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Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4



********************** CHAPTER 4*************************
The final chapter. This one is longer than all the others combined, maybe even twice that. You'll run into some soldiers on the way, be nice. You'll probably also be attacked by some empire troops. Empire troops are a great source of loot, and you may eventually find yourself looking forward to getting in fights with them. There are some ogres NW of the tower, but they're not worth killing. Continue up north and eventually you'll reach Mertis.
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MERTIS

Q: Kill the madhouse bandits
Q: Kill the chitrach
Q: Get a gold ring.
In Mertis, you'll find a nice variety of stuff. The mayor will give you a quest to kill some chitrach in the NW corner of town, doing so nets you 10xp and some Arrows of Light.

HINT: Arrows of light are quite nice. They do 50 extra damage to demons, if they hit. Bolts of life do the same to undead. In fact, from TIE187: Both Arrows of Light and Bolts of Life affect both Demons and Undead in A2.

HINT, also from TIE187: When you sell a vendor an incomplete bundle of an Item(Projectiles or lockpicks) and buy it back, you get a complete bundle back. This is great for renewing rare wands(you can't separate a wands uses:/), like the Rod of Arcana, or building up a supply of rare arrows. Sell 1 Bolt of Life or Acid, then buy 6 back. It's expensive so I go to the stranded merchants near Fort Duvno. Their prices are Pretty Average, which are the cheapest I can find.

Talk with Anhara in the bazaar for a quest to get a gold ring. You may have one on you; give it to her for 10xp and a ring of skill. The captain in the northern building will give you a major quest, to kill the Madhouse Bandits. The priest in the east of town will teach you the ways of Elgar, for 3000c:
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Anatomy: This is an expensive skill. It's worth it though. Almost all the enemies in Avernum are humanoid, meaning you'll always get more damage. It does around about 1 point of damage per skill point invested, but only against humanoids. It affects both melee and missile, but only seems to add .5 points of damage per skill point with missiles. It also affects first aid, if you use it. Buy it when you can or remember. When you get a big batch of cash, go ahead and use it on this. When someone gets a 5 in this skill, you may want to get that mind crystal you found in Chapter 1 and get 3 more free points.
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Head on North to Silvar. You may want to continue north, and find a hill with a ruin on top. Go up the ruin to talk with Kossad, to get the cheapest spells around. There are plenty of wandering monsters around here, including some nasty batches of sliths.
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SILVAR

Q: Sugar for Gary
Q: Free enslaved nephilim
Q: Find Nance
Silvar is full of refugees. There's a band of thieves who have been abusing them. They can be found (and eliminated) in the SE, but for no reward. The mayor of the town has a quest for you: free the enslaved nephilim. You can talk to the nephil in the bar about it. While there, talk with Gary. He'll give you his sugar quest. I've only found 3 bags of sugar when I played, so this quest isn't major. Still, 200c is 200c. Elspeth lives among the refugees. Talk with her to get her "find Nance" quest. Nance is in Fort Dranlon, by the way. You can buy a boat here, sell your items, store your items, and train here.

Q: There's a bunch of gremlins who want you to find their womenfolk to the north. The women can be found in the giant's castle. West of the gremlins is a one-time graymold patch.
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FORT DUVNO

Q: Kill the secret sliths
Q: Find out who can cure dread curse.
North of Silvar is Fort Duvno. There are more refugees here. Captain Johnson will give you the "kill the secret sliths quest." Walner the sage will identify your items, and will ask you to find out who can cure dread curse. Now that we've got a bunch of quests to do, we ought to go do some, right? Maybe later. Let's get a bit stronger first.

Go back down to the tower of the magi, and talk to Mother Clarisse. She can cure dread curse. Return to Walner to get your reward: 10xp and a graymold salve. SE of Mertis there are some diseased nephilim(nearby here is a regenerating patch of healing herbs). Use the graymold salve on them and two local tribes will 1) sell you a batch of charms, and 2) improve your bow skill for 1000c. Head back down to the Tower of the Magi and go west two maps. Go to the NE corner of this map. This is the Abyss refuge. Then go south of Almaria, to a pink house. Agree to pay and you'll get a knowledge charm (increases item lore and rune reading). Then go through Almaria (pay the fee, I'll discuss this city later), and up, around the castle, and near to Blosk. You should see some wandering beggars on the way. They're from the Abyss. Tell them about the refuge for 1 rep. Go north, past Blosk, and enter Gnass, the slith city.
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GNASS

Q: Retrieve the slith charm
Q: Find massacre evidence.
Find Pathass, and if you have a slith in your party, you can buy cheap priest spells (including the second level of move mountains- you can go back to the fire lizard cave [chapter 1] and grab their rubies now). Continue to talk with him for an important ritual. The chief will give you the slith charm quest. Assotho will join you if you find massacre evidence. She's an ultra-powerful priestess who can fight quite well as well. Orho buys and sells items, you can pick up a fine slith spear if you don't have one already.

Leave and go to the castle. The wandering batch of guards in the castle wall will give you a mage's bracelet (very nice at this point) if you have adequate strength and/or luck (25 combined, from Luthien).

HINT: The power of one's spells is based partly on luck, and partly on the mysterious Bonus. The mage bonus is equal to the mage spells skill + int/2, and the same is respectively true for priest spells. There are some ways of increasing this ability through wearing items, acquiring skills, or choosing specific character traits. The mage's bracelet and the robe of the magi both give a +4 bonus to your character. However, wearing both does not give 10 bonus, so it is best just to wear one. The magery skill gives a bonus equal to the number of points in this skill. The natural mage trait gives a bonus of 4 at the beginning, and may increase with levels. For priests, there is only the priest's bracelet. The mage's bracelet and the robe of the magi do not affect priest spell strength, however, both magery and natural mage do.

Enter the castle. Go to the SW and enter the library. Talk to the lady behind the table, and you'll get magi clearance if you have 32 rep or more (and a quest which I'll mention later). Take your magi clearance and go SW to Patrick's tower.
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PATRICK'S TOWER

Q: Find the Vahnatai Items.
Q: Find the Borgia toadstools.
Q: Get graymold salve for Julz.
You may have those vahnatai items on you I told you to keep. Now's the time to ditch them. Patrick's in the SE, talk to him and give him the items. For this you get: 5xp & 100c, 5xp & deciphering lens, 5xp & 100c, and finally 10xp & 2 rep & slow level 3 from his book. Down in the SW is Julz, who tells you to get him some Borgia toadstools. To the NE is a library with some useful knowledge. To the NW is a lab. Enter the secret area north of the demon, and bring down the barrier somehow (maybe later). You'll have to contend with some quickfire, but will get a knowledge charm, heroic brew, restoration brew, and a knowledge brew.

From Patrick's tower go east back through Almaria, to the map with the lava on it. Here there is the only regenerating patch of energetic herbs in the game, in the NW. It's guarded by a bunch of gremlins. North of here is the honeycomb, which is a bit difficult to navigate: just keep using the automap. You may see some gremlins. Save your game and go up to them. If they give you a special message like they run up and hug you, then these are the special gremlins. Reload and keep talking with the till they attack (they do reappear if they hug you or run away, but it's best to take care of them now). For this you get a spidersilk shirt, a decent piece of armor, especially for a mage. Near the center of the map is the Madhouse.
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MADHOUSE BRIGANDS

You may be somewhat low on funds now, so it's time to go and get some more. The Madhouse is a great place to pick up some nice stuff. The problem is, once you leave, it's hard to get back in unless you have dispel barrier or a bunch of piercing crystals. Hopefully you have at least one piercing crystal now. Enter the fort from the east. Search for secret passages, go around, then go up one space. You'll be teleported to a new area. To the SE is a funny pink wall. Use move mountains to destroy it, then get passed that barrier. Unfortunately, I've never found any other way in, though there probably is one. Fortunately, people have helped me with this: According to antimony (thanks again!) on the Spiderweb software boards: To get in without a piercing crystal: Go in the right-hand entrance, find the secret passage, go up, just like before. Then just walk north, killing the brigands on the ledges from a distance. After you pass the second group, there's a long hallway to the right. Don't go down it, look for either of two parallel secret passages. (Far Sight will make that easy.) Go down the lower of those (the upper may work as well, don't remember), and there will be an entrance to the main part of the fort. Then kill everything in sight, starting at the north end and working south. Leave to the north as necessary to rest & sell off junk, since it's easy to get back in.
OTHERWISE:
Go through the portal. Open the southern door, then fight all the bad guys in there. Go south to the next batch of baddies. Kill them then search the dresser for a pair of nimble gloves (yea!). Go south and kill the eyebeast and his cronies (thus ending the quest). Don't go through the portal, instead keep killing the baddies to the north (one of them has a wand). Then go back to the room where you found the nimble gloves and pull the lever. Enter here and kill all the baddies again, go east and kill some more bandits. One of them has the nice Archer's cloak, which you should put on your main archer (another bandit has a wand). Now you can leave. Sell your stuff off at Mertis or the Tower of the Magi, and get your stuff identified.
Q: Destroy the empire supply caches. Now head back up to Silvar. You may want to try to go to Fort Dranlon now. On the way there are several nasty sliths out and about. They are somewhat difficult, but once slain, you may get a Fine slith spear, the best one-handed weapon in the game. Hugging the north wall will yield two special encounters. One is with the scimitar. They ask you to destroy the empire caches hidden throughout the area. Doing so nets you a nice reward. East of there is a magic fountain which makes you enlightened. Quickly head SW while enlightened and enter a lonely hut. You'll be able to read two scrolls and get raise dead 2 and divine restoration 2. A bit to the south of Fort Dranlon are some empire troops in disguise. Kill them and take their stuff.
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FORT DRANLON

Q: Get Cheap wine
Q: Get Giant statues
Q: Kill Elderan.
This is my favorite city as there's so much to do. The quartermaster in the SE will give 20c for each jug of wine you give him. Here's a good place to cash them in, if you've been saving them. He also sells one of the three bags of sugar to be found in the game (cost >200c, so not a good idea). Talk with Mairwen the wizard to get the Kill Elderan quest. Then talk with O'Rourke to get the giant statues quest. These are both excellent and fun quests. Nance can be found in one of the inns. Talk with her then talk with Elspeth for 1 rep, 15xp and a diamond dagger. The mage Postlethwaite will hint that there is some nice treasure near Cotra. Indeed there is, nimble boots in the trash pile to the west of Cotra. Wendy, a mage, will join your party if you let her. She's a great mage. For such a small town, there's a lot to do.

