Turai Ossa

General
Near the Fortress of Jahai, a monument endures as a testament to Turai Ossa, the savior of Elona. On that site hundreds of years ago, Turai Ossa defeated the undead lord Palawa Joko, the Scourge of Vabbi—an event that brought the end of an era, and the dawn of a new one.

Since the Shattered Dynasty Era, the three provinces of Elona—Vabbi, Istan, and Kourna—had kept their distance from foreign politics. Each province had its own plans for their defense against outsiders. The province of Kourna had a strong army, and the Istani were known for a navy diligently watching the waters. In the days of Turai, however, the merchant princes of Vabbi were confident that treacherous terrain to the north would prevent invaders from threatening their lands—a mistake that would prove fatal.

Palawa Joko led an army of invaders through the Vabbian mines, cautiously infiltrating Elona’s northernmost province. Loyal guards stood watch over the estates of the merchant princes, but they were unprepared for the advance of an entire army. Caught by surprise, those loyal to Vabbi fell quickly. With lightning-fast raids, the Scourge of Vabbi captured the estates of the Vabbi’s wealthy, driving his enemies before him.

From there, Palawa ruthlessly and systematically conquered the nation, piece by piece. Over many months, he drove back the armies of Elona, growing stronger with each conquest. Triumphantly, Palawa Joko proclaimed himself the nation’s sovereign, beginning an era of tyranny and oppression. Within two years, the Kournan army had been reduced to a struggling rebellion, an alliance of fugitives led by a single renegade warmarshal: Turai Ossa.

Using the desperate tactics of hit-and-run warfare, Warmarshal Turai harried and hunted Lord Joko’s soldiers whenever possible. The last remnants of the Kournan army were desperate for victory, but they could not last forever. His loyal followers were eventually surrounded near the Grand Cataract of Jahai, where they prepared to make their final stand.

The defeat of Turai would have meant an end to freedom in Elona, and his army would not surrender or relent. The result was a bloodbath that lasted for days. Each time night fell, the battleground remained unchanged, as neither army gave ground to the other. To stop the slaughter, Turai Ossa bravely challenged the enemy commander to single combat. At dawn, Ossa and Joko locked swords... and the monument in Jahai now shows the exact location where Ossa finally triumphed over the Scourge of Vabbi.

Elona was humbled, but ready to rebuild. Shaken and stunned, the people of Elona rallied behind Turai Ossa. The princes of Vabbi used their recaptured wealth to rebuild what had been destroyed. Some believe Turai had been chosen by the five true gods to free his nation, and many saw his victory as a sign of divine favor. The people of Kourna praised him as their warmarshal, and the rest of the nation was in desperate need of leadership. Soon thereafter, Turai was anointed as the king of all Elona. King Turai Ossa had succeeded where generations of Pretender Kings had failed, unifying the nation as one people.

King Turai had wealth, power, and influence, but he yearned for loftier goals. Openly, he ruled a grateful populace, but secretly, he spent his nights studying ancient wisdom. The more he read, the more he contemplated the role of the gods in his life. If he had been chosen by the gods as the savior of his nation, perhaps he was destined for greater accomplishments.

Musing on mysteries, Ossa sought his answers by seeking Ascension, a state of communion with the gods. He knew the path to that ideal ran through the wasteland north of Elona—lands that had been ruled by Palawa Joko years before. Turai stepped down from his position of authority, passing the title of warmarshal to his son, Kunai. Since that time, the title of warmarshal has been a hereditary one in Kourna, passed down through the many generations of Turai Ossa’s descendents.

Turai and his followers then began a great pilgrimage, marching north into the Crystal Desert, where the gods once walked among men. His loyal entourage erected temples, raising pillars toward the heavens... but Ascension eluded him. Instead of everlasting life, he found the torment of eternal living death. In ghostly form, he still walks the earth. Many of his followers died as well, and their ghosts have remained in the Crystal Desert.

Some Elonians remember Turai for his heroism; others remember him as a madman whose false pride led him on a doomed pilgrimage. Since that bygone age, no one ruler has reigned over all Elona—the three provinces have remained separate, but equal. Yet to this day, Turai Ossa’s descendents still rule over Kourna. Warmarshal Varesh Ossa represents the latest generation; and she shares her ancestor’s fascination with the role of the gods in the lives of mere men and women.

