Gem Quest: The Dark Castle

Gem Quest: The Dark Castle is one of the main quests in Solasta: Crown of the Magister. It is unlocked automatically when the player completes the previous main quest and grants certain rewards upon completion.

This quest also unlocks the first Major Gate outside of Caer Cyflen's Gate.

## How to obtain the quest

You get this quest after completing the Report to the Council quest.

## Objectives and quest log entries

**Follow the Crownbearer’s Intuition**

* Travel to the place that the crownbearer is being drawn to, and search for a gem.
* You arrived at the location of the Crown’s signal and found a large castle there.

**Enter the Castle’s Courtyard**

* Find a way into the courtyard.
* You have reached the castle courtyard.

**Enter the Castle’s Keep**

* Get into the keep and find the master.
* You have found the Keep’s entrance, but you can’t get in.

**Find Another Way In**

* You have found an underground passage.

**Explore the Tunnels**

* You have entered the keep.

**Get to the Next Floor**

* Explore the laboratory and look for the Master.
* You have found a hidden stair to the next floor.

**Locate the Master**

* Search the lair and see if the Master is here.
* You need a teleporter to get to the next floor.

**Find a Way Out of the Maze**

* Find how to exit the maze, probably the Master’s last line of defense. Take your time, think it through, and look for clues while you explore.
* You have found a room with teleporters.

**Follow the Adventurer’s Journal**

* Follow the hints in the journal to escape the labyrinth.
* You have found the way out of the maze!

**Find the Master and the Gem**

* Question the Master about the gem’s location.
* You have found the Master and acquired the Gem of Necromancy.

## Walkthrough

###### Starting the quest

There are more slots for jewelry on the crown. That's why you are tasked with finding the missing ones by the Legacy Council (Gem Quest: The Dark Castle). Checking the sockets on the crown, one can conclude that there are 8 gems in total to be inserted in their respective slots. At this point, there are 7 more to be found during your adventures. So let's get to work…

### Preparations

* Prepare your group well for the long journey to the Dark Castle. Pack enough food (one way on normal speed is 11 days → 44 rations; or just have a character with a Goodberry spell). You may return to Caer Cyflen via a major gate, so you don't have to plan for that.
* In addition, depending on your heroes Nature and Survival skills, you'll find some foraged food on your way to the castle.
* Think of scrolls, potions and magic items that may help against undead creatures such as ghouls, zombies, ghasts, skeletons, defilers.
* Also be sure to pack weapons with different types of damage (slashing, bludgeoning, piercing) to be able to exploit your enemies' weaknesses.
* While you're in the city, Annie informs you that one Master Dackin is eager to meet one of your adventurers who’s a former student of his (Academic). Meet him at the Sunblaze Court. He'll charge you with the quest Honor your Masters.
* Additionally, if you have a Lowlife in your party, you may speak to Arwin Merton and again to Annie. That will start the quest Misaye’s Birthday. This secondary quest can be accomplished before you leave the town.
* You can conclude the quest The First Scavenger during the next conversation with Arwin (+ 100 XP).

### Journey & Arrival

* Your way to the Dark Castle aka Bone Keep leads close by Caer Lem Outpost. If you forgot to buy enough rations, you can get some from Mogo the Poor. (But watch the price, it's 10 times higher than at Gorim's shop (1 gold per ration) in Caer Cyflen).
* During your stop at Caer Lem, you may also solve the Honor Your Masters quest.
* When traveling, you will be attacked several times. Sometimes you can avoid bloodshed, but more often you have to fight for your lives.

**FIGHT (3 Eagle Matriarch) – 18 XP**

**FIGHT (2 Skarn Ghouls) – 225 XP**

**FIGHT (2 Orc Archers, 1 Orc Berserker) – 162 XP**

**FIGHT (1 Goblin Shaman, 3 Dire Wolves) – 262 XP**

Upon arrival at the Dark Castle, you pass an old rotten tree which you may drop to reach the barrel on the other side of the swamp pit.

