Part 6: Detour to the Worse
Chapter 5 - Detour to the Worse
Music: "Stronghold of the Orcs"
Click here to download (thanks to Grawl)
"About the Game" posted:
I was able to fit the entire maze into this update, but the price was that I couldn't fit in screenshots of any of the combat. The most important fights are on video if you want to see the fighting.
Mort and D.K. reluctantly headed down the stairs into the maze. But in the first room they saw that they were not alone.
Video: Meet Taxlehix
An imp was searching a dead body.
What have we here? Hmm, most interesting… poor man not mind if I borrow this, just for a while? Don't want some thieving Raanaar pinching it, do we?The imp looked up and noticed Mort and D.K.
Ooooh… who is coming? Other adventurers? Maybe I can borrow something from them! A pleasure to meet your pockets my friends!
Greetings. You adventurers I bet, just like Tax? Nice sword you have, knight… would you mind if…D.K. wielded the sword in a most threatening manner, pointing it at the mischievous imp.
Touch it and you're skewered meat, imp? What are you doing here? Aww, I not break it, I only want to see it shine. What are you doing here? I'm exploring this here dungeon and watching a game of running Raanaar, chasing demon… That's a game? Yes, big demon hides key to exit and Raanaar have to find… in your pockets maybe, let Tax look? I'm warning you, short arse… Who are the Raanaar? Raanaar are people who lived here before demons came. Were masters of imps, now they toys for demons… What is your name? My name is Taxlehix of Firehunter tribe… The Firehunter tribe? Yes, we caught the fire long ago and taught the flames to dance, but it ran from us… What is your job? I'm an adventurer, of sorts… I travel round unnoticed, borrowing this and that. How do you travel unnoticed? It's easy for a short arse to keep out of sight, right? What things do you borrow? I only pick them up. So they not get lost. Owners should be happy I tidy up after them! Do you know how to escape from here? Oh, many ways out… but with your size, you should try normal way. What's the normal ways? Join the game… like the Raanaar… see how fast you can run with a demon drooling down your neck. What are the other ways? Most are too small for human…"About the Game" posted:
In this game, there are few constants between acts, but Taxlehix here is one of them. He shows up occasionally throughout the rest of the game, and you can trade with him and learn some thief skills at a bargain rate.
900 gold is cheap for 10 levels of a skill, compared to what you would have to pay Keith in the Battlefields. You'd have to wait until Act 3 for level 9 and Act 4 for level 11. Just level 6 costs 2000 gold each from Keith.
Bye.Out of what was now a habit, Mort searched the body Taxlehix had been searching.
All Taxlehix had left behind was a note in Raanaarese.
"Raanaarese Writings" posted:
"Find her, she can still help you escape from here. The others are dead or have fled, but she stayed behind. She is probably the last Elder left on Nemesis, and she is definitely trained in opening rifts. She swore not to leave from here unless all our people were saved. She said, she owed this to her late father, but I think the real reason she's staying is to take revenge on his killer"
NOTE: This is not relevant now, but later in the game it will be more important.
Mort and D.K. headed for the exit… only to discover that there were three of them.
Seeing their hesitation, Taxlehix piped in.
Want to play a little game with Tax? What kind of game? Choose a way from this room,but two of them are your doom,
death is cold,
so I'm told,
so be like me and go for gold!
Mort and D.K. looked back at the doors. Mort only had his gut instinct to rely on, so his choice was basically random..
The middle one. Clever, clever… you know that the *golden* way always in middle. Farewell friend, may our pockets cross in happier times.Mort and D.K. headed through the middle door. A scrawled message in red paint or blood said "Lucky Guess…"
"About the game" posted:
Nethris got the correct answer when he chose the middle way. I actually got this right the first time I played as well.
This level has a lot of traps, and the next level is heavily trapped as well, so I've given D.K. a point into Trap Detection because since he's in front, he'll encounter them first.
D.K. and Mort are both level 7 after finishing the Battlefield dungeon. I didn't enter this area until after I finished the Battlefield, so the game's level-scaling has increased the level of enemies in the maze. This is evident when you look at the "Trophies" sections and see that the listed level for the monster you killed is lower than what you fought.
On Hardcore skill, the extra enemies are the default level.
Ummm… Left or right? How should I know? You worked here! How do you not know all about this place? I worked on the upper floors, human, not the prison level. Fine. Eenie, meeny, miney… right it is.The skeleton-sprinkled corridor spiraled around and dead-ended.
Hmm… well, you might as well see if there's anything in those barrels.D.K. gave a withering look at Mort, but headed for the barrels anyway.
Video: Stone Gargoyle Ambush
What had seemed to be a part of the tunnel wall started moving.
