A Thorn in Varesh's Side

## Overview

**Summary**

1. Assault the Kournan column marching north to Jahai.
2. Fall back to escape the incoming Kournan army.
3. Hold off the Kournan ambush.
4. Run toward Pogahn to escape the Kournan reinforcements.
5. See Nerashi for your reward.

**Obtained from**

Nerashi in Gandara, the Moon Fortress
**Requirements**

Pogahn Passage (mission) or Rilohn Refuge (mission)
**Reward**

* 2,500 XP
* 200 Gold
* 100 Sunspear Promotion Points

**Dialogue**

*"They will be moving north soon. We cannot hope to fight the whole Kournan army by ourselves, but now is a good chance to weaken their reinforcements. The rest of the column will be marching to Jahai, perhaps to invade Vabbi. If we do not bleed their strength, the Kournan forces may become unstoppable. Either way, the more we kill now, the less we will have to kill in Vabbi. Time is of the essence, but this is not a suicide mission... just kill as many as you can, and get out of here. We cannot let this Kournan column leave the area at full strength. It would mean the end of us all."*
**Accept:** *"Those Kournans need a good bleeding!"*
**Reject:** *"This is suicide! Are you sure it wasn't Dunkoro's idea?"*
**Intermediate Dialogue 1**

**Nerashi**: *"Ahai! It would appear we have stirred up a hornet's nest."*
**Nerashi**: *"Between the infiltration into Gandara and the death of the Drought, Varesh has found time to mobilize quite an army."*
**Nerashi**: *"Morgahn is getting ready to lead a column north, toward Jahai."*
**Kournan Phalanx**: *"KOURNAN SOLDIERS! Prepare to move out!"*
**Nerashi**: *"Looks like they're getting ready. We should strike against this column and do what damage we can."*
**Intermediate Dialogue 2 (Nerashi)**

*"I think we might have made them angry... That's a whole lot of troops. We better fall back, and fast!"*
**Intermediate Dialogue 3 (Nerashi)** (if you defeat the additional Kournan group)

*"Incredible! I didn't think we would survive that. Let's get out of here while we can."*
**Intermediate Dialogue 4 (Nerashi)**

*"An ambush! Dispatch these foes quickly. We don't have much time before the whole fort comes down on us."*
**Intermediate Dialogue 5 (Nerashi)**

*"Here they come! Balthazar's blade, look at them all! There are too many of them! Quick! Run for Pogahn and don't look back!"*
**Intermediate Dialogue 6 (Nerashi)** (if you defeat the additional Kournan group)

*"Amazing! That was some of the best fighting I have ever seen. Good work. Now, let's get moving to Pogahn."*
**Intermediate Dialogue 7 (Nerashi)**

*"Phew! We made it. Pogahn is just around the corner."*
**Reward Dialogue**

*"Good! That should slow them down. You have shown great courage today considering the impossible odds. Now let's get out of here before anyone else sees us."*
## Walkthrough

You can find Nerashi at a passage into a plains area due west of the entrance from Pogahn Passage. Shortly after accepting the quest, three waves of Kournan soldiers will charge at your party. The first wave consists of Kournan Guards, Kournan Phalanxes and Kournan Bowmen. The second wave, which starts after the first one has been completely defeated, consists of Kournan Priests, Kournan Seers and Kournan Scribes. The final wave consists of Kournan Zealots and Kournan Oppressors.

After you have defeated them all, run towards the updated quest marker. At the small bridge waits a Kournan ambush, which plays out exactly like the first attack.

Then run towards the portal to Pogahn Passage (but do *not* enter), wait for the quest to update, then talk to Nerashi for your reward.

## Notes

* When Nerashi urges you to run after each wave of Kournans, you are, of course, free to stay regardless. The reinforcements are simply another 3 waves of Kournans of the same composition as before, only this time they come as one group instead of three.

* As long as Nerashi is in the area there will be the waves of Kournans that you will have to fight whether or not you have the quest in your log, so it is advisable to complete this quest in normal mode before vanquishing the area.