Description: The High Priest of Icthlarin has problems again - this time with the inhabitants of Menaphos. Sophanem is recovering from the plague, yet most of its citizens are still trapped on the other side of the river. Diplomacy has failed and subterfuge beckons. Clearly, this is the sort of job that a shifty adventurer could excel in.

Difficulty: Master

Length: Medium

Requirements: Must have completed the Prince Ali Rescue, Gertrude's Cat, and Icthlarin's Little Helper quests
A high combat level is recommended

Items Needed: Tinderbox and a light source. 2 Shantay passes, 400 coins for carpet rides, high level food, Antipoison, 1 Waterskin, Amulet of glory or Ring of dueling for Al Kharid teleports, and a Pharoah's scepter (for teleports to Sophanem) are also recommended.

Quest Points: 1

Reward: 1 Quest point, 7000 Thieving XP, two wishes granting 7000 XP in combat skills, Keris, and access to a bank in Sophanem.

Start Point: Sophanem

To Start: Speak to the High Priest of Icthlarin

Speak to the High Priest of Sophanem who is located by the altar in Sophanem. He tells you they would like to lift the quarantine of the town. He explains that the delegation they sent to Menaphos were not allowed to cross the bridge. A cut scene between Coenus and the High Priest is shown.

Offer to help the High Priest and go through all of the options. He tells you a story regarding Tumeken, the Sect of the Scabaras, and that the followers of Scabaras planned to build a passage under the river Elid. He tells you there is a shrine to Scabaras in the Northeast of the city and to speak to Jex who takes care of the building.

Go speak to Jex, who is standing outside a building in the Northeast of Sophanem. Jex tells you that scarabs have burst through from below the building recently. He tells you there is a barricaded trapdoor downstairs in the building and how to open the trapdoor. He also reminds you to bring a light source and a tinderbox. If you do not have a tinderbox or light source with you, you can buy a tinderbox for 50gp and an unlit torch for 200gp from the guards in the destroyed bank (which is down the ladder just east of Jex).

Go down the ladder which is just east of Jex and you will find yourself in the destroyed bank.

Turn on your light source, take your tinderbox with you, and go down the trapdoor into the maze. Please note that the maze and the catacombs below are multicombat so it is potentially very dangerous. There are few creatures in the maze and many in the catacombs. The creatures include scarab mages (level 93), ranging scarab riders (level 98) and melee scarab riders (level 106).

Your goal is to go to the west and south to the west most ladder which is just north of the southernmost ladder (furthest west - two from southernmost) as indicated on the respective maps. You have two primary options: a. you can walk through the maze, avoiding traps or b. you can run through the catacombs beneath for a faster, but more dangerous route. Note that scarab mages can turn off your light sources magically so a tinderbox is required via either route. Please note if you fall into the catacombs below through a trapdoor, you will want to put on protection from mage or protection from range and run as fast as you can to a ladder to get back up to the maze.

Option A:
Follow map a below, avoiding traps. When you see a strange floor, search it and choose that you want to give it a go to pass. When you see odd markings, search them and choose give it a go to disarm traps option to pass. Avoid the wall crusher traps by sidestepping - walk to the edge of the moving blocks and then walk diagonally to the free space in front of the next moving blocks to avoid being hit. Be careful as traps can hit for high damage. In addition, there are scarabs on the walls that mark trapdoors which will drop you into the catacombs. Finally, there are parts of the floor which look like little quicksand pits that release scarab swarms (which can poison) if you walk on them.

Walk west past the first scarab mage and turn south at your first junction.
At the first point you can turn east, you will see spikes on the floor. Search the floor and choose "Yes, I'll give it a go" to pass.
Continue east though the hall and you will see wall crusher traps. Navigate by these and turn south.
On east and west walls you will see odd markings. Search the odd markings and choose to give it a go to pass.
Turn west and continue west past the first opportunity to turn south, continue west past the first opportunity to turn north, and then turn south at the next opportunity to turn south.
Turn east and then turn south. Be sure to walk on the east side of the corridor as you are walking south as there is a trapdoor on the west side of the corridor. Walk south until the corridor no longer goes south and then turn east. Immediately there are odd markings on the north and south walls. Search the odd markings and choose to give it a go to pass.
Follow the corridor and then head west at the next junction.
You will see a wall crusher trap to the south at the next major junction. Navigate the wall crusher trap and then turn west.
Continue west, staying on the north side of the corridor to avoid trapdoors, until you reach the ladder.

