Readings on the Rise

Readings on the Rise

Year

1325 AE

Storyline

Personal story

Chapter

Experiments Gone Wrong

Location

Dynamics Union
(Rata Sum)
Obscura Incline
(Metrica Province)

Level

10

Race

Asura

Choice

College of Statics

Preceded by

Piece Negotiations

Followed by

Unwelcome Visitors
Unscheduled Delay

API

29

Loading screen at Rata Sum

Readings on the Rise is part of the personal story for asura characters who have chosen the College of Statics and completed the storyline quest Piece Negotiations.

Objectives

Search Rata Sum for the artifact detected by the VOED.

• Meet Zojja at the VOED's signal location.
• Acquire the artifact.
• Talk to Zojja.

Search Metrica Province for the artifact detected by the VOED.

• Meet Zojja at the VOED's signal location.
• Employ the VOED to locate the artifact.
• Collect the artifact.
• Return to shore with the artifact.
• Decide your next course of action.

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

While Zojja distracts Flakk, search behind his desk for the artifact. You will then be pointed out of the instance to a salvage center bordering a lake in Metrica Province. A suspicious crew of asura salvagers will have a short meeting before diving into the lake to look for their "salvage" - during this initial search, they're flagged as neutral NPCs and can be attacked. You can kill them off during this time if you wish to make your eventual escape from the lake easier.

Using the VOED, locate the artifact at the bottom of the lake and dig it up. You'll then be directed to return to shore and make your escape. Any Inquest remaining in the lake will turn hostile and attack you if you come near. As this is underwater combat, it is very easy to provoke the nearby wildlife into the fight, for better or for worse.

At this point, you have two choices - you can either sneak into the nearby Inquest lab (Unwelcome Visitors) to take the artifact back, or you can ambush Teyo's group (Unscheduled Delay) en route.

NPCs

Allies

Asura

• Citizen
• Merchant Flakk
• Peacemaker Officer
• Salvage Specialist
• Senior Salvager
• Suspicious Salvage Specialist
• Veteran Salvage Director Gorp
• Weski
• Zojja

Golems

• Mr. Sparkles
• SRV 3296

Foes

Ambient creatures

• Crab
• Frog
• Lightning Bug
• Sockeye Salmon

Asura (Inquest)

• Inquest Assistant
• Inquest Extinguisher
• Inquest Technician

Drakes

• Marsh Drake
• Marsh Drake Hatchling

Crustaceans

• Hermit Crab

Fish

• Shark

Insects

• Mosquito

Moas

• Pink Moa

Porcines

• Siamoth

Raptors

• Jungle Raptor Hatchling

Objects

• Artifact

Bundles

• Very Old Energy Detector (VOED)

Dialogue

Dynamics Union

Upon entry to the instance:

Zojja: Hey, Savant. Over here.

Speaking with Merchant Flakk:

Merchant Flakk: Welcome to Flax's[sic] Fine Furnishings, where there greatest treasures are often the most unassuming. Our motto: it only LOOKS like junk. What can I help you with?

Just browsing, thanks.

Cinematic with Zojja:

Zojja: Pokka's message said you needed help, Savant. And I did promise, so here I am. Lucky for you I enjoy sticking it to the Inquest whenever possible.

<Character name>: That makes two of us. Our VOED readouts indicate the artifact we want is somewhere in that merchant's stall.

Zojja: Who, Flakk? No problem. I've known him for years, and he'd give both ears to collaborate with me.

Zojja: I'll engage him in light conversation and draw him off so you can get a good look at his stock. Grab what you need and we'll move on.

Zojja: It's not really stealing. Think of it as Flakk's charitable donation to the cause of science in...in the name of a better understanding of the Eternal Alchemy.

Zojja: Or, just think of it as "we need it more and we're smarter than him." Whatever works.

<Character name>: Done and done. You turn on the charm...you can do that, right? And I'll swipe whatever's lighting up the VOED display panel.

Approaching Flakk:

Zojja: Over here, Flakk. My projects are top secret, for your ears only.

Merchant Flakk: Zojja! After all these years, it's exquisite to see you again.

Zojja: Flakk. I see you've abandoned pure research for the marketplace.

Merchant Flakk: A temporary situation, I assure you. If I thought there was a spot for me on a project of yours, I'd come running.

Zojja: Well I've got a few irons in the fire you might find intriguing. Let me give you a rough prospectus...

Searching amongst the wrong artifacts:

Artifact: Hmm. The VOED readout drops sharply. This is not the object you're after.

Leave

Finding the artifact:

Artifact: This is it! The VOED is going crazy.

Leave

After finding the artifact of interest (and clicking Leave):

Zojja: Well, always nice talking to you, Flakk, but look at the time. Gotta run!

