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The Trouble With Grobb

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This quest grants the player access to Grobb Undercity and offers several opportunities for alignment adjustments (both Good/Evil and Lawful/Chaotic) along the way.


Walkthrough

The Trouble With Grobb
Quest giver Marilda
Next quest

A Strange Green Mist

Starting Zone

Greenmist Jungle

Ending Zone Greenmist Jungle
Other Zone(s)

Grobb

Suggested Level Range 65 plus
Quest items used

a bloodied note
Ethereal Iron
Vial of Virulent Plague
Fiend Sinew x 4
Shadowed Matter

Item Reward(s)

Access to Grobb Undercity

Note: This quest has several dialogue options which may affect your alignment differently but provide the same outcome.

Find Marilda (Greenmist Jungle  at 1025, 1245  • In stone hut) .

You say, 'Hail, Marilda'
Marilda says, 'Hail, Seeker! I am glad to see you here.'
You say, 'Do I know you?'
Marilda says, 'Oh, my apologies. I am a Seeker as well, although I may not look it... Marilda is my name, Seeker Marilda. In any case, I am truly glad you are here. I had sent a petition to High Seeker Gavin, but I was not sure if we had resources to spare... but here you are.'
You say, 'What is all this about?'
Marilda says, 'Ah, that's just it, Cyrl. We aren't entirely sure what the matter is, and we would like for you to investigate, if possible.'
You say, '"We"?'
Marilda says, 'Ah, my apologies again! This is Grushk, a guardsman and resident of Oggok. He is the one who summoned me to decide what to do about this matter. You see, he has received a message from the Spiritist's guild of Grobb--it seems something unnerving is happening in their society. Something "secret" they said, was it?'
You say, 'Hail, Marilda'
Marilda tells you, 'The messenger was not as clear as he might have been... but that may have just been because they have grown used to the general suspicion so commonly afforded to members of Grobb society by outsiders, such as the citizens of Oggok. In fact, it is surprising that they would have asked for outside aid at all, especially if the message was really sent on behalf of one of their respected Guilds. That is why it is so urgent that we investigate! Whatever might be said in disparagement of Grobb, the Seekers are aware that their society could be much worse, much more detrimental to Dalaya's peoples as a whole. Whether it is simply a plague that they are too proud to admit they cannot control, or some kind of social upheaval, we must see for ourselves where things stand and, if necessary, step in and set things straight. For the balance of all Dalaya.'
You say, 'Where should I start?'
Marilda tells you, 'It is unfortunate that the Seekers do not have more scouts and the like at their disposal... In any case, the first priority will be to find out what we are dealing with here. The messenger was too vague... we need details if we are going to act, if we are going to make the move to help the people of Grobb. They will not likely react kindly to our presence. My superiors have told me that they will not risk a potentially embarassing movement on Grobb without hard facts, much as it pains me to say that in the face of a possible crisis. Ah, but I digress... I want you to try to find this messenger and see if you can't get more details from them, Seeker. Maybe they do not really know any more, but at the very least, they should be able to point you in the right direction. A quick--and very much unoffical--visit to Grobb on your part may help us get a feeling for the situation as well. Grushk here is the one who actually spoke to this messenger--please ask him to tell you what he remembers, it may aid you in locating them quickly.'

Find Watchman Grushk (Greenmist Jungle  • At camp fire, next to Marilda) .

