Fathom the Depths

Fathom the Depths is the 1st quest in The Red Fens story arcStory arcs are chains of quests that make up a story line. Completing everything in a story arc often yields a nice reward..
The first three quests can be completed in any order to unlock Into the Deep.
Fathom the Depths • The Claw of Vulkoor • The Last Stand • Into the Deep

Long ago the giants trapped an invader from another plane inside these crumbling ruins.

Requires access to adventure pack
Definition: Adventure Pack
A list of all adventure packs
: The Red Fens

Fathom the Depths
Heroic level:	9
Epic level:	21
Duration:	Long
Heroic XP:	♣2,385Solo/Casual ♦4,204Normal ♥4,432Hard ♠4,660Elite
Epic XP:	♣11,477Solo/Casual ♦19,779Normal ♥20,428Hard ♠21,078Elite
Takes place in:	Ancient Ziggurat
Bestowed by:	Craneclaw
NPC contact:	Craneclaw
Quest acquired in:	The Red Fens
Patron:	House Kundarak
Base favor:	5
Purchase:	The Red Fens or VIP
Extreme Challenge:	No

Loading screen

Overview

The Sahuagin have enslaved the local Drow to dig up a powerful magic artifact from the ziggurat in the swamp. Enter the ziggurat, free the slaves, and attempt to retrieve the artifact.

Spoiler Warning: Spoiler material below this point!

Objectives

Speak with Foxpaw
Lower the magical barriers and flood the area
Defeat Slomnuc
(Optional) Free the Raveneye captives before lowering the barriers (7 total) — Bonus (20%): Heroic( ♣477 ♦841 ♥886 ♠932 ) Epic( ♣2,295 ♦3,956 ♥4,086 ♠4,216 )
(Optional) Slay the Treasure Guardian Heroic: — Bonus (50%): Heroic( ♣1,193 ♦2,102 ♥2,216 ♠2,330 ) Epic( ♣5,739 ♦9,890 ♥10,214 ♠10,539 )

Known Traps

Trap DCs

Sonic (traps are not present until the you flip the barrier lever to flood the area)

Tips and Misc

To get to the quest entrance:

Approaching from the east, head north of quest entrance on your map. You will see a ziggurat (the entry is at the top of that). Running north from that is a fence line (that you cannot cross), and just east of where that fence meets the base of the ziggurat is the start of a steep fenced path that winds clockwise up to the quest entrance.
There is a rest/resurrection shrine at the top, where you enter the quest.

Underwater Action items are recommended. But you can get through with -8.5 swimming without any water breathing items or spells.
If you want a breakables bonus, try to break breakables before you flip the lever; after, many will be underwater and unbreakable. There are at least 36 before the lever.
There are seven captives to rescue.
After the barrier is lowered, a waterfall appears at the top of the ladder. The Dungeon Master will tell you it is "impossible" to go against the current, but with Underwater Action and a modified swim score as low as 10, it is indeed possible. Doing so is hardly necessary – the path 'forward' from the lever loops back around – but backtracking to the most recent small chest allows you to bypass several sonic traps.
Underwater sonic traps are marked with glowing white spiral drawings on the walls; swim below those to avoid the traps. Be cautious of your party members – some of the traps are oriented to hit everyone behind the person who triggers them, so being careless (or following too closely behind someone who is careless) can get you hit.
There is a collectable in the waterfall-nook south of the second rest shrine – the first room where you meet water elementals. It is prohibitively difficult to reach the nook directly unless your Jump exceeds 34; instead, proceed to the next room, defeat the second group of elementals, then turn around. Facing back the way you came, there is debris on the right-hand side; jump on that, then jump across to the other side. You should be able to obtain the collectable without nearly as much difficulty.
Generous XP for finishing the optional treasure guardian.
- The optional treasure guardian is a Gelatinous Cube with a chest inside of it, and you want the key inside that chest.
- You cannot damage the guardian until all of the runes at the bottom of the cavern are turned off by running over them. Do it quickly because before long air jets will be blowing throughout the caverns (above and below) that will blow you into the jello monster and several nasty traps at the bottom.
- Once you've turned off all the runes, one tactic to run to the center to finish the fight to avoid the air jets blowing you into the traps and the guardian.
- Open the chest it drops, grab the key, open the treasure cage, loot the chest.

