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Quick WalkthroughEdit
- Talk to the Guildmagister at a Mages Guild hall.
- (Option 1) Head to the first dungeon to find a magical catalogue.
- (Option 2) Head to the second dungeon and speak to the scholar.
- Possibly be asked to run an errand for the scholar.
- (Optional) Travel to an alchemist's shop to pick up an ingredient.
- Deliver the ingredient to the scholar within the second time limit for help finding the catalogue.
- If you have learned its location, travel to the item's dungeon and retrieve it.
- Return to the Guildmagister within the original time limit with magical item or after striking out for a reward.
Detailed WalkthroughEdit
Research AssistanceEdit
Speak to a Guildmagister, who says:
- "(Player's guild rank), I am perplexed. Perhaps you can help me with some research."
or
- "Hmm, yes, if the internal azimuthal vectors really do cross at the anterior pole, it should be possible ... eh? Oh, (player's guild rank), I didn't see you standing there. But how fortuitous! I need someone to help me with my research. Are you available?"
AcceptEdit
The Guildmagister goes on:
- "Splendid! You see, I'm working on a particularly thorny problem in theoretical applied magicka, and I need a particular magic (magical item). Made by (item maker's name) (him/her)- self. By all reports, a masterful little piece of work, but according to my research, impossible. The internal azimuth vectors are such that I cannnot [sic] reconcile the externally manifested lateral flow lines ... Well, having the piece to study would help me immeasurably, but I have not had much luck tracking it down. The only reference I've come across mentioned a catalogue once held by the library at ... oh yes, nowadays it's known as (catalogue's dungeon). You might also try a colleague of mine, (scholar's name). (He/She) is an expert on (item maker's name). Wrote the definitive biography, although in my opinion ... ah, well, no time to get into that old debate. You'll find (scholar's name) in a dank hole called (scholar's dungeon). I don't see how (he/she) can abide working in such places. Hmm, yes, come back and see me in, say, (time limit) days and report your findings. Yes? Splendid."
DeclineEdit
The Guildmagister answers:
- "Oh, too bad. Now, where was I? Mmm, the azimuthal vectors, right. Let's see..."
The Arcane ArtifactEdit
This quest is primarily a series of dungeon crawls. Depending on your choices, you may end up exploring as many as three separate dungeons, so plan accordingly. You do not yet know the location of the magical item in question, but you have two leads you can follow. Choose how you want to approach this quest:
Path I: The CatalogueEdit
If you want to search for the catalogue, travel to the dungeon named by the Guildmagister and find it within. Once you have found it, pick it up and read it. The note will read one of two ways:
Scenario 1Edit
In this scenario, the note will read as follows:
- Item No. 476-A-LCX-08
-
- Type: (magical item)
- Creator: (item maker's name) of (item maker's town)
-
- Description:
- This (magical item) is one of (item maker's name)'s
- lesser works, ranking below (his/her) famous Wand
- of Verbosity in craftsmanship, and not even
- close to a masterpiece of sheer audacity like
- (his/her) Scissors of Styling. Still, this (magical item)
- shows (item maker's name)'s distinctive style in the
- many small touches (he/she) puts on all (his/her) work:
- the embossed brass fittings with (his/her) signature
- stamp, the unusual choice of an enameled finish,
- and especially the mellow amber sparking along
- its exterior flow lines.
-
- (on loan from (magical item's dungeon))
Head to the dungeon named in the note to continue your search.
Scenario 2Edit
Other times, the note may read like this:
- Item No. 476-A-LCX-08
-
- Type: (magical item)
- Creator: (item maker's name) of (item maker's town)
-
- Description:
- This (magical item) is one of (item maker's name)'s
- lesser works, ranking below (his/her) famous Wand
- of Verbosity in craftsmanship, and not even
- close to a masterpiece of sheer audacity like
- (his/her) Scissors of Styling. In the years since
- (item maker's name)'s death, this piece has dropped out
- of sight, perhaps held by some private collector.
- By the extant descriptions of it, this (magical item)
- showed (item maker's name)'s distinctive style in the
- many small touches (he/she) puts on all (his/her) work:
- the embossed brass fittings with (his/her) signature
- stamp, the unusual choice of an enameled finish,
- and especially the mellow amber sparking along
- its exterior flow lines.
-
- (not on display)
In this case, the note is a red herring. Instead, you must find and talk to the scholar. See Path II to proceed. If you have already done this and did not learn the location of the item, see this section.
