A Strange Black Rock

other resources ZAM · EQ2U · Census xml

EverQuest 2 Quest Information

Journal Category	Heritage  (AA)
Introduced	Shattered Lands
Journal Level	30 (Tier 4)
Journal Difficulty	Heroic
Starting Zone	Antonica more
How to Start	Speak to Scholar Al'Quylar, behind The Tower of the Oracles in Antonica at ( -1039, 14, -665 ) Copy/waypoint -1039, 14, -665.
part of: Heritage Quests Timeline Preceded by: none Followed by: none
NOTE: A discussion page exists which may contain more information

What does this information mean?

Prerequisites

• You must be at least level 25 to receive this quest.
• NOTE: Scholar Al'Quylar is slain at the end of this quest, so you may have to wait for him to respawn to speak with him, if someone else defeated him recently.
• Take a totem of the Otter to be able to breath under water.

Steps

1. Harvest underwater power sources in:
   • Nektulos Forest: In the pool underneath Soul Eater Falls at ( 457, 14, -1505 ) Copy/waypoint 457, 14, -1505
   • The Thundering Steppes: West from Shrine of the Sirens and inside a ship wreck at ( 1681, -88, 308 ) Copy/waypoint 1681, -88, 308
2. Return to Scholar Al'Quylar.
3. Obtain the following items from The Ruins of Varsoon in the Thundering Steppes:
   • Brown Research Tome on Binding: ( 18, 4, 69 ) Copy/waypoint 18, 4, 69
   • Black Research Tome on Immortality: ( 237, -7, 54 ) Copy/waypoint 237, -7, 54
   • Note: Be forewarned that the Tome of Life and Tome of Death spawn in the same rooms where these research tomes are found. They are needed for a later step in the questline so it is best to try and avoid killing them.
     • Tip: If you are having difficulty with the Named Tomes, the research tomes can be picked up from the corner of the hall that precedes the rooms where the Named Tomes are in.
4. Return to Scholar Al'Quylar.
5. Obtain one of the following items from Stormhold:
   • Palladium torque: Dropped by Lord Androus at ( 68, 5, -79 ) Copy/waypoint 68, 5, -79.
   • Palladium bangle: Dropped by The Char Fiend at ( 81, 5, -133 ) Copy/waypoint 81, 5, -133.
   • The required item is not auto-updated, but rather looted from the chest dropped from the above named monsters. As such, if your character is too high-level then you must chrono down to a level where the chest will drop (level 25 should suffice).
   • Possibly dropped from some named mobs in Edgewater Drains. (confirmation needed)
   • As an alternative to obtaining the bangle or torque from the above named monsters, the crafted Fashioned Palladium Bangle or Pristine Fashioned Palladium Bangle also work.
   • You can also purchase either item directly from the broker. Note: When you purchase from the broker, the quest will not update until you hand the item in to Scholar Al'Quylar.
6. Return to Scholar Al'Quylar.
   • Note: There is a known bug where the quest appears to have failed to update after you've obtained the items, and Al'Quylar will NOT have a quest marker over him. Regardless, if you talk to him with the items in your inventory you will successfully complete this step.
7. Return to The Ruins of Varsoon and slay:
   • Tome of Life: ( 12, 7, 71 ) Copy/waypoint 12, 7, 71
     • 10 minute respawn timer.
   • Tome of Death: ( 228, 0, 55 ) Copy/waypoint 228, 0, 55
     • 25 minute respawn timer.
   • You need to kill the entire encounter for the update to be recorded in your journal; killing just the named will not work. Grey mobs do work.
8. Return to Scholar Al'Quylar.
9. Kill Varsoon the Undying in the Chamber of Immortality ( 234, -4, 98 ) Copy/waypoint 234, -4, 98 within The Ruins of Varsoon.
   • Note: Step 4 of Stiletto's Orders Intercepted also requires Varsoon the Undying, and with Chamber of Immortality on a 90 minute success lockout you may want to coordinate these quest-steps. Grey mob updates quest.
10. Return to Scholar Al'Quylar. He will become aggressive and attack as a named monster, a level 35^^^ heroic with a pet and a knockback ability. Kill him for your reward.
    • Everyone in the group does NOT need to hail Scholar Al'Quylar at the same time to get the update. See discussion page for views on this issue.

Rewards

• Glowing Black Stone
• 37,200 status

Notes

• Scholar Al'Quylar is on a 20 minute respawn timer.

