Astral Candescence

Category:terminology Category:Featured Articles
The Astral Candescence is an object of sheer mystery (at this point in time). Rumors have it that it is an ethereal instrument that produces a magical "Astral Wind", which enhances the lives of whoever has it. It is locked in the Hall of Binding of Al Zahbi to prevent beastmen from stealing it. The Astral Candescence is the source of the entire Besieged conflict in Aht Urhgan.
thumb|The Astral Candescence resting atop the Astral Plinth within the Hall of Binding
Each of the five Serpent Generals has one of the 5 keys necessary to enter the Hall of Binding. If the beastmen breach the Hall of Binding after defeating the generals and obtain the Astral Candescence, it will need to be recovered by entering an uncapped BCNM in the stronghold of the beastmen who obtained it. The BCNM requires farming 2 Key Items from the beastmen within that stronghold to enter it.
== If Al Zahbi has the Astral Candescence ==
*Defeating mobs while under Sanction yields a 5-15% XP bonus, depending on Al Zahbi's defense rating.
*Sanction lasts from 3 to 8 hours, depending on the player's Assault Mercenary Rank.
*You can purchase Runic Portal Use Permits to use the Runic Portals without an Assault Order. This costs 200 Imperial Standing.
*You may opt to receive one of three beneficial status effects for 100 Imperial Standing. which will last as long as Sanction remains in effect: Regen, Refresh, or Increased Meal Duration, upon getting Sanction.
*Shihu-Danhu, located in Al Zahbi, will warp you as close to Jeuno as he can, and he will occasionally get you directly to Ru'Lude Gardens.
*Mobs defeated in areas subject to Besieged while under the effect of Sanction may drop crystals.
== If Beastmen have the Astral Candescence ==
*Sanction only lasts from 1 to 3 hours depending on your rank.
*You can't apply the Regen/Refresh/Increased Meal Duration effects upon getting Sanction. However, any effects that you applied before the loss of the Astral Candescence will still work.
*You can't gain crystals upon defeating enemies.
*In the region that has the Astral Candescence, the effectiveness of Sneak and Invisible is reduced. In some cases, this effectiveness is reduced by 100%, essentially giving enemies either True Sight and/or True Hearing status depending on the type of enemy.
*You will get an increased number of Imperial Standing points for defeating enemies within the region that has the Astral Candescence while Sanction is in effect.
*Sharin-Garin will refuse to sell Runic Portal Use Permits in order to conserve the power of the Runic Portals. Permits issued before the Astral Candescence was taken may still be used, however. Usage of the Runic Portal for Assault and for returning to the Chamber of Passage from a Staging Point remains unaffected.
*In the region that has the Astral Candescence, beastmen are approximately 5-6 levels higher than what they con. For example, a mob that cons even match may actually fight like a Tough to Very Tough mob.
*Shihu-Danhu will warp you further away from Jeuno but still occasionally sends you to Ru'Lude Gardens. You may only use this service once per Vana'diel day.
*You will not receive the Experience Points bonus from Sanction for defeating enemies.
*Some vendors in Aht Urhgan Whitegate and Al Zahbi have reduced stock.
*If an Archaic Mirror is destroyed inside the stronghold that has the Astral Candescence, that mirror will not respawn until Al Zahbi recovers the candescence.
*There is no music in Al Zahbi. However, people who were there when the Astral Candescence was taken will still hear the music until they move to a different area and come back.
*The Beastmen forces that obtained the Astral Candascene will dramatically be reduced to lv. 1 when defending their base.
== Recovering the Astral Candescence ==
*Head to the region that has the Astral Candescence, either by walking there or by using the Runic Portal, if you still have a Runic Portal Use Permit in your inventory.
*Bring a party and be prepared to fight. Beastmen tend to have enhanced hearing/sight if the Astral Candescence is in that region and certain enemies may possess True Sight or True Hearing when they did not have them before. You may instead elect to bring an alliance, but note that only one party may enter the final BCNM at a time. It is recommended that each party in the alliance be well-balanced and able to function on their own.
*Any Archaic Mirrors destroyed in that region do not respawn until the Astral Candescence has been recovered. Eliminate the mirrors first to ease travel throughout the stronghold.
