Part 11: Barracks
Chapter 9 - Barracks
Music: "The Moving Knowledge"
Moving Knowledge [Version 1](Click here to download) (thanks to Grawl)
Moving Knowledge [Version 2](Click here to download) (thanks to Grawl)
Video: Barracks Directions
We have reached the barracks level now… the Citadel exit is not very far away…
This is where the soldiers live? Yes, but we're in luck, for once, because most of the men are on the drill grounds below… These are the living quarters of Samuel's Army of Chaos… I can give you directions, if you need them… On this level you will find living quarters, weapon storage, a kitchen and bathrooms… Tell me about the living quarters? The living quarters are divided into sections for recruits, soldiers, and officers… Where do the recruits sleep? The recruits are all sleeping in one big room, north-west of here. Where do the soldiers sleep? The soldiers sleep in this area. Every soldier has his own cell… I mean room… small, but private… Where do the officers sleep? The rooms where the officers sleep are located to the south. We will reach them later… Where can I find weapons? The section where the weapons are forged and stored is not far from here, to the northeast… Where is the kitchen? Feeling peckish? The kitchen is located between the recruits' sleeping room and the officers' quarters… next to the bathrooms. Can you show me the way to the bathrooms? Feeling the call of nature, human? The bathroom is located in the east of this level, next to the kitchen, right between the recruit barracks and the officers' quarters… Which way to the exit? The exit is located in the far southeast of this area… we have to cross all other sections to reach it… Let's get moving, then.They didn't even get five feet without being noticed.
Video: Soldiers Quarters
Halt! Show me your papers! We don't have time to deal with this idiot! Charge! Now you're talking, human!"About the Game" posted:
For some reason, all of the soldiers in this area of the Barracks level are hostile on sight. I don't know why. Unlike the other two areas, these guys don't even ask to see your papers before attacking.
I killed and looted all the soldiers quarters, there's a bunch of stuff to be had, but I'm leaving that off-screen to save screenshot space. Watch the video if you're interested (which you aren't).
There's also this note.
Mort and D.K. dragged the soldier's body back into the room he had emerged from, and they headed north.
We should be cautious, human…
Remember what I told you about the Death-Knight patrols in the drill ground?... In this level there is only one Death-Knight patrol to avoid, and the patrol route is touching the next corridor… I still recommend avoiding any contact… I'd feel more comfortable if we had better weapons, rather than these toys, human. Then let's see about getting some better weapons first.Video: Weapons Storage
Stick close to the walls. The center of the hallway is trapped. They must be storing some really good stuff in there.Mort and D.K. opened the door to the weapons area. There was a cabinet and an empty table.
Let's try the next room.
What are you doing in here? Obviously the rumors about the powerful weapons were slightly exaggerated… Indeed! Fools! We made sure the weapons were kept in a secure place… All that's left for you is death… 
Did they say that they made sure that the weapons were kept in a secure place… Do you think they knew we were coming? That's ridiculous! If Samuel knew, he'd have torn our insides out through our noses already. Let's get out of here. We're here, we may as well finish checking the room out.
Hmmm… this book is interesting… What's a 'gun'? … I have no idea. Perhaps it's a mining tool of some kind? That makes sense.Mort searched the cabinets.
I found all the components! They really were keeping something valuable in here! I'd better start making this. Are you sure this is a wise decision, human? An explosion sounds like it could be a perfect diversion to cover our escape.Mort very carefully mixed the components according to the instructions in the book.
Done. Let's hope this doesn't end up with the guards scraping us off of the walls, human!Mort tried the hall leading north. It ended at a closed door, and behind it a voice could be heard.
Video: The Weapons Forge
Be careful with this lever, imp, or I'll drop you in the lava…
Y… yes, m… master If this hatch stays open, the whole room will be flooded with lava… not only this room, but the whole Citadel. B… but master… nobody can move lever… only master knows secret Quiet, or I'll roast you over a lava flow, runt.D.K. tried the door, but it was locked.
This door is locked as a precaution. Nobody can gain access to the weapons in this room. Apart from the Smith, Samuel himself has the only other key. I don't know about you, human, but this sounds like a *perfect* diversion to me. Maybe… but getting the key sounds too risky. We don't dare enter Samuel's lair. … I suppose you had to find out sooner or later. Samuel also has the only key to the door to the surface. We'll need to enter there if we want to escape. Wonderful. … If we *are* going to try and flood the citadel with lava - and I'm not saying that we are - we'll need to clear the hallways of guards first, including that Death-Knight. 
