Raguna Blade's Writing @raguna-blade - Tumblr Blog

The Greatest Story No One Played: A RA1 Retrospective

Reclamation Algorithm: Fire Within the Sand, or “RA1” for short, was a month-long experimental game mode that Arknights ran at the end of summer 2023 (or in the middle of winter, on CN, but I assume most people reading this post play on the global server). Vanishingly few people played it. It was, in my opinion, one of the best stories Arknights has ever done, and so I’m gonna talk about it!

This is more “recap” and less “analysis,” but I figure that since so few people even know this story exists, it’s probably fine. There is still analysis in there, but my primary goal is to present the story of Fire Within the Sand in a way that can actually be made sense of, due to the resources online being extremely fragmented and out of order.

(Note: There are some notable content warnings in here: harm to children, suicide, and American violence in the middle east. It's a rough story arc.)

(There are also spoilers for A Walk in the Dust and Reclamation Algorithm 2: Tales Within the Sand.)

Introduction: What Was RA1?

RA1 (as I will call it for the rest of this essay) was not a popular mode. It arguably wasn’t even a good mode, either: it was janky, unbalanced, highly experimental, and extraordinarily punishing until you figured out what you were doing. It lasted over a month rather than the standard two weeks for an Arknights event in order to counteract this, but for many if not most people, that was not nearly enough time.

On top of this, it was entirely temporary. Like the first Integrated Strategies event, this was an experiment to see what people thought, and then they’d bring it back in a polished form later. This is why the sequel, Reclamation Algorithm: Tales Within the Sand (or “RA2”), is a permanent mode, much like the later Integrated Strategies modes were.

So what was RA1? It could be described with many buzzwords. A roguelite base-building 4X game, perhaps. An exploration mode for a region in arknights. A ‘proper’ tower defense game, where you construct labyrinthian nightmares for enemies to trudge through while getting blasted by your units.

Personally, I like to call it “an experimental arthouse tragedy,” but that’s neither here nor there.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this stuff. I even made spreadsheets of my final base layouts and teams for the different final bosses of the mode, which you can find here at this link, if you so please.

Basically, the core gameplay of RA1 looked like this:

You start a run. Each run lasts fifteen or so ‘days’ (two actions, which you can use to enter combat or resource nodes), and the only things kept between runs are your central base and your plot-progression trinkets. Runs don’t cost sanity; this event is not sanity-gated.

You explore a bunch of a pseudorandom map, unlocking each node as you enter the prior one, expanding outwards from your central base.

Shortly in the game starts throwing “raids” at you, which are large, powerful armies that move node by node towards your base each turn, and can be either fought in the outer nodes, or fought in your base when they get there.

Your base has HP, which is not replenished between fights. If it dies, the run ends, and you start again.

During this, you’ll slowly discover story sequences and scenes, across multiple runs.

Pretty standard roguelite stuff. There was also a tech tree to unlock slightly better starts and improved items.

(Here's an example of the map. This screenshot and a fair few others in this essay are taken from a youtube video by the small channel “HellPunisher,” as I did not think to take footage of this game mode three years ago. Props to them for their foresight.)

The things that make RA1 notable are its intense difficulty, unbalanced and punishing gameplay, expectation of having a well-rounded roster, and the storyline unfolding through both gameplay and non-gameplay sequences. So let’s dive in!

Part 1: You Are Dying Of Starvation

Unlike most stories in Arknights, you are not playing as Rhodes Island in RA1, nor is RI even involved in the story at all. Your squads are not diegetic, nor are the exact details of these battles.

You play as a group of Sargonian refugees in the region of Ibut, led by the player character (nameless) and a man named Basil. You don’t have a face, but Basil does! Here’s Basil:

He uses a generic sprite. Because we aren’t playing as heroes, you’re playing as nobodies.

You are one group of many refugees fleeing the wars between lords in the region and mercenary groups hired by both them and outside interests. This is Ibut, the same region that the Sargon sections of A Walk in the Dust happen, where Kal’tsit first met Elliot “Passenger” Glover. Put a pin in that, it’ll be relevant later.

More important at the moment is the fact that your group is in danger. You have no food and no resources, and you only have a couple days before raids begin. The game tutorialized very little about this mode, which means you won’t know how to get food, either.

And you need food to use Acts. Each day you get two Acts. If you don’t have food to feed your operators, you can’t deploy them, which means you can’t use them to get resources. It sucked ass.

So, how do you get food? Luckily, operators start with some energy to use, so you can deploy them for a turn or two. Plus, in theory, your central base can make food (via planted rice) each day, but you don’t know that yet. Your first several runs if not your first dozen runs will be performed in a state of constant resource scarcity before a raid rolls in and destroys your base by dumping a hundred guys into your at-present completely undefended home. And it fucking sucked. It was a punishing, grinding experience to figure this stuff out blind.

(I genuinely don’t know if this was intentional ludonarrative assonance, but it sure did convey the sense of desperation the plot depicted. It was great and awful. I loved it.)

At this point, you have two options. The first one is to struggle onwards trying to build up enough of a base by hunting animals in nearby resource nodes to feed your operators and thus be able to use them to get wood and stone and water and more animals, and cycle that until you unlock more things. Struggle for survival, and take hold of your life.

Or, you could run away.

Once you’ve leveled the tech tree a little bit, you start with a handful of resources at the beginning of/ You can, if you want, start a run, explore a little bit to get wood and water, and then craft a single rice plant to put in your base.

After that, you quit and start again. Rinse and repeat for defensive structures once you have more levels in the tech tree. Deployable high tiles in your central base (you start with none anywhere near your defense point! Makes early raids fucked), blocks you put down that enemies have to path around.

This is how many people played the game. It’s how I played the game. I tried the ‘intended’ way and it suuucked. So I reset the runs until I had some rice plants and a basic defensive structure, just enough that I felt I could actually play the mode.

And so, I played, and played, and played.

Part 2: The Fight To Survive

Once you have a home base that can fight off the starting raids, and some rice plants, the game becomes much, much easier, and you can actually engage with exploration of each run and start building a more elaborate home base. You also begin to unlock story bits, short cutscenes played inside missions or as VN segments.

As mentioned above, you are playing as a group of refugees trying to build a home for themselves. There are three chapters to this storyline, and several character sidequests. All told it’s pretty well-fleshed out, though a lot of it is conveyed through gameplay—exploring nodes, fighting raids, meeting characters, and the sensation of actually playing these runs over and over—rather than through more elaborate visual novel stuff.

And it worked, honestly. It’s an unusual approach for Arknights, but it worked quite well. You go from a group on the run, starving and harried by constant danger, to feeling like a real player in the region, able to fight skirmishes with the armies of nearby lords ameer and win, able to meet characters in Reefsteep or in the map and follow their storylines.

This is part of why I think the story is so good, but not the only reason.

The other reason is, yanno, the writing. So let’s talk about the writing.

As mentioned above, the story follows a group of Sargonian refugees in the region of Ibut, which is where Reefsteep is, and where Passenger took his revenge.

The A-plot is about your group building a new home and surviving, and even managing to—briefly—thrive, while defending that home from various factions and interests, even fighting off a lord's forces several times successfully. This is an overarching metaplot across multiple runs, but takes a backseat in the moment to the sidequests, because you will almost certainly finish one or two of them before getting your first full clear.

The B-plot is about how this group is being manipulated by people around them and above them for their own ends, in both minor and major ways.

The Sunvalley Liaison (Sidequest)

The Liaison, who you might recognize if you’ve played RA2, initially shows up to help the refugees get off the ground. He introduces himself at the beginning of the story as the local liaison from a company called Sunvalley Industries. He’s sort of a tutorial fairy, in a sense, here to explain to the player how some of the basic mechanics work (feeding your operators and some of the upgrades), and he invites the village heads to the Reefsteep black market.

You: The liaison mentioned the black market. Basil: Black market... I think I saw it on the way over. The soil here isn't great, but it's enough for us to survive on for a little while. Still, we're in Sargon, and it's only a matter of time before the tax collectors find us. And we can't afford to pay taxes… In the long run, the black market could be an option. Liaison: Exactly! It's the place to go, whether there's something you need, or you just want to make a quick buck. Complete a few commissions or make a few deliveries, and you'll have enough to last you for a while. Especially— (Whispers) Especially if you could earn the support of a certain someone behind the black market… They call him the "Sand Soldier," and he effectively controls the entire black market. Sadly, a lowly liaison like me has no chance of getting an audience though…

He points us in Passenger’s direction, hoping to use us as an ‘in’ to meet him.

