Pogahn Passage (mission)

Objectives
Margrid the Sly must be in your party to enter this mission.

If your character chose to follow Master of Whispers (after the primary quest Mysterious Message) and has not yet gained Margrid, you can still enter this mission by partying with another player who can bring her. You need not have finished Master of Whispers' side of the storyline by completing the Rilohn Refuge mission.

Rescue Kormir from Gandara.
 * Escort Margrid to the Gandaran treasure vault to retrieve the Diadem of Lady Glaive.
 * Free Kormir from the Kournan prison.
 * BONUS Complete optional objectives
 * ADDED Optional: Escort the Sunspear prisoners to the prison.
 * ADDED Optional: Obtain the prison code for entry into the prison.
 * ADDED Optional: The demon is out of control! You can either help the guards or stand aside and let them fight on their own.
 * ADDED Optional: Take over gate duty for some guards

Primary
The mission succeeds when you reach the escape pier with both Kormir and Shahai the Cunning alive within 15 minutes of rescuing them. The mission fails when the party wipes, if either Kormir and Shahai dies, or if you fail to escape within the alloted 15 minutes. Margrid need not survive.

You start out in a Kournan Guardsman disguise and none of the Kournans are hostile. The "U" map shows mission flags which are the locations of mission and optional objectives.

Go to the vault (location #5 on the map) to initiate a dialogue that results in the Kournans giving you the gem that Margrid is after (there is no actual gem in your inventory).

Next you open the gate to the prison island (location #6) by talking to Prison Keeper Shelkesh. If you got the code from Kahturin (location #1, see Bonus below) and answer the password question correctly, he'll open the gate without a fight. If you did not get the gate code or if somehow you manage to answer his gate code question wrong, then he'll turn hostile, summon hostile guards that spawn, and the gate will open when he dies.

Next, free Kormir and Shahai the Cunning by defeating all the Kournans on the small island of Kormir's prison (location #7). When the last Kournan dies there is a cut scene where you learn about Kormir's condition and about Shahai, they are released, and you lose your disguise.

Once you rescue Kormir, a timer will start and all the Kournan's become hostile. You then have 15 minutes to fight your way to the end of the pier at the southwest area of the fortress (location #9), which is about double the amount of time you should need. Reach the end of the pier with Kormir and Shahai to complete the mission.

After clearing one group of Kournans after the cut scene (at the end of the long island bridge), approach the next (area #8) group staying off the stairs, but do not attack it. Another large group from further back will then run up. Back off well away from the stairs and fight the latter group by itself first, before clearing the former group.

There are many small groups of mobs in the remainder of the mission, often not linked to each other where one might expect that they would be. In particular, if you pull Guard Linko's group, you can clear it before fighting Colonel Kajo's, even though the latter will move up to Linko's spawn point when you aggro Linko.

At the end of the mission, Captain Nebo is in a group with several Kournans at the end of the pier. Four Kournan Guards are further up, and not linked to Nebo's group. If all members of Nebo's group stay back, you can pull and clear the guards first. If Nebo's group comes when you try to pull the guards, you can run away, and the guards will give up chasing, leaving you to fight Nebo's group alone.

There are many obstacles in the area, which can block a lot of attacks. Such obstacles will block Nebo's devastating Fireball, but will have no effect on his Meteor.

Bonus
The bonus is trivial. Three of the four bonuses for this mission simply involve talking to someone along your route; the 4th involves the simple dispatch of a demon likewise along your route. All the bonus objectives must be accomplished before you free Kormir since the entire city becomes hostile and nobody will talk to you.

At Location #1, obtain the prison code at the entrance of the fortress by talking to Guard Captain Kahturin. The password is 20 - 1 - 8 - 7. When the prison gate keeper Shelkesh (location 6) asks you to tell him the password, simply choose the correct answer to enter.

