Bloodstone Fen (mission)

Mission Objectives
Seek the truth about the White Mantle.
 * Locate Blade Scout Ryder. He'll take you to the Bloodstone.
 * Use the vine bridges to traverse the jungle.
 * ADDED Travel on to the Bloodstone on your own.
 * BONUS Awaken the Druids while preserving their guardians.

Primary
To locate Blade Scout Ryder, follow the path until you get to point A on the map. Do the bonus as described below if you want to. Now pick up three Vine Seeds at point A. (Sometimes only one or two seeds spawn; more seeds can be found at point 2 on the map, if doing the bonus mission, and southwest of the second point B on the map.) Use the seeds at the locations marked B on the map to create bridges that enable you to traverse the jungle. After crossing the first bridge, talk to Blade Scout Ryder, who will send you on your own to defeat the White Mantle. In order to complete the mission, you need to defeat a large group of White Mantle and their boss Justiciar Hablion.

There is an alternative path that will take you to the Bloodstone, bypassing Blade Scout Ryder and using only three seeds. The mission can still be completed.

Note that while fighting near the Bloodstone you will be under influence of the area effect Curse of the Bloodstone, which makes resurrection skills take 4 times as long to cast.

Note: It is possible to "waste" vine seeds by dropping them on a glowing circle of a bridge that has already been grown. The worst-case scenario would be using up all the remaining vine seeds and thus getting stuck, forcing a mission restart. Before you do this check the lower watery area for more seeds (added patch). Approximately you can find 4-7 bonus seed.

Bonus
Do the mission as normal until you reach the seeds (A on the map). Grab one and go back the way you came. After a short distance, to the south of the path, in the gray, swamplike area, you should notice a path leading up to a gray platform with a orange rune on it. Drop one of the seeds on the platform (1 on the map).

A druid will appear and ask for your aid in awakening the Elder Druid. You will need to free three more druids by dropping seeds on their platforms. You get the seeds from position 2 on the map and drop them at the destinations marked 3 on the map. These druids and the original will then move up to a large platform and awaken the Great Druid. However, while doing this you will be attacked by Jungle Guardians. These large tree-creatures throw boulders at you. What's more, the druids don't want you to attack them. Luckily, they don't follow you much. Once the Elder Druid is summoned, speak to him; the guardians become non-hostile and you complete the bonus.

You do not have to go all the way back to the main path, but can instead continue north past the guardians to get back to the main mission.

There is a minor bug with this mission. The first druid has a tendency to get stuck on the first pair of guardians. It is often necessary to get them to move out of the way by enticing them forward to attack you. Also, the druid can get stuck on the chest, in which case you will have to restart the mission.

Warning: Killing any of the guardians will cause the Bonus to fail. The first guardian you kill will spawn several Ravagers and will cause any remaining druids not to be awakened. Instead, if you drop a vine seed on a platform, a pair of Ravagers will emerge.

While this mission is fairly easy to solo, the henchmen can jeopardize the bonus by attacking the guardians. Henchmen will always attack any foe that attacks you or any member of the party. As such, if the guardians start throwing rocks at your party, make sure to stay on the move so that the henchmen do not rush to the guardian. Try to run past the guardians as fast as you can. If you see them stomping one of the guardians, call a healthy target far away and then cancel the attack by staying away. If you are performing the bonus with henchmen then it would be smart to command them with the new henchmen command added on the October, 26 2006 update.

Tip: Some professions can also do this bonus solo, without henchmen. Most of the enemies on the way to the first druid can be run past with little trouble, and only the Wind Riders pose any real threat, due to health degeneration, enchantment removal, and interruption; however they are fragile. Bring running skills such as Sprint, Dodge, etc., as well as self-heals. Once you reach the Guardian area, the rest of the bonus is rather easy as long as you are careful.

Briefing
Briefing from Blade Scout Braden.

Skill Capture

 * Dryder's Defenses from Torr the Relentless (not available before Marhan's Grotto).
 * Convert Hexes from Ramm the Benevolent (not available before Camp Rankor).
 * Divine Intervention from Ramm the Benevolent (not available before Copperhammer Mines).
 * Scourge Sacrifice from Tree of Life (not available before Copperhammer Mines).
 * Watchful Spirit from Tree of Life (not available before Maguuma Stade or The Amnoon Oasis).
 * Deathly Chill from Mossk Rottail (not available before Maguuma Stade or The Amnoon Oasis).
 * Guilt from Nyle the Compassionate (not available before The Misplaced Sword quest at Heroes' Audience).
 * Aftershock from Thornwrath (not available before Marhan's Grotto).
 * Searing Heat from Pleoh the Ugly (not available before Copperhammer Mines).

Devourers

 * Mossk Rottail

Plants

 * Tree of Winds
 * Tree of Life
 * Thornwrath

Riders

 * Hepp Bilespitter

White Mantle

 * Justiciar Hablion
 * Torr the Relentless
 * Ramm the Benevolent
 * Oswald the Amiable
 * Nyle the Compassionate
 * Pleoh the Ugly

Additional Notes

 * The players will be in Quarrel Falls at the completion of this mission.

Players looking for a cartographer title can uncover a secluded area behind the Bloodstone. To reach this area, simply run north-east past Justiciar Hablion at the end.