Aurora Glade

The Shining Blade's plan to reassemble the portal to the Henge of Denravi has been betrayed to the White Mantle, who have been slaughtering all who stand in their way as they try to claim it. Should the Shining Blade succeed, they will gain a new, hidden base of operations to strike back at the Mantle. Fail, and not only will the Henge be lost to the Shining Blade, but their resistance movement will collapse as well.

Objectives
Gain access to the Henge of Denravi.
 * Get to the Henge Portal.
 * Attune the Henge Portal before the White Mantle do.
 * ADDED: Attune the thorn pedestal to clear the vine gate.
 * ADDED: Attune both thorn pedestals to clear the vine gate.
 * ADDED: Kill the Henge Guardian.
 * *BONUS* Assassinate the Demagogue.

Walkthrough
The first part of this mission is typical: hack and slash through the usual Maguuma Jungle foes and bosses. Things changes drastically when you reach the Druids.

The goal of the mission is to attune a set of three thorn-pedestals simultaneously, while preventing the White Mantle from doing the same thing. Attuning the set clears the Vine Gate, giving your party access to the Henge Guardian; defeating it completes the mission.

There are two types of pedestals:
 * Spawn-pedestals are attended by a single Druid. Talk to the Druid once to enable the pedestal to produce crystals; click on the pedestal to get a crystal. That pedestal will not produce a crystal until the currently-carried one is dropped or used.
 * Attunement-pedestals are empty until your party or the Mantle add a crystal; they also have a beam of light pointing upwards. The light is white when the pedestal is empty; it changes to blue when your team claims it; and it becomes red when the Mantle attune it.

If you drop a crystal, it breaks and you must grab a new one. As with any bundle, while carrying crystals, you do not gain the benefit of any of your weapon mods.

When you attune the southernmost pedestal, it opens a vine-gate allowing you to proceed northward. (The Mantle do not attempt to attune this pedestal.) After following the path, you will find Less: dispose of his attackers and talk to him to unlock the Bonus.

East of Less is another area with three thorn-pedestals. One is a spawn-pedestal, one attunement-pedestal has already been claimed by the Mantle, and the third will be unclaimed. There are several ways to proceed at this point. Generally, you want to defeat the two groups of Mantle (including a Boss), visit the spawn-pedestal, talk to the Druid, grab a crystal, claim the right attunement-pedestal and eventually claim the leftmost pedestal, which opens another vine-gate at the eastern end of the area.

Once this gate opens, the race is on between your team and the White Mantle to claim the three pedestals in the large area to the East. Get another crystal, attune the left pedestal. Be prepared to rush to the Mantle's spawn-pedestal just beyond the gate.

Method 1: Holding the middle ground
This method is very risky but the simplest way to do it if you are playing with only heroes and henchmen. Attune the nearest pedestal, and then move to the pathway between the central platform and the pedestal closest to the druid. The White Mantle will claim the other two pedestals, and then come straight down the center and run into you. At this point you can use snare skills to trap the runner and kill him/her. When you kill the runner (normally a White Mantle Seeker), another party will venture out from their base and come down the same way. Repeat the process until all the Mantle are dead, after which you can complete the bonus and attune the pedestals at your leisure. There will be approximately 4 groups of White Mantle, and one or two runners alone. In hard mode, killing the runner immediately may overwhelm your group. "You Move Like A Dwarf" is very useful for knocking down and crippling the runner. Using a wall of spirits to body block the small passage can delay the runner indefinitely without killing him, allowing the rest of your group to kill the trickle of enemies.

Note that if you're not able to eliminate their groups fast enough, you may get overwhelmed and/or their runner will break your line and take the last pedestal, making you fail the mission.

It is recommended that you make your stand in the central pathway, as it is the narrowest area and makes trapping the runner easier. Also, the White Mantle Abbots can remove hexes using Convert Hexes, so having more than one party member carrying a snare skill can help to overcome this.

