Ascalonian Catacombs (story)

This article is about the story mode of Ascalonian Catacombs dungeon. For explorable mode, see Ascalonian Catacombs (explorable).

Ascalonian Catacombs (story)

Map of Ascalonian Catacombs (story)

Levels

30

Type

Dungeon

Region

Ascalon

Connects to

Phasmatis Corridor

API

33

Loading screen

“

The Ascalonian Catacombs are ancient tombs hunted by ghosts. Eir Stegalkin has gone inside, followed by Rytlock Brimstone.

— In-game description.

Rytlock Brimstone has received notice that Eir Stegalkin has gone deep inside the Ascalonian Catacombs, ruins of the times in which the humans settled in Ascalon, now ravaged by the curse of King Adelbern, the Foefire. Eir's presence is riling up the ghosts of the catacombs, and Rytlock has asked players for help finding the norn hero before she gets herself killed, or provokes the Foefire ghosts to attack the surface.

But Eir has reasons to be inside the Catacombs, looking for a way to a reunite her old guild, Destiny's Edge.

Dungeon information

Your Herald The Restless Ghosts of the Ascalonian Catacombs Hail, mighty hero! I have heard that the meeting between your mentor and the other members of Destiny's Edge did not go well. They were a legendary group, and it saddens me to hear they no longer wish to be together. However, I have heard through my sources that Eir Stegalkin has made a bee-line for the Catacombs beneath old Ascalon. I don't know why she is going to that haunted ruin, as it is swamped with human ghosts, victims of the Foefire. More importantly, the Catacombs are in the heart of Ashford, which is now Charr territory, and Rytlock will not be happy with this particular norn tromping through his territory. —Thought you might be interested, Your Herald

Objectives

• Find out what's happening in the old Ascalonian Catacombs.
  • Gather your party before venturing into the catacomb.
  • Talk to Rytlock.
  • Find Eir Stegalkin.
  • Go up the stairs and search for the sword.
  • Ascalonian Captain
  • 
  • Ascalonian Ghosts killed: x/15
• Draw out King Adelbern by defeating his lieutenants.
  • Defeat Master Nente.
  • Master Nente
  • 
  • Defeat Ralena and Vassar.
  • Ralena
  • 
  • Vassar
  • 
  • Defeat Kasha Blackblood.
  • Kasha Blackblood
  • 
• Return to the central chamber and confront King Adelbern.
  • Defeat King Adelbern.
  • King Adelbern
  • 
• King Adelbern and his minions have been defeated.

Rewards

• 8 Silver
• Experience based on the player's level (35% of current level)
• Bonus chest with 50 silver (once per day per account)

Walkthrough

Introduction

• Players are advised to enter this dungeon with sufficient free space in their inventory.
• This walkthrough offers detailed information about the dungeon, making it very spoiler heavy. New players might want to skip and only read the walkthrough for the bosses.

Rytlock welcomes the party to the Catacombs and makes a short introduction to the history of Ascalon. Players then enter a room filled with coffins. Interacting with the coffins spawns Ascalonian ghosts at random. In one of the coffins awaits the first boss, Gate Guardian Napa.

Ascalonian ghosts

Ascalonian ghosts are the main enemy of this dungeon, there are several types:

• Ascalonian Monk: their basic attacks bounce between foes, damaging them; and allies, healing them. They can also knockback players.
• Ascalonian Mesmer: their basic attacks daze for a short duration, they can knock back players, and they can create a long-lasting purple bubble around them that reflects projectiles.
• Ascalonian Ranger: their basic attacks cripple and poison, they can charge up an arrow to knockback players, and they can throw traps at range that activate upon landing to cripple, immobilize, and bleed.
• Ascalonian Elementalist: all their attacks deal moderate damage in an area. Their fire storms inflict burn.
• Ascalonian Warrior: they attack with their sword to deal moderate damage, and charge with their shield to inflict stun. They will attempt to heal themselves when low in health, players should try to kill them before they finish the healing animation, or interrupt said animation with crowd control.
• Ascalonian Necromancer: these are the hardest Ascalonian ghosts, they can inflict fear, chill, blind, bleed, weakness, cripple, poison, and vulnerability. Their basic attacks steal health from players, and they can drop very long-lasting pools of poison. They should be prioritised over other ghosts.

Gate Guardian Napa

Napa is infamous for his numerous  Knockdown abilities, some of them even hitting in a large area around him. Abilities that  Stun break are extremely useful against him. He attacks relatively slow and is countered by abilities that provide  Stability or allow to  block.

