The Sacrifice

The Sacrifice is the fourth chapter of the Path of Fire story.

Objectives[edit]

Locate and confront Balthazar.

Enter the gate to Makali Outpost.
Meet Agent Kito.
Exit Makali Outpost.
Search the Salt Flats for Balthazar and Vlast.
(Optional: Clear out the Forged Elite Forces around the Salt Flats.)
Optional: Clear the patrolling Forged Elite Forces: x/3
(Optional: Destroy the catapults attacking Makali Outpost.)
Optional: Forged catapults destroyed: x/4
(Optional: Help nomad stragglers return to Makali Outpost.)
Optional: Nomads Rescued: x/10
Investigate the scorch marks.
Investigate the impact crater.
Ascend the plateau to look for Vlast.
(Defeat the Herald of Balthazar.)
Herald of Balthazar
Confront Balthazar.
Choose to speak with Rytlock or Canach and Kasmeer. (Order of the follow up objectives depends on the choice)
Speak with Kasmeer and Canach.
Examine the crystal shard.
Speak with Rytlock.
Confer with your team and determine what to do next.
Complete!

Find the remaining crystals of Vlast's body.

Contact Taimi about Vlast.
Gather Vlast's crystals.
Purchase a springer saddle from Unja after helping out at Highjump Ranch.
Optional: Recover all Vlast crystals.
Use your springer mount to gain access to Glint's lair.
Complete!

Rewards[edit]

Defeating Balthazar's Herald

Completing the mission

Walkthrough[edit]

The mission starts in an instance as soon as you enter the Desert Highlands. Talk to Shadows Agent Kito and after some conversation leave the outpost, jumping over the wall since they won't open the gate for you.

In the marked area, there are three optional objectives; destroy Forged catapults, kill three elite Forged groups, and (a hidden objective) help ten Nomads escape. Your main goal, though, is to reach the plateau to the northwest. Ascend it with your mounts and face the Herald of Balthazar once more. Get in her face and engage. Her attacks are, initially, a slowly rotating wall of flame and an AoE smash that are both easily avoided by getting behind her. As the fight progresses, the Herald will summon flame cages to imprison you and flaming explosions will appear all over the place. Dodge through or avoid the various hazards and you will eventually bring her down.

Ascend Godfall Tower and confront Balthazar himself. Whether or not you attack him, after a short time he overpowers you - but just as he's about to finish you off, you are saved by an unlikely ally. Talk to your friends, in either order, to finish the instance.

Back in the open world, start collecting the 12 crystal shards indicated on the map. To collect them all, you need to get the Springer mount, and in order to get to that, you need to unlock the third Raptor mount mastery, Canyon Jumping, to cross Highjump Gap or visit Lieutenant Zhao in End of Dragons. Then get to a spot where you can contact Taimi. After talking to her, if you've collected enough crystal shards, you will get the prompt to head for Glint's lair. Go east from Makali Outpost Waypoint and hop over the flaming gate with your Springer to complete the mission.

Achievements[edit]

The Sacrifice	Path of Fire: Act 1	1 1
Complete the The Sacrifice mission.Journal: The Sacrifice Completed Reward: Stash of Kournan Coins	Completed The Sacrifice	1

Complete the instance.

Down in Flames	Path of Fire: Act 1	2
Defeat the Herald of Balthazar without taking damage from her Flame Wall.Story Mission: The Sacrifice Reward: Mini Herald	Defeated the Herald of Balthazar	2

The Flame Wall is similar to Sabetha's Firestorm attack: she will telegraph a thin orange cone on the ground before creating a fire wall that slowly rotates 360° anti-clockwise around the arena. Stand to the left of the orange cone (relative to standing on the cone while facing the Herald) to avoid having to outrun the wall; if you're unable to do this in time, get as close to the Herald as possible to make your escape easier.

