Main Story

Sands of Aura's Main Story is a semi-linear progression leading the player through a chain of Main Quests and unlocking new locations, characters, gameplay systems and upgrades. Specific Side Quests adjacent to the Main Story will likewise be made available throughout. Refer to Quests for a general and specific overview of Main Quests and Side Quests and Talamhel for all accessible locations.

The following is an interpretative retelling of the story as is involving snippets of Talamhel's overarching world building and lore and individual character motivations and is not meant to represent a one-to-one gameplay walkthrough. Refer to the left-hand side table for specific milestones and quest progression.

Main Story

FULL SPOILERS WARNING

Talamhel is in it's twilight. The sands have buried it's kingdoms. Corruption unburies it's subjects. From such bountiful seeds, this world has reaped only entropy, chaos, and night. And though the secrets of Talamhel's ruination are entombed below the sea of sand... It's a truth that will not rest.

The Beginning / "The Reserve Supply"

Meet Lawrence across the narrow pathway Accept "The Reserve Supply": Find the offering to enter the Inner Sanctum of Melgom's Cavern Follow Lawrence into the Inner Sanctum and defeat Sanctum Beast Leave the cavern to access Starspire Refuge proper Meet Lawrence inside your home

Upon finishing the intro cinematic, the player character finds themselves in a vast cavern complex, Melgom's Cavern. Make your way along the tutorial hints and narrow pathway until you meet Lawrence, The Mentor Knight. He reminds you of the duties of Starspire's Remnant Knights and tasks you, as Knight-To-Be, to help replenish the island's water stores that are kept inside the cavern's sanctum. Explore the caverns until you locate a small altar and retrieve the "Offering to Melgom". Take one of two nearby paths marked by blue and green crystals to open the shortcut back to the resonating bell, and place the offering on the pedestal to gain entrance to the sanctum. Finding the water reservoire blighted by an unknown corruption, Lawrence bids you to activate the filter mechanism, prompting the Sanctum Beast to appear, a malformed humanoid creature born out of the corrupted water. You engage the beast in combat and are successful in its defeat. A heavily wounded Lawrence is being escorted to safety by Galina, while you stay behind to drain the whole reservoire. Following a faint trail of blood, you make your way out of the cavern to Starspire Refuge. You return home to find Lawrence and Galina in talks with Navae, a Priestess of Leisis, though she has little to offer but comfort for Lawrence's wounds.

Clean Water Supplies / "Well Run Dry" and Tupi's Grotto

Talk to Navae, Galina and Lawrence to accept "Well Run Dry" Head to the docks of Starspire and meet up with Falker, The Dunefaring Knight Pilot the Grainwake sandboat eastwards to Tupi's Grotto Enter the island and make your way into Tupi's Home and Carving Cavern Talk to Tupi and head down the Cavern, defeat Ubaani Head back to the docks and talk to Tupi

Too proud a knight, Lawrence is not keen on leaving the grim situation of Starspire to the Blessings of the church. He informs you that it was in fact a former Priest of Leisis, Calder, who set the local church on fire before fleeing the island. Both the contamination of the secret cistern as well as the fire have depleted most of Starspire's water supplies. Reminding you of your duty as Knight-to-be, Lawrence tasks you to take the Grainwake ship and head eastwards to Tupi's Grotto in hopes of striking a deal to secure clean water for Starspire. You reach the island, only to find it in a state of disarray. The Local population seems to be afflicted by a condition only known as Sand-Soak, Falker refers to them as "being corrupted by Night itself." Fighting your way past the corrupted Cultists, you notice that the blight has corrupted the selfsame water supplies that you so desperately came here to secure. Finally emerging in Tupi's Carving Cavern, he hastily leads you to the source of "Night", Ubaani, a once beloved carving golem of Tupi. As is your duty as Knight-to-be, you vanquish the golem, the corruption's grasp too strong on him to be cleansed off it - but not before a mysterious shade emerges from Ubaani's body, vanishing as quickly as the glance it throws your way. Tupi calls it a phantom manifestation of the corruption. Though saddened by the loss of Ubaani, he commends you for fulfiling your duty and promises fresh water supplies awaiting you at the docks. Before returning home, Tupi cannot help but share his grim outlook with you on what may befall the world if the source of the corruption will not be cleansed. He bids Seldom, a Master Rune Carver to follow you back to Starspire, along an ancient Sigil, once belonging to the god Melgom.

