Deeply Tangled Roots

Deeply Tangled Roots

Year

1325 AE

Storyline

Personal story

Chapter

Following the Dream

Location

Sandycove Beach
(Caledon Forest)

Level

10

Race

Sylvari

Choice

Shield of the Moon

Preceded by

A Sly Trick

Followed by

Beneath a Cold Moon
The Heart of Nightmare

API

215

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Deeply Tangled Roots is part of the personal story for sylvari characters who have dreamed of the Shield of the Moon and completed A Sly Trick. You make a first attempt to rescue Ysvelta from the Nightmare Court.

Objectives

Rescue Ysvelta from the Nightmare Court.

• Meet Renvari at the Nightmare Court gathering.
• Follow Renvari.
• Find Ysvelta.
• Defeat the Nightmare courtiers.
• Escape the Nightmare Court gathering.
• Choose to defend Astorea - or rescue Ysvelta.

Rewards

Click here to edit the reward data

All professions

• 2,641 
• 1  20 
• Bag of Loot (3)

Profession-specific

• One of the following: Avenger's Longsword, Avenger's Hammer
• One of the following: Caretaker's Staff, Avenger's Hammer
• One of the following: Avenger's Hammer, Caretaker's Rifle
• One of the following: Avenger's Rifle, Caretaker's Rifle
• One of the following: Avenger's Longbow, Avenger's Short Bow
• One of the following: Avenger's Short Bow, Caretaker's Short Bow
• One of the following: Avenger's Staff, Caretaker's Staff
• One of the following: Avenger's Longsword, Avenger's Staff
• One of the following: Avenger's Staff, Caretaker's Staff

Walkthrough

When you enter the mission, you will see Tiachren who tells you the Nightmare camp is up the hill. Near the entrance to the camp is Renvari, who you will remember thinks you want to join the Nightmare Court. Enter the camp, and after some talking, your task is to find Ysvelta.

Go towards the back of the camp, where you will find Ysvelta standing on a big rock. She refuses to return with Tiachren, and says that she and the Nightmare Court will rescue him from the evil clutches of the Pale Tree. Then she disappears in a cloud of pink and purple butterflies.

Now the mission points say that task is to escape the camp. However that is not really your task. When you get near some Courtiers, they will turn red and your task will change to "defeat the Nightmare Courtiers". This part of the mission is quite challenging.

You will be attacked by groups of Courtiers and hounds. You must beat them all. You will also notice Renvari in the camp, however, he is invulnerable until after you have defeated all the Courtiers and hounds, so don't waste your time attacking him at this stage. If Renvari is invulnerable, run away and find the Courtiers you have not yet killed. They might be anywhere from outside the front of the camp near where you entered the mission, to up the back near the big rock Ysvelta was on. If you are fighting the invulnerable Renvari, running far enough away will cause him to break off the fight and return to the middle of the camp.

The Courtiers and hounds bunch together a lot, so area of effect attacks are effective against them.

After you have beaten all the Courtiers, it is time to fight Renvari. You should first revive Tiachren and Caithe if they are dead. Renvari is a difficult foe who will burn you with magic, so you need all the help you can get.

Once you have beaten Renvari, you must decide what you will do on your next mission, defend the village: Beneath a Cold Moon or try again to rescue Ysvelta: The Heart of Nightmare.

NPCs

Allies

Canines

• Nightmare Hound

Spiders

• Nightmare Spider

Sylvari

• Caithe
• Nightmare Court Executioner
• Tiachren
• Ysvelta

Foes

Canines

• Nightmare Court Thorn Wolf

Nightmare Court

• Nightmare Courtier (Initially friendly)
• Renvari (Initially friendly)

Objects

• Green Plant
• Poison Pod

Dialogue

Upon approaching Tiachren:

Tiachren: Well met, Valiant. Are you ready? The Nightmare camp is at the top of this hill.

Tiachren: Ysvelta must be so frightened. If they've hurt her, I swear...

Speaking with Tiachren before continuing:

Tiachren: Glad you're here, my friend. We should spread out and find Ysvelta.

Yes. We go in, find her, and get out quickly.

In the camp at Dolorous Vale:

Renvari: Well done. Come, let me introduce you to the Court.

Renvari: What was that? I thought I felt... hmm.

Renvari: Never mind. It must have been the wind.

Nightmare Courtier: Lord Renvari! How did you escape the Wardens?

Renvari: These two scoundrels broke me out.

Nightmare Courtier: Can they be trusted?

Renvari: Haven't you heard? They're the ones who killed Caithe.

Nightmare Courtier: They killed a Firstborn? I thought it couldn't be done! Welcome, friends.

Renvari: Welcome to the Nightmare Court. You shall have a glorious future among us.

Talking to your allies as you begin to search the camp:

Tiachren: What should I watch out for in a Nightmare Court camp?

Everything. Once we find Ysvelta, we need to leave-right away.

Renvari: I especially recommend provoking the two beasts caged toward the rear of the camp. Their agony is delicious.

What are you doing to them?

We feed them halluciogenic plants. They fight each other for hours, shredding skin and bone. Afterwards, our shapers heal them and send them back to fight again.

Ugh. I mean, glorious.

Excellent.

Nightmare Courtier: Have you been chosen for the attack against Astorea?

Nightmare Courtier: I have, and I glory in it. We will show them the truth!

Nightmare Courtier: It is too bad we must force them to see. Sometimes pain is the best teacher...

Nightmare Courtier: Have you heard? Those are the two that killed Caithe!

