Portal Space Research

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Portal Space Research
Level:	??
Type:	Solo
Starts At:	??
Repeat:	??

Quest Overview

• As of the Secrets of the Apostates (May 2009) patch, you no longer need to do the this quest to gain access to Crystalline Crag. Previously this quest was needed to use the Resonant Portal to be portaled to Crag.
• This quest is changing every patch.

Walk Through

Picking up the Pieces

• Run around the Direlands until you find a white Resonant Portal (no level restrict, no summon/tie/recall).
• The portal not only transports you through space but to a time before Mar'uun was destroyed. All the NPCs are present except Jean, Luc, and Kaywin who were added in later patches after Mar'uun was added.
• You must talk to Marcus Manfried and Wren the Curious who are performing their portal space experiments just as they were before. You can try and convince them of their impending doom by telling them that Jean and Luc will soon appear. You are given the choice to tell Marcus this via a dialog box.
• It says to check back again in a week's time. Perhaps the time line advances every week with the Virindi appearing then Kaywin then the disaster will strike?
  • The Scrap of Paper from the destroyed Mar'uun of the present will probably be useful for convincing them in the future...
• Also the Stabilizing Machine in this version of Mar'uun can to be turned on and off by clicking it. The Machine in the destroyed Mar'uun cannot be turned off/on. Appears to be no significance to that yet.
  • Another character of mine cannot turn the machine off/on. This is a strange...
• The Test Portal cannot be used by some.

The portal restrictions do not allow your access.

• After talking to both the NPCs and being informed to return in a week, I used the test portal and was transported back to current Mar'uun. I was also awarded 1,000,000 xp. This might be due to the fact that before I went to the past I turned on the stabilizer in present and then past Mar'uun. Unconfirmed.
  • I think this interaction is due to the fact that you didn't use the test portal back in the month when it was usable. The Test Portal use was a one time thing per month so if you didn't use it then you could still use the test portal now. My characters did the quest before so they're restricted. Did you use the Test Portal several months ago?

Old Ghosts

• With the destruction of Mar'uun, the Test Portal is still there, but does not function. Both NPCs are gone, 2 corpses can be found near the Test Portal...
• Pick up a Scrap of Paper (Mar'uun) on the ground near where Kaywin once was.

Secrets of the Apostates

• During this patch the Test Portal has become unstable so no experiments are currently possible. Marcus says they hope to resume testing next month.

You try to enter the portal but there is no effect.
The portal seems unstable.

Who Watches the Virindi?/What Once was Lost

1. Enter the Mar'uun portal at 10.6S, 17.1E.
   • Route: From Al-Arqas, take the Al-Nosaj portal at 33.5S, 13.1E.
2. The dungeon is a town with regular vendor NPCs and no monsters. In the dungeon find the area with 2 NPCs conducting portal space experiments.
3. Talk to Marcus Manfried then Wren the Curious and he will direct you to enter the Enhanced Test portal there by double clicking it.

   You've earned 1,000,000 experience.

   Enhanced Test Portal teleports you with Test Portal.

Unfinished Business

Optional Step
Go to the Resonant Portal at 14.6S 62.2W. Double click the portal and you will get a green message but not be portaled anywhere.

• Route: Use the Izji Qo's Portal Device at your mansion.
• The portal emanates an odd thrumming sound. The vibrations through the air seem foreign to even you, an experienced portal traveler.
• This will result in a slightly different response from the NPCs and the Test Portal but as far as we know does not give any benefit.

Required Steps

1. Enter the Mar'uun portal at 10.6S, 17.1E.
   • Route: From Al-Arqas, take the Al-Nosaj portal at 33.5S, 13.1E.
2. The dungeon is a town with regular vendor NPCs and no monsters. In the dungeon find the area with 2 NPCs conducting portal space experiments.
3. Talk to Marcus Manfried then Wren the Curious and he will direct you to enter the Test portal there by double clicking it.

   If you didn't go to the Resonant Portal it will only portal you a short distance away.

   You've earned 1,000,000 experience.

   Test Portal teleports you with Test Portal.

   If you went to the Resonant Portal before you went to Mar'uun you may get portaled to a strange area called the Portal Space Eddy where lots of portal space energy is flowing (it looks like the Portal Space dungeon from the Invoker quest). After a few seconds you will be portaled back to Mar'uun near the NPCs.

   You've earned 1,000,000 experience.
   

   Test Portal teleports you with Portal Space Eddy.
   

   Portal Space Eddy teleports you with Test Portal.

4. Talk to the two NPCs again and you will be flagged to enter the Resonant Portal.
5. Go to the Resonant Portal and double click it. It will now portal you to the top of the Crystalline Crag.

   Your resonance is now properly in tune with that of the portal.

   Resonant Portal teleports you with Crystalline Portal.

Images

• 

  Wren the Curious and the Test Portal in better days

• 

  The now dysfunctional Test Portal, after the destruction of Mar'uun.

Lore & Dialog

Picking up the Pieces

Wren the Curious tells you, "Thank you for your assistance as a test subject. We could use more good subjects like you."
You tell Wren about the things you've seen in Mar'uun and her coming demise. She seems disturbed by your story.
Wren the Curious tells you, "I'm really not certain who you are, but we're trying to work here. Please leave me alone!"

