Eye of the Beholder III (Part 4)

               Solution by Alex van Kaam

@~Continued from Issue 31

In the next room we found a green gem and a scroll, the scroll
told about someone and his search for immortality, we kept both
items and we headed north.  This brought us to a small area with
corridors leading east, north and west.  To the west we found a
grate with a brass lock and a button on the wall behind the grate,
to the north was a gate which none of us could open and east led
to a room with some scrolls and a potion of invisibility.

We got the potion and the scrolls, we then headed to the button,
pushed it, we went through the gate which was now open, and here
we found a brass key, we got the key, opened the grate and we
descended into the water.  Our water breathing spell didn't work
here so we only had a limited time before we all were dead, except
for Nomad who had the helm of underwater breathing.

We quickly explored this area, it was full of Water Elements but
we found nothing else of interest, we headed back up and into the
main corridor.  Here we headed north until we came to a crossroad,
east and west we found a plaque saying 'Be Quick Or Be Dead'.

East was a dead end and so was west so we headed north, we had
taken a few steps when Gandalf yelled 'RUN!' We all looked over
our backs and we saw an ice spell coming towards us.  We quickly
ran north until the corridor turned west, we headed west and we
heard the spell smash against the north wall, phew...

This corridor let to a small room with some Earth Elements, we
killed them and we headed south, we were now in a large area with
a rope to the east and a lot of grates to the west and south.

We pulled the rope, we thought it would disarm the grates but
instead it opened a door south of us, and walked over the grates.
Some of them were safe, others weren't, it took a while but in the
end we found the safe ones.

We headed south and east towards an open door, of course killing
some more Earth Elements, behind the door we found a grate with a
crystal lock and a lever, we pulled the lever and a wall to the
east vanished, we could now walk safely back to the main corridor
without having to look out for the ice spell trap.

The grate we couldn't open so we headed back to the area with all
the grates, here we headed south, stepping on some unsafe grates,
and we came to an area with a few Earth Elements and a grate with
a Water Weird, we examined the whole area but since we didn't find
anything we headed back to the area with all the grates.

Here we headed west into a corridor, we killed some more Earth
Elements and we headed south through a door, we were now in a
large room with two doors leading south.  Whatever we tried we
couldn't open the door so we headed north, to the west we soon
came to a door leading into a small area with an Earth Element and
two buttons, we killed the Earth Element and we pushed the buttons
and we headed back to the room with the two gates.  The gates were
open and we headed south, through the east gate, we soon came to a
gate with another Water Weird, we killed the Water Weird and we
headed east into a side corridor. We encountered some Earth
Elements but that was all so we headed back past the gate with the
Water Weird, from here we went south and east.

To the north we found a walkthrough wall and behind this wall a
copper key, we took the key and we headed west.  We followed the
corridor north and soon we came to a side corridor leading west,
we entered this corridor and we found another grate with a crystal
lock.

Since we didn't have the key we left and headed north, we were now
back in the room we started from so we kept heading north, past
the corridor with the two buttons until we couldn't go any
further.  We first went east, here we found a green gem and then
we headed west, we were now in a small room with three alcoves.
At two of these there was a sign saying 'An Emerald For Each Shall
Yield The Key'.  Since we had two green gems we put one in each
alcove with a plaque beside it.  When we then looked at the third
alcove we saw a crystal key, we took the key and we headed south
to the grate with the crystal lock, the grate on this side of the
grates room that is.

We opened the grate and we climbed down, in this small underwater
area we encountered two anti-magic fields which removed all our
spells, including the water breathing one, and we found some
items.  We took the items and we headed back up, next we went to
the second grate with a crystal lock and we tried to open it.

When we opened the crystal lock a silver lock appeared, we opened
that with the silver key and then a brass locked appeared, we
opened this one and we descended into........

--------> Blub, Blub, Underwater, Blub, Blub, Blub <--------

We started in the north/east corner of this level, the whole level
was full of Water Elements and Slithermorphs, they were no real
threat so I won't mention them again.  We headed south past a side
corridor with a lever, past a large water outflow valve into a
room, in the south of this room we found a yellow gem which we
took.

