The Void Stares Back

The Void Stares Back is the third and final quest of the Void Knights quest series.

The plot revolves around the impending threat of a full-on invasion by the void pests. The quest also includes strong enemies and difficult puzzles.

Something is not right
To start the quest, speak to Captain Korasi, who is at Falador park. She will be happy to see you, and remark how you have managed to infiltrate the Black Knights' Fortress multiple times by wearing nothing but a guard's outfit - three times. That means that you are THE person to go investigate the fortress for clues on the waxwood boxes of leech goo. She will give you a special set of Black Knight armour: Black full helm (bugged), Black platebody (bugged), and Black platelegs (bugged), which will record movement and speech so that Savant may rescue you, should something go wrong. Accept the mission.



Infiltrating the Kinshra
Head north of Falador or teleport to the Edgeville lodestone, and head west to the Black Knights' Fortress. Equip your black armour (this will need to be worn while fighting, although additional armour can be equipped in the other slots.) When you enter, you will be called by an angry Commander Colby, who will criticise you for being an hour late. He will teleport you to the Black Knights' base in Taverley Dungeon. He will only teleport you once, so if you have to go back for any reason you must go through Taverley Dungeon.

Note: If you are killed in the Black Knights' base in Taverley Dungeon before the Pest Queen is summoned, you will have to travel back there by foot. The base is located deep in the dungeon, with most of the quest taking part in an even more remote set of rooms. It can take some time to get back to your gravestone. Therefore, it is essential to purchase the longest-lasting gravestone one can afford, and you should consider bringing run energy-restoring items (e.g. energy potions). The west bank in Falador can be accessed quickly from the low wall shortcut, allowing for restocking. Alternatively Taverley lodestone and bank are near the entrance.

Security Room 1: The Weight Distribution
Talk to Captain Gilroy next to you and he will automatically send you through the big metal door, where a fellow team member has already set up. Behind it is a room with some crates. You will see Gilroy ordering the other Black Knight to open the door, which will electrocute him, killing him. First surprised, Gilroy will command you, the recruit, to fix the door, but not to touch it. Try to take any crate. You will remark that the label is positioned in a funny way and tell the Captain. The crates contain weights and these must be placed in a certain order on the balance scale on the wall for the door to open. Gilroy concludes the crates have been sabotaged by someone, thus making every Knight kill themselves, since they will get the code all wrong. Gilroy will ask you to hand him some weights so that he, with his Misthalanian farmer skills, can decide which one is heavier, in order to help unlock the door.

If you log out or exit to the lobby at any point of this point, you will be teleported to the Kinshra base in Taverley dungeon upon return, where you can simply open the door near you to return.

Search the crates and you will find there are blocks in them. You need to fit them into the door's locking mechanism, but the labels on the blocks displaying their weight are incorrect. Captain Gilroy will tell you that he can determine the blocks' actual weight. Take all the blocks out of the crate. They are numbered from 2 to 6. Now use two on Captain Gilroy at a time. He will tell which one is lighter and which one is heavier. You have to find out the correct order of blocks, from lightest to heaviest. Keep using pairs of blocks on Gilroy until you know the order. Arrange them in your inventory from lightest to heaviest. It is advised to use the notes system or a piece of paper and note which block is which.

The easiest tactic is to first find the block that is lighter than all others. Put it apart, and find the lightest block of the remaining ones. Put that one apart too next to the first one, and repeat these steps. You'll end up with the correct order.

When you know the order, talk to Gilroy and choose the option "I think I've got it." Now give the weights for each block, starting with the lightest one and so working your way up to the heaviest one. For example, if you found the order of blocks is 3, 5, 2, 6, 4, start with block 3, then tell the weight of block 5, and so on.

The block labeled 2 weighs 4, label 3 weighs 2, label 4 weighs 6, Label 5 weighs 3, and the block labeled 6 weighs 5.

After you've told Gilroy the right order, he will tell you to correct the scales on the door. Today's password is "15". Select "Balance Scale" on the wall to the right of the door. The puzzle shows two bars, one below the other, each with a swivel point. Blocks must be arranged such that the weight on each bar adds up to 15, and such that for each bar the leverage of the weights on each side of the swivel point (ie the distance from the swivel point times the size of the weight) is equal.