North of Cotra are several monsters. These are the remnants of the force that kicked Cotra's butt. Teach them a lesson. Far south of Fort Dranlon is an empire courier's body. Keep trying to read his scrolls and you'll get the secret password "skulls." There are some nephilim living east of Cotra, don't kill them, they're friendly. They'll help you out a bit after you free the slaves. They'll tell you about the regenerating graymold patch on a swampy peninsula to the east. You have to kill some giant slugs to get it, which can be difficult (get up close to them so they stop spitting acid, and pound them into slime). There's a small house north of Fort Duvno where empire soldiers are attacking some Avernum soldiers. Help out the good guys for 1 rep. There's a basilisk east of Fort Duvno, you can kill it without hassle, but don't get anything (maybe capture it in your soul crystal). Finally (and best of all), north of Cotra is a secret cave. You've got to fight 3 batches of empire troops to access it, including a difficult wizard, and a dervish, but in the end, you get to bask in the crystal cave, which gives you +1 to strength. Woo hoo!
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NEPHAR FORT

NE of Fort Duvno you find the nephar fort, the object of the Silvar quest. These kitties are pretty fast, and their shamans are evil. They give good loot, often pieces of amber and shield rings. Points of interest: In the SW, there's a bunch of shamans and a room with bookcases (on which there are scrolls). NW of this room is a secret room in which you can obtain beast ceremony 2, an excellent spell. To the East is a nephar chieftain who's holding a steel greatsword and drakeskin boots. There's also a bunch of nephar shamans out and about, and their temple. Take the potion on the left, it's a knowledge brew (the other isn't nearly as good), and will give you 5 skill points when drunk. When you do, you've got to fight 3 demons. Here's the best way of beating them: Use beast ceremony (which you definitely should have), then get into fight mode. (W)ait one round, then grab the potion with your priest. Use your mage to cast slow on the demons, and your warriors to pummel them. You should be able to act twice without problem, since the demons lose the initiative in the first round because you (w)aited (and this is a good strategy for several fights). The first thing the demons do usually is cast haste on themselves. Cast slow on them again and continue to pummel them. Summon up some friends to alleviate your pain for when and if they cast lightning blast. Eventually you can destroy them. Now go up to the platform, kill all the giants and nepharim. Enter the room. There are two secret rooms north of here. One leads to a desk with a key, the other leads to a trapped room with a treasure chest full of good sellable items. Leave, and use the key on the door, then pull the lever. You'll free the nephilim. Go back to Silvar to claim your prize (25xp, 4 rep).
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SPIRAL CRYPT

The title gives a good description of this dungeon. There are lots of annoying spectres, wights, spirits and ghasts here, so be sure to have a decent priest. Enter N of Mertis. You may have to fight some undead on your way, but if you're lucky (but not by the game's skill) you may get a silver necklace or a piece of amber. You start out in the South. Go east and up and west, killing all that you meet. When you get in the NNE, there's a secret passage to get down and finish this level. You may want to continue going on the outer rim, however, and get a piercing crystal (that box has 3 crystals in it- not worth it at all). If you do this, you end up on top of a large cliff, and will have to jump off, taking damage. Go down the secret passage, and hug the east wall. Go down the passage and kill the lone wight, then search the north wall for a secret passage. You'll find a room with 3 graymolds. Go out and to the south. Jump off the cliff, kill the ghouls and ghasts, and continue. Kill the ruby skeletons, then go north and pull the wheel. This'll let you get out of here if you run out of HP and MP. Enter the dark area and head north, looking for secret passages. Check the northernmost wall for secret passages; there should be two, take the eastern one to get a piercing crystal. Take the western wall past the pit and fight the spirits and spectres. Try not to let the spectres hit you (make them your priority), as they hit hard and drain you. Go south, and kill the fetid zombie, breaking the barrier, and kill all the other fetid zombies. Use your ritual of sanctification here (30xp). Search the bodies to get a flaming longsword (very nice weapon). Then start to leave, you'll have to fight wights, spirits, ghouls and ghasts on your way out, usually. Talk with the wandering merchants (the seemingly useless ones) to get 1 rep.
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SECRET SLITHS

Head east from Fort Dranlon (which is a good place to sell off all the loot you get here). Find the totems, then head straight west. You'll enter the secret slith's hideout. Kill the first batch, then head west. Search for secret passages to the south, and grab their loot. You can kill their babies if you want, though I don't. Continue south, and kill some more sliths. You'll soon get to the slith chief. Kill him, and take his stuff: dexterity bracelet, drakeskin boots, fine slith spear. Then head east and kill the priests and their guards. Head south from the altar, kill some more priests, then check the SE wall for secret passages. Go down it, and bathe in each of the three pools. Don't read the rune! Go north, then head west, you'll find a secret passage. Since you bathed in the slime you can pass the rune. Hop into the boat, then get to the island. If you know the ritual from Pathass, you can get the slith charm. Head east, kill the sliths and their fire lizard pets, then go to the NE room. Check for secret passages on the southern wall, and go up. You'll end up in a room with 2 fire lizards and a bunch of crates. Kill the lizards then search the crates. You'll get a lot of food, and some nice treasure, most notably a Resistance skill crystal.
------------------------SPECIAL SKILLS---------------------------------
Resistance- a most excellent skill. It'll block a lot of damage. There's only two ways to get this skill unfortunately, and you can't train in it, or it'd make your party unstoppable. Damn.
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Then go back down and then west, and go up the stairs. Kill the sliths, then kill the fire lizards and the slith archmage (who's a decent soul crystal catch). Head east, and you'll fight a bunch of snakes. You can get a good number of herbs from this area. Then head east, and find a secret door. Bring down the stalactite with a move mountains spell, then look around. You'll have to fight 3 batches of undead: wights, spectres and vampires. One of the vampires had a radiant robe when I did this (blocks magic damage). Otherwise, there's not much else to do here. Go back to Fort Duvno to claim your reward: 300c, 4 rep, and 25xp. Go to Gnass to get 2 rep, 30xp, and sanctuary 3.
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SERPENT CULT

The serpent cult is to the east of the tower of the magi. On your way here, swoop down and west, and look for secret passages. You'll find a supply cache with some minor goodies. Go back east and head north, you'll run into some sliths and snakes. Get used to them. Enter the cave, and fight the nearby sliths. Points of interest: there's a trapdoor in the NE. You an open it after you pull the lever that's to the NE of the trapdoor. 5 snakes attack you then. Towards the center east there are 2 giant slugs, if you want to fight the nasty things. You can't get up to the main fortress before going down, so get to the second level by taking one of the two pits. From here, fight the snakes and get up to the altar, and use the ritual of sanctification (10xp). Go west and you'll find Captain Brehon locked in a room. Talk to him after killing the slith chief for 1 rep and 10xp. To the NE is a secret passage that leads to a basilisk and a book. You can't look at the book until you get the blessed athame (it's repel spirit 3). Go to the NW and cast beast ceremony before going up the stairs. There's a nasty fight up there with 3 slith spell casters and a bunch of warriors. Kill them, and you can get a dragonskin cloak, the best cloak in the game. You can use the ritual on the altar for a humorous result, but no xp. Go east, and fight some mages. Check the bookcase for a scroll (historical scrolls have no quest in this game). Then take the west door to get some treasure (coins, blessed arrows, heroic brew, a cursed ring). Go south and open all of the doors except for the most southerly one. All of these rooms have some nice stuff. The NW room has a book that gives you +1 to arcane lore. The SE room (with the barrier) has a lot of potion ingredients, and the mideast room leads to a secret room with a bunch of dead, one of which has iron chain. Now go south and kill the slith chieftain. He has a fine slith spear, and a warrior's ring (an improved ring of skill). Kill all his buddies, then go west and kill the rest of the sliths. Use the wheel in the NE to get out without hurting yourself. Tada, all done. Go to the tower of the magi to claim your reward: 20xp, 4 rep and battle rage 3.
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COVEN CAVE

This is a small dungeon with hard enemies. Get here by going east and south by boat from Silvar. You get some strange vibes from this place as you enter it. You can pass the barrier by walking through it, then must fight some ruby skeletons through long distance. Afterwards, 3 giant slugs await you. Then you'll fight some more ruby skeletons (who occasionally drop rubies), and some fetid zombies. Finally you end up a bit south of a room with some witches. Before you can enter this room, you've got to disarm 2 traps, then fight a batch of fetid zombies. The witches are quite tough, as they are resistant to almost all magic. Get up and mush them if at all possible. It's hard, and be sure to have used beast ceremony at some point prior. Haste 3 would work wonders, but that's not too easy to get at this point in the game. Still, with a couple of retries, it can be done. Their treasure makes this fight worthwhile. They have a bunch of herbs here, as well as a good bit of jewelry. Those unidentified gloves are cursed, but still may be worthwhile if you don't mind occasional radiation sickness. The book to the NE (secret passage) gives you call beast 3, the book to the NW gives you ice lances 2 and farsight 2 (the second one might be slightly useful). The book to the SW gives you a point in dread curse:
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Dread curse: Technically, it's a special ability. Don't pursue it, though. Fortunately in this game it's a lot harder to get than it was in Avernum 1. Mother Clarisse in the tower will cure it for you.
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You may want to go to some new places. Blosk, Almaria, the Castle, and Dharmon are all quite nice.
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BLOSK

Q: Find the spy
Q: Find Grahk's peninsula.
People are a bit edgy here in Blosk. There's a spy on the loose. Talk to the mayor to get this quest. There's a few ways of doing this quest: the proper way and the fast way. I'll walk you through the proper way. With the fast way, just skip to number 6.
1) Talk to Leith. Bruce's lead is a dead end, that priest is pretty much worthless.
2) Check Leith's bookshelf for hints on how to proceed. On to Almaria!
3) Go check out the storerooms. You'll get attacked, naturally.
4) Go to the strange room to the SE. Fight the demons, and get the hint. There are some empire records here, good for the castle quest.
5) Go back to Almaria, and talk to the statue in the SE.
6) Search all the ovens and braziers in the town. Then talk to Leith.
7) Talk to Saffron.
8) Give the evidence to the mayor.
For this you get 4 rep and 25 xp. Saffron will identify your items, and you can train here too. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be anyplace to sell your items in this town. Talk with Justin, the wandering blue priest to get the find Grahk's peninsula quest. For completion of this quest you get 10xp and 1 point in find herbs:
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Find herbs: A nice skill, which unfortunately can't be trained in or otherwise improved (unless you have Wendy, who starts with a point). With this skill you'll randomly find potion ingredients when traveling about by land.
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There's a shambler outside of the town walls. Don't get next to it and it can't hurt you, meaning just pepper it with arrows. That's it for now in Blosk.
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ALMARIA

