How do you feel now that you have arrived in Balaurea?

You know nothing yet; it can be confusing or frightening at first.

But if you have the will and determination, you will be able to conquer Balaurea step by step.

First, there is something you must do.

• You keep listening.

Do you know what an Obelisk is?

If a Kisk is marked as a target and lured, manifestations and apparitions may appear in the area that must be defeated.

If you can occupy the enemies at the edge, it would be helpful to know the best way to deploy a Kisk.

Since Kisks have also been sighted here, seek out the healer Gallia and then link him to the Gelkmaros Fortress Obelisk.

After you have registered the obelisk... you will then meet the information officers and learn about the condition of Inggison.

• You end the conversation.

Operation: Undertake the first mission in Gelkmaros and subjugate Gelkmaros.

You are new to me.

You look tired.

• How’s Inggison? Is there much to do?

Gelkmaros has been heavily damaged and is devastated in many places.

But the healing of souls is my calling.

Even though the situation is difficult, I do not think it will be a problem to heal the souls of many here.

If you need a soul healing yourself, come to me at any time.

Oh, before that you should register the Gelkmaros Fortress Obelisk.

• You end the conversation.

Welcome. I am Merhen.

I’m responsible for strategy here in Gelkmaros, alongside Hogidin.

I summoned you here to tell you something, Daeva.

Do not be nervous. I will briefly and concisely inform you of the situation regarding the Gelkmaros Fortress Obelisk.

If it’s all right with you, I’ll get started.

• You nod.

Tiamat’s territory expands day by day.

Besides Inggison, held by the Elyos, Gelkmaros, which we have seized, and Tiamaranta, Tiamat’s realm, the Balic Treasury and Teva... more and more hidden regions are being discovered.

Yes, I know how you feel. Despite Lord Marchutan and the agents, we couldn’t even gain a foothold in Tiamaranta.

But without the lord’s care we would hardly have achieved these successes. In Gelkmaros the aether is thin, so one cannot fully use one’s power within an Aetheric Field.

My explanation turned out a bit long. Daeva, we will often rely on your help.

With that I will conclude and ask you to seek out Hogidin. He will tell you more.

• You end the conversation.

Have you spoken to Merhen yet?

Pleased to meet you, my name is Hogidin. Together with Merhen I am responsible for strategy here in Gelkmaros.

What I am about to tell you is strictly confidential. It must not reach the Elyos, otherwise this fortress will be in danger. You must keep it to yourself at all costs.

I will speak and you will listen for now.

You can ask your questions afterwards.

• You keep listening.

This is top secret... We are preparing to deploy the battleship Nornir to pursue Tiamat and push into Tiamaranta.

Some preparations are already in place, but as this is an operation across space and time, only handpicked, first-class Daevas will be taken.

For Daeva it may still seem early, but only with a great goal can one grow. And growth requires competition.

Do you understand now why I called it top secret?

Everyone wants to go to Tiamaranta, but if it became known that not everyone can go, the still-growing Daevas could be threatened by rivals… Therefore strict secrecy must be maintained.

• You nod.

Do you have any questions?

Feel free to ask anything that comes to mind.

Merhen knows best about the situation in Gelkmaros.

Agent Richelle has instructed us to tell you everything, no secrets.

• You keep listening.

How about you check the situation with the inhabitants of the Gelkmaros Fortress yourself?

Let’s see... Cenvezo might have some time now.

Start with Cenvezo and meet the residents in the reception hall.

• You end the conversation.

Is there something troubling you?

I’m sorry, but at the moment that’s a bit difficult.

I’m completely tied up with problems at the Gelkmaros Defence Base.

• What’s the problem?

It seems that support units for the Gelkmaros Defence Base have failed to arrive.

I’m already very busy in this fortress, and now I’m supposed to manage another fortress as well. How could I not be busy?

More people, twice the resources. Everything ought to have doubled, but reality is different.

The Brigade General said I should take care of it. I’m grateful for the trust, but frankly the burden is quite heavy.

Oh, that was a cowardly thing to say.

• You end the conversation.

I’ve heard that people from Pandaemonium were brought here.

Ah, yes. You’ve led a detachment from Sanctum here. Nice to see they have a few Daevas to spare for our little corner of the world.

• Certainly not that insignificant.

How did you know that? Was it that obvious? If so, what happened...

Actually I was asked a favour by someone, but I haven’t the time to fulfil it.

There have been reasons lately; since I’m always doing favours for people here and there... I have absolutely no time to fulfil the request of Shawster.

If you have some time, would you meet this person on my behalf?

• You end the conversation.

Hm, did you come here because of Garas’ request?

Why have you been away so long...

• Is there anything you can help with?

It’s an urgent matter.

Phew, rumours will start soon... what am I to do? Last night, just as I was about to go to bed, I took a walk along the fortress wall, and the person had suddenly vanished.

In the end even the Dredgion crashed, and he said it was dangerous, but he was stubborn. He insisted on going alone, so I had no choice but to go with him.

He recently said he just needed to cross the bridge in front of the fortress to see a man in the Antagor Canyon, and would be right back.

Thanks. We were going to have a small picnic when I, uh, had to answer the call of nature. I was only gone for a minute, I swear it!

