nyelbert / phronesis

The final role quest centers on Nyelbert, the elven mage of Ardbert's party. Like the others, he has become a Cardinal Virtue, Phronesis, who now harries the trade routes of Amh Araeng. The problem Phronesis presents is simple: it keeps summoning unearthly gates to different realms, through which it swallows unsuspecting bounty hunters and caravans alike.

This is where you come in: the bounty hunter Cerigg seeks to find a way to neutralize these gates and take down Phronesis once and for all. On your first attempt, however, you end up hearing a voice coming through from one of Phronesis's voidgates, and end up pulling out a young boy from the dark depths.

The boy, Taynor, has few memories at first, and so you do your best to try and reunite him with his family. Unfortunately, an Echo vision illuminates much: Taynor was once a companion of Nyelbert, back when he was a child studying magic. Taynor has been trapped in one of the gates for a hundred years or more, not aging. Yet thankfully he remembers some of the magic required to seal them, and sets about doing so when the three of you next come across Phronesis.

You're treated to an extended Echo flashback of Nyelbert's first encounter with Ardbert and his party, in which they banded together to rid a mine of a terrible beast causing cave-ins. Only Nyelbert had no interest in the bounty but rather in the crystal causing the trouble, hoping to use it to retrieve Taynor from the rift. When it becomes clear that the crystal cannot be removed from the mine without causing far more destruction, he makes the difficult choice to destroy it.

Ardbert: The stone was yours to do with as you pleased, and still you chose the fate of many over that of your friend. In return for your sacrifice, I would make you an offer.
Come with us, and let us join you in your search for a means to save your comrade. The life of an adventurer isn't an easy one, but I daresay you strike me as the sort who just might enjoy it.
So, what say you? We'll travel the realm together and lend our strength to whatever unfortunate souls we encounter along the way. And who knows, before you know it, we just might stumble upon a way to rescue your Taynor.

In the end, Nyelbert accepts, and joins Ardbert's party. And thus does Phronesis's motivation become clear: he continues to roam the wastes in hopes of retrieving his lost friend. Taynor believes he can seal the gates, but he needs more training before he can attempt it with surety. You and Cerigg see to this, ensuring that he won't lose his composure when faced with the terror of a Cardinal Virtue.

The battle with Phronesis is fraught, but Taynor gives his all, and you manage to take the sin eater down. Nyelbert's shade appears, lamenting that he could never save the friend he treasured despite all he accomplished as a Warrior of Light alongside Ardbert. Taynor pleads with the shade, assuring him that he's all right now, and the shade seems to accept it and fades away.

All told, I think this is one of the better role quests, though it doesn't illuminate a whole lot about the Warriors of Light. Nyelbert's memory is enough to show that Ardbert could see the potential in him — that it was worth offering him a hand in his darkest moment. And even if Nyelbert never saved Taynor in life, he managed to release him in death.

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