Stopping the Ritual (aka Saving Asheron)

Stopping the Ritual
27 day timer
Rewards: XP and the title “Asheron’s Defender” as well as a blue-colored Empowered Empyrean Robe and flagged to do Bur Recall. You also receive a key for pulls from the mana forge/shard chests near the capital cities.
Difficulty: Extreme
Quest Type: Epic
Restriction: 15+ and Flagged for Bur

Lord Asheron has since been freed from a trap years in the making. The Falatacot planned to siphon the life essence out of Asheron to further some plan of theirs to return to life and Auberean but their ritual must still be stopped for all our sakes! Upon reaching Bur stick to the left side of the passages until reaching a large natural vault with a ramp in the middle going down. Enter this ramp and stick to the left until you reach the village of the rebellious Ruuk, Kor-Gursha. First speak to the Collector Golem in the second open area of the village (Simply stick left from the drop).

Collector Golem tells you, "Greetings to you. Is there any further word on the status of the Falatacot Rituals against my Master, Lord Asheron?"

In order to reach the location Asheron was imprisoned in you must first speak to Scout Leader Tmauruk to learn where the passage is. Behind the Golem is a path leading to the open room Tmauruk is located.

Scout Leader Tmauruk tells you, "Jurukka. I am Tmauruk, leader of the scouts of this tribe. While I would rather be away from the town scouting, Gruuklar has asked me to remain here and brief those of you who wish to help."
Scout Leader Tmauruk tells you, "Torgluuk has been rescued, but the bloodletters continue to abduct the other shamans of the tribe. Torgluuk wants me to continue instructing you Derethians how to find the upper catacomb so that they can be rescued."
Scout Leader Tmauruk tells you, "There is a rock in the southern catacombs, somewhat near the north of the top level cavern. If you push the rock aside, you'll find a very small corridor, impossible to see without knowing exactly what you are looking for."
Scout Leader Tmauruk tells you, "Bring the chains that bound the shaman to me as evidence of their freedom."

Rescuing one of the Ruuk Shamans is not necessary for this quest but doing so will earn you some experience and the title “Burun Liberator”. After speaking with the Scout Leader go to Torgluuk who has, after being freed himself, taken up the mantle as the village’s High Shaman. Speak with him to learn more of your quest.

Torgluuk, High Shaman of Kor-Gursha tells you, "I see that you are aware of the upper catacomb. Doubtless, you are also aware of the mana barrier within and what lays beyond? I have mused on how to remove the barrier, and I think I have a way. Listen closely."
Torgluuk, High Shaman of Kor-Gursha tells you, "The mana barrier must be powered, and most likely that power comes from what you term "ley lines". Asheron has told me of these things, and the Ruuk have in fact encountered them on occasion. The Falatacot have manipulated the ley lines of this world in the past for their own purposes, often eventually causing upheaval. I believe this is what has caused earthquakes and other disasters in the past."
Torgluuk, High Shaman of Kor-Gursha tells you, "You may have heard of mucor - the fungus that the shamans of the Burun consume for its power and recollection to the past? It does not begin as safe for consumption - it must be prepared. I think that if you were to siphon a small part of the power of the ley line into some inert mucor, it may disrupt the mana barrier for a short period of time - perhaps a day. By doing this, you would also be helping to stabilize our world by minimizing the ley line's potential energy. Finally, you would then have some enhanced mucor of your own."
Torgluuk, High Shaman of Kor-Gursha tells you, "The ley line exists in a chamber off of the upper catacomb. There will be a Falatacot statue along the southern edge of the catacomb. If you focus upon it and put into your mind the image of a cavern with a great glowing line, you will reach your destination."
Torgluuk, High Shaman of Kor-Gursha tells you, "Be warned that one can only enhance mucor safely every so often. I would recommend that you wait fourteen days after you enhance your mucor."
Torgluuk, High Shaman of Kor-Gursha tells you, "I would take the enhanced mucor if you were to bring it to me. I cannot demand it of you, though. I also cannot tell you what effect enhanced mucor may have on your - you would have to try it for yourself. Finally, I'm told our weaponcrafter, Kuurak, has some ideas on how enhanced mucor might be used in weaponcrafting. Speak to him for more information on that."
Torgluuk, High Shaman of Kor-Gursha gives you Inert Mucor.
Torgluuk, High Shaman of Kor-Gursha tells you, "Take this. But heed my warning. Do not consume it before you have prepared it within the ley line. It has a generally fatal effect on our people and, which you are different, I suspect it would harm you as well."