Q: Get a blue pass
Q: Get a gray pass
Q: Navigate the waterfall warren.
Q: Find Sixus
I'd recommend you head straight for Blosk first, in order to do the spy quest in the proper fashion. There's more to do here than in Blosk. The soldiers will open the gate for you without charge if you have high enough rep. Healing 3 (finally!) can be found in the hotel in the SE, in the SE room's dresser. You can take an herb from the alchemist without problems in the store in the SW. The trainer, Julio, will ask you to navigate the waterfall warrens. Doing so nets you 10xp and some blessed sandals. Mayor Beven will give you a big quest, to find Sixus. This will be discussed later. The mage Abby to the north will give you a quest to find a blue pass. Upon returning with one (1 rep 10xp), you're given a quest to find a gray pass. When you get one, return for 1 rep, 25 xp and a priest's bracelet. There are 2 herbs sitting outside of town, check the north passage for secret doors. Also, use move mountains on one of the strange-looking sections of the north wall to bring it down and get to a dead body which is loaded with some nice stuff (iron plate mail, steel great sword).
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THE CASTLE

Q: Find Harston
Q: Retrieve empire records.
The castle, the seat of the Avernum nation. Go to where you obtained magi clearance (in the SW), and talk to the librarian. She'll give you the empire records quest. This is a worthwhile quest, as for each set of records you bring in, you get 5 xp and 20c. There are a lot of records out there as well, and this quest never ends. Talk to the tall lady in green near the castle entrance to get the find Harston quest. Once you have adequate rep you can gain royal clearance, allowing you to enter most anyplace, including speaking with king. He'll give you the kill Garzahd main quest. Also, once you retrieve 2 crystal souls, he'll start you off on your quest to retrieve demonslayer. Go up to the mage chambers and talk with one of the mages there to get another portal code.
from Zeviz: If you are a very nasty type, you could rob Avernum's treasury. Unlock the door in the south of king's chamber and continue south through a secret passage. Unlock next door and dispell the 3 barriers. When you round the last corner, you'll face 3 Ur-basilisks and quickfire. Search chests to get 3000 gold and Blessed Plate Mail (Nice!). When you head back, you'll find your way blocked by a new barrier. When you get out your reputation doesn't decrase!
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DHARMON

Q: Deliver Ore
Q: Steal Surface tools
Q: Obtain Kothtar plans.
Dharmon is a soldier's city, and is west of Blosk. In the hotel is a woman who's looking for medicine for her son. This medicine is found on one of island west of Silvar. Once given, you receive 20xp, 1 rep and an armor ring, not to shabby for a non-quest. They mayor of the town (you need either a boat or magi clearance to see her) will give you the Kothtar plans quest.

Sarah, the priestess, will sell you divine warrior, as well as all the other upper level spells, provided you have enough rep. Rippel will buy ore from you. Largo will sell you good potions (buy the graymold one) and will sell you some recipes. If you enter through the north you can get a boat. Kill the rats then check for secret doors south, get into the boat and go west. There are a few places to land here. One is full of shamblers but has some nice ingredients, the other is Starcap's home. Kill the golems and talk with him, he'll hint on the onyx scepter's location. You can read his book for Unshackle mind 3.

There's a bunch of storerooms with emeralds and rubies, which are quite worth plundering. Be sure to close the door behind you. You'll also find a bunch of arrows of light. There's a secret door in the northern room, which leads to a basilisk and two golems. Kill them and take the blessed bow and shortsword. If you want you can take the tools, and give them to the crook hidden to the south of the alchemist, though you get a strength bracelet and 10xp, you also lose 2 reputation (from TeeKoo) , making this quest a bad idea.

NW of Dharmon is a seller of goods. She sometimes has very nice items. There's a wandering group of empire troops about, and there's a patch of graymold directly south of Blosk. There's also a trap set by the rakhashi to the south of Dharmon- watch it, these guys are tough. Take the south road from Dharmon, and you'll pass the ruins of a city. On one of the gray patches of stones you'll find a trainer of gymnastics (5000c for +1 gymnastics for everyone).
------------------------SPECIAL SKILL----------------------------------
Gymnastics: A decent skill, which is trainable. It makes you act faster in combat, and dodge more blows. Buy some and be happy.
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COTRA

Q: Destroy empire smelters
Ah, back to the old dungeons. Cotra was once a beautiful city which has since been turned into a hollowed shell by empire troops and the evil eyebeasts. There are lots of ghouls, gazers, ghasts, eyebeast, giant slugs, and empire troops about. Points of interest: In the far NE, you'll find Yong-mi who gives you the "destroy the empire smelters" quest. A bit south, but still in the NE quadrant you'll find a locked door which, when opened, yields a vampire to fight. Woo hoo. In the NW quadrant (use move mountains to get in) are the eyebeasts. They fall pretty easily to fire magic, but the gazers are pretty annoying. Once you make it passed their main lair, you'll find a spellbook with smite 3, and a steel halberd (though the fine slith spears are better because, though the steel halberds do a point more damage on average, the slith spears can be used with a shield). Head to the SE to fight a bunch of empire troops. Kill them and destroy the smelters. You may find a warrior's ring on one of the bodies (I think it was the evil priest). You'll also find out the location of the nearby empire base. And you'll get a free boat. Take the boat east and loot the body for an armor ring.
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SECRET EMPIRE FORT

Here is one of the places you find a blue pass. There's not too much in the way of other goodies here, just a wand on the bookshelf to the NE, some gold to the SE, and the blue pass to the NW. That's about it. Of course, all that empire equipment is good for selling, and may enable you to buy a point more of anatomy or something.

Now that you definitely have a boat, it'd be a good idea to do some exploring. Go west to find an island with a slith tribe. Attack them, the chief has a warrior's ring. A bit south of here are some nasty shamblers (hard to kill, and strong to boot). Killing them nets you a blessed long sword. North of here is a group of empire soldiers, lead by a dervish. Teach them not to spy. North of here is Fort Dranlon, continue on north to find Grahk's peninsula. Then go back down to Fort Dranlon. Scimitar quest (destroy empire caches): There are 5 caches. You need a boat. From Fort Dranlon, head west, then land on the second north bank, search for secret passages and loot and destroy. Then go back and head a bit north. There's another one nearby here. Destroy it too. There's two more on the east side, one near the early (chapter 1) empire fort, the other north, near the abandoned mine. Then go west, search along the west wall. It's well hidden. Return to the people, and you'll get 40xp, 250c, and an icy longsword. The soldiers west of Fort Dranlon deserve a beatdown, give them one to get some empire records. A bit south is a house with a slith tribe in it. Help them fight the empire for 1 rep. Continue on west, then head up the waters. Go up as far as you can, then land on the western peninsula. Go north to get to the graymold cave (a regenerating dungeon herb patch). Go west, and pass the gate, since you should have a red pass. You can't attack this gate, unlike some of the others. Continue west, and you'll reach Harston. Watch out for Empire guards. I usually just attack them if they catch up to me, even if I have the proper pass.
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HARSTON

Q: Bring bags of meal.
Entering Harston finishes the quest from the castle (20 xp and 2 rep upon return). This is an empire town, so watch yourself. There's an identifier and a random item shop here. There's also a steel chain mail in the barracks (close the door and steal it). Talk to the random item shop owner (Suzanne) to get the sacks of meal quest.

After Harston, head NE. There's a guardpost here, either attack or pass. There's another batch of guards here who demand to see a gray pass. You probably don't have one yet, so just kick their butts. Passing the tower gets you into another fight with archers and the dastardly infiltrators. You'll come back to that big building later. Enter the boat house. Kill everyone inside, then grab a boat. Travel east till you end up at the last down river, then park your boat on the small patch of land. Go through the secret passage, and kill the shades. Aimee will appear and give you Dispel Barrier. This is the easiest way of obtaining this spell, honestly. Go back to your boat and take a look around. Don't enter any buildings yet, but there are three batches of drakes around here. Kill them and two will give you black drake fangs (give them to Vincent in the Tower of the Magi and Enla in Motrax's cave). Now you're a good bit stronger and ready to take on the world even more. At this point I'd recommend going to Formello, then to the tower of the magi.
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FORMELLO REVISITED

There are two good reasons to go to Formello, and both are spells. First go north behind the mayor's room, and use move mountains. Then take a look at that book. You need a deciphering lens to read it. Then go back to the tunnel to the vahnatai lands. In the area where you picked up the boat, go north and use move mountains again. Then look in the box there. You'll get cloud of blades 3. Excellent. While you're here in Formello you may want to get to the SE area with all the statues. Go around the wall, then look at the pillar. You'll get a portal code. Onward to the Tower of the magi.
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TOWER OF THE MAGI REVISITED

Q: Find the empire portal.
Time to use that portal. Go to the center, and use beast ceremony before getting too close to the portal. Once you get one space away, a bunch of imps, 2 demons and a mung demon are summoned. Send them back to the depths of hell, and enter the portal, using Ell Pit Esk. This takes you to the barrier tower.
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BARRIER TOWER

You passed this place in chapter 2, now you can finally see what's in it. There's a wizard wandering about, and a beggar in the pentagram. Talk to the wizard, and ask about a book. Go and read that book, and you've completed this quest. Head east, and go through the secret door. Try to read the book (you'll get burned, there's no way around this). Now go talk with the wizard again, and talk to him about it. He'll remove the trap, and allow you to read it. For this you get Dispel barrier 3. Don't talk to the beggar or destroy the circle in any way. Go north, and leave this place. Tell Madhavi you've done it, and you finish the quest (no reward), and get the new one. I think it's time to head back to the vahnatai lands. Go to the portal and reenter Oglai.
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VAHNATAI LANDS

