#textdomain wesnoth-utbs

#define STORY_THE_MORNING_AFTER
    [story]
        [part]
            story= _ "Note: This campaign is probably not appropriate for beginners. It changes certain Wesnoth standards, such as the elves’ stats and the day/night cycle. This campaign emphasizes role-playing elements and tends to have longer scenarios with objectives that change in the middle. For these reasons, we strongly suggest that you occasionally save your game mid-scenario, so you won’t lose all your progress if you get stuck and have to start over."
        [/part]
        [part]
            story= _ "This is the chronicle of the journey of the Quenoth elves from their homeland in the Great Southern Desert. I write this story so that our descendants may know of our travels, remember the sacrifices we made, and profit from the hard lessons we learned."
        [/part]
        [part]
            story= _ "Chapter 1: I, Kaleh, grew up amid the shifting sands, under our two suns Sela and Naia. It was a land of hot dry days and cold nights, of roaming horrors, where water was more valuable than gold. We had lived among the sands ever since the forests fell uncounted years ago. It was a hard and savage land, but we were tougher still, and we managed to survive settled around one of the rare oases. We had heavily fortified our village against marauders and were the largest encampment we knew of. My uncle, Tanuil, led us for many years, and trained us to be self-sufficient and strong against all enemies. A people struggling in an ocean of sand, we thought we were ready for anything. All that changed one fateful night, when the sky rained fire..."
        [/part]
        [part]
            story= _ "I remember that night as if it were yesterday. I was not prone to dreaming, but as I slept I had a strange vision. I didn’t have long to ponder it though, because I was woken in the dark by the sound of deafening crashes, splintering wood and shouting elves. That night the sky rained flaming rocks, boulders bigger than you could imagine. They smote the landscape like lightning bolts, setting fire to whatever could burn and crushing houses, walls, and elves. There was nowhere to hide, nowhere to go for protection. I was terribly afraid, and I thought that if I tried to flee I would be smashed, so I hid and prayed to Eloh. I had never prayed before as fervently as I did that night. I heard cries and screams outside, but I could not force myself to move. Eventually the thin yellow tendrils of a sickly dawn stole over the horizon, as if Naia herself were shocked by the devastation she saw."
        [/part]
    [/story]
#enddef

#define STORY_ACROSS_THE_HARSH_SANDS
    [story]
        [part]
            story= _ "Chapter 2: When I was fifteen I went on my first raid, against an orcish incursion to the west. A large band of orcs under some new banner had come out of the northern foothills and were rampaging across the sands, killing anything they could get their filthy hands on."
        [/part]
        [part]
            story= _ "Sneaking amongst the dunes we crept up to their camp and ambushed them at dawn. To a young boy the fighting was overwhelming: crashing blades, blood, battle cries, friend and foe struggling back and forth. The orcs rallied around their leader, their greater numbers countering our superior skill at combat. It was my father who finally fought his way to the foul orc leader and slew him on the bloodstained sand. The surviving orcs broke and fled from the battlefield, to be hunted down and slain as individuals and small groups by our trackers. It seemed a glorious victory, and I hardly noticed our elven brethren lying dead in the sand."
        [/part]
        [part]
            story= _ "I was giddy on the journey back home, my heart pumping with elation and pride. I had fought my first battle; now I was a man like my father. Then one night during the long dark a harsh wind came up, moaning and howling around our tents. By dawn it had only gotten worse; I wondered if some dark god was trying to avenge the massacre of the orcs. I’d seen sandstorms before, but I had never experienced one like this. I hid in my tent praying to Eloh as if my life depended on it. The air grew thick with sand, and everything grew dark and hazy..."
        [/part]
        [part]
            story= _ "The next thing I remember, someone was bending over me shaking me awake. I was half buried in sand, and I felt weak but alive. Our equipment was scattered across the dunes or buried in the sand. Looking around I only saw a few of my companions, who were digging in the sand, fervently hoping to find other survivors. I dug furiously at the sand with my bare hands and yelled until I was hoarse, but try as I might, I could not find my father. They told me he had been swallowed by the sand, but I would not be consoled. In one instant my world crumbled; I never looked at the sands quite the same way again. I learned that day that the desert can be fickle and fierce, and death is always lurking just over the horizon."
        [/part]
        [part]
            story= _ "Now I journeyed out again across the sands, but this time it was not just myself, but my entire people that I had to protect. They were depending on my judgment, and I was only too aware of the weight on my narrow shoulders. Thinking of the last time we had gone out in force, I made a silent prayer to my father to watch over us. There was nowhere to go but north."
        [/part]
    [/story]
#enddef

