Brewing Love was a virtual representation of one of Kassandra's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.
Description[]
While hunting for the Champions of Boeotia, especially Drakon, Kassandra met Melanippos, a man desperately in love with Drakon.
Dialogue[]
Kassandra made her way to the gymnasium in Thebes and found a forlorn looking man standing in the center of the building, cursing at himself.
- Melannipos: You're a fool, Melanippos. A fool.
- Kassandra: Did you lose your pankration match?
- Melannipos: Worse. I lost my one true love. My Drakon has found someone else—I just know it. he avoids me, and when we're together he's always distracted...
- Kassandra: I admit, it doesn't sound good.
- Melanippos: Even you think I've been replaced. But I can't let him go. He's my golden demigod.
- Kassandra: Then you must have a plan.
(Accept – I'll find the herbalist for you)
- Kassandra: I can find her for you. I must believe in love after all.
- Melanippos: Thank you, thank you.
- Kassandra: Where will I find this herbalist?
- Melanippos: She lives on a farm west of the city near the Tomb of Menoikeus.
(If players choose "What is the herb for?")
- Kassandra: Rare herb, huh? What is it?
- Melanippos: A herb hot enough to impassion him. Red hot to make his affections—and his skin—sizzle.
(If players choose "How did you meet Drakon?")
- Kassandra: Tell me how you met.
- Melanippos: It's a tale for the ages. I moved to Thebes with dreams of becoming a great champion. I came to this gym and saw him... A mighty warrior with an even mightier smile. I wanted to learn from the best, but the only muscle he truly worked on was my heart.
(If players choose "Why do you love Drakon?")
- Kassandra: You're going to a lot of effort for Drakon. Is he worth it?
- Melanippos: He's a living, breathing Herakles—you tell me.
(If players choose "Where is Drakon?")
- Kassandra: If he's not here, where is he?
- Melanippos: Normally we're both here night and day. The only time he leaves is to perform at the training ground.
(Leave – "I'll go find the herbalist")
- Kassandra: I'll go find that herb for you.
Kassandra left the gymnasium and traveled to the Scorched Rolling Plains to find the herbalist. She spotted a farmhouse and beside it a silo that had a red cloth on it with the help of Ikaros.
- Kassandra: This looks like the place.
When she arrived at the farm she found a farmer surrounded by bandits.
- Farmer: Don't. Don't.
- Archer: Then get her out of the house. You die if she doesn't.
The farm is ours.
Kassandra fought the bandits and defeated them.
- Kassandra: Bandits! What a surprise...
Kassandra freed the farmer who had been tied up.
- Kassandra: They're gone, you can come out now.
The herbalist opened the farmhouse door which had been barred against the bandits.
- Farmer: Thank you, misthios. If you hadn't intervened we'd surely be dead.
- Kassandra: They must have really wanted something from you.
- Farmer: The farm. It's one of the few untouched by the war. Herbs aren't free, you know. They'd uproot 'em and sell 'em.
- Kassandra: Speaking of herbs, that's why I'm here. I need to buy one for a man named Melanippos. Says he knows you.
- Farmer: That troublemaker still wants to make the love potion?
The herbalist turned around and closed the door to the house.
- Farmer: Well, he'll have it his way. I can sell you the herb he needs.
- Kassandra: I saved your farm. I feel like that deserves some gratitude.
- Farmer: I have to make a living, don't I?
- Kassandra: Fine, here.
- Farmer: Tell Melanippos to let it really soak in.
- Kassandra: Fine, here.
- Farmer: Tell Melanippos to let it really soak in.
Kassandra came back later to pay for the herb.
- Farmer: Ready to pay now?
- Kassandra: Here's the drachmae.
- Farmer: On second thought, you did save Episthenes and me. Here, take the herb.
- Kassandra: Thank you, I appreciate the gesture.
Kassandra came back later to pay for the herb.
- Farmer: Ready to pay now?
Kassandra returned to Melanippos at the gymnasium with the herbs.
- Kassandra: There, your herb. It better be worth all the trouble.
Melanippos was delighted and begun to sing.
- Melanippos: Yes, yes. Drakon is mine 'til the end of time. Maybe I'll take him for a moonlit walk at the Site of Iphigenia's Sacrifice... He won't have to go far from his training site.
- Kassandra: And his armor?
- Melanippos: It waits patiently for the potion in my house.
- Kassandra: Good. Be sure you take your time with it... for the potion to work best.
Outcome[]
Kassandra obtained the herbs Melanippos required to make his love potion. Melanippos stole Drakon's armor to apply the potion and Drakon was weakened when he and Kassandra finally met.
Trivia[]
- This quest is missable: finishing The End of Drakon removes the quest.
- It is possible to avoid paying the herbalist for the herbs by killing her and looting them from her corpse.
- Alternatively, saving her husband, walking away from the first offer and returning reduces her asking price by half.
- Completing this quest strips Drakon of his armor, making him more vulnerable in a fight if not allowing for a one-hit assassination.