Full Storyline of ToAU, missions 21-30  

ToAU 21: Finders Keepers

With the puppets gone, Karababa orders Aphmau to give her the artifact. They begrudgingly hand it over, and Karababa heads back to Whitegate to visit Salaheem's Sentinels.

ToAU 22: Shield of Diplomacy

Back at Salaheem's Sentinels, Naja is apologizing to Karababa for what happened in Aydeewa Subterrane, and she explains she had no idea you were planning to act as a guide. Karababa is in need of another mercenary to guide her to the Navukgo Execution Chamber.

Meanwhile, in the Imperial palace, Aphmau is searching for Ovjang. The Grand Vizier, Razfahd, enters the Imperial ward and says he doesn't know what happened to Ovjang. Then the Immortal named Raubahn walks in and tells Razfahd he has an important message. After Aphmau and her other puppet, Mnejing, leave the room, Raubahn says there are rumors circulating of the Ashu Talif ghost ship docking in the troll city of Halvung. Then Amnaf, the Immortal, enters the room and reports a sighting of Cerberus -- the legendary three-headed hound that guards the gates of the underworld -- in Halvung. The hound is also known to be a hunter, Amnaf said, to chase down the souls that free the realm of the dead. Razfahd reminds the immortals to continue watching Halvung, Luzaf, the Black Coffin, Karababa, you... and even the Empress.

Back in Naja's office, the mercenary Falzum -- who she hoped would agree to be Karababa's guide -- is pleading to be let off the hook. But when Karababa sees you enter the room, she decides she would like to give you another chance to be her guide.

Your next stop: The Navukgo Execution Chamber!

You and Karababa arrive at the chamber to find Luzaf and his imp, Flit, speaking with the troll lord Gurfurlur and his servant (and interpreter), the goblin Megomak. Gurfurlur's army has trapped the beast Cerberus to protect Luzaf's crew. The trolls apparently have a pact with Luzaf involving the destruction of the Empire. The trolls want the astral candescence, and Luzaf wants the head of the empress.

To assist Luzaf, Gurfurlur offers to him a biological weapon called the Khimaira 13. Megomak says the beast was created in a secret facility called the Hazhalm Testing Grounds, a place where alchemists fused different species of monsters to create new, terrifying creatures. Lamia, puks, merrow, hydra, mandragoras and many other monsters came from the testing grounds. Luzaf, repulsed by the genetically engineered beast, leaves immediately.

Moments later, you and Karababa approach Megomak and Gurfurlur. Karababa says she is an alchemist who wants to buy an egg from one of Megomak's mutant beasts. She gives him a chest full of gold pieces, but then Megomak double-crosses her, ordering the Khimaira 13 to attack. You spring into battle, distracting the powerful monster while Karababa blasts it with her powerful ancient magic. Finally, the monster dies.

The goblin takes the chest of gold and runs away... and then learns too late that the chest actually contains a bomb arm! The chest explodes, and Megomak is no more. Karababa is thrilled, and plans on taking the egg back to the Rhinostery of Windurst to show the kind of evil deeds taking place in the Empire.

As you and Karababa make your escape, Flit sees you leaving. To him, you look familiar.

ToAU 23: Social Graces

Back at Salaheem's Sentinels, Karababa tells Naja that she was thrilled by your performance at the execution chamber.

Meanwhile, aboard the Black Coffin, Luzaf looks upon a large painting of a flying horseman riding toward a gleaming white castle. "Dark rider," he said. "It seems I am not alone."

ToAU 24: Foiled Ambition

After awhile, you return to Salaheem's Sentinels. Naja is there talking with Karababa. The two have reached a fantastic agreement! Karababa wants to give Salaheem's Sentinels mercenary missions in Windurst, which would put the company's profits through the roof! However, when Karababa learns that you -- Naja's best mercenary -- have been inside the Imperial palace, she decides you are too important to Aht Urhgan. Much to Naja's dismay, Karababa calls off their agreement.

Naja is furious. You leave for awhile to let her cool down.

ToAU 25: Playing the Part

Karababa gives you a reward for helping her in the execution chamber, and reminds you to continue investigating the truth behind the astral candescence.

ToAU 26: Seal of the Serpent

You speak with Naja, who informs you that the Grand Vizier has summoned you to the Imperial palace. Leaving your weapons behind, you venture into the Imperial ward. The Grand Vizier wants you to work with the Immortals to find Aphmau, who has disappeared. To aid you, he asks you to track down the Immortal named Rishfee, who was last seen heading to search for Aphmau in the Aydeewa Subterrane.

ToAU 27: Misplaced Nobility

You venture into the depths of Aydeewa Subterrane and find the Immortal Rishfee face-down in the mossy ground. He wakes up, and begins to remember finding tracks belonging to Aphmau and her puppet... but before he could turn around, someone had sneaked up and hit him from behind! Unfortunately, Rishfee has no memory of his assailant.

Rishfee knows Aphmau well, and says she's probably heading to Walahra Temple, a place she is fond of.