Talk to one of the vahnatai children. She'll tell you that Gnee is kind of weird. Head over to Egli and enter from the east. Go south and talk to one of the vahnatai there. Then head back up, and open the NE most room. Bring down the barriers with your spell, then grab the potion ingredients and the borgia toadstools (in the box). Talk with Gnee, in the SW. Gnee is a member of the vahnatai faction which attacked you and which are allied with the empire. He'll tell you about the key in the tree in Avit, which you already should have. Then head on out to Manusco. Talk to the children there. You'll find out some more. Hm. Now you know where that key came from. From Manusco, head west then take the north passage. Make your way all the way north, then look for a secret passage to that hut. Break the chains, then go back and fight the demons. Cross the crevasse, then enter the sickness area. There's something very nice nearby, but in the meantime you have to contend with evil demons and their hydra pets, and occasionally falling ill. Head to the SW. Pick up 3 bugs, then head to the NW. Find the temple by walking across the lava. Make three offerings. For this you get +1 strength and +2 blademaster:
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Blademaster: A nice skill. Unfortunately, no one teaches it to you, so you have to train yourself in this skill. It's worth training in occasionally, as it increases your melee ability.
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Head back on down south, there's nothing else to do here for now. There's a tough lich to the south, kill it for 1000c and a rod of major call. It likes to cast charm, taking you completely out of commission. It may be too tough for you now. Go west, till you run into the spore tunnels (north is a graymold salve) and go south. You'll find a hole in a cliff. This leads to the Ominous crypt.
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OMINOUS CRYPT

Enter through a secret passage on your left. Go north, and loot the tomb (basic charm), kill the guards. Then check for a secret passage east. Go past the statue, you'll be fine if you have enough vahnatai lore. There's a passage south with some undead in it, and a passage north. The passage north splits (and locks you in). Go left, and stay off of the bodies. Kill the ghouls, till you reach the NE room. Check the left body for a waveblade, unshackling crystal, and lucky bracelet. Go back down, and take the right fork. Go past the lava beds, then go and unlock the door. Kill the undead vahnatai, the check the NW corner for secret passages. Go west, checking the south wall for secret passages. You'll find a war charm, and a blessed buckler. Kill the spirits, then step on the rune and leave.

Go east to Manusco then go north. Keep on heading north, either killing all the vahnatai you run across, or hiding. Killing them will get you their equipment, which is worth a decent amount of money. Keep heading north, and eventually you'll run into a fort.
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VAHNATAI FORTRESS

This is one of the most fruitful levels in the game. Go east, and take the thin bridge and head south then east. Kill the vahnatai, and go north, and use the key (from Avit) to get in. Head southeast, to where the humans are, kill them and the wizard (who has a resistance ring). Go north (there's a bag of sugar in one of the drawers), kill the vahnatai guarding the wheel. Then head east to the training room and take the north door. Go as far as you can, up the stairs, killing the vahnatai till you reach a boat. Hop in, then take the boat east, till you get to a 6 square ledge. Take the secret passage down to find a crystal, which gives 2 points of resistance to all of your characters. Take the boat back west, then find an area in the NW with a basilisk. Kill it, then get into the room next door. For this you will get an ability crystal, Defensive Glow. Head south, and enter the door on the right. Kill the vahnatai in here, and in the adjacent room, then head south. You'll come to Gaddika. Kill him (he's quite powerful), he has a gold bracelet, blessed buckler, and fine waveblade. Yipee. See what's in the rooms next door, and kill all the vahnatai in there. Then go back to your boat and land on the ledge south. Bring down the barrier, then look in the two dressers. In one you find evidence (20xp), in the other, provided you have enough Vahnatai lore, you'll open the door a bit north and west. Go there next, kill the basilisk, and take the treasure (armor ring, blessed small shield, knowledge brew). Head back out. Usually, several vahnatai have spawned and are blocking your way. One of them has always had drakeskin gloves for me. Head back down to Manusco to get your reward (25xp, Natural curing ability crystal). Tekora-te will also train you in parry now, for 500c.
------------------------SPECIAL SKILL----------------------------------
Parry: A decent defensive skill. It makes you dodge blows occasionally, especially if you defend. Max it out, as it's cheap and useful for everyone. Later you'll be able to acquire another point in this skill for free, so that's why it's best to get everyone at 5.
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Head back home, (you'll deliver the evidence to the council, but it's best to get some of the more useful spells and items before attempting the ziggurat, you'll also get the Fort Haledon orders quest), and head off to Patrick's tower. Give Julz the borgia toadstools for 5xp and bind foe 3, then make a graymold salve to get 4 rep, 15xp and haste 3 (Yes!). Now we can hit some of the other nearby places.
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FORT REMOTE

Q: Get Cheap Wine
Q: Get another blue pass
It's the west most Avernite city. To the north once you enter is a dead body behind some fragile walls. Search it for a blessed spear. Ignore the plate, it's cursed. Talk to Angarahad to get the wine quest. To the SW is an altar that is a good candidate for that ankh you've been carrying around. Place it there to receive an indeterminate amount of xp. Talk to the commander to get the blue pass quest: there's one blue pass south of Cotra (which you may already have) and another in the unfinished undead attack fort. Leave to the west.

Around here are a lot of empire troops. Generally I kill them if I run into them, unless I don't have any other option. You probably don't want to go too deep here, maybe just look around a bit. Giants have excellent cash on them. South of the blue pass gate is a secret passage that leads to a bunch of aranea. Kill them for a dexterity bracelet.
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FORT EMERALD

Q: Heal Brian
Q: Kill Limoncelli.
Fort Emerald is east of Blosk. There's an emerald here that will restore your spell points. Talk with Brian's girlfriend to get the quest to heal him. Go up and talk with him, using a graymold salve on him for 1 rep and 20xp. Talk with the commander up in the NW to get the kill Limoncelli quest. This is the normal way of getting dispel barrier, but the way I described is better.
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SOLBERG'S TOWER

All right, at this point Solberg's tower is doable. Head back to Formello, then take a boat west. Land to the south, near the lava. To the west is a pillar with an important portal code. Enter the tower across the lava fields. To the west is a secret passage that leads to a group of fire lizards, and a dead body with a poor chain mail. Go towards the tower, and when you get the paranoia message, cast beast ceremony then go into fight mode. Go south, then you'll get in a fight with a bunch of hordlings, imps and demons. At this point, they shouldn't be too much of a problem. Go around to the east side, and you'll enter the tower. In the SE of this tower is ice lances 3. Speak with Cheeseball for comedy, and to Solberg to figure out Garzahd's weakness. Solberg will also sell you cheap low-level spells, and also the magery skill. There's two options: buy points from him for your mage and priest, or wait for the drake. If you have 3 or fewer magic users, Solberg is the cheaper option, compared to the drake.
------------------------SPECIAL SKILL----------------------------------
Magery: A great skill. Unfortunately, you can't train in it. It will increase the power of all your spells (even magery). It's a great skill for mages and not too bad for priests. Get more points from the drake.
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MOTRAX'S CAVE

Q: Retrieve drake fang.
Finally we return. Most of the mages here are snobs, but some are helpful. Enter the west halls. Talk with Enla to get the third drake fang quest (giving her one gets you 25 x, 1 rep, and a strength bracelet). Go east, and you'll find Linda, the crazy demon-summoning mage from Avernum. Check the west wall for safe travel 3. Go and talk with Ostoth to get hints on where to find mass healing 3. In the rooms south, there's a key you'll need eventually, as well as some good loot for plundering. Go east and check Motrax's bed for mass healing 3. You can continue to go east, searching for secret passages. In order to disarm those traps, you need a tool use of around 30. The treasure that's guarded is: Warrior's bracelet, ring of great health, and a whole lot of gems and gold. It's worth it if you want to try. But it's not really worth killing everyone over.
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CAMP SAMUELS

Q: Find Locke
Small quest here, as well as a good weaponsmith and a seller of magic lockpicks. Talk to Lt. Krizsan, and get the find Locke quest. Locke can be "found" in Fort Draco by looking at the ledger in the building with the ore. That's it for here. East of this fort are a batch of empire soldiers.
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SOUTHERN AVERNUM

North of Dharmon there is a gate. Go up north, and you'll get into fights with empire troops. Do this three times to get an archer ring, along with all their equipment. You can make a lot of money off these guys. It's time I introduce you to Silverlocke. She lives in a small hut south of Blosk, and will sell you the best potion of all, knowledge brew. She'll only do this if you have a high enough reputation, and she only has ~10 or so. Buy out her entire collection after buying out her knowledge brew shipment and she'll restock. South of the castle is a wishing well. It's never done anything for me. South of that is a room with three pillars, I don't know what's up here. West of that is a tunnel that leads to a batch of undead. Kill them and proceed to the end. Eventually you run into the end, and will be able to pull out an alien blade, provided you have enough strength. The alien blade is the best sword in the game, damage wise. West of Patrick's tower is a special in which you help some soldiers fight 2 rakhashi and their ogre slaves. Kill the rakhashi and you get 1 rep. North of Fort Emerald, there is a red pass gate. Enter it, and go to the SW. You'll find a sick drake. Heal it with graymold and it'll teach everyone 1 point in magery. This can get you up to 6 in magery, not bad at all. North of here is the unfinished empire fort, a bunch of undead roaming around, and some empire troops. Search the area to the north to fight some undead. Two tunnels yield rewards: in one you get a blessed bow, and the other, a crystal charm.
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UNFINISHED EMPIRE FORT

This is an interesting fort. The empire troops are having a lot of trouble with undead attacks, and the empire and the undead get into several fights while you're here. Upon entering, you'll see what I mean. Usually the empire wins, but is suitably weakened for you to finish the job. Go into the west smithy to get a bar of silver in a crate, then head east as far as you can go, then north. One of the bodies here has some empire records. Continue north and you'll soon get in a fight with some undead. Spectres, spirits and wights are all quite common here. Points of Interest: In the NE, there's a secret passage that leads to a big pit. There are two nice bodies there, ripe for looting. Head over there, but cast beast ceremony- you'll get attacked by some wights, vampires and spectres. The bodies have some decent armor and a blessed greatsword, a great item for selling (since the icy and flaming long swords are better damage wise). To the east is the main empire compound. In it there's a wizard, dervish, and evil high priest. They still aren't all that difficult, since you should have a decent amount of spells. In the empire dervish's room, you'll find another blue pass, which fulfills the Fort Remote quest (go back to get 4 rep, 30xp). In the storeroom with the guardian and the wine, there's a secret door that leads to treasure with blessed arrows and a protection brew. That's about it for here.
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TOTEM HALLS