Map A:

Option B:
Follow map b and the catacombs map below.
Go west of the scarab mage and search the floor to the west and choose that you want to give it a go to pass.
Turn on run and protection from magic if you are wearing rune or protection from range if you are wearing magic resistant armor. You are still likely to be damaged heavily either way.
Once you have turned on run and your chosen prayer, climb down the ladder into the catacombs and head to the southwest corner by heading south and then southwest.
Climb up the ladder. The destination ladder is just north of you.
To get there, go east and navigate past the wall crusher trap.
At the next junction, immediately to the north, you will see a odd markings on the east and west walls. Search the odd markings and choose to give it a go to pass.
Turn west and go west to the ladder, staying on the north side of the corridor to avoid trapdoors.

Map B:

Catacombs Map:

Go down the ladder and follow the winding path northwards until you see Kaleef's body. Search Kaleef's body and you will find a parchment.

Read the parchment and it tells you that Kaleef was tasked to get in touch with an agent in Menaphos.

Go west and speak to Maisa who is standing across the chasm. She mentions Kaleef was her contact and curses Osman for her posting. You offer to talk to Osman in return for her speaking to the Sophanem people in Menaphos.

To confirm your identity, Maisa asks you where was Prince Ali being kept when he was kidnapped (tell her Draynor Village) and who helped you (tell her Leela). She then tells you she needs to speak to Osman in person.

Return to Al Kharid to speak to Osman. Osman is located just north of Al Kharid Palace.

Osman wants to know why it is worth his while to help. Tell him because it will drive a wedge between the Menaphite cities. Osman will then agree to help you.

Go to the bank and get prepared for a large battle versus a level 191 creature. Melee or magic is recommended for the battle.

Recommended equipment to take includes:

lantern or torch
tinderbox
gp for carpet rides or waterskin
shantay pass
ring of life
prayer pot
good food (lobsters or preferably above)

For using melee, the following is recommended as well:

good weapon (dragon or better)
good shield (rune, granite, or better) or rune defender
rune (or better) or dragonhide armor
skill, obsidian, legends or god cape
proselyte, initiate, or berserker helm
super attack and/or super strength potion

For using magic, the following is recommended as well:

Runes
Staff
Prayer book or good shield
Splitbark armor or mystic robes and dragonhide legs
Skill, obsidian, legends or god cape

Return to Sophanem and speak to Osman outside the gate to Sophanem. Suggest to Osman that he go into the city via the secret way and you will see a cut scene.

Enter Sophanem, go back past Jex, down the ladders, and through the maze to return to the area where Maisa was for the final battle.

You will see a cut scene involving Maisa and Osman and then will begin the final battle. The final battle is against a level 191 giant scarab. The scarab is aided by level 66 scarab mages and level 68 locust riders who appear (20hp each). The giant scarab fights with melee from close and magic from range.

It is advised to use either melee or magic to fight the giant scarab. If using melee, run close towards the giant scarab and turn on protect from melee. When scarab mages and ranging scarab riders appear, you can either quickly kill them (20hp each) and return to fighting the giant scarab or ignore them as they are relatively lower levels. Ignore the melee scarab riders as you are protecting from melee. If using magic, stand away from the giant scarab, turn on protect from range, and use magic to defeat the giant scarab. When scarab riders appear, you can either quickly kill them (20hp each) and return to fighting the giant scarab or ignore them as they are relatively lower levels. Ignore the scarab mages as you are protecting from magic. You can also position one of the scarab mages or scarab riders between you and the giant scarab to keep your distance when you use magic.

Once you defeat the giant scarab, any remaining scarab mages and scarab riders disappear, the giant scarab drops a keris and Osman appears. Pick up the keris and speak to Osman.

Go back and speak to the High Priest of Sophanem. Quest complete.