Carry a Big Stick

Carry a Big Stick

Year

1325 AE

Storyline

Personal story

Chapter

Interested Parties

Location

Idea Incubation Lab
(Rata Sum)

Level

20

Race

Asura

Choice

Infinity Ball

Preceded by

Beta Test

Followed by

Split Second

API

37

Carry a Big Stick is part of the personal story for asura characters whose first invention was the Infinity Ball and subsequently chose to pursue a power cell from Councillor Flax.

Objectives

Acquire Councillor Flax's crozier as the power source for your Infinity Ball.

• Meet Shodd outside Flax's lab and devise a plan.
• Gain entry to Flax's lab.
• Reprogram the consoles to create a distraction.
• Defeat the rampaging elementals.
• Collect Councillor Flax's crozier.

Rewards

Click here to edit the reward data

All professions

• 2,808 
• Basic Salvage Kit
• Bag of Loot (4)

Profession-specific

• One of the following: Malign Chain Legs, Mighty Chain Legs, Resilient Chain Legs
• One of the following: Malign Seeker Pants, Mighty Seeker Pants, Resilient Seeker Pants
• One of the following: Malign Embroidered Pants, Mighty Embroidered Pants, Resilient Embroidered Pants

Walkthrough

Meet Shodd outside Flax's lab. After dialogue with him talk to Filka, who will grant you access to consoles. Interact with all three of them and defeat elementals that will appear. After that take Councillor Flax's crozier. Doing so will end this mission.

NPCs

Allies

Asura

• Filka
• Krewe Researcher
• Shodd

Foes

Elementals

• Ember
• Spark

Objects

• Councillor Flax's Crozier

Dialogue

Approaching with Shodd:

Shodd: I couldn't get past them on my own, but I did gather some important intelligence.

Shodd beckons to <Character name>.

Talking to Shodd:

Shodd: Remember how we wanted to get our hands on Councillor Flax's crozier to power the Infinity Ball? Well, this is the right time and place, but...Let's say I've got good news and bad news.

What's the good news?

Flax isn't here, and his crozier is. The bad news is, he left Filka in charge. She's the Morphologists krewe's second-in command. Meaner than a blood-drunk charr and twice as brutal.

Sounds like just another Inquest bully. I know how to handle her.

What do we know about Flax's krewe?

The Morphologists? Mostly toadies and suck-ups that feed Flax's ego—and he still treats them like dirt. It's a thankless job, but there are some tough customers and a few hard workers in the mix.

Good to know. I think I can handle Filka.

Do you, now? All right, let's hear the Savant's master plan.

I'll give her a taste of my "adoring fan" routine. Bullies love flattery. (same as ferocity response below)

Bullies always cave to bigger bullies. I'll pretend I outrank her and bluster my way in. (same as ferocity response below)

Make them panic. I'll present a dire impending threat- authoritatively- and they'll comply.

But how do we get the crozier once we're past Filka? We need a distraction. Hey, I know! Energy facilities attract elementals. Maybe we could lure some in.

Perfect. Let me make a few on-the-fly adjustments to the machines, and we're in business.

Yeah! They'll be so busy fighting, no one will even notice us. And if they do, we just pitch in to help. They'll be so grateful, they'll give us anything we want.

Exactly. Let's put this plan in motion.

Let's hear the bad news.

The crozier's here, but Flax's krewe chief, Filka, is on duty. Her expression alone sends river drakes running for cover—and that's when she's in a good mood. Right now, she's in a real bad mood.

No problem. I know how to deal with Inquest bullies. (same as "Good to know. I think I can handle Filka.")

What do we know about Flax's krewe? (same as above)

I'm not ready for news yet. Give me a moment to get situated.

Talking to Shodd again:

Shodd: We're so close. Keep your eyes on the prize, and Flax's crozier is ours for the taking.

You should write all those inspirational cliches down. And stop saying them out loud.

Shh. I'm preparing my patter.

Cinematic with Filka if you chose charm with Shodd:

<Character name>: Excuse me, is this the actual lab of the famous Morphologists Krewe?

Filka: Why, yes, it is. We don't have any opening at the moment but if you leave your credentials—

<Character name>: Oh it's not that, it's just I...I've looked up to the Morphies my entire life. I know I'm not worthy to join such an illustrious gang of geniuses.

<Character name>: I'm about to begin an exciting new chapter of my career and I wanted to bask in your light... you know, for inspiration.

<Character name>: If it's not too much trouble, could you give me a quick tour? I promise I won't take too much of your time.

Filka: Well, it's highly irregular... but Councilor Flax does encourage interaction with the less gifted in our community. Follow me.

Following Filka during the tour:

Filka: Stay close and pay attention. I rarely give this tour, and I do not repeat myself.

Filka: Here we have the central lab. Every holomagical reading is routed to these consoles for analysis.

Filka: You are now viewing our power crystals, which are derived from elementals. It's a fantastic source of energy that I perfected, thank you.

Filka: Tricky to contain elementals? For the layman, yes. But for a genius like me, it's all in a day's work.

Filka: Oh, this must be exciting for you. Take a moment to study our brilliance[sic] Perhaps some of it will sink in, hmm?

