The Mystery Cave
The Mystery Cave
- Year
- 1328 AE
- Storyline
- Living World Season 2
- Chapter
- Point of No Return
- Location
- Far Silverwastes
(The Silverwastes)
The Sealed Cavern
(The Silverwastes) - Level
- 80
- Preceded by
- Pact Assaulted
- Followed by
- Prologue: Rally to Maguuma
- API
- 393
Click to enlarge |
The Mystery Cave is the third and final story step of Point of No Return, the eighth and final episode of Living World Season 2. It follows after retrieving the Divine Fire from the Echo of Turai Ossa, and after an assault at Camp Resolve, where the player meets up with their allies to discuss their next moves and find Caithe.
Objectives[edit]
- Travel to the sealed cavern.
- Use skritt tunnels to reach the Far Silverwastes.
- Explore the cave where Wynne fled.
- Meet up with your companions at the cavern entrance.
- Retrieve divine fire from Marjory.
- Use divine fire to activate the cavern entrance.
- Use divine fire while your companions hold off Mordrem.
- Talk to Marjory.
- Enter the activated gateway.
- Explore the cavern.
- (Use your intuition to locate the final memory.)
- Proximity to Strong Memory
- Plant the memory seed.
- Encourage Wynne to tell what she knows.
- Plead with Wynne while Faolain is away.
- Confront Caithe.
- Kill the Shadow of the Dragon.
- Check on your companions.
Events[edit]
- Dragon Tendrils remaining: x (Starts with two, later increases to 3)
Destroy dragon tendrils to weaken the dragon.
- Ring Completion
Light a ring of divine fire.
- Ring Completion
- Shadow of the Dragon
Destroy the Shadow of the Dragon
- Shadow of the Dragon
Rewards[edit]
Walkthrough[edit]
If the skritt tunnels are closed, head north to Picaroon Scratch and complete the event drive the bandits out of skritt territory. You have to use the skritt tunnel to continue even if you can access the Northwestern Silverwastes another way. Afterwards, go to the skritt tunnel in the Northwestern Silverwastes and enter it to reach the Far Silverwastes. Enter the instance at a sealed cavern.
(To get to Picaroon Scratch for Drive the bandits out of Skritt territory...it is NOT underground. Fly (if you have a skyscale) or maneuver up to the higher ledges to a point that is slightly south east (more east than south) of the hero point closest to the orange circle for the event. Once you get there, fly north, under a rock ledge, to find the fight.)
Meet up with your companions at the cavern entrance and talk to Marjory to retrieve the divine fire. After interacting with the seals on the wall, Mordrem start attacking your group. Dispatch the disrupting Mordrem Wolf and continue interacting with the wall. Activating the third seal scares away the remaining Mordrem and opens a portal. Talk to Marjory, pass the divine fire to Rox and enter the cave.
Inside the cave, it is recommended to stick to Rox as you might get lost in the darkness. Follow the passage and fight off any foes you encounter. Once you reach into a huge golden cavern, hug the left wall and walk by some stools and steins and a bristle-burn bush until you reach an area where you find a memory seed location by a sleeping sack. Interact with the memory location to enter Caithe's memory of the place. As Caithe, talk to Wynne to learn about the sylvari's secret. You can explore the cavern before or after planting the memory seed and find a magical artifact by the sand-filled gate or five mysterious rings across a pool of water at the north side of the cave.
After you confront Caithe, the Shadow of the Dragon appears and creates a ring out of vines that separates players from the biconics while Caithe flees the scene once again with Glint's Egg. The fight is divided into three phases which change as the Shadow of the Dragons' health goes down.
In the first phase, you need to destroy all Shadow Tendrils (the number of which depends on the Shadow of the Dragons' health). These tendrils function similar to Jungle Tendrils, except that the ranged attack blinds on top of poisons (like the Dragon Tendrils' ranged attack). During this phase, the Shadow of the Dragon is invulnerable and has three attacks: a roar that damages and launches in a triangle-shape; a slam attack to the center of the ring; and a slamming shockwave attack that covers the border of the ring. When its health lowers, it will also begin tossing dazing boulders into the ring. After killing all Shadow Tendrils, the Shadow of the Dragon will dive into the ground at the center of the ring - the knockback effect covers all but the borders, though does very little damage. In the course of this phase, Marjory helps you by summoning her Bone Minions.
