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The Hegemon's Folly sub-region is unlocked after completing the Omashu Exploration Scenario. Story progression advances from the point of view of Jiang as well as unidentified Earth Kingdom adventurers. The story begins in Captain Masaru's tent at the Expedition Camp.
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| Mamushi
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Silence! I won't tolerate this kind of indulgence for much longer, Captain Masaru. Either you produce results by tomorrow, or you ship your crew off this dismal peninsula. You're wasting valuable resources on this wild flutter-bat chase. I would just loathe to have to report your failures to Fire Lord Ozai.
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| Masaru
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Yes, Commander... I've hired a team of local mercenaries to help with the...
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| Mamushi
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One day, Captain. No more delays.
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| Spear Soldier
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Captain Masaru... Who was that?
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| Masaru
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OUT!
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| Spear Soldier
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B-but...
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| Masaru
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Get OUT! Now where was I...
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| Spear Soldier
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Captain! The—
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| Masaru
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WHAT NOW?!!!
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| Spear Soldier
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Th-the safecracker has arrived, sir.
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| Masaru
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Why didn't you tell me?
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| Spear Soldier
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Uh...
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| Masaru
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Send her in.
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| Spear Soldier
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...
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| Masaru
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NOW, soldier!
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| Jiang
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Mr. Masaru...
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| Spear Soldier
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CAPTAIN Masaru!
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| Masaru
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At ease, soldier. Our civilian guests are not expected to conform to our military customs.
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| Jiang
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So what's the gig, Captain?
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| Masaru
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Jiang, was it? You come highly recommended for your... particular skill set.
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| Jiang
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No need to light a candle under my flying lantern, Captain. I do it for the coin, not the praise.
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| Masaru
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Of course. Of course. Forgive me. There's a burial ground nearby we have reason to believe harbors a great treasure.
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| Jiang
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...If only you could get into the mausoleum?
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| Spear Soldier
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How did you?...
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| Jiang
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It's not exactly the secret of the Southern Air Temple Sanctuary to figure out... You don't hire someone like me unless you want to get into someplace tough to crack.
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| Masaru
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How astute.
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| Jiang
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So, uh... What's in it for me?
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| Masaru
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The mausoleum in question is bound to be filled with all kinds of treasures. But my only interest is in a handfull [sic] of scrolls. Anything else of value that you find is yours to take. Is that motivation enough?
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| Jiang
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I think that could work for me.
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| Masaru
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And the mausoleum?
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| Jiang
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It'll be like taking rock candy from a baby badger-mole.
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Jiang is escorted outside.
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| Spear Soldier
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I'll just introduce you to the rest of the...
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| Swindler
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Woah! Nice hair, new girl! What happened? You fall asleep in a buffalo yak enclosure and they chewed it off?
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| Jiang
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Who are these blockheads?
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| Spear Soldier
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Th-these are your team mates.
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| Jiang
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These guys? I've seen canyon crawlers with better hygiene.
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| Swindler
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Don't worry, Sugar Cakes, we don't bite.
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| Jiang
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Call me that again and I will.
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| Swindler
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Ooh! The Crocokitten's got teeth. Ok. Ok.
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| Jiang
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Let's just get on with it, shall we?
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The group travels up the stairs to the Engraved Memorial.
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| Swindler
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...then Uru came up with the idea to dress up as a platypus-bear... you should have seen him in that suit...
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| Jiang
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Do you ever shut up?
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| Spear Soldier
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Wait... who's that?
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| Chef Lee
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I-I swear... It's just over this next ridge. We'll find all kinds of artifacts you can sell in your shop. I... I promise!
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| Jade
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Oof. This forest sure is tangly. I didn't realize it was so wild out here.
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| Swindler
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Well, well, well. Looks like we got ourselves a couple of gilacorns.
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| Chef Lee
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Ulp!
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| Swindler
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You movin' in on our prize egg, little gilacorns?
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| Chef Lee
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N-no! No... Nothing of the sort... We're just... on a date! R-right Jade?
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| Jade
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Um...
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| Spear Soldier
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Answer the question!
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| Jade
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No! We were just...
