Mabinogi Storyline Recap

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This has been written in order to bring most up to speed on Mabinogi's storyline, as in order to understand the future plot one must understand all of the previous. Also, this presents the Mainstream Quests in story form.

Note, since this is about the scenario, spoilers ahead.

This article contains spoilers. If you do not wish to read further, please return to the home page.

Generation 1: Advent of the Goddess

For the full in-game script of this generation, see Script - Generation 1: Advent of the Goddess.

A mysterious woman named Nao brings you to the world of Erinn, a place created by the great god Aton Cimeni. You were brought in at a moment of relative peace; though fomors still attack, the land is not ruled by fear.

One evening a dream comes.

"Can you hear me?" A woman - no, a goddess - calls out to you.

"Ah so you can hear me..."

"I know this is a difficult request, but please come to this world, Tir Na Nog...is in danger..."

But before you can ask her anything, the world goes bright, and you wake up in Erinn.

That day, Chief Duncan asks you to find an earring misplaced while making a snowman in Sidhe Sneachta, and you do. Duncan thanks you but mentions that it was a favor for someone else.

"If you head toward Sidhe Sneachta, I hear there is a strange structure there. He said he made the snowman in remembrance of seeing that building… They say the structure is connected to another place by some magical power… But it doesn't seem just anyone can enter… There are many rumors about a Druid who lost all of his family and couldn't overcome the sorrow… and he turned into a bear.”

You are struck by curiosity for this snowy place, and as you venture to the northern-most point you come upon a bear on a Druid's Altar. It is large, but it doesn't attack you, and you remember that Duncan says it seems to be gathering Mana Herbs. Luckily you have some, and start feeding the bear while listening absently to its growls.

It writes the word, "Tarlach", with a paw, in the snow. You stare.

Arriving back at Tir Chonaill later that day, you relate this tale to Duncan. He starts in surprise; it's the name of the third lost warrior, a trio of legendary warriors (and legendary friends) who went missing while searching for Tir Na Nog, and you are intrigued. You vow to find out more and start asking around in libraries and schools, and it takes you to Dunbarton School's Stewart. He mentions that people have thought that the Three Warrior's story was proclaimed to be only a legend, but that he believes it. He gives you Tarlach's locket, which is impressed with Tarlach's memories, and requests you to see for yourself this friendship.

You gather up two friends and view the memories through the Three Lost Warrior's eyes. Tarlach, you find out, was searching for Tir Na Nog, and was joined by a wandering swordsman by the name of Ruairi, and an archeress training under Ranald by the name of Mari. You learn that it is strange that the spiders in Alby have gotten so huge and that Mari has lost her memory of her earlier youth. You learn that Tarlach is searching for Tir Na Nog to reunite with his sister who was killed by Fomors. You are struck, while viewing the memories, that a goddess appeared in Ruairi's dreams as well, calling him to help her.

You go to Duncan for help and he is amused by your questions, but tells you that a priest is more qualified to answer them. When asked, Priest Meven only smiles kindly and tells you how the warriors were lost and separated. He tells you how Tarlach is the only one to survive, and then only barely, eating Mana Herbs to remain stable. Meven tells you that since Tarlach is allergic to mana herbs, he is forced to change into a bear by day to consume these. Meven then gives you a book and suggest that you to go to Sidhe Sneachta during nighttime when Tarlach is human, as Tarlach is the one who can best answer questions about his own past. You agree and read the book while you travel. You realize that the Goddess Morrighan is the stone guardian and the stone face you see prior to your battles with the Fomors.

When you talk to Tarlach about what you have read, he tells you his story, and about what he and his friends were searching for, the Land of Eternity, Tir Na Nog. But you want to find out more and he suggest you read The Land of Eternity, Tir Na Nog.

You head to Dunbarton, which has a thriving trade in books. Aeira the bookseller recalls that the book is no longer in stock, but you are persistent. After talking to her again, she explains that the publisher is printing another volume of it. After waiting a day and talking to her again, she promises to send an owl when the book is ready, as you have gone through so much trouble already.

When you get the book and read it, you learn that Tir Na Nog is the place where the sick are healed, where there is no war and everything is a paradise. However, it cautions that you shouldn't pin your dreams on something so perfect. It states that this paradise is no real place.

You ask Tarlach about paradise. He seems diffident. He gives you a Brown Evil Pass, a special pass to enter Barri dungeon, and says you will learn more there. You are bemused, but you go, and you happen on a Black Wizard at the end. When you first meet him, he claims that you are trespassing on holy land and under Morrighan's law will be destroyed. Humans are trespassing? Holy land? How dare this Fomor say such things!

You defeat the Black Wizard, and find on him a Fomor Medal. What is this? You ask around and only the priests really give a response, but even then they only refer you to Meven. Priest Meven looks surprised, and he explains it is not a Fomor Medal but rather what Priests who worship Lymilark wear. He then mentions that there is some writing on the back, but in Fomor script.

Fomor?

You recall that Alby Arena's Gatekeeper is a goblin who, though not the friendliest, doesn't attack humans on sight. You ask Goro about the medal and he tells you he will translate the writing for you if you get his ring back from the Ciar Dungeon. You do so, and he tells you that the writing is "Dul Brau Dairam Shanon" which translates into "Goddess, please lend me the moonlight...".

You decide to talk to Tarlach about your findings, but he is dismissive and he tells you the translation is false. He tells you the true meaning, to your chagrin. But also to your astonishment, how does Tarlach know Fomor language?

You confront Goro about his lie, but he apologizes; he had been raised by a human and thus his command of Fomor language is shaky. He mentions a "traitorous succubus" living and hiding in Dunbarton. This gets you interested, a succubus hiding in a human town?

In Dunbarton, you drop "Dul Brau Dairam Shanon" in conversation, but there is no response until, to your surprise, you try it on Priestess Kristell. You express your disbelief and she in defense offers you Tarlach's glasses pouch and tells you to drop it on the Rabbie Dungeon Altar to view his memories for yourself. You do so, and at the end of it you see Kristell as she must have appeared as a succubus. She sings a song she has written for Tarlach, and mentions that in watching Tarlach each times he comes searching for a way to Tir Na Nog she has fallen in love with him. She says that she will put her all into this fight, in order to win Tarlach's love. Despite that, Tarlach beats her, and says that he still refuses a Fomor's love and that a human's love cannot be gained through defeating them. She vows to learn this love that she does not know.

You return to Kristell, somewhat more understanding, and mentions Tarlach's continued survival. She lights up, and requests that you deliver a message to him and you do. Tarlach's immediate response is to request that you to ask Kristell to translate the Book of Evil.

You raise an eyebrow, but deliver the book to Kristell. She asks you to wait until she translates it, which she does, relatively quickly. However she does not relinquish the book. She asks why should she do this favor for Tarlach, who has been so cold to her.

Why indeed. You tell Tarlach her words and he seems remorseful. He tells you to retrieve something he has entrusted to Meven. It is a black rose, however it's been much damaged through time. He thinks, however, that it may be revived through magic and directs you to Lassar at the magic school. Lassar replies that she can revive the rose, but needs a Blessing Water. You give her the water, she promises to send an owl when she's ready.

After retrieving the rose, you return to Tarlach, who wants you to give the rose to Kristell.

Kristell is stunned. The song she sang to Tarlach was The Black Rose. He remembers her, she realizes, and cares enough to have found a gift for her and have kept it safe all this time. Freely, happily, she gives you the translated Book of Revenge.

This book was written by Mores and talks about how Humans are creation of chaos, while the Fomors are creation of order. He explains that the Fomors must forever hate these Humans. If they don't, the Humans will consume and destroy anything in their way, including the holy paradise created by the four gods, the land which establishes order, Tir Na Nog. It becomes quite evident that Mores does not like humans.

When you talk to Duncan, he explains that Mores was a hero, but he lost something precious. He also tells you that Mores' last name was "Gwydion".

You talk with Tarlach, who tells you that Mores was once his master. He says that his master could never be that evil and cruel, and doesn't believe this is right. He mentions he once had Mores' Ring Torque, through which you might see Mores' memories, but that he'd lost it. Well, all lost property goes to the Town Office, but after talking to Eavan in Dunbarton's Town Office, she only lets you know that there is nothing of the sort there, but that Kristell might have half of it.

You go to Kristell and she gives you the half torque, figuring that might still retain half the memories. You drop the half on a nearby altar, and it works. You see Mores, and you learn that he was looking for his wife Shiela after the war. He was determined to escape the dungeon and find her, but when he reaches the end of the dungeon he meets the Dark Lord, who tells him that he is doomed and cannot return to the human world. The Dark Lord then shows him what became of his beloved wife, Shiela, and their daughter: humans had burned his home to the ground. The fire crackles and no one moves towards it, even as a woman screams.

The Dark Lord says this happened because people were afraid of Mores' power, despite his sacrifices in the war. This is what humans are like, he says. Defeated, Mores accepts the Dark Lord's offer to join forces, and the Dark Lord takes him to meet the Goddess Morrighan, who persuades him to join her for revenge against the Humans.

You ask Kristell about the Goddess Morrighan wanting revenge. She tells you to talk to Duncan, who then directs the you to Tarlach, from whom you obtain the Book of Revenge. After lending this book to Duncan, he tells you he is under the impression that the book is actually a trilogy. When you talk to Kristell, she suggests talking to Aeira to find out more. After talking to her, Aeira does a little asking around, and soon gives you a Wizard's Note, which you must drop on Ciar Dungeon. After finishing the dungeon, you find the Book of Revenge Vol. II in the chest. Ask Kristell to translate the new book. She sends an owl to give you the book when it is translated. Give the book to Duncan. He will then ask for the third volume.

Aeira directs you to Lassar, who redirects you to Seumas in Gairech Hill, the miner excavating a large dragon statue. Seumas asks for a favor before he gives you the book: he wants you to deliver a birthday gift to his son, Sion. After the quick errand he will keep his word, and you obtain the final book from Seumas. You then ask Kristell to translate this one last time.

Read the final book to learn about a very destructive beast called the Glas Ghaibhleann. You will need to talk to Duncan about this. He tells you it was a very dangerous creature used in the Second War. According to Duncan, Bryce in Bangor has an ancient text including accounts of the beast. Talk to Bryce and he will give you the book, The Embodiment of Destruction, Glas Ghaibhleann.

When you talk to Duncan about this, he tells you that the Glas Ghaibhleann's skeleton is made from a material called "Adamantium". At the same time, you recall from your conversation with Bryce that there was a mysterious shortage of Adamantium in the mines. Talk to Tarlach and he will tell you to find him some Magic Powder of Preservation.

Go to Fiodh Dungeon and finish it. In the end chest you will find the powder that Tarlach wants. Give Tarlach the powder and he will give you his preserved broken glasses and tell you to drop these on the Rabbie Altar.

As the memory begins, Tarlach, Mari and Ruairi are in Albey Dungeon Altar. Mari and Ruairi are giving Tarlach their full support in setting Tir Na Nog upon Erinn. The Dark Lord confronts the trio in the final room. Though Ruairi and Tarlach are struggling to keep up, Mari manages to deal crippling blows to him, but ultimately he retreats after telling them a cryptic message: one will lose everything, one will learn the truth and not be able to handle it, and one will live in mental and physical agony forever.

When the three enter the chamber, they find the dormant Glas Ghaibhleann, still in the process of being created, Mari opens a chest and finds a book that Tarlach reads. Mores then appears and Tarlach desperately calls out to him. However, Mores ignores him, and tells Dark Lord to take them out but not kill them. Tarlach then calls out in desperation "Ruairi!!, Mari!!!". Mores hears the name of his Daughter, Mari Gwydion, the little girl in the chamber, and changes stance quickly. He tells Dark Lord to stop. Morrighan intrudes, however, and tells him not to disobey her will and to kill them with prejudice. Dark Lord strikes at them and defeats them.

Tarlach awakens in Rabbie dungeon, being nursed by Kristell. She tells him that she does not know what happened to the others but that he was severely injured when she found him and that he is also internally bleeding. When questioned why she was doing this, she reminds him of the words he told her before, of love.

Mari's and Ruairi's fates are unknown.

When talking to Duncan about Morrighan's Betrayal, he will tell you that it could not possibly be Morrighan and needs time to think about it. Morrighan reappears to you the next time you sleep, urgently asking you to hurry, and gives you the Pendant of the Goddess. When you tell Duncan about this dream, he becomes determined to help to get to Tir Na Nog. After a few hours, you will receive an owl from Duncan. Talk to him and he will tell you how Mari was brought to him by two white deer late at night, each carrying one end of a bundle. Within it lay a baby, Mari Gwydion: her mother had used the last of her magic to save her from the fire. Duncan gives you the other half of the Torque ring. The memories contained are Shiela's.

Dropping the Torque ring on Math dungeon again gives you the point of view of the ghost of Shiela, who was desperately following Mores and trying to call out to him. When the exchange with the Dark Lord and the Goddess occurs, Shiela is the only one who notices that the Goddess of Revenge in the chamber is not really Morrighan, but Cichol. Futilely, she tries to tell Mores but is unable to. Mores sides with who you now know as Cichol.

Telling Tarlach about what really occurred will change his attitude regarding the Goddess. He asks for your help.

When you discuss Tir Na Nog with Duncan, he tells you to ask Kristell on how to reach the paradise. She demands proof that you can demonstrate strength and bravery. In reality, she is very worried about you and what could happen. After triumphing over strong monsters such as Golems, Ogres, or Bears, therefore proving your worth, she next tells you that she is worried that is being hunted by fomors and tells you to slay several different fomors. Once you have fulfilled her request, she will give you the Black Evil Pass.

In a dream before attempting to reach Tir Na Nog, you meet Morrighan again, and she reveals three things: she is slowly losing her control, Glas Ghaibhleann is nearing the finishing stages, and that she can see Erinn burning. She says that if what is stopping you is the Seal of Another World, find two others who are of equal strength to you in order to help you cross over.

Drop the Black Evil Pass on the Altar of Barri Dungeon during Samhain, the only time you can go to Another World. It is a relatively unguarded dungeon and when you clear out the boss room, you will find the Portal-Gate that connects Erinn and Another World. Another World is basically everything that Erinn is not. The Dungeon in this place lacks statues so only your friends can revive you. It is impossible to repair things here. You can only barely scrounge bare necessities.

After wandering a while, you discover a resident: Dougal, who looks strangely familiar. More importantly, he is willing to help you on your crusade against Cichol. He wants you to kill 10 zombies to test his theory on the Added Soul Phenomenon, which helps him find a way to bind your soul to this place so that you can revive near him if you are ever knocked out.

You set about freeing the Goddess, destroying the seals of the four gems, Green, Blue, Red and Silver. Along the way, you pick up strange-looking shards colored black, which Dougal reveals are pieces of the final gem, a Black Orb. Dougal will piece it together for you, and with much difficulty you destroy the final seal of Albey dungeon, freeing Morrighan.

Problem is, she tells you that she has little to no power left, which means you're alone against the god of the Fomors. Good thing you've brought reliable friends.

Once you reveal to Dougal exactly what you're about to do next, and give him the Goddess' Pendant, he tells you his own surprises. He will explain that he is Glas Ghaibhleann, more specifically the Added Soul that appeared when the body was summoned without the will, and he was attached to the original Dougal's body. He makes clear his dislike of the weakness of his host body, and the fact that his real body is being controlled against his will. He asks you to defeat his body so that he can be free. Once you agree, he will give the Goddess' Pendant back to you, bound.

Drop this Pendant on the Altar of Albey, and along with two others, journey to the end of the dungeon to end it all.

The sixth floor reveals the Dark Lord, who blocks your path and tells you that he will defeat you in the name of the Goddess. However, he is defeated surprisingly quickly, as if he let you win. He then tells you that the Glas Ghaibhleann is finished and he vanishes. Morrighan, who you now know as Cichol, and Mores show up and tells you that it is finished and that you will be the first victims of the beast.

Glas Ghaibhleann is set free.

It heals very quickly, shrugging off wounds. While arrows do noticeable damage, you haven't brought nearly enough to kill the beast. And to top it all off, he keeps summoning Light Gargoyles that gang up on you. However, focusing on the Light Gargoyles turned out for the best - they kept scrolls that were still suppressing Morrighan's power! You immediately light a small fire from what you could find, and burn them, hoping the goddess will be able to help now.

She does. She temporarily grants you Invulnerability and the ability to grievously wound Glas Ghaibhleann, even with magic attacks. With these new powers, you and your friends whittle its health down until it screams in agony and falls. After its defeat, Cichol and Mores show up once again, and Cichol (still in Morrighan's form) snickers at the defeat of Glas Ghaibhleann, and then reveals himself after Mores finally figures it out. Mores' anger peaks when the Glas Ghaibhleann's body explodes, causing a massive dimensional rift to form. This rift allows Fomors to travel into Erinn, ignoring Goddess Statues which were built at all dungeons to stop this kind of escape. Cichol had planned this all along. He had never intended to set Glas Ghaibhleann upon Erinn at all, which means he had been several steps ahead of Mores.

Mores engages Cichol in battle, but loses spectacularly. He tries to protect you from Cichol's overwhelming power and is subsequently killed.

Cichol proceeds to try and kill you again, and then Morrighan, at the last second, steps in and stops him from doing the deed. The gods argue about the will of Aton Cimeni, but ultimately parts way without ever seeing eye to eye. Cichol vanishes, and Morrighan tells you that Erinn is now in even greater peril than before. She also tells you she had Nao, who she reveals is Mari reborn, bring you to Erinn to stop the destruction of Erinn. Her parting words are that you that you must become a Knight of Light... and then she sends you back to Tir Chonaill, to recuperate, if only for a moment.

Generation 2: Paladin

At this point in Mabinogi's storyline, Emain Macha has been opened. The seal stones in Osna Sail and Sen Mag Plateau have been destroyed, and path to the city re-established.

When you re-log at this point, Goddess Morrighan will tell you that you must become the Knight of Light. Her details are sparse and you are left to figure it out on your own.

When you go to Emain Macha and talk to any of the residents, they will tell you that it really means "Paladin", and any of them will refer you to Craig if you want to become one. Craig, located at the Paladin Training Grounds, tells you that you must have the Lord's admission in order to train as a Paladin. Go to the Castle of Emain Macha and talk to Rian or Esras in the throne room, it is advisable to note that Rian is completely mute and ghostly looking, and that Esras will berate you if you try to talk to him about anything.

Esras will tell you to donate 4,000 gold. She will then give you permission to train as a Paladin.

Esras is both a Druid and an adviser to the lords of Emain Macha and has been for quite a while.

Talking to Craig again regarding the referral, he will tell you that you must begin training immediately. Talk to him about Classes and Training at 9:00 A.M. in game time. The class costs 300 gold. You will receive quests, a pass and a wing of goddess to go to Barri Dungeon. Drop the Training pass on Barri Dungeon and finish it. You must do this five times in order to continue.

While doing this training, you will see cutscenes showing that Ruairi is actually alive and that he is under the care of a person named "Morgant". Morgant's daughter, Triona, has been caring for Ruairi while Morgant is away.

In another scene, the man named Morgant shows up and is revealed to be the Dark Lord. Ruairi immediately tries to strike at him but due to his weakness is easily countered by Morgant. Morgant says that he has no wish to fight him, but tells him that he cannot return to the world of humans.

During the final scene, Ruairi begins to leave to return to his world. Triona begs him not to leave, telling him that she cares for him too much, but in a fit of rage Ruairi tells her to back off. She sadly lets him leave. Ruairi apologizes under his breath and walks away.

Once you have completed your paladin training, Craig tells you that a very dangerous fomor has been sighted in Math dungeon, a Doppelganger that is assuming the look of a human, and that it must be defeated. He sends you and other paladin trainees to defeat it. After clearing a few rooms in Math dungeon, you will find Triona. The paladin trainees, eager to fight the battle, gang up on Triona until she screams out in pain and terror. Ruairi hears this and comes running back. He easily defeats the paladin Trainees and you as well.

Esras then appears with Rian and threatens to kill Triona. Ruairi tries to reason with her, and it is revealed that Rian is Ruairi's brother. Esras labels Ruairi as the Doppelganger that is trying to impersonate the Lord; she orders the paladin trainees to attack him. At the last second, Morgant appears and defeats the paladin trainees, saving his and Triona's lives. He vanishes with Ruairi and Triona, Triona being injured in the struggle.

In the proceeding cutscene, you are shown quitting the paladin training sessions and Craig assumes the reason is because you were traumatized by witnessing the event.

