Hello everyone.

Does anyone know exact timing for trumpet quest? I managed to get to situation where I can train my chars five levels and there are some things to do before war ends which do not involve Tularean so I might miss the trumpet if I don't keep visiting there for no reason. I can't miss the judge death, but trumpet I have missed before without getting notification so I know you can miss it.

How many weeks after war starts? It's somewhere between two and three months (I think), but I'm not sure when exactly. I would like to time my visit to Tularean somewhat close to that time.

Mid-Summer, 1st Year My Guess. Last week \of July to the end of August.

if you miss the trumpet does harmondale become independent?

I was told that you need to do the Trumpet to get an independent kingdom.
But it doesn't seem to work for me, so I am missing something.

you need to take the trumpet to the judge for independence

i have done that
(Kind of making up for the Elves done in to get the spy out of the prison)
But now that I think about it, I don't really remember reading the story log in a game where I did turn it over to the judge.)

oh yeah you aren't supposed to help out either of the kings either, you can baackstab both of em but don't help em

Ohhh That may be it. Sure, now I will now need to start another game.
Thanks

This is from the Might and Magic VII Prima Official Strategy Guide page 91 to 93

After you enter Harmondale after rescuing the Dwarves for Hothfarr the games starts a timer called the "War Clock"
Once it starts a series of timed events take place regardless of whether you participate. There are a lot of tasks to accomplish very quickly to take full advantage. Make sure to accomplish secondary and promotion quests and training before you return.

Once you return go to your throneroom and there will be 2 diplomats waiting for you, Lady Ellen of the Humans and Alain Hani of the Elves. It is possible to gain the trust of both leaders and gain Harmondale for yourself. After meeting them go to the Tularean Forest in the quickest manner possible.

Visit King Parson in the castle in Pierpont. After accepting the mission to go to to Fort Riverstride and steal the plan first go to the Tularean Caves. Rescue the Erathian Agent Loren Steel from the Caves and then go to Erathia.

Go to the fort and get the plans. The plans are are on the lower level behind the painting of Queen Catherine. Make sure you don't tell Queen Catherine she will never know you betrayed her. Go to Castle Gryphonheart and talk to the Queen. Accept the quest to rescue Loren Steel. Now collect the reward. Now return to the Tularean forest two to 3 months after the war clock has started.
A messanger will approach saying a battle is raging between the Elves and Humans. During the battle the Trumpet artifact lies in a chest in front of the entrance to the Tularean Caves. Once you are told of the battle get the trumpet. Who you give the trumpet to decides the war. Don't give it to either the Elves or Humans. Travel back to Harmondale.

Go to Judge Grey. Give him the trumpet and Harmondale become independent state under your control. The rest of the game does not care who wins this dispute but giving the Trumpet to Grey gets you the most XP and Gold. If you miss the battle the Humans win by defaults. 4 months after the war clock starts Judge Grey dies of natural causes.

At this point in time you need to choose either the path of light or the path of dark.

Two months after the war starts. Arbitar dies 4 months after war I believe. I think you have to be in Tulrean for it to trigger and be in Harmondale for Arbitar to trigger.

I did a quick google search to check. The war starts when you return the rescued dwarves to their ruler. Judge Grey dies 4 months after the war starts. After two months into the war, the trumpet quest should be available when you next enter the Tularean Forest map area. No. If the trumpet quest is not completed, then either Elves or Humans win. Humans are the default, but I believe if you help the Elves more than the Humans, then the Elves will win. Best XP rewards are to help both rulers in their task (don't do the fakes), then give the trumpet to the arbiter.

Example:
Recognition page in the history book dated 18th August (dwarfs delivered to their king)
War! page dated 28th August (arrived back on Harmondale map, even though immediately departed for the Arena and did not enter the repaired castle until 8th September)

24th October arrived in Tularean Forest - no messenger
4th November arrived in Tularean Forest - fight for the trumpet is on!

(my Lords of Harmondale happened to have the Fort Riverstride plans in their pocket; the real spy, rescued, was safely back in Erathia weeks before they'd met the Elfking).

EDIT

By the by, isn't there a great big plot hole with the fake option for the rescue quest? The fake spy will fool the queen, BUT WHY DOES SIR CHARLES QUIXOTE, THE GOOD PALADIN, NOT EXPOSE THE DECEPTION, IF HE HAS BEEN TAGGING ALONG THE WHOLE TIME (because the Lords of Harmondale have gone everywhere they can think of to delay having to face the dragon)?

EDIT AGAIN

I've been testing (with Grayface patch on, if that makes any difference): Having received the quest, I tried to ignore it; but even with leaving the Tularean Forest, and not returning for weeks (5th November to 22 December, for example), the battle waits until we get there. Next question, though - will anybody want the trumpet if we get it so late, or hang on to it so long, that the judge dies? Break that down into three parts:(1) does anybody want the trumpet after the old judge dies but before we choose light or dark (2) does anybody want it after we choose light, and (3) does anybody want it after we chose dark?

Who knows? Maybe he's keeping his nose out of this war mess so he can be asking around for more dragons and damsels instead?

I have no idea about the first scenario, where you haven't chosen an arbiter yet. In the second and third scenarios, then I expect no one is interested anymore; the war has been decided one way or another by then.

The trumpet quest does literally nothing.

Maybe 1-3 NPCs you will never see again has some optional dialogue you'll never read, but that's it.

Either the Elf King or the Human Queen will put 5,000 gold in your bank account; the Arbiter will give you some experience. And whichever decision you make will be noted in the "Peace, X Win" journal entry after you choose a new arbiter; X will be either Elves, Humans, or You.

You'll also get a banner in Castle Harmondale reflecting your choice.

If you miss the battle over the trumpet, the default for both the banner and the journal entry is in favor of Humans.