Roots of Terror

Roots of Terror is the eleventh chapter of the Heart of Thorns storyline.

Objectives[edit]

Journey to the lost asuran city of Rata Novus.

Meet up with your team.
Find Canach.
Speak to the Pact lieutenant.
Search for the missing magister.
Choose a route through the tunnels.
- Find a way through the darkened tunnel.
- Cross the pit without touching water.
- Find a way through the cavern.
(Defeat the Creature.)
Veteran Chak Blitzer
Talk to the magister.
Talk to Braham.
Meet your friends.

Rewards[edit]

Black Lion Chest Key
Vial of Chak Acid
Bag of Tangled Depths Supplies (3)
Ley Line Spark (5)
Writ of Maguuma Mastery (on first completion only)

Walkthrough[edit]

Getting to the instance entrance point in the Tangled Depths map is made very difficult because your minimap does not show the same paths that the main map shows. You will need to constantly switch between the main map and your minimap to follow the tunnel trails. Even the main map will not make it clear how the tunnels change elevation or how they connect.

If you have a raptor you can run past the mobs in the open world tunnels but, the instance entrance itself has a Veteran Thrasher nearby along with a group of additional mobs nearby. Do not attempt to kill the mobs, more will spawn and unkillable swarms will continue to multiply until you are overwhelmed. A Veteran Modrem troll further in the chamber will also aggro once combat starts. You can try to sneak to the Instance green star or you can run to it aggroing the mobs. You will still be able enter the Instance and escape any mobs even if you are in the middle of combat.

Once you make it to the instance entrance, follow the trail, chatting with the characters as you move through the tunnels. After being made to fight some spiders and mushrooms, you will reach a three-way intersection.

If you head to the left, you must pass through the dark. There will be points of green light to direct you forward.
Choosing the middle path requires jumping from branch/ledge to branch/ledge, some jumps requiring the use of the glider.
If you go right, you meet mushrooms, veteran trolls and a troll cave with traps on the floor.

All paths eventually end in the same destination to fight the Chak Blitzer.

The Chak Blitzer is fairly easy, just don't use ranged attacks on it when it's shielded and kill the Chak Lurkers that spawn or they'll overwhelm you. It is highly unlikely you will be able to kill the Lurkers at the rate they spawn so an alternate strategy is to focus on the Blitzer and kill it as fast as possible to stop Lurkers from spawning then kite the remaining Lurkers back to the tunnel, picking them off one by one.

Once that's done, meet back up with your friends.

When you leave the mission instance, you may be attacked by the mobs in the open world chamber because you are returned to a slightly different location from the original green star instance entrance. Alternatively, another option would be to use the PvP lobby to exit this mission at the end.

Achievements[edit]

Available on the first play through

Roots of Terror	Heart of Thorns: Act 3	1 0
Search for valuable intel in the battle against Mordremoth.Journal: Roots of Terror Completed	Completed Roots of Terror	0

Complete the story chapter.

Only available on subsequent visits

The Dark Path	Heart of Thorns: Act 3	5
Choose the left path.Story Instance: "Roots of Terror" Prerequisite: Roots of Terror Reward: Superior Sigil of Rending	Followed the Dark Path to Find the Missing Magister.	5

You can only take one path per story instance, so you will have to repeat this instance multiple times. Take the left path. Follow green glowing markings along the ground. You may have to turn your camera at certain angles to see the next green patch. If you get lost, try and find a nearby enemy.
Achievement qualification may be tracked via the Achievement Eligibility: The Dark Path effect.

The Pit of Despair	Heart of Thorns: Act 3	5
Choose the center path.Story Instance: Roots of Terror Prerequisite: Roots of Terror Reward: Bag of Ley-Line Crystals	Traversed a Dangerous Pit to Find the Missing Magister.	5

You can only take one path per story instance, so you will have to repeat this instance multiple times. Take the middle path. There will be a tree-root jumping puzzle. As long as you don't fall, the grubs will not become aggressive. (Still, they are relatively weak if you have AoE.)
Achievement qualification may be tracked via the Achievement Eligibility: The Pit of Despair effect.

The Troll Road	Heart of Thorns: Act 3	5
Choose the right path.Story Instance: Roots of Terror Prerequisite: Roots of Terror Reward: Oversized Rucksack (3)	Tracked the Missing Magister through a Cave Filled with Trolls.	5

You can only take one path per story instance, so you will have to repeat this instance multiple times. Take the right-most path. This road is the most dangerous of the three. It has leaping trolls and traps along the way to avoid. Stopping to kill the trolls isn't necessary, as the path is relatively short.
Achievement qualification may be tracked via the Achievement Eligibility: The Troll Road effect.

