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Living World Season 4 content

The Crystal Blooms

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The Crystal Blooms

Year
1332 AE
Storyline
Living World Season 4
Chapter
All or Nothing
Location
The Auditorium
(Thunderhead Peaks)
Level
80
Preceded by
Dragonsblood
Followed by
Resonance
API
545

The Crystal Blooms loading screen.jpg

Click to enlarge

The Crystal Blooms is the third part of All or Nothing.

Objectives[edit]

  • Enter the auditorium.
  • Meet with your allies.
  • (Defeat the Branded.)
  • Branded
    Event bar empty green.jpg Event swords (tango icon).png
  • (Defeat the Riftstalker.)
  • Branded Riftstalker
    Event bar green.jpg Event boss (tango icon).png
  • Fall back to the upper platform.
  • (Defeat the Riftstalker.)
  • Branded Riftstalker
    Event bar green.jpg Event boss (tango icon).png
  • Join Aurene near the resonance crystal.
  • Channel Aurene's magic through the overcharged resonance crystal.

Rewards[edit]

Upon replay

Walkthrough[edit]

On entering the instance, you are met by a small group of NPCs discussing the rapid increase in the numbers of ghosts appearing at the Forge. They are joined by a ghostly messenger (Gwen) sent by Glint with bad news. Moving on to your allies by the Resonance Crystal, another discussion regarding the time needed to build the necessary Dragonsblood Weapons is cut short by the appearance of a Rift and a large number of Branded foes. Using Dragonsblood spears, defeat the initial waves, until a Branded Riftstalker joins the battle. After reducing its health, retreat to the upper platform and continue to attack the Branded. Shortly after this, Aurene makes her presence known, and a white circle appears next to the Resonance Crystal. On entering the circle, Aurenes Special Action skill is available to activate the crystal. Using this skill to shoot the crystal destroys the remaining Branded but does not eliminate the accompanying Brandstorm. Aurene "solves" the problem by crystallizing the remaining foes. Following a cutscene and an opportunity to talk to each of your allies, the mission concludes.

Achievements[edit]

The Crystal Blooms All or Nothing 0Achievement points
Bear witness to a demonstration of Aurene's power.Journal: The Crystal Blooms Competed The Crystal Blooms 0Achievement points
  • Complete the instance.
This achievement requires at least one completed objective to become visible. Bunker Buster All or Nothing 3Achievement points
Destroy 10 Branded creatures by using the Resonating Blast skill inside the auditorium.Story Instance: The Crystal Blooms Killed 1 Branded with Resonating Blast Inside the Auditorium 1Achievement points
Killed 5 Branded with Resonating Blast Inside the Auditorium 1Achievement points
Killed 10 Branded with Resonating Blast Inside the Auditorium 1Achievement points
  • Use the special action key when prompted. Channel Aurene's magic through the overcharged resonance crystal.
  • The 10 branded don't need to all be killed in one go. Replaying the instance adds to your previous total.
This achievement rewards items. Return to The Crystal Blooms Return to All or Nothing 0Achievement points
Complete the story mission The Crystal Blooms in Living World Season 4 Episode 5.
Reward: Volatile Magic.pngVolatile Magic (5)
Completed The Crystal Blooms 0Achievement points

NPCs[edit]

Allies[edit]

Asura
Charr
Dragons
Ghosts
Humans
Norn
Sylvari
Various

Services[edit]

Reinforce Armor (map icon).png Anvil

Foes[edit]

Branded

Objects[edit]

Dialogue[edit]

