Mourning's End Pt 2 - Part One
Entry posted by Merch Gwyar
319 views
*flashback* Audina was the first person I ever knew with a quest cape. She IMed me, back in the days when I actually had IMs on, and asked me where I was. I was planting hops on that patch just north-west of Seers, so she came to meet me. We met in the coal-shed by the railways tracks and I wooted and jumped in the air when I saw her cape. Then she did the emote and my jaw dropped. It's an impressive emote. So I asked her, of all the quests she'd now completed, which was the worst. For a second there, it seemed like thunderclouds darkened the blue expanse of that bright Gielinor day, as she muttered darkly, 'Mourning's End Pt 2'. *flashback*
It's a sentiment that I've since heard repeated on countless lips. I've watched so many people limp back from those tunnels, battle-weary and traumatized. People will always congratulate their friends at the end of a quest, but you only have to witness the caped Quest Nubs amassed reactions to someone completing this quest to know that it's something special. Yet no-one could really express why. When I researched that article for Sal's Realm Newspaper, about the scariest quests ever, it didn't get a mention from anyone. In a way, that made it worse. What was it about it? :D
I'm in a quest mood, it has to be said. I've only got two left, so it was 50/50. Cougar had already offered to come with me to do this one, so I turned my sights to 'Devious Minds'. I was surprised to learn that smelting 1637 gold ore, with goldsmith gauntlets on, would get me the requisite level 63 smithing. A draft of mature dwarven stout would soon see that 2 handed mithril sword sharpened adequately. But gold ore needs to be either mined or bought. Buying meant around 750k, which I simply hadn't got, while mining means... well, mining. Another night, I wouldn't have minded, but this night, I was in a quest mood.
I started. The entire of 'Canting Away' knew that, as I whinged my way through a single inventory. People threw in suggestions for making money, but they all involved an element of grind. I've just mined, runecrafted, crafted and prayed my way through 11 prayer levels. The last thing I wanted to do was something repetitive. Zach, bless him, had a solution - runecrafting through the Abyss. It has danger, it has the thrill of the chase, it has excitement. It involves pure essense, which I didn't have. I had 30k in the bank. He'd nearly persuaded me to spend it on pure ess, craft them into nats, sell those and buy more essense, when Cell piped up with an alternative plan. Give up on 'Devious Minds' and do the other quest instead. 'Mourning's End Pt 2.'
I'd nipped home to get my mourners outfit and proselyte armour out of my wardrobe, and I was down in the new town bathing in every pool, then up to Lletya before anyone even knew I was doing it. I was down in the tunnel before Cougar arrived on line and discovered that I was doing it. Bless her! She gave up her evening to come with me, there and then. I was soon to be very grateful for that. She fought shadow beasts and led the way, directing me in the placing of mirrors and crystals, then leading me to the next. I crossed a hand-hold agility obstacle on the second try, which apparently is some kind of Canting Away record, though it's equally held by Reaver.
I think now that I know what all the silently deafening fuss is all about. I've reached the fifth door and the quest thus far has been pretty much of a muchness. After a brief preamble having a reccy down a tunnel, then reporting back to Arianwyn twice, the rest has been a study in concentration and stamina. It's all about running around a maze, placing mirrors and crystals so that light moves in a laser beam in different directions. The direction of the light, at any given moment, determines which doors can be opened. Beyond these doors are chests containing crystals. You collect enough crystals and more doors can be opened. You have to remember a) where you are in the maze and b) what lights are activated where. All the time, there are level 73 shadow beasts attacking relentlessly, while some of the corridors contain traps to hobble you. The area is so vast that it takes a while to get anywhere, without all of these things attempting to stop you, which means that you have protect from melee on for hours at a stretch without an altar to recharge your prayer.
Is 'Mourning's End Pt 2' the scariest quest ever? No. I see now why it flitted under the radar as I researched that article. But it's long and frustrating, a blocked door involves retracing your steps, a failed obstacle can see you in an infamiliar area of the maze and there seems no set pattern to where or how the mirrors should be placed. One particularly problematic mirror, wherein you have to direct the light downstairs and therefore can't see the laser as a clue, had us threading our way through a section, labelled as the most dangerous part, twice. Luckily, I got it right at the second attempt.
I would like to thank Cougar for coming with me, as I see now how difficult it would have been alone. Only two more doors to go! Woot! And I have a death talisman stashed in the bank, which I understand will help enormously towards the end of the quest. :D
9 Comments
Recommended Comments