Elite Elimination	Path of Fire: Act 1	3
Defeat the three elite patrol groups wandering the Salt Flats within 3 minutes of leaving the outpost.Story Mission: The Sacrifice	Elite Patrols Defeated	3

This is a difficult achievement to solo. High DPS builds are recommended, as is teaming up with friends.
All members of the patrol group must be slain, not just the elite member.
The patrol groups will, true to their name, patrol the green circle on the map. They may wander outside the instance area, so be careful when following them that you don't get kicked from the instance.
Achievement qualification may be tracked via the Qualify for Elite Elimination effect.
- The timer won't begin counting down until the instance owner climbs the walls surrounding the perimeter of the starting area. This fact may be taken advantage of in a group by having additional members kill two of the three elites, then have the instance owner jump the wall to join in the kill for #3.

Damage Control	Path of Fire: Act 1	1
Destroy the Forged catapults attacking Diviner's Reach.Story Mission: The Sacrifice	Destroyed the Forged Catapults	1

There are four stationary Forged Catapults found around the battlefield, in the corners of the available map (not on the plateau). Destroy all four to get the achievement.
Achievement qualification may be tracked via the Qualify for Damage Control effect.

Vlast from the Past	Path of Fire: Act 1	5
Collect all of Vlast's scattered memory crystals.Story Mission: The Sacrifice Reward: Memories of Vlast	Collected All of Vlast's Crystals	5

NPCs[edit]

Allies[edit]

Charr

Rytlock Brimstone

Dragons

Vlast

Humans

Sylvari

Canach

Foes[edit]

Animals

Sand Eel

Forged

Gods

Balthazar

Sharks

Sand Shark

Objects[edit]

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Reason: May be missing objects, if not, remove tag

Open World

Crystal Shard

Dialogue[edit]

Interacting with Diviner's Gate: Diviner's Gate: This gate leads to the Makali Outpost in the Desert Highlands.; Pass through the gate.

The Sacrifice[edit]

Upon entering the instance: Nomad: Run! Get out of here, while you can!

Approaching Kito and Dragon's Watch: Shadows Agent Kito: Commander! Over here!; <Character name>: Kito, what's going on?; Shadows Agent Kito: Vlast was here, battling the Branded just outside these walls when the Forged attacked.; Shadows Agent Kito: We overheard one of the Forged say Balthazar himself was on his way to snare the dragon.; Shadows Agent Kito: You there! Follow me.; Shadows Agent Kito: I promised the Order of Shadows would help you find Balthazar's herald, but I trust you'll settle for the god himself.; <Character name>: We need your help getting to Vlast. He may be the secret to stopping Balthazar.; Shadows Agent Kito: I'm sorry, but nobody at this post is equipped to stand against the god of war.; Shadows Agent Kito: This way! Keep moving!; Shadows Agent Kito: I have to get these people away from the danger here. Back to Kormir's Temple.; Shadows Agent Kito: Come on. We need to stick together.; Rytlock Brimstone: Won't even fight for their own homes?; Shadows Agent Kito: These people aren't warriors. Unlike you, they see challenging a god as certain death. So they prefer to run...and live.; <Character name>: We understand. Get them to the temple.

After Kito has left: <Character name>: I didn't have the heart to tell him that if we die today, there's nowhere in Tyria that will be spared.; Rytlock Brimstone: Then let's do our best not to die today.; Canach: I like the Tribune's plan.; Rytlock Brimstone: So, what now?; <Character name>: We find Vlast.; <Character name>: Kas?; Lady Kasmeer Meade: I'm coming with you. I want answers.

Approaching the northeast gate: Cavalier: No one's going through this gate! We can't risk letting the Forged inside.; Rytlock Brimstone: Don't make me say please.; Cavalier: You'll have to find another way.; Canach: Looks like someone's immune to the Rytlock charm.

Approaching the northwest gate: Cavalier: No one's going through this gate! The Forged are as thick as sand fleas out there!; Rytlock Brimstone: Don't worry. We'll thin out their ranks.; Cavalier: You'll have to find another way.; Canach: Looks like someone's immune to the Rytlock charm.

Reaching the wall of the outpost: <Character name>: No telling which way Vlast went. There's fire and debris in every direction.; Canach: This is combat destruction. Dragons tend to leave a more distinctive trail.; Lady Kasmeer Meade: Like raging fires and broken bodies?; Canach: Along those lines. You'll know it when you see it.

