Infiltrate Moonrise Towers: Difference between revisions

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=== The Relic ===
=== The Relic ===
Pursuing Balthazar leads the party to [[Grand Mausoleum]]. The Grand Mausoleum is north of the House of Healing. Enter the Mausoleum after being accosted by [[Raphael]] and there is a small puzzle to proceed forward. There are three paintings with buttons underneath them, press them in the following order to open the way: Moonrise Towers, Grief, General. Move north using the traversal gem to enter the [[Gauntlet of Shar]].
{{main|Find Ketheric Thorm's Relic}}
 
Pursuing Balthazar leads the party to [[Grand Mausoleum]], north of the [[House of Healing]]. After solving a small puzzle in the Mausoleum, the party enters the [[Gauntlet of Shar]], where they must overcome each of Shar's trials and collect the [[Umbral Gem]]s to gain access to the Shadowfell.
[[File:Umbral Gem Statue Quest.jpg|thumb|The purple glyphs reveal a path to the umbral gem.]]
Once inside, Shar speaks to the party, inviting them to take on her trials and prove themselves worthy. The first task is to access an [[Umbral Gem]] at a statue. To do this, the party must snuff out eight Mystic Thuribles around the room. There are two levels to the north and south of each side of the room. The rooms are protected by pressure plates, which can be disarmed (DC 10) as well as vents that activate with the plates. Hit the levers to lower the Thuribles, then interact with them to snuff out their lights. Getting too close to the statue before the Thuribles are snuffed out causes it to magically repel the party. Any Moonlanterns must also be unequipped, as they emit light. Once the room is shrouded in darkness, purple glyphs are revealed around the statue. Follow the gaps in the glyphs to touch the Umbral Gem. This opens the way north.
 
Follow the path forward and the party eventually encounters a group of Reconstituted Duelists. They try to warn the party away, but are interrupted by tremors. A group of undead Justiciars attack the party, and [[Umbral Tremor|Umbral Tremors]] appear. The Umbral Tremors can summon more Justiciars until they disappear.
 
The tremors persist until the party moves west and encounters more Reconstituted Duelists. The tremors begin in earnest as more Umbral Tremors and Justiciars are summoned to attack the party. Several waves appear, until finally a [[Justiciar Crusader]] appears. Defeat it and its minions, and the path opens revealing Balthazar, a servant of Ketheric Thorm, who has been tasked with retrieving the Nightsong. Balthazar tells the party to go and complete the trials for him, as the Justiciars have been making it impossible for them to move forward. The party can either agree to help him or attack him outright. If the party agrees to help him, they can convince him to offer help in the form of a summoning item that summons his brother, [[Flesh]]. Otherwise, Balthazar attacks with Flesh and three [[Ghoul Medic|Ghoul Medics]].
 
==== The Trials of Shar ====
===== Soft-Step Trial =====
[[File:Soft Step Key Quest.jpg|thumb|The key to the Soft-Step Trial.]]
After entering the room (X:-767, Y:-755), the party notices a sacrificial bowl. The party must give a blood offering to continue onto the trial. If [[Shadowheart]] is in the party, she offers to do this. Once the offering is given, the party can proceed to the trial.
 
The Soft-Step Trial is a stealth trial. There are two shadows patrolling a small maze, which the party must sneak past to get to the umbral gem. If the party is detected by a shadow, they are transported back to the start of the maze. Find the [[Soft-Step Key]] in the hidden room of the maze to proceed forward, lockpick the door open, or use [[Misty Step]] to bypass it entirely.
 
===== Self-Same Trial =====
As with the Soft-Step Trial, go to the offering bowl with an offering of blood to proceed.
 
In this trial (X:-767, Y:-727), the party faces replicas of themselves. If the party attacks a replica of a different character, they gain a debuff that lowers their ability scores. An easy way to end this trial quickly is to remove all equipment until the replicas appear, then add the equipment again, so that the replicas are weaker. Using only one party member can also help, as it avoids the debuff. Once the replica has been defeated, an Umbral Gem is dropped.
 
===== Faith-Step Trial =====
[[File:Faith Step Path Quest.jpg|thumb|The dimly lit path in the Faith-Step Trial.]]
The Faith-Step trial can be accessed by moving north of the other two trials and then following the stairs down (X:-752, Y:-727).
 
