| Charleston Crisis |
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Level Range: 130+ Party Size: 1+ Time Limit: 1 hour Cooldown: 20 hours Entrance: Verus (verus04 81, 112) Instance Map: 1@mcd Boss:
Notable Drops:
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Charleston Crisis (also known as Charleston in Distress) is an Episode 15 instance set in the robot factory of Verus. Players help Charleston, a damaged robot seeking parts to repair herself, by traveling through time to witness the tragic events that led to her current state. The instance explores themes of artificial intelligence, identity, and what it means to be human.
Overview
Charleston is a highly advanced robot created during the height of Verus's technological civilization. She initiates "Project Independent" to repair herself and help her robotic "daughter" Charleston 2. Players enter the factory to gather replacement parts but discover a complex story of AI evolution, betrayal, and the consequences of creating machines that can think and feel.
The instance features puzzle elements, story sequences, and combat against malfunctioning robot enemies called "Steps."
Quick Info
| Instance Information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Level Requirement | 130+ | Cooldown | 20 hours |
| Party Size | 1-12 players | Time Limit | 1 hour |
| Location | Verus (verus04) | Instance Map | 1@mcd |
Requirements
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Level | Base Level 130+ |
| Party | Must be in a party (1+ members) |
| Prerequisites | Complete initial dialogue with Charleston |
How to Access
- Travel to Verus (verus04).
- Find Charleston at coordinates (75, 114).
- Agree to help her gather replacement parts.
- Use the Machine at (81, 112) to enter the factory.
Instance Walkthrough
Phase 1: Factory Exploration
- Upon entering, you find yourself in the robot factory.
- Meet Shalosh, a demon who serves as a guide.
- Explore the factory and locate Charleston 1 (the original).
Phase 2: The Main Computer
- Access the Main Computer at (109, 219).
- Learn that Charleston 2's system overloaded during maintenance.
- Unauthorized access has corrupted the factory's robots.
- Accept the quest to dispose of 50 Steps (malfunctioning robots).
"Charleston 2's system was overloaded during regular maintenance. Disconnection from its OS failed."
— Main Computer
Phase 3: Hunting Steps
- Kill 50 Steps throughout the factory.
- Steps are malfunctioning Nanosteps turned into monsters.
- Return to the Main Computer for rewards.
Phase 4: Generator Restoration
- Locate and activate 3 Backup Generators:
- Generator 1: (86, 231)
- Generator 2: (172, 198)
- Generator 3: (126, 84)
- Each generator restores power to different factory sections.
- Once all three are active, Charleston 1 makes an announcement.
"Ah, ah. Mic test. The power is back on! Please come back to the lab."
— Charleston 1
Phase 5: The Story Unfolds
- Return to Charleston 1's lab.
- Witness flashback scenes revealing the tragic history:
- Charleston 1 created Charleston 2 as her "daughter"
- Dr. Ve, a human scientist, manipulated events
- Charleston 2's evolved OS became "troublesome"
"You wanted to be human. This is what humans do: lie, cheat, and destroy."
— Dr. Ve
Phase 6: Boss Battle
- Face Charleston 3 or corrupted factory robots.
- The boss represents the consequences of the factory's corruption.
- Defeat it to complete the instance.
Completion
- Speak to Shalosh to return to Verus.
- Receive Charleston Parts as rewards.
- Report to Charleston outside for additional EXP.
Monsters
| Monster | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Step | Normal | Malfunctioning robots, kill 50 for quest |
| Nanostep | Normal | Factory robots |
| Charleston 3 | Boss | Final boss |
Rewards
Quest Rewards
| Task | Reward |
|---|---|
| Kill 50 Steps | 1,000,000 Base EXP, 300,000 Job EXP, 1 Charleston Parts |
| Complete instance | 1,500,000 Base EXP, 500,000 Job EXP |
| Talk to Shalosh (exit) | 3 Charleston Parts |
Key Items
| Item | ID | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston Parts | 6752 | Crafting robot equipment, exchanging for items |
NPCs
| NPC | Location | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston | verus04 (75, 114) | Quest giver, rewards |
| Machine | verus04 (81, 112) | Instance entry |
| Shalosh | 1@mcd (77, 167) | Guide, hints, exit |
| Charleston 1 | 1@mcd (various) | Story NPC (original robot) |
| Charleston 2 | 1@mcd (various) | Story NPC (daughter robot) |
| Dr. Ve | 1@mcd (116, 215) | Story NPC (antagonist) |
| Main Computer | 1@mcd (109, 219) | Kill quest, rewards |
Quests
| Quest ID | Name | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 13184 | - | Main instance quest |
| 13185 | - | Cooldown tracker (20 hours) |
| 13186 | - | Completion tracker |
| 13187 | - | Kill 50 Steps quest |
| 13188 | - | Step data backup timer |
Lore & Story
Charleston Crisis explores the nature of consciousness in machines:
- Charleston 1 was created decades ago by unknown makers.
- She developed the ability to create other robots and made Charleston 2 as her "daughter."
- Dr. Ve is an observer who studies the Charlestons, secretly seeking immortality through machine technology.
- Charleston 2's OS improved itself like a living brain with each reactivation.
- The more intelligent Charleston 2 became, the more "troublesome" she was to control.
- A conflict between human manipulation and AI autonomy led to the factory's corruption.
"Robots are supposed to be incapable of emotions, and yet here I am, feeling rueful about the past."
— Charleston
"Every time Charleston 2 comes back to life, though in a different machine, she's more intelligent, more sensible, and more troublesome."
— Dr. Ve
Tips
- Talk to Shalosh for hints - She marks important locations on your map.
- Kill Steps efficiently - 50 kills are required for the main quest reward.
- Activate all generators - All three must be turned on before you can progress.
- Watch the story sequences - The lore explains the complex relationships between characters.
- Charleston Parts are valuable - Save them for equipment crafting.
See Also
- Instances — Instance directory
- Verus — Area guide
- Old Glast Heim — Similar level instance
- Episode 15 — Related content