Preserving the Balance

Preserving the Balance

Year

1325 AE

Storyline

Personal story

Chapter

Everyone Makes Mistakes

Location

Song of Final Exile
(Snowden Drifts)

Level

20

Race

Norn

Choice

Lost an Heirloom

Preceded by

Darkness at Drakentelt

Followed by

Dredge Technology

API

186

Preserving the Balance is part of the personal story for norn characters who chose the lost heirloom option during their character creation and chose to destroy the horn in Darkness at Drakentelt.

Objectives

Help the kodan destroy the horn.

• Speak to Followed by Night at the Song of Final Exile.
• Accompany Followed by Night to the ritual site.
• Talk to Followed by Night to perform the ritual.
• Destroy the horn.
• Defend the ritual.
• Destroy the horn.
• Destroy the creatures summoned by the horn.
• Destroy the horn.
• Destroy the creatures summoned by the horn.
• Destroy the horn.
• Defeat the corrupted Kodan.

Rewards

Click here to edit the reward data

All professions

• 2,808 
• Spirit Shard
• Icy Strongbox (BBasic)
• Signet Ring of Hoelbrak

Profession-specific

• Dolyak Mail, Duty-Bound Duffers
• Wolfborn Vest, Ragamuffin Toeshoes
• Sheepskin Doublet, Homespun Espadrilles

Walkthrough

Speak with Followed by Night to trigger a cinematic. Speaking again will begin the destruction of the horn.

The horn will become invulnerable and summon large groups of Icebrood at 75%, 50%, 25% and 0% health:

• 75% health: Icebrood Elementals
• 50% health: Icebrood Colossi
• 25% health: Icebrood Elementals and Goliaths (note: the Goliaths spawn downhill of the horn, near where you entered the zone)
• 0% health: Icebrood Kodan

Destroy the icebrood groups to continue damaging the horn. The nearby kodan initially will aid you with your fight against the icebrood, but only you can damage the horn itself. When the horn reaches 0% health, the nearby kodan will become corrupted and you will have to kill them too.

NPCs

Allies

Norn

• Eir Stegalkin

Kodan

• Followed by Night
• Kodan
• Kodan Horn

Canine

• Garm

Foes

Icebrood

• Icebrood Elemental (at 75% and 25%)
• Icebrood Colossus (at 50%)
• Icebrood Goliath (at 25%)
• Kodan (at 0%)
• Kodan Horn (at 0%)

Objects

• Romke's Horn

Dialogue

Talking with Eir:

Eir Stegalkin: I'm not questioning your judgment, but I am concerned: this is your ancestor's horn, Romke's horn. Even if it's dangerous, are you sure you want to destroy a piece of your family's legacy?

I redeemed myself by getting the horn back from Varg. Now I must redeem the horn.

Yes. If destroying the horn the Sons corrupted is the only way to ensure Romke's legacy is never again used for evil, so be it.

Thank you, Eir. I knew you'd understand. I'm glad to have you by my side.

I'm sure. And don't worry: with your help, I write a new legend for my family.

Talking with Kodan Horn (1):

Kodan Horn: What wisdom do you seek?

My people were driven south by the Ice Dragon, too.

Then we share a sad history. Jormag's minions destroyed one of our sanctuaries and forced others to flee. Someday we will judge the dragon and all its puppets for this obscenity.

I hope to be there on that day. Thank you for your time.

Talking with Kodan Horn (2):

Kodan Horn: Come forward and speak. You seem eager to ask something.

It seems norn and kodan have much in common. Why is that?

I do not know. Our Voice has never spoken of any connection between our peoples. For now, it must remain a mystery.

Too bad. I was hoping for a tale to tell at the next moot.

Talking with Kodan (1):

Kodan: Speak. What is it you seek?

I'm interested in the kodan. What is life like on your sanctuaries?

They are equal parts ship and temple. They allow us to follow the tides while we meditate on preserving the balance within.

Who runs each sanctuary?

Each sanctuary is maintained by its Claw and its Voice. The Voice communes with Koda and helps us translate the Founder's wishes into our guiding wisdom.

And the Claw?

The Claw is the link between the Voice and the rest of a sanctuary's inhabitants. The Claw leads us in this world, guiding our actions according to the Voice's words.

Is there anything else you can tell me?

Not at this time. Our ways are refreshing water, but no one can drink indefinitely. Ponder that what we say. And feel free to speak to my fellow kodan.

Thank you. I shall.

Good-bye.

Talking with Kodan (2):

Kodan: You approach with a question. Ask, and I shall answer.

