Gleason's Gielinor GuideAn adventurer's field notes← All quest guides

QUEST 166 · MEMBERS

The Heart of Darkness

Uncover the secrets of a mysterious cult and unlock a new dungeon.

Difficulty
Experienced
Length
Medium
Quest points
2
Released
25 September 2024
START POINT

Talk to Prince Itzla Arkan at the Teomat.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE BANK

Preparation

Requirements are gates. Recommendations are comfort and risk controls, not mandatory levels unless the game enforces them.

Requirements

  • 55 Mining
  • 48 Thieving
  • 48 Slayer
  • 46 Agility
  • Completion of the following quests:
  • Twilight's Promise
  • Children of the Sun

Items required

  • 30 coins
  • Pickaxe (obtainable during quest)
  • Up to 4 empty inventory slots

Recommended

  • 65 Combat Combat level
  • 43 Prayer or higher Prayer level for Protect from Melee
  • Combat gear
  • Food
  • 10 Quetzal feed, 3 limestone brick, and 4 soft clay to build the Unbuilt Landing Site in Salvager Overlook
  • Prayer potions or Super restore potions
  • Super combat potions or similar

Enemies to defeat

  • Several Emissary Brawlers (levels 74 and 86)
  • Several Emissary Conjurers (level 71)
  • Prince Itzla Arkan (level 167)
  • Amoxliatl (level 263)

Ironman notes

  • You will need 3-4 empty inventory slots at multiple parts of the quest.

ACTION CHECKLIST

Walkthrough

Nested rows are alternatives, dialogue selections, or substeps under the action above them. Recheck the pinned source after a game update.

Starting out

  1. 01

    Talk to Prince Itzla Arkan at the Teomat to start the quest. Dialogue:

  2. 02

    Talk to him again after the cutscene.

  3. 03

    Travel to the Quetzacalli Gorge (There is a Quetzal landing site that is automatically unlocked).

  4. 04

    Talk to the bartender in the south-west pub and ask to rent the room for 30 coins. Dialogue: I'd like to rent the basement room. → I'll take it.

  5. 05

    Enter the south-eastern room in the same building (there is no basement) and rest on the bed.

  6. 06

    Talk to the Prince.

  7. 07

    Talk to the shopkeeper in the general store east of the pub about help. Dialogue: I hear you can offer help to those in need.

  8. 08

    Return to the rented room in the pub and talk to the Prince again.

  9. 09

    Go through the large gate to the north and run all the way east to the Tower of Ascension and talk to the Prince Dialogue: Alright, I'll get mingling. (just outside the entrance to the tower with the dungeon icon on the minimap).

  10. Optionally, build the Unbuilt Landing Site in the Salvager Overlook on your way there if you haven't already done so.

  11. 10

    Talk to the nearby recruits, Nova, Sergius, Felius, and Caritta.

  12. 11

    Talk to the Prince again Dialogue: Could you remind me what Ximoua is? (make sure you don't have a pet following you, or you'll be unable to proceed)

  13. 12

    Enter the tower to the west and talk to Forebearer Janus and climb the stairs.

The First Trial

  1. 01

    Use the key to open the south-eastern gate, open the chest to receive a book and scrap of paper

  2. 02

    Open the south-western chest with a keyword. The solution is different for each player.

  3. The solution can be found by connecting the first letter of each highlighted word in the book

  4. 03

    Read the poem, then talk to Prince Itzla

  5. 04

    Open the north-western chest with the code, the code is unique for each person.

  6. Transcribe the marked words from the poem into directions: Takam: East, Makt: North, Silam: West, Uitt: South

  7. 05

    Combine the scraps of paper to reveal the passcode.

  8. 06

    Speak the passcode to Forebearer Janus on the current floor. Do not go downstairs to speak with him as this will reset the trial.

The Second Trial

  1. 01

    This is a wave-based combat trial, with melee and mage enemies attacking two at a time, then four at a time. Some of them do a 3x3 AOE attack which can be dodged. Use the bandages from the medical boxes around the room to heal Prince Itzla by left click Healing him during the fight as needed.