Path II: The ScholarEdit
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The second approach involves finding the expert you were told about. Travel to the scholar's dungeon named by the Guildmagister, enter it, then find and speak to the scholar.
Scenario 1Edit
In this case, the scholar is immediately helpful and says:
- "Hullo. (Item maker's name)'s (magical item) you say? Yes, I believe I ran across a reference to that very thing just last week. Where did I put those notes ... Here we are, mmm- hmm, "mellow amber sparking" -- that's vintage (item maker's name) for sure. Looks like it was in (magical item's dungeon), at least it was when this was written. Good luck!"
Travel to the dungeon the scholar mentioned and search for the magical item within its depths.
Scenario 2Edit
Sometimes though, the scholar doesn't have all the answers. In this case, you will be told:
- "Good morning! Did (alchemist's name) send you with those supplies that I ordered? Oh, (Guildmagister's name) said I might know where to find (item maker's name)'s (magical item)? I'm sorry, but that seems to have disappeared shortly after (his/her) death, and hasn't been heard of since. A real shame. But could you do me a favor since you're here? I need a few things for my work here, and if you could fetch them for me, I'd be most grateful."
If you reply that you don't want to run errands, the scholar will be disappointed and say:
- "Too busy, eh? Well, it was nice talking to you. I won't walk you to the door, if you don't mind. Good day!"
There is no use in staying any longer in this dungeon. If you have not already done so, travel to the dungeon where the catalogue can be found as in Path I. If you have, and the note was of no help, see this section.
Instead, if you reply that you are willing to do the scholar's errands, you are told:
- "Excellent. Here, let me jot down what I need. Take this list to (alchemist's name) of (alchemist's store) in (town). (He/She)'s the only one I trust to give me the exact ingredients I need. I'll expect you back here within (scholar's time limit) days. Please be prompt."
The scholar's shopping list reads as follows:
- (Alchemist's name) --
-
- Please send me:
- 3 doz. newt's tongues (dessicated [sic])
- 4.25 oz. powdered unicorn horn (pure northern ONLY!)
- 1 (ingredient) (FRESH this time, for (random god)'s sake)
- A jar of basilisk eyes
- Please send me:
-
- Charge to my account.
-
- -- (Scholar's name)
Travel to the town where the shop is located, enter it and speak to the alchemist, who will say:
- "Another shopping list from (scholar's name), eh? I swear, if I send another shipment out to (him/her) without getting paid ... "Charge to my account", ha! That's rich. Listen, I'll give you the (ingredient) (he/she) asked for, but the rest will have to be special ordered, and I'm not doing that until (he/she) pays me for everything else I've sent to (him/her). I'm sorry, but that's the best I can do."
Once the alchemist gives you the ingredient, return to and speak with the scholar, who responds:
- "Oh, it's you. Did you bring me the supplies I asked for? What, (alchemist's name) would only give you this (ingredient)? That crusty old goat! I'll give (him/her) a piece of my mind when I get out of here. Well, it's better than nothing I suppose. Listen, are you still looking for that (magical item)? I ran across a reference to an old catalogue from an exhibition of (item maker's name)'s works. This catalogue is in (catalogue's dungeon). In fact, I can teleport you to the very spot, if you like. You'll have to find your own way out, of course. Shall I teleport you to (catalogue's dungeon)?"
If you agree, the scholar will see you off by saying:
- "Hold on to your hat! By the way, before you go, take this (random magical item). I really do appreciate you fetching the (ingredient) for me. Now, away to (catalogue's note dungeon)."
If you don't want to be teleported to the note, then the scholar will say:
- "As you wish. By the way, before you go, take this (random magical item). I really do appreciate you fetching the (ingredient) for me. I hope you find the (magical item)."
If you agreed to be teleported to the note, you will emerge in the dungeon with the note right at your feet as if you had followed the first path. Pick it up and read it. If the note reveals the name of the dungeon where the magical item can be found, head there and retrieve it.
Note that the scholar may not actually teleport you to the loot pile containing the quest item. He may instead teleport you to another random loot pile within the same dungeon, which can result in you ending up in another room or even underwater.
Recovering the ItemEdit
Once you know which dungeon holds the item you seek, the remainder of the quest is simply to head there and find it within. When you have found the item, a notification appears:
- This is undoubtedly (item maker's name)'s (magical item).
Return to the Guildmagister and deliver the item for your reward.
Dead EndsEdit
This scenario only has a 25% chance of occurring. In this case, the catalogue note says nothing about the location of the magical item. Additionally, when you meet the scholar, you are told that the whereabouts of the item are also unknown to them, and you will be asked to run the errand.
