Thane Vilgar
Walk in Solla's light, lowlander.
Farewell.
The Kurn rarely welcome outsiders.{^n}{^n}Use this opportunity wisely.
I will.
I will depart for the Kruu'Sul Crags soon, lowlander.{^n}{^n}I hope to meet you there.
How do I get to the Kruu'Sul Crags again?
The most direct route is a passage in the northern Ulo's Springs. With the deepening cold, the mountain glacier may have descended and blocked the path, so you may need to find a way past it.
What can I do about the glacier?
If glacial ice blocks the passage, the fastest way will be through it, not around it.{^n}{^n}There are magics that can infuse stone with the molten heart of Cairn. Perhaps that will suffice.
I see.
Thanks.
See you there.
Lowlander, everything you have done for the Kurn has made me reconsider once distant possibilities.{^n}{^n}I could use you once again, in a delicate diplomatic matter this time.
Diplomacy?
I have already spoken with the High Chieftain. My mission has her blessing.{^n}{^n}I am to depart for the Kruu'Sul Crags to the north and reopen communications with the dranghoul tribes. They were once allies. Calamity may demand it be so again.{^n}{^n}As an Erulian, you are my proof that we can set aside old grudges in hopes of working together. And you are a capable warrior to boot. I would be honored if you would join me.
Where do you need me?
Kruu'Sul Crags are the ancestral home of the dranghoul tribes. They can be reached through a narrow passage in the northern Ulo's Springs, though glacial ice regularly bars the way, which you may need to find a way around.{^n}{^n}I must warn you: this venture carries great risk. Humans were never exactly welcome among the tribes. Now that many dranghouls have succumbed to their feral nature, or turned to the Great Annihilator's hollow promises, the venture is even more precarious. Our best chances lie with the Gurr tribe. Their chieftain, Snarltooth, is still a stubborn creature of honor and has so far resisted the urging of his brethren to accept the dying god's gifts.
I will meet you in the Kruu'Sul Crags.
I can't right now.
You were allies with dranghouls?
Yes, dranghouls once stood with the Kurn as blade kin. Their chiefs joined ours in the pyre circle. It was never an alliance of mutual respect, more...necessity against a common foe.{^n}{^n}When Erulan invaded Asterkarn during the great war, dranghouls fought beside us to push back against the tide of ironclad warriors. After the war's catastrophic end, what remained of the Kurn scattered to the winds and our uneasy truce with the dranghouls became strained and eventually shattered.
But aren't they a bunch of brutes and raiders?
They are animalistic and bloodthirsty, yes, especially to an Erulian arriving from your cobbled streets and industry, but they are formidable fighters with a strong sense of honor and can be bargained with if one has the patience.{^n}{^n}If we could combine forces with that of their blade fists again, we would have the strength to push back the Bloodbound.

I'm not dealing with dranghouls. Sorry.

I'm not dealing with dranghouls. Sorry.
Sorry, I can't help you right now.
I'm not really the diplomacy type.
Sorry, I can't right now.
I'm not really the diplomacy type.
You have shown reverence for our ways, lowlander, so you have earned my respect in kind.{^n}{^n}Perhaps it may be time for us to rethink our past grudges. The world has changed, and we must adapt with it.
Is there anything else I can do?
Perhaps, in time.{^n}{^n}If the Kurn are to meet the challenges ahead, we may need to look to the past. But, for now, that is just a fleeting thought.
Let me know when the time comes.
I see.
Farewell.
The Kurn rarely welcome outsiders.{^n}{^n}Do not squander this opportunity with hostility.
I will not.
Do you bear the remnants of my people?

I'll be right back.
Do you bear the remnants of my people?
I located all the relics.
You have done a great service to the Kurn people, lowlander. The spirits of our fallen heroes were doomed to roam a foreign land, but now we can perform the rites.{^n}{^n}Your respect for our ways is admirable. Perhaps it is time we reconsider past grudges.
Is there anything else I can do?
Yes, if you're willing.{^n}{^n}There is a delicate matter of diplomacy.

Is there anything else I can do?