  2. 02

    Speak to Forebearer Janus again to start the next trial.

The Third Trial

  1. 01

    Talk to the prince

  2. 02

    You must question each member of the cult to work out who the traitor is. Choose the person who mentions anything about Mictl as this is not part of the Emissaries' beliefs.

  3. 03

    Once you question each one, you'll be given the option to accuse them while talking to them.

  4. If none of the members are the traitor you may need to exit and re-enter the floor.

The Final Trial

  1. 01

    Fight Prince Itzla.

  2. Pray melee against his basic attacks.

  3. He has two special attacks, both of which he warns you about. The sword swipe turns off any protection prayers, but you can turn them straight back on. The other is an AOE attack, once he warns you he is going to do it, run behind him immediately to dodge.

  4. He is immune to special attacks. (NOTE: If using a Scythe of Vitur; you must unequip it and punch or kick to finish the fight.)

  5. 02

    Talk to Forebearer Janus.

  6. 03

    Search the chest south to obtain a set of Twilight Emissary robes.

  7. 04

    Equip the emissary robes, speak to Prince Itzla to have him follow you, and then enter the temple to the east.

  8. 05

    After the cutscene, speak with Prince Itzla and then speak with Forebearer Fides.

  9. 06

    Enter the ruins south of the temple and go down the stairs.

Ice Dungeon

  1. 01

    Take a pickaxe from the barrel near the entrance.

  2. 02

    Mine the rocks.

  3. 03

    Run past the Frost Nagua and the spikes and pull the first lever.

  4. 04

    Climb-Down the Ledge, run past the frost crabs while avoiding the traps.

  5. Throughout the cave, several traps deal 10 Hitpoints of damage. You can avoid them or tank the damage.

  6. 05

    Slide along the icy ledge, and then enter the room in the north-east and pull the second lever.

  7. 06

    Continue through the cave and jump over the frozen platforms to get to the west side.

  8. 07

    Climb down another ledge, and run into the north-western room with stone chests to pull the third lever

  9. 08

    Walk south-west to the large gate and pull the fourth lever located on the northern wall next to the gate. Note: If you forgot a lever, not all braziers will be lit and the gate will be closed.

  10. Pull the chain before continuing, as this will allow you to climb up and down it in the future.

Statue Puzzle

  1. 01

    Walk west through the gate and search urns to collect three coloured icons.

  2. Level 104 Frost Nagua will continue to spawn and attack you while searching. Protect from Magic will negate the damage from their regular attacks.

  3. 02

    Fix the broken statues in the western area with the corresponding coloured icons.

  4. 03

    Inspect the four markings in the four corners of the area. The first word describes the order in which to activate the four statues to open the frozen door.

  5. Different for every player: check the murals and they will have Zema (1), Oma (2), Yeya (3), or Naui (4). Touch the statues in the order determined by the markings (1-4).

  6. 04

    Go through the door, prepared to fight the final boss.

Final Boss

  1. 01

    Fight the Amoxliatl.

  2. Pray magic

  3. Step away from the spikes

  4. Avoid standing on the ice pools

  5. Re-enable protect from magic when it is disabled

  6. The blocks she summons will deal area damage and heal her, melee them to destroy them. (higher level players can leave these and just attack with fire spells)

  7. 02

    Head to the Sunrise Palace and speak to Servius, Teokan of Ralos to finish up the quest.

QUEST COMPLETE

Rewards

  • Access to Tapoyauik
  • 8,000 Mining Mining experience
  • 8,000 Thieving Thieving experience
  • 8,000 Slayer Slayer experience
  • 8,000 Agility Agility experience

REVISION-PINNED EVIDENCE

Verify the guide after updates.

Facts and walkthrough actions are adapted from Old School RuneScape Wiki contributors under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. This page is fan-made and not affiliated with Jagex.