West of the Tower of the Magi, and East of Almaria is the totem halls. This is where you get a gray pass. You find it by walking through the big lava patch (the lava patch to the north will lead to a ruby and some fire lizards and the one to the east leads to some armorers), and checking the west wall for secret passages. Eventually you get attacked, and will see a lonely pillar. NW of this pillar is the entrance to this invisible dungeon. Enter and go east, through the lava. You'll run into some fire lizards, kill them and go up the stairs. Kill the drakes, ignore the cursed ring, then jump down. Search the halls, and kill the empire soldiers. Ignore the unidentified ring again. Take the northern passage up and open the door. Kill the demons and priest, then head west. Kill the soldiers there, then open the NW door and bust the wheel so that you can get out as often as you want. Go north and kill the dervish and his guards. Search the desk to get the gray pass, and then check the NW hall for secret passages. You'll find a treasure chest with a potion and an assassin's dagger. Go south, and kill the troops there. Search their food supplies for the second bag of sugar, east of here is an elite soldier who had a drakeskin helmet for me. Search the rest of this place then leave.
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Waterfall Warren

Now that you have a gray pass let's go find a place to use. If you've been following this walkthrough, you're probably at ~30 level, and are ready to take on one of the big uglies.
To get to the Halls of Chaos, you'll first have to find the waterfall warren. Go to the main river, then head east. There's a sign with waterfalls on it. Go west, and you'll see a bunch of sliths. Talk to them, and it seems as though they want something. Go take the eastern route of the rapids, and land on the first western bit of land. Go through the passage, and you'll find a hammer. This is what the sliths want. Giving it to them gets you a pathfinder crystal, which probably isn't all that useful at this point, but still nice to have. Go back up, and from the sliths go down the rapids, bear right, bear right again, go down, bear left, go down, bear right, go down, bear right.
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HALLS OF CHAOS

This is the Halls of chaos. There are 4 main sections: NE, SE, SW and NW. You'll hit them in that order. First, go search those barrels and crates, then go dump them in the water. You heard me right. Go to the NE then go step on the left rune, and go through the right passage. Go down the secret passage and stairs. You end up in an area with what look to be a bunch of vahnatai crystals. They summon up shades every now and then. Get next to them and bust them to make them stop. Do this on all of them, then go down and open the SE door. Grab the key in the dresser. Go up the stairs. The crates and barrels will have reappeared. Get rid of them again. Go to the NE and step on the right rune, then go in the left passage and down the stairs. You'll have to choose a character for this part. I chose my priest. Send them in, and go through the door. You'll find an odd area with a bunch of slimes, divine fire them into charred slime. Look at the box and you'll get another key. Go back up the stairs, the check the ENE section of this quad. You'll find a secret passage with a golem and some potions. Now go down to the SE quad. Enter the swampy area, and get prepared for a fight. 6 shamblers come, kill them, then go into the room on the right. Three statues want things. One of them you can satisfy right away, dump some food on the square in front of him. The others you'll have to go back to the NE quad and step on the runes, pilot the crates and barrels back on the rugs. Then pull the lever. You'll get 3 secret passwords. Go down the stairs (you'll be checked for a gray pass). Try to go through the door, you'll be accosted by a bunch of mutant lizards and a black shade twice. Go on through and go west, kill the basilisks, then go through a west secret door. Some barriers will be blocking your path. Bring them down, then get prepared for a nasty fight with the DOOMGUARD: These guys are annoying at lower difficulties, and downright deadly at higher ones. Cast beast ceremony, then divine warrior, then go pound them again and again and again. You'll probably have to recast haste and divine warrior a couple more times before you're finished. Finally, once it's dead, go and check the chests. You'll find some herbs, and a cursed ring. Go north and you'll find a secret attached room. In this you'll find an armor ring, some gold and a blessed crossbow, very nice. Leave this place. Go to the SW quad, and open the door. Get prepared for another fight with a bunch of guardians and black shades. Kill them (you'll probably have to cast haste 3 at the end of each turn. Wait with your mage.) and go down the stairs. This part is a bit difficult. There are 4 ways north, labeled 1-4, left to right. Go up 3 and you'll hear a click. This opens up 0, another way north. Go up it, and you'll hear another click, which merely expands this area, go a bit north, and you'll get to another area. Hit the easterly clicker (just hit this one- if you hit a second, go back and hit the one again), then go to 4 and go north. Through all of this there are plenty of enemies to distract you. Some giants will be guarding the door, kill them, and enter. You'll use those keys you found to open the other doors. You'll be greeted by a bunch of eyebeasts. Kill them and go up the stairs. At each place you'll use a code you got from the SE area, and will get a spidersilk shirt, an energy pulse crystal and the blessed athame (the object of this quest). Finally. Pull a lever, kill the black shades and get out of here.

The blessed athame is a great tool. Go back to the serpent cult and open up the book on the second floor to get repel spirit 3. I suggested that you get the athame before going to the ziggurat because there's a nice spell in there that's locked by a seal (severable by the athame), and you don't really want to go back after getting the athame. Now that you have it, go back to the vahnatai lands.
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DELRIN-BOK'S FORTRESS

Head west, through the spore tunnels. Slugs and mushrooms are common here, so be careful. There are secret passages that lead across the water. Look around, and eventually you'll see a big fort. That's the next stop. This fort is full of undead vahnatai, black shades, guardians, and skeleton warriors in one corner. I'll divide it in 4 parts. NE, NW, SE, and SW. In each area there is a lever. Get them all so that if you drew a map out it would look like this:
/ \
\ /
Generally, it's best to clear the path to each lever, then go rest outside, then go back in and set each lever. If you leave the fortress, the levers switch to random patterns, so don't leave when you're finally ready. All levers have some sort of trap guarding them. NE is guarded by a few undead. NW is guarded by some shades. SE is guarded by a bunch of vahnatai. SW is guarded by a regenerating skeleton warrior trap. Once you have them all arranged according to the above pattern, you'll want to head towards the center. You can pass the 8 runes without problem. Prepare for a big battle, then go through the northern wall. The main object of your violence should be that crystal up top there. It's not too easy to beat him, but use divine warrior and it shouldn't be too much of a hassle. Ignore his summons, as they'll go away once he goes away. Then search the west wall for his treasure. The ring is cursed, but there's an icy chain mail, crystal shield and a bunch of fine crystals. Wee!

Continue heading west. You'll come to a large lava field. Go through by finding a secret door and walking across the rubble. From qalnor: To the north are 3 efreet who are guarding a blessed greatsword. Kill them to take it. Then go around the bend, and you'll get attacked by some vahnatai. Kill them and proceed to Fort Haledon.
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FORT HALEDON

No one really likes you here. Go through the building to the west, and you'll get attacked by some blades and a shaper. Go through the door and deliver the orders (thus ending that quest- no reward). Now the vahnatai don't hate you so much. You can get a few minor things here now, and can sleep. When you leave you'll be prompted with a question about directing the forces against the ziggurat. Go ahead, if you're ready. Go west through the cave entrance.
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BARRIER CAVE

Not too much here, though south of where you enter there's a few supplies, with a secret crystal charm in a box to the SE. Continue on and you'll pass the barrier, which was also in Avernum 1. When you leave, check the west wall for a secret passage. You'll meet up with the vahnatai forces. Go a bit west, and you'll see the ziggurat. Ooh boy.
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THE ZIGGURAT

You start out in a big fight with the empire. Fortunately the vahnatai are there to help you. Help them out too, and things will go fine. Enter the main ziggurat area. There are 4 ways of entering. I'd suggesting any way but south. First, circle the building. You'll find some herbs and a small room with an energy potion. You'll also be attacked by spawned fungoids, which are creepy looking and annoying with their paralysis attack. Once you enter, you'll find that there are 5 main sections: NE, NW, SE, SW and center. There are a lot of empire troops here, mainly elite soldiers, bladesmen, a dervish or two, empire archers, and those accursed infiltrators. In the NE there's an herb garden and a treasure chest with some gold. In the SE there's a trash pit filled with those fungoids, a slug, and a shambler. That body there has a wand of fire, an energy elixir, and a healing elixir. There's a rakhashi here too. In the SW there's a smithy, not too much good stuff here. In the NW you'll find ghoulbane, a decent undead killer. It's well hidden on the SE part of this quad. There's another secret room here with some treasure too, it's not too hard to find. Go to the center. A bunch of priests, soldiers and fungoids are here. Kill them, and take the knife on the altar. You'll be dumbfounded, hopefully you have some means of unshackling your priest (unshackling crystal maybe? Restoration brew?). Then use the ritual of sanctification for 10xp. There are two staircases here. Go up the SW stairs. You'll get in a fight right away. To the NW is a fungoid room. There's a wand and two potions in that chest. Go east, and you'll run into the archery range. Kill the archers, there are steel bolts here. Continue east, you'll go to the storage halls. In the upper halls you'll find a secret passage that leads to 2 steel greatswords, a steel chain mail, and a steel plate mail (nice). Go east some more and you'll find a room with three mages and a wizard. Kill them and search the bookcases for a few scrolls and empire records. Go through the upper west painting, pass the barriers then go read that book provided you have the blessed athame. It's fireblast 3 (very nice). Go back out and then go up. You'll find a room with a torturing rune. Don't step on it. The room to the north has two special chairs. The left one gives +1 strength and -100xp for the active character, and the right one give +1 dex and -100xp for the active character. These are both worth using, especially at this point in the game, when skills are very expensive to raise. To the west is a secret passage which leads to some mutant giants to the north is the main spy center. There's not too much here, though two of the infiltrators nearby are holding a wand of lightning and of fire. In the complex to the north there's a spot you can rest at safely. It's probably not worth it, as more enemies are summoned, making you lose the benefit of those extra 10 MP. Go south out the exit and back to the archery range, then go back to the entrance. Now go north and kill everyone. Go north again, through the secret door, and kill everyone. Now go east through the secret door, and south. You'll find 2 Haakai. These are some of the best things to capture in your soul crystal. There's a fire lizard egg in the cupboard, if you need one. Now go back to the east, and search the east wall to get into a column room. Go north, and kill the two dervishes. This'll get you to Garzahd's room. All right, now head west. Outrun the quickfire, and kill the undead vahnatai. Go north, and grab the crystal soul, then jump out the building. Great, a bunch of soldiers and more quickfire. Use haste and go west. You'll find a dead body, and on that dead body is a suit of blessed plate mail, the best armor in the game. Now go south and get out of here. Summoned monsters will distract the guards.

