Scabarites Notes

Miniquest details

Start point:	Speak with Lead archaeologist Abigail on the Ullek plateau
Members only:	Yes
Official difficulty:
Description:	None
Length:	Medium-Long
Requirements:	Partly completed Dealing with Scabaras Recommended: 43
Items required:	Equipment and good food Scabaras Research book Recommended: Some waterskins or an Enchanted water tiara Coins for carpet rides A Salve amulet or Salve amulet (e) for killing the undead monsters that drop pages.
Enemies to defeat:	Many Skeletons, Dried zombies, Mummies, and Scabarites

Walkthrough

• Sometime during the Dealing with Scabaras quest, the player will have to speak to Lead archaeologist Abigail in her camp on the Ullek plateau. She will give the player the Scabaras research book. She will also ask the player to collect 4 Scabarite notes and copy them into the book. At this point, the miniquest starts.

• The player will now have to go and kill nearby monsters for the notes, which they may drop. They can stop after they obtain 4 notes to progress in the quest, but to complete the miniquest, all notes have to be found. Note that the chapters cannot be obtained as drops before speaking with Abigail. The notes can be found as drops from:

• Skeletons and Dried zombies, found north of the camp.
• Scabarites, found in the Scabarite Hive dungeon and swamp near the camp. More specifically, the Locust lancers, Locust rangers, Scabaras lancers and Scabaras rangers drop notes.
• Mummies, found to the west of the camp, near the Agility shortcut.

• The book has a total of 19 chapters. Four random chapters between 1 and 17 will already have been added during the quest. To finish the miniquest, the player will have to keep killing monsters until they have collected all of the chapters; in total, the chapters from 1 to 17 will be dropped by monsters.

• Two more chapters (18 and 19) can be found in two chests in the dungeon below the plateau. One chest is just to the east of the High Priest of Scabaras's room, while the other chest is further south, surrounded by monsters. The player may choose to take the two chapters from the chests during Dealing with Scabaras; doing so will save them from having to return later.
• When completed the book will contain 34 pages total. The last page will be half full.

• When a monster drops a chapter, it should be copied into the book immediately to prevent duplicate drops.

• To get all the notes, the player will have to kill all types of monster listed above. They can't keep killing the same monsters again and again: different notes are dropped by different monsters. The player should kill one type of monster until they don't receive any new notes any more. Then they should move on to the next monster and repeat the process. Note that each of the 4 types of Scabarite listed above has different notes to drop; they all have to be killed. Scarab larvae in the dungeon do not drop notes.

The different notes have different examine texts as follows, and the player must place one of each into the research book.

(1) Tattered papyrus - The foresters are most incompetent of late. Their claims that sources of wood are becoming scarce smacks of laziness. I shall have them flogged if quotas are not fulfilled. The furnaces must remain lit.

(2) Shabby papyrus - Another setback. The deliveries of timber we were expecting have arrived, but are in the form of bank certificates. While we could burn them, I fear it will not be much use. For now, I have had them stored with the other certificates.

(3) Smelly papyrus - It appears as if Elidinis has forsaken us. Armies, led by vile misbelievers, are smiting the northern settlement, Uzer is under siege and it cannot be long before we are also under assault. The outside areas may fall, but we should be secure in the tunnels beneath Ullek.

(4) Fine papyrus - It has come to retreat. I can only blame myself for the next revelation I must make to the survivors. We are low on timber and the ventilation will ultimately fail as a result. The vast stocks of dried dung, in which I had placed faith for fuel in such an emergency are soaking wet...

(5) Cheap papyrus - ...and infested with some sort of giant maggot. That's bad for both morale and health. I fear this is simply a reflection of our current dire situation. I only pray we are not forced to starvation and the dire choices that would entail.

