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{{Imageneed| | {{Imageneed|[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]] and [[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]}} | ||
{{Conjecture}} | {{Conjecture}} | ||
The '''target menu''' was an [[Animus]] interface that kept track of clues, interpersonal relationships, and biographies pertaining to the identities of various individuals that were being investigated or hunted by the session's historical subject. The menu has gone by different names during different sessions and Animus models. | The '''target menu''' was an [[Animus]] interface that kept track of clues, interpersonal relationships, and biographies pertaining to the identities of various individuals that were being investigated or hunted by the session's historical subject. The menu has gone by different names during different sessions and Animus models. | ||
==Ezio session== | ==Ezio session== | ||
Called '''Conspirators''', the target menu of the | [[File: AC2 Target menu.jpg|thumb|250px|The Animus 2.0's target menu]] | ||
Called '''Conspirators''', the target menu of the Animus 2.0 during [[Desmond Miles]]' use of it<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' — [[21st century conversations|Modern day]]</ref> tracked the members of the [[Templars|Templar]] conspiracy that orchestrated the deaths of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]]'s father [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni]] and two brothers [[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze|Petruccio]] and [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]], which lead him to its leader, the [[Roman Rite of the Templar Order|Roman Templars]]' [[Grand Master of the Templar Order|Grand Master]] [[Rodrigo Borgia]].<ref name="AC2">''Assassin's Creed II''</ref> | |||
The menu, composed of square markers in which the face of each conspirator would be placed, was initially disorganized and contained some loose connections, alluding to Ezio's lack of knowledge about the true nature of the conspiracy. Once his uncle [[Mario Auditore]] told him about the Templar's schemes, the menu reshaped itself into a series of concentric circles, each one getting bolder as it neared the center of the diagram, where Rodrigo Borgia was highlighted by a [[Templar insignia|Templar cross]]. The faces of the conspirators would go from partially blurred to completely revealed as Ezio gathered clues about their identity, and a red cross would be marked upon their square's frame when Ezio had either killed or defeated them.<ref name="AC2"/> | |||
The menu, composed of square markers in which the face of each conspirator would be placed, was initially disorganized and contained some loose connections, alluding to Ezio's lack of knowledge about the true nature of the conspiracy. Once his uncle [[Mario Auditore]] told him about the Templar's schemes, the menu reshaped itself into a series of concentric circles, each one getting bolder as it neared the center of the diagram, where Rodrigo Borgia was highlighted by a [[Templar insignia|Templar cross]]. The faces of the conspirators would go from partially blurred to completely revealed as Ezio gathered clues about their identity, and a red cross would be marked upon their square's frame when Ezio had either killed | |||
===Other targets=== | ===Other targets=== | ||
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==Eivor session== | ==Eivor session== | ||
[[File:ACV Target menu.jpg|thumb|250px|The Portable Animus 8.5's target menu]] | |||
===Order of the Ancients=== | ===Order of the Ancients=== | ||
====Zealots==== | ====Zealots==== | ||
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==Basim session== | ==Basim session== | ||
[[File:ACMir Target menu.jpg|thumb|250px|The investigation menu]] | |||
Called '''Investigation''', this iteration of the target menu tracked more than just main targets of the [[Baghdad]] sect of the Order of the Ancients but also locations of interest, incidental targets, and tangential persons of interest.<ref name="ACMir">''[[Assassin's Creed: Mirage]]''</ref> | Called '''Investigation''', this iteration of the target menu tracked more than just main targets of the [[Baghdad]] sect of the Order of the Ancients but also locations of interest, incidental targets, and tangential persons of interest.<ref name="ACMir">''[[Assassin's Creed: Mirage]]''</ref> | ||
| Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination | Ezio, my friend! How may I be of service? This article has a lot of room for expansion. Please improve it with additional information in accordance with the Manual of Style |
| Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination | Where are the paintings? This article is in need of more images and/or better quality pictures from Assassin's Creed: Origins and Assassin's Creed: Odyssey in order to achieve a higher status. You can help the Assassin's Creed Wiki by uploading better images on this page. |
| Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination | I wanted to ask you something. Which is... what's your name? This article title is conjecture. Although the article subject is canon, no official name for it has been given. |
The target menu was an Animus interface that kept track of clues, interpersonal relationships, and biographies pertaining to the identities of various individuals that were being investigated or hunted by the session's historical subject. The menu has gone by different names during different sessions and Animus models.
Called Conspirators, the target menu of the Animus 2.0 during Desmond Miles' use of it[1] tracked the members of the Templar conspiracy that orchestrated the deaths of Ezio Auditore's father Giovanni and two brothers Petruccio and Federico, which lead him to its leader, the Roman Templars' Grand Master Rodrigo Borgia.[2]
The menu, composed of square markers in which the face of each conspirator would be placed, was initially disorganized and contained some loose connections, alluding to Ezio's lack of knowledge about the true nature of the conspiracy. Once his uncle Mario Auditore told him about the Templar's schemes, the menu reshaped itself into a series of concentric circles, each one getting bolder as it neared the center of the diagram, where Rodrigo Borgia was highlighted by a Templar cross. The faces of the conspirators would go from partially blurred to completely revealed as Ezio gathered clues about their identity, and a red cross would be marked upon their square's frame when Ezio had either killed or defeated them.[2]
Sequence 12 Memory 5: Ezio killed Checco and met a mysterious stranger. (????)
(Obtained during "Checcomate")
Sequence 12 Memory 6: Mysterious stranger is Girolamo Savonarola.
(Obtained during "Far From the Tree")
Sequence 13 Memory 12: Ezio killed Girolamo Savonarola.
(Obtained during "Mob Justice")
Sequence 2 Memory 3: Ezio killed Uberto Alberti.
(Obtained during "Judge, Jury, Executioner")
Sequence 12 Memory 1: (missing clue)
(Obtained during "A Warm Welcome")
Sequence 12 Memory 4: Ezio killed Ludovico Orsi.
(Obtained during "Godfather")
Sequence 12 Memory 1: (missing clue)
(Obtained during "A Warm Welcome")
Sequence 12 Memory 5: Ezio killed Checco and met a mysterious stranger. (Obtained during "Checcomate")
Sequence 8 Memory 1: Ezio observed a Templar meeting attended by Carlo Grimaldi, Silvio Barbarigo, Marco Barbarigo, Dante Moro, and the Spaniard.
(Obtained during "Birds of a Feather")
Sequence 10 Memory 5: Ezio killed Silvio Barbarigo and Dante Moro.
(Obtained during "Two Birds, One Blade")
Sequence 2 Memory 3: Ezio killed Uberto Alberti.
(Obtained during "Judge, Jury, Executioner")
Sequence 3 Memory 4: Ezio killed Vieri de' Pazzi.
(Obtained during "What Goes Around")
Sequence 4 Memory 4: Ezio eavesdropped on a Templar meeting.
(Obtained during "Novella's Secret")
Sequence 5 Memory 1: Lorenzo gave Ezio the names of Jacopo de' Pazzi's co-conspirators.
(Obtained during "Four to the Floor")
Sequence 5 Memory 4: Ezio killed Antonio Maffei.
(Obtained during "Town Crier")
Sequence 5 Memory 1: Lorenzo gave Ezio the names of Jacopo de' Pazzi's co-conspirators.
(Obtained during "Four to the Floor")
Sequence 5 Memory 5: Ezio killed Francesco Salviati.
(Obtained during "Behind Closed Doors")
Sequence 2 Memory 3: Ezio killed Uberto Alberti. (????)
(Obtained during "Judge, Jury, Executioner")
Sequence 4 Memory 4: Ezio eavesdropped on a Templar meeting. (????)
(Obtained during "Novella's Secret")
Sequence 5 Memory 1: Lorenzo gave Ezio the names of Jacopo de' Pazzi's co-conspirators.
(Obtained during "Four to the Floor")
Sequence 5 Memory 7: Ezio killed Stefano da Bagnone.
(Obtained during "The Cowl Does Not Make the Monk")
Sequence 2 Memory 3: Ezio killed Uberto Alberti. (In Tuscany?)
(Obtained during "Judge, Jury, Executioner")
Sequence 4 Memory 4: Ezio eavesdropped on a Templar meeting. (In Tuscany?)"
(Obtained during "Novella's Secret")
Sequence 5 Memory 1: Lorenzo gave Ezio the names of Jacopo de' Pazzi's co-conspirators.
(Obtained during "Four to the Floor")
Sequence 5 Memory 6: Ezio killed Bernardo Baroncelli.
(Obtained during "Come Out and Play")
Sequence 8 Memory 1: Ezio observed a Templar meeting attended by Carlo Grimaldi, Silvio Barbarigo, Marco Barbarigo, Dante Moro, and the Spaniard.
(Obtained during "Birds of a Feather")
Sequence 10 Memory 5: Ezio killed Silvio Barbarigo and Dante Moro.
(Obtained during "Two Birds, One Blade")
Sequence 7 Memory 9: Ezio killed Emilio Barbarigo and saw Carlo Grimaldi. A Templar meeting is scheduled.
(Obtained during "Everything Must Go")
Sequence 8 Memory 1: Ezio observed a Templar meeting attended by Carlo Grimaldi, Silvio Barbarigo, Marco Barbarigo, Dante Moro, and the Spaniard.
(Obtained during "Birds of a Feather")
Sequence 8 Memory 1: Ezio observed a Templar meeting attended by Carlo Grimaldi, Silvio Barbarigo, Marco Barbarigo, Dante Moro, and the Spaniard.
(Obtained during "Birds of a Feather")
Sequence 9 Memory 8: Ezio killed Marco Barbarigo.
(Obtained during "Having a Blast")
Sequence 2 Memory 3: Ezio killed Uberto Alberti.
(Obtained during "Judge, Jury, Executioner")
Sequence 4 Memory 6: Ezio killed Francesco de' Pazzi.
(Obtained during "Farewell Francesco")
Sequence 4 Memory 4: Ezio eavesdropped on a Templar meeting.
(Obtained during "Novella's Secret")
Sequence 5 Memory 1: Lorenzo gave Ezio the names of Jacopo de' Pazzi's co-conspirators.
(Obtained during "Four to the Floor")
Sequence 5 Memory 7: Ezio killed Jacopo Pazzi [sic] and discovered a connection to Venice via a man named Emilio Barbarigo.
(Obtained during "With Friends Like These")
Sequence 2 Memory 3: Ezio killed Uberto Alberti. (Venetian?)
(Obtained during "Judge, Jury, Executioner")
Sequence 5 Memory 1: Lorenzo gave Ezio the names of Jacopo de' Pazzi's co-conspirators. (Venetian?)
(Obtained during "Four to the Floor")
Sequence 7 Memory 1: [citation needed] )
(Obtained during "Benvenuto")
Sequence 7 Memory 9: Ezio killed Emilio Barbarigo and saw Carlo Grimaldi. A Templar meeting is scheduled.
(Obtained during "Everything Must Go")
Sequence 2 Memory 3: Ezio killed Uberto Alberti. (The Spaniard?)
(Obtained during "Judge, Jury, Executioner")
Sequence 3 Memory 3: Mario revealed Ezio's Assassin heritage and explained the war between the Assassins and the Templars.
(Obtained during "Practice Makes Perfect")
Sequence 14 Memory 2: Ezio defeated Rodrigo Borgia and gained entry to the Vault.
(Obtained during "In Bocca al Lupo")
Called Targets, the target menu of Layla Hassan's Animus HR-8 when she used it tracked the identities of the members of the Egyptian sect of the Order of the Ancients as the Medjay Bayek of Siwa and his wife Aya of Alexandria hunted them in retaliation for the death of their son Khemu at their hands.[3]
Bayek trekked across the vast Egyptian desert to corner Rudjek in the famous Bent Pyramid of Sneferu. Bayek's first kill, the death of Rudjek brought on Anubis's apparent curse on the natron mines.
One of the masked ones.
Aya's first kill. While [UNCLEAR] the Order in Alexandria, Aya came across Actaeon and verified her suspicions when she discovered one of the masks in his apartments. He died a horrible death while wearing the mask. His role in the Order of Ancients is clear, his role in the death of Khemu however, is nebulous.
One of the masked ones.
He hunted down Aya, the killer of his friend Actaeon, in Alexandria. However, he met his end at her hands.
The Snake is one of the masked ones whose name was mentioned at the tragedy in Siwa.
Royal Scribe to Ptolemy, Eudoros was one of the puppet-masters of the pharaoh. He met his death in Alexandria's opulent bathhouse thanks to Bayek's newly acquired hidden blade, although he did manage to exact limited vengeance: the loss of Bayek's ring finger. But was Eudoros in fact The Snake?
The Scarab is using the great deserts of Egypt as their personal graveyard.
Taharqa was the mythical Scarab who haunted Sais and Letopolis. A great man who caused terrible pain in pursuit of a quest to build monuments that would outlive him. In his darkest moments, Bayek understood Taharqa all too well. The man had to die for the blood on his hands, but Bayek prays he hasn't simply carried on the cycle of vengeance.
The Hyena oppresses Giza with the Order of Ancients.
After her daughter's death, Khaliset became obsessed with trying to resurrect her. With the help of The Order, she discovered an ancient tomb that she believed to possess the power to restore life. Far removed from reality and relentless in her approach, The Hyena's actions harmed every soul in Giza.
The Lizard has crippled the great city of Memphis, where the Order of Ancients must not take root.
Hetepi's dark influence was felt throughout Memphis. Bayek chased him even through the realm of dreams. Hetepi was slain in Memphis's Great Temple, in sight of all the gods.
The Crocodile is part of the Order of Ancients, and works in the Faiyum oppressing the region.
Berenike was an elder Greek statesperson and member of the Order of Ancients. A subtle and highly intelligent woman, she cultivated a public image of graceful benevolence while secretly manipulating political and legislative processes to bring about her vision of an enlightened Egypt. Behind the scenes she used Ptolemy soldiers and arena gladiators to enforce a web of ruthless oppression across the Faiyum.
One of two names given by Cleopatra, the Jackal is one of the highest members of the Order of Ancients.
Septimius was a loyal soldier in the Order of Ancients and was one of the conspirators who murdered Bayek's son Khemu. Bayek nearly killed the Gabianiani at the Battle of the Nile but was denied his revenge by Julius Caesar. After this betrayal and the terrible events at Siwa, Aya continues to hunt Septimius down, finally catching up with him in Rome. Septimius was unrepentant, believing that he did his duty to Rome and the order, and would be rewarded in the afterlife.
Cleopatra has found two more names, the Scorpion is one of the highest ranking members of the Order of Ancients.
Pothinus was among the more restrained members of the Order of Ancients. He favored use of brutality only in the most extreme situations, Nonetheless, he presided over the events that lead to Khemu's death and ultimate responsibility remains largely in his hands. He met Anubis after an unfortunate elephant ride.
The Lion is the head of the Roman Sphere of influence within the Order of Ancients.
As a high-ranking member of the Order of Ancients Flavius was the murderer of Bayek and Aya's son Khemu. Consumed by madness and a bloodthirsty desire for power, he cut a bloody swath through the Roman province of Kyrenaika with the Oracle's Relic. When Bayek in turn took Flavius' life, the monster showed no remorse for the terrible things he had done. Cold and calculating to the end, he mocked Bayek and expounded the glory of Rome.
When Layla Hassan relived the memories of the Spartan misthios Kassandra on her upgraded Animus HR-8.5,[4] its target menu was unique in that it kept track of multiple groups of individuals: Mercenaries tracked the mercenary rivals Kassandra defeated in life; Cultists, which broke down further to members of the Cult of Kosmos, tracking the members of the organization responsible for the disgrace of her family,[5] and the Persian sect of the Order of the Ancients, individuals who hunted her and her son Elpidios due to their dangerous bloodline;[6] and the The Fallen, that kept track of people of interest in Aletheia's simulation of the Underworld during her time exploring it.[7]
The legends around the mighty Eagle-Bearer from Kephallonia were many. Some said that she was a descendant of Spartan royalty. Others, that she was a goddess.