This results in us getting involved with another black market merchant, who works for a mercenary leader called “Venomfang.” The merchant claims that in one of our skirmishes with local mercs, we clashed with his guys, and he’s real mad. We get threatened into doing a job for Venomfang, killing one of his lieutenants in exchange for our safety and some resources.

Black Market Merchant: ...You really don't know anything, do you? When you first came here, you dug up three ore veins, got your ore, and went home happy. Those veins belonged to Venomfang. Last week, you fought a bunch of mercs and took what they left behind. That stuff belonged to Venomfang. Need I remind you what you did a few days ago? You're lucky he only made you buy a bunch of crap, rather than hanging you out to dry into jerky. Haven't you heard? A few years back, someone took his favorite son hostage to try to threaten him. He simply killed his own son, then took out each and every one who was part of the plot. You: We didn't know... Black Market Merchant: Of course you didn't, which is why you're still alive. We wouldn't be having this conversation if you did it on purpose. Alright, so listen carefully. Venomfang wants to become a guildmaster at Reefsteep, but his lieutenant has different ideas. The Lord Ameer and Sunvalley are negotiating a deal at Redhorn in a few days, and the lieutenant will be there too. So help Venomfang get rid of his lieutenant and make the deal fall through. I can't guarantee who lives, but you get to keep the money, Venomfang will write off his grievances with you, and we can work together again. Also, he sent you this gift. Goodbye. You: (Open the package) ...... He knew who we were trading with... Liaison: Who was that? Guy had an attitude... Anyway, now that that loudmouth is gone, why don't you take a look at my stuff? I'm sure that'll cheer you right up. The latest products from Sunvalley Industries! Don't they look great? ...Did he not see that man threaten us just now? The merchant mentioned a "Sunvalley." Is this liaison part of the deal? Doesn't look like he knows anything.

The black market merchant leaves before getting a response, and we also take the Liaison to task, because it was by his advice that we fought the mercs in the first place. He seems like an idiot, someone who we can use just as well as he used us. We get some discounted goods, and go along our way.

… We don’t get around to doing the job for Venomfang. Instead, we find that before we can even do it, his group attacked one of our farms. In an encounter node in the map, we can get this event to continue the story:

Destroyed Homestead A piece of farmland that had enough crops to sustain us for half a year was destroyed! The land was also branded with a mark, stating the date of the Redhorn deal. This is definitely a threat from that "Venomfang"! We need to do something and let the merchant know that we agreed to take on his mission.

At this point, the refugees are in a bind. Venomfang’s forces are stronger than ours, and there’s no ‘good option’ here. But when we go to find our contact with Venomfang, the black market merchant is nowhere to be found. So the refugees make a call to fight. Back at the black market, we meet the Liaison again and, without telling him about the deal with Venomfang, pressure him into being bait for an ambush. The idea is that we’ll give Venomfang’s guys a bloody nose, and then hopefully they’ll stop messing with us.

It goes poorly.

We lay and ambush, but before we can spring it, a local group of mercs showed up and attacked everyone in the area, even the Lord Ameer’s people. Hiding in cover, we come clean to the Liaison that this mess is the result of being coerced by Venomfang, then attacked. The Liaison is mad, of course, but we’re in the same sinking boat at this point. With both sides’ shared information, we come to the conclusion that the “black market merchant” who claimed to be Venomfang’s messenger was actually the lieutenant that was targeted, and he played us against Venomfang and a local lord in order to disappear in the chaos.

If I remember correctly, this event triggers a raid on our base, and we fight it off, but I can’t find confirmation. Regardless, the implication is that this was a pretty chaotic battle between multiple groups, and we survive and loot the bodies.

After this, the Liaison disappears for the rest of your current run, and we can find this encounter node:

The Liaison's Disappearance Nothing much happened over the last few days, so we were a little uneasy and wanted to go look for the Liaison to see what was going on, only to find out that he had vanished for a long time. Is this because he is still in hiding, or did something unexpected happen to him? In addition, we learn that there was never a "Venomfang" at the black market, and that merchant from before was never seen again!

So here’s the twist. Venomfang didn’t exist, and the lieutenant also didn’t exist.

When you go to the black market in your next run, you get the following scene:

Liaison: ...... Oh, it's you. You: Where have you been?! And the black market feels different, for some reason. Liaison: Of course. We lost a bunch of people... not too long ago. Did you just realize that? You: What about you? Still doing your sales pitches? What about your Sunvalley goods? Liaison: By all means, peruse my wares. But why limit yourself when there are so many quality goods all around you? You: Those stands belong to other people, don't they? Liaison: Haha, don't worry about that, take your pick! You can get anything here, whether from Columbia, Leithanien... and Sunvalley too, if you insist. Thanks for keeping the secret, by the way. Please, take this. You: (Accept) (Received persistent token <Sunvalley Business Card>) What does this all mean? Something seems different with him. And he's clearly dodging our questions. We buy a few things and return to the settlement. Venomfang, the lieutenant, the explosion, the threat... It's like none of it ever happened. No one came looking for us, although the Lord Ameer seems to have set his sights on us after his men died at the meeting. Fortunately, we retrieved enough money to continue growing. Meanwhile, "Sand Soldier" seems to have taken an increased interest in us for whatever reason. Many mysteries remain, however. Where did the familiar merchants in the black market go? Why has the liaison stopped peddling his company's goods? And if Venomfang never existed, who was it who coerced us into that absurd and terrifying mission? Last but not least, why are all the merchants reporting to the liaison whenever we buy something?

It’s left ambiguous if the Liaison was always playing us, or if he just took advantage of a chaotic environment. Regardless, a lot of the merchants and mercs of Reefsteep are now dead, some of the blood is on our hands, and he’s come out on top. He doesn’t run the city, but he runs the market now, and his facade of being Just A Little Guy is gone.

There’s no further story with him. No catharsis or closure. Just… we got played, and now we’re the fall guys. We have a target on our back from a local Lord Ameer, so this will be a problem in the future.

The First Fight (Main Quest)

But enough of that, let’s turn back the clock a bit, to the main story’s first sequence. Most of it’s not as relevant to this essay (it’s tutorializing and introductions), so rather than transcribing all of it, I’m going to link the gg wiki’s page for this sequence. Luckily, for this part at least, it’s in order. Basically, this is how the village really got started, learned to gather resources, and met some of the people of the region.

Old Isin, the elderly fortuneteller from A Walk in the Dust, points us at Passenger, recommending we ally with him:

Old Isin: Old Isin will accept your gratitude, but needs no compensation. Old Isin came to deliver a message. Sand Soldier... yes. "Sand Soldier" wants you to succeed here. A crisis is coming, and you'll need... a sharp sword. Basil: A... sharp sword? This old man knows something! We've never met this mysterious "Sand Soldier," but he seems to know everything that happens here. So far he seems friendly, at least. It's worth a shot. Having a strong ally here can only help us.

In the interim time, there’s rumblings of Lords Ameer fighting each other in the nearby area, and that we might be targeted next over taxation and access to a nearby river. We meet Passenger shortly after.

Sand Soldier: You're from that settlement Old Isin was talking about? It's an honor to provide you assistance. We got an audience with the "Sand Soldier" so easily? Looks like that old man wasn't just messing with us. But to meet the overlord of the black market so easily... Sand Soldier: No need to be nervous. The Reefsteep Black Market is simply a channel for goods and services. I'm a businessman myself. You pay money to get help, and I take my cut. That's why I was happy to get in touch with you. There's plenty of business for us to do. No need to be impatient, either. We've only just met. You: (Accept) / (Received 4 Urban Style Barrier I) Sand Soldier: To commemorate our meeting, so to speak. But it seems you have questions? Go ahead. I wouldn't want to leave you with doubt in your hearts. You: Why did you choose us? Sand Soldier: ...How direct. What if I told you that I'd had my eyes on you for a while? Sand Soldier: ...... Ah, I see that some of you are getting jittery. Lower your weapons. You lack the capital to fight me on my home turf. Simply put, the Reefsteep Black Market wants to do business. Any settlement that establishes a foothold in the sands is worth my attention. I see potential profit in you. Is that a satisfactory answer?