At location #2, talk to Captain Nahnkos and accept the charge of 3 Sunspear Prisoners, the bonus is complete when one of them gets to the prison. They become party window Allies and follow the leader for the remainder of the mission. Although one of the three is all you need to complete this bonus, you may wish to go back for any that get stuck, as they will fight with you as allies after the cutscene.

At location #3, help the guards kill the Demon Spawn.

At location #4, talk to Guard Linko in the south-southeast corner of the fortress. He complains about guard duty and you accept his request to take over his shift for him, no problem. You then continue. The displayed objective "Take over gate duty of some of the guards." is misleading, that objective is already done.

Hard mode
None of your NPC allies are very durable. Mobs will usually target Sunspear Prisoners before Kormir or Shahai the Cunning, and Kormir and Shahai are the only ones you need to keep alive. When trying to pull mobs, it helps immensely to be able to pull from flatbow range, so that your NPC allies won't get too close to mobs and then be unable to run away. This can also keep them from running up to mobs that aggro and thus grabbing an additional group.

If necessary, you can sometimes just run by Nebo's group, get Kormir and Shahai to follow, and trigger the cutscene to complete the mission as your party is in the process of wiping. Depending on how many mobs that spawn on the pier are already dead, this runs a substantial risk of either Kormir or Shahai getting body blocked and promptly dying, but offers a satisfactory chance of succeeding if you are about to run out of time.

Allies

 * 20 Sunspear Prisoner
 * 20 Sunspear Prisoner
 * 20 Shahai the Cunning
 * 20 Kormir (non-combatant)
 * 20 Sunspear Prisoner

Monsters
Demons Kournan Military
 * 20 Demon Spawn
 * 16, 20 Kournan Guard
 * 22 Kournan Elite Guard
 * 20 Guard Linko
 * 16, 20 Kournan Bowman
 * 20 Kournan Priest
 * 20 Kournan Oppressor
 * 20 Kournan Seer
 * 20 Kournan Scribe
 * 22 Kournan Elite Scribe
 * 16, 20 Kournan Phalanx
 * 22 Kournan Elite Spear
 * 20 Kournan Zealot
 * 22 Kournan Elite Zealot

Bosses - elite skill captures

 * 24 Executioner Vekil - Magehunter Strike
 * 24 Lieutenant Nali - Enchanter's Conundrum
 * 24 Captain Nebo - Master of Magic
 * 24 Colonel Kajo - Cautery Signet

Inside the mission
Margrid the Sly: ''Remember our deal, Sunspears. First we grab the Diadem of Lady Glaive. Then we rescue your precious Kormir.''

Margrid the Sly: ''The last I knew, the Kournans stored the Diadem in the vault, which is heavily guarded. I'll handle the guards when we get there. You just keep quiet and we'll be fine.''

Margrid the Sly: ''Keep your eyes open for anything that might help cover our escape while we're in the fortress. Once we break Kormir out we'll need every advantage we can get to escape from this rock.'' 

Margrid the Sly: ''You there! General Bayel sent me for the Diadem of Lady Glaive! You'd better get it quick...before he sends one of his pet demons instead.''

Vault Master Eijah: ''General Bayel sent you? It must be for that ambush he's setting up. Here is the Diadem. Make sure it doesn't fall into enemy hands!''

Margrid the Sly: ''The general will be most pleased with your quick response. We'll be sure to keep the Diadem from falling into the...wrong...hands.''

Margrid the Sly: ''The stories about Bayel must be closer to the truth than I thought if that little ruse worked so well. Let's get out of here before they get suspicious.'' 

Jailer Gahanni: ''Your time is almost up, Kormir. The executioner is on his way here to take care of you and your friend.''

Margrid the Sly: ''Looks like we're just in time. Lets [sic] move in before we're too late!'' 

Margrid the Sly: ''Let's get out of here! We have boats waiting by the dock. We just need to get to them....''

Intermediate cutscene
We're here to free you!''

Shahai the Cunning: ''Sister! You've come to rescue me!''



