Mission:Tip - Desdemona's Daring Double Cross

Desdemona's Daring Double Cross
Alignment Mission
Type	Alignment Tip
Place	Paragon City
Available to	Rogues
Level range	30–39
Choice	Hero

Desdemona's Daring Double Cross

Alignment Mission

You come across a mystical message intended for your eyes only.

You receive a strange message from Desdemona, a Rogue currently in the Rogue Isles.

'Character, I know we haven't seen eye to eye in the past, but now I have an offer of power that I would like you to take. Refuse and I shall take no offense. Accept and this is only the beginning of what we can accomplish.

I have taken a job with Arachnos in excavating some ancient Mu ruins in search of magical power. I have recommended that we hire on some additional help, just in case someone tries to take their prize, if you know what I mean. To that end I would have you guarding the Vault Wards. But before anyone could even hope to get that far, they'd need to deactivate the Scrying Glyphs that the Arachnos mystics have set up to keep tabs on the dig site.

I hope you take this offer, it would be very worth our while if you did.'

Contained at the end of this message are instruction on where the dig site for the ruins are. Unless you are mistaken, and you are never mistaken, Desdemona is asking you to help her double cross Arachnos and take their prize for yourselves.

HERO: Help Desdemona Double Cross Arachnos!

If Desdemona can be trusted then this could be a big break for you. Arachnos, after all, has an entire country backing them financially, and rubbing some salt in their wounds is modus operandi as long as the Arbiters don't get bitten. Nobody will hold it against you if you trounce them for your own gain.

• Infiltrate the ruins and get Desdemona out

All you have to do is walk into the Arachnos occupied ruins with Desdemona's invitation, block the scrying glyphs, dispell the vault wards and then walk Desdemona and the loot right out the front.

Unnecessary Solicitation

From the sound of it, this offer isn't going to be around forever. If you were in Desdemona's position you wouldn't send a message like that and wait around to be betrayed yourself. If you want a cut of the profit, you'd better get a move on and find those ruins.

Mission Objective(s)

Ancient ruins being picked over by Arachnos for mystical secrets, check. Dastardly plan to rob them of all their hard work, check. Getting away with it and leaving them none the wiser, unlikely, but worth a shot.

• Help Desdemona rob Arachnos
  • Deactivate the Scrying Glyph
  • Defeat the Fortunata Scryer
  • Dispel the Vault Wardings
  • Defeat the Chief Webmaster
  • Rendezvous with Desdemona
  • Defend Desdemona and lead her to the exit

Along with Desdemona you both managed to pull the wool over the eyes of Arachnos and steal some valuable arcane knowledge. Very rarely will you waive payment for a job, but any time you get to twist a knife in the side of Arachnos is well worth it. Besides, Desdemona said she owed you a favor, and favors from demon summoners are worth their weight in gold.

Enemies

Arachnos

Notable NPCs

• Fortunata Scryer
• Chief Webmaster
• Desdemona (Ally, Escort)

Scrying Glyph interaction

Interacting with Scrying Glyph

You look down upon the stone tablet and its strange runes. After a few moments you realize that each rune is carved into a small block of stone and can be depressed, almost like a keypad. The proper sequence should deactivate the scrying glyph used by the Mu Adepts to monitor the ruins. But which runes are used in the combination?

• Examine the runes more closely

After examining the runes more closely you can see that four appear to be free of dust. Those must be the ones to depress, but in what order?

You remember part of Desdemona's message. Of course! She hid the combination encoded within.

• Recall Desdemona's message

You recall Desdemona's message.

"Character, I, know we haven't seen eye to eye in the past, but now I have an offer of power that I would like you to take. Refuse and I shall take no offense. Accept and this is only the beginning of what we can accomplish."

• Press the runes for Eye, Power, Take, and Beginning.

You press the runes and they light up in sequence. When you press the Take rune you can feel magical energy starting to shift through the air around you. All that remains is to press the rune of beginning.

• Press the rune of Beginning.

As you depress the stone key light shoots out of the four runes on the tablet and the air shudders with magical power. And then, just as suddenly, the magical power is gone, along with the glowing of the runes. You've done it! You've deactivated the Scrying Glyphs!

• Leave

Just as you are turning to leave you hear a vocal alarm raised by the Arachnos forces inside the ruins. Apparently they too felt the magic of the Scrying Glyphs dissipate and they are headed your way!

• Leave quickly!

Ambush! Deactivating the Scrying Glyphs triggers two Arachnos ambushes.

Ambush dialogue 1

Fortunata Scryer: Character is the betrayer! All Arachnos forces, kill Character!

Fortunata Scryer: You were a fool to try and betray us, Character... But now I see that Desdemona is the true traitor. She shall be dealt with in kind!

---

Tarantula: The Mu Adepts report that the Glyphs have been broken!

Tarantula: Character! What are you up to?

Ambush! Disabling the Vault Wardings will trigger two ambushes.

Ambush dialogue 2

Chief Webmaster: Find Desdemona! I'll deal with Character!

Chief Webmaster: You've made enemies on both sides, Character, so now it's time for you to die!

---

Crab Spider Slicer: Find Character and Desdemona!

Crab Spider Slicer: I knew you were getting soft over in Paragon City, Character, but you're no hero!

Desdemona dialogue

Before Combat:

Desdemona: Listen guys, seriously, I was just holding the information for safe keeping...

Crab Spider Longfang: I don't need to be a Fortunata to know that you are a liar, Desdemona!

Desdemona: I mean, there is NO way I'm working with Character. he's such a goodie two-shoes.

Combat start:

Crab Spider Longfang: It's Character! Stop him, and watch Desdemona!

Combat Finish:

Desdemona: Thanks, Character. Listen, I've got to make sure these ancient tablets aren't broken.

When lost:

Desdemona: Great... Which way did you go? These tunnels all look the same...

When found again:

Desdemona: I almost dropped one of the tablets. Let's keep moving.

When exit is reached:

Desdemona: We made it, and all thanks to you, Character. I can't pay you now, but with the knowledge of these tablets I'll be able to later. I owe you one.

When captured

Desdemona: Hands are full over here, Character. So I could really use yours.

Ambush! Five waves of Arachnos squads will attack the player when Desdemona is rescued.

Ambush dialogue 3

Fire Tarantula: Stop them!

---

Tarantula: Seize Desdemona, kill Character!

---

Blood Widow: Stop them from escaping!

---

Arachnos Drone: Lock the site down. We can't let them escape!

---

Arachnos Drone: Don't let them take the tablets!

Debriefing

You feel pretty good. Sure, things didn't go exactly according to plan, but Desdemona got out alive with some important magical knowledge and you got to pull the wool over Arachnos's eyes. You didn't get paid in cold hard cash, but sometimes the little pleasures in life are worth it.