There’s a dialogue branch here and he basically just says the same stuff after regardless. Anyway, after some more time, we get attacked by a local lord’s forces, and Passenger recommends we take up arms, guiding us towards battle with this regiment:

We followed the advice of the "Sand Soldier" and avoided infringing on the Lord Ameer's interests. But the Lord Ameer's guards found us nonetheless. We are forced to take up arms and react. We can only hope that life can go back to the way it was. Basil: Look! Someone's started fighting the Lord Ameer's guards. Not any of our guys, though. Is there someone else in conflict with them? It's too far to make out who they are from here... Sand Soldier: Hm. Sand Soldier? What's he doing here? Sand Soldier: Oh, it's you. Don't worry, they were just some soldiers hired by the Lord Ameer. A previous transaction has caught my attention, though. I appreciate your assistance. It's no easy thing to triumph over a group like this. But I'm curious. Did you know who was behind these people before you did what you did? You: We knew they were the Lord Ameer's troops. Sand Soldier: Ah, then you are truly brave. It was a regiment under Ibut's Lord Ameer. You haven't stopped him, only delayed his progress in exploring this land. Oh, but no need to worry, they don't know who you are. No doubt they assumed you were mercenaries under my command. Sand Soldier: And they don't know who I am either. Still, there are things that you should be aware of. As a rising faction in Ibut, one strong enough to defeat a regiment, you are drawing the attention of the Lord Ameer. If you feel that you're strong enough, and you want to fight the lord head on… Then, maybe, we can discuss it.

You’re given the choice of answering with “We don’t want to cower and grovel anymore,” at which point Passenger invites you to talk more in Reefsteep, or “Declare war on the Lord Ameer? Why?”, in which case Passenger assures us that this fear is a natural response and we should return to our settlement and celebrate our victory.

Regardless of your choice, a boss raid spawns on day 10 of the run, heading to your base. Beating it unlocks the first ending, which you should go read in full before continuing.

The tldr on this ending’s finale scene is that Passenger, Old Isin, and the Sunvalley Liaison are all, individually, watching our success and considering how useful we’ll be in the future. Meanwhile, the refugee village is full of joy at having survived, not a care in the world, just for this one night.

Passenger isn’t done with us, however, and has more machinations in store.

The Manticore Killer (Sidequest)

Manticore is a release operator who, until RA1, had very little story to her name. With zero event appearances and only one operator record, we knew very little about her. We knew, for example, that she joined Rhodes Island because Stormeye found her dying of thirst outside of one of his safehouses. We knew that she was an assassin, that she has debilitating social anxiety. From her files:

Manticore is gentle, shy, and sometimes even gives others the feeling that she's afraid. She speaks in a hesitant tone and constant stammering are her primary characteristics. She rarely finishes a sentence in one attempt, and she appears very stiff when communicating with other Operators. She would probably be more comfortable talking to a rock. Additionally, her rare invisibility ability has become a major hindrance when communicating with others. It has completely prevented her from improving her communication skills and adaptability. If necessary, it is recommended to suggest additional treatment solutions to help Manticore become functional in interpersonal communication.

This is a fairly standard “gap moe” setup. She’s a competent killer, but also a total mess. She’s shy and awkward, but just as dangerous as she is gentle. This, of course, makes her adorable.

She doesn’t get less adorable once we know her backstory. Just a lot more tragic.

We recruit her after hearing about her as in Reefsteep:

Manticore Killer: ...It must hurt, but only for a bit… 23, 24… Almost there… Basil: That's her. Our gathering parties often run into this girl. She must be the "hired killer" the black market merchants were talking about. She does seem to have some skills. Here, she just does what she's paid to do and rarely interacts with anyone. She might be the kind of professional killer we're looking for. Even if we want to work with 'Sand Soldier' to build a new faction, we can't always rely on him for resources. (Manticore appears and grabs Basil) Basil: Nngh... urgh! Let... me... go! Manticore Killer: Who are you...? You: (Introduce yourselves) Manticore Killer: … What? Basil: Whoa! Watch where you point that stinger! We're from a nearby settlement! Manticore Killer: Ah… You're not my target… Sorry, I was on guard… Then… why were you here? You: (Tell her about why you are here) Manticore Killer: You need a killer... and you're impressed by my skills? I'm like this sometimes... people don't notice me… Is this some kind of test? See if I find you... and catch you like this… My previous team said they're the only ones who'd accept a monster like me… I have Oripathy… You: We have some patients in our settlement too. While searching for a place to call home, we found out that it's not contagious under normal circumstances. Basil: It's not even the worst disease out there. Better to have each other's backs than to abandon friends and family over it. We won't let something like that separate us from our loved ones. And we've never had a case of it spreading from one person to another. You: What we need is capable people. Basil: If you're not under an exclusive contract, we'd like to hire you. We might not be as... professional as your previous clients, though. We don't really have any important missions for you either, just to scout out the surroundings. Still, would someone like you be willing to come to our settlement? Manticore Killer: I see… My previous team wouldn't stop me from finding a new employer... The leader thinks I'm dead... They don't care… Can I... bring this prey I caught back? I can live three days off of it… You: Is that what you eat? Manticore Killer: Yes... Basil: We have enough food. No need to worry about that. All we expect is your loyalty. Manticore Killer: Understood…

The next scene with Manticore shows us getting attacked by the Lord Ameer of Ibut’s forces, who claim we’ve been “living on the land without paying tribute to the lord.” Manticore rescued us, but the player character is heavily wounded and can’t move. We send Manticore back to the village to warn them that there are mercenaries coming to attack them, hoping she’d use her invisibility to get past the mercs.

She goes above and beyond, and wins our trust.

Four hours turns to five, then six... We waited a long time. It should have been more than enough time to reach the settlement and return. There are no voices around, not even the sound of sand rustling. Basil: ...Something's not right. Why hasn't anybody come? Did you see who attacked us? Everything we know about the attackers came from her. With our injuries, we could die of hypothermia after sundown! It's time to make a choice. You: Our wounds are all wrapped up. I think I can move… Let's try going back. Basil: There's no one? What about those mercs the Manticore killer mentioned? Did they leave? And why let us go? Were there any mercenaries to begin with? We even told her the code word so the others would believe her. Basil: ...Did we put too much trust in a killer......? You: (Walk silently) Villager: Over here! Give me a hand! You: (Ask what is going on) Villager: Send back word that we found them! The Manticore? She's behind us. Passed out on the way, muttering something about saving you guys. We got delayed because we were relying on her to guide us. Anyway, I'm so glad we found you. Manticore Killer: *cough*... Mm... Villager A: Miss Manticore's awake! She brought back the news. We'd be done for without our leader… She's our hero! Villager B: I wouldn't go that far. She's just a hired killer. There are plenty more where she came from. Villager C: Who cares, we need to treat the wounded! Manticore Killer: You found them...? I drew the other mercenaries away... Lured them into quicksand... Basil: ...... Just from sheer exhaustion... The Manticore killer had brought back the news and eliminated the remaining enemies. By the looks of her injuries, she was telling the truth. It seems we misunderstood her.

This segment is actually really sweet, which makes what happens over the rest of the plot all the more tragic. We build her a house! One of the villagers starts to court her. She becomes One Of Us.

Manticore Killer: The latest news... about the Lord Ameer, the black market, and other settlements. Many merchants in the black market are willing to do more business with us... Even sell us goods reserved for favorite customers… We're growing well… Is there anything else I can do...? You: Things are calm for now, so not really. Manticore Killer: You don't need me...? You: One of the men, Hess, seems attracted to you. Manticore Killer: ...Wh-What? I… Please don't make that kind of joke! You: I didn't mean it like that! It's just that things have been peaceful lately. There's nothing important we need to worry about. Basil: This is what many of us wanted. A peaceful, happy life. Living and working together with our friends, families, and loved ones. That's what happiness is for us. You: We built a small house for you too. You don't have to go out every night now. Manticore Killer: What...? You built a house for me...? You mean, I can keep my straw mat and canteen in there...? You: Yup, it's your home now. Manticore Killer: Th-Thank you… I like these flowers... Can I put them at the village entrance...? You: (Accept) Manticore Killer: If you don't have any missions for me... Please take me next time you go hunting or mining! I'll protect you if there's any danger…

The flowers are actually a persistent token that buffs Manticore (if you have her) in all future runs of RA1.

Fragrant Flowers Manticore ASPD +100 Purple flowers that Manticore picked from the wild. She says she has no name, only countless code names. She would like to have a name like these flowers though, if there ever comes a day when she settles down. What would it be?

Doubling her attack speed made her really good in the mode. I wish they’d brought back the token for RA2.

Anyway, it goes to shit. After another run, we’ll run into an encounter node that takes a bunch of resources from us, taxes paid to the Lord Ameer.

Lord Ameer’s Taxes The Lord Ameer sent a messenger to inform us of the tax we owed. Although the land belongs to the King of Kings, the lords ameer have some governing powers, including tax collection. We hand over a large portion of our money that was supposed to have kept us clothed and fed comfortably for some time. Discontent spreads among the tribe, but there was nothing we could do about it if we wished to continue living in Sargon.