Re-logging after all of this, you will receive a message from the Goddess, telling you of a heroic knight named "Lugh" who was once the Knight of Light. Talking to Gordon in the Emain Macha Restaurant about it will tell you about a knight named "Redire," and that you should ask the Wandering Merchant named Price about this man.

Talk to Price about it and he will tell you that Redire was his good friend. He gives you an old cloth to drop on the Fiodh Dungeon altar. After entering the dungeon and clearing a few rooms, you will find the Ghost of Lugh and be transported back to the lobby. Talking to Price again using this keyword and he will tell you of Redire's demise. Talking to Craig using the keyword "Redire's Demise" will give you another keyword: "Paladin and Dark Knight". Talk to Price again using this keyword and obtain an envelope.

Talk to Aeira at the Dunbarton Book Store and she will give you a book called "Food for the Soul for True Good Deeds". Read the book and obtain the keyword "Good Deeds". You must return the book to Aeira after this.

Talk to the Beggar in the Emain Macha Town Square. He will ask for money, so give him 1,000 gold and he will "bless" you. After that, talk to Agnes, the Healer, using the keyword "Good Deeds" and she will tell you to help other players by performing the duties of a healer. After doing this, return to Agnes and complete your quest.

Talking to Delen in the town square of Emain Macha with the Keyword "Good Deeds", then talk to Galvin. Delen will send an owl to deliver a quest to you. Talk to Galvin and bring the Teddy Bear gift he wants you to give to Delen. He is too shy to do this himself. She then behaves quite coquettishly at this and is surprised that he expressed interest, and he though that because of her beauty she was already taken.

Talk to Del, Delen's twin sister with the keyword, she tells you that she is a little upset at Osla because she saw her throwing out the flowers she had given to her as a gift. Talk to Osla about this and she tells you that Jocelin, the banker, usually comes to help clean her shop up and might have thrown them out. Talk to Jocelin and she will tell you that she did and is sorry. Talk to Del and she will give you a Bouquet of Flowers to give to Osla again, thus mending their relationship.

Talk to Wyllow, the Bishop of the Cathedral in Emain Macha about the keyword "good deeds". He expresses that he is happy to see young people wanting to help out their elders and gives his thoughts on what good deeds are. Talk to Aodhan using the "Good Deeds" keyword and he will tell you that the Emain Macha Guards need a better teacher and tells you to talk to Aranwen at the Dunbarton School. After talking to her, she will tell you that she does not wish to return to Emain Macha and to tell Aodhan this. After telling him that, he tells you persistently that he wants Aranwen to reconsider. She doesn't, and then you must talk to Aodhan again and finish the quest.

Talk to Price using the Keyword "Good Deeds" and he will give you a Broken Bolt. Drop this item on the Coill Dungeon Altar to go to a scene where you can see the Tragedy of Emain Macha unfolding - the fomors causing destruction in Emain Macha and demolishing most of it. The Reason the Dark Lord is attacking Emain Macha is because Redire took his child from him, out of Math Dungeon, and now he is coming for revenge. Redire gets into a fight with Dark Lord, and his sword is struck out of his hand and is sent flying towards Rian, impaling and killing him on the spot. Redire is wounded and Esras, out of desperation to save Emain Macha, gives Morgant his child back and orders the Paladins to put Redire in prison to await death.

Talk to Price again using the keyword "Paladin Requirements". He will tell you that he was really Redire, and the reason he escaped death was because his friends had bailed him from prison. Relog to receive the next message from Morrighan telling you that you need the power of Nature to become a Paladin, and that you should seek the Spirit's help. Talk to Tarlach(spirits happen to be his specialty) about this and he will tell you of a water spirit on Ceo Island. Go and speak with the flighty and self conscious water spirit Aer after this.

Talk to Aer using the keyword from Tarlach. She will give you the "Ideal Look" keyword and asks you to ask people what their Ideal type of person is. An owl will deliver a quest to get 3 notes on ideal types from people in Tir Chonaill, Dunbarton, Bangor, and Emain Macha.

When you get all 15 notes, complete the quest and an owl will bring you another quest. You must talk to Aer and she will ask you if anyone thinks she is an Ideal person to be with. Talk to Nele about his Ideal Type. He says it's you (even if you are a Male or Female) but quickly explains he's just joking and that he really likes the water spirit on Ceo island. Talk to Aer about this, and she tells you he must be lying because every human throws stones at her, and he did too, and that she wants to know why. When you talk to Nele he quickly explains he didn't know that when he threw the stone in the water was hurting her feelings and gives you a poem he wrote to deliver to her. She will tell you that you have the spirit's help and that you must build your Paladin armor. She will give you the Mythril Mine keyword.

The reason Aer is self-conscious of herself and very flighty is because she thinks people hate her and that's why they throw rocks at the water, meaning they throw rocks at her. What she doesn't know is that humans throw rocks in the water because they think that brings them good luck.

You will receive Aer's letter after completing this quest.

Talk to Gilmore about the Mythril Mine, and he will take the letter and you give a Mythril Pass for Barri Dungeon so that you can mine mythril for your armor. Talk to Edern about this, he tells you that even for a master like himself, blacksmithing with Mythril is very hard work. He will ask you to give him 5 mythril ores first and then tell you he will need a Blueprint from Goibne, who was once the greatest blacksmith in Erinn and why he became a blacksmith in the first place. After Getting the first blueprint and delivering ores, he will tell you to get another blueprint to finish the armor. Get it from the Mythril Dungeon and then he will finish your armor. Talk to him to get it and the keyword "Mythril Armor".

Return to Aer on Ceo Island and she will bless the armor and tell you to drop it on Ciar Dungeon Altar. You will begin a solo RP Dungeon as a White Wolf. In order to gain the blessing of Nature for your armor, you must defeat the Giant White Wolf in the end. After you defeat her, you will receive the keyword "Spirit of Order."

Talk to Price about the Spirit of Order and wait a day in Erinn Time. You will receive a quest. Talk to Price again and get the Letter Box. Talk to Lassar in Tir Chonaill so that she will lift a spell put on the book. The Letter Box belongs to Esras and incriminating evidence can be found within. The contents are as follows:

Letters in Esras' letter box

---The preparation for the revolt is now complete. Give me a word on it, and I'll set off a rumor to the Goblins and Kobolds that the baby in Math Dungeon has been kidnapped by the army from Emain Macha. Also want to know how the lord is doing these days. -Your servant, Colbha

---Good. I praise your singular effort. Ruairi seems to be MIA while searching for Tir Na Nog, and Rian is completely dependent on me. As for the lord... his health is right where we expected. ...he will pass away shortly. Now, with the chaos created, I will one day take over the rein. Wait for that day to come. -Esras P.S. Watch out for the opposing forces within the guards.

---Here's alerting you that on the first day of Samhain, they will rise in revolt. Everything is as planned. -Waiting for that day to come, Colbha

---Okay. I'm worried about one thing though. Find a way to remove Redire from the day of revolt. If he remains in Emain Macha during the day of revolt, a lot of things may go wrong. -Esras

---Alright. I will let you know as soon as we figure out a way for this. -Always faithful, Colbha

---I am hearing a word that Redire is having a fling with Aranwen, a female Paladin who's in charge of security at the northern region. If we use this wisely, we'll be able to make this work in our favor. -Always yours, Colbha

---Anything that'll prevent Redire from going near Emain Macha on the day of revolt, I am all for it. But if the process ends up like last time in Math Dungeon, where it worked as an order from the top, then that won't work. Make sure to make it look like Redire has to take the blame for this. I expect you to take care of the aftermath. -Esras

---Alright. Just let me handle this. I'll contact you separately once everything's worked out. -Yours, Colbha

---I sent a letter to Redire forging Aranwen's handwritings, and I also sent a letter to Aranwen forging Redire's handwritings. It should arrive there right around the day of revolt. It had been a while since I wrote an emotional letter addressing the love between a man and a woman, so I had a hard time writing them out. The two will meet at Gairech hills under the red tree. Should I take care of both while there? That would really simplify the matters. -Truly yours, Colbha

---I also dug up some things on that Paladin, Aranwen. She seems to be highly respected in combat abilities, so if this does not work out, we may be in for a serious trouble. Let's just drag the two out of Emain Macha that day. This may now be much easier to pull off. -Esras

---Got it. Everything is ready for the revolt. Just in case... Are our letters... being kept somewhere? I think it's better for both of us to destroy them... -Colbha

---Don't worry about it, and just take care of the business. Even if you decide to destroy them, do so after I take over the reins. ...the letters I've received from you will be covered up in magic, so the letters will be unreadable. Need not worry about it. I prefer that we cease exchanging letters until the day of revolt. -Esras

Price tells you that he has a box that is locked, and says that Riocard in Bangor can unlock it for you. He does so but only on the condition that he can keep the box. Riocard gives you the contents and you can deliver it to Price. The report inside the box mentions that Esras knows Redire is hiding and is known as a wandering merchant named Price, and will prevent him from going into Emain Macha if he tries.

You must talk to Price to receive the Marionette's Potion. He wants to know what it is. Dilys at Tir Chonaill will tell you it is a very dangerous potion that is mixed using a Fomor Scroll. It has the ability to re-animate dead bodies and put the person under control of the person who used it. She takes it from you because of how dangerous it is. Price suggests that Esras might have used this on all of her servants and is a very dangerous foe.

Price also has a book that he thinks is written in Fomor language, and that "word on the street" says you know someone who can translate this book. At this point in the story, you know that Kristell is a succubus, and can understand Fomor language. You ask her to translate it. She tells you that the book is about a Guardian of Ancient Wisdom named Tabhartas.

Seumas at the Dragon Statue in Gairech will tell you about the golems: Golems were created by Human magic. They were used in the Mag Tuireadh war to combat the Fomors, and when the war ended, they disposed of the golems by stuffing them all on Ceo Island, hence its massive golem population. Price suggests talking to James at the Emain Macha Cathedral. It is revealed that James isn't a priest but is actually a Royal Investigator sent to keep tabs on Esras. He gives you "Priest James' Record" to give to Price. It explains everything about Esras and seals the deal that Esras must be taken out immediately.

James, in his record, talks about how people have to pay for the training to become paladins. This means only the rich folk could train and the poorer folk, the ones with the fiery passion for justice, could not become paladins. The reason you killed so many Kobold Miners in the paladin training sessions was because Esras was trying to harvest gold. The gold is being used to summon Tabhartas, and your donation helped it as well. No one knows of this, nor do they know that Rian is simply her puppet now, and that she is in full control of Emain Macha.

In the last quest that will be given to you, Craig wants to talk to you about Rian. He says that he doesn't look good and wants you to distract Esras so he can bring a healer to check on him. When you go to the Throne Room in the Emain Macha keep, you confront Esras and she tells you that Rian is not here, and that she is preparing to take over Emain Macha. Price also comes in to confront Esras and tells her that she will be stopped. You are transported directly to the lobby of Barri Dungeon. You must drop the pass you obtained, and journey to the end of the dungeon to face Esras in the final confrontation.

When you reach the boss room, you will see Price in a heated argument with Esras and you will see a Golem behind her: it is Tabhartas. Price demands to know where Rian is and she tells him he is gone and then unleashes the golem on him. Price is wounded during the scuffle. Esras laughs at this scene, and orders Tabhartas to finish him off. But before Tabhartas can crush Price, you dash in at the very last second and hold the golem's foot back; however, you strain under the weight. Esras comments on your foolishness, but is impressed with your strength. Before Tabhartas can deal its final blow, the Spirit of Order awakens within you and you take on the form of the fabled Paladin, the Knight of Light. Price and Esras are dumbfounded at this new turn of events. Esras orders Tabhartas to destroy you, but with your newfound power, you easily overpower the golem and Esras is shocked to the core.

While standing over the ruins of her Golem, Ruairi and Morgant appear. Morgant strikes at the Golem's body and Rian's body appears from it, and he mentions that it was a human sacrifice that brought the golem to life. Ruairi demands to know who was responsible for his brothers death, and Esras immediately points the finger at you. Ruairi vows revenge against you, and will remember your name. Ruairi and Morgant leave.

Now knowing that a human sacrifice was used, it is revealed that Esras is a Necromancer, not a Druid, and Price says that you must defeat her quickly. Esras finally reveals her true intentions: she believes she can take over all of Erinn. You overpower her and her summoned skeletons, and she vanishes in a dark cloud, gone for good. Morrighan appears and congratulates you for becoming a Paladin and stopping Esras from achieving her evil deeds. She is sorry tat Ruairi could not be helped, but that you must prepare, because Cichol will be sending his Dark Knights into Erinn soon, and that you must battle against them and protect Erinn.

Generation 3: Dark Knight

Upon starting G3, the player will receive a cutscene and a new keyword, "Breaking of the Seal". Morrighan explains that her powers are not enough to keep Cichol from sending fomors into the Human world.

Go to Sidhe Sneachta at night and talk to Tarlach with this keyword. He tells you to investigate a broken statue at Barri Dungeon. You will receive the quest. Purchase a Special Dungeon pass from Gilmore and go to Barri Dungeon. After finishing the dungeon, you will appear in Bangor of Another World, a place similar to where you were in G1, but this place is uninhabited except for a Kobold named Morc and the Dungeon, Baol, a bastardization of Barri, is filled with molten lava and monsters that harbor unimaginable power.

Once you reach the other side, the desolation and silence sets in. It is a place the fomors destroyed, and those who didn't run were soon killed. You must make your way to the Dragon Statue in the deformed Gairech Hill and talk to Morc. He will tell you that bad things are happening and that the Goddess of Destruction, Macha, will soon awake. Complete the quest.

Return to Tarlach and talk to him using the keyword. You will receive a book to place notes in, and you must talk to everyone in Emain Macha using this keyword. They will tell you of the namesake of Emain Macha and what they think Macha is. After you finish this book, talk to Tarlach again and he will send an owl when time passes.

Upon receiving this request, talk to Wyllow. He knows that you have become the Knight of Light and asks for your help in aiding the Church fix the broken statues of Uladh. Talk to Aodhan after this, he will give you a Fomor Command Sheet to handicraft into a broken statue pass. You need blessing water and a mana herb to do this. Drop it on Coill dungeon and clear it. James will fix the statue at the end when you finish.

Return to Aodhan and finish Rundal and Peaca dungeon by doing these steps. James will fix all of the statues near the Emain Macha region, thus safekeeping it from Fomor attack.

Talk to Comgan in Bangor. He will refer you to talk to Seumas. Seumas will give you Command Sheets for Barri Dungeon and Fiodh Dungeon. Comgan will fix the statues as you finish the dungeons.

During the course of this Priest Request quest line, you will notice a cutscene where Comgan, Riocard and Jennifer enter Barri dungeon to inspect a broken statue. You will notice that Price is running from a bunch of goblins in this one, entering from within the dungeon rather than from the entrance. All the goblins, once seen again, are knocked out.

During this time, you will have a cutscene in Math dungeon. Ruairi and his Ghost Armor troop fight with Craig and his paladins and easily defeat them. Ruairi then calls out your player's name and wonders where you are - his blade would like to meet you.

Talk to Kristell next when you get the quest. She refers you to Eavan, who will give you the Command sheets for Math and Rabbie. You must complete these dungeons and Kristell will fix the statues.

Meven will call for you next and direct you to Trefor. He'll give you the Command Sheets. Endelyon will fix the statues in Ciar and Alby respectively.

When you go into Alby Dungeon and defeat the boss, Ruairi appears and surrounds you with his ghost soldiers. He strikes at you in a hate filled rage and you are at a grave disadvantage. He then hits you a few more times. Cichol shows up and asks why it is taking so long, and says it's best to kill them when they are young. He tries to kill you himself, but Price appears and winks. Cichol acts surprised: "What?! Who are you?". Price responds with "My friend here has work to do, so you shouldn't do this, I'll be taking him/her from here". Price then transports you and him to where he is supposed to be in his cycle, and Ruairi asks if he should chase you. Cichol says it's not worth it.

Talk to Price to receive a new keyword, Dorca Feadhain. Talk to the corresponding NPC for your gender. If you are a male, you must talk to Eavan. If you are female, you must talk to Aodhan with this keyword. Talk to Tarlach using a new keyword. Talk to Meven next. They will explain that Dorca Feadhain is the name of the army of darkness that Macha fuels. She gives them the power of darkness, they are the most dangerous of the Fomor forces (Dark Knights), and Ruairi is in command of them.

Ruairi is now a Dark Knight. He thinks the Goddess has given up on him and his words fall on deaf ears when he thinks of her. He joined with Cichol and has developed a sort of relationship with Triona, Morgant's daughter.

At this point in G3, you have told Tarlach of how Ruairi became a Dark Knight, and how he isn't dead like Tarlach thought. You tell him that Mari, too, is not dead but is actually Nao, the Guide of the Soul Stream and that she helped you come here. You tell him that you are the Knight of Light, and you also ask him of the Milletian topic. Tarlach's request is that he wants to see Nao, and the only way to do this is to create the Holy Potion of Lymilark. Talk to Duncan after Tarlach and wait for the next quest.

Create the Spirit Potion using Handicraft. You can get the Spirit Viewing Powder by going to the Dunbarton Library, equipping a Glass Bottle, and interacting with one, thus obtaining the powder. You must next obtain the Spirit Forming Bottle. This can be obtained by defeating the Black Succubus in Rabbie Dungeon. You must solo. It will be in the End Chest. You will next need Spirit Hearing Water, which you must create with Potion Making. You will need a Mana, Bloody and White Herb. Once you have these ingredients, create the potion using handicraft and deliver it to Tarlach.

Alas, my knowledge at this part deteriorated, but James, the priest in Emain Macha has a request for you. You must talk to him, Kristell, Duncan, and then go back to him to finish the quest and receive a new keyword.

You must acquire the Unknown Fomor Scroll next. You need to go to Ceo Island and talk to Muro to get it. It will be delivered by owl. Talk to the corresponding NPC to your gender (Female=Aodhan/Male=Eavan) and then report back to Muro and complete the quest.

You must now infiltrate and destroy the Lia Fail inside Baol Dungeon, but first, you need a special robe. Talk to Aodhan if you are a female, or talk to Eavan if you are a male. Female characters can inquire James while male characters can inquire Kristell to craft the cloth instead if you have all the materials.

Talk to Tarlach. He will tell you that you must destroy the Lia Fail in order to prevent the awakening of Macha, the Goddess of Destruction. You need Fine Silk, Mana Herbs and Blessing Water to create anti-fomor cloth. Deliver this cloth to the corresponding NPC. However, they will not give you the robe out of fear for your character's personal safety. If you are female, Aodhan simply refuses but blushes once he realizes what he said.

Talk to Tarlach and he will give you a Book on Milletians.

According to the game's storyline, Milletian literally means "from the stars". Milletians do not know death, cannot be killed, and live in a different plane of time other than the Tuatha de Danaans. Tarlach recommends that they seek the help of Milletians in the fight against the Fomors. He explains that the Knight of Light has returned and is also a Milletian, brought by the Soul Stream Guide named Nao.

Tarlach tells you to give Aodhan/Eavan this book in order to convince them that you will be fine in Baol. Once you do so, you will trade the book for the robe. Report back to Tarlach.

Head to Baol Dungeon by going through the Barri Dungeon with a pass that you get from Gilmore. You can only enter this variant of the dungeon on Sunday. The robe uses the powers of Imbolic, a holy day, to keep enemies from seeing you; all except the Hellhounds, they can sniff you out. If they do, you are dead.

When you make your way through the dungeon, you will approach the Lia Fail and attempt to destroy it, however, it fails and you will be confronted by Morgant and his Ghost Armor troop. He will attempt to seize you after attacking you, but Kristell will come in and save you. He points out immediately that she is the "Ultimate Traitor of the Fomors" and she deserves nothing but death. Kristell will take you back to Dunbarton.

You will receive a new keyword and must talk to Kristell using it. Finish your quest. You may also opt to go on a sidequest. If you are female, you will receive Fragment of Aodhan's Sword, and can watch Aodhan's memory to see why he was afraid for you and wanted to protect you. During the Tragedy of Emain Macha, he had to leave his mentor behind to fight off fomors while he went to help the weak. If you receive Eavan's Bookmark, her father gave her a book and then disappeared, leaving her behind. Everyone believes that her father ran away, rather than dying for the sake of others.

Talk to Seumas using the keyword from the Baol Infiltration Dungeon, re-log and receive a new keyword from Morrighan, who also warns you that Lia Fail will soon be used, and that she has been sealed and is unable to help you. Talk to Tarlach with the new keyword.