'''The correct code is:Top: 5-2-4-4, Bottom:2-2-5-6.

Another possible Solution is: Top: 3-5-3-4, Bottom: 2-2-5-6'''

Security Room 2: The Ambush
Prepare for a fight. Now open the door and enter the room. You will be ambushed by a group of pests. Captain Gilroy will fight the Defiler, while the Black Knight cowers in a corner. You have to fight four: a Torcher, a Brawler, a Shifter, and a Spinner. These fight as they do in Pest Control, except they are much stronger than their levels suggest. Consider using Protect from Melee or Deflect Melee to block most damage.


 * The Spinner will continually heal the other three very rapidly.
 * The Shifter will move a distance away from the player and teleport-swap positions with the pest that the player is currently attacking.
 * The Brawler obstructs player movement as in the Pest Control activity.
 * The Torcher shoots magic while having the Protect from Ranged prayer active. It can also activate Protect From Magic. These prayers give it 100% protection against the attack style when active. For this reason is it recommended you bring weapons for two attack styles if you plan to use magic/range.

If you die during the fight, the bugged black armour will not be dropped on the floor. You will have to collect it from Captain Korasi again. Attack the spinner first. It will rapidly heal the other creatures as long as it is alive. Due to the constant teleporting effect of the shifter, players may find it faster or easier to kill it with magic or ranged. After the spinner is killed, finish off the rest as you see fit. Keep in mind the shifter should be next as it teleports the other monsters around which can be annoying. Also note that the brawler hits unusually high and quickly, at the speed of throwing knives.

Pick up the security blocks the pests dropped. There are four blocks (Gilroy gives you one after speaking to him), but one is broken. Speak to Captain Gilroy. He will tell you to fix the block at the forge in a north-west room. Unfortunately, the forge has been destroyed and thus must be repaired.

Exit the room and head north-west until you find the forge. Investigate it; you will need a limestone brick, a hammer and a piece of hard leather to fix it. Gilroy tells that all items can be found in the base. Search the crate in the same room as the forge, in the south-western corner, to get a limestone brick. The hard leather is located in a crate near the jail, in the far east. Return to the forge and fix it. (If you are told that the forge is "Tiny and...broken" when you try to repair it, then go back and speak to Gilroy). It will now require some fuel and needs to be lit. A set of logs can be found in a crate in the kitchen, which is the most north-north-eastern room, and a tinderbox (you can use a tinderbox in your tool belt, also), which is south of the kitchen. Fuel the forge and light it with your tinderbox. Put the broken block in the forge. You will obtain a fourth security block. Head back to the room with Captain Gilroy and place the four blocks in their holes - the order does not matter - in the western wall. The security door can now be opened. If you log out or teleport before you open the security door, your progress is saved and any enemies you have killed will remain dead.

Security Room 3: The Control Panel
Enter the room, click on the control panel on the western wall, and Gilroy will remark that, after the first two rooms, he suspects it has been sabotaged as well. Select to search it for magical traps. After disarming the trap, open the panel. Talk to Gilroy again. You need to solve another puzzle. Drag the tiles into the panels. You need to make a horizontal line spanning all three panels, but also fill all the empty spaces. Once you've completed the puzzle, you can open the door.

Notes:
 * When you've made the horizontal line, there will be other bits of line left; you don't have to do anything with them.
 * The puzzle will only be completed when every tile is placed. This includes tiles that are not needed to make the horizontal line.
 * There are multiple solutions to this puzzle.

Grayzag's Plan - Pest Conquest
Enter the next room. You will view a cutscene. A portal is discovered, and your true identity is revealed to Lord Daquarius. Reinforcements arrive in the form of Sir Tiffy, Korasi and Jessika, who just like Daquarius can bypass those defence systems. You manage to convince Daquarius to join forces. More Temple Knights, Black Knights, White Knights and Void Knights teleport in, and the parties agree to unite under the leadership of the player. Talk to Korasi to receive Korasi's sword.