* Moving west, you have to choose your course of action:
	+ You can charge the castle gate, which is defended by a creature named Adam the Twelfth, some Skeleton Archers, and other creatures, to force your way into the courtyard (which again is defended by more undead minions like more skeletons, ghouls and zombies), or
	+ you can reconnoiter the surroundings of the castle first...
* Considering what happened during your last mission at the ruined tower, you should decide to check the surroundings first.
* This more cautious approach leads to possible encounters with the ghost Angbi Kramsson at the Cemetery and the werewolf Talbut the Grey at the Cabin & Pond.

### Getting inside the courtyard

* Talking with Angbi may trigger (if you accept) the secondary quest Angbi's bones (You can find two of the three sets of Angbi's bones in the castle surroundings).
* Alternatively, you may attack Angbi at first sight (especially if you have a paladin or cleric in your party). Resulting in some XP only. But you won't be able to complete or even start this quest.

**(optional) FIGHT (Angbi Kramsson) – 275 XP**

#### Talbut the Grey

* Talking with Talbut may offer some information about the Dark Castle. Anyway, during your second encounter, Talbut and his wolves may attack your party, as he made clear not wanting to see you again when you talked to him the first time. (Maybe he reacts in a more friendly manner, if you're not a paladin or cleric. He will not attack if you make a successful roll in the conversation).

**(optional) FIGHT (Talbut the Grey, 4 Wolves) – 225 XP**

* Talbut is immune to piercing, slashing and bludgeoning damage. Use elemental spells and weapons on him (fire, ice, shock, acid…). Also, holy/radiant damage will hurt him much.

* At the cemetery, in the northern part of the castle surroundings, you may find a **hidden pathway** into the northern edge of the courtyard…

### Inside the courtyard

* Sneak past the ghouls lurking around that area or

**FIGHT (5 Ghouls) – 250 XP**

* After killing the ghouls in the northern corner, you may proceed by either sneaking to the gully (north) and entering the keep's basement (skip to the next sub-heading "Basement & Laboratory") or removing the castle garrison by killing all skeletons, zombies and ghouls inside the courtyard.

**FIGHT (6 Ghouls) – 300 XP**

**FIGHT (4 Ghouls) – 200 XP**

**FIGHT (3 Skeletons, 5 Skeleton Archers, 2 Skeletal Enforcers) – 325 XP**

#### Adam the Twelfth

**FIGHT (Adam the Twelfth, 1 Skeleton, 3 Skeleton Archers, 2 Skeletal Enforcers) – 450 XP**

* Adam is a good melee fighter, but he has no ranged weapons or spells. Use the Levitate spell (if available) on him and neutralize him by keeping him up in the air.
* Take out the other skeletons first, as long as you can keep Adam up in the air.
* Ranged fighters should be taken out before you focus your attacks on the melee fighters.
* Last but not least, you can perform some target practice on Adam…
* When you reach the main entrance to the keep, your party finds out, that it is protected by a magical shield, hence no access is granted via the main door.
* While searching for another passage into the keep, you may find one set of Angbi's bones (a box in the southern corner, next to a well).
* Eventually, you find the gully (northern corner next to your entry point/hidden pathway), which will provide access to the castle Basement & Laboratory area.

### Basement & Laboratory

* In the basement, you'll engage three groups of enemies.

**FIGHT (6 Zombies) – 75 XP**

**FIGHT (2 Zombies, 2 Dark Apprentices) – 250 XP**

**FIGHT (4 Zombies. 2 Dark Apprentices) – 275 XP**

#### Lizzaria of Grimhold

* When you reach the laboratory, you'll encounter Lizzaria of Grimhold and her minions. She's a necromancer complaining about some social problems with Aksha, resulting in her loss of direct access to Mardracht the Master.
* You can make a deal with her (+ 800 XP) or...

**FIGHT (Lizzaria of Grimhold, 6 Zombies, 2 Dark Apprentices) – 875 XP**

* You can't attack Lizzaria later if you strike a deal with her.
* Maybe it's a good time for a long rest before you go on to the next level.