As for Turai, he maintains his vigil over Elona, guiding others who follow the path of heroes. Scholars of lore know of him as the savior of Kourna, the man who single-handedly defeated the Scourge of Vabbi—but for many, he is simply the Ghostly Hero, a champion who stalks the troubled wastelands north of Elona, eternally ready to stand beside its heroes.

Quests given
In The Amnoon Oasis:
 * Sands Of Souls

Location

 * Crystal Desert
 * The Amnoon Oasis
 * Dunes of Despair (Location)
 * Dunes of Despair (Mission)
 * Elona Reach (Location)
 * Elona Reach (Mission)
 * Thirsty River (Location)
 * Thirsty River (Mission)
 * Tomb of the Primeval Kings

In the Amnoon Oasis

 * "You are the Chosen I have been waiting for. Long have I looked forward to this moment.
 * What is it you seek?"

How did you know I was Chosen?
 * "For many centuries have I lingered here in this desert, waiting for the Prophecy to come to pass. The Chosen ones will come and help me gain access to the Mists and pass into the Hall of Heroes. It has all been foreseen."

The Hall of Heroes?
 * "Deep within the Mists is a place known as the Hall of Heroes. This is the spot where the universe was created, the very center of all things. It is the dream of all heroes that when they die, their spirit goes to the Hall, to float among other legendary figures of old."

Why do you need my help?
 * "Like you, I was one of the Chosen. But I passed from this world before I could rise to Ascension. The tests of Ascension can only be performed by mortals. But I can guide you through them, and when the way opens for you, it can also open for me."

Who were you in life?
 * "My name was Turai Ossa. I was the Champion of Elona, the protector and leader of my people. At the Battle of Jahai, I single-handedly defeated Palawa Joko, the scourge of Vabbi. It was I who led the Elonians to the Crystal Desert."

Have others come to the desert to Ascend?
 * "Since my own people perished here, there have been two other groups who have followed suit, failing as we did to Ascend. The ghosts of many of their strongest spiritual leaders still haunt this place."

Is that what happened to you?
 * "I perished, along with the rest of my people, trying to build a temple to the old gods. We foolishly thought that we were the ones in the Flameseeker Prophecies. The ones who would rise to be led to the Hall. But fate is a cruel master, and it is I who have become the guide."

What do you know of the Flameseeker Prophecies?
 * "I know that those who are proven worthy will help me open the way into the Rift. I know that those who Ascend are destined for greatness. And I know that it will be I who leads them through the treacherous afterlife to the top of the Hall of Heroes. But if you wish to know more, then you should ask the one who had the premonitions, the Prophet."

The Prophet still lives?
 * "Indeed. Her name is Glint, and she is quite old, even for a dragon."

A dragon?
 * "Yes. She was the first of all creatures on Tyria, created by the gods to be the caretaker, but it became clear that she needed help. That is when they summoned the creatures known now only as the Forgotten."

What are the Forgotten?
 * "They resemble great snakes, but they move upright, use magic, and fight with forged weapons. They were brought here to watch over Tyria while the gods completed their creation. But the serpentine creatures were pushed out of most of the continent, banished here to the desert by humans. Now they serve to protect the portal to the dragon's lair. If you want to ascend and meet Glint, you will have to get by them."

How do I find Glint?
 * "She lives here in the Crystal Desert. But she is not easy to find. Her lair is inside a single crystalline grain of sand. It would take you a million lifetimes to comb the desert and you would still never find her. Only those who Ascend will find the portal that takes them to her."

What must I do?
 * "You will have to prove to the gods that you are worthy of Ascension. There are three test you must pass before you will be let into the mesa at Augury Rock. The mesa lies to the east. There you will find Great Ritual Priest Zahmut. He can tell you more."

I'll head east then.
 * "I have waited for a long time for someone worthy to help me pass into the Rift. For both of our sakes, I wish you luck."

In the Dunes of Despair

 * "Long have I waited under the desert sun for one such as you. Though I am not affected by its rays, it torments me nonetheless. What I wouldn't give for just one more chance to feel its warmth....
 * What is it you seek?"

Tell me what lies ahead.
 * "The test in the Dunes of Despair lies inside the Temple of Ascension."

The Temple of Ascension?
 * "The Temple of Ascension is where the gods focus their gaze when they look down upon Tyria."

Why would the gods gaze upon Tyria?
 * "Mortals are always of interest to the gods. We are their creations, and despite the fact that they left this world, they are still curious about our comings and goings. If the mortals near the temple are worthy of being seen, the gods will gaze down from the Mists upon the Throne of Pellentia. Those standing upon the throne will be judged.
 * Draw the attention of the gods, and withstand the light of their gaze. If you survive, you will be one step closer to Ascending."

