Making of a Monster
 Making of a Monster | |
|---|---|
| Start | Lilian Voss [56.7, 90.6] |
| End | Lilian Voss [56.7, 90.6] |
| Level | 80 (Requires 80) |
| Category | Azj-Kahet |
| Experience | 6,100 |
| Rewards |
 [The Fallen Queen's Band]10x  [Valorstones]11  70 |
| Previous |
 [80] Lab Access |
| Next |
[80] The Queen's Chains |
Objectives
Access the Laboratory of the Grand Splicer via roof hatch, then investigate clues as to the purpose of the First Ascended.
- Air Duct accessed [62.2, 77.1]
- Convenient Grapnel used (optional) [62.3, 81.8]
- Caustic Alchemical Supplies examined [61.0, 79.0]
- Experiment Notes examined [63.4, 78.9]
- Discarded Shadecaster investigated [62.7, 79.9]
- Escape Line taken
Description
We've got a new objective: Figure out what Ansurek's plans are for this... thing.
We'll find our answers inside the laboratory of the Grand Splicer. I'd bet my blades on it.
I scouted a maintenance hatch on the roof that you can grapple up to. Y'tekhi brewed up some weird concoction that they claim will get us the proper clearance once inside. Yuck.
Meet you in there.
Rewards
You will receive:
- [The Fallen Queen's Band]
- 11 70
- 6,100 XP
- 10x [Valorstones]
Progress
I don't like this. There's something we're still missing here.
Completion
That... wasn't what I expected to find out.
<Lilian clears her throat.>
Family drama aside, whatever the old queen used to be, she'll be a big problem for us when she inevitably shows up on the battlefield.
Notes
On accept:
- Y'tekhi says: One spritz of this and no one will question that you belong in the Transformatory.
- Y'tekhi and Voss walk off.
Either walk to the Convenient Grapnel or just fly directly to the Air Duct to enter the Laboratory of the Grand Splicer in the Transformatory proper:
- Lilian Voss says: We're in. Now let's get what we came for and get out before we're caught.
- Y'tekhi says: My dear Lilian, where's the fun in that?
While inside, the adventurer is buffed with:
- Laboratory Access — Covered in secretions that give you the proper scent for accessing the Laboratory of the Grand Splicer.
To the southwest are a bunch of Caustic Alchemical Supplies on a table, with two Transformatory Drudges nearby:
- Transformatory Drudge senses your pheromones and grants you a wide berth.
- Y'tekhi says: This is a dangerously unstable formulation. Intriguing.
- Lilian Voss says: Wonder if that's what they've been feeding the monstrosity outside.
To the east are some Experiment Notes:
- Transformatory Evolutionist says: Our experiments are not for overcrawler eyes.
- Transformatory Evolutionist acknowledges your pheromones with suspicion, but relents and backs away.
- Y'tekhi says: Hmm. This experiment dates back to Neferess's reign. Ansurek's been stewing on this a long time.
- Lilian Voss says: Nefer-who?
- Y'tekhi says: Our dear departed queen. I wonder if the Weaver knew about this.
Near the giant relief on the wall that shows an old god atop a flight of stairs with its mouth at stair level and a number of nerubians walking up to stairs to be sacrifices as countless n'raqi look on is a Discarded Shadecaster. Interact with it and the Threads of Destiny animated short plays:
BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS
A spider is webbing up its prey in the foreground, before the camera's focus shifts to show Ara-Kara, City of Echoes. From off-screen, Ansurek narrates.
Ansurek: Slender is the strand that guides our destiny, known only by true sacrifice.
Ansurek: In our kingdom of Azj-Kahet, no one understood this sacrifice more than Queen Neferess... my mother.
A giant n'raqi towers of Neferess as her honor guard looks on.
Ansurek: I saw this when the Black Empire came to conscript us for their last stand at Ny'alotha.
Ansurek: My mother refused them.
With a gesture, Neferess casts a spell at the n'raqi, entrapping it, and pulling it into the circle inscribed on the ground around it.
N'raqi: For this treachery, your line will sever itself! This kingdom will wither with the waning of your will--
Neferess is holding the webs entrapping the N'raki in her pointer finger, and pulls it, snapping the web and slicing the n'raqi into pieces. Ansurek looks at her mother during this, then looks forward at the honor guard.
Ansurek: Our strength defined us that day. And in that moment, we felt destined for greatness.
The saturation fades from the image and destitute nerubians walk up to the guard, begging for alms.
Ansurek: But in the years that followed, our greatness was tarnished.
From their position on high, Neferess looks upset.
Ansurek: Look at them out there. Wretched. Starving.
Neferess: I am not immune to our people's suffering. I believe better days will come.
