"Where's Balthazar"
"Where's Balthazar?"
- Year
- 1330 AE
- Storyline
- Living World Season 3
- Chapter
- One Path Ends
- Location
- Royal Palace
(Divinity's Reach)
The Wendon Steps
(Brisban Wildlands)
White Mantle Hideout
(Maguuma Jungle) - Level
- 80
- Preceded by
- Heart of the Volcano
- Followed by
- Shining Blade Secrets
- API
- 469
First instance: "Palace Temple" Second instance: "White Mantle Hideout" |
"Where's Balthazar?" is the first part of One Path Ends.
Objectives[edit]
Begin the search for Balthazar in the Divinity's Reach palace temple.
- Speak with the priest of Balthazar.
- Follow Anise.
- Have a private talk with Anise.
Rendezvous with the Shining Blade exemplar.
- Find the entrance to the White Mantle hideout in Brisban Wildlands.
Follow in the exemplar's wake.
- Enter the cave that leads to the White Mantle Hideout.
- Find a way out of the cavern below the hideout.
Search the White Mantle stronghold.
- Locate Anise's Shining Blade exemplar.
- Escape the bloodstone trap.
- Locate Anise's Shining Blade exemplar.
- Free the Shining Blade exemplar from the bloodstone trap.
Destroy the bloodstone shards.
- Destroy the first of the remaining shards.
- Protect the Shining Blade exemplar while she unlocks the door.
- Destroy the shard and its guardians.
- Destroy the last shard and its guardians.
Find the aspect.
- Kill Justiciar Araya and retrieve the aspect of Lazarus.
- Retrieve Lazarus's aspect.
Rewards[edit]
- Pile of Bloodstone Dust (5)
- Gilded Strongbox
- Swig of Liquid Karma
- Pamphlet of Wisdom (2)
- Bag of Loot (5)
Walkthrough[edit]
Enter the instance in Divinity's Reach, listen to Anise, and then travel to Wendon Waypoint — in Brisban Wildlands.
[edit]
As hinted by your character, there are two methods of reaching the top of the cavern: climbing (that is, completing a jumping puzzle), or using bouncing mushrooms. There are a variety of mushrooms scattered about the cavern, and not all of them will take you in the right direction. Refer to the images below for a guide to the correct mushrooms.
Shining Blade Exemplar[edit]
To free the Shining Blade Exemplar from the bloodstone trap, you need to turn off all the glyphs by hitting them with a bloodstone shard. Whenever you hit a glyph, it will turn off if it is on, and turn on if it is off. The shard will also hit the two closest other glyphs, turning them on or off.
Solution to first puzzle, resulting in all glyphs being switched off:
- Interact with the west glyph.
- Interact with the north glyph.
- Interact with the northeast glyph.
- Interact with the east glyph
Note that the Exemplar can also be freed by switching all of the glyphs on - see the relevant achievement notes below for the solution to switch all the glyphs on.
Bloodstone Shard[edit]
After freeing the Exemplar, there will be two rooms with Bloodstone Shards. In order to clear them you must eliminate all White Mantle foes as well as destroying the Bloodstone Shard. In order to damage the shard you will need to eliminate the Bloodstone Protector first to remove the protective dome around it. In the second room if you have ranged weapons, it is possible to destroy the bloodstone without killing the Protector first by kiting the Protector a good distance away from the Bloodstone, as it will remove the barrier and the Bloodstone Shard can be destroyed, though all of the remaining foes will still need to be cleared in order to progress the story.
Justiciar Araya[edit]
Justiciar Araya is protected by a bloodstone barrier puzzle. The puzzle cannot be solved until you destroy the two bloodstone shards to her sides. Each shard is guarded by a Bloodstone Protector and cannot be damaged while the Protectors are up. Bloodstones will be hurled at you, exploding and spawning Volatile Bloodstone Elementals. These elementals drop unstable bloodstone fragments which you can use to instantly break the defiance bar of the protectors, stunning and knocking them down.