Talk to Commodore Tyr, then step into the portal, and you will arrive in an underground temple. Another cutscene will start. It reveals that Wizard Melville Grayzag - Jessika's professor at the Wizard's Tower - is behind the pest manipulations and plans to gain revenge against his enemies (basically everyone) by summoning the Pest Queen. Grayzag is not quite ready and sends a force of splatters to attack, forcing a cave-in on the area where the player was standing. You take shelter in a nearby cave.

While the others attempt to make a way out, you must play a modified game of Conquest against the AI-controlled pest force. You must command your own troops and defeat all enemy units on the battlefield. This game is safe; for if you lose, you return to the cave with all your items, and can try again. You have a slight advantage, as the pests cannot use commands such as Battle Cry or Regenerate. You will have standard units, but the opponent has special pest troops:


 * The Ravagers (300 Health/300 Damage) have the movement range of Scouts and the damage rate of a Knight. They can easily destroy your party if they are not dealt with swiftly, so they should be a top priority.
 * The Shifters (200 Health/200 Damage) are less of a threat than other units and can be tanked if need be; however, watch your 100 life point units.
 * The Defilers (200 Health/200 Damage) are similar to Mages.
 * The Spinners (800 Health/100 Damage) are similar to Champions in that they are very powerful. They do not heal their units (which is what spinners do in the Pest Control activity).
 * The Torchers (100 Health/100 Damage) are similar to Archers.
 * The Splatters (600 Health/100 Damage) will explode and deal 100 life points of damage to any adjacent unit that is within one square on death. However, they can also move next to a friendly unit and suicide for the sole reason of dealing damage.

The AI has a fair amount of randomness in its play and does not always make what seems to be the best move. One winning strategy against it is to line up your units near the back of the playing field (not advancing toward the enemy) and destroy the enemy units as they close in to fight. Another good tactic is to only use high-hitting units such as your Champion and Knight. You can fight recklessly as they can not be killed in a single hit, unlike in Conquest. If they get low on health you can use Regenerate to fully heal them. Most pests will go down in two hits of the Knight, and nothing can survive two hits from the Champion. Taking out enemy units faster than they can take out your units will usually result in a win. If the AI is playing well, you can always retreat from the game and start a new one, as the AI may not play well the next time.

Only a reduced set of commands are available, but these are key to winning:
 * Use Regenerate to heal powerful units that become damaged. The Champion and Halberdier are worth healing.
 * Use Battle Cry to buff up the attack of your units so that they can destroy enemy units. As with regenerate, the Champion, Halberdier, and the Mage all can be worth buffing. (with this command, the Champion can often take out a unit in a single hit, the Halberdier can hit hard from two squares away while being out of retaliation range of 1-range units, and the Mage can inflict 400 points of damage at several squares range.)
 * Charge doubles a unit's movement and is less useful but can be used to pick off a distant unit on occasion, although the charging unit will be vulnerable if other enemies are nearby.

If you happen to log out during the game, or back in the cave, you will end up back outside at the portal room and will have to restart the Conquest game.

The mother of all pests
Once you have defeated the opponent, enter the door at the end of the room. A cutscene will start. The first thing you will notice is that Valluta is not a metaphor, but a Guardian of Guthix in the form of a giant tortoise. Wizard Grayzag is very close to summoning the Pest Queen, and he needs a sacrifice to complete the ritual.

He leaves the decision on who to save — Korasi or Jessika — to you, or else he says he will kill both. If you save Jessika, Korasi will be slain by the nearby Pest drones; if you save Korasi, Grayzag will kill Jessika with Saradomin Strike. After killing the one who the player decided to not save, Grayzag summons the Pest Queen from the portal in the middle of the room. Korasi or Jessika (depending on who you saved) manages to close the portal by exploding the food-goo, badly injuring herself in the process.

Unfortunately, the Pest Queen has already managed to climb through. You can ask Valluta for assistance but she will respond that she is too weak to do anything. She will, however, answer questions on how to fight the Pest Queen. Make sure this part is completed before you bank/gear up because if you don't, Sir Tiffy will not be able to teleport you back to the chamber.

