Graveyard Ornaments

Graveyard Ornaments

Year

1325 AE

Storyline

Personal story

Chapter

Crystal Corruption

Location

Imperator's Core
(Black Citadel)
Victor's Presidium
(Plains of Ashford)

Level

30

Race

Charr

Preceded by

In the Ruins
Thicker Than Water
Dishonorable Discharge
Sins of the Father
Tribunes in Effigy

Followed by

Undead Infestation
Whispers in the Dark

API

93

Loading screen Rytlocks office Loading screen instance in Plains of Ashford

Graveyard Ornaments is part of the personal story for charr characters.

Objectives

Receive new orders from Rytlock in his office at the top of Imperator's Core.

• Talk to Rytlock.

Help the orders of Tyria examine Howl's grave.

• Travel to Howl's gravesite.
• Clear out the undead grubs.
• Examine Howl's grave.
• Decide how to proceed.

Rewards

Click here to edit the reward data

All professions

• Novice's Bag of Crafting Supplies
• Bag of Loot (2)
• 8 Slot Invisible Bag

Profession-specific

• One of the following: Ravaging Scale Pauldrons, Strong Scale Pauldrons, Hearty Scale Pauldrons
• One of the following: Ravaging Outlaw Shoulders, Strong Outlaw Shoulders, Hearty Outlaw Shoulders
• One of the following: Ravaging Student Mantle, Strong Student Mantle, Hearty Student Mantle

Walkthrough

This is very straightforward. Talk to Rytlock in his office to learn that the charr High Legions would like to study one of the amulets which a necromancer named Necromancer Rissa has been giving many different people. It is believed those amulets are attracting undead. Rytlock has heard that your deceased friend, Howl the Brazen, possessed such an amulet, and would like you to retrieve it from his grave in the Plains of Ashford. He explains that the three Orders of Tyria are sending a representative to help you.

Next, you'll be in the company of one charr member of each of the three orders. After listening to a short conversation between themselves, a cutscene will play where they will introduce themselves to you. You'll have to kill the Risen Grubs near Howl's grave to get his amulet from there. After examining the grave and discovering that Howl's body is gone together with the amulet, the Vigil representative and the Order of Whispers agent will suggest what they think you should be doing next: Defend Snowdrift Haven from the Risen attack it is currently undergoing and get an amulet that is known to be there, or go and get an amulet from the norn Klaes in Durgar's Homestead which is risking an imminent attack as well.

Choose either the Vigil's or the Order of Whispers' plan. This will give you an idea of how the different orders operate, which will help you later on when the time comes to choose an order to join.

NPCs

Allies

Charr

• Korukhan the Blacksmith, representative of the Order of Whispers
• Crusader Gahn Towerbreaker, representative of the Vigil
• Scholar Yahala Scribepaw, representative of the Durmand Priory

Foes

Risen

• Risen Grub

Objects

• Howl's Grave

Dialogue

Promotion mail

Rytlock Brimstone Promotion to Centurion In recognition of your exemplary performance to date, your legion has promoted you to centurion. Congratulations, soldier. But don't celebrate too hard. This isn't a ceremonial promotion: higher rank means higher expectations, more responsibility, and more important duties. Starting now: I have your first assignment waiting. Report to me in my office as soon as possible for your orders. On a more personal note, let me say how glad I am to have another fighting soldiers among the brass. Welcome aboard. —Rytlock Brimstone, Blood Legion Tribune

Imperator's Core

Talking to Rytlock Brimstone (cinematic):

Rytlock Brimstone: Listen close, Centurion. We've got a serious problem and you're already involved. The orders of Tyria have come to me about one of your soldiers, Howl the Brazen.

<Character name>: Howl's dead, sir. He died fighting Duke Barradin. I've seen his grave.

Rytlock Brimstone: Yes, and before he died, Howl apparently bought a dangerous magical amulet from the necromancer Rissa. Where that amulet goes, the undead follow.

Rytlock Brimstone: Rissa has been distributing them all over the region. The orders want to examine Howl's amulet to see what they're up against.

Rytlock Brimstone: The High Legions want to forge a working relationship with the orders, so you're going to join their investigation.

Rytlock Brimstone: Reps from the Vigil, Durmand Priory, and the Order of Whispers will meet you at Howl's grave. Confer with all three, but focus on the one most likely to get results. Got it?

<Character name>: Yes, sir. Howl was one of mine. I'll do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of this.

Talking to Rytlock before leaving:

Rytlock Brimstone: Better get moving, Centurion.

[sic] Yes, sir. Understood. (ends dialogue)

Aren't the representatives of the orders here in the Black Citadel?

Yes. But we need people who are up to speed on these amulets. I want you working with the best—and your impressions of how the "best" operate.

[sic] Yes, sir. Understood. (ends dialogue)

Victor's Presidum

Conversation between the Order members upon entering the instance in Plains of Ashford:

Korukhan the Blacksmith: It's not just about a necromancer. It's also about dragons and the undead.

Crusader Gahn Towerbreaker: So you still think this necromancer Rissa was an agent of the Elder Dragons?

