Discovering Darkness

Discovering Darkness

Year

1325 AE

Storyline

Personal story

Chapter

Following the Dream

Location

Sandycove Beach
(Caledon Forest)

Level

10

Race

Sylvari

Choice

Dreams of the White Stag

Preceded by

Hounds and the Hunted

Followed by

Hidden in Darkness
Saving the Stag

API

204

Discovering Darkness is a part of the Sylvari personal story for characters who have finished Hounds and the Hunted.

Objectives

Discover where the Nightmare Court is hiding the White Stag.

• Meet Caithe near Aron's Woodlot.
• Attend the meeting and listen for clues.
• Convince a courtier to walk with you.
• Lead the courtier to Caithe.
• Speak with Caithe and decide how to proceed.

Rewards

Click here to edit the reward data

All professions

• 2,641 
• 1 
• Essence of Luck
• Bag of Loot (3)

Profession-specific

• One of three fine chest armor: Ringmail Armor, Scale Hauberk, or Chainmail Armor
• One of three fine chest armor: Rawhide Vest, Marksman's Jerkin, or Studded Leather Vest
• One of three fine chest armor: Linen Garment, Velvet Coat, or Cloth Coat

Walkthrough

After the starting cinematic with Caithe, approach the gathering of sylvari to listen to the Nightmare Court propaganda. After the speech, the Nightmare Court Recruiters will split up. Keep talking to them and get one of them to follow you away. Lead that Recruiter back to Caithe's location.

The Recruiter will turn hostile after a short dialogue and summon two Nightmare Hounds. Defeat them all to trigger a second cinematic.

At the end, the character is given the choice of either using a disguise or a distraction to free the white stag.

NPCs

Allies

Sylvari

• Caithe
• Citizen
• Villager

Foes

Nightmare Court

• Nightmare Court Recruiter (initially friendly)
• Nightmare Hound

Dialogue

At the beginning:

Caithe beckons to <Character name>.

Cinematic on approaching Caithe:

Caithe: The Nightmare Court is gathering. We must proceed with caution. I cannot approach them. They know who I am, so I'll watch from a distance.

<Character name>: I don't understand why we allow them to gather at all if they seek to corrupt everything.

Caithe: On those rare occasions when they bloom in public, they vanish as soon as the Wardens arrive.

<Character name>: If we can't approach them, how will we free the white stag before they corrupt it?

Caithe: I cannot, but you can. You're a newly awakened sapling. They'll be eager to recruit you. Speak to them cautiously and earn their trust.

<Character name>: I will. Perhaps I can persuade a recruiter to follow me back here. Then, together, we can force the recruiter to tell us about Gavin and the stag.

Caithe: Excellent. But before you go, a warning: do not listen to their lies. If you become corrupted... there is no cure.

Talking to Caithe:

Caithe: Convince a courtier to follow you, and then bring them to me. Simple.

I'll go get one.

As you approach the gathering sylvari:

Nightmare Court Recruiter: Ah, freshly awakened and already you've been lied to.

Nightmare Court Recruiter: Your eyes should be open! Yet they are closed to all but the teachings of long-dead philosophers.

Nightmare Court Recruiter: The centaur, Ventari. The human, Ronan. Neither were sylvari! Why do we lend their words such credence?

Nightmare Court Recruiter: Ventari's tablet shackles us. In its shadow, we're slaves to an imposed morality, rooted in foreign ground and trapped forever.

Nightmare Court Recruiter: I say no, and so should you! Look within yourself. The Dream is many things. It is light and dark, love and anger, good and evil. So are we.

Nightmare Court Recruiter: Come to us in the forest, saplings, and we will teach you more. We will give you freedom and give you the truth.

After the speech, different villagers start reacting:

Villager: That was... mmm fairly disturbing.

Villager: Interesting. I have to admit, they made a few good points.

Talking to Nightmare Court Recruiter #1:

Nightmare Court Recruiter: Your hunger for more is palpable, sapling. You'll be one of us before long.

I don't know. Are you good at combat? I can't join you if you can't fight.

Your meager aggression makes me laugh. Find to[sic] someone more willing to play victim.

You Nightmare Court guys are no fun.

The logic escapes me. You want to do evil to free our race?

Exactly. When nightmare grows strong enough, the Pale Tree will turn away from the Tablet, and our race will be free.

I'd like to hear more. Perhaps where we won't be disturbed—follow me?

The others tell me that you're the wisest courtier. Is that true?

It is. I shall prove it by not falling for your flattery, sapling.

Ah, my apologies. Farewell.

I haven't made up my mind yet, but I'll consider it.

Talking to Nightmare Court Recruiter #2:

Nightmare Court Recruiter: You seem clever, sapling. Do you have any question about the Nightmare Court?

A few, but I'm shy. Can we talk where others will not see?

But of course we can, my pretty one...

Good.

Threats and cruelty will never make you strong.

I disagree. Only by leveraging strength do we become more powerful. Learn this lesson, or be a victim of it.

I'll remember you said that.

No, not right now. I'm content to listen.

Talking to Nightmare Court Recruiter #3:

Nightmare Court Recruiter: Most of these villagers are weak-willed, wallowing in fear and indecision. Tell me...are you any different?

More than you realize. Come with me, and I'll show you how very different I am.

How could I refuse such an intriguing claim? By all means, let's go somewhere quiet.

That sounds perfect. After you.

I am the exception. I don't fear you, and I can prove it.

