Help Omeluum Investigate the Parasite: Difference between revisions

'''Help Omeluum investigate the parasite''' is a sub-[[quest]] of [[Chapter One|Chapter One's]] main quest, [[Remove the Parasite]]. It can be initiated by speaking with [[Blurg]] and [[Omeluum]] at [[Ebonlake Grotto]] (the Myconid Colony), and informing them of the parasite.{{SpoilerWarning}}

*Let Omeluum examine the parasite.

**We mentioned the parasite to Blurg, a hobgoblin. His colleague, a mind flayer named Omeluum, offered to examine it. Perhaps it can cure us?

*Ask Omeluum how to negate the tadpole's magic.  

**The mind flayer couldn't extract the parasite, but offered us a way to negate the magic protecting it.

*Find the mushrooms Omeluum requested.

**To help us, Omeluum requires a Tongue of Madness mushroom and some Timmask Spores. We can find both at the mysterious tower nearby.

*Drink the potion Omeluum made for us.

*Get the Ring of Mind Shielding from Omeluum.

**The potion Omeluum gave us didn't work - it made the parasite even stronger. To calm it down, Omeluum is willing to trade us a ring of mind shielding.

To complete this quest, the player will have to travel to the [[Arcane Tower]] per Omeluum's instructions to obtain the items they need. This guide will contain information for the full exploration of the tower. Strictly speaking the player does not need to explore most of the tower to complete this quest.  

==Dealing with the Defenses==

[[File:Arcane Turret.jpg|thumb|An active Arcane Cannon. ]]

The tower is guarded by automated [[Arcane Cannon|Arcane Cannons]]. They are automatically hostile and will shoot at your characters whenever they're in sight-line and in range - there is a targeting indicator that will tell you this. Anything that breaks this line of sight indicator - i.e. solid obstacles, will effectively stop the attacks.  

As of the Early Access, automated defenses do not trigger a Turnbased combat encounter - rather, they will shoot and attack in real-time exploration mode as well. It is recommended that you consider turning on [[Turnbase Mode]] to make movement and controlling your party more manageable.   

In general, there are a few approaches to dealing with these the [[Arcane Cannon|Arcane Cannons]]:

*'''Brute force''' - the cannons can be directly damaged and rendered inoperable. Take note of its resistances and <span style="color:#3366cc">Lightning</span> vulnerability.

*'''Running by/Stealth''' - this is best done in Turnbase Mode as it'll allow the player to move cover-to-cover between turns.

**[[Sussur Bloom|Sussur Blooms]] can be found in the garden at the bottom of the [[Arcane Tower]], or at the Sussur Tree in [[Dread Hollow]].

Note, cannons that have previously been rendered inoperable (by brute force) but not destroyed can actually be revived by the Anti-Magic aura, by walking into and then out of its range. You'll see the circuitry on the cannon re-ignite when this happens. This is something to take note of and to be careful of if you're combining the brute force approach with the Anti-magic approach afterwards.  

== Navigating the Tower ==

If the player have access to flight (such as the [[Fly]] spell, or the [[Circle of the Moon|Circle of the Moon Druid's]] [[Wild Shape#Wild Shape: Dire Raven|Dire Raven form]]), they can completely bypass the need to restore the tower's power. However, this means they'll give up on 25 Experience and potentially [[Inspiration|Inspiration Points]] for the [[Guild Artisan]] background.  

To successfully finish the quest, the player only needs to visit 2nd Floor (Greenhouse), which contains some [[Tongue of Madness]] mushroom and [[Timmask Spores]]. Once they have these, they can return to [[Omeluum]] to finish the quest. Everything else is strictly optional:

|+Arcane Tower Layout

|}

=== The 1st Floor (Generator) and Activating the Tower ===

[[File:Fungus Platform.jpg|thumb|The fungus on the south wall serving as jumping platforms. ]]

To fully explore the tower, the player's goal would be to enter the locked 1st level of the tower - as the generator used to restore power to the tower is located there. To access this floor, the player must first get to the bottom of the tower.  

The 1st floor is locked and one of the few areas that is not accessible directly by flight. There are two options to get in:

 

* Through the Ornate Door in the back, which can be unlocked with a DC15 Sleight of Hand check, or by breaking it down (24 [[Hit Points]], [[Lesser Toughness]]).

* [[File:Hole.jpg|thumb|The hole which serves as an alternative entrance to the first floor. ]]By accessing a hole on the South wall (it looks like a pipe). The player will need to first pass a [[Perception]] check, and then crawl through as a small creature (i.e. the [[Druid|Druid's]] [[Wild Shape|Cat Wildshape]] or a character shrunk by the [[Reduce]] spell).

