TDS Progression #4b: The Edge of Balance  

Quest Started By:Description:
Where:
Who:
Rating:
*****
Information:
Level:100
Maximum Level:125
Monster Mission:No
Repeatable:Yes
Can Be Shrouded?:No
Quest Type:Task
Quest Goal:
  • Advancement
  • Experience
  • Money
Time Limit:06:00:00
Success Lockout Timer: 06:00:00
Related Zones:
Related Creatures:
Related Quests:
Era:The Darkened Sea
Recommended:
Group Size:Solo
Min. # of Players:1
Max. # of Players:6
Appropriate Classes:
  • All
Appropriate Races:
  • All
Entered: Sun Oct 26 02:53:00 2014
Modified: Tue Dec 5 05:21:04 2023


The Darkened Sea Info & Guides: Overview | Progression & Task List | Raiding | Visible Armor



This group mission begins with Firiona Vie (click for map image) in Katta Castrum: Deluge. She's found in the southwestern part of the temple's main floor.

Pre-Requisites for Requesting:
- Completion of "The Pellarus Satum" (Head Mage Antius's non-progression task)
- Completion of "A Rising Storm" (Tempest Temple)
- Completion of "Gathering Clouds" (Tempest Temple)
- Completion of "Clearer Skies" (Tempest Temple)

Say "Tsaph" to request the mission and "ready" to zone in.

You say, 'Hail, Firiona Vie'

Firiona Vie says 'You come from the surface. I can see that. You have come beneath the waves to a broken place, a place I thought I could heal.' Firiona crosses her arms. 'But I cannot be too quick to trust after what has happened here. How do I [know] who sends you?''

You say, 'You know it's Ognit...'

Firiona Vie frowns and nods as you speak Ognit's phrase to her and tell what happened on the island of storms. 'Ognit is safe then? Safer certainly than we shall be. That [beam] of light he saw: It did not fall harmlessly into the sea.

You say, 'What beam of light?'

Firiona Vie says 'I was walking the courtyard when a brilliant light cracked through the air and struck the Pellarus Sanctum. The sea began gushing into the city and flooding the lower wards. Citizens drowned, and those remaining fled to higher ground or tried to escape through [portals].'

You say, 'What portals?'

Firiona Vie says 'Before we arrived, the Combine had been busy establishing portals throughout the Buried Sea, reconnecting to lost parts of their empire. But most of those portals are either underwater or inoperable now. There are few options for escape, so we must [repair] the dome before it crumbles and reactivate the portal to [Tsaph]'s chamber. We must move quickly, so I must apologize if I have not had the time to give you a more detailed [account].'

You say, 'How do we repair it?'

Firiona Vie says 'Head Mage Antius has been leading the efforts to repair the dome. You should speak with him and see what can be done.'

You say, 'Tell me about your account'

Firiona Vie looks at you without speaking for several seconds. You can see the sadness in her eyes. 'I must apologize to you, _____, and to everyone in Norrath. I have been [absent] for many years.'

You say, 'Why have you been absent?'

Firiona Vie says 'I remembered little after the Kithicor explosion: my hands pressed against glass, the needles, the leering faces, the dark chants. And I remember seeing myself mirrored through two panes: the dark elf, my nemesis, held in a chamber just like mine, both of us [prisoners] of Discord.'

You say, 'Prisoners?'

Firiona Vie says 'I do not know how long we were there. For us time ceased to exist, and I cannot say whether I bore the captivity asleep or awake. When the adventurers came and released us, I sadly could not recall their faces even if I were to see them. Perhaps you were there, _____. If so, I have [squandered] the gift you gave me.'

You say, 'Squandered, how?'

Firiona Vie says 'I do not say this to evoke your pity. It was a long journey home, through the portal and the Void. I returned to a kingdom that thought I was dead, that had already mourned and forgotten me. What [use] was I to them?'

You say, 'No use...'

