Whimpers Through the Fog

Whimpers Through the Fog was a virtual representation of one of Kassandra's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan in 2018 through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.
==Description==
Kassandra travelled to the swamp to look for Natakas' informant.
==Dialogue==
Kassandra made her way to the eastern edge of the Swamps of Thermes. She followed the stream to a makeshift prison encampment, with no guards but at least two bears.
*Kassandra: Animals? Where are the guards?
Kassandra slew the bears and released the prisoners, finding Natakas' informant among them. She screamed out for help.
*Civilian: Help! Someone, help!
Kassandra released her.
*Civilian: Thank you, misthios! I've been at the mercy of those beasts. Did Natakas send you?
*Kassandra: You must be his contact.
*Civilian: My son was spying on an Order member. It was his first job... but he got captured. I shouldn't have agreed to let him be involved...
<tabber>
|-|It's not your fault.=
*Kassandra: It wasn't your fault. Your son made a choice, and you respected it.
*Civilian: He had a life ahead of him! But now...
|-|You deserve the blame for this.=
*Kassandra: If you cared, you wouldn't have put your son in danger.
*Civilian: I do care for him, misthios! But he's young, eager... and now in trouble.
</tabber>
*Kassandra: Where did this madman take your son?
*Civilian: His soldiers took him downstream. They're going to finish him off, misthios! Please save him!
(If "Where should I look for your son?" is chosen.)
*Kassandra: Where was your son last seen?
*Civilian: Down the stream, misthios. He was dragged away by guards!
(If "Who is the madman?" is chosen.)
*Kassandra: Tell me more about this madman.
*Civilian: I've heard things about him... The calls of beasts herald his approach.
Wolves howled in the distance as she spoke. The two women briefly looked in the direction of the howl.
*Civilian: But I've only seen his guards, and they dragged my boy away. Misthios, please. Bring my boy back to me!
(Leave – "I'll save your son.")
*Kassandra: You're injured. Stay here while I find your son.
*Civilian: Please hurry, misthios. They could be flaying him right now!
Kassandra took her leave and continued downstream.
*Kassandra: I need to find her boy... Hope this madman she's talking about didn't get his hands on him.
At the mouth of the stream, Kassandra found a massacre of soldiers.
*Kassandra: This is a bloodbath. What happened here?
She inspected a body in a nearby cage for her first clue.
*Kassandra: These people were exposed to the elements and tortured in these cages. Horrific.
She continued into the Therme Wetlands.
*Kassandra: The fog is rolling in.
She inspected the bodies under the cloth on the riverbank.
*Kassandra: What kind of monster would do this?
Kassandra reached the nearby cabin and inspected the grisly table.
*Kassandra: These tools were used on the victims. Wolves aren't to blame for this carnage.
She inspected the door of the cabin to complete her investigation.
*Kassandra: This door is locked. But the blood trail leads further into the swamp.
In the distance, she heard a child cry out for help.
*Child: Please, let me go. Somebody help!
*Kassandra: There he is.
Kassandra made her way to the boy. He cried out as she drew near.
*Kassandra: It's OK. Your mother sent me. Calm down, boy.
*Child: No! Don't kill me!
The boy took off.
*Child: Stay away from me!
*Kassandra: Come back! Your mother sent me. Maláka.
Kassandra chased after him.
*Kassandra: Boy, come back!
*Child: Stay away!
She chased him to the site of a grisly display of human remains, some impaled on spikes, others hanging from the tree limbs.
*Kassandra: By the gods. What happened here?
She continued to the base of the tree and called out to the boy.
*Kassandra: Boy! Get back here. Where are—
Kassandra looked up into the tree branches and took stock of the sheer number of corpses strung up on display. She was mortified.
*Kassandra: What is this?
The boy was nearby, and he cowered in fear of Kassandra.
*Child: Don't come any closer!
A man walked up beside the boy, who turned to look up at him.
*Madman: Don't worry, you're safe now.
Kassandra realized he was the Madman the boy's mother had warned her about.
*Kassandra: Come over here. He's dangerous.
The boy refused, accusing Kassandra of killing the people in the branches.
*Child: You killed them. You killed all of them.
*Madman: You're a smart one, young man. You'll know no more pain here. Run along now.
The boy took off into the fog, leaving the Madman alone with Kassandra.
*Madman: So, this is Darius' dog. The one looking for the Huntsman.
*Kassandra: Tell me where he is before I slice your throat.
*Madman: It's always violence with you, isn't it? Just like your master. Tell me, Eagle Bearer, do you truly trust "Darius"?
