The Nexus Crystal

Summary

• Event took place between April 7th and April 21st, 2000.
• First part of the event involved large numbers of Shadow creatures invading various towns.
• The initial attack began with Shadow forces led by the Shadow Captains attacking the town of Fort Tethana followed by Plateau Village and then Stonehold.
• The second attack was led by a Shadow aspect of Black Ferah. They invaded Wai Jhou and then Kara after the aspect of Black Ferah's was killed. After being killed again at Kara, Black Ferah then moved to the Shadow Spire nearby where she is defeated a third time.
• The third attack was led by a Shadow aspect of Ler Rhan. He arrived in the A'mun Desert Shadow Spire and then appeared later on at the Wilderness Spire bordering the Aluvian realm and then finally at the Black Mire Swamps Spire after being killed by players.
• Black Ferah reappeared, this time at a Shadow Spire in the northern Direlands. After she was defeated, Ler Rhan and his army renew their attack in Osteth. However, this time portals have opened at the spires found in Cragstone, Eastham, Khayyaban, Sawato, Tou-Tou and Tufa.
• Players entered each of the six spires and kill the Spire Shadows found there. The Shadows dropped chunks to a key, requiring players to work together to combine the six pieces and complete the two spire keys.
• A portal to the Nexus opens. Players entered and defeated the Nexus Shadow Captain guarding two locked doors. After defeating the captain and using the spire keys, they finally reached the Nexus Crystal in its chamber.
• The Nexus Crystal was destroyed on all servers and dropped a once-per-server gem that could was crafted by each of the three master smiths for a suit of Nexus Armor. Koujia Nexus Armor was never created on any of the retail servers.

Further reading:

• The Nexus Crystal event is mentioned in the ingame text, General History of Dereth Vol. V.

Boss Slayers

The following players appeared in the server broadcasts that were sent out when each of the bosses were defeated.

Shadow Captains

Shadow Captain 1

Player	Server
Dragonbite	Thistledown
Flip	Harvestgain
Axemaster Grimey	Frostfell
JrjayIII	Morningthaw
Pangnirtung	Leafcull
Schattenkind	Darktide

Shadow Captain 2

Player	Server
Quin Chaos	Thistledown
Ravik	Harvestgain
Pak Wing	Frostfell
Sif al Taak	Morningthaw
Zall	Leafcull
Xavier Dreux	Darktide

Shadow Captain 3

Player	Server
Deity Arokh	Thistledown
Kyp'San	Harvestgain
Jet	Frostfell
Elminster of Iceland	Morningthaw
Darklife	Leafcull
Loch	Darktide

Black Ferah

Aspect of Black Ferah 1

Player	Server
Flick-Doh	Thistledown
Macross	Harvestgain
Liquidious	Frostfell
Zaza-master	Morningthaw
Spell weaver	Leafcull
Seventhsis	Darktide

Aspect of Black Ferah 2

Player	Server
Tron	Thistledown
Lo Pang-Jo	Harvestgain
Jest	Frostfell
Elminster of Iceland	Morningthaw
Axen	Leafcull
Xavier Dreux	Darktide

Aspect of Black Ferah 3

Player	Server
Rival	Thistledown
Swiftbeam	Harvestgain
Simkin	Frostfell
Darius Giovanni	Morningthaw
Chain Lightning	Leafcull
Eight-the-Feared	Darktide

Aspect of Black Ferah 4

Player	Server
Tron	Thistledown
Brandin	Harvestgain
Axemaster Grimey	Frostfell
Sprawls	Morningthaw
Nightwolf	Leafcull
Lop	Darktide

Ler Rhan

Aspect of Ler Rhan 1

Player	Server
Kitra-Neu	Thistledown
Cuervo	Harvestgain
Kaylara	Frostfell
Qualabar	Morningthaw
Korvus	Leafcull
Delore	Darktide

Aspect of Ler Rhan 2

Player	Server
Andriana	Thistledown
Toldhem Sho	Harvestgain
Idal	Frostfell
Jaquel Audar	Morningthaw
Servent	Leafcull
Vyrus	Darktide

