General Samael dispatched you to Popolion to investigate some wild rumors. Unchecked aggression raged across the landscape and bizarre aberrations attacked the locals. You encountered a pair of baraka scholars, Bedoram and Brohua, who investigated the source of the trouble. Bedoram traced the problem to a relic known as a dementalith, but warned you that such a device is a massive investment and that the danger was greater than it first appeared. Mission Orders Report to General Samael at once. All other orders rescinded. We're keeping it quiet, but Poporia is in trouble and Consul Dougal ordered me to have someone investigate. Head to Popolion and investigate the source of this disturbance, but take no chances. Whatever the problem, it mustn't spread to Val Aureum or other provinces. Do you understand me? If stopping this threat means burning Popolion to the ground, then that's what you do. You're the federation agent? Not a moment too soon! The bad news? Trouble everywhere outside Popolion. Is it a disease? A curse? There's talk about vampir blood magic, but no one knows anything. The good news? Not much. Two baraka scholars have been braving the woods seeking answers, but it's dangerous out there. Find {@LinkCreature:215#1019#Brohua} at the camp southwest of here and see what you can do to help. Outside aid at last! If nothing else, it's comforting to talk to someone sane! I am Bedoram's assistant at your service. Nothing much to report yet, although we have concluded that this is less a plague or curse than an...emanation? Hard to say. What we do know is that the longer you stay, the deeper it affects you. It has affected my colleagues, though I don't think they realize it yet.<NEXTPAGEBUTTON>"Where is Bedoram?"</NEXTPAGEBUTTON> He's moving our gear to a new camp northwest of here. We're mapping the strength field of the—oh, I won't bore you. I am more concerned with all the {@LinkCreature:15#6#disturbed constructs} near our camp. I've seen them slaughter travelers, but Prefect Paka's holding back his troops. He's convinced we're about to be overrun by farmers. Could you deal with them? I'm grateful to you. As soon as I pack up here, I will go back to Popolion. <PCNAME>, would you check in with Bedoram? He may need assistance. He headed north so he probably passed through Camp Retribution. Go there and ask Centurion {@LinkCreature:215#1010$$Amallen} if he knows of Bedoram's whereabouts. What's that? You're looking for {@LinkCreature:215#1027$$Bedoram}? He stopped briefly on his way to Camp Redemption to get his equipment from the caravan. Go find him. Our lives may depend on the outcome of his research. The caravan is long overdue. Whatever shall I do? Without my instruments, I cannot isolate the source of the troubles. Did Paka actually send the— Wait, what was that? A distress signal! The caravan is in trouble! You must help them! Quickly! I'll {@LinkCreature:215#1027#teleport you}. Thanks be to Oriyn! You saved the caravan, and my equipment. Now, I must take field-strength readings, then cross-compare against our earlier data. Oh, and I'll need fresh chemical residue! Could you gather the chemical samples I need? The field causes physical changes over time. I must see the blood of the, ahem, {@LinkCreature:15#14#blood fiends}. Excellent! I'm almost done entering the new data. Once I add this blood, the analyzer will determine the drift in your samples and compare them. If I am right, they'll be the same. I still need that blood, <PCNAME>. Those {@LinkCreature:15#14#blood fiends} are the key. I've asked for the bare minimum sufficient for my tests! This isn't a plague, thankfully, nor is it a primal curse. It's...oh, no! Blood magic—and powerful blood magic at that. It would take a large group of arcanists to achieve this effect, or possibly an artifact.<NEXTPAGEBUTTON>"What kind of artifact?"</NEXTPAGEBUTTON> Good question! I've seen similar effects before, but dementaliths were always involved. Yes. They're powerful enough to cause this. I'll tell you this, though. Whoever would deploy such a device must have an agenda, and be ruthless enough to pay any price for success. By Oriyn's light, what a mess.