ToAU 28: Bastion of Knowledge

You head to Walahra Temple in search of Aphmau, the palace puppetmaster. You begin your search at Walahra Temple, where you find Nadeey, who works at the temple, and Gessho, the Yagudo monk.

Nadeey begins telling the story of how he met Aphmau. Years ago, she arrived at the temple carrying her two puppets. Ovjang, the black puppet, was made by her mother. Mnejing, the white puppet, was made by her older brother. They lived at the temple for years, performing outside with the street puppeteers -- until one day, Immortals came and took Aphmau to the Imperial palace, where she has lived ever since.

Nadeey says you can find Aphmau in the Hall of Binding, where the astral candescense is kept. She is alone with Mnejing, and is still searching for the missing Ovjang. She is talking to Mnejing about the day her two puppets first talked to her, when they stood together for the first time alongside the astral candescence. When Aphmau sees you, she refuses to return with you to the palace until she can find her missing puppet. Gessho walks in and says he heard reports of a black puppet being sighted near Mount Zhayolm. The Yagudo monk says he must leave to continue his investigations. Meanwhile, you agree to accompany Aphmau to find her lost puppet.

However, that's when Rishfee remembers something startling -- it was Gessho who had knocked him out inside Aydeewa Subterrane! Then Rishfee gets a transmission from the other Immmortals, who report seeing Gessho in the area of the Jade Sepulcher in the Mamool Ja Savagelands.

Something is fishy, and it's time to investigate. You head out to Jade Sepulcher with Aphmau and Rishfee, with a feeling you'll find Gessho -- and Ovjang -- when you get there.

ToAU 29: Puppet in Peril

You arrive at the Jade Sepulcher with Aphmau and Rishfee in tow, but someone else arrived there before you -- Gessho!

Hiding near the entrance, you watch as Gessho plots against the Empire with Sagelord Mamool Ja. The Yagudo is a traitor! Gessho reveals he is a spy from the Far East, and that troops in his homeland are ready to unite with Luzaf and the beastmen to raid Aht Urhgan on three fronts. Up above Gessho, on a ledge, you notice something else, too -- Aphmau's black puppet, Ovjang.

Aphmau sees Ovjang and storms into the open, and you give chase. Gessho sees you and is horrified! He tries to explain that there has been a misunderstanding, and then he disappears.

Before you can make sense of what is happening, you are being attacked by Lancelord Gaheel Ja -- a Mamool paladin riding atop a large wivre. The fighting is furious, but after a long struggle, you prevail. However, the real trouble has only just begun. Aphmau is climbing up the cliff toward Ovjang, but she can't quite reach him... and at that moment, Luzaf the Blackheart and his pet imp, Flit, materialize. Luzaf taunts Aphmau, suspending her black puppet in midair. Then, to Aphmau's horror, her other puppet, Mnejing, also is suspended in mid-air. Flit opens a portal beneath them, and Luzaf tosses the puppets into the portal. Then Luzaf and Flit disappear into the portal. Aphmau, desperate to save her puppets, drops down into the portal just as it closes. She is gone, and you cannot follow her.

Rishfee, the Immortal, alerts you to the sound of Mamool troops charging in through the corridors. He tells you to run, to find Aphmau. As you flee from the depths of the Jade Sepulcher, Rishfee holds his ground. He is surrounded by dozens of Mamool troops.

You escape, making it back to Whitegate unscathed. But Rishfee's valiant stand does not end well. Fighting for the Empire until his last breath, the Immortal dies at the hands of the Mamool horde.

ToAU 30: Prevalence of Pirates

Now in search of Aphmau, you warp out to Dvucca Isle and run to the cutter that once took you to the Black Coffin.

The Grand Vizier Razfahd is already there. He says the Black Coffin is nowhere to be found, and that the Immortals are scouring the land for any sign of Aphmau. He asks you to patrol the tunnels of Periquia in search of the palace puppetmaster.

Meanwhile...

Aboard the Black Coffin, Aphmau awakes and is thrilled to be sailing on the infamous ghost ship, despite the possible peril ahead. She is also ecstatic about being reunited with her beloved puppets. Luzaf and Flit enter her cabin to talk, and Luzaf is stunned by Aphmau's positive, caring nature. Aphmau points out the large painting of the flying horseman charging toward the floating castle, and -- to Luzaf's surprise -- she knows exactly what the painting represents.

The flying horseman, she said, is The Dark Rider -- the incarnation of Odin, god of the underworld. The floating castle is Alexander, the "iron colossus" and savior of Aht Urhgan. The legend says that one day, in the Empire's hour of need, Alexander will rise and conquer Odin, bringing peace and prosperity to the land.

Suddenly, Luzaf is distracted by a noise outside. It is the screaming of Lamia, he said, whose minds are being controlled by the Empire. Long ago, when the Empire defeated the corsairs of Ephramad, it was an army of brainwashed Lamia -- engineered in the depths of the Hazhalm Testing Grounds -- that did Aht Urhgan's dirty work, Luzaf said. Aphmau, horrified that her homeland could be capable of such terrifying acts, refuses to believe Luzaf. To prove his point, Luzaf orders the Black Coffin closer to the shores of Periquia, so she can see for herself...