<tabber>
|-|I trust Darius.=
*Kassandra: He's honest. That's enough to earn my trust.
|-|I don't trust Darius.=
*Kassandra: Darius hasn't earned my trust.
|-|I trust no one.=
*Kassandra: I haven't trusted anyone in a long time.
</tabber>
*Madman: You should be careful who you're running with, Eagle Bearer. Do you even know his name—his true name? You think you know Darius? ...Xerxes thought he knew Darius.
*Kassandra: Whatever you're up to, you won't succeed.
*Madman: But I already have. You're here, aren't you? What do you think of my display?
*Kassandra: It's the work of sick, twisted minds.
*Madman: You're right. Don't you remember these faces? You killed these men. They had friends, lovers—
A group of civilians appeared from the fog, surrounding Kassandra. Among them was a man who lost his son, a young woman who lost her lover, and another who lost her husband.
*Madman: ...Families. Did their loved ones really deserve to die? Do they not deserve their revenge?
The families of Kassandra's "victims" stepped towards her with vengeance in their eyes.
<tabber>
|-|Stay back.=
*Kassandra: Don't come any closer. None of it was personal.
The man who lost his son pointed his finger at her.
*Civilian: So you would kill others for your own benefit?
|-|I had to defend myself.=
*Kassandra: If I hadn't killed them, they would've killed me. Don't make me do the same to you.
The woman who lost her lover criticized her.
*Civilian: Killing is the only alternative you can think of?
|-|I'm not a mindless killer.=
*Kassandra: They were killing innocent people. I had to stop them.
The woman who lost her husband chastised her.
*Civilian: You're not the judge of what is right or wrong, killer.
|-|⚔️I have no choice but to kill you all.=
Kassandra refused to reason with the vengeful families and drew her spear.
*Kassandra: Enough talk. If revenge is what you want, take it!
*Madman: Don't you see? When given the choice, all you are is violence. You paint the world with blood.
The Madman left while the vengeful families took up the arms of the fallen. (leads to 'Attack' outcome)
</tabber>
The vengeful families advanced on her.
<tabber>
|-|Stay back.=
*Kassandra: Don't move any closer! It wasn't personal—they were just in the way.
The man who lost his son yelled at her.
*Civilian: Selfish. My son didn't deserve to die.
|-|I had to defend myself.=
*Kassandra: I would be dead if I hadn't fought them.
The woman who lost her lover yelled at her.
*Civilian: But now they're dead! All of them. So much suffering.
The woman began tearing up.
*Civilian: We... were going to start a family...
|-|I'm not a mindless killer.=
*Kassandra: Don't come any closer! They stood for the wrong side, for the wrong reasons. I had no choice.
The woman who lost her husband chastised her.
*Civilian: Who are you to say what's right or wrong?
|-|⚔️I have no choice but to kill you all.=
Kassandra came to the conclusion there was no peaceful solution and drew her spear.
*Kassandra: You're making me do this.
*Madman: I didn't make you do anything, Eagle Bearer. This is what you do. You and your kind.
The Madman left while the vengeful families took up the arms of the fallen. (leads to 'Attack' outcome)
</tabber>
Unswayed, they advanced on her again.
<tabber>
|-|Stay back.=
*Kassandra: Stay back! They—they were in the way.
The man who lost his son spoke.
*Civilian: So you killed them.
His voice filled with sadness.
*Civilian: My son. You took him away from me.
|-|I had to defend myself.=
*Kassandra: I did what I had to. Don't make me hurt you too!
The woman who lost her lover stepped forward and spat as she spoke.
*Civilian: No matter the cost. The world doesn't revolve around you.
Her voice cracked.
*Civilian: We were going to start a family... He didn't deserve to die like this. He should be with me!
|-|I'm not a mindless killer.=
*Kassandra: I had to! They fought for the wrong side!
The woman who lost her husband yelled at her.
*Civilian: My husband's dead!
|-|⚔️I have no choice but to kill you all.=
Kassandra came to the conclusion there was no peaceful solution and drew her spear.
*Kassandra: You're forcing my hand.
*Madman: No one forces your hand, Eagle Bearer. This is what you do. You color the world with death.
The Madman left while the vengeful families took up the arms of the fallen. (leads to 'Attack' outcome)
</tabber>
Kassandra looked down. The woman who lost her husband yelled at her.
*Civilian: You always have a choice!
The families formed a tight ring around Kassandra.
<tabber>
|-|⚔️I have no choice but to kill you all.=
Kassandra came to the conclusion there was no peaceful solution and drew her spear.
*Kassandra: This can only end one way.
*Madman: Is that right? So close. You were so close. But you just can't stop killing, can you? It's your nature. You are bloodshed. You are destruction. Till we meet again, Eagle Bearer.
