only rarely encountered in this world — to the relief of all other living things. Because an encounter with a skoar generally ends poorly for anything in its path. Yet you must somehow subdue this monstrosity! Vanquish the skoar.
Reward: 110.000 Gold, 210.000 Points, 1 Water shield
Only through all of its combined powers is your army able to bring the skoar down. Yet even on its knees its giant claws continue to decimate everything within its range. Even so, the seemingly endless rounds pumped into it by your mech ultimately take their toll, and in the end it drops loudly but lifelessly to the ground.
Chapter 2 – Quest 19: The right key
And so the path is now clear and all obstacles have been removed for you and your army. It's time to bring the fight to the arch-mage. While you now know the route, the path is no less arduous than it was the first time. Once again you must fight your grueling way through this sparse landscape that is so inhospitable to human life. Finally the destination comes into view: you once again stand before the tower — but this time you're prepared! Attack the mages' tower.
Reward: 500.000 Gold, 220.000 Points
You set the riveted plate helmet on your head and the necromancer begins his ritual with the hard-earned Erodus' wand immediately. After seemingly endless hours of waiting, you finally observe a guttural laugh from the necromancer — the force field has been penetrated!
Chapter 2 – Quest 20: Nearly done?
It was easy to climb your way to the top level of the tower! No opponent blocked your path, nor were any other surprises unleashed upon you. The interior of the tower is fascinating, with rooms of shelves stuffed with old books. Perhaps later you'll have time to examine them in more detail. The arch-mage appears certain of victory, and it's safe to assume he's reserving all of his powers to be unleashed upon you from his lofty perch. Defeat the arch-mage.
Reward: 220.000 Gold, 430.000 Points, 1 Soul reflector, 1 Slaughterer
Your units charge toward the old man! They quickly find that he seems to have a personal force field similar to the one around the mages' tower — it's impossible to damage him physically. You distribute your ranged and melee fighters to protect your magical units so that they can try their luck. The arch-mage hadn't calculated with the vehemence of this attack. With an agonized look on his face, the old man collapses to the floor. A feeling of triumph streams through your entire body. In a state of euphoria you have him bound in chains and brought before you. Although you apply your entire repertoire of torture techniques on him the arch-mage stubbornly remains quiet to your questions. Shortly before his demise he finally begins to speak. "You are unaware of the role that you are playing in this story." You smite him ragefully across the face for this vague insinuation. With a groan the old many writhes on the ground. "You don't require any information from me. Your fate will come looking for you on its own, and it'll find you in the end." And then the body of the old man falls lifelessly quiet. In the midst of this surreal scene you display stunned silence. You came here to find answers. But now you set off on the journey home with more questions than ever swirling in your head.