Ha! Challenge accepted, sapling.

Excellent. Come with me—I know the perfect location for such a duel.

I do not fear beauty such as yours. I celebrate it! Could you and I spend some time alone?

Your shallow attempt at appealing to my debacherous[sic] side is quaint, but not effective. Begone.

Whoops, sorry. I'll be on my way, then.

You call virtue "weak-willed?" You have much to learn about being a true sylvari.

True sylvari? I see where your loyalties lie—with the pathetic, enslaved worshippers of the Tree. Begone!

Lucky for you, I'm feeling generous. I'll leave you alive. Good day.

Weak-willed. Er, yes. Whatever you say.

Talking to the Nightmare Court Recruiter while returning to Caithe:

Nightmare Court Recruiter: I'm following you, <Character name>.

We're almost there. Just a little further.

While battling Nightmare Court Recruiter #1:

<Nightmare Court Recruiter>: What is this? What's going on?

Caithe: Help us prevent a tragedy, courtier. Tell us where Gavin took the white stag.

<Nightmare Court Recruiter>: Tragedy? You couldn't be more wrong, and now, you'll die wrong.

<Nightmare Court Recruiter>: You will know such anguish, the Dream itself will swell with pain! (summons Nightmare Hound)

While battling Nightmare Court Recruiter #2:

<Nightmare Court Recruiter>: Wait, what are you doing? What is this?

Caithe: I thought you courtiers loved a good betrayal. Tell us where Gavin took the white stag.

<Nightmare Court Recruiter>: Come here and make me. I'll kill you both.

<Nightmare Court Recruiter>: Come, rise. Attack, and consume. (summons Nightmare Hound)

While battling Nightmare Court Recruiter #3:

<Nightmare Court Recruiter>: Hey, what are you doing here? What is this?

Caithe: You get one warning, courtier. Tell us where Gavin took the white stag.

<Nightmare Court Recruiter>: I'll kill you both! You won't get anything out of me!

<Nightmare Court Recruiter>: Tear at our enemies. Render them into blood and screams. (summons Nightmare Hound)

Cinematic after defeating the Nightmare Court Recruiter (varies slightly by recruiter):

If fought Nightmare Court Recruiters #1 or #2:

<Character name>: Listen here. You're smart enough to know you're in trouble. Tell us where you're keeping the white stag, and you can go back to your friends.

If fought Nightmare Court Recruiter #3:

<Character name>: Listen here. You're smart enough to know you're in trouble. Tell us where you're keeping the white stag, and you can go back to your ilk.

If fought Nightmare Court Recruiters #1 or #3:

Nightmare Court Recruiter: If I tell you, the others will hunt me down and make sure I suffer.

If fought Nightmare Court Recruiter #2:

Nightmare Court Recruiter: If I tell you, the others will hunt me down and make me suffer.

Caithe: Tell us where the stag is, or I'll carve out your tongue with my blade.

<Character name>: No, listen. Trust me. No one needs to know it was you. I won't betray your trust as long as you tell us the location of the white stag.

If fought Nightmare Court Recruiter #1:

Nightmare Court Recruiter: It's Gavin. He has the stag caged in a camp further north.

If fought Nightmare Court Recruiters #2 or #3:

Nightmare Court Recruiter: I believe you. It's Gavin. He has the stag caged in a camp further north. It's a creature of hope, so turning it to despair will help liberate us—and the Pale Tree too.

Caithe: Thank you. Now, we'll keep our word. We won't tell anyone that you talked...before you died.

<Character name>: Caithe, please. We're better served letting [him/her] go. I gave my word that we would. We're better than [he/she] is. Our word is our honor.

After the cinematic:

Caithe: No. This courtier will carry no warning. I will not allow it.

Caithe: A quick and bitter end. A better death than they give their prey.

Caithe: Time presses us. We have two choices, Valiant. Do we free the stag using disguise or distraction?

Caithe: You were the one that dreamed of the white stag. I will follow your instincts.

Caithe: Speak with me, and let me know how you choose to approach.

Talking to Caithe:

Caithe: If the Nightmare Court blights the white stag with nightmare, the Dream will be tainted. I cannot allow it to happen.

You're right. We have to rescue the stag—but how?

I see two readily available options: disguise or distraction.

What would we do if we were disguised?

With courtier robes, we could infiltrate their camp and free the stag before they suspected anything.

Interesting plan. What was our other option?

I need to think about this.

What kind of distraction?

The Nightmare courtiers are proud. The right insult could grab their attention—allowing me to free the stag behind their backs.

Clever. What was our other option, again?

I need to think about this.

I'm ready to decide.

Which will it be, then? Disguise, or distraction?

I'll create a distraction and deal with their courtiers, while you set the stag free.

Very well. Meet me at Hemlock Coil, and we'll find a way to get their attention.

I'll see you there.

Disguise. Sneaking in is the safest way to free the stag.

Very well. Meet me at the outskirts of Hemlock Coil, and we'll gather our disguises.

I'll see you there.

I need to think about this.

Let me think about it.

Talking to Caithe after deciding on the next course of action:

Caithe: We do what we must. They would have treated you no more kindly.

You really hate the Nightmare Court.

They stole something very precious from me. I will never forgive them—or let their evil harm others.

A noble goal, so long as you don't let hatred consume you.

I understand. It was necessary.

My story

“ Caithe and I learned the Nightmare Court's plans. Gavin intends terrible things for the white stag. We must stop him. — My story

---

Sylvari storyline