The second phase is the longest, during which you will need to light a ring of divine fire. Rox creates circles that will cause you to be Imbued with Divine Fire when you walk through them, which allows you to go to four points along the ring to light the fire. At each point, Braham is able to create a bubble that pulses stability and protection (thus preventing the dragon's attacks from interrupting the channeling) - which point gets the bubble is random until you begin channeling, where he will place the bubble at your point. There will be four obstacles in this phase:
- Eight plant bombs that explode (launching you) upon proximity, you can explode them in safety by walking over vines that appear between pairs of the bombs.
- The dragon's knockdown claw attack (Braham's bubble and skills that grant stability help with this) that happens twice in a row.
- The dragon's biting jaw attack that shoots up from the ground, launching players in the air as well as crippling and bleeding them. Beware as this attack cannot be countered by stability and has a similar telegraph to the claw attack.
- A line of boulders shoot up from the ground (the two lines create a + pattern across the ring). These are hard to spot, but it's possible to see a line of dust forming before they start shooting up in the air.
The Shadow of the Dragon's attacks will repeat until the ring is lit. Furthermore, when the dragon's health gets lower (usually the second time this phase occurs), Smothering Shadows will spawn after each quarter of the ring is lit - each time you light a quarter, it will spawn a single Smothering Shadow. This is important because Smothering Shadows (as their name implies) will extinguish fires that have already been lit, thus potentially causing the battle to last indefinitely. To prevent this, you must kill Smothering Shadows by being lit by divine fire and attacking them - killing them, however, will remove the buff forcing you to get it again before you can light the next portion of the ring. The best way to counter that is to remain standing in the ring Rox creates and range the Smothering Shadows down as you will be immediately re-buffed.
The third phase begins once you have completed the ring of divine fire. The Shadow of the Dragon's head will pop out of the ground in the center, becoming vulnerable and trapped by the fire. Boulders will fall from the ceiling, especially near the dragon's head (which makes melee a very poor choice without a lot of stability). During the first time you hit this phase, you cannot damage the Shadow more than 50% of its health. Eventually, a Smothering Shadow will spawn - invulnerable as you cannot get the divine fire buff - and remove the ring of divine fire. When this happens, the fight resets to phase one. Under 50% health, the Shadow of the Dragon spawns Malformed Shadows instead of Smothering Shadows while Kasmeer creates Time Warp fields; and at 25% health, Kasmeer and Marjory portal into the ring to create minions to help finish off the Malformed Shadows and the dragon itself, making the last 25% of the dragon's health the easiest to reduce.
Once you have defeated the Shadow of the Dragon, you reunite with the others to deal the finishing blow to the dragon - a unique finisher animation featuring divine fire - which completes the story chapter and season two of the Living World.
Achievements[edit]
Point of No Return | Point of No Return | 1 | 0
---|---|---|
Survive an enemy assault and race to find Caithe.Journal: "Point of No Return" Completed
|
Completed "Point of No Return" | 0 |
- Complete the story step.
Return to The Mystery Cave | Return to Seeds of Truth and Point of No Return | 0 |
---|---|---|
Complete the mission The Mystery Cave in Living World Season 2 Episode 8.
|
Completed The Mystery Cave | 0 |
Rock Dodger | Point of No Return | 10 |
---|---|---|
Defeat the cave enemy while avoiding all rocks, thrown or otherwise.Story Instance: The Mystery Cave
|
Avoided All Rocks | 10 |
- There are three types of rocks you need to watch out for:
- During the second phase, lines of boulders in a + pattern shoot up from the ground. These are hard to spot, but it's possible to see a line of dust forming before they start shooting up in the air.
- During the third phase, boulders start falling from the ceiling. These can be avoided by watching out for red circles on the ground.
- When you lower the dragon's health after the third phase, it will begin tossing boulders into the ring in the first phase. They appear as orange circles on the ground and can be avoided mostly by staying near the vine wall.