Bonus XP

Aggression bonus: 96 or more monsters killed +10% Bonus.( ♣239 ♦420 ♥443 ♠466 )
Tamper bonus: 3 or more traps disarmed +10% Bonus.( ♣239 ♦420 ♥443 ♠466 )
Ingenious Debilitation bonus: 4 or more traps disarmed +30% Bonus.( ♣716 ♦1,261 ♥1,330 ♠1,398 )
Mischief bonus: 35 or more breakables smashed +8% Bonus.( ♣191 ♦336 ♥355 ♠373 )
Vandal bonus: 46 or more breakables smashed +10% Bonus.( ♣239 ♦420 ♥443 ♠466 )
Ransack bonus: 56 or more breakables smashed +15% Bonus.( ♣358 ♦631 ♥665 ♠699 )

Notes: It may be possible to get kill bonuses by farming the respawning sahuagin mage and water elementals in the room with Foxpaw, after flooding the area; 81 kills was not enough. It may also be possible to stealth into the boss room and open the door to the treasure room before killing Slomnuc for additional kills.

Loot

Chests: 5 (Tip: Both small chests can be accessed early with use of Abundant Step or similar abilities)
- Small Chest in the room with the first Rest Shrine, accessible after the flood.
- Small Chest in a passage north-west of the first shrine room, accessible after the flood.
- Locked Chest behind a secret door (the door located behind the underwater lever near the Sogshadow Moss Patch that gives water breathing).
- Chest after defeating Slomnuc
- The sahuagin's treasure chest (with three piles of gold around it)
NPC rewards: Random items with total enchantment bonus +1 to +3

Unique Rewards

Last Edited	Item	Type	Enhancements	ML	Bind	Quests
Update 48.2 2 years, 9 months, and 18 days BugTime	Shaman's Beads ^(edit)	Necklace	Shaman's FuryShaman's Fury: 2 Pieces Equipped: +2% Artifact bonus to Fire, Cold, Electric, and Acid Spellcrit Chance +10 Artifact bonus to Fire, Cold, Electric, and Acid Spellpower Charisma +5 Charisma +5: This item makes the wearer have more flair, granting a +5 enhancement bonus to Charisma. Evocation Focus +2 Evocation Focus +2: +2 Equipment bonus to the DC of Evocation spells.	7	Bound to Account on AcquireBound to Account on Acquire: This item is Bound to Account on Acquire	Fathom the Depths, End reward
Update 57.2 7 months and 15 days Ulfo	Siren's Charm ^(edit)	Necklace	Siren's WardSiren's Ward: 2 Pieces Equipped: +3 Artifact bonus to Armor Class +3 Artifact bonus to all Saving Throws Constitution +5 Constitution +5: This item gives the wearer improved health, granting a +5 enhancement bonus to Constitution. Sonic Resistance +18Sonic Resistance +18: Passive: +18 Enhancement bonus to your Sonic Resistance.	7	Bound to Account on AcquireBound to Account on Acquire: This item is Bound to Account on Acquire	Fathom the Depths, End reward
Update 61.0.2 1 month and 1 day BugTime	Boots of the Mire ^(edit)	Boots	MarshwalkerMarshwalker: 2 Pieces Equipped: +30% Enhancement bonus to movement speed +3 Artifact bonus to Jump and Tumble Underwater Action Underwater Action: This item grants the wearer the ability to breathe water as if it were air. Balance +10Balance +10: Passive: +10 Competence bonus to the Balance skill.	7	Bound to Account on AcquireBound to Account on Acquire: This item is Bound to Account on Acquire	Fathom the Depths, End reward

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Named Chest Drop

Last Edited	Item	Type	Enhancements	ML	Bind	Quests
Update 61.2 6 days PurpleSerpent	Dampened Robe of Dissonance ^(edit)	Clothing	DampenedDampened: This item has been in a wet environment for too long and its original power has been weakened. Combine it with a Token of Vulkoor at the Altar of Vulkoor in the Red Fens to restore it back to its former glory. Sonic Resistance +3Sonic Resistance +3: Passive: +3 Enhancement bonus to your Sonic Resistance. Sonic GuardSonic Guard: This item blasts those that attack the wearer, causing 1d6 sonic damage on a successful melee attack. Resonance +48Resonance +48: Passive: +48 Equipment bonus to Sonic Spell Power. Impulse +48Impulse +48: Passive: +48 Equipment bonus to Force, Untyped, Slashing, Piercing, and Bludgeoning Spell Power.	7	Bound to Character on AcquireBound to Character on Acquire: This item is Bound to Character on Acquire	Fathom the Depths, End Chest