By now you will have seen a cutscene where Triona and Ruairi are in Barri Dungeon. Triona talks to Ruairi about how she's not afraid to accept her destiny, and Ruairi talks about how he wanted to be accepted by his father. After Ruairi walks away, she says to herself that she wants to be Ruairi's, she wants to be held in his arms no matter what woman she becomes. Triona is actually Macha, and that Cichol wants to awaken her, but this process would end Triona.

Enter Baol Dungeon at any time with two others and prepare for a hell of a fight to get to the end and stop the destruction of Erinn. Once you finally reach the boss chamber, you will face Ruairi and Morgant. Morgant is easily defeated but Ruairi is not. After attacking him, you are forced to the edge of the floor and Ruairi approaches you. However, Tarlach and Nao show up near the entrance and Ruairi is shocked to see his friends are still alive. Tarlach tries to explain to Ruairi that Cichol is really evil, that he is just using him, but Ruairi insists that he's gone too far to go back now. Tarlach then tries to destroy the Lia Fail.

I do not know what Cichol says at this point, but afterward, Tarlach charges a spell in order to attack the Lia Fail and Triona. As Tarlach throws the spell, Ruairi jumps in front of it and blocks it. Cichol attacks Tarlach and interrupts the spell. Tarlach calls out to Ruairi but Cichol says something. Ruairi strikes his blade at Cichol, harming him, he continues to attack Cichol. Morrighan appears in a shower of light and feathers. She and Cichol reveal to the player that the land of Erinn is actually the fabled paradise of Tir Na Nog.

Since the Lia Fail is now inoperable and Macha cannot be awakened, Cichol finds out that he can use Ruairi to suit his needs. We discover Ruairi's father once made a pact with Cromm Cruaich: he would offer his son in order to gain power for himself. Cichol summons a stone re-creation of Cromm Cruaich. Morrighan seals you and your party with the dragon, and asks your help in killing it.

After felling the mighty beast, the real Cromm Cruaich flies in and explains everything. He explains that he had sensed an impostor and had hurried to come here. He thanks you for defeating it. Cromm then takes Ruairi and flies away. He tells you he is going to take Ruairi with him. He should have been sacrificed much later on in his life, but in order to shorten Ruairi's suffering, Cromm Cruaich took him as a sacrifice early.

Generation 4 - Pioneers of Iria

A new continent has been uncovered and the humans have marked their territory, Qilla Base Camp, in the Rano Region. It is still largely undiscovered but there are traces of ancient civilization and new monsters and things to discover. There are no fomors on Iria. Iria was the home to the Ancient Irinid.

It just opens up for more to visit, to do, to fight, to accomplish. The Starlight of Ancient Times shines. Can you uncover the meaning in this fleeting moment?

Generation 5 - Pioneers of Iria ("Elf in the Desert" in foreign servers)

Following the uncovering of new lands to the west, the Humans have built a bridge into the Connous region of Iria, where the Elves of the Longa Desert make their home. Filia, the elven town, is built around an Oasis of unsurpassed beauty. Elves are a beautiful race, fleet of foot and excellent archers, with disconcerting eyes; they are a strong, civilized but mysterious race. Castanea, the village chief, is no less than an excellent example of her people.

The Elves are at war with the Giants, a race of beings that live in the frigid wastes of Physis. But given the vast distances, it is not often that the two meet.

[Falcon Elf]
You, a young Elf, receives a request one day from Yoff to meet him at Connous Arena. He mentions that he's starting to recollect some of his lost memories. One shudders to look on Yoff, red-eyed and dessicated, even though he was wrapped from head to foot in his clothes. Yoff says that his real name is Phasneus, and was originally an Elf from Filia. He says that he'd once looked like the average Elf, pale skinned and bright-eyed. He was turned into his current form by a combination of greed and the Curse of the Ancient Irinid.

Curious about the Ancient Irinid, you ask around, but are told by your leader to not think about it too deeply, or be too ambitious. Later, you get a message to talk to Phasneus again. He has a bad feeling that something horrible is going to happen. He begs you not to tell Castanea about him or she won't let him live and gives you an Ancient Medal. He suggests that you earn Castanea's trust, so you do so by helping a lost fellow elf back home.

Hagel, unbeknownst to you, had been keeping an eye on your efforts. He says he would like to talk to you about the Ancient Medal.

"So the rumors were true," Hagel says. "The Ancient Medal… I won't ask how you obtained this precious item. But let me just tell you that you have the power to decide a very important fate. The destiny of the Ancient Irinid, ancient Elves and even the Connous Elves could possibly hinge on this one small medal. What do you say? Would you like to experiment with the fate that you hold in your hands?" He asks you to prove yourself to him, and you accomplish his tasks. He is astonished that you succeeded but holds to his end of the deal.

"The Book of the Irinid," Hagel begins, "was discovered in the old Metus region. Even though it had been contained in a plain box made of Tikka wood, its content was something that hadn't existed in the world at that time. Many decades have passed since then, but we have yet to figure out the exact purpose of the Book of the Irinid. The one thing we were able to figure out was that the book reacts to the Ancient Medal that you have in your possession. Currently, the Book of the Irinid is in Alexina's hands at Qilla Base Camp so that more information can be extracted from it. We're hoping that her archaeological expertise and knowledge will shed some new light on the subject. I'll write you a letter, take it and go to Alexina."

Alexina is doubtful that you are trustworthy, but you insist and she concedes and lets you help with her research. Along the way you are informed that the Book of the Irinid is sealed by the magic in the language of the ancient Giants. This is a risky venture, but you seek out Taunes whom you've heard rumors of consorting with an Elf. You learn that he'd once received help, himself, from Atrata in your town.

"Is this the book Alexina was asking for?" He asks. "I see that it's written in the language of the ancient Giants just as I've been told. It looks very intriguing, but it will still take me some time to decode all of its content because of my poor eyesight. I'll deliver it to Alexina as soon as I'm done with it, so just wait. "

In the meantime you get a message from Castanea, who commands you to return immediately. When you do, she tells you that she has no choice but to punish you for conducting dangerous research and for consorting with the Giants. You are locked in the Longa Desert Ruins. But soon Hagel comes to rescue you, apologetic that he'd, however indirectly, caused your punishment. He helps you return to Qilla Base Camp where you learn that Taunes has delivered the book to Alexina.

However, the book was still missing some information. You collect all of the ancient medals, and unseal the power used to fight the dragons long ago...

Generation 6 - Pioneers of Iria ("The Giant" in foreign servers)

The Giants are a strong, heavy built race that live in the Snowfields of Physis. Although cold and unnerving, the night is simply beautiful. Snowfield Moonlight is a sight to match that of a sunset. The Giants are a proud race that live under the King and Queen, Krug and Kirine respectively, in their village of Vales. They are at war with Elves for a long lost and unknown reason.

The Giants have a power locked inside them, the Demon of Physis, that when uncovered can allow them to become a Beast, the masters of combat and defense. They have mastered skills that allow them to shrug off every blow they take, but at the cost of not being able to counter-attack.

[Beast]
You, a new Milletian giant, are given a summoning order by King Krug. He tells you that giants house an ancient power within themselves from the times when the Irinids were still alive, and dragons roamed the land. He then tells you to ask around town to find out more.

Taunes tells you more about the ancient giant's power. Krug then asks for proof of your abilities, so as not to entrust further information to someone untrustworthy. He asks you sketch a Giant Bandersnatch, the boss of Par Ruins, which is the giant newbie dungeon, and then the Stone Horse Keeper, the boss of Karu Forest Ruins.

After delivering both sketches to him, he tells you that he has in his possession the book on ancient giant's power, but he sent it to the humans because they have a greater ability to translate other languages. He asks you to talk to Alexina of Qilla Base Camp for more information.

Alexina likewise wants proof that you are trustworthy, and asks that you show her the Explorer of Rano title. After this she tells you she has had a hard time translating, but they do know this is connected to the giant landmarks of Iria. After you help her with further decoding of the book, she finds out that you will need the elves' knowledge to unseal the book, as they were allies at that time and worked together to achieve this power.

You head for Filia, and sneak around the back entrance to Atrata, who you give the book to. She then says that she will try to decode the book for you, and will inform you by owl when it is finished.

The next day, Atrata tells you she has sent the decoded book to Alexina. When you talk to her, she gives you the book, and tells you the power of each of the landmarks, from Connous and Rano, are required to gain the ancient power.

You research the ancient landmarks and find medals that completes the book and you learn the ancient skill of the giants, thought lost and forgotten.

Generation 7: Ancient Secrets of Irinid

Courcle is a dense jungle full of exotic creatures and the Village of Cor, which can be reached through the Star Bridges in Physis.

While exploring in the southwestern swamps you find the Ancient Fragments of Sun, Snow, and Lightning. Upon obtaining these (and recovering them from Voight), the player must ride a raft and fall down the waterfall to reach the Hidden Ruins and place each Fragment on their respective pillar.

You learn how Dragons drove Elves into hiding, how they burned the land, how the Irinid rose up against them and sealed them away in Zardine (The Gate of the Irinid in northeast Physis).

When you see all of these recollections, Kousai in Cor will talk to you about it. He will tell you that you are a youngster of Iria and give you a drug to calm you down. Tupai in the Village will call for you to help Ruwai by giving him a Rainbow Trout that is 99 C.M. or higher, and after giving it to Ruwai, he will give you a memorial item. In the memory, you see Ruwai fight Cultists and in the end, he finds the Heart of Courcle, an Ancient Artifact that, according to C3, is causing a disturbance in Iria.

Castanea saves Ruwai and wonders what to do with the Heart. So right now, Castanea has the Heart of Courcle.

You must next go talk to Taunes in Physis about the Mirror of Memory, he will tell you that the Mirror Witch in Pars Ruins has it and you must defeat her. After defeating her, she vanishes and you will be given a broken mirror. You must take it to Voight in Cor to repair it. After doing so, Taunes will tell you to bring it to Atrata, and she will try to use it but it will break. Atrata will give you a wind chime to drop on Longa Ruins, and after going to the end, you will see that she is secretly helping Taunes get better so that he may return to Physis.

This is the story between Atrata and Taunes. Taunes was sent into Connous with a detachment of Giant troops in order to find a book about the secret powers within the Giants, but because they fell prey to the many traps of the Desert, he became gravely ill. Because he was a well respected General in the Giants' army, many were jealous, and when he became severely ill, his comrades abandoned him in the Desert. Atrata would soon nurse him back to health. Kirine reveals that it was his fame that was his downfall, BUT THIS IS A LIE.

If you are playing as a Giant or Giant-Allied Human, you will find out that Krug told Taunes' men to abandon him. Krug told Taunes to attack Filia but he refused, because Taunes saw no point in the war. Krug rages at this, and then tries to kill Taunes without too much fuss. If anyone asked, Kirine would just tell them that his fame killed him. However, Taunes is alive and always has been in Vales since then, a Nameless Blacksmith.

Atrata suffered a worse fate. Castanea found out about her consorting with a Giant (as she did when you talked to Taunes if you are an Elf and doing the Falcon Quest), and wiped her mind, so she knows nothing of Taunes, but the Mirror slowly helps her remember everything.

Generation 8: Dragon ("The Drake of Iria" in foreign servers)

Krug in Vales announces that the Giants will be going to war with the elves and has you tell this to Taunes. However, he refuses to be any part of the war because of his feelings for Atrata, as explained in G7.

After a while, Effie in Qilla Base Camp will call for your help: she wants help to find her lost brother. After going to Zardine to talk to Kelpie, he says he doesn't know anything, and after telling Effie about this, she says she wants you to sketch a picture of him to make sure. After this, she says "That's him", is shocked that he can't remember her, and asks you to help him by using the Mirror of Memory.

Taunes later sends an owl for you to see him. He had been placed under some form of arrest by Krug for disobeying orders to go to war. Taunes explains that he will need the Mirror Witch's unicorn to escape, and he gives you some Unicorn Dust to enter Par Ruins with. You must Animal Tame the unicorn in the end, and he will say thank you and you will be done with him for a while. After telling this to Atrata, she also thanks you and gives you the Mirror of Memory

After conversing with Kelpie for a while, you learn that he left his sister to go exploring, ended up in Connous, and befriended an Elf named Phasneus, but their friendship didn't last. At the end of this cutscene brought about by the Mirror of Lost Memories, Phasneus calls for help from Kelpie, and Kelpie rushes to his aid. Kelpie gives you an item to enter his RP dungeon in Longa Ruins.

This dungeon is similar to the Atrata RP in G7. After reaching the end, Kelpie confronts Castanea, who seems to be in league with the Cultists, but she explains to Kelpie that Elves have a memory problem and that their fate is to become a spectre. Phasneus is transformed into a spectre, which means his mind has been ultimately wiped. Phasneus is not left to the dust however; Yoff in the Elf Arena near Filia is actually Phasneus, proof being that when you start the Falcon Quest as an Elf, he gives you an ancient medal and tells you that his actual name is Phasneus.

Castanea goes on to wipe Kelpie's memory, but after talking to Castanea about this she comes clean with everything.

Belita tells you about Crumena and how you need to help him. The Gold Dragon would be summoned soon and creatures are stirring unnaturally and in a bad way. She says you need to tame an Ant Eater and a Volcanic Pig for its fur, but mainly to help her understand the situation.

When you do that, she tells you to slay some Wyverns, and after that, she tells you to go meet Crumena. She gives you a special hot air balloon to do so. After meeting with Crumena, he tells you that he wants you to help him defeat Cromm, and that gold dragon's summoning is a terrible catastrophe waiting to happen.

After that, Belita gives you a quest to finely recover a Fossil so that she can extract essence from it. She then wants you to bring her a Ruby. She will create the Irinid Jewel, and you must take this and handicraft it with 7 Sulfur Ore and 1 ballista bolt in order to create the Irinid bolt. Bring this to Belita. She will tell you to arm it on a hot air balloon (She gives you this) and then using this balloon, you will be shown a cutscene where Cromm and Crumena are fighting. You fire the bolt at Cromm, stunning him, and allowing Crumena to push him into the lava, killing him.

Crumena reveals he was just using you, and that he thinks he has stopped Gold Dragon's summoning to Cromm's turn. After talking to Belita about this she explains that she did not know and apologizes. Later on, Legatus wishes to speak with you and tells you that you must find the Gold Dragon Mediator. To do that, you need a Snow Crystal from Pars Ruins. After obtaining one you can go to where Ruairi is.

Ruairi awakens and he tells you of his dreams, the land burning, and that he knows what he must do. After talking to Legatus again, he flies you to the Renes Cave where you must go and fight Crumena. You should bring a party if you are not a very powerful Human.

Crumena thinks he can take advantage of the Gold Dragon event by using Atrata as a "sacrifice". You're not going to let this happen, so it's payback time!

After fighting Crumena, he is weakened a little but still standing strong. He then proceeds to swap you away with his tail, and then laughs as he is about to win. Taunes then, riding on the Unicorn you tamed in G7, comes and saves you. Atrata also appears. Taunes is ready to fight Crumena, but Crumena hits him with his fire breath, causing even more damage to his eyes, which the fever was already doing much damage to. Atrata threatens to stop being the Red Dragon Mediator if Crumena harms him. The Unicorn dies, a sparkle flies through the air, Taunes gets powered up. Because he is now blinded by Crumena's fire, Atrata guides him with her Wind Bell and he slays Crumena.

Taunes and Atrata are now standing with each other. You smile, but nothing is said. Legatus flies in, Ruairi appears along with the Gold Dragon, Adniel. They explain that you are the real conductor and that you decided the fate of the Dragons. Upon relogging you can watch a short, undialogued cutscene where you see Ruairi boarding Carasek's boat and sailing back to Uladh.

Voight tells you that Arenen can recover items (which means he repairs the Mirror of Memory again), but Voight tells you not to tell Arenen that he told you that he can recover items, because Arenen holds a grudge against Voight which will is explained in Generation 10.

Generation 9: Alchemist

At the beginning of the G9 Storyline, you receive an envelope labeled "Fallon's Summons". In order to find out what this all means, you must travel even more to the west in Uladh, through Sliab Cuilin and Abb Neagh, until you reach the Alchemist Village and War City, Taillteann! The Sky which Folds Clearly leads your way into the greater part of Uladh. In order to find out who Fallon is, you go from Granat, to Karpfen, and Brenda to Collen to Dorren, and finally, to Andras, the Vice Commander of the Tara Military and the Human Praetorian Captain. She gives you an item that you must take to Stonehenge, which is also called the Shadow Gate. This allows you to go to Fallon's RP.

Fallon's RP is quite simple. The roleplay shows him as a young warrior in the Mag Tuiread War. Outside of Taillteann, he and a couple of soldiers defeat a camp of fomors but are subsequently ambushed. They are seemingly without hope, until the White-Winged Champion, riding on a unicorn, comes to their rescue. After completing this, you must talk to Andras again to finish the quest.

Andras tells you that she still does not trust you and wants to test you. She tells you to kill 10 black Dire Wolf Cubs and, still not satisfied, tells you to kill 3 Plateau Wild Boars. Andras then gives you a Medallion with the symbol of the Alchemists on it. You must get a friend and to to the Shadow Gate to start a short 2-person roleplay as Leymore and Cai, the greatest Alchemists in Uladh.

When you finish, you watch a cutscene where Leymore and Cai spot a Glas Ghaibhleann off in the distance. It is a weaker version, but it causing havoc within the Shadow Realm and is cause for great concern. The scene ends, and you must report back to Andras and wait for your next quest.

Andras tells you that she wants you to help transport supplies to the Shadow Realm. She gives you a package and a mission. Go to the Shadow Gate and enter the Shadow Realm. Hit the poles on the pathway all the way to the gate of Taillteann in order to finish. Your character will also find that the Glas Ghaibhleann is attacking the inside of the city. Fallon comes and attacks it with his ice mines, driving it away. He welcomes you to the army, and calls you a Paladin, even if you are not. Report to Andras after this.

Dorren tells you that Andras wants you to create some Ice Mines for use in the Shadow Realm. However, she has no Ice Spear Crystals, so she wants you to get her some (Even though she sells them!). After that quest, you must wait a little bit, and then Eabha will give you the mines. You will then have to talk to Andras again. She will give you a shadow mission. Once you arrive in the Shadow Realm, you will find some of the dead men from Fallon's army and a woman named Jenna. She was unconscious, but awakens and tells you nothing but to prepare for the oncoming enemies or you will die.

After defeating the enemies, Jenna disappears, and you will need to report back to Andras. Andras is dumbfounded that Fallon's army, composed of Elves, Giants, and Humans, was defeated - a legendary army, but they will not give up hope. Fallon should be safe from the shadows for the time being.

Andras also mentions that the Elves and Giants have not gotten used to the environment. This time, the army's plans will have to change.

Talk to Andras again with the new quest. Andras talks about the last survivor of Fallon's army - Jenna. According to Andras, she is a suspect related to the missing alchemists - the missing alchemists in this case being Cai and Leymore. As a member of the Temple Knights, she participated in the Missing Alchemist mission under the direct command of the royal army.

Due to the highly classified information, there are a lot of unknowns about the Temple Knights, so Andras wants you to find out more about Jenna and the Temple Knights. With the keyword in hand, talk to Pierrick in Taillteann. He will tell that he knows about the Temple Knights. He tells you how he traveled the world, and had a good friend named Lucas when he was in Emain Macha. They were both born in the same town. Lucas mentioned the Temple Knights to Pierrick recently. He should have some information about it, so you must now set out to Emain Macha and speak with Lucas.

Before Lucas will tell you anything, he wants you to do him a favor - slay 10 Kobold Bandits. Afterward, he will tell you he only found out about the Temple Knights quite recently. Many mysterious guests come to Bean Rua, and one of them spoke of it. He had nothing important to say, but he delivered mysterious items to some secret place. Nothing difficult, "crappy pay", as he called it. The Temple Knights are a very secret organization, very complex. Too many little things to worry about, as Lucas will say.

A bit of a twist is that these Knights seem to be connected with the Pope. Lucas mentions that he has been to the Rundal branch of the Temple Knights, but you need a Temple Knight Medal to enter. He gives you the necklace because he doesn't want it anymore.

After dropping this medal on the Rundal Dungeon Lobby, you must fight your way through a lot of knights. The dungeon is two floors - the first floor is quite long, and the second is just one room and a boss room. When you get to the boss room, you find Jenna imprisoned in the center. You, trying to be sneaky, are soon found out, and then you have to kill the knights and free Jenna.

