From Atlan's Treatise: In addition, Lady Maila has added a further enhancement of her own. She has crafted a set of enchanted elemental source stones which may be added to the weapons. There are crystals which bear the powers of acid, fire, frost, and lightning. Each enhances the weapon with a variety of enchantments. A given stone may be removed from the weapon at any time using a special tool, and then replaced.

Note that there are two entrances to the Artifex Vault (the second suddenly appeared not too long ago.) One way to the first entrance to the Artifex Vault is to head to the Axefall Glen Cottages portal available in the Qalaba'r Settlement Portals at (74.8 S, 17.8 E). Axefall Glen Cottages at (30.4 N, 40.9 W) is a short run to the Artifex Vault at (26.5N, 45.8W).

[Alternatively, one can begin at Plateau, run to the Last Stop Before Dires Villas portal at (45.4N, 42.3W), and run from there. - Ed.]

The second entrance is reached by travelling to Zaikhal and running to the Maitland Cottages portal at (12.7N, 1.7W), then run from there to the Artifex Vault portal at (24.5N, 8E). [Note: You must approach this hill from the southern side in order to find the way up to the portal. - Ed.]

The Artifex Vault portal is tieable, but not summonable.

Warning! If you choose to head for the Lifestone (29.3N, 52.0W) first, be wary of the spawns that have begun in this area. Be prepared to encounter Harrower Grievers, shadow spawns (Umbris, Panumbris, Lieutenant, Shadow), high-level Tumeroks (Overlord, Major), Olthoi, Banderlings (Thrashers, Strikers, Beserkers), and other nasties! [On seconds thought, maybe you should lifestone in Glenden Wood! -- Ed.]

So, head for the Artifex Vault to the East. Again please be wary as there are many shadows, grievvers, and tumeroks about this area.

The Vault portal cannot be tied to. Once inside the Artifex Vault it is completely safe to buff up and I suggest you do so. Buff with all protections, as you will encounter: Tumerok Warrior, Tumerok Officer, Tumerok High Priest, Tumerok Gladiator, and High Tumeroks. Tumeroks are equally resistant to all attack types, so pick your best weapon and agree on one attack type for your team should you be using a mage for vulns.

(A map can be found here: )

Run down the beginning stairs and dispatch the Tumeroks. Go down the ramp and head to the right down the tunnel lined with crystals. Continue down the ramp and take a right going through a large hall lined with tumerok warriors and a tumerok high priest. The crystals on the floor will make running difficult; in addition, you will be fired at by the Tumeroks in the galleries above.

Go through the door and pull the lever, now quickly go back through the larger hall and continue down to what was the left passage with the now-opened door. Pull this lever and go back -- the door past the first lever is now open.

Go down this path and continue forward ignoring all the side routes. Open the door to find a sofa and some lights. Past the sofa is an opening into a large cavern containing huge barrels. Your task is to jump out onto the barrels (best idea is to get to the edge and hold shift jump so you don't go too far) and then jump from barrel to barrel to reach the passage on the right. Do not be worried if you fall down, there is a passage back up, you do NOT have to take the surface portal and start over again.

Go through the tunnel and you will come to the large pit with mist so you can't see the bottom. You will take 80-90 points of damage if you do not use the panels sticking out from the walls to go down easily so I suggest against it. [From the top, use your camera buttons to 'look down' (5 on numeric keypad); this makes it easier to jump outward and downward to reach the first ledge. -- Ed]. Also, be advised that some Tumeroks inhabit a gallery overlooking the pit, and they will be firing at you on the way down.

Once down there is a button on the wall that opens the door to continue through. Go down these set of tunnels until you come to the locked door. Head to the right of this locked door and continue through two sets of doors to go into the room with several Tumerok Gladiators. Get rid of them and pull the lever in the corner of the room. Now head back to the network of tunnels and on your left you will find a now opened alcove with another lever. Pull this one and head back to the room with the first lever and you will find that door is open revealing a surface portal and on the floor your prize -- the Stone Tool.

Use this tool to remove an elemental stone from an Empyrean weapon or a piece of Shadow Armor.

Also lying on the floor is a copy of Maila's Journal, a sad lamentation of the wife of Lord Atlan who still, after 500 years laments the death of her husband.

Please note that this stone tool can break when you try to remove an Atlan Stone from your Atlan Weapons as well as the stone themselves but neither the tool or stone will break if you use it on Shadow Hunter Armor. However, this Tool will not work on Isparian Weapons.

*Quest Edited by Roewin March 1, 2003.

DUNGEON NAME	MAP	RESTRICTIONS
Artifex Vault		None