Researchers Under Fire

Researchers Under Fire is a set of two timed scenarios located at at Ruins of Drekazera in the Sulfur Wastes of central Zaralek Cavern. The timed scenario runs hourly at the bottom of the hour (at xx:30).

The scenario has players assist researchers Rannan Korren, Greta Herzig, and Thaelin Darkanvil as they investigate a Titan mining lockdown with their new niffen guides in the Zaralek Cavern.

The adventurer Rannan Koren, a member of the Dragonscale Expedition, often heads into the fray before his colleagues are ready. His group, with the players' help, will try to lift a hostile titan lockdown of a mining operation in the Sulfur Wastes, or investigate an abandoned Zaqali Djaradin ruins in the Molten Overflow.

It should require many players to defeat the powerful foes that will resist Rannan and his company as they seek to complete their objectives. The area is dangerous and the time the researchers have is limited. Players will be rewarded each week based on the highest number of objectives they complete. Completing more objectives in later scenarios will garner higher item level and greater currency rewards, but helping each time will provide some compensation and a chance for more rewards.

Rewards vary based on how many objectives of 12 have been completed and whether it's the first or repeated clear at that completion level:

• 12: Indebted Researcher's Gift / Indebted Researcher's Scrounged Goods
• 9–11: Thankful Researcher's Gift / Thankful Researcher's Scrounged Goods
• 6–8: Appreciative Researcher's Gift / Appreciative Researcher's Scrounged Goods
• 3–5: Researcher's Gift / Researcher's Scrounged Goods

Getting to 12/12 will require an organized raid group of at least 20 players to zerg down all of the adds and turn in all of the gatherables.

All containers have a chance at collectables, including a mount (Flaming Shalewing Subject 01) and a pet (Devourer Lobstrok). Additionally, they can drop gear up to Champion 1/6 (ilvl 415).

There's also a series of achievements:

• Cooling the Research Field (meta)
• Titan Lockdown
• A Research Sampler
• Contaminant Cleaner
• Lockdown Mystery
• Rockin Research
• Zaqlai Ruin
• A Djaradin Puzzle
• A Pillar of the Research Community
• Research Mishap
• The Small Disruptions
• Zaqali Ritual Buster
• Both
• Hot Research Zone
• Nothing Stops the Research

The scenario lasts for a maximum of 25 minutes and runs for up to twelve steps.

Five minutes before the scenario starts:

• say
• say
• say
• say

• Defeat the Sundered Flame Patrols.
• Northern Patrol Defeated
• Southern Patrol Defeated
• Western Patrol Defeated
• yell

At the ruins, Tarasek Fighters and Sundered Flame Cleavers (among others) attack using the three sets of steps to the ruins. This step can largely be soloed, though it will take a large amount of time.

• ''Clear out the Titan Contamination Forces to the southwest.
• Titan Forces Cleared (0/100%)
• say
• say

This step (and the next few) have a separate timer that starts counting down from roughly 7:30, regardless of the length of time left in the greater scenario. When that timer runs out, the scenario will skip ahead to A Titanic Counterattack.

Head southwest and defeat titan constructs and defense orbs to fill the bar.

• Clear the boulders blocking the main console and gather titan parts nearby for Greta to repair it.
• Large Boulders Destroyed (2)
• Titan Parts Gathered (40)
• yell
• yell
• yell

Attack the boulders covering the console and look around the area for cylinders and gears and bring them, on foot and one-at-a-time, to the big bucket.

Acidhide Krolusks may pop out when interacting with parts, so be prepared to fend them off.

• Our scuffle with the Titan forces has riled up the local wildlife.
• Attacking Wildlife Defeated (0/100%)
• yell

New packs of wildlife appear including Acidhide Krolusks and Deepstrider Alphas. Defeat them.

• Break into the cave to find the containment.
• yell
• yell

The mouth of the cave at is full of Fallen Boulders. AoE them all down and the earth elementals that spawn. Destroy 100 (over the course of several runs of the event) to earn the achievement Rockin Research.

• A Titan Overseer has been contaminated after being locked in the cave for all this time!
• Contaminated Titan Watcher slain
• yell
• yell
• yell

The Contaminated Titan Watcher pops out of the cave. Pop cooldowns as it stacks a disease that ticks rather hard. Huezeki Windsong's healing can keep up, but only to a point.

Defeat it to earn the achievement Lockdown Mystery.

• Place ore samples in the sulfur pool while Greta Herzig prepares the machine to neutralize the contaminant.
• Curious Ore Samples collected (60)

• yell
• say

Much like the Lockdown Mess stage, bring ore chunks, on foot and one-at-a-time, to the console. Fend off the adds that spawn. Bring back 100 (over the course of many runs) to earn the achievement A Research Sampler.

