The Shadow Under Neketaka

 is a faction quest in.

Synopsis
With matters in the Deadfire reaching a boil, Queen Onekaza's watershapers must be ready for anything. In spite of the pressures from all around, the head of the Watershapers Guild does not answer the queen's summons. Onekaza needs someone to find Guildmaster Mairu.

Walkthrough

 * Talk to Queen Onekaza II to begin the quest. Concerned with the readiness of her watershapers, she will ask you to check up on Guildmaster Mairu. Make sure to bring Maia and Tekēhu along for this quest, as it makes for some interesting dialogue.


 * Head to Periki's Overlook and enter the Watershapers Guild to discover that it has been invaded by Naga. Talk to Ekenu, he tells you that they entered from the waterways of the sanctum, and that the watershapers have managed to push them back until they fled underground. Mairu and some of the others are currently making a stand downstairs at Periki's tomb, while Ekenu guards the stairs. You'll experience some tremors in the guild, as Ekenu tells you that they have only recently been occurring, even before the attack. If you haven't yet recruited Tekēhu, you'll have an opportunity to do so here.


 * Head to the ruins below, kill the few Naga in the two rooms and speak to a dying Guildmaster Mairu in the central area. With her last breaths, she'll tell you to find the Rod of the Deep Hunter. Talk to her again in spirit, before departing she'll tell you that by using the rod and the words of Periki's Devotion, you can open the way to the inner sanctum. Ominously, she says to "...strengthen the wards... no matter what it tells you."


 * Retrieve the rod from the Nagas led by Zihaa, a named Coral nāga shaman in the grotto area to the south and use it to open the door near the ruins' entrance. Rotate the code dial such that the symbols are activated in the following order: Anglerfish - Moon - Rain - Moon - Hands. The clue to this is Periki's Devotion, which Mairu taught you:

Pitied is Ngati, Lady of Lament. As the pearl orb of the heavens crosses her view, Her eyes well with tears as constant as rain. But the moon's skyward journey continues apace, The lovers' affection as ephemeral as fingers touching.


 * In the cavern beyond, you will speak to the prisoner held there, Scyorielaphas, a massive sea dragon and source of the tremors. He'll reveal to you that decades ago he was tricked by Periki, who trapped him below the guild and siphoned his power to feed the watershapers abilities. Apart from releasing or attacking him, you can also, with appropriate skills, devise a solution that releases most of him without depriving the Watershapers of his power.
 * You can suggest excising a part of his soul with Metaphysics 5 and History 4, cutting out the part that's compelled to remain. Then you can use Diplomacy 2, Bluff 3, or Insight 3 to convince him.
 * This requires a Metaphysics check of 9 to manipulate the four wards accordingly. If you need 1-2 Metaphysics points you can buy the Animancy Cat from Tiabo for 9,500 gold. He stands outside the Tower of the Soul Seekers, which is located in The Sacred Stair district of Neketaka. Additionally, Blessed Incense can be used by the PC from a Quick Item slot for +2 to Metaphysics, and paying Kae's training 3,000 grants +1 to Metaphysics as well.
 * Alternatively, once you’ve inspected the wards, you can attack him but spare him at the end of the fight, in which case you'll be given the opportunity to excise a part of his soul from his weakened state, without the metaphysics requirement.
 * Finally, you can spare him at the end of the fight *and* strengthen his wards, leaving him trapped to power the watershapers


 * If you release him by disabling the wards, you will gain a promise of his gratitude, but lose major reputation with the Huana after reporting the outcome to Queen Onekaza. However, if you leave enough of his soul to power the Watershapers you will instead gain Major Reputation with the Huana. In any case you also obtain the unique Rod of the Deep Hunter as a weapon.
 * Don't forget to loot the lights on the wall for some Living Steel and Luminous Adra Dust.

Behind the scenes

 * Unused scripted interaction graphics (that may be used in other parts of the game) show a naga waiting and going through the door leading to Scyorielaphas. This suggests that perhaps at one point there may have been plans for the Watcher to be able to ally with Zihaa in order to follow through with the naga's plan to rescue the dragon - something that is otherwise not explained during the quest other than when the Watcher returns to the queen and tells her that the "Naga invaded the guild to rescue an ancient sea dragon."
 * A cut alternate method of obtaining the words of Periki's Devotion involved actually finding and reading the aformentioned manuscript. This is no longer the case, as it is given to you by Mairu's spirit.

Gallery
Dragon door=