[
  {
    "id": 714,
    "name": "4. Missing in Action",
    "level": 80,
    "story": 146,
    "goals": [
      {
        "active": "Explore the journeykin outpost.",
        "complete": "I ventured to the hunting outpost to meet with Spear Master Barbed Vale. She told me of the outpost's purpose as a hub for fostering wildlife and preparing game to feed the village. Also, she spoke of the lowlanders' philosophy of taking only what can be repaid and the importance of forming bonds for survival. As such, she encouraged me to spend time with the journeykin that roam the grounds freely. She said nothing, however, of the reason for inviting me here. This peculiar caginess did little to ease my suspicions—though, for the time being, I wrote it off as cautiousness on her part. Regardless, I used the opportunity to familiarize myself with the outpost and its surroundings. I came across another key council figure, Hunting Master Vast Caldera, tending to the warclaw pen. After lending a hand around the outpost and spending some time with the journeykin, I returned to Barbed Vale, this time intent on getting some definitive answers.\n\nAnd answers I received. For one thing, Malice's sleuthing proved spot-on. The tidbits of intel she gathered about the strangers and the kodans' concerns are indeed valid and pressing. According to Vale, a scouting party, led by Warclaw Master Graced by Fire, went searching for information on the strangers and their whereabouts. Thinking back, I recall her seeming on edge during the lowlanders' council meeting. Her apprehension seems perfectly justified, knowing now what happened next. Vale said that since their departure, the council has been unable to contact Graced by Fire or any of the scouts accompanying her. And thus far, all searches of the nearby wilds have turned up empty.\n\nAfter recounting this plight, Barbed Vale asked for my assistance in finding the missing scouts. I have, of course, agreed to help, as have Caithe and Malice. My plan is venture into the nearby wilds with them to pick up the search. Though we don't boast the same level of familiarity with the wilds as the lowlanders, we've proven ourselves adept at tracking down leads. If we can find something, anything, to point us in the right direction, we may be able to rescue the scouts from any lurking dangers. To make matters worse, Vale warned of a thick fog rolling in off the waters. Low visibility is the last thing we need, even with the aid of a journeykin. But there's no time for getting bogged down in doubts. We need to get out there, start searching, and adjust as needed. The scouts can't afford any hesitation.\n\n***"
      },
      {
        "active": "Search for the missing scouting party.",
        "complete": "Devasting. The only word fit to describe this turn of events. But let me start from the beginning.\n\nI met with Caithe and Malice in the delta to begin our search. As we feared, the fog clouded our sight like a gray film over our eyes. We wandered the woods, each path weaving us deeper into disorientation. It's easy to see how one could get turned around in such a place, veteran or not. We trudged on, the fog thicker and more putrid with each breath. The further we trekked, the more a sense of unease seemed to follow, like unseen eyes lurking beyond the trees. Watching... Waiting... And then, an ambush. The first of many. Our combatants were packs of disturbing creatures, their appearance a foul mess of rotted earth. Upon reflection, they looked similar to the creatures I witnessed when closing the rifts for Vanak, the setting making them all the more sinister.\n\nThen we found the corpse. The first one. Based on its condition, it had been decomposing for some time. We thought it was far too decayed to align with the scouts' timeline...until we found the others. Corpses strewn across the cold ground like discarded husks. In years of battle, I've seen what death does to the body. But this... It looked as if the soul itself became infected and rotted the body from the inside out. And the smell... The way it stung my nose, seeming to burn straight through the backs of my eyes. I fear it's seared in my memory forever.\n\nSuddenly, a voice cut through the horror. Faint but distinct. Seeking life amid the carnage, I discovered Graced by Fire, the party's lone survivor. She lay collapsed in an injured heap. We ran to her aid, determined to get her home with her last bit of life still intact. And that's when it decided to show itself. The \"stranger.\"\n\nNo stranger to history, if what Malice assures us is correct. She believes the creature to be a titan. Of course, none of us had seen one with our own eyes. But I've heard tales, read of their legacy. All I can say is that as it towered over us, it certainly looked like a creature fit for ancient tombs. Before we could process its arrival, it fled, leaving a minion to fight in its stead. A first-class maneuver in cowardice.\n\nAfter a heated battle, we subdued the beast. Then we prioritized our next moves. Graced by Fire's need for medical attention was our most pressing matter. Given the deep historical vendetta, Malice was most hesitant to give up the fight. But if we're to stand a chance against these monsters of near legend, our fight must be fueled by intent, not impulse. Once Graced by Fire is returned to safety, there's one clear course of action. It's time to call the alliance to council."
      }
    ]
  }
]