A Gift for Althea

Overview
Summary
 * 1) Find the perfect gift for Lady Althea. It must be something beautiful.
 * 2) Give the Beautiful Feather to Captain Osric.
 * 3) Give the Beautiful Pearl to Captain Osric.
 * 4) Give the Beautiful Pendant to Captain Osric.
 * 5) Return to Captain Osric for your reward.

Obtained from
 * Captain Osric in Lakeside County (outside Ascalon City)

Requirements
 * Prophecies Pre-Searing Character
 * listening to the preliminary dialogue to its end

Reward
 * 250 XP
 * Inscribed Chakram
 * Energy +3
 * Armor +5 (while Hexed)
 * Energy +7 (while Hexed)

Preliminary Dialogue
 * Prince Rurik: "Lovely, isn't she?"
 * Captain Osric: "As lovely as the day is long. You're a lucky man, Your Highness."
 * Prince Rurik: "Aye, that I am."
 * Captain Osric: "And what of the blessed event? Have you set a date?"
 * Prince Rurik: "No, but I've got a more pressing problem, believe it or not."
 * Captain Osric: "What is it, my prince?"
 * Prince Rurik: "It's Althea's birthday tomorrow, and I haven't a gift for her. I've searched the shops, the treasure room... I need something utterly unique and breathtaking. Like Althea."
 * Captain Osric: "Don't give it another thought, Your Highness. Leave it to me."
 * Prince Rurik: "You've served me well in trying times, Osric, and for that you have my respect. If you can do this thing for me, you'll have my undying gratitude, as well."

Dialogue
 * "I have a very important mission for you, . The prince's love, Althea, will celebrate her birthday tomorrow. The prince has charged me with finding the perfect gift, one that is as unique and beautiful as Althea herself. What do you say? Can you help me?"


 * Accept: "I think I can handle that."
 * Reject: "I'd really rather not."

Reward Dialogue (Lady Althea)
 * "What's this? Does Rurik think I care one whit what gift he gives me? What matters is that a gift comes from the heart. That he choose it himself is all I ask. You can put an end to this nonsense at once. I'll have a talk with Osric and Rurik myself!"

-OR-

Intermediate Dialogue 1 (Captain Osric)
 * "Have you found the perfect gift yet? Remember: Like Lady Althea, it must be beautiful."


 * Option 1: "Give Beautiful Feather."
 * Option 2: "Give Beautiful Pearl."
 * Option 3: "Give Beautiful Pendant."

Intermediate Dialogue 2 (after giving the Beautiful Feather)
 * "This is a magnificent feather. One could probably fashion an exquisite writing quill from it, but I believe we need something a bit more regal for our Lady. Please keep looking."

Intermediate Dialogue 3 (after giving the Beautiful Pearl)
 * "A pearl? Simple, elegant... but Lady Althea must have something unique and more personal. Please keep looking."

Intermediate Dialogue 4 (after giving the Beautiful Pendant)
 * "This is a magnificent piece of jewelry, however, I believe we need something a little less... worn to present to our Lady. Please keep looking."

Reward Dialogue (Captain Osric)
 * "Wherever did you find this, ? Yes, this is the perfect gift for Althea! Prince Rurik will be delighted. I'll make sure he knows of your involvement in obtaining the one thing that is sure to please his lady."

Walkthrough
After witnessing the short talk between Prince Rurik and Osric, and obtaining the quest, there are two ways of solving it. You can go straight to Lady Athlea, informing her of the quest, and she will put an immediate end to the "gift finding", or you can complete the quest as intended. Your reward will be the same regardless, so which you choose depends purely upon whether you prefer to put together the gift for Osric to give to Rurik, or take the shortcut and tell Althea.

If you decide to complete the quest as intended, there are three items scattered about Lakeside County that have gift potential. With either of the first two gifts you bring to Osric he will agree that it is a noteworthy item, but something better must be found. On the third gift (regardless of which item it is) he will find it truly special, and congratulate you on your find.

There is no need to collect each item one at a time, you can simply go around in one circuit collecting all three items:
 * The Beautiful Pendant is found inside a chest (indicated as "C" on the map) along a path through the center of the area, near some Bandit Raiders
 * The Beautiful Feather will be lying on the ground near Alison the Tanner in Ashford Village (marked as "F" on the map)
 * The Beautiful Pearl can be "extracted" from a Beautiful Shell located near the mill area by Miller Upton beside the water (shown as "S" on the map)

Once gotten all three "beautiful" items, return to Osric (just follow the quest marker to get the most direct path, which also shown on the map) and give them to him.