Shade Iron Attack

Difficulty:  Minimum to survive and solo with Melee D, 100+ without
Level Restriction:  80+, Must be allied with the Silyun Rebels
Timer:  ?
Can be Solo'd?  Yes
Rewards:  Whispering Blade Boots, 1.5M XP, promotion within the Whispering Blade

The Viamontians have been able to produce terrifying weapons made from an unknown material that can sever a person's connection to his lifestone, rendering him permanently dead.  If you disrupt their mining efforts, the elusive Whispering Blade might just consider you for membership into their order...

*Note!*  You must have completed the Rebel Quest Series to be able to do this quest.  If you chose to ally yourself with King Varicci, you will only be able to aide the Rossu Morta.  Be aware that completing this quest sends you irrevocably down the path toward joining the Whispering Blade.  Even the 'Plumbers' of the Loyalty Reset quest cannot undo this decision.

Step 1:  Preparation.  This quest isn't particularly long, but it does require you to visit Ayan Baqur twice.  If you don't typically live in this town, you will have to find a ride.  There is a readily tieable portal into the town in the Whispering Blade Chapterhouse (if you can find a friend who will tie and summon for you) or you can use the BSD portal device until you reach the BSD just north of Ayan.  Once you make it to town, look for Mekmet.  He lives in a tent just west of Ulgrim's bar.  Talk to him and he will ask you to raid the Viamontians' Shade Iron Mine, which is located south of town.  Buff up - you will be fighting Viamontian Knights and Mages, so Lightning weapons will be your best bet.  Bane against physical damage and protect against everything.

Step 2:  Shade Iron Mine.  When you are buffed, run to 65S 87.6W, where you will find the mine portal protected by a guard tower and a few stray guards.  Ignore them and enter the dungeon.  You have two objectives in this dungeon - find a Shade Iron Ore Hammer on the corpse of a Viamontian Ore Collector and then use that hammer on a Shade Iron Ore Deposit deeper in the dungeon.  Hugging either the right or left wall will be sufficient to get you through the dungeon to the Ore Deposits.  Be careful in the larger rooms.  Most of them have good numbers of Viamontian Mages who would love nothing more than to take potshots at you while you fight their Knight friends.  Either take out the Mages first or lure the Knights into the hallways to shield yourself from the war spells.  Keep an eye out for Ore Collectors and loot their corpses when you come across one (they live deep in the dungeon).  Once you have your hammer and find the Ore Deposit at the very end, use the hammer to obtain a sample.  When you have your sample, get out of the dungeon and head back to Mekmet in Ayan.

Step 3:  Rewards.  Mekmet will reward you with a pair of Whispering Blade Boots and 1.5M XP.  Your real reward is being allowed to apply for membership into the Whispering Blade when you hit level 100.