The Wilds

After a long hunt for the Shining Blade to rescue the Chosen, the heroes are in for a surprise ending.

Objectives
Hunt down the Shining Blade kidnappers, and rescue the Chosen they have taken hostage.
 * Chase the fleeing Shining Blade.
 * Rescue the Chosen.
 * Discover how the Shining Blade navigates the jungle.
 * *BONUS* Defeat the two Centaur chieftains.

Walkthrough
Follow the path north. Be careful when you see Entangling Roots, approaching these will often trigger gates which can cut off the forward part of the party from the rest, while simultaneously triggering hidden spawns. Killing the roots opens these gates again.

At the first junction take the middle (westward) road. Be careful about the centaur patrols, which tend to roam around, unaware parties can aggro several of them at the same time. It pays to take a look at the wiki map, since the map is somewhat labyrinthine, especially in the north-western section. It is easy to miss a turn and make this mission take longer than it should. After you have fought your way to Saidra, protect the chosen by eliminating the final spider spawn to finish the mission.

Bonus
The bonus for this mission begins in a relativity odd way. The end goal of defeating two Centaur chieftains is simple enough, but the bonus is hard to collect, and the chieftains are not easy to get to.

Take the southern instead of the middle road at the start of the mission. Do not attack the two Centaur Scouts (at point 1) until after they have finished talking, or you'll be unable to get the bonus. Once they've finished talking, the bonus objective will show up, and they're safe to kill. Collect the Vine Seed they drop. It is okay to drop the Vine Seed when fighting (it will entangle foes for a few seconds), it will reappear seconds later. Backtrack to get to the mission path (do not follow the North road upon return because it takes you full circle; instead, follow the mission path, i.e. the middle road).

Deviate from the mission path again and head to point 2; use the Vine Seed to form a bridge. Head down to point 3, and eliminate the two Centaur chieftains: Ramtha Brokenhoof and Horm Frostrider. Be careful, a large group of centaurs including two other bosses (Rapa Ironhaunch and Kara Bloodtail) blocks your way. Having a minion master in your party may help. Part of the group can be pulled without aggroing the bosses.

Skill recommendations

 * The Moss Scarab's Vampiric Touch bypasses most forms of protection. "Can't Touch This!" and Shielding Hands can be useful. The former also protects against the Maguuma Enchanter's Blackout.
 * To speed up fights against Life Pods, consider Scourge Healing, Backfire or skills that can disable their healing spells.

Hard Mode
Moss Scarabs are equipped with Verata's Gaze in Hard Mode, making it difficult for a minion master to maintain minions in the early part of the mission. However, during the bonus, and especially afterward, a minion master will more than make up for these early difficulties. Consider equipping Verata's Gaze or Verata's Aura on characters who can function as secondary Necromancers, in order to retain minions that otherwise become hostile.

Non-necromancer characters can use Smooth Criminal to steal Verata's Gaze from a Moss Scarab, thus preventing it to use the skill, while able to steal back any lost minions.

Allies
Humans
 * 10 (20) Captured Chosen
 * 10 (20) Villagers (dead)
 * 15 (20) White Mantle Knight
 * 20 (20) Saidra
 * 20 (20) Markis
 * 15 (20) Evennia

Charmable animals
Animals
 * 5 Warthog (found at the beginning of the mission)

Foes
Arachnids Centaur Humans (Shining Blade) Plants Riders Scarabs Trolls
 * 16 (25) Maguuma Spider
 * 16 (20) Spider Queen
 * 16 (25) Centaur Scout
 * 16 (25) Maguuma Warrior
 * 16 (25) Maguuma Hunter
 * 16 (25) Maguuma Protector
 * 16 (25) Maguuma Warlock
 * 16 (25) Maguuma Enchanter
 * 16 (25) Maguuma Avenger
 * 15 (20) Saidra
 * 15 (25) Shining Blade Scout
 * 18 (25) Entangling Roots
 * 15 (25) Life Pod
 * 12 (24) Wind Rider
 * 12 (24) Moss Scarab
 * 14 (24) Jungle Troll

Bosses
Arachnids Centaur Plants Riders Scarabs Trolls
 * 18 (28) Kezra Spindleweb
 * 19 (29) Rapa Ironhaunch
 * 19 (29) Maila Arrowmane
 * 19 (29) Tama Blessedhoof
 * 19 (29) Kara Bloodtail
 * 19 (29) Paka Blackhoof
 * 19 (29) Fawa Torncalf
 * 19 (29) Horm Frostrider
 * 19 (29) Ramtha Brokenhoof
 * 18 (28) Tree of Vitality
 * 18 (28) Chott Stormsinger
 * 18 (28) Wydd Kindlerun
 * 18 (28) Grech Trundle
 * 18 (28) Grook Plugalug

Initial dialogue

 * White Mantle Knight (1): "They went this way!"
 * White Mantle Knight (2): "Did we lose them?"

