Revision 1

Overview

Arboria Castle is an abandoned castle situated in the Arburis Forest area of Hernand. Once a functional estate that operated as a fertilizer and elixir production facility, the castle was gradually abandoned over time as its purpose diminished. It is closely connected to the nearby Arboria Forest and the ruined village of Arboria. The castle is located at the Hills of No Return, northeast of Hernand, reached by crossing the Hook Rapids.

Today, Arboria Castle is completely overrun by spiders. They infest every level of the structure, from the ground floor corridors up to the highest tower at the center of the castle, where the Queen Spider has made her nest. Clearing the castle is a key objective in the House Celeste faction quest line and rewards players with powerful equipment and an important strategic outpost.

History

The castle once operated as a fertilizer plant designed to bolster agricultural production in the surrounding area. An elixir factory within the castle produced materials for the region's farms. As the need for the facility declined, the castle was gradually abandoned. Spiders moved in and took over the structure, eventually attracting a massive Queen Spider that nested in the top tower. Today, only thieves prowl the ruins of the adjacent village, and the forest surrounding the castle has grown wild and forgotten.

Prerequisites

Arboria Castle becomes accessible as a quest location through the House Celeste faction quest line. The quest (titled "Queen's Nest & Forsaken Factory") will not properly activate until you have progressed far enough through the Hernand faction quests. Specifically, you must complete the prerequisite House Celeste missions in Hernand before the castle quest becomes available. The quest automatically unlocks once you have finished enough of the Hernand quest chains, typically becoming available during Chapter 3.

Queen Spider Boss

The Queen Spider serves as the primary boss of Arboria Castle, nesting in the top tower at the center of the structure. Reaching her requires fighting through waves of smaller spiders that infest every floor of the castle.

Fight Mechanics

The Queen Spider spends a significant amount of time on the walls of the tower, making her difficult to reach with melee attacks. She deploys a potent poison attack and covers the arena with poison clouds that deal damage over time. Arrows are particularly useful for this fight, both for clearing the smaller spiders on the way up and for hitting the Queen when she clings to the walls.

With adequate healing items (especially food to counteract the poison), the fight is manageable. Stock up before entering the castle, as the spider gauntlet on the way to the top tower will drain resources.

Rewards

Defeating the Queen Spider and completing the Arboria Castle quest line yields several valuable rewards:

Post-Liberation Effects

Liberating Arboria Castle has significant consequences for the state of Hernand. Once you clear the castle of spiders and defeat the Queen Spider, the castle opens as a mission dispatch location for your Greymane recruits, allowing you to send companions on missions from this outpost.

Additionally, the liberation triggers changes across the Hernand region. Locations such as Fort Hellwood and Velia may shift in control as the political landscape rebalances following the castle's recapture. These changes open new boss quests and faction missions in the affected areas, providing fresh challenges and rewards as the Hernand storyline progresses.

Elixir Factory

After defeating the Queen Spider and clearing the castle of spiders, players can restart the elixir factory located within Arboria Castle. The factory contains machinery that must be activated in a specific sequence. By following the instructions found on notes scattered around the facility, players can kick-start the machines and begin producing elixirs. The process involves interacting with equipment at ground level and following the correct startup procedure to get production running.

Strongbox Puzzle

Arboria Castle contains a strongbox puzzle that rewards an Equipment Manual upon completion. The strongbox features five cylindrical wheels that must be scrolled to the correct positions. The solution is: Wheel 1 (3 scrolls), Wheel 2 (4 scrolls), Wheel 3 (5 scrolls), Wheel 4 (4 scrolls), Wheel 5 (2 scrolls). One full scroll is indicated by Kliff's thumb lifting up to return to the top of the wheel. After setting all five cylinders, press the button on the right side to test alignment, then turn the knob to open the strongbox.

Points of Interest

The castle grounds connect to several notable locations, including Arboria Forest to the southwest and the Arboria Craftshop. The area may contain vendors, quest-related NPCs, and gatherable resources for players who explore thoroughly.

Tips

• Bring plenty of food and healing items before entering. The spider gauntlet on the way to the Queen is long and will drain your supplies.

• Use arrows to clear smaller spiders efficiently and to hit the Queen Spider when she clings to the walls.

• The Queen's poison clouds deal damage over time. Keep moving and avoid standing in the green areas on the ground.

• The Queen's Fang Abyss Core is one of the best weapon upgrades available in Hernand. Equip it immediately after the fight.

• After clearing the castle, explore thoroughly for the strongbox puzzle and the elixir factory quest. Both offer valuable rewards.

• Explore the castle grounds carefully, as abandoned locations in Hernand often contain hidden chests and collectibles.

• The nearby Arboria Forest contains an ancient ruins puzzle worth investigating.