Hounds and the Hunted

Hounds and the Hunted

Year

1325 AE

Storyline

Personal story

Chapter

Following the Dream

Location

Sleive's Inlet
(Caledon Forest)
Dreamer's Terrace
(The Grove)

Level

10

Race

Sylvari

Choice

Dreams of the White Stag

Preceded by

Called to Service

Followed by

Discovering Darkness

API

206

Loading screen at Caer Verdant Loading screen at the Dreamer's Terrace

Hounds and the Hunted is a part of the Sylvari personal story for characters who have finished Called to Service.

Objectives

Track the white stag.

• Meet Gavin at Caer Verdant.
• Get a view from the top of the tower.
• Chase the stag until it grows weary.
• Defeat the attacking Risen.
• Defeat the thorn hounds.

Return to the Grove and report to Caithe.

• Speak with Caithe.

Rewards

Click here to edit the reward data

All professions

• 2,641 
• 70 
• Bag of Loot (2)

Profession-specific

• Heavy Aquabreather, and one of the following: Resilient Shield, Malign Torch, Healing Staff
• Heavy Aquabreather, and one of the following: Malign Sword, Malign Axe, Healing Staff
• Heavy Aquabreather, and one of the following: Resilient Shield, Healing Warhorn, Mighty Greatsword
• Leather Aquabreather, and one of the following: Malign Pistol, Mighty Rifle, Resilient Shield
• Leather Aquabreather, and one of the following: Healing Warhorn, Malign Dagger, Mighty Greatsword
• Leather Aquabreather, and one of the following: Malign Pistol, Mighty Dagger, Healing Short Bow
• Cloth Aquabreather, and one of the following: Healing Focus, Mighty Dagger, Malign Staff
• Cloth Aquabreather, and one of the following: Resilient Focus, Mighty Pistol, Malign Staff
• Cloth Aquabreather, and one of the following: Malign Focus, Healing Dagger, Mighty Staff

Walkthrough

Meet up with Gavin to trigger the first cinematic, then head up the nearby watchtower plant to get a view of the white stag.

The next part is very straightforward, just follow the quest marker and chase after the white stag. The Risen will be in your way for the most part. Take care not to chase too quickly and pull more Risen than your character and Gavin could handle.

After a long chase, the white stag will be caught, and a cinematic will trigger. After the cinematic, you will be attacked by three nightmare hounds. Defeat them to finish this part of the personal story.

NPCs

Allies

At Caer Verdant

Sylvari

• Blanche
• Morrigu
• Urais
• Gavin
• Guard Dilys
• Valiant Caillech

Animals

• White Stag

In Dreamer's Terrace

Sylvari

• Caithe

Foes

Risen

• Risen Brute
• Risen Plague Carrier
• Risen Thrall

Nightmare Court

• Nightmare Alpha Hound
• Nightmare Hound

Dialogue

Caer Verdant

On approaching Gavin:

Gavin: Time to get started.

Cinematic with Gavin:

<Character name>: Gavin! Are you feeling better?

Gavin: I am, thanks to you. I have good news. The white stag has been seen in this area recently. If we hurry, we could catch up to it.

<Character name>: That watchtower over there gives me an idea. From the top, we can get the lay of the land and possibly a glimpse of our quarry.

Gavin: You have a true hunter's instincts, Valiant. That's exactly what we should do.

Gavin: When the stag appears, we shall give chase until it tires. Together, we will harry it—and then, the beast shall be ours!

Talking to Valiant Caillech:

Valiant Caillech: We're the wardens stationed here to hold back the undead from Caer Verdant. Do you brings new from the Grove?

Can you tell me more about the Wardens?

We're guardians of the Caledon Forest, in service of the Pale Tree. We keep these lands safe.

Ah, I see! May I ask another question?

Good to know.

The group that just left—where were they going?

They're headed out on patrol. Occasionally, one of the undead slip past our watch, and we have to find them before they get into the forest.

Why? Would that be a bad thing?

Goodness, yes! Just one of those foul creatures could cause a great deal of corruption if it ran amok through the Caledon.

Makes sense! May I ask another question?

That would be a problem. Good luck!

Thanks for the information. Farewell.

We're tracking a white stag. Have you seen one in this area?

I haven't spotted it myself, but I heard that it's roaming the forest. So, the legends are true?

Quite true. And we plan to find it. Can I ask something else?

Yes, and we plan to find it. Farewell.

Do you know my friend, Gavin?

No, but he said he was meeting a friend here—you, I assume. He was a solid, likeable fellow. Fought undead with us.

May I ask another question?

Thanks for the information. Farewell.

No news. Just passing through.

Talking to Guard Dilys:

Guard Dilys: Greetings, stranger. If you've seen any undead wandering the area, be sure to tell Warden Calliech[sic].

I'll tell him[sic] after they're death by my hand!

That works, too! Thank you.

You're very welcome.

Don't worry yourself, pretty flower. I'm sure you're safe in Caer Verdant.

My goodness, now I'm blushing!

Red looks good on you. Farewell!

With so many wardens here, I can't imagine many undead get through.

