As with many quests in Shar Vahl, this requires that you've already completed the Vah Shir Citizenship quest. Also, as with all the class-specific quests in Shar Vahl, it requires that a young Vah Shir focus on a specific tradeskill. For bards, this tradeskill is pottery. You may wish to work on the Vah Shir Progressive Pottery quest some in order to skill up for this, or use the pottery powerskilling guide. Drop information for the Hollowshade Moor drops.

Please post any additions/clarifications on the message boards. Thanks go to Sirella Mae'sah for compiling the initial information, and to Cramnar and Fyrevixen for additions.

Once you have completed your Vah Shir Citizenship quest, and receive your intiate's cloak, you will be told to seek out Gherik Alarhun. (Details on this step are not available, so make sure to read the text at the completion of your citizenship quest carefully for exact instructions.)

Gherik Alarhun (loc p257, n511) can be found in the pottery store; facing the Arena, the pottery store is the last store on the left beside the Arena. He will not say anything when he is hailed, just give him your personal acrylia slate (Don't forget to have a container slot free in inventory!). He will charge you with a quest to find three scorpion shells (no drop, not stackable). The scorpions can be found in the Shar Vahl pit and the shells are uncommon.

Gherik Alarhun examines the shells, 'These will do fine. I will fashion a buckler from these shells that will help to preserve your life in combat. As I busy myself with its construction I send you on your next task. As a disciple of the Jharin you will become skilled in the art of pottery.

Gherik Alarhun says 'Grind the femur bone of the four grimlings in this container. Take the resulting powder and, in the same container, combine water and xakra worm bile. The resulting clay will yield a special bowl when spun with this sketch and a flask of water on a pottery wheel. Bring the unfired bowl to me.

He will give you a (no drop) four slot container to put the femur bones in and a reusable sketch. The skeleton grimlings can be found in the Shar Vahl pit and the femur bones (no drop, not stackable) are uncommon. The xakra worm larvae can be found in the pit also and the bile (no drop, stackable) is common. (DenMother's note: the trivial for this combine is reported as being between 81 and 85, so you may wish to powerskill your pottery skill a bit before attempting this combine)

Gherik Alarhun carefully inspects the bowl, 'Not bad for a beginner. Fire it in a kiln with a flask of water and a quality firing sheet. Broker Fahaar is in need of your help. It so happens that he can help you as well. He can supply you with the materials to transform your bowl into a drum that will enhance your percussion songs. Show him your acrylia slate and return to me with the bowl of the Jharin, your initiate's cloak, a stretched hopperhide and a leather cord.

Broker Fahaar (loc p228, n24) can be found just before you enter the surrounding walls of the palace to the right, under a merchant awning.

Broker Fahaar says 'Excellent, I can always use someone eager to work. I require young rockhopper hides to stretch for some special tailoring projects. Combine in this sack the hides of four young rockhoppers and return to me the full hopperhide sack, I will give you a stretched hide in return.

He will give you a four slot container to put the young rockhopper hides in. The young rockhoppers can be found in the Shar Vahl pit and the hides (no drop, not stackable) are uncommon. After you give the combined hides to Broker Fahaar, he will give you the stretched hopperhide and a leather cord.

Give the bowl of the Jharin, your initiate's cloak (from the Vah Shir Citizenship quest), the stretched hopperhide and the leather cord to Gherik.

Gherik Alarhun binds the stretched hide to the bowl with the leather cord, 'Wonderful! You have done well and are ready for the next portion of your training. I have finished your buckler and enhanced your cloak. They will both prove to be very valuable to you in your service to the Vah Shir. Show your buckler to Hymnist Gawfed for further instruction. May your deeds bring honor to the Jharin!

Gherik Alarhun shouts 'People of Shar Vahl, it is with great pleasure that I announce the Jharin has accepted ______ as an official recruit. This honorable citizen will henceforth be charged with the duty of supporting and magnifying the spirit of our people through song while always being eager to help any Vah Shir in need. Please help me in celebrating coming of age!

You gain experience, and receive the Buckler of the Jharin Recruit, the Cloak of the Jharin Recruit, and the Drum of the Jharin Recruit.

Hymnist Gawfed is at location -120, 90. As you look up the palace steps, he's in the building to the left. Hand him the Buckler of the Jharin Recruit to start the following dialogue:

Hymnist Gawfed says 'Very well met, young friend. I assume that Gherik has sent you to me for the purpose of training you. Unforunately, I will not be doing any formal training for the several days. I'm taking a bit of a holiday to celebrate my wife's birthday. If you could take this receipt to the merchant for me before my wife gets home, I'd appreciate it. I'll place you at the top of my training list as well.