Jenna hopes that there aren't any misunderstandings between the two of you. She explains she was a former member of the Temple Knights and was given the order to eliminate Leymore. She gives you an arrowhead necklace to take to the Shadow Gate, which contains her secrets. When you go to the Shadow Gate and use the necklace, you are shown a cutscene between Jenna and Collen. She tells him that she is thinking of quitting the Temple Knights. She used to fight for honor and sacrifice herself, but she says she was too young to understand anything. Collen tells her it won't be easy.

After you report to Andras once again, she tells you after all that has happened, that is still not enough to prove Jenna's innocence - especially her loyalty to Alfeir Marker the Second . Andras promises to further investigate into the matters regarding Jenna, and will keep you updated.

When you receive the next quest, Andras tells you that the more clues about Jenna she gets, the more suspicious she becomes. It's all questions marks, and she wonders - what missions did the Alchemists carry out in the Shadow Realm?

Andras says she received a report from Cai. He had a chance to train as a Druid before becoming and Alchemist. His teacher, Berched, lives near Taillteann - close to the Shadow Gate. Andras suggests you talk to Berched for more information regarding Cai.

When talking to Berched, you find out that Cai was his last student as a Druid. Even though he became an Alchemist, he still considers him his favorite student. Berched's granddaughter, Lena, had fallen in love with Cai, even though she eventually died of sickness. If it hadn't been for Lena, Cai wouldn't have abandoned becoming a Druid. He says he still has great hopes for him.

"I haven't contacted him for a long time", Berched says, and he is surprised when you mention the Shadow Realm. "The Shadow Realm is a parallel world to ours, so it is very hard to understand with the logic and belief of the world you reside in. Berched says the Shadow Walker can help. He is neither good nor evil, and perhaps sense can be made through him."

After entering the Shadow Realm's Abb Neagh on a secret mission, make your way to the other side of the lake. There you will meet the red-haired Incubus, Elatha. He says he is a wanderer of the Shadow Realm, and the Shadow Walker. He says he has seen Alchemists wandering in the Shadow Realm, looking for Caliburn. Although they're human, they seek the power of darkness - Caliburn.

Elatha says that Caliburn belonged to the Fomors and that the humans took it due to their greed. Caliburn is the basis of the power of Tara and the fundamentals of the Alchemists. Elatha says, "Isn't that ironic? Humans blindly pursue and practice Alchemy, the essence of Fomor knowledge." And with a final parting word, he vanishes, and you must report back.

After talking to Andras, she tells you that the Fomors are active and she thinks it's because Fallon's army has been defeated. She wants your help, and asks you to take missions on the Shadow Mission board. Do this to complete the quests.

After a little while, Berched will send an owl to give you a message. He says that he found Elatha's Chain Necklace in his study, and he knows you met with him in the Shadow Realm. He aided a wounded Incubus who was hurt more psychologically than physically. That Incubus was Elatha. He wants you to drop the necklace on the Altar of the Temple of Fire (Coill Dungeon in Emain Macha.) You can only do this during the Summer Solace (Baltane/Tuesday). When you drop the necklace, there will be no cutscene, strangely, like with all RP Dungeons before! But take a look at Elatha's formidable stats and skills and be on your way. The dungeon is short and you don't have to worry about anything because of his powerful magic. But take care, he has a small mana pool. On the 2nd floor you will face Bisque dolls.

When you reach the Boss room, Lebbaeus will confront Elatha. The conversation is as follows:

Lebbaeus: Although it was a favor from the Dark Lord...
Lebbaeus: It was a mistake to accept you into our race when you don't have a drop of our blood in you.
Lebbaeus: Now, here I am, paying for my mistake with the blade of betrayal in front of me.
Elatha: Lebbaeus, I only wanted to know your destiny.
Lebbaeus: Haha! Destiny, you say? An Incubus like me doesn't have such a thing as destiny.
Lebbaeus: Incubuses are incomplete beings that can only live off of other people's dreams.
Lebbaeus: The moment we awaken from long slumber is the start of death for us...
Lebbaeus: If you truly wanted to wake up from sleep and breathe the aroma of death...
Lebbaeus: I, Lebbaeus, shall help you!

And of course you have to defeat Lebbaeus. However it is not easy. He is stronger than a normal Incubus, so you will likely be Firebolt spamming and running around trying to counter-attack somehow. He does have Ice Spear like all other Incubus, so watch out for that. Once you beat him, you just need to exit the dungeon on the statue (Not a normal RP is it?) and you may complete your quest.

After finishing these, Dorren will call for you and give you a Sundial of Darkness. She will say that she is worried the Fomors are doing something with alchemy and it worries her. She will also give you a collection book and 8 Shadow Missions that you must enter each on specific times to obtain clues. You need to use the 24 hour clock in game to be able to tell which times get you each of the 8 clues. You will need to be careful, as the missions will also get progressively harder. If you happen to die in one of the missions, you will fail it and you will still be given the next mission. You will need to do the hardest mission, Mission VIII, twice in that case. Just try not to die. It's very bad if you do, or rather, annoying and long. After finishing this you can finish your quest and wait for the next one.

Dorren will tell you that practicing Alchemy was, at one point, banned. She explains that all Alchemists have their own attribute, such as Cai being Wind and Leymore being Water. You now find out what Noitar Arat is. It means "absolute darkness". If the Sun of Erinn (Palala) is the origin of power for Magic, then Noitar Arat is from the Black Sun that gives power to Alchemy. She then recommends that you talk to Berched, the Druid, about the relationship between the Shadow Realm and Noitar Arat.

Berched thinks that the Second Mag Tuiread War was the origin of everything. Nuadha's Claimh Solais soaked the Mag Tuiread Plain with blood. Noitar Arat is the power of darkness that seeps through. Soon after the rift allowing Noitar Arat, Cromm Cruiach devoured Claimh Solais and the darkness of Noitar Arat thus vanished.

The word "Claimh Solais" means "undefeatable sword", it is similar to Califex, Lugh's sword used in the War.

You will soon find out that the experiment the Fomors are doing is to be able to summon Claimh Solais, and unleash the darkness of the shadow realm onto Erinn.

The side effect of the experiment the Shadow Alchemists are doing is that the Glas Ghaibhleann was summoned.

On the quest, you will go to the Shadow Realm and you will rescue Leymore from the Fomors. You try to sneak up, but you step on a stick and it breaks and they are alerted to you. So of course you have to defeat them. Leymore will then talk to you. He says he does not have time to explain everything to you but says that he was on the Fomor's side to protect Jenna. He will make a defensive wall (That you can use) to buy some time while you deal with the enemies who are catching up. He also hands you a necklace that contains all of the information he has gathered while in the Shadow Realm, and he runs off saying there's something he needs to do.

Now you must defend yourself from the Fomors. It isn't too hard thanks to Leymore's powerful Alchemical wall. However, after defeating them, the Shadow Captain known as Tethra appears. Tethra is a prominent captain in the Fomor Army. He says he can't understand why you have to interrupt, and asks if it is because of discrimination towards Fomors. He says it is always like this, that you never try to understand the other race. You always try to eliminate them, and that it never changes. He laughs, he says he already knew there would be a battle, but didn't know it would be like this. Now you must face Tethra, however you cannot overpower him, after fighting, he counterattacks you and prepares to destroy you (Impossible due to Milletian Status; they can't die) with his life drain, but Fallon is seen running towards you from the other side while your character slumps into unconsciousness. You awake near the Shadow Gate with a completed quest.

In the next quest you receive, Andras is still worried over the loss of Fallon's army. It changed everything; the Fomors have a very strong offense, and the discovery of the wandering Glas Ghaibhleann is just the beginning. But she says she is not without hope and that if the Elves, Giants and Humans can cooperate, nothing is impossible. She says ruins were recently discovered in the Shadow Realm, and confirmed that the Heart of Courcle is within them. The Elves and Giants have their eyes on it, and she wants you to sketch it for her.

When you do this, she will thank you and wants to "Fight Together with You".

Also while Granat asks to see you about the Heart of Courcle Sketch, Collen will also tell you a story of Leymore and Jenna. Jenna was an orphan when he brought her into the Temple Knights. He is wondering if he made a bad choice, but he was just doing his job. Destined Lovers... Leymore and Jenna.

You will need to Rescue Jenna for your next quest. You will watch a cutscene before this, showing how and why she is there. When you arrive in the Shadow Realm you will be in the far north area of Taillteann. She will be fending off a horde of Fomors. After helping her fend off a little more, she says there are too many enemies. A Fomor wielding a large spear runs forward to attack Jenna, but you are unable to help her. There is a flash of white. An arrow streaks through the air and the Fomor dies. The Archer is none other than Granat, the Elf Praetorian Captain. Andras and Karpfen are there as well, they have brought the army. Truly A Majestic Spectacle indeed. After they defeat the Fomors, the bodies litter the place and the cry of Victory raises overhead, and in the middle of all of it, the Heart of Courcle appears from nowhere. Granat and Karpfen comment on it, and wonder if it really is what they think it is. Your character says that he/she will confirm it. After approaching it, it rumbles and everything is enveloped in Light. That is the end of the quest. You will also receive an item that you must take to Adniel, the Gold Dragon, in Zardine.

Your new quest will be to go back to Zardine and talk to Adniel with the Sign of Dragon in hand. You are the Mediator of the Gold Dragon; the Dragon Knight. Adniel says that it is not your will alone that brought you to Leinis , but also your destiny. Adniel says the forging of Claimh Solais has already begun, and that Noitar Arat will be available shortly. Adniel wants you to go to the Shadow Realm and prevent the destruction of the Soul Stream.

Adniel says that you and he will be together at the end, and the Horn will be proof of this contract.

Karpfen asks that you gather more intelligence before the Army moves. She really wants you to fight the Glas Ghaibhleann and kill it. Once you do that, you will face Tiamat, a prominent Shadow Alchemist, who will engage in battle with you. He says you have grown fast and does not know how you defeated Glas Ghaibhleann, but it will end here. (Oh yes it will). After defeating Tiamat, he will still be standing and Cai will run in shouting his name. Tiamat calls Cai a traitor, not only betraying his friend but also the fomors, and that he does not belong to Dark nor Evil, and asks if he is just going to wander around the Shadow Realm. Cai literally, tells him to stop with the BS, and then he uses the Alchemy skill of "Life Drain" on Tiamat. Shocked, Tiamat wonders how he can use that skill while he dies. Your character then asks Cai if he is Cai, and if he is Leymore's Friend. Cai says that Leymore is his best friend, and the best Alchemist. After watching a few vignettes of Cai, you will exit the Shadow Realm and your quest will be finished.

Berched will give you a Shadow Pass that you must drop on Barri Dungeon Altar in order to get the Mirror of Darkness. After you complete the dungeon, you will watch a cutscene of Cai about to move in on the Fomor camp that will be used to summon Claimh Solais. He is steeling himself, and when he sees the opening, he plants an Ice Mine, and as he is about to walk away, Fallon appears. He asks Cai if he thinks this is really going to work, and he says he is stupid if he does. He tells the Alchemist to stop. Cai tells Fallon that he knows the Fomor's intention, to summon Claimh Solais using the power of Darkness, and that once the door to Noitar Arat opens, they can invade Erinn. Cai tells Fallon that if he is not fooled by the lies, that it is not too late to stop them. Fallon says that Erinn will not be destroyed, but it can be reshaped and be able to show the Ideals of the Fomors. He says that if Cai interrupts the plan, he will kill him. Cai asks if he is betraying his comrades, and asks if he really meant his oath to the Royal Family. Fallon says that the Mag Tuiread War showed him despair, the victory obtained from the sacrifices of comrades, but the ideals could not be realized. To keep his ideals and try to survive on the battlefield. But he says it is their dream, and not his. And he says this is when he met his savior, Sir Lugh, that he is no longer his Knight of Light, but his Dark Lord. He just wants to retrieve his dreams.

The second to last quest you receive will be to aid Andras, Granat and Karpfen in getting through to Taillteann in the Shadow Realm in order to stop the Summoning of Claimh Solais. After a long battle, you will finally break through. When you enter the Shadow Realm for the Final Time, you will see the army battling the fomors vehemently, with no end in sight. Everyone tells you to stop Claimh Solais, but you cannot go just yet, you must defeat Tethra. He approaches you, ready to fight. He notices you, casually saying, "Oh, it is the Milletian, you're still alive?". He says he won't go easy on you this time, but of course, he is an utter failure of a fighter and after some "Final Hit" usage he goes down. When he falls, he exclaims that he has lost, and asks your name, but already knows it. "You are <insert YOUR character name here>? You're growing so fast, even with the help of the Milletian".

"But its too late, you can't stop Claimh Solais now. Fomor's dream...Tethra's dream...finally" and he dies.

Jenna remarks about how they aren't panicking at all after losing their Commander, but they are fighting even more ferociously. Leymore says that if it goes on, they will all die, and both tell you to go after Claimh Solais now, and that all of their hopes rest on you, and they believe in you. You reach the city of Taillteann in the Shadow Realm, and you find that Cai is being held in Fomor Custody. You are able to break him out, and you work together to fight your way to the Center of Taillteann, where the Fomors have their camp set up to summon Claimh. You need to defend Cai at this point while he prepares to destroy it. After defeating all of the Fomors, Cai will say that we have won, and that an Undefeatable Sword such as Claimh Solais can also fail. However, Fallon appears and begins talking. He says he does not understand Cai, that no matter what the cause, they shared a single dream at one point. He asks if the sudden change was because the hope for Lena turned into despair. Cai says he has not given up on Lena, but he says he has seen despair within the Shadow Realm. Fallon tells him that the Shadow Realm is not despair, that it might be Erinn's last hope. He asks what Cai thought the truth of the Shadow Realm was, Origin of Alchemy or Origin of Darkness. He says that the Shadow Realm is a parallel world to the current world, it is the other end of Reality, where dreams can be realized. He says the Second War ended with the Fomor's and Tuatha's defeat. He says that the fomors have left, that the weakened Tuatha could only give the control of Erinn to Milletian. He asks, what if the fomors had won? What if the Knight of Light did not wield the Sword, Califex? He says that if the light from Claimh Solais wasn't devoured by Noitar Arat, then Erinn would have been completely different from what it is now. He says that is why the Shadow Realm exists, to turn despair into hope, a New Revolution. Cai says that is impossible, that he learned something from Alchemy, the Past is just memory, it can't be brought to the present. Suddenly, the area shakes, and your character will ask if it was Claimh Solais, thinking it failed. Fallon is apparently killed by Claimh Solais during its rising from the depths.

And then... The God of Darkness and the Governor of Fomors, Cichol, appears in front of Claimh Solais, the Undead Demon Lord.

Cichol says it hasn't failed, that though the whole thing couldn't be completed, parts of it were. He says that the way of opening Noitar Arat is at hand and that it commences now. He boldly states that Erinn will be ruled by Fomors, and that the Shadow Realm will expand and the Light from the Soul Stream will disappear. He says that Noitar Arat is not the origin. The predicted destiny has begun, and that Tir Na Nog and the era of God is at an end. He says that it will be apocalypse. Your character realizes who it is (Which, in context, would make one assume a Human character cannot remember him. It's understandable in an Elf or Giant's view.) and calls out to Cichol to see if it is true, and he laughs, saying "Too late for introduction? I thought you could recognize the Ruler of the Fomors". He says he is disappointed with you for that. He remarks on Claimh Solais, calling it a hideous beast and that it is hard to believe the Legendary Sword had to become that. He again, laughs in mockery. He says, "People say History repeats itself, Nightmares of the Plain of Mag Tuiread, the curse of Hades Yas , turns into this".

He vanishes, and you must now defeat Claimh Solais.

During the initial fight with Claimh Solais, he is fairly quick to defeat. However, your character will be severely exhausted over the course of the fight, and during the first intermission, you will see Cai recovering from Cichol's attack, saying that they need to help your character defeat the Demon Lord. They begin to work on destroying Cichol's Forcefield so that you may summon Adniel to defeat Claimh Solais. After a long and arduous fight, you will finally fell the monster. The Castlewall drops and Jenna, Cai and Leymore run to your side and gaze upon the dead monsters corpse. Its body suddenly dissolves into a form of Darkness, and Leymore reacts by holding back the Darkness of the Shadow Realm. However, by doing this, Leymore is killed and falls back. Claimh Solais however, is gone, and so is all of the threat...but Leymore is dead now. Jenna rushes to his side, crying for him to not leave, and Cai stands over both of them, making a resolution. Cai says it might be a good time to apologize now. He became an Alchemist to save Lena's life, and he worked hard for the goal, even if he failed, the possibility still existed. "Soul Stream..." he says, "Its the clue to the Soul World, using soul as the material for Alchemy, I can save Leymore's life". "Ho ho ho..Watch carefully, my last Alchemy". Your character tells Cai that he will be in danger if he does this, but Cai said that Lena once told him this: Death of a loved one, the love from a loved one, you'll remember it more. Cai says he is stupid and that he may have misunderstood what Lena's love meant even 'til now. Cai then gives his life for Leymore, he dies and vanishes in a Shroud of Light, bit weird. Leymore wakes up, and the screen fades out to the credits of Generation 9.

In G9S2, you learn the truth about Andras. She is really an Elf (although this was already stated when talking to her with Private Story), and was ostracized and bullied because of her large elongated ears. She was an Elf in Uladh long before Iria was discovered and when kids threw stones at her, she gave up and ran into Rabbie Dungeon. When she got to the end, she was almost killed by a Lycanthrope, but Elatha saves her at the last second. Still in a lingering anguish, she says it probably would have been best if the beast had killed her, but Elatha, giving her a few words of wisdom, ends the scene here.

It is unknown how Andras has hidden her ears. She somehow became the Vice Commander of the Tara Military and the Human Praetorian Captain in Taillteann, she has made quite the accomplishments.

The reason Cai becomes the Doppleganger in G10 is because his mind is trapped in the Soul Stream and that his body has become an unstable container for Caliburn.

Generation 10: Goddess of Light

The sole footsteps echo as they move across the platform that you recognize as the Soul Stream. Groggily, you try to take in as much information as you can. Noting the blue swallow-tailed coat, you come to the conclusion that whoever it is, it's an alchemist, perhaps one still in training.

Wait a moment... blue coat?

It is only then that you are wide awake, staring with horror at the empty eyes of the dead alchemist Cai. And he is very much walking.

It is then that the real problem starts. Assuming a stance, the Cai you see in front of you starts drawing power from an unknown source. At first you don't know how to react, but when the ground starts shaking, your body decides for you, dropping you to your knees from the sheer power.

It's madness. You are the Shadow Hero, the man who had been accepted by the gold dragon and worked together to defeat the abomination known as Claimh Solas. Yet, this Cai had so much more power. It hammered your body, burned your nerves, and crushed your mind. Agony is the only word that can describe it yet it is not even close it is like torture you feel as if a god is crushing you in his hands it iskillingyouandifitdoesn'tstop –

And that is when you gasp, and jolt out of your sleeping bag, drenched in enough cold sweat to last you across the Longa Desert.

Obviously you can't sleep after a vivid dream like that, but now that you're awake, you set out to do something useful. Pushing the vision out of your mind, you quickly pack up the small camp, and move through Corrib Valley to the city of Tara, where Captain Padan had requested your help in rescuing a trapped soldier.

You make a quick enough progress through the valley, emerging to the spectacular city lights in the far distance. For the moment though, you proceed southeast until you reach Tara's Stonehenge that looks so similar to Taillteann's. After you greet Padan warmly, who in return briefs you on what to expect, you step onto the relic and are whisked back into the Shadow Realm.

The Shadow Ghosts are certainly new to you, and Captain Padan was certainly not exaggerating about their strength. Even you have some difficulty against four of them, though you are experienced enough to know that fighting four against one is simply asking for a Thunder in the face.

You proceed quickly to the scout held between several, also new, monsters: Bone Lancers, Bone Fighters, and Bone Archers. They're not so different from their Shadow versions, but what you're peeved about is the fact that the soldier had the audacity to hide on you as soon as it looked clear, and you had to take out the monsters alone.

Your anger softens, however, when he explains that he is the only one left alive in his entire squad, a direct result of encountering a monster that ripped them all apart in seconds. You freeze when he mentions that said monster also looked a lot like a former Royal Alchemist known as Cai.

