The Blood-Stained Stars

I would speak with you about your search for Dagan, but first, a matter of decorum. The late Mistress Mizara's parents entrusted the safety of their child to my lord. He has attempted to make amends, but I am afraid my lord can be... indelicate. He would replace their daughter with reparations of gold and ISK. This must be handled with more care.

Take this toy. The mistress first arrived at my lord's estate with nothing to her name but this. As you destroyed her body, it is the only physical connection left in this world that her family will recognize as hers. Deliver this to the family, and with the utmost care. They have already suffered enough.

Objective: Bring Mizara's Doll (1.0 m3) to the colony where her family lives.

Mission and Space type: Courier, Deadspace.

Place Mizara's Doll in the Mizara Family Hovel (17- 19km).

Thank you for doing this, my friend. To see others suffer is never easy.

You have proven that you respect our ways. My lord now believes he can trust you.

Yes, we know Dagan, and of your hunt for him. My lord hired him as a tutor for Mistress Mizara some ten years ago. Though my lord fancies himself a skilled pilot, he is very much of old Amarr stock. He wished the mistress to be better educated in the newly emerging technologies and political realities than he. Dagan proved a remarkable teacher. Sadly, he and Lord Taphos had a falling out after the coronation of Empress Sarum. There was an altercation, and both Dagan and the mistress fled.

I do not know where Dagan himself is, but I do know the man who brought Dagan to my lord's attention: an archaeologist of some respect, by the name of Doctor Canius. You'll find him at the location provided. Be warned: he surrenders nothing for free.

Objective: Report to Doctor Canius at the Theology Council Tribunal Station in Lisudeh.

Distance: 3 jumps.

Dead, is she? Damn. I was fond of her, and not in Taphos's way, mind you.

Yeah, I know. “He was purely her protector and patron, to mold her and shape her for a life of dedicated service to God and Empire.” Listen, I've been studyin' human history for a long while, and a platonic patronage between a “Lord” and “Mistress” hasn't happened since the time when the Reclaimin' just involved stabbin' our heathen neighbors with pointy sticks. But if that was all that was goin' on, nobody would fuss.

But that's enough story-time for now. You want more; you'll have to do somethin' for me. Hell, you don't want to hear more; you still have to do somethin' for me. Don't worry, it's real simple.

There's a dig site a little ways from here: a small cluster of asteroids, containin' artifacts from some of the first Amarr space lanes. I know there's at least one good piece left, but every time I hire a team, they get driven off by pirates. All you have to do is go in, get that artifact, and return it to me without dyin'.

Objective: Recover an artifact from the dig site using an archeology module like the one provided (Civilian Relic Analyzer).

Mission and Space type: Encounter, Deadspace.

Faction: Blood Raiders.

Engage the Hostiles to be able to hack the Ancient Tomb Dig Site (27km), loot the Mysterious Statuette and return it to the Agent.

Tip: Fit the Civilian Relic Analyser provided.

Blood Raiders? You're lucky you lived. They're psychotic and bloodthirsty, literally. Their sect believes purity can only be reached by consumin' blood, and clone blood is the purest of all. I'm afraid that makes you Capsuleers their favorite snack.

But you're alive, and you've got the artifact, so we're good.

A few years ago Lord Taphos tried to hit me up to tutor his new miracle girl. I declined, but I pointed him to Dagan. Dagan was holed up in this monastery at the time, part of some weird hermitage. So I introduce them, think nothing of it. Then I start hearin' rumors about how friendly Dagan is with Mizara. This doesn't go well with Taphos, particularly if you also believe what they say about Taphos and Dagan. Dagan was driven off, and truth told that's what probably turned Mizara against Taphos right then. So Taphos wants to keep a tight lid on the whole affair himself, keep the rumors still.

So that's his character history. Hope you wrote that all down. Nah, I don't care. There's no test or anythin'.

But what did Dagan do after? I honestly don't know, but five will get you ten that it has somethin' to do with his life before Taphos. This is the location of the monastery he stayed at. It's been abandoned for some time. I wouldn't be surprised if scavengers have moved in. Go reclaim the hell out of that place, and I'm sure you'll find somethin' useful.

Objective: Find the Monastery. Clear the area of any pirates. Retrieve any documents you find.

Mission and Space type: Encounter, Deadspace.

Faction: None.

Tip: Don't forget to loot the Strange Coded Document.

Good job cleanin' those guys out. I wouldn't worry about the ramifications of slaughterin' some godless scavengers. The first rule of any good reclaimin' is it's about souls, not bodies. You just happen to have a lot of the latter left over.

Now, let's have a look at that document you found.

This is fascinatin'. See this character here? It's only found in the Jovian alphabet. It's not proper Jovian, though. It's like they just were usin' the character set as a cipher of some sort. Unfortunate for Dagan, no cipher exists to stop a Hedion University man!

Let's see… that's strange. I can't tell who this is to, but it's definitely from Dagan. He says his mission went well, and that he fully earned the mark's— I assume that's Taphos's— trust. The mark willingly gave him passwords and clearance to Imperial archives, and… Emperors of old, he says he has sent all records pertainin' to the Empire's knowledge of "pre-Jovian" weapons!

I can only guess at what qualifies as "pre-Jovian", but Taphos has unwittingly provided Imperial secrets to a spy. You must deliver this information to him at once!

Objective: Report to Dovirch Anselm at the Ammatar Consulate Bureau Station in Tanoo.

Distance: 3 jumps.

I'm sure you have several questions for me, but I'm afraid they'll have to wait. It seems Taphos caught wind of your investigation. I know because he has challenged you to trial by combat.

It hasn't been common for years, but Taphos considers himself an old-fashioned true Amarr, and blue laws still allow it. Luckily, this provides the perfect opportunity for us. With the information we've uncovered, namely this cipher, we have enough to bring Taphos on charges. Doing so, however, would cause a huge political uproar, the kind that we frankly don't have the time for.

I want you to go out there, meet Taphos, and kill him in combat. We've shut off access to his clones, so he won't be coming back. As you were challenged by a noble you'll suffer no consequences, legal or otherwise. His family line gets to keep their good name, and everyone can then go back to their nice, safe lives, confident that Imperial secrets are still safe.

Objective: Defeat Taphos in a Trial by Combat.

Mission and Space type: Encounter, Deadspace.

Faction: None.

It is done, then. I've already started making my calls. As far as the media is concerned, he accused you of contract fraud, but God proved your innocence through a lawful trial by combat.

This mission may be completed remotely.

Now, about Dagan. We've had our suspicions as to who he is. With the cipher you found, we know for sure. I'm violating my oath by giving you this intel, but odds are good we'd never be able to act on it ourselves. See, Dagan is from the Society of Conscious Thought.

Dagan's made a mistake, though. He's been cut off from his buddies. The Sisters have seen to that.

Yeah, the Sisters. I've been curious why they were so interested in my case. Now I know: if there's one group that keeps a closer eye on the Society than the Empire, it's the Sisters of EVE.

They knew the whole damn time who Dagan was. I'd say it's time to head back over to the Sisters and get the full story.

Objective: Report to Sister Alitura at Sisters of EVE Bureau Station in Arnon.

Distance: 23 jumps (alternatively a 17 jump route goes though 3 Low Security Systems).

This mission may be accepted remotely.