Alternate method 1
Recommended for solo play. You will need a henchman healer in party. Ignore the middle pedestal. Instead pick up the crystal and go to the left pedestal. You will arrive as the Mantle are leaving. Attune the pedestal using the crystal and park your party at the pedestal with the radar flag controls. The Mantle will return to reclaim this pedestal first. Go back, get another crystal, and go to the middle pedestal. Alternate between claiming the left and right pedestals, as the Mantle will usually succeed in capturing your hench-held pedestal. Each time the Mantle return to the left pedestal your party will kill the runner's escort. Eventually the only Mantle left will be the runner. You will know this when you no longer see your party taking damage. Rejoin your party and kill the runner. Kill the Demagogue and claim any remaining pedestals.

Note: Using this method it may be possible to return from capturing the right-hand pedestal and find that your henchmen have indeed stopped the Mantle from recapturing the pedestal they hold. In that case, it may be possible to simply capture the remaining center pedestal and advance the mission if you so desire.

When using this method, it is a good idea not to kill the runner (usually a White Mantle Seeker) while there are still escorts alive. Normally, the single runner returns to the base for a new crystal, but killing the runner causes a new runner to set out immediately. Reducing the time between enemy forays cuts the time available for your own runner and increases the likelihood that your combat group gets overwhelmed (remains of old group plus new group).

This method can be extra effective if the player character uses Signet of Spirits, as this allows you to deal significant damage at the same time as running. This skill can be used by all classes in game.

Method 2: Running the crystals
You can complete this objective without wiping out the entire White Mantle contingent. Simply run a crystal to each of the three pedestals. This approach needs at least two human players in the party, with three players being preferred. You should have some speed boosts in your skillbar to allow you to outrun the White Mantle teams; each time they claim a pedestal, another team immediately heads out to claim the next.

Just remember to keep at least one pedestal claimed to avoid failing the mission.

You should have two or three players standing by the druid and the crystals. One player should pick up a crystal and run to the nearest thorn pedestal. As soon as it is set in place, a new crystal will spawn, which the second player should grab and head to the next pedestal. If you only have two runners, the first runner should return to the crystal spawn point while the second runner is out. Either way, once the crystal spawns again, repeat the process. If this is coordinated properly, you should have no trouble at all.

To make sure the White Mantle don't capture any pedestals, you can station the balance of your party (including any henchmen) at the chokepoint in the center pathway, as described under Method 1 above.

Note that this method can be used, with slight modification, to easily gain mission and bonus. Have two people run crystals, the second waiting by the crystal spawn point to pick it up the moment the other has attuned a pedestal. It is important that these two do not attune the last pedestal until the bonus is gained. A third person, or the rest of the party, kills the Demagogue. This can easily be done by following the south wall, you should not need to kill any White Mantle other than him if you take this path. Now the most important part: do not aggro the White Mantle runners. Two non-buffed runners can easily keep the portals attuned without hindering the White Mantle. If a third human player is not present, then this method can be done using only two. The Demagogue slayer becomes the second runner after the bonus has been gained.

Method 3: Combining 1 and 2
If you have at least two human players in the party, use one player as the runner, and use the remainder of the party to harass and eliminate the Mantle contingent. After the Mantle is eliminated, the bonus can be completed at leisure before claiming the final pedestal to complete the mission.

The Guardian
Regardless of which of the above methods you use, when you finally claim all three pedestals, a cutscene will play showing your party being teleported to the Henge. Make your way through the token resistance there to confront the Henge Guardian. He is flanked by two Root Behemoths that can wear down your party if they're not eliminated quickly. When you take out all three of them, the mission ends. The best way of killing them is by using DoT spells such as Fire Storm, as the enemies are stationary.

Bonus
Just before you enter the area with the three pedestals, you will see a Shining Blade warrior named Less Longbow near two White Mantle Knights. As you approach (to within 2 aggro circles), the Mantle will engage him in combat if Less is close enough. You will have to join the fight and save Less. After the two Knights are dead, speak to Less to trigger the bonus. Note: to receive credit for the bonus, you must speak to this NPC before you kill the Demagogue. (However, once you have done so, you will receive credit even if he dies later.)

The Demagogue is located in the White Mantle starting area, on the other side of the arena with the three pedestals. You must kill him before placing the last crystal in the pedestal. The troops stationed here are also the ones that will run the crystals out to claim the pedestals, so if you killed them all previously using Methods 1 or 3 above, he will be alone. Otherwise, you will need to deal with them in addition to the Demagogue himself.