Chak Killer—Beginner	Heart of Thorns: Act 3	5
Jump into the pit and kill chak.Story Instance: "Roots of Terror" Prerequisite: Roots of Terror Reward: Heavy Goo-Covered Bag (3)	Killed One Chak before being Overcome.	5

Chak Killer—Expert	Heart of Thorns: Act 3	5
Jump into the pit and kill chak.Story Instance: "Roots of Terror" Prerequisite: Roots of Terror Reward: Goop-Covered Satchel (3)	Killed 10 Chak before Succumbing.	5

Chak Killer—Master	Heart of Thorns: Act 3	5
Jump into the pit and kill chak.Story Instance: "Roots of Terror" Prerequisite: Roots of Terror Reward: Chak Weapon Crate	Cleaned Out the Chak Pit.	5

You need to stay alive to remain eligible for the achievement Chak Killer-Master: being Downed has no penalty, but if you are Defeated, progress towards any of the "Chak Killer" achievements ends. Returning to a checkpoint will place you just above the Chak cave and the counter for Chak Killer starts over. You can complete the Beginner and Expert level if you are defeated, there is no need to restart the mission, provided you kill 5 and 10 Chak in a row without being defeated. However, the Chak Killer-Master achievement must be completed without being Defeated.
This can be done solo, it just needs a good long-range weapon and some patience. Stand on the pit's edge and start shooting the chak one by one, or with AoE skills. They aren't very aggressive, and you can always retreat to heal up. You don't need even to kill all of them, as you may get the achievement as soon as there are only five or so left.
Achievement qualification for the three Chak Killer achievements may be tracked via the Achievement Eligibility: Chak Killer effect.

NPCs[edit]

Allies[edit]

Asura

Taimi

Golem

Scruffy

Charr

Human

Norn

Sylvari

Canach

Generic

Foes[edit]

Chak

Fungi

Grub

Grub

Raptor

Cave Screamer

Spider

Cave Spider Hatchling

Vampire Beast

Dialogue[edit]

Meeting with the group:

Taimi: I've always believed the stories were real. It's said the Novus krewe refused to live above ground.

Braham Eirsson: And you think that city is out here in the jungle?

Taimi: I'm hopeful, and frankly, quite excited.

(If asura)

<Character name>: Anything we could use against Mordremoth would be a boon at this point.

(If human)

<Character name>: Anything we could use against Mordremoth would be helpful at this point.

(If sylvari)

<Character name>: Any information we could use against Mordremoth would be beneficial at this point.

(Otherwise)

<Character name>: Any advantage against Mordremoth would be great at this point.

Rytlock Brimstone: Where'd the green one disappear to?

Kasmeer Meade: Canach went on ahead. I think he may have needed... to be alone for a moment.

Finding Canach:

Kasmeer Meade: Canach, are you—?

Canach: I was just exploring, nothing to get your staff all bent out of shape over.

Canach: Commander, there's a Pact lieutenant down there who is eager to talk to you.

Canach: She and a few others managed to escape one of the Mordrem prisoner caravans.

Canach: They set up a makeshift camp, but... Something's wrong.

Speaking with Canach:

Glad you could make it. What took you so long?

Just tell me what you found.

There's a Priory camp down there in bad shape. You should talk to them.

All right. Let's go.

Meeting with the Lieutenant:

<Character name>: Lieutenant, you wanted to speak to me?

Lieutenant Morrison: Commander. Mordrem assaulted us the moment we hit the ground. The survivors were taken prisoner.

<Character name>: You managed to escape?

Lieutenant Morrison: Yes. Marshal Trahearne, Zojja, and Captain Thackeray created a diversion so a few of us could escape.

<Character name>: You were with them! Are they here?

Lieutenant Morrison: I'm afraid not. They sacrificed their own chance at freedom so we could get away. The Mordrem took them.

(If charr)

<Character name>: (growl) Which direction did they go?

(Otherwise)

<Character name>: Which direction did they go?

Lieutenant Morrison: I was too out of it. Our magister would know. He was the last to escape. But he's not here.

<Character name>: We have to find him. Where is he?

Lieutenant Morrison: A monster's been attacking the camp. It's picking us off a couple at a time.

Lieutenant Morrison: The magister led a group after it, to kill it. Through the mushroom-lit passage there.

<Character name>: Lieutenant, I'll leave some of my people here to protect you.

<Character name>: I'll go after the magister. Braham, you're with me.

Searching for the Magister:

Braham Eirsson: Green residue... looks like creature blood.

(If sylvari)

<Character name>: (heavy breathing)

Braham Eirsson: Commander, you okay? You, uh... stumbled a bit there.

