Wildfire, 野火 (3/3)

Chapter 3: Revelation, 啟示

Hiva Shesha

Division: Security

0.9 Hiva Shesha's Shuttle in Tanoo

Mission 13: Church of the Obsidian, 黑曜石教堂

Do you have any idea how tough this relic is to crack? You'd think something this simple would come with a manual. We've used the Khumaak for a long time as a symbol of our defiance. But the presence of one little rock adds a whole new level of meaning. 

Oh yeah. Welcome, Nad! I take it that Nilf sent you over? You've earned a lot of trust with the Republic, and I hope we can continue that trend. 

I was one of the Republic University scholars to take a look at the Wildfire Khumaak for the Brutors. I was also sent to look over the documents you recovered from the RSS. So, essentially, I've been with you from the beginning, lurking in the shadows. That's what we historians do: Skulk about in dusty corners looking for information. It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.

The Ammatar “sister” that was the source of all the information was based in a nearby cathedral called the Church of the Obsidian. I've contacted the church, and she's no longer there. In fact, I have no clue where she went. She did make reference to some artifact located in the church. They've denied me access to the church grounds – those bloody lapdogs – but I think you might be able to persuade them. Get inside that church and get something called the “Blood Obsidian Orb.” I don't know what to do with it after that, but I think that's our first step.

Take this analyzer with you, and use it on the church. It should help you unearth the Blood Obsidian Orb. 

Objective
Find a way inside the Church of the Obsidian and recover the Blood Obsidian Orb


-Incoming Transmission-
No Entrance
We know what you are here for. You are not allowed on the church grounds. Leave now or face the consequences.


-Cargo Info-
Blood Obsidian Orb
The Church of the Obsidian has kept this relic for nearly four hundred years, though its original meaning was never truly discovered. The orb is carved from blood obsidian, the same material found in the head of the Wildfire Khumaak. The orb's surface is completely smooth, though it is lighter than it appears. 

Mission 14: Heresiology

You found it? Really? Well, I guess it's kind of orb-like. I have no idea what its significance is, but I'm going to find out. Hang on real quick. I must look into this further. 

I'm still going to need some more time with the Blood Obsidian Orb, but I have managed to glean some information from it. My theory is that the orb acts as a protective case for something hidden inside of it. I'd hate to break open a priceless relic of the past, and I'm trying to avoid that situation as much as possible.

Something was written on the orb as well, and I want you to go find what it is. There's a tablet that goes along with the orb and supposedly tells more about its purpose. The Church of the Obsidian did not have this tablet, as far as I can tell, but I was able to decipher a code on the orb that told of the tablet's location: the ruins of an old Ammatar church.

The church is an ancient place, and a prime spot for archaeology. Use that analyzer I gave you for the Church of the Obsidian. I expect there to be a lot of stuff to analyze among those ruins. Bring back whatever you can, but I'm especially looking for the Blood Obsidian Tablet. When you come back, I expect that I can crack this thing wide open…figuratively speaking, of course. 

Objective

I need you to excavate and analyze the ruins of an Ammatar church. Somewhere in that area is a clue to our hidden holy text. I imagine it'll be another piece of blood obsidian. Find it and bring it back to me.

Acquire these goods:

1 x Engraved Blood Obsidian tablet (0.1 m³)

-Analyze Relics-

-Cargo Info-

The Benevolent

A tattered document, presumably a part of a larger manuscript. The text is written neatly, though much of it is faded. An excerpt from this piece, titled “Chapter 6 – The Benevolent” reads as follows:

“The fields and hills of Starkman Prime are harsh and demanding, especially for those working indentured servants tied directly to the land by the holy bonds of slavery. Arzad Hamri understood their plight and pitied them. As a boy, he would often work alongside the Starkmanir in the fields, immersing himself with the tribe to better understand their customs and traditions, much to the chagrin of his father and elders. 

“As a Holder, Arzad offered many forms of restitution and bereavement for the Starkmanir during their often long and difficult days. Regular rest periods were common during his rule, as well as days of parlay and rest, including high holy days and other Amarr religious festivals, deeming these occasions to be too holy. The Starkmanir loved him for these decisions, often working extra hours when necessary because they respected Arzad and wished for him to be pleased with their efforts.”

-Cargo Info-

Hand of Arzad

A tattered document, presumably a part of a larger manuscript. The text is written neatly, though much of it is faded. An excerpt from this piece, titled “Chapter 20 – Hand of Arzad” reads as follows:

“The Hand of Arzad grew to become the most popular festival on Starkman Prime, so beloved was this day of rest granted by Arzad Hamri. On this day, Hamri presided acted as pastor of religious services, in which most of the Starkmanir attended. His sermons from these festivals were collected and distributed among the tribe, often used by the elders to educate the young people of the importance of benevolence and good grace to people of all stations. 