#define STORY_STIRRING_IN_THE_NIGHT
    [story]
        [part]
            story= _ "Chapter 3: As we continued north through the desert, the looming hills and mountains promised blessed relief from the seemingly never-ending sand. Soon we got to the end of the foothills, and we decided to rest there for the night. As tired as I was of marching across the sand, I felt strangely afraid. I had lived my entire life in the sands; they were my home, and the rocky hills and white glistening mountaintops seemed foreign and foreboding."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "I worried if I was doing the right thing, leading my people to strange lands. Despite Eloh’s promises, I was not as confident as Zhul was that it would all end well. Looking back I thought it strange that I was the one that Eloh showed herself to. I was never particularly devout, always worried more about day to day matters than the other-worldly ones. But who was I to question a god?"
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "That night, as I slept, I dreamt again, for the first time since that first fateful night. Eloh came to me again, and this time she appeared in a vision as a beautiful glowing figure, as bright as the suns. She said <i>“Have courage, for though soon you shall go through a time of darkness, all your trials shall be richly rewarded in the end. You must go under the northern mountains, not over them. You will find the ruins of an ancient watch tower made of black obsidian in the desert by the edge of the hills. By that tower you will find the entrance to the tunnels you seek. Follow the smooth ancient tunnel down under the mountains and when you again see the sky and my suns, I shall contact you. But beware those who lurk in the darkness, they hide from my light, and must not be trusted. I have no power in the dark, so you are my hand of justice. Punish the non-believers. Go now, and fear not the dark.”</i> And again, just like before, I was woken up by a shout in the night."
        [/part]
    [/story]
#enddef

#define STORY_DESCENDING_INTO_DARKNESS
    [story]
        [part]
            story= _ "Chapter 4: We found the crumbling obsidian tower that Eloh had described, and we camped at the edge of the foothills before the mountains. I was still shocked by the loss of Garak and all the other elves who fell in the battle last night. There was so much death in this land, had it always been this way? As we traveled I pondered what this world might have been like back before the Great Fall and I remembered the tale that had been told to me many times since I was a child:"
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "A long, long time ago was the golden age among elves. Our people lived in harmony with nature in lands filled with trees, trees as far as the eye could see. There was peace among Elves and the other races such as Humans and Dwarves, and evil creatures were driven deep within the earth. The foul name of Uria was not yet known among our people, and our powers were so great that we raised another sun into the sky, so that the days were lengthened and dark hours were few. Happy indeed were our people during these long years, but it was not to last forever."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "Eventually peace and prosperity fostered corruption and decadence. Through her powers of deception and guile, Uria cultivated secret groups of followers, promising to fulfill their darkest desires. She bided her time, and slowly stretched her black hands out across the world. At first, petty arguments between humans, elves and dwarves erupted into conflicts, embroiling our people in the first wars they had fought for ages. Then orcs and other foul creatures came back into the world and raided our settlements, razing villages and massacring hundreds. Uria’s followers studied the necromantic arts and raised armies of undead. Our people had grown weak and soft in the time of peace and plenty and were ill-suited to cope with these new trials. Even nature herself seemed to quail under the onslaught: crops failed, the trees sickened and our forests began to die. Most disturbing was the way the nights lengthened, creating the long dark we suffer today. Many of our people despaired, and many embraced the oncoming darkness, worshiping Uria in hopes of saving themselves. Former friends fought over what few resources remained, and chaos threatened to overwhelm us all."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "In this time of troubles Eloh first appeared to a select number of us, those few that still doggedly fought to preserve our homeland and our heritage. She told us that the old days had ended, and only through strict discipline and strength could we survive in the new world. She led us out of the few remaining forests, which were being logged and burned by the orcs, into the open plains where we could roam freely. She taught us that alone we are weak, but together we could still strike fear into the hearts of our enemies. We learned that the only way to survive in this new harsh world was to always value the needs of the many over the wants of the individual. We must all work together, for without each other we are nothing. Even as the plains dried up into deserts we follow her will and walk in her path, remembering our ancestors and the sacrifices they made that we might live, and always striving to create a better world for our children."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "Had the golden age been just a story? What kind of world could I be able to create for future generations of our people? All I knew of the past were the ruins of great castles and tales of a time when life was more than just a struggle to survive. Life did not seem to have grown easier for my people in the last few generations—if anything the land had grown even more unforgiving. Was there anywhere left in this world that I could take my people which would be better than the land we were born into?"
        [/part]
    [/story]
#enddef