Ideologically, I would prefer the army and citadel to remain intact… But they could prove to be a most annoying obstacle to my goal, so perhaps it is better that they be destroyed. Video: Eliminating the Death Knight patrol
Mort and D.K. followed the patrolling Death Knight down the hall and engaged it once they had plenty of room to retreat if needed.
It wasn't needed.
Mort and D.K. had just finished hiding the body when they heard a lot of guards coming from the direction of the drill grounds, talking to themselves. Mort and D.K. entered the common room to avoid catching their notice.
Video: The Ten KINGS Chess problem
I wish I could find somebody who's good at chess… You want to play chess? Yes… the game with 65 black and white squares on a board, ring any bells? Oh, a *real* expert, I see. Perhaps he's more suited to noughts and crosses. Show me what you've got… another genius set up this board and asked me to solve it… White can checkmate ALL black kings with his next move. So demonstrate *your* great intellect to me… I bet you 50 gold that you can't solve it!Mort studied the board.
Found the solution yet? Remember: White can checkmate ALL black kings with one single move… Yes, I think I've got it! I'm listening… Knight at d3 moves to e5!The guard went over and studied the board carefully.
Pah… beginner's luck. I don't have any gold, but… *sigh*… you can have my bottle of white rum… blast it all…
The guards were still having their conversation, so Mort and D.K. entered the recruits bunkroom.
What you doing? Leave room… me just cleaned floor… your boots dirty… please go…"About the Game" posted:
You can find some letters in the bunkroom. The second one is tucked under a pillow, and it's hard to spot.
But the REAL prize was this chest full of awesome. And it wasn't even locked!
The guards had moved down the hallways, so Mort and D.K, continued.
Video: The Cook and the Hungry Soldiers
The guards who had been talking were actually on their way to the kitchen.
HEY… com on, are you cooking a demon in there or what? Open up and give us some grub!
Not that I think my stomach could cope with anymore of this muck!
Weaklings! On our last mission in the wastelands against the Paladins of Ronan, we were only eating lizards…
Lizards would be a gourmet meal right now, compared to what he serves up. I've found better things in my boots after a twenty mile hike through the swamps! …aahhhh… lizards… [smacks lips]… I've thrown-up more appealing things! You should concentrate on praising the Lord of Chaos, and not always thinking about your stomachs. Hey, I will conquer the land for the Lord of Chaos, but I refuse to eat it! Hail the Lord of Chaos… What do they call you? Gilroy is my name. And I'm not a coward like most of the others here. Only the strong will prevail when the Lord of Chaos rules all! What is your profession? My only profession is being a servant to the Lord of Chaos. On your knees, fool, when I speak his name… What have you heard about the natives? A bunch of verminous trash… They refused to kneel before out master, so every last one of them has to die. It's not time for drill already, is it? What is your name? Keith, Sir, my name is Keith.. What did you do before this? I… I… I never had a real job before this, Sir. Do you know anything about the natives? I don't know… I guess they are all working in the mines now… When will this lazy cook open his kitchen? Much longer and he'll find himself as dish of the day! What is your name? My name? Why do you want to know my name, stranger? I'm not interested in yours, so why should I tell you mine? What do you do? I'm a soldier. I always was a soldier… man and boy. And I always will be. What do you know about the natives? Well, to their credit, they are brave warriors. They fight until the end… not like some around here… Hey, get to the end of the line… I'm first… What do they call you? I'm Tad… I haven't eaten all day… and I get very tetchy when I'm hungry… What is your job? As a matter of fact… I was a cook once… and a miner… and a night-watchman… Do you know anything about the natives? Are they edible? … I'll go see what the hold-up is.Mort entered the kitchen.
