_Annals of the Darkness_ Quest: The Glowing Stone Result: Experience/Undroppable Item Required Items of Interest for Quest Completion: Orb of Trelei (or the ability to cast invisibility) Note to Abner Abner's Journals Arved's Sack Glowing Stone Dust Note to Munchkin Jen Imperial Merchant's Uniform Talisman of Merchants Image of Sala Zones Involved: Dammitall Meadow - Kids' Hideout Abner's Cabin South Boardman Cayden's Split C&J Motel Home of Thrul'ia De'vaneau Merchant's Home Shrine to Sala Forsaken Grove The Spirit Plane - In South Boardman, you'll speak to several people who talk about a group of townsfolk wandering off and that a glowing object is involved. Of course, it's the cause of much grief, and you, O mighty one, must look into it. Finding your way to the Dammitall Meadow, locate the Kids' Hideout and speak to Jalena, the little girl inside. She's confused and bewildered, but tells you what she knows. Seems as if a boy named Arved Mulhauser found a glowing stone and headed East from South Boardman with it. Although you may not realize it at this point, the Glowing Stone will be a quest that follows you through most of your adventure. Not far from the Kids' Hideout is a secret entrance that leads to a hidden cabin. Defeat the half-celestial guardian and search the cabin for a Note to Abner. Place this in your pack as you'll need it later. The next encounter you'll have involving the quest will be later on. North of the East portion of the Manistee National Forest lie the Forbidden Calms. Beyond the Calms is a Forsaken Grove, wherein can be found the only shop with potions available that cast Heal (Breath of the Earth). Here you'll also find the corpse of Arved and a nearly empty sack. Take the sack and gain a cool 5,000 experience points (this can only be done once, so don't bother trying it again down the road). Note that in order to gain access to the Forbidden Calms, you'll need to request a key from the drow camp due south and over the bridge from the entrance to the VASA Trailhead. If you haven't defeated Evan the Supreme (Minus Tomato) and his hell hounds, the drow won't be willing to speak with you (you'll need to handle the Giant Who Hates Tomatoes quest and deliver the Big Rod to Mary Elizabeth first). Afterward, a simple request will deliver the key, provided you've either come across a Muncie Carrot or Master Tonberries. Return to Jalena with the sack and she'll learn that Arved is dead. When you offer to let her keep the sack as a memento, she will provide you with dust from the Glowing Stone that had settled in the bottom of Arved's Sack. You'll also gain 3,000 experience points here. If you head to Castleville and speak with Thrul'ia De'vaneau, she will at this point inform you that she is waiting for Abner (when you show her the note). She'll tell you that the business they have is between them. Make your way to the Forest of Korrah on the High Ravan Road and search for a corpse near the cove along the stream. This is the body of Abner the Keeper. Take his journals back to Thrul'ia and prove that Abner is indeed dead. At this point Thrul'ia will want justice done and will send you to see Munchkin Jen in the Twin Pines Mall. She'll give you a note to show to the vendor. Show the note to Munchkin Jen and she'll offer to provide you with an Imperial Merchant's Uniform for a steep price - 250,000 gold pieces. If you agree, she'll take your note and money and give you the uniform. Now head south of the Pearl City and speak with the Imperial Highway Sentries. Seeing your Imperial Seal, they'll allow you access to the Merchants' Camp (NOTE: if you don't have your uniform equipped, they won't let you pass). Look for a home in the Merchants' Camp and confront the anxious man that you find. He'll put up a good fight. When he is vanquished, you'll be rewarded with a Merchants' Talisman and will be instructed to head beyond the Bridge of Death and to the undermountain village of Dahl. Use invisibility (either a spell or your Orb of Trelei) and head to the Shrine of Sala in the village. Within can be found the Dahl Evoker, who will welcome you. If you accuse him of having the Glowing Stone, he will attack. Destroy him and receive another special item. At this point, you'll be instructed to go back to South Boardman, where the creature that possesses the Glowing Stone can be found. Speak with Gene Wolfe, the innkeeper at C&J Boardman Motel, and he'll offer to arrange the final confrontation for the Stone. If you accept, you'll be whisked away to the Spirit Realm. The Spirit of Wolfe is quick and deadly. If you can destroy it, you'll receive the full story of the Glowing Stone and will have the opportunity to destroy it once and for all. If you opt to leave the Stone for now, you'll receive 15,000 experience points and will be sent back to South Boardman. If you choose to destroy the Stone, you'll receive 15,000 experience points and the Crown of the Archangel, which is the most powerful helmet available at this point for your character. This quest may only be done once, and its outcome item, the Crown of the Archangel, is required if you wish to confront the Evil in the final quest you will one day finish. - updated 9.21.05