Sword of the Lost Light

Difficulty:  Minimum to survive, 30+ to solo
Level Restriction:  26+ 
Timer:  7 Days
Can be Solo'd?  Yes
Rewards:  Sword of the Lost Light, Superior Shield

Every swordsman needs a SoLL.  They aren't the best item in the world, but they can be upgraded into an especially potent acid sword and they just look cool.  I have one even though I'm not a swordsman.  It's a status symbol, I suppose, because it requires a decent amount of work to get.  

This quest has 2 main parts - collecting keys and visiting the Halls of the Lost Light at 76.5S, 74.8W in the south Dires.  The first 6 keys are found in the starter towns.  

After you have collected the first 6 keys and leveled up to at least lv 26, you are ready to visit the Halls of the Lost Light.  Make sure to bring a fire weapon and as many life protects as you can.  The safest way to get there is via Carved Caves, so that will save you the trouble of making a seperate trip to pick up the last key.  Carved Caves is located near Al-Jalima.  This dungeon is going to be very easy for your group.  It is filled mostly with monougas, but also has a few rats, gromnies, and shadows at the bottom.  There really isn't a best weapon for these enemies, so choose your favorite.  I like to use slash, as it's pretty good against shadows and the other enemies.  When you're ready, head down the east passage until you reach the bottom, where you will see a large structure of rooms.  

Scroll through the opposition until you find a room on the ground floor with a few rats in it.  It should be slightly to the left of you as you enter.  Kill the rats and then open the chest they guarded.  You will find a carved key inside.  The timer on this key is fairly long, so if a group just completed the dungeon, it might not have reset yet.  Head back up the way you came to the top of the dungeon.  This time, head down the west path.  Kill the monougas and use your key on the locked door nearby.  Head on through until you find a ledge.  You will need to jump across here.  If you have very high jump skill, don't use a full power jump or you will catch your head on a ledge above you and fall into the bottom pit.  

Head to your right and kill the gromnie near you.  He is guarding another chest where you will find a small carved key.  Pick this up and head back the other direction and up a ramp.  Continue going up into you run into another locked door.  Unlock it and tap jump across the small gap into a room with a surface portal.  Don't go out!  Head down the ramp to your left instead.  You are almost done here.  There are now several shadow children and shadows guarding a few portals and a chest containing the 7th SoLL key.  Open the chest, take the key, and head out the Halls of the Lost Light portal at the bottom.  

Once you get inside, buff up your fire weapon and get your life protects on because you will be fighting all sorts of undeads, from zombies up to Lich Lords.  You will also see a granite golem, who will be annoying to you melees, since he is quite resistant to fire.  When you are ready, head to a door.  It doesn't matter which one.  Try all of your keys on it until it unlocks.  Don't worry, your keys can only be used on the correct door.  Keep unlocking doors and jumping down levels until you have used all but the Silvery, Mysterious Key.  Clear the last floor of the liches you can reach, then head for the central door, across from the exit portal.  Use your last key here and go inside.  

There are a good number of liches and Lich Lords here, so watch your health.  The Guardian of the Lost Light is here too.  He isn't really a problem because he doesn't cast.  Kill him last.  This entire room is on an especially long quest timer - around 15 min, so you will probably be here for a while.  Take the time to climb on stuff and pretend to sacrifice your fellows in the stone slab in the room.  Take plenty of pictures!

Here's a shot from my most recent GQC trip.  I seem to be the odd man out... wrong shield and an axemaster.  

The Guardian also drops the Superior Shield.  This isn't too bad a shield if you're a low level character and you don't have a Diamond Shield.  It can also be dyed, for whatever that's worth.  If you are a higher level swordsman, you should probably consider infusing your sword with the 3 fire infusions and the blood of the Hopeslayer .  

Upgrades - There are a total of five upgrades to the SoLL that you can acquire through questing.  The first three come through the Aerlinthe quest - defeating the elemental spawns in Dereth's active volcanoes provide you with the Blue, Red, and White fire infusions.  The fourth infusion is the Blood of the Hopeslayer, which can be found on his body in the Sepulcher of the Hopeslayer.  Adding that infusion turns your sword into an acid weapon.  The final upgrade is located on the Dark Isle, so you will need to be level 150+ and be flagged for Vissidal and Dark Isles.  The final infusion is located inside a Sclavus complex (thanks Asheron.info) on the western side of the island, located at 92.3N 55.5E.  Hug the left wall and you will find a key and ultimately a the locked door the key opens.  Lockpick can also open the door if you miss the key on your way down.  The final infusion, the Radiant Mana Infusion, can actually be applied to either the SoLL or the SoLH, depending on your preference.  The SoLH is significantly stronger though