You hear them complaining? They moan *all* the time… But I can't do much about it… The food storage area is infested with rats, and I simply can't open the food barrels when rats are around… You've got rats? Yes… I've already sent for Rashax the imp to go and kill them, but he's scared stiff of rats and just hides… Maybe you could help me find the cowardly imp, and remind him of his duty? Yes, I'll do that. Great… if you find Rashax, simply tell him I've sent you, and let him know he should take care of the rats immediately… I want no more excuses! What do they call you? They called me Bryant at home… but not many people down here are interested in your real name… they'll find a new name for you soon enough, and not a very nice one most of the time… What do you do here? I'm the Cook around here. They all say my food is lousy, but it has to be this way, because the army needs to stay in a bad mood… it makes them wild and aggressive, rather than fat and contented Do you know anything about the natives? We've defeated the natives, but this is nothing compared to facing your *own* army… when they haven't had a proper meal for days. What can you tell me about the imps? Imps are lazy, unreliable and not very smart… apart from when they're looking for somewhere to hide. Bye."About the Game" posted:
This barrel of salt is the third and final component of the bomb. Drag the salt onto the coal, or the other way around, and then add the sulphur.
But a poor case of research does NOT help their gunpowder formula. Coal instead of CHARcoal was bad enough, but salt (sodium chloride) is not the same thing as saltPETER (potassium nitrate).
This bomb takes so long to put together and requires such confusing and hard to find ingredients that I would never have even noticed the existence without a walkthrough.
Video: Rashax and the Rats
Have to clean room… have no time to go back to cooking place now… I wonder if this is Rashax. This sniveling creature must be Rashax, the imp the Cook was looking for… you're in trouble, little one… You are Rashax, aren't you. I… I… nooo, please, not tell Cook where me be… He's so pathetic, even for an imp! Cook will make me go in dark room with tiny little teeth… What do you mean by tiny little teeth? Rats, I suppose, filthy vermin… I can see his point on that one… Me no coward… only afraid of little teeth… nasty bite will kill. Please… you big, you strong… maybe you could kill little teeth? Even *I* wouldn't mind sparing the time to kill some rats! Yes, I will. Some believe that Imps are such wretched creatures, that it would be better to wipe the whole species out. But they are soft, malleable, they know their place. I personally know that they can be so very useful for certain things.Mort took the key Rashax gave him and opened up the storage area. As the cook said, it was full of rats.
Rats were not a threat.
"About the Game" posted:
The imp gives us a key to get in, which means we can loot the place, and get the experience for killing rats, and for solving the quest.
The imp is also supposed to give you a resistance crystal for helping him, but I'm not sure that he actually does.
There was some assorted gold and alchemy herbs in the storage room for some reason, which became "casualties of the rats". Mort and D.K. reported their success to the cook.
Did the imp take care of the rats? They won't trouble you again. The rats are gone? Great, I guess Rashax has escaped a beating after all… thank you for your help… if you need some extra rations, just ask… A better reward would be FEWER rations!Unfortunately, outside the kitchen they were intercepted by a patrol.
Show me your papers! I must have forgotten them. You forgot your papers? Ridiculous! You're under arrest! Never!He drew his weapon, and Mort followed suit.
Okay, have it your way… draw your weapons and defend yourselves…Mort and D.K. tried to hide the bodies behind some crates.
Great hero… thanks for saving me… Rats would have bitten Rashax all over! You can repay me by cleaning up some of the blood in the hall nearby. A-alright… Mort and D.K. hurried towards the officers quarters and the exit.
Your papers please. I have forgotten them. Maybe you know the password instead! I'll report you! You'll report me to my superior? Pah, the dead don't talk much. My thoughts exactly.Mort and D.K. cut them down with barely any effort needed, and hid their bodies inside the imp closet.
This is it, human. The way to the surface is through here. But Samuel has the key. Which way to Samuel?
This door over here leads to Samuel's lair.. It's closed, but there should be a lever nearby that opens it. General Bram's quarters should still be nearby. Do you still want to take the time to get that book the merchant wanted to exchange for a sword? It will take some time, and we'd have to go all the way back, through the soldiers quarters, through the trapped corridor, and through the drill grounds. It's a risk. Hmph. Even if Samuel isn't in his lair, it will still be guarded, human. While delaying our escape MIGHT get us killed, trying to fight Samuel's elite guards with poor equipment WILL get us killed.There was a guard outside one room.
Video: General Bram's Quarters
Hello.
