Samia's Proposal

Samia's Proposal is a side-quest that has no actual in-game official title, although there are Journal entries provided once the proposal is accepted, and another when 'resolved'. This section of the adventure actually falls under the Rescue Garren's child from Firkraag questline in the player's journal - even though this part of the quest isn't necessary to complete the child rescue. This might be a developer oversight.
== Aquisition ==
Samia will initiate dialogue with the closest party member in a corridor within Firkraag's Maze area. A proposal is offered from her, and if accepted, will trigger a Journal entry, as follows:
== Gameplay and abbreviated walkthrough ==
=== Samia's proposal accepted ===
After Samia speaks to the party, various dialogue will ensue - she appears to be an armed and armored fighter with scimitar and shield. She is alone, and neutral at the moment. If the party listens and doesn't immediately attack her, the party will learn her purpose in this dungeon, and have the opportunity to ask her several questions. Samia is a level-headed and reasonable speaker and quite charismatic in her own way.
Paraphrased here are the final remarks from her:
:"I seek the tomb of King Strohm III of Tethyr. He lost his life to treachery, a sad end for a noble man. I hope to find texts in his tomb that will detail his life. But I cannot pass beyond this area. I have the key, but something prevents my entry. Perhaps the magic was attuned to stop those of a certain heritage. Probably a holdover from at time of war. They did not want enemies defiling the tomb. You can guess what I am going to ask, can't you?"
More dialogue occurs, and if the player decides to help her, she'll promise compensation and will provide Samia's Key, saying:
:"I thank you. Here is a key which opens the first door. Inside you should find the tomb, though I doubt it will be unguarded. The texts I seek should be in his burial chamber. Once you get them, return to me and I shall compensate you. Good luck... you'll likely need it."
=== The maze ===
The corridor in which you spoke to Samia is fitted with several doors, leading West but mostly North. The key she provided will fit one of them, allowing access to the interior maze and burial chambers she spoke of, somewhere beyond. An Automap Note shows the door and a text display shows: Entrance to the maze. It is likely that the King's tomb may be warded against intrusion, so a party member who can discern traps could be of use while exploring the maze. There are probably further doors that are locked as well, needing lockpicking, or forced with strength, or even opened magically with a Knock spell.
Advance through the unlocked door north. A mostly empty room with some dusty debris on the floor is all that is seen, as well as two closed doors. A door to the north or one to the west.
Moving through the western door leads into another chamber, littered with debris and various trash. Two closed doors are seen, one leading North and the other west. Moving rapidly toward the party from the shadows is an attacking Fell Ghast. It seems the maze isn't uninhabited after all. A search of the room in one corner leads to finding the Book of King Strohm III and some other random treasure, possibly a Stone to Flesh Scroll. The ghast may be carrying a shiny bauble (as they often do) as a keepsake or to occupy its time between meals of manling flesh and bone marrow. Perhaps this Book is the text Samia sought?
Of course, it couldn't be that easy to solve this task.
The room where you found the book has two closed doors. The one to west is a smallish chamber, devoid of furnishings and only some cobwebbed wall shelving. Surprisingly some sort of Genie, maybe an Efreeti stands before you, calmly staring into your gaze. If you draw close to the magical creature it speaks: 
:"I am the gatekeeper. Here is the fallen king, laid low by his enemies as the Year of the Burning Sky fell to the Year of the Harvest of Scales. My eyes see all to guard as I should. You are not of the scale, but you are also not of the family. You have passed the door, but shall not go further. Down, down to the ground in reverence for the dead." 
The creature turns hostile. You must defend yourself!
This creature is just one of several Mask guardians within the maze. If the party is able to defeat its physical form, it shrinks into a planar vortex and disappears - leaving behind a single Piece of Burial Mask. What is this for? And what are you supposed to do with it? One thing noticed during the battle with the strange creature is that this guardian was most likely an Efreeti or possibly a Noble Efreeti. That explains the fireball cast upon the party and the eye watering acrid sting of partially combusted sulfur.
Examination of the Piece of Burial Mask notes the following description:
Having heard the cryptic message from a guardian and having examined the found Piece of Burial Mask from the defeated guardian, the party has correctly deduced that exploring this maze and area definitely has something to do with a King Strohm III. The presence of guardians also points to the place being purposefully protected from intrusion, and the mask pieces may be key to solving the whole thing. It now seems that Samia was not lying about the importance of this place and the potential for special texts and perhaps treasures hidden within.
