The Dark Spiral

Difficulty:  Minimum to Survive, 150+ recommended
Level Restriction:  126+
Timer:  Unknown
Can be Solo'd?  No, too difficult
Rewards:  Shield of the Strathelar Elite, Tethana Manifesto, or Viamontian Pennant of Loyalty;  up to 35M XP

As the Viamontian, New Aluvian, and Tumerok armies converged north of Fort Tethana, the Shadows unleashed a devestating surprise attack.  A massive eruption of shadowy armor killed a good amount of the combined armies outright, but a far worse fate befell those who survived.  The darkness absorbed and subverted the survivors and added them to the Shadow forces.  Ally yourself with either Queen Elysa, the Viamontians, or the Tethana rebels and discover more about the Shadows.

Step 1:  Preparation.  This quest is far from a cakewalk.  Getting to the dungeon itself is quite dangerous and the dungeon itself is hard enough to wipe out a sizeable team.  The nearest convenient portal is probably Tethana BSD, which is readily accessible via mansion BSD portal devices.  Your team would also be well advised to bring Healer's Hearts along.  If you can't dispel VII spells, bring some dispel gems too.  Gather your team, summon Teth BSD, and then buff up.  You will be fighting Shadows, Mukkirs, and at the very end, the elusive Black Breath.  Slashing or Fire weapons are your best bet.  Bane against physical, frost and acid damage or the Mukkirs will make short work out of you. 

Step 2:  The Run.  The dungeon itself is located 15.9 N 68.7W, but it would be in your best interest to make a pitstop around 17N 68W.  Here you will find a tall tree - scan around and you will find a text on the ground.  Have everyone pick a copy up while you wait for your team to regroup.  When everyone has their book, let everyone know how to get into the dungeon.  As you look south from the book spawn point, you will see a huge blackened crater and a small mound right in the middle.  The whole area is filled with high level Shadows, so I suggest running.  The dungeon is located at the peak of the mound, but there is only one path up.  That path is located on the NW face of the mound, so you will run SW to get there.  You'll know you're in the right place when you see a pile of Tumerok corpses.  Head up the mound and make your way to the top.  Don't wait around - head right into the dungeon.

Step 3:  Dark Spiral.  The dungeon is well-named!  It's quite easy to get lost, so go slowly and be careful.  You'll be fighting Twisted Shadows most of the way (who incidentally drop gold and pyreal peas like it's going out of style), but there are some Mukkirs deeper into the spiral.  Dispel whatever debuffs you still have from the run and then make your way in.  After a few twists, you will reach a four-way intersection.  Go straight through this one and you will quickly come to another interesection, this time a Y.  Take a right.  Follow the path and shortly after you go down a ramp, you will come to a second Y.  Take a left this time.  Now you will fight through a fairly long and very twisty corridor.  Immediately after you go down a ramp, you'll see the third and final Y intersection.  Take a right.  You're almost there - no more turns!  Press on, through increasinly Mukkir-abdundant spawns and you will come to the Pit.  Have a look down and you will see one of the nastiest spawns you'll ever hope to see, complete with Mukkirs, more Twisted Shadows, and several Black Breaths.  Your best bet for survival is to designate your strongest melees and send them in.  Archers really can't do much, so have them use Healer's Hearts on the melees.  Mages should imperil.  Your melees should worry about the Mukkirs and Shadows first, as melees can't really do much against Black Breaths.  Once the spawn is about half-dead, send in your mages to nuke the Black Breaths and whatever else is left.  When there are only a couple monsters left, send in the archer reserves.  Just to the right of the middle of the pit is the spawn point of the Lore of the Dark Spiral, your goal in this dungeon.  Everyone needs a copy.  Watch for respawns as you loot the book.  When everyone has their book, get out.

Step 4:  Rewards.  You now have to decide which faction you want to aide.  If you side with the Viamontians, head to the Royal Hall of Sanamar and find Lieutenant Dialossa.  If you prefer Queen Elysa, head to Plateau Village and look for Lieutenant Allandal.  The Tethana Rebel leader is Lieutenant Durgan in Tethana.  Hand your chosen side both texts.  The one you found outisde the dungeon is worth up to 6.6M XP.  The Lore of the Dark Spiral is worth up to 28M XP as well as a bonus item.  Queen Elysa's faction will reward you with the Shield of the Strathelar Elite, which is a somewhat useless shield.  The Viamontians will give you a Viamontian Pennant, a housing item that casts a Moderate Loyalty buff that lasts for 30 minutes.  The Tethana Rebels offer a copy of the Tethana Manifesto, another housing item that casts a Moderate Willpower buff, also lasting 30 minutes.