Firiona Vie sighs. 'I languished in the chambers of my father's house, as I admit I am wont to do in times of grief. How I have failed Norrath in my absence! I could not face my father or [Tunare]. When at last I had the courage to enter the Plane of Growth and see my father, Galeth, who had thought I was dead and who had long since abandoned his mortal form...' Firiona trails off and wipes a tear from her eye.

You say, 'Tunare?'

Firiona Vie says 'She spoke so gently, like a caressing wind... There was no condemnation, only love and purpose. She asked for no penance, only the commitment of her champion to balance. Tunare spoke of the Buried Sea, of the storm clouds gathering over the islands and the darkness that would soon descend beneath the waves. She bade me to take the Lifeguide, find my [companions], and set sail for Katta Castrum.'

You say, 'What companions?'

Firiona Vie says 'You too would doubt your eyes if a ghost walked into the room. My friends had already mourned me and gone their separate ways. And the years have piled upon them in deep drifts, as Ognit might say. It is no simple thing to set out on the road to [adventure] when the cold has already begun seeping into your bones. But they followed me as though it were not only I who had come back from the dead.'

You say, 'What adventure?'

Firiona Vie says 'We chartered the Swift Fin from the Barren Coast, and Captain Sedgethwait sailed us into the Buried Sea. I will not digress about how we met the [Brothers]. Already they have played a far greater role in this journey than I would have liked.'

You say, 'Who are the Brothers?'

Firiona Vie says 'I will say this about them: their leaders, Jameswell Dagmire and Quigley Barnables, have better knowledge of these seas and their coming storms than I do. They told us of the strange things they are seeing on the islands, and I left most of my companions there to investigate while I headed to [Katta Castrum]. After what has transpired, perhaps that was a mistake...'

You say, 'Katta Castrum?'

Firiona Vie says 'Strange... it occurs to me now that even Zebuxoruk said it would all begin in Katta Castrum. So much of my thoughts then were in a fog, and I could not take in all he was saying. But Tunare was clear: I was to seek Katta Castrum and through the healing of Tsaph Katta restore [balance].'

You say, 'Balance?'

Firiona Vie says 'It is never [simple] to know what that means. If the legends are true, Tsaph sought balance through inclusion, desiring to unite all races under one rule, as one people. If he were healed, could he be another champion for balance, or merely another tyrant marching with balance and unity as his vanguard?'

You say, 'Not simple...'

Firiona Vie says 'Indeed, how can I ever feel as though I have achieved balance while Lanys still lives, while her face still stares at me from behind that glass...' Firiona looks away. 'She is never far off... but I had my [duty] in Tsaph's chamber.'

You say, 'What duty?'

Firiona Vie says 'I consulted with Head Attendant Haestus, Head Mage Antius, and Al`Kabor. I drew upon all the healing arts I could remember, and we decided to place the gem of the Lifeguide within Tsaph's stasis chamber. With Tunare's blessing it just might draw the poison from Tsaph's body. Despite my dark visions and my apprehension about what we may find in [Tsaph]'s chamber, I still cling to hope. We must reach him as soon as possible!'

You say, 'So, about Tsaph...'

Firiona Vie says 'With the dome safe for now and the portal active, we must hurry to Tsaph's chamber! Tell me when you are [ready]!'

You have been assigned the task 'The Edge of Balance'.

Now that the dome has been stabilized, Firiona wants to check on Tsaph and make sure nothing has happened to him. She is worried about what this attack will mean for her mission in the Buried Sea.



Speak with Firiona 0/5 (Katta Castrum: Deluge)

Hail her until the task updates.

Firiona Vie gazes at the portal. 'I hope Tsaph remains safe. The gem of the Lifeguide that I placed in his stasis chamber still protects and heals him, but who knows what dark fates will visit this place now that the first blow has been struck?'

Firiona Vie says 'I have not yet told you of the vision I saw. One night as I held vigil over Tsaph, with the staff of the Lifeguide in my hands, my eyes lost sight. Then stars appeared all around me. I could see her: Lanys gripping the Lifeguide. I stared at her, and I could see her looking back. I knew she was in the Void, and she knew I was in Katta Castrum. It was only a matter of time.'