Consuming the Mucor will result in a debuff amounting to 99% off your attributes. Having spoken with all three NPC’s take the left-hand tunnel on the eastern wall and stick to the right to reach the portal to the Southern Catacombs. From here you and your party should buff up and prepare Fire and Frost weapons for the numerous undead and burun creatures you will encounter along with blood golems (Lightning is preferable for these or acid). and sclavi.

~ Southern Catacombs ~

From the drop stick right out of the initial tunnel into a large open carven. Stick left leading to another tunnel which is most often a choke-point in which clearing the spawn would be wise. Afterwards continue out of the tunnel leading to yet another large open cavern. Stick right and you will see a large rock. Use it to gain access into the Upper Catacombs

This must be the rock that Tmauruk told you about! You move it aside and swiftly enter the passage behind. The rock rolls back into place behind you.

~ Upper Catacombs ~

You are now in the Upper Catacombs! This will lead you into a Falatacot complex guarding the Temple of the Three. Continue up the tunnel until you reach a T; take the right heading south ignoring all the side doors housing a creature guarding a statue. At the end of the hall way turn to the east (left) and follow the passage to the end. Turn to face the south wall and on the third door from the end on the south wall is the statue you’re looking for. Kill the creature in the room and use the statue.

~ Ley-line Caverns ~

Inside the Ley-line caverns you will stick to the left with the only exception being when you reach any up ramp. Treat such occurrences as solid walls and turn around then continue following the left. You will soon reach an open room with the only problem being the floor is made of lava (remember the ley-lines ARE far underground). There are three floating platforms that phase in and out, commonplace for Falatcot structures. Do ½ power jumps holding the shift key down from the tunnel to the first platform then to the second platform then to the third platform. Now do a ½ power regular jump into the tunnel as far away from the tunnel you can get while staying on the platform. If you fall at all you will take heavy damage and will need to do a ½ jump holding the shift key down to get onto the middle platform. Follow the passage to the final chamber where an especially strong blood golem stands guard over the remains of Lord Asheron’s Diamond Golem Servitors. Dispense it from a distance if you can as it hits hard for those without a high melee defense skill.

This interaction is a bit different as you’ll need to use the ley-line first and select yes on the prompt screen. If you do this when the mana barrier in the upper catacombs is up then this action will lower it. The barrier stays down for 24 hours but in this time you can still enhance your mucor.

Because the mana barrier is down, you determine that enhancing your mucor will have no effect upon it.
You observe the glowing line from afar, then consider the inert mucor you have in your backpack.
You insert the mucor very cautiously into the ley line, being careful not to put your hand in.
Because the mana barrier is down, you determine that enhancing your mucor will have no effect upon it.
After a few moments, you remove the mucor by the stray edge still sticking out of the ley line. Initially warm to the touch, it rapidly cools as you take it further from the ley line. You have prepared your first enhanced mucor!

Ley Line gives you Enhanced Mucor.
You've earned 164,455,905 experience. (Level 192)

You will now have an item you can use to raise your mana-renewal rate though there is a far better use which yields a more permanent reward. Save it for now and recall out. You will have to run back to the Upper Catacombs past the rock.