Korukhan the Blacksmith: Of Zhaitan, yes. And don't ask how I know. It's the Order of Whispers' business to know things.

Scholar Yahala Scribepaw: The Priory concurs. We don't know much about Rissa, but we do know she was corrupted.

Crusader Gahn Towerbreaker: Then finding and killer her is our priority, not digging around in graveyards.

Korukhan the Blacksmith: That's why Brimstone sent us the Centurion. Our orders never agree on anything.

When meeting with the order representatives (cinematic):

Scholar Yahala Scribepaw: Welcome, Centurion. Glad to see you with us. I am Yahala Scribepaw of the Durmand Priory. My colleagues are—

Crusader Gahn Towerbreaker: I don't need you to speak for me. I'm Gahn Towerbreaker of the Vigil. Glad to have another military mind on this mission.

Korukhan the Blacksmith: I am Korukhan, concerned blacksmith from the Order of Whispers. We specialize in covert activity: information, infiltration, and assassination.

Korukhan the Blacksmith: I'm sure Tribune Brimstone briefed you, but to review: all three orders are dedicated to stopping the Elder Dragons. Your late 'bandmate may be connected.

<Character name>: I understand the mission parameters. Howl's grave is right there. What are we waiting for?

Crusader Gahn Towerbreaker: See? That's how a military mind works: identify the problem, attack it head on. None of this sneaking around, talking things to death.

Scholar Yahala Scribepaw: We were waiting for you, Centurion. There's a complication between us and the objective. Namely, a throng of undead grubs.

Korukhan the Blacksmith: And since this used to be a 'bandmate of yours, we thought it prudent to wait before we dug him up. Now that you're here, though: let's start squashing.

Talking to the representatives:

Korukhan the Blacksmith: Greetings! I may be just a humble blacksmith, but even I've heard of your exploits. Can't wait to see you in action.

You'll get your chance, "blacksmith." But first I want to check out Howl's grave.

Crusader Gahn Towerbreaker: You must be the centurion that Brimstone promised us. I've reviewed your record, and I'm looking forward to working with you.

First things first. My comrade's grave is right over there.

At the gravesite:

Korukhan the Blacksmith: Welcome, Centurion. If you haven't put down undead grubs before, this is your big chance.

After examining the grave (cinematic):

Korukhan the Blacksmith: No amulet here. There isn't even a body. Either someone dug up your friend, or he dug himself out. If Gahn wasn't so humorless, I might say this is a dead end.

Crusader Gahn Towerbreaker: Go hammer your anvil, blacksmith. The adults are talking. Look, our objective hasn't changed: we still need to secure one of those amulets.

Scholar Yahala Scribepaw: I'm afraid I must leave that to you two. Without the amulet in hand, I must confer with my colleagues before the Priory can commit to a course of action.

Korukhan the Blacksmith: We have the necromancer's records. We know the location of at least two more of Rissa's trinkets. I say we start in Durgar's Homestead.

Korukhan the Blacksmith: Me and my fellow...blacksmiths do a lot of business there. We have valuable contacts at the location that we can't afford to lose.

Crusader Gahn Towerbreaker: Scorch what your associates can "afford." The people of Snowdrift Haven have already been attacked, and they need our protection now.

Korukhan the Blacksmith: You can't save everyone, Crusader. And since our new friend can't be in two places at once...who are you going to protect, Centurion?

Talking to your allies:

Crusader Gahn Towerbreaker: Snowdrift Haven has already been attacked. The records show an amulet there. No need to get fancy-we go in, find it, secure it. Interested?

Sounds like my kind of plan. I'll meet you at the haven.

I'm not sure. I need more time to decide.

Korukhan the Blacksmith: A norn called Klaes in Dugar's Homestead has one of Rissa's amulets. So far, the place hasn't been attacked, and we intend to keep it that way. You in?

I'm in. I'll meet you at the homestead.

I'm not sure. I need more time to decide.

Talking to your allies after deciding:

Crusader Gahn Towerbreaker: Sorry about your comrade's body. The Vigil's founder saw her whole warband corrupted by the dragons, so I can empathize.

Thanks.

Korukhan the Blacksmith: Empty graves can be spooky, but this one is downright unsettling. Here's to finding your missing comrade...and his amulet.

Thanks.

My story

“ Rytlock called me in to promote me to centurion and to give me a new assignment: the orders of Tyria are on the trail of a necromancer called Rissa. Rissa may have infected my fallen comrade, Howl the Brazen, so Rytlock wanted me to be involved, and to join the order reps at Howl's grave. I met with representatives from the Vigil, the Order of Whispers, and the Durmand Priory at Howl's grave. There was no body, but there was a swarm of undead grubs. Someone took Howl's body and the necromancer's amulet he was buried with, so I decided to work with one of the orders to find out who did it and why and to make sure they suffer for trifling with my warband. — My story

Notes

Bug:

Interacting with the grave before killing all grubs can cause the mission to stall and require restarting the mission.

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Charr storyline