The theme of Arzad's sermons was almost always of the inherent dignity of the Starkmanir, their precious qualities, and the hope of salvation through servitude. This message did not fall on deaf ears, and many ambitious, young Starkmanir took his words as inspiration for independence and rebellion against the greater Amarr Empire, though Arzad was always able to quell the burgeoning pride and self-esteem of the slaves. ‘Salvation comes through servitude, the grace of your masters, the dignity of your being,' was Arzad's common response, his refrain found throughout his sermons.” 

-Cargo Info-

St. Arzad

A tattered document, presumably a part of a larger manuscript. The text is written neatly, though much of it is faded. An excerpt from this piece, titled “Chapter 1 – St. Arzad” reads as follows:

“And so it was that Arzad Hamri, son of Ezzara Hamri, grandson of Yuzier Hamri, ascended to the title of Holder of the most holy grounds on Starkman Prime. Though only a young man, Arzad held the wisdom of the ages, granted to him by the celestial Maker, and carried with him the burden of creation. 

“His first act as Holder was to grant a day of celebration to all his slaves, calling that day holy by the Amarr religion. The slaves, members of the Starkmanir tribe, referred to that day as the “Hand of Solace” or “Khu-arzad.” Unlike his father before him, Arzad was instantly loved by his slaves, and his benevolence sowed the seeds of righteous love between Holder and slave.”

-Cargo Info-

The Education of the Starkmanir

A tattered document, presumably a part of a larger manuscript. The text is written neatly, though much of it is faded. An excerpt from this piece, titled “Chapter 12 – The Education of the Starkmanir” reads as follows:

“By the end of his tenth year as Holder on Starkman Prime, Arzad had finished the educational infrastructure for the Starkmanir with the establishment of the final slave college on his continent. The focus of these education centers, aimed at young members of the Starkmanir tribes, was in assimilating the slaves into the greater Amarr society. The focus was primarily in basic business matters, science and technology, and all aspects of the Amarr religion. Attendance at this school was not entirely elective, and slaves were given time to study, though they would often have to make up for lost time in the fields. Despite this, many Starkmanir entered into the slave colleges in order to better their station in life, especially with respect to the high, holy Amarr religion.

“The Starkmanir also educated their beloved Holder in kind, as well as other members of the Hamri family. The tradeoff in education was often mutual between the tribal leaders and Arzad. When the slave colleges began teaching business matters, the Holder learned ancient Starkmanir woodworking; astronomy education led to the Starkmanir martial arts; and the teaching of the Amarr religion initiated Arzad's own edification of the Starkmanir's tribal spiritualism.”

-Cargo Info-

The Fire in Our Hearts

A tattered document, presumably a part of a larger manuscript. The text is written neatly, though much of it is faded. An excerpt from this piece, titled “Chapter 37 – The Fire in Our Hearts” reads as follows:

“Lord Arkon Ardishapur, though a longtime friend of Arzad, oversaw the popular Holder's execution for treason and blasphemy. Arzad had requisitioned an Amarr symbol of authority, a scepter,  as a symbol for lowly slaves. Arzad's granted the scepter to his slaves as a symbol for enlightenment and salvation. Ardishapur ordered that all copies of this scepter – dubbed Wildfire scepters for its blood obsidian orb, a rock native to Starkman Prime – be destroyed. The Starkmanir were angry at his execution. Arzad's book of sermons inspired the troubled tribe. 

“Three months after his death, Arzad appeared to Drupar Maak while the slave was alone in the fields. The Starkmanir youth was afraid at first, though once he saw the shimmering eyes of his former Holder, he was at peace. Arzad handed a Wildfire scepter to Maak, telling him, ‘The fire in our hearts burns for salvation, redemption, and grace. May the Word of God grant you the courage to save yourself and your people.' With those words, Arzad disappeared, but the scepter was still with Maak. Years later, he would wield a similar item and avenge the death of his beloved Holder on the day of Khu-arzad. After that day, the scepter would be forever known as Khumaak.”

-Cargo Info-

Engraved Blood Obsidian tablet

A small tablet, made entirely of blood obsidian, engraved with writing. The words on the tablet are not entirely clear, and the dialect is familiar, though unreadable. 

Mission 15: Wildfire, 野火

I can't believe what you found among those ruins. This is a historian's dream come true. Now that we've got the Blood Obsidian Orb and the Blood Obsidian Tablet, I think we finally solve this mystery. We're very close to uncovering the secrets of the Wildfire Khumaak.