How did a temple get in the middle of the desert?
 * "When my people came to the desert in search of Ascension, we built many structures. The Temple of Ascension was one of them. We thought that the higher we built our structures, the closer we would be to the gods. We did not understand what it meant to Ascend. Despite ourselves, we managed to get the attention of the gods. But now there is another spirit who controls the throne, and until we take it from him, we will not get the attention of the gods."

What must I do?
 * "Take me to the Temple of Ascension. There we will open the gates and retake the throne from the usurper."

I'm with you.
 * "We draw closer to your Ascension and our journey into the Rift."

In Elona Reach

 * "Your Ascension is close at hand. But do not let your success go to your head. I was once mortal like you. I thought I had everything well in hand. That was hundreds of years ago, but I have yet to reach the Hall of Heroes.
 * What is it you seek?"

What challenge must I face here in the Reach?
 * "This is where my people, the Elonians, met their untimely end, trying to assemble the Vision Crystal."

What Happened?
 * "The desire for control is a powerful thing. The minds of mortal men are torn asunder with thoughts of greatness. And as is the case with many men who have achieved some power, they desire more and more until finally they either get it or destroy themselves trying."

I do not understand.
 * "In our struggle for more power, there was no one we would not struggle against... even ourselves. We were unable to work together to pass the test of the Vision Crystal. Greed separated my people, made them turn on each other, made their leaders turn on each other, and in the end, it was to be our undoing."

The Vision Crystal?
 * "It is a powerful artifact that can focus the gaze of the gods upon you. Without it, you will be unable to Ascend. Once you have completed the three Tests of Ascension, you will head to Augury Rock. There, the gaze of the gods will be focused by the Vision Crystal upon you. If you pass their scrutiny, you will be allowed to enter the final test and prove yourself worthy of Ascension once and for all."

What must I do?
 * "Retrieve the three shards of the Vision Crystal and help me fuse them back together."

Consider it done.
 * "I admire your confidence. Let us hope you do better than I did when I was in your place."

In Thirsty River

 * "A test of the mighty awaits you.
 * What is it you seek?"

Why do the buildings here appear to be made from boats?
 * "Like most others who have come to the Crystal Desert, the Margonites arrived expecting to be able to find a physical means with which to reach the heavens. All they found was disappointment, an endless supply of sand, and eventually their own mortality."

The Margonites?
 * "Very much like my people, the Elonians, they were simply a misguided group who came to the desert to be heard by their gods."

How did they get here?
 * "It might be hard to believe but many hundreds of years ago, much of the sand and sun-baked dunes were completely underwater. The Margonites, as you might have surmised by their architecture, were a sea-going culture, and they simply floated their way out here, looking for Ascension, backed when only the tops of dunes stuck out of the water.
 * They did not understand there is no earthly way to reach Ascension. Only by proving yourself worthy to the gods will they allow you access to their realm."

'''What happened to the Margonites? '''
 * "They built towers, like so many others have, hoping to climb into the heavens and to come face-to-face with their gods, foolishly thinking they could read their petitions to Dwayna, Balthazar, and Melandru from their own lips. Their towers remain standing to this day, an eternal testament to their failure. Understand this: Ascension must be earned, and even then, only those few who are worthy of being raised to such a level will be admitted. All others will fall to the wayside, toiling in obscurity for a goal they cannot reach or becoming trapped like me, forced to wait for an eternity, their fate resting in the hands of someone they have not yet met."

What must I do?
 * "You must make your way to the Rune Circle. There you will be cleaned of your earthly sins in preparation of your being gazed upon by the gods."

In the Tomb of the Primeval Kings

 * "Chaos reigns at the Tomb of the Primeval Kings! I never thought I would see the day. For centuries I have joined forces with those bold ones who sought to reach the Hall of Heroes from these sacred grounds... and I was doing just that when the world went mad. One moment I was moving to claim the center of the Hall; the next, darkness filled my vision and twisted nightmarish creatures erupted from everywhere at once. My allies were besieged, and I could not reach them... all I could do was fight my way through the darkness to get to the world outside. Their dying screams still ring in my spectral ears.
 * These abominations must be stopped. They cannot be allowed to reach and corrupt any more gateways into the Hall of Heroes."