Once both Protectors are defeated and the shards are destroyed, you must solve the puzzle in order to fight Justiciar Araya. The Justiciar can be stripped of her protective barrier either by turning all of the glyphs off or on. The puzzle's pattern is the same as the Exemplar's but rotated. A possible solution is presented below.
Solution to second puzzle:
- Interact with the south glyph.
- Interact with the west glyph.
- Interact with the northwest glyph.
- Interact with the north glyph
During the fight, Justiciar Araya uses the Legendary Bandit Executioner's Sword of Vengeance attack while Volatile Bloodstone Elementals explode and spawn near the player. Even if her break bar is locked, she can be knocked down using unstable bloodstone fragments or Return to Sender if Counter Magic is used to catch Sword of Vengeance. At certain points in the fight, she will retreat to the center bloodstone shard and attempt to summon a Bloodstone Elemental Mauler. Breaking her defiance bar will prevent this, hitting her with bloodstone shard if there are any around is a quick way to break her defiance bar.
Achievements[edit]
Graffiti Artist | One Path Ends | 1 |
---|---|---|
Destroy a statue in the hideout.Story Instance: "Where's Balthazar?" "Don't you think it would look better like this?" |
Destroyed a Statue in the White Mantle Hideout | 1 |
- Destroy any one statue to earn this achievement. (See also: Art Critic, below)
Art Critic | One Path Ends | 3 |
---|---|---|
Destroy all statues in the hideout.Story Instance: "Where's Balthazar?" "I may not know art, but I know what I dislike." |
Destroyed All Statues in the White Mantle Hideout | 3 |
- Can be completed after the final fight.
- There are 17 statues of White Mantle confessors in White Mantle Attire holding a sword located throughout the hideout. The statues cannot be targeted, nor have any overhead icon, but attacks landing on them will deal damage. It doesn't take much damage to destroy a statue, though standing under one as it crumbles will damage you.
- One is just before you enter the room filled with bodies—on the right.
- One is in the room filled with bodies—on the left wall.
- Four are in the initial room where the Exemplar is trapped.
- Three are in the room with the first Bloodstone Shard—Two near the doors and one in the southeast corner.
- Three are in the room with the second bloodstone shard—Two in the entry-way and one behind the bloodstone shard itself.
- One is in the small White Mantle camp—along the far western wall.
- Four are in the room with Araya.
- Previously only 16 statues were listed out of the 17, if you failed to complete this beforehand, you likely missed the second statue.
Block the Shock | One Path Ends | 3 |
---|---|---|
Kill Justiciar Araya without letting her summon any unstable elementals.Story Instance: "Where's Balthazar?" "No elementals for you!" |
Prevented White Mantle Protector from Summoning Unstable Elementals | 3 |
- Justiciar Araya will attempt to summon a Bloodstone Elemental Mauler upon her health dropping to 75%, 50%, and 25%. Break her defiance bar to interrupt her; throwing an Unstable Bloodstone Fragment will instantly break her defiance bar. As other control effects do much less damage to her break bar, using fragments is recommended.
- Achievement qualification may be tracked via the Block the Shock effect.
King Crab | One Path Ends | 2 |
---|---|---|
Kill the king crab in the cave.Story Instance: "Where's Balthazar?" Snap, snap! |
Killed the King Crab | 2 |
- Primary article: King Crab (White Mantle Hideout)
- The King Crab will randomly spawn in one of two locations in the starting cavern: in an underwater cave at the north side of the lake, or in a niche behind one of the eastern waterfalls (right next to the third mushroom).
Not on My Watch | One Path Ends | 2 |
---|---|---|
Kill the White Mantle guarding the second crystal shard without letting them call reinforcements.Story Instance: "Where's Balthazar?" "Your friends aren't coming." |
Prevented the White Mantle Guards from Calling Reinforcements | 2 |
- In the room with the second Bloodstone Shard, one White Mantle Initiate will try to run off to the west into an area where several tents and White Mantle Initiates are located. Kill him before he reaches that room.
- Achievement qualification may be tracked via the Not on My Watch effect.