### Aksha's Lair

* You'll encounter some strolling Ghouls, some Badlands Ghasts, and a Badlands Wraith on the next level.
* You should attempt to hide your party. If you succeed, you may try to shoot down the chandeliers to hurt or crush the patrolling enemy forces, when they move beneath one of them. That may kill some of the ghouls instantly, damage most of the surviving ones, and you can fight off the rest of them easily.
* Be advised that shooting down the chandeliers with a hidden character may not trigger a battle unless the shooter gets spotted (Stealth skill!).
* Further on, you'll see some blocked windows. If you open them (manual attack), you can see if it's day or night outside.
* **Sunlight can be VERY USEFUL in fighting the UNDEAD...**
* Inside the adjacent room, the room with the magic lamps, a Badlands Wraith, a Ghoul, and a Badlands Ghast are lurking close to a pile of bodies.

**FIGHT (1 Badlands Wraith, 1 Badlands Ghast, 1 Ghoul) – 612 XP**

* Use cautious mode to get your heroes into position and initiate a surprise attack.
* Continue to explore this level of the castle keep.
* Eventually, you reach the door to Aksha's Lair (highlighted blue).
* Before you enter the blue target area, you may want to check the Long Corridor and the library for loot (Map: Aksha's Lair).

**FIGHT ( 2 Badlands Ghasts, 4 Ghouls) – 425 XP**

* When ready with cleansing the surroundings, prepare your party for the meeting with Aksha.

#### Aksha the Defiler

* Before you open this door, you may want to go back one level and have a long rest to make sure your heroes are fresh, alert, have full HP and all spells prepared.
* **Be sure it's daytime when you open that door! Check on the reopened windows to see if the sun is shining outside.**
* Aksha is a defiler. She's not only very strong on her own, but also supported by a Brood of Blood and a Brood of Dread.
* There is a chance to negotiate your way past her to meet Mardracht the Master, but if you fail to convince her, she'll attack immediately (1600 XP).
* If you battle her, she will be the first legendary enemy you encounter. This means that she can use legendary actions to move and attack once after another creatures turn ends and do so up to three time per turn, making her hard to lock down. She also has legendary resistance, which she can use to automatically succeed on a failed saving throw, which makes her hard to disable with spells.

**FIGHT (Aksha the Defiler, 1 Brood of Blood, 1 Brood of Dread) – 1350 XP**

* A good tactic is to negotiate your way past her. That’s how you can easily get in position and then have one of our heroes loot one of the containers in her room… she’ll attack…
* Two blocked windows are keeping the sunlight away… Take position in front of those windows and let the sunshine in. This will weaken Aksha considerably, meaning she has to perform all her attacks with disadvantage.
* Without the usage of sunlight, Aksha's a very fierce opponent.
* Her Darkness spell decreases the success rate of your attack rolls by obstructing sight. She uses the spell Slow to reduce the number of your heroes attacks and their moving range.
* Darkness can be removed with the Daylight spell/ scroll.
* She's got 85 HP and an **incredible initiative**, enabling her to attack after each of your heroes (4×2 attacks **THAT's 8 ATTACKS per ROUND!**).
* In addition, she's able to heal about 20 HP each time she successfully causes damage (Bite + necrotic healing spell).
* If her health is very low, she'll use necromancy or whatever magic and transfers HP from her minions to herself (if they are still alive).
* Best attacks on her are executed with Smite, Branding Smite or any other hot and fiery spell.
* If she's too strong for your party, you can choose to come back for her later… maybe after you've talked with the Master? Just don’t leave behind the loot in her room (Akshas’ Journal, Doom Gem, Splendid Half Plate Armor, Bronze Crown).
* Continue to the next level.

### Master's Maze

* Getting past (negotiate or fight) Aksha gives you access to the maze of Mardracht the Master, where you have to find a way to The Solar.
* In the maze, you'll encounter several traps, locked doors, and the 'Solar Riddle'', which prevents you from getting access to The Solar too easily.
* To unlock the unbreakable iron bar doors, find the corresponding markings on the floor or switches on the wall (see map: Master's Maze) and make one of your heroes stand on them or use it, while another (preferably a rogue) passes the door, removes traps, and finds a switch or an alternative route to bypass these doors permanently.
* Some of these doors can be permanently opened by your lockpicker, but if someone touches or steps on the corresponding switch, the door will be reset.
* Eventually, you find a journal of a preceding adventurer (Central Room), who has written down the solution to the 'Solar Riddle'.

