Twilight Arbor (story)
This article is about the story mode of Twilight Arbor dungeon. For explorable mode, see Twilight Arbor (explorable). .jpg)
“The Nightmare Court consists of sylvari who turned their backs on the Pale Tree and sought their own cruel purposes in life. Their leader, Grand Duchess Faolain, makes her lair in the Twilight Arbor, surrounded by loyal minions. They have been kidnapping Sylvari for their own nefarious purposes.
— In-game description
The players are met at the entrance of Twilight Arbor, a twisted maze of rocks and roots in the Caledon Forest. This has become the main base for Grand Duchess Faolain, who was once close to Caithe back in the early days of the sylvari.
But Caithe has another relationship to worry about. She is attempting to mend the gap between Logan Thackeray and Rytlock Brimstone. She has invited both to help her, but told neither that the other is coming.
Dungeon information[edit]
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Your Herald Aiding Caithe in Twilight Arbor Hail, mighty hero! —As always, |
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Objectives[edit]
Help Caithe Confront Faolain.
- Listen to Caithe's plan
- Rescue the Sylvari Prisoners.
- Prisoners Freed: x/5
- Kill the Spider Queen
- Spider Queen
- Defeat Faolain's Champions.
- Defeat Faolain's First Champion.
- Destroy the Spell Blossoms.
- Spell Blossoms: x/6
- Sariel
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- Defeat Faolain's Second Champion.
- Re-grow the Sylvari bridge.
- Seed Bundle: x/1
- Spring Water: x/1
- Fish Oil Fertilizer: x/1
- Bring Materials to Caithe
- Defeat Faolain's Third Champion.
- Brangoire
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- Cadeyrn
- Drive Faolain from the Twilight Arbor
- Kill Volatile Nightmares and use their essence to weaken the Unstable Husk
- Strike with Volatile Nightmares: x/4
- Nightmare Husk
- Destroy the nightmare versions of Caithe's friends.
- Nightmare Duplicates: x/4
- Congratulations! You have driven Faolain from Twilight Arbor!
Rewards[edit]
- 16-26
- ??.. 1,551 ..??
- 34,580 - 177,000
Walkthrough[edit]
- Initial
There are flowers with trapped Sylvari in them throughout the dungeon. More often than not, if you open one you'll get a powerful boon for 2 minutes that will heal you once right before you die, Gratitude. Sometimes, though, you'll have to fight a member of the Nightmare Court. They're easy alone, but make sure you don't open any flowers in the middle of a battle. Try to save them for right before a boss or other hard fight.
- Sariel
Sariel has only one dangerous attack: her knockdown combo. She knocks you down so you can't escape, then finishes the combo with enough damage to down most classes. Dodge the knockdown, have someone else crowd control her off you when you get knocked down, or bring a skill that lets you escape knockdown. However, she's not dangerous outside of that combo, so if you get downed just have someone get you up again.
- Brangoire
Brangoire is, by a large margin, the hardest fight in the dungeon. He doesn't do much damage by himself, but he summons an endless stream of Living Nightmares. These translucent spiders will chase after you. If they get close enough to a player, they will pause for a moment and then explode, creating a cloud that poisons anyone who walks through it. The poison will do thousands of damage if allowed to run its course. It's essential to keep moving so that the exploding spiders don't damage you. Every player should use a ranged weapon for this fight so that they have freedom to move, and you should avoid relying on abilities that require you to stand still. Essentially, every player will be running around the boss with a train of spiders chasing them and exploding behind them, so the challenge is to keep moving while not running in to another player's spiders or the poison clouds the spiders leave behind. Unfortunately, Brangoire will periodically fear characters, preventing them from dodging and often send them running into poison clouds, so a skill that breaks fear or grants invulnerability is very useful, as are skills that cure conditions. If a player is downed then do not attempt to revive them, because staying still for that long will just get you killed with them (resurrection skills you can use on the move are fine, and a good idea because the nearest waypoint to this fight is a long way away). Thankfully, Brangoire has quite low HP for a boss.