Outside the gate northwest of the outpost: Canach: So...will this be your first god fight?; Rytlock Brimstone: Yeah. You?; Canach: In the spirit of one-upsmanship, I'll count Mordremoth and say, "no." But don't worry, rookie: I'll show you the ropes.

Interacting with Golden Crystals: Golden Crystals: These unusual crystals seem to carve a path through the warzone.; Interesting.

Approaching the Forged: Forged Soldier: More martyrs! Kill them all!; Forged Soldier: Hurry! He'll be here soon!

While exploring the battlefield to the northeast: Canach: I always knew this "human/god" dynamic was a disaster waiting to happen.; Lady Kasmeer Meade: This from someone who has a dragon in his family tree.; Rytlock Brimstone: And the charr always have to come clean up everyone else's mess.; <Character name>: Stop. Why fight over blame when we can end this thing now and fight over credit?

After reviving nomads

First time reviving a nomad (random):

Nomad: I thought I was done for. Thank you. Please help the others.

Nomad: Thank you. I'd given up hope. But there may still be more of us out there.

<Character name>: I'll do what I can. Just get yourself to someplace safe.

Nomad: I owe you my life.

Nomad: May the Six bless you!

Nomad: Thanks!

Nomad: You've saved us. Thank you.

At the scorch marks: Canach: Commander, look at this.; Canach: Scorch marks. More intense than the rest.; <Character name>: The sand here has melted to glass.; Lady Kasmeer Meade: So it's the same effect as Kralkatorrik's Branding, only with Vlast it's not corrupted.; Rytlock Brimstone: So...not as bad as Kralkatorrik. But still a damn dragon.; Rytlock Brimstone: Where'd you learn how to track dragons?; Canach: It's not a skill someone learns, it's the application of common sense to one's physical observations of the environment.; Rytlock Brimstone: Yeah, I knew you were making it up.

At the impact marks: Canach: Ah, here's something.; Lady Kasmeer Meade: These shards. They're not Branded crystals.; Canach: Vlast must have created them to impale the Forged chasing him.; Lady Kasmeer Meade: Clever dragon.; Rytlock Brimstone: That's the worst kind.; <Character name>: Any idea where he may have gone from here?; Canach: I suggest we keep looking north.

At the entrance to the plateau: Canach: Fresh claw marks. I'd say...up that plateau.; <Character name>: If Vlast is up there, Balthazar can't be far behind.; Lady Kasmeer Meade: I hope we're in time.

At the top of the plateau

<Character name>: Balthazar.

Herald of Balthazar: Commander...have you come to accept my god's offer?

<Character name>: Never!

She gives one of the below responses

Herald of Balthazar: Consider: a life of servitude is still "life."

Herald of Balthazar: Reconsider. Living at his command is better than dying at his feet.

Herald of Balthazar: Well, I had to ask.

While battling the Herald of Balthazar: Herald of Balthazar: Expect no mercy from my god.; <Character name>: And he should expect none from me.; Herald of Balthazar: Give in to his will. I too tried to resist, but I failed. And surrender makes the pain more bearable.; <Character name>: Maybe I'm stronger than you.

Defeating the Herald of Balthazar: Herald of Balthazar: Prove you are stronger. Kill my god.; Herald of Balthazar: Please.

Confronting Balthazar

If human who was blessed by Balthazar:

<Character name>: Balthazar! Stop this! I've prayed to you and enjoyed your blessings for as long as I can remember.

If human blessed by another god:

<Character name>: Balthazar! Stop this! Your war will kill everybody but the Elder Dragons.

Otherwise:

<Character name>: Balthazar! Stop this! Your war will destroy Tyria.

<Character name>: I won't allow you to commit more atrocities. If you won't talk, we have to treat you as the enemy.

Balthazar: Very well. You face the god of war, mortal creatures, and I tire of your meddling.

<Character name>: So be it. Your herald is dead. I killed her.

Balthazar: You could have replaced her, but you refused my offer. We'll have no more words, Tyrian. Only death.

Balthazar: Charr...you, friend, I will spare. But my mercy ends there.

<Character name>: "Friend"?

When downed by Balthazar, or 30 seconds after starting the fight: Balthazar: Foolish choice.; Balthazar: The flames will blacken your corpse.