We left this room and we headed west, we soon came close to
another water outflow valve but we were pushed back east, we tried
again this time from the north past another water outflow valve
and we headed west again, again we were pushed back.  We went to
the lever and we pulled it, this time the water outflow valves we
could pass earlier pushed us away and we could pass the other
outflow valves with no problem.

In the end we came to a corridor leading south, we passed the
first side corridor leading west but we did enter the first door
leading west, this door led to a small passageway with another
door leading east into the south corridor.

There was also a door leading south into a small room, the room
was empty so we headed back into the south corridor and we went
south.  We first passed a lever, which we didn't pull, and soon we
came to another outflow valve, this one flushed us east, south,
west until we stopped at another outflow valve with a switch
nearby.

We were now in a large area full of corridors, we explored them
all and we found some gauntlets of hill giants strength, a stone
key and a some other small items.  We got them all and we went
back to the outflow valve, we pulled the lever and we were flushed
back into the south corridor.

We now headed west into the side corridor we passed earlier, we
passed another outflow valve which flushed us north into a small
passage way, we got out of there removing some walls which had a
hidden button on them.

We continued west until we were in a small room, the only exit out
led south so we followed it, we soon passed some side corridors
but we continued south until we were in a small room, there was
nothing of interest here so we headed back north and entered the
first east corridor we found, here we saw a lever, we pulled it
but nothing happened so we headed north.

We entered the west passage and soon we came to a locked door,
there was no keyhole only a small alcove, we put the stone key in
it and the door opened.

The area we now entered was a big disaster, it was full of
anti-magic fields so only Nomad could walk around with no problem,
the only interesting thing we found was another helm of underwater
breathing, I took it, and a copper key, we quickly headed to the
south/west of this area through a door.

Here Gothmog could cast his underwater spell and we all could
breath again.  We first explored the east part of this area, we
found another hole in the north wall and south of that we found
three gratings, we stepped on the grating and we were pushed right
in the line of fire of the hole.

We all survived the spell, but how to get back, every time we
stepped on a grate it released another ice spell.  There had to be
a button, but where? We examined a south wall very closely and we
found a small button, we pushed it and the wall vanished.  To the
south we could now see a transporter, we stepped in and we were
transported to a small area without water.  Here we were attacked
by two Watchghosts, we killed them and we found a scroll of wall
of force, and a transporter.

We took the scroll and we entered the transporter, we were
transported back between the three grates, but now we could walk
over them with no problem, so we headed east.  Here we found a
crimson key, a red gem and some other small items.  We took the
key and gem and we headed west.

In this west corner we found a door leading south, we opened it by
putting a copper key in an alcove near the door.  We headed south,
through the door, but we were stopped by another water outflow
valve, it seemed we had missed some kind of button or lever which
could turn this outflow valve.

We headed back north and we started to examine this area, it
didn't take long before we found a button in the south wall east
of the door, we pushed the button and we headed back south through
the door, this time the outflow valve let us pass.

East brought us to an empty area while south brought us to another
door leading east, a plaque saying 'A Wall Shall Serve To Stay The
Flow And A Ruby Shall Serve As A Key', two water outflow valves
which kept us from the door, and a small alcove.

After reading the plaque a few times Gothmog decided to cast the
spell of 'wall of force' in front on the outflow valve in the
north wall, he did and we could walk to the door.  To open it
Nomad put a red gem in the alcove and we could continue east.

This was a large empty area with another door leading east, we
opened this door with a small button which was on the wall in
front of it and we continued east.

In the south/east corner of this area we found some more items
while we found another door in the north/east area.  We opened the
door using the crimson key and we entered a small room, we killed
the Slithermorphs that were here and we found a grate leading up
into......

