Mission:Tip - A Hasty Text Message

A Hasty Text Message
Alignment Mission
Type	Alignment Tip
Place	Rogue Isles
Available to	Vigilantes
Level range	40–50
Choice	Villain

A Hasty Text Message

Alignment Mission

You get an incoming text:

need hlp frm u.in caves b-lo.fol0 b-kon.gud guy im blast 4nis

From what you're able to translate from the message (if you translated it right), it looks like Blast Furnace has gotten himself into some trouble. Though he used to be gutter-trash, the kid has come a long away. He's the kind of guy who deserves your help.

Villain: Go help out Blast Furnace

It's been a while since Blast Furnace was robbing convenience stores and stealing purses from old women. He's really turned himself around, having taken the road that leads away from hell. The road you walk, of course.

But from what you've been hearing lately, though the kid has his heart in the right place, he still doesn't have his head screwed on straight. Sure he'll do what needs to be done and realizes that sometimes you have to crack some brainpans to make an omelete - well, he's still getting in over his head.

Why don't you help him out and give him a couple pointers along the way.

• Give Blast Furnace some much needed mentoring

From what you gathered, it sounds like Blast Furnace is hanging out in some caves below. His text said something about a beacon which should lead you to where he can be found. Head over there before your lessons will only fall on dead ears - literally.

Unnecessary Solicitation

Blast Furnace needs your help! Get to him quickly or it's curtains for him!

Mission Objective(s)

The beacon seems to lead to this series of caves. If only you had a clearer indicator that he was down here somewhere.

• Come to Blast Furnace's rescue!
  • Find Blast Furnace
  • Defeat Maelstrom
  • Talk to Blast Furnace
  • Teach Blast Furnace an important lesson
  • Finish Maelstrom

Maelstrom managed to get away... Again. However, you were able to teach the kid a lesson about dropping ideals and just doing the job at hand.

Enemies

Devouring Earth

Notable NPCs

• Blast Furnace
• Maelstrom
• Praetorian Clockwork

Entrance caption dialogue

Character! I'm picking you up on my sensors! I knew you would come! You always could be counted on to show up at the perfect moment.
Uh-oh... I'm picking up more life-signs. It looks like my quarry, Maelstrom, is calling in help... from somewhere else. He's been hiding down here among the Devoured Earth, but... these look different.
If you can free me from these deceivers of truth and justice, I should be able to help and can explain more then.

Blast Furnace dialogue 1

Before Combat:

Blast Furnace: Get me out of here.

Blast Furnace: Over here!

Combat Finish:

Blast Furnace: Maelstrom tagged me with some kind of convection dampener. In other words, my own armor is preventing me from using my powers.

Blast Furnace: I'm so glad you're here!

Maelstrom dialogue

Before combat:

Maelstrom: Good one, you walking toaster! Don't worry... I'll find a way to break out of this.

Maelstrom: Ah... You brought a friend.

Combat start:

Maelstrom: Character, I'd say it's a pleasure. But it's not.

Maelstrom: Now... Let's get this over with.

At 75% Life:

Maelstrom: I don't need a teleport to kick both - lookin' for something, Red?

At 50% Life:

Maelstrom: Oh, figured out what I did to you, eh boy?

Maelstrom: Alright... I - I - surrender. Do you want my serial number now, chums

Blast Furnace dialogue 2

Blast Furnace: Ah! He attached heat sinks?! That was it?

last Furnace: Okay... I feel really stupid now.

Blast Furnace conversation

Speaking with Blast Furnace

Again - thanks, Character. I should be good from here out. I used to sometimes flip hospital 'porters around when I needed a quick ride - back when I was filthy scum, wallowing among the dregs of society.

Since Maelstrom likes to jump around a lot, I just rigged him with a reverse-hospital tag... and tada! No teleporting!

I wasn't counting on him doing something similar to me, though.

• Why'd you specifically call for me to help you?

Well, it's because I knew you'd be the one who would do anything to save the day. It's a bit embarrasing, but I've kinda followed your career. You're the hero I want to be.

In a way, that's why I was tracking down Maelstrom here. I did some research and found he's responsible for mass murder when he was still a serviceman. Now that he's gone rogue, he needs to be put on trial for war crimes.

• Back up. Mass murder? Trial? Explain this now.

Maelstrom here was once in a Black Ops unit for the military. He carried out all of his orders, but on occasion was known to go to - extremes. An example of this was a mission where he needed to assassinate a tribal leader. Instead, he tortured the leader's family - including the children - killing them one by one until the tribal leader came forward to stop him. Maelstrom proceeded to kill everyone in the village in front of the leader, then sent the elder to other villages to warn them what would happen if they didn't cooperate with the military.

• The children. This monster did that to the children?

Yes, and this is why he needs to be brought before an international court to be tried on multiple violations of various wartime conventions. Now that we have him, we'll read him his rights and -

• Rights? He has forfeited all his rights. His trial begins now.

Um, Character? You can't do that. He has to be given a fair trial. If not what's the point of justice?

• Fairness would be for me to rip his insides out as he screams!

I'm... I'm sorry, Character, but you can't do that. He has to be read his rights and taken before the international community. If - if you try to harm him - I'll... I'll have to stop you.

• You'd stop me to save this demon's life?

I'd stop you to see that justice was served, and served fairly. And to be honest, I'm rather disturbed that you would consider doing something like this. You're my hero, Character. When did you become this... Twisted, warped vision of what you once were?

• HOW... DARE... YOU...

I dare because... Because I'll do what is needed to bring justice to those who wreak havoc on this world. But I'll do with fairness, to ensure that I am always in the right.

Character, please... Please don't make me choose between defending Maelstrom and fighting you...

• I'll make that choice for you, boy...

Blast Furnace dialogue 3

Why?... What happened to you, Character? What have you become?

Maelstrom conversation

Speaking with Maelstrom

I have to say there's not much in this world that shocks me anymore. However. That? That shocked the hell out of me. You just killed that kid, a kid who looked up to you - who wanted to be you - just so you could... Kill me?

I haven't seen brass like that since, well... back when I was in that village the kid was talking about. The look on my face at the time is the same one you're wearing right now. What the kid left out was that tribe I did that to was responsible for the genocide of several other tribes. About, oh, ten thousand people, give or take.

• I don't want your stories, only your blood.

Wow... Are you already that far down your path? You know... The one paved with good intentions and all that?

Don't worry, I got you. You gotta do what you gotta do, even if you kill kids, right? I'm totally with you there.

And by the way, you don't really listen too well, do you?

• I hear what I need to hear.

Well, you should've 'needed' to hear more. The kid just yapped away about how he disabled my teleporter. That means I could have left anytime. Which I'll be doing right now.

Another thing? The kid ain't dead, had you been listening. He's probably back at some hospital recovering. And he'll likely come looking for you one day, hell bent on revenge... kinda like what you're planning to do to me right now.

• You won't get away that eas-

After Conversation
By the way... I liked the kid's style a little more than yours...

Debriefing

Far up in the sky, you see a streak of flame dart towards the horizon.

One day that kid's gonna come for you. He's going to have time to train, to become better. And he'll have the memory of his fallen hero burned in his brain, fueling his every action, his every blow.

And you'll be waiting right there.

Waiting.

Waiting to kick his ass one more time.