Nightmare Courtier: Caithe? Wasn't she a Firstborn?

Nightmare Courtier: Our Grand Duchess is obsessed with her. I think they were once in love...

Nightmare Courtier: Firstborn Caithe? Dead? How delicious.

Nightmare Courtier: Oh, thorns... how do you think the Grand Duchess Faolain will take the news?

Nightmare Courtier: I don't know, but I'm certainly not going to be the one to tell her.

Approaching Ysvelta

Tiachren: Ysvelta? My love, I'm here.

Cinematic upon speaking with Ysvelta:

Tiachren: My beloved Ysvelta! Thank the Pale Tree, you're all right. Quickly, come with me. We have to get out of here!

Ysvelta: No, Tiachren. I cannot go with you.

Tiachren: But, Ysvelta... I don't understand. Don't you love me?

Ysvelta: With all my heart, dear knight! Come, take my hand, and we will both stay. We will thrive in the garden of Nightmare.

Tiachren: These people are evil. You aren't one of them. Return to the Grove with me, and put this all behind you.

Ysvelta: I cannot, love. The Nightmare Court has shown me the truth. Ventari's Tablet is false; the Pale Tree is lying to us. Don't you understand?

Ysvelta: It is marvelous! I have been chosen to lead the next attack on the village of Astorea. The court will free them— and I will free you.

<Character name>: So, it's true. Once you join the Nightmare Court, you change. Ysvelta can't return to the Dream.

Tiachren: No. I can't accept that. I won't!

As Ysvelta leaves (cinematic):

Tiachren: Where are you going? Come back!

Ysvelta: If you love me, Taichren, then meet me where our hearts began! You remember the place...

Nightmare Court Executioner: Hey! What are you doing?

Caithe: An end to your evil! Quickly, we must be away.

Talking to Tiachren as you escape from Dolorous Vale:

Tiachren: Where did Ysvelta go? Where did they take her? What have they done to my love? YSVELTA!

Calm down, Tiachren! We've got to get out of here!

Renvari: Caithe! So it was all a lie? I should have expected as much.

Caithe: You die today, Renvari. That is the truth. I swear it.

Nightmare Courtier: We've been tricked! Kill them!

Nightmare Courtier: Nightmare take you!

Nightmare Courtier: You follow a lie. Reject the tablet!

Nightmare Courtier: Die!

Renvari: I'll kill you Caithe, and this time I'll burn your corpse to be sure!

Renvari: Every wound strengthens my resolve!

Renvari: You've kindled a special kind of rage in me, sapling. Your death will be glorious.

Renvari: You can't... win.

When you reach outside (cinematic):

Tiachren: They forced her to say those things. Ysvelta isn't evil. She'd never fall to Nightmare. If I could get her away from those courtiers, I know I could bring her back to the Dream.

Caithe: I warned you that we might be too late, Tiachren. Nightmare never relinquishes those it has enthralled.

Caithe: You must let her go. If you chase Ysvelta, you will fall into Nightmare as well. We must grieve her loss—and move on.

<Character name>: Why are you so sure of that? Have you seen this before?

Caithe: Yes. I've seen... I am certain. You must believe me.

Caithe: Ysvelta said the Nightmare Court is going to attack Astorea village. Are we going to risk innocent lives to chase Tiachren's false hopes?

Tiachren: You must do as you think best, Firstborn. As for me, I will not abandon Ysvelta.

Caithe: Then the Valiant must choose. Do you wish to make another attempt to save Ysvelta, or will you protect the villagers?

Talking to Tiachren:

Tiachren: You've been a good friend, <Character name>. Please, be my friend now-help me save her. Whatever they've done, love can heal it.

Yet if we're wrong, Astorea will suffer. Let me speak with Caithe.

Talking to Caithe:

Caithe: Ysvelta is lost. Tiachren is throwing his life away for mere love. Don't follow him into futility.

Remind me what choices I have?

You can go with Tiachren and confront Ysvelta. Or you can go with me, and protect Astorea.

I'm ready to decide. (Leads to choices below)

The villagers need our help. The many, over the one. (Leads to Beneath a Cold Moon.)

Tiachren it is. I won't abandon my friend. The Wardens can handle Astorea. (Leads to The Heart of Nightmare.)

I need more time to think.

If you chose to defend Astorea:

Tiachren: Thank you, Valiant, for everything you've done.

Caithe: Your quest is futile, Tiachren. You're throwing your life away!

Tiachren: Caithe, I'm sorry... but Ysvelta is my reason for living. Without her, I am already dead.

Caithe: Farewell then, brave fool. Valiant—I will meet you in Astorea. Hurry. Those who do want to live will need you.

After making your decision, if you chose to help Tiachren:

Tiachren: Thank you, Valiant, for believing in love! Living or dead, I must go to Ysvelta. She is my world.

Caithe: A fool's world, Tiachren, built upon delusions. Love until your heart breaks; it will not change the truth.

Caithe: I go to warn the villagers of Astorea. Valiant—We will meet again.

Tiachren: We must hurry, Valiant. Ysvelta said I'd find her where we first fell in love. Meet me in Ogham Wilds.

My story

“ After a daring attempt at rescue, we discovered that the unthinkable has happened—Ysvelta, Tiachren's beloved, has been corrupted by the Nightmare Court. Can she be freed from their influence? And if we try—will the village of Astorea suffer, because we weren't there to defend against the court's next attack? — My story

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Sylvari storyline