- If playing in a group, players who need the achievement can hide beneath the brambles where the dragon rests his head during the opening phase. No rocks will ever fall in this area. The rest of the group can complete the fight, easily earning the achievement for the hiding players.
- Achievement qualification may be tracked via the Rock Dodger effect.
- Dying during the fight with the Shadow of the Dragon will remove eligibility for the achievement.
Shrubsplosives | Point of No Return | 10 |
---|---|---|
Defeat the cave enemy and detonate every bomb plant without taking bomb damage. Timed-out bomb plants negate achievement eligibility.Story Instance: The Mystery Cave
|
Detonated All Bomb Plants | 10 |
- This achievement requires you to manually trigger all plant bombs without taking any damage or letting them detonate themselves after time. The key is to run between the bombs and tripping them by walking over the vines connecting them. In the second phase, start by grabbing the divine fire buff and immediately ignite one quarter of the circle. Right after, trip all four pairs of bombs and watch out for another buff of divine fire. Repeat until you light the ring.
- Lighting all four corners will clear the auto-detonate any active shrubs with no penalty to the achievement qualification. However you still need to stay clear of the blasts.
- Achievement qualification may be tracked via the Shrubsplosives effect.
- Dying during the fight with the Shadow of the Dragon will remove eligibility for the achievement.
Smotherer Smiter | Point of No Return | 10 |
---|---|---|
Defeat the cave enemy without divine flames getting smothered.Story Instance: The Mystery Cave
|
Prevented Smothered Divine Flames | 10 |
- When the dragon's health gets lower (usually the second time the second phase occurs), Smothering Shadows will spawn after each quarter of the ring is lit - each time you light a quarter, it will spawn a single Smothering Shadow. You can kill Smothering Shadows by being lit by divine fire and attacking them - killing them, however, will remove the buff forcing you to get it again before you can light the next portion of the ring. The best way to counter that is to remain standing in the ring Rox creates and range the Smothering Shadows down as you will be immediately re-buffed.
- Achievement qualification may be tracked via the Smotherer Smiter effect.
Tips[edit]
- Quickness speeds up the channeling of divine fire.
- Skills that grant stability help you not get interrupted by the dragon's attacks.
- Aegis and vigor are helpful for avoiding the dragon's attacks.
- It is recommended to use ranged weapons, especially for destroying the Shadow Tendrils and Smothering Shadows.
- After the dragon is defeated, if it's a repeated story mission, a challenge mote appears which can be used to restart the fight.
NPCs[edit]
Allies[edit]
Foes[edit]
- Bowmaster Echo
- Cave Spider
- Cave Spider Hatchling
- Cursebearer Echo
- Dominator Echo
- Heroic Echo
- Malformed Shadow
- Mordrem Husk
- Mordrem Troll
- Mordrem Wolf
- Shadow of the Dragon
- Shadow Tendril
- Smothering Shadow
- Vanguard Echo
- Virtuous Echo
Objects[edit]
- Bristle-Burn Bush
- Cave Entrance
- Magical Artifact
- Memory Location
- Mysterious Wall
- Rings
- Stools and Steins
- Sleeping Sack
- Torch of Divine Fire
Dialogue[edit]
Looking for the final memory location[edit]
- Approaching your allies
- Rox: Looks like somebody's been here recently.
- Braham Eirsson: So this is where we're planting the last seed?
- Rox: Caithe was in here years ago, so it's as good a place as any.
- Marjory Delaqua: The boss's last memory vision showed Wynne running into here. Caithe and Faolain were right behind her.
- Kasmeer Meade: If this place is of any importance, maybe we'll find something that will lead us to her.
- Marjory Delaqua: OK, boss. Would you like to do the honors?
- Talking to your allies
- Braham Eirsson: We'll watch your back. Just be careful. That thing looks volatile.
- Thanks, buddy. I'll be cautious.
- Kasmeer Meade: The magic coming from that torch feels so...clean. I don't know how else to describe it. It's pure in a way I've never seen.
- It comes from a strong source.
- Rox: What are we doing here, boss? What's up with the torch?
- It's a long story, but Ogden Stonehealer thinks it'll help us get inside.