I'm on duty. What's that got to do with anything? Look, didn't you hear me? I'm on duty. If General Bram heard we were talking, we'd both be in trouble. What is your name? I'm Kegan… go now, before somebody sees us talking… What is your job, soldier? I'm guarding the door to General Bram's quarters… Double shifts, because I was caught talking without permission. So you were punished for talking? I don't want to stand here for eternity, just go please! So it's your duty to guard this door? I'm duty-bound to stand guard… normally I would be in the mess hall right now, having a few drinks with my comrades… This will teach me to keep my big mouth shut! These are General Bram's quarters, are they? But he's not in the citadel right now. Yes, I'm guarding his room. I have strict orders to let no one inside… Ahhhh, the world is not fair… without these special orders I would be enjoying my free-time, resting upon my bed, dreaming of my sweet Rosalie. And filling his stomach with cheap rotgut! Of course a little white rum helps dull the pain of being away from her. It is the very best, and I can seldom resist its charms… While I am away from Rosalie, none but white rum shall be my mistress. … Now go, before anybody sees us talking. I've got some white rum here… interested? You… you have a bottle of white rum? Ahhh, come to me my lady of purest delight… Come on, just one swig, even a sip… pleeaaaasee? Give him the bottle. Here you go. Oh, but hat if I'm seen, you won't tell will you? Ahhh, hello my white mistress…The guard drank deeply.
Thank y-you for b-bringing me the boddle, but now you should go… *hic* I'm shtill on dudy… Where is the key? Key? W…what key do you shpeak of? I… I have a only one key my my bocket *hic* for the room of Gsheneral Bram… *hic* and this one you cannod have… oups… see, it's fallen… oh… all is turning green *hic*The guard staggered over to a wall and collapsed, still clutching the bottle. Ort picked the key up from where the guard had dropped it, and they entered General Bram's quarters.
Mort and D.K. searched, but didn't find the book. But they did find something else of interest.
This looks like a nice axe. A good find human… and I think I might know where the book is. Where? Help me move those packages out of the way.Mort and D.K. shifted some packages aside and discovered another door.
General Bram had his own private dungeon beneath his quarters. There was a cell with many a dead imp in it, bearing nasty injuries, and in the last cell was the book on a bloody slab.
This was easy.Then he picked the book up.
Ghost 1: General Bram…
Ghost 2: Suffer, General…
Ghost 3: Die, torturer…
Obviously, the General has made enemies here… unfortunately these creatures seem to think *you* are General Bram… maybe it's the uniform.Mort and D.K. had a tricky time in the tight confines, but dispatched the ghosts anyway.
"About the Game" posted:
Hidden in the leftmost cell is a chest unlocked by the key from the Parcours.
Yes, the Ghosts do attack you if you're wearing a guard uniform, if you aren't wearing it they leave you alone. But there's no way to know this your first time through. If you do remember it, you might forget to put your uniform BACK ON after you're done, which gets the guards upset at you.
The Ghosts drop this book, which teaches summoning upgrades - for levels and resistances. They are laughable garbage. You get two levels for summons per skill point to distribute among up to 4 possible summoning dolls. The resistances are almost certainly the most unhelpful possible use of skill points in the entire game. It takes one skill point to raise ONE OF (not all, ONE OF) Fire, Earth, Air, Water, Poison, Shadow, or Bone resistances by FIVE percent. The game would need to give me something like 500 skill points to consider spending in that area.
Moving as quickly as they felt they could get away with. Mort and D.K. returned to the unscrupulous merchant.
Greetings again, recruit. Were you able to finish the task? I've completed the task.Mort handed over the book.
Excellent, and here is the promised sword.
"About the Game" posted:
I didn't go over this before, when we found the Lucky cap in update 2, but green items are unique. Uniques are TERRIBLE.
It has ONE property, +3 Evade. Whoopie. It also does not ever need to be repaired, which seems good until you know the reason - unique items can't be sold in shops. So after you get a few random items with multiple modifiers, unique items are just worthless hunks of junk in your inventory.
This damn sword is ALREADY OBSOLETE, thanks to the awesome two-handed axe from General Bram's closet. (I just haven't taken the time to have it identified yet).
Video: To Samuel's Lair
Mort flipped the switch and D.K. led the way towards Samuel's inner sanctum.
There's a trap up ahead human. Stick to the wall.
There were two doors. The left-hand door lead to another door. The sounds of guards pacing could be heard from behind there.
The right-side door led to a large gong, and another door before a room full of guards.
Maybe if we ring this, it'll draw the guards out. What do you think will attract more attention, human, a fight, or a loud alarm noise? … Good point.D.K. pushed open the door and boldly stepped in.
