Defense of Sslanis: Battle Sugar Cane

Quest type:	Adventure
From NPC(s):	Scale-Guard Kerrak
Required adventure school:	Any (level: 18)
Locations:	Sslanis
Previous quest(s):	Sslanis Militia: Giant Loricatus Beetle Stomp
Next quest(s):	Mementos for Fillet, The Iron Confectioner, Sslanis Militia: The Defender's Blade
View this quest in the Quest Tree

Item(s) required to start, progress or finish the quest:
Thick and Sticky Liquid, Ancient Iron Mixing Spoon

Investigate the source of the strange liquid you found and what purpose it might serve.

Quest text

Kerrak thinks you should speak with Sshranu about the liquid you found.

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Hmmm. Well, it is indeed a suspension. It is similar to the Vestia's Soothing Remedy potion, but the effects caused by these other components are unknown. Analysis of the compound itself would be required for a more complete answer. The presence of the Istarian fungus is a total mystery. Although...

It may be nothing, but several days ago Vrex was ranting about some pots being vandalized at a dig site near Dryart. Someone tore the seals off the pot lids and dumped the contents of them out. Looking for treasure, no doubt. The interesting thing is that all the smashed ones had dried Istarian fungus caps in them. Sshranu was not really paying attention at that point, sadly. Perhaps <player> could speak with Fillet directly about this matter.

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It's difficult to be sure, but the plant matter looks like juniper. Not the berries, the leaves. Very aromatic. These larger, spongy bits look like Istarian fungus caps. The liquid itself seems to be a mix of partially fermented simple syrup made from sugar cane and some kind of alchemical suspension. Sshranu may be able to determine what kind of suspension is in there. As for what it could be used for, this one could only guess.

Well, the syrup and juniper may be being used to mask the taste of something. Sand beetles love sugar cane when they can find it in the wild. They can devastate a stand in almost no time. That's why sugar cane is hard to find around here. If someone wanted sand beetles to eat something, pour some of that syrup on it and BAM! Sand beetles will be gorging themselves.

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Yes, yes, the pots. Very sad, really. The pots can be repaired, but they were intact when found! Very sad, these treasure hunters desecrating science for their own gain. What was in them? Grains, mostly wheat and some rice. The ones that were smashed held Istarian fungus caps.

Well, the humans of Mellohndar were a desert people. Cattle didn't like their environment very much. They ate a lot of fish, gruok, and sand beetle. Istarian fungus stimulates egg-laying, but the females only eat it at the beginning of mating season. The small farms near Dryart sometimes have surviving breeding records showing the fungus being used to trick female sand beetles into constantly laying eggs. It wore them out if used too much, though, so only bad farmers used it like that. Found it on a live sand beetle, eh? Well...

If this is new, someone must be harvesting large quantities of sugar cane. No, Vrex has no idea where to find sugar cane! Vrex is a Doctor of Archaeology, not a Confectioner! Fillet will know where to begin looking.

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The best source for sugar cane around here is out on the Island of the Drowned, northwest of here. Head up the coast road. About halfway to Parsinia, there is a land bridge leading to the island. The Withered Aegis have a presence on the island, so be careful. There is a tower used by confectioners there, and the sugar cane is to the west of it, near some small gardens. It's the only location in the area where one could make a large quantity of simple syrup.

This mummy's wrappings are crusted with sticky blotches of drying syrup. It was carrying a large amount of sugar cane, a mixing spoon, and a tattered book. Return to Kerrak and make your report.

Kerrak seems to have no interest in the book and the mixing spoon, but thinks it might be worth a little something to Fillet, though. He takes these items from you and dispatches a guard to deliver them to Fillet for more investigation. You should go speak with Fillet, in Sslanis, to learn more...

Kerrak cannot wait until the Imperial Readiness Office sees this report! <player> single-handedly discovered and prevented a Withered Aegis plot! During mating season, sand beetles are voracious! They would have scoured the land bare and stormed into the cities looking for food! Who needs Kendra's militia! Sslanis has <player>! Well done! Very, very well done!

Steps

• Speak to Sshranu about the unknown liquid
• Speak to Fillet about the unknown liquid
• Ask Vrex about the smashed pots at the Dryart dig site. Vrex is located at the Barricade next to the settlement of Nuthala. Follow the road northwest of Sslanis
• Ask Fillet where a large supply of sugar cane may be found
• Investigate the confectioner building on the Island of the Drowned.
  • Located at 18476/23097(map)
• Look around the sugar cane field on the Isle of the Drowned
  • Located at 18318/23197(map)
• Kill the ancient mummy and check his corpse for items
  • The Ancient Mummy is roaming a bit off the sugar field. Don't forget to loot the Ancient Iron Mixing Spoon!
• Return to Kerrak and report

Target mobs

• Ancient Mummy

Rewards

• Adventure Experience: 2000
• Money: 5s