Shadow Kresovus

Difficulty:  Minimum to survive, 180+ to solo
Level Restriction:  150+, must have done Saving Asheron and Bur Recall quests
Timer:  13 Days (?)
Can be Solo'd?  Yes
Rewards:  XP, Guardian of Linvak Tukal title, Powdered Chorizite Pea, Balor's Robe, and your choice of Lugian Relics to upgrade

We've known for some time now that the Lugian leader, Lord Kresovus, is in fact an imposter!  It's about time things change.

Step 1:  Preparation.  To do this quest, you will need to have completed two quests - Saving Asheron and Bur Recall.  It would also be a good idea for you to have done the Linvak Tukal quest and earned some of the rewards, although it's not necessary.  This quest lends itself to either a very small group (<3 people) or a solo trip if you are strong enough.  The more people you bring along, the longer the quest will be.  Expect to be able to do it in about 30 minutes alone, an hour with two people, and upwards of 2 hours with three.  You will be facing very hard-hitting hollow rock throwing Lugians, so bring good armor.  You'll also want a fire and lightning rending weapon.  When you are ready, head to Cragstone.

Step 2:  Royal Summons.  Find Oswent the Pale by the smithy in Cragstone and talk to him.  If you are properly flagged, he will give you a Royal Summons to present to the Kresovus imposter.  If he doesn't give you the summons, you will need to complete the requisite quests (or your timer isn't up).  Now head for Linvak Tukal via Yaraq.  Climb up the ramp directly ahead of you as you enter and you'll find the Kresovus imposter at the top.  Hand him the summons and he will tell you he thinks there is a spy watching him and that you should meet him in his private quarters.  Sounds like a trap to me!  Use the chest behind him and then buff up.  When you are ready, head into the main chamber and imposter Kresovus will ambush you.  Kill his friends and then break down the wall.  Go into the portal, which leads to the Trials of the Arm, Heart, and Mind.

Step 3:  Trial of the Arm.  The drop zone into the first trial is hot - kill the Virindi and Shadows.  When everything is dead, look for a white hide on an altar in the middle of the room.  Make sure you grab it.  Then proceed into the next room.  You will see a large boulder in the middle of the chamber.  If you are strong, you will be able to move it.  If not, you will have to destroy it.  Once it's gone (one way or the other), you'll find a ramp leading downward where the rock used to be.  Go down.  At the bottom of the ramp is a Lugian corpse.  Have a look - on it you will find a note and a bottle.  I would recommend grabbing both now, but you will find another bottle later and you can only pick up one per trip.  The note is just lore.  At the end of the hall past the corpse is the Kresovus Imposter.  Kill his friends then focus on him.  My experience suggests that the Imposter likes to Armor/Protect himself if he's debuffed, so I'd suggest using a Fire Render on him.  When he dies, you'll be able to enter the portal behind him.  If you are in a group, each person will need to get the kill to continue, so you will have to camp out.  Expect a 5 minute respawn.

Step 4:  Trial of the Mind.  The next trial is a fun little puzzle.  Make sure you have plenty of space in your packs before you start.  To begin, you will need to talk to the pillar in the middle of the room.  When you do so, you will have 5 minutes to successfully complete the challenge.  If you fail twice, you will be ejected.  Fortunately you will be able to run back through the first trial (although you will need to move/break the boulder).  When you talk to the pillar, several colored stones will appear on the ground to your left and three bags will appear ahead of you.  Pick up all the rocks and then move to the bags.  Hand two of your white rocks to the left bag.  Doing so will give you some new stones.  Move to the middle bag and hand it two yellow stones.  Then go to the right bag and give it two red stones.  Now go to the scale apparatus to the right of the pillar.  Hand one red, two yellow, and three white stones to the left side of the scale and then give your remaining stones (two red, two yellow) to the right side.  When you are finished, talk to the pillar and you will be flagged to proceed.  Everyone in  your group needs to complete this task to advance.  Follow the path to the end of the hall, where you will see a portal.  Use it and you will be knocked back a couple feet (you'll enter portal space briefly) and another Kresovus imposter will attack you.  Again, each person in your group will need to get the kill, but this time, you can respawn him immediately by having everyone use the portal once and making sure the person who used the portal gets the kill.  Once everyone has killed Kresovus, enter the portal for real this time.

Step 5:  Trial of the Heart.  The final trial is another puzzle, but this one's very quick and easy.  Talk to the pillar near the drop point and you will be asked to find the item in the treasure room that a Lugian should value most.  There are all sorts of nifty treasures in there, but the item you're looking for is the painting of Linvak Tukal.  Find it and use it to make your choice, then return to the pillar and talk to it again.  Again, everyone will need to complete this trial.  Go through the now opened door and you will face yet another Kresovus (who is looking increasingly like his true form).  Yet again, everyone will need to get the kill on him to proceed.  When he dies, he will drop a bottle of the same chorizite potion you found on the Lugian Scout's corpse earlier.  You will also see an Energy Prison trapping a Lugian prisoner.  Use the bottle (either the one from Kresovus or the one from the Scout) on the barrier to dispel it.  Inside is the real Lord Kresovus!  Talk to him to free him completely.  He will ask you to dispatch the imposter and then recall back to his lifestone.  Once again, everyone needs to kill the imposter and free Kresovus, so you will have to wait 5 minutes a person.  When everyone has been flagged, it's time for the final battle.

Step 6:  Shadow Kresovus.  Taking the portal at the end of the third trial will teleport you to the Shadow Kresovus's lair.  Shadow Kresovus is a rough customer.  He casts very strong magic, including Dark Lightning Bolts, Force Waves, and Heavy Lightning Rings.  He also rebuffs when imperilled or vulned, so stick with a render.  He might spawn friends too, so be careful.  If you die, you can return to the fight by using the same chest behind Kresovus's throne you used to start the quest.  When you beat Shadow Kresovus, check his corpse for a sigil.  Everyone will need one, so your group will need to camp (5 minutes a kill!).  Once everyone has their sigil, you can leave.

Step 7:  Rewards.  There are three rewards for saving Lord Kresovus.  First, go back to Linvak Tukal and return the sigil to the real Lord Kresovus.  He will reward you with a title (Guardian of Linvak Tukal), a chorizite pea, a certain percentage of your level in XP, and permission to upgrade one of the Arm, Heart, Mind items.  Those items include the Bastion of Tukal, Helm of the Crag, Crest of Kings, Sleeves of Inexhaustibility, Staff of Clarity, Spear of Purity, and Scepter of Might.  Those items function as set pieces.  If you wear two items together, they will cast Epic Coordination, Major Bow Aptitude, and Moderate Coordination on you.  If you wear three items, the spells change to Epic Coordination and Focus, Major War Aptitude, and Moderate Endurance and Self.  If you can manage to wield four together, you will get Epic Strength, Coordination, and Focus, Major Spear and Mace, and Moderate Endurance and Self.  Before you leave Linvak Tukal, show Lord Kresovus your white hide.  It's all that remains of Kresovus's pet Mattekar Balor.  Poor Balor!  Kresovus will reluctantly give you permission to turn Balor's hide into a powerful robe.  Take it to Yi Yo-Jin in Neydisa Castle and he will craft your robe.