• Hail Guest!
    We're looking for Community Content Contribuitors to Stratics. If you would like to write articles, fan fiction, do guild or shard event recaps, it's simple. Find out how in this thread: Community Contributions
  • Greetings Guest, Having Login Issues? Check this thread!
  • Hail Guest!,
    Please take a moment to read this post reminding you all of the importance of Account Security.
  • Hail Guest!
    Please read the new announcement concerning the upcoming addition to Stratics. You can find the announcement Here!

[News] Third Map Fragment Found!

Brytt

Seasoned Veteran
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
The third map fragment has been found!

In a race that threatened to alter the balance between the Gargish Alliance supporters and the Keep Britannia Clean supporters, citizens rushed to find the third map fragment after being beseeched by Beh-Lem to do just that. Only one side would be able to find and claim the map fragment.



The Thiefmaster, it turns out, knew ol' Jacko but didn't know his current whereabouts. However, the Thiefmaster indicated that he knew of a farmer who might know more. This farmer, he said, was in a very commonly traveled area; an area for celebrating. This led citizens to find Bartholomew the Farmer, at the Skara Brae Fairegrounds.

Editor's note: The Thiefmaster mentions the Skara Brae Tavern, but this was a leftover keyword from the Mowdly quest.)



Bartholomew, quietly pondering on a bench on the southern edge of the Fairegrounds revealed that the Gargish Alliance supporters and Keep Britannia Clean supporters were not the only ones who had come seeking information on the whereabouts of ol' Jacko. It seems the mercenaries had come looking for Jacko as well!

Bartholomew didn't know Jacko's location, but said that he had been allowing Jacko to hide out in one of the nearby farmhouses.

Searching a farmhouse a few buildings to the south turned up some of Jacko's personal effects in a dresser, including his personal journal.



Jacko had also been reading some interesting literature, of late. It seems he had preoccupied himself with books on Judge Julius Dryden, a history of Blackthorne Castle, and secret tunnels, among others.

Clever adventurers soon realized this could lead Jacko to find a new hiding place... in the secret tunnel beneath Blackthorne Castle, just as Julius Dryden had done years ago.



However, it seemed that citizens were too late. The mercenaries had found Jacko first! But what of the map fragment??



Luckily, nearby, Jacko's dog, Scamp, held a note under his collar which--according to Jacko's final words--held the location where the third map fragment could be found.



Devil's Bond....

Devil's Bond? What could this mean? Serpent's Hold? The Collector of Souls in Blood Dungeon? The bowels of Umbra?

Devil's Bond...
Devil's Bond...

...then it occurred to those who have spent time in Ilshenar that there may be a connection to a tavern near the Honor shrine. Gamblers may have had an easier time of making the connection.

Devil. The Devil's Roll. Deuce.

Bond. In the old tongue, Vinculum.



There, in the heart of the long abandoned tavern, was a skull set in flame. Touching the skull took citizens to a firey dais, where there sat a locked chest and a note. Here it was, at last! The map fragment! But how to open the sealed chest?



Alas, perhaps knowing his time would come, Jacko had bound the seal of the chest to four guardian wisps who would need to be slain in order to release the seal. To the Wisp Dungeon!

It took some time to find the wisps who held the keys to the chest. But once found, it didn't take long to slay the wisps and the chest was opened to reveal the third map fragment!



The map fragment was retrieved by the Gargoyle Alliance. Names of those who were present for the final combat were submitted along with the map fragment to the Baja EM Reward House.

Well done, citizens. One more to go...!
 

WarderDragon

Babbling Loonie
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
We had begun to discuss a hypothetical plot twist in alliance chat the night before last.

The discussion? What if Nicholas (or whomever had been there to steal the map fragment after the Wisps had been defeated) had chosen to deliver it to the Anti-Gargish Faction? What if he was given an offer he couldn't refuse?

The implication of this arc is that if we don't find each of the four map fragments and piece them together then Tel Mur and the Gargoyles are inevitably doomed.

...but do the event moderators have the power to wipe out the Gargish race on Baja?
 
Top