The Nexus and Ancient Premonitions / "Sigils of the Forsaken Gods" and "Weight of Relief"

Bring the ancient Sigil to Seldom and have him activate it Find the hidden Nexus on Starspire Refuge and enter the portal Reunite with Aura and make your way across the Dunes of Creation to Mentes' temple Talk to Mentes and heed his words about the Dunes and Seal of Maveth Talk to Lawrence Talk to Galina

Seldom himself seems as much of a mystery as the Sigil you received. The Rune Carver activates it's hidden powers and Tupi, speaking to you via a telepathic vessel, tells you of an ancient remnant place somewhere on Sparspire, a secret Nexus supposedly carved by Melgom himself as a safety measure should the Pillar of Entropy's containment of the Night Plague fail. You venture out and find the entrance to the vast chamber hidden deep in Starspire's Church. Descending the stair case, the mysterious phantom shade appears in front of you once more, communicating in a language beyond foreign to you. Whether warning or threat, you ultimately decide to place the god's Sigil into it's rightful place, revealing and activating the Nexus's portal chamber. With the phantom shade rejoining your side, you delve into the unknown portal. The world you suddenly find yourself in greets you with geometry unlike anything known in Talamhel. Once again, the phantom shade reveals itself with spoken words you can finally comprehend. She calls herself Aura, a Spirit Between, and bids you to hurry to the summit of this realm, the Dunes of Creation. Past shifting sands and ghosts, you reach Mentes' temple Aura warned you about. Mentes himself seems both indifferent towards your presence but also enraged by Aura whom he only refers to as "child of the progenitor". Overwhelming you with knowledge of a time long past, you can make little sense of Her Hymn and Maveth's Seal Mentes is trying to warn you about. Annoyed by your ignorance, he eventually spirits you away from this realm. You find yourself in the presence of your home and Galina, having being unconscious for days. Joyous to see you alive and awake, she shares grim tidings about Lawrence's declining health and asks you to speak with him. With his final words officially appointing you as Knight of the Remnant Order, tasking you to protect Starspire at all costs, he falls into a deep corrupted state of slumber.

"Reverie and Libations": Paragon's Rest

Journey to Paragon's Rest Ascend the island and defeat Tannen, The Alchemect Talk to Falker and return the surviving to Starspire Refuge Talk to Tannen

Congratulating you to your promotion, Galina shares information about a secret elixir in the possession of the renowned Alchemect Tannen. According to Aura, the elixir itself may not be enough to heal Lawrence of his ailment and mentions an old Ferrum-made instrument called the Azure Flare. Aura shares a memory about a man called Sir Gideon currently abiding in the Cinderhold who may know where to find the secret flame. Standing at the crossroads, you prepare for the long journey and make your way towards Paragon's Rest, in search of the alchemect. A prior expedition of Spearhands commissioned by the Alchemect Guild was ambushed and massacred on the island by a Cult of Death Worshippers. The few spearhands still alive, only a few breaths away from death themselves, tell of the horrors they experienced and that Tannen injected himself with a peculiar concoction as a means to protect the island, turning himself mad in the process. You have no choice but to defend yourself and Tannen, forced into a corner, throws himself off the high terrace in a fit of rage and insanity. Waiting just beyond a nearby gate beckons you an unfamiliar tall man, the supposed Curator of Paragon's Rest, Mott. You can only imagine what nightmares are being bound and held inside the mud-covered mausoleum that stands in front of you. Mott is displeased with the presence of the hired Mercenaries and Remnant Order and demands you to take the maddened Alchemect, a surviving Spearhand and leave this place at once.

"Reverie and Libations": Radix Stronghold

Journey to Radix Stronghold Use Firebombs to burn Blackthorn and enter the stronghold Locate the Buel'Sarian Bindrune and Worn Cutlass Dagger Unlock the bridge mechanism and enter the Stronghold's Heart, defeat Wilgram Twins Enter the laboratory and kill Moro Retrieve a sample of Naurrin's Tainted Elixir

