Specter of the Wyld - Corruption of Champions II (2024)

Striding up the front steps of the boreal palace, an involuntary shudder wracks you; something feels off here, the same sense you've gotten countless times just before danger struck. Your hand slips to your [pc.weapon] on instinct, drawing the eye of the palace's remaining guards — just before an unearthly howl tears through the vaulted door, a shriek so horrific that your heart skips a beat in your chest. Gods, what a wail!

Specter of the Wyld is an event that can trigger following the events of Act 1. You travel with Etheryn, Elthara, and Hethia to the catacombs beneath the palace, where a shrieking disturbance threatens the structural integrity of the palace. The following adventure gives insight on the schism between the Lumians and Old Wyld loyalists, and the complicated circ*mstances of how the Boreal Elves came to worship the Dawn Knight.

Writer Credit

Savin
TheObserver
Wsan
SomeKindofWizard

Acquisition

Once the requirements have been fulfilled, the event will trigger inside the entrance to the Palace of Ice. The leadership of Winter City - Etheryn, Elthara, and Hethia - approach you, asking for your help to resolve the issue before the palace is destroyed. You head down to the vault floor to investigate.

Characters

Guest Companions

Walkthrough

As you descend into the crypt, you're separated from the rest of your party by a spectral barrier. Etheryn, Elthara, and Hethia become your party members for the duration of the adventure. Before too long you are confronted by the spirits of former valkyries loyal to Lumia and Queen Atheldred. Despite Etheryn and Elthara's attempts at diplomacy, you are attacked by the Sunlight Warriors. If you lose, there's a Bad End where the valkyries kill you and Hethia, and presumably your other companions shortly afterwards. Otherwise, you disperse the ghostly paladins and travel on to reach a crossroads.

The Harem

"We don't want to fight you," the ghosts plead. "But we crave release! Release us!"

East from the crossroads are the crypts of the harem members, kept to ensure the continuation of the royal line before Lumia's blessings obviated the need for assistance. Etheryn detects a trap door to something buried even further down.

• Go Back
• Investigate: Pull open the trap door and see what someone would bury under a burial ground.

If you investigate, you (or Elthara and Hethia if you aren't strong enough) heft open the ancient trap door. Before you can investigate further, Harem Spirits start appearing out of the walls. They are trapped here, unable to move on without Queen Atheldred's love but also unable to forsake their faith to the Old Wyld. Combat starts, but there's no end to the enemies that spawn. The only way to win the battle is to Defend or Surrender, reflecting your decision to lay down your arms and seek to make peace with the aggrieved spirits.

If you are defeated, the four of you are vigorously taken by the victorious spirits. After thorough and varied debauchery, you and your companions are largely unharmed yet left covered in ectoplasmic fluids.

If you 'win' the combat, you must help the harem spirits find peace. You can have Elthara and Hethia peacefully Send them into the afterlife, or Grant Wish to join with your elven companions and give them the love they seek. Either way they bequeath the treasure in the burial chamber below. It's not entirely tasteful work, but the treasury needs to be replenished. You're given some of the nicer pieces as thanks for all the help you've given the Winter City, and there's a wordlock puzzle behind some Drapes as well.

The Banshee

"You!" she shrieks, surging forward in a shroud of mist. "You're standing between me and my thrice-damned love! Did she send you to mock me again? To taunt me into giving up the Wyld for her new goddess? Tell her that I died first!"

See Also

CoC2] The Windy Peaks – Fenoxo's Blog

Head west from the crossroads to find the source of the wailing that's compromising the palace. The bereaved spirit sets upon you, forcing you into combat. If you lose, there's a Bad End where she announces herself as Synneva, favoured consort of Atheldred Sunbringer, and possesses Etheryn. Synneva declares she is going to claim the throne and take revenge on the kingdom that spurned her, and claims you and Hethia as the first members of her harem.

Otherwise, you are victorious over her. If you use Abjure during combat, Synneva's spirit is unmade and you move to the next section. Otherwise you talk with the spirit, learning she is Etheryn's grandsire. Synneva reveals she and the other harem members opposed the mass conversion to Lumia, vowing to withhold themselves until the Queen saw reason. Queen Atheldred instead locked them in a tower until they converted, however they stuck true to their faith and died believing in the Wyld. However their love for Queen Atheldred wouldn't let them leave the plane, so they remained here.

Similar to the Harem Spirits, you help Synneva find peace. You can choose Take2Queen to bring her to Atheldred, Romance Her to give her the love she needs to move on, or choose Hethia? to have the druid send off the martyr for her faith.

The Valkyrie

"Our people would be slaves to the Wraiths without Lumia's protection. We owe her everything. Our lives... Alraince's life, all our childrens'! By my vow to the Radiant One, I cannot tolerate the heathen or the witch within her sacred city. Even... even you. It's time to go back to the tower, Synne. Time to think on what you've put us both through!"

There is a wall to the north of the crossroads, impenetrable without Synneva's assistance or a relic she drops when you send her from this realm. Once you've managed that, you and your companions encounter Queen Atheldred. She either gets into a shouting match with Synneva or confuses Etheryn for her lost love, and attacks in the name of Lumia. She has an ability which summons Sunlight Warriors to her aid, but you only need to defeat her to end the battle.

If you lose, the Bad End is very similar to Synneva's - she possesses Etheryn, claims her intent to take the throne, and takes you and Elthara as the first members of her new harem. If you're victorious, your options depend on how won the battle and dealt with Synneva. If you cast Abjure on her, Atheldred (and Synneva if present) are unmade and you're free to finish the event. If you defeated Queen Atheldred normally but didn't bring Synneva, then you can choose to have Elthara send her off or Romance Her to be topped by the amazonian monarch. Or if Synneva is present, you can help the two lovers reconcile by bonding over Their Love or Etheryn.

Before you exit, you can Investigate to unlock the Circlet of Sunlight key item. With Synneva and Queen Atheldred dealt with one way or another, you can travel back to the entrance to find the palace guards and your other companions waiting at the unsealed entrance.

Reward

From looting the harem chambers after using Defend or Surrender, you gain:

• 2000 EC
• Razorcup Nectar

Additionally, from opening the wordlock chest in the harem chambers you gain:

• Wyldsap
• Tome of Driving Thrust
• Tome of Bark Skin

If you deal with Queen Atheldred through any method other than dismissing her with Abjure. Etheryn gains a +10 Holy damage to bow attacks. If you reunite Queen Atheldred and Synneva through Etheryn, their motivational words also give Etheryn a +10 Crit Chance bonus regardless of set.

Chest Puzzle