The Sand Riddle
Overview
From the Story Arc "Mystic Mayhem" given by Ghost Widow.
This Souvenir is restricted to the level range of 40-44.
Souvenir's Text
This self-perpetuating puzzle was created by Scirocco at the request of your patron, Ghost Widow. While it's now little more than a desktop trophy, it once served as a psychic beacon to draw in one of Paragon City's most powerful defenders. It's still a potent reminder of the adventure you like to call:
Mystic Mayhem
It began with a Longbow raid on one of Ghost Widow's hidden bases. Ghost Widow was disturbed by the loss of the base, but even more disturbed by how it came to be found. Its location was, after all, a well-guarded secret. Even the fact that some of Scirocco's Mu Mystics had been there to help upset her, and she promised to have words with him.
Scirocco offered to share what he knew, but only if you tried to help one of his Mu Mystics escape from a Longbow captivity. Afterwards, he explained how he knew about the raid: He'd been tracking the entity who had found Ghost Widow's base: The ghostly sorceress Numina, of the Freedom Phalanx!
Since Numina's astral form shared certain traits with Ghost Widow's undead existence, it makes it difficult for them to fight each other, but Ghost Widow had a plan. First, she needed spell components, so she send you to rob a Circle of Thorns base. You returned with the items she requested, and now the spell was ready.
Unfortunately, there was one critical element missing: Numina. You had to figure how to draw the meddlesome spirit out of hiding so that you could destroy her. You broke into a Crey base to access their files on the heroes of Paragon City; there you learned that Numina was especially sensitive to psychic emanations. She could sense them from miles away. The trouble is, even if she was drawn in, she could easily escape through the astral plane.
You needed to create psychic emanations powerful enough to draw Numina out into the open, then find a way to trap her where she could be attacked. Ghost Widow had a plan to trap her, and Scirocco had offered to create a psychic beacon to draw her in. On Ghost Widow's behalf, you approached Scirocco to get the beacon, and also asked him for the location of a group of Carnival of Shadows revelers, so that you could bring their masks to Ghost Widow for her trap. Both were soon done, and with the beacon and the masks, you returned to your patron.
Ghost Widow performed the ceremony that would give you the power to attack Numina's spectral form. Then you took the beacon to a Longbow base and activated it. Though Numina arrived with many guardians in tow, you defeated her, dissipating her spirit. Unfortunately, she managed to escape the trap and final destruction, but your work will keep the Astral Sorceress out of Ghost Widow's plans for long enough. Your stock has risen considerably, within Ghost Widow's organization and within Arachnos. It only remains to be seen what task your patron will have for you next.
