(This outstanding write-up is brought to you by Mitsuya of Solclaim)

RESTRICTION: Level 25+/Level 50+

The Story So Far...

  The Arcanum continues to have problems that they apparently cannot handle alone. They say: "We have found large cisterns fueling the magical Essences of Dereth, but something deep within these furnaces is hindering the flow of mana. Go there, find a means to collect proof that you have assisted in the clearing of this stopgap, and return to any Arcanum Agent with the proof to receive your rewards." Sounds simple, eh?

  Well, I must admit that the rewards are definitely worthwhile, but it takes a bit of time and some coordination to complete these quests, especially if you want to get both rewards for each of the four quests/elements.

[Disclaimer: This information is compiled from my personal experience in the Ice & Lightning dungeons and various partial sources I've seen. Since my memory & those sources are not necessarily complete/accurate, please let Mitsuya or The Spectre if we missed something or misstated it.]

Step 0: Preparation

• A Niffis Shell Helm (See Niffis Rewards Quest Write-up)

• Refer to Preparation Steps for each of the four sub-quests

Step 1: Empyrean Propylaeums (The Upper Levels)

  Each of the four quests are associated with an Element (i.e., Ice, Fire, Lightning, Acid) and each Propylaeum dungeon is located near one of the four magic Essences (where those fancy mages get their strange-sounding spells). The Ice & Fire quests are restricted to levels 25 & higher, while the Lightning & Acid quests only allow levels 50+. In any case, bring a group of folks since you'll have to split into two groups after the first section of the quest. The two groups go into the Upper & Lower sections and have different rewards (bracelet & crystal fragment, respectively). I would recommend setting aside enough time for everyone to run this dungeon twice, so that everyone can get both rewards. Certainly the crystal fragment is the main goal of the quests, for it gives the exp & writ rewards as well as a piece toward the Helm of the Elements.

  The first section is pretty straightforward and the layout is apparently identical for all of the four elements. First of all, gather your group together and fellow/buff either outside the propylaeum dungeon portal or in the dungeon lobby, whichever is safer. In the lobby you will have the occasional Olthoi disrupting things, but often that is better than what lies outside the dungeons. So, once you're ready head out of the lobby & go right (left is short dead-end). Follow the passage around the corner and watch for a horde of Olthoi (~10) down the ramp. You can safely debuff them from the hallway before going down the ramp. In this room will be a pit with acid/cold damage at the bottom, along with some more Olthoi. I recommend shift-jumping from the east (left) side of the pit to the west (right) side, since the opening at the bottom is to the west. Make sure that you are protected for bludgeoning damage and the appropriate element, since they can hurt.

  Take out the Olthoi and find the chest down the hall to the west with a hammer in it. Once everyone that is going to the lower dungeon for the crystal has a hammer (575 burden units), proceed down the hallway to the south, descend the stairway, kill more Olthoi and get ready to split into two equally powered groups for the upper & lower cistern dungeons. I'd recommend a good mix of mages & melee on both upper & lower teams, since the critters can be tough to melee effectively without debuffs. There are portals to both sections in this final room (upper on right, lower on left) and the Olthoi respawn here is pretty quick, so hop through the portals once everyone knows where to go and you can buff in safety on the other side. As a note, the return portal in the upper & lower "lobbies" take you back to the beginning of the first section and not to the final room you just came from -- So, make sure people grab the correct portal.

Step 2: The Lower Levels (Two parties required)

  Each of the four lower sections will have both the above section and a complete write-up for the lower sections, including strategies for a successful run.  Click on a link to open a new window with each section:

• Ice Propylaeum

• Fire Propylaeum

• Lightning Propylaeum

• Acid Propylaeum

Step 3: Combining the items

Element		Ice	Fire	Lightning	Acid
Hammer	575 bu (no-give)
Fragment	1 bu (no-give)
Rewards	@ Agent of the Arcanum	250k exp. 1 writ	250k exp. 1 writ	500k exp. 2 writs	500k exp. 2 writs
Prism	40 bu
Combined Prisms	40 bu
Prismatic Plume	40 bu

  So once everyone has the fragment, you can turn it in any Agent of the Arcanum for your rewards (see above). Remember that experience rewards are no longer magnified in a fellowship, so you can turn in the crystal at your leisure. The agent will also give you a prism in return (which is givable), which gives you one of four pieces required to make the plume for a Helm of the Elements (below). You must attach the plume to a Niffis Helm (from Sephal Niffis shell) in order to make the Helm of the Elements.

Helm of the Elements
A plumed helm infused with the power of the Elements. A soft glow surrounds the helm and storms can be seen waxing and waning within the crystal plume. It is unusually light.
Value	8,000
Burden	300
Armor Level	225
Protections	Slashing: Below Avg. Piercing: Below Avg. Bludgeoning: Below Avg. Fire: Unparalleled Cold: Unparalleled Lightning: Unparalleled Acid: Unparalleled
Spells	Impenetrability V, Invulnerability VI, Impregnability VI, Force to Arms (-100 Mana)
Spellcraft	250
Mana	xxx/500
Mana Cost	1 when arming
Difficulty	0
Requirements	Melee Defense 300+ You must be level 45+ to wield this item

  If you know of something that I missed or that I stated incorrectly, email me! I know it's not complete, but it's a work in progress... Thanks for the feedback,

Mitsuya