Now you have one of the crystal souls. Finally. Go back to Oglai, and they'll tell you to take it to the shrine, which is west. Across the bridge you can find a suit of blessed studded armor, which is better than steel chain, in one of the old tombs. Go to the crystal shrine.
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SHRINE OF CRYSTAL SOULS

This is a cool site. Put Caffen-Bok on his place to the east. He'll tell you to speak with Rentar. Aicheal will talk with you about the twisted crystal souls. Eos will tell you of a hidden ring of skill on a stalagmite down south back. Wilvron will teach you move mountains three. Lorta will tell you a few small things. Circle the shrine on the outside. There are three vahnatai around here. There's also a bunch of herbs around. Return here whenever you have a crystal soul, and you'll get another level 3 spell.
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Getting Phenix Egg

Q: Retrieve the Mica Tome.
When you return to Oglai, after returning a Crystal Soul, you'll be told to speak with Rentar-Ihrno. You'll also get a magery mind crystal. She'll help you fight Garzahd. Go to Egli and find Rentar again. She'll give you the mica tome quest, which will take you to the Lava Dome in the north of Vahnatai lands.
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LAVA DOME

Head back over to that one place with the chitrach shrine. The lava dome is the tower here. Enter it. This is one of the most fun towers in the game. I won't spoil this one for you, but you can get a horn in the NW corner of the tower. When looking for clues, don't forget the room where you can rest. Once you finally get to see Korradis(walk on the large * tiles, but not on the small * tiles), kill him, and take the tome. You can't get into that secret room, unfortunately. Head back to Rentar to get your reward: 20xp and the phoenix egg.
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ELDERAN'S TOWER

This tower is located NW of Fort Dranlon. It's a relatively straightforward dungeon, without many great big puzzles. Once entering, you'll see two doors blocked by fire barriers. Go through the doors and search the level as best you can, leaving the altar untouched for now (you'll find some nice small items). Then touch the altar, kill what appears, then touch it again. Go into the door, pull the lever, then kill the 3 monsters which appear. Go up the stairs. Go east first, there's a chest to the north with herbs and scrolls, and another room with a few more minor items. Go down the stairs, to the gaol. Kill the guards, then talk with Bill and Bill. They don't have too much of interest to tell you. There's a gazer in the third cell. Go back up and go west. You'll see a batch of levers which open doors with enemies or stuff behind them. From top to bottom: 1- guardians, 2- golem and black shade, 3- ghouls. Check the south wall for a secret passage to another room and check the north wall to get to another secret passage with a chest filled with crystals and scrolls. Go to the south, and again you'll see levers: 1-bats, 2- a lever, 3- basilisks, 4-mutant giants. Pull the 2nd lever and that'll open the gate to the east. Go up the stairs, and you'll need to open a door. A mung demon is blocking your path. There's a door to your west that you can't open, instead go north then east. The SE door has some supplies and demons, but none of the other doors lead to anything other than enemies. That lever there (NE room) doesn't appear to do anything. Go search for a secret passage in the SW room, proceed and you'll be attacked by mutant giants. Kill them and go up the stairs. More enemies await you upon going up. There's a nasty trap in the NW room with quickfire. There doesn't seem to be anything else in this room. Go to the north room, kill the soldiers, then you'll see Elderan. Concentrate on him as he's quite Arcane Blow happy. Kill the guards, and you can take his stuff: resistance ring, blessed sandals, cloak, robe. Check the northern doors. The NW one doesn't have anything, the north one has some fire lizards and some of their eggs. Pull the lever if you want, I never saw the result. Check the west wall for a secret passage. There are 3 books here. Skip the middle book, it drains you. The others teach you lightning spray 3, and give you info. Check the boxes to get a cursed ring, arrows of light, scrolls, a recall crystal, an elixir, and a wand. Go up the trapped passage and look at the bookcases to get some scrolls. Then go down the center staircase to the bottom. Check the desk and you'll get an ivory key. Leave the tower, and claim your reward from Mairwen (4 rep, 500c, 25xp).
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SIXUS

This is the most involved quest short of the three major ones. I'll walk through this one the long way. If you don't want to bother with the first dungeon, skip down to number 2.

1. SIXUS' FIRST CAVE
Abby gave you a hint on where to go. Hop into your boat from Almaria, then head north. Land on a small ledge to the east, where you see a tower across a pit. Go east, and you may find a patch of healing herbs. There's secret passage to the east on the south wall. This will get you to that tower. Inside is an ice drake and ice puddings. Killing them yields a cursed necklace and some coins. Go west, and you'll get a special message. Search the south wall and you'll find a secret tower. Head south, and you'll bump into a bunch of empire troops. Kill them, and search the area. It seems as though they've been having a bit of trouble with traps. To the NE is a room in which there's an imp trap. That's the only one that might surprise you. Head south, and you'll have to fight a bunch of living statues. Kill them, then check the east wall for secret passages. Follow it through to the south, then go east. Make your way to the NE, then pull the lever. Kill everything that appears, then go west. Go through the open gate, and make your way to a statue. Talk with it, and it'll tell you where to find a map. Go grab the map and leave.

2. SIXUS' SECOND CAVE Go north by boat from Almaria. You'll find a small area of land where you can disembark and move around. Go north, and you'll see a few shamblers shambling about. Go up to the tower and enter. Drop all your food at the entrance. Trust me. Then go down and pull the levers:
//\//\
Then go up and kill the giants, and go up through the secret passage. Look around and kill anything that moves. Get to the north, then go west as far as you can. Go through the secret passage, past the statues (which would have eaten your food if you still had some), and kill the drakes. Then use move mountains on the wall, and go north then east. Look in the nest for a rod of arcana. Go west (destroy the stalagmites with move mountains), and kill the ice hydras and the ur- basilisk (capture it in your soul crystal if you want it). Then go to the south and use move mountains again, destroying the wall. Enter the room, and tell Sixus that Bevan sent you. He'll thank you and tell you to grab a treasure hidden on the south side of his wall. It's a robe of the magi, very nice if your mage isn't a natural mage. Go south, and read the books on the bookcases, then use move mountains on the east wall to get beast ceremony 3. That's it for here, go back to Almaria to claim your reward: 75 xp(!), 4 rep, 600c. Don't forget to pick up your food.
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FORT DOLTHAR

Head up to Fort Emerald and go north. Go east, and travel by boat out to the big island with all the troops. To the south of here is an arena full of nagas to be killed. Search the arena afterwards for a crystal shield. A similar arena is north of Fort Dolthar, this time the enemies are ice drakes and the reward is a ring of health. To the NE of the Fort is the evidence Assotho wants. The best way to enter is by the dock south. Search for secret doors and you'll end up near an evil altar. Kill the priests and use the ritual on the altar for 5xp. There's not too much of use on this level (though an evil priest to the north has a steel chain mail), but there are a lot of troops and their nice expensive armor. It'd be worth it to kill em all for the xp, but the cash also makes it attractive. There's an easy 15000c in armor in this fort. When you're done on this floor, go up the stairs to the next floor. West is an enemy training area, east are some mages, and there are empire records on those bookshelves. Once you go to the north door, the gate you came out of closes. Go north, and then head east, kill the soldiers, and note that there's a way down near here. Go north, and you'll see that you're near a vahnatai area. Indeed, when you open the door, you'll have to fight a bunch of keepers, warriors, and their demon pets. To the SE in this room is a small secret, which has a box with some graymold. Go north, don't step on those rugs, and search for secret doors. Then go a bit west and search for southern secret doors. You'll end up in a room with two vahnatai cabinets. Look through them and you'll find a second batch of evidence. Now go west, killing troops till you get to a room with two runes blocking your way. You'll need to pull to levers, which are hidden in the east and north walls. Pull them then go up. Prepare for a battle. Once you open the door, you'll have to fight Limoncelli and his cronies. Limoncelli is a nice addition to a soul crystal. Once killed (just smack him around) loot his body: drakeskin armor, steel halberd, freedom charm. Search for northern secret passages and you'll find a room with bolts of life, emeralds, and rubies (and quickfire). Search north of here and you'll find the most excellent boots of speed. Leave this place and claim your reward from Fort Emerald (talk with the guy to the north, on the stairs): 4 rep, 40xp, dispel barrier 2. You can take the evidence to the vahnatai council, and they'll work on getting you into Pyrog's cave (which starts the sneak into Pyrog's cave quest).
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BLACK CUBE

This little dungeon is north of Fort Dolthar, the lone building on an island. Get in through the NW. Wander around the halls a bit, grab all the stuff in the crates. Some golems will appear and attack you. When you've made it all the way around, you can flip the lever. This summons a batch of undead up to fight with you. Go east and search the south wall. You'll find some troops waiting in there. Kill them, then go south. Get close to the crystal and some efreet attack. Kill them and examine the crystal, then smash it (20xp). Leave, fighting some more golems on your way out. This is the other way of obtaining the skulls password.
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DARK TUNNEL

This is a spooky dungeon west of the black cube. Enter it, and go west. Get to the SW room and fight some ice slimes. Kill them, then go north. In the NW there's an efreet, kill it and take its stuff. In the NE there's a bunch of undead. Kill them too. In the SE there's another efreet guarding some jewelry, and a cursed necklace. Then go to the center. Prepare for a battle before stepping on that rune, then do so. You'll fight a bunch of skeleton warriors, a golem, a spectre and a lich. Repel spirit works wonders here. Once dead, search the lich's body for a dragonskin cloak and intelligence bracelet. Go west, then north. There's some crystals here, and a wand in the dresser. Read the upper rune to get Divine fire 3. Read the lower rune to get in a fight with a bunch of demons. While you leave, be sure to cut all the corners. Quickfire pours out of the dungeon, and you could quickly get burned if you don't economize your steps. That's it for here.
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PYROG'S CAVE

Time for the next major dungeon. This one is pretty fun. From Harston go NE, take a boat around that big dungeon you see, and go through the secret passage around back (you need to have given the evidence to the vahnatai to do this). Enter and slay all the giants, then go west out the door. Those two doors N have araneas and crates in them, nothing great. Go south to the courtyard. West is a drake, some fire lizards and a graveyard, and east are some mutant giants. South are the barracks. Go south and kill everyone. Then go east and kill everyone. I believe the priest has a mithral chain mail on his corpse. Not bad. Go east, and go take a look at the dragon stuff. You'll get a drakeskin armor and dragonskin cloak. There isn't too much to the south, just a bunch of troops, hydras and a golem or two. You can also leave if you make it to the wheel. From the main barracks go west. Go north and west, search for secret passages, then go and grab the wands and empire records. Go back down and continue west. Many of the living quarters here have a lot of nice items. Continue west, and you'll fight 2 rakhashi. North there's a third, as well as 3 energy potions. Now head back up to the NE. Enter the main building, kill the soldiers, then go up and kill some mages. There are empire records on the shelves. Go north, and go into the NW room. Search for secret doors south and you'll find a tablet that you can read if you have enough vahnatai lore. It's summon shade 3. Go west, and enter the rooms. You can either kill or free the giants, same difference. Go into a west door and you'll find a tablet which, when read, gives you a password for the north door. Go through it, then you'll be checked for a gray pass, go and take the phoenix egg (#2). Go up and kill the wizard, then go west. Prepare for another battle with... A doomguard. Dang. The same tactics as before work well, though if you want to be cheap, summon up some ur-basilisks and have them gaze it before hitting it. The basilisk may eventually stone it, though it may take a few turns. Go south and save Jekknol (10xp). Leave.

