The Battle for Lion's Arch

Requirements

 * You must have completed the Mustering a Response quest

Objectives

 * Speak with Bartholos in Lion's Arch Keep to assist with defending the city.
 * Order Firstwatch Sergio to open the front gates.
 * Defend Lion's Arch from the White Mantle onslaught pouring into the city.
 * Kill High Inquisitor Toriimo and his men.
 * Kill Confessor Isaiah and his followers.
 * Kill Lucent the Spectral.
 * Kill Oizys the Miserable and the two Cairns.
 * Kill Ambrillus the Guardian and Talios the Resplendent.
 * Defend Princess Salma with your life. Her death is your defeat.

Reward

 * 30,000 Experience
 * 5,000 Gold
 * 5 Royal Gifts
 * 3 Medals of Honor

Overview
The Mini-mission starts in earnest when you talk to Firstwatch Sergio to open the gate, at which point there is no turning back. The party wins when the final Musaat bosses are killed; the party loses when Salma is killed. The party resurrects at Salma 10 seconds after wiping.

Numerous small groups of allies are scattered about the path from the Front Gate to Salma in the Citadel. These groups will engage enemies within aggro and return to their positions when aggro is broken. Some of the named allies seem to auto-res after being dead for a while, but the un-named allies do not. Foes will enter the gate, moving toward Salma, and will stop when engaged by the party or allies. As the groups of allies die, the battle moves further in and closer to Salma.

Wave after wave of first Mantle and then the more difficult Mursaat will assault Lion's Arch, similar to Thunderhead Keep. There is a little breather between the wiping of one wave and the assault of the next, but often not enough to completely regen. You can accelerate the assault by exiting the gate and aggro-ing the foes outside, but that strategy is ill-advised.

The waves are large and require both AoE offense and defense. The key to winning is to keep the NPCs alive as long as possible. This means defending forward during the early and easier waves and only retreating to the next line of NPCs when the first group is killed and you are at a disadvantage. It also means bring AoE skills that defend not just "party members" but "allies" as well. The gate is too far forward to make your defense, as your Minions will advance and aggro the nearby waiting foes.

White Mantle Enforcer foes pop-up inside Lion's Arch in the initial courtyard; perhaps there is one such pop-up group for each of the first 4 waves. They generally engage otherwise not-engaged NPCs and are not much of a threat, but they will kill two or three allies unless a party member or two retreats to quickly dispatch them.

Some members of the waves may turn to their left and move uphill to engage and kill your NPC archers. Again, a party member should retreat to engage them so as to preserve the archers as long as possible; perhaps post your party's Ranger on the hill for this purpose.

Lastly, expect numerous deaths. Unyielding Aura, Death Penalty removal and other Consumables are highly recommended. In addition, expect around 90 drops each, so Mercantile Summoning Stones may come in handy.

Allies
Humans
 * Shining Blade Ranger

Asura
 * 20 (20) Blimm
 * 20 (20) Zinn

Foes
Humans (White Mantle)
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Knight
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Zealot
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Scout
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Seeker
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Priest
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Fanatic
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Ritualist
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Sycophant
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Adherent
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Savant
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Enforcer
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Ritualist
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Champion
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Zealot
 * 20 (26) White Mantle Devotee

Jade
 * 24 (26) Jade Armor
 * 24 (26) Jade Bow
 * 24 (26) Jade Cloak

Bosses
Humans
 * Confessor Isaiah &rarr; Incendiary Arrows and Expert's Dexterity
 * High Inquisitor Toriimo &rarr; Eviscerate

Jade
 * Perfected Armor &rarr; Devastating Hammer
 * Cairn the Malignant &rarr; Magebane Shot
 * Cairn the Vengeful &rarr; Prepared Shot
 * Perfected Cloak &rarr; Oath Shot
 * Perfected Aegis &rarr; Ward Against Harm

Mursaat
 * Ambrillus the Guardian &rarr; Glimmer of Light
 * Lucent the Spectral &rarr; Crippling Anguish
 * Oizys the Miserable &rarr; Corrupt Enchantment
 * Talios the Resplendent &rarr; Thunderclap

Initial dialogue

 * Princess Salma
 * ''"The White Mantle army is teeming around us. Rather than waiting until they break down the gates, we will strike first. If it all comes down to one fight, it's going to be on MY terms. Come midnight, we open the gates to draw them in, and then funnel them through that glorious choke point while our archers rain down the fury of the Krytan people upon their heads. Wave after wave, they shall feel the sting of our arrows. And when the Mursaat run out of fools to send, they will personally enter battle and our moment to end this will be nigh.
 * "Bartholos is organizing the defense. Speak with him to help fortify both the city and the people for battle. That is, assuming you do intend to help?"
 * Accept: Of course. For a free Kryta!
 * Decline: This is not my fight.

When loaded
: The city defenses are complete, your Highness.

Princess Salma: ''Excellent. Then we are ready. Order Firstwatch Sergio to open the front gates.''

Toriimo appears
High Inquisitor Toriimo: Your archers are no match for my elementalists!

Before this night dies, I will see this city burn to the ground!

Isaiah appears
Confessor Isaiah: ''People of Lion's Arch! Hear me!''

Unlike the Old Gods who have abandoned you, our gods are with us here today to ensure our victory!

Surrender now or face your doom!

2nd Perfected defeated
Blimm: Now?

Zinn: No, not yet.

Blimm: How about now?