By the way: Did you notice anything strange there? I could have sworn I saw an RSS ship flying about those ruins. Weird. 

I've been a scholar and a historian for many years now, so I know how to handle ancient relics. I will confess, though, that I was about to cut right into the middle of the Blood Obsidian Orb to see what was inside. Yes, I was getting rather desperate for answers. Luckily, the tablet you uncovered was more than just mystical mumbo-jumbo and flowery metaphors. Rather, it was practically an instruction manual to open the orb. Spirits be praised!

I found this datacore inside the orb. According to the tablet, there's a church in this area called the Wildfire Life Chapel. Inside the chapel is something called the Book of St. Arzad. I think that was what you came across in those ruins: parts of this lost book. My, from the looks of it, this is heavy stuff. I haven't had the chance to piece it all together yet, but I have a feeling that this book goes beyond a simple relic like the Wildfire Khumaak and into much bigger territory. 

This book must be recovered. I'm almost certain that it's in the chapel. Put the datacore in that chapel and see what comes of it. It's our only hope. See what happens. 

Objective

I think if you place this datacore inside the Wildfire Life Chapel, the book will reveal itself. It's our only chance. See what happens.

Granted Items

1 x Obsidian Datacore

-Cargo Info-

Obsidian Datacore

Found inside the Blood Obsidian Orb, this datacore is supposed to reveal the location of the lost Book of St. Arzad.

You know, this could all be for naught. There could be nothing there, or the book could have been swiped long ago. If you don't get the book, that's ok: We're just trying to see if this works. History has a wicked sense of humor, sometimes, so be careful. 

-Incoming Transmission-

Karkoti Rend:

Even though the RSS took me off the project, I continued my search for this, the Book of St. Arzad. The RSS have been after this document for a long time now, as well as the Angel Cartel. Luckily, the Angels pay better. I wouldn't follow me, if I were you. Not unless you want this priceless relic to be destroyed. 

-Combat-

That RSS agent showed up? That's no good. There's no telling what he'll do for the book. You have to catch him and get that book! 

Mission 16: Stillwater, 靜水

We need that book, and that RSS agent has it. This is my worst fear realized: Karkoti Rend was trying to get his hands on the book. The RSS claims that he was working alone, but I don't know how true that really is.

Either way, I've tracked down his location to a nearby Angel Cartel base. This compounds the urgency of this mission. I barely trust the RSS as it is, but the Angels are outright scum. Go get the book from there, but make sure it's safe. The book is of the utmost priority! 

Objective

Karkoti Rend took the book with him to an Angel Cartel base. Find him and defeat, just make sure you get the Book of St. Arzad. Bring it back to me, and we'll see what it has to say about the Wildfire Khumaak

-Incoming Transmission-

Karkoti Rend:

I had a feeling that you would try to track me down. Not a wise decision. Not only are you outnumbered here, but I have the book. You wouldn't want anything to happen to it, would you?

-Incoming Transmission-

Karkoti Rend:

Do you even know what the Book of St. Arzad says? I don't think you're ready for its revelations. Nor do I think the Republic is ready for it. But they've turned their back on me, so I'll make sure the truth is exposed. The history books will be rewritten, and I will be a very rich man.

-Combat-

-Incoming Transmission-

Be prepared

The truth is a weapon and must be wielded with care. That was my greatest mistake: I could not handle its power. The khumaak is just a thing, an empty item; this book holds the true power. Use it wisely, but understand what it is saying. It could change everything.

-Cargo Info-

Book of St. Arzad

This book is in tatters, and some of its page are worn or missing, but much of its contents is still readable. The book describes the life of Arzad Hamri, an Amarr Holder on Starkman Prime. It is supposedly a relic from the Starkmanir Rebellion.

Mission 17: With Great Power

After all of the trials and tribulations, we finally have the truth at our fingertips. Now it's time to dig in and find out what the Wildfire Khumaak is all about. 

I have devoted much of my life to history of all sorts, from its unflappable truths to its infallible lies to the nuanced information systems found throughout the chronicles, artifacts, disputed ruins, and subjective quagmires. Despite what people think, history is a shapeless void of nonsense, akin to space's vacuum or the cold, thoughtless smattering of stars that we call home. There is no meaning besides what we make of it; we do not know truth outside of the lenses we place over this shapeless void, the teeming nothingness, the endless morass of information.