Before continuing, bank and gear up for the battle with the Pest Queen. Keep in mind that your primary weapon will be Korasi's sword. In particular, you will need to frequently use its special attack (which requires 10% adrenaline) to prevent the queen's charge attacks, as these cause 4000 life points of damage to you and your archers as well as healing the queen. It is also recommended to bring an off-hand weapon as you will be able to use extra abilities, such as Destroy.

If you happen to die during the fight with the Pest Queen, your gravestone will appear in front of the portal in the Black Knights' headquarters. This means you can regain your items without risk of combat, but be aware that it can take some time to get to from your respawn point. Sir Tiffy Cashien will teleport you back directly to the boss portal. Therefore, the fastest route back to your gravestone is to teleport to Falador and talk to Sir Tiffy. An even faster route is to make Falador your respawn location and then talk to Sir Tiffy to get back, therefore saving time and runes.

If you teleport out of the Black Knight headquarters, Korasi's sword will disappear; you can get it back by entering the Pest Queen's chamber and talking to Korasi.

Strategy
As for fighting the Pest Queen, she has two styles of attack, melee and magic, which both can hit over 1500. While melee attacking the Pest Queen it is advisable to use the Protect from Melee prayer as that is the more common attack she uses at close range.

Most importantly, when the Queen stops attacking and looks upward, activate the Korasi's sword special attack to prevent her from activating her own special attack, because she can deal 4000+ damage to you and the knights and archers (which will most likely be killed in one hit) attacking the Queen. Keeping your LP above her max hit is also advised in case you fail to use the special twice and are unable to stop her special attack. She will heal herself after she successfully casts the special attack.

If you spoke to Valluta, you will know that in order to defeat the queen you must defeat her drones. There are a total of ten drones during the fight, which are summoned in 4 waves. Four drones will be summoned in the first wave, three in the second, two in the third, and one in the fourth. Inasmuch as you can't attack them, you must rely on the Void archers that enter the room periodically.

In order to prevent them from dying, be sure to either distract or kill the level 130 elite defilers when they spawn, as they will attack the archers otherwise, and can hit them for over 350 damage. Trapping them behind the Queen or behind the boxes at the entrance of the room takes a bit of time, but is worth the effort as it will eliminate a major source of damage and distraction, since they can hit almost constantly for around 100-150 damage. A maximum of two defilers will be in the arena at any given time, so they will not be a threat if they are trapped in the first room behind the boxes. A good way to do this is to bring a bow and bronze arrows, you will be able to force the defilers to move closer to you while dealing minimal damage. You can stand behind the pillars next to the Valluta to lure them closer.

Death of a Queen
After you have killed the Pest Queen, her body explodes and all knights cheer. Speak to Jessika, Korasi or Valluta and a cut scene will play. Grayzag has been captured and is tied to a pillar. Valluta explains that she is a Guardian of Guthix and could've easily handled the pest queen if it weren't for her powers being drained by the food goo. She also explains that anyone who battles for balance is Valluta, including you. Due to Grayzag's long-lasting experiments, the dimensional barrier has been permanently weakened, which means the pest invasions cannot stop and the void knights must continue their vigil still. At that point Daquarius grows sick of the good-talk and approaches to kill Grayzag, but is stopped by Tiffy. The various orders of knights cannot agree on what to do with Grayzag and start arguing until Korasi or Jessika interrupts them, after which they leave the decision up to you. You will choose one of four fates:


 * Choosing Commander Tyr's Void Knights option will result in Tyr executing him on the spot, cutting Grayzag's throat with his sword.
 * Choosing Sir Tiffy's Temple Knights option will result in Sir Tiffy untying Grayzag and teleporting him to the Temple Knight HQ, where they will interrogate then 'dispose' of Grayzag.
 * Choosing Sir Amik's White Knights option will result in Sir Tiffy untying Grayzag and teleporting Grayzag to the White Knights, where they imprison him. (Sir Amik himself is not present but Sir Tiffy presents Sir Amik's option as well as his own.)
 * Choosing Lord Daquariaus' Black Knights option will result in Daquariaus torturing and then killing Grayzag.