#### The Solar Riddle

* You may start the ‘Solar Riddle’ when you have access to the room where the 'sundial' with the stair marking is chiseled into the wall.
* During this process, you are teleported around the maze.
* After each teleport, check the environment for loot.
* The 'Storage Area' (Master's Maze) is accessible only by a teleporter. When you finish the Solar Riddle, you may not be able to pick up the loot from this area.
* Use the sundials in the following sequence: stairs, down, up, right, up, down.
* In detail:
	+ Move close to the hewn in stone circle on the ground.
	+ Place one hero onto each slab to initiate the procedure.
	+ Move the whole party into the blue marked box in front of the sundial with the stair marking. Now use it to be teleported.
	+ You are teleported inside the storage area. Get into the cell (unlock iron bar door or use the gap in the wall).

**FIGHT (1 Spectral Avenger) – 450 XP**

* This Spectral Avenger seems to have a connection to Aksha (a former minion or companion, maybe?). He leaves behind a Journal which testifies to a possible link.
	+ Hit him hard and he’ll be gone fast.
	+ Use the hidden switch (Rune) close to these covered statues at the eastern wall (outside cell).
	+ Crawl through the tiny hole in the northern wall.
	+ Be sure to have collected all the loot in this area.
	+ Move into the marked area in front of the sundial with the down arrow and use it.
	+ Now you have three possibilities. Take the one with the up arrow on it.
	+ Again, you are inside the storage area. Next, choose the right arrow-sundial.
	+ Now the up arrow, then the down arrow.
	+ At last, you activated the floor markings which, you can use to teleport to another section of the maze.

#### Kill the Guards

* Use cautious mode before you enter the marked area.
* Pause the game (Space) the moment you rematerialize to be able to plan your next move.
	+ You are teleported to a platform and a patrol of skeletons is approaching.
	+ Use your most stealthy ranged fighter to shoot down a chandelier to crush some of the skeletons.
	+ Let them approach as close as possible and commence a surprise attack.

**FIGHT (3 Skeleton Archers, 1 Skeletal Knight, 1 Skeletal Enforcer) – 325 XP**

Inside the northwestern room, there is a single Wight guarding a basket, it seems. To have all your heroes together for this fight, first use the rogue to drop a wooden crate (large cell) to bypass the otherwise closed door (see map: Master's Maze).

* Use one of your heroes to open the northern iron bar door (3) by placing him on the marking (3).
* In the large cell, climb the wall at the northwestern edge with your rogue and push the barrel.
* Carry on sneaking south to the next door and drop the large wooden crate to be able to bring the whole party to the next fight.
* Use cautious mode, get in position and execute a surprise attack on the Wight.

**FIGHT (1 Wight) – 175 XP**

* The Wight can be defeated easily if you have the Levitate spell/scroll available. Lift him up and have some fun target practice for your ranged fighters.
* Continue moving south towards the room with the stair way. Unlock the iron bar door (6) with the switch on that wall.
* Go to the Central room and open its last door (4).
* You can use the still blue marked areas in front of the last two sundials to
	+ A: teleport one of your heroes inside the cell with the trap. Use the switch in the cell to get out.
	+ B: teleport one of your heroes to the safe rest area, where you can drop the crate and take a long rest, maybe even level up your heroes (Level 6 is possible at this point), before you go to meet Mardrachts’ guards.

* The antechamber to The Solar is infested with multiple Skeletons, Wights, and even a Skeletal Sorcerer.

**FIGHT (1 Skeletal Sorcerer, 2 Skeleton Archers, 2 Wights, 1 Skeletal Knight) – 725 XP**

* Use cautious mode and take position in front of the door to the antechamber (Map: Masters Maze) to initiate a surprise attack.
* If you have the Fireball spell available, do not enter the room during the first three rounds. Use the doorway as a chokepoint instead.
* Use ranged attacks through the door and take down the Skeletal Sorcerer in the first round of battle (Magic Misslies as a lvl 3 spell, Lightning Bolt or Fireball, as well as sneaky Corrosive or Flaming Arrows will do the trick), but be aware that if it is not surprised it can cast Shield, making it much more difficult to hit with attacks and also immune to Magic Missiles.
* Position at least one melee fighter with readied melee attack at the door flank to greet any foes charging through the door.
* Take them apart one by one. One of the Skeleton Archers will most likely be the last one to be taken down.
* Enter the antechamber, pick up the loot and prepare to meet the Master.
* Before meeting the Master:
	+ Maybe go back to have another long rest.
	+ Maybe a level up is possible?

