Ever since the last quest, resentment of the Consortium has been festering in Keldagrim. It comes to a head when the Black Guard is called to deal with a Chaos Dwarf attack on the lava flow mines- only to fix the machinery and ignore the workers trapped by a rockfall. You save the trapped dwarves, but it's too late for two of them, and two others end up in critical condition. Naturally, the dwarves of Keldagrim are furious, and Veldaban is arrested as a potential leader of the attack.
You can get him let out by pleading your case to the Consortium members, but the damage is still done. Hreidmar is leading protests around the city to return the monarchy, in expectation that he will be made king. If he is successful, then the records room will be opened, and the heir of King Alvis will be crowned. Hreidmar thinks that that's him. However, the Monarchists' leader and records expert, Meike, has gotten cold feet over the possibility of Hreidmar (who by now is essentially a terrorist) actually becoming ruler of Keldagrim, and she helps you get into the records room first.
Once you're there, you find out that Hreidmar was right- he is, in fact, the descendant of King Alvis. This doesn't change the fact that he'd be a terrible king, so Meike looks over the records to find some loophole that would disqualify him, or failing that to forge the records to make Veldaban the named heir. Veldaban isn't enthusiastic about it, but he accepts that he may not have any other choice.
Meanwhile, you go deal with the Chaos Dwarf army. First, you fight Colonel Grimsson after Veldaban gets his hackles up by realizing that the Red Axe brainwashed him. Next, you convince the trolls to fight the Chaos Dwarf army, by convincing Pretty Flower (a troll warlord) that Grimsson made fun of his name.
Finally, you rejoin Meike and Veldaban at the protests. The Consortium has agreed to step down and crown a king, but it's not Hreidmar- Meike has altered the records, so it's Veldaban. Hreidmar throws a fit and threatens to invade with his Chaos Dwarf army- the one the trolls just routed. He disappears into the crowd, but finding him is a problem for later.
After Veldaban's Awesome Moment of Crowning, it's quest complete.
Tropes
- Anti-Villain: The Consortium leaders chose to save the machines because the lava-flow mines provide most of Keldagrim's power, and if they went offline for long it would cripple the city and cause hundreds of deaths. The Brown Engine director is haunted by what he did, and wishes he could have made a better choice.
- Berserk Button: The troll warlord Pretty Flower is ashamed of his name and will agree to attack the Chaos Dwarves if you make him think they were mocking him for it.
- Chekhov's Gunman: My Arm, from "My Arm's Big Adventure", plays a small but crucial role in the quest.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Veldaban isn't really the heir to the throne, but Meike alters the records to make it seem like he is because the real heir is Hreidmar.
