Serving Up Trouble

Serving Up Trouble

Year

1325 AE

Storyline

Personal story

Chapter

Interested Parties

Location

Snaff Memorial Lab
(Rata Sum)
Desider Atum
(Metrica Province)

Level

20

Race

Asura

Choice

VAL-A Golem

Preceded by

Gadd's Last Gizmo
Defusing the Problem
The Things We Do For Love
Here, There, Everywhere

Followed by

Short Fuse

API

39

Loading screen Snaff Memorial Lab instance

Serving Up Trouble is part of the personal story of asura characters whose first invention was the VAL-A Golem.

Objectives

Meet Zojja at the Snaff Memorial Laboratory in Rata Sum.

• Speak to Zojja.

Locate the haywire VAL-A golem in Desider Atum.

• Locate the VAL-A golem.
• Defeat the rampaging VAL-A golem.
• Inspect the defeated VAL-A golem.
• Confer with Zojja.

Rewards

Click here to edit the reward data

All professions

• Leather Bag (12 Slots, Soulbound on acquistion)
• Bag of Loot (2)

Profession-specific

• One of the following: Ruby Heart, Amethyst Heart, Sapphire Heart
• One of the following: Ruby Heart, Emerald Heart, Amethyst Heart
• One of the following: Ruby Heart, Emerald Heart, Amethyst Heart
• One of the following: Topaz Heart, Emerald Heart, Sapphire Heart
• One of the following: Topaz Heart, Carnelian Heart, Ruby Heart
• One of the following: Carnelian Heart, Topaz Heart, Ruby Heart
• One of the following: Ruby Heart, Topaz Heart, Sapphire Heart
• One of the following: Carnelian Heart, Topaz Heart, Ruby Heart
• One of the following: Emerald Heart, Topaz Heart, Ruby Heart

Walkthrough

Speak with Zojja in the Snaff Memorial Lab. Then go to the southern end of the bridge at Desider Atum and locate the VAL-A golem inside the building. Attack the VAL-A Golem while it runs amok. After you defeat it, check the heap of metal. Exiting the dialogue triggers the cinematic with Zojja and completes the mission.

NPCs

Allies

First instance

Asura

• Zojja

Golem

• Mr. Sparkles

Various

• Other NPCs standard to Snaff Memorial Lab

Second instance

Asura

• Citizen
• Lab Attendant
• Peacemaker Officer
• Researcher
• Technician
• Trader
• Zojja

Foes

Ambient creatures

• Lightning Bug
• Mosquito
• Sparkfly

Golem

• VAL-A Golem

Objects

• Power Matrix
• Spikeroot Fruit

Dialogue

Zojja Urgent: Problem With Your Golem Design: Savant, There's been an incident that you need to address. A butler golem you designed has gone haywire and I need to talk to you about it. The Snaff Prize carries a certain amount of prestige, but there's also responsibility that goes with the title. Come see me right away so we can fix this. —Zojja

Snaff Memorial Lab

Approaching Zojja:

Zojja: Hey, Savant! Hurry and get over here, it's important.

Cinematic with Zojja:

Zojja: Thanks for coming by. Quick question for you: your first invention was a service golem, correct?

<Character name>: Now that takes me back. My blueprints for the VAL-A got me accepted to all three colleges, and then I was able to pick at my leisure.

<Character name>: Designed to handle menial daily tasks...cleaning, dressing, dining, etc., so the owner could focus on intellectual endeavors.

Zojja: Well, unless murder is a "menial daily task," something's gone wrong. Your VAL-A golem went berserk and killed the people it was supposed to be serving.

Zojja: This is intolerable! You're the Snaff Prize Savant...Snaff, the master golemancer! Your failure dishonors his memory, and I can't have that.

<Character name>: My golem wouldn't kill people. It couldn't! I made sure to—

Zojja: It could, and it has. If you want to live up to your title, Savant, you'd better head over to Desider Atum and sort this out. Fast.

Speaking with allies:

Krewe Apprentice (1): Shh! Zojja's in a rare mood. I'm glad I'm not you, Savant!

Uh-oh. That doesn't sound good.

Krewe Apprentice (2): I tell you, I'd hate to be that Savant. Zojja's broken two arcanocams just thinking about it!

She what? Hey, hang on, I'm the Savant.

You are? Oh jeez! I'd get out of Rata Sum, if I were you. I hear the charr lands are kinda pretty.

I'll just talk to her. How bad can it be?

Hm. I'd better go talk to her.

Krewe Apprentice (3): Careful. Don't you have eyes? Zojja's watching!

So? She's your boss, of course she's watching.

Yeah, but right now, she's so mad that she might twist my ears into gear-cogs!

Whoa. Okay, I'll leave you be.

Uh-oh. I'll go talk to her.

Mr. Sparkles: Maintenance protocols: engaged. Uploading patch.

Maybe we'll talk when you're finished.

Zojja: All right, Savant. Go and check out that rampaging golem!

Can you tell me more about what happened out there?

A prototype of your VAL-A golem went crazy. If you don't find out what happened, it'll tarnish your legacy—and the title of Snaff Prize Savant.

Right. I'm on it!

I was kind of hoping we could chat a bit...

I'm trying very hard to not throw things, <Character name>! Get out and get going!

All righty!

Off I go!

