Shadow's Descent

Shadow's Descent is a mission quest available via the QUEST verb.

THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS

Step 1:

Step 1:
You have must have unlocked and completed the Gemstones quest.

Step 2:

Step 2:
Travel to the Hinterwilds and go to the Artificer.
[Rawknuckle's, Watering Hole - 29877] (u7503251)

QUEST ACCEPT # (The number for Shadow's Descent)

Step 3:

Step 3:
Shatter a gemstone.

>ask art about shat
The artificer says, "I can shatter your jewel to produce Dust, a valuable commodity that those of us who practice the ways of artifice can use to great effect.  Shattering your jewel will produce 10 Dust.  If you would like me to proceed, ask again in the next 30 seconds."
>ask art about shat
Producing a small hammer that glitters like living starlight, the masked artificer raises its arm high and brings it down in a brutal arc.  With a resonant chiming sound, the jewel shatters into sparkling motes that the artificer gathers carefully into a pile.  It surrenders the Dust to you with a polite nod.

You now have # Dust in your reserves.

[A horned rowan stang is now in your right hand.]

The artificer gathers the fresh Dust residue.  "A worthy sacrifice.  With this, I will fashion a tool for you."  The artificer produces a horned rod made from rowan wood and sprinkles some Dust over it, murmuring in a strange tongue.  The wood glows briefly from within before the Dust settles.  "This is known as a stang.  It is a tool for divination."

"Use the stang to read the bodies of foes you fell within any place known to harbor Gemstone fragments of the Lunar Shard.  Twenty such readings should suffice."  The artificer hands the horned rowan stang to you and turns away as if expecting you to do as you are told without further question.
Roundtime: 5 sec.

Step 4:

Step 4:
Kill Ascension creatures and wave your stang at them!
* Pro Tip - Kill one, wave the stang at one, search the creature, repeat.
* Pro Tip #2 - You can RESERVE the stang, you don't have to hold it!

You will need to kill and wave the stang at 20 creatures.

Step 5:

Step 5:
Travel to the Hinterwilds and go to the Artificer.
[Rawknuckle's, Watering Hole - 29877] (u7503251)
The stang will be automatically taken from you when you return to the Artificer.


As the masked artificer takes the horned rowan stang from you, it nods approvingly.  Its aloof manner evaporates as it whispers over the stang, awakening unreadable sigils along its surfaces.  With a note of grim concern in its voice, it says, "I have a suspicion, but I must be certain.  I believe the most expeditious path to answers lies in an unexpected place."

It says, "In my travels, I encountered a creature of considerable knowledge, a being that is not entirely what he appears to be.  Do you know of kobolds?  They are small and unassuming, but some are possessed of a grander vision.  Seek out a shaman among them in a forest shaped like a dragon's claw.  The answers we seek may lie there."
Roundtime: 5 sec.

Step 6:

Step 6:
Travel to the Kobold Village outside Wehnimer's Landing.
[Kobold Village - 6268] (u373007)
Enter the Shaman's Hut.
[Kobold Village, Shaman's Hut - 36594] (u171801)

"Wait, wait, don't murder me!"  The shrill plea emits from an amber-eyed kobold shaman.  He is certainly a fantastical specimen of his kind, with long, spindly horns rather like an antelope's.  They are painted bile green and vomit pink, colors that match his absurdly vivid robes.  The fact that he hid from you for even a moment is a sign that you should have an empath examine your eyes.

[Use QUEST CONTINUE to proceed.]

Step 7:

Step 7:
A note of cunning creeps into the kobold shaman's beady little eyes as he says, "You aren't here to kill me at all, are you?  No, you need something.  The name's Bomblemagoria, at your service!"  He throws his robes open, revealing pockets laden with a variety of ramshackle trinkets and baubles.  "How about a talisman of dragon repellent?  What?  Of course it works.  Have you ever seen a dragon around here?"

Undeterred, he continues, "Maybe some commemorative potion of zombie attraction?  They're surprisingly dextrous, you know.  No?  Well, what is it that you want?"