In our time, one misthios was feared above all. Forever present, forever undefeated, age would not dull his edge nor rust his hammer's head. Behind Exekias the legend was a trail of desolation and the eerie silence of death.
The adopted son of Nikolaos, Stentor always tried to impress his father and make him proud. After he tried to kill his sibling and failed, he left the Spartan army in disgrace. His life ruined, he pursued a life as a mercenary so he could one day seek his revenge.
Heart Condition
Sosipatros did what many other mercenaries tried to do: work for the most powerful man in the region. With Lagos as his employer, Sosipatros never had a shortage of contracts to complete.
This older mercenary claimed to be the Great Leonidas resurrected, but no one fell for this trap. Well, almost no one. Some impressionable fools gave him contracts solely because they believed him. Of course, when he succeeded, it only confirmed what they thought.
Shell Skin
Agis of the North was committed to pitting Athens and Sparta against each other so that his first love, Byzantion, could rise in the wake of their destruction.
Theos always looked for answers to difficult questions. What will come to pass? Who is in the right? How can all benefit? He said the solution was to look to the gods. Nobody else was worth asking.
Gaia the Fist was infamous for running at his intended target, ignoring any projectile weapons. He claimed he liked to see the look of despair in people's eyes as he charged, only gaining speed, until he reached them and ended their life.
Exadios took marks twice her size with the fearlessness of a charging bull. She left a trail of broken bodies in her wake.
Atos the Beast Caller wrote countless letters to his mother. It's said he tried sending one home to Syrakousai each night. After a while, he stopped sending the letters altogether. He wasn't sure they ever reached her, and since he was always on the move, he never received one back.
If something is best for the people, does it matter what has to be done? Hirpes the Sordid said it didn't. Of course, those he cheated or betrayed came to disagree upon learning of his deeds.
While many mercenaries cared not for how they looked or smelled, Aias felt he could prove mercenaries deserved as much respect or adoration as a polemarch. Always presentable, Aias did gain fans for a time… until they saw him do his work up close.
Kephalon the Thinker worked by honoring Skythia's traditional mercantile life, but after a bloody skirmish with armed bandits, he discovered this temperament was more suited for war.
Proktos the Moon King was a priest of Artemis until bandits ruined his temple. A lone survivor, he became embroiled in a lunar cult and pledged to bring suffering to all who would harm his beloved goddess.
Sergas was a charismatic bounty hunter who purred like his pet lynx. When possible, he liked to soothe his prey by purring in their ears before the final blow. He called this a beautiful death... Grr...
It appears Phelikles enjoyed distributing his hard-earned drachmae to those who didn’t have any. Some said it was because he wanted everyone to know he was rich. Others felt he was just helping those who couldn’t afford his kind of life. No matter the case, most believe his coin went to good use.
No one knows where Xanotos came from, but legends said he was from a cult in a country far, far away. Only one thing was for sure - he loved the color yellow.
Shahin first decided to journey through the lands to spy on war tactics. He found the land beautiful and decided to buy a house and settle down, but the ongoing war pulled him into the mercenary life to profit from the conflict.
Abandoned by her lover who claimed Athena made him vow to never fall in love, Polycaste had made her own vow. She would travel the Peloponnese and hunt the goddess - who was surely in disguise to trick her. In the meantime, however, she's taken her anger out on the unlucky who crossed her path.
"Always the sheep, never the wolf". This motto was carved into Abia's child mind by her military father. All her life, she was second to her sister - who was first in their father's heart. When he was killed in battle and the girls were orphaned, Abia set off on the road. No longer would she be second to her sister, and she would stop anyone in their tracks who tried to keep her from winning.
Most mercenaries like to pridefully tell the tales of their adventures - some more than they deserve to. Count Narkissos among these mercenaries, who deliver more speeches than deathblows. Still, he is known in at least half the ports of the Aegean Sea for good and bloody reasons.
"Retirement is for the dead", Nestor always said. He had waged more war and collected more bounties for longer than any other he knew, and would continue until his own motto came true.
It is said that you should never try to back Edonos into a corner. When under attack and threatened, he responds like a wild animal, resorting to a conduct unknown to civilized men everywhere. He bucks like a beast, and charges his adversary with the barbarity of a bull untamed.
Having been separated quite early in his life from his half-brother Testikles, his mood has been unstable ever since. He never felt as secure than with his own kin, so he deals with the separation by breaking things - including the bones of those who displease him.
Even as a child in her tiny village, Harpina was feared. Little boys who normally rough-housed for dominance wouldn't dare near the terrifying Harpina, whose quick fists could easily force their faces to meet the dirt. Instead, they curried her favor by bringing her trinkets and pretty rocks, which she happily collected.
Stories tell the tale of Iaeira and her record for having faced death more than any other mercenary. She has stood toe-to-toe with the afterlife more times than she can count, but is always able to pull herself away from the dreaded edge.
It is a true blow to the pride of Damais's foes when they lose against him - not because he is weak, but because he doesn't seem to care. As a strong, trained mercenary, it's unsure why Damais is in the trade. He will fight with his all, yes, but a victory is just a victory, and an unsatisfactory one at that.
With dark eyes as murky as deep, muddy waters, Astarte the Swamp submerges her enemies in pain. She starts with a blow to the head, and watches as the blood drains into her foe's gasping mouth. Then, they start to drown.
With her love of mathematics, Nanno's parents saw her future in an Athenian treasury as a banker. However, instead of counting drachmae, she counts her number of kills. She keeps track of them on her personal abacus as she travels across the Greek world.
The story of Occylos is one steeped in uncertainties. The common thread is that when he came upon the body of a dead mercenary, Occylos, an outcast, began his new life. He looted the man's armor, sheathed his sword in his own belt, and started anew. He fights in honor of the nameless mercenary who birthed his new identity.
Those who encounter Thaleia while she's wearing gloves can consider themselves lucky; underneath are nails as sharp and quick as the talons of a hawk. She keeps them pointed like tiny daggers. If she knows she's losing, she's known to throw her gloves to the ground and bare her claws.
Laches is a strong, but simple man. Since he has not been killed up until this point, he is convinced the gods have granted him immortality. Instead of earning a name, he named himself "Eternal", and dares others to prove him wrong.
If people were born for certain tasks, said Ariathate, he was born to win. Strongest in his training camp and champion in races, there were none who could best him - though, he maintains his humility by always taking on a challenger who dares try.
Perdix never had a place to call home. He never knew his mother, or his father, but he knew the winding roads he traveled like family. He learned to identify poisonous herbs, and how to build elaborate shelters. When he had to make a living, becoming a roving mercenary was a role he took to naturally.
Surrounded by carnage and war, all Aretus wanted was to heal people. In a world covered with blood, what people needed, Aretus believed, was help. After devoting his life to medical service, one of his patients betrayed him by trying to poison him. If that was the thanks he got, Aretus swore to never aide others again.
Okaleia had her start as a nefarious smuggler who traded contraband goods across the Aegean - a profitable career, until she sampled the sweetest forbidden fruit to cross her port. Some say the taste drove her to madness. Ever since, she's been obsessed with tracking down its mysterious origins, killing all who she believes keep it from her.
Many who see her have come to believe Auxesia was born in the darkest void - a sister to Nyx and Erebus; that is the only conceivable explanation for her acts of violence and vacant eyes.
Hygieia's sword moves as fluently as her shadow, and they are just as inextricably linked. It's impossible to find one without the other. It is said that Hygieia learned the craft of making swords so she would be the only one who had ever touched it - and that in her eyes makes it perfect. Try to take it from her, and suffer.
Aside from profiting from both sides of the war, Elpenor served Kosmos in one way—destroying the chosen's bloodline. He did, after all, find Deimos' sibling on the dusty roads of Kephallonia, and rumours quickly spread that he was the mastermind behind what happened to the Wolf in Megaris. For a time, it seemed he'd accounted for everything and was unstoppable.
Kosmos demands to know the secrets hiding in the hearts of men. So I simply cut them open.
Sotera's many eyes saw all. Idle sailors trolling the sea, beggars meekly begging for coin—all might've been her agents. And all were deadly. Through this network, there was hardly a conversation that went unheard by her ears, or an opportunity that went unseen by her eyes.
Sotera's ships see all, circling Salamis like a hand around a throat. She has been instructed to call those ships home. I have secured her a warehouse in Megaris where they shall convene. There she waits. Open. Vulnerable.
My Eyes see all.
Your Sage
(Obtained in The Serpent's Lair)
One person's freedom is another's demise.
There were those among us who had no sense of what was right or good. Take the man known only as The Master — a horrifying abomination in the shape of a man. He did not oversee his quarry or slave trade for financial wealth, but for the wealth of information that could be used by the Cult. Every merchant who traveled to him brought truth he could use and left with the lies he chose for them to believe.
On political unrest:
M., formerly of the Vein, is a known Eye, and a terrifying one at that. Ruthless in his oppression. Cruel in his revenge. We must use him to our advantage. Attika is large, and its people are a problem - let him deal with them. From his control of the quarry and slave trade there, he will be our eyes and ears. In his place, we welcome E. to the Vein. His expertise in building deadly—and expensive—naval vessels will serve his Sage well. And Kosmos, of course.
(Obtained in The Serpent's Lair)
What is a leader if he hides behind the walls he built himself? Send me fire, storm or sickness, but bring me justice for my city.
Hermippos, son of Lysis and brother to Myrtilos, sought to undermine Athens' fragile democracy at every turn. He was a vile, impetuous man, using the theater to accuse Perikles of cowardice, and to coerce Athenian voters to demand war. Secretly, he was much the same, working from the shadows to force Athens to fight Sparta head on.
M.,
Soon will be time to act. My contact - a fort captain who feeds me information - says Attika will soon fall, and chaos will reign over this place. Our Sage has moved into place to prepare. These lands will be ours. Every coin flowing into the city - ours. We must work in the shadows to bend the light. Now, bite your tongue - no one must know who you truly are, or what we are planning. We must see, but go unseen.
The Eyes sees all.
H.
(Obtained by killing the Master)
Hermippos, my love…
You said you'd come to my room last night. You said you'd be with me before I leave to treat our soldiers' wounds. And still I wait. My bed is cold without you. The soldiers are dull. Stupid. I long to hear your voice, your thoughts… They say you're spending your days politicizing in the Lame One's temple... but where do you spend your nights?
Farewell,
Your Love
(Obtained by killing Fort Phyle polemarch)
Who needs democracy when drachmae rules the world?
The Cult sought out what was old, looting tombs and ruins like petty grave robbers. Few knew what they were looking for. With the looting done, they tasked Midas of Argos with destroying all traces of these ancient sites from history. By day, he was known simply as a wealthy, if ruthless, banker. By night, everything Midas touched burned to fire.
My Eyes,
Efforts by the Worshippers to resurrect the first true servant of Kosmos, Agamemnon, have failed. All traces of their dark rituals must be hidden by shadow. My eyes in Argos are led by a cunning little banker named Midas. He will clean their mess.
The Eyes see all.
(Obtained in The Serpent's Lair)
Nothing gets past the Eyes of Kosmos.
The Eyes saw all, but were lead by a woman few had ever seen. As one would expect, "Nyx" was only one of countless names worn by The Shadow. With these came entire personalities, lives, and histories. The Cult needed a nobody, a faceless agent who could be anywhere, and The Shadow was that Agent.
Elpenor's cloak had the strangest etching. A single eye—clearly the mark of a spy, a madman, or both.
(Obtained by killing Elpenor)
Sotera,
Be warned. The Shadow knows you're hiding something from her. She sees everything. Of all the Sages, you must fear her. I heard she's leading the other child of the bloodline right to you. I don't know how. But you have to escape.
(Obtained by killing Sotera)
M.,
Soon will be tme to act. My contact—a fort captain who feeds me information—says Attika will soon fall, and chaos will reign over this place. Our Sage has moved into place to prepare. These lands will be ours. Every coin flowing into the city—ours. We must work in the shadows to bend the light. Now, bite your tongue—no one must know who you truly are, or what we are planning. We must see, but go unseen.
The Eyes sees all.
H.
(Obtained by killing the Master)
Midas,
Treasurer of the Eyes, I wait for news. I do not like waiting. Send your messenger to the Agora so that I might hear the sweet words—Agamemnon and all traces of his lineage have been destroyed. Do this, or prepare your burial.
The Eyes see all.
N.
(Obtained by killing Midas)
Upon Hermippos's gloves, an etching was found. The word "Nyx." Was this an act of fealty, or provocation?
(Obtained by killing Hermippos)
Epiktetos the Forthcoming's ship building taught him one lesson, if no other: waging a war is always more profitable than winning one. He stood to make a fortune from the tragedies of war... until Deimos made a bloody, horrifying example out of him at the Cult's mysterious gathering.
What's one life worth without a thousand others behind it?
Where some knew passion, or love, or warmth, The Chimera knew only cold calculation. The world was hers to exploit, and exploit it she did in the name of Kosmos. Her next target would be the artifacts hidden away in an ancient forge. Her slaves would unlock its hidden secrets, or face her wrath.
I've found it - in Andros rests the greatest, most ancient forge in the known world. I demand slaves, guards, ships, drachmae, and metal. In Kosmos's name, we shall build the greatest armory in the world. I set sail soon. Who sails with me?
Let the world be in your debt.
The Chimera
Slaves understand you better when you carve your rules into the backs of their heads.
The Centaur of Euboea pledged to Kosmos the wealth amassed from his copper trade. To trade in copper, however, one needed slaves. Many slaves. And so the cult sent the ships of lost souls to his mines... and to their doom.
Centaur,
The job of the captains transporting slaves to your mines in Euboea is to scare them, not kill them. If one more arrives starved, sick, or dead, we'll cut off your captain's balls and feed them to you.
Let the world be in MY debt.
Your Sage
Slavery is natural. It is necessary.
Under Kosmos there was a unique man known now as The Silver Griffin. Unique not for his cruelty, but for his ability to make others carry out his cruel will. Those who knew him said he considered himself a teacher, of all things. He taught control to slavers, and to slaves, he taught submission. His tool in both classes was the same - the fear of death.
Chimera,
Kosmos and our Sage, the Illustrious Wise, are pleased. The slave rebellion in Attika's silver mine is stamped out, the bodies are due to be hung from posts, and we let the whole affair grow violent and bloody enough to send fear into the hearts of every peasant in the land. For this, we are to be rewarded. About time. I say we owe ourselves a good drink.
Let the world be in your debt.
Silver Griffin
Overseer,
For your help with our little slave problem, a gift. I collected this from Epiktetos's things after Deimos was done with him. A bit of a trophy, the way I might mount a lion's head on a spike. Take it. It's yours. I'd love to see you in it. Come to Prasonisia Island... alone.
Let the world be in your debt.
Silver Griffin
(Obtained in )
Listen, I don't ask questions. I just follow orders.
Machaon the Feared started simply enough - he sacrificed his wealth to Kosmos, but the god did not listen to Machaon's prayers. On a dark night, he sacrificed his only child. Then his servants. Nothing. So now, Machaon aimed to sacrifice all the Greek world. Kosmos would not be listening. A cunning spy in his midst, however, would be.
Silver Skin,
Word is Deimos came to you to help your little problem - we need him. Klitos, a dockhand, stole plans from my office. He knows everything. How we're forcing the Athenians and Spartans into ship battles. How we're selling ships to both sides. He even knows the Sage's identity, and the fort he's in. Deimos has to find him and stop him before he tells anyone. Tell him Klitos was last seen heading to Shipwreck Cove in Achaia. Tell him to be fast. And brutal.
Let the world be in your debt.
M.
Machaon - Port of Patrai, Achaia.
Order - 8 triremes for Sparta. 12 triremes for Athens. 6 merchant ships for the Eyes of Kosmos to surveil the ports of Salamis and Athens. 1 heavy trireme for the Shark. 3 black-sailed biremes for the Silver-Skinned C.