#define STORY_A_SUBTERRANEAN_STRUGGLE
    [story]
        [part]
            story= _ "Chapter 5: We plunged into the darkness, shepherding long lines of our people along the cramped passageway deeper and deeper beneath the roots of the mountains. We had brought along palm torches, and we had scavenged other torches from the orcs, so we had enough light sources, at least for the moment. Even so, the guttering torches shed little light, and shadows flickered everywhere. The walls were damp and clammy, the air seemed stale and the sound of our footsteps echoed up and down the passageway."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "This seemed as alien an environment as we could ever imagine. We were a people of the open sands, and even during the long dark we could look up and orient ourselves by the stars glittering brightly in the deep sky. I knew logically that we could not go over those frozen mountains, and we could not go back, but I shivered at the thought of miles and miles of rock above me, and felt the weight of the mountain pressing down on me. The passage twisted and turned, and soon I lost all sense of direction, but since there were no side-passages, we had little choice but to keep going forward."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "Looking back, I think the bravest thing that my people ever did was to follow me into the darkness solely on the promises of Eloh and their faith in my leadership. I had no idea how long we would be trapped underground, or even which way we should go. I but hoped Eloh would guide us somehow. Nym said that people whispered that I could lead them through anything, and it was true that when we left I had hardly imagined that we would fight outlaws, undead, orcs and goblins. My previous life seemed as a dream of years past, even though it had only been ten days since our village was demolished."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "What lurked in the darkness? Who were the unbelievers that Eloh had so cryptically referred to? My heart beat loudly in my chest, everything seemed amplified down here. I felt a strong suspicion that this was not a place that my people were meant to be. I strode onwards grimly; considering everything we had gone through so far, Uria be damned if I was going to be frightened now."
        [/part]
    [/story]
#enddef

#define STORY_IN_THE_TUNNELS_OF_THE_TROLLS
    [story]
        [part]
            story= _ "Chapter 6: The dwarf Grimnir led us through a maze of twisting passages speaking scarcely a word. Finally, after what seemed like hours of marching, he stopped. He motioned us to be very quiet and we crept forward; all I could hear was the soft patter of feet and my heavy breathing. Even that little noise seemed to echo off the cramped walls of our rough-hewn passage. I was suddenly aware of the sheer mass of rock and earth above us and for a moment I despaired of ever seeing the sun again. Then I grabbed my sword with fresh determination and vowed to see this mission through."
        [/part]
    [/story]
#enddef

#define STORY_IN_THE_DOMAIN_OF_THE_DWARVES
    [story]
        [part]
            story= _ "Chapter 6: The troll Zurg led us through a maze of twisting passages speaking scarcely a word. Finally after what seemed like hours of marching he stopped. He motioned us to be very quiet and we crept forward; all I could hear was the soft patter of feet and my heavy breathing. Even that little noise seemed to echo off the cramped walls of our rough-hewn passage. I was suddenly aware of the sheer mass of rock and earth above us and for a moment I despaired of ever seeing the sun again. Then I grabbed my sword with fresh determination and vowed to see this mission through."
        [/part]
    [/story]
#enddef

#define STORY_DEALING_WITH_DWARVES
    [story]
        [part]
            story= _ "Chapter 7: We returned quickly and found the rest of our people, safely hidden a few miles back from the fighting. Seeing Grimnir with us, a troop of dwarves silently appeared out of adjoining secret passages. Once we had assured the rest of the elves that they were friends, Grimnir led us silently and quickly through a maze of secret tunnels towards the Dwarves’ home."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "I do not know how long we tramped through those tiny dark passages; time seemed to flow differently down there, deep under the earth. But when we finally got to our destination, what I saw was breathtaking. We entered into a large cavern, where the dwarves had built a huge city out of stone. Protected by stone walls and gates that were bigger than I had ever seen, the place seemed virtually impregnable. As we entered I marveled at their stonework and I saw that the place was crawling with dwarves. It was bigger than any village I had ever seen."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "The dwarves led us through to the far side of the city, where they let us stay in several auxiliary caverns, which normally served as store rooms. The accommodations were a bit cramped, but for the first time since I had plunged into the earth, I felt safe."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "The dwarf king was away cleaning up after the recent battle, and would not be back for several days. I happily spent what little time I had learning as much as I could about these strange people. I was very impressed by their craftsmanship; they made weapons and armor of a quality I had never seen before. We were also quite the curiosity to the dwarves; I have no idea when they had last seen an elf. While some seemed suspicious or frightened of us, the dwarves overall were very polite and met our every need. Finally the summons came to meet with the dwarven king..."
        [/part]
    [/story]
#enddef