After the cutscene: Lady Kasmeer Meade: What happened?; Canach: Uhhh, did we prevail?; Rytlock Brimstone: No, no, no.; Canach: So what happened to Balthazar?

Speaking with Canach and Kasmeer

If spoke to Rytlock first

Canach: Commander, is Rytlock okay? Balthazar hits like a god.

<Character name>: He's... He'll be fine.

<Character name>: Vlast...sacrificed himself to save me.

Lady Kasmeer Meade: Oh, my gods...

<Character name>: When he died, Balthazar was...knocked back by the force. Then he was just...gone.

Canach: So, we still have no idea why he wanted Vlast? What his plans are?

Lady Kasmeer Meade: Wait, these crystals...

When examining the crystal shard

Lady Kasmeer Meade: They look like the memory crystal we saw in Glint's lair when the Master of Peace received Aurene's egg.

<Character name>: A memory crystal? How do you—?

Vlast: The war god hunts me. For the power I carry within and the weapon in the prophet's shadow.

Vlast: You must discover the knowledge to unlock them, Sister. Before he does.

One of the below:

Lady Kasmeer Meade: That's Vlast's voice.

Lady Kasmeer Meade: That's Vlast's voice. Right, Commander?

Canach: He left this message for Aurene.

Lady Kasmeer Meade: Or for someone he knew he could trust to get it to her.

<Character name>: "Prophet's shadow"... Any ideas?

If spoke to Rytlock first

Rytlock Brimstone: It's probably Glint's lair. I've been there. It's not far from here.

Canach: Rytlock, you had...Kasmeer worried.

<Character name>: But if Balthazar knows about Glint's lair, we might meet some resistance getting in.

Rytlock Brimstone: IF we can get in... That's kind of the trick.

Otherwise

Lady Kasmeer Meade: It's probably Glint's lair. Rytlock would know more than I do.

Canach: We should talk to him.

<Character name>: No, you two rest, recuperate. I'll go talk to Rytlock.

Speaking with Rytlock

If spoke to Canach and Kasmeer first

Rytlock Brimstone: Canach, Kasmeer... They okay?

<Character name>: Rytlock, what just happened? Why did Balthazar spare you? Call you "friend"?

Rytlock Brimstone: He... Balthazar... I think we met once before.

<Character name>: What do you mean? When?

Rytlock Brimstone: When I was looking for my sword, Sohothin. In the Mists.

Cinematic after speaking with Rytlock: Rytlock Brimstone: I don't know how long I'd been looking. It's easy to lose track of time in the Mists.; Rytlock Brimstone: But when I finally found Sohothin, its flame had been extinguished.; Rytlock Brimstone: Then I saw the stranger. In chains. He told me he could reignite my sword.; Rytlock Brimstone: I didn't ask his name, or why he'd been imprisoned there. I only asked him to restore Sohothin's flame.; Rytlock Brimstone: To repay the favor, I used the sword to break the chains that bound him.; Rytlock Brimstone: When I did, a portal opened. He told me it was a passage out of the Mists. A way home.; Rytlock Brimstone: He must have followed me through. Escaping the Mists. I didn't know until just moments ago, but that stranger...(voiceover says "...followed me out.); Rytlock Brimstone: ...was Balthazar.

After the cinematic: Rytlock Brimstone: He looked just like any other spirit trapped in the Mists.; Rytlock Brimstone: I didn't know the truth until just now...; Rytlock Brimstone: Commander... I'm gonna make this right.; <Character name>: I know.

Returning to Canach and Kasmeer (if you spoke to them first): Canach: Commander? We really should be off.; <Character name>: Well, we can't undo what happened, but we may have found a way to limit the damage.; <Character name>: Kasmeer and Canach can fill you in on the way.; Canach: Tribune! You had...Kasmeer worried. Balthazar nearly killed us all.; Rytlock Brimstone: Sorry.; <Character name>: Vlast left a recording. Said something about a place called "Prophet's shadow"...; Rytlock Brimstone: It's probably Glint's lair. I've been there. It's not far from here.; <Character name>: But if Balthazar knows that too, we might meet some resistance getting in.; Rytlock Brimstone: IF we can get in... That's kind of the trick.