(6) Well-made papyrus - Icthlarin has not taken us, after all. Though many died in these stinking warrens, we few have survived. We will now travel to the village of Sophanem and hope there are other survivors there. I have vowed to pay for a temple to be built there, in honour of the deities who saved us... that is, if our currency is of any value in this new world order.

(7) High-grade papyrus - As Scabarite custom dictates, the outer gateways have been sealed. No disturbances will occur and we may worship in peace. The forfuitous discovery of a large stock of ordure may even allow some of the less pious worshippers to breed.

(8) Greasy papyrus - The relaxation of breeding rules may have been something of a mistake. More of the young seem to believe that we should leave the darkness and seek to explore the outer areas, where odd noises have been heard. I shall pray for guidance, even though answers from Scabaras are clearly unlikely.

(9) Damp papyrus - Although he did not reply directly, I have been seized by visions of some sort. A female with a red-sheened carapace and antennae spoke to me, sending disquiet through my soul. Could it really be that only the destruction of all other life will allow us the isolation we crave?

(10) Oily papyrus - I am convinced. We will break through to the surface and ensure these noises are quieted. Silence shall be ours! Both the chasm and the outer areas are currently under investigation, by those dedicated enough to accept pollution of their souls for the greater good.

(11) Scented papyrus - The chasm has proven to be a dead end to us, for the moment. The external trek has been useful, though. We discovered some large creatures, not wholly unlike us, with the capacity to leap great distances. Some have been captured for research. There were other creatures, too - dead but moving. Could this kind of existence provide the ultimate solitude?

(12) Soft papyrus - A breakthrough, of sorts! The leaping creatures have enabled us to send warriors up through the chasm to explore. They report a large area of tunnels which they are now securing with traps. Traps that should be effective against the soft-skinned humans we can even now smell.

(13) Brittle papyrus - Contact! We have slain several human warriors, after emerging into the outer areas of a surface settlement. I am, however, worried that this contact might be sullying the forces. I have instructed that more traps be used so that pollution does not occur.

(14) Recent papyrus - The red-tinged female reappeared and urged for a more active destruction of the surface-dwellers. The dreams come evermore and my mind is torn. She speaks of Scabaras and I shall follow, but I have not had such communication in years and the toll upon me is telling. Everything is blurring.

(15) Well-preserved papyrus - Now, I realise, there are two minds within me... and neither is strong enough. To be cursed so, with no chance to be alone, even within myself. I must control my thoughts... or should that be 'we'?

(16) Exquisite papyrus - Paralysed by indecision or firm in the face of adversity; aloof or apathetic; violent or strong; merciful or weak? There is no difference within me. What will be the ultimate fate?

(17) Hastily-written papyrus - The High Priest seems to be wandering in his mind, so we follow his last instructions as Scabaras would wish us to. The outsiders will be destroyed. We slew one in the upper chambers and set our largest guardian to guard the area where he was found - all too close to the chasm.

The following two chapters can only be found in the two chests near the High Priest of Scabaras.

(18) Tatty papyrus (northern chest, larger size) - A setback. The scarab guardian we left by the chasm was slain! Although no penetration has been made into the nest via this route, we have increased the number of perimeter traps and are considering a full assault upon the settlement known as Sophanem.

(19) Creased papyrus (southern chest, smaller size) - We have had reports of an intruder in the vaults before the doors - an area not yet fully set with traps! I have had visions of Scabaras in the guise of a female with red chitin. Now, I know what we must do: destroy everyone, for ultimate peace and solitude.

• Once all the chapters have been copied into the book the player may speak to Abigail for their reward.

Reward

• 10,000 coins
• Completed Scabaras research book
• Having completed the research book is one of the requirements for getting a trimmed Completionist cape.

Trivia

• When copying a note that's already in the book a message appears "You already have this information in your logbook." Also, the note is destroyed. This happens even when the logbook isn't in the player's inventory.
• When finishing the miniquest, the archeologist only makes a copy of the logbook, and any other extra notes in the player's inventory/bank are kept.