Not many, no, but even one can cause a problem. We do our best.

Guard well, Warden. Stay safe.

I'll do that, rest assured.

Cinematic after climbing the tower:

Gavin: Ah, the white stag appears!

Gavin: Look below! Do you see the stag?

Talking to Gavin while chasing the stag:

Gavin: That stag is a remarkable creature, but he will grow weary. We must give chase!

I agree! Good luck keeping up—I'll slow down when I have the stag!

Ha! We'll see about that, <Character name>. Outpace me if you can!

Off we go!

With your tracking skills, we'll catch the stag in no time.

You're absolutely right. We make a splendid team!

On to the hunt!

Go gently. Do not frighten the creature. We'll win this game in time.

Indeed we will. Stay near me, and we'll see if we're stalwart enough to catch him.

An excellent plan. To the hunt!

So we shall!

While chasing the white stag:

Gavin: Step lightly. We cannot alert the stag to our presence.

Gavin: It flees! Now, to the hunt!

Gavin: Keep after it!

Gavin: The beast is beginning to tire!

Gavin: Maintain the pursuit! Soon, we shall have him!

Gavin: The last efforts of a weary beast. We are winning!

Gavin: Victory! The white stag is ours!

Cinematic upon capturing the white stag:

Gavin: Excellent work, Valiant. But now I must leave. And I will be taking the white stag with me.

Gavin: You're welcome to come, of course. Your skills as a hunter would an asset to the court.

<Character name>: The Nightmare Court? Who are they, and what are you doing? Gavin, the stag must go back to the Grove. Caithe is waiting for us there.

Gavin: No, my noble friend. The white stag is coming with me. Once we turn it to the Nightmare, the stag will be a powerful weapon against the Dream.

Gavin: It is a manifestation of hope and faith. In Nightmare, it will be just the opposite — a creature of despair and hatred.

Gavin: Through its power, the Pale Tree will be freed of the chains forged by Ventari's Tablet.

<Character name>: A weapon? Gavin, this is wrong. The white stag is a peaceful creature. You can't turn it into something cruel.

Gavin: I can. We can. Come with me. You would be celebrated. Possibly even knighted by the grand duchess herself!

<Character name>: No, Gavin. I'll never join the Nightmare Court.

Gavin: Ah, that's a pity. It grieves me greatly to turn predatory into prey, Valiant, but I cannot have you interfere. Farewell.

On getting attacked after the cinematic:

Gavin: It's a shame. A loyal friend, and now a debased death.

Dreamer's Terrace

On approaching Caithe:

Caithe: I am here, Valiant.

Talking to Caithe (cinematic):

<Character name>: Caithe! I need your help. Gavin, the hunter working with me to track the white stag, has betrayed me. I don't understand what he's done.

<Character name>: He said something about using the stag as a weapon and that Ventari's Tablet was evil. He said he was a member of the Nightmare Court.

Caithe: The Nightmare Court? Thorns! You were right to come to me. They believe that Ventari's Tablet has turned the tree away from the original nature of the Dream.

Caithe: They embrace pain and darkness, and they claim that Ventari's lessons have corrupted the sylvari-and the Pale Tree.

<Character name>: Corrupted us? Can't they see that they're the ones who become poisonous?

Caithe: They believe their own lies. Come, Valiant. We must discover where the court is holding the white stag.

<Character name>: I agree, but how?

Caithe: News of such a prize will have spread among the courtiers like wildfire. We will go to Aron's Woodlot, and spy upon the court.

Caithe: They often go there to recruit new courtiers, but we must be subtle, or they will flee without telling us anything. Meet me there, and we will devise a plan.

Talking to Caithe (non-cinematic):

Caithe: I should have known that the Nightmare Court would be interested. If we don't rescue the white stag, they could do serious harm.

Can you tell me more about the Nightmare Court?

Misguided sylvari who claim Ventari's Tablet "restrains" us. They turn their backs on the guidance of the Mother Tree.

Why would anyone do that?

They believe that the tablet is a lie that has wrongly influenced the Tree. They reject the teaching of other races and intend to force nightmare on the rest of us.

What do you mean, "embrace nightmare"?

There are dark corners in the Dream: traumatic memories, evil impulses. They say that is our true nature, and they do as much evil as possible in order to fill the Dream with such things.

I dislike them already. May I ask another question?

Thank you for explaining. I'll be on my guard.

Gives me the creeps just to think about it.

Why would the Nightmare Court want the white stag?

The stag is a creature of the Dream. The court wishes to pervert the Dream to nightmare. It would be an excellent gateway to achieving that end.

How awful. May I ask another question?

Horrifying. Meet at Gleaner's Cove. We'll stop them together.

We should move quickly, then. Farewell.

My story

“ I tracked and found the white stag, but in my moment of triumph, Gavin betrayed me and escaped with the poor creature. I was wrong to trust him, even though he seemed so honorable. Caithe thinks we should spy on the Nightmare Court. They'll know where Gavin has taken the white stag, and that might be our best hope to recover it. — My story

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Sylvari storyline