Conferring with your companions: <Character name>: Okay, you three get to Glint's lair and recon for Forged and Balthazar.; <Character name>: I'm going to find the rest of these crystals—they may be useful.; <Character name>: I also need to find a place to reach Taimi and check in on Aurene.; Lady Kasmeer Meade: Are you going to tell Aurene about...about Vlast?; <Character name>: Trust me, she already knows. I can...feel her reacting. She must be connected to Vlast like she is to me.; Canach: Really? In any case, Commander: given the heights in this terrain, you should find out how the locals get around.

Open world[edit]

Contacting Taimi

One random greeting:

<Character name>: Taimi, this is the commander.

<Character name>: Commander calling Taimi. Come in, Taimi.

If contacted Taimi for the first time:

Taimi: There you are! I was worried you forgot all about me.

If contacted Taimi again:

Taimi: I feel like we just talked.

Taimi: Something's up, isn't it? Caithe says the mood in the egg chamber has taken a troubling turn.

<Character name>: What do you mean?

Taimi: Aurene's...not herself. She started moaning like she was in pain, but she won't let anyone near.

Taimi: She actually snapped at her Exalted attendants. Angrily. The whole city's talking about it. What's going on?

<Character name>: Balthazar is a lot tougher than he was before. He swatted us down like we were nothing.

<Character name>: And he...he killed Vlast. He was aiming for me, but Vlast took the hit.

Taimi: Oh...wow. That explains why Aurene's so agitated: she's grieving for her big brother, the poor thing.

Taimi: I'll liaise with Caithe and the Luminate. Together, maybe we can calm Aurene down.

<Character name>: Sounds like a plan. I'll check in again soon.

If contacted Taimi for the first time:

Taimi: 'Bye.

Otherwise, random of below:

Taimi: Stay in touch.

Taimi: Taimi out!.

Approaching an elevated crystal, if you have not unlocked springer yet: (one line from below); <Character name>: Won't be getting up there on my own... I should come back here later.; <Character name>: That shard's out of reach. There's got to be a way up there... I should return later.

At the crystal near Highjump Ranch, if you have not unlocked springer yet: <Character name>: I need to get up to the top of that cliff... Maybe with a glider? Might be able to build a fire and and catch an updraft, but...; Ilenia: No, no, no. The desert's seen enough fire lately, thank you. See Unja at the springer camp.; Ilenia: She can help you. She has these mounts that could... Let's see... Yeah, they could probably make that.; <Character name>: Great. Thanks for the advice. And the camp is...; Ilenia: Not far, just to the west of here. And happy to be of aid, stranger!; Ilenia: What is it with these outlanders and fires? Think they're the solution to everything...

Interacting with the first crystal: Vlast: To hold the weapon is to hold the fate of Tyria in your hands—the power to change the shape of the world.; Vlast: Potent enough to fell the Elder Dragons. Its might should not be taken lightly.; <Character name>: You'll hear no argument from me.

Interacting with the second crystal: Vlast: It was created so mortals could do the work of dragons, of our line.; Vlast: To combat cataclysmic power and prevent the destruction of all life.; <Character name>: Following in his mother's footsteps...

Interacting with the third crystal: Vlast: He seeks it for the wrong purpose. We're not ready.; <Character name>: "We..." He's talking about Aurene.

Interacting with the fourth crystal: Vlast: My sister, the mantle is heavy—at times, too heavy to bear. But Mother believed, so we must endure.; Vlast: If you discover yourself—; <Character name>: The rest must be corrupted...

Interacting with the fifth crystal: Vlast: If you've found these crystals, it means I've failed before we met. For this, I apologize.; Vlast: I would have enjoyed the company in the desert skies.; <Character name>: She'll never know her brother. (sigh)

Interacting with the sixth crystal: Vlast: I hear you have chosen a Champion. They will need this when the world tips.; Vlast: The death of the jungle dragon has accelerated our sire's rise.; <Character name>: If only I'd known...

Interacting with the seventh crystal: Vlast: The god of fire continues to pursue me. I fear he may get the weapon—if he does, the consequences will be...unpredictable.; <Character name>: That's putting it lightly. All the more reason to get to it first.

