Halloween 2008 Quest

Town Criers were shouting some of the latest breaking news. "Extra! Extra! Hear all about it! A suspicious death, creatures most foul appearing everywhere. Speak to Jasper to assist in the investigation." Asking the crier about Jasper, they inform you he is in charge and can be found in the northwest area of Yew, inside the Yew Court House (coordinates 63o 43'N 68o 12'W, X:899 Y:353).

• Important Note: Certain objectives must be met before you could proceed with the next step of the quest. If you found yourself unable to advance then you may have missed a check point in the previous step.

If you wish to see a numbered list of the minimum steps to finish this quest, it can be found at the bottom of this page.

Yew Courthouse

Inside the lower floor courtroom on the judge's table is a green book. It reads,

A Journal

For two generations now my family has been carrying the shameful burden of my grandfather's folly. From nobles to destitute, nothing my family has done to prove we are in no way like Lysander has been deemed good enough. If I could undo the wrong to the families of these who died, then maybe, just maybe things could change.

I have studied my grandfather's research on Khaldun. There was an entry which described how to call upon a Dark Guardian within the Tomb. That terrifying being apparently is a jailor to the cursed souls that wander the mausoleum. It is said that a specific word must be spoken in the centermost room within the Tomb. That word is hidden in the combined wall carvings which adorn the bloodied walls of Khaldun.

The hardest part was finding the cursed parchments required to make the etchings of the carvings. They are made by Skeletal Liches, none of which have been seen in decades. It is said that the etchings combined in a tome and plunged into the blood of the Damned will reveal the secret incantation.

I am concerned about the secret room. Lysander's notes mentioned two levers controlling the door opening the mechanism. But they are hidden in secret passages of the Tomb. I must find them!

I will unseal the tomb of Khal Ankur tonight. And I, Leoric Gathenwale, will free the cursed souls of Khaldun and grant my grandfather and his three companions the peace they have been denied so long.

- Leoric Gathenwale

Jasper the Inspector

After doing such a good job on the Royal Council Massacre, Jasper is called in on another case.

• *Routinely Shouts* - If you wish to assist in this investigation, gather what clues you can from the journal on the table, or speak to me!
• Assist - Much appreciated! This is in fact a double investigation: the death of Leoric Gathenwale and the unholy beings invading us.
  • Leoric - From what we've gathered of his journal on the table, the silly man went on a foolish quest which eventually caused his demise.
    • Journal - We believe the unholy presence in our graveyards are somehow linked to Leoric and the journal seems to provide at least some clues.
      • Graveyards - Moonglow, Cove, Britain, Vesper, Jhelom and Yew are all being invaded.
    • Demise - He disappeared for a few days and returned about a week ago, completely changed, acting crazy.
      • Changed - His neighbors had become quite frightened of him. Then last night, he barricaded himself inside his house then set it on fire.
        • Frightened - They would find him wandering, ragged, covered in blood and mud. At times his voice and his features would change.
        • Barricaded - He boarded the doors and windows, shut as if to prevent something from getting out, then he set the house on fire.
        • Fire - It completely ravaged the house. This journal is all that we managed to salvage.
  • Unholy - Skeletal Liches, Spectral Armors and Cursed Souls are now plaguing us, it cannot be a coincidence.
    • Coincidence - These creatures are only known to dwell in Khaldun, yet they started appearing throughout the land just after he reopened the Tomb?
      • Khaldun - A most foul place. It lies in the Lost Lands, west of Minoc Cave.

From the conversation it seems that Khaldun is the place of interest. But first you must investigate what is invading the cities.

Cemeteries

Head to any of the cities Jasper mentioned and locate the cemetery. Cursed Souls, Shadow Fiend of the Unseens, Spectral Armors and a Skeletal Lich spawning in the graveyards. A tall, white Skull Totem has also appeared in each. Kill the Skeletal Lich and a Cursed Parchment will appear in your backpack.

Remember, that for the duration of this event Khaldun can be accessed in Trammel as well as its normal home in Felucca. After the event ends at server-up on November 17, 2008 the Khaldun in Trammel will disappear.