Finding Eir

After killing Napa, a gate opens, leading into a small corridor filled with deadly spike traps in the floor, and extremely deadly fire traps in the walls of the corridor. There is a nearby switch in a wall that deactivates the traps.

In the ground, players will be able to see some ghostly blue lights, walking near them will spawn Ascalonian ghosts. This ghostly blue light mechanic repeats all throughout the dungeon. Players can spawn these ghosts then lure them into an area without traps to kill them with ease. If a player dies on a trap, it will be hard for other players to revive them without getting themselves killed, so deactivate the traps first.

At the end of the corridor is a closed gate, it opens and closes when players step on its nearby pressure plate. Players should instead turn around and continue up, fighting the Ascalonian ghosts, into a room filled with traps, and a switch to disable said traps. Approaching the switch spawns a mini-boss, an Ascalonian Captain. She attacks slow with a bow, with all her basic attacks doing knockback, but only to one player. She may also jump and smash the floor to knockdown in an area. In this room, there are several rocks that can be thrown at her to knock her down briefly, but it is best to simply kill her quickly. Afterwards, a player needs to carry a rock from this room back to the previously mentioned closed gate, and drop it on its pressure plate. To drop the rock, players need only press their key assigned for weapon swapping.

The next room is filled with fire traps and is extremely deadly, players are advised to run through quickly. Groups that wish to explore this room should destroy the Flame Traps from a safe distance with ranged weapons. Some of the traps cannot be destroyed, but can be shut down by interacting with a nearby switch. Players should beware not to aggro the two nearby Ascalonian Rangers until they deal with all the traps, or they might get overwhelmed.

In the next room, a graveling nest spawns. Gravelings are an endemic species to Ascalon, and make a prominent appearance in the explorable mode of this dungeon. Players need to destroy the graveling nest to continue. Afterwards, a door opens to a small corridor guarded by three Ascalonian Ghosts. Players will find Eir at the end of the corridor, fighting another mini-boss Ascalonian Captain. This variant attacks with a greatsword, dealing high cleave damage, but does not inflict crowd control. After defeating her, Eir and Rytlock discuss the situation. This room is very large and located above an underground lake. Should players fall into the lake, they will have to swim to the surface and into a large stair that will return them to the main platform.

Champion Troll

A champion troll has a random chance to appear as a bonus boss in a few spots around the dungeon. His abilities include fearing nearby players, a lightning projectile that stuns players and bounces between them, and a jump and AoE Stomp that creates shockwaves in the ground toward the direction he is facing. Both the lightning projectile and the Stomp's shockwaves in the ground are unblockable projectiles.

Adelbern's guard and Ascalonian Lieutenant

The next encounter features 15 Ascalonian ghosts that spawn in intervals, they are normal mobs and die quickly. After killing most of them, the boss Ascalonian Lieutenant becomes hostile. His attacks are the same as Gate Guardian Napa, refer to the previous section for tips.

Adelbern's champions

Angered by the presence of the charr, Rytlock, in the Catacombs, King Adelbern orders the deadliest of the Ascalonian ghosts to kill the players. There are three boss encounters, they can be done in any order.

Master Ranger Nente

From the central room, Foefire's Heart, players should go west into the Hall of Murals. Several Ascalonian ghosts will try to stop the group. Master Ranger Nente awaits the group atop a plinth or pilar, players have to climb to it by walking on the thin board. At first, Nente fights the group in the platform, using ranged attacks that explode on impact. When he drops below 75% health, he teleports to the outer ring and summons a wolf pet to aid him. While Nente is on the outer platform he will only use hammer melee attacks. At 50% health, he returns to the pillar and swaps back to his bow. At 25% health, he returns to the outer ring, swaps to the hammer, and summons a second wolf pet.

Killing Nente spawns the Murals Waypoint.

Kasha Blackblood

From the central room, Foefire's Heart, players should go east, then north, where a graveling nest will spawn, then east, to enter the Votive Cathedral. Upon engaging Kasha, a barrier of green fire separates the two levels of the arena, inflicting very minor damage to players that cross it. Kasha's basic attacks summon marks on the ground that inflict  chill,  poison,  Weakness, and  Vulnerability. She will summon Flesh golems minions throughout the fight that can  Knockback. At times, she will summon 4 bone minions and form a purple link from them to her, starting a ritual to steal life from them.