Latest mission report: the Spartans of the Silver Islands fell for it, and sailed right into our trap. 3 Spartan ships destroyed. 2 Athenian ships destroyed. Both are expected to order more. On the other child of the bloodline: the Athenian blockade in Megaris was broken, as promised. This should be the start of a profitable relationship.
(Obtained in Shipwreck Cove)
This war will rage forever, and so will the Cult.
Life's greatest tragedy was that one could know the world and do nothing to change it... A rule that applied to all but Polemon. The Wise was the true architect of the war between the Delians and the Peloponnese. The Cult's reason for the war was simple: control through chaos. Polemon's was simpler: he wanted wealth and would stoke the fires of this war until every Greek son had died in battle.
Chimera,
Kosmos and our Sage, the Illustrious Wise, are pleased. The slave rebellion in Attika's silver mine is stamped out, the bodies are due to be hung from posts, and we let the whole affair grow violent and bloody enough to send fear into the hearts of every peasant in the land. For this, we are to be rewarded. About time. I say we owe ourselves a good drink.
Let the world be in your debt.
Silver Griffin
Silver Skin,
Word is Deimos came to you to help your little problem - we need him. Klitos, a dockhand, stole plans from my office. He knows everything. How we're forcing the Athenians and Spartans into ship battles. How we're selling ships to both sides. He even knows the Sage's identity, and the fort he's in. Deimos has to find him and stop him before he tells anyone. Tell him Klitos was last seen heading to Shipwreck Cove in Achaia. Tell him to be fast. And brutal.
Let the world be in your debt.
M.
(Obtained by killing the Silver Griffin)
The Centaur's waistband was silver encrusted. These Cultists clearly knew great wealth.
(Obtained by killing The Centaur of Euboea)
On political unrest:
M., formerly of the Vein, is a known Eye, and a terrifying one at that. Ruthless in his oppression. Cruel in his revenge. We must use him to our advantage. Attika is large, and its people are a problem - let him deal with them. From his control of the quarry and slave trade there, he will be our eyes and ears. In his place, we welcome E. to the Vein. His expertise in building deadly - and expensive - naval vessels will serve his Sage well. And Kosmos, of course.
(Obtained in the Sanctuary of Kosmos)
Machaon,
There's a rodent in your midst. A man named Klitos. Find him. Kill him. Report to me in Achaia personally.
You will be in my debt.
P.
(Obtained by killing Machaon the Feared)
I swear on my life, and the lives I will take from others, I will not fail the Kosmos again.
As was always the case with young men who were too pretty, too rich, or both, Brison lived as a weakling easily exploited by others. In the Cult, he saw an opportunity to change all that. He would be strong, feared, and respected. In exchange, his pledge to Kosmos was this: he would torture and kill every person who stood against the Cult.
Two Cultists plotted against Phidias, a famous Athenian sculptor. Kassandra set out to thwart the plot and save the man's life, hoping this would also reveal the identity of those plotting against him.
Mother,
Please, as soon as you read this, leave Athens. Dark forces are plotting there. They're targeting artists, I think, and aside from Phidias you are the most well known. Father will refuse - if he does, leave him behind. I've already left, this time for our marble quarry in Salamis. I should be safe there, but do not follow me. If they find me, they'll find you, and I can't risk your life. Just know that what I did, I did for the glory of our family, and for the glory of the League.
Write to me as soon as you are safely outside the walls,
Brison
(Obtained in )
There is no victory without eternal war. The Kosmos guide me.
After generations of control and dominance, the Silver Islands' influence waned. Perikles led Athens to become a center of power. This was a change Padarkes the Cruel would not tolerate. The Cult gifted him a formidable army. With it, he would squash the brewing Delian rebellion, and pledge to the Cult to burn Athens to the ground.
B.,
Your whimpering at the hands of the brutish Redblood M. was echoing in all corners of our shrine... Save that pain. Remember it. Let it fester. In my lands, rebellion brews. I want you fighting by my side one day, making any who rebel against me feel the pain you felt. Or worse. When we finally move on our plans in Athens, none will dare stand against us. The democracy will die, and I will rule again.
Glory to the League.
P.
Brother,
Your orders are simple—today we rush the rebellion and send every Spartan invader to the underworld. They will tremble at our might. For you, an extra mission: a mercenary has been seen our our islands, fighting for the rebellion and for Sparta. She brings chaos and devastation with her. I want you to bring this sell-sword to me, alive if possible. Her odyssey ends today.
Glory to the League
Podarkes
(Obtained in )
Let no man be called happy before his death. Till then he is not happy - only lucky...
From a sudden swing in a vote to go to war to a stubborn politician found dead in the streets, the scars the Cult left on democracy became unmistakable and feared by all. Those were the scars. Rhexenor was the blade. No matter how resilient Athenians were, his subtle hand would always usher their votes back to war, and to serve Kosmos's will.
Under the disguise of a slovenly drunk, wearing a helmet twice the size of his head and hiding in the chambers of hetaerae, our Blueblood R. would seem almost comical if he weren't deadly. From those chambers, he's infiltrated the political elite's inner circle. Fools. Those who do not obey will find his hidden knife at their throats.
Kosmos fights for Athens. And so Athens fights for Kosmos.
Calculating and mysterious, everywhere and nowhere, none were as feared as Iobates of Lemnos and the bloodthirsty mercenaries fighting in his name. Under his careful planning, these rogues become a force for terror and oppression across the lands, and as mercenaries knew no borders, he was able to attack where other soldiers simply could not.
Blueblood,
Your brother returned from another glorious battle, but the Fates won't smile on him forever. Forget honor. Forget glory. Do what I do - go to the arena, watch a fight, hire the winner. It's safe, cheap, and the mongrels even put on a show! Or take after Blueblood I. and hire a good mercenary. Might be more expensive, but trust me, it's almost fun watching them die in battle for drachmae. If our Sage had a son marching on the battlefield, he wouldn't be so quick to send us to war.
Glory to the League.
K.
Misthios,
As always, your work has been spotless, methodical, perfect. Your shadow casts terror across these lands. I am general to a troop of guards, and we could use you. We accept only the deadliest and most obedient soldiers. After you finish your task, meet me in my fort on Lemnos Island. I will show you our training grounds nearby. They'd impress even you.
Glory to the League.
Iobates
(Obtained by killing mercenaries)
I will lead those who oppose us to the gates of the underworld. Kosmos be my guide.
A crueler littte man than Kodros of Lesbos, there was none. Having been a fighter himself, he knew to stock his forces with prize fighters from the arenas and pits. Their glory would be his. Though he marched them out under the Delian League's banners, and though they were feared, none knew he offered their lives in battle as sacrifice to Kosmos.
Blueblood,
Your brother returned from another glorious battle, but the Fates won't smile on him forever. Forget honor. Forget glory. Do what I do - go to the arena, watch a fight, hire the winner. It's safe, cheap, and the mongrels even put on a show! Or take after Blueblood I. and hire a good mercenary. Might be more expensive, but trust me, it's almost fun watching them die in battle for drachmae. If our Sage had a son marching on the battlefield, he wouldn't be so quick to send us to war.
Glory to the League.
K.
Fighter, I offer you congratulations on your victory, but your deadly skills are being wasted in the pits. There are targets and prizes worthy of your strength. Interested? Come to my home on Lesbos Island.
Join me in bringing glory to the League.
Kodros.
(Obtained in )
The steps to the Parthenon are long and built on corpses.
Kleon made his fortune in anonymity until Kosmos called on him - Perikles was refusing to go to war, and peace would be profitable for no one. The Cult commanded Kleon to rile the masses, and force Perikles into battle. Despite Kleon's extreme efforts, he failed. Left with no alternative, Kleon took matters into his own hands and began his bloody, violent ascent to power.
B.,
Your whimpering at the hands of the brutish Redblood M. was echoing in all corners of our shrine... Save that pain. Remember it. Let it fester. In my lands, rebellion brews. I want you fighting by my side one day, making any who rebel against me feel the pain you felt. Or worse. When we finally move on our plans in Athens, none will dare stand against us. The democracy will die, and I will rule again.
Glory to the League.
P.
Kodros,
I've been paying attention to your means of recruitment, and I must say they are most excellent. Arena champions make cheap labor, it distracts the people with bloody entertainment, and their heroes become our heroes as well. We live in an era where the common people's voice can break a ruler. Having them believe you're one of them can make an ally of any fool.
Glory to the League.
K.
(Obtained by killing Kodros)
Rhexenor,
Enough incompetence - deal with Aristophanes or I'll chop off his head, then I'll chop off yours. He mocks me in his plays. Me! At a time when we need the masses afraid of Sparta, when we need them angry, he's writing comedies. Make the laughing fool cry. I'll help you one last time - I know one of Aristophanes's actors is enamored with some girl he's calling his muse. Find her.
Glory to the League.
K.
(Obtained by killing Rhexenor)
Iobates,
Our ranks swell as the world's greatest warriors join our cause, and I understand I have you to thank. They may not all adhere to the faith, but I always prefer soldiers who are motivated by simple pleasures, like money and standing. In a world of chaos, where free-thinking philosophers and artists are treated as kings, I have no need for troops who think for themselves. Those who do, die.
Glory to the League.
K.
(Obtained by killing Iobates)
Blueblood,
Your brother returned from another glorious battle, but the Fates won't smile on him forever. Forget honor. Forget glory. Do what I do - go to the arena, watch a fight, hire the winner. It's safe, cheap, and the mongrels even put on a show! Or take after Blueblood I. and hire a good mercenary. Might be more expensive, but trust me, it's almost fun watching them die in battle for drachmae. If our Sage had a son marching on the battlefield, he wouldn't be so quick to send us to war.
Glory to the League.
K.
(Obtained by killing Podarkes)
When deciding where our loyalties lie, we must consider the end.
Skylax knew what others in the Peloponnesian League did not: where force failed, drachmae always won. In this way, with a massive fortune at his disposal, Skylax bribed the weaker puppet leaders in the League. For this service, Skylax prayed to Kosmos to return his lost children and wife to him. It was a prayer that would go unanswered.
On military advancement,
Lokris will be won the easy way - with bribes. Their leader is a weakling with a taste for gold and wine. Redblood S. committed both to keep the nation under Spartan rule until our plans change.
The gracious leader of the abantis Islands, Skylax, donated his personal fortune and a fine collection of wine to our war efforts here in Lokris. Today, and for every day forward, we pledge our allegiance to Lokris as our sister nation.
(Obtained in )
Get the fuck off my streets.
One did not need to see the Monger in the streets of Korinth to feel him there. His brutes had taken over. The city, once the richest and most prosperous port in all the Greek world, now wallowed in corruption. The Cult would use this thug, with a small mind and a firm grip, to do their bidding.
B.,
Your whimpering at the hands of the brutish Redblood M. was echoing in all corners of our shrine... Save that pain. Remember it. Let it fester. In my lands, rebellion brews. I want you fighting by my side one day, making any who rebel against me feel the pain you felt. Or worse. When we finnaly move on our plans in Athens, none will stand against us. The democracy will die, and I will rule again.
Glory to the League.
P.
You don’t understand. This isn’t just about fire and wheat. This is personal.
This war made nations wealthy overnight, including Arkadia. Its grain fields kept Sparta's armies fed, making it a ripe target for the Cult. But Lagos, Arkadia's benevolent figurehead, was no ordinary Cultist. He longed for a world of peace in which he could raise his family... until his family disappeared from his home. He became a puppet leader, hoping obedience would return them to him safely.
CLUEDESC
In the Cult's secret gathering, a rebellious Cultist faced an ultimatum: fall in line, or his family would suffer. Kassandra knew this information could be used against him or against the Cult.
(Obtained in the Temple of Kosmos)
Extend to me your olive branch, and I will take the grove.
Kallias grew to be a formidable Olympic champion, and from then, his victories became legendary. All in Olympia who knew him, loved him. None would have suspected he'd tamper with the Olympic results. No one but the Cult.
This declaration hereby recognizes these great champions as true servants of the gods in Olympia:
Epainetos, Horse Master, racing in the name of Poseidon
Kallias, Master Grappler, fighting in the name of Kosmos
Hippokratides, Master of Javelins, throwing in the name of Hermes
From a merchant, Kassandra learned an intriguing detail - Kallias, the hidden Cultist manipulating the Olympic games, had barricaded himself in a fort east of the Olympia sanctuary.
(Obtained in Sanctuary of Olympia)
We will destroy your statues. We will burn down your temples if that's what it takes to rid the world of rodents like you.
For ages, Silanos searched out the origins of the bloodline, until he found it - Myrrine was ruling Naxos. As a gift for his discovery, the Cult "disposed" of the leader of Paros, Naxos's sister island, and gifted it to Silanos. To avoid suspicion, Silanos posed as an Athenian polemarch, plotting his next move: one day, he'd have Myrrine's island, and her head.
Myrrine, the bold leader of Naxos island, was a marked target. The Cult's guards were involved in the plot, meaning a Cultist was behind it all. They were carrying pouches heavy with Paros coins that directly point toward Silanos, a rival oligarch of Paros.
Ares has chosen me to lead the Spartans to glory. There can only be one.
The Cultist King of Sparta had infiltrated the highest position in the Peloponnese, and from that position the Cult sank these lands into war. Not since the Persian invasion had such suffering been felt, and yet the people loved him for it. This was his true power: with the Cult's support, he could send troops marching to Athens's walls, painting the world red, and the people would sing his praise.
Redblood,
The king has sent Brasidas to Korinthia. He has been a thorn in our side long enough. Send him back to Sparta on his shield.
The true blood runs red.
P.
With Aspasia's aid, Kassandra decoded a scroll revealing the impossible: one of Sparta's two kings was a Cultist.
(Obtained in )
Upon Skylax's breastplate was a mark of Peloponnesian royalty. This Cultist's Sage was clearly a man of great wealth.
(Obtained by killing Skylax)
Stentor,
Your work in Megaris has not gone unseen. For your final task, bring us victory in Boeotia - a task even the Wolf himself could not achieve. Then you will have earned your place among us as a Redblood. You are close. Do not waver.
The true blood runs red.
P.
(Obtained by defeating Stentor)
Redblood,
The Olympic truce is hanging by a thread in these tormented times. We need to sever that thread. Now is the time to appear strong. Even within our own ranks, only strength commands fear. And only fear brings respect. I'm giving you this opportunity. Don't make me look weak for trusting you.
The true blood runs red.
(Obtained by killing Kallias)
I spent twenty years at sea only to realize the Cult was my home.
After Asterion lost his parents to the Persian invasion, his wife to a tempest, his children, his friends, his shipmates... he no longer sailed for a love of the sea, but a desire to avenge their deaths. But how many dead were left to float in Asterion's wake? Hundreds? Thousands? And when would those dead rise up, avenge themselves, and pull him down to sleep with those he loved?
I have all the gods-forsaken ships I can handle. I need captains! We're setting off to the south seas of Argos. Send me your best, your sons, your daughters! The seas are calming, and the storm that follows will be brought by us. The world will hear our names and witness a new era of naval dominance. The days of the Hounds are upon us.
We are the waves.
Asterion
(Obtained in The Serpent's Lair)
I have sailed past the Sirens and into the mouth of Poseidon himself. The waves bow to me in fear!
Youthful and brash, Sokos was a remarkable young man. He commanded respect. Yet the self-proclaimed Protector of the Obsidian Islands sailed for one reason alone—to earn glory in the eyes of Kosmos. Any who stood in the way of the Cult's ambitions found themselves in Sokos's wake, sinking to the bottom of the sea.
Asterion,
The Sage sailed ashore to see my ship. He was impressed. It's been rebuilt. Stronger. Faster. Even Poseidon is less deadly than I. We disembark from Melos tomorrow. What I long for is battle, a chance to crack open the hulls of my enemies. What I need is a reason... someone to make an example of.
We are the waves.
Sokos
(Obtained by killing Asterion)
By facing Sokos in the battle, Kassandra revealed his true identity. Sokos is a Cultist and a captain bringing terror to the seas around the Obsidian Islands.
(Obtained by participating in a naval battle for the Obsidian Islands)
The stories will tell of how I killed Poseidon with his own trident and threw his fucking head to the sharks!