*The 2 temporary key items required to enter the BCNM in the zone vary by region. Zoning or logging out will result in the loss of the key items, along with accepting the black magic spell Tractor. When a monster drops a key item, each person in the party or alliance will obtain the key item as long as they are somewhere within the zone.
*BCNM fight is uncapped, with 30 minute time limit. You fight 3 NMs of the appropriate beastmen race.
*As of the 10/18/06 patch, being KO'd in the BCNM results in no loss of experience points.
*Only 6 members in the party may enter the BCNM fight at a time. All party members must possess both key items to enter.
*Buffs and TP carry into BCNM.
*Tractor is disabled inside the BCNM
*Monsters in the BCNM will share hate and aggro all members inside BCNM when any member approaches or acts upon the NMs.
*Boss NM is immune to sleep and silence. The 2 lesser NMs can be slept, however.
*The NMs are very powerful and difficult to defeat if you are the first party attempting the fight; however, they do not recover HP in the event of a wipe. When the next party enters the BCNM, the NMs will be at the same level of HP that the previous party left them at, allowing them to be gradually weakened until one party manages to successfully defeat them all.
:*If a party defeats or heavily damages any of the NMs but still wipes, the ones that were damaged below 33% or killed will recover to 33% HP for the next party that enters.
===Mamook===
*Enter the zone from Wajaom Woodlands at (D-12), which will put you at (J-7).
*You will need both the Red Bell and Blue Bell key items to enter the Burning Circle. When said key items drop, everyone in the alliance will receive them.
*While fighting Mamool Ja, collect the tanscale keys that drop. You need these to open gates later down the road. Alternatively, a Thief can pick the locks.
*TO AVOID WASTING TIME: In the lower part, past the gate that asks for the red bell, you will need three tanscale keys to go through the doors if you take the SE path. Farm before you go past the red bell door!
*From (J-7) in Mamook, hug the right wall until you get to (G-7). Enter the passage just south of the one you exited, and hug the right wall until you get to (F-8). Drop down and cross the clearing, walking back up the ramp at (E-9). Enter and follow the north passage at (E-8). Hug the right wall until you arrive at (F-6), at which point you can follow the left wall all the way to the Mahogany Door.
*To enter the Mahogany Door, everyone who wishes to pass will need a Red Bell key item. It's fine if your party/alliance is missing one, you will have plenty of time to farm it on the way to the Burning Circle.
*Past the Mahogany Door, Mamool Ja check Very tough to Incredibly tough. Mamools are True Sight, Hunting Raptors are aggressive to sight and sound, and Spinners are not aggressive.
** Note: If you get tractored, you will lose your key items and will not be given access to the Burning Circle. After you enter the BC, your bell key items are gone. If you wish to re-enter, you must farm more.
*Head in a SSW pattern, until you find the BCNM area at (G-11). Both a Blue Bell and a Red Bell are required to enter the BCNM. There will be gates that can be opened by the keys that drop in the zone. 
*Before you get to the last Mahogany Gate, there is a door that needs to be opened with a bunch of true sight Mamool nearby, so you cannot run through without fighting them.
*The final Mahogany door requires both a Red Bell and Blue Bell. It is recommended to fight the mobs before the first Mahogany bell before passing the first door, since the mobs are higher level.
*The 3 NM are Mamool Ja.
:*Sagelord Molaal Ja (BLM) (Boss)
:*Forbidding Koheel Ja (THF)
:*Shadelurking Zolool Ja (NIN)
: It is recommended to go in the order of BLM > THF > NIN. The NIN will use Mijin Gakure that can do upwards of 4000 damage in a large AoE. The NIN will NOT die as a result of the move, unlike the adventurer skill. You will need a way of doing damage to the NIN after the move by someone outside the AoE of the Mijin Gakure.
: Bring at least 1 Poison Potion, as Sagelord Molaal Ja will spam Sleepga II.
: Sagelord is immune to stun
: Sleep and Sleepga II will get resisted by the Thief and Ninja A LOT, Elemental Seal recommended. 
:Sagelord begins using Ground burst below 40%.
: mobs regain 8% hp per run.
* If you lose the battle you can send someone outside of the Mahogany Door to pull a new mob for the bells and open the door from the inside, both bells can be farmed off of all the mobs outside of the BCNM. 
*The fastest the AC been recovered here was approximately less than 4 hours.