Watch out for the pack of Nightmare Hounds after Brangoire. They do high damage and are enough to wipe an unprepared team. They're melee only, so keep them immobilized, crippled, or otherwise distracted. Don't be too proud to run if you lose control of the battle.
- Cadeyrn
Cadeyrn is a chance to relax after the string of hard fights earlier. Just pound on him until he dies. If you get turned into a kitten, kill one of the nightmare puppies to return to normal.
In the next area, make sure that you only open flower at a time. Don't put down the essence if you pick it up (it will disappear). Most importantly, there's a pack of spiders down a corridor across from the boss. Try not to aggro them while you're fighting something else, and consider walking down the corridor so you can kill them first. You need 4 essence thrown at him (they don't need to be all at once) to shrink him. Once he's normal sized you can fight him.
- Faolain
There are four nightmare champions: Logan, Eir, Rytlock and Zojja. Faolain is invulnerable for most of the fight. When a nightmare champion falls, Faolain will attempt to resurrect the fallen champion, but if you deal enough damage to Faolain she will stop. If you fail to stop Faolian she will bring back the fallen champion at full health. Once you stop Faolain from ressing a champion she will not res that champion again, even if you wipe.
The general plan is to focus fire on one champion at a time while controlling or dodging damage from the others. When Faolain attempts to resurrect, focus fire her to stop her. Continue until all champions are dead.
Specific tips:
- Eir
- Eir's ranged damage is massive and with spread shot she is easily the deadliest. She is also surprisingly squishy, so is a good choice for first target. Any ability that deflects projectiles completely nullifies her.
- Zojja
- She starts the fight summoning Mr. Sparkles. Mr. Sparkles is more of an annoyance than a threat, but falls quite easily and won't be revived once dead, so you may as well get rid of him quickly. Zojja deals major damage with her only attack which is a slow, easily avoidable Lightning Orb. Simply stay moving and she can't touch you with the orb. Keep in mind when the orb lands, it explodes.
- Rytlock and Logan
- These guys are handled similarly. They both hit hard, but are melee only, so can be controlled with snares and wards. Rytlock will leap in to melee so is a little more difficult to control than Logan, so is a good choice for second target.
If you have trouble, remember eliminated champions stay eliminated after you wipe. Blow your cooldowns and focus on getting rid of one champion and the fight will get considerably easier, even if you wipe.
NPCs[edit]
Allies[edit]
Foes[edit]
- Nightmare Spider
- Spider Hatchling
- Elite Undergrowth Recluse
- Elite Undergrowth Webber
- Undergrowth Spider Queen
- Brangoire
- Cadeyrn
- Faolain
- Elite Nightmare Initiate
- Elite Nightmare Court Archer
- Elite Nightmare Court Cultist
- Elite Nightmare Court Knight
- Elite Nightmare Court Sorcerer
- Sariel
Objects[edit]
Dialogue[edit]
Talking to Rytlock before Caithe:
- Rytlock Brimstone: Let's get this show on the road!
Rytlock, what are you doing here?
- I could ask you the same question. Caithe sent word for me to come here. I long ago stopped trying to figure out her thinking.
Okay. let me ask something else.
I see. Thanks.
- Are we ready to go?
- I'm more than ready. Talk to Caithe. This is her garden party.
- Will do.
Dialogue with Caithe:
- Caithe: Gather your party. We should be on our way shortly. Rytlock is getting impatient.
- We're ready. Let's get started.
- We wait for one more.
One more? Very well.
- We'll gather our group as quickly as we can.
Once the party is ready:
- Caithe: Here comes our final hero.
- Logan Thackeray: Caithe, I'm sorry I'm late. YOU!
Cinematic after Logan arrives:
- Caithe: Good to see you, Logan. Now we can begin.
- Rytlock Brimstone: Conniving vegetable! You never said anything about HIM being here!