At Desider Atum

Before attacking the VAL-A Golem:

Citizen: (screaming)

Trader: Look out!

Trader: Tactical retreat!

Technician: Over there! Hurry!

Trader: Retreat would be a good strategy right now.

Speaking with the asura:

Peacemaker Officer: That...golem...ugh. It knocked me over! It's gone...berserk.

Stay still. You have a concussion. I'll handle this.

Citizen / Lab Attendant / Researcher: Please, do something before that crazy butler golem kills us all!

Stay back! I'll handle this.

During the battle with the VAL-A Golem:

VAL-A Golem: Good-day. Allow—me—to—handle—all—your—household—needs.

VAL-A Golem: Let—me—take—your—head—brzzt—hat.

VAL-A Golem: Analyzing—room.

VAL-A Golem: Shall—I—pop—the—cork?

VAL-A Golem: Dust—located.

VAL-A Golem: Polishing—the—liver—brzzt—silver!

VAL-A Golem: Dusting—sequence—complete.

VAL-A Golem: Dice, mince, puree!

VAL-A Golem: Dinner—is—served.

Speaking with the asura after defeating the golem:

Citizen (1): I can't believe you defeated it! That thing took down Peacemakers like—well, exactly like it was cleaning house!

What happened? Why did it go haywire?

One moment it was pouring beer, doing chores, and the next moment—bam! Peacemakers down, and it was going berserk!

Something's definitely not right here. Thanks for the information.

Hold tight. Things'll be back to normal soon.

Citizen (2) / Lab Attendant / Researcher / Trader: I need a moment. My heart's beating like crazy!

Everything's going to be fine.

Peacemaker Officer: Is it...deactivated?

Yes. Don't worry, you'll feel better soon.

Inspecting the VAL-A Golem:

VAL-A Golem: This VAL-A golem is based on your design, but it's been radically altered.

This version of my golem is psychopathic. Not good. (this triggers the cinematic for Confer with Zojja)

Investigate the golem to see what's been altered.

The control parameters are all wrong, and the logic arcanum is twisted beyond recognition.

Anything else?

Yes. Instead of warm lager and fine wine, the VAL-A now serves only cold beer.

I'd better do something about this!

What? No! (this triggers a cinematic)

Cinematic with Zojja:

Zojja: Making progress, I see. Good. Listen, I've been thinking about what I said, and I...I came to apologize.

Zojja: When your golem ran wild, all I could think of was Snaff's legacy. I shouldn't have taken it out on you.

Zojja: You're a lot like him, actually: smart, capable, enthusiastic. Besides, it was your first golem. You were young, untested, and—

<Character name>: And someone monkeyed with my designs. The golem I just trashed was so heavily modified, it's barely recognizable as my work.

<Character name>: Misaligned aether couplings, altered control parameters...somebody took my idea and ran with it, right into a brick wall.

Zojja: If we can prove that, you'll be off the hook...and so will Snaff. All we need is a copy of your original designs from the archives.

<Character name>: Then that's where I'm heading. I appreciate the apology, but you're right: this makes us all look bad. I'm going to find out who's responsible.

After the cinematic:

Zojja: Commence operations.

Speaking with allies:

Mr. Sparkles: Confirm: Abrogation—protocols—engaged. Recommend: Savant—proceed—with—investigation.

Sounds like a plan.

Speaking with Zojja after the cinematic:

Zojja: Something's fishy. Golems don't just flip out for no reason. You're not that...er...untalented.

Nice of you to say, Zojja.

Get your head on straight, Savant, this isn't a sweetheart's party. The peacemakers are going to be furious about this mess.

You're right. Can I ask you something? (same as "Can I ask you something?")

So they are. We should go.

Whoever did this is going to meet the short end of a dolyak prod when I catch 'em.

Keep that anger ready. I have a feeling you're going to need it.

Let me ask you something else. (same as "Can I ask you something?")

I'll be ready.

I'm sorry about all this. I won't let it dishonor the Snaff Prize.

You know the funny thing? I think he would have found this fascinating. He'd be worried, sure...but also intrigued.

Let me ask you something. (same as "Can I ask you something?")

He must have been an amazing mentor.

Can I ask you something?

Hurry up, <Character name>. What is it?

You mentioned that this model caused deaths elsewhere?

The first incident was at Mrot Boru. A few casualties. Peacemakers incinerated that golem before it could be examined.

Let me ask you something else. (same as "Can I ask you something?")

Ugh. Sounds like a mess. Thanks for telling me.

How do I find out who had access to my patent blueprints?

Go to Rata Sum's archives and meet Archivist Grep. He's fusty and musty, but he knows the archives like the back of his sonic parenthizer.

Let me ask you something else. (same as "Can I ask you something?")

I'm on it.

Why would someone do this? A lot of people got hurt!

Bah. Only because they weren't quick enough to get away. Toughen up, Savant. You're smart, and you survive...or not.

Let me ask you something else. (same as "Can I ask you something?")

Right. I'll keep that in mind.

Actually, never mind. Let's get started.

We'll find the answer. I know it.

My story

“ Wow, was Zojja angry! That killer VAL-A golem can't have been my fault. I'd better head to Desider Atum and find out the truth of the matter. Someone tampered with my VAL-A schematics, and built a murder-golem! Who would've done such a thing? I'd better find out, and quickly. — My story

---

Asura storyline