You escort the guard out of the Shadow Realm without further incident. Speaking again with Padan, he tells you that this is the third time he heard this story about something in the Shadow Realm that isn't Human or Fomor, who gives off an intense pressure, and is attacking every human he sees, on top of seeming to be able to use alchemy without a cylinder or a crystal. Padan is also aware that this monster looks like Cai, so he sends you to find the man who knows Cai best: his best friend, Leymore.

To track down Leymore, Padan gives you Leymore's Investigation Log and asks you to experience his memories from Taillteann's Stonehenge. You comply, heading straight back through Corrib Valley and offer it at the altar. What you see surprises you: Leymore was searching for Elatha, for information about Cai, his dead friend. The alchemist finds the Shadow Walker, but Elatha spoke in a rather cruel manner, and said that Cai had lost his soul because of the use of Caliburn, which was apparently in Cai's possession. He condescendingly remarks how utterly human it is for them to spend their short lives searching for their fate.

It doesn't tell you where Leymore is now, though. Instead, Andras requests to speak to you. She knew Elatha quite well, and ever since they had met in Rabbie dungeon they had been friends. As such, she worries for him, and made him a music box to soothe him in times when Elatha struggled with himself. It's incomplete, lacking a cover, but she lends it to you, asking you to give it to the Incubus. You listen to it, and marvel at the childish little melody that rings in the air long after it is done.

But that brings up yet another question – how, exactly, did Elatha suffer? You have seen his memories before – he had enough power to overpower Lebbaeus fairly easily. So what could have prompted something so seemingly trivial as friendship with Andras?

When you finally find him in the Shadow Realm, none of these answers are answered. Instead, he request you to go in a seemingly different direction; collecting clues regarding Goddess Neamhain. You do so, in the process wasting 89,000 g, facing zombies, taking in a dog and a cat, collecting spoiled honey, and jousting the top jouster in Tara, in addition to several delivery jobs that's really starting to get old. These people living under a rock or something? You're the Shadow Hero!

Eventually that's all said and done, and you go back to Andras, who comments she doesn't really understand what good these items will do, but trusts Elatha and redirects you back to him. He tells you to synthesize the items together. Do that, and you get a slab of stone called Neamhain's Memorial.

So...does that mean the goddess Neamhain is dead? You try to pick up the unwieldy object. That's when it sucks you into a vision.

It's about Neamhain's prediction of the end of Tir Na Nog. Which means it's up to you to save it again.

But where can you start? You decide to go to Andras first. She brings up something Elatha mentioned, something about Iria. It seems while you were fetching the items, he was off doing a bit of investigation on a certain matter that he did not confide in her. She has a way around it, though – she seems to have snitched the Dark Lord's Token off of Elatha and gives it to you, asking you to experience that memory.

Sneaky girl.

Elatha's memory goes by with relatively uninteresting details, killing rats, rat men, and Laghodessa left and right. You do wonder why he doesn't upgrade his weapons, but you have to admit he can't just stroll into a store with those horns on his head. Then again, both Andras and Berched has everything he needs, and more...

And then your musings are blown out when the Boss Room door opens and Morgant is standing calmly in front of your eyes. Oh. That Dark Lord.

Experiencing Elatha's memory doesn't give you insight into his thought, so when they talk in riddle-like form there's little you can do to make heads or tails of it. Morgant starts by remarking he wasn't expecting to see Elatha again yet. He says he heard about Lebbaeus, chides Elatha in acting hastily, notes the former's death as kind of unnecessary. Elatha goes off tangent, pressing Morgant for answers about his birth, saying that he knows Morgant was involved in it, as well as him being involved in what Elatha is. Morgant fires back, asking why Elatha killed Lebbaeus, and why he chose to wake up from a dream only to live a nightmare. Morgant refers to Elatha as "Seed sown in Irinid's land". He only says that Elatha's answer will be found in Iria, and the incubus must have accepted that answer, because the memory ends there.

But that doesn't give much of a lead. It has nothing to do with the reappearance of Cai, nothing to do with where Leymore is, doesn't give you an idea of what Elatha's suffering through, has nothing to do with goddess Neamhain, and most importantly, has nothing to do with Tir Na Nog's doom. In other words, you've hit a dead end.

Pencast later calls you, and hoping for a lead, you follow. He says that the recent happenings have been predicted by Neamhain for a long time. The church kept it secret, however, to prevent panic. He tells you that everything points to Iria, and you must go there. He also gives you a book to read, with some interesting stuff, which appears to be written or told by Neamhain.

The contents of the book:

- Revelations about the End Days - 
I. As the lands are torn and filled with blood, 
And clay walls come tumbling down, 
The crescent moon above the graveyards shall 
begin to fade.
II. The Golden Dragon of the end days will prepare its wings, 
While the stones of fate disappear into the dark. In the end, 
the black sun too shall hide its face before the encroaching shadow of darkness.
III. Between the continents,
and especially in the city first smitten, 
Shall the once unseen gateway to darkness open its mouth. 
Soldiers will be wounded by a force unlike any known blade, 
And, in the wrath, 
they shall curse the name of the Goddess of Light.
IV. The dead shall return and walk amunst the living, 
While the eyes of the ill-fortuned twin are opened. 
A dark shadow will befall the plagued city, 
And the stars in the sky shall colapse onto the earth.
V. As Tir Na Nog's end days come to pass, 
the Goddess of Light shadll awaken from her otherworldly dreams,
And return to this world once more. 
From that appointed time, 
the days of ceaseless battle shall continue forevermore.

The first paragraph might be a reference to the dimensional rift opening way back when Morrighan was first captured and rescued. The second verse is more clear, a direct statement that Adniel, the golden dragon, will be born, and this happened already. The “city first smitten” and the “once unseen gateway to darkness” is probably Taillteann and its Stonehenge; that's where the first Shadow Realm opened. The “force unlike any known blade” may perhaps be Claimh Solas, who you've only recently defeated; but what's this about cursing the Goddess of Light? The dead returning is probably something about the Bone soldiers in the Shadow Realm, but who's the ill-fated twin and what dark shadow is forthcoming? The last paragraph is the only one that hadn't happened yet; the goddess of Light awakening and causing wars in this land. But why would the goddess of Light do that?

All in all, though, it's clear that Iria is the next stop for your investigation. Some time after your arrival, your friendly neighbourhood settlement leader greets you and tells you about an ongoing project going on to investigate the cubes that have different symbols on it. You investigate it, using a special pass to your local dungeon, and discover that the symbols correspond with the region's landmarks.

Huh?

Collecting all the variations into a collection book gives you a strange artifact as a reward. Not even Voight could recover it completely. He reluctantly redirects you to Arenen, and only warns you that they're kinda on bad terms.

Well, if you knew that you were diving into Arenen's memory, you probably would've been more firm with Voight. As it is, you are stuck watching the former make his tedious progress through Maiz Prairie Ruins, and hope that whoever he's proposing to happens to have a tolerance for cold and idiots.

When Arenen finally manages to make it to the dungeon's Boss Room, you heave a mental sigh of relief.

And then freeze at the sight before you.

Campfire. Voight. Ilsa.

Voight + Ilsa.

You can hardly blame Arenen for running away screaming. Voight actually being romantic is sick enough to give you nightmares for weeks, too.

Then you go to him to confront him about it, he explain that it was apparantly Ilsa who was hitting on him. Oooh.

Voight even gives you some of Ilsa's memory, in the form of her handkerchief and another trip to the proposal site, to validate his claims. You confirm this to Arenen, describing the love Ilsa had for Arenen (though it was really unnecessary for you to feel that level of affection to the sordid appraiser...you've a feeling you're not going to sleep well tonight). Arenen seems to believe you, but regardless, he hands you back the artifact, restored.

A crystal? This is what the artifact was?

So it seems, when Kousai explains about the other name of Neamhain: the Rainmaker, particularily in Connous where the Elves were stuck in the desert and she saved them. You use it with a cylinder, and violà – clouds! Kousai also gives you a Rain Maker Arrow, citing its relation to the older Connous and hints that it might help you reveal the nature of the Rainmaker.

The lost elf asking for an escort home was strange, but she is negligible. First thing first, is to get to the bottom of this mystery, no pun intended. Three levels down, you're finally at the Boss Room, hoping for answers. Well, you get them, but they're not the answers to the questions you've expected to ask.

Cichol is there, also trying to learn about Neamhain, it seems. Once he notices your arrival he scoffs, and summons the possessed Cai on you.

...This could be problematic.

As the Fomor god explains, Cai had died while using forbidden alchemy involving the Caliburn. Therefore, his mind and soul was trapped in the realm after, while his body became the container for the Caliburn. As it is an object of darkness, one that the Fomors had been in control of, it seemed to have been an easy feat for Cichol to control it, therefore controlling Cai. And with that final word, Cai attacks.

Fighting him's no different than fighting Corrupted Alchemists, but he's stronger in every way. You are doing fairly well, beating him back and back – well, that is, until a badly timed defense against an incoming Water Cannon finishes you.

But there's something wrong...you can't resurrect yourself...

Cai...did he do something to you?

Or did Cichol do something to the Soul Stream?

And then with a gasp, you breathe again, opening your eyes to the face of Waboka.

“Thank goodness...Kousai had seen a terrible premonition about you, Milletian...I'm glad I wasn't too late.”

Yes, Kousai has been very helpful indeed.

So this explain the where, what, and why of Cai; and looking for Leymore is now redundant, now that you've solved the former; and it looks like Elatha is doing well on his quest to...whatever it is he's doing. Maybe he was finding his parents? And it seems he's forgotten about whatever suffering he had, so you probably don't need to help him in that respect. Not that you were planning to, of course.

But what about Neamhain? Is she still alive or not? And if not, is she going to come back? And if she is, why does she want to create conflict? Who's the “ill-fated twin” mentioned in the prophecy? What was wrong that made you unable to resurrect? And most importantly – why does Neamhain think Tir Na Nog is doomed?

First things first, though, and that surprisingly means Pencast – he calls you over again, and this time he sounds urgent. He requests you go to the Shadow Realm and deal with whatever's worrying him.

After defeating a few wave of mobs, and you encounter Mata, a Dark Commander. He tells you he doesn't believe the rumors that Tethra, the Shadow Commander, was defeated by the Milletian, and challenges you to a joust. If you win, you'll have the "honor" of defeating him in honorable combat. Really, you beat Adair, so he's not too hard – several rounds in, and he is knocked off his high horse, and rightfully so.

He then spouts some nonsense about how Neamhain is on the Fomors' side, which is absolutely ridiculous of course, and that Courcle's Heart will soon belong to the Fomors, before attacking. Again, since you beat Tethra before, he's not too much of a challenge – his Snow Golems and Life Drain are all rendered useless to your tactics, and he will admit defeat, saying that he underestimated you. He claims that the Fomors have worked hard to obtain Caliburn and the Heart of Courcle, but it took so long because Caliburn was of darkness, and Courcle's Heart was of light.

But, um, why did they want the Courcle's Heart to begin with?

And that's when you receive an urgent message Padan, requesting immediate reinforcement to the Taillteann expeditionary force, who have found and are trying to protect the Heart of Courcle. They're kinda... surrounded.

What are you waiting for? Kick some Bone butt!

You manage to make your way to the centre of Shadow Tara's square, and hold off the monsters from the years of experience from fighting them. And in almost no time, with your help, everything is dead, and everyone takes a breather.

...This smells like a setup.

The lost elf appears – wait, what is she doing here? Didn't you leave her in Connous? Regardless, she is attacked by a golem playing dead, and you are forced to defend her, blocking the hit and counterattack with a powerful strike that kills it instantly. Everyone's mouth is agape at your strength.

...Or, just maybe, they're surprised at what's behind you. As this thought occurs to you, you turn around and your own jaw drops.

The lost elf is revealed to be Neamhain, the goddess of light. And even as you watch, she angrily claims the Heart should never have been left in this world. She then disappears, taking the Heart to Falias with her.

Talk about a cruddy turn of events.

And just to rub the salt into the wound, Cichol turns up and gloats about how Caliburn and Courcle's Heart will be united and how it cannot be stopped now. Andras is shocked to hear that Neamhain could have taken the Fomors' side, but the Fomorian god simply laughs this off, asking why everyone always assume that the goddess(es) will only be on their side. He denounces the collective force as fools, and says that if the mortals really want to stand on the side of Light until the end, then he will give them the honors of dying by it.

He starts to attack and... Elatha appears and tells him to stop.

Andras is a bit surprised by Elatha's appearance, though this is overlooked by everyone present. Cichol informs that Elatha was a bit late, and if he had only come a few moments earlier, he would've had an “interesting meeting”. The incubus ignores this, yet again tells Cichol to stop, and says that Cichol knows better than anyone the meaningless slaughter behind this. And in a true blockhead fashion, the god laughs this off again, says that he wants to let people die the method they deserve, and proceed to redirect his attack to the incubus.

"Damn the gods..." Elatha curses.

“You dare to challenge a God?” Cichol almost amusedly asks. And then he fires.

Elatha seems to be the only one the attack hit, but surprisingly survived without a scratch, with only a glowing white aura around him. This piques the god's interest, and Cichol asks if Elatha is coming to an understanding about who he, himself, really is. He changes his mind, and offers Elatha a deal. He says that he will make a "Noitar Arat" pact with Elatha, take him away; in turn, Cichol will let the Expeditionary Force live longer. Elatha looks at Andras for a moment, and then unwaveringly accepts Cichol's proposal. They both disappear, along with all of Cichol's lackeys.

Andras isn't happy, though... she looks like she's almost ready to cry.

But she's the only one feeling this way; everyone else, including you, are just glad you lived, even if it was because someone else had to be sacrificed.

Padan calls you again, this time saying Leymore, late as he is, had contacted him. Leymore already located Cai, and the Heart of Courcle. Padan requests you go there with Leymore.

And with what you owe Leymore in the fight against Claimh Solas, you agree.

When you arrive on the scene, you see a floating Cai with the goddess of light herself, along with the Heart of Courcle. As you come closer, Neamhain's words become more clear:

"Arat Diem Morri Daunata... Light into Shadows. Shadow back into Light. Stone of Fate, Caliburn to Falias. Return to your original state..."

Well, you can't have that, can you? If they merge, Tir Na Nog will be destroyed. You must stop it somehow.

Leymore is the first to call out. "Cai! Goddess, tell me how I can return Cai to his original self."

That wasn't quite the original plan, but Neamhain was already speaking. "It was not a force that caused Cai to take this path,” she says condescendingly. “It was a choice he made for himself. Through Caliburn, Cai has become light itself."

"Goddess, please... I can't just leave Cai like this."

The goddess stops for a moment, and glares at you and Leymore in disgust. "Humans... always focusing on the here and now due to their limited perspective. The guardian of Caliburn is not an ember that will simply die out. It is the final light that will luminate Tir Na Nog's shadow! Caliburn has been completed. Do you realize what this means? The time of confusion is coming to and end. Tir Nag Nog will be purified by the light of Caliburn! Tir Na Nog is no longer a paradise, nor an eternal land. Rather, it is a land covered with the tears of suffering... ” She faces Cai again. “I dreamt of achieving the ideals of Tir Na Nog here in Iria. But when I awoke I realized that the dream was a nightmare.

“The age of the gods is coming to an end. Purifying Tir Na Nog before it becomes covered in shadows will be the Goddess of Light's last mission..."

And no sooner is she done with her speech when Cichol crashes the party.

"Goddess of Light, you completed your mission well,” he says snidely. “In return, I have prepared a special gift for you, Goddess."

Out of the corner of your eyes, you see Elatha appear, but at the moment you're distracted trying to gauge a surprise rush on the goddess. Its success depends on how distracted she is, and whether she can smite you in a few hits or not.

At the moment though, she's certainly distracted. "Ci...Cichol... What are you trying to do? Didn't you and I have the same goal for Tir Na Nog?"

"Of course,” the Fomor god drawls, cutting into the middle of you calculating the reaction time everyone might have if you Icebolt the gods present. Not the best plan you've had. “The purification of Tir Na Nog is also the will of the Fomors. Only difference is that the Fomors have chosen blood purification. Blood purification will begin with the destruction of the Soul Stream."

This somewhat catches your attention. If Cichol had been messing with the Soul Stream, that explains your trouble with resurrection back at Longa... though it doesn't explain how he did it.

"...Cichol. Was this your plan all this time?" To your surprise, Neamhain looks stricken. She glances at Elatha a little longer than necessary, and infinitely more softly than she had for you. "Cichol. Do not use that child. He...he doesn't know anything yet."

Somewhere in the middle of wondering if a Rock Throwing and a Play Dead combo will work on gods long enough for Leymore and Cai and maybe Elatha to get away, the other god continues. "Elatha is bound to me, Cichol, through a Noitar Arat pact. He forfeited his destiny so that he could save a useless life."

"Elatha..." the goddess whispers.

"I already know who you are,” the incubus cuts in. “You are Irinid ...as well as Neamhain, the Goddess of Light, and ...my mother."

Your planning grinds to a halt.

"Elatha...I meant to tell you when the right time came. Not now is not... No... Not like this."

"I always wondered about the reason behind my suffering and cursed destiny,” the incubus muses. “I have finally found my answer."

Indeed he has. How he became a Fomor after inheriting Neamhain's power is beyond you. But you know for sure, that that was what had saved him from Cichol initially.

And suddenly you also see – Morgant was his father. That's why he also inherited the darkness that had inspired the Dark Lord. That's what part he had in Elatha's birth. And that's why he was struggling with himself. If dark and light clashes as hard as Cichol and Mata had made out, it's surprising he hadn't imploded. Supposedly, Andras was to be thanked for that.

And that also explains that the incubus must Triona's brother.

And that, in turn, must mean that Elatha is the ill-fated twin!

"The time has come, Shadow Walker,” Cichol thunders. “Become the Doppelganger's Shadow! When the power of the gods you inherited from your mother becomes absorbed in the Doppelganger, the Doppelganger of Destruction, that which will destroy the Soul Stream, will be completed!”

Cai suddenly turns into a mirror image of the incubus. This had bad, bad, bad written all over it...

Neamhain interjects, "You do not have to do this, Elatha. You have power within you. Power passed down from me. The power of light can make the darkness of Noitar Arat disappear. Accept that power. My son. Accepting it is the destiny that you must choose."

There is silence for a moment. Both Leymore and you are watching wide-eyed at this turn of events.

"From the beginning,” Elatha slowly speaks, “the Light was not my choice. It was not my destiny. It was only your will. Will of the Goddess... That is the reason I have left the light and chosen darkness.”

And suddenly, he turns to you. “Milletian. I must leave this item with you. It is a music box that contains Andras' song. There was one thing that kept me from becoming possessed by the shadow, despite walking as a Shadow Walker for so long.

"It was the melody in this music box that always reminded me of my true identity. Milletian, I will entrust you with the responsibility of protecting the Soul Stream."

And with that, he turns his back to you, and walks straight to the Doppelganger.

"Aaahhh... No...!!!" Neamhain cries.

This is what decided it. From the beginning, you've been debating about Elatha's loyalties. From the moment you met him as the Shadow Walker, to the moment he made the Pact with Cichol, you had never trusted him. After all, he never said whose side he was on.

But hearing the raw pain behind the goddess's voice reminded you that he, just like anyone else, has a parent. And that is what makes him human.

You decide to save him.

Just when the Doppelganger kills Elatha with Life Drain, stealing his powers.

Leymore is the first to react. With the prevention of the Soul Stream's destruction firmly in mind, he rushes forward and attempts to attack the Doppelganger. It was a bad move, because it immediately counters and pushes Leymore back onto the ground, injured.

Cichol only laughs, and claims the future has been decided, and the interference is meaningless. Neamhain, on the other hand, becomes angry, and asks if he thought he could shame her name so, and live. She is about to attack, when Morrighan belatedly appears with her casual "I order you in the name of the Goddess. Stop."

She asks Neamhain, referring to her as her sister, about her hastiness spoiling the situation again. Especially since, as she puts it, "The Soul Stream is about to be destroyed.”

And this, of course, is when she turns to you. “Milletian, the Soul Stream is in danger. Go save the Soul Stream." And then she turns right back to the other deities, arguing about some like, destiny, fate, future, etc.

Leymore interrupts you, and gives you a cylinder and some Life Drain crystals, and asks you to save Cai.

It's easier said than done, though when you glance back at Leymore and the rather snobbish gods arguing, it's definitely where you'd rather be right now.

