The Warden's Keystone
From a tavern tip
A tip bought in a tavern for 45 silver.
“House Tessaly's former Warden says the vault beneath their foreclosed estate still weaves its own protective wards—powered by an ancient keystone.”
Possible rewards: Singing Shuttle Warden's Keystone
8 scenes. Choices with a requirement only appear when you meet it.
The Shuttered Terrace
Sail to The Shuttered Terrace (2–4 passages away)1 Find the foreclosed Tessaly estate and the ward-vault beneath it.
Struck from the noble peerage for unpaid debts, House Tessaly's cliffside estate stands shuttered and empty—yet beneath the garden flagstones, a powerful ward-keystone still hums steadily.
Moored at the terrace wall is an armed cutter flying the colors of House Merrow, whose debt enforcer holds a foreclosure writ for everything above ground.
Moored at the terrace wall is an armed cutter flying the colors of House Merrow, whose debt enforcer holds a foreclosure writ for everything above ground.
- Slip down the garden stairs into the underground vault.Landfall: The Tessaly Vault
- Buy an above-ground salvage writ from the debt enforcer. (40 silver)Costs 40 silverFor forty silver, the debt enforcer stamps a salvage writ for "surface fixtures and loose stores" and assigns two guards to watch your crew load.
- [Noble] Have crewmate pull rank on the debt enforcer to get a salvage writ for free.Crew: Noblecrewmate drops the private family name of the enforcer's noble patroness; intimidated, he signs the salvage writ for free and calls off his guards.−1 heat
- Leave it for now.You pull away from the shuttered terrace while its empty garden lamps burn on.
The Ward-Keystone
Right away2 Retrieve the ward-keystone from the heart of the vault.
At the center of the subterranean vault rests a loaf-sized gray keystone in an iron cradle, autonomously spinning protective ward-threads into the walls as it has for sixty years.
The former Tessaly Warden who sold you the tip is waiting for this stone at a battered frontier harbor whose defenses fail every night.
The former Tessaly Warden who sold you the tip is waiting for this stone at a battered frontier harbor whose defenses fail every night.
- Pry the keystone out of its iron cradle and take the 6 crystals in its base.As you wrench the keystone free, the estate's wards collapse and every garden lamp above goes black—though you recover six house crystals packed inside the broken iron cradle.+6 crystal
- [Stone mage] Have crewmate swap a river stone into the cradle so the estate lamps stay lit.Crew: Stone caster · Magecrewmate smoothly substitutes a charged cobble into the cradle as you lift the keystone out, keeping the garden lamps lit above so the debt enforcer suspects nothing!−20 mana (the crewmate who acted)
Surface Salvage
Right away3 Collect the surface salvage covered by your writ.
Your salvage writ covers the upper storerooms, where you find crated Ward Loom frames and twelve sacks of high-grade winter crystal—while beneath the stone floor, the deep hum of the hidden ward-keystone continues.
- Take the crated frames to upgrade your Ward Loom.Your crew install the noble house's spare frames that evening, upgrading your Ward Loom.Upgrade: Ward Loom
- Take the 12 sacks of high-grade crystal.Your crew haul twelve sacks of clear house-grade crystal aboard.+12 crystal
Confronted at the Wall
Right away4When your crew emerge with the crated keystone, House Merrow's debt enforcer is waiting at the terrace gate with his armed house cutter hovering right behind him.
"My foreclosure writ covers this entire estate," he says, eyeing your heavy crate. "Open that box and show me what you brought up from the cellar."
"My foreclosure writ covers this entire estate," he says, eyeing your heavy crate. "Open that box and show me what you brought up from the cellar."
- Refuse his inspection and fight your way past the House Merrow cutter.The enforcer steps back and signals twice with his lantern as the House Merrow cutter opens fire.+1 heatBattle: Household ship · Close rangeIf you win:+40 silver
- Bribe him 50 silver to log the crate as broken garden statuary.Costs 50 silverHe pockets the fifty silver, writes "one broken garden statue" on his inventory sheet, and holds the gate open for your crew.
- Hold up the salvage writ he signed for "fixtures and loose stores."Staring at his own signature authorizing you to remove "fixtures and loose stores," the furious enforcer is forced to let you pass—though he reports your ship to the authorities.+1 heat
- Point to the estate's garden lamps, which are all still burning brightly.Seeing the garden lamps still lit and the surface wards still humming thanks to the swapped stone, the enforcer glances at the gray rock in your crate and waves you through with an apology!
The Servants' Hatch
Right away5As your crew finish loading by lamplight, an elderly retainer wearing a faded Tessaly coat button sits down on a crate beside you.
"I served House Tessaly for forty years," he whispers. "Behind the wine racks is a hidden servants' hatch leading straight down to the keystone vault—bypassing all the vault guardians. My new Merrow employer has no idea anything exists beneath the cellar floor. Pay me thirty silver, and I'll show you down."
