Firemaker's Curse, The

Start location: South of Eagle's Peak

Requirements:

Suggested:

Quest: As A First Resort

Items: Weight-reducing gear (such as Agile top, Agile legs, Boots of lightness, and Spottier cape), Super energy potions, good food, a fast ranged or magic weapon, a summoning familiar (such as a Bunyip or Unicorn Stallion for healing, or a Spirit terrorbird for energy restoration).

Monsters: Char (level 160)

The Call

1. Speak to one of the firemakers–Emmett, Flint, Isis, Lina, Phoenix, Sera, or Twig–to find out why they're gathered around a cave entrance south of Eagle's Peak. You'll learn that they are after ancient firemaking secrets supposedly located inside the cavern. However, they are reluctant to go without an adventurer to protect them. Agree to help, and Phoenix will advise you to get to know the group first before heading down into the cavern.

2. Head down into the cavern, where you will find a large room with an unfinished fire pattern on a stone slab. The firemakers think that to proceed the fire pattern must be completed. Step up to the fire pattern and Flint will give you one of his handmade inventions, the pitch can. This will allow you to light fires without the use of logs.

The completed fire pattern is an arrow.

3. Use the pitch can to complete the pattern. You have a limited amount of time to do so before the fires begin to burn out in the order they were lighted. Left-clicking the pitch can will make the fire in front of you. In order to make a fire on the spot you are standing on, right-click on the pitch can and select the appropriate option. If you make a mistake, you can stamp-out the fire by right-clicking on the fire to do so; you can only do this on fires you made. You can also exit the cavern to reset the puzzle; however, doing so will require you to obtain another pitch can from Flint. The completed pattern is an arrow.

A Deadly Game

4. After completing the puzzle, the fires will disappear and the ground will break open, sending you and the firemakers into a dark campsite below. Light the nearby logs to your south to start a fire.

5. Pick up the book, Firemaker's journal compilation (1), from the pedestal on the north side of the room. A spirit, Char, will suddenly address your party, and the fire is extinguished. Relight the fire, and you will find that Phoenix was killed in the darkness. It will be revealed that Char had possessed Emmett to kill Phoenix. As part of her game, as you progress through the cavern every time you reach a campsite you must chose who you believe is possessed and tie them up before another party member is killed. Char will soon leave and a door will open. The firemakers will suggest that you scout ahead before they follow so you're on your own now. Continue on to the next room.

Exit through the crescent doors to return to the surface when you need to restock.

Note: If you need to leave at any time for any reason, look for one of these exits. Simply right click and select the appropriate option to leave. Your progress will be saved, and when you return you will find yourself in the room that you exited from.

The completed fire pattern is a falling boulder.

6. In the next room you will find another fire pattern to be completed. Read the journal that you picked up earlier to find a sketch of the arrow pattern from before, and the current pattern that you need to complete. The current pattern is labelled as "Unknown."

7. Once the pattern has been completed, Char will begin dropping rocks around you as the room grows dark. Pick up a rock and add it to the pile of rocks at the end of the room where the exit door is. You can only pick up one rock at a time, and should dodge the falling rocks to avoid taking damage. Tell-tale shadows will tell you where another rock will fall. Keep placing rocks against the ledge until you have a total of six rocks piled up that you may climb out to escape. You cannot die from the rocks falling on you.

8. After escaping from the falling boulders, you will find yourself in a dark campsite. Light the fire and the firemakers will join you. Pick up the second journal compilation from the pedestal. Char will address you and your party once again, revealing that each time you retrieve a journal more of her powers will be regained, and reveals her past with Zaros.

9. Char will now leave you to make your decision. Speak with each of the firemakers to determine who is behaving strangely and likely possessed.

Once you've decided, click on the pillar near the fire and choose which firemaker to tie up. Char will comment about your choice before plunging the room into darkness. Relight the fire and see the results of your choice. After the dialogue, continue on to the next room.

The completed fire pattern is a flame.

10. Read the journal for a sketch of the new pattern. This particular pattern now requires the use of two colours: red and yellow. Pick up some bowls of red and yellow powder from the pedestals by the entrance to the room. Left-click the bowl of coloured powder to mix it with the pitch can, then light the fires as before to complete the pattern. To change colours, simply left-click on the bowl of coloured powder that you want to use.

11. When you have completed the puzzle, a wall of fire will appear. Move so that you are standing in line with the gap in the wall; missing the gap will result in some damage. Move on to the next room once it has passed.