The sole footsteps echo as they move across the platform that you recognize as the Soul Stream. Groggily, you try to take in as much information as you can. Noting the blue swallow-tailed coat, you come to the conclusion that whoever it is, it's an alchemist, perhaps one still in training.

Wait a moment... blue coat?

It is only then that you are wide struck with the feeling of déjà vu, staring again into the empty eyes of Cai.

And this, time, he's got white wings.

Being the second time, it's much easier to bear his overpowering presence, but that in no way means you were prepared for his just as overpowering abilities. The first thing you know, once the Cai/Doppelganger transforms into you, is that there's no way you're that bad-looking. The second thing you know is that if the big pole composed entirely of light hits you, you're dead, no ifs, buts, and ors.

Running around, you eventually get the opening you need to hit him. With the cylinder equipped, you do so, punching the Doppleganger squarely in the face.

Ow!

That's not right – you're not supposed to feel pain on your own face. But when you reach up and touch it, and confirm that the jaw was bruised, there's only one possibility.

Hurting the Doppelganger hurts yourself.

Well, that sucks.

You immediately use Life Drain on it, but as soon as it was finished the Doppleganger knocks you back with a Wind Blast. You next try the music box – if Elatha's in there, surely he'll recognize the melody, right? Unfortunately that hope was immediately lost when the Doppelganger calmly walks up to you and Flame Bursts you point blank.

Alright, you're running out of options. Life Drain doesn't do much. The music box is negligible.

You yelp as you evade a Water Cannon, but then the demigod assumes the same stance you saw in your dreams and starts drawing power. From light.

That's really not good.

You run, just in time to avoid being hit by the beams of light that tracks your every move. When it's all said and done, you glare at your face, to which the Doppelganger visibly smirks and tussles its hair teasingly.

Oh. Oh. It's taunting you.

Okay, that's the final straw. It is NOT going to make fun of the Shadow Hero!

So with little option left, you do the one option left to you – you throw the music box, straight at its face.

It bounces off harmlessly, and slides across the floor. And begins to play.

And then the Doppelganger holds its head in agony.

For a moment – one precious moment – you are stunned. But it does occur to you to capitalize.

And as if you have practiced for months, you snap a Life Drain crystal into the cylinder and fire.

The very essence of Light flows through the crystal like a snake and tackles into you, forming a pair of white wings that spread majestically from your scapula.

Suddenly you fling out an arm, and concentrate. A spear of light quickly forms, and you crash it into enemy in front of you enthusiastically. You grin. The tables has turned now.

Five pairs of identical faces grin back.

In the end, you overpower them all. A demigod's power is truly no laughing matter – the spear by itself decimates several at once, and the beams of light effectively locks your opponent, allowing you to wreak havoc as you please. In the end, with one final blast, you decimate your opponent.

And surprisingly, Cai returns to his normal form and collapses.

You rush to his side, elation fading to worry. Is he alive? And if he is, you hadn't hurt him that badly, have you?

And suddenly, Nao appears. She thanks you for protecting the Soul Stream, but also adds that even with this victory, nothing is over yet. You're still needed by Erinn, as well as Cai. She takes you to where you're needed next...

Generation 10 Substory: Honey Drink Light

Lileas has made a new Honey Drink! Which can be good or bad, when you consider what kind of ingredients she uses. At least, you get a temporary job, because she wants Karpfen to star in her commercial again and sends you off with a honey drink for the road. Though, you do wonder what a commercial is.

However, when you go to ask Karpfen, she says her brother, Krug, has forbidden her from doing it and humiliating herself again. You go and try to talk to him, but he won't reason with you at all.

Well, no way you're going back to Lileas empty-handed. What else can you do...?

That's when Kirine contacts you and informs you that you can get on Krug's good side by taking a letter from him to Kousai in Cor Village, because for him, a strong presence in Cor is crucial in the competition with elves. He takes up your offer, and you deliver the letter to Kousai, who repays you with a story about Neamhain, or more specifically, the Great Irinid.

Basically, the story is this: once upon a time, the Elves and Giants did actually like each other, but driven by greed, they ended up fighting over power. As a result, Irinid cursed them all and left with the Heart of Courcle (the Caliburn).

Interesting, but irrelevant. Going back to Krug, he says that he may consider allowing Karpfen to be in the commercial if he can taste the drink for himself. Luckily, if you didn't drink it, you have one on you. You watch with bated breath as he gulps it down. And then he chokes.

And then he exclaims, it's one of the most delicious things he's ever put in his mouth! He is even heads-over-heels enough to star in the commercial himself!

When you go back to tell Lileas the good news, you get to watch a Red Dragon attacking, the Honey Drink Light making Krug go all huge-like, and Yetis. Pan camera to the sky and LOGO!

But what's a TV?

Generation 10 Substory - Alchemy

Alchemy. The art of turning one material to another. It is an art so powerful, it's said that at its full potential the accomplished user can live forever and have all the gold he wants. It can truly create a Tir Na Nog, a life where there is no disease, no battle, and no death. It can ensure that a paradise will last for all of eternity. It can supply everyone with all the materials they could ever want. No one will be forced to compete with scarce resources anymore. It is a wondrous science.

You've struck gold, so to speak, when Heledd from the Alchemy shop confides you in a secret alchemical art that she had begged out of an experienced alchemist. If used right, you can turn worthless rocks like Unknown Ore Fragments into Gold Ingots! There's a catch to her teaching you the skill, though. She asks you to help her get an Alchemy Memory Crystal that a Corrupted Alchemist stole from her. You, being the "nice" person you are, go to Tara's Shadow Realm to carry out your recovery mision.

Surprisingly, you meet Jenna in the same area. You talk with her, and she explains that she had been searching for answers to her father's death and sticks with you, since you're both going the same way.

It is at the square that you and Jenna encounter a mysterious alchemist named Helvetius. Aside from the fact that he's a Shadow Alchemist, there is little else of interest. But two things catch your attention: the mention of the Tradgedy of Emain Macha and its few survivors who have all lost their memories of it, one of which is your companion, and the memory crystal that Heledd wants. The latter more than the former, of course.

Helvetius had used the memory crystal to get his own past back and will give the memory crystal to Jenna so that she could remember her father, but only if he is defeated.

He's probably rethinking that decision by the time you slam against the side of his head, knocking him out cold.

Jenna picks up the crystal – and yells out in agony. You immediately rush to her side, but there is little you could do but to stand there while the former knight writhes in pain, whimpers escaping with tears streaming down her eyes. Her motions become weaker, her sounds become softer, and there is a point where you become deathly afraid that she has passed on. Luckily, that is the moment she opens her eyes.

She doesn't speak – not for a while, anyways. And when she does, you are drastically forced to change your stance.

Alchemy. The art of turning one material to another. It is an art so powerful, it's said that at its full potential the accomplished user can live forever and have all the gold he wants. It can truly change a man, causing them to disregard life so quickly in the greed it leaves with its wake. It created a parentless girl, when the only crime her father had was standing in the wrong spot at the wrong time. It can supply everyone with all the despair that evil will ever need. It has forced the Temple Knights to rescue a girl from bloodthirsty Royal Alchemists. It is a wretched science.

And as you toss the memory crystal back to a delighted and squealing Heledd, you have to wonder. What will Alchemy do to you?

Generation 11: Sword of the Gods

A man in Rath Royal Castle's library walks back and forth, contemplating something. He is distracted by a sound, and he looks up quickly - and then yells in panic.

One day, Aeira sends you an owl out of the blue to tell you that she cannot get a hold of Buchanan, a famous book dealer. Apparently, she was supposed to get a book from him but never did. She wants you to track him down and find out if he is okay, so she first asks you to find out what he was up to in the Dunbarton Library.

Looking through some of the bookcases reveals a book by Ferghus the Breaker...on how to "fix" your finances. Oh dear. You put the book back when you suddenly find find something interesting: a card, more specifically Buchanan's Dunbarton Library Card.

You bring it back to Aeira, and she comments that she has no idea what he was researching. However, 'Partholon' was one of the books listed, so she then sends you to Arzhela of Rath Royal Castle's Library, as she might know something about the subject.

When you meet her, Arzhela says that Buchanan is a good friend of hers, but she does not trust you. She first asks you to contribute an ancient tome from the Shadow Realm to donate to the library, and gives you a Monocle to help. After you finally find one in one of Captain Padan's routine missions, she gives you Buchanan's Royal Library Card and tells you to enter the Shadow Realm again to find Buchanan, since he was investigating something there.

After defeating a couple of monsters in the Shadow Realm, including a new powerful breed called a Blinker, someone surprising shows up: your old "friend", Cichol! He does not attack, however. He instead confides in you his fears of the Caliburn that had merged with the Heart of Courcle. The Caliburn was created by Aton Cimeni, and is also the key to complete destruction of the world as it is what forged it. Cichol claims when the Fomors stole the Caliburn from the humans, they had intentions of altering the world, but did not want to destroy it. He predicts the Caliburn will be the destruction of the Fomors and Gods as well as Milletians. The god then explains about the Parthalonians, which were wiped out in a single day by a plague spread by the Caliburn. Cichol tells you that as one who has the power and responsibility of the gods, and so you must fight for the world. He leaves.

Sometime later, Arzhela contacts you, and admits that she realized the card was actually not Buchanan's. When you told her what has occured, she says that she believes Cichol can't be trusted, and also that there are a lot of strange things going on in the Shadow Realm's Castle. She fears Buchanan's disappearance may have something to do with the Shadow Realm.

You bid Arzhela good-bye, but on your way out of the Rath Royal Castle Glewyas intercepts you. He tells you he was very close to Buchanan, and they were working together on a recipe book. However, he wants to end the book with a "hot love" theme, and so needs the Hotcake of Love. He hints that he will tell you something good if you get one for him.

After an...interesting cooking session where you had to fight food in a cooking bowl, Glewyas gives you his completed recipe book. You gaze through it with little interest, until you find that Glewyas slipped Buchanan's real Royal Library Card in it so you can find him in the Shadow Realm.

Tara's Stonehenge brings you to the shadow castle's upper floors, where you can hear something behind of of them. You reach out, and turn the doorknow, to find...that the door is locked. Sigh. Perhaps the key is around here somewhere? It is only then that you realize that there are books lying all around you. Buchanan's books? You reach out and grab one, and it bites you for your troubles.

After a small break where you badly thrash the stupid mimics, it turns out one of them did have a key. When you enter the suspicious door, you see a man panicking about... a rat. He goes back to contemplating, but then he screams again...when you walk up on him. Geez, this guy is easily excitable.

This man is the Buchanan you had been searching for. It turns out he wasn't in any trouble at all, he just "left town" to research information regarding the Partholonians and their ancient magic. He was also researching the Caliburn.

"You must've heard of the Caliburn before, a treasure that disappeared from the Rath Royal Castle. This ancient Parthalonian book I found in the Shadow Realm contains information about the it (sic). I need to decipher more of the ancient Parthalonian language to understand the details though... Isn't the fact that the Caliburn came from a civilization much more advanced than us Tuatha de Dananns a great discovery in itself? Hmm. The Parthalonian race and the Caliburn... There is definitely something here. Further investigation may yield a great treasure..."

Hm...didn't Cichol just talk about Caliburn destroying the world? Maybe learning about the Parthalonians could prevent that, if it ever happened.

After meeting Buchanan, Sinead calls you and asks for your help. The Royal Alchemists are very busy and asks you to find Cai and persuade him to join them again. She gives you his Alchemist Medal and sends you to find him in Shadow Rath Royal Castle.

Once you find Cai, he immediately knows why you came to give him his medal. He does not give a definitive aswer as to whether he will rejoin or not since he is to blame for the happenings of G10. He also needs to return the Caliburn to its altar before he can worry about anything else. He sends you back to Sinead so you can go find Leymore to help him return the Caliburn.

Upon finding Leymore, he seems to be distracted about something. He states that Jenna has left him a letter and disappeared. In the letter, Jenna discovered that Alchemists from the Aliech Regime were responsible for her father's death (as explained in the Memory Crystal quest) she then explains that Leymore is also part of the regime, and that he must understand why she can't be with him anymore.

Collen then summons you, and explains what is happening to Jenna right now. It seems she is battling Corrupted Alchemists in the Great Hall of Shadow Rath Royal Castle. After battling the Corrupt Alchemists, they surround her. Helvetius appears, which shocks Jenna. He states that he accomplished his goal of separating her from Leymore. And then kills her. Neamhain appears and destroys the Corrupt Alchemists, along with Helvetius. Jenna is then revived by the goddess, and states on how she is dwelling in darkness, and is confused, she begs the Goddess to take her. Neamhain agrees, saying that she'll share the dream of Tir Na Nog, where her tears will be no more, and leaves, taking Jenna with her.

Sinead then requests you to help out Leymore and Cai in their investigation of the Caliburn. In the Great Hall, Morrighan appears and informs you about the Brionac, the final evolution of the Caliburn, and about the Partholons, an ancient race.

Briana then summons you, and hands you a Parthalonian Artifact and informs you of Buchanan in Ciar Dungeon. Using the Artifact, Buchanan is found within the deepest part of the dungeon. He goes on to the Shadow Realm after sharing information about the Partholons.

Sinead sends you to find Buchanan in the Shadow Realm, with Leymore and Cai assisting you. He states that the Partholons left a book of their history, and it is hidden somewhere within the walls of the Castle. He also gives you a puzzle solution, to be used in the search.

With Leymore and Cai, exploration of the castle was not too difficult. However, in one of the rooms, Mata reappears. He goes on to state that the Caliburn belongs to the Fomors, and that Cichol is a "coward" who has forsaken the Fomor ideal. His army then surrounds you. However, before they could attack, they're halted by a mysterious figure, the Python Knight. He asks the Fomors to leave, and destroys them, along with killing Mata with the "Sword of Uroboros". The knight goes on to entrust you with a Book of Partholon and asks to seek the pages. Cai goes on to investigate this Python Knight character while Leymore goes to investigate more of the Partholon's magic.

After collecting the pages, you acquire a Partholon Stone. Sinead has no use of it and directs you to Belita. Belita is eager to investigate it, but she asks a favor of you. She says her problem with men is traced to Lucas, who had done something terrible to her. She asks you to seek him and make him pay. After talking to Lucas and entering Peaca Dungeon, Lucas is found in the dungeon's boss room. After battling him, he tries to bribe his way out of being killed. But, the milletian states that he is pathetic and weak, and is disgusted by his actions to Belita years ago. With scores settled, Belita gives you the Partholon Crystal, found from the Partholon Stone.

Leymore summons you to help him in his investigation of a Parthalonian magic called Shock. After acquiring the materials, Morrighan appears and is amazed at how you were recreate its magic using Alchemy, but warns you to hurry to Ceo Island as Neamhain is planning to do something with the Brionac.

In Ceo Island, Aer hands the Brionac to Jenna, who had shown up prior to your arrival. After intervening to not give the Brionac to Neamhain, she threatens to kill you, but Cichol appears, telling her drop the Brionac. Jenna however, threatens him with death, stating that the Brionac can kill even a god such as Cichol. Cichol states that the Brionac will only bring Tir Na Nog's destruction, not its revival. Jenna kills him with the Brionac, and Cichol is shocked to see how Jenna knows Parthalonian magic. Before dying, he states how the survival of the fomors depends on you, and surrounds you in darkness. Leymore appears before you fall into unconsciousness.

After talking to Collen,and receiving a Shadow Stone, he sends you to find Jenna, who is in the Shadow Realm with Neamhain. In the Shadow Realm, Neamhain is about to sacrifice Jenna to bring about Tir Na Nog's purification. Leymore and you intervene before anything is done. Leymore falls, and Jenna stands in front of him, threatening to kill Neamhain if she doesn't stand aside, she realizes that Leymore is her hope of anything, and is willing to go against the Goddess's desires. She entrusts you with the Brionac before leaving.

The Goddess Needle, given to you by Morrighan, tells you to head for the Shadow Realm to confront the Python Knight. Confronting him, he reveals that his plans were as expected, from the disappearance of the Caliburn to the death of Cichol, he himself is Tuan, the Prince of the Parthalonians, and that he is the last survivor of the Parthalonian race. His plans are to revive his race using the Brionac. Using Cichol's power from the Shadow Stone, Tuan is defeated. He goes on to state that Morrighan, fearing the Parthalonians, used Cichol to destroy them. And it didn't end there, she grew fearful of the Fomors as well and sent the Milletians to deal with them. And goes on to question what happens if Milletians grow to powerful. He then leaves to the Altar of Caliburn.

Cai requests you to help him in removing the barrier of the Altar of Caliburn. And after facing heavy resistance from Tuan's forces, the barrier is broken. Only one more thing remains, to put it back in the Altar. In the top of the Castle, the Parthalon's Guardian, the Uroboros, appears and proceeds to defend the Altar.

After defeating Uroboros, The Altar of Caliburn appears, and Tuan intercepts you, preventing you from returning the Brionac. He proceeds to use the Altar to revive the Parthalonian race, but the Light of the Caliburn emanates from your body, it truly being you the final transformation of the Caliburn, not the Brionac. He proceeds to destroy you with his entire army, but Cai, Jenna and Leymore appear to help you. The Altar, and the Light of the Caliburn eradicate the entire army of Tuan, including Tuan himself. Jenna goes on to say that the Shadow Realm was born because of Tuan's grief. Cai goes on to state that even though the Caliburn is back in its place, they must continue fighting as the Shadow Realm still exists.

As Leymore, Cai, Jenna and you walk down the steps, Morrighan appears behind them undetected. She says that the Milletian grew too powerful, and that she fears she may not be able to stop them, and must destroy them. A new battle begins...

Generation 12: Return of the Hero

After defeating Uroborus, Sinead calls for the Shadow Hero's help in investigating an experiment being conducted in the Shadow Realm. Homunculus alchemy was being used and is putting political pressure on the Aliech Regime, so she wants you to put a stop to it.

Upon arriving in Shadow Tara and fighting the first wave of enemies, you can hear someone is very displeased followed by a boy's voice. After a few waves, the boy greets you and asks you to meet his father. Not questioning the fact that a child is roaming the fomor-infested town all by himself, you follow him to the square. There, more children are there - only, they are moaning in pain to their "fathers", the Corrupted Alchemists. The boys are all homunculus experiments. After defeating the alchemists and, sadly, having to leave the kids there to die, you report back to Sinead.

Sinead tells you of a rumor that Helvetius, the leader of the Corrupted Alchemists, has returned from the dead. She is trying to contact Jenna, the witness to Helvetius' death, to aid the Royal Alchemists' investigation.

Sinead sends a letter about Jenna, but he is cautious to give any information about her. He trusts you, so he sends you into the Shadow Realm to find her. Once you find Jenna, she tells you that Helvetius is for sure dead. She had been chasing the Corrupted Alchemists to defeat them and avenge her father. However, she takes into account the sightings of Helvetius, even though it's just a rumor. She turns you over to James for more information.

Holy Lymilark! James is actually an investigator for the Pontiff's Court. He says both the Royal Regime and the Court have been looking into Helvetius' reappearance. He gives you a pass to the Arat Alchemy Society's lair in Peaca Dungeon. After beating the nerfed Peaca, you arrive in the boss room. Helvetius states that he never intended to start a war with the Aliech Regime and that all alchemists are brothers to him. He wanted to talk with the Shadow Hero specifically - he remembers being attacked by Neamhain and suffers immense pain, but he's somehow alive. He says that the Aliech Regime declared him dead as a scapegoat and that the Homunculus experiments were conducted to advance alchemy studies and that the Arat Alchemy Society helped bring alchemy to the advanced level it already is at. He gives you a letter to deliver to Lennox. Coincidentally, Lennox sends an owl for you.

In Tara Royal Castle, Lennox introduces himself and praises you as the Shadow Hero. He reads Helvetius' letter and sees that the Arat Alchemy Society wants to avoid war, just as the Royal Alchemists do. Lennox tells you that he was friends with Helvetius and that he was one of the Four Vates. Lennox says he can't prevent the war, but he'll try his best. Lennox sent for you to try and get info from a Corrupted Alchemist because of you meeting Helvetius. He is captive in the Shadow Realm.

In Shadow Tara Castle, Jarlath inquires about Helvetius, so you give him the explanation. Jarlath mentions Helvetius having a scar. He states that the Arat Alchemy Sociaty only wants to make the world better by not having to rely on religion and magic but instead knowledge. The Society had tried to create Claimh Solas, but the transmutation was incomplete and it rampaged. Nuadha was resurrected at that moment as the master of the sword... Reporting back to Lennox, he now understands why the Corrupted Alchemists didn't say anything and you are told to keep the information secret.

