Arborstone

Retrieve the urn of Saint Viktor and safely leave the cathedral.

Objectives
Retrieve the sacred Urn of Saint Viktor and deliver it to Mhenlo.
 * Escort Danika to the door of the cathedral so she can open it.
 * Clear the cathedral of the guardians binding the Urn of Saint Viktor. You have [5...0] group[s] of guardians remaining.
 * Collect the Urn of Saint Viktor
 * ADDED: Make your way out of the cathedral! Defeat the guardian Stone Souls.
 * ADDED: Protect Danika so that she can open the door.
 * Mhenlo must survive.

Reward
Note: You can only earn the faction reward the first time you complete the mission at a certain level in either mode.

Walkthrough

 * Head West across the bridge, turn left, across smaller bridge and then follow the curved road down to the rear gate of Arborstone Cathedral. You will find mixed groups of Warden throughout this area. Some of the giant mushrooms emit Stone Spores.
 * After a short dialog, Danika will open the gate, allowing the party into the cathedral. In order to be able to pick up the Urn of Saint Viktor, you first have to defeat five groups of Warden. You can take either the left or right stairway. The group on top of the stairs will include two Warden of Earth, two ritualists and a boss (either Ryver Mossplanter or Milefaun Mindflayer). Take heed not to accidentally aggro it while fighting one of the other groups on the stairs.
 * After you pick up the urn, a cinematic will play and Mhenlo will be trapped outside the building, leaving the party and Danika to escape through the collapsing cathedral. The party will be back at the stairs where they entered the cathedral. Stone Rains and Stone Reapers will spawn in front of the group.
 * After you have cleared the area Danika will stay at the spot for a little while with a dialogue. Make sure you wait for her to finish before moving on, or she will not follow you. Sometimes she can appear to be following you, but is in fact just healing minions, and she will return to the dialogue spot at some point (see the notes at the end for the problems this can cause).
 * From the cinematic on, fragments of the building fall at a regular rate, causing minor damage to the whole party and interrupting skills and attacks.
 * Several areas of the cathedral have the environmental effect Cathedral Collapse, in which the above described effect will occur more frequently. You should avoid fighting in those areas whenever possible, especially when with henchmen. If party members should die in such an area, henchmen healers will often be unable to resurrect them, as they are unable to time their spells right so that they are not interrupted.
 * There are three routes between the cathedral sanctum to the atrium and exit:
 * The southernmost route (purple path on the map) is populated mainly by large, coordinated and balanced teams of Dredge, which can be quite difficult to defeat. This is probably the most difficult path to take. If you choose to take this path, be sure your team is similarly coordinated. This path is guarded by the boss Dark Fang. On this path, many groups of Dredge are found near each other. It is advised to pull them away from one another, though the person who pulls should be fairly durable, as Dredge Gutters will often shadow step to that person.
 * The northernmost route (green path on the map) is populated by large groups of Undergrowths, some Stone Scale Kirins and Dragon Mosses. There are a few hidden Stone Reapers and Stone Crushers that will come to life as soon as the party comes close; however, the largest danger are several groups of Oni. This path is guarded by the boss The Ancient.
 * The center route (yellow path on the map) is populated primarily by large groups of Wardens and stone guardians. Towards the end of the route, some dangerous groups of Oni will appear, so be careful.
 * Either the northern or center route are recommended. Which one you take depends upon your skills and strategy.  The northern route requires that you take on a moderately strong boss and several groups of Oni.  The center route requires that you carefully pull small groups of Warden from the larger group at the bottom of the stairs before the final sealed door.  Some people find the northern route easier, others the center route.  You may wish to pick one route to try first.  If you are unsuccessful there, then try the other route.  In any case, you will need to deal with Cathedral Collapse no matter which route you pick.

Northern route

 * If you decide to use the northern route, then take the stairway to your left. As you head up the stairs be prepared to meet your first group of 3 Oni.  Defeat them and proceed to the top of the stairs.  You'll arrive in a courtyard with several groups of foes.  The key is to pick your battles carefully as you can easily stay out of aggro range and avoid some groups altogether.  Although you are outside the cathedral, you will still run into several areas with Cathedral Collapse.
 * Deal with the first group of Undergrowth you meet at the top of the stairs and continue moving forward (east). Here you will see 2 distinct groups of Undergrowth: one on your left (north) and another in front.  Avoid the group to the left and clean out the group in front which will include some Stone Scale Kirin.  Continue east and you will meet up with The Ancient.
 * Turn right at the corner and head southeast to the next courtyard. Again you'll meet up with a couple groups of Undergrowth.  Avoid the group on your left (east), and just take care of the group directly ahead.  At the end of the courtyard, turn right again and head south up the stairs back into the cathedral.
 * As you go up the stairs, 3 Oni will appear. Defeat them and move up to the top of the stairs but be prepared for another set of 3 Oni to appear.  Continue south down the hallway into the cathedral.  3 Oni will appear in the middle of the hallway and then another 2 when you reach the end of the hallway.  After defeating this final pair of Oni, continue forward to the sealed door guarded by Stone Judge.

