In The Blood of Dawnwalker, players undertaking the Lunar Game quest will encounter a pivotal decision during 'The Ring' questline: whether to give a significant family heirloom to Farkas, the jester to Mad Khan Bakir, or to seek an alternative recipient.
Farkas approaches the player after they have angered Bakir, proposing a plan that leads to the Lunar Game, a challenge where the player must be the sole survivor of a deadly maze. Farkas' specific request is for the player to retrieve a ring with an amethyst, referred to as the Ring with the Purple Eye, which can be found in Bakir's treasure room. This quest is a follow-up to the main objective of defeating Mad Khan Bakir.
The Choice: Farkas or Another Path
If players choose to give the ring to Farkas, he claims it is to help reverse a condition suffered by his younger brother, who was allegedly abused by Bakir. However, the ring bears demonic runes, and Farkas appears unaware of arcane rituals. Handing the ring to Farkas has significant consequences that reportedly manifest later in the game, suggesting a negative outcome for both Farkas and his brother.
Alternatively, players can opt not to give the ring to Farkas, initiating 'The Ring' quest proper. This path requires finding an NPC knowledgeable in magic and sorcery who can handle the artifact. This choice incurs a cost of 2x Time Segments.
Alternative Recipients and Rewards
There are three known NPCs who can receive the ring:
Anca: Located at the Crossroads Inn, Anca will destroy the ring and provide the player with the Quick Fighter's Ring. This accessory offers significant bonuses, including maximum human health, health restoration, and a cooldown reduction for swordmastery abilities.
Bakr-Erga, the Uriash Matriarch: This option is available if the player has discovered the Hidden Uriash Village as part of the 'Song of the Mountain' quest. The Uriash Matriarch rewards the player with Vrakhir's Endurance, an epic amulet that provides physical damage reduction, magical damage reduction, and blood drinking restoration.
Sanzhani Tsarina: If the player has completed the 'Good Home/Letters to Lunka' questline, they can also give the ring to the Tsarina. Curiously, she offers the same Vrakhir's Endurance amulet as a reward, identical to the one received from the Uriash Matriarch.
The decision of who receives the ring has tangible gameplay impacts, influencing the rewards obtained and potentially affecting the narrative's unfolding consequences.