Things are Heating Up

12. This next room is an agility course over lava. You need to make it to the other side before your time limit runs out. The darker it gets, the less time you have left and you will begin to take damage. To make it across the agility course there are several switches you must press in order to remove obstacles in your way. There are also logs you can light to increase the amount of time you have remaining, although doing so is not necessary. Any switches you activate will not reset if you fail. If you die, you will be brought back to the second camp with full health. You won’t lose any of your items.

Run north then leap west, avoiding the lava ball as it will do damage. If you can, time it so that you jump when lava spurts aren’t happening. Go all the way to the platform on the western edge of the room and light the fire there. Push the column switch there.

Run back east and past the lava ball. Continue to leap across the gaps until you are on the platform on the eastern edge of the room. Light the fire and push the column pillar there.

Return to the lava ball and leap west twice. On that platform run north then east. Watch out for the flames that come shooting down. Jump to the pillar to the east.

Note: If it is already getting very dark run to the east past the shooting flames and light the fire there, then run back west to the pillar.

From the pillar take a few steps north and push the column pillar to your east. Run east across the pillars ahead of you to the large circular platform. Push the column pillar there. This should cause a set of pillars to rise that are north of the flame wall instead of south.

Run and jump to the platform to the east. Push the flame pillar there – this will remove a fire wall. Jump back to the west and run across the pillars. Once across, push the column pillar to your south. Do not linger on this platform as there is an unstable rock that can come crashing down. The same goes for the other side. Jump across to the western platform then light the fire and push the flame pillar. This will remove another flame wall.

Jump back to the east, and run onto the pillars. From here, run north towards the northern part of the room. Be careful here as the floor can give out beneath you if you pause and there is a flame thrower at the end. If you fall, you will be sent back to the beginning of the agility course.

Jump to the platform to your west, then jump west again. This platform can also give out beneath you so watch out. At the end light the fire and push the flame pillar. This removes the final flame barrier in your way. Run east to the end of the bridge then jump to the east four times. Be careful not to fall through the floor on this final bridge and go through the tunnel.

Crossfire

13. You have reached the third campsite. Light the fire and pick up the third journal compilation from the pedestal. Char will speak to you once more before allowing you to speak with the firemakers again to decide who is possessed.

Tie up the suspected member and observe the results before continuing on to the next room.

The completed fire pattern is a grid.

14. Read the journal for the pattern in this room. You will now be able to use three colours to complete the pattern: red, yellow, and blue. Although blue is available, you do not need it for this particular puzzle. As before, pick up the powders from the bowls near the entrance, then left-click on them to mix with the pitch can for the appropriate colour.

15. After completing the puzzle, a wall of fire with no gap will sweep through the room. Hurry to the alcoves on either side of the room to avoid taking damage from the wall. Continue on to the next room once the wall has passed.

16. You will now find yourself on a grid of oil trenches. Char will demonstrate what kind of challenge you will face, but takes the pleasure of injuring you while she does so. There are four types of fireballs that will be released into the room: warming flame, glowing ember, twisted firestarter, and searing flame.

• Warming flame: small red fireball that explodes on contact. It actively tries to get close to you.
• Glowing ember: larger white fireball that explodes more violently on contact. It also tries to get close to you.
• Twisted firestarter: orange fireball with black specks that floats around lighting any oil trenches it passes over. Once it disappears, it leaves an X of red flames originating from where it disappeared. The X will stretch to the edges of the room. The flames will hurt you if you touch them.
• Searing flame: blue fireball that floats about randomly, leaving a trail of blue flames in its wake. When it disappears, it will leave behind a 3 by 3 grid of blue flames. These flames will also hurt you if you touch them.

It is recommended that you now close your chat window and inventory tab for maximum visibility. Use the F1 hotkey to open and close your inventory for eating if necessary. Your task is to survive four waves of these fireballs by blocking them from reaching you. Standing on the edges of the room you can light the oil trenches between you and the fireballs to create a wall of fire that they cannot pass through. Avoid taking as much damage as possible for if you die during this activity, you will be returned to the third campsite and you will need to start the waves over again. Avoid trapping yourself in a small space, and try not to trap a fireball in the same general area you are in. After surviving all four waves, move onto the next room.

17. You have now reached the fourth campsite. Light the fire and pick up the fourth journal compilation. After a brief conversation with Char, choose who is possessed this time and tie them to the pillar.

After observing the results, continue onto the next room.

The completed fire pattern is a torch.

