Protection of the Cabbage (Earring) (Normal): There are ten Liber Brassica books in the game written in various languages. Together, they give details on how to craft Xanthe's Earring of Nature (named after the first person to discover the recipe, Xanthe Ravenwolf). The recipe also yields the 59th level druid spell Protection of the Cabbage (named for a long-running inside joke with the EQ community).

Combine the following nine ingredients in a forge (no-fail combine, only use one of each):

* Demi-Sec Champagne
* Mistletoe Cutting Sickle
* Golden Idol of Tunare
* Blessed Fishing Rod
* Star Ruby Encrusted Stein
* Ceremonial Solstice Robe
* Lotus Pie
* Misty Thicket Picnic
* Lucky Cabbage

The ingredients each take high tradeskill ability to craft, but they're also droppable, so they can be purchased from other players if necessary.

The results are Xanthe's Earring of Nature (DRU/ALL), and Protection of the Cabbage, a 59th level druid-only spell. If you are not a druid, go see Rebecca Cabbageleaf in Fungus Grove at -1449.70, -803.12, -276.99.

You say, 'Hail, Rebecca Cabbageleaf'

Rebecca Cabbageleaf seems lost in thought and looks up only briefly from her work. 'Oh, hello ______, welcome to the New Thicket Inn! If you'll excuse me, I'm a bit busy copying this [scroll]. I'll be with you in a moment to chat, or to trade if you've come about the [earring]'

You say, 'What earring?'

Rebecca Cabbageleaf looks up again, 'Oh, have you come about the earring then? That's wonderful! As you probably know, the druids have recently completed an ancient ceremony, and some delightful people who weren't druids were able to participate. Sadly though, only druid's were able to use the Earrings of Nature that were created with the ceremony. I've been collecting spare earrings of Nature from those who can't use them, and giving an Earring of the Solstice in return. It's a good deal all around, as we both can benefit from the trade. If you have an earring of Nature to trade, just give it to me and I'll happily swap you, and if you don't like it, you can give it back.'

Give her your Xanthe's Earring of Nature to receive an Earring of the Solstice (ALL/ALL). Reward: Xanthe`s Earring of Nature
Reward: Earring of the Solstice
Reward: Spell: Protection of the Cabbage

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Protection of the Cabbage (Spell Only) (Normal): Rebecca Cabbageleaf is located at -1449.70, -803.12, -276.99.

You say, 'Hail, Rebecca Cabbageleaf'

Rebecca Cabbageleaf seems lost in thought and looks up only briefly from her work. 'Oh, hello ______, welcome to the New Thicket Inn! If you'll excuse me, I'm a bit busy copying this new [scroll]. I'll be with you in a moment to chat, or to trade if you've come about the [earring].'

You say, 'What scroll?'

Rebecca Cabbageleaf looks up again with a quiet smile, 'I'm making a copy of a new Protection spell, it's very exciting! The druids of Norrath have just completed an important ritual, and the gods have blessed us with this new spell! I'd be happy to scribe you a copy, if you were to fetch me the [ingredients].'

You say, 'What ingredients?'

Rebecca Cabbageleaf says, 'Oh, let me see... I'll need a sheet of fancy Blessed parchment, a small flask of Dark Root ink, and of course a large quill. I think a Stormraven's quill would be best, certainly better than this one I've been using so far. Bring those items to me and I'll be happy to make you a copy for yourself. I'm not sure where you'll find all of those, I seem to have bought up the last of the stock in several places. Someone's bound to have them for sale, good luck with it!'

Byl Babbinsbort in Rivervale sells the parchment. Bilrio Surecut in Kelethin sells the ink. Sequea Erthinon in Surefall Glades sells the quills. Total cost should be somewhere under 800 platinum, dependent on charisma.

Give the items to Rebecca.

Rebecca Cabbageleaf smiles warmly, 'Brilliant, you've brought me some more supplies! Here, please take this last copy I've made. I'd planned to use it for myself, but I'll let you use it so you don't have to wait for me to make a new one. I do hope you enjoy it!' Reward: Spell: Protection of the Cabbage

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Summoning Biesties (Normal): The Caller Groo, Murkin and one other will summon "biesties" for you when you give them some "blargrot". Blargrot can be bought in 3 different versions (~40pp, ~90pp and ~130pp) from the named Tamok, Trader Snugrut, loc neg 190, neg 640, in the first hut on the right when you enter the caves (not the outpost). The more expensive blargrots summon higher level monsters.

The cost of the blargrot is a bit lower with good cha - about 37, 68 and 98 I believe - they are bought from the vendor in a hut in the Tarmok area nearest the outpost.

The Callers, Groo (pos 450, neg 583), Murkin(pos 498, neg 482) and Torgal (pos 494, neg 452) are in the next Tarmok Village, near a big cave opening leading down to an open area with 3 ramped caves going to the East, the North and the West off of it. The caves go in a bit and slope down before they end.

When you give one of the callers a container of Blagrot, you get a contract back and he then tells you to gather up your group of hunters, and a minute later he heads down the big tunnel towards the smaller ones. If you inspect the contract, it will tell you which tunnel he is going to.