You're welcome.
Farewell.
I'll be right back.
This is a matter of honor for the Kurn, lowlander, and something you are uniquely positioned to assist us with.{^n}{^n}Our heroes deserve the rites they were denied, so that their spirits may find peace beyond the veil.
This should be the last relic.

This should be the last relic.

This should be the last relic.

This should be all of them.

This should be all of them.

This should be all of them.

This should be all of them.

I found another of the relics.
Thank you, lowlander. I will ensure that my people know of your kindness.{^n}{^n}If you find the rest, please bring them to me.
That should be all of them.
Yes, you managed to recover all of them!{^n}{^n}You have done a great service to the Kurn people, lowlander. The spirits of our fallen heroes were doomed to roam a foreign land, but now we can perform the rites.{^n}{^n}Your respect for our ways is admirable. Perhaps it is time we reconsider past grudges.


You're welcome.
Farewell.

I will keep searching.
I'd like more information about your fallen.
Who do you want to know more about?
Tell me about Chieftain Arukai.
While we remember the great war as the conflict between Kurn and Erulan, the bloodshed engulfed not just Asterkarn, but the entire continent. Chieftain Arukai of the White Fangs was stationed on the Arkovian front and kept the opportunist gold-counting oligarchs at bay while we contended with our main foe.{^n}{^n}His demise would prove to be the most despicable and loathsome of the war. Arukai did not get a warrior's death on a battlefield. He was laid low by Arkovian poison blades in the dark of night, preceding a devastating attack on his camp the next morning.{^n}{^n}His death was a tragic loss to our leadership and morale. Our warriors were driven into a blood frenzy never before seen, but they were without direction or strategy. While the Arkovians suffered significant losses, they were ultimately victorious thanks to their underhanded tactics.{^n}{^n}Arukai's remains were left to the vultures and his iconic shield was never recovered.

Thanks for the info.
Tell me about Wulfrin Bloodbeard.
Wulfrin Bloodbeard was quite possibly the strongest man that ever lived. He towered over his enemies and made even the mightiest Erulian fighters feel small in stature. He struck fear into the hearts of his foes by coloring his long beard with the blood of the fallen. Despite his menacing appearance and physical power, Wulfrin was captured early in the war and made an example of.{^n}{^n}Tales are still told of him being paraded around in shackles, his namesake beard shaved and his eyes seared away by hot pokers. Wulfrin, along with his legendary axe, was left to rot in the depths of the fortress you call Tyrant's Hold, far too deep in Erulan territory for rescue.{^n}{^n}Many atrocities are committed during war in the name of victory, but Wulfrin's treatment was truly horrific.

Thanks for the info.
Tell me about Grylla the Frostfire.
Grylla the Frostfire was a natural at reading the ancient runes. Fire and ice obeyed her like it was second nature, but it was how she combined them that made her a master of the elements.{^n}{^n}Grylla's magic proved a potent counter to the empire's arcanists, so it comes as no surprise that she was singled out by a strike force of elite Black Legion inquisitors. The resulting conflict scorched the Blood Grove in a blaze that took the forest generations to recover from. I doubt anything remains of Grylla, but if her heavily enchanted robes survived, then I would check with local treasure hunters or smugglers. That area gets far too much foot traffic for them to be just left lying around.

Thanks for the info.
Tell me about Elder Tomakar.
Elder Tomakar was no warrior by any measure, but his mind was instrumental in the early days of the great war. He tempered my people's rage and channeled it where it would be most effective.{^n}{^n}His final act was to lead an attack that would drive a wedge through Erulan's forces and deliver his troops to what is now Port Valbury. All involved knew that this would likely be a suicide mission, a diversion while the clans regrouped back in Kurnhold, but Tomakar chose to lead from the front. He could not send those brave men and women to die without facing the risks himself. The Kurn lost a brilliant mind that day.{^n}{^n}Tomakar's staff was a symbol of his office. He leaned heavily upon it as he walked, so it would undoubtedly be where he fell.