But this doesn’t actually help. There’s a followup event, “Mistaken Target”:

Mistaken Target A group of unknown mercenaries raided our Headquarters! Everyone in the tribe pitches in to help, but there are still numerous casualties. Many of our buildings are destroyed, with the young and old brought to the rear for safety. The young adults and hired hands we got earlier work hard to secure the remaining buildings and everyone's safety. According to several mercenaries we captured, it was a certain construct of ours that allowed them to confirm their raid target. But based on information obtained later, we discover that the real target was actually another tribe that was in the employ of the Lord Ameer. It is normal for them to routinely suppress the development of the tribes around them, and this time it was our turn to take the fall. Choice: We need to return ASAP! Those who invade our home can never be forgiven.

This event spawns Manticore on the map, and once we enter her node, she’s already deployed and being attacked by mercenaries. Once you save her, you get this scene:

Manticore Killer: Here! Need help here! Anyone... Is anyone able to help...? Unidentified Mercenary: Damn, they're not making this easy! They have reinforcements! It's time to go! Tch... fall back! Manticore Killer: Over there... injuries! Frightened Child: Mom! Mom! Where are you? Weeping Elder: How... How could this happen...? Basil: Take these people to the back! Manticore Killer: Understood! Unidentified Mercenary: Freeze, or we'll shoot! Put down your weapons! Back off! No funny moves! Manticore Killer: Are they... leaving? Basil: *cough* *cough*... Manticore Killer: It's okay... Let them go… They said they mistook their target... They weren't here for us… They said they were hired by the Lord Ameer... But if we keep fighting we'll lose our chance to talk it out! No one likes seeing a powerful faction rise under them... the Lord Ameer is the same... They don't care who invaded who, only whether the taxes are paid in full… We'll be fine if we just obey! Basil: Should we...? You: ...No! We meant no disrespect to the Lord Ameer. We paid our outstanding taxes in full. But the moment you set foot in our settlement, you weren't going to walk away!

This can be said to be the biggest turning point in the story, honestly. While there’s also a Main Quest where we face a regiment of ameeri forces, it was more a battle of chance that we happened to win. This is the point where the protagonists decide enough is enough, and they’re going to fight to survive, no matter the foe.

This scene spawns an elite raid. Once we beat it, we get the “Chaos of Victory” and “Lord Ameer’s Taxes 2” events, detailing the aftermath.

Chaos of Victory We just won a battle. But it doesn't sound like good news either. We protected our homeland, the elderly and our children, but at the same time our choices have brought us into a deeper chaos—we have angered the Lord Ameer. Is this the right decision? As we look at our comrades rebuilding our homes, everyone has the same kind of doubt in their hearts.

Lord Ameer’s Taxes 2 The Lord Ameer sent a messenger again to inform us of our outstanding taxes, and this time the amount was completely beyond what we could afford to pay. We handed over as much money as we could, but it still wasn't enough to cover the amount they had asked for! Discontent once again spreads among the tribe, and the atmosphere shifts with people talking about the previous raid on our Headquarters. Someone point out that it was the construction recommended by the Manticore Killer that lured in the mercenaries, and that she was an outsider and not part of the tribe! You: We shouldn't treat the innocent with injustice!

And it all falls apart. When you go to talk to Manticore about this, she admits to setting us up, and flees. There’s more to the story, of course, but what’s done is done.

Manticore Killer: So there are rumors like that... But you don't want to wrongly accuse anyone...? Manticore Killer: ...... Thank you... for coming to ask me. Basil: There are only a few people saying it, but they're saying it a lot, and we have to deal with the fallout. We trust you, though, because you saved our lives. Show them where you stand, and we'll handle the rest. You: Do you remember Hess? He got into a fight with the rumormongers over this. Manticore Killer: So more than one person is saying it...? I knew it… How could I earn everyone's trust... I'm an outsider... Manticore Killer: ...... Manticore Killer: Yes, I did it… Sorry... You: Wait, where are you going?! ...We didn't build that house for you to hide in! Basil: Did she just admit it...? That's impossible! I can't see her at all... what kind of Originium Arts is that? No, wait... There she is! That way!

We don’t see her for the rest of the run. But there’s a followup with Passenger (the ‘Sand Soldier’), in the Reefsteep black market. He reveals that she was always his pawn, who he sent to help our village but also to lead us into a conflict. She’s a victim too, really; she had nowhere to go, and like so many people in this region, is just doing her best to survive. No one is happy with this, except perhaps Passenger.

Sand Soldier: ...complete...mission...? Manticore Killer: ...employer...acknowledged... Basil: There! We need to at least clear this up before she leaves! Is that the "Sand Soldier"? Why is she meeting him? Why "Sand Soldier"? The Manticore killer has been operating under our supervision the entire time she's been here, and she's never made a mistake. She shouldn't have any connections to the "Sand Soldier." What happened? But simply going up to her and asking why she betrayed us won't yield an answer. We need another way. You: Sand Soldier. Manticore Killer: ...Wha–?! You: We appreciate the aid you've given our settlement. We've put in considerable effort to further our partnership. But if you've been manipulating us through this killer here, why couldn't you have just asked? We believe we can become your allies. Not just your pawns. Sand Soldier: Ah... you seem to have misunderstood. I never sought to manipulate you. In fact, I've always been helping you out. Have you never wondered how you managed to return safely to your settlement that night, with only a few hunters and a heavily-injured girl? ...... I'm happy to assist people like you. Take this. It'll come in handy. You: (Accept) (Received persistent token <Crossed-Out List>) Sand Soldier: But... allies? Perhaps we can talk at Reefsteep. About the girl, as well.

The Crossed-Out List is a token that increases resources gained. Its flavor text is “A list of names. ‘Sand Soldier’ calls your clan partners, and this list a gift. The crossed-out names are vaguely familiar.”

Passenger is full of shit. “I never sought to manipulate you” my ass. He’s been using us and other groups to kill people of interest the entire time, and Manticore, like us, are just caught in his web.

We won’t see more of him for a while.

Part 3: Treasure and Hope

The second main story sequence can be partially begun at the same time as doing sidequests and the first ending’s clear, and depending on how hard that first clear was for you, you might have ended up picking up the things needed for it beforehand. However, you can’t finish it until you clear the first ending and bruise the Lord Ameer of Ibut’s pride and forces alike.

Sequence 2 is a treasure hunt. We begin it by talking with Old Isin at the Reefsteep Black Market, where he talks about the City of Gold, much like he did in A Walk in the Dust.

Old Isin: ...... Old Isin had a dream… The same dream. We came to the Reefsteep Black Market, per our promise with "Sand Soldier." But only Old Isin awaits. He is muttering something that's too hard to make out. He seems to have gotten even weirder these last few days, if that's possible. You: (Ask what is going on) Old Isin: A dream... Old Isin has had the same dream again and again for a hundred years… Old Isin remembers the city in the sands... the showers of golden sand it brings when it moves, the blue sky... The pasha whispering by Old Isin's ear… Old Isin remembers… Bah, all that's left are gluttons and fools... How could they ever bring back our past glory? Basil: ...... He's creeping me out. Did he used to be like this? You: (Keep asking) Old Isin: Only the pasha, with true light in his heart, is worthy of this land...! Find the palace... and we'll sit before his throne, listen to him describe the future… Why do I wander here? How much time have I lost? How could I call myself his servant? Old Isin must go... to that... He limps away. Where is he going? The wind raises both the sands and a corner of the old soothsayer's hood. You see tears stream down his face. He walks towards the desert.

We go after him, naturally. We don’t really know what to do, but we’re stated to be worried about him, and there are three followup encounter nodes we can find, with the following descriptions:

Old Isin’s Departure Old Isin left the Reefsteep Black Market. He was in a strange state as he left, almost unable to communicate in a regular manner, and one could only make out the words "Nightzmora," "Pasha," "Sargon," and "past glory" from his stilted speech. What did he mean by those words? Catching up with him to reiterate the question proved to be futile. You recall all the help he gave you and can't help but lament the current situation, feeling at a loss on what to do next. You stare at his back as he hobbles away, but he has seemingly not lost his sense of direction. He keeps heading north. Northward... what would you find there?