He will path down to the tunnel listed, go inside a bit and after a pause "call" out an emote, which summons 3 fungus critters. These will spawn either just outside the tunnel in the open area, or down at the back of the tunnel, or at both locations - but the total is 3 mobs. (Note: sometimes I have seen a 2 pop, but never a 4).

The size of the container - small bottle, jug or keg - does NOT affect the levels of mobs spawned - it simply adjusts the timing of the spawns, with the bigger containers having less time between spawn "calls".

small bottle = 3 minutes between calls
jug = 2.5 minutes between calls
keg = 2 minutes between calls

The caller will spawn mobs 5 times in a row, and then call for a 5 minute "break". This starts immediately after the last call, not when he emotes it. Med up and rebuff during this time. Occasionally a call gets "skipped" for some reason, usually right when starting the quest. No clue why this happens.

The types of mobs that are spawned are:

Fungusfiends: small mobs, hit VERY fast, but not too hard (100ish) - low hp

Fungusbeasts: big mobs, hit hard and fast - decent amount of hp

Fungus Priest: shaman mob, dispells, heals - Tot works on these

Fungus Healer: cleric mob - DOES CHEAL - Tot works on these

Named Mob:
Named mobs are pretty rare, but they are the ones that drop the cool stuff. Each named mob is pretty tough, lots of hp, hit hard and fast, and most seem to be casters as well.

All mobs proc a lure-based snare - nasty - that can be resisted, but usually isn't. DR seems to help with resists, but most people end up having it stick to them. Note: this proc dispells CHA buffs (lure)

Mobs spawn at the bottom sides or back of the tunnel and outside the tunnel on either side out a bit. All of them path towards the caller.


How to END the Quest - Three Ways

1. During a break time, or at any time when none of the fungus mobs are in aggro range of the caller, hand him the note.

2. Let the caller die - the mobs are aggro on the caller, and will attack and kill him if they are not intercepted. Note, in a pinch, you can ROOT the mobs by the caller to cause this :)

3. Get wiped out. This is kinda like #2, as the fungus mobs will kill the caller. After all aggro is gone, they depop in about 5 mins or so. Easy CR. You CAN train them up to the Tarmoks in the camp, who will kill them. Hard to do when snared, tho.

4. You cannot mez, charm or otherwise prevent the caller from calling - he WILL aggro on illusions (WW, Imp, wolf but not bear) but CAN be blurred to clear aggro.

You will get a "reward" which seems to be a loot gem of increasing value for the longer you have had the quest going. Got a 20 plat jade ring for about 3 hours of questing. Not sure of the upper limit on this.


General Notes:

Go melee heavy on this quest - it is imperative that you have the capability to take out ALL the mobs that spawn in LESS than your allotted time - otherwise you are looking at a wipeout.

The small bottle can be done with a good single group.

The jug can be done with a GOOD single group or 2 decent ones (1 up top, one down)

The keg is definately a 2 group affair - IMO. Possible with a GREAT single group, but... no room for error.

Recommended that you have a good chanter (54 for C2) a talented healer, and some serious firepower, probably melee for this. Casters tend to run out of mana by the 4-5 wave, and < 5 mins is not enough time to get it all back.

Chanter tactics - use allure to hold mobs, then root (immobilize works well) them before breaking it. Aggro for mezzes is INSANE in Fungus Grove. Blur useless, seems to rarely work.

Make sure someone is timing the spawns - nothing worse than a unsuspected spawn to ruin your day...


Other Items Dropped besides listed:

Cloak of Tiny Shadows - clicky invis range slot item for BRD ROG - lvl 55 to use

Tarmok Focus Staff: 12/28 1HB 8 wis 8 int 25 mana 8 DR 8 PR 5% Channeling CLR DRU SHM NEC ENC MAG WIZ (looks like a big can opener :) )

Swollen Fungus Beast Gland - 10 chg clicky snare item - all/all

Pod of Blue Fungus - LORE TEMPORARY ammo slot item - 90 pt instant heal - 1 chg

Pod of Red Fungus - TEMPORARY ammo slot item - 250 pt instant mana - 1 chg

Fungus Beast Eye - sells for 9 plat with good charisma

Fungus Beast Brain - sells for 23 plat with good charisma

Fungus Beast Scales - junk, don't stack, less than 1pp


FINAL NOTE:

For the suicidal among you, let it be known that if you give a caller MULTIPLE containers of Blagrot, you will spawn MULTIPLE callers who will path down and call up MULTIPLE spawns of Funguscritters. Gawd-awful train potential here.

Need all dialogues, faction hits if any, missing mobs and items, etc. Reward: Stretched Fungushide Shield
Reward: Fungusbeast Spine
Reward: Fungus Coated Tarmok Staff
Reward: Rough Hide Bracer
Reward: Tarmok Hunting Spear
Reward: Tarmok Tribal Headband
Reward: Mootogo Focus Staff
Reward: Gloves of Fungal Flesh
Reward: Fungus Patch Vest
Reward: Pod of Blue Fungus

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