You say, 'Hail, Watchman Grushk'
Grushk says, 'Hail. I bes glad to help yous Seekers. Whut you need to know?'
You say, 'What can you tell me about the messenger who brought this information to you?'
Grushk says, 'Hail. I bes glad to help yous Seekers. Whut you need to know?'
You say, 'What can you tell me about the messenger who brought this information to you?'
Watchman Grushk tells you, 'Hmm. Was lizard--not Troll. Thin lizard wif skinny tail an' pale scales. Spoked wif much urgency, say 'Big storm' gathering against Grobb. 'Secret' storm, brewing 'underneath'. Lizard not clear what they meaned by 'underneath'. Message very murky, like deep swamp. Hard to see whut dey say, or whut dey askin' for. Lizard ignored my questions, leave suddenly as came. Lizard not tell me name. Not tell me what do or where go either. Very mysteros lizard.'
You say, 'That's not a lot to go on... did *anything* else about them stick out in your mind?'
Watchman Grushk tells you, 'Well, lizard dressed in rags, not armor. Probly not Blackscale. Probly not even warrior. Lizard usually proud of guild dey in--but this lizard have no markings and not mention any guild. Maybe just lizard commoner? Me sorry me not more help. Lizards very private, hard to know what they really want. Can never trust dem... I's surprised Trolls not try to contact us. Hope this all not really serious... I add my plea for help to Marilda's, Seeker. Oggok strong city, but we no want to have to face whut's happen in Grobb if we can avoid it. Me not know your feeling, but The Fall still fresh in Oggok's memory...'

Find Nerzah (Grobb  •) .

You say, 'Hail, Nerzah.'
Nerzah looks up at you curiously, then huffs and turns her eyes away.'
Note: The following dialogue must be entered manually.
You say, 'you are the messenger'
Nerzah says, '...'
You say, '... You *are* the messenger, aren't you.
Nerzah tells you, '...Let us take a walk, shall we?' She glances around the room, projecting calm, but you sense a quiet anxiety in her motions as she begins to leave the tavern.'

Nerzah begins walking to a different room, follow her.

You say, 'Hail, Nerzah.'
Nerzah tells you, 'I had expected.. rather more aid than this, outsider. I suppose I should have expected such indecisiveness.'
You say, 'Indecisiveness? Your message gave us too little to go on. That's why I'm here.'
Nerzah tells you, 'Hmph. I told that Ogre what I know -- as much as anyone knows for certain. The guilds are worried, agitated... But they won't admit it, of course, and they won't allwo discussion or even tell anyone what the trouble is. There is nothing more I can tell you.'
You say, 'Can you at least tell me who told you to send the message, then?'
Nerzah snaps angrily at you, 'I do not like the position they have put me in any more than you do, <Player Race>. I cannot tell you any more than I have said, not with any certainty. But... in spire of the Guilds' efforts, <Player Race>, there have been whispers...'
Nerzah peers behind you. Her eyes fix on some Grobb commoners milling about as she resumes speaking. 'Are you aware of Grobb's history, <Player Race>? Or, I should say, the history of the Iksar that carve out their lives here?'
You say, 'Whispers?'
Nerzah continues, staring past you as if you weren't there. 'Some still call us the children of Ikisithm though we are now two or three generations into Exile. Our fathers and grandfathers fled from Kaezul, they say. Some were aristocrats who fled the continent just ahead of Kaezul's first armada... Others were deserters of Kaezul's legions, fearing their comrades as much as the soldiers of the lesser races... In either case, our pride as Iksars was abandoned as our forefathers hid away during The Fall. In time, they found themselves gathered here, and banded together with the Trolls out of the mutual need for the most basic necessities... Kaezul's reign, and the even of The Fall, have been a forbidden subject in this city, since the day of its refounding. But...'
You say, 'But what?'
Nerzah's eyes bore into yours, her gaze piercing. 'Surely you have heard of the recent string of invasions, <Player Race>. Kaezul's army, back again. No taboo could prevent the children of the Exiles of Ikisith from whispering amongst themselves at this development. Or, so I have heard... The whispers are most troubling. Some Iksar have forgotten their forefathers' legacy. They have not been convinced by the silence derision of their elders. They have heard the stories of The Fall, the stories that no one would tell openly... And some have come to see Kaezul not as a plague... but as a SAVIOR. That is what I have heard, and if this is truely what the guilds are desperate to conceal, it can only mean one thing...'
You say, 'What's that...?'
Nerzah tells you, 'The Children of Ikisith want to reclaim their place in the legacy of Kaezul.'
You say, 'What?! What does that mean, exactly? Are they trying to help Kaezul's Invasions? Attack their own city?'
Nerzah looks nervous for the first time since you found her. Her voice seems uncertain... perhaps even afraid, 'I... I have said too much, [Player Race]. It is only a rumor, remember. They -- I, can tell you no more. Go back to your leaders, tell them what you must, but if you come and speak to me again, I will be forced to kill you. Good day.'
Nerzah slips away.

