Part 119: Antediluvian Vault

Chapter 93 – Antediluvian Vault


BOSS: Bellegar IMPORTANT, Watch this!
Antediluvian Vault, Part I
Antediluvian Vault, Part II
Behrlihn’s Prison IMPORTANT, Watch this!
Bonus: Alternate Seal Conversations




Music: Ursula Battle


This music was called “Bellegar Battle” in the game files, but it’s really used in Ursula’s fight. That’s why I didn’t include it then, but the Bellegar fights don’t use that song at all.


Music: Wisp Dungeon - Bellegar


Music: Wisp Dungeon


Music: Wisp Dungeon – The Choice




Video: BOSS: Bellegar IMPORTANT, Watch this!



Here are the clues:

Clue I: “Shine across the shield of truth is what the Blue Moon does.”
Clue II: “Gold is what the Violet Blast craves most.”
Clue III: “The Moss Rat is the opposite of life.”
Clue IV: “The Fire God resides in the snake’s mind.”
Clue V: “The dark mountains are covered in White Snow.”

The shield, mountains, and snake are easy to identify. Even if you don’t associate the skull-face as Death, the Ankh-shape in A1 is a fairly well-known symbol for Life, so place the Moss Rat in the opposite corner. The three easy runes also take up all the other spots which could be opposite from each other.

Gold is hardest to figure out from just the runes, but the most likely one is the coin-shaped one, and that is correct.

Also, if the shapes alone aren’t enough, aiming at the rune will tell you the names.

Here’s the solution:









(Behrlihn) _{Brilliant! You have done it! Proceed, for I am near!}
(Yara) _{It wasn’t hard. The clues I found… the clues that were still here… those were clear enough in context. But if the Orbs hadn’t been here… then… I never… could have gotten in…
Why are you sounding so thoughtful again?
… It’s nothing. Into the vault.}


Music: Wisp Dungeon - Bellegar




What the hell?!






It’s Rhode!



She found her way down here without all the shit I had to do?
(Lucian) _{There are bigger concerns than that, Dragon Knight! Such as ‘what turned her into stone’!
You get one guess and it doesn’t count.}






(Bellegar) One made it here before, by Bellegar unchecked!
But once I did detect
in this Champion’s abode
the feisty Slayer Rhode




in cold stone I did cement
her beauty, warmth and scent!




But you, Zandalor’s fool and Behrlihn’s pawn,
you have seen your last dawn,
for finally we shall meet steel to steel,
unleash magic unreal
and forever seal
the fate of the pest that you are!
You, dear Dragon, have made it far.
Time to face the tempest: front Blizard BELLEGAR!
“To boldly go where Rhode has gone before” complete! Quest Reward: 6211 XP, 1300 Gold, Skill Book. Bonus Chosen: 3105 XP, Random Bracelet (+12 Melee Damage, +2 Death Blow).

Evade


Increased from Rank 11 to Rank 12

Evade chance: 30% -> 32%




_{Stay vigilant! He’s bound to use some underhanded tricks you’ll need to spot and counter!}

Bellegar
This is definitely a boss battle. I was actually surprised at how dangerous it was, having never played this extensively on Nightmare before. Behrlihn is right, Bellegar has a trick up his sleeve – namely that we can’t damage him directly.




Ha! How I pity them that Behrlihn abet!
To be dead and not to realize it yet!


These guys don’t come in huge numbers, but don’t be fooled. That’s because they are a lot more dangerous than normal enemies, with more health. Bellegar also tosses spells your way, which also hurt. This is definitely worthy of the title of boss battle.




Your flesh shall be burned, your very memory destroyed!
First comes agony, then comes the void!




_{Why’s that one glowing?}




Gah! Your skills are none too shabby!
You annoy vile beast! You’re galling, crabby!


The gimmick is that one of the monsters is linked to Behrlihn – damage it and it damages him. It takes a bunch of hits to end the fight, though. I didn’t help myself out by accidentally un-summoning my creature instead of summoning my Demon.






Ah, the blood of Ouroboros protects you from defeat!
You leave me no other option than to stage an ignominious retreat!
To me, infernal ghouls, and see to the serpent’s death
while I take the time to catch my breath!


Music: Wisp Dungeon



Antediluvian Vault, Part I


Now it’s time for the last dungeon crawl in the game. This is a real slog, but it’s not as dangerous as the fight we just had, it’s merely long.







