Ruins of Surmia (mission)

For information on the quest Ruins of Surmia, see Ruins of Surmia (Quest).

Objectives
Rescue the soldiers taken prisoner by the Charr.
 * Safeguard Prince Rurik's life.
 * Free all the Ascalon captives.
 * Get to the Obelisks inside the ruined academy.
 * ADDED Cross the ravine and open the drawbridge for Prince Rurik and Erol.
 * BONUS Extinguish the Flame Temple by defeating the Flame Keepers.

Primary
Prince Rurik will follow the party leader. Take it as slow as possible, since he has a tendency to rush off and aggro too many enemies. This is particularly troublesome when fighting the Charr, but other groups can become overwhelming also. Eventually, after looping over the river, you will find three prison cages alongside the river (point A on the map). Each cage is guarded by a group with a boss. Make sure to clear out these groups first, as Rurik will head for the prison to open it the moment he is near it. The last prison is guarded by Devourers, so it's not as safe as it looks. Upon freeing the last group, the cut-scene is played.

A short journey later, you arrive at the drawbridge, where Rurik decides to wait with the recently-released Erol (point B on the map). To cross, you need to loop south and east, north, back west along the river under the drawbridge and then round to the right. Pull the lever to bring the bridge down.

''Note: Before approaching the lever you must go through an archway. If instead you turn right you can run up along the top of the wall that arch goes through, kill the one Charr there, and then shoot down onto the Charr on the side with the lever. From this position you can take all of them out with spells without any of them being able to target you. It might take a long time, but is fairly foolproof. If you run the mission with henchmen be sure to go all the way to the far end of the wall before shooting off your spells or the henchmen will try to run around to the other side and then bring the Charr over to you pinning you in.''

After opening the drawbridge, follow Rurik to the mages. (If you choose to do the bonus, there is a shortcut from the bonus location to the lever.)

If you close the door using the two levers after entering the final area (point D on the map), you may save some trouble. Basically, the mobs come at you in groups of 3 or 4, one group at a time. If you keep a single enemy from a group alive for a while, it will delay the arrival of the next group and allow time to heal up a bit. Finally, a group with a boss will arrive. Kill him to complete the mission. Despite the fact that Knock is supposedly Rurik's doorknob, killing every charr attacking the Academy is the only way to finish this mission.

Bonus
Just after leaving Prince Rurik at the bridge, and heading south and then east, you arrive at Breena Stavinson (point 1 on the map) who has been held prisoner in the middle of nowhere for ten years. She gives you the bonus after you free her by killing the charr boss near her. At this time, a group of Ember Bearers appears just south of you. Do not kill them yet. Follow them, taking care to stay out of aggro range, until a gate opens for them to pass through (2 on the map). Once the gate opens you can kill them. The Temple keepers are at the top of the hill inside the gate and cast Fire Storm. Kill them to complete the bonus (point 3 on the map). They can be picked off one at a time if you move to only let one into aggro. Despite their close together formation, none of them will move, even whichever you chose to fight. At the bottom of the hill, there is a second gate that leads to a shortcut to the other side of the drawbridge (point 4 on the map).

Note: If you kill the Ember Bearers too soon, all paths (View below) leading to the temple will be locked. Also, the floating "Ember" may glitch and become stuck on the terrain, leaving the temple locked as well. This can also happen if you are in front of the Ember Bearers.

In addition, if you do have to kill the Ember Bearers, you CAN actually complete the bonus. If a necro goes in with a corpse using and teleporting to skill (ie, Necrotic Traversal), you can lure the Charr at point 4 and kill them. However, this character will then be stuck there for the rest of the mission.

Also, the Charr boss near Breena Stavinson can kill her before you get to her, so make sure that you don't take too long.

NPCs

 * Human
 * 7 Ascalon Prisoner
 * 4 Breena Stavinson
 * 10 Prince Rurik
 * 7 Erol
 * 7 Flaming Scepter Mage

Monsters

 * Charr
 * 6 Charr Blade Warrior
 * 8 Charr Axe Fiend
 * 8 Charr Blade Storm
 * 8 Charr Ember Bearer
 * 6 Charr Stalker
 * 8 Charr Hunter
 * 5 Charr Martyr
 * 7 Charr Shaman
 * 6 Charr Ash Walker
 * 8 Charr Ashen Claw
 * 6 Charr Mind Spark
 * 8 Charr Chaot
 * 6 Charr Fire Caller
 * 7 Flame Keeper
 * 8 Charr Flame Wielder
 * Devourer
 * 4, 8 Carrion Devourer
 * 4, 7 Whiptail Devourer
 * 3, 8 Plague Devourer