If you found the catalogue first, you already know the note says nothing about the magical item, so doing this will not help you find it. Since neither the note nor the scholar know the location of the magical item, you cannot find it. In this case, your only option is to return empty-handed to the Guildmagister, so running the errand is up to you. If you refuse the scholar's offer, simply head back to the Mages Guild. If you wish to run the scholar's errand anyway, you are free to do so (and you will still receive a random magical item for your trouble). But there is nothing to gain by being teleported back to the note's location. Your only option is, again, to return to the Guildmagister and report that the search was in vain.
RewardEdit
Upon returning to the Guildmagister with the magical item, he will say:
- "Who are you? Oh good heavens, I remember now. (item maker's name)'s (magical item), of course! And here it is. Well, as it happens, while you were gone, I had quite a breakthrough in my research. You see, it wasn't the azimuth vectors at all, the key to the whole problem is actually ... well, the point is, I no longer need the (magical item). It is a beautiful piece of work, though, isn't it? Why don't you keep it, since you went to all the trouble to find it for me. Now if you'll excuse me, I must get back to work."
If you instead come back empty-handed because neither the catalogue note nor the scholar could help you further, the Guildmagister will say:
- "Hullo, (player's name). Did you manage to track down that (magical item) of (item maker's name)'s? Ah well, that's too bad, but I'm sure I will manage to work around the problem without it. I know you did your best. Here's (random gold) gold for your trouble."
Reputation Gain/LossEdit
If the quest was a success you will gain/lose reputation according to the table below.
(Allies/Enemies affiliations for listed factions are not considered)
If the quest was a failure you will gain/lose reputation almost exactly to the table above, but in addition you will lose 3 reputation with the Mages Guild and 2 reputation with its associated factions.
Additional ReputationEdit
If neither the catalogue note nor the scholar told you the whereabouts of the magical item, upon returning to the Guildmagister you will gain/lose reputation almost exactly according to the above table. However, you will additionally gain +5 reputation with the Mages Guild and +3 reputation with its associated factions.
EnemiesEdit
- Random dungeon monsters
NotesEdit
- It is possible for the quest item's dungeon to be the same locale as the catalogue's or scholar's dungeons. There are no adverse effects on the quest if this happens.
Additional DialogueEdit
After you have accepted this quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:
- "Did you see (Guildmagister's name) wandering the streets last night, mumbling something under (his/her) breath? Crazy old coot!"
If you fail the quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:
- "Crazy old (Guildmagister's name) seems more despondent than usual."
If you successfully complete the quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:
- "(Guildmagister's name) has been telling everyone about some (player's race) who saved (his/her) research. Hey, that was you, right?"
If you successfully complete the quest, the quest giver may later greet you with:
- "Eh? Oh, my good friend (player's first name). You searched all of (player's race [sic]) for that (magical item) I wanted."
If you failed the quest, the quest giver will greet you with:
- "Eh? Have we met?"
Quest LogEdit
| Azimuthal Vectors (n0b00y17) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stage/ Index |
Finishes Quest | Journal Entry |
| 0 | (Date): (Guildmagister's name) of (guild town)'s Mages Guild has sent me to search for a certain magic (magical item) made by a (item maker's name). (Guildmagister's name) suggested I should either look in (catalogue's dungeon) for an old catalogue, or visit (scholar's name), an expert on (item maker's name), who is currently doing research in (scholar's dungeon). I am to report my findings within (time limit) days to (Guildmagister's name). | |
| 1 | (Date): I found (scholar's name) in (scholar's dungeon), but (he/she) was not able to help me in my search for (item maker's name)'s (magical item). | |
| 2 | (Date): (Scholar's name) suggested that I might find (item maker's name)'s (magical item) somewhere in a place called (magical item's dungeon). | |
| 3 | (Date): I believe I have found a good lead on the (magical item). The old catalogue from (catalogue's dungeon) said that it was once held in a place called (magical item's dungeon). | |
| 4 | (Date): I found part of the old catalogue in (catalogue's dungeon), but it gave no indication of the location of (item maker's name)'s (magical item). | |
| 5 | (Date): I spoke with (scholar's name) in (scholar's dungeon). (He/She) was unable to help me in my search for the (magical item), but I agreed to get some alchemical ingredients for (him/her) from (alchemist's name) of (alchemist's shop) in (alchemist's town) and return in (second time limit) days. | |