Video: Antediluvian Vault, Part II




Level 45!




Evade


Increased from Rank 12 to Rank 13

Evade chance: 32% -> 34%





Video: Behrlihn’s Prison IMPORTANT, Watch this!


Once you see the blue flames, you’re almost there. If you pay attention to the video, you might notice  that the number of white Restoration and red Healing potions I have jumps to 50 each. I went back to the tower off-camera and stocked up. I’ll be needing as many Restoration potions as I can get my claws on really soon, and this is basically my last chance to do so. 




Music: Wisp Dungeon – The Choice






_{You are here, where I am bound in the maw of blind injustice! We come to it at long last! Go on, O liberator, unhinge the gate!}






Oh, come on! Don’t you know when to give up?




Halt, Dragon, and listen to my plight:
I have not come this time to fight,
but one last time to let you see the light!
Leave Behrlihn in his chains!
How can I get it in thy brains
that his freedom means annihilation
for every tribe, city and nation
that in Rivellon abound,
my home, my favourite playing ground!



Three responses here:

I would follow your counsel, but Aleroth needs saving.

If you’d have stopped to talk to me before, you rhyming nutcase, you’d know I merely need his powers. Who said anything about release in the first place?

To free Behrlihn means to free the Divine, in case you have forgotten.

The thread voted for the third one.




To free Behrlihn means to free the Divine; that was the promise he made.
How can you be so naïve
to believe
this creature will not deceive
your gullible soul?
Liberty Lucian will not receive,
your goal
you will not achieve
and Rivellon shall be annihilated whole!
Turn back now, leave death to die
and your good self I will supply
with the power to destroy this Black Ring threat,
power all but as mighty as the debt
Behrlihn promised thee
to set him free!




_{Don’t be deceived by the melody of his words: for their meaning rings false! The ‘power’ he offers you pales in comparison with the fury I shall lay in your hands! The Eye of the Patriarch!}






BOSS: Bellegar IMPORTANT, Watch this!
Antediluvian Vault, Part I
Antediluvian Vault, Part II
Behrlihn’s Prison IMPORTANT, Watch this!
Bonus: Alternate Seal Conversations



Music: Ursula Battle


This music was called “Bellegar Battle” in the game files, but it’s really used in Ursula’s fight. That’s why I didn’t include it then, but the Bellegar fights don’t use that song at all.


Music: Wisp Dungeon - Bellegar


Music: Wisp Dungeon


Music: Wisp Dungeon – The Choice



Maps




Antediluvian means “extremely old-fashioned or outdated” or “in or from before the time before the biblical flood”, which gives a good sense of how hold this vault is supposed to be.

The Dragon Knight’s actual line in the game is “To free Behrlihn means to free the Divine, in case you have forgotten.” That doesn’t make sense to me. The only ones who knew about that deal were the three people who were there, and Bellegar wasn’t one of them. The Dragon Knight never told anyone.


Here's one of the Larian Developers explaining why there was no confrontation with Rhode. Basically, there was no time to do it.






Some other lines from the Bellegar boss battle.




Ah! Curse your wasp-like bite!
I’ll have a rash before this night!

Aah! Damn daft critter! Willing Chaos slave!
Stand still and I’ll teach you how to behave!

Give me a fight you weak-willed mule!
I’ve seen tougher battle ‘gainst a puddle of drool!


Bonus: Alternate Seal Conversations


I would follow your counsel, but Aleroth needs saving.
And it can without the aid
of what lurks decayed
further down this curse-filled underpass
where horrors dwell en masse!

If you’d have stopped to talk to me before, you rhyming nutcase, you’d know I merely need his powers. Who said anything about release in the first place?
Hush! He’ll hear your talk of treason!
Is your very life not good enough a reason
the madman to ignore?
If not I’ll give you just one more!



Reader Participation

Here it is: the choice that will determine the ending, and the last choice in the game.

Behrlihn is clearly evil, but Zandalor thinks we need the Eye of the Patriarch, and he promised to free the Divine if we set him loose. Can we really trust him?

Bellegar has been trying to kill us all game, and he’s failed. This might just be a desperate bluff because he has realized that we’re too powerful and he has no other way to stop us. Can we really trust him?

We have to side with one or the other. This choice will have a noticeable effect in-game. Who will Yara choose?

a) Behrlihn
b) Bellegar