18. One last unfinished fire pattern awaits you. Read the journal again for the pattern. This pattern requires you to use all three colours: red, yellow, and blue. Before completing the pattern, take note of where the fire pit is in the room.

19. Upon completion of the pattern, Char will plunge the room into darkness. Click on the fire pit to light it, then take a burning torch from the pile. It is recommended that you now close your chats and inventory tabs so that you may view almost the entire screen. Make your way along the path before you. As you progress along the path, dark tendrils will begin to creep in from the sides of the screen. Right click on them to wave your torch at them to deter them away; failing to do so will result in damage. When you reach the end of the path, continue on to the next room.

20. You have now entered the fifth campsite. Light the fire and pick up the fifth journal compilation from the pedestal.

Choose who you believe is possessed and tie them up before progressing to the last part of dungeon.

Charred Remains

21. Here you will find only a pedestal with the sixth journal compilation. After retrieving the journal, Char will address you once more, informing you that she has now regained her power, warning you to prepare for the fight against her.

Bank Gnome Stronghold or Piscatoris	Required: One free space for the pitch can
	Suggested:Weight-reducing gear (such as Agile top, Agile legs, Boots of lightness, and Spottier cape), Super energy potions, good food, a fast ranged or magic weapon, a summoning familiar (such as a Bunyip or Unicorn Stallion for healing, or a Spirit terrorbird for energy restoration)

22. Leave the cavern by right-clicking on the door to escape and head for a bank to prepare for the final battle against Char. Gather some food, energy restoration items, weight-reducing armour, and an accurate fast ranged or magic weapon. Take a dip in the Oo'glog run energy spa if you've completed As A First Resort. Go back to the cave south of Eagle's Peak, then walk down the steps into the pit, where Char awaits you.

The Final Battle

23. The amount of damage you deal to Char is not determined by the quality of your weapon but rather how many fires you light with the pitch can once the fight starts. You will do 101 LP worth of damage for each fire that is lit. For example, if you have five fires lit, you will deal 505 LP worth of damage. For this reason the faster your weapon is the better, as no matter what weapon you use you will do the same amount of damage with each hit.

Char will chase you around the room in attempts to attack you at melee range. Praying against her attacks is useless, however, as her attacks do untyped damage. Run around the room, lighting fires with the pitch can and attacking Char as you go. Watch the number of fires you have with the counter in the upper left hand corner of your screen as Char can simply stamp them out. Having six or seven fires lit at a time is recommended. Having eight or more will cause you to do more damage but can be very difficult to maintain. Six or seven is the recommended minimum.

When Char glows with rage you can lure her into the water to cool her off.

Occasionally Char will launch small coloured sparks at you. These can be lured into your fires for a bonus effect. If Char starts to glow white, lure her towards the water to cool her down; Char is invincible in this form, and can damage you heavily if you come within melee range. This effect will end on its own after a period of time - you can continue lighting fires while she is glowing but you will not be able to damage her. When Char has reached half-health, she will begin to release walls of fire that sweep across the pit. Pass them by going through the gaps to avoid damage.

24. When you have defeated Char, she tell you enough is enough and orders you to leave. Climb up the stairs on the north side of the pit and exit the dungeon. When you have reached the surface, speak with the firemakers to complete the quest.

• 30,000 Agility XP
• 76,000 Constitution XP
• 80,000 Firemaking XP
• The Book of Char
• Access to two Firemaking events in Balthazar's Bonanza
• Access to Char's training cave once a week
• 2 Treasure Hunter keys

• Playing in low lighting detail may make it easier for you to see what you're doing when Char dims the lights. Some areas can get very dark.
• Whether you guess right or wrong as to which firemaker is possessed at each camp, it will not affect the outcome of the quest or the rewards you receive. Whether or not you leave the caverns with a full complement of firemakers is up to you.
• After completing the quest, you can access Char's training cave once a week. The original entrance to the quest will be blocked off after you have completed the quest. You can access the training cave through the exit, to the north of the original entrance. This activity requires at least level 91 Firemaking. Completing the activity will allow you to have one of four fireball pets that wander around the cave: Warming flame, Glowing ember, Twisted Firestarter, and Searing flame. If you wish to have different one from the one you choose, simply bring the fireball back to the cave and pick the one you want.
• The Book of Char will allow you to incinerate logs to ash for about two minutes a day by simply walking over them. To activate this effect, equip the book, then right-click on it to activate the Unleash effect. Any logs incinerated during this time will yield about double the normal amount of firemaking XP for burning them.