~Upper Catacombs ~

Now head to the T in which you will take the left option heading north. At the end turn right and head east. Now at the end of this hall way turn right towards the south and follow along until you find on the right-hand side openings into a large chamber with two wooden ramps (instead of the usual doors with a creature accompanying a statue). Clear out the spawn and take the ramp on the left. From here you may choose to explore all the ramps leading down. Each one ends in a room with a free pull of a reliquary. There are several of them though not required to complete this quest. In any event the ramp leading up (right in front of you) is the path you need to take. Follow this path until you reach a catwalk where mages may debuff the spawn below as they wish in safety. The mana barrier also spawns here and to save time you may want to go here first before traveling to the Ley-line Chamber to check. With it being down head on down into the chamber and clear the spawn. Afterwards, take the portal leading into the Temple of the Three.

~ Temple of the Three ~

This drop is safe to rebuff in. The Temple of the Three is where the leaders of the Falatacot have staged their trap for Asheron as well as acting as their stronghold on Bur. There are two portals down ramps in front of and behind you. One leads back into the Bur Catacombs while the other leads into the final Ritual Chamber which you can’t access just yet. This complex is also separated by five doors with a Gate Guardian (GG) wearing Ancient Relic Armour guarding each door. The following are the steps to the first GG (ignore all the jail cells that line portions of the halls throughout this dungeon).

East down ramp
Right
Right
Right down ramp
Right down ramp
Stick right until you get to a three-way fork: go straight until you reach the pit which you will jump down through.

Follow the path until you enter a big room where you will exit on the north wall. Stick right until you reach a three-way fork; go straight into the room with GG 1. Loot the key off the GG and use it on the gate on north wall. Follow the path and in the next large open room is an exit to the north; take it and stick left taking the first right (south). In the next large open room an exit is to the south. After, stick to the left until you reach a large room with two columns of blue energy shooting upwards (appears to me to be Asheron’s life-essence). This is GG 2’s room and you can kill from above (the room is separated by ramps). Loot the key to open the gate on the south wall. Follow the passage down taking the exit on the south wall when you reach the large open room. Continue straight until you reach another large open room. Stick to the left and you’ll find GG 3. Dispense of him and use his key to open the gate on the north wall. Continue down the path and when you reach the next large room take east exit. Continue straight into the next big room with GG 4 whose gate is on the north wall. The final GG is found by following the path beyond the gate and taking the south exit form the large open room. Continue straight until you reach yet another large open room where the final GG awaits you. His door is on the south wall. Below is a profile as all five GG’s are the exact same.

~ Boss ~

Name: Gate Guardian
Weak to: Acid or Fire (undead slayer)
Drops: Gate Key
Cohorts: Blood-infused Golems along with Ghosts as well as Burun Guruks and Sclavi with their Falatacot masters
Uses: Bludgeon damage and spells of all types.

With all five GG’s beaten you must head straight to another mana barrier that you will need to take down. Afterwards, you’ll see down the hall another barrier: destroy it with ranged attacks as the floor between the barriers holds numerous dispell traps as well as mana and a stamina drain traps. When the second barrier is down run into the room and make for far end wall to avoid the respawn that will surely mangle most of your unbuffed comrades. It is in this room where Lord Asheron was imprisoned.
Use this opportunity to rebuff and then use the Empyrean Crystal Array. A portal into the Ritual Chamber awaits you.

~ Ritual Chamber ~

Using this portal gives you a 24 hour flag to use the Ritual Chamber portal at the Temple of the Three drop as well as the portal near the rock in the Southern Catacombs for an easy return if you die.

Note: You can not log out in this dungeon so if you do you will need to run back and use the portal.

Follow the passage down until you reach a large open room with the Ritual Statue that you must destroy. However, before the last attack shatters the statue it will disappear!

As Player Name goes to strike the final blow against the statue, it disappears!
Three voices echo in unison, "They are trying to disrupt the Ritual! Stop them!"

Run back up the ramp from whence you came and await a massive spawning of creatures that you must kill. Fighting long enough will rile up the Falatacot’s top General who is dressed in full Ancient Relic Armour.

General Tain'Kivix says, "Enough of this. I will deal with the interlopers myself."