Entering the instance
Priory Historian: Just saw another ghost. It's starting to look like Ascalon around here.
Vigil Crusader: If they're all coming HERE, there's gotta be something seriously wrong on the other side.
Ghostly Messenger: Commander—dire news from Glint. Our forces are scattered. We can't hold out any longer.
Ghostly Messenger: Kralkatorrik has entered the Domain of the Lost. He's devouring everything in his path. Destroying or scattering the dead.
If charr, norn or human:
<Character name>: Explains all the ghosts. How bad is it gonna get?
If asura or sylvari:
<Character name>: Well, that explains all the ghosts. How bad do you think this is?
Ghostly Messenger: He's wounded—we've done real damage. But now he's feeding again. Regaining power. If this keeps up...
<Character name>: So, pretty bad. Got it. Thanks for everything you've done—the rest is up to us.
Sunspear Paragon Recruit salutes <Character name>.
Olmakhan Nightwalker salutes <Character name>.
Braham Eirsson: So you're saying the new weapons are weak.
Gorrik: WeakER compared to the original. Precision is paramount. But we will have more.
Logan Thackeray: Based on Taimi and Gorrik's numbers, we'll need a week, maybe two, to cast enough weapons for everyone.
Braham Eirsson: Gives us time to figure out how and where to stage the fight.
<Character name>: Turns out, that's time we don't have.
<Character name>: Kralkatorrik beat back Glint's army. Now he's gorging on the Domain of the Lost.
Taimi: Oh, no—that explains the surge we're seeing in our readings.
Braham Eirsson: So what do we—
Logan Thackeray: It's a rift!
Braham Eirsson: Here? Underground?
Taimi: He's getting stronger by the minute! All bets are off!
Logan Thackeray: The Brandstorm's spreading! Is that normal?
Taimi: Definitely not normal—it's shielding the Riftstalker!
Logan Thackeray: We have to draw it out of the storm! Fall back to the high ground!
Rytlock Brimstone: Another rift—more Branded incoming!
Logan Thackeray: Protect the crystal! If we lose it, the forging stops!
Aurene arrives
Logan Thackeray: Aurene can charge up crystals with magic?
<Character name>: Aurene's full of surprises. Brace yourselves—I'm gonna release it.
Braham Eirsson: Whoa—that did the trick.
Taimi: But the Brandstorm is still there! And still spreading!
<Character name>: Aurene...Branded over it.
Taimi: Oh no! I was worried about this.
Braham Eirsson: About what?
Gorrik: That, as she becomes more powerful, Aurene may exhibit behaviors more typical of her species.
Canach: You mean our dragon might start acting like a dragon?
Aurene: (roar)
Caithe: Stop it, you're upsetting her.
<Character name>: She was trying to protect us. She does something new, and suddenly you don't trust her?
Rytlock Brimstone: She just Branded the ground we're standing on. We're lucky she didn't kill anyone.
Aurene: (roar)
Canach: And in case it slipped anyone's mind: she's Kralkatorrik's granddaughter!
Aurene: (roar)
Caithe: Will you all be quiet! She's trying to tell us something.
During the cinematic
Caithe: It's all right. Speak through me.
Aurene (speaking through Caithe): I am not him.
After the cinematic
Rytlock Brimstone: Wow...
Canach: Oh, good—another dragon that can corrupt sylvari.
<Character name>: Caithe, are you...YOU?
Caithe: Oh, I'm me. We were right—she DOES need both of us. Now I know what my role is. And it's...humbling.
Taimi: I thought dragon minions couldn't be corrupted by other dragons! Is it 'cause her egg absorbed Mordremoth's magic? How—
Caithe: Taimi, it's all right. She asked, and I accepted. This isn't corruption—it's connection.
Caithe: Now, if we could get back to our actual dragon problem...
Braham Eirsson: Yeah, but if he's getting stronger by the minute, so much for forging weapons for a week. We need to hit him now.
Braham Eirsson: But how? And where?
<Character name>: Why not here? That resonance crystal absolutely annihilated his minions.
<Character name>: If we can lure him here and pin him down somehow, we can use the crystals against HIM too.
Logan Thackeray: We also have the new spears. Haul some ballistae in here, and we'd have Dragonsblood artillery...but how do we draw him in?
Caithe: If Aurene gets his attention, he won't be able to resist. She's a threat. He wants her dead.
Canach: That's the lure, but we still have to pin him down, and a handful of minions is not the same as an ELDER DRAGON...
Gorrik: In theory...the intensity of those crystals could be focused and amplified...
Taimi: Yes! That's how dredge weapons work. I bet we can use their sonic amplifying tech to do the same thing!
Taimi: Commander, if you can get the dredge to tell you how to boost the power, I know Gorrik and I can make it work.
<Character name>: Okay. Get your people ready. We've got a trap to set.

