eXputer

QuestmajorMain storyModerate

Seek Protection from the Shadow Curse

An Act Two sub-quest in which the party must find reliable protection from the Shadow Curse before travelling through the most dangerous parts of the Shadow-Cursed Lands.

RoleQuest
Statusactive
Importancemajor
RewardProtection from the Shadow Curse, with the strongest outcome granting the party the permanent Pixie Blessing.
TimeVariable; depends on the route taken and whether the party encounters Kar'niss and Dolly Thrice.
  • ActAct Two
  • Quest typeSub-quest
  • Parent questInfiltrate Moonrise Towers
  • RegionShadow-Cursed Lands
  • Primary challengeSurvive the Shadow Curse
  • Preferred protectionPixie Blessing

The source pack does not establish a fixed mission number, duration, enemy count, or numeric difficulty rating.

Key takeaways

The quest is primarily about choosing how the party will travel safely through Act Two's cursed region.

  • Protection is the real objective Progress depends on finding a method that lets the party survive the Shadow Curse rather than merely entering the region.
  • A Moonlantern is useful but limited A Moonlantern protects characters only within a restricted radius, so carrying one can constrain exploration.
  • The Pixie Blessing is the strongest outcome Freeing Dolly Thrice grants permanent protection to the entire party and removes the need to equip a Moonlantern.
  • Other Act Two events matter The Harpers, Last Light Inn, Kar'niss, and Dolly Thrice are all connected to the available protection routes.

Overview

Seek Protection from the Shadow Curse is an Act Two sub-quest about surviving the supernatural darkness covering the Shadow-Cursed Lands.

Seek Protection from the Shadow Curse begins when the party enters the Shadow-Cursed Lands or approaches the elevator in Grymforge. The quest is connected to Infiltrate Moonrise Towers and establishes the central travel problem of Act Two: ordinary exploration is not safe in a region where the Shadow Curse can rapidly overwhelm characters who lack adequate protection. The objective is therefore not simply to reach a destination, but to secure a way to move through the cursed territory without relying on short, vulnerable excursions.

The party can seek guidance from the Harpers and visit Last Light Inn while investigating the curse. A major route involves obtaining a Moonlantern by ambushing Kar'niss and his cultist convoy. A Moonlantern can protect characters within a limited radius, making it useful for immediate travel, but it is less convenient than the quest's strongest outcome because the protection is tied to the lantern rather than permanently applied to the party.

The most dependable resolution comes from freeing Dolly Thrice, the pixie trapped inside the Moonlantern. Her release grants the entire party a permanent Pixie Blessing, providing complete protection from the Shadow Curse without requiring a Moonlantern to be equipped. With that blessing secured, the party can travel through the deepest and most dangerous areas of the Shadow-Cursed Lands without the lantern's limited-radius restriction.

Where this sits

Enter the cursed regionThe quest begins on entry or through the Grymforge route.
Seek guidanceThe Harpers and Last Light Inn provide direction.
Secure protectionFind a Moonlantern or pursue the Pixie Blessing.
Travel onwardUse the protection to reach the region's deeper areas.
  1. ●Seek Protection from the Shadow CursequestCurrent quest
  2. 2Infiltrate Moonrise Towersmain-storyParent quest

This quest runs alongside the broader Act Two effort to infiltrate Moonrise Towers.

Requirements

The quest does not require a listed combat prerequisite; it starts as the party reaches the Shadow-Cursed Lands or approaches the elevator in Grymforge.

  • RequiredReach the Shadow-Cursed LandsEntering the region initiates the quest and exposes the party to the central survival problem.
  • OptionalUse the Grymforge routeApproaching the elevator in Grymforge is an alternative trigger mentioned for the quest.
  • RecommendedFind local guidanceSpeaking with the Harpers and visiting Last Light Inn can help identify a route to protection.
  • RecommendedPrepare for cursed travelThe party should avoid entering the deepest parts of the region without a reliable protection method.