Return to Marilda (Greenmist Jungle  at 1025, 1245  • In stone hut) .

You say, 'Hail, Marilda.'
Marilda tells you, 'Oh, welcome back, Seeker <Player Name>. Did you locate the messenger?'
You say, 'Yes. I think things may be worse than you suspected...'
Marilda listens as you convey your conversation with Nerzah. Her facial expression shifts dramatically when you mention the name Kaezul. She turns her eyes away from you and listens silently as you finish speaking. A look of disturbed anger creeps over her -- the kind of anger a mother might show her wayward child. 'I see.' she replies after a few moments. 'I'm sure High Seeker Gavin will agree that we cannot ignore this. It is disturbing to think that any Dalayans would support Kaezul, after all that he has wrought against all Dalaya. Perhaps we should have watched the Iksars more closely... In any case, Seeker <Player Name>, I thank you.'
You say, 'So what happens now?'
Marilda tells you,'Hmm? Oh, well, I will have to contact High Seeker Gavin before we can decide how serious a response this information merits. Iti s a very sensitive situation, as I'm sure you appreciate. It may only be a rumor, as you have said, and the Grobb guild leaders still haven't openly requested assistance. And if what you have told me is not a rumor, we are at a serious disadvantage when it comes to overt actions. The citizens of Grobnb already have little trust for us... a few dissidents could easily percipitate a riot if we entered the city grounds uninvited. Oh, I hope that messenger is wrong about all of this, <Player Name>. We Seekers still do not know as much about Kaezul as we would like... If these Kaezul-supporters really exist, and if they have existed in scret since The Fall... who knows what sort of uknown rituals and strange magics they may have preserved? On the other hand, perhaps they are only wayward group of youths with no real connection to Kaezul, other than as a means to be contrary to the culture they've been raised in. We need more information, whatever the case may be...'
You say, 'What do you need of me, in the meantime?'
Marilda thinks for a moment. 'Well...' Before she can go on, her eyes turn to an approaching Halfling.
a messenger says, 'Beggin' yer pardon, m'lady. Letter for you, been told it's urgent.'
Marilda says, 'Thank you, messenger.' She unfurls the small parchment and nods to the Halfling, 'You may go.'
a messenger bows quickly before scurrying away.
Marilda reads and re-reads the letter, her brow furrowing and a look of indecision panted on her face. 'Why was I not informed of this sooner..?'
You say, 'Hail, Marilda.'
Marilda seems startled at the sound of your voice. 'Oh! Ah, pardon me, Seeker <Player Name>. I forgot you were here... Well, I'm glad you still are, in any case. It seems,' she holds the letter up in her hand as she speaks, 'that there have been a rash of attacks on trade caravans headed to the Dawn Tribe Orcs in the Oasis. Apparently these attacks have been going on for nearly two months now, althought this is the first I've heard of it... The caravans are sponsored by the Silver Crown, and apparently they blamed the attacks on the Blackscale Legion, until recently... You see, it seems the attacks are all ambushes carried out exclusively be Iksar raiders. Apparently there is something unusual about the way they fight, and their brutality seems excessive, even compared to the Blackscales' usual methods. All Iksars... this is too much to dismiss as mere coincidence, Seeker <Player Name>, at least before we have investigated. There could be many explanations, but... we must make certain.'
You say, 'What should I do, then?'
Marilda tells you,'The main trade route in question goes by ship, either direct from Newport or as a connection from Erudin, to the Silver Crown enclave at the docks of old Freeport. The Silver Crown clerics are able to get the caravans past the lingering dead without much trouble. there should be a checkpoint somewhere in the North Wastes of Tarhyl, their last stop before the trek to the Oasis. A man named Marcus Cistern -- the one who wrote this letter -- should be there. See what more he can tell you. I know it is a bit out of place for a Kaezulian plat... In any case, take this seal and show it to Mr. Cistern when you find him -- he'll know that I sent you to help when he sees it.'

