The Lost Thread

The Lost Thread is the 3rd quest in the Menace of the Underdark: The Darkening 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 The Battle for Eveningstar.
Impossible Demands • The Unquiet Graves • The Lost Thread • The Battle for Eveningstar

Mystra, the Goddess of Magic, vanished years ago, causing the Spellplague. Since then her temples have been left empty and abandoned.

Requires access to adventure pack
Definition: adventure pack
A list of all adventure packs
: Menace of the Underdark

The Lost Thread
Heroic level:	None
Epic level:	21
Duration:	Long
Heroic XP:	N/A
Epic XP:	♣9,989Solo/Casual ♦17,214Normal ♥17,778Hard ♠18,342Elite
Takes place in:	Abandoned Temple
Bestowed by:	Cormul Haythorne
NPC contact:	Cormul Haythorne
Quest acquired in:	Eveningstar
Patron:	Purple Dragon Knights
Base favor:	8
Free to Play:	No
Extreme Challenge:	No

Puzzle room solution
Puzzle Room

Loading screen

Overview

One of the villagers, Ana Brabener, has been captured by the Drow. Go to the old Temple of Mystra inside the King's Forest and try to save her. Take the left fork out of Eveningstar, travel past a mill building with a rest shrine, and then go east through the swamp.

Spoiler Warning: Information below this point can be considered spoiler material!

Objectives

Search for Ana in the temple
Continue your search for Ana
Remove Ana's slave collar
Take Ana to safety
(Optional) Free a slave — Bonus (5%): Epic( ♣499 ♦861 ♥889 ♠917 )
(Optional) Free five more slaves — Bonus (10%): Epic( ♣999 ♦1,721 ♥1,778 ♠1,834 )
(Optional) Free ten more slaves — Bonus (25%): Epic( ♣2,497 ♦4,304 ♥4,445 ♠4,586 )
(Optional) Be a real hero, free twenty more slaves — Bonus (25%): Epic( ♣2,497 ♦4,304 ♥4,445 ♠4,586 )
(Optional) Free the captured War Wizard — Bonus (10%): Epic( ♣999 ♦1,721 ♥1,778 ♠1,834 )

Known Traps

Trap DCs

Bear traps behind the secret door to the east (disabling them counts towards traps bonus)
Fire Jets further down the secret corridor; cannot be disarmed
Spell wards

Tips and Misc

Unlocking collars is a straight Strength check, or various Skill^† + d20 roll.

† Concentration, Disable Device, Repair, Open Lock, UMD, and "unskilled" (flat low percentage chance). (Slave Collar DC)

Start up the eastern side. You must reach the large room, aka the "lever room". (The western gate cannot be locked until after the end-fight room.)
(Optional) In the first side room, Eldrin Szind will run to each corner of the archive and cast two each of water elementals, air elementals, salamander firebrands, and steadfast armor. To avoid him sacrificing any prisoners it is best to enter via the hidden passage.

The hidden passage starts at the south end of the eastern hall. There are a half dozen bear traps and then 2 areas of (non-disarmable) fire jets. The passage leads north, first past a back door to the 1st side room (and the chest there), then further north up a ladder to the shrine room. The shrine room has a small drop-down, but there is no way back up.

Puzzle/lever Room:

A series of Spell Wards near the stairs make the direct approach more difficult. Swing counter-clockwise to avoid the first few, before going up the stairs.

There are 2 sets of 3 levers each, reading left-to-right we'll call these 1–3 (at the top of the stairs), and 4–6 (beyond the first gate). To simply proceed, and skip any optionals, you only need to pull 1, 5 and 6.

Pull Gate Control 1 lever at top of stairs

Lever 2, at the top of the stairs, should remain UP.
Lever 3, at the top of the stairs, does not matter for forward progress, it's only used to access the second extra prisoner cell.

Go down, through gate, and pull Gate Control 5 and Gate Control 6 levers
Path to exit should now to clear. These lever positions will keep the path clear:

UP: gate control levers 2,4
DOWN: gate control levers 1,5,6
(Optional) Lever 3, at the top of the stairs, only affects the side cell in the main room)
(Optional) Lever 4 DOWN opens the wizard's cell; be prepared to fight the hidden slaver (don't kill the wizard to get the optional). Make sure you put the lever again (leaving lever 4 UP) after the fight.