"I served House Tessaly for forty years," he whispers. "Behind the wine racks is a hidden servants' hatch leading straight down to the keystone vault—bypassing all the vault guardians. My new Merrow employer has no idea anything exists beneath the cellar floor. Pay me thirty silver, and I'll show you down."
- Pay the old servant 30 silver to guide you down the hidden hatch.Costs 30 silverHolding a lantern, the old servant leads you down a narrow service stair that bypasses every construct guardian and opens directly into the keystone chamber!
- [Stone mage] Have crewmate locate the hidden hatch through the flagstones without paying.Crew: Stone caster · Magecrewmate senses the hollow stairwell beneath the wine racks by touch; the old servant shrugs and stands lookout for free as you descend into the keystone chamber.−10 mana (the crewmate who acted)
- Betray the secret and tell House Merrow's debt enforcer what lies beneath the cellar floor.The debt enforcer's eyes widen; he immediately dispatches a courier for House Merrow's chief Warden and offers you a seat.+1 The Crown standing
The Living Keystone
Right away6 Decide whether to install the keystone on your ship or bring it to the frontier harbor.
Down in your hold, glowing ward-threads trail out of the keystone's crate, reaching instinctively toward your ship's Ward Loom. You can graft the ancient stone directly into your own Loom, or deliver it to the former Tessaly Warden waiting at the besieged frontier harbor.
- Install the ancient keystone permanently in your own Ward Loom.Built into your Ward Loom, the keystone weaves an extra layer of shielding around your ship—while out on the frontier, the besieged harbor waits in vain.Relic: Warden's Keystone+1 heatThe questline ends here.
- Lash the crate shut and carry the keystone to the Warden at the frontier harbor.You pack the keystone in fresh straw and set course for the besieged frontier port in the next region.
House Merrow's Reward
Right away7At dawn, House Merrow's Warden arrives with an amended court writ and hauls the ancient ward-keystone out on a cart, plunging the Tessaly terrace into darkness.
Thrilled at the promotion this find guarantees him, the debt enforcer turns to you. "House Merrow pays well for a find like this: take ninety silver in coin, or have our house loom-master fit a singing shuttle to your Ward Loom."
Thrilled at the promotion this find guarantees him, the debt enforcer turns to you. "House Merrow pays well for a find like this: take ninety silver in coin, or have our house loom-master fit a singing shuttle to your Ward Loom."
- Take the 90 silver finder's share.He pays you ninety silver in fresh House coin and commends your ship in his official report.+90 silver−1 heatThe questline ends here.
- Have Merrow's loom-master install his singing shuttle on your Ward Loom.House Merrow's master weaver replaces your old shuttle with an enchanted singing shuttle that permanently accelerates your Ward Loom.Relic: Singing ShuttleThe questline ends here.
- [Warden] Have crewmate ask what House Merrow plans to use the ancient keystone for.Crew: Warden"To keep the frost off the peaches on Lord Merrow's summer terrace," the loom-master replies casually. crewmate says nothing, but to get rid of the cold fury on crewmate's face at wasting a fortress keystone on an orchard, the nervous enforcer pays you seventy silver and throws in an official casting permit.+70 silverCasting permitThe questline ends here.
The Besieged Harbor
At a port in the next region8 Deliver the ward-keystone to Warden Marrit Sole at the frontier harbor in the next region.
At the frontier port, the harbor wards flicker weakly against the encroaching gloom. Marrit Sole, former Warden of House Tessaly, stands exhausted beneath the port beacon with a weaving shuttle in each hand.
"You actually brought it," she breathes, looking from the crate to your ship. "I know how much that keystone would strengthen your own Ward Loom—and I know how badly this harbor needs it to survive the night. The choice is yours, Captain."
"You actually brought it," she breathes, looking from the crate to your ship. "I know how much that keystone would strengthen your own Ward Loom—and I know how badly this harbor needs it to survive the night. The choice is yours, Captain."
- Give the keystone to the harbor to secure its defenses, and take her singing shuttle.She sets the keystone beneath the harbor beacon; instantly the port's wards flare bright, driving back the gloom beyond the breakwater. In gratitude, Marrit presses her own enchanted singing shuttle into your hands.The questline ends here.
- Keep the keystone and have her install it in your ship's Ward Loom.Without a word of reproach, she installs the keystone and upgrades your Ward Loom to peak power—even as the harbor's own wards flicker out behind you.The questline ends here.
- [Warden] Have crewmate help her weave the keystone into the harbor's defenses overnight.Crew: Wardencrewmate weaves alongside Marrit until dawn to anchor the keystone into the harbor's grid, earning crewmate a new spellbook and Marrit's enchanted singing shuttle while strengthening the frontier!The questline ends here.
- Leave it for now.She nods wearily and returns to weaving the flickering port wards by hand.
Data from Magehold Fairwinds v1.9.26. Spotted something out of date? Discord