Cleaning Up the Mess | One Path Ends | 3 |
---|---|---|
Kill the White Mantle reinforcements after preventing them from being called.Story Instance: "Where's Balthazar?" "Here I come!" |
Killed the White Mantle Reinforcements | 3 |
- Kill the White Mantle Initiates in the room west of where the second Bloodstone Shard was. You will not get the achievement if you failed to kill the White Mantle Initiate who tried to escape earlier in time.
- Achievement qualification may be tracked via the Cleaning Up the Mess effect.
With Friends Like These... | One Path Ends | 1 |
---|---|---|
Activate all the runes around the exemplar while she's trapped in the White Mantle hideout.Look what I can do! | Activated All the Runes Around the Exemplar's Trap | 1 |
- Instead of turning the glyphs off when encountering the Shining Blade Exemplar, turn them all on, overloading the bloodstone shields and shocking her.
Solution to first puzzle, resulting in all glyphs being switched on:
- Interact with the northwest glyph.
- Interact with the southwest glyph.
- Interact with the south glyph.
- Interact with the southeast glyph
Into the Mind of Madness | One Path Ends | 3 |
---|---|---|
Find all the Araya documents.Story Instance: "Where's Balthazar?"
|
Collected 6 Documents | 3 |
- Primary article: Into the Mind of Madness
Return to White Mantle Hideout | Return to One Path Ends | 0 |
---|---|---|
Complete the mission White Mantle Hideout in Living World Season 3 Episode 6.
|
Completed White Mantle Hideout | 0 |
NPCs[edit]
Allies[edit]
- Taimi (voice only)
Palace Temple[edit]
- Citizen
- Countess Anise
- Follower of Dwayna
- Priest of Balthazar
- Priest of Grenth
- Priest of Dwayna
- Priestess of Lyssa
- Priestess of Kormir
- Priestess of Melandru
- Valette the Treasonous
- Seraph Soldier
- Villager
White Mantle Hideout[edit]
- Humans
Foes[edit]
White Mantle Hideout[edit]
- Bloodstone Protector
- Volatile Bloodstone Elemental
- Bloodstone Elemental Mauler (if successfully summoned)
Objects[edit]
Dialogue[edit]
- Taimi: Commander, come in. Hello, how are you? Good, good. Me? Great, thanks for asking.
- Taimi: Now that we've got the pleasantries out of the way... WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH BALTHAZAR?
- <Character name>: No news yet, but...I had a thought. I'm going to talk to a priest of Balthazar in Divinity's Reach.
- Taimi: Excellent logic! Been digging into the human gods since the Balthazar incident. That's some weird stuff.
- If human:
- Taimi: Since you're from there, I'm guessing you have some sway. Besides, those Reachers owe you big-time! You saved the city!
- Otherwise:
- Taimi: But! The highest ranked priests are in the palace temple. And those Reachers owe you big-time! You saved the city!
- <Character name>: (chuckle) The queen and Logan helped a little. Signing off, Taimi. Talk soon.
At the Palace Temple[edit]
- Entering the Shrine of the Six
- Countess Anise: Your people are inciting brawls all over the city!
- Priest of Balthazar: (laugh) They're full of fire and battle fury. Our god is back!
- Countess Anise: Well, the Ministry Guard is dousing them. Talk to Legate Minister Wi about their bail.
- Approaching Anise and the priest
- Priest of Balthazar: Not to interrupt your riveting reproach, but look who it is. Care to spar, Commander? I'm itching for a worthy opponent.
- Countess Anise: You know the rules. No fighting in the palace. Don't make me arrest you too.
- <Character name>: I need to ask you something, Priest. Where's Balthazar, and what's he up to?
- Priest of Balthazar: If I knew, do you think I'd be here? (laugh) No! I'd be out there with him, drenched in my enemy's blood!
- If human:
- <Character name>: I hate to flirt with blasphemy, but Balthazar has changed. We're all expendable to him.
- Otherwise:
- Priest of Balthazar: Pfft, he's the god of war! I don't worship him because he loves puppies.
- Countess Anise: Commander, don't bother reasoning with him—he's drunk on faith. The only reason he understands is delivered by a fist.
- Priest of Balthazar: I bet you'd give me a run for my money, Countess.
- Countess Anise: No sparring on palace grounds!
