Mysterious Malady was a virtual representation of one of Kassandra's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan in 2018 through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.
Description[]
Kassandra travelled to Potidaia to investigate a sickness plaguing the village.
Dialogue[]
As Kassandra approached the village, she heard the villagers complaining about a doctor.
- Civilian: Where is the doctor? I need more of her medicine. I don't feel any better...
- Magistrate: Where is that useless doctor?! When I get my hands on her....
She got closer to a small cliff overlooking the village and talked to the magistrate.
- Magistrate: Unless you're here to fix my problem, I'm not interested. Oh. The eagle-bearing misthios.
Kassandra and Natakas visiting the Magistrate
Natakas walked up next to them.
- Natakas: Ah, Kassandra. You've arrived. This is the—
- Magistrate: Great, another joins the fray. If you people have no important business here, I suggest we break up this party.
A civilian down below started coughing and the Magistrate signaled one of his men to turn the civilian around, so that they could face each other.
- Civilian: Please! I'm healthy (cough), I promise!
The Magistrate waved his hand and the civilian was led away by the Magistrate's guard. He then turned back to Kassandra and Natakas.
(If "Where are they taking that man?" was chosen.)
- Kassandra: That man's afraid. Where are you taking him?.
- Magistrate: It's not your business, misthios. Any sign of sickness has to be culled. Whatever it takes.
(If "Tell me what's going on." was chosen.)
- Kassandra: You must be the Magistrate in charge of Potidaia. Tell me about this illness.
- Magistrate: Looks like word of us is spreading... just like this foul plague! All these idiots are falling ill quicker that we can find a cure.
- Natakas: I heard that there's a doctor in this village. We're looking for her.
- Magistrate: Aren't we all? That malákas went off to find ingredients. I even sent men to bring her back! If you have so much time to stand around and chat, why don't you help?
(Accept – "I'll find this doctor.")
- Kassandra: I'll find this doctor.
- Magistrate: Good. You do that. She's never around when you need her! If you can't find her, don't bother coming back. If you catch whatever is going around, I might need to make space in the carts for an extra body.
- Kassandra: I should be the least of your concerns. I'll find this doctor and bring her back.
- Magistrate: You better.
Kassandra and Natakas shared a look.
The Magistrate requesting Kassandra and Natakas' help
- Kassandra: A plague, a burned village... This is no accident.
- Magistrate: Of course it's no accident. We've been cursed!
- Natakas: I'll take a look around. Let's meet back here after you're done.
(If "Where is the doctor?" was chosen.)
- Kassandra: There are a lot of forests in Makedonia. Where exactly can I find the doctor?
- Magistrate: Somewhere east of Potidaia, following along the coastline. I sent some men after her, but they haven't returned.
(If "What else do you know about the sickness?" was chosen.)
- Kassandra: You're the man in charge. You must have some idea of what's going on with this sickness.
- Magistrate: I only know it started around the time that village burned.
She looked at him suspiciously.
- Kassandra: You look like you know something about the fires there.
- Magistrate: I don't know anything. I want nothing to do with it.
(Leave – "I'll be going now.")
- Kassandra: I'll see to your doctor now.
- Magistrate: Make it quick, misthios.
Kassandra began her search for the doctor. Ikaros spotted her and the Magistrate's men on a beach near the Underwater Cavern.
- Kassandra: Found her!
The woman, seemingly unconscious, was surrounded by the soldiers, who were unsure of how to proceed.
- Greek Soldier: I only hit her once!.
- Greek Soldier: What should we do with her?
- Greek Soldier: I knew she was up to something.
- Greek Soldier: Should we bring her back to the Magistrate?
Kassandra rescuing Timosa
Kassandra attacked the soldiers and eliminated them. The doctor came to as she approached her.
- Timosa: Thank you. Those men were—oh!
She looked Kassandra up and down.
- Timosa: You're the Eagle Bearer.
- Kassandra: You must be the doctor from Potidaia. The Magistrate's looking for you.
- Timosa: Of course he is. I knew something was amiss when his guards appeared out of nowhere and attacked me.
- Kassandra: He seems to take... extreme measures.
- Timosa: That's true, and although I understand his concern for the village, it shouldn't be at the cost of innocent lives.
- Kassandra: Innocent lives are on the line. I'll get your ingredients.
- Timosa: As expected—you're as kind as you look. I'm grateful for your help, misthios.
(If "How will you stop the plague?" was chosen.)
- Kassandra: You must have a plan to save the villagers.
- Timosa: This illness... It's slow and suffocating. But my medicine is the key. The village is counting on me. And now they're counting on you.
(Leave – "I'll go get the ingredients.")
- Kassandra: I'll get the ingredients.
- Timosa: And I'll run back to the village and get a head start on a new batch of medicine.
- Kassandra: See you in Potidaia.
Kassandra took her leave. Timosa started back towards Potidaia and spoke to Kassandra once more.
- Timosa: I'll be back in town, misthios. Bring my ingredients there.
Kassandra boarded her ship and took her place at the helm, ordering the crew to make ready to sail.
- Kassandra: The Magistrate's men... Strange they'd attack the doctor.
The Adrestia attacking the bandit ship
They sailed to the first bandit ship and sank it, recovering some of the medicine. Kassandra turned her attention towards the second ship and sank it as well, recovering the rest of the medicine, along with a note.