~ Boss ~

Name: General Tain'Kivix
Weak to: Acid or Fire (undead slayer)
Drops: Nothing
Cohorts: Sclavi Ritualists in addition to more Sclavi and Burun Guruks with Falatacot masters and Ghosts
Uses: Bludgeon damage

He is nigh invulnerable and hits for about 150 minimum with hollow damage and his hits are commonly critical upwards to 300 estimate. He also appears to double strike with his fists. All is not lost, however, and he is weakened by destroying the Ritualist Sclavi that accompany him. Your best bet is to lure the Sclavi in the hall where your party can crush them one by one.

A Sclavus Ritualist falls, further weakening the Falatacot Ritual!
A Sclavus Ritualist falls, further weakening the Falatacot Ritual!
A Sclavus Ritualist falls, further weakening the Falatacot Ritual!
A Sclavus Ritualist falls, further weakening the Falatacot Ritual!
A Sclavus Ritualist falls, further weakening the Falatacot Ritual!

After all are dead you can make mincemeat out of the weakened General.

At this point the three High Acolytes of Blood, Spirit, and Sacrifice will rise to challenge you.

~ Bosses ~

Names: High Acolytes of Blood, Spirit, and Sacrifice
Weak to: Acid or Fire (undead slayer)
Drops: Nothing
Cohorts: Only the spawn that haven’t been killed.
Uses: Bludgeon damage as well as spells of all types with the last one named using a smiting spell.

They cast every hard-debuff in the book at you and use acid attacks. Focus on one at a time until all three are defeated with globals marking the way. I recommend Sacrifice first as its smiting spell is very problematic. Also make sure you have the rest of the spawn killed off before the final acolyte falls.

On far off Bur, a telling blow has been dealt against the ritual of the Three! Player Name has killed the High Acolyte of Sacrifice!
On far off Bur, a telling blow has been dealt against the ritual of the Three! Player Name has killed the High Acolyte of the Spirit!
On far off Bur, a telling blow has been dealt against the ritual of the Three! Player Name has killed the High Acolyte of the Blood!

In most cases the statue will spawn again and taking it down will result in another global with the statue shattering into many many shards.

On faraway Bur, Player Name has shattered the statue bound to Asheron's Essence into thousands of pieces! The Falatacot Ritual collapses, and a portion of Asheron's Essence is restored.

Pick up a shard in this case and head to the Kor-Gursha portal in a small alcove at the end of a small tunnel at the end of the main chamber where you fought. Sadly, the quest is bugged in most cases and you’ll have to run back up the ramp after the three matriarchs are defeated in order to beat the General again using the same tactics as before followed by the Three again. After this, though, the statue will come back for your killing pleasure.

With shard in hand and back in the safety of Kor-Gursha, Give the shard to the Collector Golem for your rewards!

You give Collector Golem Glowing Statue Shard.
Collector Golem tells you, "Analyzing..."
Collector Golem tells you, "Shard identified. Magical lattice points to Falatacot Blood Ritual, with my Lord Asheron's Blood used in the creation of the object this shard is from. Tell me, where did you get this?"
You tell the Collector Golem about what you have experienced in the finding of Asheron, including your part in stopping the Ritual of the Three.
Collector Golem tells you, "Information noted. I will relay it to my Master once he is wholly freed. Our thanks to you. You have helped save Lord Asheron this day, and that should not be forgotten. Please, accept this as a reward for your selfless act."
You've earned 253,584,507 experience.
Collector Golem grants you the title, "Asheron's Defender"
Collector Golem gives you Empowered Empyrean Robe.

The robe is styled in the way of Asheron’s and is light at 450 bu. It banes itself to 650 AL and excellent to all values but may be further baned to unparalleled levels (still stays at 650 AL). That’s not all, it also casts moderate cantrips to all four schools of magic as well as +45 incantations to all attributes with Major Gains to health, stamina, and mana. The robe can be ivoried and is bonded.