Zinn: ''No! We must wait for maximum impact. We can only do this once and I have no idea how long it will last!''

Blimm: ''Could have been whole golem. Never enough time. Waste. Waste of core energies.''

Zinn: The client demanded adaptability and the client got it.

Oizys the Miserable defeated
Zinn: ''Now! Bartholos, send in your warriors!''

Zinn: ''Blimm! NOW!''

Blimm: ''Now? But you said...''

Zinn: ''Yes, and now is the time! Activate the core you imbecile!''

Talios appears
Dinas: ''That's them! Talios and his pet physician. The Mursaat leaders.''

Kill them and victory is assured!

Reward dialogue
Princess Salma: Victory is ours!

People of Kryta.

''I stand before you at both the dawn of a new age of prosperity and a return to the traditions of our ancestors. Our enemies have been dismantled, and all our years of suffering and oppression are finally over.''

It will take continued vigilance and courage to restore peace to the whole of Kryta, but we shall face our challenges as a united people.

Many have fought and bled and sacrificed so that we may see this day.

''We thank the Lionguard for their unwavering support of the people of Kryta. They shall continue, under the command of Firstwatch Sergio, in service to the city of Lion's Arch.''

''We thank the Shining Blade. They have been our truest companions and have proved themselves to be the true defenders of Kryta.''

Guided now by our loyal servant Livia, the Shining Blade will continue to serve Kryta, not as a rebel group nor as a militia, nor even as an army, but shall henceforth serve as the royal guard for all kings and queens of Kryta.

''Most of all, we thank the people of Kryta, who have endured so much with such dignity. All across Tyria, free people sing the praises of the common Krytan, and I join them in their chorus.''

''This conflict has been a difficult one, pitting brother against brother, and neighbor against neighbor. Not all who fought against us were motivated by evil, for some were deceived by the lies or cowed by the threats of the White Mantle.''

''In the spirit of the new, reborn Kryta, it is time to put those dark days behind us. Now is the time for rebuilding, not retribution. Now is the time for forgiveness, not vengeance. Let us all face this new era together, without hate in our hearts.''

In that spirit, we hereby announce the formation of a new army for the defense of the whole of Kryta and for all humans who call Kryta their home.

Honoring the winged goddess who protected us in our final battle against the fiends who had usurped our kingdom, this new group will be called the Seraph, and the valiant Bartholos shall be their commander.

''In this new army, common citizens and former members of the White Mantle and Shining Blade will serve side-by-side. You will know the Seraph by the wings that adorn their helms and shields, and by their resolute defense of our land. They shall be the protectors of Kryta.''

Know this, my countrymen: never again will we stand by while another Krytan suffers!

Never again shall we all inhuman evil to fester and grow among us!

Never again will Krytans turn their back on their heritage and their gods!

Let a new age dawn, an age of justice and peace for all Krytans!

Lawrence Crafton: Captain Greywind!

Nola Sheppard: ''Are you alright? You're bleeding! What happened to the settlers?''

Captain Greywind: ''It's fine, it's nothing serious. We had to divert east through Scoundrel's Rise and enter through Lion's Gate to avoid the White Mantle army.''

Koro Sagewind: ''Did everyone make it here safely? Where are the Captain and Lieutenant Thackeray?''

Captain Greywind: ''We found the missing family and escorted them here safely, but... Langmar and Thackeray stayed back to buy us time to escape. The last time I saw them they were leading the White Mantle army away from us. Have they not arrived here yet?''

Lawrence Crafton: ''No, we expected them to come in with you! You said they stayed behind to divert the White Mantle army? Just the two of them?''

Captain Greywind: Yes.

Dian Fermati: ''You just left them there?! What in Balthazar's blazes were you thinking?

Lawrence Crafton: ''He was thinking about the people of the settlement, Dian. He's their leader and he needs to survive if they are going to rebuild. I'm sure Captain Langmar realized this as well and sent him ahead for that reason.''

Captain Greywind: ''You know your Captain well. That's what she told me when I protested her decision.''

Dian Fermati: ''But... but that means...''

Nola Sheppard: ''No... they couldn't have been...''

Koro Sagewind: ''Stop. Don't even finish that sentence. If there's anyone who could have survived those odds, it's Langmar and Thackeray. Instead of worrying about what might have happened, we should be putting together a search party.''

Lawrence Crafton: ''Koro's right. We'll split up and cover the paths they could have taken to Lion's Arch. Nola and Dian, you two should head out of the Lion's Gate and work your way back west towards the settlement, retracing Captain Greywind's steps. Rigo and I will-''

Lawrence Crafton: Rigo, get over here!

Rigo Bolan: Yes, Sergeant?

Lawrence Crafton: ''Rigo, you and I will head through North Kryta Province and see if we can find them along that path. Koro, you stay here and treat Captain Greywind's wounds, then see if you can get the Queen to lend us some strong swimmers to help search Lesser Giant's Basin.''

Koro Sagewind: You don't think they-

Lawrence Crafton: ''Until they turn up, anything is possible. We must search the water as well as the land.''

Captain Greywind: ''I will join you in the search. This is my responsibility, too.''

Lawrence Crafton: But-

Captain Greywind: ''I won't take no for an answer, Sergeant. You're not going to defy a superior's orders, are you?''

Lawrence Crafton: ''No, sir. And thank you. But let Koro treat you first.''

Dian Fermati: You'd better still be alive out there Captain...

Nola Sheppard: Lieutenant Thackeray...