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| Spear Soldier
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Beat it out of them!
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| Swindler
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This is going to be fun.
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| Jiang
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Should I... Ya. probably not, but I guess if I opened my mouth I already am, right?
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| Swindler
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What are you babbling about?
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| Jiang
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Let them go.
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Jiang confronts the mercenaries and the Fire Nation soldiers.
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| Swindler
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You going to put your own skin on the line for some gilacorns?
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| Jiang
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If there's one thing I can't abide, it's bullies.
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| Swindler
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My day just got that much funner.
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| Jiang
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More fun.
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| Swindler
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You callin' me stupid?
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| Jiang
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Don't have to. You got it covered.
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Jiang defeats the first group of opponents, and proceeds to fight a second group.
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| Swindler
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She's spikier than a boar-q-pine!
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| Spear Soldier
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Someone get word back to Captain Masaru that his safe cracker's a sandmole!
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| Jiang
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I better stop them before they get away.
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Jiang defeats the second group of opponents.
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| Jiang
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That got my pulse pumping. Hope you two are worth it.
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| Jade
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Our savior!
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| Jiang
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Now, hold on. I'm no hero. What ARE you two doing out here?
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| Chef Lee
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L-like I said we were... On a...
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| Jiang
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On a date. Ya, ya. Is this true?
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| Jade
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No. We're just friends.
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| Chef Lee
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...
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| Jade
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I run a shop in Omashu, but sales have been down lately. It's hard getting quality antiques into the city. Chef Lee was helping me find something to sell. But then we got lost...
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| Jiang
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Tell you what... With your help, I'm going to crack into the mausoleum just up ahead, and then we're both going to plunder whatever we find in there.
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| Chef Lee
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Steal from the dead? Aren't you afraid of spirits?
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| Jiang
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The captain of the Flying Wolfbat isn't afraid of anything.
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| Jade
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Flying Wolfbat? I've heard of you... You're Jiang the Pirate?!
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| Chef Lee
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P-p-p... Pirate?
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| Jiang
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That's right. Pirate. Buccaneer. Daofei. Raider of the Coast. Whatever you want to call me. Is that a problem for you?
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| Jade
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N-not at all! You saved us! We're in your debt.
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| Jiang
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Good. Let's get working on this Mausoleum then.
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| Chef Lee
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Hmmm... Looks like the main entrance is flooded.
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| Jiang
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And the door is sealed. This isn't going to be as easy as I thought. Look around for clues.
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| Jade
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I think I found something. An inscription on this stone.
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| Chef Lee
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"The insatiable fisherman hungers more than ever. The poor fish wonder, 'When will we be free?' But his endless appetite may not last forever, when blind to the bigger fish in the sea."
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| Jade
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What is that supposed to mean?
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| Chef Lee
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No idea... maybe it has something to do with those other statues?
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Two new paths appear, leading away from the central memorial.
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| Chef Lee
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Which one should we check out first?
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| Jade
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Hmmm. Not sure. There's two paths in front of us.
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| Chef Lee
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Y-you should decide, Miss Jiang.
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| Jiang
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What was that poem again?
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| Jade
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"The insatiable fisherman hungers more than ever. The poor fish wonder, 'When will we be free?' But his endless appetite may not last forever, when blind to the bigger fish in the sea."
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Jiang attempts to move the mechanism.
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| Jiang
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Flying hog monkeys! This strange mechanism just won't budge.
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| Chef Lee
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Did you try putting your back into it? I hear that helps.
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| Jiang
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You want to try?
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| Chef Lee
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No, no. I trust you.
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| Jiang
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So, how are we going to get into the place then?
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| Chef Lee
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You're the safe cracker, aren't you?
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| Jade
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Stop it, you two... Maybe it has something to do with that inscription?
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| Jiang
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That does stand to reason, but what?
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| Chef Lee
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Let's take a look at those statues.
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The group travels to the Statue of Vulnerability.
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| Chef Lee
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Ooh! I know! Some kind of sea creature!
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| Jiang
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That narrows it down.
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| Jade
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It's a fish.
