Sir Ansbach

Righteous Tarnished. We will have our victory.

I swear upon my blood.

I am afraid I underestimated the lad.

Appearing frail in both body and mind, I presumed he'd be like to stumble upon the field of battle...

What a fool I was.

He serves another master, but Sir Thiollier performed magnificently.

Perhaps he too quivers with anticipation.

As do we.

Oh, something you want to get off your chest?

Well, you needn't worry.

It was you, wasn't it? Who defeated Lord Mohg.

...

Fear not, I bear no grudge against you.

His Eminence was felled in an honourable duel, and such are the risks of seeking Lordship.

Besides, what right have I to complain? I blame the enchantment more than anything.

Righteous Tarnished. We will have our victory.

I swear upon my blood.

Righteous Tarnished. That was an astounding battle, to be sure.

Now I suppose this leaves only one.

But in truth, I cannot calm my quivering. Challenging a god is no small matter.

Only one more to go.

But in truth, I cannot calm my quivering. Challenging a god is no small matter.

General Radahn. A pleasure to see you, after all this time.

But those remains do not belong to you.

Lord Mohg will have his dignity.

Righteous Tarnished. Become our new lord.

A lord not for gods, but for men.

Lady Leda. Your suspicions were dead-on.

In the end, I could not bury the memories.

Of Lord Mohg, and our pact of blood.

Well, good Freyja.

It will be my honour to test my blade against a Redmane.

Lord Mohg, your honour...

Was my only...

I am Ansbach of the Pureblood Knights.

I stand with blade aloft, blood afire.

For the dignity of my lord and master, Mohg.

Righteous Tarnished. It appears that our interests have aligned.

A balm upon my soul it is, that we do not meet today as enemies.

Now, my blade. Watch closely.

Ha-hah!

How readily the sensation returns! The runaway spirit of war!

Have you come to your senses?

Now, there's no need for any hand-wringing.

The way the world is, I'd say it's a wonder people don't lash out more often.

Righteous Tarnished. It's been some time.

After unburdening my soul to you, I had hoped to make a fresh start.

But there was one thought I could not dislodge from my mind.

So here I am, quite unable to move on.

Righteous Tarnished. It's been some time.

...There was one thought I could not dislodge from my mind.

So here I am, quite unable to move on.

After Lord Mohg's slaying at his dynastic palace,

it appears his body has been absconded with.

And taken straight to Kind Miquella.

Surely you recall that I once served Lord Mohg as a Pureblood Knight.

After failing him in every regard, and losing sight of my vows,

I'd do anything to make amends, in whatever meagre way I can.

What could they possibly have in mind for Lord Mohg's remains?

The implications are rather...unnerving.

Hmm, it does make one think...

Perhaps our concerns are but two sides of the same coin?

Well, what's this...

...

Yes, yes, I should have known.

Even the truth was itself mere folly.

As if using Lord Mohg to gain entrance to the land of shadow were not enough,

he plans to use his corpse as the vessel of his king consort.

He has forsaken Lord Mohg's soul. He desires only his empty shell.

It beggars belief, but…

I'm afraid Tender Miquella fails to grasp the humiliation implied by this act.

One thing is certain. My dear lord deserved better.

Freyja, by the gods...

She must be feeling the need to reaffirm her allegiance before she heads to war...

A true Redmane she is, hardly troubled by the rot.

But no-one is without their shortcomings...

She has a hard road ahead...

Righteous Tarnished. You have my gratitude.

You have given me the answers I needed.

But I can hardly fathom it. Such folly, unto the end.

I am a warrior, but I've aged. I cannot afford to act hastily.

Curse it all. I know my limits.

I could spend the rest of my life honing my craft, and still that creature would be out of my blade's reach.

The absolute folly of it all.

Righteous Tarnished.

Could you please give this to Freyja?

Thanks to you, she, too, will have the answer she requires.

Freyja possesses a youth I no longer have.

This knowledge will surely stoke the flames of valour within her.

Yes, I can see her barreling into the fray right now...

Perhaps I shouldn't meddle in her affairs...

But this is the only way I can help...

That's Freyja, through and through.

Ha ha ha...

I should have expected as much from Freyja!

Some things simply never occur to her.

Paralyzing fear. True despair.

Freyja, by the gods...

She must be feeling the need to reaffirm her allegiance before she heads to war...

A true Redmane she is, hardly troubled by the rot.

...

Righteous Tarnished.

Could you please give this to Freyja?

Thanks to you, she, too, will have the answer she requires.

Yes, I can see her barreling into the fray right now...

Righteous Tarnished.

You should have taken stock of your limitations.

Ungh...