Back in Starspire, you inquire Spearhand Rory and Tannen about the cure you seek. The Alchemect, now healed of most of his insanity and madness, speaks of an old tale about the legendary Elixir of Naurrin, said to be potent enough to heal any and all ailment and corruption. Though "statistically slim", he recommends you travel to Radix Stronghold, northeast of Starspire. Handing you a few too conveniently stored firebombs to gain entrance to the Keep, you leave Starspire in search for the old Alchemect laboratory said to be housed deep inside the stronghold. The keep proves itself worthy of the name, teeming with defences and traps alike. Past the first gate lies a serene lake, granting a moment of respite and for Aura to share in her memories of the past. You continue to journey deep into broken down stronghold, once a flourishing fortress of Buel'Sarian and Ferrum architecture. Amidst its hidden halls, libraries and long fortifications, you come across two peculiar relics fashioned into keys. You return to the peaceful lake, both keys in hand. Luck smiles upon you, for the deep indentations you happened to spot earlier reveal themselves as fitting locks, activating the mechanism to raise the bridge that will lead you into the stronghold's deepest chamber. There, among a flock of undead archers overlooking the great hall, await none other than the Twin Sons of the once great Warrior King Wilgram and his wife Queen Ayenna. Determined to defend their ancient, proud heritage the Twin Prince's engage you in fierce combat and ultimately, emerge victorious. With the gate barring your way now unlocked, you descent into the heart of the Keep and find the secret laboratory spoken of by Tannen. Aura warns you about a precarious essence of Maveth himself she seems to sense in this place. Before either of you are able to act upon the threat, the Pilgrim Verdant Moro appears, a man you once deemed a delirious and confused wanderer. Claiming to finally reap the rewards for his conviction and patience, he dunks his head into the purple, sinister liquid inside the laboratory's well and drinks deep of it's contents. Transforming himself into nothing more than a lifeless slave to Maveth's will, he now hurls alien words at you, not unlike the language spoken by Aura, though she herself admits to not being able to understand him, only feeling the confusion and fear in his voice. Bound to your duty, you have no choice but to slay Moro. With Naurrin's Elixir tainted by Maveth's Night Plague, Aura concludes that this mythical concoction can yet be saved by means of purification. You take a sample of the vile liquid and a broken Sigil of the Forsaken God Embarsarian you chanced to find inside the laboratory. Your gaze now aimed toward the Cinderhold, you retreat from the stronghold with a newborn conviction that locating the legendary Azure Flare may very well be the last option of combating Maveth's corruption and saving Lawrence's life.

"The Embers of Avarice": Cinderhold and The Flare Forge

Journey to the Cinderhold and locate Sir Gideon Support Sir Gideon in his quest to vanquish the Warden and free him from his prison Defeat the Cinderwarden, return Greckko's Arm to Sir Gideon and free him Talk to Sir Gideon on Starspire and retrieve the modified Arm of Greckko

Your path now takes you southward to the Cinderhold; a smoldering, vibrant ember of a once Ferrum Prison island amidst the endless ocean of sand. You take a few cautious steps into the fiery pits and eventually find Sir Gideon, a man suspiciously knowledgable about all matters Ferrum. He reassures you that the object you seek is indeed located inside the Flare Forge, a bastion of Ferrum design, ancient enough to even predate the Night Plague, though a mysterious localized thunderstorm surrounding the island has made the mere approach of it impossible since time immemorial. He bids you to rid the prison of Greckko, the now sole Cinderwarden, a Ferrum Warrior whose cruelty against Man specifically knows no bounds. According to Gideon, Greckko is a particularly old Ferrum whose armored shell has unique properties, negating even the strongest of lightning. Weathering the rigid heat and inhabitants of the prison, you succeed in finding and defeating the Cinderwarden atop the highest tower. Sir Gideon, in his very own eccentric way, thanks you for saving him and awaits you for further council on Starspire. With Greckko's arm now modified, it's unique conductive nature will grant you passage through the storm surrounding the Forge.

"The Embers of Avarice": The Flare Forge

Venture inside The Flare Forge Inquire the Ferrum about the Heart of the Forge Make your choice between Cathexis or Pheonexis Vanquish the Flare Knight Quell the threat of the Azure Flare and retrieve a portion of it's power Return to Starspire Refuge

The majestic halls you find yourself in are a rare sight, even for Ferrum standards of architecture. Aura describes their craftsmanship as being the embodiment of "Confidence, Assuredness, Precision and Beauty". Shortly into the Forge, you meet the supposed blacksmith of the Forge, Cathexis. Indifferent towards your presence, he shares his worries about an unknown corruption that has befallen the Forge and those who roam these halls. He shows reluctance upon your request to join your cause on Starspire, though willing to consider it, should you help him in his desire to extinguish the corrupted Flare by means of vanquishing the Flare Knight, a safety mechanism put in place for it's protection. Deep within on the highest spire of the Forge, you meet Pheonexis, a fellow blacksmith and assumed aquaintance of Cathexis. With deep-sitting arrogance and fiery confidence, he deflects his Ferrum-Brother's allegations regarding the Flare, heralding it as a Flame for a new age instead. Ultimately content with choosing either side, you vanquish the Flare Knight and Aura successfully retrieves a portion of the Azure Flare, just enough to supplement Naurrin's Elixir and cleanse the Night Plague within. Now likewise in possession of Embarsarian's second broken Sigil, you return to Starspire with all haste with the Ferrum blacksmith you aided joining your cause.