You say, 'what merchant?'

Hymnist Gawfed says 'Gah... I'm losing my wits. I didn't tell you which merchant. Well, the fur is the first thing to go, and the mind is a close second. My wife's birthday is usually quite a large event in my household and I've been trying to make this one extra special. I'm lucky I can still find my tail. Take the note to Jihli Mahej. He's an importer who lives near the... gah! I can't remember the address. I'm sure you'll find him though. Good luck!

Jihli Mahej is in the building to the left of the Registrar.

After you talk to Jihli (apparently the vase that had been ordered was broken), he directs you to Chogar to repair the vase that Gawfed bought, instead of refunding the money. Chogar is located under a tent in the southern-most section of the town. (loc -483, -313; Outside of Building #17 on EQAtlas's page).

Chogar will give you a (no drop) sketch and will send you back to the pottery wheel to complete this step. (The sketch is returned on a failure) Combine a medium block of clay, water and sketch in the pottery wheel to receive the unfired vase. Then fire it in the kiln with a quality firing sheet. Trivial for the combine is between 85 and 95.

Take the vase back to Gawfed.

Hymnist Gawfed looks at the vase and nods his head in approval. "I know that she's going to love this vase. The craftsmenship is amazing!" He says as he admires the vase. I need to properly thank you for retrieveing it for me and I think that I know just the thing. If you gather some owlbear feathers I can have my brother apply them to your cloak. He can make a cloak really stand out. It will be a prize fit for any aspiring apprentice to wear. Take this sack and fill it with seven feathers and your recruits cloak. Then return it to me with your cloak. I'll have it all sent over to my brother together in one bag.

You will receive a no drop sack (as always when questing, make sure you have a container slot free in inventory before you trigger the above part of the quest.)

Owlbear feathers drop off owlbear cubs, fleshrenders and razorbeaks in Hollowshade Moor, as well as off grimy owlbear cubs in Paludal Caverns.

Combine 7 of the feathers, and your Cloak of the Jharin Recruit in the sack, and hand the result to Hymnist Gawfed.

Hymnist Gawfed says 'It looks like you're all set. I'll have this sent over to my brother at once. Thank you again for fetch the vase for me. I can't wait to give it to the missus. I just know that she's going to love it. I have another task for you. It shouldn't take much time at all. Your cloak won't be done for a while, so you can do this while you wait. Take this piece of parchment to Jangle. He'll give you a bag of lute strings. I'm restringing all of my instruments before the party. Please be quick. Thank you again.'

You receive experience, positive faction with the Jharin, and a no drop piece of parchment.

Jangle can be found at 237.85, -493.71

Jangle says 'I would love to fill this order for you friend, but the lad that we sent out into the moor to hunt up our last batch of owlbear guts has not returned. No guts, no strings. I'm afraid that I have neither. If your master will allow it, perhaps you could go gather the guts for me. If you complete this task, I will waive the fee for his next couple of orders. I'm sure that he'll find that proposal pleasant enough. Here's a bag to gather the guts in. Please fill it before you return to me.'

You recieve an 8 slot bag to fill with the Owl bear guts. They look like Fatty owl Bear Meat so it is best to look before you loot as the bag will not combine if you mix and match. If you didn't gather enough guts while collecting feathers, go back out to Hollowshade Moor (yes, it's likely you're going to get tired of that zone, just like every other Vah Shir) and chase more owlbear cubs.

Combine the 8 guts in the bag, then return the result to Jangle.

Jangle says 'Thank you for gathering these materials for me. This bag should last for some time. I'll need to clean this bag and make the strings. While I'm doing that, please take this note back to Gawfed and have him specify how many of each string he wants. He only listed the sizes in his note, not the quantities.'

You receive experience, positive faction with the Guardians of Shar Vahl, and a Note to Gawfed.

Give the Note to Gawfed, to, unsurprisingly, Hymnist Gawfed.

Hymnist Gawfed says 'I really must be losing my mind. I could have sworn I specified the quantities. Oh well, I apologize for the confusion. Please take this back to him with my apologies.'

You receive experience, positive faction with the Jharen, and a Note to Jangle.

Hand the note to Jangle.

Jangle says 'Very good, he's got it all written down this time. These strings should work nicely for him, and let's not mention the fact that they are absolutely free. Take care and remember to shop here for all of your Jharin needs.'

You receive experience, positive factionwith the Guardians of Shar Vahl, and a Bag of Lute Strings.

Yes, that's right, go back to Hynist Gawfed, and give him the strings.