All that was known of her was myth. Sailors told the tale of a captain killed by Erinyes and resurrected as an apparition known only as The Octopus. She commanded the elite guard of the Cult with a heavy hand and a mighty devotion.
Captain,
Our young Sage demands we find Swordfish. Word is you're enjoying the carnage you've caused on the Obsidian Islands. So leave this manhunt to me. I heard he set sail south—maybe near Anaphi. That's were I'm headed.
We are the fucking waves.
The Octopus
(Obtained by killing Sokos)
I will be a son to Kosmos. And the Cult will be my family.
Young men of any nation were united in one way: they were driven by two goals. The first, to outlive their fathers. The second, to surpass them. Melanthos sought to achieve these goals at any cost, even if it meant sacrificing his own life for Kosmos. Of course, his preference was to sacrifice the lives of others.
Octopus,
My father's sending ships to join you in Anaphi—no reinforcements will reach Pephka. You have my word. My father has only one request… an answer to a question. Our Sage was last seen sailing west, and sailing alone. If anyone understands him, you do. Where is he going? And why?
We are the waves.
M.
(Obtained by killing the Octopus)
Pater,
We sunk a small fleet last night. Fire, blood in the water, glory. Then I saw it—fear and awe in my sailors' eyes. They are actually afraid of me. I finally understand, pater. Fear is control. You were right. One day, I will be the leader Messara, and the Messarans will know true fear. But first, I'm sailing west. We have enemies in these waters, and I intend to give you a gift... their heads.
Melanthos
(Obtained by killing the leader of Messara)
The Greek world bows to us. We are the new gods.
The Cult demanded many things, but mostly it demanded secrecy. To hide its deeds away, The Mytilenian Shark went to any length. Lucky for him that a great many things—weapons, writings, even the bodies of enemies—could be erased from history by hiding them at the bottom of the sea.
Melanthos,
I sank the Shark's Head. She was a good ship. Now she's in the sea's belly north of Thera, crashed into a sunken ruin as the Sage ordered. Never did say why these structures needed to be destroyed. He's fiery, and likes his secrets. But you, you have the blood of a true leader. If you want the job of the Many-Headed Master, I'll sail under your banner.
We are the waves.
MS.
(Obtained by killing Melathos)
Kassandra uncovered a Clue in the wreckage of a sunken ship named the Shark's Head. Someone named the Mytilenian Shark was its captain. There was something more—a crest of a yellow-eyed snarling beast, the symbol of the Southern Sporades. Kassandra knew this is where she'd find her target.
(Obtained by investigating Palace of Amphitrite)
Those that do not fear Kosmos can learn to breathe beneath the waves.
Hydra the Many-Headed caught the eye of Kosmos through sheer viciousness. Recruited to be a simple ship's captain, the young Hydra instead took command, slaughtering and sinking any who opposed. He united the Cult's fleets and its so-called "gods" of the Aegean, until those sailors who knew them knew to fear them more than Poseidon's wrathful tempests. This fear was Hydra's gift to Kosmos.
Asterion,
The Sage sailed ashore to see my ship. He was impressed. It's been rebuilt. Stronger. Faster. Even Poseidon is less deadly than I. We disembark from Melos tomorrow. What I long for is battle, a chance to crack open the hulls of my enemies. What I need is a reason... someone to make an example of.
We are the waves.
Sokos
(Obtained by killing Asterion)
Captain,
Our young Sage demands we find Swordfish. Word is you're enjoying the carnage you've caused on the Obsidian Islands. So leave this manhunt to me. I heard he set sail south—maybe near Anaphi. That's were I'm headed.
We are the fucking waves.
The Octopus
(Obtained by killing Sokos)
Octopus,
My father's sending ships to join you in Anaphi—no reinforcements will reach Pephka. You have my word. My father has only one request… an answer to a question. Our Sage was last seen sailing west, and sailing alone. If anyone understands him, you do. Where is he going? And why?
We are the waves.
M.
(Obtained by killing the Octopus)
Melanthos,
I sank the Shark's Head. She was a good ship. Now she's in the sea's belly north of Thera, crashed into a sunken ruin as the Sage ordered. Never did say why these structures needed to be destroyed. He's fiery, and likes his secrets. But you, you have the blood of a true leader. If you want the job of the Many-Headed Master, I'll sail under your banner.
We are the waves.
MS.
(Obtained by killing Melanthos)
Shark,
The southern Sporades are yours. I'm sailing to the waters south of Messenia. Anyone who follows me will be sunk.
You are the waves now.
H.
(Obtained by killing the Mytilenian Shark)
Hush, my child. May Hera bless our sacred family.
In Chrysis's bedchamber was written "Hera's abomination." Although thought to be the writing of an angry worshipper, some say Chrysis wrote it herself, as a reminder of her role in serving Kosmos. She spent a lifetime abducting children, and raising them to be servants of the horrid Cult. A part of her did love those children once, though that part died long ago.
Kassandra came to learn that Deimos, her sibling, was saved from Mount Taygetos that fateful night, only to then fall into the hands of the Cult. But who is controlling whom? The answers would reveal themselves in time.
Do you trust the face you see in your reflection? I don't.
There was a certain seductive demeanor to Diona of Kythera. She was admired by all, or so the people said. And yet, something dark hid behind her inviting eyes and coy grin. With careful plotting, allies turned into enemies, and calm into chaos, if it suited the Cult's whims.
Worshipper H.
May the Chosen Blood guide you. The whispers say you are following the trail of the other child of the bloodline. Draw the bloodline to us. Come to Kythera - The Sage J. has been gone so long, and my gentle students yearn for a cruel hand. No hand is as cruel as yours. Worshipper Z., after she fed a priest to her wolves, was driven from Phokis. I cleansed her of her stains, and I can do the same for you.
Blood will last.
D.
I will follow Deimos to the Underworld, and bring my hordes with us.
In those dark days, none were safe from Kosmos's reach, even other cults. The Followers of Ares had become intoxicated by Harpalos's passionate preaching. He promised them blood and flesh to eat. In return, they would be his army of monsters.
Worshipper,
Hera guide your hand in gathering your devoted. Hiding in the tombs was a group of Followers of Ares. Their passion burns me. Their love is a crushing embrace. I am to them as the Chosen One is to me. I will bring my new Followers to be blessed by Worshipper D. before returning home to cleanse the lands of filth. The Seer will be pleased.
Blood will last.
H.
Master Harpalos,
Glory to you and death to your enemies under the great Ares, the Bloodstained, the Destroyer, the Stormer of Cities. Your words in the ruins touched our hearts, as if He Who Rallies Men was speaking to us through your mortal flesh. We will heed your call and head to the island of Keos, to the cave under the reclining lion. Pirates or not, blood is blood on the altar of Ares.
(Obtained in )
We rule with chaos and destroy those who oppose us.
What was known of Zoisme the Mad was only legend, told among the peasants and drunkards of Phokis. One went that she tied priests who opposed her to trees, then left them to be fed upon by her wolves. Another said that she slept in the dens of bears, emerging only to snatch pilgrims to the Oracle for supper. All these were sacrifices to Kosmos, whose appetite for flesh was never sated.
Worshipper H.
The others are gathering up like a storm. Here, in Phokis! Down the throat of Kosmos they go, hoods and cloaks, into his belly to pray. I watch them gather from my den. Want to feed them to my wolves. Every one of them. If any understand the desire for flesh, it is you. We are the same in that way.
Blood will last.
Worshipper Z.
Oh Kosmos, Lord of Lords, the blood will last. I will find the Great White Bear, the beast in the caves of Malis, so that I might be closer to you. I might hear your wailing from its gaping maw. I might feed the impious to your bloody teeth. I might hear them scream and beg. Show them no mercy, Great Suffering Lord. Show them the pain they show us.
And blood will last.
Zoisme
(Obtained in Wolf Den, Phokis)
The Cult has existed for decades and will exist for centuries more.
The Cultists' many goals allowed some to hide their true motivations. So it was with Melite, the cunning young Cultist who called no one place home. His teams of servants scoured the earth in search of the origins of Deimos's bloodline. That much was known. What he hid was that he intended to find the source and use it to harness the powers of the gods themselves.
Worshipper,
On The Sage's orders, I've arrived in Pephka. I am close. The ruins are here. I can feel their dark secrets singing to me... Imagine, the bloodline may have originated here. Soon, I will know for certain. By the time you read this, my temple, my old life, will be discovered. Only you can know the truth - I killed them. Every worshipper under me. They were of no use now.
Forever, blood will last.
In Pephka, Kassandra came to know that the Cultist named Melite resided in a villa in Kydonia.
(Obtained in )
The Cult of Kosmos will burn the old world to ashes and build anew.
Iokaste the Seer, the Gods' Breath, the Mystic Sage, held the world by its heart. It was Iokaste who fed the Oracle of Delphi her lies to tell. It was Iokaste who instructed Chrysis to abduct Deimos and raise the child as her own. Iokaste perverted every prayer, every religious rite, turning every act of worship into an offering for Kosmos.
Worshipper,
Hera guide your hand in gathering your devoted. Hiding in the tombs was a group of Followers of Ares. Their passion burns me. Their love is a crushing embrace. I am to them as the Chosen One is to me. I will bring my new Followers to be blessed by Worshipper D. before returning home to cleanse the lands of filth. The Seer will be pleased.
Blood will last.
H.
Upon Zoisme's mask were engraved strange symbols of worship. Whatever foul god they invoked did not protect her from death.
(Obtained by killing Zoisme)
Worshipper H.
May the Chosen Blood guide you. The whispers say you are following the trail of the other child of the bloodline. Draw the bloodline to us. Come to Kythera - The Sage J. has been gone so long, and my gentle students yearn for a cruel hand. No hand is as cruel as yours. Worshipper Z., after she fed a priest to her wolves, was driven from Phokis. I cleansed her of her stains, and I can do the same for you.
Blood will last.
D.
(Obtained by killing Harpalos)
Worshipper,
On The Sage's orders, I've arrived in Pephka. I am close. The ruins are here. I can feel their dark secrets singing to me... Imagine, the bloodline may have originated here. Soon, I will know for certain. By the time you read this, my temple, my old life, will be discovered. Only you can know the truth - I killed them. Every worshipper under me. They were of no use now.
Forever, blood will last.
(Obtained by killing Diona)
Melite,
I demanded obedience, and you answered. The way you slaughtered those in the temple... I see myself in you. Few understand there is no sacred blood other than the Chosen Blood. Continue down this path, Worshipper, and you may one day replace me. With your sacrifice complete, we can now perform the ritual in Chios.
Blood will last.
I.
(Obtained by killing Melite)
The fight is only over when I'm the last man left standing.
Brutal, brutish, horrible - these were the kindest words ever used to describe Okytos the Great. The truth was that he was much, much worse. How fitting, then, that he was tasked with training young mercenaries to become guards and soldiers for Kosmos. Those who did not meet his standards in baseness made fine sacrifices instead.
Fledglings learning good. Cracked heads like eggs in battle last night. Head guts and blood spewed out. Was a pretty sight. The trick is to start with the eyes - stick your thumbs in slow. Feel your knuckles. After that, it's easy. Got us in a temple to Poseidon in Cape Sounion. Come for a visit to see the training. Bring heads.
When all fall, we stand.
Okytos
You can find drachmae anywhere if you look hard enough. All it takes is a little persuasion.
A tale goes that the one known as Swordfish drank wine from the same cup, the hollowed out skull of his first sacrifice to Kosmos… the skull of his father. But time wore on the man as time wears on us all. After a life of malice, he sought to free himself of the Cult. He refused to meet them in Delphi, and never bowed to the one known as Deimos. Old habits, however dark, would prove hard to break.
Servants of Mighty Kosmos,
We once cried out for heroes of chaos. I answered the cry. How quickly you've all forgotten. And now, this is what it's come to. One came for my head on his way to Melos. Didn't get it, praise Kosmos. Send this new mystery warrior "Deimos" to Messara if you must. I won't be stopped. Kosmos will protect me.
When all fall, we stand.
S.
Chaos is our greatest strength.
Sailing toward the shores of Pephka, screams could be heard. Softly at first, then louder. Then deafening. These were the sounds of men and women gasping for their last breaths in the fighting pits, before the Beast snuffed them out. His endless training in the name of Kosmos rendered him bored, but he couldn't know that a real challenger would soon meet him there and finish his reign as champion.
I am the Beast of Sparta, not some common dog! I demand challenge. Years of training in the shit fighting pits, killing weakling after weakling... Pephka already trembles when I enter the Arena. I want to taste the blood of a god as they die under my foot. My time has come. The trap for the other child of the bloodline is set. I have dreamed of the day I would face them in battle.
When all fall, we stand.
Belos
One half without the other is nothing at all. I have nothing left to lose.
In their time, the Champions of Boeotia inspired people across the nation. Songs were sung in their name. Now, the Champions were abominations who frightened and terrorized any who opposed them - even Boeotia's own people. At the center of that terror stood Deianeira, the fiercest fighter Kosmos had ever known. So long as she fought, Boeotia would stand.
Okytos,
Where did you find this idiot? The leader of Boeotia is a coward. I'm a fighter, not a doll. I'm here to battle. To kill. To fuck. A good life, a good death, and nothing more. Time to break out my baby - got a mace just like our Sage. Not as good at breaking heads, but sure does make them squirm.
When all fall, we stand.
D.
You weakling. You coward. I was born a Champion of Boeotia. I don't need to prove it by dressing up like one. I don't parade through the streets. I don't wear feather hats. I kill. That's all I do. And if you send me another piece of armor to wear that makes me look like an idiot, the next person I kill is you.
Deianeira
(Obtained in )
Empty words are best left unsaid.
Pallas served the Cult only to feed his lust for carnage. They called him the Silencer as a heinous joke - on the battlefield he brought cries of pain, of fear, of madness, of death. And when the battle was won, only Pallas's guttural laughter could be heard.
My troops need fresh meat! We need more after some defected. Malákes cowards all of them. Stole some supplies and set off in the night. They were overheard saying they're going to Korinthia to sell the goods on the black market.
When all fall, we stand.
P.
This flag was white. Now it is stained with the blood of my brothers. My sons. I will fight for this "Kosmos" no more. Our hero, Pallas, is bloodthirsty. He doesn't fight for glory. He fights to cause pain. Someone stop him. Anyone. When he marches on Achaia, someone stand against him. I've tried. I failed...
(Obtained in )
Past, present and future. Kneel to the Cultists of Kosmos.
Exekias the Legend fought under no one's banner, and so was able to go where no soldier or hero could. This afforded the Cult great flexibility: where there was struggle against their will, Exekias would appear, as if by coincidence. He drank and celebrated and sang songs with those who opposed Kosmos's will. And then, when the celebration settled, those people were never seen again.
Okytos,
Where did you find this idiot? The leader of Boeotia is a coward. I'm a fighter, not a doll. I'm here to battle. To kill. To fuck. A good life, a good death, and nothing more. Time to break out my baby - got a mace just like our Sage. Not as good at breaking heads, but sure does make them squirm.
When all fall, we stand.
D.
You claim you're ready for a real challenge in the pits. You call yourself Belos the fucking "Beast"?! Fight like it! I'm sending a few of my favorite warriors your way. They'll show you what a real beast is. I beat them. Can you?
Your Sage
(Obtained by killing Belos)
The Legend forgets his greatest heroes. He has forgotten me. But soon, he will remember. My bandits have overrun Messara. Soon, the world will be ours. We will build a new temple for Kosmos. A pure temple. And if the Sage opposes me, they will be sacrifices on my altar. Glory to Kosmos. Glory to me.
(Obtained by killing the Swordfish)
The Cultsit Deianeira had roughly etched the image of a typhoon inside her legplate. Perhaps a tribute to something she respected… or perhaps an image of her next victim.
(Obtained by killing Deianeira)
Pallas,
I will not join you in battle. I've been hired by both the Spartans and Athenians who are facing off in the south, so that's where I sail. You will hold Achaia alone, or you will die trying. This is our oath to Kosmos.