You receive Marilda's Seal from Marilda.

Give the seal to Marcus Cistern (Northern Waste of Tarhyl  at 3060, -530, -26.40  •) .

Marcus Cistern says, 'Ah, so Marilda got my letter, hmm? I must admit, I didn't think our little problems would pique her interest so quickly.'
You say, 'You've been having problems with Iksar raiders?'
Marcus Cistern says, 'Yes, we have. Must be more than a dozen attacks in the past two months or so. I haven't witnessed any of it myself--thank the gods--but survivors have said it was all Iksars--no Trolls or Dark Elves or none of that you'd expect from the Blackscales. Some've also said that these particular Iksars weren't quite like anything they'd seen before, as far as the style of their fightin' and their brutality in general... and the ones who were in no state to say anything about 'em seemed to speak of a similar brutality, in other ways...'
You say, 'Barbaric... If you can tell me anything more concrete about these raiders, I will gladly intercede.'
Marcus Cistern says, 'Ehh... can't say that I know much of anything, I suppose. Caravans have been attacked along this route, and people've been saying that it's been a group of Iksars every time. That's all. Hmm...'
You say, 'What?'
Marcus Cistern says, 'There should be another caravan coming through here pretty soon--the Silver Crown's not ready to give up on this route just yet. I don't know how serious you are about finding these Iksar bandits, though if Marilda sent you, I suppose she would say she had a good reason. Anyway, what I'm thinkin' is, if you're really deperate, you could escort the caravan that's coming along right soon. No guarantee they'll get attacked, of course, and I doubt the Silver Crown would let them give you a dime for your services without a contract and negotiations and all their other nonsense.'
You say, 'I suppose it's the best lead I've got. They'd better not take too long to get here.'
Marcus Cistern says, 'Well, looks like the gods are on your side today! I believe I see a caravan coming around the bend.'


You will now need to defend the caravan from kaezulian raiders. Eventually a named raider will spawn. Kill him and end the event and make sure to loot the a bloodied note.


Gather and give a bloodied note to Marilda.

Marilda reads over the note. 'You found this on one of the iksars that were attacking the caravans, yes? Interesting... I suppose we could consider this confirmation of some kind of conspiracy of subversive behavior involving iksars, at the very least. I would not want to see the experiement that these components listed are to be for... But perhaps if you can find this Xarik and ... Well, I'm not sure what we could hope to get from him, if he is an instegating member of this underground activity. Use your judgment, Seeker <Player Name>. At this point, I am at a loss. I hope that we could avoid preventing them from performing this "experiment", but in the grant scale of things, allowing it so that we may learn something useful may be an acceptable risk...

Marilda returns a bloodied note to you.

Marilda tells you,'Come and speak to me if you find anything worth reporting, Seeker <Player Name>.'


Find Dreadmaster Xarik (Grobb  at -94, -423, 80  • Inside Azanth Screechhand's closet) .

Have Illusion: Iksar cast on you, by an enchanter, prior to dialoguing.

Give a bloodied note to Dreadmaster Xarik (Grobb  at -94, -423, 80  • Inside Azanth Screechhand's closet) .

Dreadmaster Xarik looks at the note and gives you a fiercely cold stare before throwing it back at you. You get the feeling he didn't want to see the note so much as the things listed in it. You also get the feeling you should back away and leave, NOW.

Dreadmaster Xarik returned a bloodied note to you.