"An Honored Bond" and "A Bygone Accord"

Have Lawrence drink the purified Naurrin's Elixir Hand the broken Sigils to Master Carver Seldom Place the restored Sigil inside the Nexus and enter the Dunes of Creation Fight your way across the fractured Dunes to the Summit Talk to Mentes and return to him the Khrisom Orb

Galina anxiously awaited your return at the Remnant Knight's Home, her crippling fears mirroring your own. Slowly Aura and you approach the stricken Mentor Knight. After a process that seemed more mentally draining than chemically in nature, Aura succeeds in purifying the infamous Elixir of Maveth's influence and corruption. Twisting and flailing on his bed, you force Lawrence to gulp down Naurrin's Elixir. You cannot say for certain whether the concoction applied it's due effects, though a vile transformation akin to Moro's you do not see in Lawrence. With a rare elation in your hearts, Galina and you share a short moment of respite and comfort, believing that the sinister corruption may have been cured for good. With Lawrence condition having been taken care of for the time being, you make your way to Master Carver Seldom to inquire about the broken Sigils. With both grace and strength, he restores the ancient Sigil, said to belong to the God Embarsarian. In like manner, Tupi has a rare gift for you too - the Khrisom Orb, a once royal and symbolic magical device of the City of Sages, said to allow great feats of magical manipulation. Both relics in hand, you descend down the familiar stairs into the Nexus beneath Starspire and return to the Dunes of Creation and Mentes. The Dunes have become an unfamiliar sight, fractured and torn. Across chasms and hordes of beasts, you fight your way to Mentes' temple atop the Summit. His trembling hands and aggressive impatience does not bode well - Maveth's influence seems to be growing stronger, the Seals holding him captive losing their potency. In conversation, you glean that the magical Orb you received is a relic of a bygone bond, formed between Mentes and the Order of Remnant Knights to seal away the Holy City of Ishular, determined to have been one of the first great sources of the Night Plague's corruption. The orb now returned to him, it remains to be seen whether Mentes will be capable of removing the barriers that stand between you and Ishular.

A welcome calm before the storm / "The Festival of the Spire"

Talk with Lawrence Explore Starspire Refuge and partake in local festivities Enter the tournament and resolve the fireworks theft Join with Lawrence at the main dock Look for Aura within Melgom's Cavern

Thanks to Mentes' Summoning, you find yourself back in the home of the Remnant Order - awoken by none other than Mentor Knight Lawrence himself. Sharing his Gratitude-beyond-words, he informs you that in light of recent timely events, Starspire is due to hold its annual Festival of the Spire. Together with Aura you roam across your home island in an all too unfamiliar ambience of peace and celebration, not long before the world reminds you of your knightly Duties, forcing you to resolve a curious case of fireworks theft and partaking in the festivals combat tournament. You meet with Lawrence at the docks to observe the fireworks display, a show that should serve as a stalwart reminder that there is still Life and Light left in Talamhel, ready to defend the vast sand ocean against all who would harm her. Lawrence bids you to fetch Aura from within Melgom's Cavern for a chance to thank her personally for curing his ailment. With a final blast of fireworks ringing through the air, you step down into the cavern in search for Aura, turning the world more silent with each descending step.

A Festival's End: "The Festival of the Spire" / Forsaken Sigils

Confront Aura and intervene in the ritual Talk to Lawrence and Aura Confront Tupi and Seldom about their deception Journey to Black Rot Chasm