Objectives

  1. Find a method to survive the Shadow Curse.Protection is needed before the party can safely explore the region's most dangerous areas.
  2. Seek help from the Harpers and Last Light Inn.These Act Two contacts provide context and direction for dealing with the curse.
  3. Obtain a Moonlantern or another form of protection.The lantern provides local safety, while the Pixie Blessing offers a more comprehensive solution.
  4. Free Dolly Thrice if pursuing the Moonlantern route.Releasing the trapped pixie grants the party permanent Pixie Blessing protection.

WalkthroughSpoilers

  1. 01

    Trigger Seek Protection from the Shadow Curse

    Enter the Shadow-Cursed Lands or approach the Grymforge elevator

    The quest begins when the party enters the Shadow-Cursed Lands or approaches the elevator in Grymforge. Treat the first moments in the region as a warning that ordinary travel is no longer safe, and avoid pushing into unexplored darkness before finding protection.

    Location: Shadow-Cursed Lands or Grymforge

    TipIf you came through Grymforge, record the elevator route as the entry point for this quest before moving deeper.

  2. 02

    Seek advice about the Shadow Curse

    Look for local guidance

    Investigate the Harpers and make your way to Last Light Inn for information about surviving the curse. This stage frames the available routes and connects the party's immediate travel needs to the wider Act Two conflict.

    Location: Last Light Inn

    Watch outDo not assume that reaching a safe settlement solves the travel problem; the deepest parts of the region still require dedicated protection.

  3. 03

    Obtain a Moonlantern

    Follow the route toward a Moonlantern

    A commonly used solution is to pursue Kar'niss and his cultist convoy. The party can ambush the convoy and obtain a Moonlantern, creating a protected area around the carried lantern for travel through cursed territory.

    Location: Shadow-Cursed Lands

    Watch outThe lantern's protection is limited to its radius, so leaving its coverage can expose characters to the curse.

  4. 04

    Determine how to release Dolly Thrice

    Inspect the Moonlantern

    The Moonlantern contains Dolly Thrice, whose presence is central to the better protection outcome. When the opportunity to interact with the trapped pixie appears, consider the permanent party-wide benefit rather than treating the lantern only as equipment.

    Location: Moonlantern

    Missable
  5. 05

    Gain the Pixie Blessing

    Free Dolly Thrice

    Release Dolly Thrice from the Moonlantern to receive the Pixie Blessing. The blessing protects the entire party from the Shadow Curse without requiring a Moonlantern to remain equipped.

    Location: Moonlantern

    Watch outThis is the quest's major outcome decision and can affect how freely the party explores the Shadow-Cursed Lands.

    Missable
  6. 06

    Use the protection method to continue Act Two

    Travel through the deeper cursed lands

    Once the party has reliable protection, continue into the regions that were too dangerous to cross safely before. The Pixie Blessing removes the lantern's radius restriction, while an ordinary Moonlantern requires the party to remain close to its light.

    Location: Shadow-Cursed Lands

    Checkpoint
  7. 07

    Proceed toward Moonrise Towers

    Continue the Moonrise Towers investigation

    With safe travel established, return to the wider objective represented by Infiltrate Moonrise Towers. The protection quest supports that investigation by allowing the party to reach locations beyond the safer outskirts of the region.

    Location: Shadow-Cursed Lands

Mission mechanics

The Shadow Curse changes the basic rules of exploration. The party needs a protection method before travelling through the region's most dangerous areas, making this quest a practical preparation objective rather than a conventional sequence of combat encounters. The quest can begin from more than one approach, so the party's route into Act Two does not determine a single mandatory opening.

Moonlantern protection is area-based: it helps only within a limited radius around the lantern. That makes positioning and travel discipline important, because characters who move outside the protected area can lose the benefit. The Pixie Blessing is more flexible because it is permanent for the entire party and does not require an item to be equipped.

The quest therefore has a meaningful quality difference between its protection outcomes. A Moonlantern is a functional interim solution, while freeing Dolly Thrice provides the broadest freedom for exploration. The sources do not establish every interaction that may alter the quest, so this page avoids treating undocumented Act Two events as guaranteed steps.