Anomaly:

If Kasha successfully finishes the life-stealing ritual, the minions die and she heals herself based on the health the minions had. Since the minions are extremely fragile, even if Kasha steals all the health of all the four minions, she will only heal around 2% of her maximum health

Killing Kasha spawns the Cathedral Waypoint.

Ralena and Vassar

From the Votive Cathedral where players fought Kasha, players can pick up a boulder and drop it in the pressure plate of the gate south of the room to open it and enter The Lover's Crypt. Alternatively, from Foefire's Heart, players can go east.

Ralena and Vassar are two bosses who gain powerful abilities if allowed to be near each other. Vassar gains  Lover's Embrace and reflects all projectiles, while Ralena gets  Lover's Embrace and will  Launch back players that get close to her. Players should keep the bosses apart at all times, indicated by the faint ring around each boss.

Ralena summons lighting storms on players and around her. Vassar summons Phantasmal Mages that inflict  burn and  Confusion and briefly  Daze, and Chaos Storms that inflict  chill,  poison,  Vulnerability, and  Weakness. There are boulders around the room that players can throw at the bosses to knock them down briefly, which might help to keep them separated.

Killing Ralena and Vassar spawns the Crypt Waypoint.

Bug:

The Crypt Waypoint does not appear on the map nor minimap, so it cannot be used.

King Adelbern

After killing his champions, King Adelbern spawns in Foefire's Heart. He doesn't move from the spot, attacking both from range, and melee if players get close.

At range, he attacks by throwing projectiles that explode on impact to  Launch players, and by summoning Foefire storms that leave fire puddles in the ground that inflict massive damage over time. At times, he will pull all players towards him, this attack does not hit players in melee range.

At melee range, he attacks with his sword, making him less deadly.

The dungeon is completed once players kill Adelbern.

NPCs

Allies

Canines

• Garm

Charr

• Rytlock Brimstone

Norn

• Eir Stegalkin

Foes

Ghosts (Ascalonian ghosts)

• Ascalonian Captain
• Ascalonian Elementalist
• Ascalonian Lieutenant
• Ascalonian Mesmer
• Ascalonian Monk
• Ascalonian Necromancer
• Ascalonian Ranger
• Ascalonian Warrior
• Bone Minion
• Elite Ascalonian Elementalist
• Elite Ascalonian Mesmer
• Elite Ascalonian Monk
• Elite Ascalonian Necromancer
• Elite Ascalonian Ranger
• Elite Ascalonian Warrior
• Gate Guardian Napa
• Kasha Blackblood
• King Adelbern
• Master Ranger Nente
• Elite Fang
• Elite Shadow
• Ralena Stormbringer
• Vassar

Gravelings

• Elite Graveling Howler
• Graveling Hatchling

Spiders

• Spider Hatchling

Trolls

• Cave Troll

Objects

• Gate
• Graveling Burrow
• Shattered Sword
• Gargoyle Head

Bundles

• Boulder

Dialogue

Introduction Cinematic

Rytlock Brimstone: You're the reinforcements? You'll have to do. That fool norn Eir has stirred up the ghosts down here.

Rytlock Brimstone: Let me brief you. This place has a history, and I don't want your ignorance getting us killed.

Rytlock Brimstone: This was originally charr land. The humans pushed us out and built Ascalon on top of it. Over two hundred years ago, we took our lands back.

Rytlock Brimstone: The human king, Adelbern, watched his soldiers panic as we breached the city gates.

Rytlock Brimstone: Facing certain defeat, the doomed king refused to surrender.

King Adelbern: Retreat? Retreat is not an option!

Rytlock Brimstone: Adelbern smashed his ancient blade Magdaer, and cursed Ascalon.

King Adelbern: Cowards! You will not abandon me!

Rytlock Brimstone: The blast incinerated the attacking legions and turned the defending humans into vengeful spirits.

King Adelbern: We will never surrender! Never!

Rytlock Brimstone: The ghosts see the living as invaders. They show no mercy and no weariness—only blind hatred. Adelbern's hatred.

Rytlock Brimstone: And now Eir's gone right into the dead king's lair. What a mess.

Rytlock Brimstone: We're going after her. She's causing trouble, and I don't want anyone dying because of her foolishness.

After cinematic talking to Rytlock:

Rytlock Brimstone: These catacombs will tear you up. We need strength and numbers. Come back with more bodies for the mission.

What you see here is enough.

Fine. Take the lead, and try not to die too quickly.

Let's get started.

On second thought, I'll wait for more friends.

More are coming. I'll wait.

