In Snaff's Footsteps

In Snaff's Footsteps

Year

1325 AE

Storyline

Personal story

Chapter

Experiments Gone Wrong

Location

The Hinterlabs
(Metrica Province)

Level

10

Race

Asura

Choice

College of Dynamics

Preceded by

Explosive Intellect

Followed by

Golem Positioning System

API

17

Loading screen.

In Snaff's Footsteps is part of the personal story for asura characters who have chosen the College of Dynamics and completed the tutorial Explosive Intellect.

Objectives

Join your krewe to compete for the Snaff Prize.

• Report to your krewe chief, Hronk.
• Get the capacitors from the staging area.
• Defeat the Inquest saboteurs.
• Return the capacitors to your krewemate Kazz.
• Present your krewe's invention to the Snaff Prize Judges.

Rewards

Click here to edit the reward data

All professions

• 2,641 
• 50 
• Leather Bag (8 Slots)
• Bag of Loot (3)

Profession-specific

• One of the following: Chainmail Gauntlets, Ringmail Gauntlets, Scale Gauntlets
• One of the following: Rawhide Bracers, Marksman's Bracers, Studded Leather Bracers
• One of the following: Cloth Gloves, Linen Gloves, Velvet Gloves

Walkthrough

When you have attained level 10, you will get mail to meet your krewe. Speak to Hronk in the instance to find out the capacitors are missing and head to the lab space to search for them, it will be marked on the map. There will be fight with the Inquest. After that, just return to the plaza to proceed with the golem demonstration.

NPCs

Allies

Asura

• Apprentice
• Citizen
• Councillor Flax
• Councillor Haia
• Councillor Ludo
• Councillor Phlunt
• Councillor Yahk
• Councillor Zudo
• Doxa
• Hronk
• Kazz
• Kozzak
• Krewe Leader
• Peacemaker Officer
• Pokka
• Pol
• Varkk
• Zojja

Golems

• M.I.G.

Raptors

• Shrieksy

Foes

Asura (Inquest)

• Inquest Engineer
• Teyo

Objects

• Supplies

Dialogue

Mails received:

Hronk The Snaff Prize is Waiting If you're done being altruistic, we need you at the Snaff Prize! The College of Dynamics is counting on our Massively Impressive Golem (MIG) to win. Our demonstration is going to make the judges' heads explode in amazement...but only if you're here to help your krewe to victory. We're at Battleground Plaza...what are you waiting for? Get over here! —Hronk, Genius

Zojja The Snaff Prize is Up For Grabs Hey, Just a quick note to say thanks again for helping me put the Inquest in its place. I hear you've been busy out there, and that you've entered the Snaff Prize competition—I have to remain impartial, of course, but I'm eager to see you demonstrate what else you can do. See you there, —Zojja

Approaching your krewe:

Kazz: How about now, my little long-eared cherub? Is it working now?

Doxa: Not at all. And find another endearment: "cherubs" are fat baby humans with freakish wings.

Kazz: I knew that, sweetheart. I just didn't know you knew.

Councilor Flax: Time's almost up. If you can't show the judges something soon, you'll be disqualified.

Talking to Zojja:

Zojja: I'm taking off my judging hat for a second to let you know I've got my eye on you.

Zojja: I can't give you special consideration for helping me with the Inquest golem...but it won't hurt your chances, either.

Talking to your krewe:

Doxa: This is it—what we've been working so hard for. The MIG's pilot interface is going to make Snaff Prize history.

Tell me more about the Snaff Prize.

Snaff was no genius—he was a super genius. But, he died fighting the Elder Dragons. His apprentice, Zojja, set this competition up in his honor.

How does it honor him?

Snaff always pushed would-be geniuses to excel. She founded this contest as a testament to his work and a way to identify Rata Sum's most promising inventors.

Us, in other words. Come on, let's honor a super genius.

We've done our best. Now it's up to you to show our work off.

Kazz: Doxa is an ace, but even she can't pilot a broken golem. We need to give my love a chance to shine and she'll make us all look good.

That's what teamwork is all about.

Cinematic with Hronk:

Hronk: Panic time! Our Massively Impressive Golem isn't working, and the judges are waiting. It functioned perfectly back in the lab. I'm at a loss.

Hronk: Having the best pilot and the best pilot/golem interface won't matter if it just stands there. I was sure we'd win! Snaff was a golemancer, after all!

<Character name>: Let me take a look. I know this baby like the schematics were tattooed on the inside of my eyelids. Every time I blink, it's a review session.

<Character name>: Well, there's your problem. The MIG's capacitors are missing. Someone forgot to put them in.

Doxa: That's your job, Kazz. I pilot, you maintain. It's a good thing I love you so much, because I love you a little less each time your scatterbrain sets us back.

Kazz: I love you too, my dulcet-toned honey-viper. But I put the capacitors in. Someone must have swiped them, because I would not forget... not after your last cheerful chastisement.