Cinematic with Filka if you chose dignity with Shodd:

<Character name>: Make way! This is a surprise inspection! The Arcane Eye hereby commandeers this facility until further notice. Who's in charge here?

Filka: I am. And you are?

<Character name>: I'm the one who's going to shut down this place if I don't get some cooperation. I want to see this facility run a full diagnostic scan. What's your name?

Filka: Krewe Chief Filka, thank you very much. And before you take another step, I need to see some credentials.

<Character name>: You don't have the clearance to see my credentials, much less demand them. Now stand aside or I'll see you cataloging fish eggs in Loch Jezt.

Filka: I...very well. But I'll be filing an official protest with the Arcane Council. Morphologists krewe! To your stations! The Arcane Eye needs to see us in action.

Cinematic with Filka if you chose ferocity with Shodd:

<Character name>: You're all in terrible danger! Those maniacs at the College of Synergetics overloaded an entire tripolar disruption accelerator array.

Filka: Excuse me! Who are you, and what are you on about?

<Character name>: Elementals. Hundreds of them. You're about to be ears-deep in rampaging energy monsters.

<Character name>: The phase resonance modulators here will draw them straight to this facility. I've got to recalibrate your equipment, or you're all dead.

<Character name>: I'm only going to say this once: if you want to stay alive and uncremated, take cover and stay put until I say otherwise.

Interacting with the consoles:

Console: The ancient monitor is a model notoriously riddled with security flaws.

Realign the elemental capacitor's thaumic fuses.

Console: The monitor displays a formula for the system's central elemental harmonic resonator algorithm.

Tweak the formula, and restart the algorithmic sequencer.

Console: The system's quantum data flow appears on this monitor as a circular packet of information oscillating between two vertical bar-shaped icons representing input and output.

Adjust the input icon onscreen to redirect the incoming data packet.

The circular data packet rebounds at a 67.5 degree angle.

Adjust the output icon onscreen so that the data packet completely misses it.

System Error (Code P0-N6). Shutdown protocol 7-0 now active. Slaughter rule is in effect. Aetheric hologram interface must be manually recalibrated to continue.

Cross the circuits to bypass the security protocol.

After interacting with the three consoles:

Filka: Elementals! What? I mean... how? I mean... stop them before they destroy the lab!

After the fight if you chose charm with Shodd:

Filka: You saved us! We still don't have any openings but rest assured if you submit your curriculum vitae, it'll go straight to the top of the pile.

<Character name>: Thanks so much! I'm just glad I was here. If anything happened to the Magnificent Morphies, I'd never forgive myself.

<Character name>: There is one thing you could do for me, though. Earlier, I saw the staff Councilor Flax carries. You know the one?

Filka: His crozier? Yes he leaves it with us whenever he's not using it.

Filka: In fact, I was just about to deliver it to him at the council chamber. If you take it for me, it might be your chance to get noticed. Interested?

<Character name>: Absolutely! No one can pull strings like a council member, I'll take the crozier to him right away. Thanks!

After the fight if you chose dignity with Shodd:

<Character name>: Well, there's your problem. See that staff? It's emitting an unstable transenergetic signature. That's what caused the elemental outbreak.

Filka: But that's Councillor Flax's crozier. He carries it with him whenever he's got important Council business.

<Character name>: Then we're all very lucky he didn't have it with him today. I'm going to have to confiscate this crozier for the time being.

<Character name>: The Arcane Eye will conduct an extensive battery of tests. In the mean time, you should put this place through a comprehensive diagnostic screening.

<Character name>: And pray the problem is with this crozier, and not your facility. Otherwise, I'll be back. And I won't be so friendly.

Filka: That won't be necessary. I'll take this whole lab apart and personally inspect every last crystal resonance diode. Thanks again.

After the fight if you chose ferocity with Shodd:

Filka: That was...well, words elude me about what just transpired, but it appears we owe you our lives. Thank you.

<Character name>: No need to thank me. But if you want to do yourselves a favor, don't mention I was here.

<Character name>: Not unless you want Arcane Eye agents poking and prodding every thaumic coupling and magical circuit in the place.

<Character name>: In the meantime, I need to collect Councillor Flax's crozier. It's the source of the disturbance, so it can't stay here. I'll see that Flax gets it.

<Character name>: And make sure you check your phase resonance modulators twice daily from now on. You never know when there'll be another...incident.

Filka: We will. Thanks again. If the Eternal Alchemy rewards good deeds, you're in for some serious remuneration.

Speaking with Shodd on your way out:

Shodd: We did it! Right out from under their noses, too. Morphologist Krewe—hah! Infinity Ball, here we come!

And when Zojja sees it, I expect equal measures of praise and jealously[sic] from her.

Agreed. Let's wrap this up and make a clean getaway.

My story

“ I employed some quick thinking and some serious fast-talking to convince Councillor Flax's people to hand over his crozier. Now that we have the power source we need, Shodd and I are ready to take the final step and make the Infinity Ball work the way I always intended it to work: perfectly. I just hope Zojja will be more impressed than angry. — My story

Trivia

• Big Stick Ideology refers to President Theodore Roosevelt's military policy, "speak softly, and carry a big stick."

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Asura storyline