This book troubles me. I do not know what to make of it, nor do I know how to proceed. If what this book says is true, and the chances are good that at least some of it is, then the Starkmanir did not begin their rebellion out of a thirst for independence, but rather out of loyalty to their Holder, a man known to them as St. Arzad. The Wildfire Khumaak, a symbol he stole from them, is not an enduring relic of independence, nor is it a glowing tribute to the spirit of the Matari people. Rather, it is an artifact devoted to the memory of Starkmanir captivity, an heirloom of oppression, but also an endearing homage to a fallen captor. 

In other words, the Wildfire Khumaak subverts the defiance of my people. 

That is, of course, if this is true. All we have is the relic and this book. The story of St. Arzad is practically hidden or buried in the Amarr history: I can't find a trace of it. For all we know, this is apocryphal heresy, a rash account of history, a fever dream from some demented Starkmanir, or an outright hoax.

I don't know. I honestly don't know. I'm torn on what to do, and thus I will put the choice in your hands. I don't want the responsibility for what happens to this text. There are two places we can take it: Return it to the Defiants and reunite it with the Wildfire Khumaak, or donate it to a Gallente historian I know. The former option gives the book back its people, though I don't know how they'll approach the text (or even if they'll release it to the general public, which to me seems a shame). The latter will keep the book safe and make it available for the greater good. Even though it's a troubling account, it's still history, and it still needs to be known.

The choice is in your hands. 

Retraction >>

As I said, I leave the decision in your hands. This book is a remnant of the Minmatar people, and thus it probably belongs with my brethren. If you feel the same way, then take the Book of St. Arzad back to Oggur Marendei, the Defiant member you spoke with earlier. They have the Wildfire Khumaak, and they should have this book as well. 

Take this book to Oggur Marendei at the Defiant base. Let them deal with it. It's out of my hands. 

Revelation >>

Posmon Aubenard is a friend of mine, a Gallente historian working with the University of Caille. He's a trusted academic, an astute scholar, and a respected member of the university's staff. If you take this book to him, I know that he will preserve it and keep it safe, possibly even put the book in the proper historical light with a best-selling book of his own in a few years. That might not sit well with my Minmatar brethren, but at least we won't lose the truth, or whatever part of the truth this book represents. The Defiants can keep the Wildfire Khumaak – although I'm sure Posmon would love to get his hands on it – but it's just an empty symbol without the book. Go and give the Book of St. Arzad to him, and let him keep it safe. It's the right thing to do. Isn't it?

Objective

Take the book to the Defiants. They have the Khumaak, and they might as well have the book, too.

Mission 18: Retraction, 收回

Like I said, this book is unsettling for me, not as a historian, but as a proud member of the Minmatar Republic. The resistance my people endured for the past years is very important to me, and our ultimate defiance of the Amarr people is crucial to our cultural identity. This book does not show our defiance in a positive light, or at least muddies the motivations behind it. 

This text belongs with my people. I cannot attest to how they will handle it, nor can I say for certain that they will bury it. But the right thing to do is to give it to them and not to let any outsiders take possession of it. This pains me as a historian, but it feels right as a Minmatar. 

The truth is not easy, nor is it absolute. We base our understanding on our perspectives, the ideas we wish to accept, and the data we acknowledge as correct. Everything else is information clutter obscuring our understanding of the world around us. 

Objective

Take the book to the Defiants. They have the Khumaak, and they might as well have the book, too.

Granted Items

1 x Book of St. Arzad

-Warpping-

Oggur Marendei
Division: Security
0.1 Gukarla V - Tribal Liberation Force Logistic Support

So you've found information about the Wildfire Khumaak? Great! Bring it to me so we may study it. This is our history, and we need to understand it.

This is troubling. This book does not mesh well with the history we tell our people. None of this fits. Does this mean the Wildfire Khumaak is not a symbol of our independence after all?We will not destroy this book. No, we have too much respect for our ancestors for that. But we cannot let this reach the public. Not just yet. I don't know what we'll do with it. That's our concern now, capsuleer. Thank you for your assistance with this mission. Go back to Hiva Shesha. She has a gift for you from us. Please accept it as a reward. Please leave now. I must ask that you keep this to yourself out of respect for our culture. Good luck to you.

Hiva Shesha

Division: Security

0.9 Hiva Shesha's Shuttle in Tanoo

The fate of the text is out of our hands. It's up to my people to determine what to do with the book. I have faith in my people: They will do what is right, though I can't say exactly what that is.

Thank you for your help, brave pilot. May the stars be kind to you. 

-AAR-
Bounty Prizes: 67.9 mil
Loot/Salvage Est. Price: 91.4 mil
Agent Mission Reward: 100.1 mil
RSS Core Scanner x10 Est. Price : 103 mil

Total Est. Price: 362.4 mil

-Log End-