Thanks for the info.
Nevermind.
I'm still searching.
This is a matter of honor for the Kurn, lowlander, and something you are uniquely positioned to assist us with.{^n}{^n}Our heroes deserve the rites they were denied, so that their spirits may find peace beyond the veil.
This should be the last relic.

This should be the last relic.

This should be the last relic.

This should be all of them.

This should be all of them.

This should be all of them.

This should be all of them.



I'm still searching.
This is a matter of honor for the Kurn, lowlander, and something you are uniquely positioned to assist us with.{^n}{^n}Our heroes deserve the rites they were denied, so that their spirits may find peace beyond the veil.
This should be the last relic.

This should be the last relic.

This should be the last relic.

This should be all of them.

This should be all of them.

This should be all of them.

This should be all of them.



I'm still searching.
This is a matter of honor for the Kurn, lowlander, and something you are uniquely positioned to assist us with.{^n}{^n}Our heroes deserve the rites they were denied, so that their spirits may find peace beyond the veil.
This should be the last relic.

This should be the last relic.

This should be the last relic.

This should be all of them.

This should be all of them.

This should be all of them.

This should be all of them.



I'm still searching.
This is a matter of honor for the Kurn, lowlander, and something you are uniquely positioned to assist us with.{^n}{^n}Our heroes deserve the rites they were denied, so that their spirits may find peace beyond the veil.
I found one of the relics.

I'm still searching.
Lowlander, I've been observing you with a cautious eye. Despite my many reservations, your intentions seem to be true.{^n}{^n}If you are here to mend old wounds, then perhaps there is something you can uniquely accomplish.
And what is that?
What I ask of you is a matter of honor. Countless Kurn warriors have perished upon foreign soil, bold and unyielding to their final breath, and were denied the rites that would carry their spirits home to Asterkarn. To your people, they were no doubt seen as savages. To us, all were heroes, but some were legends.{^n}{^n}The great war may be ancient history now, but bad blood between Kurn and Erulan still runs deep. No Kurn has set foot in your lands for centuries. However, you may come and go freely. There is little hope of recovering all of our dead, but you can reach the places we know our greatest champions fell. If you are willing, it is imperative that we at least try. Recovering these remains to Kurnhold would mean a lot to my people in trying times.
What do you need me to recover?
There are four in particular that I would have you seek out.{^n}{^n}Chieftain Arukai of the White Fangs was a valiant leader who fought on the Arkovian front. He fell in what is now known as Old Arkovia. His remains were left for the vultures. His iconic shield, marked with the clan's sigil, was never recovered.{^n}{^n}Wulfrin Bloodbeard was a mighty berserker, as strong as three Kurn, or five Erulians, depending who you ask. Wulfrin was captured and cruelly left to rot in the depths of Tyrant's Hold, but his axe was as legendary as the fighter. Recovering it would mean much to the Kurn people.{^n}{^n}Grylla the Frostfire was a master of the elements, a true paragon of the mystics. If her robes still exist, then they will be found somewhere in the Blood Grove. That is a well-traveled land, so I would check with local smugglers.{^n}{^n}Lastly, Elder Tomakar was equally a wise skald and brilliant strategist. His mind was pivotal to the Kurn penetrating Erulan defenses and driving their forces back long enough for our clans to regroup. Sadly, he never made it home to his beloved Asterkarn. Search for his staff in the outskirts of what became Port Valbury.
I will recover these memories for your people.
I'm sorry, I cannot help you.
Are these the relics you seek?

Tell me more about these heroes.
I am no skald, but I am learned in the war history of my people.{^n}{^n}Who do you want to know more about?
Tell me about Chieftain Arukai.
While we remember the great war as the conflict between Kurn and Erulan, the bloodshed engulfed not just Asterkarn, but the entire continent. Chieftain Arukai of the White Fangs was stationed on the Arkovian front and kept the opportunist gold-counting oligarchs at bay while we contended with our main foe.{^n}{^n}His demise would prove to be the most despicable and loathsome of the war. Arukai did not get a warrior's death on a battlefield. He was laid low by Arkovian poison blades in the dark of night, preceding a devastating attack on his camp the next morning.{^n}{^n}His death was a tragic loss to our leadership and morale. Our warriors were driven into a blood frenzy never before seen, but they were without direction or strategy. While the Arkovians suffered significant losses, they were ultimately victorious thanks to their underhanded tactics.{^n}{^n}Arukai's remains were left to the vultures and his iconic shield was never recovered.
I will recover these memories for your people.
I'm sorry, I cannot help you.