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| Jiang
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An elephant koi? A flying dolphin fish? A silverskim? If there's one thing a pirate knows, it's fish.
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| Jade
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It's just a fish.
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| Jiang
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Ok. *Sigh
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[Narration: The statue grinds as it turns on its pedestal.]
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The group continues on to the Statue of Dominance.
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| Jade
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This guy looks pretty happy.
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| Chef Lee
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Maybe he's got himself quite a haul in his basket... if he had a basket.
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| Jiang
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Ya, but a haul of what? Unagi? Fish? Maybe he's caught himself an old boot and it's better than the one he had?
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| Chef Lee
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Some people are easier to please than others.
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| Jiang
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Until you've had nothing, you don't really know what to be grateful for, do you, Mr. Lee?
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| Chef Lee
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I'm sorry. I didn't...
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| Jiang
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That's alright, Chef. I'm not THAT poor anymore. Early on, I decided to take what I didn't have from people who have too much. It became easy, after awhile. So easy, I started doing it for other people like me.
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| Jade
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Maybe someday there won't be anyone who's got nothing?
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| Jiang
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I hope so.
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| Jade
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You're not like other pirates, are you?
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| Jiang
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How many pirates do you know, Jade?
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[Narration: The statue grinds as it turns on its pedestal.]
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Jiang's team heads back and follows a path to the Statue of Naivety.
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| Jiang
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What is this supposed to be?
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| Chef Lee
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It's obviously a fish.
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| Jiang
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Obviously? Are you calling me a dunderhead?
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| Chef Lee
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Uh... No... I meant...
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| Jiang
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I'm just pulling your leg, Lee. Don't get your dudou tangled.
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| Chef Lee
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I'm sorry. I'm just useless.
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| Jade
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You're not useless, Lee. You make the best dumplings in the Earth Kingdom!
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| Jiang
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I'll make you a deal, Chef Lee. You get us into this mausoleum, and I'll send all my pirate friends to your restaurant.
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| Chef Lee
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Um... I'm not sure that's a good deal.
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| Jiang
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Hahahahaha.
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The team leaves the statue as it is and heads further to the Statue of Consequence.
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| Jade
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This one's a bit oogy.
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| Jiang
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Can't tell if it's a leech-a-pillar or a prickle snake.
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| Chef Lee
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It's an unagi.
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| Jiang
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Well, look at Mr. Scrollworm showing up the Sailor with his fish knowledge. Sure it's not one of your relatives?
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| Chef Lee
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...
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| Jade
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Don't bug him so hard. He's a sensitive soul.
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| Chef Lee
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Th-thanks, Jade.
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| Jiang
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Sorry, Chef. You know I'm just joking around.
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| Chef Lee
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Let's... just get on with it, ok?
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[Narration: The statue grinds as it turns on its pedestal.]
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The group returns to the Engraved Memorial.
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| Jiang
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Alright. We've rearranged all the statues. If my guess is right, we should be getting somewhere.
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| Chef Lee
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Do you want to try the mechanism again?
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| Jiang
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Why don't you do the honors?
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| Chef Lee
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Me? What? Are you afraid of traps or something?
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| Jiang
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What? No. I just... I've been giving you such a hard time, I thought you deserved a little... I don't know... prestige?
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| Jade
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Go on.
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| Chef Lee
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Ok. I'll do it.
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[Narration: Creeeeaaaaakk!]
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| Chef Lee
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... Hmmmm. That's a bit anticlimatic.
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| Jade
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Wait!
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The water drains from the basin, and the stone wheel slides away to reveal an entrance to the mausoleum.
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| Jiang
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Holy shu! We did it!
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| Chef Lee
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Um... b-but... do we have to go in there now?
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| Jade
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Come on, Lee. It's not... THAT terrifying.
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| Chef Lee
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I just remembered I left a bunch of dumplings on the boil when I left Omashu. Maybe I should...
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| Jade
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There's got to be all kinds of antiques in there I could sell in my shop! I'll need help getting them back.
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| Chef Lee
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If you're so determined to be a crypt robber I... I guess I'll have to...