Optional dialogue at the end of the instance:

Speak with Caithe
<Character name>: What's it like, Caithe? What's SHE like?
Caithe: Like...the sunlight. Does that make sense?
Caithe: I can feel her love for you. Her trust. It's so intense, it's almost painful. You're where she draws her strength from.
Aurene: (chirp)
Caithe: Her duty weighs on her. But there's hope, too—an ocean of it. For everything and everyone. It's...overwhelming.
Caithe: Glint was right. Aurene needs us—and the world needs her.
<Character name>: Let's do right by both of them.
Speak with Canach
Canach: We've faced long odds before. I should know; I've won a small fortune betting on them.
Canach: But just to be clear—you do know this plan is insane.
<Character name>: Let's say "bold."
Canach: I'll admit, you do have a way of pulling off the unlikely. But still, insane.
Canach agrees with <Character name>.
Speak with Logan Thackeray
<Character name>: Logan—this isn't how we thought things would go. Any concerns about your people?
Logan Thackeray: We didn't expect to confront Kralkatorrik this soon, but we'll be ready.
Logan Thackeray: I'll talk to the general about moving those ballistae inside.
Speak with Rytlock Brimstone
<Character name>: What's that look, Rytlock?
Rytlock Brimstone: You know, Commander, back then we had the ORIGINAL spear. Not a bunch of knockoffs.
Rytlock Brimstone: I know we had to destroy it, but...sure would come in handy about now.
<Character name>: Don't remind me.
Rytlock Brimstone: Bright side: This time we've got you and Aurene. I'd trust you over some stupid spear any day.
Speak with Braham Eirsson
Braham Eirsson: Gonna be up close and personal with an Elder Dragon. Maybe we live, maybe not. But I can't stop thinking about Taimi.
<Character name>: I know. She's hurting. But she's strong. She wants you focused on this fight.
<Character name>: Besides, Gorrik's really stepped up for her. She's annoyed...but underneath, I think she's grateful.
Braham Eirsson: Hmph. Sometimes bug boy's hard to take, but other times...I could hug him.
Speak with Taimi
<Character name>: So tell me about this idea for the resonance crystals.
Taimi: Same idea as forging Dragonsblood weapons—only, instead of a few Brand shards, we're breaking down a whole dragon.
Taimi: We just need to figure out how to boost the resonance output, which is where the dredge come in.
Taimi: Charge 'em up, make 'em sing—and they'll hit Kralk right in the resonance frequencies!
Speak with Gorrik
<Character name>: Gorrik, I just want you to know how much I appreciate you looking out for Taimi.
Gorrik: She's who I have left. And she's an excellent scientist. I've come to...value her.

My story[edit]

The Crystal Blooms loading screen.jpg

As I headed back to speak with the others about our plan for Kralkatorrik, a messenger from Glint's ghost army appeared from the Mists with dire news: Glint's army had been overrun, and Kralkatorrik had entered the Domain of the Lost, where he was scattering and devouring the dead.

Before we could come up with a plan to deal with this urgent situation, a Mist rift opened. Aurene channeled her power through the forge's resonance crystal to defeat Kralkatorrik's minions, then shocked everyone by Branding over the residual Brandstorm. As the others argued about this troubling new power, Aurene grew frustrated by her inability to speak and defend herself. Caithe finally offered herself to Aurene as a vessel to speak through and stepped into Aurene's Brand. The result was astounding: teal crystalline flowers blossomed over her as a deep mental and emotional bond joined them—an experience far different from the violent subjugation of Kralkatorrik's Branding. Speaking through Caithe, Aurene uttered her first words: "I am not him."

Aurene's gesture reassured the others, and together we came up with an improvised plan to lure Kralkatorrik into the forge and use the resonance crystals to help destroy him. To make the plan work, however, we would need to seek out and harness dredge technology to boost the resonance crystals.

My story

Notes[edit]

Friendly NPCs can get stuck fighting the Branded Riftstalker and won't fall back to the upper platform, requiring a restart of the instance.