[Use QUEST CONTINUE to proceed.]
>
Once you have, with no small measure of skepticism, explained the situation to the shaman, he says, "I do think I can be of assistance.  But first, I'll need you to acquire some things for me.  Very, very, very important things."  He produces a piece of parchment with a small list written on it and presents it to you.  As if sensing your skepticism, he says, "I know, it seems odd that I already had this written out.  I... uh, I saw the future!  Or something!"

He goes on to say, "Just in case you can't read, here are the ingredients I need: frog's bone porridge (it binds, it shines; it tastes like regret), gnollish mushrooms, daggerstalk mushrooms (never alone; always supervised), witchwood twigs, bolmara lichen.  Lichen is the silent hero.  Write that down."

"You'll need to inquire with your fellow adventurers on the location of these ingredients - I'm a shaman, not a tour guide."

[You can use QUEST INFO to see the list of requested ingredients.]
Roundtime: 5 sec.

>quest info 2
Name:          Shadow's Descent
Rewards:       Mechanical
Prerequisites: Completion of quest A Sparkling Ascent.

You are currently undertaking this quest.

Bomblemagoria requested that you fetch these ingredients:
  - some frog's bone porridge (1 remaining) ([Leaftoe's Health and Bake Shop - 3363] (u4043866) - 250 silvers)
  - a handful of gnollish mushrooms (5 remaining) ([Marcketel Mushroom Exporters - 9479])
  - a witchwood twig (5 remaining)
  - a daggerstalk mushroom (5 remaining)
  - some bolmara lichen (5 remaining)

Step 8:

As you hand the gnollish mushrooms over to the kobold shaman, he inspects it with a cunning eye.  "Yes," he says with an ominous tone.  "This will do nicely."

"Normally I'd charge an initiation surcharge plus a mystery surcharge plus a surcharge disclosure fee.  But the artificer scares me in a spiritually ambiguous tax collector sort of way, so I'll work this one for free."  His breezy demeanor slips away as if the weight of what he is about to do has just become real.  "So, you are actually set to doing this, are you?  These are the necessary ingredients to send your spirit to the verges of death itself.  It is there, beneath the shadow of Gosaena's wings, that visions of fate are most clear.  The experience will not be without cost.  You may feel as if you have slumbered for eternities.  More likely, you will experience disorientation, nausea, random elemental attunement, existential dread, and the sudden urge to take up interpretive dance."

The kobold shaman summons a cauldron that looks like it failed several quality inspections.  Frog's bone porridge slurps in with a defiant plorp.  Mushrooms tumble afterward as if they regret signing the waiver.

The shaman looks over at you.  "The sacrament requires a ritual!  Are you ready?"

[Use QUEST CONTINUE to proceed.]

"Incantation time!  Join me!"  He begins: "Skippity skoppity, zappity doo!  Skibi dibi doo, ding dong daddy!  Zappity doo!  Bomblemagoria gonna show you the magic!"  Bomblemagoria moves his arms around in a slow windmill while tapping one foot to form a beat.

The shaman hands you a rattle.  You halfheartedly shake the rattle as he pulverizes the cauldron's contents with a wooden spoon while continuing to chant his strange chant.  "Diggity diggity!  Ding dong daddy!  Bomblemagoria gonna bring it to you!  Bomble..."

Suddenly, a crystal amulet on a nearby table begins to blink with a soft, pulsating light.  The kobold shaman stops his chant mid-word.

"Oh, for the love of... one moment," he mutters, snatching the amulet.  He rubs it vigorously and then holds it to his temple, his eyes squeezed shut.

"Yes?  Bomblemagoria here...  No, I told you, the 'surprise' in the Surprise Darkstone Castle Buddy is that it might not be a buddy!  It could be a rock...  Yes, a very nicely shaped rock!...  A refund? On a *surprise*?  That undermines the entire business model!  ... Look, the fine print is also a surprise!  You knew what you were getting into!  No!  All sales final!"

The shaman slams the amulet down on the table, the light sputtering out.  He takes a deep, calming breath, which seems to fail entirely.  "Customers," he spits, turning back to you and the cauldron.

