Amputating the Hand [Quest]

Text of the Quest:

Amputating the Hand The final Ansei Ward has been tracked to the Motalion Necropolis. I must help Prince Azah recover the Ward and put an end to the Withered Hands plot. Talia says that she and Prince Azah were attacked by Shiri, the final leader of the Withered Hand. Talia will join me to help find and rescue the prince.

Tasks

Enter Motalion

Talia at-Marimah: You-you are here? Thank the gods! We need you! The third Ansei Ward is here. That girl Shiri—the scholar's apprentice—she is a necromancer and she has come to the necropolis. We have to stop her!
Hero: What is she doing here?
Talia at-Marimah: Raising the dead ... the consecrated dead.The very dangerous consecrated dead. The most evil people who ever walked the sands of the Alik'r are entombed in the Motalion Necropolis. Prince Azah and I came to stop them, but we were overpowered.
Hero: Where is Prince Azah now?
Talia at-Marimah: I fear he is either dead or taken captive. We were attacked by so many, so fast ... I tried to find him, but to no avail. I came back to catch my breath. With you here, though ... I am willing to try again. If you are ... that is.
Hero: Yes. Let's go find Prince Azah.
Talia at-Marimah: We must hurry to find the prince. That girl Shiri—she is not who we thought she was—she is heartless. Given the chance, I have no doubt she will kill the prince and raise him as her undead thrall. We must not allow that to happen.
Hero: Was anyone else with Prince Azah?
Talia at-Marimah: Throne Keeper Farvad and several of the prince's guards came here with us, but... most of them were killed when we were attacked. It happened so fast... we should have been more prepared.
Hero: How did Throne Keeper Farvad get here?
Talia at-Marimah: He came on his own. He said someone warned him about Shiri and that he was directed to come to Motalion Necropolis. Of course, he also said Tu'whacca was speaking to him, so I am not sure how much to believe.
Hero: How did you learn about Shiri?
Talia at-Marimah: We were cleaning up at Tava's Blessing, putting down the risen dead that remained, but the prince learned that the Withered Hand had been seen here. When we entered the necropolis, they attacked immediately, and Shiri was leading them.
Hero: So she's a necromancer?
Talia at-Marimah: Yes. Prince Azah said she was the sister to Uwafa and Alasan. He remembered her from when she was a little child. I was just shocked to see her... cursing us and casting her dark magics. She is the most evil person I have ever seen.
Hero: Why did Shiri come here?
Talia at-Marimah: To raise an army, we assumed. Throne Keeper Farvad suspected something else though. He would not say exactly, but he seemed very concerned. Perhaps the prince understood what he was nervous about. Regardless, we need to find him quickly.

Prince Azah: Damn it all! I can't believe you're finding me like this again! It was humiliating enough the last time! There's no time for jests, though. The Withered Hand has stolen back the Ansei Wards we recovered! They have all three again!
Hero: How did that happen?
Prince Azah: You gave Ansei Maja's Ward to me for safekeeping, and so I was holding onto it. Throne Keeper Farvad was here too with Ansei Radan's Ward .... I think Shiri planned it this way. I think she lured us here to get the Wards back.
Hero: What makes you think Shiri planned all this?
Prince Azah: Isn't it obvious? She was fooling us all. Apprenticing with Scholar Zohreh so she could learn about the Ansei Wards, coming along with us to Tava's Blessing ... she is diabolical! She is ... like her father. She is the sibling we were warned about!
Hero: How do we stop her?
Prince Azah: I don’t know. I don’t even know what she’s planning. If we get the Ansei Wards back, that should at least slow her down though. Shiri took Ansei Maja’s Ward into the next room, where she performed some kind of ritual.
Hero: Is she still in there?
Prince Azah: No. After she finished the ritual, she left, but I think the Ward is still in there. Please. You have to go in there and get it, and then find Throne Keeper Farvad and the Ward he was carrying. I'll catch up ... if you'll untie me first, that is.
Hero: I'll untie you and then be on my way.

Throne Keeper Farvad: What have I done? What have I done? I have struck down one of our ancestors! I have betrayed my vows, my people, my god. Tu'whacca! How could you allow me to do this?
Hero: Throne Keeper Farvad, are you all right?
Throne Keeper Farvad: No-no! I am not all right! Not all right at all! I have failed Tu'whacca! First I lost Ansei Radan's Ward, and then to get it back, I was forced to strike down the honored dead! Now the Ward is corrupted, and so am I!
Hero: Surely Tu'whacca can forgive you somehow.
Throne Keeper Farvad: Well, perhaps .... Tu'whacca says now that you are here, there is a way. I must cleanse the Ward, but I will need you to protect me while I do. Would you do that for me, my friend?
Hero: Of course, but what am I protecting you from?
Throne Keeper Farvad: The dead. That witch Shiri has set them against us. They will try to stop me from cleansing the Ward, but if you will defend me, I can cleanse it. If you are ready, Tu'whaccca says we should do this as soon as we can.
Hero: I'm ready. Let's do this.

Throne Keeper Farvad: I am glad you caught up. I am glad you came to the necropolis in the first place. Tu'whacca says you are the one who must stop Shiri from doing this dark deed.
Hero: What dark deed? What is Shiri planning?
Throne Keeper Farvad: She is planning to resurrect her father—the necromancer Suturah. I was much younger when this man tried to turn the Alik'r into a kingdom of undeath, but I will never forget the horror, the terror. We cannot allow Suturah to return.
Hero: What makes him so dangerous?
Throne Keeper Farvad: He was the most powerful necromancer to ever walk these sands, worse than his children, I suspect. Tu'whacca warns me ... Suturah will be unstoppable if he is returned from the dead. He will be a great lich, or something even more terrible.
Hero: How do we stop Shiri then?
Throne Keeper Farvad: We kill her and we retrieve the last Ansei Ward. Shiri has sealed the tomb though. Tu'whacca says two of us will have to channel the Wards we have to open the door. The other one can go in and join you in the fight. You must choose who will come.
Hero: All right. I'll make my choice.

Prince Azah: We've been together in this battle since the beginning. You know I'll do whatever it takes to destroy the Withered Hand. That said, Shiri's already proven more than a match for me. We have to win this one, and you know best how to do that. Y
Hero: ou're the prince. You really want to take this risk?
Prince Azah: To be honest, I feel like Shiri's made a monkey out of me. That little waif who once nipped at her brothers' heels ... and she beat me. I'll fight with you for revenge, if nothing else. Besides, to enter a battle with you—that's no risk.
Hero: I want you join me then. Your Highness.

Ansei Halelah: Our power—the power of the Ansei Wards—was compromised, and the Alik'r desert was in grave danger... but you stepped in. You stopped the necromancers and the Alik'r desert is again safe from the risen dead.
Hero: What do we do now?
Ansei Halelah: The Ansei Wards must be returned to Sentinel for safekeeping. Then we can return to our vigil. Then we can again protect the Alik'r.
Hero: I will return the wards to Sentinel then.
Ansei Halelah: You will. Come out of the crypt. I will help you and your friends return to Sentinel quickly.

Ansei Halelah: Honor and Faith are due all, but you who have come from afar... your contribution is matched in measure only by the length of your journey. Thank you.
Hero: You are welcome, Ansei Halelah.
Ansei Halelah: Through you, the Ansei Wards have been recovered, and so it will be through you they are restored.
Hero: Complete Quest.