Hronk: Pitch woo on your own time! We must have left the capacitors in the Hydrone Unit lab's staging area. Hurry! Retrieve those capacitors at once!

Idle dialogue between Zojja and an apprentice after the cinematic:

Apprentice: Sure, I've heard of Snaff, but I still don't get why he gets a whole prize named after him.

Zojja: Because he was one of the greatest geniuses who ever lived, you empty-headed homonculus!

Zojja: He revolutionized golemancy! He blazed trails so brilliant, most people can't even see his footsteps, let alone follow in them!

Apprentice: So...friend of yours, then.

Talking to other contestants:

Varkk: You should withdraw and save yourself some humiliation. Your invention is impressive, but it won't revolutionize travel like ours will.

I'm sorry, are you a judge? No? Then it's not up to you.

Pol: We're going to win this thing. If you're smart, you'll give up on golem interfaces and put all your money on my krewe's translocator.

Keep dreaming.

Pokka: An improved golem/pilot interface, eh? Too subtle. Our Very Old Energy Detector is going to wow the judges and win the Snaff Prize.

Drivel on, blockhead. It's all about the demonstration. Stand aside and watch me work.

Kozzak: All the buzz so far is about your invention. I'm putting my coins on your krewe. That way, win or lose, I won't walk away empty-handed.

That's a smart bet. Just don't let your krewe chief hear you counting your winnings.

Cinematic upon reaching the staging area:

<Character name>: Hey! Stop right there, you pusillanimous pinheads! That's our stuff!

Teyo: Was your stuff. Now it's ours. But don't worry; we'll leave you a beating in exchange.

After the fight:

Councillor Yahk: What in the name of the Eternal Alchemy is going on here?

Councillor Yahk threatens <Character name>.

Cinematic with Yahk:

Councillor Yahk: Enough! Cease and desist all hostilities. Now, what's going on here?

<Character name>: These Inquest poltroons snuck in to our work area, sabotaged our Massively Impressive Golem, and stole our equipment.

Teyo: Calumny and slander! We were called in to consult on a Snaff prize entry, and when we did, this blackguard attacked us!

Councillor Yahk: Now, now. Things get heated when a prize is on the line. Let's all just calm down, count to ten, and get back to work. No harm done, eh?

<Character name>: No harm done? They vandalized our work space! And our MIG!

Councillor Yahk: That is a serious accusation. On behalf of the Arcane Council, I suggest you file a complaint... after the contest is over. Off you go, now. Off!

After Yahk leaves:

Teyo: Enjoy those capacitors. And good luck: you're going to need it.

Talking to Councillor Yahk:

Councillor Yahk: I can't speak with contestants while the Snaff Prize is up for grabs. Must maintain our impartiality. You understand.

I do. Even better than you think.

Talking to Teyo:

Teyo: You pathetic also-ran. You don't stand a chance—this year's Snaff Prize belongs to the Inquest.

The day I knuckle under to the Inquest is the day I lay down and die.

Idle dialogue between Zojja and an apprentice after returning to the plaza:

Apprentice: I was thinking about joining the Inquest. They never let morality get in the way of progress.

Zojja: They'd never take you. You know what "morality" means.

Speaking to Councillor Flax:

Councillor Flax: We can't keep the other geniuses waiting. Get your golem operational, or the Snaff Prize competition will go on without you.

First, tell me more about the Snaff Prize.

Fine. He was a great genius in golemancy. He died tragically young, so his apprentice, Zojja, made everyone set up this competition in his honor.

Do you think this competition honors him?

Of course. He challenged many young would-be geniuses to excel. Zojja created this contest as a testament to his work, and to identify Rata Sum's most promising inventors.

That's where I come in. Prepare to be amazed.

Not to worry. We'll be ready shortly.

Speaking to Hronk:

Hronk: I don't like the look on Councillor Flax's face. From his expression, impatience is becoming annoyance. We'd better hurry up and start our demo or we'll lose our shot at the Snaff Prize.

Tell me more about the Snaff Prize.

Snaff was the preeminent genius of his day, He died heroically... or tragically, depending on who you ask. His apprentice, Zojja, set up this competition to honor him.

I've met Zojja. She's one of the best there is... and Snaff was her mentor?

Right. Snaff was all about making young geniuses excel. She founded this contest to continue his work and identify Rata Sum's most promising inventors.

That's us, then. Let's show those other so-called geniuses how it's done.

Leave it to me.

Returning the missing parts:

Kazz: You got the parts! I'll install them, and we'll be ready to go.

Doxa: Hey, you fixed it! Nice work. Now we can show off our improved golem-to-pilot interface.

Doxa: It's not as flashy as some entries, but it‘s revolutionary. The Snaff Prize is as good as ours.

Hronk: Not if we don't hurry it up! They're waiting now, so get out there and strut our stuff!

M.I.G.: Out—of—my—way. We've—got—a—prize—to—win!

The M.I.G. demonstration (in game cut-scene):

Hronk: Behold, a revolutionary leap forward in golem-to-pilot interfacing: the Massively Impressive Golem!