You find your ephemeral companion in the deepest cistern of the cavern in the midst of a suspicious ritual. She begs you not to interrupt in her attempts to further cleanse Maveth's corruption, not realizing that mere interaction with His husks only increases His Influence and sway over herself. She loses control and a spectre of Maveth overtakes her body, using the physical connection now established to Talamhel to uncover the Black Rot Chasm and the relentless Hashari swarm within. As was his promise, a timely intervention by Mentes successfully severs His connection to Aura and with the Khrisom Orb now fully unleashed, opens the barriers to the once Holy City of Ishular. While Aura momentarily retreats from your presence to avoid further conflict, Lawrence finds you to share the grim tidings and reports received from all across Talamhel regarding Ishular and the Hashari. Though disappointed in you having indirectly partaken in their emerging, he holds fast to his virtues and your loyalty and determination, now giving you the difficult to task to deal with the threats of the Black Rot Chasm. After a brief moment of mutual comfort and understanding, you gather Aura back to your side and confront Tupi and Seldom about their role of deception - uncovering the Holy City and Hashari Hive were nothing but necessary sacrifices to retrieve the remaining Sigils of the Gods. Your trust in the Master Carver and Sage both now waning you have no choice but to heed their plea, for regardless of their means, the fact remains that the Sigils will play an important role in cleansing the world of Maveth, the Pillar of Entropy and Night Plague once and for all. Now journeying far to the northeast, an ally of Lawrence awaits you inside the deep fissure that is Nemsiris, The Glimmering Hive of the Hashari.

"Scions and Succession": The Black Rot Chasm

Enter the Chasm and talk to Kauzzum Explore the Chasm, free the unknown Hashari and the inactive Aeon Crest Return to Vekksha and use the activated Aeon Crest to enter Nemsiris proper Explore the inner City and help Vekksha to enter the Queen's Lair Vanquish Vekksha Take Rakky's Sigil and decide the Hashari Ovum's fate

Kauzzum awaits you near the entrance of the insectoid city. Not a man of many words, he admits the difficulties of opening the gateway to the City proper. Kauzzum hands you a letter he chanced to find on a Hashari corpse. You begin exploring through the outskirts, an endless complex of remote, ascending platforms across broken down flooring and webs. You come across a curious non-hostile Hashari, who albeit ensnared among piles of rocks and clutches of rot, seems content with the situation, peacefully absorbed into playing their instrument. You free the Hashari and hand them Kauzzum's Letter, upon which she reveals her name to be Vekksha, The Speechless. You convince her to seek safety near the City's entrance gate and continue on your voyage through the vast caverns. You find a peculiar Crest, most likely once belonging to the royal castes residing inside the City. You return to Vekksha, surprised to find out about her capabilities to activate the Crest in your possession. Now able to enter the deepest parts of Nemsiris, you uncover the hidden culture of what befalls traitors of the Hive - lethal punishment that only Hashari of influence and near-royalty would be able to circumvent. Capable of such evasion was Vekksha, revealed to be the Sister Maiden, a high-ranking member of the Hashari's Synod of Sovereigns, said to be equal to the Hive Queen herself. Assembling the fruits of the Synod's research into artificial pheromones, you help Vekksha past the guards into the Seat of the Harashi Queen - only to experience the devastating lesson that treason and deception among Hashari runs deep indeed. Her very blades now turned against you, the new self-crowned Queen of Nemsiris leaves you no choice but to kill her. With Vekksha meeting her end, the immediate threat of a potential Hashari invasion has been dealt with. You once again recover a Sigil of the forsaken God Rakky and are now faced with the likely most difficult duty as Knight yet - cleansing the misty remnants of the Night Plague inside Ishular, the Holy City itself.

"The Receding Wave": Holy City of Ishular

Journey to Ishular and enter the city Fight your way into the Great Graveyard and enter the innermost Chamber Defeat Atnael, The Prime Radiance and put an end to the corrupted Mist Retrieve Hirath's Sigil

With the barrier thus broken, you venture past the golden rays of light surrounding the enclosed city and enter its Holy domain, though what you find before you could not be any further from Ishulars former glory. Torn and broken, veiled in layers of vile Fel magic and green mists of dormant Night Plague, this once Holy City has fallen far from the Grace of Leisis. You fight your way through the accursed City past its corrupted denizens and finally arrive at the innermost Chamber of Ishular's Great Graveyard. You confirm the chamber as the rightful source of the corruption that was allowed to spread rampant through the city for time untold. In her midst awaits none other than Atnael, His Prime Radiance, though it now seems beyond one's comprehension what sinister forces have turned this once iconic leader of Leisis' Church into the malformed Necromancer standing before you. With heavy heart but loyalty to your duty unbroken both, you confront the foe responsible for the perpetuation of Ishular's Night Plague. Reigning victorious, with the defeat of Atnael the holy city has finally been rid of the progenitor of its untold suffering, slowly dispersing the Mist of decay and corruption. You retrieve the Sigil of the forsaken God Hirath and prepare for the long journey home. Only time can tell what fate has in store for the holy city now - its hope rekindled and the path opened for restoration and rejuvenation.