While you're here you may want to go grab the bloodthirst spear, the most powerful weapon in the game. From Pyrog's cave, go west, past all the guard towers (get out and kill them). Eventually you'll get in a big fight with some spell casters. Continue west, then land on a northern swamp. Proceed through this territory, fighting the lizards and drakes as you go, eventually getting to the tower on the end. Get the spear, and fight the avatars. Go and get it uncursed at a healer, and you have the most powerful weapon in the game, one worth ditching a shield for. Return to the vahnatai lands, and place Jekknol in the crystal shrine (50xp). Talk to Wilvron to get Simulacrum 3. Then go back to the vahnatai and they'll be upset that Jekknol's gone mad. You'll get an immunity ring for this, one of two in the game.
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GETTING THE DEMONSLAYER

After returning 2 Crystal Souls, go back and go to the castle. Talk with King Micah to get permission to use demonslayer, then talk with Rone (you can not get demonslayer if you've already killed Garzahd). Go to Patrick's tower and push the plants in the NW quad then the statue.

PATRICK'S BASEMENT

First, go west and get summon aid 3. Then select either a powerful warrior who's loaded with potions and can use swords with a lot skill or a priest with some restoration brews/ unshackling crystals to go through the portal. Go around, and prepare for battle. Grab the blade, and a bunch of demons are summoned. Blast or slash them as best you can, then try to leave. A mung demon and Haakai await you. Demonslayer is your best bet against Garzahd, after arrows of light and bolts of life. Go there with having neither of those nor having repel spirit 3 WILL get you killed, if you're not a cheater.

Giant territory. East of Harston and the graymold cave and north of Elderan's tower is the giant territory. Giants have a lot of gold, so it's worth your effort in killing them. You get to say one of the best lines in the game when you run into a batch of them. You can also pick up a blessed small shield from one of the shelled out buildings that they attacked. There are 4 dungeons here, most are pretty straightforward.
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GIANT CAVE

This is the level with the stalagmites that fall and trap you. It's pretty straightforward, go around and kill all the tall fiends. There's a secret passage up to the west, but I just take the long route. One of the giants on the lower floor had a ring of skill. When you make it to the altar, kill everyone, then search the walls, you'll find a giant statue (1 of 3), raise dead 3, and a room full of metal bars. Pick up the shield, it's a blessed large shield.
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MOLDY CAVERN

This is not really a giant cave, but there are giants in here. The main object is to free this cave of giants, thus liberating the alchemical patch to the west.
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GIANT TOWN

Enter through the west, and kill everyone. Not too hard, be sure to grab statue 2 of 3, and I think there's an armor ring somewhere in here.
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GIANT FORT

The largest giant dungeon, still pretty straightforward. In the smithy there's a vampire, in the SW there's a demon (and statue 3 of 3). East of the demon, there's an evil altar. Use the ritual for 5xp. East of there, there's another altar that's well guarded. Grab the crystal after killing everyone, then use the ritual (5xp). The crystal gives the inner might ability. Go east and kill the chief and the shaman. To the east is his trophy room, and east of there is a room with a guardian in it. North is a room with some treasure chests containing gold, north is a secret passage leading to the gremlin women. North of this area are some creature pens, in the slug pen you'll find a graymold salve hidden to the south.

Go to Fort Dranlon and cash in those statues (4 rep, 20xp, blessed helm- the best). Also go and talk with the gremlins to complete their quest (20xp) and get access to their herbs.
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ERIKA'S TOWER

At some point, you have to go here. Might as well go now, since you've got 2 of the 3 crystals. You should have the portal code from the pillar west of Solberg's tower. Use it, and upon entering you'll be attacked. Circling the perimeter of the tower yields several fights with wizards, elite soldiers, and empire archers. There's a mandrake garden to the west and a toadstool garden east. To the SW there's some crates with blessed ammunition in them. Enter the tower, and go pass all the vacant troops. Go north and pull the lever, go pull the lever, then stay of the brown path when it passes the pillars. Go south, killing the golems and gazers (you can just follow the brown path if you want). In the room with 9 pillars, go south then west to the secret room, pull the lever, then go north. Kill the demons, stay off the runes, then dispel or walk through the barriers. Next is a puzzle area: Here's a way to get through it, provided you have 3 or more members in your party. You can switch places with other members without hassle.
1 _ _
_ 2 6
5 3 4
Next is the chamber of options: Luck is best, if you have enough. If not, try boulder. If not that, then maybe you have enough tool use to go through the door. If not, then you've got to get into a nasty fight. Go east and fight some invisible enemies, then north, killing the shamblers. Finally you've made it through! Talk with Erika, she'll teach you magery (at the highest price), tell you to talk with Athron, and tell you to talk with Thompson. Check the south room to get unlock doors 3 (use it in Oglai- pants of power and the undead crypt near Formello- shadow leather). Also be sure to talk with her to receive your boon, then leave (there's some interesting stuff out there, which you may want to investigate).
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OUTSIDE ERIKA'S TOWER

You need the orb in order to do much of anything. Fly across the water, then go hunting, killing the empire troops as they come. You may run into a batch of tough guards who have steel bolts and chain, a nice bit of cash. To the SE there is a lava rich area. Go a bit south and you'll enter an area with an efreet. Talk with him, and he'll offer to show you his goods for 5000c. Yowch. It's not really worth it at this point. If you have the cash, save, spend and see what he has to offer. It's nice (lots of blessed items, and a flaming long sword). Then reload, if you don't want anything. A bit to the west of this dungeon is a secret passage which leads around and around to a batch of efreeti. Kill them (a tough fight), and you can go and hit a small patch of land- you get the EasTer Egg code. Return to the tower, and use it (the blank spot) for some humor.
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CRYSTAL HUNTING

You have two options: the long way (and story-specific way), or the short way (following the faq way). Skip to 4 for the short way.
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1. ATHRON'S CAVE

Enter here, then go up to the pentagram and speak with Athron. Then go east at the bloodstain and go through the portal. Go through the portal again (only if you've talked with Erika), then go fight the flame hydras. Before going into the portal check the west path for secret doors, kill the statues, then go down the first south hallway and get create illusions 3. Go through the portal, then go do what you did earlier. Another puzzle rune area. Here's the sequence: 1234123121, left to right. Repeat the portal, then go and get prepared for a fight in the altar room. Go through the NW wall and through the same portals as always. Finally she'll speak with you. It turns out she just had a brood, and that's why she's in such a foul mood. Talk with her and she'll tell you the name Angierach. She'll also tell you a bit more about the other going-ons nearby. From Lynsis: In Athron's lair there's another Ghoulbane. However it's down near her eggs, and walking down there makes you lose 3 reputation and have the town hate you. You get attacked by Athron, a couple of fetid zombies, and quite a few guardians. As well as Ghoulbane you can grab some rubies, emeralds, and historical scrolls, but don't touch her eggs or you die! If you kill Athron you get the message: "Athron finally falls. You repay her hospitality with fatal treachery. Another enemy of the empire has been eliminated."

2. Back to Erika. Ask her again, and she'll say that Enla and Ostoth know stuff that you need to know.

3. Motrax's cave. Go talk with them, Ostoth tells you to grab the key in his room, you'll find the info you need about the barriers here too. Check the bookshelves for some knowledge too.

4. Tower of the magi. Check the room west of Madhavi's, get the code, and it's time for Angierach!
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ANGIERACH

from Scales - with a cave lore of 20 or more you can walk past the guardian statues. (However, I would not recommend this, because this dungeon is extremely tough and you'll die very quickly if you come here unprepared.)

This is one of the nastiest dungeons in the game. Bring a lot of energy potions. Once teleported here, pull the lever and go across the bridge. You'll soon be caught and dumped into the arena. 5 creature types are generated here, and it may not be worth fighting them all. The only worthwhile looting here is a body to the SW holding 1 arrow of light. The monsters appear after a certain time: Hydras, Eyebeasts, Undead, Mutant giants, and finally golems. Go to the portal and you'll get trapped. If you have unlock doors 3 you can easily get out, otherwise search for a passage to talk with Quinby, then go through the weakened wall and bust out, killing the golems. There are 10 sections to this dungeon.1-5 on the north, 6-0 to the south:
1245
3
====
9
6780
You're in 6 right now. The main hall separates the two sides. There are 12 masters of this dungeon, kill them all to be happy. In area 1 you'll find two efreet (masters), kill them, then go west and north to find a body holding a wand of carrunos, and a ring of immunity(!). To the east you'll find a portal to a small dungeon containing some lizards, a demon, and a spectre all behind barriers. There are some potions of energy and potion ingredients here. 4 is where the nagas live. The three nagas (masters) are guarded by serpents and drakes. They often carry amulets. Their nests hold wands and potions. Heading south to 3 gets you in a fight with 3 humans (masters): a wizard, an evil high priest, and a dervish. They don't have too much good stuff, outside of normal wizards, priests and dervishes. Head south to 8 to fight some Rakhashi (3, all masters) and their demon pets. Search their southern quarters for a secret room containing bolts of life and potion ingredients. There's also a tunnel here that'll let you take the key to get out of here without getting in a big fight, or a tunnel by which you can ambush Midori. 9 is a library with a few scrolls. 5 is an undead area with vampires and vengeful shades who have potions and ingredients, not too bad. Go to 0 when you're finally ready to take on the evil lich. First you'll have to fight some spectres and spirits, then go south, and fight Midori (those golems can't get past the runes). Use those bolts of life to make this battle end quick. She has a robe of the magi on her. Now go to 7 and use the phoenix egg to bring down the barriers, and grab the crystal (Vynas-Bok). That's it for here. Leave using your key, then go south, and make it back to Fort remote.