------> Back at the guild, the guild of the mages, that is <------

We entered in a small room with a pillar in the middle, we could
walk around it, walls appeared behind us, but we couldn't leave
the room.  It took a while but in the end we found a small button
in the south/east of the room, we pushed it and a wall in the
north vanished.

We entered the corridor and we headed north, again we came to a
room with a pillar in the middle but this time there were no
moving walls but instead of that there were a few holes in the
walls which shot arrows at us.

On the pillar in the middle we saw four locks, we unlocked them
using our crystal, silver, copper and brass keys.  After we
unlocked the last lock a wall to the east vanished.  Behind the
wall we encountered a lot of Earth Elements, we killed as many as
we could and then we charged through the room of the Earth
Elements and left it through a south exit.

Here we found two doors, we first entered the south one but this
appeared to be an empty room so we quickly left and we entered
through the east door.  We closed the door behind us to keep the
Earth Elements out and we examined this area.

It seemed to be a large corridor in the form of a square, we found
8 protection rings and a old balance.  We could put the rings on
the balance but in what order?

We first tried to put all the - rings on one side and all the +
rings on the other, the balance was now in the middle but nothing
happened.

It took a while but then Gandalf came with the solution, he said
that if you put a +3 and a +1 and a -2 and another -2 ring on one
side there wouldn't be any weight on that side at all since the
negatives and the positive made 0.

So we tried it on one side (+3,+1,-2,-2), and, yes, the balance
was back in the middle even though the rings were all on one side.
Next we did the other rings (+2,+2,-1,-3) on the other side, just
as Gandalf put the last ring in and the balance hung straight
again we were transported to another room.

As soon as we materialised a Lich appeared, it seemed we found him
at last, the evil Lich we were looking for.  He had a long story
about us stealing his artifacts and that he wouldn't let us, we
didn't waste any time and we attacked him.

All in all the battle was very easy, Acwellan the Lich made a few
images of himself but we quickly took care of them.  In the end it
was Acwellan against the six of us, Nomad yelled 'NOW!' and all
six of us attacked him.  He fell to the ground and at the same
time a person appeared out of nowhere, the person took the Book of
Codex from Acwellan's robe and he vanished.  With his last
strength Acwellan told us that the Dark God shouldn't have the
Book of Codex and that we had to retrieve it from the Dark God.
Just before he died Acwellan got all his power together and he
transported us back to Myth Drannor (part two that is).

The city had suffered a lot from our fight with Acwellan and we
soon discovered that a wall in the north/east corner of city had
collapsed.  We went through it and we came at.......

--------> The temple of Lathander, the temple of light <--------

                   (or at least it used to be)

               --------> The entrance level <--------

From the entrance we headed north until we came to a vandalized
fountain, here we could go west, north or east.  We first headed
east and soon we came to a T-junction, here we headed south and we
came into a room with on the east wall a plaque saying 'War Is
Averted By Forsaking The Sword', and an altar on the west wall.
Nomad put one of his daggers on the altar and we heard a sound in
the distance, we left the room and we headed back to the
T-junction, only to discover that it had now turned into a
crossroad, we decided to head west into this new corridor.

We came out in a room with a statue to the west wall, a golden cup
to the south wall, and four bags of incense on the floor.  We got
the cup and the bags of incense and just as we wanted to leave a
large Living Muck appeared, since we knew that he would swallow
our hand weapons Gothmog quickly cast a fireball towards him, this
took care of it.

We headed back to the crossroads and from there we headed north
into another room with an altar and a plaque.

Before I forget, there seemed to be a constant flow of Living
Mucks and Shades, we of course killed them all, using fireballs
at the Living Mucks, but mentioning them all would be a waste of
time and space.

Anyway, on the plaque it said 'Drought Is Dispelled With A Drink
Of Clear Water', so we put the golden cup on the altar and again
we heard a sound in the distance.  We headed back to the fountain
and from there we headed east to another T-junction, again we
headed south and we came to yet another room with an altar and a
plaque saying 'Famine Is Driven Away By The Generous'.  Again this
was very clear and Isharn put a packet of food on the altar.