Generation 13: Hamlet

Upon logging in, the player will receive a message from Morrighan. She tells you that the Tragic Bard has escaped Avon, and that you need to stop him. She then gives you an earring.

Soon enough, Duncan calls you to him, and tells you that the earring belonged to the Tragic Bard. He has the other earring, and says that their power grows even more. The power indicates a specific location - Alby Dungeon. After clearing Alby Dungeon, you find a notebook that Duncan says could have belonged to the Bard. There are a lot of strange rumors about the Bard, and one day he went missing, along with all of his writings. "Hamlet" may have been the play he was working on before he disappeared. After showing Duncan the notebook again, he reveals that it is actually an Avon Feather, and gives it to you.

In Avon, Marlowe welcomes you. He tells you that Avon is used as a place to hold exiled gods, and none have escaped from Avon. Shakespeare, however, has. He left a script called "Hamlet". Marlowe sends you to the Globe Theatre to become an actor and go through the play. He also gives you a helmet and a book.

There is a scene of soldiers in the cold. Their fire goes out, and then a ghost appears. When the storm calms, you make your way to a soldier so you can change shifts with him. The soldier tells you that just about an hour ago, a ghost appeared.

Marlowe is quick to dismiss the soldier's story. He then says that new pages are being written for Hamlet, and that you should ask him for help if you need it. He then says it is time for you to meet Claudius, and it would be best to show him respect.

In the Castle Meeting Hall, Laertes (Polonius's son), Polonois (the Lord Chamberlain), Horatio (Hamlet's friend), and Claudius (Hamlet's uncle and the King of Denmark) are introduced. Claudius makes a speech saying it is sad how Hamlet's father has died. He then asks you to deliver a message to Fortinbras, the Prince of Norway so that he may give it to his father, the King. Hamlet then talks to Gertrude, who tells him not to be so dreary. Claudius tells Hamlet to think of him as a father. Hamlet says he will try, and Claudius is pleased.

After everyone other than Hamlet exits the Castle Meeting Hall, Ophelia comes in. Hamlet asks her how Gertrude could marry Claudius less than a month after Hamlet's father died, and Ophelia tells him to respect his mother. Hamlet then asks if Ophelia received the letter he sent, and she says yes. They then embrace.

You enter the border area, where you are to meet Fortinbras. Rats appear on the way to the Norwegian Outpost. Fortinbras welcomes you, and says that his military is there to defend against the recent monster outbreaks. He then says he will cease his actions, since they cause Claudius distress.

Marlowe says the monsters have been coming out of nowhere and encroaching on Denmark's borders. In his Tarot cards, he saw nothing good, and advises you to be careful.

Laertes talks to Ophelia before he leaves, and asks her to write to him. He then tells her to be cautious about Hamlet. Ophelia says she will remember it. You and Polonius come in, and Polonius says that you will escort Laertes to the dock. After you and Laertes leave, Polonius asks Ophelia what is wrong. Ophelia tells him about what Hamlet said, and Polonius tells Ophelia not to believe it.

As you and Laertes walk to the dock, Laertes comments on the amount of walking. He then wonders why Polonius sent an escort with him, since he is a competent swordsman. Snow Trolls then appear, and then the Grim Reaper appears and summons a Giant Snow Troll. At the dock, he says he will remember you as his friend, and asks that you bid Polonius farewell.

Marlowe says that Shakespeare had warned the residents of Avon of a plague, but thy turned on him and accused him of bringing it on them in the first place. Shakespeare led the rats away, and became known as "the Bard who plays the song of death". Angry with the residents, he lured the children away from the town. This angered the gods, who imprisoned him in Avon.

Marlowe then asks you to get a dagger to be used as a prop from Tir Chonaill. In Tir Chonaill, Ferghus says he can make the dagger, but lost his Blacksmith Hammer while in Ciar Dungeon five days ago. If he uses a different hammer, the quality of his work will suffer. He then gives you a nail and tells you to go to Ciar Dungeon to retrieve the hammer for him. In the dungeon, you see Ferghus enter the boss room, only to be scared away by a Golem. After defeating the Golem and reporting back to Ferghus, Ferghus creates the sword and gives it to you.

Marlowe thanks you for the dagger, and then says that something secretive is happening at Elsinore Castle. Hamlet is to meet Horatio, and he wants you to be there. At the Castle Wall Guard Post, you and Horatio are talking when Hamlet walks up to you. Horatio says that he thinks he saw Hamlet's father, which Hamlet says is very strange. He then says he will stand guard to see if it comes again. The apparition is seen again, and Horatio tells Hamlet that it beckons to him, while you ask if it is a good idea to follow him. Hamlet says he will follow it. You and Horatio stop him, and Horatio voices his concerns. Hamlet insists on following the apparition. Suddenly, the Grim Reaper appears, and you and Horatio take care of the ghosts it summons while Hamlet follows the apparition.

Hamlet follows the ghost through the city, and only pauses when he is startled by a bird. When he thinks he's lost the ghost, it appears in front of him and introduces itself as his father. Hamlet's father tells Hamlet to avenge his murder, which was caused by Claudius. Hamlet promises that he will. Hamlet walks back to you and Horatio, and he makes Horatio swear that he will not tell anyone what happened. Marlowe wonders if it's possible to trust the ghost, and hopes that you're able to find your destiny in Avon as well.

In the Globe Theatre, you talk to Polonius's butler, who wants you to deliver luggage to the dock. At the dock, you see Shakespeare, who tells you that he was being chased, and this was the only way to meet you. The monsters that you fought were sent to destroy him and the works he has been writing. Shakespeare gives you an Avon Relic to show to Duncan in Tir Chonaill. Marlowe says the pattern on it is familiar, and there is an old relic in Tir Chonaill that bears the same mark. Duncan examines the relic, and says he has a personal interest in Avon. Avon did exist in the past, and the remnants of the city survive to this day. There is a remnant on the way to Sidhe Sneachta, and he says you should be able to find another fragment of Avon there.

After bringing Duncan the fragment, he tells you that Avon was once one of the most prosperous cities in Erinn. In a rage, the gods destroyed Avon with plague and natural disasters. A legendary bard spread predictions through his songs and plays, but that was not enough to save Avon.

Marlowe says he's never heard of the legend of Avon, and there is no proof Shakespeare is the bard that predicted the downfall of the Partholonians. When you talk to Polonius, he thanks you for delivering the luggage. He then tells you he has asked his servant to spy on Laertes while he is in Venice. Ophelia runs in, worried by Hamlet's strange behavior. You and Polonius go to speak to the king, but before you can get there, goblins appear and attack you, taking Polonius's letter. You defeat them and get the letter back, and Polonius thanks you for saving him.

Marlowe tells you that he has been writing a manuscript of Hamlet, but has run into a problem. He has run out of Quill Pens, and needs you to fetch another one from Tir Chonaill. When you talk to Malcolm, he asks you to bring him a Small Gem while he looks for one. When you bring it to him, he says that he had only one Quill Pen left, and he'll give it to you for free.

Marlowe asks you if you remember the story of Act 2 Scene 1. Hamlet's madness is faked. In the Castle Hall, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are welcomed by Claudius. He wants them to find out the reason for Hamlet's behavior. They leave, and Polonius says he may have found the cause of Hamlet's madness. Ophelia had given Polonius a letter that Hamlet had given her. When Ophelia took Polonius's advice, Hamlet became sad - that is Polonius's thinking. Gertrude says that it is possible.

In the Globe Theatre, you ask around about Hamlet. The first person you talk to, the Man Afraid of Ghosts, is wondering if the stories about the ghosts are true when Elsinore Ghosts appear. After you defeat them and talk to him again, he denies that he ever believed in ghosts, and then says he saw Hamlet going to the room to the north. In that room, you talk to the Cleaning Maid, who is annoyed that there are rats around. After defeating the rats and talking to her, she says that Hamlet should be in the reception room.

In the Reception Room, you, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern find Hamlet. He is happy to see them, and asks them why they are here. They say they are here to see Hamlet, nothing else. Hamlet says he knows that the King and Queen sent them. Rosencrantz says that there are actors coming to Elsinore Castle soon. Hamlet wants to stage a play so that maybe Claudius will be overcome with guilt and tell the truth. After the others leave, Shakespeare appears to you and says that the Avon relics are proof of how he was mistreated by the gods. He felt that it was his duty to put warnings into his works. The gods fear his ability to predict the future, as he predicted the plague the gods would unleash on Avon, and was severely punished for it. His writings were destroyed by the gods, but he will complete Hamlet. Suddenly, the Grim Reaper, the prison guard of Avon, appears. After you are hit by one of the attacks, Shakespeare sends you back to Avon. He then escapes himself. In the Reception Room, Hamlet and Ophelia are talking, and Hamlet questions her honesty.

Marlowe tells you that the dressing room of the Globe Theatre was flooded, and there is no way to restore the costumes. He then asks you to go to Dunbarton and get the necessary costumes. When you talk to Simon, he says he hasn't finished making the clothing yet, and asks you to get him some wool as you wait. He gives you the clothes once you give him the wool. Back in Avon, Marlowe wonders if Claudius's secret will be revealed.

In the Castle Hall, The Murder of Gonzago is acted out. Claudius appears to be displeased, and Polonius calls for the play to be halted. Claudius then leaves the room, which Hamlet takes to be proof of his guilt. Later, he instructs you to follow Claudius. In a room in Elsinore Castle, you see Claudius meet up with Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Polonius. He tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that he is going to send them with Hamlet to England. Polonius goes to spy on Hamlet.

While you go to find Hamlet, you encounter ghosts in front of the castle gates. After defeating them, you make your way to the Queen's bedroom, where Hamlet and Gertrude are arguing. Polonius is listening from behind the the tapestries. Hamlet hears him and kills him.

You are sent a message from Morrighan. This is the real truth behind what Shakespeare is writing - bloodshed, death, despair, darkness. You must stop it so that the tragedy will end.

Back in Avon, Marlowe wonders why Shakespeare wrote such a tragic story. He then asks what other bards might think of it. In Emain Macha, you talk to Nele about the problem. Nele says that you're doing a wonderful thing if you're helping Shakespeare finish his writing. There's a story hidden in Rundal Dungeon, and seeing it will clear things up. After facing the Siren in Rundal, you receive the Siren's Flute. You see how Shakespeare foretold the disaster the Parthalonians were facing, with no one listening. He and the children who had lost their parents escaped, and looked all over the world for a place they could live. He played his flute to lift their spirits, and when he finally found a living place, vowed never to play the flute again.

Marlowe realizes he was mistaken about some things. He then remembers the letter Hamlet sent to Horatio, and wants you to play the role of Hamlet for just a little while. As Hamlet, you set sail for England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. On the way, you are attacked by pirates, and Guildenstern confesses afterward that he and Rosencrantz were given a letter by the Claudius to be delivered to the king of England. Hamlet reads the letter, and decides to return to Denmark.

In the city, the civilians are protesting for Claudius to step down. They want Laertes to be their king. The soldiers attack them, and you join in the fight and help the civilians. As the soldiers are about to be defeated, a little girl runs up and offers a flower to one of the soldiers.

Meanwhile, in Elsinore Castle, Laertes charges in and demands information from Claudius. Claudius tells Laertes that Hamlet killed Polonius, and then tried to kill him as well. Gertrude then comes in and says that Ophelia is dead - drowned.

In the Graveyard, you are attacked by Ghost Cloakers, then meet Hamlet and Horatio. Gertrude, Laertes, and Claudius then come in, and Gertrude lays flowers for Ophelia. Upon hearing that Ophelia is dead, Hamlet runs out, and you and Horatio follow. Laertes wants to fight Hamlet right away, but Gertrude stops him.

Later, Osric welcomes Hamlet back to Denmark, and tells him that Claudius has arranged a fencing match between him and Laertes. Horatio tells him not to do it, but Hamlet disagrees with him, and then asks you to be his sparring partner. After the practice, Shakespeare appears and says that both light and dark coexist in the world.

Marlowe says that the tragedy will soon be completed, and there are people who believe that completing the tragedy will allow Shakespeare to regain his power. The Grim Reaper will stop at nothing to make sure that Shakespeare's works are destroyed. He then cautions you not to fall to the Reaper.

The match between Hamlet and Laertes commences, with each of them knocking their swords out of their hands and taking each other's. Claudius has a goblet that he plans to have Hamlet drink; Gertrude ends up drinking it instead. Claudius warns Gertrude not to drink it, but she does so anyway, and dies, just as Hamlet kills Laertes with his own poisoned sword. Hamlet chases after Claudius and knocks him to the ground, then pours the poison on him. Later, Hamlet is blind and wandering around when you and Horatio run up to him. He tells you to tell the story.

Shakespeare then appears and asks how you liked the play. Then Morrighan appears and summons the Grim Reaper. Shakespeare asks you to protect his play. You are left to fight the Grim Reaper. Once it is defeated, Marlowe appears and helps you escape. Afterward, Shakespeare says that the Grim Reaper is the first of the four guardians that protect Avon, and offers you the First Folio.

Generation 14: Romeo and Juliet

Generation 14 Substory: The Story of Golvan

- "What have you done with my blade? This steel is not mine." -

Aeira is the bookseller based in Dunbarton. She's a quiet, nice, and knowledgable girl, as well as being, predictably, a complete bookworm. What you probably didn't expect is that she's also your fan.

Actually, "fan" might be too strong a word to use, but either way, she has a book that was autographed by you. Except, you never wrote a book, nor have you signed a book, before. Confused yet?

Confusing or not, when you respond to her owl she "returns" to you a strangely versed book that, indeed, has a signature in your own writing. Curious, you look at the first page and find the name of the author: Golvan. And you smell a familiar scent... Avon!?

Heading there, you talk with Marlowe and give him the book. He says that even though he knows many authors, he doesn't know any author go by the name Golvan...truly a mystery. Since the book is written in Avon's ink, he gives you his Marlowe's Ink Bottle and tells you to drop it off in Coill Dungeon to find some answers.

When you enter Coill Dungeon, two things strike your mind: the strange Paper Butterflies, normally residents of Avon, flocking about, and what they're clustered around, which is an unusual number of Fountains. However, since neither seems to hold any significance, so you head deeper and deeper into the dungeon, defeating all enemies in your way.

Once you reach a boss room, you see a girl sitting on grass contentedly with Paper Sheeps, more creatures that should only be in Avon. They're being awfully friendly with that girl, though. What do they see in her? Behind them is a well that seems to be overflowing with black water. It doesn't take a real estate agent to know that this place kills house prices like a Spear of Light to a Gray Town Rat.

The girl murmurs to the sheep softly. "Thee must count thyself lucky, free to consort with anyone you please..."

And that was when you realize that, when you take a good look, you see that she is contructed entirely out of paper!

Before you can think of what to do, though, she notices you and becomes hostile. "Halt! Knave!" she yells. "Play page thief! Put not a crease on my men."

You watch rather blankly at her as she get to her feet and positions her paper-maché hands against you. "Thou art a fool," she growls, "should thou thinkst the ink might hold power for a Milletian. I'll pay thee no heed, if thou leavest now."

Well, um, you do have to complete this dungeon to see what Marlowe hinted at...or was this what he was talking about?

The girl seems to take your pause as an act of defiance, however, and cries out in fury. "This well art ours! It hast the power to mend our sorry fates. It is our final hope! And thou. Canst. Have it."

It's somewhat laughable that she thinks she can defeat you, the one who felled Bran. You're honestly trying to decide whether she's joking or not. Probably, you decide, except that's the moment when the girl sets two Fire Sprites on you.

Can't back down from the challenge now. You manage to dispatch the sprites, and when she attacks you, you do the same to her with relative ease. As you knock her off her feet, she sighes before vanishing in a puff of black smoke.

That was educational. But who was she, and what did Marlowe want you to get on this trip?

Returning to Avon, he glances up to you from the paper forever held in his hand and speaks casually as if talking about the weather. "Have you been to Avon's ink well? Long ago it was a normal well, but that all changed when Shakespeare was banished to Avon. Gods dumped his plays into the rivers where the magical ink seeped from the paged. They forced those tained waters through that well in order to purify Avon. That's when the well began to fill with Shakespeare's ink."

That might explain explain why there were all those Fountains placed there. So the water source there is supposedly pure?

What would happen, you wonder, if someone drank from those Fountains?

Best not to find out. Morrighan probably won't be pleased the next time something comes up and you're out of commission by ink poisoning.

"Long ago, the gods declared that ink could only be used with the Magical Spinning Wheel. That book is cursed, and it would be disastrous if the gods caught wind of its presence."

...Meaning, the author Golvan didn't use the spinning wheel. And that there's another nuthead going around and challenging the gods.

"For the sake of everyone, you must hide it in a place no one can find." Marlowe gives you a page out of the book back to you. "You can enter Golvan's story by taking the short story page onto the stage. Sneak into it, and throw away the book before it brings chaos upon us all."

Well, okay. Hiding stuff or sneaking around isn't exactly your specialty, but you comply and work through different scenes in Avon's theater until it looks like you stumbled into a suitable place. Heck, there's already a lot of books around here. How's someone going to be able to find one book in this practical mountain, especially when it's so dimly lit? In front of the bookshelves, a man is writing on what appears to his hand. Then you realize with a start, it's actually a completely 2D paper man working away at a script. As if to confirm your speculations, the man calls out, "Halt thy infernal racket! I've almost finished. This is a scene of great import."

Ouch. That just insulted your self-esteem. You thought you were being pretty quiet for once.

The man finally swivels out from his chair, getting to his rather thin feet almost drunkenly, and beams. "Who art thou any way, and from whence did thou come?" he asks, adjusting his 2D glasses as he strides to you. "Ah, what dost thee hold in thy hand? By my fay, my magnum opus! The 808th story!"

Okay, this is starting to get a little creepy. This here is a practical drawing, and he's writing stories on his "fellow" paper. It's basically akin to Shakespeare writing on human flesh. Not to mention, there's just so many levels of wrong about a piece of paper walking, talking, thinking, and not falling over flat on his face (as if he wasn't already as flat as a pancake).

Paper is getting somewhat overrated today.

You somewhat slowly hand over the book to him as he babbles about fans, greatness, and something about a signature, and quietly creep away, glad to be out of this weird man's presence. He doesn't hear you go, though you do keep hearing his voice get quieter and quieter.

"Where didst thou go? Hmm. I thought thou hath tarried some time for my signature. What ho, a name is written on the back. Thou art lucky that I know how to treat my fans. Have patience! I will return thy tome to thee through owl mail. Which reminds me..."

You meet with Marlowe on the way out. He seems surprised when you tell him about the paper man. "Truly, you met Golvan? Strange that you would find him there. He is naught but a character in a play. Shakespeare once wrote a play titled 'For Golvan.' It was never published, but he allowed me to read it. Golvan must have escaped the pages of his play into the world of Erinn. If he was a single piece of paper, then he probably thinks he's a real person. Golvan is caught in a delusion of his own making. Trapped, between the world of the play and the world of Erinn. Such a cruel twist of fate, just like his father...Ah." Marlowe takes a moment to smile apologetically. "It seems I've said too much already. Now that the book is successfully hidden, we should keep its existence a quiet secret. And with that, he returns to a scrunity of his own script, humming softly to himself, as if wondering what Shakespeare is writing now.

Only a little while later, Aeira frantically contacts you again. She tells you not only did the same book from before reappear in her store, she accidentally sold it to Nele, Emain Macha's musician!

Many miles to the west later, you finally manage to get to Emain Macha's town square, and quickly find Nele. You ask him about the book he only recently found. Luckily, as unwilling to part it as he is, he's a nice guy and relinquishes it back to you. Besides which, he claims he already memorized it, and is building a song out of it. You politely decide not to mention that a song about a traveler who lost his sword isn't exactly on your top ten playlist at the moment.

You return to Avon, looking for Marlowe quickly. He doesn't seem surprised when you show him the book again.

"It is as I feared. that accursed book has returned. As long as Golvan remains in Erinn, that book will continue to appear. Golvan will never stop writing, be he in his play or as a paper life in Erinn. According to Shakespeare, a writer with nothing to do but write is happy. By that account, Golvan should be glad, but he is cursed with the inability to finish a story. His sorry fate lies somewhere between comedy and tragedy. Golvan's endless scribbling will cause a problem for the gods just like Shakespeare, except we'll all pay for it." With this grave account, he give you a small ink bottle. "Place the empty bottle onto the altar in Coill Dungeon, and fill it with ink from Avon's well. Bring back the ink, and we'll erase Golvan from existence."