[Use QUEST CONTINUE to proceed.]

"Where were we?  Ah, yes.  Plating."  Bomblemagoria ladles a healthy portion of grey-green sludge into a bowl with a PLOP, handing it over to you.

"Consume at your discretion.  Lie down before the cosmos rends your psyche to harvest insight.  Liability waiver verbally implied."

[A bowl of grey-green soup is now in your right hand.]

[DRINK the grey-green soup while lying down in this room when you feel ready for... whatever this is.]
Roundtime: 5 sec.

Step 9:

>lie

As you hand over the last of the ingredients, Bomblemagoria inhales like a sommelier about to lie.  "Exemplary work, my reliable field procurement specialist!"  He lowers his voice.  "I WAS mildly concerned you'd eaten the bolmara lichen.  People nibble.  It happens."

As you spoon globs of the lukewarm, gritty sludge into your mouth, a wave of... mild drowsiness washes over you.  The world doesn't dissolve into a kaleidoscope of cosmic truths; it just gets a bit blurry, like you've misplaced your spectacles.

Your surroundings shift.  You find yourself standing at a counter.  The air smells of stale ale and roasted boar.  A gruff woman, who you vaguely recognize as Helga, wipes the counter with a damp rag. "What'll it be?" she grunts.

You scan the menu board.  Roast Boar on Rye.  Rolton Sausage.  Pickled Gnollish Delight.  "I'll have the Roast Boar on Rye.  No mustard," you respond.

Helga nods.  Your request is apparently acceptable.  "Coming right up."  She turns to slice the bread.

[Use QUEST CONTINUE to proceed.]

And then... you're back.  You blink, the taste of the soup still lingering on your tongue.  Bomblemagoria is peering at you expectantly.

"Well?" he asks, his eyes wide.  "Did you see the clockwork elves?  The birth of a star?  The man with the hat?"

You shake your head slowly.  "I... I ordered a sandwich."

The shaman stares at you, his expression a mixture of confusion and disappointment.  He seems to deflate slightly.  "You ordered a sandwich?"

You nod.  "I ordered a sandwich."

The shaman continues to stare at you.  "You ordered a sandwich.  Well, that's... disappointing."

[Use QUEST CONTINUE to proceed.]

He scurries over to his dusty pile of books and pulls out a large, leather-bound grimoire.  He flips through the pages, his finger tracing lines of text.  "Aha!  Of course!" he exclaims, a look of dawning understanding on his face.

"I forgot the... spicy bits!  The parts that make the cosmos sit up and take notice!  My apologies, my enthusiastic assistant.  It seems we need a few more items to truly pierce the veil."

He clears his throat and reads from the book: "Five each of: withered deathblossoms, twisted black mawflowers, mass of congealed slime, and... wait, what?  Ah, yes, Elanthian insanity peppers.  The peppers are known to be carried by darkly inked fetish masters.  Those other ingredients?  Also in the Rift.  Not my cup of tea, but should be no problem for you!"

"Off you go!  Find these for me, and we'll try this again.  This time with more... cosmic kick!"

[You can use QUEST INFO to see the list of requested ingredients.]
Roundtime: 5 sec.

Step 10:

>quest info 2
Name:          Shadow's Descent
Rewards:       Mechanical
Prerequisites: Completion of quest A Sparkling Ascent.

You are currently undertaking this quest.

Bomblemagoria requested that you fetch these ingredients:
  - a withered deathblossom (5 remaining)
  - a twisted black mawflower (5 remaining)
  - a mass of congealed slime (5 remaining)
  - an Elanthian insanity pepper (5 remaining)

;betazz withered deathblossom 5 The Rift
;betazz twisted black mawflower 5 The Rift
;betazz congealed slime 5 The Rift
Elanthian insanity peppers come from killing and searching a fetish master in the Scatter portion of the Rift.  They will drop at YOUR FEET!

