Power Forges

Difficulty:  Minimum to survive, 70+, 120+, 200+ Mage to solo (respectively)
Level Restriction:  40+, 70+, 100+
Timer:  30 Days
Can be Solo'd?  Yes
Rewards:  Ring of Shielding, Circlet of Shielding, Band of Shielding, Forge Essence (worth a writ or can be used to increase the potency of the Forge spells)

Three Power Forges opened shortly after the Burun Kukuur were defeated and 3 Lugians appeared in the Starter Towns.  They offered to use the essence of the forges to create Crafting Forges, which cast the equivalent of VIII spells on you and last for 3 minutes.  As it turns out, the 'Lugians' were not Lugians at all! 

On a side note, Fayt Xenosus and I were the first on Solclaim to complete the South Power Forge and I got the Global for creating the forges in Holtburg.  What a mixed blessing - we're responsible for making the forges, but we also gave a powerful energy source to our enemies!

Step 1:  Preparation.  First off, decide which quest you're going to do!  All three are worth a writ, but the exact ring reward depends on which Forge you visit.  All 3 rings have Moderate Magic Defense on them, but the other spells vary.  If you just want the writ or the Moderate Magic D, go to the North Forge - it's much easier!  Otherwise, you will most likely need to gather a group.  All of the dungeons have dense spawns of Virindi and their friends.  The lower two dungeons are populated primarily with Virindi, Tuskers, and Drudges, so Fire weapons are in order.  The West Forge has a variety of VoD creatures too - Carenzi, Dolls, and Rats - in addition to the Virindi, so there really isn't one best weapon.  I'd buff a Fire weapon and expect to do low damage to some of the monsters.  All three dungeons require full buffs and banes.  The Forges are located at:

North Forge - 18.4N, 22.6W (Sanai Settlement in Zaikhal)

South Forge - 82.3S, 3.9W (Lesser Direlands Portal Device)

West Forge - 21.9S, 43.8W (Malignant Tabernacle)

Step 2:  The Forges.  All 3 Forges have identical layouts.  The drop is reasonably safe, but I would buff before you start your run.  There are several ways to get to the final room - the way I go is no faster or safer, it just happens to be the way I know.  From the drop, hug the right wall and you will pass through a couple small rooms and up a ramp.  You will see another ramp to your right - continue going up!  Take your first right into a larger room and clear the spawn.  The far side of the room has an exit that leads to a series of small rooms with glowing yellow portals for floors.  Make your way north and head up another ramp.  The top of the ramp is quite dangerous!  There are many creatures at the top and more will funnel in as you attack their friends.  Press on and you will follow a linear stretch of the dungeon.  You will cross over a total of 3 bridges with windows looking down into the previous sections.  After the third bridge, you will come to a large room with two exits on the north wall.  Take the first exit and continue north, ignoring the spur to the NW.  You will quickly come to another large room - clear the spawn and then take either of the ramps leading up.  Both lead up to the final series of rooms.  Here you will find a ton of monsters protecting the Western Overseer.  Kill them if you have a large group or lure the Overseer away from his pals if you have a smaller group.  The Overseer himself has good magic defense and is a potent spellcaster, so be careful.  Mages should use Singularity Wands!  When he dies, start looting.  Each Overseer drops 3 Forge Essences and 3 rings, so you will have to kill him more than once.  It is entirely possible that more than one Overseer spawns at the same time, but in any case, he is on a fast spawn timer so you will not be waiting long.

Step 3:  Rewards.  You have a choice to make with your Forge Essence.  You can turn it in to any Agent of the Arcanum for a writ or you can hand it to any of the Crafting Forges in the Starter Towns.  If you do, you will receive a small XP reward (capping out at 3M or so).  The real reward is that the spells the Forges cast on you will last longer - up to 6 minutes.  Each of the Rings cast Moderate Magic Defense and some level Magic Resistance and Blade Protection spell.  The Band of Shielding also casts Fire Protection VI, making it a very valuable item for anyone with arcane lore.