That seems a little harsh. There isn't much Golvan is actively doing, and it isn't exactly malicious. But then you remember Shakespeare's own writing. They managed to grant him the power to escape Avon, not to mention bring to life so many characters both good, evil, and in-between. Perhaps Marlowe is right...?

Coill Dungeon passes by fairly quickly, with a storm of green leaves, thick trees, and ink Fountains, until you reach the Boss Room. You unlock it, and you come face-to-face with Aisling, who doesn't hesitate to attack you again.

But you're in a hurry, and impatient. You blast aside her and her annoying Fire Sprites, knocking them back like a pinball until Aisling finally falls in defeat, right in front of the ink well.

You ask her to move aside. After all, she's not involved in this. A little bit of ink taken wouldn't harm it much, right?

And her answer surprises you. "Dost thou take me for a fool?" she spits. "Your treachery came to me on the wings of a paper butterfly. I weet thy plans for that ink. Thou dost desire to kill Golvan. You can't, please...Golvan is my fiancée."

O...kay. She's his fiancée. What else is new? Marriage between Glas Ghaibhleann and a Light Gargoyle?

"Within our stories, to meet would be an exercise in folly. We could only nkow each other through letters. Whenas I transformed into paper, no longer could we write to he, and no longer could he write to me."

At that moment, she slumps even further, as if her argument disappointed even her. "I canst deny you," she mutters. "Take thine ink from this well. But heed my one request. Giveth one thing to Golvan before he expires." And with that, she disappears in light, leaving behind a single Aisling's Paper Crane.

Well, what can you say? You're practically about to kill her husband. Whether he's paper or not, he's technically living. So at least, you can do this favor, if it means setting Aisling's mind at ease. You pick it up, then go and fill your ink bottle with ink from the well, and quickly return to Avon, giving Marlowe your item.

A bit to your surprise, Marlowe wrinkles his nose in disgust. "I never imagined I would use the ink like this," he says, and before you can ask, quickly dumps it all on Golvan's Short Story Book. You stare open-mouthed as he snaps the book shut, and gives it to you, taking care not to get the ink onto his hands. "Just like the pages of this book," Marlowe continues, "I intend to drown Golvan in black. A rouge like him could interfere with Shakespeare's escape. Return to the stage with - " Marlowe quickly hands you another piece of paper, except this one was almost completely black - "this page. Force [[Golvan to realize that he is a paper life, and he will return to the play. [[Golvan couldn't live knowing he's not truly an author."

With some measure of reluctance, you re-enter the theatre and look for Golvan again. All too soon, his smiling face appears in front of you. "What ho!" he exclaims happily. "Such a dedicated fan I have not yet seen. Dost thou desire another autograph? Hand me the book, good sir, and thou shalt receive it."

Almost reluctantly you give him the ruined book. You're not sure how to destroy him yet, but this looks like a good place to start.

However, apparently your input was unnecessary, since as soon as you touch the book Golvan starts in surprise and drops it. He follows suit, getting onto his thin knees, as he clutches his torso. "Tarry..." he wheezes. "Mine chest, grows heavy with rheum. As though ink is filling my lungs, I can barely draw breath."

You wince. That was too close to the truth for your liking.

And then, out of nowhere, Shakespeare appears. Ignoring your wary looks, he walks over to the paper man gasping in pain. "Golvan," he says almost gently. "It is time thee met thy fate. Thou art no man, but a paper life: a piece of fiction written by my hand that has escaped its bounds. Put this farce behind thee forthwith and return to thine role as a tragic hero. Thine true place is in the story, Golvan. 'Tis where thou doth truly belong."

Wait, what? Why does Shakespeare want Golvan to die too? Was he such an anomaly that even his creator wanted him to be gone?

The dying man doesn't seem to be listening, however, almost like he's in his own world now. "What devilry is this? I feel no sorrow, no joy...Yet the icy hands of dread have hold of my soft heart. Such tragedy...All my work, even my love Aisling...I fear they too will die like a dream after waking."

Oh! Aisling's gift! You hastily bring it out and move to give it to her fiancée. The crane seems to think you move to slow, though, because it decides to simply fly out of your hands.

With a sudden flash of light, Aislingreappears, facing Shakespeare.

"Hold, please, Shakespeare! Forgive Golvan, please!"

The bard only smirks. "Oh fateful lovers, such tragedy, that thy love for each other may never be."

"Aisling!" her fellow papercraft calls out. "Art thou here? Such an appearance...When thou lookst upon me, dost thou see paper like thyself?" The cutout-like creation bows his head. "Pray, for what didst I write all this time? T'was all an illusion, unkind trickery..."

"Hold tight, dear Golvan!" Aisling urges. "While thou art born of Shakespeare's hand, you are his no longer."

No sooner do her words finish than the whole area suddenly groan. Somewhere up in the roof, you swear you can hear something cracking.

"My stage..." Golvan replies deliriously.

Shakespeare was a little more helpful. "Milletian, hurry here! Soon the curtains will fall and the stage will collapse."

And to the other ear, Aisling calls, "Milletian. Please, Milletian, I beg of thee. Save Golvan, and leave me. To die for the one I love twas my fate. T'was always my fate."

So what to do? Shakespeare, who can save himself, is telling you to end Golvan. Aisling, who's trying to sacrifice herself, is asking you to save him. The whole place is shaking now, and dust coming from the ceiling in droves. And the man in distress himself is on the floor, surrounded by black smoke that looks like it wants to eat him alive, and looking for all the world like a completely lost kitten.

With gritted teeth, you rush forward - to Golvan. No, that kitten comment has nothing to do with your decision.

Shakespeare put his words a little mildly. "Milletian! I fear ye have made this terribly complicated."

You simply grab on to Golvan's paw - er, arm - as he yells to Aisling, a little too late on what's happening. "Sweet Aisling, no! To leave you behind is to leave a part of myself! Aisling! AISLING!"

"Oh kind Golvan," the paper-maché near-whispers, her words nearly snatched up by the rumbling that the room is making, "to see thee just once hast made this paper life worth it...Farewell, my love."

And with that, the power of the Avon Feather ports you out of the room, leaving Shakespeare and Aisling to their fates.

When you re-enter the theatre, you're surprised to see that Golvan's office apparently rebuilt itself. There's no sign of either the bard or the paper girl.

Golvan finally speaks up. "By your hand, I remain alive. but at what cost?" He stares at his bookshelves intensely, as if he wanted to find the story that Aisling came out of and pluck her out, living with her happily ever after. He shakes his head. "Forsooth, i've lost it all. My writings, Aisling, even myself. Lost to oblivion."

With a melacholy sigh, he sags a little, his 2D shoulders hunched other in grief. "Oh gentle Aisling's crane...What brutal irony that two sides of the smae page may never meet. Nay, this end does not suit me." He stands a little straigher, determination somehow written on his eyes. "If only I couldst return to the start like my stories...A thousand times, I would do it."

Inexplicably, he turns to you and ask something you don't quite catch. When you look at him questioningly, he clarifies - he wants to write your biography, with a personal signature to boot.

You try to refuse, but he argues back. "Good coz, I was once asked to author the Queen's biography. Dost thou doubt my motive? nay? Then thy signature, please."

A little hesitantly, you comply. With nothing else to do for him, you bid him farewell and leave. His voice floats after you.

"I think I shall return to the story. To see Aisling again, I must start from the beginning once again. It matters not how many times I must start again. I must continue to compose the 808th story. To forget Aisling like this would be to forget mine own heart. Should that mean that I might enter another paradox, so be it. Come cruel fate, I will face thee for eternity to recover Aisling from thy wretched grasp."

Marlowe notes your exit. "your expression tells me that everything didn't go as planned."

He listens to you explain about Golvan, Aisling, her pleas, and your ultimate decision not to destroy the paper man. He shakes his head. "It was a mistake to let him go. He's a dangerous spark, that Golvan. Though, I guess you are not the only one at fault. I was not aware that Aisling would be there as well. Like Golvan, Aisling is a paper life. I remember her from a play called 'The Queen of Swords'. In the story she was the captain of the Queen's guard. It was a tragic play. Aisling gave her life to save the lives of others. She had another chance at life in Erinn, but it seems she's decided to sacrifice herself for Golvan. Aisling's determination and your decision have made things very complicated. Golvan has taken his fate out of Shakespeare's hands and into his own."

Like you were supposed to know Golvan could become more powerful than Shakespeare? You shake your head as Marlowe, once again, looks at his script. There had been a bitter taste in your mouth, for being about to kill something that, as unnatural a birth it had, was still a walking, talking, thinking, and not falling over flat on his face being. Was it any fairer than the gods killing humans because it was a mistake?

If he wanted to live and love, that should be his own choice. Though, now that you really think about it, you have a sneaking suspicion - for his love, Golvan may never be bothering anyone again.

- "What have you done with my blade? This steel is not mine." -

Generation 14 Substory: Ascon

Recently your life's been a blur of danger and action – many days were filled with receiving great power, felling mighty beasts, and consorting with gods. In fact, goddess Morrighan seems to be turning on you, if her attitude in Hamlet was anything to go by, and you're as cautious, as wary, but as strong as you ever have been.

So you possibly deserve some explanation when Austeyn simply hands you a letter and asks you to find its owner. Being the nice person you are, you politely accept it, but you do wonder internally what the world is coming to if the slayer of the Grim Reaper could only land the post of messenger boy.

But on the other hand, Port Cobh, where the recipient of the letter lives, is a nice place to relax, and relaxation is probably what you need after the rush of many years of adventuring. To Port Cobh it is, then.

A short trip across east of Dunbarton reveals a steep hill, and beyond that, a quiet little seaside town with a lighthouse. You see many people fishing, and apparently the catch is good, because there are many fish, books, and even what looks suspiciously like clothes fashioned out of sharkskin littered around the fishermen's feet.

You stop by where the mailbox is – which is, of course, right beside the bank. You meet the banker, a testy guy by the name of Augustine, and decide that he an approachable enough guy, so he's as good a lead as any. Only a few seconds later, you are picking up the pieces of the letter littering the street and wincing at the humiliation of having, in plain sight, someone scream at you to stop wasting their time.

You manage to figure out how the pieces go together, and stick it back together with glue from the Handicraft Kit that happened to be packaged with the original letter…somehow. Actually, as you read the letter, you find that it was Ferghus who sent the letter, which again makes no sense. After all, the Handicraft Kit hadn't been left in pitiful tatters, which was more than you could say about anything that went under the blacksmith's hand of instantaneous destruction.

Nevermind that, though – more importantly, you also find out who the letter was sent to: a man by the name of Ascon, the person who keeps the lighthouse.

You make your way to him, and when he greets you warmly you wordlessly hand him the letter. Ascon's face darkens as he reads it.

“I knew hiring the cheapest help was a mistake,” he mutters.

“No,” you say, “hiring Ferghus was a mistake. Next time, try Elen.”

Ascon smiles, and simply gives you a Star Sapphire as thanks. Oh wow, this trip had been worth something after all! But as you pocket his gift, you notice that while his smile remained, his eyes are not quite meeting yours. You wonder what he is thinking, and you don't know what to make of the turbulent expression that plagues his face. That's when he suddenly mentions that it takes a lot of work to keep the lighthouse operating, because the lights he send out to sea keeps sinking.

You're not sure how to respond. On one hand, you want to help, but on the other, he should be in good shape (you recommended to him the granddaughter of a legendary blacksmith, after all!), so he might take the offer as an insult. While you mull it over, you glance over at the sea, trying to assess how many of his little lights are still left.

Only for a hand to grab you in a vice grip, very nearly scaring the spirit out of you. You clamp down any yells that were forthcoming and force yourself to listen as Ascon practically begs you to work for him, even if for a short amount of time. In the end you are forced to agree, and the lighthouse keeper gratefully hands you wood to work with and thanks you earnestly.

Well, considering you had a usable Handicraft Kit in your possession, the work goes by extremely easily. You're not quite sure whose story is sadder – Ferghus, who utterly failed even at this, or Ascon, who actually believed Ferghus had any capability in him.

Either way, you finish the work, and Ascon heartily thanks you with an invitation to come back and work for him whenever you're free. You're not sure if you want to, but you are spared the trouble of answering when Ascon repays you with something you had not expected: the story of his past.

Fifty years ago, it was a sunny and happy day for Ascon, his sister Arranz, and his parents Alasdair and Gwenllian. The lighthouse proved to be an ideal playground for the siblings, and they spent hours upon hours running around, hiding inside, or in Arranz's case, drawing her family fondly on the walls. Alasdair brings up the subject of leaving, which is vehemently rejected by the children, and Gwenllian supports them in this, as both had been having so much fun, and anyways, who can tell when they will next return? Ascon and Arranz cheer, and while their parents take a stroll, they go right back to doing what they do best: being kids.

But nothing is ever perfect for long. This day is no exception, and from the moment the black clouds started eating away at the sun, Ascon should have been wary. Yet, both he and his sister had drifted into a cozy nap, and it was such a peaceful sleep, the first of the cold, whispering winds did nothing but to stir him. This alone, however, was enough for him to make out the dark, frightening silhouettes of Tiny Billy and Maurice the Engorged approaching like a pair of lions: brimming with confidence, completely at ease, and leaving no escape.

Ascon puts up a fight though, and a darn good one at that: he succeeds in distracting the pirates enough for his sister to wake, and escape. But he was a child of ten, against two grown men with weapons, and the outcome was inevitable. In the end he was subdued, he was captured. Naturally it came with a cost: his freedom. It was not until much later, after he was placed as a prisoner and a slave in Belvast Island, that he fully felt the extent of such a price.

It took away fifty years of his life.

Memories of his family spending time with him; hope that his family was searching for him; these two were what kept Ascon from the claws of despair for all the time he spent digging through mines for his captors. These two thoughts were the ones that allowed him comfort to live through the today, and see the tomorrow, for over eighteen thousand days, until that fateful day when Admiral Owen finally led the assault that freed him from the cruel pirates. But the still crueler fates were not about to lose their toy, and the return of his freedom came with another heavy price: the loss of his family.

Second-guessing never did anyone good, but for Ascon there wasn't anything good left in his world. His only remaining relative alive was married to some rich man he had never even heard of, so there is little to none to negative chance of getting any contact with his sister. Even the breathtaking view from the top of the hill leading to Port Cobh had been marred by the mere fact that turning his head oh so slightly brought his parents' graves into view. So no one, really, could blame him for blaming himself. And he blamed everything that happened fifty years ago on himself: for allowing himself to be defeated by pirates, for allowing himself to take that fateful nap, for allowing himself to not leave the lighthouse, even for allowing himself and his family to go on a vacation in the first place. None of his “what if”s will ever help him recover his youth or his family, though all of them are completely succeeding in getting the aged lighthouse keeper to, like a pig, wallow in the depth of muddy anguish.

And so, it is with tears in his eyes that Ascon turns back to the drawing on the walls of the lighthouse, the only solid evidence he has that his family had ever once existed.

Some time passes until Ascon sends you mail again, and you're not sure if he needed someone to help with his job or he just didn't want to lose contact with someone he trusted his past with. In fact, it turns out to be neither, because as soon as you cross the bridge that spans between his little island and the town, you see the last expression anyone expected on Ascon's face: rage. It takes him a while to fully explain the situation, but once he does, you start to wonder if whatever god who's toying with him will ever really leave him alone.

Ascon had every right to be angry. In fact, it was because he was a nice person at heart that he was only angry. You know for sure that if anyone had swindled your family and friends by using your name, you'd likely buy a lance just to stick the criminal's head on the end and parade it. But there was no denying that it had happened to Ascon, because what he found was a collection of letters that made it clear someone had been posing as him, and writing letters to his family to beg for money. In total, not including the other items that Ascon's family might have sent, Gwenllian and Alasdair had given up more than 150000 gold to try to get their son back; possibly more, as it was very likely not all letters were saved.

The lighthouse keeper begs you to find the perpetrator, and with all the suffering he had with this revelation, it's the least you could do for him. One letter mentioned the Dunbarton General Shop, so you ride over to Walter to try to get leads. Aside from Walter's usual blank personality, there were no difficulty getting him to tell you that Siobhanin had bought pots in bulk before, so you quickly ride back to Port Cobh to talk to the elf. Siobhanin himself claims that it was a man named Videk who bought the pots off of him. Siobhanin gives you some details: he is a rich man, he had been close to Ascon's family after the kidnapping, and took care of them. Siobhanin also implies that Arranz had married a different rich man completely out of greed, meaning no one outside Videk and the family seemed to know about the kidnapping. Unfortunately, Videk had moved to Belvast Island, and there's no ship heading there for a while now, so you can't question him. You're determined not to let the trail grow cold though, and Siobhanin next tells you who might know more about him: Annick, Port Cobh's pub owner, as she used to live in Belvast Island as well.

Upon entering the pub you notice immediately that Annick is a pirate, or at least a former one, and immediately you're on your guard. She's nice enough, though, and upon questioning, and after much rounds of laughter, she admits Videk is a "nice" man, and someone else who might know about him is the rich person in Emain Macha, who was Videk's partner, and also, as Annick points out, another "nice" man. More importantly, however, she hands you another collection of letters that someone had left for Ascon, which reveals the suffering of Alasdair as he died without seeing his son, the grief of Gwenllian as her family fell apart, and the anxiousness of Arranz as it becomes clear that she was in an unhappy marriage with a man named Vigorin. It also seems that Videk was also the one who couriered messages between "Ascon" and his family. Reluctantly, with a growing sense of suspicion, you head back to Ascon, and show him the letters, hoping it doesn't push him over the edge.

It doesn't, though he blames himself more than ever. You try to follow the rest of the clues as best as you could, following Annick's advice and meeting with the rich man in Emain Macha, and ask him about Videk. You actually wonder how you've never noticed him before, because from his expression, it's apparent he's an exceptionally greedy man. This is more than proved by the fact he tries to trick you into getting him a jewelry pouch from Coill Dungeon, claiming it was already his and he simply dropped it. As you need results at the moment, you humor him, though you are unperturbed as he shouts at you angrily that the pouch is empty. He refuses to fill you in, however, so you are also forced to go into Rundal Dungeon and also kidnap a Kid Cyclops for him. You succeed, but it also leaves a bad taste in your mouth. The Cyclops was a Fomor, true, but it was also a child. How could you know if this man would not turn so easily to selling human children?

At the moment, however, you do this for Ascon. The rich man finally tells you that Videk had long since left Emain Macha, but he used to be a regular at Loch Lios, which is Gordon's restaurant. You resist the urge to attack him for providing so little information for so much service, instead going to talk with Gordon.

A few minutes later, you emerge, having got most of the story down.

It is evident from Gordon telling you about Arranz slapping Videk that he had slighted her, and at the moment you could only see one way a family friend would downgrade that fast: if he had simply been pretending all along, and taken advantage of the family. Naturally, this meant that Videk was the one who had been forging the letters that supposedly were from Ascon, and also had definitely not been the liaison the family had thought he is. No doubt, the money he had "delivered" to Ascon was kept instead, as well as a lot of other things the family tried to send to Ascon. The sole letter urging Arranz to marry Vigorin was probably a bid to try to take the other man's money as well. For a moment, you are stumped as to what the significance of the cooking pots are, seeing Videk had already bought them, but then you realize that that must've been what really convinced Alasdair and Gwenllian that he was on their side: the fact that he was willing to go out of his way to "help". They never would have suspected, and you're not completely sure how Arranz had, though you are sure that you respect her far more now.

All too soon, you arrive back at Port Cobh, planning to report the results of your investigation. But Ascon surprises you: he has calmed down considerably, only thanking you for working as hard as you have, and without even waiting to hear what the rest of the story was, he hands you a respectably sized diamond.

You accept the treasure graciously, but are troubled by the fact he doesn't know more. Obviously he is not concerned about revenge anymore, as he though he will never know who did it. As a result, he is happy. You don't know if you are willing to break that calm personality again, because this time you know for sure: Ascon will hunt down the man who cheated his family, if he ever heard his name.

Could you do it? Are you willing to break happiness for justice? Or is this something you could, and should, deal with yourself?

With only a small hesitation, you make your choice.

Generation 15: Merchant of Venice

"Life is an uncertain voyage." The scene opens up to a ship trapped in a storm. "Year 1585 off the Coast of England".

Generation 16: Macbeth

Generation 16 Substory: Rush of Love

This Storyline introduces the Fighter Talent