A Spire Ablaze / "A Natural Effect"

Return to Starspire Refuge by Grainwake Cleanse the island from the Corrupted invasion and check on survivors Aid Lawrence inside Melgom's Cavern and defend the bridge against the corrupted Horde Seek out Tupi inside the Nexus

A vast distance stretches between far Ishular and Starspire now, and albeit your home draws near, something seems amiss. At last you spot the gleaming Spire on the horizon, a sight of relief and hope mere moments before terror shall shatter it all - accompanied by clouds of smoke and ash, Starspire is ablaze. Together with Felker, you hurry as fast as the Grainwake can carry you onto the shores and immediately begin to look for survivors and assess the situation. The Bellwether Guard, once despised for their idleness and negligence in dealing with the burning church, have beyond restored their honor, the piles of Corrupted and sharp fortifications heralding their heroic defence of the people. You secure and cleanse Starspire as best you can and rush to aid Lawrence and Tannen at the source of the invasion, Melgom's Cavern. You enter the caverns and find Lawrence, defending the bridge leading outside. He confirms your suspicion that Aura's ritual, an attempt of using Naurrin's Elixir and the Azure Flare to cleanse Maveth's Night Plague, turned out futile, corrupting Starspire's ancestors deep beneath inside the island's catacombs. Alongside your trusted mentor and friend, you make a decisive stand to stop the endless horde of Corrupted at all costs from pouring out into Starspire. In his final moment, holding fast to the true virtues of the ancient Order of Remnant Knights, Lawrence commits his final deed of loyalty and heroism, taking whichever explosives remained from deceased Tannen and using his own Spellblade of Fire to combust the materials resulting in a massive explosion, shaking the island to its core, successfully blowing the bridge and halting the invasion. You awake inside the Indigo Tavern at Falker's side. The Knight informs you about the Spire having barely been saved, in no small part thanks to Tupi bringing emergency supplies of water to extinguish the scorching flames. Felker reminds you that the time for lamentations will come, but will have to wait for the moment. He bids you to seek out Tupi who has taken the remaining Sigils into the Nexus while you were unconscious. Only Leisis knows now what awaits you inside the Portal Chamber, having assembled all forgotten Sigils of the Forsaken Gods.

[UNLOCK OPTIONAL ENDING] A Knight's Resolve, a Spirit's Redemption / "To See a Candle's Light"

Take the newly activated portal to the Dunes of Creation Talk to Mentes and share in his revelations Seek out the Ruined Settlement and find Aura [LEAVE AURA] [ENDING 1B] T4. [ACCEPT AURA] [ENDING 1A / TRUE ENDING] T5. Confront Aura's Inner Despair and take the portal to Seldom T6. Learn of the alternative path and reunite with Aura

Mentes beckons you to the Dunes of Creation a final time. The crumbling summit a telltell sign that the Pillar is failing and the corruption seeping back into the lands, Mentes has no choice but to reveal the secrets about Aura, Maveth and the true origins of the Night Plague. Having shared similar revelations with Aura, in a selfish plea to save the Eternal Alchemical Lifeform created for his own survival, he informs that the Spirit Between fled into the vast unknown of the sandsea, hiding in the remnants of an abandoned village island lost to history itself. You journey to the Ruined Settlement and find Aura, her Doubts, Dreams and Desires made manifest, channeling a storm of the Night Plague - the very source of her own birth and existence. [...] [ACCEPT AURA] [...] You decide to stay loyal to the Spirit, confronting her inner struggles and helping her to abolish the despair deep within, that redemption can always be sought out, the value of a genuine apology never waning. Claiming to need more time to make up her mind for the moment, she casts forth a portal spiriting you away to a hidden confinement deep beneath Tupi's Grotto. Inside its arcane jail you find its sole prisoner, the true crystalline manifestation of Rune Carver Seldom. He speaks and reminisces of the time before the Pillar of Creation, once the bounteous well-spring and Sea of Magic of the world. Seldom believes that with the presence of a true Remnant Knight upholding the ancient union, the gathered Sigils can be reactivated, strengthening Maveth's chains once more and saving Talamhel from the cataclysm Tupi seeks to invoke in the name of restoring the world for good. You return to the surface and Aura, who has ultimately decided to offer what power she can muster to save Talamhel and its people. Reunited with the Spirit Between, you have now laid bare the crossroad and the two paths upon which you must walk - whether to vanquish Maveth and allow Tupi to resummon the Forsaken Gods, resulting in the total destruction and reset of the world alongside its inhabitants, or to disobey the Sage's plans by sacrificing your own ancient essence as a Remnant Order Knight to imprison Maveth and the Night Plague back inside the Pillar of Creation, potentially perpetuating its looming presence but allowing current life on Talamhel to endure. [LEAVE AURA] [...] Recalling the long journey you've had to endure alongside the many sacrifices and victims of Starspire, the seeds of doubt within your mind regarding Aura spread and grow by the minute. Learning more of your companion's birth and past has only reinforced the notion that Aura's redemption might be beyond your reach. Witnessing a multitude of her outbursts and reflecting upon their nature, you arrive at the conclusion that cutting ties with the Spirit Between may very well be for the best of all. Having thus decided, you return to the Grainwake and make your way home - leaving Aura to her own devices and struggles. A decision coming at a heavy price, for whom else is now left in these lands willing to embrace the unwanted Drojoi except Aura's very own opposite and equal, Maveth himself.

