Ranger-Protector of the Umar Hills is a set of three linked stronghold quests that can be unlocked if Gorion's Ward is a Ranger.
Acquisition[]
After completing the Investigate the Deaths in the Umar Hills quest, Minister Lloyd offers Merella's position to become the new Ranger-Protector for the Umar Hills. If accepted, Gorion's Ward is now the owner of Merella's Ranger Cabin and all that it contains. Go to the cabin and read the Note from Imnesvale left for you by the grateful townsfolk of Imnesvale. Also check the containers for weapons and ammunition (both magical and mundane), as well as a few potions.
Fallen Rangers[]
If Gorion's Ward has become a Fallen Ranger, you will still be offered the position, and successful completion of all three of these quests results in Ranger status being restored by Mielikki[1].
Quest #1: Lord Tombelthen[]
The first quest starts when you camp outside of your Cabin, or you return to the Umar Hills after having been gone from the area for some time.
Mairyn[]
Mairyn the Forest Spirit, one of the fae residents of the region, appears and pleads with the party to stop a party of humans who are destroying the forest by tearing down trees and ripping open the earth near the Shadow Portal. She will be surprised if you ask about a reward; so either accept or deny her plea.
Lord Tombelthen[]
The group is located southwest of the Altar. When the party approaches, they encounter Lord Igen Tombelthen, who, if given the chance, will explain that he is looking for a cache of Mithral hidden in the area by an ancestor of his, and he refuses to leave without it. He gives you a torn journal containing information about the location of the mithral.
Finding the Mithral[]
The second half of Tombelthen's Journal that the party may have already found in the Ruined Temple informs the player where the Mithral is located. However, it can also be found by exploring the area east of Lord Tombelthen's location, where a number of Skeletons led by a Skeleton Warrior (4000 XP) surround a rock outcropping. Once the undead are dealt with, the Mithral Medallion can be found hidden in a crack in the rock.
Outcomes[]
Upon returning to Lord Tombelthen he offers 1,000 
for the medallion. The player has several options:
- Give him the medallion for free for 10,000 XP,
- Accept the offer of 1,000
but not XP, - Decline to part with the medallion which leads to combat - total of 8,275 XP plus Full Plate Armor, Two-handed Sword +1 and Bracers to the Death,
- Try to haggle for 2,000 which results in Lord Tombelthen dropping the price to 500 instead. You can then either accept it, give it to him for free(and get the 10,000 XP) or decline to give it to him alltogether which leads to combat.
Note that after you give the medallion you can still kill Lord Tombelthen (and possibly his mage) as he's trying to leave the game which gets you the 6,000 kill XP, his gear, and the medallion back.
Reward[]
Return to the Ranger Cabin, where Mairyn is waiting outside. Upon confirming their departure or deaths to Mairyn, the party splits 21500 XP.
Quest #2: Orog Attack[]
Three to four days after completing the previous quest, Delon approaches the party looking for help, which begins this quest. He begs you return to Imnesvale and talk to Minister Lloyd. Once the party is notified, they have three days to return to Imnesvale and speak with Minister Lloyd before they fail this quest.
Minister Lloyd explains that a number of "Ogron"t raiders have attacked, and they have pinned Madulf and Atta, one of the village's shepherd boys, inside a nearby cave. The party will need to dispatch the raiders that include several Orogs backed by Orc Archers. The orog leader has Studded Leather Armor +2, a Bastard Sword +1, 370 and an item of well-off random treasure. After the battle, check on Madulf and Atta inside the cave.
The party will receive 21750 XP for speaking to Madulf, and another 25000 XP when they return to Minister Lloyd and tell him the story that Madulf shares with them.
Quest #3: Umar the Witch[]
Four days after the completion of the second Ranger Stronghold quest, you will again meet Delon. He asks you to return to the Umar Hills again and speak to Minister Lloyd. This time, the Umar Witch has returned!
The finale of this quest sees the party directed to the entrance of the Shadow Dungeon in the Temple Ruins, where Mairyn appears and begs them to do something about the witch, "who has threatened your village... her dark and foul magics have also begun to poison the woodland!" Enter the Temple (AR1401) once again to seek out, find and destroy Umar.
Umar's battle party is as follows:
- Umar
- Imp familiar
- Salamander
- Skeleton (Ć4)
- Skeleton Warrior
- Zombie (Ć2)
Depending on the PC's experience level at the time of this encounter, there will be additional allied creatures to support Umar.
- If the PC has between 300K-999K XP then added to Umar will be: Salamander (Ć2), Skeleton Warrior and a Wraith.
- If the PC has 1M XP then added to Umar will be: Glabrezu, Specter (Ć2) and a Wraith.
Upon her death (4000 XP), loot her for a Wand of Lightning (8 charges) and other gear. Return to the surface and confirm her death to Mairyn. The party is rewarded with +1 Reputation, 26750 XP, and a Moon Dog Figurine. There's no need to go back and speak with Minister Lloyd again.
Time limits, bugs, and locked cabin[]
- There are time limits to these quests. Leaving to save Imoen, after starting this line of quests, will almost certainly result in reaching the time limit.
- There is currently a bug where if you are in Imnesvale itself when the timer for the Orog Attack quest expires, messenger boy Delon may not spawn at all. This will make you fail the quest, and get removed as ranger protector of Umar Hills. The suggested workaround is resting for four days in an outside area other than Imnesvale after finishing the first quest with Tombelthen's legacy to ensure Delon informs you of the impending attack.
- Or after four days just go back and speak with Minister Lloyd; it's not imperative that Delon speaks to the party, the time frame is what's crucial.
- Failing these quests locks the cabin, with items you may have stored inside. If you need access to these items locked away, see the help note on the Ranger Cabin page.
Mod content[]
- This section is about unofficial content that is only available via fan-made mods.
Mods[]
If you are using a mod that permits you to revisit the areas of Shadows of Amn content after reaching the extension, then you can of course also use this quest to restore your Ranger status after falling in the Tears of Bhaal tests. This constitutes a second way to acquire an evil Ranger in a modded game (the first, available without mods, being the use of the Helmet of Opposite Alignment in BGEE and, beyond that, the use of exploits to make the change permanent). If you plan to do this, then you would be well advised to finish the Investigate the Deaths in the Umar Hills quest during the Shadows of Amn part of the game, but then not report your success to the mayor. This will allow you to recruit Mazzy (who would be gone from her prison cell if you delayed the quest until Throne of Bhaal), while avoiding getting into trouble with the timers that the stronghold quest lies under.
Gallery[]
Portraits from Portraits Portraits Everywhere
External Links[]
- Mielikki on the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting Forgotten Realms.