- Priest of Balthazar: (chicken sounds)
- Countess Anise: (sigh) Come with me, Commander. We need to talk—in private.
- <Character name>: Make it quick. I have to find Balthazar.
- Countess Anise: Kasmeer told me.
- Countess Anise: She stopped by before going into seclusion for...contemplation. For now I can help you.
- Talking to Anise in private
- If human:
- Countess Anise: So, Balthazar. You realize what this means?
- Otherwise:
- Countess Anise: So, Balthazar. You realize what this means to our people?
- <Character name>: I know. It's life-changing for many. But I think he's up to no good, and I've got to find him.
- Countess Anise: I have a lead for you. The Eye of Janthir has been on the move, tracking aspects of Lazarus, looking for its masters.
- Countess Anise: I know where the Eye is.
- <Character name>: Shocking. But how does that help me?
- Countess Anise: Our White Mantle prisoners have led us to believe that Balthazar has an aspect.
- <Character name>: Wait—if he's got an aspect, then... That means the Eye could lead me straight to him.
- Countess Anise: Have I mentioned that smart looks good on you? You should wear that more often.
- <Character name>: I bring it out for special occasions. Now, where's the Eye?
- Countess Anise: One of my exemplars is following it. Last I heard, to a Mantle hideout in a cave, somewhere in northern Brisban.
- <Character name>: Last you heard?
- Countess Anise: She's been out of touch. She insisted on pursing the mission alone. Frankly, I'm worried about her.
- <Character name>: Worried looks good on you.
- Countess Anise: Find her for me, and you will find the trail of the Eye. You'd be doing me a favor, but it's also in your best interest.
- Getting near the Priest of Balthazar
- Priest of Balthazar: (chicken sounds)
- Leaving the Priest of Balthazar
- Priest of Balthazar: Next time! How about you, Priestess? Spar?
- Priestess of Lyssa: Buzz off.
- Talking to the Citizen
- Commander, I heard you were there when Balthazar arrived. What an honor! Of course, it had to be you.
- The news spread quickly. How's everyone reacting to it?
- There are mixed reactions, but no one is ambivalent. I have so many questions! Like, I thought we couldn't look directly at the gods, our eyes would melt or some such?
- That's no longer the case. His magic was...dampened. I don't know how.
- And you're sure it was him? It wasn't an avatar? I've always believed they spoke to our ancestors through avatars because of eye melting.
- I'm sure. It was no avatar. He's flesh and blood, in Tyria.
- Why is he here? Why now? Did he tell you what he wants us to do?
- That's what I'm trying to find out. Have you heard where he is?
- No. I don't know. Do you think the other gods are coming too? Have you seen any sign of that?
- No, I haven't seen any sign of the others. I need to go.
- Talking to Valette the Treasonous
- Everyone's talking about what you did for us during the siege.
- We were lucky. It could have gone very differently.
- Yes, I feel fortunate. Countess Anise has given me the opportunity to make up for my treason.
- The countess can teach you a great deal.
- I made a huge mistake trusting Caudecus. It's a mistake I'll never make again.
- How are your parents?
- Well. The queen gave Father Caudecus's old job. He's now legate minister. We're all very proud of him.
- You wouldn't happen to know what the Eye of Janthir is, would you?
- Sure. I love history. It was a big floating eye that saw into your soul. Unfortunately, it worked for the White Mantle. They used it to identify gifted individuals so they could sacrifice them.
- It's still around?
- I don't know. Why do you ask? Did Anise say something about it?
- I'd better go. Take care, Valette.
- Give him my regards, if you would.
- Ambient dialogue of villagers in the center
- Villager (male): Where were you when you heard the news?
- Villager (female): I'll never forget. I was mucking out the barn, and I heard shouting. I'll never swing a pitchfork again!
- Villager (male): Except as a weapon!
- (pause)
- Villager (male): C'mon, let's go a round. I need to work up an appetite.
- Villager (female): You challenging me?
- Villager (male): Yes. Yes, I am!
- Priestess of Melandru: Take it outside, you mongrels! This is a place of worship!