The End / "Sigils of the Forsaken Gods" + "A Jewel In The Darkness": The Pillar of Entropy

1. Return to the Nexus' Portal Chamber [ 2. Journey into the Pillar of Creation and seek out Aura [ENDING 1B] B3. Defeat Aura, The Spirit Between B4. Make your way to the summit B5. Shatter the shackles and defeat Maveth, The Night Plague ] 2. Journey into the Pillar of Creation and seek out Tupi A3. [SIDE WITH TUPI] [ENDING 1A] A4. Confront Aura, The Spirit Between A5. Make your way to the summit A6. Shatter the shackles and defeat Maveth, The Night Plague T3. [SIDE WITH AURA] [TRUE ENDING] T4. Confront Melgom, The Carver of Talamhel T5. Make your way to the summit T6. Defeat Maveth, The Night Plague T7. Defend Aura, The Spirit Between until your last breath

You steel yourself and head through the portal formed by Tupi and the Sigils into the very heart of the Pillar of Entropy. The flourishing Night Plague within beget a vast realm of solidified corruption, embroidered with sapphiric lights and runes, gigantic chains coiling through its tall and narrow pathways. Past the descending vestibule leading into what was once the lifespring of the world awaits Maveth, a foe whose corruptive influence will test more than your mere mettle and prowess as Remnant Knight. [...] [ [ENDING 1B] [...] Reaching the inner chamber your gaze falls upon a familiar silhouette, a sight that fills your soul with misery and dread. Aura returned from the Forsaken Village and ebbs before you, her very being consumed and embraced by the Night Plague's corruption, a volatile dichotomy of love and hatred from which there will be no rectification. Having become Despair itself, the Spirit Between now stands at the vanguard of that which you have sworn to destroy. Hesitation grips your mind, and yet the virtues of your ancestors grant you shield and sword to overcome your fear. With steady pace and weapon raised you step towards Aura - nothing shall stand between you and the sacred duty of the Order of Remnant Knights, a duty you shall now fulfil with extreme prejudice. Tupi bids you to undo the failing shackles and draw his attention toward yourself and the surface, away from the slumbering Gods. In a final confrontation deciding the fate of all you heroically defend yourself against wave after wave of unrelenting corruption in its purest form. At long last, you shatter Maveth and the physical manifestation it was capable of bearing against you. As was his eternal promise, Tupi joins you just moments after, revealing himself as vessel-shade of Melgom, Carver of Talamhel. Having wrought his very soul into the laws of the world, the Forsaken God initiates the ritual, utilizing the ancient Sigils to summon forth what Primordial Gods slumbered deep beneath the sands. The resulting force spreading outwards from the Pillar of Creation spells nothing less than definitive ruin and obliteration for all of Talamhel - an armageddon, absolute and without mercy. Thus the world was cleansed of its corruption. The total annihilation of the rotting tree of the present, so that the pure seeds of life may grow and flourish for the future to come. ] [ [...] In the central chamber awaits you Tupi, the once Trusted Sage, whose chosen course now stands in direct opposition to your unwavering loyalty to Talamhel and its people of the present. Continuing the neoteric narrative that Aura is nothing but a living, alchemic manifestation of the Night Plague and inherently bound to its corruptive essence and influence, Tupi reasons that awakening the Forsaken Gods this instant is our last chance. Akin to a phoenix being reborn out of the ashes of a former life, the Sage argues that the Ancient Gods have to be allowed to annihilate every fibre of the Night Plague and current Talamhel as it stands, and should the corruption reach the roots of the world and the Gods themselves, all hope will be lost forever. [ENDING 1A] Amidst the core of the sorrow and miasma that has plagued Talamhel for millenia, the gravity of it all suddenly pours over you. You cannot help but be reminded of the life's and civilizations taken, opportunities and hope lost. Tupi is making convincing points that the vibrant fauna and flora of the world will never return so long as the Night Plague yet exists. A decision involving all of Talamhel, present and future, has to be made - you decide to follow in Tupi's wake, bittersweetly concluding that this world is larger than just you or Aura. The Spirit Between feels beyond shattered and betrayed by your decision. Aura