Aspect of Ler Rhan 3

Player	Server
Andriana	Thistledown
Mitsuguri	Harvestgain
Reeve Asbestos	Frostfell
Quirky Han	Morningthaw
Timba	Leafcull
Archetype	Darktide

Nexus Crystal

Player	Server
Tayway	Thistledown
Hell Maker	Harvestgain
Freeze	Frostfell
Al Neo	Morningthaw
Qua Badib	Leafcull
Lop	Darktide

Creatures

The Generals

Shadow

• Black Ferah
• Ler RhanBlack Ferah/Ler Rhan/

Invasion Force

Shadow

• Panumbris Shadow
• Shadow
• Shadow Captain
• Shadow Child
• Shadow Lieutenant
• Small Shadow Child
• Eastham Spire Shadow
• Cragstone Spire Shadow
• Tou-Tou Spire Shadow
• Sawato Spire Shadow
• Khayyaban Spire Shadow
• Tufa Spire ShadowPanumbris Shadow/Shadow/Shadow Captain/Shadow Child/Shadow Lieutenant/Small Shadow Child/Eastham Spire Shadow/Cragstone Spire Shadow/Tou-Tou Spire Shadow/Sawato Spire Shadow/Khayyaban Spire Shadow/Tufa Spire Shadow/

Nexus Creatures

Crystal

• Nexus Crystal
• Nexus FragmentNexus Crystal/Nexus Fragment/

Shadow

• Nexus Shadow
• Nexus Shadow CaptainNexus Shadow/Nexus Shadow Captain/

Items

Event Items

Spire Key Chunk - Eastham Spire Key Chunk - Tou Tou Spire Key Chunk - Khayyaban Spire Key Chunk - Cragstone Spire Key Chunk - Sawato Spire Key Chunk - Tufa Eastern Spires Key Front Western Spires Key Front Eastern Spires Key Western Spires Key Nexus Orders Nexus Note Nexus Core Gem

Nexus Armor

Nexus Celdon Leggings Nexus Celdon Girth Nexus Celdon Breastplate Nexus Celdon Sleeves Nexus Koujia Leggings Nexus Koujia Breastplate Nexus Koujia Sleeves Nexus Amuli Leggings Nexus Amuli Coat

Images

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Dialog

1st Shadow Captain

In the dark of the obsidian wasteland, where great magics wrought destruction long ago, the Shadows stir and awaken. The Hand stretches forth once more...

The darkness has been checked in the Northern Direlands. The brave defenders of Fort Tethana have prevailed; [Name of Hero] has slain the Shadow Captain. The tides of war shift...another captain shall appear, perhaps in a different settlement... The dying Shadow Captain cackles, the hateful sound echoing from the walls of Fort Tethana. "You may have sent me to my doom, [Name of Hero], but the generals are here, and they shall see your people weeping in despair."

The Shadows, despite the loss of their Captain to [Name of Hero], have pushed on into northern Oseth, into the Mt. Espar range. Beware, children of Ispar... The ancient terror has come!

2nd Shadow Captain

The northlands tremble with the echoes of battle, but another Shadow captain has been slain by [Name of Hero]. The Shadows establish a presence in the northern mountains, but otherwise withdraw.... An uneasy peace settles over the land...

3rd Shadow Captain

The dying Shadow Captain laughs. "Savor this little victory [Name of Hero]. The Generals are come, meat-puppets, and they shall fall upon your puny hovels like a storm-tide!"

1st Aspect of Black Ferah

A whisper floats upon the wind: From the blasted obsidian plains come Black Ferah's armies. Seek the shadow of Ferah.

It is not Black Ferah's true self, for the Generals do not yet risk themselves thus.

The wind whispers to you: [Name of Hero] destroyed the first shadow of Black Ferah, but that is no hindrance. The Enemy is advancing into the craggy Linvak Mountains, south of the Sho lands.