- Kasmeer Meade: What's inside?
- We don't know. But, the symbolism on the rock is from the forgotten.
- Marjory Delaqua: The torch is burning with divine fire, Kas. Like what the gods imbued the Ascended with. Ogden thinks it will interfere with the forgotten magic and allow us to entrance.
- Let's hope so. My instincts are telling me the next seed site is in there.
- Marjory Delaqua: I kept the torch safe, just like you asked. You know how to use this thing?
- Um...wave it around and hope something happens?
- Good enough for me.
- You think we'll be attacked?
- Always a chance. I saw Mordrem stirring to the north, closer than I'm comfortable with. They might be following us.
- Okay. Well, here goes.
- I want to check in with the rest of my team before we start.
- Rox: Do your thing. We'll watch your back.
- While interacting with the wall
- Braham Eirsson: Can you go any faster? We've got company.
- Marjory Delaqua: Protect the boss!
- Marjory Delaqua: What's happening?
- Talking to Marjory
- Marjory Delaqua: Strange... As soon as you completed the ritual with the Divine Fire, the Mordrem got spooked and ran off. Almost like—
- Like it was warding them off?
- Perhaps. Come on, we should probably hurry in case they return.
- Understood. Rox, can you carry the flame for now?
- Rox: Sure, boss. Hand it here.
- Here you go.
- Marjory Delaqua: I guess some spells take longer than others. Thanks for opening the cave for us.
- Marjory Delaqua: Come on, boss. Let's see what's inside.
- After entering the cave
- Braham Eirsson: All right. I wasn't expecting that.
- Rox: I'll light the way. Stay close.
- After defeating the group of cave spiders
- Marjory Delaqua: Great, half the cave system knows we're here by now.
- Reaching the group of Echoes
- Kasmeer Meade: What are these things?
- Braham Eirsson: Whatever it is, kill it!
- After defeating the Echoes
- Marjory Delaqua: I'm beginning to think those...things...were left here by the Forgotten.
- Reaching the golden cave
- Kasmeer Meade: Oh. What is this place?
- Marjory Delaqua: Wait... Boss, didn't you say there was a golden location in your vision?
- Kasmeer Meade: Does it feel like this is the place to plant the final seed? What's your intuition telling you?
- Talking to your allies
- Braham Eirsson: I wish this were real gold. Can you imagine what Hoelbrak could build with it? A new lodge honoring one of the Spirits, maybe.
- That's a nice thought, Braham. I'm sure Hoelbrak would be grateful.
- Rox: This place makes my skin crawl. Too much magic all in one place. I don't think I care for these forgotten creatures.
- They've been gone from this world for a long time, Rox. No need to worry.
- Kasmeer Meade: I've never seen anything so amazing as this place. I wish the queen could see this. She'd swoon at the beauty.
- Stay alert, Kasmeer. This isn't one of your romantic tales.
- Marjory Delaqua: Boss, my heart is pounding. This magic—this energy—it's faded, but I can still feel it. It's like nothing I've ever known. Though these ruins look civilized, the magic is...primal.
- Jory, I found a sleeping sack. We should stay alert. (after interacting with the sleeping sack)
- Whose is it? Do you think we've caught up with Caithe?
- No way to know. I checked, but there's no sign it's her.
- We should warn the others. Caithe could be dangerous.
- Agreed, but it may not be her. There are more dangerous possibilities.
- I wish we knew how long these ruins have been here.
- Interacting with the objects
- Rings: These mysterious objects must have had a purpose, but it's impossible to know what that was. Like the golden rock, they're tarnished with age, but the magic still glows faintly.
- Leave.
- Magical Artifact: There's nothing here to indicate who turned this cave the color of gold, but the lingering magic is still apparent here and there. The very air is thick with promise—the promise of discovery.
- Leave.
- Bristle-Burn Bush: Its scarlet color warns away animals and adventurers who might stray too close to this bristle-burn plant. Its prick is renowned for causing the most excruciating pain.
- Avoid it.
- Stools and Steins: In the middle of this magical and mysterious place, it feels odd to find something as mundane as a stool and an ale mug.
- Leave.