Firiona Vie says 'Has Lanys arrived already? As soon as my vision returned, I hastened to Al`Kabor. I entrusted the staff of the Lifeguide to him and told him to warn the other companions that Lanys is coming. But he did not travel through the portal that brought us here, and I have not heard of him since. I worry even more now that Ognit mentioned nothing of him... and now the attack has come...'

Firiona Vie says 'The beam you spoke of -- could it have been Lanys' first salvo?' Firiona pauses. 'I did not think she possessed such power... It was the beam that might have ruined my work in healing Tsaph.'

Firiona Vie says 'The teleporter to Tsaph's chamber was flooded when the dome was pierced. I have been trying to reconfigure this teleporter to lead to the chamber. With my notes and the work you have done for Researcher Chlearpa, we might be able to gain access. Speak with her about the notes I have made thus far. We must get inside the chamber!'



Speak with Researcher Chlearpa 0/1 (Katta Castrum: Deluge)

You say, 'Hail, Researcher Chlearpa'

Researcher Chlearpa says 'Brilliant... if we just extrapolate the electrogenic charge on the mana plate transducifier, we can create a free-linked coordinate paradigm reorganizer...' Researcher Chlearpa tinkers with the portal. 'There! We should be able to reach Tsaph's chamber now... at least parts of us will probably make it!'

Raised voices from the praetorians in the courtyard echo inside the temple. Tactician Sodut shouts, 'Ready your weapons! Something is coming!'



Investigate the disturbance outside the temple 0/1 (Katta Castrum: Deluge)

Just outside the temple, several members of the Combine attack Tactician Sodut and company.



Kill the invaders 0/5 (Katta Castrum: Deluge)

The "a combine _____" mobs hit for a max ~13,000 and are immune to stuns, but are mezzable and rootable/snareable. They are NOT aggro-linked.

Upon the last death:

Tactician Sodut grunts, trying to ignore the blood trickling down his side. 'They fight like Combine, but I've never seen such armor before. Fall back to the temple! There may be more of them!'



Fall back to the temple 0/1 (Katta Castrum: Deluge)

You may want to invis up before moving back in (or move quickly). Once you step inside the temple, five more "a combine _____" mobs spawn at the doorway.

Head Mage Antius shouts 'Behind you, near the temple entrance! More of the them!'



Kill the invaders 0/5 (Katta Castrum: Deluge)

Same as above.

Head Mage Antius shouts 'I will defend this temple as long as my magic holds!'



Speak with Head Mage Antius 0/4 (Katta Castrum: Deluge)

Hail him until the task updates, at which point (shortly after) the two brutes become auto-aggro.

Una Lucem stares placidly at Antius through the magical barrier. Her eyes do not blink, and her brow betrays no hint of anger. 'My father says if you don't give me Tsaph, I can see what's inside you.'

Una Lucem shouts 'My father let me see Quellin's insides after I took off his head. There were so many colors, like the autumn leaves.' Una Lucem finally blinks. 'Give me Tsaph.''

Una Lucem shouts 'Is this where Tsaph sleeps?'

Researcher Chlearpa's words leap from her mouth, trying to escape. 'I fixed it, and now you can use it, and Tsaph is up there; go ahead, and don't kill me, please!'

Una Lucem points to her guards and then to the ground in front of the portal. 'Stay. If they come to bother me, sit them at the table, with their heads on their plates. We'll have tea.'



Kill Una Lucem's brutes 0/2 (Katta Castrum: Deluge)

The brutes, by this time, have moved to the portal in the northwestern corner of the zone-in room. These two are stunnable, mezzable, and rootable/snareable. They might be aggro-linked. Each hits for a max ~16,000 and summons when damaged.



Enter Tsaph's chamber and speak with Una Lucem 0/2 (Katta Castrum: Deluge)

TASK LOCKS HERE

Enter the portal, and you'll find yourself in Tsaph Katta's resting chamber alongside Firiona Vie. Hail Una Lucem, and be ready for a fight.

