Desert Treasure II - The Fallen Empire

01Before you start

The hardest quest in the game. Combat-heavy, travel-heavy, and worth practising the boss mechanics rather than learning them under pressure.

1. 1

   Be on Ancient Magicks with runes for Blood, Ice, Smoke and Shadow Burst. Stamina and super energy potions matter as much as combat supplies.

   • Tinderbox
   • Pestle and mortar
2. 2

   Without many teleports, the Rimmington portal on world 330 gives access to another player's house for teleports and restoration.

02The Ancient Vault

1. 1

   Go to the Ancient Vault north-east of Nardah. You must be on Ancient Magicks to open it.

2. 2

   Inspect the four statues and the plaque on the far wall, then climb down.

3. 3

   The Ancient Guardian at level 153 has 200 health split between a shield and its own. Melee is strongly preferred — the shield regenerates quickly against anything else, and it is weak to crush.

   Every five attacks the ceiling crumbles for 15 to 25 damage. Move when it does; Protect from Melee handles everything else.

03The golem puzzle

1. 1

   Call down Dr Banikan, then inspect the golem machine. It needs eight cells, found in a stack in the nearby crates.

2. 2

   Cast burst spells or better on the four totems around the western altar to activate them, then use the cells on the altar to charge them.

3. 3

   The golem puzzle allows one cell per section, one per row and one per column.

04The four medallions

1. 1

   Vardorvis, The Leviathan, Duke Sucellus and The Whisperer can be tackled in any order or in parallel.

2. 2

   Medallions cannot be banked. Return each to the Ancient Vault as soon as you have it.

   The Mysterious Figure ambushes you when returning the second and third medallions. Do not arrive at the vault with no supplies left.

3. 3

   For Vardorvis, ask Elissa north-east of the digsite about Lovakengj, which points at the Burning Man monument.

05The Stranglewood

1. 1

   The Strangled root you in place and deal continuous damage. An infection bar in the top left fills as you go; at 100 per cent you respawn at the last uninfected point.

2. 2

   Stone chests hold tatty pages. They are lore rather than requirements, but they are the best writing in the quest.

3. 3

   Defending Kasonde lasts four minutes, with the first minute to place barricades and explosives.

   The Strangled target Kasonde, not you, so death is not the risk — failing simply restarts the activity. Four of the six stone chests need a tumbler puzzle solved first.

4. 4

   Remote-detonated satchel explosives clear whole groups at once and are what make the defence comfortable.