The Wretch's Gift

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The Wretch's Gift	Arc ID: 1008	Author: @Aisynia
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The Wretch

Although it hurts to think about her, the Wretch is afraid for his sister Pia, who has gone missing. Help the Wretch uncover a sinister plot involving the wayward Fortunata, save the universe, and just, perhaps, reunite a brother and sister.

Souvenir

A Purple Flower Petal

This is a petal that fell from a flower Paolo Marino, better known as The Wretch, gave to his sister Pia after helping to rescue her.

It started when the Wretch asked for your help, explaining that his sister had gone missing at her base on Mercy Island. Thinking it would be a simple investigation, he sent you to the base to check for clues, but it turned out, the people who had taken her were still there!

They where The Nihilists. They had taken the concepts of Nihilism to their illogical extremes, believing that life was not only meaningless, but should end. They thought the Big Bang was a mistake, and that that mistake had to be undone by destroying the universe... and they found a way.

You discovered that they were to enact the ritual of Alka'Ta in order to collapse the universe. This Ritual required a psychic anchor, and that anchor was Pia. You needed more information about the ritual itself, and so raided the Circle of Thorns in search of it, encountering a goddess named Eimyrja. You found that the book was in two parts, and that the Nihilists were again one step ahead of you, but the ritual required a unique item...

This item was a Particle Inverter, which you stole from Crey before the Nihilists could get their hands on it. Setting it with a tracking device, you let the Nihilists take it, letting them believe they had won it fair and square, though Eimyrja tried to interfere.

You then tracked them to a place in Croatoa, where the ritual was already underway! You and the Wretch teamed up, and Eimyrja offered to help too. You saved his sister, and then took out the Marshal, the leader of the Nihilists. You also destroyed the Particle Inverter, so that no one could ever use it to try and destroy the universe again.

A brother and sister had a heartfelt reunion, and then once again parted ways.

Missions

Mission 1: Search the Arachnos base for clues about the "Lil' Talky Men"

Large size map, level range 1-54. Contains Boss, Collection, A Defendable Object, Patrol

Briefing

The Wretch

Wretch sad!

[He almost seems like he's going to cry...]

Widow say sister gone! Taken! Widow not happy when Wretch not happy... Wretch want Widow to be happy... but Wretch sad! So Wretch gotta be Happy... for Widow... that means Wretch find sister!

Widow say lil' talky men broke down 'Rachnos base and took sister! Wretch ... MAD! Wretch want find lil' talky men!

But.. Widow say Wretch not good with krit-uh-kul thinking. So Wretch ask you go look! You find talky men, then Wretch SMASH lil' talky men. Wretch give paper, it tell you where to go!

OK?

Mission Acceptance

The Wretch

Wretch say please!

[The Wretch smiles... or at least he tries.]

In-Progress

The Wretch

Wretch wonder... Pia like strawberry.. or chocolate..?

[The Wretch suddenly seems to realize you're there...]

Oh. Hi! Find talky men yet?

Mission Objectives

Arachnos intelligence can be somewhat unreliable. It seems the lil' talky men are still here... and they don't seem very interested in talking either! Or at least, not much...

Search for Clues

	Arachnos Surveillance
	This is a video that shows Seer Marino being kidnapped by a large man, dressed very similarly to the other Nihilists. A leader perhaps? Either way, this is unequivocal evidence that they took her, as opposed to this raid being a coincidence (people do attack Arachnos bases quite often).

Defeat Jackson
- Defend the Mainframe

	The Nihilists and their plans!
	This data Cube says these people are the Nihilists, and they want to wipe out all life in the universe! Including you! This is the cleanup crew, and they plan on destroying one of the primary mainframes, which would set off the auto-destruct! Arachnos or not, a lot of people work in this building!

Defeat Alvarez

Data Cube

A small hologram of a shadowy figure appears:

"Alvarez, don't mess this up. This is too important. The Anchor is VITAL to the destruction of the universe. I cannot stress this enough. Make sure our escape is covered properly, the Ritual of Alka'Ta musn't be interru-"

It abruptly ends.

	The Nihilistic Directive Pt. 1
	Well it seems Seer Pia Marino wasn't kidnapped by ordinary bad guys. These Nihilists are serious headcases, and want to bring about the end of the entire universe! Pia may be the "anchor" mentioned in Alvaraez' Data Cube. You should tell the Wretch about this.

Enemies

The Nihilists

Notable NPCs
- Nihilist Charger Commander Alvarez (Nihilist Charger)
- Nihilist Psychic Commander Jackson (Nihilist Psychic)

Random Nihilist Chatter 1

Random Nihilist Chatter 2

Random Nihilist Chatter 3

Nihilist Mainframe Vandals Chatter

Nihilist Charger Commander Alvarez Dialogue

Nihilist Psychic Commander Jackson Dialogue

Debriefing

The Wretch

Wretch... Wretch...

[The Wretch sighs...]

Wretch mad! Wretch.. sad... happy! Wretch so confused...

[He takes a deep breath and seems to concentrate really, really hard...]

Wretch happy 'cause we closer to find sister... Wretch sad 'cause sister still gone... Wretch MAD 'cause they took her!!

We find and crush lil' talky men!