Khaldun

Click to enlarge and view map key

Entering from the opening closest to Minoc Passage, there is the first mural hanging above the doorway. Double-click your Cursed Parchment and target the carving. A Wall Carving Etching will appear in your backpack. Once etched, head to the northwest corner of the dungeon. In this area you will find 7 more carvings to record. The final carving is located in the inner chamber, which is only accessible by activating two levers.

• Note: You don't have to enter the inner chamber to copy the last wall carving. If you stand against the wall directly behind it, you will be able to obtain a copy.

At the first lever to open the inner tomb you find another green journal book on the ground.

I finally found the first lever. I should have paid more attention to my grandfather's comment about a vanishing wall. According to his notes, the second level is hidden under a heavy stone which is controlled by this first lever. I heard a heavy grinding sound to the northwest. If his notes are accurate, I have a limited amount of time to find the location of the second lever before the stone covers it again. I best hurry!

- Leoric Gathenwale

There is a timer you must beat in order to reach the second lever. Then once again you have to dash to the inner tomb before the door closes. It is best to take a moment and try to plan out your route. At the second lever you find another journal.

I barely made it! this stone almost crushed my hand but I managed to activate the second lever before it covered it again. I don't think I could have handled having to reactivate the first lever once more. I've tried stealthing my way around but these creatures relentlessly reveal me. I don't want to hurt them. I'm trying to save them! But I fear I may lose myself in this venture. Something is trying to take over me. I can feel it...

I hear the heavy sliding of the stone door in the distance. The door is opening! I must hurry before it closes again so I can complete my etchings.

- Leoric Gathenwale

Once you make it inside the inner chamber, you can find the wall carving in the Northeast corner. Once you have all 9 wall carvings in your backpack double-click one of them. It will create a black Cursed Tome. Double-clicking the tome will ask you which pool of blood you wish to toss it in. Head to the southwest corner of Khaldun. There is is a blood pool there.

When placed in the blood the blood turns red and a hidden word is now revealed, sarcophagidae. It also said to say the word in the central room of the tomb (the PUZZLE CHEST room in the hole, not the inner chamber, which has traditionally been considered the central area of the dungeon). You must run to the center of the dungeon and double-click the pit to enter. Speaking the password summons Dark Guardian the Keeper of Knowledge.

Dark Guardian

• Guardian - I am the keeper of knowledge of the Keepers of the Seven Death.
• Keepers - The servants of Khal Ankur in whose glory this tomb was erected.
• Leoric - He was a fool to think he could take back the souls belonging to Khal Ankur.
  • Khal Ankur - Our most fearsome leader who taught us the beauty of death and sacrifice.
  • Souls - The only soul he took with him was also the source of his downfall.
    • Downfall - Blood is thicker than death. I guess Lysander wanted to be better acquainted with his grandson.
      • Lysander - A most devious resident of the Tomb. He's had a rather busy week. *chuckles*
        • Devious or Busy - He's behind the Skull Totems that have appeared in your graveyards.
          • Totems - Until they are destroyed, they will continue to raise cursed creatures.
            • Destroyed - Only a very powerful substance in large quantities could destroy them.
              • Substance - The creature that yields it has gone into hiding.
                • Hiding - Search what's left of Leoric's house and with luck you might detect some hidden clues within the rubble.
                  • House - What's left of it can be found on the outskirts of Jhelom.

With the Keeper not offering anymore information you are off to Jhelom.

Leoric's House

On the north peninsula of main Jhelom island is where the remains of Leoric's house can be found (coordinates 177o 53'S 8o 38'E, X:3648 Y:1446). All that is left is some broken walls, a few dishes and some books. One book at the base of the bookcase is Leoric's journal.

MONDAY

I wake up not recalling when I got back home. My clothes are covered in blood and dirt. My hands are painfully calloused and my entire body is sore and aching. The last thing I clearly remember is an ominous presence, a cold breath in the back of my neck. An eerie, chilly voice whispered my name as burning cold claws clenched around my heart. Then darkness...

I washed and went to town for some bread and ham. People were frantic, speaking of abominations. Then a town crier began shouting about skull totems, undead beings and Skeletal Liches roaming through Jhelom graveyard. I fell like the wind has been knocked our of me. What has happened in the Tomb? What have I unleashed? What have I done?

