Anvil of Dawn (Part 6)

                       Author unknown

@~Continued from Issue 46

THE IRON TITAN

Quest item:  Invincible Iron

This three level area is one of the most complex of all the
dungeons. It is also full of some nasty monsters and traps.  It's
the first dungeon to have pits, so watch your step. The monsters
here are poisonous, so start using the anti-poison shield when you
enter this joint. This place is really tough to get through and a
nuisance to back out of, so make sure you have all the quest items
you need before trying on this maze. The only things you won't
have by now are the Wood and the Iron for the chest. These you get
here and the next dungeon.

Okay, upon entering you will see a big area to the north with lots
of blocks and four pressure plates.  It's kind of a simple puzzle.
You want to push the blocks next to the plates onto the plates,
which creates teleporters. Then push the remaining blocks into
each of the teleporters and step through. This will take you to
four separate rooms with pressure plates. Push the blocks onto the
plates and take the escape 'porters outta there.  This will open
up some halls around the rest of the first floor.

Before you weigh the blocks down, there will be holes in the floor
that will drop you down below. Unless you want to deal with that,
just push them blocks. The puzzle is simple. To the north and
south of the plates are the blocks you push on them. The other
four blocks go into each of the teleporters that appear. Shove
them on the plates in those rooms.  Straight to the north of the
entrance is a giant head coming out the floor. Talk to him and
hear his story. He needs you to use a magic immersion spell to
free him. But the area he is in is a no magic zone. There is a
switch to the east that will shut it off.  Go into the east hall
and follow it around to the north. On the way you will come across
a pressure plate that opens up a room with two altars in it. To
the west are some chests with goodies and a cube of magic
immersion maker. For some weird reason, if you use the cube
sitting on the floor, another will appear. I always do it just
because it may have some purpose in the game.  Shrink the big
guy's head, then walk past him and head for the stairs.  A lot of
blocks will be in your way. Either push them or destroy them.
After the first block you will find an illusory wall.  It leads to
a room full of stamina potions. You may want to use them to help
you with the blocks, but I never bother.

Now head down to the second floor. First, go north until you have
to turn right past four closed doors. A rolling rock will be in
this area. You will see a south passage near the fourth door. Go
down it.  Put a bag of rocks on the pressure plate, then throw the
switch on the wall.  This will shut off the no magic zone on this
level. Now walk past the plate and take your bag back. Go back to
the south. The hall wraps around and you will see a hole in the
floor. A plate in an alcove closes the hole. Go into the illusory
wall and shrink the giant's torso the way you did before. Now go
back to the hall and keep on going west. It will curve like a
snake. Beware of holes in the floor that open and close and
spinners. On the way you will see a mana altar. Eventually you
will come to a room with a plate in the center and four pebbles on
the floor. Pick up the pebbles.  Step on the plate. A teleporter
will appear. Step into it. Drop a pebble on the plate where you
appeared. Enter the escape 'porter and repeat until you have
visited four separate rooms and weighed down four plates.

Now make your way back to the area to the north east where the
four closed doors were (and the switch). The doors will be open.
The first three have chests. The fourth takes you to a Packrat's
lair. This is the only Packrat I found in the game.

Now you can go to the third level. Pass the shrunken body. You
will enter a room with lightning wild tornadoes and rolling rocks.
Do a Reflections on the Lake spell and find the chest to the
north. The stairs down are in the west. The third and final level
is pretty easy. Explore all the rooms you can until you have five
iron dragon keys. The monsters down here are Swarm Maidens. I
found the Fountain of Scorching Vapors spell kicks their ass.
Usually only one does the trick. You should have got that from the
guy in the waterfall in front of Gorge Keep.

Anyway, after you have all the keys you can unlock the five doors
leading to the exit. On the way you will pass a room with two
altars. Take the stairs up and up.  When you reach the first level
a messenger will attack you. He will drop a Soul Link spell when
you kill him.  Now head out the door and straight for the land
with the hand.

THE QUAGMIRE

Quest Items: The Sword "Soul Wrought", Wood from the Wicked Tree,
The Whistle of Fiery Summons, the Spell of Dance on the Stone of
Winds

This place is pretty cut and dry, I won't even detail it for you.
Basically, you're going to deal with a big, one level maze full of
monsters. There are some important things to do here though, so
pay attention. Turn on all switches you see. They look like wood
knots in sticks embedded in the walls. Keep your eye peeled for
illusory walls. There are lots of them on this level and they hide
a lot of important stuff. The monsters here are poisonous, so keep
using that anti-poison shield.  Near the entrance a messenger
attacks you. He'll drop a Whistle of Fiery Summons. Save it for
later. It's important. Make your way to the North West first. You
will find a lot of Mire Lurks, those green snaky dudes who do bad
Peter Lorre imitations. Here you will find a lot of gold coins.
You'll need them. Trust me.

A big throne area around here has two plates. If you drop a rock
bag on each one a wall opens revealing a chest with a suit of
armor. This armor is inferior to the knight's armor, but it slows
poison. If you have the poison shield, you don't need it. If you
want to look like a lizard man, this armor is for you, though.
North of this area is a hidden room, behind an false wall that
moves when you put a bag of rocks on a plate (behind an illusory
wall).  There are wind chimes in a chest. Get them. Once you clean
out this area, head southeast. You will find some illusory walls
and lots of Murk Elementals. Eventually you will find a talking
sword being held by two magic chains. Put money in the holes to
free it. This is the second best sword in the game and you will
need it. In the west, behind some illusory walls, is a wind
elemental. With the chimes in your possession you can understand
her. She will teach you an important spell you will need in Fire
Mountain. Finally, go to the center where the Wicked Tree is. It's
surrounded by rocks and protected by those Beast of Trung. Use the
yellow sword to chop off a piece of wood. You now have all the
pieces you need to build the dark slag container. Head to the
north east and the exit. You will end up on top of the giant hand.
Use the Whistle of Firey Summons and you will be taken to the Dark
Lord's...I mean the Warlord's tower.

@~The last part of this solution will be in Issue 48




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