When all fall, we stand.
Your Sage
(Obtained by killing Pallas)
The Cult is nothing without me. Even the gods cower in my wake. Kneel or die.
A god. A warrior. A hero for Kosmos. This was the image Deimos conveyed. Yet, behind the heroism was an aching pain from a lifetime of suffering. Flung from the cliffs of Mount Taygetos, raised and tortured by the Cult, forced to fight or die, the humanity in Deimos had died long ago. What remained was a weapon. A glorious, deadly weapon that even the Cult could not control.
In the depths of that strange gathering on that strange night, Kassandra was confronted by her lost brother. Now known only as "Deimos," the boy had grown into a man... a terrible, violent man.
You've seen it yourself, the future belongs to us now. Old gods and new be praised.
Aspasia, daughter of the mighty Axiochos of Miletos, came to wealth and power in the most unlikely of ways: by falling in love. But even having dominion over Perikles and the hearts and minds of all Athenians would not be enough. Her ambition demanded more. To know all. To rule all. Anything less would not be good enough.
The other child of the bloodline has returned from the dead. Go to them and do as we've shown you. Bring them pain but never death; death of the bloodline is for Kosmos to give, and no one else. You will be manipulated. You will be tempted. Do not waver. Truth is weakness. Love is pain. Only in Kosmos can you find true glory and true peace.
You have set fire to the waves, as Kosmos commanded, but soon peace will come. When it does, you must rise above your wayward ambition to be controller of the seas. Imagine the world Kosmos has shown me: None shall sail without sailing under you. You will own the seas, and I the land, as king and queen, ruling over the entire world.
(Obtained by killing the Hydra)
One day soon, Kosmos will demand this war's end. When that day comes, you shall be victor. I have gifted you Perikles. I have given you Athens. For these gifts, I ask only one thing in return - unite the Greek cities under one banner - mine - and raze all those who oppose you to the ground. To prove your worth, start with Mytilene. If you can convince the people of your city to massacre the Mytilenians, Kosmos will grant you infinite power.
(Obtained by killing Kleon)
One day soon, Kosmos will demand this war's end. When that day comes, you shall be victor. I have gifted you Megaris, Arkadia, and will gift you Boeotia. Soon, I will gift you Archidamos - the other child of the bloodline will believe him to be the Cultist King and tear him down. Let it happen. Enjoy the show. For these gifts, I ask only one thing in return - unite the Greek cities under one banner - mine - and raze all those who oppose you to the ground.
(Obtained by killing Pausanias)
You and your heroes have been shackled to this dying war for too long. Soon Kosmos will bring us peace, and when he does, that peace will need enforcement. You will be the enforcer. The Sage Worshipper will be my spirit. The Sage Eye my sight. But you, you shall be my hand. Those who oppose my will, the will of Kosmos manifest, will be yours to punish. Take revenge for all you've suffered during these violent times.
(Obtained by killing Exekias)
Of all servants to Kosmos, none so wants the war to rage on as you. So let this be a warning: peace will be mine. This world will fall under one rule. If you stand opposed to me, you will be the first of many sacrifices I burn in Kosmos's honor. I will never earn your respect, so I will instead demand your submission. In the name of Kosmos.
(Obtained by killing Polemon)
This is a time of change, of death and rebirth, a time of genesis. All Kosmos has planned has lead to this moment. The people will need you in our new world. Answer their prayers. Guide them to Kosmos. In the coming times, their faith will enslave them, and you, Iokaste, will be their slaver.
(Obtained by killing Iokaste)
A great rift is dividing the people of Athens. Soon that rift must be healed. The world will fall under one rule - ours. Your many eyes must look within those city walls and snuff out those who would seek to oppose our rule. Let Athens be an example for the world. Share nothing you see with the Cult. What your eyes see, what your ears here, is for me alone to know. Kosmos does not just command it, he demands it.
(Obtained by killing Nyx)
Men are useful weapons in the hands of the right woman.
Akantha liked men. They were useful and tragically easy to manipulate. As the faithful wife of Makedonia's Leader, she was almost untouchable. Her husband was the perfect cover behind which to weave a web of death and manipulation. Akantha's position gave her immunity to hunt down Tainted Ones, and that, to the Huntsman, made her very useful.
My dear wife,
Everything you requested has been provided. Guards for your shipment and parties here in Olynthos Fortress are all prepared.
Akantha, don't concern yourself with the rumors. You know I don't believe them. They are bitter lies from jealous rivals. Your faithfulness is beyond question. You know as leader of Makedonia I have also been the target of slander at times. I have officers investigating. They will find those responsible and deal with them.
In the meantime, trust in the protection I've provided.
I remain,
Your devoted husband
Anyone can kill. It takes intelligence and empathy to maim.
Bubares always had a gift for discovering the weaknesses in others. What could have been a curiosity, he turned into a career and then, through the Order, into a calling. The Huntsman saw his talent and gave him power to recruit the likeminded. With it all came a singular purpose: finding the Tainted Ones, discovering their weakness, and using it all against them.
Kassandra learns that the Order is recruiting locals from Makedonia to hunt down the legendary Eagle Bearer.
The Order of Ancients' recruiter was revealed at a secret late-night meeting on a remote Makedonian farm. His name is Bubares, a silver-tongued emissary from Persia.
(Attend the meeting)
I'm but a small tool in the hands of the gods. But sometimes that's what they need.
No one noticed Echion. He was in all ways unexceptional. Then the Huntsman offered him a way to server an exceptional cause — help him find the Tainted Ones. Suddenly Echion's weakness became his power. People still didn't notice Echion, but now he noticed everything...
Darius noticed an Ancient that has been observing people throughout Makedonia. He was last seen at the Triple Peninsula of the Chalkidike.
How long has it been since we came here? I've watched endlessly and seen nothing. But now, finally, the one we seek is here! The "Eagle Bearer." She thinks she's hunting us! The arrogance.
I've sent word to the Huntsman, and he will soon make prey of this Eagle Bearer. Until then, as always, I will watch.
The Order is my light.
(Talk to the Blacksmith's assistent.)
Everyone's got a plan... until the first bone breaks.
The Huntsman had the plan, and Ares the god of war had the means to achieve it. Konon understood the balance. It was his faith that determined his choice of weapon. A sword would have been deadlier, but his blunt polearm did more damage. The deaths were harder. That pleased Konon and, he thought, probably Ares as well.
Keeper,
Do not be afraid of the Tainted Ones, but be happy that in them we see our purpose. Their strength is near unmatched—to defeat them I need power. I go now to the northern shrine to petition Ares for strength. Tell the Huntsman I will no longer rely upon the fickleness of beasts. The god of war himself will aid me. I will bring the Eagle Bearer to the ground, and when it is done, return to my wife.
...I do so miss her scent.
–The Fighter
(Obtained by killing Phratagounè)
Men make swords and spears, but teeth and claws are fashioned by the gods.
Phratagounè preferred her animals to people. Animals didn't lie, they were loyal, and they didn't kill without reason. The trick was to give them a reason. That was Phratagounè's gift, and why the Huntsman put his animals in her care. He knew she would teach them loyalty, and that loyalty would teach them to trust him when he sent them to kill the Tainted Ones.
Ancients are never easy to uncover. Deceit is their weapon, the shadows their home. They're prepared. They cover their tracks. ...But they cannot hide from me.
I've found leads to one of them, a woman who's a close follower of the Huntsman. She's been entrusted with the care of his beasts. That's the good news.
The bad news?
She's learned how to tame local bears.
–Darius
Medicine can be tonic or poison. The only difference is the intent of the physician.
Few understood that the physician's art lent itself as naturally to talking lives as it did to saving them. Timosa, however, did understand. The Huntsman gave her the opportunity to use her art to reshape the world and wash it clean of the Tainted Ones. He showed her it wasn't the lives she saved that mattered, but the ones she didn't.
Notes discovered by Natakas imply the Order could be involved with the plague at Potidaia.
Huntsman,
Our trap is set. The Eagle Bearer—ever believing herself a hero—will be lured to the screams of the poisoned village.
I will ensure the villagers' surffering is not in vain—they sacrifice so that we may rid the world of a greater threat, a Tainted One.
By the time you read this, I will have completed my plan, and the Eagle Bearer will be dead. I'm leaving this note with your soldiers and continuing west. I've made arrangements with local bandits that will ensure my safe passage out of Makedonia.
The Ancients guide us.
–Timosa
(Found in Aristeas Military Camp)
After the first blow against his temple, he barely heard the roar and the screams. When consciousness returned, Pactyas opened his eyes to see a huge grey wolf over the last of his attackers, licking gore where once there had been a throat. Nature preserved Pactyas, chose him to be the Huntsman. So he became nature's defender. And few things offended nature more than the Tainted Ones.
They speak of a secret Persian organization known as the Order of the Ancients. Members of the Order in Makedonia are tasked with hunting down Tainted Ones with exceptional abilities, like Kassandra.
I expect good news about our recruitment. Report to me at the lake.
–The Huntsman
(Obtained by killing Bubares)
My wolves howl, my boars snarl, and my crows conspire—all for the blood of the Tainted One. You will bring them to me... as expected.
–The Huntsman
(Complete Mysterious Malady)
Come, Tainted One. Come to the forests north of Makedonia. Come to me.
Come, or we will burn every blade of grass, every village. Come, or Makedonia bleeds.
–The Huntsman
(Complete Whimpers Through the Fog)
The Magi, known as Pactyas, once worked alongside Darius back in Persia.
(Obtained by killing the Huntsman)
What we cannot win openly, we'll seize secretly.
Democracy made the Greek world weak, delivered it into the hands of charismatic fools who ruled the mob with gilded words, no matter how stupid the cause. So Augos fought back, striking from the shadows. But one blade would never be enough against the tide of mediocrity. Then she found the Order, or it found her - it was a sublime melding of purpose.
Nestor,
Your shipwrecks cover the coast. I see why the Tempest spoke so highly of you.
I know you are loathe to set foot on land, but the time approaches when we must turn our attention to strategy and the Eagle Bearer.
Find me in Pellene when you are done having your fun.
–Augos
Sophists and schemers... all of them bow to the sword.
Megakreon despised talkers. He'd watched the Greek world consume itself with empty prattle, falling into endless debate and war. When an argumentative noble threw an arrogant final challenge at him, Megakreon answered with his sword. There had been no more debate after that. His superiors hadn't understood, and banished him. But the Tempest understood, and welcomed him into the Order.
Unbreakable,
I agree your orders not to engage the Eagle Bearer are difficult, but I'm sure no one doubts your ability. You are the Right Hand, after all. Of course you must obey, yet who can foresee all the outcomes? If you were, for argument's sake, forced into an early confrontation with the Eagle Bearer, you wouldn't be to blame. And once you delivered the Eagle Bearer's head, not even the Tempest would fault you.
–The Broker
(Obtained by killing Sophos)
The oceans are as wide as the world, but I've yet to find my equal upon them.
Wind stinging his face and salt white on his beard, Nestor shouted his jubilation into the storm. Another vanquished opponent tipped and sank beneath the dark Aegean waves. Nestor had burned his youth marauding across the oceans of Greece. But with each victory he had felt less. Then the Tempest spoke to him of the glory of Greek warships, and the Order's plans. He was perhaps their easiest convert.
Broker,
I've got a gift for you. I recently scuttled another fleet on the rocks near our cove, this one fat and juicy. We salvaged a lot, and I'm sending three ships of unspoiled wood and fittings for your shipyard. Use them. The blockade has increased traffic past our cove threefold. Do not forget the Eagle Bearer. The Tempest is serious about this one.
–The Formidable
What is life if you can't have the best and be the best? I wouldn't know.
Drachmae was power. To Sophos that truth was as obvious as the sun. The rich ruled, not emperors. Kings and paupers were all equally held to drachmae's necessity. The Order understood this, which is why the Tempest had come to him. She saw his wealth, and his gift for acquiring it. Sophos knew the Order was using him. What he thought they didn't know, was that he was using them.
A suspicious shipping manifest signed by someone named Sophos, a shipbuilder in Patrai. It looks to be a copy, marked by a blurred stamp resembling that of the Order of the Ancients.
This world belongs to the great and those who do great things.
All Phila wanted was for people to get out of her way. It wasn't their fault they were slower and weaker. She didn't blame them. But if they impeded her, their inadequacy became her problem. And that wouldn't end well for anyone.
Kleta told of someone named the Tempest who commands the Order of the Ancients in Achaia.
Interrogating a stalker reveals the Tempest has blockaded Achaia and is researching a potent new naval weapon, all in order to hunt and kill the Eagle Bearer.
(Catch the stalker)
Unbreakable,
We're falling behind on our timeline for the weapon. This can't happen. Go to the Achaia Shipyard and get us back on schedule. I'm holding you personally accountable for a timely completion of the Chimera's Breath. I know I can trust you to motivate the workers.
–T
(Obtained by killing Megakreon)
The Tempest is seen at the helm of one of the most fearsome warships in all of the Greek world, the Skylla.
(Talk to Kleta after dealing with the Persian guards)
Kleta tells Kassandra the Tempest is her runaway daughter, Phila. Kassandra learns Phila is actually a Tainted One, like her.
(Sink the Skylla)
The Order works to bring order. I clean the mess that follows.
Subversion could be messy. Whenever there were problems - and there were always problems - Artazostre was Amorges's solution. She fixed things, restoring order when the Order created chaos. She would never use those words out loud of course, but they often brought a secret smile to her face as she removed yet another inconvenient corpse or awkward piece of evidence.
The Order of Ancients employs a woman who specializes in cleaning up after them. She is rumored to frequent an obscure camp in Messenia to dispose of any evidence, including bodies.
Captain,
You've done well enforcing the Order's will among the soldiers of Messenia. I travel with them regularly and hear their talk. But you've been too loose with Persia's secrets. Your indiscretions caused significant trouble, and news of it has reached Amorges. His judgement is severe.
The Silence comes for you, Captain. I advise you to put your affairs in order.
–Artazostre
(Found on a cadaver in Kaedas Cave)
Just one conversation and I'll not only discover what's most important to someone, but how to destroy it.
The irony wasn't lost on Dimokrates - he relished it. He knew the truths by which nations were upheld, armies conquered, and kings ruled. They had become his most powerful weapons in serving the Order. With them he had destabilized governments, split families, and nurtured rebellions. The irony so delicious to Dimokrates was what the truths were... Secrets and lies.
Darius discovered there was an Order of the Ancients Member in Messenia who was skilled in the diplomatic manipulation and subversion of entire nations. The Ancient was no doubt instrumental in Amorges' plans for the Greek world.
Dimokrates the Destroyer was revealed during a meeting between the Cult of Kosmos and the Order of the Ancients in Messenia.
(Eavesdrop on the meeting between the Cult of Kosmos and the Order of the Ancients.)
The things that we think define us are the lies that enslave us.
Gaspar was born a slave, like so many before her. The First Civ had made humanity to serve them, but they weren't gods and weren't infallible. They'd mistakenly made humans tooo much like themselves. Gender, race, nation - studying the First Civ taught Gaspar all distinctions were meaningless. She knew that like her makers, she was destined to surpass them all.
Good Magi,
Amorges was right. The Gate has been found. I agree the time has come to purge the Cult from the Greek world. If you have need of my blade, you have only to say it.
I will continue exploring for signs of Those Who Came Before. I am currently seeking counsel from the wild men of Mesenia. I will meet them soon in the western wetlands.
They are fierce, equipped with ancient knowledge hidden in their fables and superstitions. Don't worry—I make speedy friends, do I not?
–Gaspar
Followers,
The visions heave revealed to me strange wayfarers from the east. They seek to barter for our ancient knowledge. It is as the signs foretold!
Send them to me. I await in the northeastern valleys.
(Found on a cadaver in the wetlands.)
When Amorges needed a trusted enforcer, he chose two. The Immortals were twin brothers so potent and similar in combat that many thought them one - a single, unbeatable warrior who could be in two places at once. Seemingly untouchable, wordless, and always masked, they became a fearful legend.