- Sleeping Sack: Nothing could seem more out of place here than a sleeping sack. There's nothing ancient about it. Someone has been here...recently. There are no identifying marks to indicate who...or what.
- Leave.
Caithe's memory[edit]
- Initial cutscene
- Faolain: You're not leaving until you tell me the truth.
- Wynne: Why? Why are you doing this?
- Faolain: Because I need to know. We need to know. Tell me what you and Mother were talking about that day.
- Caithe: Faolain...this isn't necessary.
- Wynne: Please, Faolain. Stop this. Please. I promised our mother I wouldn't tell anyone. Please...let's go talk to her.
- Faolain: I'll make you wish you'd never left the Dream, traitor.
- Talking to Wynne
- Wynne: Caithe... I swore to Mother...
- Wynne, just tell her what she wants to know and we can go home.
- Faolain: She's betraying us all, Caithe. It's as clear as the tears on her face.
- Faolain...maybe this has gone far enough.
- No. It hasn't gone nearly far enough. Maybe pain will make her talk. I saw a bristle-burn plant on the way in. Watch her, Caithe. I'll be back shortly.
- Wynne, please. I'm tired. I just want to go back to the Grove. Tell her.
- Wynne: The centaurs...didn't have to die. You must see that she's going too far this time, don't you? And she's dragging you along with her.
- I need time to think.
- Cinematic with Wynne
- Wynne: I can't tell her what she's asking for, Caithe. You've seen what Faolain's capable of. She massacred those centaurs.
- Caithe: They attacked first. She had to defend herself.
- Wynne: She struck first. He was unarmed.
- Caithe: I... I... No. I don't think she'd...
- Wynne: She'll torture me until I tell my secret. That will be the end of our kind.
- Caithe: The end of sylvari? What do you mean?
- Wynne: We come from the jungle dragon. We belong to it. We're meant to serve it.
- Caithe: You're lying!
- Wynne: I saw it in my Dream. And if Faolain knew, she wouldn't keep it a secret.
- Wynne: She'd use it against Mother. When word got out, the world would see us as monsters.
- Wynne: You know her. All she wants is power. Think. She will break me—unless you kill me first. Faolain must never learn...
- Wynne: Please...kill me. Now. She's coming.
- Caithe: I will bear your pain, Sister.
- Wynne: Hurry.
- Wynne: (scream)
- Caithe: (crying)
- Faolain: Caithe! What have you done?
- Faolain: Did she talk?
- Caithe: No. Nothing of consequence.
Back in the reality[edit]
- Rox: Hey, Boss. You back? Caithe is here.
- Talking to Caithe
- Caithe: Was that a memory seed I saw?
- It was. The Pale Tree gave it to me. (if not sylvari)
- Then you know...what Wynne told me...and what I did. What are you going to do?
- Tell me, is it true?
- Which part? Did I murder one of my fellow firstborn? Do we sylvari come from an Elder Dragon? (sigh) Yes...it's all true.
- You need to give me the egg. Right now.
- Why was Wynne the only one who knew the truth?
- She was the first of the night blooms. Her Dream revealed it to her. I know now that she viewed protecting us from the truth as her Wyld Hunt.
- You need to give me the egg. Right now.
- Does the Pale Tree know what happened with Wynne?
- Of course. She felt Wynne's death, and the Dream revealed what had happened. I've never seen her so heartbroken. Over time she forgave me, though I don't think she ever forgave Faolain.
- So what now? I know the secret too. Do you expect me to keep it to myself?
- It doesn't matter anymore. The secret will come out on its own soon enough. Already, sylvari have been losing control of themselves. Mordremoth won't stop there.
- I can't believe this is happening. You must give me the egg. Now.
- Why did you bring the egg here, of all places?
- This place...it reminds me how far I will go to protect my people. This egg is critical to our future.
- You need to give me the egg. Right now.
- Does the Pale Tree know what happened with Wynne? (same as above)
- It was. Our mother gave it to me. (if sylvari)
- Our mother? She led you to this knowledge? Why?
- Tell me, is it true?
- Which part? Did I murder one of my fellow firstborn? Do we sylvari come from an Elder Dragon? (sigh) Yes...it's all true.
