The Embers of Avarice

Quest Overview

Embers of Averice is a Main Quest in Sands of Aura. Main Quests are not optional and may alter the primary endings of the game. Embers of Averice opens up the Flare Forge but may direct the player toward the Cinderhold if the player has yet to recruit Sir Gideon, the Enigmatic.

Location

• The Flare Forge

Quest Giver

• Sir Gideon, The Enigmatic

Prerequisites

• Armistice
• The Weight of Relief

Next Quests

• An Honored Bond

Fail Conditions

• N/A

Objectives

• Seek out Sir Gideon at the Cinderhold.
• Speak to Sir Gideon in Starspire.
• Enter the Flare Forge.
• Find and defeat the Flare Knight.

Guide

Warning: Spoiler Ahead. Read at your own risk.

Part One After speaking with Galina about healing Lawrence, Aura will emerge and warn you the elixir may not be enough to save him. She tells you of another item, a Ferrum item called the Azure Flare which she thinks may be associated with Sir Gideon, The Enigmatic. Depending on if you have completed the Armistice quest, Aura will direct you to Gideon’s location in either Starspire or The Cinderhold. Gideon can be found at the docks of Starspire near his vessel. Speaking with him reveals that the Azure Flare is located upon an island called the Flare Forge, a Ferrum stronghold protected by a powerful storm which destroys any vessel that attempts to enter. Luckly for you, Gideon has modified Greckko’s Arm so that it will negate the lightning of the storm. This allows you to dock at the Flare Forge. After docking and proceeding into the first chamber, you’ll find Cathexis, The Armor Master. He claims that the flare at the heart of the forge has grown unstable and he must extinguish it. After warning you about Flare Forge and the Ferrum which still roam the halls, Cathexis relents to your aid and tells you that if you can defeat the Flare Knight and help him extinguish the flare, he will join you in Starspire. After speaking with Cathexis, the gate in the first chamber will open and you can proceed naturally along the available path. Coming to a split in the path after climbing a set of stairs, proceed to the left until coming to the room with the large crater in it. Following the path which leads above the burning crater and toward a number of circular platforms will bring you a platform that runs along upper portions of the first room in which you met Cathexis. Following from there you will eventually come to a split where Aura will take a moment to admire a small forest within the forge. The path forward will become descending stairs which lead into a more wooded area with a few scattered mining tracks. In one corner, a couple Ferrum stand guard in front of an ornate gate while the other path will lead to a great pool of lava. There are moving platform required for progressing further. To find the correct one simply stand on the grating rightmost near where you walked onto the circular platform until a floating platform emerges from the lava flow. Doing this will eventually dump you into a great chamber with many grand Ferrum statues. Take the staircase that ascends to the upper portions of this room and jump to the right-most corner where you’ll find a path leading out into a more rocky, forested area. There you can follow a mining track which runs toward a circular platform with a menacing looking Ferrum standing on it. Step By Step Talk to Sir Gideon on Starspire and retrieve the modified Arm of Grecko Venture inside The Flare Forge Inquire the Ferrum named Cathexis about the Heart of the Forge Part Two Speaking with Pheonexis, a fellow blacksmith reveals his arrogance and confidence. He dismisses Cathexis' allegations regarding the Flare, heralding it as a Flame for a new age instead. He offers you align yourself with someone like him. After speaking with him, progress through the nearby door where you’ll see a number of flowing platforms which form a half circle in the air high above the dock. Once you progress to the center platform a magical barrier will expand with a number of crystal on it. In addition, a number of phantoms will spawn. Defeating the phantoms within the proximity of a specific crystal will cause their essence to get sucked into the nearest crystal, which in turn will rotate a section of the platform beneath you. You’ll notice that each of the sections have an illuminated portion with arrows indicating a specific direction, matching these up with the arrows on the platforms that extend on both sides will open up a door within the room and also cause an elevator to appear in the first room where you initially spoke with Cathexis. With the elevator in the central chamber, you can now take it to the upper most platform of the Flare Forge to fight and defeat the Flare Knight. Once this is done Aura will emerge and gather a portion of the flare before either Cathexis or Pleonexis depending on player choice arrive to either extinguish or bolster it respectively. There is another chest containing the other portion of Embarsarian sigil which will update the Sigils of a Forsaken Gods quest. Step By Step Make your choice between Cathexis or Pheonexis (This does not change the outcome of this The embers of Avarice quest.) Vanquish the Flare Knight Quell the threat of the Azure Flare and retrieve a portion of it's power Return to Starspire Refuge Optional Content After finding and speaking with Pleonexis, The Unbridled Flame and learning that the situation at the Flare Forge isn’t what Cathexis claims it to be. Pleonexis tells you about three mysterious fragments which reside within the Flare Forge, you may have already collected some of them. He tells you that if you bring them all to him he will forge armors greater than anything Cathexis could ever dream of. Returning to Cathexis he will apologize for deceiving you and he will explain his reasoning. He offers you a similar offer regarding the Coveted Fragments but admits his skill is less than Pleonexis. You have a choice to make. Note: This choice will not alter the outcome of the quest but the armor rewards given by Cathexis and Pleonexis differ. Finding the Coveted Fragments: After the gate in the first chamber has opened you can proceed naturally along the available path, until coming to a split in the path after climbing a set of stairs. From there proceed to the right. There you will be met with a Ferrum phantom who praises you as if you’re someone else. He will beckon you to collect an item in the back of the room and when attempting to do so, a number of hostile spirits will emerge and must be defeated. After doing so you can collect the item called the Volume of Praises. This is the first of the Coveted Fragments. After collecting the first fragment, progress naturally until there is an option of progressing up a small staircase or exploring a circular room with room with grand pillars. Exploring the room with bring you to a circular platform where more Ferrum Phantoms can be found. They speak to you as if you’re a Ferrum king and ask for your judgement regarding another Ferrum. Again, they beckon you to collect an item which upon attempting they become hostile. After their defeat you can collect the second item the Decree of Justice. This is the second of the Coveted Fragments. After completing the platforming lava section, you’ll be dumped into a grand room with many statues. Near the back of this room, a voice beckons you into a darkened room. Walking through a blackened void until will reveal another Ferrum Phantom. This one will speaks to you as if you’re about to ascend to divinity and then will ridicule you afterward. He will disintegrate and you will be able to collect the Diadem of Erudition, the third Coveted Fragment. If you give the items to Pleonexis he will create the item called the Shard of Reclaimed Sin to which when delivered to Cathexis will separate his spirit from his body and he will be destroyed. Pleonexis will then take his place and use the destroyed Ferrum to create an armor for you. If you give them to Cathexis, he will create an armor for you and Pleonexis will refuse to engage with you further.