• You keep listening.

Worried about my wife I couldn’t sleep all night. I was told a Shorleck had been in Gelkmaros.

When I heard about it, his body was in poor condition. He looked exhausted and tense, as if he’d overexerted himself, he kept coughing.

Then meet Shorleck on my behalf and ask him to do the favour. I beg you to do so.

• In return, you should ask him for detailed information.

Hm, detailed information?

That may count as information, but actually another person has gone missing. He/She is called Nistr (my assistant).

He is a talented, hardworking young alchemist. Although he didn’t get on with Iliene... they’re about the same age, but they hardly have anything in common.

Anyway: The fellow had already gone missing shortly before my wife disappeared. I was worried, but when he was searching for alchemical ingredients he seemed to lose track of time...

• If you have any information, please give it to me.

Also... there is an item that disappeared along with my wife.

A pouch of jewels and a pattern for a serum. I’m sometimes forgetful and may have put them down somewhere and then not found them again, but...

The jewel pouch isn’t that tragic, but the pattern is the result of hundreds of years of research. I’d very much like to get it back.

Anyway, please pass my details on to Shorleck exactly. I’m counting on you.

• You end the conversation.

Greetings. You were in Altgard, I believe. You were once a member of the Ulgorn Raiders. And you have only recently arrived in Gelkmaros.

Anyone with even a passing interest in the situation in Gelkmaros should know that the most recently arrived famous Daeva is Daeva.

But that’s not relevant at the moment. I believe you have something important to tell me?

• Yes, a favour...

Hrm. Shawster’s worries are justified. Did you know he possesses immense personal wealth? It could be a...

The last place the person was seen is in the Antagor Canyon beneath a certain tree. There are signs that the person relieved themselves there. A jewellery pouch and a pattern for a serum were also found, correct?

I must collect my thoughts... could you wait a moment? Then there should be no misunderstandings.

• You wait a moment.

Why are you standing there dazed? I told you, there will be no misunderstandings.

If my suspicion is correct, then this case is not a simple missing-persons case.

Those who spend a lot of time in Gelkmaros have boots full of Plia pollen. Yours, however, are only lightly dusted with it.

And the emblem on the seal you bear is that of General Suthran. Therefore you must have been in Altgard.

• You keep listening.

Elementary, my dear Daeva. So, Shawster last saw his wife near Root Hollow in Antagor Canyon.

There they found traces such as Flattened Grass and Moist Stone.

Capital! Regarding the sample... You must cut out a large chunk of earth and lift it straight from the ground. Why, I’ll explain later.

In the meantime I’ve been conducting other investigations. When Daeva returns, I must hurry to finish in time.

• You end the conversation.

Welcome back, Daeva. I conducted my own investigations while you were away.

This missing assistant, Maron, is a most interesting person. I have heard much illuminating information about him.

But my investigation cannot proceed without your help! Show me what you bring me.

• I have everything here.

Do you remember that I said this case was a very calculated and terrifying crime involving a conspiracy?

The perpetrator seems obvious at first glance. Former spouses, former assistants… relationships the husband probably did not want to reveal.

An old man with a young woman and a handsome assistant of her age... a dangerous combination. His story was a lie.

And the item lodged in the rock is not a prop but apparently an herb that only grows in a specific area, precisely where the old man lived.

• You keep listening.

The evidence suggests that these two Skraws were at that location.

I saw someone from the Gelastra guard post make contact with the Skraw at that location, and several bodies were taken away.

But the Skraws apparently already appeared remorseful.

Why would a Skraw that killed two people do such a thing?

• You keep listening.

Very well, Daeva, you must finish this terrifying Skraw off once and for all.

Why? Is there no one here?

When we reach Gelkmaros, it will probably be our first confrontation, but we should be able to find more people.

If you defeat it, it will be to your advantage.

Yes, exactly! Go to the Skraw and defeat it.

• You end the conversation.

On the map it looks as though there is a place where this enemy might appear.

Back then? Wasn’t it difficult to get up there?

• No, that was not hard.

Ha!

If a battle took place there previously, it will be difficult, but shortly afterwards it should be possible to advance without major problems.

That sounds like mere speculation.

That is not necessary.

It is also reported that a fortified base has been established near Gelastra.

• You end the conversation.

Hmm, are you the Daeva who completed Shawster’s assignment?

Did you meet any Shorlecks?

• You give your report.

Heh, Shawster and Shorleck made off with the Daeva artefact rather roughly.

It wasn’t just one or two Daevas that the two of them mocked.

But in the end we succeeded, didn’t we?

Welcome to Gelkmaros.

Marchutan’s Agent Richelle came to Gelkmaros, prepared a strategy and intended to carry out her first campaign.

Investigate the inhabitants within the fortress and meet the mysterious Shawster; he claims his wife and his servant have disappeared.

After you collected evidence such as Flattened Grass and Moist Stone, it turned out that the perpetrator was Shawster and the missing persons had been abducted.

However, the responsible master was missing, and some guards got involved, causing unrest.

After searching the area, you found traces on grass and stones, but it remained unclear whether Shawster was the perpetrator.