Tales Within the Sand – Act 1: The Mad Plunderer

Tales Within the Sand main questlines
Act 1: The Mad Plunderer	Act 2: Darksand Surge	Act 3: Shadow of Arsalan

“

Amidst a sandstorm, we managed to reach the location where we planned to build our camp, but the situation surrounding us exceeded our expectations—ameeri forces were crawling everywhere in search of a "treasure," and interfering with our work. Luckily, we met some friends, like the old tribe chief and our familiar Sunvalley acquaintance. Finally, we had our first clash with an ameeri army. No one knows for sure what will happen next.

”

Characters
Ameeri Soldier Doctor Eunectes Kestrel Liaison Quarry Overseer Rhodes Island Operator Tuye

Intro

Part 0 Enter the Base Camp
Eunectes	Finally, we've reached the "promised land" of legend. Considering the unusual nature of our core operations, we have to set aside a blank plot outside the camp. In addition to housing guests... Everything from procuring supplies, upgrading equipment and inventory management is carried out here. Feel free to find me any time you have a need.
Tuye	Since Zumama has chosen to run the camp's everyday operations here, I'll take charge of exploration and resource gathering. The trailer has been repaired and can now navigate rougher terrain. I can set out first thing tomorrow morning, if we have the fuel.
Doctor	So soon?
Eunectes	We've lost too much time and we're running out of supplies.
Tuye	I scouted the Rabum-Arakeeshtu jungles to the west of the camp. It appears there are a lot of resources there. We'll go further in this trip and try to find the supplies that we need.
Eunectes	Take this map. You'll need it to find wood that fits our requirements. It wasn't easy to get. Don't lose it.
Doctor	Thank you.
[The player receives Arsalan Wood Distribution Chart.]
(You obtained the map of the Arsalan woods. You can now gather wood.)
Doctor	Get some rest tonight. We'll be busy tomorrow.

Beginning Difficulties

“

We divided the work up—Eunectes will stay at Headquarters while we venture out to gather resources.

”

Part 1-1 Enter the Base Camp
Rhodes Island Operator	I'm back. Have the Planting Box Groups I left behind come in handy? Thanks to everyone's hard work, the headquarters are finally functional. Continue raising your headquarters Level to unlock more content such as Construction Blueprints. Here are some resources I brought from the south. I hope they'll be of use to everybody.
Doctor	Many thanks!
[The player receives 5 .]
Rhodes Island Operator	I gotta get back to work, see ya.

Part 1-2 Enter Arakeeshtu Jungle: Drinkwater as Bait
Liaison	Hello! I didn't expect to see other travelers in these jungles.
Tuye	Who are you? What are you doing here?
Liaison	Allow me to introduce myself. I'm a humble employee of Sunvalley Industries, here to advertise our products. Take a look! The quality is good, the price reasonable, and after-sales service impeccable! We go wherever our customers need us, no matter how remote.
Doctor	Maybe you should get out of the quagmire first?
Liaison	Oh, I think I can get myself out. Do you know if there's a place around here where I can get some rest?
Doctor	Our camp is to the north. What's in it for us, though?
Liaison	You scratch my back, I scratch yours. Trust me, you won't regret it. Just a friendly tip that there's a quarry nearby where you can find stone. You could try your luck there.
Doctor	Thank you. We look forward to seeing you in camp.
Liaison	Rhodes Island, at last. It was worth the wait... all the weeks of waiting...

Old Friend's Suggestion

“

We met an old friend while exploring and he showed us the way south.

”

Part 2 Enter Arakeeshtu Jungle: Skirmish
The following story is played when the operation starts.
Tuye	Looks like the elder was right. The ameeri troops are here in this jungle, and they've taken over the quarry.
Ameeri Soldier	You're in our way. Get lost! I'll have your head if you take one step closer!
Tuye	We mean no harm, but we need to go through here. May we have passage?
Ameeri Soldier	I warned you, but it looks like you're itching to work the mines. Who knows what you're here for? If you're here for the treasure... we definitely can't allow that.
The following story is played after all enemies are defeated.
Ameeri Soldier	I warned you! You don't know who you're messing with!
Doctor	Stars in the sky, lords ameer on the ground. / Which little star are you twinkling?
Ameeri Soldier	You'll pay for your insult to the Lord Ameer. Our armies will trample your settlement into the dirt. You will become our slaves and work our quarries.
Tuye	The quarries... We have to stop them before they force any more people over there.
Doctor	We've certainly made enemies now. Send word back to the camp. We must prepare.
Tuye	Look what I found in the stuff they left behind. A bounty notice for an archaeologist.
Doctor	An archaeologist? Could the rumors about the treasure be real?
Tuye	The soldiers dug up every scrap of earth looking for the treasure. Treasure... that might be the key to driving away the ameeri armies. We should find this archaeologist, if we can. Good news, they also left a quarrying map. We can start mining stone now.
[The player receives Arsalan Stone Distribution Chart.]
(You obtained the map of Arsalan stone deposits. You can now gather stone.)

Quarry Confrontation

“

We arrived at the quarry our friend mentioned, defeated the ameeri forces, and will continue heading south.

”

Part 3 Enter Arakeeshtu Jungle: Logging Taxation
The following story is played when the operation starts.
???	...
Doctor	Are you okay? (Give her some food) / (Give her some water)
???	Thank you. I was trapped here for days. Hungry and tired.
Doctor	What's your name?
???	It's been a long time since I last used it... you can call me Kestrel.
Kestrel	You should leave. Don't get yourself dragged into my troubles. I ran away from the quarries in the south. I'm being pursued.
Quarry Overseer	Found you at last. Don't even think about leaving here alive, after all the men we lost on account of you.
Kestrel	And how many workers died under your whips in the quarries? I'll take a few more with me if it's the last thing I do.
Tuye	Are we helping?
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	Of course we are.
Tuye	Let's do it.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	Her safety is our priority.
Quarry Overseer	Help this woman and you can join her in hell.
<Dialogue branch ends here>
The following story is played when the player talks with Kestrel after ensuring her safety.
Kestrel	Thanks for the help. Looks like they won't be after me for a while.
Doctor	If you don't have anywhere to go... Feel free to come to our camp.
Kestrel	No, I need to go back to the quarries in the south. There are still a lot of workers enslaved there. I need to help them.
Doctor	That's not a wise choice. / You might die.
Kestrel	I'm a slave and a warrior. My life doesn't belong to me. I'll repay this favor, if I make it.
Tuye	Should we help her? We've already crossed swords with the ameeri army, after all.
Doctor	She's already on the move. Let's follow.
[The player receives Special Solvent.]

Goal: Alkalies!

“

We rescued someone who told us she wanted to go to the quarry in the south. Coincidentally, we're also heading south for the salt flats, so perhaps we might meet again.

”

To complete this part, the player must have completed the "Highway Robbery" event that triggers upon heading to Towering Pass and wait until Day 30.

Eunectes's Bad News

“

We experienced many mysterious happenings at the salt flats, but Eunectes back at camp has news for us, so we need to go talk to her.

”

Part 5 Talk with Eunectes at the Base Camp
Eunectes	We got an emergency transmission from the scouts. Remember the ameeri troops that you encountered in the forest? They're coming.
Doctor	No rash moves. / We're coming back now.

Can't Back Down

“

Ameeri forces are right at our door. We have no choice but to fight them at Headquarters.

”

To complete this part, the player must eliminate the Ameeri Army led by the Dustweaver that will spawn once Eunectes's Bad News is completed.

Ending

Main article: Tales Within the Sand/Questlines/Act 1/Ending