#### Mardracht the Master

* Finally, you reach The Solar and meet Mardracht the Master. He's a master necromancer, whom you can try to convince (+ 1600 XP) or...

**FIGHT (Mardracht the Master, 2 Skeletal Marksmen, 1 Skeletal Sorcerer, 1 Skeletal Enforcer, 1 Wight) – 1787 XP**

* This fight is a tough one.
* Mardracht has 90 HP and may counterspell your heavy magic strikes. He also is resistant to physical damage (piercing, slashing, bludgeoning) and you can’t levitate him easily (high CON saving throw).
* Any time you attack him with your melee fighters, he tries to get away during his turn. Use more than just one fighter and leave open a gap for Mardracht to be able to try a withdrawal. This way, you can increase the number of attacks per round (utilizing attack of opportunity).
* His companions are spread out in the whole room to decrease the effectiveness of area spells.
* If you have a Paladin or Cleric, make him charge into the middle of the undead and use the Turn Undead feature. That will take some of the Skeletons out of the fight, at least temporarily.
* Focus on enemies (Sorcerer, Marksman) with low HP first in order to take them out fast.
* The Wight can be lifted (Levitate) to be isolated from the fight. But any time your spell caster gets hurt, there is a chance for the enemy to break free from levitation.
* If you convince him to hand over the gem, he'll retreat into the Solar Tower where you can't reach him anymore.

In the end, you'll receive the second gem (violet one, the Gem of Necromancy) for the crown and some additional loot.

* Also, you receive Mardracht’s Journal.
* If you succeed in killing Mardracht, you will have access to The Solar Tower (Minor Gate (1)). That is Mardrachts’ haven. Here you find a book revealing some possible background information on Mardracht and a tome, which increases one attribute of the reader (character), as well as some additional good loot.
* Whether or not you fight Mardracht, there is still some loot that is always accessible. In my opinion, the most notable item among this loot by far is the **Bag of Holding**, which triples the carrying capacity of the character equipped with it (backpack). So the time of encumbered heroes is over. Just give it to your strongest hero, and you may nickname him MULE ;-).
* Use the Major Gate to teleport back to Caer Cyflen or use the Minor Gate (2) to teleport to the keeps’ courtyard (next to the well) if you want to tie some loose ends here…

## Rewards

* **Relationship Gain:** Principality of Masgarth, Scavengers
* **XP Gain:**
	+ Killing Talbut and his wolves - 225 XP
	+ Killing Adam - 450 XP
	+ Killing Lizzaria - 875 XP or deal 800 XP
	+ Killing Aksha and her brood – 1.350 XP (negotiate past her – 1.600 XP)
	+ Killing Mardracht - 1.787 XP
	+ Killing all minor enemies - 5.504 XP
	+ **Total XP: approx. 11.800 XP**

## **Important loot**

* Castle surroundings and Courtyard: 3× set of Angbi's bones
* Basement & Laboratory: Lizzaria's Journal, Heartstone
* Aksha's Lair: Doom Gem, Aksha's Journal
* Aksha's Lair: Splendid Half Plate Armor, Primed Scimitar (randomised, you may find different weapons and armor)
* Mardachts Maze: Gem of Necromancy, Mardracht's Journal, Bag of Holding, Crystal of Winter, Depleted Rune
* The Solar Tower: Encrypted Spellbook
* Over 30 spell scrolls, multiple primed weapons and primed armor, several strong potions, about 20 crafting manuals.

## Quest maps

DARK CASTLE: CemeteryDARK CASTLE: Cabin & PondDARK CASTLE: CourtyardBONE KEEP: Basement & LaboratoryBONE KEEP: Aksha's LairBONE KEEP: Master's Maze