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| Jiang
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That's the spirit, Cheffio. It's only in the cave of the tigerdillo that the rabaroo finds their fate.
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| Chef Lee
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Is that a pirate idiom? I've never heard that one.
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The group climbs up the stairs to The Mausoleum.
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| Chef Lee
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There's another idiom... don't know if you've heard this one: "The most dangerous place to meet a spidersnake is it's own lair".
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| Jiang
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We're miles from any spidersnakes, Cheffio. There's nothing to fear...
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[Narration: Crack!]
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| Chef Lee
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I-I'm j-just going to stay here.
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| Jiang
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Ok. Make some friends with the pythonaconda's while you're at it.
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| Chef Lee
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P-pythonacondas...? Coming!!!
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The team enters the mausoleum.
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| Jade
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This place is dark. Does anyone have a light?
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| Wen
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Would this do?
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| All Three
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AAAH!!!
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| Chef Lee
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A ghost!!!
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| Wen
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AAAAH!!!! Where?!!!!
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| Jade
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Wait... You're... alive.
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| Wen
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I certainly hope so. But if you hadn't come along when you did, it wouldn't have been long.
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| Jiang
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We spend all day cracking into this place and someone else is in here before us?
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| Wen
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I'm an archeologist. It's literally my job description to get into tight places. Too bad I leaned on that lever over there and shut myself in though.
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| Chef Lee
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This lev—
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| Wen
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Don't touch that.
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| Jade
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Uh... Jiang?
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| Masaru
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So, my rogue safe cracker turned out to be effective after all.
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| Jiang
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Monkey feathers! Here we go again.
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Masaru and his company confront Jiang.
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| Wen
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Uh... I'm not good with fighting. You can handle these guys, right?
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| Jiang
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Seriously?
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| Jade
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We believe in you, Jiang!
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Jiang defeats the first group of opponents, and proceeds to fight a second group.
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| Masaru
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So how does a pirate like you feel about being buried on land? Don't your type usually go for watery graves.
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| Jiang
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You look like you got one foot in the grave yourself, Masaru, and one foot in a bowl of fermented kelp.
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| Jade
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I don't get it.
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| Chef Lee
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Slippery.
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Jiang defeats the second group of opponents.
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| Jade & Lee
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Woohoo!
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| Jade
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You did it, Jiang!
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| Chef Lee
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...We hope.
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| Jade
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Maybe not all pirates are bad.
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| Masaru
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Fall back! We're wasting too many good soldiers.
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| Jade
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I've never had the opportunity to see such heroism up close like that.
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| Chef Lee
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Really? You met the Avatar, didn't you?
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| Wen
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Bald little twirp, right?
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| Chef Lee
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Hahaha. That's him. I sold him some dumplings.
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| Jade
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That could be your next sales pitch: "Dumplings fit for an Avatar"
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| Chef Lee
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I don't need a sales pitch. My dumplings are always selling out.
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| Jade
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If only my shop had that kind of luck.
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| Chef Lee
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Maybe with some of this stuff, you might have some luck.
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| Wen
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Hmmm... not likely. You might be able to convince some tourists it's treasure from the ancient world, but none of this is particularly valuable. Unless you're adventurers looking for relics or lost arts, that is.
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| Jiang
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Well that's... disappointing. But hey. I got a crew waiting on me. You folks can keep sifting through the rubble if you want to find anything worthwhile, but I got to raise sail. But if any of you find yourself in a pirate tavern on the southern shores of the Earth Kingdom, look me up. I got a job waiting for any of you who choose the life.
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| Chef Lee
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E-even me?
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| Jiang
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Are you kidding? If I had your dumplings on the Flying Wolfbat, I'd never have trouble attracting new crewmates.
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Two new paths appear behind the statues.
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| Chef Lee
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So uh... what should we do now?
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| Wen
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If you want to help out Jade's shop, we can keep looking through the rubble in the mausoleum.
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| Jade
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Won't Captain Masaru be regrouping his soldiers back at his expedition camp?
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| Chef Lee
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Or... There's some smaller tombs nearby. They might have something in them, right?
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| Wen
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Well? Which way?
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