Una Lucem shouts 'He looks peaceful. Don't make noise and wake him up.'

Firiona Vie rushes to aid the head attendant. 'Haestus, look out! Don't let her...' Firiona's voice catches as Una Lucem envelops her in magic. Her eyes entreat you to stop Una Lucem.



Defeat Una Lucem 0/1 (Katta Castrum: Deluge)

Una Lucem hits for a max ~22,000 (no flurry; no rampage). Every 20 seconds, she casts "Shock of Magic" on a random single target:

Shock of Magic: Single Target, Magic (-975)
1: Decrease Hitpoints by 80000
2: Stun (3.00 sec)

DPS her to 10%, at which point she goes non-aggro.

Una Lucem says, 'You are strange.' She waves her hand, and you feel magic gripping you.



Speak with Una Lucem 0/8 (Katta Castrum: Deluge)

Hail her until the task updates.

You say, 'Hail, Una Lucem'

Una Lucem raises an eyebrow. 'You are stronger than the criminals father lets me fight. But the ones in chains can't protect their necks.'

Lanys T`Vyl appears...

Lanys T`Vyl laughs. 'Una, stop playing with your enemies. Where is your sense of bloodlust, your anger that your opponents still draw breath? Obviously your father did not mix enough dark elf into you!'

Lanys T`Vyl says 'If you're going to kill them, then kill them -- unless you have a good reason not to.' Lanys smiles at Firiona. 'Like Miss Vie here. How could I kill my old friend who shared with me the long captivity of Discord?'

Lanys T`Vyl shouts 'You've found yourself captured again! Does this seem familiar: trapped and helpless while your allies are hurt and dying? Una, kill the head attendant.'

Una Lucem's sword flicks out like a snake's tongue, swift and silent. Haestus' belly sags and begins to spill its contents. 'It's more colorful than his robe.' Una watches the man dying on the floor.

Firiona Vie's eyes seethe with anger, though her mouth cannot voice it while Una's magic holds her.

Una Lucem shouts 'Father will be happy, but I don't know why he cares about some sleeping atavism.'

Lanys T`Vyl laughs. 'Do you see this, Firiona? Once again you lose your purpose in this world: your cause and your Lifeguide. But don't fret; I have plans for you and your companions. Perhaps you will find there are more important things to fight for than balance.

Firiona Vie punches the blood-soaked rug next to Haestus' body. 'Lanys...'



Speak with Firiona 0/6 (Katta Castrum: Deluge)

Hail her to complete the task. A chest also spawns at this time. The task is repeatable with a 6-hour lockout timer from the time of request.

Firiona Vie says 'You're never as ready as you think you are to lose someone under your care. I thought I was prepared for this journey. Too easily I forgot the cost of balance...'

Firiona Vie says 'Now my enemy has both Tsaph and the gem of the Lifeguide. And how long will it be before she realizes the staff is missing? She will tear apart the Buried Sea looking for it, and my companions will be shredded by her claws...'

Firiona Vie says 'If she can still feel the connection to the Lifeguide, no doubt she will search for Al`Kabor.' Firiona sighs. 'It's no easy thing to lead.''

Firiona Vie says 'Already my companions are spread over the seas, Al`Kabor is missing, and Lanys has part of the Lifeguide. And who is this Una that fights with Lanys? None of this has gone as I foresaw.'

Firiona Vie says 'Before all else, we must find Al`Kabor. If Lanys recombines the Lifeguide, there is no telling how much destruction she will wreak on Norrath. Speak with me after we [leave] and return to the chamber below.'