#define STORY_TALKING_WITH_TROLLS
    [story]
        [part]
            story= _ "Chapter 7: We returned quickly and found the rest of our people, safely hidden a few miles back from the fighting. Once we had assured the rest of the elves that the trolls were our allies, Zurg led us silently and quickly away from the front lines through a maze of secret tunnels."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "I do not know how long we tramped through those tiny dark passages; time seemed to flow differently down there, deep under the earth. But finally we stepped out into a large cavern. Dominating the cavern were the remains of what must have originally been a dwarf city. The large stone walls were riddled with giant holes and the iron gates had been blasted asunder. As we entered through the gates, we saw dead dwarves and other more grisly signs of recent battle. All around us were many trolls, working hard to repair the walls and other defenses. Zurg led us through the chaos to several side caverns which had until recently been used as storerooms. There was sufficient space for us to bed down and stay out of the way, and the dwarves had left behind plenty of provisions."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "Zurg told us that they had just captured this city from the dwarves, and that the Great Leader had moved here to set up his base of operations. They were clearly worried about a dwarf counterattack. Luckily the trolls were quite skilled at stonework and the walls were quickly repaired. The trolls didn’t talk much, but seemed very intelligent and not the mere bloodthirsty savages they had been purported to be. Overall they actually seemed quite peaceful, except when provoked. I learned that the leadership was balanced between the warriors and the shamans. The troll’s military leader was chosen and advised by a council of their shamans."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "I wish I could have spent more time learning about these misunderstood creatures, but we could not tarry long. Even protected by the trolls, caught in the middle of this great war, I feared for the safety of my people. And so after waiting a few days, I was able to get an audience with the Great Leader."
        [/part]
    [/story]
#enddef

#define STORY_BLOOD_IS_THICKER_THAN_WATER
    [story]
        [part]
            story= _ "Chapter 9: Nym and Esanoo led us north, across the sands and through the dunes, towards the human encampment where the merfolk were being held. I asked Nym where Esanoo had come from, but she wouldn’t answer, she just said that I had to see for myself."
        [/part]
        [part]
            story= _ "Just then we crested over the last dune and I indeed saw what she meant. Sparkling blue covered the entire horizon. I fell to my knees in awe, I had never seen so much water in one place. I cannot write down in words the shock and amazement I felt. To have grown up in a land where water was as precious as gold, and then see miles and miles of it. It was only then that I understood where the merfolk truly came from. I’d been to some strange places, high up in the mountains, deep down under thousands of tons of rock, but this world of water was the most alien of them all."
        [/part]
        [part]
            story= _ "Which brings me to the other alien concept I was trying to comprehend: our goddess Eloh. What was her plan? Why did she want me to surrender to the humans? Do the humans worship her as well? The humans seem so brutish and vile, that I can’t imagine them worshiping the same god as us. I thought Eloh was just our god, I don’t remember Zhul mentioning any other races worshiping her after the Great Fall, though perhaps things had changed in the intervening years. Her commands don’t make any sense; she doesn’t seem at all like the goddess Zhul told me about. And what was Esanoo talking about? How did his master know about ‘Yechnagoth’ and ‘Zhangor’? If Eloh won’t help me, then I desperately need some answers. I pray to whatever gods may be left that I’m not leading my people into a trap..."
        [/part]
    [/story]
#enddef

