Current state of Gubal Library

[FlatulentUnicorn]

Hey guys!

 

So, I was wondering about the current state of the Great Gubal Library. Assuming the Warrior of Light had cleared it out of any nuisances in 3.0, does that mean the Library is accessible to any adventurers who would conveniently stumble upon it? I've tried to do some research and attempted to complete any quests pertaining to the library (and failed at finding any), and pretty much found nothing, except for the state of the library before the Warrior of Light cleared it.

[Jana]

Gubal Library Hard Mode is coming next big patch, so I'd recommend waiting until then. Though I suppose the fact that there is a hard mode means it isn't clear of critters or open to the public.

[Gegenji]

Well, given that there's going to be a Hard Mode of the Library in the upcoming patch, there certainly must be more nasties down there that need to be routed out. Along with, hopefully, more tidbits on either the library itself or more choice bits of lore from the various books like in the normal version.

 

As for how it stands right now, it's hard to say. I was in an RP delve of the place months ago and we had it that while the upper, easier accessed areas were more or less safe (minus a few leftover critters here and there)... the deeper levels where all the good books and information was housed is still pretty dangerous. Both with creatures wandering about and traps set by the Sharlayans in order to keep this great knowledge under lock and key.

 

I've heard of other folks doing RP delves into the Library as well, but I don't quite recall if they rolled with something similar. Hopefully one of them pipes up in the thread to provide their own take! :thumbsup:

[FreelanceWizard]

Conveniently, this topic is somewhat obliquely addressed by the devs in the preview for 3.4:

 

Though long-since abandoned by its Sharlayan keepers, the Great Gubal Library does not want for visitants, its halls ever stirring with the voidsent guardians who walk its corridors. With danger at every turn, the fool who dares trespass here would find not wisdom but certain doom. Yet it was not long ago that an intrepid adventurer braved the deepest depths of this forbidding vault of knowledge, returning unscathed and wiser for the experience─a feat of daring that would be sung of the realm over. Mayhap that is why an anonymous individual would beseech that selfsame champion to return in search of long-forgotten knowledge. One can only hope this venture proves yet another enlightening lesson.

 

The implication here is that it's not cleared out -- it's still very dangerous. Now, I tend to fall on the side of "just because people heard of the WoL doing it doesn't mean that others can't do it, it's just that no one's heard about it because they're not the Hero of the Realm," particularly since nothing in the instance itself or the story around it establishes the trip as non-repeatable. It is, however, quite unsafe. It's not the sort of place, I'd argue, that newbie adventurer or random non-combatant could go.

 

In RP, my FC has run some IC trips to the Library, but they're all pretty circumscribed. We RP the time limit as the length of time it takes for the defenses to catch wind of your presence and attack in force, each trip is to a different area in search of something specific, the group has to sneak in and out, and so on.

[Valence]

Considering it's not anybody that was the "only one" to even dare enter there and get through and the way it's formulated, I assume that you have to be cut of a similar caliber to at least get out alive in the first place.

[Rusty Knight]

I treat the library as an ongoing pit of death that hasn't changed much since the WoL dived into it, afterall what we see in the dungeon is a pretty straight forward 'run' with not many offshoots or other wings featured and the nature of its guardians implies that without some serious magical involvement they won't stop appearing.

 

Its likely to have several hundred floors and wings considering the implied collection of knowledge there, so any trips done ICly are treated as 'Surgical strikes' into the library itself. Straight to the objective (If they know where it is) and straight back out to avoid being caught up in a clever trap or as I imagine with the whole demonwall thing; bits of the library moving about (or appearing too).

 

To be fair it wouldn't surprise me if the Library did continuously shift, parts of it are likely cloaked but as the magicks protecting it are utilised fending off the constant incursions or even time just taking its toll bits probably appear then disappear.

 

If only they had those handy little 'You are here' desks all over the place to help you navigate!

[Gegenji]

If only they had those handy little 'You are here' desks all over the place to help you navigate!

 

They'd likely magically ID you, though, and only provide the correct answer if you're supposed to be there! Otherwise it'd either say you're somewhere you're not for misinformation... or alert the traps and baddies to your presence or something. So, even then, you'd have to somehow trick it into thinking you're supposed to be there... all just to find out where in the Library you are. Darn Sharlayans.