Ansurek: Not if you keep failing to seize the moment. What was the point of you freeing our future, only to leave us buried in the past?
Neferess sighs.
Neferess: You comprehend so little. There is much for you to learn before you can be queen.
Neferess walks away from Ansurek.
Ansurek: Mother. Mother!
In the Laboratory of the Grand Splicer, the relief on the wall shows an old god atop a flight of stairs with its mouth at stair level and a number of nerubians walking up to stairs to be sacrifices as countless n'raqi look on. Neferess walks from left to right across the room, then stops to look up at the relief, specifically at the large crystal on the right.
With another sigh, a high-pitched whine lowers to a stop as the fire in the torch in front of Neferess stops moving.
Neferess: Ansurek? Are you seeing this?
From the center of the crystal, a light appears. It expands into a void-themed portal.
Xal'atath: You have heard my voice in your dreams, Great Queen.
A hand reaches out of it, and a few flashes of Xal'atath floating above the nerubians as a savior, followed by the dagger that held her appear. Xal'atath pulls herself out of the portal, appearing as if coming out of a hole in the ground from Neferess's view. With a flash of a close-up of Xal'atath's eyes, she rapidly flies herself behind Neferess as the portal closes.
Neferess: The Harbinger.
Xal'atath: Yes, of the empire that was.
The scene cuts to imagery of N'Zoth dying in Ny'alotha, the Waking City as Xal'atath continues speaking from off-screen. Next, a close-up of hooded n'raqi walking.
Xal'atath: But the Old Gods are dead, the empire lies in ashes, and a shadow has fallen on your kingdom.
After that, the scene cuts to an outside view of Ara-Kara before focusing on Xal'atath's face.
Xal'atath: But the blood of the Old Gods... can make your people powerful again.
A shot of a nerubian with tubing hooked up to it. The next shot shows an ascended nerubian.
Xal'atath: Your reign could last for eternity.
Countless ascended copies appear behind the first before Xal'atath's vision fades, and this time the camera shows a waist-up shot of her.
Xal'atath: All you have to do is take my hand.
Xal'atath reaches out her left hand to Neferess. Neferess stares at the hand for a beat before closing her eyes.
Neferess: Your words are tempting, but the cost is too great. I would never risk my kingdom for such power.
Xal'atath's eyes shift as a sound comes from the background.
Ansurek: Mother. Who are you talking to?
Ansurek is directly behind Neferess. Neferess turns around to look at her daughter and sighs. The fire from the torch is moving again.
Neferess: Ghosts, dearest. As always, they are my ready counsel.
Ansurek: I'm not sorry for what I said. I only want our people to be great once more.
Ansurek takes a few steps and stops. Neferess closes the distance, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder.
Neferess: Greatness is fleeting. What we must do now is endure. Your time will come, child, but only when you are rea--
A thrust into Neferess's abdomen from Ansurek's dagger silences the queen. Neferess falls to the ground.
Neferess: What have you done?
The dagger clatters to the ground, Neferess's purple blood spattered on it. Ansurek looks down at her imperiously.
Ansurek: You are not the only one seeing ghosts, Mother.
Xal'atath reappears with a whoosh and places her left hand on Ansurek's right shoulder from behind. Xal'atath, smirking, pulls her face up next to Ansurek, also staring down at Neferess.}}
Xal'atath: How sad, to have a queen so wise, and yet so ignorant to the call of destiny.
Xal'atath slides over to Ansurek's left, almost draping herself over the princess. Neferess recoils in shock, blood falling from her mouth.
Neferess: You...
Ansurek: Her name is Xal'atath.
The screen fades to black.
Ansurek: You had your chance, Mother.
The screen fades back in and now Ansurek is making a speech to the nerubians.
Ansurek: With this power, Azj-Kahet is unbound.
Ascended nerubians are lined up behind her as the new honor guard.
Ansurek: We will rise. We will conquer. And together, we will finally claim our destiny!
Xal'atath: Long live Queen Ansurek.
As the camera keeps tracking away from Ansurek, the clouds in the sky part to show a gigantic Xal'atath looking down on them.
After the animated short:
- Y'tekhi says: That thing... is Neferess?
- Lilian Voss says: Y'tekhi. We should asses our options.
- Y'tekhi says: We go to her. Now.
Take the Escape Line to exit the closed room and return to the First Ascended's Prison to turn in to Voss.
Progression
- [80] Gathering Intel
- [80] A Spider's-Eye View
- [80] Creeping Through Corridors & [80] Lab Access
- [80] Making of a Monster
- [80] The Queen's Chains
- [80] Rogue Agent
- [80] Go Loud & [80] Manufactured Mutiny
- [80] News From Below
Patch changes
Patch 11.0.2 (2024-08-13): Added.