The arrival is safe, but in front of you across a bridge over lava are two Revenants and Diamond Golems.  With ranged skills it is very easy to kill them from this side of the bridge and then move across.  Note: in the distant past of level 6 spells being max the arrival location was a good place to rebuff for the conflicts ahead.  Also of MAJOR importance is the fact that to reduce quest jumping tactics the keep was made non-log-out-able, I.E. log out while in the keep (or lag out) and you will log back in at your lifestone's location not the keep.

After using your skills to unlock the grate (325 skill) be very very careful. The path ahead contains debuff/mana blight traps.  If you hit a trap back up rebuff and try again.  Hopefully the friends in your party won't open the second grate (410 skill) till you are ready.  Note: i've heard that walking down the middle of the room causes the spawning of additional monsters, so the preferred way thru the room is along the right wall.  With the increase monster spawn and reduced re-spawn timer things could get very sticky based on your party size if you just trod down the center of the room.

At the end of the room is a ramp down to the north, and rooms leading up to the west and east.  In clearing the area I counted 14 undead and 3 golems killed before attempting to search the east-west paths.

Heading up the east quickly brings you to a grate that can not be used from here.  So the correct path is westward.  where in a room you will spot 2 levers on the north wall.  The western lever will open that grate to the east.

You give Ghost of Galaeral Sacrificial Dagger.

A haunting voice echoes in the halls of the Keep.  "Light is not lost on this world yet.  I shall enact my part of this bargain, outlander.  Seek vengeance for the countless years, the suffering and the agony of those she has destroyed.  Blessings of Ithaenc go with you."

The 2nd lever, or eastern one will open a grate down the northern ramp.  If you are quick and cleared the area you can hit both levers rush over to Galaeral and then back down to the northern grate before it closes.  There is another lever just beyond the grate so the party can split and take their time turning in the Sacrificial Dagger and getting thru the northern grate.

NOTE: the turning in as well as the original picking up of the Sacrificial dagger may be optional based on which version of the Lady-A you wish to face and which reward you are seeking.  Turn in provides easy, old, Lady-A and recall scroll.  Not turning in provides VoD Style hell bent beeeeotch of a Lady-A and no recall scroll in treasure/reward.  So planning back at the reservoir can be crucial.

Now that the first door was opened and the dagger given, on to the former rebuff room among the shadows to prepare for the final assault to the Lady's room.  Off to the east is another can't be used from here grate, that by the time you've got it opened really doesn't shorten your progress.  So let us move west and then north into a great room.

But first those Diamond golems and revenants that attack you after you pass thru the northern grate should be dispatched.

Typically it is just best to keep moving thru the great room northward and then move east in the corridor.  Stopping to kill any remaining monsters in side is strictly optional.  Believe me, ahead you will get plenty battles regardless of which Lady-A you are tackling.

Moving eastward in the corridor you make your way down some ramps and into a large room.  Immediately to your south in the connecting room is the lever to open that eastern grate I mentioned forgetting about earlier.  Our goal here is the locked grate (250 skill) to the east so be sure to not let the monsters here deter you.

Much earlier attempts at this quest, you know back in the dark ages of level 6 spells, would often once thru the locked door clear the immediate room to the north of shadows and use it if needed for rebuffing. Surprise:

You stagger as 18 points of mana are leached from you by the walls of the prison cell!
You stagger as 16 points of mana are leached from you by the walls of the prison cell!
You stagger as 17 points of mana are leached from you by the walls of the prison cell!

Staying there now for a 2 minute rebuff cycle isn't advised!

So I'd advise continuing you eastward thru the 2nd locked door (250 skill).  Once past the second door things are gone to heat up.  While the goal is getting thru yet another 'can not be used from here grate' to the north, we will have to move south thru another great room filled with Revenants or encircle the great room by continuing east, then south and then back to the west a few feet. Stopping outside a southern exit from the great room we encircled and a southern entry into a second grate room with some fire elements.

Wait for it bucko.  If you just marched ahead to the south into the room you are now debuffed and out of mana facing four hellfires or infernos and a host of revenants likely as not to come charging down from the north.  Here a more correct, saner or safer strategy would be to stop in the hallway and battle the revenants there.  Then if you have ranged capable of fighters in your party take out the flame elements from outside the room so you can JUMP thru the opening into the room.  Over in the southeast corner of the room you will find the lever to open that northern grate.