<Character name>: It was nothing. Let's keep going.

Braham Eirsson: Looks like they didn't make it. I don't see anyone with magister armor among the bodies, though.

<Character name>: He must have gone deeper in. We need to find him—preferably alive.

Braham Eirsson: Something's not right. If this is a Mordrem, then it's like nothing I've ever seen.

<Character name>: Whatever it is, it's big.

Braham Eirsson: Looks like there are three ways forward. Which one do we take?

Encountering the chak:

Braham Eirsson: That's definitely no Mordrem.

(If asura)

<Character name>: Maybe not, but I bet it'll die just as well. Stay close.

(If charr)

<Character name>: Maybe not, but it'll die just as good.

(If norn)

<Character name>: Maybe not, but it'll die just as dead.

(Otherwise)

<Character name>: Maybe not, but it'll die just as well.

Speaking with the Magister:

Magister Humli: Commander? You came for me?

<Character name>: We're going to get you out of here.

Magister Humli: No. Raven is already here for me.

<Character name>: Easy. I'm here. Can you tell me which direction the Mordrem caravan was going?

Magister Humli: I... yes. Into the jungle, heading deeper into Mordrem territory. Due south.

<Character name>: Rest in peace, great hunter. I will personally spread your tale.

<Character name>: The Itzel said the jungle provides, but it seems to provide only death.

Braham Eirsson: But we provide vengeance.

Overseeing the chak:

Braham Eirsson: Uh... you need to see this.

Braham Eirsson: There must be hundreds of them.

<Character name>: We're not wading into that. We need to get back to our mission.

Reconvening with the group:

Kasmeer Meade: Commander!

<Character name>: Kas? What are you doing here?

Kasmeer Meade: Some more Pact soldiers showed up and secured the camp. We came as quickly as we could.

Rytlock Brimstone: What'd we miss?

Braham Eirsson: A giant... bug... thing.

Rox: Anything on our friends?

<Character name>: I spoke to the magister before he died. He told me the caravan was headed south.

Kasmeer Meade: Then we should go after them!

Taimi: I admit it's a hard choice, and I'm all for saving them too, but we can't just abandon the trip to Rata Novus! The Novan scientists and their research on elder dragons could prove invaluable!

<Character name>: We're going to have to split up. Taimi, Canach, and I will go to Rata Novus.

<Character name>: The rest of you scout for signs of the caravan. Rox, leave markers for us, and we'll catch up.

Braham Eirsson: Uh-uh. If this rata has a dragon kill switch, I'm going with you. The others can scout the caravan.

<Character name>: All right. Move out, everyone.

My story[edit]

“

I decided to turn the team in the direction of Rata Novus upon learning the lost asuran city may have resources we could use against Mordremoth. On our way, we crossed paths with some Pact soldiers who had been held captive with Zojja and Logan. They explained that our captured friends had sacrificed their freedom to create a distraction while the soldiers got away. Unfortunately, some of the Pact group had gone missing when a murderous creature chased them into nearby caves. Braham and I put down the beast, but could not save the soldiers. One of them lived long enough to relay in which direction the Mordrem cavalcade took Zojja and Logan. I made the call to split our team. Half of the team will track the cavalcade, while Braham, Canach, Taimi, and I head to Rata Novus—hopefully toward allies or insight that will help us kill this dragon.

— My story

Notes[edit]

Bugs:

Sometimes Chak in the Chak Pit spawn behind the walls making the "Chak Killer—Master" achievement impossible to achieve.
Dying during the Chak Blitzer fight will often bug out Braham making it impossible to progress the mission.
If the player talks to Magister Humli before Braham and friends get through their voice lines (or before Braham and friends reach the general area), the mission may bug and not spawn any mobs, halting progression.

It's possible to get "Chak Killer—Master" without killing every Chak in the pit.
Despite the pit being empty, once the pit is cleared the ambient noises Chak make will continue.

Heart of Thorns storyline

Act 1	Prologue: Rally to Maguuma → Torn from the Sky → Establishing a Foothold → The Jungle Provides → In Their Footsteps → Prisoners of the Dragon
Act 2	Prized Possessions → City of Hope → The Predator's Path → Strange Observations
Act 3	Roots of Terror → The Way In → Buried Insight → Sign Cutting
Act 4	Bitter Harvest → Hearts and Minds
← Previous: Living World Season 2 Next: Living World Season 3 →

Roots of Terror

Contents

Objectives[edit]

Rewards[edit]

Walkthrough[edit]

Achievements[edit]

NPCs[edit]

Allies[edit]

Foes[edit]

Dialogue[edit]

My story[edit]

Notes[edit]

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