Dialog

Quest Dialog  

Without the quest, when walking by Scholar Al’Quylar:

• Scholar Al’Quylar (in /say): How ever am I going to power this stone?

Initial Hail dialog:

• Scholar Al’Quylar: It’s this black chunk of marble, you see. I’m quite curious about it, and have been investigating a way to power it.
• You: Power it? Why?
• Scholar Al’Quylar: The stone has strange markings. I’ve traced the markings to ancient magical runes that invoke a spell of warding.
• You: Warding? What would the stone ward?
• Scholar Al’Quylar: I must confess; I’m not certain. It could’ve warded off any number of things in previous ages; things long lost to us.
• You: How old is it then? Previous ages? Before the Shattering?
• Scholar Al’Quylar: I would say so, yes. Likely quite a good bit before. Do you mind helping me research the stone?
• You: I could be persuaded to help...
• Scholar Al’Quylar: Oh, by all means, I’ll pay you for your efforts. While I understand that some people do things out of the goodness of their heart, I think everyone should be concerned with payment for services rendered!
• You: Ok, so where do I start?
• Scholar Al’Quylar: I’ve done preliminary research on what powers the stone, I’ll give you a list of what I need.
• You: I’ll see what I can do.

Returning with the power sources:

• You: Hail, Scholar Al’Quylar
• Scholar Al’Quylar: Very impressive! I deciphered a few of the runes, and those energy sources may shed some light on my discoveries.
• You: What’s next?
• Scholar Al’Quylar: Originally, I thought the ward kept something out, but now I see that it’s designed to keep something in. I must... yes... I must find a way to open it. Err, in the interest of knowledge, of course.
• You: Are you okay?
• Scholar Al’Quylar: Oh yes, fine. Something must have come over me. A sorcerer named Varsoon did research on this kind of thing; I’ve been reading quite a bit about him lately.
• You: What research?
• Scholar Al’Quylar: I’ve found several references to immortality in the books I’m reading. It seems Varsoon was intent on finding a method to indefinitely extend life. I’d like to see if you can find more information inside his ruined laboratories.
• You: Very well.

Returning with the research:

• Scholar Al’Quylar: Yes... I believe these notes will do... nicely. I’m certain I’ll unlock the secrets of the stone... soon.
• You: Ahem. That’s nice.
• Scholar Al’Quylar: What do you want?
• You: Payment would be nice.
• Scholar Al’Quylar: Not so fast, wretch. Bring me the finest necklace you can find! I can’t allow my gorgeous stone to rot in this tiny box, it must be borne on my chest and displayed with the finest palladium torque money can buy!
• You: You’re serious?
• Scholar Al’Quylar: Of course I’m serious! Now leave me, and don’t return unless you have my necklace!
• You: What’s come over you?

Returning with the palladium torque or bangle:

• Scholar Al’Quylar: It’ll do, but that’s about the best I can say. Your work sickens me. You sicken me! I don’t know why I put up with you!”
• You: Hey now, take it easy!
• Scholar Al’Quylar: I’m sure you’d like... help me... that, wouldn’t you!
• You: Help you what?
• Scholar Al’Quylar: To start, destroy Varsoon’s research! We must never again allow him to commit the evil deeds he committed.
• You: What deeds?
• Scholar Al’Quylar: So long ago... trapped... forever... inside... so cold...
• You: What’s come over you?
• Scholar Al’Quylar: Nothings come over me! Simple do what you’re told! Destroy his research and return to me when you’re done! He’ll never do this again!
• You: Very strange...

Returning after destroying the two tomes:

• Scholar Al’Quylar: Oh. Varsoon, there’s no telling what I’ll do to you for sticking me in that stone! You’ll pay for the centuries I spent trapped inside that rock! Artifact, indeed!
• You: Err... I’m not Varsoon.
• Scholar Al’Quylar: Of course you’re not, you gibbering buffoon! But you will slay him! Strike deep into his lair, find him; eradicate him!
• You: Me? Varsoon? This doesn’t sound like a fight with an outcome I’d like.
• Scholar Al’Quylar: That doesn’t exactly concern me, does it? You’ll do as you’re told, whelp, or you’ll suffer a fate worse than death. Go, before I lose my patience.
• You: You’ve gone mad.

After killing Varsoon the Undying:

• Scholar Al’Quylar: Well done ... now it’s time for you to pay the final price...
• You: Pay? A price? Why? I did everything you asked!
• Scholar Al’Quylar: I need a new body... this one is tired and worn. Yours will do nicely!
• You: Not this body!