Talking to Zojja:

Zojja: That was easier than I expected. Flakk was very keen to team up...to a point.

Zojja: But when I mentioned dragons and the Inquest, he started looking queasy.

Zojja: I doubt I'll hear from him again. He seemed to have a lot of important stuff to sell.

Zojja: This is fun. Count me in for the next piece of the puzzle. I'll meet you in Metrica Province.

Speaking with Merchant Flakk again:

Merchant Flakk: Want to engage the mind and uplift the spirit? Flax's[sic] Fine Furnishings offer discerning buyers a cornucopia of delights—if you have an eye for value.

Nothing today, thanks.

Obscura Incline

Reaching the Old Golem Factory:

Zojja: Bad news. This place is crawling with Inquest salvage teams.

Zojja: The lake's indigenous creatures were dangerous enough. Now it's a full-on death trap.

Zojja: Quick, fire up that VOED and let's find what we came for before they do.

Talking with Zojja:

Zojja: I don't like how excited these salvagers are. They may have found something.

We'd better hurry.

Cinematic with Gorp:

Salvage Director Gorp: All right, you cretins. There's an antiquity in that lake the Inquest wants.

Salvage Director Gorp: Hit the water and dive down deep. Flip over every algae-covered rock if you have to, and crush anyone or anything that gets in your way.

Salvage Director Gorp: Whoever finds that artifact gets bumped up a pay grade. Fail, and you'll get thrown down a well to practice underwater reclamation. Move out!

Zojja: That's a lot of Inquest trash polluting the water. I'll be surprised if the fish don't go belly up. We've definitely got some competition.

<Character name>: Competition? More like distraction. Come on, let's find the artifact. Any Inquest cranial-cracking that occurs will be pure bonus.

Speaking with Zojja again:

Zojja: So the inquest are involved with this salvage facility. That confirms my suspicions. We can't let them get that artifact first.

No argument from me.

Speaking with Veteran Salvage Director Gorp:

You don't look like one of our workers. What do you want?

I was sent here on special orders. Fill me in on your progress.

I see. Well, our salvage operation has just begun. There's a relic in the lake, something relevant to our...employers.

Your "employers" will never get their hands on that relic, Inquest scum. (becomes hostile)

Interesting.

Tell me what you're searching for or I'll vaporize you!

No harm in telling since everything is already in motion. My...employers want some relic in that lake. That's all I know!

This is it for you, Inquest scum. (becomes hostile)

Thanks for the information.

Inquest scum! I'm shutting you down. (becomes hostile)

Nothing. Carry on.

If Gorp becomes hostile:

Salvage Director Gorp: You're a fool if you think you can stop us!

Cinematic after finding the artifact and returning to the shore:

<Character name>: All right, that's two pieces of the artifact in our hands. And from the look of it, there's only one more piece to collect.

<Character name>: Looks as if the missing piece is the same size and shape as the one they stole from us in the first place.

Zojja: Then the only question is, how do we retrieve it? They'll definitely return to their base to study the artifact. That gives us two avenues of attack.

Zojja: One: we intercept them on the road. Two: we wait until they get it home and then break in while they feel secure. It's your device, Savant, so it's your call.

Speaking with Zojja:

Zojja: Either plan is a viable option. Which should we go with?

We should intercept them before they get back to their base.

Ambushing their caravan could work. I'm sure they'll be suited up and guarded, though. are you sure about this?

Yes. Let's just do it.

Hang on. Let me think a minute more.

We should break into their base and steal it back from there.

Breaking into their base could be risky, but effective. Are you sure about this?

I'm sure. We can do it.

Wait. Let me think for another minute.

Just let me have a few more moments to think.

Upon selecting the ambush option:

Zojja: The overconfident Inquest will take their sweet time getting the artifact to their lab. Plenty of time for an ambush.

Prideful fools.

Upon selecting the break-in option:

Zojja: We'll have to be creative to get past their lab's defenses. I'm looking forward to this.

Me too.

My story

“ Zojja and I used the VOED to beat the Inquest to the next piece of the artifact. We found one in a merchant's stall in Rata Sum, though I don't think he realized what he had. Zojja did some fast talking to distract the merchant, and I collected the object. With the VOED and Zojja on my side, I decided to press on and find the next piece. Zojja and I beat the Inquest to the next piece of the relic. We also used some of our best weaponry to beat the Inquest to a pulp. We deduced that there are only three pieces of the artifact in all: the two we have plus the one the Inquest extorted from us. We decided that in order to complete our collection and assemble the full artifact, we would have to take back the Inquest's piece by force. — My story

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Asura storyline