What are you doing here? Nobody is allowed to leave the barracks and disturb Samuel… unless they have explicit orders!DK ignored him and continued advancing. Mort stepped in behind, explosive arrows in the quiver on his back.
You have been warned… prepare to die!The guards all gathered around D.K., who was swinging his brand new Deathclaw sword in wide, sweeping arcs, hitting them all. D.K. was giving them such a hectic fight that they didn't notice that Mort had slipped behind them.
Until the arrows started slamming into them from behind, that is.
The guards fought desperately, but D.K. held firm, and Mort's attack was relentless, and eventually, they all fell.
"About the Game" posted:
Weapon choice, skill choice, and character placement are not things you can simply ignore, not on Tactical difficulty.
My first attempt at cleaning out all four guards, I had D.K. use his Two-handed Deathclaw sword, he used normal attacks, and Mort was standing at point-blank range.
That failed convincingly. Two-handed weapons have a higher penalty to initiative, which means that he acts slower, and since getting attacked can stagger you, it means D.K. was being stunned too much to act.
Each character always starts with the Whirlwind skill, which is ideal for situations where you're fighting groups of enemies up close. I wasn't using that the first time, so when D.K. DID get a hit in, it was only to a single target.
Arrows have a higher chance to miss, and do less damage up close to the target. Even though no one was targeting him, I failed to move Mort away to get a better angle on the target, so he wasn't contributing often enough, and not to his full potential, which was a big problem given that D.K. wasn't able to contribute much on his own!
Mort and D.K. stood at the bottom of the stairs to Samuel's lair.
Well, it seems like we're as prepared as we'll ever be, human. We just have to hope Samuel is elsewhere. That's it? We just have to HOPE he isn't there? What if he is?! Then we die.
The map:
I've decided to start indicating the videos in bold in the hopes that people will actually watch them.
A note about the uniform. If Mort isn't wearing his uniform, the guards will attack him AND the Death Knight on sight, even if Mort is out of sight and they only see the Death Knight, so you can't send D.K. into populated areas if Mort isn't weaing his uniform.
The Citadel Guard Armor, despite the fame, is inferior to "Rags" armor. They each only offer 3 armor protection, but the Guard armor is heavier and has higher penalties to speed, accuracy and initiative. Since "Rags" type armor will be available in various high qualities of magical modifiers, there really is no reason to ever switch to anything else.
Alternate Dialogue
Bribing the Guard
Your papers please. I have forgotten them. Maybe you know the password instead! How about a little gold? Ah, I see you know the password indeed… give me 10 gold and you can pass… What! I can't believe this… the corrupt bastard deserves to die! Let me handle this! Very well, but what goes around, comes around, human!Wrong Paswords
Maybe you know the password instead! What password? Obviously you don't know the password... well, that's too bad. Die scum! Maybe you know the password instead! Chaos is the password. There is only chaos inside you? I've got a nice sharp sword here that can cure *that* particular headache. Maybe you know the password instead! Samuel is the password. Samuel will reward me handsomely...if I bring him your head!What's FAKE in this update?
I've been trying to keep the photoshop trickery and complete fabrications of story to a minimum, but in this case I couldn't avoid it.
As I pointed out, you actually find the book with the gunpowder recipe and the barrel of coal on the first floor of the torture chamber, and the Sulphur in the Infirmary. The barrel of
READER PARTICIPATION REQUESTED:
1) There are two ways we can end Act 1. The most obvious of them is to simply walk up the stairs. The second way is to take the bomb we created and plant it in the forge. This will blow open the hatch and flood the citadel with Lava. However, we've seen that many of the soldiers are conscripts, here against their will, and there are many innocent imps working as servants as well. There are no special graphics, and no story acknowledgement of the bomb if we do it, the act simply ends the second we drag the bomb from our inventory to the forge, so this is a morality choice. ( You get experience for using the bomb. )
Bomb, or no Bomb?
2) There's also no point in making videos if no one watches them. I'm not even hitting 10 views on most of the damn things. I can update faster without making the videos. There will still be videos for very important scenes and act bosses, but little else. Few videos will also mean that you won't get to see the the traps in action too much, since I usually don't have enough room for screenshots of combat.
A. Continue making videos
B. Don't bother / I don't care / I don't watch them
3) Note: I don't mind posting Chapter 10, and the Intermission on this page, but there will be too many images for me to post Chapter 11 on this page. I'll only post Chapter 11 on the next page.