The Madman left while the vengeful families took up the arms of the fallen.
*Kassandra: Don't get in my way!
The family members lashed out at Kassandra, getting one hit each.
*Civilian: How do you sleep at night? Die!
*Civilian: This is for my son!
*Civilian: Bring him back to me, you monster!
Kassandra struck back and killed a couple of them. She pleaded with the ones that remained.
*Kassandra: Please, don't make me hurt you!
They would not relent, and Kassandra was forced to kill them all.
|-|Refuse to choose "Attack"=
In spite of their advancing on her with vengeance in their eyes, Kassandra adamantly refused to turn her spear on them.
*Kassandra: You won't force my hand! I won't kill you.
*Madman: Well, well. It seems like the Eagle Bearer has a conscience.
He clapped slowly and insincerely.
*Madman: Marvelous performance. Very convincing.
*Kassandra: You tricked me.
*Madman: Theatrics, yes. But also truth. You killed those people—you ruined lives.
Two Persian soldiers ran up from behind. Kassandra turned to face them as they drew their swords.
*Madman: And you'll never stop. So we'll never stop hunting you. Not until your kind are gone and the world is safe. Till we meet again, Eagle Bearer.
The Madman left while the two soldiers attacked Kassandra. She defeated them and took off after the Madman.
</tabber>
After Kassandra dealt with the families of her victims, she returned her attention to the Madman, and the direction in which he fled.
*Kassandra: You can't hide forever. I'm coming for you! Come out, you coward! Face me!
Kassandra spotted a humanoid figure poking out of the brush to the west.
*Kassandra: I see you!
The figure, however, was a scarecrow.
*Kassandra: What is this?
The scarecrow held a scroll. Kassandra grabbed and opened it to read the message.
*Kassandra: "The Huntsman awaits you in the forest." That—
Kassandra swung her fists downward and yelled in frustration.
*Kassandra: In the forest? Maláka. I'm coming for you, Huntsman.
Kassandra returned to the tree strung with dead bodies.
<tabber>
|-|Attacked the family members=
Kassandra knelt down over the dead bodies of her many victims, now joined by their grieving family members.
*Kassandra: All this bloodshed. All this life lost...
|-|Refused to attack the family members=
The man who lost his son approached her.
*Civilian: We may have been tricked, but I still don't forgive you.
The man left. Kassandra turned back towards the tree and knelt down.
</tabber>
Amidst the fog and the marsh, Kassandra was left to grapple with the weight of the bloody trail she had left across the Greek world.
<tabber>
|-|I'm not a monster.=
*Kassandra: I had to.
|-|I'm a monster.=
*Kassandra: My actions are who I am.
</tabber>
Kassandra returned to Natakas at the hideout and spoke to him.
*Natakas: You're back.
*Kassandra: That contact of yours in the wetland led me to a madman. I believe it might've been the Huntsman himself.
*Natakas: If you're back here looking the way you are, he must've gotten away.
*Kassandra: He won't the next time.
==Outcome==
While tracking the Huntsman in the Therme Wetlands, Kassandra was lured into a trap and forced to face the families of the countless nameless and faceless soldiers she had killed during her travels. She survived the madman's ruse and obtained a clue to the Huntsman's whereabouts.
==Behind the scenes==
After a response is chosen, it is no longer available in subsequent rounds of the standoff. The only "choice" besides attacking is to exhaust all three defensive statements and refuse to attack when the "Attack" option is all that remains. If players instead choose to let the timer expire in each round of dialogue, the hero may end up auto-stating responses that are no longer technically available. Once the families attack, players still wishing to remain pacifist should not take down the families with what normally would be non-lethal methods such as Paralyzing Arrows, as the attacks will still count in-game as having killed them. Their families' actors are simply removed from the game as soon as the quest concludes and they pass out of the camera's field of view.
==Gallery==
ACOD Whimpers Through the Fog 1.png|Kassandra at the informant's possible location
ACOD Whimpers Through the Fog 3.png|Kassandra arriving at the location of the informant's son
ACOD Whimpers Through the Fog 5.png|Kassandra investigating a corpse
ACOD Whimpers Through the Fog 6.png|Kassandra investigating a bloodied door
ACOD Whimpers Through the Fog 10.png
ACOD Whimpers Through the Fog 12.png
ACOD Whimpers Through the Fog 13.png|Kassandra mourning the deceased soldiers
ACOD Whimpers Through the Fog 14.png|Kassandra leaving the site
==References==
*Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Legacy of the First Blade: Hunted
Category:Memories of Kassandra
Category:Memories relived using the Animus HR-8.5