A Very Grentchie Wintersday

Overview
Summary
 * 1) Speak to Vehemus to learn how you can assist Grenth.
 * 2) Ask around for some termites... There must be some out there somewhere.
 * 3) Ask around for some gunk... There must be some out there somewhere.
 * 4) Ask around for some garlic... There must be some out there somewhere.
 * 5) Ask around for a pair of unwashed socks... There must be some out there somewhere.
 * 6) Return the four ingredients to Vehemus.
 * 7) Meet Vehemus and the Grentch outside of Lion's Arch.
 * 8) Travel to the Ascalon Settlement with the Grentch and destroy all the Wintersday gifts from Dwayna. X of 7 Wintersday gifts remaining.
 * 9) See Vehemus for your reward.

Obtained from
 * Old Nickoles in Lion's Arch

Requirements
 * None

Reward
 * 5,000 XP
 * Peppermint Shield
 * Armor: 8
 * Gingerbread Focus
 * Energy +5

Dialogue
 * "Each year during Wintersday, the gods Grenth and Dwayna clash to determine whether darkness or light will reign following the coming of the new year. Although Dwayna has many followers, there are some of us who understand that this is a season of somber reflection, a time to pay tribute to death, which is, after all, a necessary cycle of life.  The call of Grenth has gone out, seeking all those who wish to serve the Merciless One to ensure his rise above the goddess of light for the coming year.  Will you answer Grenth's call?


 * Accept: "I hate all this merry-making. I'm for Grenth!"
 * Reject: "You really need to lighten up."
 * When asked about quest: ... to be added ...

Intermediate Dialogue (Vehemus)
 * "Now you must help me create one of Grenth's unholy winter servants...a Grentch, a person whose heart has been shrunk three sizes. Grentches know only death, fear, and hatred, and their only goal is to create as much mischief and misery as possible.
 * Take this vial and place within it the four ingredients I need to concoct my special potion. The first ingredient you must gather, termites, shouldn't be difficult to find. Ask around for them. There must be some out there somewhere."

Intermediate Dialogue (Fisherman Finnius)
 * "For more years than I can count, I've spent my days here on this dock, casting and reeling, casting and reeling. Some days the gods are kind to me, and I bring in plenty of fish, other days they ignore me, and I go home empty handed. Those are hard days, but that's the life of a fisherman. Over all these years and through three disastrous marriages, only one constant has remained...this wooden dock. She's been a good friend, a good listener. But these blasted termites have begun gnawing away on her beams, and I fear that soon she'll collapse into the ocean below.... If it's termites you're looking for, I'll give you all you need; my poor dock is overflowing with them."

Intermediate Dialogue (Gunk Farmer Urme)
 * "You is looking for gunk? Then you is coming to the right Urme! I be the greatest gunk farmer in all of these swamps, I is. You is very lucky, Urme is just making a very large batch of gunk he is not be needing all of! I is giving you gunk for free because you is nice person, but you is not telling anyone I give it free. Urme not want everyone to expect free gunk, then Urme would be out of job!"

Intermediate Dialogue (Necromancer Skorzena)
 * "I gather Vehemus has sent you on one of his little scavenger hunts? That man is incapable of doing anything that involves getting his hands dirty. What is it you need? Garlic? You're in luck: it just so happens that I have some garlic right here. Now, leave me to my work. Grenth will be most pleased to have more souls to welcome to the Underworld this day, and should you not move quickly enough, I may just decide to add you to the list...."

Intermediate Dialogue (Dreier Dane)
 * "Do not blame me, blame society! I grovel before you, a lowly, mangy dog. My wife, she is sick; my thirteen children, limbless and afflicted with the dreaded whooping vapors. My cat, she has kittens, and...not buying it, are you? Look, can I talk to you thief to mercenary for a moment? All that I have will be yours if you leave me be. Of course, all I have are these unwashed socks, but free me, and they are yours! Gloriously filthy socks they are, blights on the stocking industry, but perhaps they might be of use to you. Socks are rare in these lands, and these are...okay, please, I'll shut up, just don't hurt me. Pain makes me break out in cuts, bruises and open wounds. I'm terribly allergic to it."

Intermediate Dialogue (Vehemus)
 * "Praise be to Grenth! Surely his eyes are upon you. Two final steps remain. First, I must speak the sacred words that will bring the potion to the point of potency. "Stink! Stank! Stunk!"
 * Now go wait outside Lion's Arch. I will trick one of the people of this city into drinking the potion, which will shrink the dupe's heart three times, transforming the useless citizen into a blessed Grentch! I will send this new Grentch to meet you outside the city. From there, you will travel due north with the Grentch to the Ascalon Settlement. There Dwayna has left a bounty of gifts for the culmination of Wintersday. You will find these gifts, and together with the Grentch, you will destroy them! Should you and your Grentch complete the task, return and tell me so that I can pass on this glorious victory to our merciless lord himself. May the unholy blessings of Grenth go with you!"

Intermediate Dialogue (Vehemus)
 * "The potion was a success, and a brand new Grentch awaits your command. Head north to the Ascalon Settlement! Destroy every gift, token and keepsake! Leave no present behind!"

Reward Dialogue (Vehemus)
 * "You have served Grenth most faithfully, . Here is a token of his...appreciation. The work you have done today will surely help our merciless lord sway the balance of the battle to our side. I shall go let loose this Grentch upon the citizens that it might spread sadness and discontent. I'm looking forward to it."

Walkthrough
None of these items will actually show up in your inventory, you just need to talk to the specific NPC to get them:

Termites
Termites are on the beach in North Kryta Province (see map).

Talk to Fisherman Finnius by the dock. (Note: If you have the Defend North Kryta Province quest active, and Fisherman Finnius does not appear, zone in from Nebo Terrace.) Caution If you have the "Defend North Kryta Province" active, you will meet Titans around this area.

Gunk
Gunk is southeast of Temple of the Ages (see map).

Follow the path across 2 bridges, Gunk Farmer Urme will be on the right in the swamp.

Garlic
Garlic is north of Beetletun (see map).

Find Necromancer Skorzena and her Elite Guards who are battling the Nobleman Daltain and his guards. You can help her or sit back and watch. As soon as Nobleman Daltain is dead you can talk with Skorzena to receive the garlic.

Unwashed socks
Dirty socks are just outside Bergen Hot Springs (see map).

They are stolen from Villager Gessel by Dreier Dane. Chase Dreier Dane down.

You must "chase" Dreier until he decides to stop. If you use a speed boosting skill and "tag" him before then, you merely receive a generic NPC statement.

Tip: Chasing Dreier is easy, simply click on him and then hit space bar and your character will follow him. He will most likely not lead your party into any hostile groups but stay alert.

Destroy all wintersday gifts
Once all the items are acquired, talk to Vehemus then leave from Lion's Arch to pick up the Grentch and destroy the presents (7 total) in the Ascalon Settlement; click on a present to destroy it. Destruction of the Brrrls (5 guarding the presents, 3 at the north gate) is optional. If the Grentch dies along the way, the quest can still be completed sucessfully.

Maps












Trivia

 * The termites, gunk, unwashed socks, and garlic are probably a reference to "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch", in which it is stated that the Grinch has "Garlic in his soul" and "Termites in his smile", and that his "heart is full of unwashed socks" and his "soul is full of gunk". The lines to complete the potion "Stink, Stank, Stunk" are also lines in a song describing the Grinch. Vehemus' potion also shrinks the person's heart "three sizes", another reference to the Grinch.