We headed back to the T-junction which had turned into a
crossroads and we entered the new opened room to the east, here we
found a fountain piece, a piece of a statue, and a broken statue
on the east wall.

We of course fixed the statue with the piece we found and suddenly
the god Lathander appeared, he told us that he and his fellow good
gods were trying to help us defeat the Dark God.  The more we
fixed the temple the stronger Lathander's power would become and
the more he could help us, as for now, he told us that every time
we touched a statue of him he would bring our health back up to
normal.  We thanked him and we left the room, at the crossroads we
headed north and we came in a room with a plaque saying
'Pestilence Is Subdued With A Waft Of Sweet Air', and a wall
censor on the west wall.  We put a bag of incense in the censor
and some strange spell came over us, we left the room and we went
back to the fountain, we used the piece we found earlier to fix
the fountain and anytime we touched it after that it gave us all
the Prayer spell.

From here we headed north until we came to a crossroads, north led
through a door and to the west and east there was a corridor.  We
decided to leave the door for the moment and first examine the
west corridor.

We entered the corridor and soon we came to a staircase to the
north leading down.  We descended and we came into a room with
seven open crypts, we closed them all and in return we got a holy
symbol, we got the symbol and we headed back up.

We continued east until we came to a small room with a button on
the north wall, we pushed it and a wall in the north/west corner
vanished, we entered here and we found a fire key.

South of this, through a door, we found another staircase, we
descended and we came to a corridor with four pressure pads, two
to the east and two to the west.  At the end of this corridor we
found a small alcove and at the beginning of this corridor we
found a plaque saying 'The Morninglords Shield You From The
Night'.

We put a shield on all four of the pressure pads and in the small
alcove another holy symbol appeared, we got it and we went back up
the stairs.

We headed back to the crossroads (the one with the door leading
north) and we headed east.  Again we came to a staircase to the
north leading down, we descended and we came to a similar room as
the other one full of crypts, but these were all closed.

In the middle of this room we found a female paladin, she was in
very bad shape, she told us that she was trying to save this
temple from evil, we told her that she could rest and that we
would take care of that, she thanked us and then she died.

We also found two wall censors, we filled them with a bag of
incense and another holy symbol appeared, we go the holy symbol
and we left.  Once upstairs we headed east and south, through a
door and down another staircase.

Here we came to a lock for our fire key, we opened it and the two
doors east and west of us opened, in one room we found four
shields and in the other some bags of incense, we got the incense
and we went back to the crossroads.

We opened the door and we entered, not forgetting to close it
behind us to keep any monsters out.

The first thing we saw was a plaque saying 'Surely Goodness Shall
Replace The Evil Which Lurks In Our Midst'.

The corridor we were in was a large one in the shape of a cross,
it was full of Shades and Living Mucks but also we found two
stairs leading down and three altars with a black symbol on them,
and a plaque at each altar, they said 'The Virtuous Light Of Dawn
Drives Back The Night'.  There were also two plaques at each
stair, they said 'Into The Pit Of Despair You Are Cast While The
Curse Of Night Still Lasts'.

We first removed the black symbols and replaced them with the ones
we found.  Next we wanted to descend the stairs but instead of
leading down they now led up, well anyway we took them and we
went....

--------> Up, up, up we go, up another level <--------

We entered in a room with a pillar in the middle, we were attacked
by some Shambling Mounds, they were easy to kill.

When we examine this room we saw that there was a staircase
leading down to the east and west, so it didn't matter which one
we took at the previous level.  There were also two exits, one in
the north and one in the south.

We first went through the north exit but somehow we kept returning
in this room, a good look at our compass gave us the solution, at
the north and south exits there was a turner, when we step on it
it turned us 180 degrees around and since the next room looked the
same as this one we didn't see the difference.

Anyway we headed north, turning 180 on the turning, and we came to
another room with a pillar in the middle, there was also an exit
to the north and four doors, two east and two west.

@~To be concluded next issue








                              - o -