TUESDAY

I was found wandering outside Covetous. My clothes in rags, covered with dirt, my hands bleeding sores. I don't remember leaving the house. I don't know how I got in this condition. The farmers who rescued me said I must have been attacked by the horrors that have overtaken Cove Cemetery. What I asked them what they meant, they told me the spectral armors were seen hovering not too far from me. Cursed souls are now invading Cove and Vesper cemeteries.

The farmer's wife was emptying the wash basin of the water bloodied from cleansing my wounds and I suddenly felt insanely thirsty.

WEDNESDAY

The voice... the dreadful voice... It will not leave me alone. I can hear its whispers to me. It gnaws at me... mocks me... It tells me the things I've done, the things I do...

It tells me that when it's done with me, it will feed me to her, so I cannot undo the 'great' things I've done so far. I went back to the tomb last night. I was standing on a stone circle surrounded by skull candles and I spoke her name and it took me to her.

Her eyes, as dark as night, as cold as death, hypnotized me. I was bringing her food because she cannot get her own for now while we hide her. I don't know why we hide her. But she bit me. And the voice told her to stop, she can have me later, but not now. The bite wound is festering...

THURSDAY

The blood everywhere, on my hands, on my face. But not mine... no, not mine... It makes me hungrey.... so hungry... but the food is for her, for Sicarii... She doesn't share. She never shares. And if He let her, she would eat me too. I see her greedy eyes on me...

I would do her in first if I could. I know why the Voice made me hide her here. It's her venom. Enough of itwould destroy the totems and put an end to the curse. But He won't let me.

I'm so hungry...

FRIDAY

I killed him! I didn't want to, but the Voice... He made me do it! HE MADE ME!! And how He laughed...

How he mocked me...

I cannot go on...

I cannot...

May the flames cleanse me of my sins, of the foolish arrogance of me quest.

Forgive me...

- Leoric Gatherwale

Sicarii

Head back down into Khaldun and find the abattoir in the western section. It is surrounded by 5 skull candles that only lit up when stood near. Speak the password "Sicarii" to be teleported into her lair. It is a room from Wrong dungeon that is now filled with spider webs and cocoons. Sicarii is a giant spider which shares many of the same characteristics of Mephitis. In addition she spawns large cocoons which, if left uncut by a blade, will bring forth Dread Spiders.

Once she is dead you will receive a Venom Sac and a Spinneret. The spinneret is used to make A Spiderweb Deed, a large spiderweb decoration for your house. You can loot the 10 required Gossamers from the Death Spiders, Drones and Sicarii herself. She will respawn every 3-5 minutes. You may return as many times as you wish to fight her now that the quest is completed.

The medium spider web and the small spider web are rare drops on the corpse of Sicarii. It is unknown at this time if the small web is the same small web as from Trick or Treating.

• Video showing the fight with Sicarii: http://www.veoh.com/videos/v16396900Tqz8mNxe

Skull Totems

Use the Venom Sac on any Skull Totem you can find. After enough players apply venom it will be destroyed. When all Skull Totems in all graveyards are gone, this quest can no longer be done.

Check List

Here is a quick list of the tasks for the quest you need to complete in order:

1. Open Leoric's journal (green book) on the table in the Yew Courthouse
2. Search graveyards for a Skeletal Lich and deal enough damage to obtain a Cursed Parchment
3. Use the parchment to copy all 9 wall carvings in Khaldun Dungeon
4. Double-click one of your Wall Carving Etchings to create a Cursed Tome
5. Double-click the Cursed Tome and target the large blood pool in the southwest corner Khaldun to reveal a hidden message on the cover
6. Speak the revealed word sarcophagidae to summon the Dark Guardian (or in his presence, if he is already summoned)
7. Open Leoric's second journal found in his burned down house
8. Go to the 5-candle abattoir in Khaldun and say the password Sicarii
9. Kill the spider boss Sicarii to obtain a Venom Sac and Spinneret
   • Collect 10 Gossamers to make the Giant Spider Web
   • Go to a graveyard with a Skull Totem and use the Venom Sac on the totem to help destroy it.