- Villager (female): Hey. Don't you have flower petals to pluck or something priestess? This is how we worship!
- Villager (male): She's just jealous. Let's go find some open grass.
- Villager (female): Cobblestone. Hurts more when you fall.
- Villager (male): Good thinking!
- (They both run outside)
- Ambient dialoge between two citizens in the northern corner (repeats)
- Citizen (female): Do you think he'll come here?
- Citizen (male): I hope so. Wouldn't that be something? Just knowing he really exists... My life will never be the same.
White Mantle Hideout instance[edit]
- Entering the hideout
- <Character name>: Of course. Why put your hideout somewhere easy when you can put it up there? Guess I'm climbing or using mushrooms.
- Getting trapped inside the compound by a bloodstone trap
- <Character name>: (grunt) What sort of trap is this?
- Entering the hideaout
- White Mantle Initiate: The Blade sent reinforcements! Kill them!
- Entering the room with the trapped exemplar
- <Character name>: Nothing like a trail of bodies to lead you to your quarry.
- Approaching the trapped Shining Blade Exemplar
- <Character name>: Well, well, what have we here? Need some help?
- Shining Blade Exemplar: As long as you're here. Commander.
- <Character name>: You know who I am.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Everyone knows who you are. You notice those glyphs? They seem to react to bloodstone.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Conveniently, they have stockpiles of it here. Are you going to get me out, or must I do everything myself?
- Shining Blade Exemplar: I've seen traps like this. You have to neutralize the glyphs with that bloodstone.
- Upon throwing the first shard
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Anise sent you, did she? She's such a worrywart.
- <Character name>: I need to find the Eye. She said you were tracking it.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Oh, she did? She's crafty, that one. Throwing us together like two paupers in a coffin.
- If taking a while on the puzzle
- Shining Blade Exemplar: So, what brings you to this neck of the woods?
- <Character name>: Well, I was looking for you.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Ahhh. Well, I trust I won't disappoint.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Is this how you handled killing Mordremoth?
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Let me know if you need some help.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Wouldn't it be hilarious if you were outsmarted by a stupid puzzle? (chuckle)
- Activating all runes to complete the puzzle
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Nnnnngah! For K-Kryta...
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Ugh. That's one way to get it open. Definitely not the best way.
- After disarming the trap
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Okay, it's been fun. I can brag that I fought beside the world-famous dragon slayer. But now it's over. Off you go.
- <Character name>: You can't get rid of me that easy.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Oh, all right. If you insist. We should split up. You can have the big burly door, I'll take the small one.
- <Character name>: No, we should stick together. For safety.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Yours, or mine? (chuckle) Fine. Small door first then. But I'm in charge. You take point.
- At the western door
- Shining Blade Exemplar: This door's warded. Stand back—I'll get it.
- <Character name>: So why are you following the Eye?
- Shining Blade Exemplar: It's a hobby. I'm a collector of...mursaat memorabilia. Aspects of Lazarus, to be specific.
- As the first group of White Mantle approach
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Oh, hang me! That sound never bodes well.
- White Mantle Initiate: They do not belong here! Stop them!
- When the second group of White Mantle come
- Shining Blade Exemplar: ♪No more to tame the wind and rain, the skies to swallow whole.♪
- White Mantle Initiate: Drop them before they get through the door!
- Shining Blade Exemplar: ♪She flies no more in glinting beam and leaves a hollow hole.♪
- Shining Blade Exemplar: ♪Alas, her magic strewn in sand. Alas, her soul undone. ♪
- Shining Blade Exemplar: It's all about finesse.
- When all White Mantle are defeated
- Shining Blade Exemplar: I got it. How about you? Enjoying your break?
- As the Bloodstone shard is destroyed
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Onward, my dear. The fate of Kryta is in our hands!
- <Character name>: Hold on. So you're collecting aspects of Lazarus? What do you plan to do with them?
- Shining Blade Exemplar: That's classified, civilian.
- <Character name>: You could have just said you were locking them up somewhere safe. Now I'm even more curious.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Curiosity killed the commander. There's one shard left—let's keep moving.