Step 11:

Return to the Kobold Shaman.
[Kobold Village, Shaman's Hut - 36594] (u171801)

As you hand the insanity pepper over to the kobold shaman, he inspects it with a cunning eye.  "Yes," he says with an ominous tone.  "This ingredient is known to pierce the veil."

As you hand over the last of the ingredients, Bomblemagoria says, "All right.  Time for me to mix these."  As you move toward the rattle, he shakes his head firmly.  "We don't need to go through all that again.  Just let me mash this up into a paste.  I like that word: paste."

He works in silence, the only sound in his hut the rasping grind of pestle against mortar and the accompanying squelch of ingredients.  An especially pungent spice hits your nose and makes your eyes water as he grinds the Elanthian insanity peppers.  Those are going to be fun to drink.

Finally, the shaman steps back from his work table and hands you a bowl full of thick, pungent paste.  As you go to drink it, he says, "Wait, wait.  This time, we do it properly.  This sacrament is best taken in a location that is closer to the veil between worlds.  Don't look at me like that.  I know it sounds ominous, but it's really pretty quaint there if you stay away from the lost souls and the terrophages."

[Use QUEST CONTINUE to proceed.]
Roundtime: 5 sec.

As if he is just thinking about it for the first time, Bomblemagoria says, "Oh, that reminds me.  I have a bed and breakfast I've been trying to get off the ground there for a while.  Meet me in the Shadow Valley in the graveyard near Wehnimer's Landing.  Look for the black reed hut near the decaying pond surrounded by dead pasture land.  See you there!"

With that, he disappears in a puff of acrid black smoke.  You look around, wondering where he went, then you notice movement from behind the counter where Bomblemagoria is hiding.  "Well, so much for dramatic effect.  I guess we're both walking.  I'll meet you there, my loyal servant!"


[A hissing bowl of crimson soup is now in your right hand.]

Roundtime: 5 sec.

Step 12:

Bring your soup to:
[Shadow Plain - 7366] (u2160027)
And go inside the hut.
[Shadow Valley, Shaman's Hut - 36595] (u171802)

"Took you long enough," says the shaman as you approach.  In a more collegial tone, he asks, "Nice place, right?  And there aren't any building inspectors like in Wehnimer's, so you can really build out your vision here."  A timber creaks ominously overhead, and he barely glances upward before drowning it out with a loud, "So, speaking of visions, why don't you drink that paste now?"

Lie down and drink your soup!

You know your stomach is in for some abuse the moment that the paste hits your tongue.  It's more like a roundhouse kick.  The inferno that is the spice of the peppers almost deadens your tongue to the disgusting swamp-and-old-socks flavor of the other herbs.  You stagger back, clutching your midsection.  Your eyes roll up into your head and the world goes black.

What seems like an eternity later, light, cold and hard, forces itself into your field of vision.  You realize that you are flying (great!) far above the clouds (less great!), and tiny towns and roads dot the green lands below.  A terrible keening sound draws your attention westward, where a fleet of colossal flying ships streaks through the sky, cruelly rending the puffy white clouds.

[Use QUEST CONTINUE to proceed.]

The ships are enormous, each easily the size of a small town.  Their hulls are a stark and uncompromising white, with angular lines and sharp edges.  They are predatory.  Standing near the prow of one of the vessels, utterly unbothered by the cruel talons of the wind, is a towering figure with skin like polished moonstone, her shaven head adorned with an intricate web of tattoos.

She seems to notice you.  With a smirk, she shouts an order over her shoulder.  Even if you could understand the strange, languid language, most of the command is lost to the protestations of the wind.  There is a bustle of activity on the decks of the ships: hers, first, and then the others.  And then the unthinkable happens.

[Use QUEST CONTINUE to proceed.]

Small black objects begin to fall from the ships, plummeting toward one of the towns below.  As they land amid the streets, they erupt into spires of colorless flame.  You are far too high to hear the tumult of scrambling residents, or to smell the acrid smoke that begins to rise from the burning town, but you feel the panic and chaos below as if it were your own.

You see the woman looking at you.  She uses no words, but her meaning is clear: "This is what happens to those who oppose us.  Do not stand against us."