What on earth is the matter?

There is no denying it, now.

A culling appears to be on the cards.

One that won't overlook even an aging soldier as myself...

I only wanted to play my part...

Curse these ageing bones...

So, you would cull an old man such as I?

You are thorough indeed, Lady Leda. I would expect nothing less.

As you surmise, I do have my doubts.

And will not simply lay down and die with them.

I've utterly failed you both...

Miquella the Kind, Lord Mohg...

Well, this is an unexpected victory.

It seems I have my uses yet...

So, you've taken Lady Leda's side.

I'm glad she stands with an ally.

She tends to overestimate...

The burden she might carry alone.

Lady Leda, I ask you keep Kindly Miquella in your care.

Have you lost your wits?

By my troth, you have no such debt to this old man.

Though I gladly welcome your decision.

Now I might even live to see the morrow...

You must be the Tarnished.

I am Ansbach. Formerly in service to Lord Mohg.

But now, like you, another soul guided by Kindly Miquella.

I'm hardly the steady hand I once was. My fighting days are far behind me.

Which is why I have chosen to dedicate myself to investigation.

To discern Tender Miquella's ultimate purpose.

I'd rather not volunteer service to a new master unless I know that I can be of use.

May I request a service of you?

Six crosses, identical to this one, have been discovered in these lands.

They are akin to Tender Miquella's footprints. Or gravestones, which mark what he's left behind.

If you discover any more crosses,

be certain to tell me.

I presume you, too, are keen to know.

Just what Kind Miquella is doing here.

If you discover any more crosses,

be certain to tell me.

I presume you, too, are keen to know.

Just what Kind Miquella is doing here.

Righteous Tarnished. What brings you here?

Righteous Tarnished. I have reasoned through my findings.

Concerning Kind Miquella's intentions—why he is here.

The full picture is yet to coalesce,

but we do know that he is bound for the tower of shadow.

And that is where he intends to rise to true godhood...

The tower of shadow houses a divine gateway.

A well-kept secret, it was, but...

The gateway was once the birthplace of a god.

A god we know all too well.

Oh, you must mean Sir Moore.

Sir Moore is a kind and stalwart ally.

He provisions our little outfit.

Sir Moore traffics with the forager brood.

His brethren who collect supplies from all corners of the land.

No doubt they find inspiration in his many virtues.

These are not your foes, Tarnished.

Should you spot any forager brood, be sure to mind your manners.

Well, I am much obliged.

As suspected, Kindly Miquella has visited the lands which hold the tower.

And appears intent on wholly dispossessing himself of his flesh.

He must be seeking entrance to the tower of shadow.

Well, I am much obliged.

I can hardly believe it, he's divested himself of his very eye...

Tender Miquella's eye is no mere morsel of flesh.

It is a vessel of soaring grace. Proof of his Empyrean lineage.

I wonder, does Miquella the Kind intend to sever his very birthright?

His fate as a child of the Erdtree?

Well, I am much obliged.

To think there was a cross left in such a faraway place...

And that deep-purple water lilies would be blooming there.

This can only mean Kindly Miquella has divested himself even of that...

His adoring other self, his blossom of slumber.

You must be the Tarnished.

I am Ansbach. Formerly in service to Lord Mohg.

But now, like you, another soul guided by Kindly Miquella.

I'm hardly the steady hand I once was. My fighting days are far behind me.

Yes, I am well aware.

Kindly Miquella has discarded his Great Rune.

The fog that vexed my aging faculties has been lifted.

And follies better left forgotten haunt me once again.

...

Once, in an attempt to free Lord Mohg from his enchantment,

I challenged Tender Miquella, only to have my own heart rather artfully stolen.

I knew not how weak I was.

I believed that with sufficient mastery, even an Empyrean would be within reach of my blade.

I could not have been more mistaken...

Miquella the Kind...is a monster.

Pure and radiant, he wields love to shrive clean the hearts of men.

There is nothing more terrifying.

Kindly Miquella has discarded his Great Rune.

The fog that vexed my aging faculties has been lifted.

And follies better left forgotten haunt me once again.

...

Once, in an attempt to free Lord Mohg from his enchantment,

I challenged Tender Miquella, only to have my own heart rather artfully stolen.

I knew not how weak I was.

I believed that with sufficient mastery, even an Empyrean would be within reach of my blade.

I could not have been more mistaken...

Miquella the Kind...is a monster.

Pure and radiant, he wields love to shrive clean the hearts of men.

There is nothing more terrifying.

Righteous Tarnished. Miquella the Kind makes my blood run cold.

I am loath to admit it, but even at this very instant I wish to run very far away indeed.