Tell me about Wulfrin Bloodbeard.
Wulfrin Bloodbeard was quite possibly the strongest man that ever lived. He towered over his enemies and made even the mightiest Erulian fighters feel small in stature. He struck fear into the hearts of his foes by coloring his long beard with the blood of the fallen. Despite his menacing appearance and physical power, Wulfrin was captured early in the war and made an example of.{^n}{^n}Tales are still told of him being paraded around in shackles, his namesake beard shaved and his eyes seared away by hot pokers. Wulfrin, along with his legendary axe, was left to rot in the depths of the fortress you call Tyrant's Hold, far too deep in Erulan territory for rescue.{^n}{^n}Many atrocities are committed during war in the name of victory, but Wulfrin's treatment was truly horrific.
I will recover these memories for your people.
I'm sorry, I cannot help you.

Tell me about Grylla the Frostfire.
Grylla the Frostfire was a natural at reading the ancient runes. Fire and ice obeyed her like it was second nature, but it was how she combined them that made her a master of the elements.{^n}{^n}Grylla's magic proved a potent counter to the empire's arcanists, so it comes as no surprise that she was singled out by a strike force of elite Black Legion inquisitors. The resulting conflict scorched the Blood Grove in a blaze that took the forest generations to recover from. I doubt anything remains of Grylla, but if her heavily enchanted robes survived, then I would check with local treasure hunters or smugglers. That area gets far too much foot traffic for them to be just left lying around.
I will recover these memories for your people.
I'm sorry, I cannot help you.

Tell me about Elder Tomakar.
Elder Tomakar was no warrior by any measure, but his mind was instrumental in the early days of the great war. He tempered my people's rage and channeled it where it would be most effective.{^n}{^n}His final act was to lead an attack that would drive a wedge through Erulan's forces and deliver his troops to what is now Port Valbury. All involved knew that this would likely be a suicide mission, a diversion while the clans regrouped back in Kurnhold, but Tomakar chose to lead from the front. He could not send those brave men and women to die without facing the risks himself. The Kurn lost a brilliant mind that day.{^n}{^n}Tomakar's staff was a symbol of his office. He leaned heavily upon it as he walked, so it would undoubtedly be where he fell.
I will recover these memories for your people.
I'm sorry, I cannot help you.

Nevermind. I can't help you.
I'm sorry. I can't.
Not right now.
You are tugging relentlessly at this thread, lowlander.{^n}{^n}I do not know if you will find what you seek at its end.
And why not?
The Bloodbound surround themselves with lies and deceptions.{^n}{^n}It can be unnerving to find that the good men and women you once considered friends and allies have become hollow shadows of their former selves, their lives forfeit in service to a cruel god.{^n}{^n}If even our best can fall to their deceits, are any of us truly untouchable by the Great Annihilator's reach?
I've dealt with their kind before.
Maybe you have, maybe not. You now face a foe that has been singularly focused on their goal for centuries.{^n}{^n}And they are closer than ever to achieving it.
Then they will be overconfident.
I can handle them.
I will be cautious.
I can handle them.
I guess we will find out.
Farewell.
Against my advice, the young chieftain has allowed you to pass through the eastern gates.{^n}{^n}I do not know what you hope to find there, lowlander, but know that I will be watching.
You don't trust me?
We have allowed a bear into our den of wolves. Does it seek to share the warmth of the cave? Or to steal our kill?{^n}{^n}Mistrust is not only warranted, it is necessary.
I will prove you wrong.
Fair enough.
Fair enough.
Your presence in this great hall is an insult to all the Kurn that died fighting to defend this valley.{^n}{^n}Do not presume you are welcome here.
I can't change the past.
We can still mend our relations.
