Blacktide Den

This article is about a mission. This name is also used for an outpost and a Zaishen mission quest. For the explorable area, see Lahtenda Bog.

Blacktide Den
Campaign	Nightfall
Region	Istan
Type	Cooperative
Party size	8
Required hero	Tahlkora
Duration	Medium
Preceded by	Following the Trail
Followed by	The Iron Truth

Tahlkora insists that she overheard Varesh and General Kahyet plotting to weaken Istan. You infiltrate the corsairs to investigate these claims and make your way through the bogs to rendezvous with Kahyet and prevent a deal from going ahead.

Mission information

Requirements

• All Nightfall characters must have accepted the reward for Following the Trail.
• Tahlkora must be present in the party.

Objectives

Find General Kahyet. Prevent her from striking a deal with Ironfist, the corsair captain.

• ADDED: Eliminate Ironfist's envoy and crew.
• ADDED: Steal the corsair garb.
• ADDED: Pass through the Kournan check point.
• ADDED: Follow Captain Besuz to the meeting with Kahyet.
• ADDED: Kill Kahyet.
• *BONUS* Clear Lahtenda Bog of rinkhal monitors.
• You have [5...0] of 5 rinkhal monitors remaining.

Reward

Normal mode	Rinkhal Monitors killed	Rewards
Standard	0 - 2	1,000 XP	100	1	10
Expert's	3 - 4	1,500 XP	150	1	10
Master's	5	2,000 XP	200	1	10
Hard mode	Rinkhal Monitors killed	Rewards
Standard	0 - 2	1,000 XP	200	1	50
Expert's	3 - 4	2,000 XP	300	1	50
Master's	5	3,000 XP	500	1	50

Walkthrough

Lahtenda Bog is a maze but Captain Besuz will show you the way once you find him. Turn right at the first opportunity to find Ironfist's Envoy - kill the corsair group to take their clothes as a disguise. Head southeast until you find Captain Besuz's roadblock. Talk to the captain to continue, he will now lead you to the rendezvous point with General Kahyet. Follow him and defeat the various groups of Skale on your path. You will soon see a camp and a narrow path where a stampede of Skale will run through, use it as a choke point. As you get closer to the ruins, a group of Harpies will spawn too. Once you reach the rendezvous, General Kahyet will arrive and trigger a brief conversation; kill her to complete the mission.

Bonus

The bonus requires the party to kill 5 Rinkhal Monitors, a simple but time consuming task.

1. The first is south of Ironfist's Envoy.
2. The second is after Captain Besuz's roadblock and to the east, inside a natural cave with ancient relics.
3. The third is very close to the second, just northeast of it.

   Now return to Besuz who will wait for you to proceed. Follow him until you pass the three named corsairs and then when Besuz turns left, you turn right instead to find the last two Rinkhal Monitors.

4. On the North side of the swamp.
5. North from target 4 surrounded by Mandragor and Skale.

Finally backtrack to rejoin Besuz and finish the mission.

Skill recommendations

• Condition-removal skills since foes cause disease frequently (e.g. Extinguish). In Hard mode, the Motivation Henchman Sogolon has Cautery Signet.
• Area of effect damage is useful during the Skale stampede.

Hard mode

When you reach the Corsair camp, use the top of the hill to flag heroes/henchmen before the Skale stampede begins, this provides height advantage. The Skale mob partially separates making them easier to kill.

Alternatively it is possible to head northwest before encountering the Skale stampede, followed by heading south and carefully pulling the two separate groups apart with a long or flatbow.

NPCs

Allies

Humans (Corsairs)

• 17 (20) Congu the Red
• 15 (20) One-Eyed Rugger
• 15 (20) Corsair Raider
• 15 (20) Ironhook Hube
• 14 (20) Corsair Wizard
• 15 (20) Captain Besuz
• 16 (20) Corsair Commandant
• 15 (20) Corsair Berserker

Foes

Beasts

• 13 (24) Rinkhal Monitor

Demons (Torment creatures)

• 12 (20) Grasp of Chaos

Humans (Corsairs)

• 15 (25) Corsair Raider
• 15 (25) Corsair Bosun
• 15 (25) Corsair Blackhand
• 15 (20) Captain Besuz
• 16 (25) Corsair Cook
• 16 (25) Ironfist's Envoy

Skales

• 13 (24) Ridgeback Skale
• 4, 13 (24) Skale Blighter
• 14 (24) Frigid Skale
• 2 (22), 15 (24) Skale Lasher

Skree harpies

• 12 (24) Skree Talon
• 11 (24) Skree Hunter
• 14 (24) Skree Griffon
• 13 (24) Skree Warbler

Bosses

Humans (Corsairs)

• 18 (24) General Kahyet

Skales

• 17 (28) Boklon Blackwater
• 17 (28) Glug Klugg

Dialogue

Initial cinematic

Tahlkora: "Lyssa protect me!"

<Party leader>: "What's the matter?"

Tahlkora: "It's all... muddy!"

<Party leader>: "Do you want to turn back?

Tahlkora: "No, no! I'm sure I can manage. Kayet came this way!"

<Party leader>: "What are Kournan troops doing here?"

Kournan Captain: "Keep an eye out. The general does not want to be disturbed. Kill any trespassers on sight."

Tahlkora: "See! I told you she came this way!"

<Party leader>: "Congratulations can come later. At the moment, we have a real problem."

Intermediate dialogue

When approaching Ironfist's Envoy

Ironfist's Envoy: "Where in damnation are we? Look at the map again! Ironfist is going to have our heads if we're late to meet the Kournans."