Interacting with the eighth crystal: Vlast: I would have destroyed it, but Mother forbade me. But she never foresaw this crisis. The right path eludes me.

Interacting with the ninth crystal: Vlast: I feel trapped in this role...in this "legacy." I yearn for freedom, but I cannot turn away from these responsibilities.; Vlast: To do so would doom the mortal races to certain destruction. And perhaps myself as well.; Vlast: But then again...there is a kind of freedom in death, is there not?

Interacting with the tenth crystal: Vlast: Kralkatorrik continues to grow in power, and our mother's death remains unavenged. When the time comes to—

Interacting with the eleventh crystal: Vlast: I wonder, Sister...are your Exalted attendants shaping you as they shaped me? Have their words taken hold of your heart?; Vlast: Do you feel the weight of those words grow heavier with every passing moment?; Vlast: Some advice: if you grow weary of your caretakers, offer a hiss or a swat of your tail and watch them scatter.; Vlast: Do not let them—or yourself—forget what you are.

Interacting with the twelfth crystal: Vlast: Your Champion...fills me with curiosity. Perhaps because my own never appeared.; Vlast: The Exalted gave me purpose, but no true connection to it.; Vlast: I hope you fare better, my sister. I hope you feel full of purpose. Most days, all I feel is anger.

My story[edit]

“

We went to Makali Outpost, where Balthazar's Forged army was engaged in a pitched battle against the Crystal Dragon scion, Vlast. Agent Kito was evacuating villagers from the war zone, but he paused long enough to tell us Balthazar himself was nearby, closing in on Vlast. Canach and I tracked Vlast to a plateau, but before we could make contact, Balthazar's herald intercepted us. Though she fought viciously, we made her pay the ultimate price for the innocents she slaughtered in Balthazar's name. In the end, she actually seemed to welcome the end of her tenure as Balthazar's murderous slave.
But we badly underestimated Balthazar himself. He leveled us with a devastating show of newfound power...though he spared Rytlock, even calling our guildmate "friend." As I lie dazed in the sand, Balthazar moved in for the kill, but Vlast took the deathblow intended for me. I can only wonder why—was he tired of fighting, eager to die? Was he so heroic that he gave his own life for a total stranger's? Or did he somehow sense Aurene's bond with me, and he sacrificed himself to save his sister's chosen champion?
Whatever the reason, Vlast died in my stead, and his explosive death throes sent Balthazar hurtling away in a flash of light and heat. When I regained my senses, Balthazar was gone and the desert littered with crystal shards of Vlast's body, some of which contain messages from Vlast to Aurene.
I confronted Rytlock about Balthazar calling him "friend," and eventually Rytlock revealed the truth: while searching for his sword Sohothin in the Mists, he found and freed a chained figure. That prisoner turned out to be Balthazar, and by releasing him, Rytlock made Balthazar's devastating campaign against the Elder Dragons possible. Rytlock swore he'd set things right, but first we have to learn more about what we're up against. To obtain the answers we need, I set out to collect more of Vlast's crystal messages.

— My story

“

I gathered more fragments of Vlast's shattered body, which contained thoughts and memories he intended for Aurene. Together, these memories described an immensely powerful weapon stored in Glint's Lair that Balthazar wanted as much as he wanted Vlast himself. We have to find that weapon and keep it out of Balthazar's hands, so I'm headed for Glint's Lair to regroup with my guild.

— My story

Path of Fire storyline

Act 1	Sparking the Flame (Prologue) → Sparking the Flame → Blazing a Trail → Night of Fires → The Sacrifice
Act 2	Crystalline Memories → Hallowed Ground → Facing the Truth → The Way Forward
Act 3	The Departing → Bringing Out the Archon → Enemy of My Enemy → Beast of War → To Kill a God → Small Victory (Epilogue)
← Previous: Living World Season 3 Next: Living World Season 4 →

The Sacrifice

Contents

Objectives[edit]

Rewards[edit]

Walkthrough[edit]

Achievements[edit]

NPCs[edit]

Allies[edit]

Foes[edit]

Objects[edit]

Dialogue[edit]

The Sacrifice[edit]

Open world[edit]

My story[edit]

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