“City of Gold” You follow Old Isin's footsteps up north. He never once loses his way, as if following some sort of signal. You finally learn from his babbling that he seems to be looking for a "City of Gold," and knows exactly where it is. That is Sargon's royal capital. Why is Old Isin so obsessed with that place? Although his description was extremely vague, you heard him mention the word "treasure" loud and clear. It is said that only the Pashas and a few lords ameer who have received royal favor have the privilege of seeing the city in the depths of a sandstorm. Perhaps we might be able to catch a glimpse of the "City of Gold" by looking at the information he gave us?

Treasure Map According to the information from Old Isin, we found the aforementioned place: it was a huge pit with golden sand flowing down its walls, and at the very bottom of the pit were the roofs of buildings covered with even more sand. This was certainly not the "City of Gold" that Old Isin spoke of, but a ruin past its prime. We descended via the slower-moving quicksand and entered a building, and aside from some shattered gems only found a single scroll. We have no idea what the text says, so we put it away for now. Perhaps we can later come across a way to decipher the text on it.

The last one in the set gives us the “Old Treasure Map” persistent token, which we’ll carry with us through future runs. It gives us a little bit of extra gold per stage, and has the following flavor text:

Treasure map found in an ancient desert ruin. The poem on the back records the life of the writer, who lived a thousand years ago. He followed in the footsteps of the Khaganquest through the southern realms and to the other end of the world.

Once you have the map, you can meet the Treasure Hunter NPC, who you hit it off with a bit before offering to translate your map. You can go “why should we trust you?” and tell her to fuck off, then later meet her again in a run to ask her to translate it, but I have omitted that branch in my transcriptions for the sake of neatness.

Treasure Hunter: Whoa! I was so focused I didn't notice you coming up behind me... Basil: Sorry, we didn't mean to surprise you. Treasure Hunter: It's okay. Look at this old gold coin I just cleaned up. Pretty, ain't she? Ha, to think I'd meet a kindred spirit in a place like this! I'm something of an expert treasure hunter, here to collect all sorts of antique gold coins! You: Treasure hunter! Awesome. Treasure Hunter: I don't mean to brag, but I'm confident in my skills. I want to be an archaeologist, like my father. You: You seem pretty young to be an expert. Treasure Hunter: What? Don't you dare look down on me because of my age. All the old fools who used to now come to me for my expert opinion. Even Dad, with all his accomplishments, used to praise my work. Treasure Hunter: Gah, why'd I even bring him up? He left on an expedition a few years ago and never came back. End of story. But forget that. Is that... a treasure map? The old paper and faded text... Just imagine the sights it's seen... Huh, it's not in Sargonian… Let's see... "treasure," "rocks," "buried"... You: Treasure? Treasure Hunter: It's part of a longer phrase too... I think it means "mountains of treasure." You: Mountains of treasure! Basil: Wow... With that we wouldn't have to worry about the Lord Ameer's taxes anymore, would we? They really don't leave us much to spend. All that hard work, and we barely get to enjoy any of it… Treasure Hunter: The language is pretty hard to decipher. Do you understand it? I'm impressed. You: Nope, not at all. Treasure Hunter: Oh... so you're just guessing? Well, why don't you bring me along then? You don't see maps like this every day. Someone drew it decades ago, maybe centuries. Picture it, one map, right here, linking us to our forefathers. To seek their treasure is also to uncover their history. Incredible, isn't it? Treasure Hunter: ...... Hey, you're just nodding along blindly, aren't you? ...You've only just now started studying the map?: ...We're not colleagues in the same field at all, are we? You: We're famous Columbian archaeologists. Treasure Hunter: Yeah, and I'm the pope of Laterano! Ahem... I mean, just be honest. No archaeologist worth their salt would carry around a valuable map like that unprotected. You're just normal folks who stumbled on it, aren't you? Basil: Finding that treasure would let us pay the Lord Ameer's taxes, expand our settlement, improve our relationship with the black market… A black market mogul offered his help earlier, but a lot of time has passed, and maybe we let him down somehow. This money would solve so many problems! We wouldn't have to hunt and mine all day! We could just sit around and live the high life! You: (Talk about how you found it) Treasure Hunter: Old Isin? The soothsayer at the black market? I asked him some questions, and he told me that I might find the one I'd been looking for for years on this journey. He sure is mysterious… So, would you like the services of a professional treasure hunter? I can translate the text for you. Incidentally, I'm here to find some ruins and a certain someone. I'm definitely not asking for a share of the treasure! C'mon, please? You: Why not? Welcome aboard. Treasure Hunter: Thank you so much! I won't let you down! I'll be back in a few days with the translation!

I actually really like this interaction. It’s such a friendly scene, a little island of joy in a sea of sorrow. After a bit of time, you can find her again in a map node, and get the following scene:

Treasure Hunter: There you are! I've managed to decipher the text on the treasure map. Not only that, I discovered hundreds of new words in a language we had almost no records from! The text on the back is a saga revealing that it was once owned by a wealthy tribe, and points to treasure passed down through the generations. It's not clear how the map left their hands, though. Could be Catastrophe, could be war, there was even mention of the "Nightzmora"! Maybe it'll help me find my dad as well… No, I've gotta stop thinking about him... He was the one who left without a word! You: (Try to interrupt) Treasure Hunter: Sorry, I get excited when I think about my job… Anyway, now that the map is solved, I'll take you to the marked location. Basil: To be honest, a lot of us aren't expecting much from this, but I figure it's worth a shot. At the very least, we could do some hunting and mining on the way so we don't come back empty-handed. Plus, the Lord Ameer's tax collectors are coming soon, and we need to be ready! Treasure Hunter: I've made a list of things you'll need. You should be mindful of your stamina, too. After all, no one ever said treasure hunting was easy!

After this, we get a new boss raid in the current run, and after beating it, we get the second ending, and with it, a glimpse of hope.

The heavy rock wall breaks away. Ancient buildings hidden for countless years once again see the light of day, under the bright desert sun. As the air rushes in, it stirs up a cloud of dust, and the frozen river of time begins to flow once again. The Treasure Hunter raises her torch. She gasps at the sight revealed before her. Treasure Hunter: This is… These ruins have been hidden here for so long... and in such pristine condition… How much longer would they have slumbered if not for the accident? I still have my doubts that this is what Old Isin was looking for, but… Look! There's actually treasure here! The Treasure Hunter waves her torch, creating a glimmer like that of a golden fin. The others do the same, lighting up the space with their torches. Ding. A golden coin tumbles down a golden hill. It spins a few times as it falls, eventually settling by your feet.

Everyone looks up at the hill. It feels as though the slightest touch would cause it to collapse, sending its contents everywhere. Surprised Villager: Gold coins... are these all gold coins? Hey, pinch me, I think I'm dreaming... Excited Villager: No, you're not! It's real! Treasure! We hit the motherlode! Loud Villager: Treasure! Gold! We're rich! Cautious Villager: That's great, but don't forget that we're here to help Old Isin— Excited Villager: He's not getting any older! Woohoo, watch me dive in! Ha! I've always wanted to swim in a pile of gold coins like this! Loud Villager: Count me in! Treasure Hunter: Hey! Wait! Those aren't just coins, they're ancient relics! Discovering them doesn't give you the right to damage them like that! Joyful Villager: Hey, finders keepers! Don't forget that you get a share too! Treasure Hunter: ...Wait, I do?! But if the Lord Ameer finds out... Joyful Villager: We'll just have to keep it a secret! Heck, we could move wherever we want with this much gold! Surprised Villager: I heard that there are places out there where people get to eat and sleep with a roof over their heads without having to work. I wonder if it's true. Loud Villager: What? No need to gather vegetables, no need to hunt, no need to farm or cut trees... nothing? That... that… That sounds amazing! Surprised Villager: Yeah! I've never left Sargon in my life! Cautious Villager: Hey, that doesn't sound so bad. Joyful Villager: We'll buy the best equipment from the liaison! Loud Villager: I want to travel the world! Sounds of joy echo through the ancient ruins. The villagers believe. They've built their homestead from nothing, tilling the soil with their own two hands. So this treasure must be a gift from the heavens. The gold glitters before them. It will buy them the happiness and prosperity that they have longed for. Here and now, no one even slightly doubts this indisputable truth.

A happy ending! And definitely the true ending. No no, don’t scroll down. It’s fine. The refugees found treasure and used it to get out of Sargon and find a better life for themselves. For sure.

Part 4: Experimental Arthouse Tragedy

But of course, there are loose ends. Here’s the fun part, though: you cannot find them through normal play.

You can finish the Manticore Killer sidequest and Passenger invites you to speak with him about his actions in Reefsteep. You can keep fighting the first endboss and get the first ending. You can even do the treasure hunt again and fight the second endboss!

But you won’t get the true ending that way.