Ironfist's Envoy: "Sunspears!?!? Take them down!"

First part of following Captain Besuz

Captain Besuz: "You're to come with me. Hurry up! I want to get out of this god accursed bog as quickly as possible."

Captain Besuz: "I was instructed to guide you, not fight for you. You're on your own."

Captain Besuz: "You're late, you know. If my soldiers were as undisciplined as you, they'd hang. Now move it!"

Captain Besuz: "Clear out these creatures. A true soldier's talents aren't meant for hunting vermin."

Captain Besuz: "I thought Ironfist was supposed to be with you. No matter. I have orders to follow. Come with me."

Captain Besuz: "Hurry up and kill these creatures. I've no interest in standing in this filthy place any longer than necessary."

One-Eyed Rugger: "Care fer a drink, friend? It'll lighten yer load, put a bounce in yer step, and make all the ugly ones pretty again. Har!"

Second part of following Captain Besuz

Captain Besuz: "This next part's a little tricky. Fortunately for you rabble, I've been stuck in this place for weeks, so I know my way around."

Corsair Commandant:^{[verification requested]} "Argh! It's a skale stampede! Run for it while ye can!"

Captain Besuz: "Looks like trouble. You know what to do."

Captain Besuz: "Stop wasting time and follow me. The general won't tolerate being made to wait."

Captain Besuz: "Go on and clear the way. I'd join in, but I don't want to ruin your fun."

Captain Besuz: "Haven't given up yet, have you? Come on then."

Captain Besuz: "You can't go a hundred paces around here without running into something that wants to eat you. Take care of them, will you?"

Captain Besuz: "I can see you enjoy killing. I expect you've sown quite a bit of chaos here in Istan."

Captain Besuz: "Don't be shy. Go on, give those monsters what for."

Captain Besuz: "You're better fighters than I expected. I'm beginning to understand why we hired you."

Captain Besuz: "I'll be right here. Let me know when the path is safe."

Captain Besuz: "It's just a thought, but those outfits of yours are so concealing, I imagine we could dress up some Kournan soldiers that way and cause some real damage. Who's to know who you really are when you're dressed like that, right?"

Captain Besuz: "We don't have a harpy problem back home, but my time here has taught me not to ignore these vicious creatures."

Captain Besuz: "It's not far now. I should warn you: the general holds some unusual religious beliefs. Don't let that concern you. You're here to serve her gold, not her god."

Captain Besuz: "This is the old Sunspear Crypt. The rendezvous is just around the bend."

Captain Besuz: "Looks like trouble. You know what to do."

Captain Besuz: "Come on. General Kahyet is just ahead."

Whenever your party leaves Captain Besuz's aggro range

Captain Besuz: "Where are you going? You need to follow me. Get moving."

When Kahyet arrives

General Kahyet: "Who are these people, Besuz? Ironfist himself was to come to discuss our master strategy against the Sunspears. I am not here to merely hand out gold to his lackeys."

Tahlkora: "Who are you calling a lackey? We're not even corsairs, you old fool. So tell me, how does admitting your treachery to disguised Sunspears fit into your big "master strategy?""

General Kahyet: "It matters not, child. Your corpses will keep my secrets."

End cinematic

<Party leader>: "The other Kournans went back to Gandara. Why did General Kahyet stay?"

Tahlkora: "Hey, she's still alive!"

General Kahyet: "Fools. You are all doomed."

<Party leader>: "Why are you here? What do you want?"

General Kahyet: "Abaddon will eat your eyes."

Tahlkora: "I don't think she's listening to you."

General Kahyet: "You cannot stop it! You will all perish! Nightfall comes!"

Tahlkora: "We won, right? She was the villain, and we killed her. It's all over, right?"

<Party leader>: "That depends on who else was involved in this."

Tahlkora: "Warmarshal Varesh."

<Party leader>: "Varesh Ossa? Is she a part of this?"

Tahlkora: "I heard the two of them talking about Abaddon earlier."

<Party leader>: "Then it's not all over. We have much more work to do."

Notes

• Non-human party members will not be disguised after killing Ironfist's Envoys, but this has no impact on mission progress.
• If you talk to One-Eyed Rugger (one of the 3 corsair NPCs), you will become drunk.
  • The warped-screen effect persists until you complete the mission; it does not contribute to the Drunkard title nor contribute towards skills that benefit from being drunk.
  • You can remove the screen-warping by disabling the "Enable post-process effects" in the options panel.
• Mapping the mission area (Lahtenda Bog) will contribute ~2.5% towards the Elona cartographer title.
• At the completion of this mission, you could have up to eight party members in Sunspear Great Hall (exceeding that outpost's normal party size); you can use this to vanquish the Plains of Jarin.
  • Your party will consist of its leader, the required hero (Tahlkora), and up to six others: players, heroes (maximum of 3 per player will be teleported), or henchmen (however, only Kihm, Herta, Sogolon, and Gehraz will show up; the other henchmen do not appear in the great hall).
  • An easier solution is to ask Dockmaster Dimedeh to teleport your party of 8 from Dajkah Inlet to Kamadan, Jewel of Istan and vanquish from there.
• Completion of this mission will fill in page #13 of the Young Heroes of Tyria storybook.

Bug. It is possible to pass through some of the Kournan Guard barriers before speaking to Captain Besuz. There is no benefit in doing so and requires more time than finishing the mission normally.

Bug. Occasionally, General Kahyet and her group will appear, but fail to turn hostile. There is no work-around; you must restart the mission.

Trivia

• For a brief period during alpha testing, this mission was known as Bayou.

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