Margrid the Sly: ''Shahai! Um, of course! You think I would leave my sister to the Kournans?''



Kormir: ''Give me a moment. Night has fallen. At least for me.''



Kormir: ''Our hosts were... less than gracious.''

Shahai the Cunning: ''Varesh's demons blinded her. They have a taste for eyes.''

Kormir: ''I can manage. You lead. I shall follow.''

Margrid the Sly: ''Let's ditch these outfits. Now that we've sprung the prisoners, this place is going to be crawling with soldiers!''

Ending cutscene


Kormir: ''Istan? No, you need to go north, to Vabbi.''



Kormir: ''There is another way. There is a passage at the back of the Waterworks of Mahnkelon.''

Margrid the Sly: You told her about that?

Shahai the Cunning: So I took a risk.

Kormir: ''The passage leads to an old smuggler's cave. The cave will lead to Vabbi.''



Shahai the Cunning: I can get Kormir to safety.

Margrid the Sly: And I can take you to the passage, but we'll have to be quick about it!

Margrid the Sly: Very quick about it!



Bayel: What is your problem, hound?!

The Hunger: ''A prisoner has escaped. The one touched by Abaddon.''

Bayel: ''Sunspears! After them.''

The Hunger: All in good time, mortal.

Bayel: What are you waiting for?!

The Hunger: ''You misunderstand, little mortal. You are not my master.''

Bayel: ''You are charged to help me hunt these Sunspears. You will do as I say.''

The Hunger: ''I answer to my lord Abaddon. I answer to Warmarshal Varesh. I do not answer to you. Are we clear?''

Bayel: ''I am Varesh's general. You should respect...''

The Hunger: ''Varesh does not need generals anymore. She needs us. Do not make her choose.''

The Hunger: We are partners, at best, until all your Sunspears are slain.

Bayel: And then?

The Hunger: ''Then? We will renegotiate. I know where these Sunspears are going. Follow me.''

Follow-up

 * Upon completion of the mission players will find themselves in: Moddok Crevice
 * To continue the storyline, do the mission in this outpost.

Trivia

 * There are several references to Star Wars during this mission:
 * The base is nicknamed "The Moon Fortress" due to its shape, that of a crescent moon. This is probably a reference to the Death Star which was mistaken for a "small moon" by Luke Skywalker.
 * If you take Zhed, you, he, and Margrid will reenact a funny dialogue from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope before entering the fortress:
 * Zhed:You're all mad! You may be able to dress up as Kournans, two-legs. But what am I supposed to be, your mascot?
 * Player:Margrid, hand me those manacles there, will you? Okay, now I'm going to put these on you...
 * Zhed: Grrrrr ...ROOOAAAR!
 * Player: ''Okay... Margrid... You put these on him.
 * Margrid: Don't worry, Zhed. I think I know what  has in mind.
 * Also, if you take Zhed, you will tell the guards that he is being transferred from cell 1138, which is the same as the cell that Han says Chewbacca is being transferred to. In its original usage, this was also a reference to the film THX 1138, the first film made by George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars.
 * One of the options the Prison Guard gives you for the prison code is "Blue Harvest", which was the production code for Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.
 * Should you choose not to escort the Sunspear Prisoners for that part of the bonus, the dialogue for declining is, "These are not the guards you are looking for," a reference to a line spoken by Obi-Wan Kenobi.
 * The code for the prison (20-1-8-7) is Princess Leia's cell number when she is being held on the Death Star.
 * Right before the area with the demon, there are two guards talking, one being at a loss for words trying to describe how awful the gruel is with the other supplying the word he wants to use as "soylent." The latter then advises the former not to eat the cornbread. This conversation is a reference to the movie Soylent Green.
 * The reference to cornbread may also be a reference to the movie Aliens.
 * Gandara is a Portugese surname, and there are several places in Portugal that bear this name. None of them are fortresses, though.