Marcus Manfried tells you, "Thank you for all your assistance. We have gathered what we can from our understanding of your personal properties, the sum of the things you've done and how that interacted with our experimental portals."
You tell Marcus about what you've seen in Mar'uun.
Marcus Manfried tells you, "We're here to do serious research, I'm really not interested in your ghost stories."
You think you need to find some way to make him believe you.
Dialog Box asks you if you want to tell him about the Virindi, you can click Yes or No
You tell Marcus about the Virindi, Jean and Luc who will soon be moving into town.
Marcus Manfried tells you, "You expect me to believe that Virindi are going to materialize here out of the blue?"
Marcus Manfried tells you, "I'm not certain which of your stories is the least likely..."
You think you have already done everything you can here for now.
It seems like a good idea to check back in a week's time.
If time progresses in this lost place the people here will soon learn more.

There does not seem to be more you can do to convince Wren.
You think you have done everything you can here for now.

The portal restrictions do not allow your access.

Secrets of the Apostates

Marcus Manfried tells you, "Our test portal has become unstable and we won't be able to continue our tests until we're able to stabilize it."
Marcus Manfried tells you, "We've heard of some very stange experiences from our test subjects that we're looking into also."
Marcus Manfried tells you, "There's nothing else that you can do for us now. Come back next month, we're hoping to have everything resolved by then."

Wren the Curious tells you, "I've been here adjusing this portal for days and we're no closer to having it stabilized."
Wren the Curious tells you, "Marcus doesn't seem to know what the problem is but I think something is very wrong here."

Wren the Curious says, "I can't wait to get back to work... trying to stablize this portal one adjustment at a time is monotonous at best."

You try to enter the portal but there is no effect.
The portal seems unstable.

Who Watches the Virindi?

Marcus Manfried tells you, "We're starting a new round of experiments. Our last round of participants assisted greatly."
Marcus Manfried tells you, "We'd like to measure the changes in our previous subjects as well as taking in new subjects as this time."
Marcus Manfried tells you, "You can talk to me again if you would like to assist us."

Marcus Manfried says, "We need to examine the properties associated with this modulation."
Wren the Curious says, "I'm examining the modulation of the portal... now."
Marcus Manfried tells you, "Talk to my assistant if you would like to participate in this round of testing. We've also been correcting the resonance of adventurers to match that of the portal found at what is now being called the Crystalline Crag. Simply pracipate in our test and we'll make sure you're set."

Wren the Curious says, "Are you back to help again or a new participant?"
Wren the Curious says, "Okay, I'll set up the correct tests. Talk to me when you're ready to go."
Wren the Curious tells you, "The process has been prepared. When you are ready use the test portal."
Marcus Manfried says, "We're never going to make any progress at this rate. We need to bring in some test subjects."

You've earned 1,000,000 experience.
Enhanced Test Portal teleports you with Test Portal.

Unfinished Business

Marcus Manfried says, "We need to stay organized to maintain the validity of our experiments."
Marcus Manfried says, "Starting next iteration..."
Marcus Manfried tells you, "Sorry about that, I needed to finish initializing the current iteration of our portal experiments."
Marcus Manfried tells you, "Our current experimentation is intended to further understand and possibly bypass the restrictions of certain portals."
Marcus Manfried tells you, "This is only our current round of experiments. We're hoping to unlock all the secrets of portal space and time."
Marcus Manfried tells you, "You can talk to me again if you would like to assist us."
Marcus Manfried says, "Process complete. Observe the results and make the proper notations."

Wren the Curious tells you, "The process has been prepared. When you are ready use the test portal."

Response if you used the Resonant Portal prior to going to Mar'uun:
Marcus Manfried tells you, "When you came in here I detected some indications that you've interacted with a portal with some strange properties. Could you tell me about the portals you've encountered recently?"
You describe the long list of portals that you have interacted with recently.
Marcus Manfried tells you, "You've really been around haven't you?"
Marcus Manfried tells you, "Could you tell me more about the portal in the direlands surrounded by crystals?"
Marcus Manfried tells you, "Very good, I think I can help you out. Just talk to my assistant and he'll do what I believe is required to assist you in entering the portal you've described."
You describe everything you know about the resonant portal you found in the direlands.

Marcus Manfried tells you, "Thank you for all your assistance. We have gathered what we can from our understanding of your personal properties, the sum of the things you've done and how that interacted with our experimental portals."
Wren the Curious tells you, "Thank you for your assistance as a test subject. We could use more good subjects like you."
Marcus Manfried says, "Yes, we were able to obtain valuable information from the results of your portaling."

Marcus and Wren's Conversations:

Wren the Curious says, "This is never going to work..."
Marcus Manfried says, "Don't get discouraged and be patient."
Marcus Manfried says, "Continue to monitor the mana flow."
Marcus Manfried says, "We need to examine the properties associated with this modulation."
Wren the Curious says, "I'm examining the modulation of the portal... now."
Wren the Curious says, "Where did I place those documents..."
Marcus Manfried says, "We need to stay organized to maintain the validity of our experiments."
Marcus Manfried says, "We're never going to make any progress at this rate. We need to bring in some test subjects."
Marcus Manfried says, "Examining portal differential."
Wren the Curious says, "Examination in process."
Marcus Manfried says, "We need to examine the properties associated with this modulation."
Wren the Curious says, "I'm examining the modulation of the portal... now."
Marcus Manfried says, "Continue to monitor the mana flow."
Marcus Manfried says, "We need to examine the properties associated with this modulation."
Wren the Curious says, "I'm examining the modulation of the portal... now."
Wren the Curious says, "When do we expect to get new test subjects?"
Marcus Manfried says, "We should have more subjects any time now. This place has no lack of adventurers."
Wren the Curious says, "Where did I place those documents..."
Marcus Manfried says, "We need to stay organized to maintain the validity of our experiments."
Marcus Manfried says, "We're never going to make any progress at this rate. We need to bring in some test subjects."
Marcus Manfried says, "Adjusting resonance."
Wren the Curious says, "Adjusting resonance."