Hymnist Gawfed says 'My dear friend, _____, you have been a wondrous help! Though we have not had an opportunity to work on the more refined Jharin teachings, you have definitely proven yourself to be an honorable citizen and worthy apprentice. My brother has returned with your cloak. Please take it along with the title of Jharin Apprentice. To further demonstrate my appreciation of your work for me, please take this lute.'

You recieve Cloak of the Jharin Apprentice (ac+6 sta+1 cha+2 hp+5 Pottery +2% Class Bard, Race Vah Shir only), and Lute of the Jharin Apprentice (+2cha Class Bard, Race Vah Shir only) (Note: The lute sits in Primary slot, looks like a bag when equipped, and allows you to equip a shield in secondary. It currently does NOT work towards skill ups. i.e. had a mandolin equipped and skill started to go up, changed to quest Lute and skill no longer goes up. This seems to have been reported already and hopfully will be fixed)

Hymnist Gawfed shouts 'Everyone, please welcome my student and friend, _____, to the rank of Jharin Apprentice!'

Hymnist Gawfed says 'Now, please meet with Aljuum Mohim. He will be responsible for your training during my holiday. Please show him the lute that I just gave you. He'll most likely be in a tavern somewhere. I just hope that he is sober. Take care, friend!'

You also gain experience, and faction with the Jharin.

Aljuum Mohim can be found in a bar in the South "Slums" section of town. (loc -465 by -229). Hail him, then hand him the Lute of the Jharin Apprentice.

Aljuum Mohim says 'That is quite a lute. Gawfed has an incredible gift in that area. I don't have the patience to build instruments. I prefer to use my time for other things. I'm sure that Gawfed will fill you in on the more delicate side of our craft when he gets over his holiday. Until that time, I'll get you started on the other part of being a Jharin. Here, take your lute and this bag. Once you get that stowed away, buy me a drink. If you can guess my favorite drink, I'll start you on your lesson.'

You will receive the lute back, and you will also receive a 2-slot Blue Cloth Bag. (DenMom's note: He doesn't tell you directly what drink is his favorite drink, so the first folks to complete this did have to guess at this and try several drinks)

Barkeep Rawlf behind the bar sells the Sonic Wolf Pale Ale (costs about 8 silver). Buy one and give it to Aljuum Mohim.

Aljuum Mohim sips the drink and smiles. 'Very good! I guess I should get you started.' He says as he finishes the drink that you just purchased. 'Our kin have encountered a number of beasts since the time of our arrival here. Your lesson today will center around one such creature. Maybe that will give you a better understanding of our role here. Bah, Taruun scouts... a real Jharin can do twice as much in combat... well, I digress. You're here to learn about wolves, not my petty animosities.'

You say, 'What wolves'

Aljuum Mohim says 'The wolves that I speak of have no need for sight. They are products of the darkness that surrounds us. Their ability to move in the darkness and attack in packs makes them a serious threat to any Vah Shir that walks beyond our city's gates. I fear them more than I fear the twisted little people that live in the caves around here. It is the duty of each citizen to help control the number of these creatures. Fill the bag that I just handed you with the jawbones of two young sonic wolves and I'll know that you have a real understanding of the ferocity of those creatures. If you return, I'll have something that you may find interesting.'

Young Sonic Wolf Jawbones drop off of Sonic Wolf Pups and Sonic Wolflings out in Hollowshade Moor.

Give combined bag of jawbones to Aljuum Mohim.

Aljuum Mohim says 'How was your little encounter with those beasts? Quite nasty in combat, eh? I told you as much. Well, now that you've seen them firsthand, I'll tell you how to deal with them like a true hunter. Take this hilt piece and show Hana Sulm. She'll give you some sketches. Once you have those sketches, go to Arms Historian Qua and purchase the tomes on Wolf Bane Lore or something like that. He'll know what you mean. You can use those books and the sketches to make a weapon that offers considerable power against those wolves. Once you have the weapon, bring it to me with your apprentice cloak. I'll have something for you. Now go away and let me finish this drink.'

You receive positive faction with Guardians of Shar Vahl, and a Hilt Piece.

Give Hilt Piece to Hana Sulm (loc approx. -463, -319)

Hana Sulm says 'Well, you're going to need to practice for a while to make these things. Take these sketches and read up on the lore concerning sonic wolves. You'll learn how to use the sketches. Practice all you can. I'm sure that you're going to have a lot of people coming to you with requests.'

Your faction standing with Guardians of Shar Vahl got better.

Receive Hilt Piece and 2 pottery sketches (one for claw sleeves and one for dagger sleeves).

From here, you go on to working on the Bard portion of the Sonic Wolf Bane weapons