=== Delve further and seize the Mask Pieces ===
The party must penetrate and explore the rest of this maze. More guardians are present ahead. There will be doors to examine, and rooms to search. Methodically scan for traps, and expect some doors to be locked, or maybe even find that there are "false doors" that seek to confuse and distract as they lead nowhere.
Find and destroy the remaining guardians. Each will utter some words of their duty and strange portents of doom for any would-be grave robbers. Ensure all pieces of the mask are collected.
In one surprise chamber, a Director beholder will be discovered, which is hostile. It will begin its attack script if any creatures are in its detection range. See the creature page for details.
Assuming the party is successful in getting all six Mask Pieces, when this occurs a screen text message will display:
And the player's Journal will update as well with:
Eventually the party will come to a chamber (located north of the Director beholder, and nearby one of the Mask guardians). A door leading north is locked, and despite attempts to open it will not budge. Examining the door will reveal an on-screen text message:
=== Defeat the Final mask guardian and explore King Strohm's tomb ===
With the clue about the Mask on the door, the party can take the completed Mask of King Strohm III and equip it on a party members helmet slot. This action acts as the key needed to open the final door to King Strohm's tomb. 
It also has one other effect, and that is to reveal the invisible Final mask guardian. This guardian will attack the closest detected party member in melee combat. The guardian resembles a sort of Fire Elemental. For details about the being, see the creature article.
When defeated, the party may enter and explore the last room, which is the tomb of King Strohm III. The player will discover two items in a floor niche amidst some debris, including Peridan and the Dragon Scale Shield. When these items are picked up, a script trigger will initiate.
=== Samia and cohorts make an appearance ===
Blocking the path out of the maze are Samia and a group of allied relic hunters. Paraphrased below, Samia will speak:
:"You have done well. I had my doubts about this plan, but it worked. Get some fool to take the risks, and then we take the treasure and bury them in the tomb!"
Samia and her five cohorts will then initiate hostile attacks upon the party. The player has been lied to and must defend against this assault. The following creatures are your new enemies:
Samia, Akae, Chak, Ferric Ironblade, Kaol, and Legdoril. See their individual pages for details. Additionally, a short journal entry will pop up as soon as the enemy party begins hostilities that basically summarizes that the PC is now aware that she and her party intended to ambush, kill and loot the party all along.
If defeated, a journal entry will update:
And so, this ends Samia's proposal.
==Gallery==
:Portraits from Portraits Portraits Everywhere
SAMIA.jpg|Samia, - "My apologies. I am Samia, and it would seem we are in the same situation. Have you come searching for the tomb as well? I was not aware of another expedition."
DDGUARD1.png|Mask guardian - "I am the gatekeeper. Here is the fallen king, laid low by his enemies as the Year of the Burning Sky fell to the Year of the Harvest of Scales. My eyes see all to guard as I should."
DDGUARD2.png|Mask Guardian - "Come! Come and listen to my damnable speech. Hear what I must say due to terms of service. Then you shall die out of duty and out of hate."
DDGUARD3.png|Mask Guardian - "I am a guardian; I rot with the bones of a king. His rule pulled the Scale, for he alone saw the coming fire. He gave his life to the fire, to weaken the Scale and triumph in death."
DDGUARD4.png|Mask Guardian - "Grr... I am a guardian. Many a drow did fall in the cleansing, but red came a Wing to their call and their aid."
DDGUARD5.png|Mask Guardian - "I am a guardian. Pulled was the Scale and deep fled the foe, but mourned did a people for their fallen king. Victory's cost was the end of a rule."
AKAE.png|Akae, Elven Kensai - Member of Samia's relic hunting group.
Screenshot (696).png|A Mask guardian seen in a chamber behind a closed door.
Screenshot (698).png|The guardian Efreeti says its cryptic message and becomes hostile. PC has closed the door so it can't escape.
Screenshot (700).png|Director beholder found behind a locked door - it attacks via spells and eye beams immediately.
Screenshot (702).png|PC enters room, door to the North can't be opened. A sudden Sunfire explodes within.
Screenshot (705).png|Final mask guardian becomes visible once PC dons the Mask of King Strohm III. The elemental creature attacks.
Screenshot (709).png|Samia and her group appear and block the PC from leaving the final burial chamber. Looks like an ambush!
==Mod gallery==
Screenshot (711).png|SCS and SR mods in action for first combat round of Samia's group casting buffs and quaffing potions.