After defeating Cyrus the Great and bursting the core in the ice-themed Cataclysm Dungeon, Greg, Aerion, and Richard return to Basecrest as heroes of the city, hoping to get some well-deserved rest and relaxation. Instead, they—along with Rogar and Philip—all decide to tackle Dominion’s Trial. In Aerion’s and Greg’s case, a second time.

  Their goal is to get Blessings or Boons for Rogar and Philip, and to test how far Greg and Aerion have come.

  Far, as it turns out. They breeze through the Trial, but all is not straightforward, as they find the Obsidian Dragon Trial Guardian on the fifth floor, rather than the seventh, and the mile-long whale they encountered on their way up from the sixth floor to the seventh ends up being a super-boss that forces Greg and Aerion to within inches of death.

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  After a harrowing battle, they prevail, and exit the Trial with Boons for both. Rogar ends up with [Draining Hand], a Boon to cool metals—an ability he hasn’t quite figured out what to do with yet—while Philip gains [Shield Wall], the ability to create phantom shields in addition to his own.

  Finally, the dreaded moment arrived, with Greg and Aerion paraded around the city. Greg gives what he hoped would be a demotivational speech, but it ends up inspiring thousands. Good going, Greg.

  Now, the party prepares to depart on their journey to protect a convoy that will pass near the Sylvanglade forest, home of dangerous, raiding elves.