To restore power to the tower - which will activate the elevator and deactivate the automated defenses - the player will need to bring [[Sussur Bloom|Sussur Blooms]] to the Power Generator. [[Sussur Bloom|Sussur Blooms]] can be found at the Garden just outside the door, or from the tree at [[Dread Hollow]].  

Interact with the Power Generator to bring up the crafting menu and use it to combine the machine with the Bloom. A cutscene should play where the tower comes to life, and you will gain 25 [[Experience]] and an [[Inspiration Point]] for the [[Guild Artisan]] background. With the power restore, you can now navigate up and down the tower via the central elevator.  

===The 2nd Floor (Greenhouse) ===

This floor can only be accessed by the restored elevator, by flying, or by platforming on the exterior fungus on the south side of the tower. This is a level that contains all the mushrooms required for the quest. Once the quest items are obtained, all other actions at the tower is strictly option. Skip forward to the [[Help Omeluum investigate the parasite|Return to Omeluum]] section to finish the quest.

The other notable items on this floor is the '''Threadbare Book''' containing the following phrase: 

* ''"How can I trust? How should I know? How can I show myself, my darkest me?"''

This can provides additional options to interact with [[Bernard]] later on the roof.

The main floor can be access directly through the front door of the tower. Exploring this floor is completely optional as the player can go straight to the 2nd floor Greenhouse to complete the quest, or the 1st floor to restore power.  

The primary benefit of exploring the main floor prior to restoring the power would be additional XP from the two still-active Arcane Cannons, and getting access to [[Mystra's Grace]] earlier. The latter can provide the party an additional casting of [[Feather Fall]] which can help them avoid some damage trying to access the 1st floor. As the elevator inside is inactive, they will ultimately need to still find an alternative way to the lower levels.  

Opening the Main Door requires succeeding on a [[Difficulty Class]] 15 [[Sleight of Hand]] [[Skill Check|Check]]. Alternatively, the main door can also be broken down - it has [[Medium Toughness]] and 36 [[Hit Points]]. Opening this door prior to the restoration of power will lead to a confrontation with two [[Arcane Cannon|Arcane Cannons]]. Once they've been dealt with, you are free to roam and explore the main level of the Arcane Tower.

* The Southern balcony doesn't contain any notable items, but lets you access the exterior fungus platforms to the lower levels.  

** Approaching it will trigger an [[Arcana]] [[Skill Check|Check]]. If your character passes, they'll identify that the chest is in-fact magical, despite its name and mundane looking loot. Taking the items out from it will reveal they are two level 1 magical scrolls (randomized), and [[Mystra's Grace]]. Approaching the chest with the Sussur Bloom's Anti-Magic aura will also dispel the illusion and show the true loot inside the chest.  

===The 4th Floor (Bedroom) ===

* The Road to Darkness can be found on the floor, underneath the desk on the corner.

Aside from the books, the magical ring [[Mage's Friend]] can also be looted on this floor.  

===The 5th Floor (The Roof) ===

This floor can only be accessed by the restored elevator or by flying. Upon arriving onto the floor, a dialogue will trigger with [[Bernard]], who is standing guard by the elevator.

Bernard speaks strictly in poetry, with the scattered lines found throughout the Arcane Tower serving as various command phrases for him. In the first meeting, if the player must have read '''The Roads of Darkness''' and responded with ''"Or art though friend, a rescue from my lonely wake?"'' to avoid having Bernard become hostile and attack. Successfully doing this grants the player 50 Experience points.

{| class="wikitable"

|''"Or art though friend, a rescue from my lonely wake?"''

|Causes Bernard to not turn hostile. Triggered during the first conversation. '''Required for the other options.'''

|The Roads of Darkness (4th Floor)

|-

|Bernard will place {{SmallIcon|Guiding Light Icon.png}} [[Guiding Light]] on a table.

|Bernard will give the player a [[Potion of Greater Healing]].

|-

|''"There is a light in every living thing. / It's crawling t'wards the surface to survive."''

|Bernard and the nearby [[Animated Armour]]s become hostile and attack.

|Dusty Book (3rd Floor)

|''"The silence stretches on - I'm all alone. / Please, can I hold your hands, for just a while?"''

|Bernard will hug the player and reassure them. It speaks as if the player is Lenore.

|}

==Secret Basement==

This floor can only be accessed by the restored elevator or by flying. To access it with the elevator, the player must obtain the Guiding Light from Bernard and equip it. Then, when they approach the elevator, an additional "Basement" button will appear, which will take the player directly to this secret room when activated.