Rewards:
90 platinum
Experience

Possible Chest Loot (1 item + 0-1 armor templates + 0-1 Briny Essences + 0-1 Valiant ornament):

Darkwater Crystal Earring
Fireglass Shard Necklace
Fused Coral Knife
Nightfang's Ring of Protection
Serpentskin Mask

Castaway Armguards
Castaway Bracer
Castaway Boots
Castaway Gloves
Castaway Helm
Castaway Leggings
Castaway Tunic

Minor Briny Essence
Lesser Briny Essence
Median Briny Essence
Rewards:
Send a Correction
Post Comment
Tailor made for boxers
# Feb 11 2015 at 7:37 PM Rating: Good
Sage
***
3,008 posts
Great mission if you're multi-boxing. Nothing but the final boss sees thru invis. All the mobs spawn after trigger hails which means you control the pace. The two batches of 5 mobs spawn in a specific spot and you don't need to be in agro range to pop them---or if you're invisd they won't agro. They sorta fight the "good guys" but the fights are not very enthusiastic and nobody gets hurt. Plus this isn't an escort mission where you have to worry about the NPCs on your side dying. You can take all the time in the world. (Well, up to the 6 hour limit, hehe.)

The 5-packs of mobs can be rooted, snared, mezzed and they do succumb to druid Nature's Serenity ("calm"). They do spawn closely together so be prepared to get twosies, even if you calm them. My enchanter is only 101 at the time so her top aoe mez (caps at 103) didn't always land on all the mobs. I had to use Bewilder (108 cap, single target) to control the higher mobs. Yeah, I suffered a few deaths learning the mission but could repeat it now death-free easily.

The boss sees thru invis, but again the fight doesn't start till you hail her. We saw her cast Shock of Magic on a groupmember other than the tank just once.

Fun mission for all!
____________________________
Sippin 115 DRU **** Firiona Vie ****Agnarr
FV: 115 WAR ENC CLE MAG WIZ SHD SHM Master Alchemist ROG Master Tinkerer & Poison-Maker
Master Artisan (300+) * Baker * Brewer * Fletcher * Jeweler * Potter * Researcher * Smith * Tailor
Agnarr: 65 DRU ENC SHD MAG CLE ROG WIZ BRD WAR
When you speak to The Magus its 0/4 not 0/7
# Dec 28 2014 at 4:50 PM Rating: Decent
*
140 posts
At least for me on 12/28/2014 I only had to hail him 4 times before the brutalis fight and not 7.

Also they auto aggroed me once the Una Lucem person ported up... I had to mezz them or probably die lol.. but then it was eays
The 2 Brutalis are Stunnable
# Dec 28 2014 at 4:48 PM Rating: Decent
*
140 posts
In your write-up it says the two Brutalis are immune to stun, but I am a 102 Paladin and I was stunning them just fine.
Cheers,
Chest Loot
# Dec 17 2014 at 12:58 PM Rating: Decent
Loot Not Listed:

Castaway Gloves:
https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?item=118738

Nightfang's Ring of Protection:
https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?item=120947

as well as a Minor Briny Essence
The Edge of Balance - chest loots
# Dec 13 2014 at 12:14 PM Rating: Good

We got these in the chest at the end:

Serpentskin Mask
https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?item=120915

Castaway Leggings
https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?item=120477

Lesser Briny Essence
https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?item=121123


____________________________
Poofiedog Needsabath
105 Druid on Drinal

Raid Sacrifice (for the win!)


Chest spawn
# Dec 11 2014 at 1:37 PM Rating: Decent
13 posts
Chest spawned today after final step.

Darkwater Crystal Earring
Castaway Bracer
Valiant Cloth Wrist Ornament
Una hits hard
# Dec 01 2014 at 10:03 PM Rating: Decent
*
61 posts
You wont actually defeat her as her patron cheats(Dev's Pet!). About the time you beat her down to 10% you get hammered with an unresistable spell that prevents you from casting or fighting. (Time to stop and do dialog).You cannot cast from this point on so no rezzing anyone that has died, but there is a long enough period of talk and all the hails so can probably run back to be sure you get credit for the mission if you died. She hits like a truck so if she gets away from tank or your healing is lacking she can pound your group .
info
# Nov 29 2014 at 9:59 AM Rating: Good
Sage
Avatar
**
770 posts
Task locks between these steps:

Enter Tsaph's chamber and speak with Una Lucem 0/2 (Katta Castrum: Deluge)
Defeat Una Lucem 0/1 (Katta Castrum: Deluge)
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