Everything has a place and a proper order. It is a universal principal sic none can violate.
Pithias saw the man's battered mouth, his teeth uneven after the torturer's blows. As Amorges's foremost planner, he valued balance and order above all things. That he'd wandered into the wrong room wasn't important. That the man screamed when Pithias calmly took up a metal chisel and removed more teeth was similarly irrelevant. All that mattered was that the teeth were now even.
Artazostre,
One of your Order approached Pedasos today to leave a message for you. It took every ounce of my will not to riddle the mewling fool with arrows.
You're a great hunter, and you are ever welcome to walk among us. But I will never understand why you associate with such spineless cretins.
Come claim your letter. I do not want to touch it. It reeks of the city.
Esteemed Associate,
I have sent the items you requested for your “cleansing” of the witnesses in Achaia. Contrary to what you may think, my coffers are not bottomless. If it was my choice, I would never have trusted Phila. Tainted Ones cannot be relied on for anything but upsetting the balance of things. Still, I am sure Amorges had his reasons.
And for the final time, you must return to my office in Aipeia! I need to tally your expenses before the season's end.
–Pithias
(Found in Pedasos Camp)
The smallest doubt can destroy the greatest confidence. And we all have doubts.
The best victories were those won without fighting, and winning by persuasion was Gergis's gift. He could convince people to act against their own interests and think it was their idea. Amorges recognized his talent, bringing him into the Order as Persia's most respected diptlomat. After years of watching his beloved country strangled by thoughtless policy, Gergis was easy to convince.
D,
I can confirm from our records that the Persian Order encountered the Cult of Kosmos many generations ago. At the time it suited us to ally. We traded secrets and wealth for a foothold in Messenia, among other things. Times, however, have changed.
You are also correct in your suspicions about the Cult's recent activity. It's clear this war in the Greek world is their doing.
I wish you well in your dealings with them. If it was left to me, I would put them all to the sword.
–H
Commander,
I applaud your agreement to our various proposals for Sparta's military. Your concerns were understandable, but in this case needless. The Order wants Sparta to prosper. What's good for Sparta is good for the world.
–H
(Complete The Spartan Dog)
Commander,
As a member of the Order of the Ancients, you have a sacred duty. We must not allow any disruption to the helots' work in Messenia. The weapons they produce are crucial to our plans for the Greek world.
The few suffer so the many may have peace. This is the way of things. Close your heart and raise your fist.
Continue your good work, and your full induction into the upper ranks of the Order is assured.
–H
(Complete Command and Control)
Eagle Bearer. Tainted One.
You have cut your way at will through Messenia. This has not gone unnoticed. Soon the time will come for us to cross blades.
Before that moment I would like to speak plainly. There is much I want to know of the person behind the legend of the Eagle Bearer. I imagine there is also much you want to know of me.
Could I tempt you with a respectful exchange? Consider it for posterity, to humor an old man. Meet me at the graves in Aipeia.
–The Herald
(Complete The Trap Is Set)
The last of Amorges' lieutenants invited Kassandra to speak face to face. At the meeting he gave her his name freely—Gergis.
(Meet with the Last Magi)
For every soul that lives in peace, others had to die. It's the only way.
When Amorges stood against his friend Darius over the fate of Artaxerxes, he was fiercely certain. The first death he ordered, he was almost as sure. Then the next, and the next... The years since so stained by necessary death he no longer remembered it all. Now, at the end, certainty had abandoned him. Peace was maintained, perhaps, but Amorges was lost. And too weary to care.
Amorges had studied Kassandra and sent his best men to kill her. But all eventually fell against the might of the Eagle Bearer, the Tainted One. So Amorges turned to other means, and now Natakas was dead and Kassandra's child was in his grasp. Amorges knew Kassandra would hound him to the ends of the earth. He prepared for a reckoning.
The one known as the Poisoner was eventually stopped from killing Perikles's closest friends and from sending Athens into chaos. But the fear he seeded there would follow him into Tartaros itself, unless someone rose to stop him.
The Cyclops of Kephallonia never forgot who sent him to meet Hades. Deep in the bowels of the underworld, he plotted revenge, so that when he saw the Eagle Bearer again, he'd be ready.
Few Olympians could be considered abject failures in life and in death, but Testikles was one.
Mercifully, the gods saw fit to liberate Boeotia from their "champion," the sadistic warrior known as Deianeira, and her equally wicked cousin, Astra. Upon her tomb was etched: "If Boeotia has no use for her cruelty, perhaps Hades will."
Epiktetos gained something on the night of his death, or so he thought. As his blood, and thoughts, and fears, sprayed from his head onto the artifact of Kosmos, he believed he absorbed its power and the power of Deimos, thus becoming immortal.
Those who cling too tightly to the past doom their own futures. So it was with Swordfish, who in Life, as in death, believed glory came through brute cruelty alone. This made him the perfect servant to Those Who Came Before.
It was said of the Monger, before his time in Korinth came to its bloody end, that he ruled the streets with a small mind and a firm grip. In this way, he was like most rulers of his time, or of any time, and when he was sent to Tartaros, he knew he would be among friends. Or so he thought.
In the Trojan War, no warrior brought more glory than the great Achilles, and none fell so spectacularly. When Apollo guided Paris's arrow, the pair denied Achilles his glory, condemning him to the underworld. Perhaps by being a Guardian of the gates, he could finally redeem himself.
Legends present men favorably when we allow the men to write their own legends. So it was with King Agamemnon, who is remembered as gallant, but in life was little more than a thug with a good blade. This would prove to make him a great Guardian of the underworld's gate.
Held up for his strength, if not his intelligence, Herakles was the most revered of ancient heroes. As the poison from his own arrows eroded his flesh, he tore the tallest trees from their roots and built his funeral pyre. What Hades inherited then was his greatest Guardian and truest defender. A perfect warrior to defend the gates.
Before Herakles, no hero was more beloved than Perseus, on whose back the Mycenaean empire was built. Together with his wife Andromeda, he ruled over a prosperous land until his death. Now he would rise again, not as ruler, but as a Guardian of Tartaros's gates.
Joy-Canker
A burly Norseman, Joy-Canker takes pride in his red beard. "It's dyed with the blood of my kills!" he likes to say.
He is a stalwart friend of The Vellum.
War-Hedge
Bercthun serves as a messenger and factotum to The Bell.
He likes to crush tortoises with his bare hands. If no tortoises are about, run!
Long-Sorrow
A hermit who lives deep in the woods, Long-Sorrow holds himself motionless until small birds wander his way. He then throttles them and eats their flesh with joyous abandon.
Cniht-Scribe
Scrappy and surprisingly tough, Cola likes to fight close-in but can handle a bow as well. His motto is, "Blood speaks true."
Cola delivers emergency communications to The Adze.
Eel of Earth
An intense and deep-feeling man, Cudberct mourns his victims, often contributing silver toward their funerals.
He is a trusted adjutant of The Anvil.
Molten-Innocence
A powerful warrior, Eorforwine forges her own armor. An apprentice druid, she chants charms and incantations to bring woe upon her adversaries.
Raven-Banquet
Stalwart, brave, true, none too bright, and lethal.
Frown-Hoard
The unsmiling visage of Horsa, called Frown-Hoard, strikes icy fear into the souls of all who look upon it. With good reason.
Horsa is highly reliable and often serves The Lathe.
Rat-Lord
Enemies panic upon seeing Hrothgar's shiny pate approaching. He takes particular joy in the sound of crunching bones, the skull best of all.
The Oil employs Hrothgar for any tasks requiring brutality.
Blood Brewer
Wily and quick, Kendall the Blood Brewer made her name by slitting enough throats to fill vats with blood. She is one of the favorites of the Order, who assign her important targets.
Sword-Cloven
The thin and duplicitous Osgar comes from a family of vintners. He likes a tipple after a good stabbing.
The Billhook relies on him to implement his schemes.
Dire-Scop
Redwalda's father was a wealthy lord, whom Redwalda murdered in his bed. Not for any inheritance, for the pleasure of it.
Geld-Remover
Perhaps the most thoughtful of the Order's Zealots, Wealdmaer has written a series of poems on the topic "heads lopped from shoulders."
He is a boon companion of The Dart, with whom he enjoys a good chess game.
Pagan-Hole
Left for dead in a burial bit full of pagans, Woden clambered out and spent the next two years tracking down those who killed his fellow villagers one by one. None survived the meeting.
A much-trusted courier, Woden often relays messages for The Sickle.
Death-Boon
Lithe and agile, Wuffa prefers only to mortally wound her targets, as opposed to killing them outright. "I enjoy watching them bleed to death," she says. "You have to savor the moment."
Wuffa is a frequent drinking companion of The Ash-Spear.
Palatinus Kjotve, The Axe
Tough northern winters and seasons of raiding hardened Kjotve as it hardened many young Norse, but Kjotve always took extra pleasure in his kills.
A passing trader saw the potential in Kjotve and inducted him into the Order, making the young vikingr Norway's first Order member. His natural cruelty served him well as he sought to bring his family and clan wholly into the Order's fold.
Palatinus Leofgifu, The Scabbard
Leofgifu, known as The Scabbard, facilitates all of the Order's clandestine military activity in Grantebridgescire. She procures weapons and issues exceptional orders to select units. Orphaned by the plague, Leofgifu grew up as a bandit, and eventually sought work as a mercenary.
The Order took notice, as she proved herself as an adept fighter, and soon recruited her to the cause. As a valued mercenary, Leofgifu quickly insinuated herself into a position of command by distributing luxury goods and favors to fellow officers. In turn, these officers turn a blind eye to what they believe to be simple contraband but is in fact an amassing of powerful weapons meant for the Order.
A friendly source has discovered the identity of The Scabbard. She is a mercenary named Leofgifu. You can find her in the Saxon military camp at Utbech.
(Obtained by renovating the Hidden Ones' local bureau in Ravensthorpe)
Palatinus Hunta, The Baldric
Hunta, a gregarious drengr from Norway, fancies himself a bit of a skald. His impromptu poems endear him to Norse and Saxon alike, a quality that brought him to the attention of The Order, and he soon joined their ranks.
Recently, he has, in fact, married into a prosperous Saxon family whose members hold both military and financial clout. Hunta has begun using this familial power to grant small favors as a means of bring as many foot soldiers as he can under his influence.
He is a successful recruiter for the Order of Ancients and holds the rank of Palatinus.
From one of Basim's sources in the Levant, we've learned that a member of the Order called "The Baldric" is, in fact, a Norseman of the name Hunta. He frequents the marketplace of Ledecestre.
(Obtained by renovating the Hidden Ones' local bureau in Ravensthrope)
Preost Frideswid, The Leech
When Frideswid was a girl, she watched her sister fall off a horse and break her spine. She could see that while her sister's soul and mind were very much intact, her body was broken. This sparked an interest in anatomy that would follow her like the shadow of the fire that wiped out her entire family.
(Excerpt from a longer letter)
THE LEECH, a Wessex-born Saxon with a taste for blood...
...Caution is advised in seeking these pagans out for the slaughter.
A POOR FELLOW-SOLDIER OF CHRIST
Vanished people have been reappearing eyeless and cut to pieces on Lunden's docks. Among the missing is a girl named Regna, who worked for a mysterious blacksmith.
A list of tools bought from the blacksmith, Oija, delivered to the Forum
(Obtained in Oija's smithy near Bodilsburg Garrison)
Palatinus Avgos, The Arrow
Avgos Spearhand, or The Arrow, mastered projectiles at a young age. While his village was peaceful, his heroes were warriors. He ran away to go a-viking with The Great Heathen Army, and rose through its ranks ... yet never high enough for his aspirations. He joined The Order on the offer of a power not even Odin could give.
(Excerpt from a longer letter)
THE ARROW, a Dane who traded a petty fiefdom for riches abroad.
...Caution is advised in seeking these Pagans out for the slaughter.
A POOR FELLOW-SOLDIER OF CHRIST
(Obtained by renovating the Hidden Ones' local bureau in Ravensthrope)
Arrow,
We must increase our strength to stage our coup. Drum up some support from the layabouts at the West Market. Archers are needed in force.
We need them to man those new springalds you're so enamored with. I will return when you send word of you're success.
Compass
(Obtained in underground Lunden)
Come, Brothers of The Cause, to Lunden's glorious Imperial Arch, to hear a speech from our leader, The Arrow.
He will guide Lunden into a new era. Lunden for Lundeners.
(The Order symbol decorates the bottom.)
(Obtained after completing the archery challenge)
Palatinus Vicelin, The Compass
Swim, or be swept away. Vicelin was a career sailor, the kind of man pledged to king and country. The offer of The Order came at a soiree where he was given the kind of stability that the warring Francian could not challenge. Gold, power, and all the ships he so desired.
(Excerpt from a longer letter)
THE COMPASS, head of this sect, a Francian who commands the sea...
...Caution is advised in seeking these pagans out for the slaughter.
A POOR FELLOW-SOLDIER OF CHRIST
(Obtained by renovating the Hidden Ones' local bureau in Ravensthrope)
A Guard Hung from the Villa's Rafters=
A guard was hung from the Villa's rafters. Only a man of substantial height and mass could pull off such a feat.
(Obtained in underground Lunden)
The Order's forces seem to be coming from Lunden's docks, likely sent by The Compass, who is said to have a boat there.
(Obtained after the church is lit ablaze)
Maegester Gorm, The Keel
Gorm grew up under the heel and shadow of Kjotve the Cruel. His father passed down the rigor of The Order and taught Gorm the lessons of a harsh love: pain, humiliation, endurance.
With the loss of his father, Gorm taught himself pitiless hatred.
My most dear Axe, you asked me to send news. It seems that The Keel has left Rygjafylke after all these years. I know not where, but stand assured, The Keel will extend the power of the Order.
(Obtained by killing Kjotve)
(Obtained by killing Leofgifu)
(Obtained by killing Hunta)
To The Leech,
I caution all in the Order, I have met the Norse called Eivor. Be wary should you cross paths.
– The Keel
(Obtained by killing Frideswid)
I have news of The Keel. I will tell you all next time we meet, but know this: The Keel's thirst for travel knows no bounds!
– The Leech
(Obtained by killing Avgos Spearhand)
(Obtained by killing Vicelin)
Preost Eanbhert, The Vellum
Eanbhert is a meticulous man, careful about all he undertakes and rigorous about his work. Trained as a scribe, he came into possession of some remarkable documents indicating that a secret order existed among his countrymen.
He sought them out and was soon brought into The Order himself. His precision has served him well—he soon rose to the rank of Preost and is given the most difficult assignments and scrupulously executes them.
As for your request, Baldric, I do not deal with such small matters personally. Journey to the high hill at the center of Glowcestrescire ad find my factotum at Thieves' Warren. He will help you.
(Obtained by killing Hunta)
Take all your instructions from Eanbhert. I do not understand his reasons, but be certain to address him as "The Vellum" during the mission or he'll tan your very hide
You'll find the man working as a scribe in a house covered in weeds along Glowcestre's docks. Made no sign. He'll know you.
Palatinus Tata, The Dart
Tata claims he sprang from the soil of Mercia, such is his love for the land. All his youth, he rode the vales of Sciropescire, Oxenefordscire, and Ledecestrescire. His grandfather had fought for old King Offa, and the tales have been passed down.
A wise, thoughtful man, Tata learned all he could of Offa, including the fact that the old king had been in the Order. Therefore, Tata himself sought entry and quickly rose to the rank of Palatinus.
He is a stable master and took the name of The Dart as befits his penetrating wisdom.
(Obtained by killing Eanbhert)
For the Vellum,
I have done as you requested, but I believe I have been seen, My movements aren't as quick in bygone years. I can no longer risk coming to this message post. Have your men ask for me at the stables in Quatford where I am master. My stablemen know me by the name of Tata.
I haven't many more years left. Soon I will be gone, and all m knowledge of the great Offa and his stolid wisdom will die with me. Grieve the loss when it comes.
– The Dart
Palatinus Gunilla, The Adze
Gunilla grew up a dutiful daughter. She worked helping to build ships with her uncles and cousins. Waves of pestilence brought chaos and devastation to her family, and she yearned for a more orderly world.