They're so… warm… so alive…
It's so unfair… I'm so cold… and they are so warm… Not for long, my brother… not for long, I promise!
However the stone gargoyles weren't the only ones who would could use camouflage to their advantage. Mort and D.K. quickly snuck away.
"About the Game" posted:
These assholes are level 8, and they can cast Slow. Since D.K. is currently using a 2-handed weapon, the additional decrease in his attack speed and initiative is trouble.
I died twice fighting these guys in melee before I decided to switch to using dual ranged weapons and stealth. That is probably the most survival-friendly combination in the game, although it's not exciting to watch.
Mort and D.K. took the other direction and fought past more skeletons.
Video: Trapped Statue
This door is locked. … And the switch doesn't seem to do anything, but I think I hear another door beyond this one moving.
There are two more switches here. Let me…After some fiddling with switches, Mort and DK eventually got both doors open.
We should leave, human. I don't like the looks of this Maybe… but there's something shiny on the statue. It might be useful. I doubt that...But D.K. cautiously approached the statue anyway.
WUAHAHAHA… DIE, SUB-CREATURES!The door slammed shut, trapping them, in the room.
Gee, I wonder whose idea it was to leave. Yeah, yeah, now shut up and fight!"About the Game" posted:
The maze introduces Skeletal mages, who are level 7, and they are pretty dangerous. Skeletal mages move erratically in combat, sometimes casting spells, and sometimes rushing up to strike with their fast attacking and decently damaging caster staves. They also tend to run away when your melee characters try to chase them down.
Once the skeletons were dead, the door opened. Further on was another branch going north. Another cryptic message on the wall read "Two burning lights, but you still don't see".
The area up there is trapped. That torch placement is odd.Mort tried to search the wall next to the torch, only to discover that his hand passed right through the wall.
The passageway was narrow, lit only by a single torch. It dead-ended at another cryptic message.
The torch!The torch was extinguished, and an opening in the wall appeared. Mort and DK followed the corridor to another door.
But when they opened it, it vanished, revealing only an empty alcove.
Hah! It's amazing how easily you fell for my illusions…Luckily, the wizard spent most of it's time trying to run away, and it did not escape. Once dead, a treasure chest appeared. Inside was a magical hammer, which D.K. started using.
Mort and D.K. continued through the lone corridor. There were no more branches or traps, but there were many skeletons. Eventually, there was a door, which opened up into a large, silent room. There was a door at the opposite corner.
Video: Room of Traps
Be careful, human. Walk only where I walk. I see many areas which are trapped.Mort followed D.K. cautiously through the room. More scribbling on the wall taunted the pair: "You'll never find the key!"
There was a switch in one corner. D.K. cautiously made his way past the traps and flipped it. The door opened.
Mort carefully followed D.K. out.
"About the Game" posted:
This room is one reason for a point into Detect Traps. It's not the only one, though, there's another mandatory sequence with traps. There's a way to learn where they are without being able to detect them, but it's easier if you can see them.
Also, here's a short sequence I didn't have space to show in screenshots:
Click for Video
Mort and D.K. came to another switch puzzle, but it wasn't difficult.
Video: The Fake Escape
A portal! Is this the end? Is this the way out? Only one way to find out, human.DK and Mort stepped through the portal.
They emerged outside on a sunny day. A woman ran up and greeted them immediately.
Oh, travellers, please help me! My child has swallowed a fishbone and is suffocating! I don't know what to do!She then ran inside the house.
This… something feels wrong. Be on your guard. Yeah… this is a trap of some kind.D.K. entered the house. There were several other people there, but no choking child.
Go get 'em boys!
Everyone transformed into skeletons. Mort and D.K. were expecting something like this, though, and quickly put them down.
As soon as all the skeletons dead, the illusion vanished, and Mort and D.K. found themselves in the dungeon again.
"About the Game" posted:
Actually the first thing you want to do before fighting is loot the house, because the chests and bookcases vanish once all the skeletons are dead.
In the small room up north you can find a hidden Golden Charm. This is the same kind as you find in Divine Divinity, except that in this game, the charm no longer explains what it does, you have to guess, test it, or look it up. This charm adds 100 to your Mana - this is helpful for mages, but since you can't remove charms, and they're rare, the odds are that you'll stick it into something that you'll want to replace… but you can't because you need the 100 extra mana.
There was another portal past the door. This took D.K. and Mort to another bland corridor, and eventually to another door.
Video: Skeleton Boss
Come unto me adventurers, for I guard the way forward. Find the prize and win your freedom, or may your ghosts forever haunt this realm.The talking skeleton was slightly tougher than the rest encountered so far, but not terribly difficult. With the skeleton gone, Mort and D.K. hurriedly moved on.