believes in the good of all things, claiming even the revolting, tumultuous nature of the Night Plague has a faint glimmer of beauty within. With heavy heart, she cannot allow you to destroy Maveth and by extension herself. Never could you have anticipated that your foe at this last of all precipices would be none other than your most steadfast companion, only second to Lawrence. With blade in hand, reluctance and heavy regret in every blow, you strike down Aura, opening the path to Maveth's chamber. Tupi bids you to undo the failing shackles and draw his attention toward yourself and the surface, away from the slumbering Gods. In a final confrontation deciding the fate of all you heroically defend yourself against wave after wave of unrelenting corruption in its purest form. At long last, you shatter Maveth and the physical manifestation it was capable of bearing against you. As was his eternal promise, Tupi joins you just moments after, revealing himself as vessel-shade of Melgom, Carver of Talamhel. Having wrought his very soul into the laws of the world, the Forsaken God initiates the ritual, utilizing the ancient Sigils to summon forth what Primordial Gods slumbered deep beneath the sands. The resulting force spreading outwards from the Pillar of Creation spells nothing less than definitive ruin and obliteration for all of Talamhel - an armageddon, absolute and without mercy. Thus the world was cleansed of its corruption. The total annihilation of the rotting tree of the present, so that the pure seeds of life may grow and flourish for the future to come. [TRUE ENDING] In spite of, or maybe because of the hopeless outlook Tupi attempts to entangle you in, you choose to believe in Aura's redemption and the strength of mankind, deciding to take her side. According to Mentes, Aura's physical connection with a Remnant Knight, without corruptive influence, is proof of Maveth's waning power potentially crossing the threshold upon which His Night Plague may one day be cleansed forever. Dreadfully realizing that the choice you made is indeed final, the ancient Sage is woefully determined to let his own convictions clash against those of you and the Order of Remnant Knights. Transporting you to an astral plane beyond the scope of physical reality, Tupi unveils his final secret as being the proto vessel for Melgom, erstwhile Carver and Foundation of Talamhel herself. The success and sickness of the world being intrinsically linked to the Forsaken God, allowing the Night Plague to continue would perpetuate misery for Talamhel and Melgom, both. A contest between Knight and God ensues, a contest of ideologies between a mortal realm filled with hope and divine principle - a contest fatefully decided in humanity's favor, for you ultimately emerge victorious. With Talamhel's Sage vanquished, the Forsaken Gods are now beyond reach should you fail to bind Maveth. You ascend to the summit of the Pillar and find Maveth at its heart. The very source of the Night Plague has retained much of its former power, a force overwhelming Aura herself, unleashing what raw corruption she was thus far able to contain within. She begs you make haste augmenting the bindings with your own essence, though not a moment goes by that sees the bindings shatter into pieces, releasing Maveth from his hold. You confront the omnipotent corruption that has held Talamhel in its tight grip of miasma, destruction and ruin for millenia. With every fibre and ounce of your might you overcome Maveth's relentless barrage of all-consuming hatred and corruption, offering Aura one last opportunity to turn the tide. Concluding that the essence of a Remnant Knight will not suffice any longer, the Spirit Between makes the decision to act as new bindings for Maveth herself. Here, at the end of all things, you find yourself upholding the ancient duty given to you by the Order of Remnant Knights, sacrificing your own life to protect Aura to the last against the infinite horde of the corruption's physical manifestations. With your last breath bidding farewell to your ethereal companion, you finally succumb to the worst of the Night Plague - though it is the best of it, the shining opposite side of the selfsame tainted coin that succeeds in shackling Maveth to herself, creating new bindings to silence and bind him, now and forevermore - such is the hope that will be the Remnant Order's legacy, such is the hope bequeathed by Aura unto the people of Talamhel. A hope that will sing across the sands for ages to come. ]