A passing noblewoman introduced her to the tenets of the Order, and Gunilla was soon apprenticed. Now she oversees shipbuilding and naval operations as The Adze.
I will make inquiries with out wine-soaked friend, the one who tipples at the old Roman temple in Ledecestre.
– The Adze
(Obtained by killing Tata or the Zealot Cola)
I salute you for out-drinking me!
I only know this. The Adze used to spend time at the watermill south of Tonnastadir
(Obtained by defeating the drinking champion in Ledecestre)
I must leave you, my love. The memory of your caresses will sustain me in times of travail. My heart breaks as I write this, but I am called to a larger purpose.
Those whom you despise have enlisted me to build their ships and work for their cause in Repton. Oh, my dear, your little Gunilla is no more! From this day hence, I am to be known as The Adze.
Preost Ingeborg, The Firebrand
An angry priest once scrubbed young Ingeborg's tongue with soap for spewing "heresies and lies." That day, Ingeborg learned that knowledge was power, controlled by the Church.
She then rose through the Church hierarchy, but the Order offered her even more knowledge and thus more power.
(Excerpt from a longer letter)
THE FIREBRAND, a religious fanatic bent on destruction...
...They must die so that the rest of us may live.
A POOR FELLOW-SOLDIER OF CHRIST
Fellow brothers of the light, it is with a heavy heart that I will be resigning from my duties at the Minister. The texts we kept there have been compromised, and I can no longer tolerate the abbess's methods.
God forgive me for desecrating these sacred texts. My brothers, listen carefully. The church is no longer safe, holy grounds. As I write this letter, I fear there may be an attempt on my life. Remember this name—the Firebrand. She is...
(The rest of the note has been burned away.)
(Obtained in the bishop's house)
The abbess and her decoys have split up to collect holy writings outside the church for burning
(Obtained by eavesdropping on Ingeborg's conversation with the priest)
Palatinus Grigorii, The Needle
Growing up among sewer rats, Grigorii envied those who never had to fight for their meals. Then one day, The Vault rescued him from the gutter, bringing him into the Order and giving him a purpose.
Loyal and devoted ever since, Grigorii's life work is to see The Vault's plans fulfilled and the Order's goals achieved.
(Excerpt from a longer letter)
THE NEEDLE, a notorious coin-clipper and black marketeer.
They must die so that the rest of us may live.
A POOR FELLOW-SOLDIER OF CHRIST
I expect all the coin from merchants to be delivered to my office daily. Their stalls, draped in black, are hard to miss. Do not fail me again.
– The Needle
Silver was found being melted into coins in the sewer workshop.
Preost Audun, The Vault
After Audun's raiding days ended, he chose to live out his later years as a wealthy, important man in the town of Jorvik. Honored by Halfdan himself, he accepted a thane's ring after the sacking of Jorvik. But when the Order tempted him with even wealth and power, who was he to refuse?
(Excerpt from a longer letter)
THE VAULT, a well-placed man, clever and elusive...
They must die so that the rest of us may live.
A POOR FELLOW SOLDIER OF CHRIST
Conversation with Ljufvina
Ljufvina suggests the Archives of Jorvik may hold more clues to the Vault's activities.
Damning Speech
Audun's speech at the Yuletide feast has revealed his true motivations.
Maegester Derby, The Vice
Derby came late into The Order, having already secured the position of reeve in the city of his birth.
Enforcing rules was his joy and pleasure. He saw attaining the rank of Maegester in The Order as a way to enforce rules with even more severity, thereby increasing his pleasure all the more.
The Vice is calling attention to himself again, dear Vellum. No good can come from his overzealousness.
The next time you visit Eurviscire, speak to him. Clearly.
(Obtained by killing Eanbhert)
On occasion, after a mission, I sit and listen to the waterfall just beyond my door and relive each kill in my head.
What pleasure!
– The Vice
(Obtained by killing Tata)
For The Adze,
You have grown to dour. Visit The Vice. It is an innocent pleasure to place dice with those that father in his village while he marches about enforcing his rules.
– The Dart
(Obtained by killing Gunilla)
For the Firebrand,
I cannot help but be amused by The Vice. He parades about in his cape dyed black as his heart, and then the medallion!
(Obtained by killing Ingeborg)
(Obtained by killing Grigorii)
(Obtained by killing Audun)
Palatinus Havelok, The Billhook
Havelok came to Lincolnscire as a young man with the Great Heathen Army. A member of the Order recognized Havelok's quick and ruthless intelligence, and introduced him to the Crozier. As apprentice to The Crozier, Havelok gained stature and experience.
He now is an established landholder and farmer in Lincoln from where he bribes the shire soldiers to do his bidding.
As regards to The Billhook,
Tell him to promise large sums of silver in exchange for occasional help from the soldier.
He is to meet the captain at Aelfgarstun Farm. The silver means nothing. Tell him he must make the deal.
– The Crozier
Sire, a rotund fellow called Havelok met here to arrange payment to the soldiers' camp for various services. He claimed you would not be distressed by this.
He used an unusual name with the soldiers—The Billhook. Very odd. In any case, everything has been left as they found it. If there is any problem, you can find Havelok in Lincoln. His villa abuts the fortification along the town hall.
– Your servant, Gil.
Palatinus Patrick, The Anvil
At a young age, Patrick proved his worth to the Order by fashioning well-tempered blades at his father's smithy. When Patrick grew to adulthood, he was brought into the Order as a master blacksmith.
A proud man descended from Lords of Hwicce, Patrick fashions weapons for the Order to the specifications of each member and is much esteemed by them. However, Patrick has grown resentful of following the Order's commands and has become obsessed with the notion of escaping with his wife and children across the sea. He has had this dream for years, however, and somehow never brings himself to actually leave.
(Obtained by killing Leofgifu or the Zealot Cudberct)
Next time you see him, tell Patrick that someone came looking for "The Anvil" yesterday. I showed them our heavy anvil and they laughed. "No," they said, "The large, balding fellow! The Anvil."
I suppose it's some sort of nickname for Patrick. Very confusing in a smithy. I told them he keeps a forge in Oxeneforda, and good luck to him.
Preost Mucel, The Lathe
Mucel was brought into the Order by his colleague, The Anvil, who plucked him away from service of the young Æthelred.
The Order values his great expertise in ship-building and in fashioning wooden implements of torture.
For The Adze,
Tell The Lathe that his gambling friend is causing trouble. The one at the inn in Buckingham.
Have The Lathe put a stop to his blabbering.
– The Order
(Obtained by killing the Zealot Horsa or looting the chest in Leah Villa Garrison)
Well played, gambler.
Here is what I know—the one who calls himself The Lathe boast of putting an end to a rival. I cannot divine what he did, but a sealed chamber in Eatun Barn may hold the answer.
(Obtained by defeating the dice player in Oxenefordscire)
I did not deserve this fate. I have my all, and thus am I rewarded—sealed within these walls, left to starve among ancient carvings covered in rotting vines and mud.
The man who did this called himself The Lathe. May he burn in hell. His true name is Mucel, shipbuilder of Buckingham. If you find him, take vengeance for me.
Palatinus Gifle, The Ash-Spear
Gifle made an odd fit in The Order. He never cared much for hierarchy and rules; however, he found that by doing The Order's work, he earned himself enormous freedom—freedom to indulge in mead and debauchery, but freedom nonetheless.
Thanks to his fearless combat and shrewd judgment, he attained the rank of Palatinus, whereupon he began to forge links with various groups of bandits and bend them to The Order's will.
We have created an outpost at the Roman tower. From there, the entire area is under our watch. Northwic itself is visible to the south.
Tell The Lyre, our Maegester, that all is well. Tell him further that my goal is to drink all the ale in East Anglia. I don't care what The Father says.
– The Ash-Spear
(Obtained by killing Mucel or the Zealot Wuffa)
The bandits have a forward camp not far from Britannia's Watch. Such a vantage point serves us well, Ash-Spear, my brother.
Leave off your carousing and bring the bandits into our sphere with the usual inducements.
– The Lyre
We gathered for a council, and though you make a fair offer, we have no reason to trust you. come to our hidden camp. Live with us. Drink, raid, and kill with us. If you prove yourself to my bandits and me, we'll accept, Ash-Spear.
You'll find us at the highest point of Theotford Forest, not so very far from the Roman walls no near teh Watch. We await you.
Preost Herefrith, The Crozier
The Crozier was approached by a member of the Order when he was only a young church-goer.
He found purpose in spreading their message throughout Wessex before reaching the rank of Preost, at which point he returned to his home of Lincolnscire, a land absent of authority and direction.
There, he took advantage of a fragile political hierarchy and gained power over the disenfranchised, using them to fulfill the Order's agenda.
Maegester Tatfrid, The Lyre
Tatfrid joined the Order almost by accident. A Saxon who fought with the Norse, he led a successful raid in Wessex, during which he spared the liife of three prisoners.
One of those was The Crozier, who soon recruited Tatfrid for his fighting skills and absolute determination. By dint of effort and will, the Lyre recently rose to the rank of Maegester.
Remember, Billhook, the oath we swore you and I, our loyalty to The Lyre and all he represents!
– The Ash-Spear
(Obtained by killing Havelok)
(Obtained by killing Patrick)
(Obtained by killing Mucel)
(Obtained by killing Gifle)
Next time you visit, dear Tang, come with me to the marketplace. When not performing, I spend my leisure hours there, browsing the wares ang haggling with merchants.
– The Lyre
(Obtained by killing Wigmund)
(Obtained by killing Herefrith)
Preost Yohanes, The Oil
Yohanes took the cloth to bring respectability to his family name. However, in the Church, he took the lessons of hierarchy and discipline seriously, leading him to join the Order.
His method was to worm his way into contact with influential people, dispatch them, and install his family members into their vacant positions.
Palatinus,
The Oil has been careless about his identity. He went on a drunken spree with a merchant and bragged at his connections and power. Worse, The Oil persists in his spendthrift wats. He now owes a considerable sum to this merchant who already knows much too much.
We have learned that the merchant will be suppling mead for the upcoming festival. It's held near the so-called Henge Farm in the hills south of Stonehenge. See that this man in silenced.
– The Gallows
(Obtained by killing the Zealot Hrothgar.)
I haven't the silver, but you'll have better. My brother owns a pig farm at Readingum Abbey where I run my doings. He got it thanks to me. I made the owner disappear—it is what I do. And then I take the leavings and split them among my brothers and cousins. I do it slippery-like, that's why they call be The Oil.
I can do the same for you, friend, and then we'll be quit.
(Obtained at a festival near Henge Farm)
For The Oil,
Keep your pious guise. the peasants of Fearnhamme are primed to believe that their donations will ensure their place in the hearafter. Go preach to them. Be meek, retiring, sleep in the stable if you must, but collect that money! And eyes sharp for other potential victims.
But no more feathering the nests of your relations!
– The Quill
Palatinus Heika, The Sickle
Heika grew up in the ports of Friesland, where she became quite knowledgeable about the poisonous qualities of the Weever fish.
Later, as Order member The Sickle, she began to use this knowledge in the bakery, spicing her breads with fish scales for those whom The Order prefers dead.
Rank inconsistency by underlings has delayed the delivery of the key ingredient The Sickle seeks for her bread. Tell her to make excuses to delay her bread delivery, for obvious reasons.
We will inform her directly when the ingredients have been procured at Maeldun's Saltern Camp
– The Order
(Obtained by killing the Zealot Woden)
It makes no sense to me, but our commander insists we catch a basket of weever fish. Does he not understand how poisonous they are? It is not our place to argue. Catch some and take them to the baker behind the trade post in Colcestre For some reason, the commander refers to her as The Sickle.
Be careful to caution her about even touching them!
Palatinus Beneseck, The Bell
Early in Beneseck's life, The Rake took him in. His delight in murder was clear, but to serve the Order, his will had to be broken. The Rake's method was to inflict upon him day and night the loud, incessant clang of a bell. It became the signal to trigger his primal, murderous instincts.
The Bell grew to be particularly adept at filling The Order's coffers with silver. He presented himself as a man of charity. In this way, he met wealthy donors who supported the monastery. Once met, it was easy enough to visit them, murder them, rob them, and bury them anonymously in the abbey's graveyard.
Concerning The Bell,
I know it amuses him to donate an actual allusion to his moniker, but I frankly grow impatient with his drollery. Nonetheless, I've arranged for the garrison of the chain blockade to receive an ostentatious church bell.
Let The Bell know that the captain will await his instructions before shipping it down the River Ember.
– The Rake
(Obtained by killing the Zealot Bercthun)
Men,
Keep the bell untarnished! At the proper time, the fellow will call for it. He wants an ostentatious arrival from the sea to impress the donors.
If you must communicate with him, send word to Brimclif Monastery. He is the gravedigger there. His colleague called him "The Bell" [obscured]
Preost Hilda, The Quill
The Church is no place for a woman of intelligence. This was a lesson Hilda learned early on in life. Orphaned at six years old, she found shelter in a monastery. But while the young male initiates spent days at study and prayer, she was banished to the kitchen.
She began listening in doorways, hiding in shadows, and blackmailing monks with the secrets she learned, asking only that they teach her things of importance: Reading. Writing. Latin.
In the Church, her voracious intelligence was her undoing. In the Order, it was a revelation. Bishop Ealhferth saw value not only in her sharp wit, but her ruthlessness. She quickly built a network of children like herself, quick and sharp. Small hands quick to steal, small ears quick to listen. No secret in Wincestre is safe from The Quill's army of little spies.
(Excerpt from a longer letter)
THE QUILL lurks in the shadows, their sparrow hawks stealing secrets.
They seek your death. Kill them or be killed.
...I am ever your devoted servant, my king, and much closer than you know.
A POOR FELLOW-SOLDIER OF CHRIST
The Quill has written a manifesto against education. They are using the children of Wincestre for Order work in the merchant's district.
The young girl said that the Quill's little spies come up from the sewers like rats.
Palatinus Selwyn, The Gallows
Selwyn came from a rich family where he was used to lording it over servants and serfs alike. He did not take kindly to his father's drinking, gambling, womanizing, and dissipating the family fortune. He views his lineage with shame and distaste. He had to drag himself up from the filth and shed the moral decrepitude that results in giving the weak freedom.
The Order gave him control. Determined to save people from themselves. He set about to enforce the law, enact judgment, and rid the world of human effluence.
(Excerpt from a longer letter)
THE GALLOWS works against justice and perverts your laws.
They seek your death. Kill them or be killed.
I am your devoted servant, my king, and much closer than you know.
A POOR FELLOW-SOLDIER OF CHRIST
You have been a thorn in my side long enough, Goodwin. Cease your snooping, or I will use my considerable influence to lock you in the garrison. Not even your feeble king will save you then.
The Gallows
Others have come forward with information on the Gallows' identity. And all four have met a horrible end. Two were hanged in the square on petty charges.
Only a reeve has the power to condemn men to hanging. The Gallows must be another reeve, I am sure of it.
I dare not write my suspicions here.
Preost Ealhferth, The Seax
Ealhferth was born into a poor but devout family of Christian settlers in the northern wilds. Devoted to his mother, he followed her everywhere. She, in turn, would hold him close and whisper wondrous stories of God's everlasting love and kindness.
This made her murder at the hands of the pagan Norse raiders all the more difficult for Ealhferth to bear. From that day, The Seax was at war with God. But only with the Order did he find sweet revenge. He posed as God's mouthpiece in Wincestre, controlling lords and peasants from the pulpit.
(Excerpt from a longer letter)
THE SEAX leads from the pulpit, God's sheep in a wolf's skin.
They seek your death. Kill them or be killed.
I am ever your devoted servant, my king, and much closer than you know.
A POOR FELLOW-SOLDIER OF CHRIST
Conversation with Goodwin=
Goodwin believes that the Seax's funeral is being held in St. Peter's churchyard.Ealhferth's sister revealed he faked his death with the intention of assassinating King Aelfred at the Great Hall.