The true ending is mutually-exclusive with the treasure hunt, and they set this up in a very clever, fucked-up way.

See, the treasure map is a persistent token. It remains across each run, even if you find the treasure. There’s no mechanism in an individual run to get rid of it.

There are some hints that you haven’t seen everything, though. The persistent tokens menu shows spaces for undiscovered ones.

In order to even start the sequence for the third and final main story segment, you have to manually enter your tokens menu and discard the treasure map.

That’s right. To get the tragic true ending, you need to choose, intentionally, to symbolically toss the ‘hope’ you’ve found in the trash.

There’s no guidance for this. But the event lasted over a month, which gave people more than enough time to figure this out.

I found out through a comment in a Reddit thread referencing discarding the map, and I was like “surely not. There’s no way, right?”

Once you discard the map, and as long as you’ve cleared Manticore’s sidequest, you can start a run and speak to her in Reefsteep.

(Note: There are several ‘offramp’ choices you’re offered in this storyline, where you can give up and abandon the route; I’ve excluded them from my transcripts, but you can find them in the wiki’s versions as dialogue branches.)

Manticore Killer: ...... What do you want with me...? You: Our people believe that you betrayed us. They tore down your house and threw everything out. But what the "Sand Soldier" described is very different from what you said. Manticore Killer: ...... Assassins are hired to perform dangerous missions... Trust is paramount... I must prove myself valuable in order to stay… I wanted to be noticed... but not like that… An assassin who is distrusted is a dead assassin... I just want to live… Run away, and I might live... but you found me… I won't do anything that harms your settlement… I'm just afraid… And "Sand Soldier" holds you in high regard... Basil: Wait, you're running away again? Where to? What the–?! Where'd she go? What kind of Originium Arts was that? Did she take the medicine with her when she left? Couldn't she have just explained things? The settlement had accepted her! Why would she get scared and leave when we've shown her kindness and trust? If she betrayed us, why would she tell us what she did?

Shit’s rough. Even rougher still, the next part to continue the third story segment is that you need to find Passenger in an unmarked combat node and save him from enemies so he’ll talk to you. It took me so many tries to get a good run going at this step.

Sand Soldier: I apologize for any misunderstanding that my help may have caused between you and the girl. I can tell you her whereabouts, if you like. Regardless, I'm glad to have allies like you. Take this. Sand Soldier: Of course, I didn't enter into a partnership with you as an apology. Many people get angry, but few take action. You're ready. You don't need any more words from me.

He gives us the Sand Coin persistent token, which makes him show up in Reefsteep more often. This is helpful, since we need to talk to him multiple times to progress this storyline.

Over at Reefsteep we meet up with him again, and get this scene:

Sand Soldier: They were just a few settlements and mercenary bands that harassed you. No need to personally come thank me. There may not be many of them, but it's in my interest that you're able to live in peace. I've heard rumors about the girl. A good assassin can always find employment. Her next target seems to be a Lord Ameer camp. It could be... dangerous. The manticore killer never returned. We have long since lost track of her. Our cooperation with "Sand Soldier" goes well. Things in the settlement are peaceful, and we continue to grow. We return to the settlement with intel from "Sand Soldier" to make our plans. Basil: ...Head back! We need to head back! The Lord Ameer's troops attacked our Headquarters! You: What happened? Basil: The Lord Ameer attacked our camp because we didn't pay him all our money, even though there's no law saying we have to! But it's not just a warning this time! They want us gone! The settlement is... we tried to protect our homes and children, but… How could they treat our lives so cheaply? I'm going back first! Don't take too long!

Needless to say, things are still going to shit. When you return to your home, you find it in ruins.

Old Isin: ...... It's been years since Old Isin saw something so terrible... Old Isin: I can help no more, children… Go... You: (Pull out an injured child from the embers) Injured Child: My mom! My mom's gone… Mom's gone... You: (Work together to lift a collapsed wall) Injured Villager: No, it's too late for her… Let's help the people still alive... You: (Look inside a temporary tent) Busy Villager: Hang in there, just hang in there… We lost our medicine too... bite down on this towel for now… How could this be... why did we come back so late? The remaining villagers are here. But what about the ones who brought us the news and headed back first? ...Where are they? Emilia: Who are you looking for? The ones who came back earlier? Dead. Trying to shield a group of children. My love among them… They're over there. I covered them with straw mats. You: (Go to the place she indicated) Emilia: What are you doing? What good can you do there now? Stop wasting your time with the dead when there are people waiting for help! My love... Basil gave everything for the settlement, and finally even his life… Follow me! We can't let their deaths be in vain.

It’s dire. The ameeri forces have gone too far. After this, you unlock the “Flames of Rage” encounter node, which continues the story:

Flames of Rage It has ended... but it also felt like a beginning. Old Isin came to see us once, and then left sighing, saying that we could find him at the black market and that the "Sand Soldier" would definitely be willing to help us. This time it would not be just me, or a few people making the decisions. The rest of the tribe came together. We struggled to work the barren land, we built houses to live in, we paid the Lord Ameer's taxes, we went all around the black market and earned a reputation. We had just gained a blissful life, but it was all lost in an instant. Leaving a few behind to tend to our wounded comrades, the few of us who still have the strength to move take a step towards the black market. The "Sand Soldier" will help us. We want revenge.

After meeting Passenger offscreen, we run into Manticore during an attack on an ameeri camp. She’s taken the fight to the ameeri forces on her own.

???: Good... no traces left... no one noticed… Why am I such a coward...? Why do I keep hiding? All they did was ask whether I did those things... Why did I run away...? I want to do something... No one would notice if I took another document, and it'll help them out… Just a little further… A little further... You: This is the Lord Ameer's camp that "Sand Soldier" told us about! Throw explosives! 3, 2, 1! ???: What? An explosion...? Why? Was I discovered... No, no one noticed me… It's... It's them? What happened...? I have to get outside! You: For our dead friends and families! ???: ...Huh?! M-My tail... It's caught under the rubble... I can't move... Lord Ameer's Officer: Who's there?! Manticore Killer: ...They found me! Lord Ameer's Officer: There's a spy inside! Get her first! Manticore Killer: It's always like this... Lord Ameer's Officer: There! Get her! The rest of you, deal with the attackers! You: Miss Manticore? Why did she...

(In order to continue, you have to save Manticore from the enemies in the stage.)

Manticore Killer: Thank you for saving me… I'm fine... this is for you... You: (Accept) (Received 1 Firm Platform II, 1 Fortification II): Manticore Killer: I discovered the weakness of their weapons... This will help you… That's why I told you to build them... I wasn't lying... You: You came for this?! Manticore Killer: I didn't want to be a coward anymore… You trusted me… I could have stayed there with you... Sorry for running away… Emilia: Stop talking. You're hurt. We'll carry you back. I'll owe you one if this really helps us get back at the Lord Ameer. We all will. Manticore Killer: I've seen you before... but what about the other one...? Emilia: ...He's dead. Manticore Killer: ...... This was originally a mission from my current employer… The Lord Ameer will pass through here in a few days... You: … We understand.

After this, we enter the following encounter node:

The Promise of The "Sand Soldier" In return for the "Sand Soldier" telling us about the Lord Ameer's stronghold, we tell him of the news about the Lord Ameer passing by Redhorn town. He does not react to this as if he already knew, but seems to almost laugh at points. We did not understand why he reacted this way. In any case, the remaining members of our tribe are grateful to the "Sand Soldier" for promising that he would help us get revenge for our tribe. After all, a lot of us had thought that he would never want to collude with us again, but he still chose to help us. We need to seize this opportunity to restore the tribe's status.

This gives us the “Reefsteep Ring” persistent token, which buffs all our operators’ attack stat. After getting it, we run into Manticore again, and invite her back to the village.

Manticore Killer: This... was where I lived? Wasn't this...? Did you rebuild this house for me...? Emilia: Your presence here reminds me... reminds us of how things used to be. It was peaceful, happy. We didn't have much, and the people in the black market looked down on us, but we were all here. Nothing had happened yet when you first arrived. We built this house for you, hoping you'd give up the assassin's life and stay....... It's a good thing you came back... I think... You: Everyone understands why you left. Manticore Killer: ...I won't leave ever again. I'll stay here with you... You gave me a house, a home… I hated doing all that... killing people… I want to stay here… Nothing happens for a while. We rebuilt our homes on this land. There are less of us, and less houses too, just a little plot of farmland to tend to. We and Manticore seem to have accepted one another. Most of us have turned our gaze to the present, but some could not let it go. They went off to find "Sand Soldier" and brought back mercenaries of unknown origin, causing a rift in the clan. We begin to doubt... Was working with "Sand Soldier" really the right choice?