- Caithe: I asked him to attend. I need all of your help to deal with Faolain.
- <Character name>: It sounds like this Faolain and you have history.
- Caithe: Faolain is firstborn like me. She's powerful and dangerous, but she wasn't always that way.
- Caithe: When our race was new, we traveled together, her and I. We became close.
- Caithe: We found a great darkness. I pulled back from it. Faolain embraced it.
- Caithe: She seduces others to unspeakable acts. I cannot stop her alone. That is why I need you, and Rytlock, and Logan.
- Rytlock Brimstone: I will not work with this human. He'll desert us again.
- Logan Thackeray: I did what I had to do!
- Rytlock Brimstone: Then you can do THIS without me.
- Rytlock Brimstone: If I see you again, Logan, I will carve you.
After the cinematic:
- Logan Thackeray: Who's deserting us now?
Talking to Logan and Caithe:
- Caithe: We'd best keep moving. I'm anxious to be done with this foul place.
- Good-bye.
- Logan Thackeray: I'm not sure this is a good idea, but Caithe's heart is in the right place.
- Why do you say that about Caithe?
- She always has some trick up her sleeve, and never thinks to tell anyone else what it is. Still, I trust her. Mostly.
- Admirable. Let me change the subject.
- I'll take that as a guarded recommendation. Thank you.
- Why are you and Rytlock so angry at each other?
- That pig-ignorant charr is too stupid to listen to common sense.
- What went on between you two?
- That's our business, not yours.
- As you wish. Let's talk about something else.
- Okay. Sorry. I won't pry.
- Rytlock seems honorable.
- You don't know him like I do. Trust me on this.
- If you say so. Can I ask something else?
- Maybe we should concentrate on the task at hand.
- I see. Thanks for the information.
- Caithe seems to know what she is doing. We will be fine.
Entering the first room with sylvari prisoners:
- Caithe: How horrible. They're corrupting prisoners in those pods. Release them before it's too late.
Approaching prisoners (random):
- Elite Sylvari Prisoner: Don't leave me here!
- Elite Sylvari Prisoner: Don't fix me. I'm not broken.
- Elite Sylvari Prisoner: Help! They do...terrible things to me.
- Elite Sylvari Prisoner: Please help me!
Freeing prisoners (random):
- Elite Sylvari Prisoner: May the Pale Tree bless you!
- Elite Sylvari Prisoner: Thank you for saving me!
Freeing initiates (random):
- Elite Nightmare Initiate: Power like I've never felt! It's all mine!
- Elite Nightmare Initiate: It's beautiful! How have I lived without this?
After defeating the Spider Queen:
- Logan Thackeray: We make a good team. Who needs Rytlock anyway?
- Caithe: We do. We are weaker without him. Just as we were when you abandoned us.
- Logan Thackeray: This again? I expect this from Rytlock, but not from you. I am not a coward.
- Logan Thackeray: I put up with your schemes, and you insult me! I'm done with you! Finish this on your own.
Cinematic after Logan leaves:
- Faolain: Ha ha ha. Hello dearheart! I see your friends have already abandoned you. How does it feel?
- Caithe: Faolain, it is time to end this madness.
- Faolain: The madness is yours. You rely on others when you know you belong here. With me.
- Caithe: I've moved on.
- Faolain: We shall see, dearheart. We shall see.
- Faolain: Three of my champions are here. I look forward to seeing how you and your remaining allies fare against them.
Talking to Caithe after Faolain leaves:
- Caithe: Faolain. It wounds my heart to see her like this. She was once the brightest among us.
- She was very important to you, wasn't she?
- You may see the repellent creature she has become, but I remember what she was at the very beginning. She was the sun to my stars.
- Mind if I ask another question?
- I understand.
- Do you really think Logan and Rytlock could work together?
- I don't see why not. The first time I met them, they were trying to kill each other. Both of their units had been set upon by ogres, and they had to fight together in order to survive.
- I see, may I ask another question?