Maegester Blaeswith, The Rake
A youthful love gone sour sent Blaeswith into a nunnery at the insistence of her father. There, however, she found a new love: The Order.
She pursued the precepts of The Order with a consuming passion, eventually rising to the level of Maegester.
(Obtained by killing Yohanes)
(Obtained by killing Heika)
(Obtained by killing Beneseck)
(Obtained by killing Hilda)
(Obtained by killing Selwyn)
(Obtained by killing Ealhferth)
Maegester Fulke, The Instrument
Born to a fishwife in Bruges, Fulke grew up in a colorful environment quickened by far-reaching trade. Fulke drank in the tales of merchants from as far away as the Baltic Sea and longed for a life of adventure. She taught herself to read and absorbed any text she came across, leading to a curious mixture of beliefs and certainties.
She discovered references to Isu artifacts and pursued these with a passion, bringing her into the orbit of The Order. Despite her odd beliefs, her talents were recognized, and she soon rose from the rank of Palatinus to Maegester, though she retained the honorific "Paladin" for purposes known only to her.
To the Wolf-Kissed One,
Blessings of the Self-Begotten One upon you, Eivor. I write only to ease your mind and let you know that Sigurd is in good hands and fine company. I will treat him with all the care he deserves.
The order to which I belong has use for such a man. He is, in many ways, the pinnacle to which we aspire—a god in man's fleshy accoutrements. I only hope he comes to know and understand this as well as I do before his suffering breaks him.
Fulke
The Instrument
(Obtained as Eivor reports on Oxenefordscire)
Grand Maegester Aelfred, The Father
Young Aelfred was just twenty-two years old when the title of The Father passed to him from his brother Æthelred, conferring a great responsibility which their father had introduced to the family.
A devout Christian since his youth, Aelfred rankled at the heathenish beliefs of the order he now commanded and concocted a grand plan that would rid him of that responsibility once and for all.
Well you know, dear Rake, that I, too, must answer for my actions. One above me will approve or condemn.
The Father
(Obtained by killing Blaeswith)
Has The Father ever heard you play, Lyre? It would do him good, he is too much in his books. A man of thought, but perhaps not a man of senses.
– The Ash-Spear
(Obtained by killing Tatfrid)
Your independent nature once again rankles me. For all your spirit and inspiration, you are still commanded by me and must not disobey.
Instrument, you are my most valued lieutenant. But remember your place.
The Father.
(Obtained by killing Fulke)
For The Vice,
As reeve, you have much power and control over your village, but think of The Father! He exerts great power over many lives. We must do all we can for him.
– The Vellum
(Obtained by killing Derby)
For The Keel,
The Father asks me to remind you that, even across the vast sea, you must maintain the rigors of our Order. But then, as a Saxon, he does not understand the vikingr spirit!
– The Sickle
(Obtained by killing Gorm Kjotvesson)
High Druid Cummascach, The Ash
In his youth, Cummascach dreamed that if the fogs of Connacht grew thick enough, he could disappear into them and become a ghost. As a ghost, he reasoned, he would be able to hide from his cruel brothers and their sadistic games.
On one occasion, he fled into the fog's mists to evade those brothers. He stumbled upon an elderly druid who was able to conjure fog from boiling vats. The druid befriended Cummasach and taught him the ways of the druids and the elements.
Cummasach experimented with the druid's fog, pushing what it could do to extremes. Eventually, he used his fog to drive his brothers to madness. Now, as High Druid, he makes certain that the Children of Danu have fog powerful enough to maintain their secrecy.
For The Cursed,
I have found the ideal spot for my moon ritual. The ground between Lough Rea and Lough Tuam swells upward to form a hill. The moonlight will strike there perfectly.
I'll soon have more blood for my work.
- The Ash
(Obtained by killing Niamh.)
The Ash wishes us to take the remains and profane the chapel at Kiltober.
It's bloody, messy work, but not without amusement.
(Obtained at a ritual site between Lough Rea and Lough Tuam)
I barely escaped with me life. I did! I was asleep in the chapel pews when three druids burst in, chanting and creating all kind of fuss. I hid down low but could see they had bloody hands and faces! I about pissed meself.
The big one said they were ready to make fog. Now how does a man make a fog I wonder? They headed up to Kesh Corann. I always thought something odd was-a-doin' up there.
He called the other druid "The Ash" which sounded like the knell of death to these old ears.
(Obtained in a druid camp in Kiltober)
High Druid Leasleach, The Whisper
Leasleach considers herself a daughter of The Morrigan, the ancient goddess of death and disease.
She spend her time searching the bogs of Meath for mummified bodies that sometimes yield to her prodding. She believes she murdered them in a previous life and left them for discovery.
The bodies exude oozy swamp water which Leasleach uses for her poisons. She is thus invaluable to the Children of Danu.
Tell The Whisper to increase the potency of her poison. We have need of the most effective methods.
You'll likely find her praying to her mother goddess, The Morrigan, in Boyne Tombs.
- The Oak
(Obtained by killing Aideen.)
Stay away! A madwoman haunts Boyne Tombs. She spoke to her companion wolf as if it were her brother and threatened to serve my bits to it for supper.
I survived only by praising her beauty. She invited me to consummate our love "graced by a ritual arch there where the bogs of the Boyne yield their dead!"
If any such place exists, I shall never go within thirty miles of it!
(Obtained near Boyne Tombs.)
The Whisper they call me, and whisper I do.
I whisper to the bodies sunk in the bogs.
They reward me with chilled juices I wring from the flesh.
From this the poison is made.
The bog bodies whisper the victims' names.
(Obtained at the ritual site south of Kells Abbey.)
High Druid Sétnae, The Cursed
Throughout her life, Sétnae has been interested in death.
She immersed herself in the study of poisonous plants and found that their potency appeared to increase if they were anointed by sacrificial blood.
She has been very effective at ridding the Children of enemies and continues to expand her understanding of lethal poisons.
Due to this knowledge, she is one of the most revered members of the Children of Danu.
Amber shard needed by Deirdre and a mysterious note (Obtained by killing Niamh)
Most esteemed sir,
I been helpful to you in the past, I have. And I believe this gossip I heard might be helpful, too.
Some villagers who pray at the old effigy have heard strange scries echoing up from they-don't-know-where.
I think it's from that cavern that runs 'neath the village. The one you had me deliver peat to.
I just thought you ought to know, afore people get curious the way they do.
I ask no silver, although I am most needful...
Erce, the gong farmer
(Obtained in a cottage in Tuam)
The freed captive divulged that The Cursed is a High Druid who will soon perform a ritual. Ciara will know what to do next. (Obtained in the caverns beneath Tuam)
Upon learning that The Cursed is a High Druid and that she is planning to perform a ritual, Ciara leads Eivor to begin the search in Carnagan. (Obtained on entering Lackanscaul)
High Druid Trian, The Mist
Raised in pagan traditions, Trian had an intense, perhaps unhealthy, fascination with the god Crom Cruach, perhaps the most blood-thirsty of the pagan gods. In his obsession, Trian came to carving dozens of small effigies of Crom.
Now, after being accepted as one of the Children, he uses these effigies as lures for acolytes. Fervent chanting and a bloody offering work wonders on the imaginations of many.
Blaze,
The Mist has had particular success in bringing new acolytes into our sway.
He operates out of the camp at Doon Daven, offering small Celtic stone figures to Ulster's fools.
They believe the figures bring good fortune. The Mist then invites them to a ritual, and soon enough they do our bidding.
- The Ash
(Obtained by killing Conlae)
Acolytes!
We welcome you. Your work for the Children of Danu will be blessed by the spirits of the earth.
The lives of those you left behind are without value. Their bodies are mere husks, their faith a delusion.
Ours is a true path. Come to the burned fields well north of the town called Aileach.
There to pray at the stone of Crom Cruach, god of sacrificial death.
- The Mist
(Obtained in Doon Daven)
Bran,
Where have you been? I pray you find this note.
You missed the ritual. The Mist summoned the fire spirit and we burned some captives.<br.
I vomited, but I now understand the world.
The Mist is leading us to the intel's rocky shore. Join us there.
(Obtained in the Burned Fields northwest of Aileach)
Lord Ruaidrí, The Deer
Ruaidrí always felt the Children of Danu were too reliant on portents and prayers. He belived that the earth spirits most approve of direct action.
His method therefore became "Get what you need by whatever means necessary and thank the spirits afterwards."
His direct and effective style was rewarded by the Children, and he now overseas the accumulation of resources meant for the final conflict.
My dear Cursed,
I have almost complete control of the village we spoke of. The villagers are most susceptible to our methods.
I plan to scout out the situation at Ardmel – would you like me to send you some of the region's delicious honey?
I mix it with milk and force-feed my victims until their bowels explode.
The Deer
(Obtained by killing Sétnae)
For The Deer,
Sir, I have done as you asked, my arm weary with whipping.
Inch Lough Neagh isn't much of a village, but the fools here (those that survived) have reversed themselves and now swear to oppose Flann in any way we require.
Join us here when you are able.
–Your Servant
(Obtained in Ardmel Trading Post)
Lord Conlae, The Blaze
When a young boy, Conlae reacted badly to being disciplined by his parents, and severed ties by nailing their cottage door shut and burning it to the ground.
He celebrate his freedom by joining a group of forest pagans, where, enamored by the flames of the ritual fires, he practiced the ways of the fire druids.
Never completely convinced by the tenets of the Children of Danu, Conlae nevertheless joined in their action simply because he loves to set anything to flames.
For The Ash,
Have you never beheld the beauteous sight of a man screaming as flames wrap him in their hot embrace?
I saw many such visions when I put the torch to Bally na Gall.
But I burned too well.
Should you visit the ashes of that hamlet, pay respects at the grave near the waterfall nearby.
- The Blaze
(Obtained by killing Cummascach)
What cruel fate the spirits have visited upon me!
I burn and burn and burn, but here have I committed grievous folly. In an excess of zeal I set a fire too large and caught you, my love, by cursed luck and foolishness!
I will atone for my sin. I go now to the village at Black Pig's Dyke where we first met. There, I will set ablaze all and sundry in tribute to you.
- The Blaze
(Obtained in Bally na Gall)
Men,
The Blaze has lost his senses. He now wanders to and fro, setting alight whatever he pleases with no concern or purpose.
He is determined to burn all of Ireland! Woe be to whoever attempts to stop him.
(Obtained in a house south of Clogher)
Lady Niamh, The Wren
As a child, the silent Wren was assumed to be unable to speak. In fact, she was listening.
When she began to voice sounds, they were strangely mellifluous and compelling. Her sister claimed Niamh could speak with animals. What is certain is that when she did master language, she was amazingly persuasive, even meserizing.
She went on to become a poet. The Children of Danu took her into their group. As their principal persuader, she has brought many people under the sway of the Children.
A friend of Ciara's was searching for the Wren. He was killed, but his papers might be found in his cottage in Port Auley
(Obtained after talking to Ciara in Asfinn)
My researches suggest that The Wren sometimes meets with a leader of the Children of Danu on a small island in Lough Gara.
Two nights ago, I hid among the shadows near a large ritual stone hoping to catch sight of them. A figure arrived in the darkness. Then a second figure, The Wren.
They heard my movements and I fled into the night. I know not who I saw, but am certain my life is under threat.
(Obtained in Port Auley)
Wren,
During the tumult of Rathcroghan's festival, I direct you to use the trust granted you in your guise as poet to spread news of false events.
No need to make a great speech. It is better to keep to the shadows. Move among the partiers and tell them to abuse their oaths to Ireland and to engage in what mayhem they may.
You do this among the commoners whiles I work upon kings and priests. Bit by bit, week by week, we will corrupt these gulls
–The Oak
(Obtained at the ritual site in Lough Gara)
Lady Aideen, The Spider.
Aideen's family died violently during the burning of Dublin. She grew up cadging apples and stealing bits of cloth that she sewed into patchwork shifts.
By dint of hard work, she made a living, and then more. She knew every rumor and transaction made in Dublin's port and market, and wanted part of it. She discovered that threats could be effective in difficult negotiations, but only if they were believable. Torture became a favorite bargaining method.
Aideen cultivated powerful friends and found that the Danu were willing to help. It did not take much for her to sign on wholeheartedly.
Colleague,
I fear that our friend The Spider continues her foolishness.
She imbibes frequently with the drinking champion in Dublin's alehouse. I need not tell you, that is no way to maintain secrecy.
Otherwise, she does her work well. Many of our enemies have fallen thanks to her "deals."
Could you speak with her?
- The Oak
(Obtained by killing Ruaidrí)
I do not know the true name of The Spider, but she cannot defeat me when it comes to downing mead!
I have seen her slyly passing silver under Dublin's tallest tree. Were I you, I should look for her there.
(Obtained by defeating the drinking champion in Dublin)
Friend, speak not with me.
The silver I promised you is in hand. That merchant may never walk again! He was more than willing to meet my demands.
For your payment, find me in the market. I may well have another task for you. We will continue out affairs in plain view!
Destroy this note
(Obtained on a bench at Skald's Rest)
Lord Bécc mac Nath-í, The Seed
Bécc grew up in the harbor town of Doon Fort where he was taught that the tides, swales, and sea-winds were, in fact, spirits and, as such, could be sacrificed to and placated.
He proved adept at coming to terms with the sea's moody nature, and soon travelled great distances by sea.
When the Children of Danu came calling, he rose quickly as both a procurer of weapons from distant lands and as a disciplinarian to the acolytes. He is both feared and respected.
Seek out The Seed. He travels the sea to gather weapons.
Where The Seed stays when in Ireland is known by The Deer.
Whether The Seed is in Ireland now can be learned in Movilla Abbey.
Discover both and send The Seed to the Norse netherworld.
- Azar
(Obtained by talking to Azar)
My esteemed Deer,
I write from my storm-tossed ship at sea. I cannot eat a single bean, lest it come up again with interest.
See that additional men are forced into our army and rally them at Dunseverick. I'll set myself up in the fortress and teach them how to handle the English bows. I will procure many excellent bows from that blasted land.
Fear not, I shall also bring you the salted haddock you lust for.
- The Seed
(Obtained by killing Ruaidrí)
Dear Lord, I write this in humble supplication.
It is said that the one they call The Seed has returned to Irish shores. Please, O Lord, do not let him take my sons for his war.
The Seed wishes to unseat good King Flann and cares not how many die in the effort. My boys are of a tender age and will not survive The Seed's harse measures.
Hear me in this, O Lord.
(Obtained in Movilla Abbey)
Ollamh Druid Eogan mac Cartaigh, The Oak
The youngest boy of a large family, Eogan was destined for a life in the Church at birth. He dutifully fasted, prayed, and learned to read his scriptures.
Deep within, however, he resented every moment.
In his youth, while exploring a wooded area near his village, he came across a druid ritual in progress. He found the earthiness of the ritual deeply compelling, much more so than that of the bread and wine.
He realized that by rising to a position of power in the Church (while keeping his druidic life secret) he could work from within to bring down the new religion in favor of his ancient one.
He established The Children of Danu, dedicated to the earliest and most brutal form of paganism as a means to destroy the threat to their beliefs.
Wren,
During the tumult of Rathcroghan's festival, I direct you to use the trust granted you in your guise as poet to spread news of false events.
No need to make a great speech. It is better to keep to the shadows. Move among the partiers and tell them to abuse their oaths to Ireland and to engage in what mayhem they may.
You do this among the commoners whiles I work upon kings and priests. Bit by bit, week by week, we will corrupt these gulls
–The Oak
(Obtained by killing Sétnae.)
Seed,
I have crippled the vaunted Flann at Colgher. Those Aileach bastards sought to expose my hand, but the trap was already sprung.
Bring your army to Armagh, Seed. Once fortified, my abbey will rival the strength of the sorry Bishop of Rome himself!
(Obtained by killing Bécc mac Nath-í)
Called Investigation, this iteration of the target menu tracked more than just main targets of the Baghdad sect of the Order of the Ancients but also locations of interest, incidental targets, and tangential persons of interest.[8]