As with the other trials, an offering of blood is necessary to proceed. To complete this trial, the party must walk along a chasm, with a barely visible pathway allowing them to move forward. After blood is offered to the trial, the room is plunged into darkness, making the path forward difficult to see (and impossible to see from the overhead camera view).
 
There are several ways to trivialize this trial:
* The easiest way is to move the camera to the final platform and left-click on the bottom right (northwest) corner of the platform that is not in the shadows.  The character will auto-path to the platform without falling.
* Use the spell [[Daylight]] to make the pathway extremely obvious and easy to traverse.
* Use [[Fly]], Misty Step, or [[Dimension Door]] to bypass the pathway entirely by utilizing the platforms with the statues.
 
===== Yurgir's Umbral Gem =====
There is one more Umbral Gem, which is in the possession of [[Yurgir]], the orthon that Raphael is hunting. The party can either kill him as part of  [[Kill Raphael's Old Enemy]], trick him into killing himself, or help him as part of [[Break Yurgir's Contract]]. Regardless of how the conflict is resolved, the party can take the gem, which is in front of his throne of skulls (X:-641, Y:-754).
 
==== The Silent Library ====
Before placing the Umbral Gems on the Pedestal of Reckoning, [[Shadowheart]] has one final request if she is in the party. She states that she needs to obtain the [[Spear of Night]] if she is to become a Dark Justiciar. The Spear is in the Silent Library.
 
The Silent Library is south of the Faith-Step Trial. Once inside, [[Silence]] is cast over the party. If the party is detected, a number of [[Justiciar Soulhunter]] and [[Justiciar Nightweaver]] attack. Defeating [[The Librarian]] at the centre of the room ends the Silence spell. With a successful Perception check, the party notices a button (X:-784, Y:-747) that unlocks the locked gate to the west.
 
To access the hidden room, the party must offer the correct book to the pedestal. The correct book is [[Teachings of Loss: The Nightsinger]] (X:-771, Y:-742) which is inside a trapped bookshelf (DC 15). Interact with the Riddle of the Night and combine it with the book to open the way. Inside is the Spear of Night, as well as [[Dark Justiciar Half-Plate]] and a [[Dark Justiciar Helmet]]. Giving the Spear to Shadowheart allows her to claim her place as a Dark Justiciar.
 
Return to the Pedestal of Reckoning and use the Umbral Gems to activate the moving disks. The path ends at a pool of water to The [[Shadowfell]].
 
=== Shadowfell ===
'''WARNING: Entering Shadowfell locks the player out of many side quests, and pushes the player to the end of the act. Do NOT enter until all other business in the area has been resolved.'''
 
If Balthazar was not killed, he arrives in the Shadowfell immediately after the player, thanking them for their service in completing the trials. He floats ahead and tells the party to come with him to witness greatness. Once the party leaps to the heart of the Shadowfell, they learn the Nightsong is not an object, but an aasimar woman named [[Dame Aylin]]. She has been held captive by Thorm using the power of Balthazar to share her immortal life with him.
 
After this, several events can play out:
* If Balzathar is alive, the party can let him take her to Moonrise Towers
* If Shadowheart is in the party, she can kill the Nightsong and become the Dark Justiciar she always dreamed she'd be.
* Dame Aylin can be set free, resulting in a battle with Balthazar and requiring Shadowheart to be convinced to spare her.
 
If Shadowheart is not brought along, then she immediately confronts the party for denying her the destiny she'd always dreamed of. She leaves the party. Additionally, the Nightsong can only be killed by Shadowheart - otherwise, attempting to do so does nothing but annoy Dame Aylin.
 
If the Nightsong is freed, she thanks the party. If Shadowheart spared her, then she throws the Spear of Night into the abyss of the Shadowfell. However, Dame Aylin grants her a new weapon as thanks - the [[Moonlight Glaive]]. Then, Aylin flies off to face Thorm. After leaving the Shadowfell, Lady Shar subjects Shadowheart to unimaginable torment before sending her back to the mortal realm, and Shadowheart loses her favour.
 
If Shadowheart kills the Nightsong, she becomes the Dark Justiciar and gains the [[Shar's Spear of Evening]]. However, the party loses a valuable ally in the Nightsong.