- Perhaps they need a greater threat. Let me think about it.
- I'm sure, but we must press on.
Cinematic when approaching the first champion:
- Faolain: Caithe, meet my first champion, Sariel.
- Sariel: We've met. She is not worthy of you.
- Caithe: Oh Faolain. What have you done to this poor girl?
- Sariel: I'm no girl. I am Faolain's chosen.
- Faolain: See how easily you were replaced, dearheart? But say the word and you can be my favorite again.
- Sariel: No! I am your favorite and I always will be. Nothing will ever change that.
- Sariel: I'll kill you Caithe. Slowly and painfully.
After the cinematic:
- Faolain: You children have fun!
After defeating Sariel:
- Caithe: I don't like seeing her this way, but...no, she replaced me all too easily.
- Caithe: I shiver when she discards a life so easily.
Talking to Caithe defeating Sariel:
- Caithe: The Nightmare Court corrupts all it touches. Poor Sariel. Faolain did this to her.
- Did you know Sariel?
- Only as one sylvari knows another. Sariel was young and vulnerable, and easily fell into the Nightmare Court's clutches.
- I understand. May I ask another question?
- We should press on. It's unlikely that Sariel is Faolain's only champion.
- What did Faolain do to her?
- Faolain bewitched her with her words and blandishments. She made Sariel jealous of what Faolain and I had.
- May I ask another question?
- I understand. We should move on.
- We must reach Faolain and stop her.
Discovering the broken bridge:
- Caithe: We need to get across here. With the proper ingredients, I could grow a new bridge.
Gathering the ingredients:
- Caithe: If I had some seeds, water, and just a bit of fertilizer, I could regrow this bridge so we could continue.
- Tell me about seeds.
- There must be some extra seeds around here. They would be stored somewhere safe. Probably someplace out of the way, where creatures can't get at them.
- I'd like to ask another question [sic]
- Good-bye.
- Tell me about water.
- Not just any water will do. I'll need purified springwater to make the seeds grow true. I saw a basket on the island we passed earlier. It may contain some vials left behind by the Nightmare Court.
- I'd like to ask another question [sic]
- Good-bye.
- Tell me about fertilizer.
- We're unlikely to find fertilizer around here. However, we could use fish oil instead. Of course, we'd need to kill a lot of fish to get enough oil...or perhaps just one really big one.
- I'd like to ask another question.
- Good-bye.
- Good-bye.
- Water Spout: Would you like to collect a vial of clear spring water?
- Take some water.
- Leave.
- Hidden Stash: Rummaging through the basket you find a bundle of seeds.
- Take the seeds.
- Leave.
After bringing Caithe all ingredients:
- Caithe: Now that we've gathered the ingredients, I can do the enchantement.
- Caithe: The asura love their little golems, but I prefer a more natural approach.
- Caithe: This should do the trick:
- Caithe: Let's go.
Cinematic approaching the second champion:
- Faolain: You've done well against poor little Sariel, my pet. How will you fare against Sir Brangoire, Knight of the Court?
- Caithe: I am not some rat in your maze. We were entwined.
- Brangoire: I sense fear in her, Lady Faolain. How delightful. But can she harness it? Are you sure she is worthy?
- Faolain: Feel free to test her mettle. She'll be up to the challenge,
After the cinematic:
- Faolain: Have at her, Sir Brangoire!
After defeating Brangoire:
- Caithe: That, I believe, is the ultimate difference between us.
- Caithe: Faolain tests others to examine her own character. I only ever test myself.
Talking to Caithe after defeating Brangoire:
- Caithe: I weep for Brangoire's fate, but I am all the more incensed by the corruption of the Nightmare Court.
- Did you know Brangoire?
- We fought together long ago. Once he was a hero. But Faolain and the court have turned him into a creature of fear and terror.
- I see.
- I understand
Cinematic approaching the third champion:
- Cadeyrn: So, the firstborn continues her futile quest. Ha ha ha ha.