See also: Mamook Incursion
===Halvung===
*The 3 NM in the BCNM are Trolls. Exact jobs are as follows:
:*Chiliarch Gordarvor (PLD) (Boss)
:*Hetairoi Vuryargur (MNK)
:*Hetairoi Zarwarkur (RDM)
*The PLD and RDM Trolls will cast Cure IV on weak Trolls when any of the Trolls' HP is low. It is recommended that you separate them from the MNK and defeat the MNK Troll first using a PLD tank or NIN with lots of -Damage gear. Then defeat the RDM Troll and finally the PLD.
*These NMs are heavily resistant to all enfeebles. However, we found that the RDM can be slept somewhat easily. It's recommended to bring 2 Tanks (for the MNK and PLD), and to keep the RDM slept or kited.
*Any of the Trolls within Halvung can drop the key items Musical Score - 1st Page and Musical Score - 2nd Page to enter this BC. The Troll Cannoneers, Troll Cameist (MNK, RDM, RNG, and PUP Trolls) drop Musical Score - 1st Page and the Troll Hoplites, Troll Gemologist (WAR, PLD, and DRK Trolls) drop Musical Score - 2nd Page.
*To reach the BC Area, head to the Decorative Bronze Door at (L-5) on first map. In order to enter this door, you must posess the Musical Score - 1st Page which drops from any Troll cannoneer in Halvung (the item is not lost when you pass through the door). There is a second brass door at (F-12) on the map past the first door - This is the BCNM area. Note that all Trolls in this 2nd map area are True Sight, but it is still quite possible to walk past many of the stationary sentry trolls by walking next to them and not directly in front of them.
*Fastest the AC has been recovered here was approximately 5h 30m. 
See also: Halvung Invasion
=== Arrapago Reef ===
==== Traveling to the Battlefield ====
*Go to (I-6) on the map 1 of Caedarva Mire and enter Arrapago Reef (entrance 1 on the map).
*While in Arrapago Reef, you will need to kill Merrows until everyone on the way to the battlefield obtain a Merrow Homunculus, and Lamiae until everyone has a Lamia Homunculus.
**Changing area, disconnecting from the game or accepting Tractor will cause the character to lose these key items.
**Best way to get to the key items repeatedly is to have a party that can kill the Merrow Chantress at the main entrance area where you do the COR quest. There's a Lamie Deathdancer and a Lamie Bellydancer west of the Tidal Gate that you go through to do the fight, which drops the key item also.
*Go to (J-10), past the first boat and through the Iron Gate you should find there.
**A Lamian Fang Key or a Thief with Thief's Tools is necessary to open the gate.
*Head west to point B at (F-10) and continue onto map 2.
*Head to point I at (I-11).
**Examining the gate here should give a message involving a woman singing. If you have not picked up the two key items on the way, do so now.
*Use the Merrow Homunculus to go through this gate to the map 8.
**The key item is not yet consumed at this point.
*Head southwest towards point J at (G-9), and continue onto map 4.
**From this point on, the Merrow and Lamia are Nix and Lamie respectively, and they all possess true sight.
*From here, head south until you reach an open area. Head either east or west, as this area is basically a ring of land. There will be an tunnel at (H-9)/(I-9) leading into the central rock area, and the Tidal Gate (battlefield entrance) will be inside.
==== Fight ====
*The battlefield allows a single 6-person party inside at a time. All party members must have both key items to enter, and both items are consumed upon entry.
*The 3 Lamiae to be defeated are:
**Lamia No.11 (RNG) (Boss)
**Lamia No.18 (COR)
**Lamia No.24 (BLM)
*The order they are listed above is a suggested order to defeat them.
*If any of them are defeated, but the battlefield is not successfully cleared, the defeated ones will re-spawn with around 33% of HP remaining.
See also: Lamia Reprisal
Image:CaedarvaMire1.png|Caedarva Mire Map 1
Image:ArrapagoReef1.png|Arrapago Map 1
Image:ArrapagoReef2.png|Arrapago Map 2
Image:ArrapagoReef8.png|Arrapago Map 8
Image:ArrapagoReef4.png|Arrapago Map 4
Image:Tidal_Gate.png|The Tidal Gate
===Trivia===
* It is likely that the Astral Candescence along with the others mentioned in the missions were take from the end areas of Salvage, as those areas have structures much like the hall of binding.