After the introduction:

Rytlock Brimstone: Good. You're ready. The sooner we can find that fool norn, the sooner we can quit this foul place.

Talking to Rytlock:

Rytlock Brimstone: We need to stop Eir from shaking the hornet's nest.

Hornet's nest?

The ghosts haunting this cesspool are angry. Eir's meddling will get them all riled up. I want to keep them down here, where they do minimal damage.

That makes sense.

Let's go.

Interacting with the gate:

Gate: This gate has been mystically locked. A key should be nearby.

I'll look around.

Summoning Napa:

Gate Guardian Napa: You have no right to be here. Go back to your own lands!

After disabling traps:

Rytlock Brimstone: Well done! That should take care of the traps.

Arriving at the gates with the pressure plate:

Rytlock Brimstone: We need to keep that door open.

Rytlock Brimstone: Put something heavy on the pressure plate.

Encountering a graveling event:

Rytlock Brimstone: Great. A graveling nest. It just keep getting better and better.

Rytlock Brimstone: Seal the hole. If they're going to burrow, keep them doing it in the dirt, where they belong.

Rytlock Brimstone: Gravelings! Some things are best left buried.

Rytlock Brimstone: Anyway, good work. It's only going to get harder from here. Let's keep moving.

Finding Eir (Cinematic):

Eir: Rytlock, what are you doing here?

Rytlock Brimstone: I came to stop you from inciting a full-scale ghost rampage. What are you doing here?

Eir: I'm looking for King Adelbern's legendary weapon, the sword called Magdaer.

Rytlock Brimstone: Magdaer? Magdaer was destroyed when the Sorcerer-King set off the Foefire.

Eir: I think it survived. I believe the sword will be found at the top of these stairs.

Rytlock Brimstone: You are following a foolish human legend.

Eir: You of all people should know the power of legends. You bear Magdaer's twin, Sohothin. It was Rurik's sword.

Rytlock Brimstone: What if I do? Adelbern's sword is no more, just like his nation.

Eir: Then let us go to the top of the stairs and see for ourselves.

Talking to Eir:

Eir Stegalkin: Perhaps I was unwise to come here.

Only time will tell.

Talking to Garm:

Garm: Garm looks ready to bite some ghosts.

Good boy!

Approaching

Ascalonian Lieutenant: No one disturbs out Lord Adelbern! Quit this chamber at once.

Ascalonian Lieutenant: You leave me no choice. Attack! Protect the king! Don't let them reach the sword!

Magdaer and Adelbern (cinematic):

Eir: Rytlock! The broken sword. It's the twin to your own!

Rytlock Brimstone: Worry more about the sword's master. Look there!

King Adelbern: I sense Sohothin's presence. Rurik, my son! You've returned!

Rytlock Brimstone: Your son is dead. So is your kingdom. Leave us!

King Adelbern: Foul creature! Your entire race will pay! Even now, my champions prepare to invade the surface.

King Adelbern: You will fall before the might of Master Ranger Nente, deadly Kasha Blackblood, and the lovers, Ralena and Vassar.

King Adelbern: We'll destroy you as you destroyed us!

Rytlock Brimstone: You frighten no one with your meaningless threats. We've killed you before; we'll do it again!

King Adelbern: Hahahahahahahahaha!

Eir: Now you've angered them.

Rytlock Brimstone: They were already angry. Now we must find his champions and silence them.

Talking to Rytlock:

Rytlock Brimstone: Killing the Sorcerer King's champions will anger Adelbern out into the open. I'm sure of it.

Tell me about Adelbern's champions.

The Sorcerer-King Adelbern had four great champions when the foefire struck. If we dispatch them, he should reappear.

Tell me about Kasha Blackblood.

Necromancy is disgusting. Kasha Blackblood was one of Adelbern's grotesque practitioners of the art. You have to stay focused on her—not her minions—or she'll siphon your life away.

I have more questions?

Let's move on.

Tell me about Vassar and Ralena Stormbringer.

Vassar and Ralena were a mesmer and elementalist, lovers who fought side-by-side. They were strong together. They should be divided and conquered.

I have more questions?

Let's move on.

Tell me about Master Ranger Nente.

Nente was a ranger, a specialist in cowardice. He hid behind his pets and slaughtered my ancestors with arrows. If we find him down here, his animals won't be far behind.

I have more questions?

Let's move on.

Tell me about Adelbern's sword.

The Sword is named Magdaer, and it is twin to mine. It was forged in ancient Orr. The Sorcerer-King Adelbern shattered it to summon the Foefire.