What works and what does not

Strengths

  • The Pixie Blessing protects the entire party permanently.
  • The quest gives the party a clear reason to investigate local factions and settlements.
  • Protection obtained through this quest makes the deepest parts of the Shadow-Cursed Lands safer to explore.

Weaknesses

  • A Moonlantern protects only within a limited radius.
  • The quest can be affected by other Act Two choices and encounters.
  • Entering dangerous cursed areas before securing protection can put the party at serious risk.

Best uses

  • Pursue the Dolly Thrice outcome when unrestricted exploration is more valuable than carrying a lantern.
  • Use a Moonlantern as a practical protection method while the party is still working toward a more permanent solution.
  • Visit Last Light Inn early when the party needs direction about the curse.

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

  • Keep and use a Moonlantern

    The party gains protection within the lantern's limited radius, but must remain close to it while travelling.

  • Free Dolly Thrice from the Moonlantern

    The entire party receives the permanent Pixie Blessing, providing complete protection from the Shadow Curse without equipping the lantern.

    Spoiler
  • Enter deeper cursed territory without reliable protection

    The party risks being overwhelmed by the Shadow Curse and losing the ability to travel safely.

Checklist

  • Trigger Seek Protection from the Shadow CurseEnter the Shadow-Cursed Lands or approach the elevator in Grymforge.
  • Visit Last Light InnUse the settlement as a source of guidance about the curse.
  • Speak with or investigate the HarpersThey are connected to the quest's protection route.
  • Locate Kar'niss and his cultist convoyThis is the route associated with obtaining a Moonlantern.Optional
  • Obtain a MoonlanternThe lantern provides protection within a limited radius.Optional
  • Free Dolly ThriceChoose this to pursue the permanent Pixie Blessing.Optional
  • Confirm that the party has reliable curse protectionDo this before travelling into the deepest areas of the Shadow-Cursed Lands.
  • Continue toward the Moonrise Towers investigationThe protection quest supports Infiltrate Moonrise Towers.

Failure conditions

  • Travel beyond protectionA Moonlantern protects only within a limited radius, so moving outside that area can expose the party to the Shadow Curse.
  • Enter deep cursed territory without protectionThe region's curse is deadly enough that the party should not treat unprotected exploration as a normal route.
  • Allow related Act Two events to change the available routeThe protection opportunity can be affected by other choices involving the Harpers, Last Light Inn, Kar'niss, and Dolly Thrice.

On failure

The source pack does not document exact checkpoint behavior or a complete list of quest-failure states.

RewardsSpoilers

  • Moonlantern
    Provides protection from the Shadow Curse within a limited radius when used as the party's protection method.
  • Pixie Blessing
    Freeing Dolly Thrice grants permanent protection from the Shadow Curse to the entire party without requiring a Moonlantern to be equipped.
  • Safe passage through the Shadow-Cursed Lands
    Successful completion gives the party a reliable way to travel through the region's deepest and most dangerous areas.

AftermathSpoilers

Secure the permanent blessing before exploring widely

If the party frees Dolly Thrice, the Pixie Blessing removes the need to keep a Moonlantern equipped and allows safer travel through the deepest parts of the Shadow-Cursed Lands. If the party relies on a Moonlantern instead, remember that its protection remains limited to the area around the lantern.

Trivia

  • The quest can begin through two different approaches: entering the Shadow-Cursed Lands or approaching the elevator in Grymforge.
  • The quest's strongest protection outcome comes from a character trapped inside an item rather than from the item alone.
  • The Harpers and Last Light Inn are part of the quest's information-gathering route, while Kar'niss and his convoy are tied to the Moonlantern route.

Sources

Relationships

setting

  • Shadow-Cursed LandsLocationThe quest takes place in the region covered by the Shadow Curse.

locations

  • Last Light InnGuidanceThe party can visit Last Light Inn while seeking information about protection.

characters

  • Kar'nissProtection routeKar'niss and his cultist convoy are connected to a Moonlantern route.
  • Dolly ThriceQuest targetFreeing Dolly Thrice from a Moonlantern grants the Pixie Blessing.

items

  • MoonlanternProtection itemA Moonlantern protects against the Shadow Curse within a limited radius.