#define STORY_OUT_OF_THE_FRYING_PAN
    [story]
        [part]
            story= _ "Chapter 8: I set out with a lightened heart and quickened step; we were going back up and I was sure that soon this underground gauntlet would be over. With the help of our new allies, I felt much more confident than I had before. Oh, to feel the wind in my hair and the sun on my face. But for now we had many more miles to travel and in the monotony of the marching I let my mind wander to larger matters."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "What kind of home had Eloh prepared for us on the other side of the mountains? Was there anywhere in the world that hadn’t been plagued with war and destruction? I grew up in a land of ‘kill or be killed’. Outlaws, ogres and other monsters preyed on the weak and helpless. Orcs and goblins raided any settlements they could find, and my people struggled to protect what little they had. And through it all crazed necromancers and undead spirits haunted the sands, feeding on the few survivors."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "At first I thought that if we could just leave the desert, we could find a peaceful place away from all the bloodshed and death. But even underground the last remnants of the trolls and dwarves continue to fight a bloody struggle to the death. Is this what our world has become? And why did Eloh tell me to ‘kill the unbelievers’? If we had attacked both the dwarves and the trolls we would not have made it even this far. Everywhere I look I see remains of once great empires. If we destroyed the last of these peoples, what would be left around us but a howling emptiness?"
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "And yet, here in the dark, Eloh says she is powerless. Here she cannot help us, we must fend for ourselves. Though she is our god, I cannot just lie back and depend on her to always save us. These are my people too, and I have a responsibility to them as their leader. I must make my own decisions as I see best. And as Zhul told me when I was but a child, Eloh forgives all our sins. If I err in my judgment she will surely understand. Eloh may be our guide, but I am our leader and I will do what I must to protect my people during our journey."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "And so, bolstered with a new resolve, I continued the march up out of the darkness and towards a new land."
        [/part]
    [/story]
#enddef

#define STORY_SPEAKING_WITH_THE_FISHES
    [story]
        [part]
            story= _ "Chapter 10: The merfolk helped us pilot our ships far into the ocean. Some of the younger elves were actually quite adept at climbing the rigging and steering the ships. Myself, I mostly stayed in the captain’s quarters and tried to avoid getting seasick. The sea reminded me of being out in the vast desert, with only the stars at night to guide my way. But without the merfolk’s help we would have been hopelessly lost."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "That afternoon three of the merfolk sat in a circle and performed their ritual to determine the location of their master. Apparently it was a success, for they steered us straight towards the setting sun."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "The next morning we reached our destination. It wasn’t even an island, just a sandbar sticking out above the water. We lowered down a longboat and the merfolk pulled us to shore, none of us being very skilled with the oars."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "In the water around the sand bar were a large number of merfolk guards. Standing alone on top of the sand was one of the oldest merfolk I have ever seen. She beckoned to us and we approached..."
        [/part]
    [/story]
#enddef

#define STORY_BATTLE_FOR_ZOCTHANOL_ISLAND
    [story]
        [part]
            # wmllint: local spelling pre-dawn
            story= _ "Chapter 11: Our boats slipped softly through the water, shrouded in the pre-dawn darkness. At this moment the merfolk would be launching their diversionary attack, but the fact that we had not encountered any resistance was still eerily disturbing. Ahead of us, the large island loomed, dark and menacing."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "In the end, almost all of my people decided to join in this final battle. I was surprised. They had gone through so much, and yet they still had faith in me. Looking around at them, I could not help noticing how many familiar faces were missing. Barely a fourth of those who set out with us on our journey had survived. If I had known it would be this bad would I have ever left in the first place? I thought Eloh was protecting us and guiding our steps, but in truth it was all me. For better or for worse I have no one to blame but myself."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "But Zhul is right, if we had come all this way just for a chance to help the merfolk defeat Yechnagoth then our journey was not in vain. We were searching for a new home, safe from all the horrors and death of the desert, but now this struggle seems more important. Could these islands possibly become a home for my people? It is a prospect too wonderful to dare to hope for. But in the end that is not what is driving me. All I care about is vengeance upon her that did this to us. Garak, Keratur, Tanstafaal, all those poor souls we left behind in our village and the many who have marked our path with their blood, they all shall be avenged."
        [/part]

        [part]
            story= _ "This conflict is greater than just us. These lands were once places of beauty and hope. The great empires may be gone, but still people struggle to survive. As grim as it all seems, there is still some beauty and light left, hidden away. I will not let it all be swallowed by a second darkness. I do not care what happens to me, but I pray to Eloh (if she is even listening) that if I die, then I die making these lands a better place. Please may this not all be in vain..."
        [/part]
    [/story]
#enddef

#define STORY_THE_FINAL_CONFRONTATION
    [story]
        [part]
            story= _ "Chapter 12: True strength is not measured in might or knowledge, but in what you can do for those you love."
        [/part]
    [/story]
#enddef
