Diablo II: Lord of Destruction/Prison of Ice


 * Quest Giver: Malah.
 * Objective: Save Anya.

Activate the third quest in Act V by speaking with Malah, just Northwest of where you come through the portal from the Pandemonium Fortress. She asks for your assistance in finding Anya. Malah, as well as the other residents in Harrogath believe that Nihlathak (the NPC responsible for gambling when you arrived) may be involved. In fact, thorough exploration of Harrogath reveals Nihlathak has apparently disappeared without a trace.

"There is a matter which I hesitate to share, but I believe you are the only one who can help me now. Anya, the young alchemist and daughter to one of our slain elders, has been missing for some time. She is a strong, crafty woman with a spirit like no other. One night, just before your arrival, I overheard her and Nihlathak arguing about her father's death. The next morning she was gone. Nihlathak has his own talk as to where she went and why. Don't believe him! I fear he is at the root of her disappearance. Please, if you can, search for Anya and bring her back to us. She'll know what to do about Nihlathak. If it were anyone else, I would assume her dead. However, Anya is not so easily beaten. I know she must be alive."

Location
You'll find Anya's prison of ice fairly far from Harrogath. Use the waypoint in town to immediately transport to the Arreat Plateau (if you triggered the waypoint after rescuing the barbarian soldiers from the Frigid Highlands). From the Arreat Plateau, seek the entrance to the Crystalline Passage along the outer wall. Explore the edge of the Arreat Plateau to discover the cavern passage. You're nearly there once you reach the Crystalline Passage. Although you'll find two new entrances down in the Crystalline Passage, you're seeking out the Frozen River. Descend into the Frozen River and search for Anya. You'll know you're close when you encounter Frozenstein, a powerful unique abominable.

Recommended Level to Complete Act V, Quest III: Both the Crystalline Passage and, especially, the Frozen River offer the toughest fights yet in the fifth act. You may wish to explore the two possible side dungeons encountered so far to gain experience. Descend into Abaddon from the Frigid Highlands or into the Pit of Acheron within the Arreat Plateau. You should ideally have gained a couple of levels when you defeated Diablo. Experience jumps as you battle the Act V monsters, and you will find yourself gaining levels more quickly than you did in Act IV.

Log Entry #1
"Look for Anya under the Crystalline Passage by the Frozen River."

Exit Harrogath and use the waypoint system to proceed directly to the Frigid Highlands or the Arreat Plateau (if you triggered the waypoint before returning back to Harrogath from the second quest). Alternatively, you can exit Harrogath and proceed through the Bloody Highlands and move to the Frigid Highlands and then to the Arreat Plateau.

Once you're in the Arreat Plateau, fight your way through the new land and search the edge of the Arreat Plateau to find the cavern entrance into the Crystalline Passage. The Crystalline Passage has two exits: the Glacial Trail and the Frozen River. You're searching for the opening into the Frozen River. Before heading down into the Frozen River, be sure to locate and trigger the Crystalline Passage waypoint.

Expect to encounter some new monsters in the Arreat Plateau and especially within the Crystalline Passage and the Frozen River. The Arreat Plateau contains a new suicide creature (it goes by several different names). The suicide creature maneuvers its way toward you, your party, or your hirelings and summonings, and instead of attacking, it just explodes! The explosion can inflict significant damage and can catch you unprepared if you're currently in the middle of a difficult battle. If you spot one approaching, back away quickly, and you will likely move out of the explosion's range and not take any damage.

Log Entry #2
"Rescue Anya."

Once you reach the Frozen River and get close to Anya's position, a new entry appears in your quest logbook. The Frozen River contains several new beasts, including the abominable, frozen creepers, and the succubus. Cold resistance pays off in the Frozen River; tough monsters to fight plus your slow speed as a result of cold damage could prove extremely difficult for you or your party.

You'll find Anya imprisoned in a block of ice and surrounded by several abominable minions faithful to the powerful Frozenstein, a unique abominable with cold resistance and mana burn. If you rely on cold damage, it will take something more to eliminate Frozenstein quickly. Attempt to tackle his large group of minions a few at a time by luring the abominable away from the main group near Anya.

Once you have defeated Frozenstein and the monsters surrounding Anya's prison of ice, approach her and speak with her. There's nothing you can do to free Anya just yet. Listen to what she has to say and receive a new entry in your quest logbook.

From Anya: "Hero. Nihlathak did this to me! If you've come to help me, my only hope lies with Malah. Please...tell her you've found me."

Log Entry #3
"Talk to Malah."

After you have spoken with Anya, she instructs you to return to Harrogath and talk with Malah. There's nothing you can do about Anya's ice prison, but Malah may have a solution. Open a town portal scroll (though you could take the long way or use the waypoint at the Crystalline Passage to return to Harrogath) and proceed through back to Harrogath.

Locate Malah and speak with her. Malah's quite pleased with your success thus far and offers a special potion to thaw Anya (a standard thawing potion won't do). Pick up Malah's potion, and, as instructed, keep it to thaw Anya. Return through the town portal to the Frozen River, or take the long way if you would rather do so by using the waypoint system to the Crystalline River or by making the trek on foot through the various maps.

Log Entry #4
"Use the potion Malah gave you to thaw Anya."

After returning through the portal, using the waypoints, or making the trip on foot, approach Anya and her prison of ice with Malah's special potion in your inventory. Speak with Anya to automatically use Malah's potion. The ice holding Anya captive thaws and Anya escapes. She enters a town portal automatically and without a word. Don't worry. She'll offer plenty of thanks soon enough!

Log Entry #5
"Talk to Malah for your reward."

Anya's return through the town portal triggers a new entry in your quest logbook. You're instructed to return to Harrogath and speak with Malah for your reward. Open a town portal or use the waypoint (or go the long way on foot) to return to Harrogath.

Find Malah and speak with her about Anya and the mission you have just completed. Malah offers the first part of your reward for completing quest three. Malah has constructed a special scroll that permanently adds +10 percent to your character's resistances. You can receive this scroll three times (one for each level of difficulty) for a total of +30 percent. Any other resistances you possess are added on top of your new baseline of 10 percent. Once you speak with Malah, you receive a new entry in your quest logbook. Time to speak with Anya and receive the second part of your reward.

Log Entry #6
"Talk to Anya."

Anya shows her gratitude with an item reward as well as the trigger to the next quest in Act V. Speak with Anya and you receive a rare class-specific item. After you have completed the quest and Anya is safe back in Harrogath, she takes on Nihlathak's former role--you can now gamble for items with Anya. You can also purchase some armor and weapons from her. Speaking with Anya after receiving your reward for quest three automatically triggers the next quest. Time to hunt down the nefarious Nihlathak!