Through the middle

 * If you decide to take the center route, then proceed upward via the stairs from where you defeated the Warden boss. At the end of the stairs, a pair of hidden Stone Reapers will come to life and behind those a group of Wardens is waiting. Dispatch them quickly and move on to the left. If you linger here, another group of Warden will come at you from the right.
 * It is recommended to cross the cathedral hall from the left, as here the collapsing areas are placed slightly different and less unpleasant than on the right. Fight your way through some groups of Wardens until you reach the stairs leading down to the main hall floor.
 * From now on you have to be cautious due to the increase in the frequency of cathedral collapses and the number of popups. There are two groups of Wardens patrolling the main hall floor and two hidden Stone Rains at the bottom of the stairs so take care not to over-aggro.  If you are lucky you can slip past many of the Wardens populating the hall.  To guarantee success for the stairs out of the area clear the Warden groups which you might aggro before approaching.
 * At the stairs out of the main hall floor there are two groups of Oni. Combined with the collapses they can give a difficult fight.  The first group appears as you fight the Wardens in the room, the second appear right at the top of the stairs.  For the second group there is a small patch on the topmost part of the stairs which is not collapsing. You should be about on it when the Oni reveal themselves. Wait there for them to engage you, do not charge up at them, as this would mean you would have to fight in a collapsing area.

Sealed door

 * Once you reach the sealed door several Stone Rain, two Stone Reapers and one Stone Soul will emerge and gather around the boss Stone Judge. Try to intercept and take down one or two of the Stone Rains spawning next to you before they can join the group. Eliminate the regular mobs and then the boss to allow Danika to start the ritual for opening the door.  Two Stone Crushers will awaken next to the door. Prevent them from attacking Danika, as their attacks will interrupt her ritual. When the door opens the mission ends.

Mission tips

 * When you kill the Stone Judge, Danika will rush the exit door (where 2 Stone Crushers will popup and attack) regardless of remaining foes, so it may be a good idea to kill the Stone Judge last. H/H may be easier than large groups of players since target calling is important and rushing the end boss or fighting on stairs is ill advised.
 * Use Fast Casting and skills with short activation and low energy costs due to interruption from Cathedral Collapse. Unyielding Aura Monks with 5 energy healing spells work great.
 * Consider bringing skills that prevent interruption, like Mantra of Resolve or Glyph of Concentration
 * Standard anti-melee skills help make short work of the Oni and the Stone Judge boss.
 * Remember to use the Urn of Saint Viktor for its damage reduction. A spellcaster should carry the urn and drop it every so often for the protective effect. Remember to pick up the urn after each fight as Danika will not follow the party while the urn is on the ground. It may be a good idea to drop the urn while flagging back heroes and pulling foes, keeping Danika out of the fight.
 * A Ritualist with spells that benefit from holding an item can carry the urn while gaining the bonus.
 * Skills that cause exhaustion are not recommended without some type of interrupt prevention such as Mantra of Resolve. Exhaustion is triggered upon activating a skill, not upon successful execution of the skill.
 * Minion master builds are ill-advised in this mission, due to delays caused by triggering Danika's healing AI, and the lack of fleshy creatures for the mission finale. Consider using dedicated tanks and spirits for body blocking instead.
 * Kill Stone Rains as fast as possible.

Allies
Humans
 * 20 Brother Mhenlo
 * 20 Danika

Foes
Kirins Onis Dredges Plants Stone Guardians Wardens
 * 23 (26) Stone Scale Kirin
 * 28 (30) Oni
 * 24 (26) Dredge Guardian
 * 24 (26) Dredge Gatherer
 * 24 (26) Dredge Gardener
 * 24 (26) Dredge Gutter
 * 23 (26) Undergrowth
 * 24 (26) Dragon Moss
 * 23 (26) Stone Crusher
 * 24 (26) Stone Soul
 * 22 (26) Stone Reaper
 * 23 (26) Stone Rain
 * 18 (25) Warden of the Trunk
 * 21 (26) Warden of the Tree
 * 24 (26) Warden of Forests
 * 21 (26) Warden of the Branch
 * 24 (26) Warden of Winds
 * 20 (26) Warden of the Spirit
 * 24 (26) Warden of Earth
 * 18 (25) Warden of the Spring
 * 20 (26) Warden of the Summer
 * 24 (26) Warden of Seasons

Bosses
Drinkers Plants Stone Guardians Wardens
 * 28 Dark Fang &rarr; Vampiric Spirit
 * 28 The Ancient &rarr; Shatterstone
 * 28 (30) Stone Judge &rarr; Forceful Blow
 * 28 (30) Ryver Mossplanter &rarr; Lacerate
 * 24 (30) Milefaun Mindflayer &rarr; Energy Surge

Opening cinematic

 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "I'll do the talking here."


 * Count zu Heltzer
 * "You may rise."


 * "It has been a long time since we last met, Brother Mhenlo."


 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "Indeed, Count zu Heltzer. I am glad to find you in good health."


 * Count zu Heltzer
 * "I am similarly pleased. But enough with the pleasantries."


