12/16/99 - The Great Work

(Quest)

The Great Work Artifact
During the first event in Asheron's Call, the Sudden Season, rumors were heard at the town criers about a group of adventurers who had gone missing. The party, lead by Sir Joffrey Tremblant of Rithwic, had last been seen heading into the Lost Wish Mountain Range in search of the source of the "sudden chill". Other rumors about the group were found, too, in the libraries at Cragstone, Hebian-To, and Zaikhal. Players used these clues to follow in the footsteps of Sir Joffrey and his ill-fated party.

Following the clues, players headed north from Arwic where they found a couple living in the Lost Wish Mountains who mentioned that they had seen the party pass through recently. Following this path then lead players to Bandit Castle and the nearby Ice Cave where another parchment was found pointing to the location of first of three Gelidite Standing Stones.

Each stone contained a parchment with Dericostian runes, and at each location were also notes left by party member Yarick Pathwarden, which helped players locate the other two stones. After all three runes were found, they were combined into a single transcription and translated at Zaikhal. The translated notes contained coordinates for portal space.

Kuyiza bint Zayi who translated the rune, offered advice that a planar mage in Plateau Village could summon a portal to these coordinates. Thus players could now follow the Tremblant party to the Lost City of Frore.

After exploring the city, it was discovered that most of the Tremblant party had been killed, except Sir Joffre himself whom had been turned Undead by the Gelidites. It was also found that the Gelidites were using a fragment of the Hopeslayer's crystal prison, named the Great Work, to draw heat from the world.

At the climax of the event, the Undead Sir Joffre, his Gelidite masters, and the Great Work shard were all slain by players. On the corpse of Sir Joffre Tremblant was his Tremblant's Ivory Staff -- a unique reward available only once on each server. On the remains of the Great Work was a Crystal Device that was used with the Shattered key (given by the planar mage) to create a Gelidite Treasure Key. The key was used to unlock the chest containing the Gelidite's treasures.

Lore & Dialog

 * See Joffre Tremblant, Fenngar, Ferundi, Frisander, Frisirth and Gelidites for their respective Lore article.
 * Our Great Work - A translation of a book taken from the animated corpse of Lord Joffre Tremblant, in the Lost City of Frore.
 * Gelidite Lord Journal - Found on the corpse of a Gelidite Lord at Frore
 * Return to Frore - A book written by Abrim of Morningthaw, one of the adventurers who rediscovered the Lost City of Frore, and destroyed the powerful artifact at its heart.

Town Crier Rumors (Sudden Season)
 * Town Crier tells you, "Sir Joffre Tremblant's adventuring party has gone missing. The group was last seen heading north from Arwic."


 * Town Crier tells you, "Some people claim that the sun has grown slightly dimmer, but no one has confirmed this for sure. Some say it has contributed to the sudden chill."

Town Crier Rumors (Dark Thaw)
 * Town Crier tells you, "Bold adventurers have slain the leaders of the Gelidite Cult! The ancient corpses of the undead Lords Frisander, Fenngar, Ferundi, and Frisirth now lie broken in the halls of the Lost City of Frore."


 * Town Crier tells you, "The Great Work of the Gelidite Cult has been shattered by intrepid explorers! With this fiendish magical artifact destroyed, the world has warmed again, and the snows have receded."

Inside the Great Work's chamber
 * The volcanic heat burns you for 30 points of damage!