Exiting out the room, careful to once again jump over the entrance way (believe the traps are right inside the room and not actually in the short entrance corridor into the room, will make more sense when you are standing there as i didn't grab any pictures).  Having killed the revenants running north thru the great room and to the grate is advised.

Past the open grate the corridor will turn east ward and head down a ramp to the entrance to a large cavern.  But the entry is blocked by a host of monsters.  As I was mowing down the four Relic Bones and 10 Wasteland Rats 3 Cursed Wisps from the cavern crashed the party.

As I was working my way thru the party greeting all, I would see 3 more Wisps re-spawn and then 3 more.  The Wisps seem to be re-spawning about as fast as I kill'em and I was running low on stam and mana. Switching tactics I rushed into the cavern as soon as an opening appeared and made my way to the SE.

The Cavern is a series of connected large rooms slowly funneling you to the southeast.  Wise to the traps embedded on the floor of the rooms I ran along the wall perimeter on the embanked edges.  The southern exit leads back up to the grate lever room, while the eastern corridor leads to Lady-A.

Having been tricked into stepping on several traps already I'd wager nobody ventured very far into the eastern corridor.  A short ways in is first a dispel trap and then a mana blight trap closer to where the corridor bends to the north.  It is adviseable to stop attract the attention of any creatures in the corridor luring them out into the room and dispatch them with haste.

I counted 10 rats, 3 golems and 3 wisps in my battle.  As you will want to make the leap down the hallway without fear of being blocked and landing on a trap this seems to be the more logical approach.  Successfully past the traps there should be two Wisps between you and the Lady's chamber.  Time to check your status on buffs, banes and use any dispel potions, gems or spells.

NOTE: After removing the wisps it is adviseable to proceed slowly and not just run madly into the room.  It is possible to attract the attention of a monster near the corridor and lure him into battle outside.  This will cause other groupies within the room to come out and greet you.  Far enough back in the corridor you stand a chance of not attracting the Lady's attention till most of the groupies tickets are punched.

Stopping short of the entry into the small cove, I targeted a Great Revenant and let him lead the others out to me.  The battle raged on as I eliminated 2 Revenants, 3 Relic Bones, and 2 Golems before being detected.

A coolly amused voice seeps across your mind, "Perhaps I play too roughly with you fragile outlanders..."

My struggles with the Lady's lackey's has drawn her attention.

Lady Aerfalle tried and failed to cast a spell at you!

The deadly force of your attack is so strong that Cursed Bones's ancestors feel it!

You resist the spell cast by Lady Aerfalle.

Great Revenant is utterly destroyed by your attack!

As the final groupie droped it is time to turn my attention to the Lady.

Note: having been so far back in the corridor at first and moving up only slowly as the Lady's hanger ons were eliminated I avoided her attention.  Ignorning her for too long once she awakens can lead to you being transported out of her chamber and back to the starting point.  Or WORSE!

You evaded Lady Aerfalle!

A coolly amused voice seeps across your mind, "Gentlemen, could I trouble you to perform thy task?"
You evaded Lady Aerfalle! ((note to self hubba hubba, resist and evaded, truely uberness will someday be within reach))
You say, "Zojak Quaguz"
You resist the spell cast by Lady Aerfalle

Lady Aerfalle's seared corpse smolders before you!

On far Aerlinthe Island, an intrepid band has found the lair of the Dark Lady Aerfalle, at whose whim the earth itself does shake. But the bold Ag Nar has driven her back into her hidden crypts, and the ground stills... until she next awakens.

The withered corpse of Aerfalle hisses in rage as it is hewn in twain... "I shall not be sent to a final rest by primitives like thee, Ag Nar!"  her severed head says from the stones.  "Enjoy this insignificant victory, child.  For I have walked this world for over ten millennia, and I shall walk it long hence your little race has returned to the dust that birthed thee!"

Shiek Houra Aevan tells you, "RAWR!!!"
Zeratule tells you, "WOOHOO!!!!!"

Note: 4am CST isn't gone to garner you a lot of congrat tells and next time hire a camerabug to take along for some pictures.

Stopping just long enough to grab an ashen key from her corpse and a letter, I made my way back through the corridor and over the jump into a mosh pit of monsters.  I headed into the southern corridor to limit their access to me.

As the battle raged on 5 Golems, 9 Wasteland Rats and 8 Cursed Wisps were eliminated.  These new spawns and faster re-spawn timers could turn out to be a killer for the unprepared.  Previous Lady-A quests on the run back to the chests for the rewards encountered NONE of these monsters.