Tell me about your sword.

Sohothin is twin to Adelbern's sword Magdear. His son Rurik wielded it once. It's mine now.

How did you end up with Sohothin?

That's none of your concern.

Can I ask more questions?

Let's move on.

I have more questions.

Let's move on.

Yes, good plan.

Examine Magdaer:

Shattered Sword: The Shattered blade of a sword is smashed into the ground.

Look closer.

It looks like twin tines of shattered metal. The ghostly form of the rest of it rises from the shards.

Go back.

What do the old tales say about Magdaer?

Legend says that King Adelbern smashed his sword in summoning the Foefire.

Go back.

How is this important?

Eir was right. While the sword was shattered, enough survived that a skilled blacksmith could remake it.

Go back.

Leave.

At Master Ranger Nente (cinematic):

Master Ranger Nente: Your desire to destroy still unsatisfied, beast? Burning Ascalon not enough for you?

Rytlock Brimstone: As long as you stalk us, we'll fight you tooth and claw.

Master Ranger Nente: By Melandru's will, I will rend you from this world, charr!

When Nente come into melee:

Master Ranger Nente: By Melandru, We'll do this face-to-face!

When Nente ports back onto the rock:

Master Ranger Nente: Time to put some distance between us!

After defeating Nente:

Eir Stegalkin: With valor, we have won the day!

At Kasha Blackblood (cinematic):

Kasha Blackblood: Why are you here? This is the land of ghosts.

Eir: Stand down, spectre. We seek only to protect the living.

Rytlock Brimstone: Don't chat with her, Eir! Dispatch her!

Engaging Kasha

Kasha Blackblood: Ghosts of Ascalon, rise up and defend me!

Defeating Kasha

Kasha Blackblood: I curse you to the Mists!

Rytlock Brimstone: She fought well. Her trials over this world are over.

At Vassar and Ralena:

Ralena: Invaders in this holy place? How rude!

Ralena: I will summon my dear Vassar and together we will make short work of you!

Eir Stegalkin: Careful! She's got a friend! Keep them apart!

When defeating Relana first:

Vassar: Noooo. My shining light, extinguished. You will be avenged!

When defeating Vassar first:

Ralena: You'll pay for his death with your blood!

After defeating both:

Rytlock Brimstone: I thought they'd never shut up.

After defeating all champions:

Rytlock Brimstone: With all this death, Adelbern's blood must be boiling by now. Perfect chance to deal with him.

Final Confrontation (cinematic):

King Adelbern: What have you done!

Rytlock Brimstone: Your champions are gone, ghost! Just like your son and your kingdom!

King Adelbern: I will have my vengeance! Join me in death!

After defeating Adelbern (cinematic):

King Adelbern: You've defeated me, but what've you gained? Much deadlier things stir beneath us. They'll consume you all!

Eir: Magdaer is shattered, but I know a blacksmith who can mend these pieces.

Rytlock Brimstone: Did you really think that if you got me a sword you'd earn forgiveness?

Eir: For you? The sword would be for Logan.

Rytlock Brimstone: What? Why would you risk our lives, MY life, for that coward?

Eir: I thought it would heal old wounds. It would remind you—

Rytlock Brimstone: Remind me of what, betrayal? Pah! You've become a sentimental old woman.

Rytlock Brimstone: We're finished here!

<Character name>: Why does Rytlock hate Logan?

Eir: Mistakes from a lifetime ago, best forgotten.

Eir: Rytlock's right. I've gotten too sentimental. Too weak.

After the cinematic:

Eir Stegalkin: A long time ago, I led us into a disaster. He blames me. They all do.

Eir Stegalkin: The thing is, they might be right.

Talking to Eir:

Eir Stegalkin: Come, we should leave. Ultimately, this mission was a failure.

It's not a failure. Adelbern needed to be dealt with.

I was stupid to think a sword could slice through the wall between Logan and Rytlock.

Should we follow Rytlock? (Same as below)

Let's go.

Should we follow Rytlock?

No. He still hates Logan—and now he hates me. I should have left bad enough alone.

Let's go.

Okay, let's go.

Notes

• In-game description:

“

If you and your friends are looking for a challenge, visit the Ascalonian Catacombs dungeon in the Plains of Ashford. Check your mail for a map to the dungeon.

— Level 30 rewards

See also

The Guild Wars Wiki has an article on The Catacombs.

• Catacombs intro cinematic
• Gameplay Video of the Catacombs

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Dungeons