- Faolain: Face the truth, dearheart. The Dream is a nightmare. See the world for what it is—episodes of pain ending in untimely death.
- Caithe: Our paths diverged long ago. I chose the Dream of our people. You, a twisted phantasm.
- Caithe: The love I once knew...has died. I won't let you continue like this.
- Cadeyrn: You will regret speaking to the mistress that way.
After the cinematic:
- Faolain: Cadeyrn! Seek your revenge against the firstborn!
After defeating Cadeyrn:
- Caithe: I knew our paths led to only once place, and still I hesitated.
- Caithe: Now I am certain. Faolain sent her followers to test me, serving them up as bait for her trap.
- Caithe: But she is a spider caught in her own web.
- Caithe: It is time.
Talking to Caithe after defeating Cadeyrn:
- Caithe: Cadeyrn! May the crows feast on his heart!
- Who was Cadeyrn?
- Cadeyrn was one of the secondborn. He brought Faolain fully into the Nightmare Court, and she replaced him as their leader.
- I have not seen you this agitated. Can I ask you something?
- I understand. He has paid for his sins.
- Are you all right, Caithe?
- This place makes my heart sick. Faolain has her mentor and her students and her court; what do I have?
- You have your honor. May I ask something else?
- You are not alone. Let us end this madness.
- He's dead. Faolain is alive and lies ahead of us.
Approaching the Unstable Husk:
- Caithe: Such perversion of nature.
- Caithe: They should not exist in the waking world.
Talking to Caithe after defeating the Unstable Husk:
- Caithe: I cannot imagine the horrors Faolain is capable of. I don't know if I can do on.
- Should we go back for Logan and Rytlock?
- They have abandoned me. Everyone fails. Everyone falls into darkness.
- You can handle this. You know what you have to do.
- I know. I just cannot bear the madness in this place. I feel better. Thank you.
- No worries. Let's finish this.
- You can do it. You know what must be done.
Cinematic approaching Faolain:
- Faolain: Here at last, dearheart. Are you prepared to join me?
- Caithe: I will never be with you.
- Faolain: Not even to be with your friends? Well, they've already made their choice.
- Eir: Join us, Caithe.
- Zojja: This is the only rational choice.
- Logan Thackeray: We can all be together again.
- Rytlock: Faolain has brought us together. Be with us.
- Caithe: Everyone stands against me. I have no one left.
- <Character name>: This can't be real. Rytlock and Logan can't stomach each other.
- Caithe: Real or not, we have to deal with them.
During battle with Faolain and Nightmare Destiny's Edge:
- Eir: ??. My failure is complete (When killed)
- Logan Thackeray: In the end my presence made no difference. We still lost. (When killed)
- Rytlock: I can forgive you all. All but Caithe. (When killed)
- Zojja: How could you strike down such genius? Then again you never take me serious. (When killed)
- Faolain: ?? (When health drops to 75%)
After defeating Faolain:
- Caithe: End this charade now, Faolain.
- Faolain: But dearheart, you used to enjoy our little games of make-believe.
- Caithe: I'm done with your games, and I'm finished with you. I am not your dearheart.
- Faolain: We shall see, dearheart. We shall see. (laugh)
- Caithe: Damn her! And damn me, for my weakness.
Talking to Caithe after defeating Faolain:
- Caithe: I have failed to kill Faolain, but I have broken her power. It feels...sufficient.
- Are you all right?
- I think I am all right. Faolain is a manipulator, and I almost fell into her trap. I almost despaired. I almost gave up. Thank you for helping me.
- You're welcome.
- We've done much this day.
Notes[edit]
- It is possible to kill Faolain during the final fight if the group has great damage. Lore-wise, however, she does not die, she creates a portal and disappears.
- In-game description:
“The Nightmare Court are holding sylvari prisoner in the Twilight Arbor dungeon. Free the prisoners before it's too late. Check your mail for more information.
— Level 50 rewards.