Hronk: The biomagical psionic mind link is two-way, instantaneous, and uninterruptable[sic].

Hronk: Our pilot doesn't even need hands—she just has to think, and the golem responds.

Continuing the demonstration:

Hronk: No more specialized training or hours of practice. Just hop in, think, and away you go!

Zojja: Very impressive. How did you handle the problem of feedback? Every time I've tried something similar, the pilot's brain got fried.

Hronk: Our breakthrough in golem interfacing dampening technology keeps the user's mind safe from harm.

Councillor Flax: Well, it's not as eye-catching as Teyo's Floating Grizwhirl, but your MIG is quite impressive.

Cinematic at the end of the M.I.G. demonstration:

Zojja: I've seen enough, Councillor. Our choice is clear: the invention that best embodies Snaff's legacy is the College of Dynamics' MIG.

Councillor Flax: I quite agree. Seamless integration of machine and user has been an unachieveable[sic] goal... until now. Well done!

Councillor Flax: As far as I know, only the Inquest has ever had any success, and they have to brutalize sentient beings to achieve it.

Hronk: That was the most difficult challenge we faced. False modesty aside, our work here represents a quantum leap forward in golemancy.

Councillor Flax: Which is why, on behalf of the judges, I'm pleased to award Hronk's krewe the Snaff Prize. Let's all—by the Eternal Alchemy, what's that thing doing now?

As the M.I.G. goes haywire:

M.I.G.: Hronk, we have a problem.

Hronk: Something's definitely wrong in there. Doxa! What's going on?

M.I.G.: It's not responding, it's...mal—func—tion. I mean...err—or. Argh! What's happening to me?

Cinematic after M.I.G. runs off:

Zojja: So the winning entry was a crazed, councillor-killing golem. Well, if we disqualified every potentially lethal entry, there'd be no contestants left.

<Character name>: But the MIG was sabotaged! Our entry was tampered with. I don't know why, but the Inquest—

Councillor Flax: Stop right there. Every time a stasis servo slips a gear, people blame Inquest saboteurs. I'm sick of it. You just took the Snaff Prize. Learn to win gracefully.

Councillor Flax: Instead of finding scapegoats for your own inadequacy, you should be tracking down and dismantling that amok golem you unleashed.

Zojja: And when you do, I'd love the chance to study it. Impressive work...right on up to the point it started smashing things at random.

Hronk: That will soon be rectified. Back to the lab, krewe! We can track the MIG from there. With a bit of luck, we can stop it before it does any serious damage.

Talking to your allies:

Kazz: Doxa gone, the MIG running wild...I am extremely perturbed. What went wrong? We've got to find Doxa.

We will. We just need to regroup first.

Zojja: Mayhem is good for the competition. Keeps the judges on their toes and reminds them they haven't thought of everything. Bad news for your pilot, though. What happened?

The Inquest's tampering must've disrupted Doxa's brain waves. We have to find her.[sic]

The Inquest did something, but I don't know what. What do you know about them?

Amoral twits, bent on world domination. They'll do anything to get results, which are often spectacular. It gives them sway with the Arcane Council and free run of Rata Sum.

Why does the Arcane Council tolerate them at all?

The council is for long-term asuran supremacy. As long as the Inquest delivers spectacular and effective new inventions, the council turns a blind eye to them.

Then it's up to us to show the council another way.

Well, now they're messing with my krewe, and they're going to be sorry.

Talking to the Arcane Council:

Councillor Flax: That golem of yours nearly crushed me! Get it under control, or I'll mispronounce your names from now on.

Don't worry. We'll bring the MIG to heel.

Councillor Yahk: Well, congratulations are in order...but I'm withholding my eloquent praise until you corral that insane golem.

No worries. We'll find her.

Talking to Teyo:

Teyo: Congratulations on your win, "genius." Too bad about your friend, though. Unless those agonized screams were screams of triumph, she's not having a good day.

I know you did something to the MIG. As soon as we rescue Doxa, you're going to pay.

Talking to the other contestants:

Varkk: This cannot stand! Our translocator is the clear winner here. It has a thousand and one uses—

And my krewe has the Snaff Prize. Just accept it and move on.

Pol: You may have won this year, but my krewe will come up with something to beat you next time.

I doubt it.

Pokka: Your MIG nearly kills the Arcane Council, yet still they award you the Snaff Prize. Next time, I'm bringing a multibarrel blunderbuss and firing it randomly at the judges.

If that's the best way to demonstrate your genius, I say go for it.

Kozzak: Congratulations. I had high hopes for our VOED, but hopes don't win the Snaff Prize. Right, Shrieksy?

At least you found a new friend...assuming that raptor is friendly.

My story

“ My krewe and I presented our Massively Impressive Golem (MIG) before the Snaff Prize judges, and they were suitably impressed—until the MIG went haywire and ran off. We still took the Snaff Prize, but none of us can claim the title "Snaff Prize Savant" until we recover the MIG. — My story

---

Asura storyline