Return the crystal to the shrine to get 50xp and capture soul 3. Go back to Oglai and they'll be quite happy. You've just completed one of the major quests of the game! Go claim your reward: boots of speed, divine warrior 3, and arcane summon 3 (the spells are located in the room next door to the treasure room). While you're here go pick up the pants of power from the room west of the council chamber. They're the best pants you can get.
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TIGER'S DEN

This is West of Patrick's tower, and is one of the places you're told you can find arrows of light at. Enter through the east, crossing the lava, then go north, kill the rakhashi, then south, and repeat. Go to the bridge and take a step. Another piece of bridge will form. Continue on south. More Rakhashi to fight. They occasionally have blessed robes, sandals, and mage bracelets on them so search 'em well. Go west and you'll find an area with a door that disappears. Go through the hydra lair to the east to find a secret way in. Don't cross those runes, find a secret way in to the east. Enter the room, and kill all the rakhashi and their pets. Use the ritual on the altar to get 15xp. Check the west wall for 4 arrows of light, bolts of life, and a potion of invulnerability. Kind of anti-climactic, I know.
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FORT KOTHTAR

This place is strange. There are a lot of goodies here, including the orb of Thralni, a very important artifact. The first floor is bereft of goodies unfortunately. This level is pretty straightforward, but points of interest include the SW where there's a bunch of giants, the west, where you can find some blessed javelins, the SSE room in the SE area has a priest with steel chain, a room near this has acid bolts, and there's a secret leading to an energy elixir in an eastern room, the east has an altar, which summons up a Haakai (no ritual this time). There are 4 stairs, two of which are bad- the SW, and the south ones. Go down the south central ones then go west to talk with Stewart (free him for 1 rep, 10xp, or have him join you- he's an excellent fighter). Points of interest: The hall of transformations is full of mages and giants. Kill the giants on the platforms, that'll make your life a bit easier. Go south to find a secret passage that leads to a down staircase, go down it, walkthrough the quickfire to get a blessed greatsword. The slime caves has some lizards and shamblers, and a secret to the west, which leads to some potions. North of here are some demons and potion ingredients. In the room with the plus, the center door leads to a chamber with efreeti and a blessed steel helm. Going east of here will get you to a place with some stalagmites and boulders. Break the first two pair, then just walk across the path for the 3rd. Then go down, and east. Go north, west(blades), north, north (golems), N(blades), N(sluggish), Wait, then go E(naga), then south. You can claim the orb. Leave and go west. Heal yourself and jump off the cliff. Kill the undead vahnatai, then head south. Before entering the portal, check the west side. You'll find a blessed plate mail (Sweet!). GO back up to floor 2, then go north at the cross. Work your way through and kill the basilisks, then claim the items north: smite, and the Kothtar plans (ignore the cursed ring). Return the plans to Dharmon for 4 rep, 30xp and 1000c. Go west at the cross, then go down the stairs and enter the halls of the damned. There's a gymnastics crystal here, as well as some blessed bolts. That's it for here.
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LAIR OF SULFRAS

This is the level to get armor. Enter, and kill all the guards. There's not too much special here right now, other than an evil priest with steel chain, a secret room off the room with the drakes, a zombie with a ring of skill to the SW, a bunch of ore, and the key in the SE building. Use this key to free Sulfras, though first get her to agree to give you the onyx scepter. Get out of there. Then reenter, and plunder the bodies, there's a lot of steel chain, a mithral chain, blessed studded, and some drakeskin gloves. Get the scepter from Sulfras, then go take the crystal hidden to the west (blademaster). That crystal sitting next to her is an energy pulse crystal, not worth getting in a fight over, especially since she's surrounded by a bunch of nearly invulnerable black shades.
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ORB SPOTS


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EMPIRE ARCHIVES

North of Harston around in the water are the empire archives. Having the ivory key from Elderan's tower makes this one a bit easier. Enter through the east, and grab the boat (you don't really need it) and get over to the west. Enter and kill the golems. You'll need to make it to the SE and NE to get some info, and there's a guy in the NW who'll talk with you a bit. Most of the interesting stuff is on the second floor. First head south and take the stairs. You'll end up in a room with a demon and some vengeful shades. Here you get a secret code. Go back up and take the south leap of faith. Go to the libraries to collect some empire records, then make your way east. There is a spellbook with control foes 3 here, but it's difficult to get. You can get it if you have 3 of your characters outside (including your leader), and switch places to get in, or use the cheat strategy at the end of this faq. North of here is a pool. Save the game before going down to the water, as if you're lucky you'll get a point of strength for everyone. Keep trying till you do, then go in the altar room (the altar isn't evil). Go north, then go west, into the library, then go north. A secret door will be revealed. Go up the stairs and get the portal location. Go back down then head west. You'll enter the holding cells area. A skeleton warrior here has a wand of fire, and there are guards here. Kill everything, then check the western room to get a energy pulse crystal, and some amber. Doing so releases quickfire, which can be stopped with an eastern lever. Go south from here, and kill the wizard, demons and skeleton warriors. In a secret room to the south is Mass cure 3 (you may need to pull the lever first though). South are two prisoners, Aydin and Josie. Free them for 5xp each. That's about it for here. You can go back to Mahdavi and tell her you've succeeded to end this quest, and to get the "destroy the empire portal" quest (no reward), but you don't need to.

Head west of the empire archives (don't bother trying to reach Khoth, you can't). Near the spawned fungoids is a secret passage. You may get into a fight if your rep is low here, otherwise, you enter the first cave.

CAVE 1
Not too hard, you use the code you got in the empire archives to open a wall, then you have to fight a bunch of empire troops.

CAVE 2 Ooh, fun. Try to go through the NW wall and you'll have to fight 2 (!) doomguards. Then go SE, SW, and NE to open the door.

CAVE 3
Ooooh, fun. First go east through the secret passage and use move mountains, and hit the rune. Then go east, and get teleported to the beginning, and head east again. Go west and you'll be teleported to a new area, go east and hit the second rune. Then you'll have to make your way through the main area. SSSEE S to the bottom, then WW and S is a feasible path, not too much pain.

You then have to use the orb, and will have to fight a nasty guardpost. Finally you make it to the:
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EMPIRE PORTAL FORTRESS

Make sure you have the onyx scepter and the barrier tower ritual before attempting this dungeon! Enter through the west. This is a dangerous level, there are a lot of wizards. In the SW, there's a book that contains some codes you'll soon need. To the SE is a key you need. To the NE you'll need to crack the crystal, then head to the NW, and enter the small building. Go through the door and you'll get in a nasty fight, then use the codes you got (when it stays lit, you've done it right). Then leave, and quickly go NE, and heal the portal, then get the hell out of there. Congratulations, you've just finished quest #2! GO back to Madhavi and claim your reward (arcane shield 3 and divine restoration 3, from Lynsis - also check the bookshelves north of Kelner for a ring of great health).
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TO KILL GARZAHD

This is the final major quest. To get this started, first find out where Thompson was at one time (one of the mages in the isolated hut near Motrax's cave or Erika will give you hints). Go to Blosk and talk with Bartholomew. He'll tell you to check a dresser to get some hints. Go to Fort Remote, and talk with Fraitus, then go SE and push the painting. Go down.
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THOMPSON'S LAIR

You finally use that key you found in the undead ruins. Go up to the tile maze, and only step on the * tiles. First step on the trash, then go up and out. You'll find a garden room, there is no way to avoid the fight and bad effects. The rune to the SW opens a passage to get back easier. Talk with Thompson. He'll give you a portal code, and will teach you the last 5 spells. Grab all of your arrows of light (as many as 23), and beef yourself up some. Then go back to the tower, and use the code.
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ROCKY CAVERN

Not much here. A few crates have some supplies, and a hidden crate has some decent potions to the NE. The portal sends you to the spiral crypt, not back to the tower, so you're best off going to kill Garzahd. Leave, and go to the castle. Rentar will help you, provided you've helped the vahnatai.
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GARZAHD'S FORTRESS

The End is near! A brief map:
7 8 G H
5 6 E F
3 4 C D
1 2 A B
Use the blessed athame to get passed the runes. You start at 1, and there's a bunch of demons here (which is pretty much how it always is here), 2 has some Rakhashi, 3 some mung demons (you also get trapped in here), 5 some slugs (and a portal to 1), 6 some more demons, 7 a ur- basilisk and a bunch of steel items, and 8 a lich with some scrolls and a bunch of empire records. 4 has six rooms, west are enemies, SE are potion ingredients, E is quickfire and an empty room, and NE is a portal to E. E has a bunch of chambers with the NW one holding a knowledge brew (from qalnor), and which leads to G. G has a naga with a dragonskin cloak (the last one), and a lever (pull it) and a portal to 3. Take the portal, and enter the room to go to B. If you can, break down the rock and read the book. All the demons die, allowing for smooth passage to A. A has a teleporter which leads to D, again there's a book, this time behind a locked door (unlock 3 needed), which will kill all the demons. Go to C and there are two portals: the NW leads to 1, and the SW leads to F. Prepare yourself before taking the SW portal. Then go to F, and kill the demons, and make your way to H. Garzahd! GARZAHD: This guy is tough if you don't have any demonslaying items. Concentrate only on Garzahd and that Haakai, ignore the others. If you want, you can summon up a Haakai, it may seize control of the enemy, helping you out significantly. Use as many arrows of light, demonslayer, bolts of life, and repel spirit 3 as you can on Garzahd. Arrows and bolts do the most damage (50!). He has over 1000HP, so it'll take a while. Be sure to cast divine warrior. The reason I say not to kill off the dervishes, golems and giants, is that once he's pretty weakened, he starts casting arcane shield a lot. If you have other enemies left, he casts it on them some of the time, making it much easier. Eventually he will die. Once he does, you get the third ending, (and possibly the last), and Rentar makes a portal for you. Search Garzahd's body for a blessed longsword, and a radiant robe. Nearby is a blessed halberd. Take the portal and you'll end up in the castle. Tell Micah you've won, and you'll get the last two spells (arcane blow 3, divine host 3). Tada!
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