[Use QUEST CONTINUE to proceed.]

You come awake with a start, your head pounding.  Bomblemagoria stares at you, an unreadable expression on his face.  "Well?" he asks.  "What did you see?  The end of all things?  A second or third Griffin Sword?  Maybe a Griffin Longbow this time?  Also, you technically slept here, so I'm going to have to charge you for the night."

The rest of his ramblings are lost to you as you realize you must make haste to the artificer.  They must know what you saw.
Roundtime: 5 sec.

Step 13:

Return to the Artificer in the Hinterwilds.
[Rawknuckle's, Watering Hole - 29877] (u7503251)

You can see through the holes in the artificer's mask that its eyes are tight with worry.  The skin around them only grows more strained as you tell the tale of your vision.  "I knew, in my heart, that they had come, but I hoped against hope that I was wrong."

[Use QUEST CONTINUE to proceed.]

"They are called the Syndicate," it says.  "Long ago, our folk, the goliaths, fled the doom that came to our ancestors, the gigas, seeking refuge in lands to the utter west, beyond what is now called the Shattered Continent.  We were drawn there by a second great fragment of the Lunar Shard.  We named it the Skyheart, though some called it the Empyrean Gift."

The artificer sighs heavily.  "Even with its powers at our disposal, we were not safe from the creeping decadence that infected the gigas so long ago.  The higher magics of our forebears became increasingly beyond our grasp.  But the Skyheart spurred us down new paths of invention.  We learned to harness new mystical arts, and claimed the skies as our own."

[Use QUEST CONTINUE to proceed.]

"The Skyheart is long since drained of its powers.  If the Empyrean Syndicate has come here, it is because they know how rich these lands are in gemstone fragments of the Lunar Shard.  They will stop at nothing to possess them.  And you have seen what they have at their disposal.  Not all of the airships of your Elven Nations or the scattering found west of the Dragonspine can match their might."

The artificer walks about slowly, fretting.  It visibly calms itself, smoothing its robes with its hands.  "There must be something that we can do.  I have an idea, but it will not be without risk."

"Dwarves in the Dragonspine have reported seeing scattered airships of unknown design.  This might mean that the Empyreans are preparing for an attack there, likely against the kiramon hive below, as it is rich in fragments of the Lunar Shard.  Go there and search the Hive for evidence of their presence."
Roundtime: 5 sec.

Step 14:

Go to the Hive!
...
Ahead of you, a masked plunderer slips into the cracks riddling the ground, descending into the dark tunnels below.
...
Ahead of you, a masked plunderer passes through the amber barrier.
...
Ahead of you, a masked plunderer descends down a stone ramp into the depths below.
...
The group leader has to have the quest at this step before entering this room!
[Crystalline Depths, Approach - 34269] (u13041329)
Prepare for a Boss Fight!

Step 15:

As you enter the area, you notice a masked plunderer walking up the ramp toward the parapet.  You quickly follow.

[Crystalline Depths, Astral Tear]
You notice a masked goliath plunderer and an escape route.
Obvious paths: none

[A moment of challenge approaches.  Enter QUEST READY when everyone is ready.]

Prepare for a HARD fight! (depending on your build) - A Group may enter together.
TD: +499
AS: +644
DS: +669

As the plunderer falls to the ground, heaving his last breaths, you take a step back from the carnage to evaluate the situation.  When the plunderer goes completely still, you approach him and begin to search the body.  The first item of interest is a satchel containing a number of musty leather-bound tomes.  Thinking back on the masked artificer's request, you start to root through the satchel, grabbing a book appearing particularly ancient.  Just as you reach for another book in the satchel, the plunderer's body rapidly decomposes before your eyes.  Hopefully just the one book will do.  You think you'd better return to the masked artificer.

[An ancient book is now in your left hand.]

hiwi artificer not a fight, you just get OBLITERATED

you land in IMT TC dead with T3 wounds everywhere

return to artificer

remember to quest complete

and do accept the 4 new repeatable quests.