- At the large gate in the south
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Hm. This one looks a little more complex than the last. Hope you brought a book.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: I'm better at this than I thought. Let's go.
- Entering the room
- White Mantle Initiate: Outsiders! Protect the package!
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Stop him before he calls for reinforcements!
- As the second shard is destroyed
- Shining Blade Exemplar: The barrier is down! Go!
- Encountering Justiciar Araya in the northern room
- Justiciar Araya: You will not pass! This is the legacy of the White Mantle!
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Don't be silly; your only legacy is blood and suffering.
- <Character name>: Before we deal with her, we need to take down these barriers!
- Shining Blade Exemplar: It will be my pleasure.
- After destroying outer barrier by destroying the shards
- Justiciar Araya: Thieves! The mursaat are gods—how dare you!
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Oh, I dare. Believe me. I dare. Your false gods are destined to die.
- After destroying the inner barrier through the puzzle
- Justiciar Araya: I'll drown you in your own blood!
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Oh, gods! There's never a silencing hex around when you need one.
- Whenever Justiciar Araya starts casting
- Justiciar Araya: Rise! Rise and protect me!
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Stop her! Before she finishes the spell!
- If Justiciar Araya finishes casting
- Justiciar Araya: Grant me victory over these infidels!
- <Character name>: Denied!
- When Justiciar Araya is defeated
- Shining Blade Exemplar: So...
- <Character name>: I'm starting to think you enjoy these traps.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: It's a chance for me to sit back and watch you work your magic.
- <Character name>: Let's make this quick. The Eye is on the move, and we need to find it again.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Why? Why do you care?
- <Character name>: It's classified.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: I deserved that.
- <Character name>: You tell me your plans, and I'll tell you mine.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: Honestly, I can't. I took a sacred oath, cross my heart and hope to die. And I would die.
- <Character name>: If I swear not to tell anyone? Cross my heart.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: The oath we take is far more intense and binding—not something you seal with a pinky swear.
- <Character name>: We'll see what Anise has to say about that.
- Retrieving the Lazarus's aspect
- Shining Blade Exemplar: She can't tell you either. But I'm off to HQ to gather intel on the Eye's movements. You may as well come along.
- <Character name>: Where is it? I usually meet Anise in the palace.
- Shining Blade Exemplar: I'll show you. Meet me in the Reach mausoleum. It's perfect for a secret rendezvous. The spectators are all dead.
Into the Mind of Madness achievement[edit]
- Interacting with the letter underwater for Water-Damaged Letter
- <Character name>: Irenali, I am coming home. Tomorrow I'll make my escape. You must meet me at our spot. Araya has lost it. I plan to destroy all her precious statues before I leave. I can't stand them.
- I wonder if he got away.
- Interacting with the fallen agent for Initiate's Journal
- <Character name>: Only the last entry in this journal is legible, written by a Mantle agent. He mentions his boss; how she dropped the ball on a given task, then scapegoated him and his company for it.
- Things were falling apart.
- Interacting with the fallen agent for Torn Letter
- <Character name>: Dear Mother, I'm dying. I write to say I love you and that I know I should have listened to you. I was not cut out for the White Mantle. My folly has been my demise. Don't forget me.
- Good to know some of them had regrets.
- Interacting with the scroll for Inventory Sheet
- <Character name>: This sheet of parchment has a handwritten inventory of barrels, crates, and bloodstone fragments. Scrawled across it in a different hand is "She's going to get us all killed!"
- Something's not right here.
- Interacting with the scroll for Burned Letter
- <Character name>: This scorched parchment reveals that Araya has begun consuming bloodstone to maintain control of her squads. As the White Mantle crashes down around her, she'll do anything to hold on to her authority.
- Power corrupts.
- Interacting with the scroll for Araya's Journal
- <Character name>: This journal belongs to a Mantle leader, the youngest ever promoted to her rank. From it, you learn she relied too much on bloodstone shards, and at the end, she's unhinged, physically and mentally.
- Interesting being a witness to the fall of the White Mantle.
My story[edit]
|
Notes[edit]
Trivia[edit]
- The song sung by the Exemplar refers to Glint and her death in the Crystal Desert.