If you don't want to fight all of them, one approach is to head to the pedestal on the far right from the entrance, where you will find a path that leads past the bulk of his forces. From there, provided you hug the side furthest from them you can eliminate the Demagogue and if you're lucky, his troops won't notice.

If you are having trouble holding the pedestals, one method is to keep your heroes and henchmen at one pedestal (preferably the one to the far right) and then capture 2 and keep 2 at all times, that way when the runners capture one you will still have another and can easily regain it until all the White Mantle are dead.

If you're only going for the bonus, you can effectively skip the shuffling and take the back route directly to the Demagogue. The following method works very well even with hero/henchman parties, especially in hard mode: Grab the crystal from the Thorn Pedestal, and place it in the center shrine's Pedestal. Run back and grab another crystal, and take it to the one on the far right. Without running skills, you will still have a few seconds to spare. Taking the back route, avoid the rest of the troops and go straight to the Demagogue. You'll be able to kill him with just enough time to spare; you'll lose the mission, but you'll get the bonus. This is a very simple and reliable method. It works even better if you bring party-wide speed boosts (such as "Fall Back!") and interrupts or knock downs to prevent him from activating Healing Signet.

Skill recommendations

 * Snares help considerably in slowing down the runners (although many players report success without them).
 * AoE skills come in handy, as White Mantle groups tend to clump. They can also be used against the Henge Guardian and his Behemoths.
 * Signet of Spirits builds on player character allows for damage dealing at the same time as running.
 * White Mantle Seekers use Dryder's Defenses to block attacks. This can make it difficult to hit them with attacks if they are carrying the crystals. Use stance removal skills to end it or non-attack skills.

Allies

 * 15 Less Longbow
 * 20 Druid

Foes
Arachnids
 * 16 (25) Maguuma Spider

Behemoths
 * 19 (25) Root Behemoth

Devourers
 * 17 (25) Thorn Devourer
 * 17 (25) Fevered Devourer

Humans (White Mantle)
 * 16 (25) White Mantle Knight
 * 16 (25) White Mantle Seeker
 * 18 (25) White Mantle Abbot
 * 16 (25) White Mantle Ritualist
 * 16 (25) White Mantle Sycophant
 * 16 (25) White Mantle Savant

Plants
 * 17 (25) Thorn Stalker

Riders
 * 12 (24) Wind Rider

Scarabs
 * 12 (24) Moss Scarab

Trolls
 * 18 (25) Jungle Troll

Bosses
Behemoths
 * 20 (29) Henge Guardian

Humans (White Mantle)
 * 20 (29) Holt the Iron Boot Heel
 * 20 (29) Cuthbert the Chaste
 * 20 (29) Garr the Merciful
 * 20 (29) Kenric the Believer
 * 20 (29) Lars the Obeisant
 * 20 (29) Manton the Indulgent

Plants
 * 18 (28) Tree of Vitality

Riders
 * 18 (28) Chott Stormsinger
 * 18 (28) Wydd Kindlerun

Trolls
 * 18 (28) Grook Plugalug

Boss-like foes
Humans (White Mantle)
 * 16 (25) Demagogue

Objects

 * Maguuma Chest
 * Thorn Pedestal

Intermediate dialogue
Less Longbow (after saving him)
 * "I am grateful for your aid. You have my eternal gratitude.
 * "You must know, the White Mantle are led by a wicked evil man.
 * "He's their champion. They call him The Demagogue.
 * ''"He drives the Mantle forward. They will do anything he asks.
 * "Until he has been brought down, the Mantle will always have strength."

The Demagogue (after you approach him)
 * "Come, my Mantle. We must eradicate the heretics!"

End cinematic
Evennia
 * "Well done."

Player
 * "Thank you."

Evennia
 * "Now we have a safe place from which to strike back at the White Mantle. Today the tides have been turned."
 * "Come on. The old druid temple should be just over the waterfall. It's time to take a look at our new home."


 * "A new chapter now lies open for Tyria."
 * "The page has been turned, and the conflict begins in earnest."
 * "All is as I have forseen."