 * "You have come here with a purpose, have you not?"


 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "As always, Count, you are well-informed and to the point."


 * "We have come for the Urn of Saint Viktor."


 * Count zu Heltzer
 * "This is not a small thing you ask, Brother Mhenlo."


 * "The final resting place of our greatest hero, the man who single-handedly slew Shiro the Betrayer."


 * "Why would you ask this of us?"


 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "Because, Count, Shiro Tagachi has returned."


 * Count zu Heltzer
 * "If what you say is true, then it was indeed very wise for you to come to us."


 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "Then you will give us what we seek?"


 * Count zu Heltzer
 * "We wish to help you, but I'm afraid it's not as easy as just handing over the urn."


 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "What is it you require of us?"


 * Count zu Heltzer
 * "We require nothing. But Saint Viktor's remains are ensconced inside Cathedral zu Heltzer."


 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "Alright then. We shall go to Cathedral zu Heltzer."


 * Count zu Heltzer
 * "Brother Mhenlo, many things have changed since you were last here."


 * "The cathedral's magical protections have failed."


 * "It's been overrun by all manner of terrible beasts."


 * "To go there will mean great peril."


 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "I see."


 * Count zu Heltzer
 * "If you still wish to pursue the urn, speak with my daughter, Countess Danika."


 * "She can open the doors within the cathedral and help you recover what you seek."


 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "Thank you, Count."


 * 
 * "Thank you, Count"


 * Count zu Heltzer
 * "Gods speed to you."

Initial dialogue

 * Danika
 * "Now, remember...this place is sacrosanct to my family. It's been heavily guarded, and not even I know every ward and protection that's been put into place. But don't worry; our defenses would NEVER harm a zu Heltzer. As long as you're with me, you'll be safe."


 * "I do not know why they've come, nor do I care. I'm not going to let those primitives defile the zu Heltzer cathedral!"


 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "What happened here, Danika? The wardens never dared come so close to Arborstone in years past."

Intermediate dialogue
When reaching the cathedral doors.
 * Danika
 * "My uncle led an expedition to clear the cathedral. One man escaped and lived just long enough to tell us the tale. He spokes of wardens and of creatures far more foul."


 * ''"We sealed these doors to protect House zu Heltzer and have not reopened them until now. Be prepared for anything.

When entering the cathedral.
 * Danika
 * ''"I suspect my uncle left some sort of protective ward around the sacred urn.


 * "It looks like we have company!"


 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "We should not touch the urn until we've cleared the area of enemies. One hazard at a time is best."

After the last group guarding the urn is defeated.
 * Danika
 * "I'm not sure what sort of trap this is on the urn, but go ahead and pick it up. Mhenlo is here if something goes wrong."


 * "I would do it myself, but it could be dangerous. After all, my father will have you all killed if I die, and what good would that be?"

Intermediate cinematic

 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "Look out!"


 * 
 * "Countess, are you all right?"


 * Danika
 * "Lyssa be damned, I didn't see that one coming."


 * "I'm all right."


 * 
 * "Brother Mhenlo? Brother Mhenlo?"


 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "I'm unhurt, but I'm trapped on this side."


 * "It's up to you to get the countess and the urn out safely."


 * 
 * "May Dwayna carry you safely to your destination."


 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "May Balthazar give you the might to make it through. Go now."

Intermediate dialogue

 * Danika
 * "The legends say that dropping the urn summons the spirit of Viktor to your side, and he helps to shield you from harm."


 * "This uproar is sure to awaken the stone guardians! We have to get out of here! Going left will be safest... No, right... Or...maybe straight through the heart of the cathedral."


 * "Gods! My luck's been terrible today... You'd better choose our path. Now let's get moving before we all die!"

If the urn is left on the ground for too long.
 * Danika
 * "Hey, this urn is one of my family's most prized possessions. You can't just leave it here unattended!"

When reaching the final room.
 * Danika
 * "Oh, this is bad.... The gate guardians have been awakened, too! Dwayna shows us your mercy and protection!"

When Stone Judge is defeated.
 * Danika
 * "Listen, you have to keep the guardians busy while I perform the magic to open the gate. If I'm interrupted, the spell won't work!"

When Danika reaches the sealed door.
 * Danika
 * "If you can keep them from interrupting me, I'll open this door."

End cinematic

 * Danika
 * "The wards failed, the gate collapsed, and for a while there I wasn't sure my spell would work."


 * "I think, my friends, it's time to leave this place."


 * 
 * "Agreed. Lead the way."


 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "Glad you could make it."


 * 
 * "One down, one to go."


 * Brother Mhenlo
 * "Indeed. Come, Master Togo will want to hear that we've recovered the urn."


 * "Thank you, Countess."


 * Danika
 * "May the gods watch over you in your pursuits."

Trivia

 * Arbor is the Latin word meaning "tree", thus "arborstone" translates to "tree stone", or "stone tree".
 * Kaolai's dialogue indicates that, at some point in development, this mission was known as Deadwood Fall.
 * This map contains the only tile compass rose found outside Prophecies areas.