Intermediate dialogue
When coming into range of the first Shining Blade Scout.
 * Shining Blade Scout: "Quickly! To the camps! The Shining blade must be warned!!"

Before reaching the first boss.
 * White Mantle Knight (1): "Did we lose them?"
 * White Mantle Knight (2): "I think I see them!"

Before crossing the first bridge.
 * White Mantle Knight: "They went this way!"
 * White Mantle Knight: "I think I see them!"

After crossing the first bridge.
 * White Mantle Knight: "It's no use. We are lost."

When coming into range of the Centaur Scouts.
 * Centaur Scout (1): "Long has it been since Ramtha Brokenhoof and Horm Frostrider met face to face."
 * Centaur Scout (1): "The leaders of the two strongest Centaur tribes are on the verge of an agreement."
 * Centaur Scout (2): "So the rumors about the alliance against the humans are true?"
 * Centaur Scout (1): "Indeed. The negotiations begin today."
 * Centaur Scout (2): "Good. It is about time that the Centaurs took a united stand against the humans."
 * Centaur Scout (1): "It is rumored that there are humans in the Maguuma right now."
 * Centaur Scout (1): "We would have need of a strong Centaur, such as yourself, to help guard the meeting."
 * Centaur Scout (2): "I would be honored. What must I do?"
 * Centaur Scout (1): "Take this vine seed. It will give you access to the meeting site."
 * Centaur Scout (2): "I will guard Ramtha Brokenhoof and Horm Frostrider with my life."

When coming into range of the second Shining Blade Scout.
 * Shining Blade Scout: "Quickly! To the camps! The Shining blade must be warned!!"

When coming into range of Ramtha Brokenhoof and Horm Frostrider.
 * Horm Frostrider: "Ramtha, my brother, it is good to lay eyes on you once again."
 * Horm Frostrider: "The humans are becoming a menace again."
 * Ramtha Brokenhoof: "They are troublesome in Maguuma as well."
 * Horm Frostrider: "They climb through the Shiverpeaks, thinning our tribe and stealing our land."
 * Ramtha Brokenhoof: "Yes, Horm. The days of darkness for the Centaurs are over."
 * Ramtha Brokenhoof: ''"Death to the humans!"'
 * Horm Frostrider: "Then we are in agreement."
 * Horm Frostrider: "We shall strike an alliance and declare hunting season on the humans."

When coming into range of the third Shining Blade Scout.
 * Shining Blade Scout: "Quickly! To the camps! The Shining blade must be warned!!"

When coming into range of the fourth Shining Blade Scout.
 * Shining Blade Scout: "Quickly! To the camps! The Shining blade must be warned!!"

Intermediate cinematic

 * Captured Chosen: "Oh no. Please no."
 * Evennia: "You there! You can chase us through the jungle later."
 * Evennia: "But if you have even a shred of decency in your heart, I beseech you, help us save the Chosen."

End cinematic

 *  : "You have exactly ten seconds to explain yourselves before we run you through."
 * Evennia: "Perhaps it is you who needs to be doing the explaining."
 *  : "What are you going to do to us?"
 * Evennia: "I don't know what to make of you."
 * Evennia: "You're not typical White Mantle, as evidenced by your bravery and willingness to help save the Chosen."
 * Evennia: "Had you not shown up when you did, we might have lost them after all."
 *  : "Lost them? You weren't trying to get them killed?"
 * Evennia: "What did you think? That we liberated the Chosen from the murderous Mantle only to feed them to the spiders?"
 * Evennia: "Nothing could be farther from the truth."
 *  : "Then what were you doing?"
 * Evennia: "Rescuing them from the Mantle, that's what. The spiders were a...a miscalculation."
 * Markis: "I don't trust them, Evennia. They're Mantle plain and simple."
 * Evennia: "I can see that Markis. But something tells me if they see for themselves what the White Mantle really do with the Chosen, they'll have a change of heart about their masters."
 * Markis: "What are you saying? That you mean to let them go?"
 * Evennia: "Yes, Markis, that's exactly what I mean to do."
 * Evennia: "Who knows. Once they've seen the Bloodstone, they may end up being valuable allies."
 * Markis: "This is a mistake, Evennia."
 * Evennia: "Maybe it is."
 * Evennia: "If my hunch about you is correct, then you'll head to Bloodstone Fen."
 * Evennia: "The truth about the White Mantle will reveal itself. And you will be faced with a difficult decision."