The levers labeled Cell Lever can be used to exit out of cells if you're trapped, and the one at the top of the stairs will open the first prisoner cell. Using them does not affect the above puzzle solution.
See also DDO Forums

Killing the nearby slaver (hidden until damaged or spotted) will cause the slaves to stop attacking. However, if another slaver enters range, they will become aggressive again.
Warning: Characters late to enter the first northern room will find a closed gate that seems to be barring their way, and there may appear to be no way to open this gate; simply clicking on the gate will move the characters into the next room. However, there is no direct way back (short of Dimension Door, etc.).
Ana has a few options that allow you to control her motions. Basic commands are: "Follow", "Stay here", "Go Back". For the backtracking option, Ana will teleport back to the last rest shrine you have visited with her.
After rescuing Ana, begin working south down the western half of the map.
Defeating Phargred Avithoul (dungeon boss) will allow you to uncollar the villagers and purple knights that assist in the battle. While killing the villagers that are under duress will not hurt you (no hit to XP), you may not be able to complete the optional if you haven't already freed 20 slaves.

Possible bug: killing the first group of slaves in the final fight too quickly (such as with an AoE insta-kill ability) may result in the boss never emerging from behind his magical barrier, and the quest becoming incompletable. Allowing enough time for the second set of slaves to emerge seems to avoid this problem.

Bonus XP

Discreet bonus: 36 or fewer monsters killed +5% Bonus. No experience numbers available.
Aggression bonus: >52 or more monsters killed +10% Bonus. No experience numbers available.
Tamper bonus: 6 or more traps disarmed +10% Bonus. No experience numbers available.
Neutralization bonus: 14 or more traps disarmed +20% Bonus. No experience numbers available.
Ingenious Debilitation bonus: 17 or more traps disarmed +30% Bonus. No experience numbers available.
Perception bonus: 2 or more secret doors discovered +10% Bonus. No experience numbers available.
Mischief bonus: 38 or more breakables smashed +8% Bonus. No experience numbers available.
Vandal bonus: 50 or more breakables smashed +10% Bonus. No experience numbers available.
Ransack bonus: 61 or more breakables smashed +15% Bonus. No experience numbers available.

Notes: The numbers required for the traps bonus will change as you continue.

Loot

Chests: 4
- 1 east for defeating Eldrin Szind – contains Weathered Key
- 1 north for defeating Odezzt Avithoul
- 1 west behind a secret door
- 1 End Chest – can drop Commendations
Collectables: 5
- Adventurer's Pack right behind a secret door
- Bones near Odezzt Avithoul (east)
- Adventurer's Pack in a cell behind the locked door
- Adventurer's Pack on the ledge near the locked door
- Bones in a dead end of the bypass passage
NPC rewards: ML~20 items