• Prevent the contaminated wildlife from escaping the area.
• Contaminated Wildlife destroyed (15)
• yell
• emote

Various Contaminated varieties of the nearby wildlife spawn. Pull them into the water to ensure they are counted.

• The last traces of the contaminant have coalesced into a hostile elemental that must be destroyed.
• Animated Contaminant destroyed
• yell
• yell

An elemental spawns in the southwest of the water, outside of the cave. Defeat it before time runs out to earn the achievement Contaminant Cleaner!

• Defeat the first wave of the Titan Containment Response Force to allow Greta to retreat back to the platform.
• Titan forces defeated (0/100%)
• Response Team Overseer defeated
• yell
• yell
• yell

When the sub-timer runs out, the scenario skips ahead to this point. Clear out more titan constructs, defense orbs, and the Response Team Overseer that spawns:

• yell
• yell

• The Sundered Flame reinforcements have arrived, we must defend the camp long enough for our forces to withdraw.
• Sundered Flame Forces Defeated (0/100%)
• say
• say

Back to the Ruins of Drekazera and fend off attackers from three directions at the steps.

One of the waves will spawn Lietenant Narlena.

• yell

Fend her off:

• yell

• The Sundered Flame leader, Captain Reykal has taken the field!
• Captain Reykal Defeated
• yell
• yell

Reykal spawns to the southeast. Defeat him to earn the achievement Nothing Stops the Research.

• Rannan has completed everything he can for now, and must retire before more Sundered Flame reinforcements arrive.
• Talk to Rannan to complete this expedition
• say

• say
• say
• say
• say
• say
• say

• Defeat the Sundered Flame Patrols.
• Northern Patrol Defeated
• Southern Patrol Defeated
• Western Patrol Defeated
• say

At the ruins, Tarasek Fighters and Sundered Flame Cleavers (among others) attack using the three sets of steps to the ruins. This step can largely be soloed, though it will take a large amount of time.

• Our presence has riled up the local wildlife, we have to secure our base before we can set out to the ruins.
• Wildlife cleared (0/100%)
• say

A fifteen-minute timer starts. When it runs out, the scenario will skip ahead to A Clear Sign We Are Not Wanted.

Fill the bar in the surrounding area.

• A flayer matriarch descends from the roof of the cavern to destroy our camp!
• Flyer Matriarch defeated
• yell
• emote

The Cavern Flayer Matriarch flies down and lands in the center of the ruins. Take her out.

• The Zaqali ruins have been reclaimed by the local wildlife, they must be cleared before we begin.
• Ruin wildlife cleared (0/100%)

• say
• yell

Head west to the Molten Overflow and fill the bar by defeating wildlife in the area.

• Ancient Zaqali pillars have fallen around the area, Thaelin seeks to restore them to divine their purpose.
• Northwest pillar rebuilt
• Southwest pillar rebuilt
• Northeast pillar rebuilt
• Southeast pillar rebuilt

• yell
• yell
• say
• say
• yell
• yell
• say
• say
• say
• yell
• yell

Pick up Djaradin Pillar Shards from the ground and run them on foot to the four pillars. Each pillar takes eight shards, and when complete, will spawn a pack of elementals.

• Clear the area of critters while Thaelin prepares for the elemental ritual.
• Thaelin defended
• Magmaclaw Snappers stomped (0/50) (Optional)
• yell
• yell
• yell
• yell
• yell

Defend the pack attacking Thaelin.

• A baby magmaclaw, was caught in the beams of the ritual instead of the elemental fragments, it is now monstrous.
• Monstrous Magmaclaw Snapper defeated
• yell
• emote

Take out the magmaclaw. Should players defeat it, they will be awarded the Research Mishap achievement.

• Thaelin Darkanvil is now looking to repair the Zaqali altar, hoping to uncover its secrets.

• The Zaqali djaradin have discovered us and are not happy with our trespassing, prepare to defend the group.

• A Zaqali djaradin approaches the altar, you must try and stop them before they unleash something else upon us.

• The Sundered Flame reinforcements have arrived, we must defend the camp long enough for our forces to withdraw.
• Sundered Flame Forces Defeated (0/100%)
• yell

When the 15-minute timer runs out, the scenario skips ahead to here.

Back to the Ruins of Drekazera and fend off attackers from three directions at the steps.

One of the waves will spawn Lietenant Narlena.

• yell

Fend her off:

• yell

• The Sundered Flame leader, Captain Reykal has taken the field!
• Captain Reykal Defeated
• yell
• yell

Reykal spawns to the southeast. Defeat him to earn the achievement Nothing Stops the Research.

• Rannan has completed everything he can for now, and must retire before more Sundered Flame reinforcements arrive.
• Talk to Rannan to complete this expedition
• say