Fire and Pain

Overview
Summary
 * 1) Travel to Sacnoth Valley to investigate the reports of a new Charr force amassing.
 * 2) Defeat the Charr Flame Keepers.
 * 3) Locate the Charr Shaman's ceremony site.
 * 4) Destroy the Charr forces to prevent the ritual from being completed. You have 3...0 groups remaining.
 * 5) See Captain Langmar for your reward.

Obtained from
 * Gwen in the Hall of Monuments

Requirements
 * The Missing Vanguard
 * Gwen is required in your party
 * One of these: Red Iris Flower, Preserved Red Iris Flower, Tattered Girl's Cape or Broken Flute1 in your inventory

Reward
 * 15,000 XP
 * Rose Focus
 * Energy +12 (requires 9 Fast Casting)
 * Halves casting time of spells (Chance: 10%)
 * Health +30

Dialogue
 * "[Difficulty: Master] This is a memento of the past, a ghost of what I once was. You never cease to amaze me, . No matter how hard the Charr try to destroy what we have, there will always be something that survives.


 * According to the Ebon Vanguard's scouts, forces within the Charr Shaman caste have begun to move in Sacnoth Valley, trying to regroup. The rumors speak of magic once thought lost and great wrath wrought upon us. I don't want to believe that they could use the horrific power they wielded in the Searing once more... but if there's even the least bit of truth in this, we must stop them. I will not see another know the pain of my loss."


 * Accept: "History will not repeat itself."
 * Reject: "I've got my own problems, kid."

Intermediate Dialogue 1
 * Flame Keeper: ”Do you believe what the Shamans say is true?”
 * Flame Keeper: ”I know that Pyre has cast a shadow upon them. They claim that the herald of our victory will ignite the sky with a fire as fierce as our souls. It won’t be long now.”
 * Gwen: ”If what those beasts said was true... we must hurry!”

Intermediate Dialogue 2
 * Straut Flamebourne: ”For those that doubt the power we hold, burn this image into your heart as our fires raze those that would stand against us.”
 * Straut Flamebourne: ”There are only two types of creatures in this world: the Charr, and their prey. Let us show those humans where they stand!”
 * Gwen: ”The only thing you will show us is the fear in your eyes as I strike you down. I will not allow such destruction to be brought upon my home, my people... not again!”
 * Straut Flamebourne: ”Foolish little mice... such a pity that you must die before knowing the despair of seeing your people destroyed.”
 * Gwen: ”Despair? Let me teach you about despair...”

Intermediate Dialogue 3
 * Gwen: ”If those Shaman were attempting to make a show of their power, then all that they have proven is how powerless they are."
 * Gwen: ”How I long for the day when I no longer stand in the shadow of these beasts.”
 * Gwen: ”I also fight for that day. Every step in this world is one that takes us closer to that future. I hope we can see it together, friend.”

Reward Dialogue
 * ”The Charr were attempting to recreate the ritual of the Searing? Had anyone else told me, I would have not believed such a thing possible. It is well that they did not succeed, and we can hope that their vile magic died with them. If it is true that the Charr needed the Titan that once dwelt in Sacnoth Valley for their ritual, the Ebon Vanguard will see that Charr never set foot here again. You have done a great deed for us all, .”

Walkthrough
Entering the burning forest from west or the south is the shortest way. Wipe out patrolling groups first. There are three groups of Charr you have to defeat, and they start off non-aggro and clustered fairly close to one another until you reach the quest marker. Two of them are fairly easy, but the third group starts out as a lone boss named Strout Flamebourne, whom when attacked, will cause a Charr Effigy to spawn. It is advised to bring skills and spells that interrupt or slow down spellcasting; otherwise, both Strout Flamebourne and his Charr Effigy will cast Breath of Fire frequently, enough to quickly wipe your group. Both Strout Flamebourne and his Effigy have to be killed. The Charr Effigy seems to be quite difficult to kill but if Heroes are flagged in a semi-circle around him to avoid the party being wiped out by his elite skills, it is much easier to kill him.