Gather and give to Dreadmaster Xarik:

Dreadmaster Xarik looks over the metal, the vial, the shadowy mass, and the sinews in his hands, his expression completely impassive. His eyes turn to you, without betraying anything of his thoughts. His disinterested gaze bores into you as he stares for several moments, almost as though he were starring *through* you. Finally, a soft hiss slips from between his teeth: 'What is this, then?'
You say, '... Kaskrisk sent me?'
Before you have time to panic over your woefully un-assertive inflection, a knowing smile creeps over Xarik's face. After a moment, however, a severe sternness overtakes his demeanor.'Why have I not seen you before? And why are YOU here and not he?'
You say, '...He recruited me... before he was killed in a skirmish against a heavily guarded trade caravan. I have completed his mission in his stead.'
Dreadmaster Xarik stares into your eyes while he mulls over your words. You do your best to maintain unblinking eye-contact, and to will the pounding of your heart of your ears... Xarik speaks once more, after seeming to come to a decision: 'Very well. You have done... adequately, Initiate. I will take these materials to the Master. He was expecting to have them long before this, but I suppose Kaskrisk's failure is to blame. Slain by a few softskin merchants... utterly worthless.' Xarik throws an odd glance at you, 'Have you been... Introduced yet, Initiate?'
You say, '... No, Kaskrisk did not have the time for it.'
Dreadmaster Xarik tells you, 'Quite so, quite so. He would have forfeit the Master's gift to him as well as his pitiful life had he decided to return prematurely. So long as you are here now, Initiate... we can have someone show you the Path. Show you the things our fathers could not bear to tell you, after they chose to forsake the most righteous cause... show you the truths which our supposed "brothers", the Troll-loving scum, cannot see in front of their faces for all the time they waste in pursuit of their meager, ridiculous, worthless conception of "power". Ah, but I'm sure you have heard all of this before, if you were in Kaskrisk's group. They knew of their meager, ridiculous, worthless conception of "power". Ah, but I'm sure you have heard all of this before, if you were in Kaskrisk's group. They knew of the righteousness of our cause. But still, a proper introduction will help you to put much into perspective. Did they ever show you how to get... there?'
You say, 'Uh.. no, sir.'
Dreadmaster Xarik tells you, 'Hmph. Good! It is not theirs to reveal. But for the glory of Lord Kaezul, and if we were not surrounded by lackwits and Trolls, I would say it is almost miraculous that we have not been found, even as we meet right beneath this wretched city... Listen carefully, Initiate: behind the alchemist's cauldron, there is a face of rock. In this face, there is a hidden fissure. This fissure is the edge of the doorway... You must ensure that none see you enter or leave, Initiate, or you may well bring the whole Redemption of the Exiles into an unnecessary jeopardy... and for that you would suffer a fate far more harrowing than any softskin's reckoning of death. Now, go. Begone! Let none see you come this way again. My position here cannot be risked any further.'

Return to Marilda (Greenmist Jungle  at 1025, 1245  • In stone hut) .

You say, 'Hail, Marilda'
Marilda tells you, 'Hail, Seeker <Player Name>.'
You say, 'It seems that there IS a cult somehow related to Kaezul beneath Grobb -- and I know where to find them...'
Marilda listens closely as you relate what you have learned. Concern is evident in her voice as she replies. 'It will take time to appraise High Seeker Gavin of this. Even still, it will be difficult for us to take any decisive actions. Even if we inform the Grobb guilds of what we know, it is not certain that they will welcome armed assistance from us. Marching troops into Grobb could go quite badly for everyone involved, even if we only intend to pass through it to get to the lair of this cult. It will take time to play politics and get the assurances we need... But I think we have taken too long as it is, Seeker <Player Name>. A group of adventurers would not attract as much attention in Grobb. I would like you to see what more you can learn about the cult and its lair, and, if it should come to it... to take the fight to them yourselves. It may take time, but we will support you in whatever ways we can. Go with the gods, Seeker <Player Name>.'

You gain 350000 experience!!

You have completed a quest. [The Trouble With Grobb]