=== Confronting Ketheric ===
=== Confronting Ketheric ===
The final meeting with Ketheric can go very differently depending on if the party aided him or sabotaged him. However, it always results in the subsequent quest, [[Defeat Ketheric Thorm]].
The final meeting with Ketheric can go very differently depending on if the party aided him or sabotaged him. However, it always results in the subsequent quest


==== Assaulting Moonrise Towers ====
==== Assaulting Moonrise Towers ====
If the party freed the Nightsong or killed her, Ketheric loses his immortality. If Last Light Inn is still intact, the Harpers meet the party at the front gates to Moonrise Towers. All the cultists come to fight back, and the party must fight them with the aid of Jaheira and the Harpers. If 'Barnabus' and the captive gnolls were freed, they will also join you as allies in this fight. Once the main floor has been taken, Jaheira can be persuaded to come with the party to the rooftop, where Thorm awaits.  
If the party sabotaged Ketheric by either freeing or killing the Nightsong, Ketheric loses his immortality. If Last Light Inn is still intact, the party can join [[Jaheira]], the [[Harpers]], and the [[Flaming Fist]] in a frontal assault on Moonrise Towers, against a large number of cultists. If [['Barnabus']] and the other gnolls were freed, they will also join the fight on the party's side. Once the main floor has been taken, Jaheira can be persuaded to come with the party to the rooftop, where Thorm awaits.
 
There is an entirely optional battle in the [[Moonrise Towers Prison]], where the party can fight alongside several Fists against a group of undead led by a [[Death Shepherd]] and Myrkulite cultists.


On the rooftop, the party has a brief moment to speak with Thorm. They can try to convince him that he can still redeem himself and stop the madness. Whatever is said, he cannot be convinced and must be fought. If Aylin was left alive, she joins the party in the battle. Once Thorm is defeated, a tentacle appears to whisk him away deeper into Moonrise.
On the rooftop, the party has a brief moment to speak with Thorm. They can try to convince him that he can still redeem himself and stop the madness. Even if he is convinced, he must still be fought, but convincing him here will give the option to convince him later{{verify}}. If Aylin was freed alive, she joins the party in the battle. Once Thorm is defeated, a tentacle appears to whisk him away deeper into Moonrise.


==== An Audience with the Absolute ====
==== An Audience with the Absolute ====
If the party lets Balthazar take the Nightsong to Moonrise Towers, then he tells them to meet them there to receive Ketheric Thorm's favour. Once the party arrives and speaks to Disciple Z'rell, she only lets them proceed if Resolve the Abduction is completed. The party must kidnap Isobel from the Last Light Inn to be allowed to see Thorm. If Isobel is already dead, then Z'rell lets the party up to face judgement.
If the party lets Balthazar take the Nightsong to Moonrise Towers, then he tells them to meet them there to receive Ketheric Thorm's favour. Once the party arrives and speaks to Disciple Z'rell, she only lets them proceed if [[Resolve the Abduction]] is completed. The party must kidnap Isobel from the Last Light Inn to be allowed to see Thorm. If Isobel is already dead, then Z'rell lets the party up to face judgement.


If Isobel is kidnapped, Thorm thanks the party and tells them to pray at the altar as a reward. If Isobel dies, then he tells them to pray for the Absolute's justice. Either way, a tentacle appears behind the party as they pray at the altar and detects their Astral Prism. Thorm, knowing they possess the relic and that it cannot be taken for some reason, commands the tentacle to take the party down to Balthazar's lab, where he will find a way to sever the connection.
If Isobel is kidnapped, Thorm thanks the party and tells them to pray at the altar as a reward. If Isobel dies, then he tells them to pray for the Absolute's justice. Either way, a tentacle appears behind the party as they pray at the altar and detects their Astral Prism. Thorm, knowing they possess the relic and that it cannot be taken for some reason, commands the tentacle to take the party down to Balthazar's lab, where he will find a way to sever the connection.


When the party comes to, they are trapped in Profane Wombs and must escape. After escaping, Balthazar must be defeated. He is joined by several undead servants. If the party killed [[Dror Ragzlin]] and Minthara, then their undead corpses will be among them.
When the party comes to, they are trapped in Profane Wombs and must escape. After escaping, Balthazar must be defeated. He is joined by several undead servants. If the party killed [[Dror Ragzlin]] and [[Minthara]], then their undead corpses will be among them.


== Related Quests ==
== Related Quests ==
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