Credits

• Savanja, Brave Explorer
• Tallika, Savanja's Official Hand Holder
• Slide, Map Genius

Latest Updates

• (4.28.06) Guide Posted!

To-Do List

• Add island specific info.
• Add collection quest info.
• Additions?  Corrections?  General commentary? Please e-mail me!

Contents

• Overview
• Minimum Level
• Zones within the Barren Sky
• Quests
• Soloing Opportunities
• Opportunities for Groups

Overview

The Barren Sky, also known as the Realm of Dawn, the home to the Hooluks, Aviaks, and gross eyeball monsters that creep me out.  The lands are dry, with a desert feel, and aptly named "barren", it's landscape very much reminding me of the Pillars of Flame.  The large menacing chains, with Aviaks perched upon them,  reminiscent of the former Plane of Air from long ago.

Like the other Realms that make up the Kingdom of Sky expansion (necessary to play in this zone), this zone is broken up into islands.  Each island holding it's own secrets, surprises, and challenges.  The islands are;

• Isle of Discord
• Isle of Desolation
• Isle of Aversion
• Whisperwind Isle
• Prisoner's Isle
• Isle of the Guardians
• Isle of the Watchers
• Strifewind Isle
• Blackwind Isle
• Cloudmist Isle
• Isle of Awakening
• Isle of Eaglewatch

Each Isle has it's own flavor and level range, which makes it convenient to pick one for your skill level and solo or grouping needs, and just hang out and get things done.  And it's easy to end up with a favorite island, I know I have mine!

Minimum Level

This group of islands are geared for players, levels 60-70. You could likely get away with being in the upper 50's with a good, reliable group.

Zones Within The Barren Sky

• "Palace of the Awakened" Located on the northern end of the Isle of Awakening, this is a mid to upper 60's level heroic zone
• "Nest of the Great Egg" Found up the climbing walls near the teleporter on Whisperwind Isle.  This is a low to mid 60's heroic instanced zone.
• "Ascent of the Awakened" Sneakily located on a ledge on the side of the Isle of Discord.  I found my way there by dropping down near the cloud pad, then on my way out found that there is a path located on the eastern side of the isle..  This is a mid to upper 60's epic x2 instanced zone.
• "The Vaults of El'Arad" Also located on the Isle of Awakening, just north of the teleporter to Bonemire, and is a mid to upper 60's level heroic instanced zone.

