Stormcleave Outpost

Stormcleave Outpost is the name of a quest, mission, and outdoor encounter area. It is reached by accepting the quest from Alciana d'Deneith in the Anvil Fire Inn tavern. The first part of the zone is an encounter area, with various group of scorpions, wolves, trolls, minotaurs, and ogres to slay for experience. The larger fortress area of the zone is concerned with the mission part of the quest.

"Until now, the lush jungles of Xen'drik have hidden the aggression of the giants. Repel the invading force before it can press ahead to Stormreach!"

Overview
Stormcleave Outpost serves as a supply depot for House Deneith's expeditions in Xen'drik. It has been under attack for weeks by the army of a fire giant named General Xanti'lar. You are to report to the outpost commandeer for a full briefing on the situation, and to provide relief in any way you can.

Objectives

 * Find and speak with the gate warden
 * Fight your way through the encounters to make your way to the outpost. Standing nearing a warded gate into the fortress ruins itself stands the gate warden.  After talking with her she will release the ward, allowing your party to pass freely.


 * Kill the giant Ortadar
 * Kill the giant Insgadreer
 * Kill the giant Pious Grew'el
 * Kill Minotaur Lord Helos
 * Collect the Jurmo'ta Shard
 * Collect the Wul'ta Shard
 * Collect the Vilbu'ta Shard
 * Collect the Elsb'ta Shard
 * Each of these named creatures must be slain to claim an elemental shard in their possesion. These shards each open an elemental barrier in General Xanti'lar's chamber, allowing you to slay the elemental creatures powering his protective spells.


 * Activate the rune pillars
 * Scattered around the fortress ruins are 6 large rune pillars. Activating the puzzle piece on their bottom will spawn two fire mephits in succesion.  Slaying both of the mephits activates the pillar fully.  Once all 6 pillars have been activated, the way to Xanti'lar's liar is open.


 * Activate the gateway to Xanti'lar's Lair
 * In a central area of the fortress ruins stands a ruined ampitheatre, with a large stone head near the front, and 6 pillars adorned with runes around it. These runes will be lit if the corresponding rune pillar has been activated. Once all 6 have been, using the stone head opens a portal to Xanti'lar's chamber.


 * Kill General Xanti'lar
 * To the left and right sides of the chamber lire four elemental barriers. The person holding the shards collected from the fortress must approach each barrier to activate them.  Past each barrier are mephits or an elemental of that element which must be slain to remove the protections from Xanti'lar.  Once all the elemental protections are down, Xanti'lar can be slain.


 * Inform the outpost commander of your success
 * Return to the outpost and tell the commander of your success to complete the mission and receive your experience.


 * (Optional)Kill fifty of Xanti'lar's minions
 * This optional objective is near trivial to complete. You will run across far more than 50 minions getting to each of the creatures holding a shard needed for completion.


 * (Optional)Destroy six crates full of magefire cannon parts
 * On the ledge where Ortadar resides are six large crates. These crates contain parts for magefire cannons that have been used to shell the outpost.  Destroy the crates to put an end to this particular threat.


 * (Optional)Collect the pilfered outpost supplies to Corporal Delvascon
 * (Optional)Return the outpost supplies
 * At various giant camps inside the fortress ruins are 12 orange cannisters that can be collected. They are fairly heavy, so they may need to be split up amongst party members.  Returning them all to the Corporal at the outpost will give bonus experience.


 * (Optional)Kill the troll Nuushmaar
 * Nushmaar is a named troll that can spawn in a cave near the necromancer fire giant Pious Grew'el. Killing him allows access to a chest in his cave.


 * (Optional)Destroy the giants' dimensional gate
 * Behind the necromancer fire giant Pious Grew'el is a large portal to the plane of fire. With high enough intelligence, you can active the rune at the base of the gate, causing multiple fire mephits to spawn.  Killing all of these mephits will collapse the portal.


 * (Optional)Defeat the giant's raiding force
 * Speaking to Sergeant Katani d'Deneith in the outpost about the gate down the ramp near her will trigger a small event where groups of 3 creatures from a raiding party attempt to storm the outpost. Defeat them all for bonus experience.

Monsters encountered

 * Air Mephits
 * Black Wolves
 * Earth Elementals
 * Fire Giants
 * Fire Mephits
 * Hill Giants
 * Ice Mephits
 * Kobolds
 * Minotaurs
 * Night Scorpions
 * Ogres
 * Trolls
 * Skeletons