This short peace doesn’t last more than a moment, though, as we have two more encounter nodes in quick succession:

The Disappearance of The "Sand Soldier" Doubts about the tribe's decision don't last too long, for that night we run into assassins-for-hire bearing our tribe's very own sigil. At the same time, the man we sent to contact the "Sand Soldier" came back with some unexpected news: The "Sand Soldier" had vanished! The resources and power under him in the black market had been dismantled and divided. We find Old Isin in a corner of the market, thinking it was all part of a plan devised by the "Sand Soldier", but he is only delirious and refuses to entertain our questions. The "Sand Soldier" really disappeared into thin air. ...What exactly happened here?!

Old Isin's Departure Old Isin left the Reefsteep black market. The next time we came to the market, his camp had already been destroyed in a blaze. According to the other denizens of the black market, he lit the fire himself. Moreover, he was in a strange state as he left, almost unable to communicate in a regular manner, and one could only make out the words "Nightzmora," "Pasha," "Sargon," and "past glory" from his stilted speech. What happened here? Where did the "Sand Soldier" go? What should we do next?

Things are coming to a head as the story continues towards its conclusion. The Lord Ameer put a hit out on our village.

Manticore Killer: ...Who are you? Stay away... or I won't stay my hand... (After you save her in this combat node, the scene continues.) Manticore Killer: It's you! Black Market Merchant A: No need to be scared, we're just here to do business. You've gotten all the good stuff up till now. But now that "Sand Soldier" is gone, it's time you returned it. You: ...And how do we do that? Manticore Killer: They're not merchants... they're here to kill us! Black Market Merchant B: Like I said, this is just business. It's simple. You leave the stuff behind, and we'll tell you a route. Walk away, and you get to keep your lives. It's a good deal. Fight? Or flee? The arguments in the settlement have not stopped. Some continue to search for the "Sand Soldier," including Emilia, who took up her beloved's mantle and seeks to avenge him, day after day. But most of the inhabitants have gotten tired of fighting. They just want to live in peace. Now is not the time for hesitation though. You: Not a chance! Black Market Merchant A: Did you really think you could fight us? A settlement with only the weak and elderly? And weapons that no one would take, even if you offered them for free? Black Market Merchant B: Get 'em, boys! We'll show them!: Manticore Killer: ...... Black Market Merchant A: W-What? Behind us... Manticore Killer: ...... Black Market Merchant B: Argh! Manticore Killer: Stop... bothering... us... Emilia: Get them! The Manticore has taken out the most dangerous ones! It was a costly victory. We defeated the merchants, but we cannot afford another victory like this. Is it joy or grief on everyone's faces? They put down their weapons and embrace their wounded kin. Emilia: *Sargon expletive*... And I'd do it again! Emilia: The Lord Ameer... He'll pass through in a few days. I've had enough. If those merchants show their faces here again, I'll spill their blood on the sands. Villager A: ...Count me in. Villager B: Can't we just leave and find another place to live? Villager C: ...Stop fighting! Manticore Killer: We... need to prepare… We don't have enough to survive… We'll all be dead... if we don't build enough defenses…

There’s one last story bit, seemingly one last chance to turn away. But it’s a false choice. There’s only one true path forwards. We’re in too deep to turn back.

Manticore Killer: ...Stop fighting! Why can't we just live here... Why do we have to assassinate the Lord Ameer? You're mad... you'll die! We'll find another place, hide, survive... just like we did before... Emilia: You don't have to go. None of you have to. Just the few of us who made the choice. You can continue to live here as though you never heard anything. Like I said, this has nothing to do with you. It's our decision, and ours alone. This is your home. You have your friends and family. There's hope for you. There's no need for you to take the same risks. Manticore Killer: ...... Does it really have to be this way...? We can hand this over... the Lord Ameer will leave us alone for a while… None of us will die... can't we do that? Emilia: He'll pass through in a few days. I've... waited for this for a long time. The people are split into two camps. It's time to make a choice.

The first option is pretty simple. You choose vengeance.

You: (Take revenge and assassinate the Lord Ameer) Emilia: Haha… Thanks. You: We don't have anything to lose. The Lord Ameer will know our wrath, if it's the last thing we do! We'll take up arms and get our revenge! We will not let our roars be unheard! Manticore Killer: ...... So this is your choice...

The second one is a little more interesting. First, you turn Emilia down:

You: (Survival over revenge) Emilia: Haha… Very well. You: What are you gonna do? Emilia: Nothing. I'll follow the collective decision of the group. I won't do a thing. We'll hand over the stuff. In a few days, the Lord Ameer will have forgotten all about our little settlement. You: (Hand over the supplies) Manticore Killer: We're all alive here... that's what counts… We'll pay the taxes... survive... things will get better!

Then, there’s one final encounter node on the map to enter.

Stumbling Upon A Corpse Our most powerful supporter, that girl who had always dedicated herself to our tribe, Emilia, was found dead by the other tribespeople, killed by the Lord Ameer's troops. …… It's time for us to make a decision.

Whichever option you choose, the final boss raid spawns in, and it’s time to fight. Win, and the true ending is yours:

Night has fallen. We have waited for this day for too long. The first burning arrow hits the Lord Ameer's forces, then the people rush forward, fueled by their hatred of him.

Fires rages in the night. There seems to be more than one clan with a bone to pick. The Lord Ameer's golden goblet falls to the ground, its clanging drowned out by roars and screams. When the fires finally die down, he lies motionless on the sands at the foot of his throne. In death, he is no different from any other man. Who delivered the killing blow? Nobody saw, and nobody cares. The only thing that matters is that he is dead. Cheering Villager: H-He's dead! He's finally dead! We did it! Crying Villager: Finally... finally… Wait... is that the "Sand Soldier"? Belligerent Villager: Who? Bah, who cares! Crying Villager: Hey, why are they all headed over there? Cheering Villager: It's the Lord Ameer's treasure! It's ours! People throw down their weapons and scramble for the scattered treasure, climbing over one another to reach it. Soon, though, they pick up their weapons again, now directing them towards each other, their eyes clouded by bloodlust and the glint of gold. On the ground is the symbol of power and authority. The crown of the Lord Ameer. Fighting Villager: Let go! Gimme that! The crown belongs to us! Wounded Warrior: I killed the Lord Ameer! I killed him! Give me the crown! I'm the next lord! Roaring Warrior: I'll kill whoever's in my way! Angry Villager: The hell you will! We lost our homes and families! Give us the crown! One fire dies, another begins to burn. In the chaos, no one even notices that the crown has fallen to the ground and rolled away. Everyone in our clan is here. Most of us retreated outside the melee, supporting one another. We notice the crown rolling away.

And "Sand Soldier" walking away as well. No one seems to care why he showed up all of a sudden, or why he is leaving. We want to go up and ask why he went missing, why he showed up here, and why those unfamiliar clans and other groups showed up. As well as why he pays no heed whatsoever to the crown, which came to rest by his feet. But even more hands pull us away, back towards the crowd. Fighting Villager: Grab what you can, before the others take it! We have a right to it! We bled for this! Angry Villager: No one will step on us once we become Lord Ameer! We need to fight for it! We returned to our settlement later. We gained much from the victory: wealth, resources... but the divide in the clan remains. We became entangled in the fight for the Lord Ameer's throne. Perhaps it will belong to us, one day. Until then, endless fighting awaits us, but we are confident that we can overcome it. For our fallen friends and families, for the dream we've always shared. ...... The Manticore left us. Apparently, she could not accept what we have become. The settlement is no longer a peaceful and happy place. That was not the only tragedy. Sorrowful Villager: Emilia killed herself… She knew that we'd take revenge for her and the others who died, if she disguised her death as an act by the Lord Ameer's soldiers... She hands over a letter with trembling hands. The rest of us are silent. No one reaches out to take it. What the letter says no longer matters. We have taken revenge for our friends and families. The throne of the Lord Ameer will be ours, someday. It will be ours, no matter what it takes.

And that’s Fire Within the Sand.

That’s our ending.

No catharsis. No closure. Just violence for violence, spreading like flame.

The protagonists pick up the crown and flee, now embroiled in the power struggles and unable to escape even if they wanted to. Their village splinters, and Passenger smiles and walks away.

The storytelling here, told through game mechanics, is so fascinating to me. Show us joy, show us hope. The victories, the treasure hunt. The chance of a better left. And then make us choose, actively, on our own, to turn away from it. And then, even then, there are multiple times we could stop.