Quests

• Emergency Foozlegigs. This quest is given by Penny Dreadful (loc -510, -68, -459) , and is the first in a series of quests given by this NPC on Whisperwind Isle. You are asked to look at some boxes, after which she will ask you some questions. The box in question, is the silver-trimmed box.   Reward: Coin and Experience.
• Assisting the Hooluk.  Hooluk Ahnjun Sprywing, found on the isle of Desolation (loc +380, +301, -617), wishes for you to prove that you are trying to help the Hooluk.  You do this by slaying the nearby Vultaks and collecting their charms.  This is the first in a series of quests given by this NPC.  Reward:  Coin and Experience.
• Spare Change.  The second quest given by Penny Dreadful.  In having a little coin mix up, you are asked to go speak with banker Drevious (loc -658, +3, -549) to help straighten it out.  The amount that you need to define is 18p and 56g.  Reward: Coin and Experience.
• Water Water Everywhere.  Third quest given by Penny Dreadful.  You are asked to help out her brother, Ohzo Dreadful (loc +331, +289, -693).by gathering water from the Pool of Awakened, located on the Isle of Awakening (loc +204, +200, +447).  Go to Ohzo for the update, then head out to Tenebrous Tangle via the teleporter and gather water from the pool of water at the bottom of the waterfall in the Hidden Refuge.  Return to Ohzo for the update.  Reward: Coin, Experience, and a feather that starts the quest "A Feather for your Thoughts".
• A Feather for your Thoughts.  Examine the feather given to you by Ohzo as a quest reward from the quest "Water Water Everywhere".  Your first task is to kill nine Vultaks.  Inspect the feather again, and you are told to take the feathers to be washed in the Strifewind pond (loc +161, -21, -507) on Strifewind Isle, you then need to return to Whisperwind Isle and kill Whisperwind Mystics.  Inspect the feather once again to complete your quest.  Reward:  Experience and a feather stuffed pillow for your house.
• Serving the Land.  The second quest given by Hooluk Ahnjun Sprywing after completing "Assisting the Hooluk".  You are asked to slay Dryland Scavengers until you receive the update for the carcass.  You are then given 5 minutes to summon Soctoro (by using the carcass at loc +384, +38, -644) and kill him.  Reward:  Coin and Eperience
• Chirok Starwhisper.   The 3rd quest in the series given by Hooluk Ahnjun Sprywing after completing the previous quests.  You are asked to go rescue Chirok Starwhisper (loc +617, -109, +75), found on the Prisoner's Isle.  Hail him, then kill the Blacktalon Guards to get the key update.  Once you have gotten the key update, hail Chirok again to release him, then return to Sprywing for reward and update.  Reward: Coin, Experience, choice of weapon item, and a loose feather that is a quest starter for the following quest.
• Harun Clearsky of the Hooluk High Guard.  This quest begins with inspecting the feather received in the previous quest.  The first step is to gather reed from Strifewind Pond (loc +161, -21, -507) on Strifewind Isle.  The reed are in the water and you need to target the base of them to be able to harvest.  You then head to Whisperwind Isle to the listening staff (loc -558, -47, -396) near the teleporter back to Norrath.  At the listening staff, use your charm, "A Hardened Pipe Reed" to call Harun to be hailed.  Reward: Coin and Experience.
• Disturbing Blackwind.  Bedziine, found on Blackwind Isle when called at the listening staff (-292, +114, +258) gives you the task of gathering crawlers and putting them in the metal stores to sabotage Blackwinds' armor production.  Gather from the diamondjaw clusters found around the isle, collecting 20 crawlers into your inventory.  Once you have those, you may release them into the metal stores found in carts near all the Blacktalon laborers (loc -753, +119, +260).  Return to the listening staff to call Bedziine for the completion of the quest.  Reward: Coin and Experience.
• Ahnha Leeshadow.  Harun Clearsky asks for you to call Ahnha at the listening staff (loc -293, +244, -565) on Isle of Aversion.  She will give you a report to take back to Harun.  Reward: Coin and Experience.
• Blood of the Brood.   This is a multi-leg signature quest that eventually rewards you with one of the nifty profession hats that are all the rage.  You get the quest from the NPC Hoo'Loh, found on the chain connecting the Isle of Discord and Strifewind Isle.  It's kind of a pain to reach. You climb up the chain starting on the Isle of Discord, and carefully make your way up.  Once you reach the wall at the chain, you drop and Hoo'Loh (loc +23, +5, -440) will be there.  You may fall the first couple of times, but eventually you get the hang of it, and can run up it like it's nothing.  You will be given a series of tasks to complete, each time return to Hoo'Loh for the update.
  • Slay Vultaks surrounding Hoo'Loh.  
  • Slay Scroll-bearers in the Strifewing camp.  These are found up the climbing wall that is located past the pond.
  • Retrieve a scroll in either Freeport or Qeynos from the mage guild.  The Freeport scroll is located in the Academy of Arcane Sciences on the 2nd floor.  In Qeynos, it is located up the yellow portal in the Mage Tower near the Sage.  It is a clicky labeled "an ancient scroll".
  • Lead Hoo'Loh to the egg inside the Nest of the Great Egg.  You'll be wanting to kill the named, so take a good group.  Lead Hoo'loh to the egg, then return the location in which Hoo'loh is usually for the quest updates.
  • Slay Scaleborn Warriors (found in the Sanctum of the Scaleborn and surrounding area outside), Bloodscale Dreadknights (Inside the Palace of the Awakened and part of the ring event), Formless Abominations (from inside the Halls of Fate), Doomwing Skarize Centurions (from inside the Halls of Fate), Sothis (named dragon inside the Halls of Fate.  Level 72 ^^^ with lots of friends).
  • Sneak into the special instance of the Nest of the Great Egg using the disguise provided by Hoo'Loh.

  Return to Hoo'Loh once again to collect your reward!  And Congrats!  Reward: Coin, Experience, and Super Cool Hat!

• Collection Quests.  Collect the sparkly ? throughout the islands to complete collections and gain rewards!
• Language Quests.  Find language quest information for this zone and others here.
• Lore and Legend Quests.  Find lore and legend quest information for this zone and others here.

Soloing Opportunities

There is soloing a plenty all over these islands.  I personally don't spend a whole lot of time killing any of the eyeball mobs, simply because they creep me out, but I hear they are good soloing fun.  I like to hit the Aviaks.  It's not hard to find single and linked solo mobs for your adventure and skill level.  Once you've outgrown mobs on one isle, move to another, and you are bound to find more that suit your needs.

Grouping Opportunities

There are some heroics sprinkled here and there throughout the islands.  But truly, I would recommend  spending some time with a good group within the instanced zones.  The Palace of the Awakened is my favorite, but any of the zones that I listed above under "Zones Located Within the Barren Sky" are great choices.  They provide challenging mobs, nice loot, and lots of fun.

I hope you have enjoyed my little walk through of the Barren Sky.  Along with this guide, take your sense of adventure into this zone, or any of the zones in the Kingdom of Sky expansion for that matter, and have some serious gaming fun.  Happy gaming!

Questions?  Comments?  Anything you'd like to see added to this guide?  Please contact me and let me know!  My virtual door is always open.  Savanja@TenTonHammer.com.