Study of the Solen Hive

Visit Mike the Naturalist at the First Library of Britain, S/E of West Britain Bank.  <shift-right click> on him and 'talk' to obtain the 'Study of the Solen Hive' Quest.  He is interested in the Solen Egg Nests and wishes you to find out more information on them.  The reward for the completing the 'standard' (4 Nest) Quest is one of three rare colored seeds (magenta, pink, aqua). 

If you wish to obtain seeds for one of the other rare coloured plants  (fire, black, white) you will need to study the secret '5th' nest. To do this you will need a 'green thorn' available from player vendors or by growing 'bright green' barrel cactus, or 'bright green' snake plants and harvesting the thorns from the growing plant (8 per plant). Planting a green thorn in a desert area will open a '5th' hole which when entered takes you to the secret 'hidden' nest. (You need to actually 'be on the quest' to enter this hole, however if you have planted the thorn prior to obtaining the quest the hole will remain with time for you to obtain it and return.)  You must 'study' this nest before returning to the Naturalist.  Returning before you study the 5th nest will result in you receiving the 'standard' quest seed color.  

Once you have accepted the quest proceed to the Solen hive.  If you intend to do the quest a number of times, it may be beneficial to become a 'friend of the hive' so that the solen do not attack you (see Solen Matriarch Quest).  However, if you are not friended it is just a matter of running quickly and using an invis pot or spell while you study the nests.  For the purpose of this walkthrough I have marked the map starting from the hive entrance at: 14o 56' N 41o 45' W south of Yew (shown below).  I consider this the most efficient way to navigate the hive.  



Enter the hive by double clicking on the hole. From where you enter follow the routes marked on the map below, stopping at each Egg Nest to 'study' them.  At each solen egg nest you will receive the messages:

'You begin studying the Solen Egg Nest to gather information'
'You begin recording your completed notes on a bit of parchment'
'You have completed your study of this Solen Egg Nest.  You put your notes away'

Once you have had each message proceed to the next nest. At any time you may 'view' your quest log by selecting 'view quest log' from your character's context menu.


Nest Study Route (refer map & instructions below)

Entrance 1: follow the southern cave edge around to where the eggs (1) are located, study them, come back out and continue following the southern edge until you get to Exit 1.  Enter this hole. (takes you to Entrance 2)

Entrance 2: run up until you hit the wall and turn left, follow the edge along until you get to Exit 2.  Enter this hole. (takes you to Entrance 3)

Entrance 3:  brings you to the center hive with a hole in each corner, run across the top and enter the hole marked Exit 3. (takes you to Entrance 4)

Entrance 4: follow the northern edge around past the water, and then up screen and through the 'S' bend.  Head to the most northern wall edge and follow this east til you reach the egg room.  Study the eggs (2) and then return the way you came and exit via the same hole you entered.  (Exit 4). (takes you to Entrance 5)

Entrance 5: From this entrance follow the 'green' route and take Exit 5.  (takes you to Entrance 6)

Entrance 6: head to the east (right), down and around to the eggs (3).  Study them and return the way you came and exit via the same hole you entered (Exit 6).  (takes you to Entrance 7)

Entrance 7: follow the 'pink' route across to Exit 7. (takes you to Entrance 8)

Entrance 8: follow the southern edge all the way to Exit 8.  Enter this hole. (takes you to Entrance 9)

Entrance 9: follow the southern edge down and around the giant beetle area, head east to the egg nest.  Study the eggs (4) and recall out and head back to Mike the Naturalist for your reward.  NOTE: if you wish to do the 5th egg nest for one of the 'other' color seeds (using the green thorn, see above) do it prior to returning to Mike, or before you do the 'standard' 4 nests, it doesn't matter what 'order' it is done in.  



Have fun and good questing!