You can just stop. But you won’t. Because the true ending awaits.

There’s no fourth wall breaks, just heavy-handed dramatic irony and tragedy.

And like. This is, in my opinion, one of the best storylines Arknights has done. And it’s lost media.

I don’t know if it was an intentional on the devs’ part, but I think that the temporary nature of the event really adds to its themes.

We are playing as a group of nobodies, little guys, just refugees in a war-torn land.

And then the story self-destructs, permanently. It is literally impossible to engage with Fire Within the Sand in the way it was ‘meant’ to be played, where the mechanical experience underpins the entire narrative.

These nobodies fought and rose and fell, embroiled in the violence that drove them from their homes in the first place, and no one will remember their names.

The game’s structure made sure of that.

Part 5: So Where Do We Go From Here?

When working on my Arknights timeline project, I discovered a segment I had forgotten in A Walk in the Dust:

Heavyrain: What exactly is your objective? Sand Soldier: My objective... is to find out what my objective actually is. Heavyrain: What the actual– Sand Soldier: Did you know that the last Lord Ameer of Ibut died in a fire? Sesa: That was a few years ago... The current Lord Ameer is his son, and that whole thing caused quite a ruckus in Ibut. I had to find myself a new fairy godmother right away thanks to that fire. Took me months to get used to the work there. Huge pain in the butt. Sand Soldier: Right, exactly. He was my very last prey. I did all the preparations and laid out my trap, but there's no more prey to hunt. I have nothing to do except to lounge around.

And this:

Sesa: Three years ago... the Lord Ameer of Ibut perished in a fire during his travels. The fire consumed an entire town, and, soon after, his son set off a rebellion, vying for the throne against his many other contenders. That's your doing, eh?

As of 1097, the current Lord Ameer of Ibut is the former lord’s son. There was a conflict, and he won, taking the throne.

Implicitly, the other contenders are dead.

Implicitly, everyone from the protagonist village of RA1 is dead.

Because they tried to claim the crown, and failed.

So, what now?

...

I’m a prison abolitionist. I do not believe in punitive justice’s merit as a structural solution for harms. Passenger strains that philosophy to its limit.

Because, like, fuck.

Let’s zoom out a bit on this story, right? Passenger’s story itself.

When he was a teenager, he and his mentor, a professor of originium science, were working on what, to them, was a Columbian energy project in Sargon. It was actually a weapons research project, and that truth led the local lord to strike at the research team in order to take control of the research.

Kal’tsit rescues the young Elliot Glover and offers to get him out of Sargon. He refuses, because he wants revenge. She goes “alright that’s your choice” and leaves him be. In the end, the reason she was here in the first place was also to stop the research. That job is done.

He swears vengeance, not against the people who ordered the strike, or the people who had falsely set his teacher up to make weapons, but on Reefsteep itself. On Ibut.

And he succeeded. He backed many groups, high and low. He stoked the fires of war. He armed extremists. He played friends against each other. He burned villages then showed up afterwards to offer the survivors a gun.

And he won.

As he puts it:

I was only a stone's throw from death. Kal'tsit gave me this opportunity, Old Isin gave me this power. I had my revenge on those who tried to control my destiny. I won. I spent countless hours and exhausted countless prospects. I took back control by annihilating fate. Now, it is time for me to make my break with the past. But what do I do next? Where do I go? Doctor, I hope you can tell me, on Kal'tsit's behalf. How much time do I have left before Oripathy takes me? How can I use this time to make my death mean something? You are my commander now. I am at your disposal.

The amount of people he killed or caused to die is irrelevant. He considers it “annihilating fate.” To take revenge on “those who tried to control his destiny.”

He doesn’t care about the immense human cost of this crusade.

Even his codename, “Passenger,” is an abdication of responsibility.

It’s impossible to miss the subtext permeating this whole storyline.

Passenger is white, he’s Columbian. He’s an American arms dealer, one who filled a region of the Middle East with weapons and violence to destabilize it. This is a scenario we’ve seen in real life time and time again. There are rumblings of the US trying this once again right now, as a supplement to our leaders starting an unjust, illegal war with Iran.

Yes, in the fiction of Arknights, Passenger acted alone. He was an agent of his own orders, destabilizing Ibut using the power of being a fictional genius scientist with a chip on his shoulder. But the themes of the story work regardless. This is a story about American interventionism, and the atrocities it funds and perpetrates. It’s a story about how, when pushed to the edge and given a weapon, people turn to violence, and the one who brought the gun gets to shrug off and say “hey, it wasn’t me who pulled the trigger.”

And I do not know what to do with Passenger.

Rhodes Island is no stranger to the employment of terrible people. We have killers, terrorists, malpractice suits waiting to happen, imperial spies, and everything else onboard. There’s an argument that Rhodes Island in itself is a highly unethical organization, as it is a PMC, right?

But Passenger feels different, to me. Even with someone like Eblana Dublinn, who fucking sucks, there’s still an angle to be had of “she was fighting for Irish independence, and after all she did try to destroy the IRA once she got a solid amount of it.” With someone like Harold, he at least felt bad about the imperialism he took part in (not that it stopped him, mind), and was discharged from the military after being defeated and decided to change careers to a veterinarian.

Passenger has no such excuse.

He just wanted to see brown people die.

So what do you do with that? What does any of us do with that? In theory, some kind of legal system could be in place to punish the perpetrator, but in practice, we know how rare it is for that to happen in real life.

And even if we did punish (or even execute) Passenger, what would be the point? Who would it help? Everyone who could get catharsis from such an act is dead.

Passenger presents a fantasy version of someone like John Marlan Poindexter who, instead of continuing the violence, went “hey, I’m off my bullshit, I’m gonna walk into a box and never hurt people again.”

It’s unrealistic. It’s unfathomable. This simply does not happen in real life.

But in Arknights, it did.

We have an evil, evil man, a complete monster, who went “alright I’m done with evil” and decided to lend his skills to someone else, someone working for good causes.

I don’t have a paradigm to handle that. I still struggle to handle the cases of real-life monsters and the ethics of punishment.

I just don’t know.

Part 6: Reclamation Algorithm 2

There’s an epilogue here. Passenger shows up in Reclamation Algorithm: Tales Within the Sand, in the employ of Rhodes Island.

He isn’t doing atrocities here! He is, in fact, keeping to his word that he’s Done With All That. He helps RI in their efforts to assist Eunectes in Sargon, and on his own, he has a sidequest where he’s seeking out leftover weapons created by his teacher’s organization and containing or destroying them.

He is, in many ways, doing everything right at this point.

So why doesn’t that make me happy?

…

Redemption is pretty fraught as a concept. I don’t really believe in the idea that someone can wash blood from their hands completely through a nebulous idea of ‘good deeds,’ but I also don’t exactly believe in sin.

I don’t really know how to handle Passenger, after RA1. I really don’t. I guess it’s like, I consider him an interesting thought exercise, an ethical paradox, something that makes people Think. I consider him to be a compelling villain and antagonist-turned-ally.

But I would never, ever trust him with a position of power.

And I don’t exactly think that Kal’tsit and the Doctor made the right call in deploying him back to Sargon in RA2.

But I really don’t know.

There is, at least, one positive thing I can say about Passenger.

At the end of RA2, when all is said and done, Passenger comes face to face with Manticore again. It’s been at least three, maybe even four years since they’d met, and…

Doctor: We're just waiting on you, Passenger. Passenger: Very well. If you insist. Manticore: Eek! Um... S-Sorry! Eunectes... Eunectes: Manticore, why'd you lean over onto me all of a sudden? Nearly stepped on my foot, you know. Manticore: I... I... Passenger: Does me standing here make you nervous, Manticore? Manticore: No, I... Umm... Tuye: What, is there bad blood between you two? Passenger: Of course not. In fact, Manticore and I only just met during this field operation. You can corroborate that, right, Manticore? Manticore: Y-Yes... I, umm, have never met you before this... Eunectes: Why all the chatter? Don't you know that some people get camera shy standing in front of a lens for too long? Besides, there's nothing to worry about, Manticore. If you're nervous, I'll hold you in my arms for the photo. Does that sound better? Manticore: Th-Thank you... Tuye: (Whispers) Fun.

… when she is put on the spot, he covers for her, claiming not to know her. He hurt her grievously, but in this moment, the best possible direction for this interaction to go, for Manticore’s sake, is for the past to stay the past. And so, he lies for her, allowing the topic to pass without implicating Manticore in anything or causing her to become the center of questions.

I guess that’s something.

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

Raguna Blade's Writing