Heirlooms of the Mad King

Overview
Summary
 * 1) Defeat Bryce the Stableboy and recover King Thorn's most prized half-eaten apple from his saddlebag.
 * 2) Defeat Geoffrey the Butler to recover Mad King Thorn's left slipper.
 * 3) Defeat Guardsman Brofis the Deserter to recover Mad King Thorn's copy of "Moa Soup for the Demented Soul."
 * 4) See The Countess of Hakewood for your reward.

Obtained from
 * The Countess of Hakewood in Lion's Arch

Reward
 * 5,000 XP
 * 1,000
 * 50 Trick-or-Treat Bags

Dialogue
 * "Ah, the sounds of screaming peasants! 'Tis music to my ears! It's a tragedy that the world experiences the glory that is King Thorn but once a year. I can still taste the delicacies from the grand feasts his courtiers were treated to each night. Devastating famine or not, our glorious monarch knew how to prioritize the division of resources. Of course, the commoners weren't thrilled with his economic policies, but before our beloved king had a chance to tell them just what he thought about their opinions, his reign was cut short. With a carving knift."
 * "That is why His Royal Squashness has sent me here to perform a mystical ceremony of ancient magical... er... magic. According to his calculations, which are as infallible as everything else about His Majesty, he is imprisoned behind a series of magical seals that prevent him from materializing in the mortal realm more than once a year. The return of the Krytan royal bloodline to power has destroyed the first seal, weakening the barrier preventing our most glorious king's permanent return to your world. I am as excited as an inquisitor in a room full of dissidents!"
 * "Now, I'm no expert on magical seals or summoning spirits from beyond the grave, but what I do know is these sorts of fancy rituals usually require some sort of artifacts to work. At least, every sacrificial altar I've ever seen was quite cluttered with seemingly random knick-knacks! Prior to his tragic death, King Thorn had three possessions dearer to him than any others. Unfortunately, a horde of revolting peasants burned them, along with his palace, most of his courtiers, and, well, him... But don't fret, I have an alternative!"
 * "After his untimely pitchfor-and-torch-related "accident," many of our most benevolent king's possessions ended up in the hands of his ungrateful, thieving servants and other unworthy swine. We must reclaim them today! And by "we" I mean "you." I have located three suitable heirlooms. I trust you are as eager to please the king as I am."


 * Accept: "Simply for the sake of curiosity, I can't refuse."
 * Reject: "I'm fairly sure whomever created these seals did it for a reason. Count me out!"

Intermediate dialogue 1 (Bryce the Stablehand)


 * Bryce the Stablehand: "Stand back mortal! In life I was the greatest warrior the world has ever seen. Armies fled at the mere sight of my presence!"
 * Bryce the Stablehand: "Villagers would torch their own homes in hopes I would show them mercy for saving me the trouble. But I show no man mercy! Ha ha ha!"
 * Bryce the Stablehand: "Kings handed over their crowns! The gods..."
 * Player character: "I heard you were a stableboy."
 * Bryce the Stablehand: "Stableboy? Uh, no, that was my brother. HA! Stableboy!? I was a terrible and fearsome force of sheer power!"
 * Player character: "Fine, I'll take your word for it. I'm not looking for any trouble, I simply need to get something King Thorn left in his saddlebag."
 * Bryce the Stablehand: "What? I checked in there centuries ago and there is nothing in there but some nasty, half-eaten petrified apple. See?"
 * Player character: "So wait, you found a petrified, chewed-on apple in a saddlebag and you kept it for some reason?"
 * Bryce the Stablehand: "Well yes, of course. You never know when something like that might come in handy!"
 * Player character: "When could that ever come in handy?"
 * Bryce the Stablehand: "Don't judge me! Now, what are you looking for?"
 * Player character: "The apple."
 * Bryce the Stablehand: "And you wondered when I would find a use for such a thing? Do you honestly think I will turn over this sought after treasure without a fight?"
 * Bryce the Stablehand: "Best me and the apple is yours!"

Intermediate dialogue 2 (Geoffrey the Butler)


 * Player character: "Were you the Mad King's butler? I'm trying to gather some items for him."
 * Geoffrey the Butler:　"What? He's back? I won't go back to that degrading life with him. You can't imagine the indignities I've suffered! You can't make me go! Noooooooo!"

Intermediate dialogue 3 (Guardsman Brofis the Deserter)
 * Guardsman Brofis the Deserter:　"Halt, flesy one!"
 * Player character: "I'm not looking for trouble here. All I want is King Thorn's copy of "Moa Soup for the Demented Soul.""
 * Guardsman Brofis the Deserter:　"King Thorn!? By the gods, he will tear out my heart!"
 * Player character: "It doesn't look like you still have a heart..."
 * Guardsman Brofis the Deserter:　"That won't stop him! You don't understand. I was instructed to protect the king, but it's hard to stand your ground when you have an angry mob running at you!"
 * Guardsman Brofis the Deserter:　"I won't let you take me to him! And I won't let you take my book! This thing has gotten me through some tough times. Losing a job, fleeing for my life, dying an agonizing death. These writers know my pain!"
 * Guardsman Brofis the Deserter:　"If you want this book, you'll have to take it form my cold, undead hands!"

Reward dialogue
 * "Excellent! As you can see, these items were far too valuable to be allowed to remain in the hands of the unworthy. I'm pretty sure I just felt a seal break. Either that or I've had too much absinthe..."

Follow up
 * Commandeering a Mortal Vessel

Walkthrough
This is a fairly simple quest. The stableboy is at the tower in The Black Curtain where Abbot Ramoth usually spawns. Several Grasping Ghouls will pop up after the stableboy is killed. The butler is near the portal to Kessex Peak. He will run away after the initial dialogue but can be bodyblocked and quickly killed. The bodyguard is in Scoundrel's Rise.

Trivia

 * The book title "Moa Soup for the Demented Soul" is a reference to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of inspirational books.