1.19

You’ve been slogging through the marsh for hours when you notice that the sky above you has grown steadily grayer, and a soft rain begins to fall. It may be a coincidence, but you feel that the shaper you've been searching for, Aell, must be close. Then you see him, perched atop a log protruding out of the water, conduit in hand, eyes fixed on the clouds above.

"I came to this swamp to be alone, you know," he says to the sky. "These hydraworms don't mind getting wet. Unlike some people."

The Rangers Choose

A) Snap at Aell. Tell him to stop sulking and put his talents to good use. The Valley needs another flood, and only he can make it happen!

Aell rocks back as if you slapped him. He stands, and you see a hint of the old, cocky shaper you met on the path not so long ago. “Fine,” he growls. “If this is my chance to make a difference, I'd be a fool not to take it. If you need a flood, by the light of the ancestors, you'll have it!”

Write BROWBEAT AELL on the campaign tracker. Go to 1.19a.

B) Inspire Aell. Walk over to him, put your hand on his shoulder, and tell him that the mistakes of the past need not define the future. The Valley needs his help.

Aell straightens and then stands. His eyes shine with tears as he reaches out and clasps your hand. “Thank you,” he says. “You’re right, this is my chance to make a difference. I won’t let you down. What do you need me to do?”

His eyes widen when you tell him that you need him to flood the Valley again.

Write INSPIRED AELL on the campaign tracker. Go to 1.19a.

1.19A

“It can be done,” he says. “But I'll need an awful lot of moisture to make it happen. That's where I went wrong the first time around. I mistakenly drew upon the waters of White Sky Lake instead of drawing upon those of the clouds."

You tell him that the ancestors are smiling on him; the reclaimers are nesting in the Alluvial Ruins on the Silverfin River.

"Wonderful!" he says. "The Ruins are a confluence of all the waterways in the Valley; there should be water enough to summon a tempest!" He paces for a moment, brow furrowed, then seems to reach a conclusion.

"I’ll need a more powerful conduit to focus my power," he says, "and I know where I can find one. I'll retrieve it then meet you at the ruins. In the heart of those ruins, there’s a tower. You can't miss it. I'll meet you there tomorrow. Don't keep me waiting!”

Complete the LOST BROTHER, and gain the JOURNEY (ALLUVIAL RUINS) mission. Each Ranger soothes 2 fatigue. If you are on WORM FOOD, complete that mission as you settle on this approach to resolving the reclaimer threat.