2nd Aspect of Black Ferah

A whisper floats upon the wind: [Name of Hero] has defeated the shadow of Black Ferah. The Shadow forces press onward, even to the frontier of the lands settled by the Sho. The aspect of Black Ferah will doubtless seek the power within the southern Shadow Spire... Find the portal to that dread construct, where ever it may appear...

3rd Aspect of Black Ferah

The wind brings good tidings: [Name of Hero] has found and destroyed the shadow of Black Ferah! Leaderless, the Shadow Armies melt away. All but the mountains are safe once more. The land is quiet for the moment...

As the shadow of Black Ferah falls, you hear the cold voice say: "A fine attempt, to have reached me within this twisted pathetic creation. Well done, [Name of Hero]. I see I must reformulate my plans.

1st Aspect of Ler Rhan

A whisper floats upon the wind: Ler Rhan has called forth the shadows to the realm of the proud desert dwellers! The first wave shall begin anon.

Seek out the shadow of Ler Rhan who shall arrive soon…the way shall be opened soon.

Only the protective magic of Asheron keeps the darkest Shadows from your precious towns.

The wind brings tidings: The shadow of Ler Rhan has been destroyed by [Name of Hero]! Coolly, the Shadow General moves on to the plains nigh upon the borders of the Aluvian realm. Seek again the aspect of Ler Rhan; he may be reached soon...soon...

2nd Aspect of Ler Rhan

The wind brings tidings: The shadow of Ler Rhan has been slain by [Name of Hero]! Ler Rhan has been pushed southward to the realms of the Sho and the Blackmire Swamp. Seek Ler Rhan's shadow; he will arrive soon...

Ler Rhan collapses, but hisses in amusement as he falls: "You may have defeated this shadow of mine, [Name of Hero], but I shall rise up elsewhere!"

3rd Aspect of Ler Rhan

The wind brings ominous tidings: The shadow of Ler Rhan has been slain by [Name of Hero]! But Black Ferah has taken up the assault within the Direlands...

Ler Rhan collapses, but hisses in amusement as he falls: "So, you have defeated me, [Name of Hero]. Well played. Yet, I have the aid of Black Ferah, who will now take up the forces in the northern Direlands!"

4th Aspect of Black Ferah

The wind brings terrible news: While the shadow of Black Ferah has been slain by [Name of Hero] in the Direlands, Ler Rhan has renewed his offensive in the A'mun desert! But a new, cool and quiet undercurrent rides this wind, and it says: Little ones, seek now the Key that leads to the Nexus, and all will be made well!

Black Ferah laughs as she falls. "I have merely bought some time for Ler Rhan to regroup, my sweet [Name of Hero]. How much longer can you humans continue? Our forces are infinite, and you fools still know not our true objective!"

The Nexus

Nexus Shadow says, "It is glorious to fall in the service of Ler Rahn and our Dark Master!"

Nexus Shadow Captain says, "I have failed my lord Ler Rhan... But our Dark Master triumphs even so!"

Destruction of the Nexus Crystal

The destruction of the Nexus Crystal brings a burst of heat through the area, followed by a cool, chill wind. Shadows seem to leap up and fall away...in the distance, a faint voice seems to cry: "Retreat, in his name!" and then there is nothing more"

You flatten Nexus Crystal's body with the force of your assault!

The wind brings important tidings: with the destruction of the great Nexus Crystal by [Name of Hero], the shadows suddenly withdraw! From all across the land, the shadows seem to leap away, returning to their dark corners to hide. It seems that Dereth is safe...for now.

Handing in the Nexus Core Gem for Nexus Armor

You give Alean the Steel Forger Nexus Core Gem.

Alean the Steel Forger tells you, "This is the gem from the core of the Nexus Crystal, is it not? A worthy achievement, indeed. I will make you the greatest suit of armor in Dereth."

Alean the Steel Forger gives you Nexus Celdon Breastplate.

Alean the Steel Forger gives you Nexus Celdon Sleeves.

Alean the Steel Forger gives you Nexus Celdon Girth.

Alean the Steel Forger gives you Nexus Celdon Leggings.