Finally, open the door and up the ramp to the entrance into the chest room.  But first the hordes of 3 Cursed Bones and two Great Revenants rushing out from the northern great room must be dealt with.  Those annoying creatures eliminated I concentrate on the Infernos that protect the chest.  As we know from the lever epidsode, a path must be cleared so the traps at the entrance can be safely jumped over.

You obliterate Inferno!

Your attack stops Inferno cold!

Two down and the remaining two back far enough to jump over the traps.

Magic trap casts Mana Blight and drains 333 points of your mana.

Magic trap casts Nullify All Magic Other on you and dispels: Blessing of the Mace Turner, Blessing of the Arrow Turner, Blessing of the Blade Turner, Fiery Blessing, Icy Blessing, Caustic Blessing, Storm's Blessing, Saladur's Blessing, Honed Control, Hastening, Hieromancer's Blessing, Aura of Deflection, Aura of Defense, Perseverance, Aura of Resistance, Executor's Blessing, Aliester's Blessing, Oswald's Blessing, Yoshi's Blessing, Odif's Blessing, Ar-Pei's Blessing, Harlune's Blessing, Mind Blossom, Inner Calm, Nuhmudira's Blessing, Might of the Lugians, Celcynd's Blessing, Adja's Blessing, and Aura of Resistance.

Or maybe NOT!

Inferno singes your abdomen for 3 points of Fire damage!
Inferno singes your chest for 2 points of Fire damage!
You resist the spell cast by Inferno
Inferno singes your hand for 3 points of Fire damage!
Inferno singes your chest for 6 points of Fire damage!
You resist the spell cast by Inferno

Time to consume some stam/mana rations from the bottom of my pack and fight back!

Inferno singes your hand for 3 points of Fire damage!
You evaded Inferno!
You evaded Inferno!
You evaded Inferno!
Inferno singes your chest for 2 points of Fire damage!
Inferno singes your head for 2 points of Fire damage!
You frost Inferno for 164 points with Icy Torment.
You evaded Inferno!
Inferno singes your upper arm for 6 points of Fire damage!
You resist the spell cast by Inferno.
You evaded Inferno!
Inferno singes your head for 4 points of Fire damage!
Inferno suffers a frozen fate!

Hurrah for RendWands, good Armor, a maxed out trained Magic Defense, and a modest amount of Melee Defense. One down, one to go.

Inferno singes your head for 2 points of Fire damage!
You evaded Inferno!
Your assault sends Inferno to an icy death!

The chests are mine to plunder - well at least the one the key removed from the lady opens.

The key doesn't fit this lock.

The Lady of Aerlinthe's Chest has been unlocked.
Your key is used up.

Done looting it is time to depart and head to Zaikhal.

You give Town Crier Ashbane.   (as a mage the trophy doesn't do me much good)

Diyas al-Yat tells you,
"Hello! I am studying those most enigmatic beings, the Virindi. I think I can translate their language. Do not ask me how I acquired such knowledge."

"I have also been in touch with Leopold, in Ayan Baqur, and he has given me some repaired Virindi masks to trade for broken ones."

You give Kuyiza bint Zayi the Translator Unreadable Scroll.

Kuyiza bint Zayi the Translator tells you,
"Ah, yes, this appears to be a unique teleport spell. Give me a moment, and I can teach it to you."

You give Kuyiza bint Zayi the Translator Sheets of Paper.

Kuyiza bint Zayi the Translator tells you,

"Aerfalle... I have seen this name before. An adventurer brought me a note from Rytheran, the Revenant of the Mage Academy near Mount Esper. It was addressed to an Aerfalle. But this... a moment..."

"Heavens and earth! This speaks of the last Shadow War, and in grave detail. I am... profoundly disturbed by the sights this Aerfalle has witnessed."

Kuyiza bint Zayi the Translator gives you Aerfalle's Letter.

Next up a visit too the Stone Collector.

You give Stone Collector Black Boulder.

Stone Collector tells you,

"This is a very impressive rock! Here, take one that I've finished cutting and polishing."

You've earned 100,000 experience.

Stone Collector gives you Black Fire Atlan Stone.

Stone Collector tells you,

"The light flickers in it's facets like a black fire. Use that in an Empyrean Weapon."

 

Ag Nar

Lore/Background Story Part

Pick up of Pyreal Bellows in Crater Cave

Pick up Sluice Gate Bar

Turn in Sluice Gate Bar

Turn in Pyreal Bellows

Kill Behemoth/Hellfire

Kill the Watchman Relic