Tell me about your spiritual beliefs.

Koda teaches that spirits who die without enlightenment must live again. Humans return as human, norn as norn, and so on...until they achieve the perfection we kodan have attained.

That sounds like a long journey.

It is. It can take dozens, even hundreds, of lifetimes to ascend to our level. Only then is one fit to preserve the balance and sit in judgment of those who threaten it.

I see. Thank you.

Talking with Kodan Horn (3):

Kodan Horn: Is something troubling you?

I just had a question. Who is "Koda"?

Koda is the Ancient One, the Founder of the Earth and Keeper of the Sky. Koda created the world and every creature in it.

And what does Koda have to do with bears and you kodan?

Bear was the first creature to speak, and his first words were, "Why is this so?" Koda rewarded Bear's initiative with an offer: watch and learn from this world, and you shall be its stewards.

And so those who revered Koda became kodans?

Yes. Those that accepted Koda's change and pledged themselves to preserving balance became as you see us now. Those that did not remained bears.

Interesting. Very interesting.

No. Good-bye.

Speaking with Followed by Night (cinematic):

Followed by Night: Koda sees that this choice was a difficult one, but he blesses you for seeing the greater wisdom in destroying the horn.

Eir Stegalkin: There's still a chance, Slayer. We can take the horn back to Hoelbrak for safekeeping.

<Character name>: No, Eir. We've seen what it can do. If the Sons of Svanir captured it again, we would be giving them a weapon that could kill scores of people. The horn must be broken.

Followed by Night: Then I seek your aid, southerners. Purifying this horn will not be easy. The energies inside are potent, and will not be purged easily. Speak to me when you are prepared.

Speaking with Followed by Night again:

Followed by Night: Are you prepared for the ritual? Once it begins, it cannot be stopped until it is complete.

Yes, I'm ready. Let's begin.

No, hang on. Give me a moment

Beginning of the destruction ritual (after choosing "yes, I'm ready"):

Followed by Night: Koda, hear our prayers. Grant us the strength to restore the balance!

Followed by Night: Strike with your claws, and help us destroy this corrupted horn!

Followed by Night: May you guide, shelter, and protect us as we do your work this day.

Followed by Night: I hear Koda's roar of triumph! Strike now, norn! Smash the horn and be done with it!

Followed by Night: The horn's magic is failing, but I can sense it preparing to defend itself. Stand ready!

After defeating the group of Icebrood Elementals at 75%:

Followed by Night: Hear our prayers, Koda! This object threatens the balance.

Followed by Night: Give us the wisdom to destroy it before it can destroy us.

Followed by Night: Norn! Strike the horn again. Grind it to dust!

Followed by Night: The horn weakens. Do not falter.

After defeating the group of Icebrood Colossi at 50%:

Followed by Night: Koda! Today, we make a stand to defend the balance.

Followed by Night: May your mighty jaws clench down upon our foes.

Followed by Night: Now is the time, norn! Finish the deed—destroy the horn, in Koda's name.

Followed by Night: The horn is desperate. Stand fast and we shall finish it.

After defeating the Icebrood Elementals and Goliaths at 25%:

Followed by Night: Koda is with us. Strike now. Destroy the horn, and end this!

Followed by Night: Now finish it.

After destroying the horn and the Icebrood Kodan (cinematic):

Eir Stegalkin: I wish we could have saved the horn. Perhaps you made the right choice, Slayer.

<Character name>: The kodan were right. The horn was corrupted and too dangerous to keep. I can always honor my ancestors in other ways. Their legacy lives on in me.

Eir Stegalkin: Be warned, Slayer. Memory has its own weight, and without warning you can become crushed under it, like an avalanche.

Eir Stegalkin: Enough about the past. Garm and I need to tell Fastulf that the danger has passed. I'm sure we will meet again soon. May the Spirits guide your path, Slayer.

<Character name>: You as well, Eir. Safe travels.

My story

“ I decided that Romke's horn was too corrupted and must be destroyed. The kodan had a way to rip out the horn's power, but the horn summoned terrifying creatures to defend itself. In the end, we prevailed. I hated to lose this heirloom from my ancestor, but now the Sons of Svanir can no longer use it for darkness. — My story

Notes

• On completion of this story segment, Romke's Horn is displayed in personal story.

Bug:

A group of enemies during the waves of icebrood spawns far away from the horn, next to Eir, and they will fight each other. The player will have to walk to them and kill them before continuing with the story or the horn will remain invulnerable.

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Norn storyline