Named Chest Drop

Last Edited	Item	Type	Enhancements	ML	Bind	Quests
Update 35.1 5 years, 8 months, and 1 day Kobold sneak	Ancient Gemstone ^(edit)	Docent	+6 Enhancement Bonus+6 Enhancement Bonus: +6 enhancement bonus to Armor Class. Resistance +6 Resistance +6: Passive: +6 Resistance bonus to Fortitude, Reflex, and Will Saving Throws. Constitution +7 Constitution +7: This item gives the wearer improved health, granting a +7 enhancement bonus to Constitution. Good Luck +2Good Luck +2: This item gives a +2 Luck bonus to all saves and skill checks. Upgrades: 5 Commendation: Clerics of Amaunator adds Amaunator's BlessingAmaunator's Blessing: When all three items from the set are equipped, you will gain a 10% Enhancement discount to the Spell Point cost of all your spells. 5 Commendation: Druids of the King's Forest adds Woodsman's GuileWoodsman's Guile: When all three items from the set are equipped, you will gain a +4 bonus to your To-Hit and +6 bonus to your Damage on any attack that would be considered a Sneak Attack. 5 Commendation: Purple Dragon Knights adds Knight's LoyaltyKnight's Loyalty: When all three items from the set are equipped, you will gain a +3 artifact bonus to your To-Hit and Damage rolls, and a +3 Insight bonus to Natural Armor. 5 Commendation: Villagers of Eveningstar adds Way of the Sun SoulWay of the Sun Soul: When all three item from the set are equipped and you are in a centered state, you will gain +2 artifact bonus to To-Hit and Damage rolls. In addition, when you roll a natural 20 on an attack roll that is confirmed as a critical hit, you will gain temporary benefit based on the elemental stance you are in, if any. 5 Commendation: War Wizards adds Battle ArcanistBattle Arcanist: When all three items from the set are equipped, you will gain a 10% Enhancement discount to the Spell Point cost of all your spells.	20	Bound to Character on EquipBound to Character on Equip: This item is Bound to Character on Equip or Bound to Character on AcquireBound to Character on Acquire: This item is Bound to Character on Acquire	The Lost Thread, End Chest ; Menace of the Underdark: The Darkening, Quest chain end reward
Update 54.0.2 6 months and 9 days PurpleSerpent	Archaic Device ^(edit)	Rune Arm	Force Shot Potency +60Potency +60: Passive: +60 Equipment bonus to each Spell Power. Protection +6Protection +6: Passive: +6 Deflection bonus to Armor Class. Elemental Absorption +5%Elemental Absorption +5%: Passive: 5% Enhancement Bonus to Acid, Cold, Fire, and Electrical Absorption. (Absorption reduces damage from an element by a percentage, after resistance have been taken into account.)	20	Bound to Character on EquipBound to Character on Equip: This item is Bound to Character on Equip or Bound to Character on AcquireBound to Character on Acquire: This item is Bound to Character on Acquire	The Lost Thread, End chest ; Menace of the Underdark: The Darkening, Quest chain end reward

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Monsters

Name ^{( picture • New Monster )}	CR	Type	Race
Air Elemental ^{( view • edit )}	●♠40Epic Elite	Elemental	Air Elemental
Animated Armor ^{( view • edit )}	♣17Solo/Casual ♦16Normal ♥23Hard ●♦22Epic Normal ●♥30Epic Hard	Construct	Animated Object
Collared Ana Brabener ^{( view • edit )}	●♥17Epic Hard ●♠26Epic Elite	Humanoid	Human
Collared Cormyr War Wizard ^{( view • edit )}	●♦22Epic Normal ●♥26Epic Hard ●♠42Epic Elite	Humanoid	Human
Collared Purple Dragon Knight ^{( view • edit )}	●♦22Epic Normal ●♥26Epic Hard ●♠42Epic Elite	Humanoid	Human
Collared Villager ^{( view • edit )}	●♦15Epic Normal ●♥17Epic Hard ●♠26Epic Elite	Humanoid	Human
Drow Archer ^{( view • edit )}	♥19Hard ♠23Elite ●♦22Epic Normal ●♥26Epic Hard ●♠26Epic Elite	Elf	Drow Elf
Drow Slaver ^{( view • edit )}	●♦22Epic Normal ●♥26Epic Hard ●♠42Epic Elite	Elf	Drow Elf
Drow Warrior ^{( view • edit )}	♥19Hard ♠25Elite ●♦22Epic Normal ●♥30Epic Hard ●♠25Epic Elite	Elf	Drow Elf
Eldrin Szind ^{( view • edit )}	●♦23Epic Normal ●♥27Epic Hard ●♠43Epic Elite	Elf	Drow Elf
Odezzt Avithoul ^{( view • edit )}	●♦23Epic Normal ●♥27Epic Hard ●♠43Epic Elite	Elf	Drow Elf
Phargred Avithoul ^{( view • edit )}	●♦24Epic Normal ●♥28Epic Hard ●♠44Epic Elite	Aberration	Drider
Salamander Firebrand ^{( view • edit )}	●♦23Epic Normal ●♠43Epic Elite	Evil Outsider	Salamander
Steadfast Armor ^{( view • edit )}	●♦23Epic Normal ●♥27Epic Hard ●♠43Epic Elite	Construct	Animated Object
Swarmhorde Spider ^{( view • edit )}	♦12Normal ♥14Hard ♠17Elite ●♦14Epic Normal ●♥16Epic Hard ●♠25Epic Elite	Vermin	Spider
Water Elemental ^{( view • edit )}	●♠40/43Epic Elite	Elemental	Water Elemental