Video: Gas Trap
Entering another large room, the door slammed shot, and a loud hissing could be heard.
It's poisonous gas! *cough* We have to get out of this room… *cough* There has to be a hidden mechanism to open the door, somewhere. *cough* *cough* Find it now human, before we both die!
After several minutes of urgent searching, D.K. found an illusory wall. Inside was a switch that opened the door.
"About the Game" posted:
This 'puzzle' REALLY doesn't work in this engine. Also, the poison doesn't hurt much at all. I took my time getting in here, and our health has barely nudged downward at all.
The rest of the corridor is simple, no more detours or traps, but there is a spot with FOUR skeleton mages, and that is nasty and dangerous. You need to use stealth and they dual ranged weapon tactic on that as well.
Several minutes later, they came to a large room with an interesting centerpiece.
Video: Catty, Chatty Skeletons
Proper little Master's pet, aren't we?
What? You've heard how he insults me? He threatened to burn me yesterday… burn my poor old bones!
Insults you? You call *those* flirtations, insults? He called me an ugly bonehead, and a waste of good chains.
Ugly bonehead? A mere pet name! I hang awake at night sometimes dreaming of being called an ugly bonehead… He's the *special* friend of the Master, alright. I heard the Master only puts him in the iron maiden every *other* day!
Well, the master kicks me to the ground and them lets the rats gnaw at my bones! Kicks? Just kicks? … Last night he stamped on my chest until all my ribs broke, and let me tell you I was grateful for it!
Mort and D,K. approached the skeletons. They were surrounding some kind of rib-cage covering stairs.
I feel something *alive* in this room… You're right. It can't be the Master… they have been in this room for at least 5 seconds and no one has tried to beat me over the head with my own shin bone. Be quiet, bloody Master's pet… maybe it is him and he's just trying to lull us into a false sense of security! Do they carry torches? Stop your chattering Brian! We must let no one pass… Don't order us about Reg, or I'll tell the master on you! Oh yes, on one of your days off from the iron maiden, I suppose? [sings] Stan's the Master's favorite, Stan's the Master's favorite!
You pathetic piles of canker ridden bones haven't got enough brains between you to fill a flea's skull! Open the way to the lower levels the second or I'll burn pretty new patterns onto your repulsive skulls! 
Ah, the sweet sound of insults! We're opening the entrance for you… but please burn us anyway, if it makes you happy… Music: "Promise"
Click here to download (thanks to Grawl)
What does this mean? It's a riddle. I know that human, but what does it mean?"About the Game" posted:
In here is a Battlefield key - It unlocks Level 1. This is where you properly first get access to the Battlefields if you missed the secret key.
It's a clue to how to get out of here. Now we just need to figure it out… but I'm so exhausted it's hard to think straight. ...Very well, human. This seems to be a safe enough place to get some rest.
The Map
Sorry for the delay getting this up, it's been a busy week.
Chapter 6 will be pretty short. I'm not sure how long the next few chapters will be.
I also found the second Battlefield Key for Act 1 and completed the second Battlefield dungeon, which I'll show off the relevant bits of in another update later.
Alternate conversations:
Taxlehix
The left one. Try it my friend… but no The right one. Your brains wouldn't fill a soup spoon! So me pray you have luck instead! None of them. One way is good way, two are bad…awwww come on, play the game, play the game! I have no clue. Nevermind spoilsport. Tax wish you wisdom to know what you can fight… and luck to sneak round what you can't!The Skeletons.
Video: Skeletons - Alternate Responses
[Do nothing and wait.] It's so quiet. Did they leave? I can still sense their foul life forces in here…Well, that does nothing.
Again somebody has come… Right again. Can it be the same idiots as before? I don't think so, demon-kisser. No one would be so foolish as to return here… Maybe it's the Master this time? Do they have torches? Will they burn us? Stop snivelling, Brian! Remember our task! Only the Master shall pass. [Fall to your knees and beg the monsters to let you down to the lower level.] How pitiful… the master will have your hide soon. Brian… could you shuffle up a bit? Looks like we'll be having company. [Promise to free the monsters from the grip of their master, if they open the way to the lower level.] Free us? You? The Master will rip out your heart and fry it for breakfast. [Threaten to tell the master all of their discussion if they don't open the entrance to the lower level.] Hah! The master will cut out your tongue before you can speak!READER PARTICIPATION NEEDED
Video: The Six Switches
1) In what order do I pull the six switches (labelled NW, SE, E, SW, W, NE)?
Clue:
In a row, like the water flow,
six is thrown, one is not shown,
look around on the ground,
Watch your back, or you'll be hacked