With the decision, the Knight Order Alliance is broken and Tiffy and Daquarius leave (the latter warning not to mess with his business again). Tyr heartily thanks you and recounts on the ethics of various decisions you've made throughout the quests, all of which you will defend, and give you elite Void Knight gear depending on those decisions.

Congratulations, quest complete!

Rewards

 * 1 quest point
 * 2 Book of Equilibrium (Can be stored in bank) - each in any combat skill level 75 or higher (except Constitution)
 * Korasi's sword and the ability to use Jessika's sword
 * Elite void knight top. Its colour will depend on how you answered several psychological questions/decisions in the void quests. Examining it will reveal its type: white for Guardian, grey for Justiciar, and black for Executioner, and it can be changed by talking to Commandor Tyr and paying coins.
 * The ability to upgrade your Void Knight armour for its elite version at the cost of 100 Void Knight commendation points.
 * 2 Book of Equilibrium (Can be stored in bank) - each in any combat skill level 75 or higher (except Constitution)
 * Korasi's sword and the ability to use Jessika's sword
 * Elite void knight top. Its colour will depend on how you answered several psychological questions/decisions in the void quests. Examining it will reveal its type: white for Guardian, grey for Justiciar, and black for Executioner, and it can be changed by talking to Commandor Tyr and paying coins.
 * The ability to upgrade your Void Knight armour for its elite version at the cost of 100 Void Knight commendation points.
 * Elite void knight top. Its colour will depend on how you answered several psychological questions/decisions in the void quests. Examining it will reveal its type: white for Guardian, grey for Justiciar, and black for Executioner, and it can be changed by talking to Commandor Tyr and paying coins.
 * The ability to upgrade your Void Knight armour for its elite version at the cost of 100 Void Knight commendation points.

Required for Completing

 * Nomad's Elegy
 * Full rewards of The World Wakes
 * Desert Tasks:
 * Elite: "Sun Shade" (The Pest Queen needs to be killed in the dominion tower)

Music Unlocked

 * In Security
 * Precarious Void
 * Mystery Revealed
 * Give it your Pest Shot
 * The Void Stares Back
 * Who Are We To Judge?

Trivia

 * The quest's name is a reference to the famous quote by philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, "Whoever battles monsters should take care not to become a monster too, for if you stare long enough into the Abyss, the Abyss stares back into you." This reference is particularly profound with regards to the quest's content - the first half of the quote can be seen to refer to the multiple moral choices you must make throughout the three quests in the Void series. The reward of Guardian, Justicar or Executioner Elite Void Robes at the end of the quest can therefore be seen as a judgement on whether or not you, having battled monsters, have yourself 'become a monster'. The 'abyss' in the quote is embodied by the Void.
 * The day the quest was released, the spoilers said, "Sir Tiffy, Commodore Tyr and Lord Daquarius are squabbling over the rewards. This may take a while..."
 * When Grayzag leaves to summon the Pest Queen, he summons a group of pests and cries, "Say hello to my little friends!", a direct reference to Al Pacino in the 1983 version of the film Scarface.
 * Upon the completion of this quest, one's Adventurer's Log will read: "I led an alliance of knights against the Pest Queen and defeated her."
 * When forced to decide who to save from Jessika and Korasi, Wizard Grayzag says "...you try my patience Make. Your. Choice." This is a direct quote from Phantom of the Opera, where the Phantom asks Christine to choose between killing Raoul or living her life with him.
 * Once the Pest Queen is dead, you can right-click on the body for a while and still see her old combat level from before EoC which was 599.
 * The Defence requirement used to be 10 until 6 November, because the requirement did not match the one to wear black armour anymore.
 * Guthix used the Elder sword to carve pathways between worlds, but cut too deep and pierced the void, opening the 'Void Portal' and shattering the sword in the process.
 * The giant tortoise guarding the weakened fabric of reality may be a reference to  by Stephen King.

The Void Stares Back The Void Stares Back