Bosses (Skill Captures)

 * Charr
 * 9 Puugh the Slasher &rArr; Shield Stance (unavailable before Dropping Eaves quest at Ettin's Back)
 * 7 Fling Bloodpelt
 * 9 Scarr Sternclaw
 * 9 Burr Mankiller
 * 9 Scint the Malign
 * 9 Slaug Firehide
 * Devourer
 * 9 Gnash Underfoot
 * 9 Hurl Foulspine
 * 9 Fester Fang

Dialogues
Briefing from Captain Miken.

&rArr; Info from Prince Rurik at the start of the mission: "Quickly! This way! Follow me. Our countrymen suffer while we dawdle." "As a boy I spent much time in these lands. Look at them now." "Instead of ponds and streams we have pools of bubblnig tar and rivers of sludge. It saddens me to see Ascalon in ruins."

&rArr; After rescuing the first prisoners: "These men can head back to the Wall by themselves. We must continue on and release the others. There is no time to lose."

&rArr; After rescuing the second prisoners: "These men can head back to the Wall by themselves. There are still others we must free before our mission is complete. Follow me."

&rArr; At the drawbridge: "The bridge is up, but it looks as if it can be lowered from the other side. I'll wait here with Erol. You find another way across and lower the bridge for us."

&rArr; Past the drawbridge, facing a large group of Charr: "This is a fight we cannot win. we must avoid a confrontation with that group at all costs. Come with me. I grew up in this city, and I know a way around them."

&rArr; After freeing the mages: "Our only chance is to run for the obelisks in the ruins of the Royal Academy. Bring those men. I have a plan." "As a boy, I studied at this academy. It's been some time, but if you can hold off the Charr I can activate the old runes and open a gate that could save our skins."


 * "We fight once more, the battle lines are drawn. Now join the men who live to guard us all."
 * "Go and defend atop the Northern Wall. Fear not the cost, whether in blood or gold"
 * "Mourn not the lost, though they will not grow old. If here they fall, we know they shall live on,"
 * "When e'er you call or cry, For Ascalon! For Ascalon!"

&rArr; Talk to Breena Stavinson for the bonus objective: "Thank the gods you're here. I've watched this road for ten years. The beasts come by around this time with a fresh brazier of fire to take to their temple. Find the Charr Flame Corridor and destroy the Flame Keepers."

Cutscene 1
&rArr; Conversation between Prince Rurik and Erol: "Gods! How long have you been out here, man?"
 * "I don't know. Since my unit was taken at the end of the last Guild War. Since the sky rained fire and destroyed Ascalon."

"You've been here since the Searing? That's over two years! Are there others?"
 * "Yes. The remnants of my unit, the Flaming Scepter Mages."

"Soldiers who have been slaves since the end of the war?"
 * "They're being held in the ruins of the old capital, Drascir."

"Then we go to Drascir."
 * "My Lord, night is falling. If we don't head for the Wall now, we may all be captured."

"I understand the dangers, but Balthazar be damned if I allow those soldiers to remain slaves to the Charr."
 * "I can show you where they are being held."

"Very good. We head north then. To Drascir."

Cutscene 2
&rArr; Conversation between Prince Rurik, Erol and the player: "Quickly, this way."
 * "That was close!"

"Yes, closer than I'd hoped. This portal will take us to the Academy at Nolani. From there we can make it to the Wall and cross over to Rin. We should hurry though, the magical wards will hold back the Charr, but not for long."
 * "Wait, my lord. Come, look at what I have found."

"Is that...?"
 * "Yes, my prince. I believe it is the mouthpiece for the fabled horn, Stormcaller! With this weapon we could destroy the Charr once and for all. Ascalon could be saved."

"I have heard the stories of the horn's magic, but let us not be too hasty. If this is what you say it is, then we must get it to Rin. We'll see for ourselves how much power this Stormcaller has. Come. We'll take this to my father, King Adelbern. Surely he will know if discovering this weapon is our salvation...or simply too late. Either way, staying here will surely be the death of us. Quickly, through the portal!"

Follow-up

 * Upon completion of the mission players will find themselves in: Nolani Academy.
 * To continue the storyline, talk to Flaming Scepter Mage Danan.