- You need to give me the egg. Right now.
- You're not who I thought you were.
- None of us are who others perceive us to be. My actions put the future of our race squarely on my shoulders.
- Now that burden is on me as well. And I need you to give me the egg now.
- How could you kill Wynne?
- I released her. Wynne knew Faolain wouldn't stop, and though I didn't want to believe it, I did too. I made a choice, and suddenly I was carrying the future of the sylvari race on my shoulders.
- Now that burden is on me as well. And I need you to give me the egg now.
- Would Faolain have told?
- Maybe not at first, but she'd have used it to turn some of us against the Pale Tree or she'd have told her Nightmare courtiers; and if word ever got out, someone would have come to destoy us all.
- What happened afterwards?
- I told her to run and never return to the Grove. So, that's what she did. The Nightmare Court was forming, and she was like them. She begged me to go with her, but I refused.
- Why?
- I love...loved her so much, but I would never let her darkness consume me. She saw Wynne's murder as evidence that I was like her, and so she has refused to let me go. Her love for me has been a curse.
- So what now? I know the secret too. Do you expect me to keep it to myself? (same as above)
- Does our mother know what happened with Wynne? (same as "Does the Pale Tree know what happened with Wynne?")
- Why was Wynne the only one who knew the truth? (same as above)
- Caithe: The egg must be protected.
- Caithe: You and I are on the same side. Don't ever forget that, my friend.
- Caithe: The dragon's shadow is upon us!
- Cinematic as the Shadow of the Dragon appears
- Braham Eirsson: Boss! Can you hear me? We're cut off. We'll try to help you from out here.
- After defeating the tendrils
- Braham Eirsson: Look out—the dragon's headed straight for you!
- Braham Eirsson: Use the divine fire!
- Braham Eirsson: I'll shield you when I can!
- When Rox throws divine fire
- Rox: Here, take this!
- Rox: This may come in handy!
- When Braham casts the protective bubble
- Braham Eirsson: Boss!
- After completing the ring of divine fire
- Braham Eirsson: Ha! It can't get out! Hit it with all you've got!
- Braham Eirsson: Give it everything you've got!
- Kasmeer Meade: Hey! Perhaps this will help!
- Braham Eirsson: Ignore the minions! Focus on the dragon's head!
- As the dragon breaks free
- Braham Eirsson: The fires are out! Dragon's breaking free!
- When the boulder attack starts
- Rox: Hey, boss, watch the walls! Boulders incoming!
- As the dragon heads back underground (phase 2)
- Braham Eirsson: It's heading back underground!
- Braham Eirsson: Use the divine fire!
- Braham Eirsson: I'll shield you when I can!
- During the second time of phase 2
- Kasmeer Meade: I'm sensing something. The shadows are being drawn to the divine fire.
- Kasmeer Meade: The shadow extinquished the fire!
- At the start of the second time of phase 3
- Braham Eirsson: You weakened it. It's coming back out!
- Braham Eirsson: Give it everything you've got!
- Kasmeer Meade: Hey! Perhaps this will help!
- Braham Eirsson: Ignore the minions! Focus on the dragon's head!
- As the dragon hits 25% health
- Kasmeer Meade: Its magic is weakened. I can portal us in! Hang on, boss!
- Upon killing the dragon
- Rox: That was the same dragon that attacked the Grove. You brought it down for good.
- Braham Eirsson: You were amazing. And now Tyria has one less dragon minion to worry about. The perfect warm-up to take down Mordremoth.
- Kasmeer Meade: We won the battle, but we lost Caithe.
- Marjory Delaqua: She fled during the attack.
- Braham Eirsson: I've had it with her secrets. I know my mother trusts her, but I don't. She took the egg and we need to get it back.
- Kasmeer Meade: We're out of memory seeds. Her guild knows her better than anyone. Destiny's Edge may have an idea of where she's gone.
- Braham Eirsson: We should hurry back to Camp Resolve.
- Braham Eirsson: With everything we had to deal with here, the Pact Fleet may have already launched.
Notes[edit]
- Other party members will be under the Memory Presence effect during the memory vision.
My story[edit]
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