- Kassandra: Hmm... There's a letter with the medicine. Looks like these bandits were hired by someone.
Letter from the Bandit Leader
- Keep a close eye on these supplies. Our deal is to bring her the Eagle Bearer's head. She will pay us in full when the job is done.
- Kassandra: These ingredients aren't from around here. Better get back to the doctor.
As the ship sailed north, Kassandra pondered the "bandits" that held medicine, and why they would have it.
- Kassandra: Those soldiers were Persian.
Kassandra returing to village
At Potidaia, more villagers were vomiting uncontrollably. Kassandra returned to the Magistrate and Timosa and overheard them quarreling, with Natakas trying in vain to break them up.
- Magistrate: You poisoned us!
- Timosa: As expected, the doctor always gets blamed.
- Natakas: Calm down, both of you.
She joined them.
- Kassandra: What's going on here?
- Natakas: Kassandra! I found poison in the water supply. This is definitely the work of the Order.
- Timosa: Misthios! You've returned in one piece.
The magistrate demanded Timosa's attention.
- Magistrate: Listen to me! You're trying to sabotage us. Don't deny it!
- Timosa: Magistrate, please try to relax.
- Magistrate: People have been drinking your "medicine", but they all died anyway. Your cure is useless, just like you!
- Kassandra: I suggest you calm down, Magistrate.
They both turned to look at her.
- Magistrate: The doctor's medicine has only made our situation worse!
- Timosa: As expected, the doctor is the one everyone blames. All I've done is help.
Timosa turned to the Magistrate.
- Timosa: Someone like you who kill problems rather than solves them wouldn't know anything about it.
- Kassandra: Enough, both of you. One of you is behind this, and I'm going to find out who.
- Kassandra: Curious that you would send guards after the doctor, Magistrate. Explain yourself.
- Magistrate: What are you talking about?! I did no such thing!
He signaled to his guards.
- Magistrate: Guards, get the misthios!
His guards attacked. Natakas stood with Kassandra.
- Magistrate: Kill the misthios! She's the real conspirator here!
As she fought the guards, two Persian soldiers also joined the fight. Once she had killed them, she regrouped with Natakas and Timosa.
- Timosa: Impressive. As expected, you're quite the fighter.
She turned back towards the village.
- Timosa: His paranoia was leading him to commit horrific acts. There's nothing I can do for the people here. They no longer trust me because of him. I hope to see you soon, Eagle Bearer.
Timosa left and Kassandra turned to Natakas.
- Kassandra: How did the investigation go?
- Natakas: I found this note.
The doctor's expression slowly changed as she dropped her facade.
- Timosa: As expected. A little too late, I'm afraid. Already more than half of this village will die a slow, painful death.
Timosa with two Persian soldiers
Two soldiers dressed in Persian garb arrived. Timosa turned towards them.
- Timosa: You took long enough. I sent word the moment I saw her.
She sarcastically bid farewell to Kassandra.
- Timosa: Chaire, "Eagle Bearer."
A fight ensued.
- Timosa: Too late, "Eagle Bearer," we got you now.
- Natakas: Maláka! So many lives were lost because of you! You liar!
- Timosa: No price is too great to draw you out.
As Kassandra killed Timosa, evidence on her person revealed her to be a member of the Order of Hunters.
- Timosa the Physician: Medicine can be tonic or poison. The only difference is the intent of the physician.
Kassandra regrouped with Natakas and the Magistrate.
- Magistrate: I knew my men attacked her for a reason. I only hope you made their deaths quick.
The Magistrate walked off without another word.
- Natakas: Did you find any clues on the doctor?
- Kassandra: A note.
Kassandra reading the note
Kassandra unfurled the note and read it.
- Natakas: What do you think?
- Kassandra: "My wolves howl, my boars snarl, and my crows conspire—all for the blood of the Tainted One. You will bring them to me, as expected." So the Huntsman commands beasts who'd usually tear each other apart. Great. Something to look out for.
Natakas seemed troubled.
- Kassandra: The Order did this.
- Natakas: They did this because we were here. To draw us out. Father was right. I understand now why we live in the shadows, why we run. This... this is my fault.
- Kassandra: We must learn from our mistakes, Natakas.
- Natakas: Thank you, Kassandra. Let's meet back at the hideout. We'll talk there.
- Kassandra: We did what we could. It's all we could do.
- Natakas: I appreciate your words, Kassandra. We can talk more back at the hideout.
Outcome[]
Kassandra and Natakas investigated the illness that plagued Potidaia and received a clue to the location of the Huntsman.
Behind the scenes[]
Timosa is the one in league with the Order and thus the one responsible for the sickness. Thus, the most convenient choice is to attack her instead of the magistrate. Otherwise, a clue titled "Natakas' Investigation", different from the one added to the branch Magus' submenu, will be added to the Ancients menu, revealing her masked icon and directing the player to the Aristeas Military Camp. The clue spawned there will unveil her identity to track her down on the world map, in a bandit camp on the border of Malis, far removed from the rest of the episode's setting. The clue in question, "Note from the Physician to the Huntsman," will spawn at the camp even if Timosa is slain at Potidaia. Upon saving and reloading the game, it will be readable in her Ancient submenu. However, the first clue will only be obtained and readable by killing the magistrate and allowing Timosa to escape, regardless of how obvious it may be that she is the Order member.
Gallery[]
