The Chimera Agent

You've come this far, and you've been more than patient. You deserve a proper explanation of who I am, and exactly what you're getting involved in.

The Aust Followers are a fanatical cult, devoted to the necromancer Anthalon. They believe he is the prophet of Kyrios, the God of Destruction, and that his Crimson Army will one day rule the world.

By serving Anthalon, spying for his Crimson Army, and sewing weakness and corruption amongst their enemies, they pave the way for the Dread God's prophesized return.

And they are everywhere.

The Aust Followers' spy organization calls itself "Chimera." It is a vast network of spies, sleeper agents, and assassins, with claws in every government from Nuia to Haranya.

They specialize in kidnapping, brainwashing, and assassination. And they're very good at their job.

Whenever a royal heir goes missing, or a government official has a sudden change of heart. Whenever a peace treaty mysteriously fails, or a loyal general suffers a "tragic accident..." that is the work of Chimera.

And until very recently, I was one of them.

You see, Chimera agents aren't recruited. They're brainwashed. The Aust Followers kidnap them as children, feed them mind-altering drugs, and raise them on a constant diet of lies and propaganda.

By the time they come of age, Chimera agents are highly-trained assassins, taught to despise everything about their former home. They are deadly, expendable, and completely loyal.

I imagine it amuses the Aust Followers, sending their enemies' own children back to kill them. The thought of what I might have done... what I MUST have done... still sickens me.

Luckily, the drugs they use to keep us loyal seem to have a weakness.

During a mission here in the Hellswamp, I was ambushed by some of the local plant life. Their poisoned barbs caused excruciating pain, fever, and hallucinations... but also restored a small portion of my memory.

It wasn't much. But it was enough to shake my faith in my Chimera masters. So I experimented with the toxin, attempting to coax more of my memories to the surface.

And the more I remembered, the more I realized the true horror of what had been done to me.

They turned me into a monster. I've killed innocent men, women, children... anyone and everyone Chimera sent me after. I will never be able to wash the blood from my hands.

But with your help, I may still be able to atone for some of what I've done.

So here's the deal. I know Nui's Shield wants the Souleye, and I know where it's going to be. But before I tell you anything, you're going to help me recover the rest of my memories.

There is an Elven outpost in the middle of the Hellswamp known as Haven. In it, you'll find an alchemist named Demeter.

She's been helping me experiment with the local plant life, to enhance the memory-restoring effects of the original toxin. She should have finished her latest attempt by now.

With any luck, she'll have perfected the mixture and I'll finally regain the last of my stolen memories. I need you to get that potion for me.

But be careful! The Hellswamp is rife with discord and violence. I have no doubt Chimera has a strong presence here.

I'll be hiding on the outskirts of Haven, just out of sight. At the first sign of trouble, I'm gone--along with any hopes you have of finding the Souleye.

Find the alchemist, get that potion, and help me get my memories back. Then we can talk about finding your precious relic.

Eldris sent you?

Keep it down! I think one of the guards here is a Chimera spy.

Eldris was half-dead from the poison when I found him in the Hellswamp, raving about Anthalon and the Aust Followers. At first I thought he was insane!

But the training he has, and the things he seems to know... Please, you have to help him. He's suffered so much.

I know he's been making himself sick, experimenting with the plant toxin to restore his memories. I just hope this final mixture does the job before he accidentally kills himself.