Stonekeep (Part 2)

            Walkthrough supplied by Bill Commons

@~Continued from Issue 49

8.> Be expecting snakes (Snakes...why did it have to be snakes?).
Go north, turn west.  Slog west, and take your second turn south.
Go south till you hit your first right turn.  Take it, and slog
west, through probably about a gazillion snakes.  Go one north at
the wall, then keep going west to the wall.  Go north to the wall.
Turn west again.  Go west, and take your first left.  Follow that
to the wall, and turn right.  Follow that passage west, south,
west, south (through a slime) to the wall, then west, and south
again until Drake screams "OW!  My foot!"  He just kicked a
control cylinder.  Grab it.  Go all the way back to the stairs up
and climb back up to the lower ruins of Stonekeep.

You might want to go visit the fountain to heal up now.  Assuming
you do, go north from the fountain to the intersection, then turn
west.  Go to the wall, and turn south.  Go to and through the
door.  Go south to the wall, and turn west.  Walk up to that funny
looking thing in the wall.  Use the cylinder on it.  You've just
opened a few floodgates below, which you needed to do to get the
other cylinder.

Go back to the sewer (SHEESH!) and go as follows:  North, west,
second corridor south, first left, second left (through the now-
open floodgate) and proceed south.  Turn west, go 1 square, head
south.  STOP one square before the south wall (there should be a
passage on your right). Trust me; you do NOT want to go one more
square south.  Just trust me. Go west, north, take your west turn,
to the wall, south to the wall, west one square, and south.
Proceed south.  When you come to the little room, turn right
(west) and deal with the Sharga captain.  He's pretty tough.  Once
you finish him off, go south to the wall.  Turn west, and go that
way. Waste the two Sharga guards, then turn south.  Go to the
wall, turn east. Go to the wall, and turn south.  Right ahead is
the other cylinder.

Okay, now then-head back north, west, north, then turn east.  Walk
down and waste the two Shargas.  Go to the wall, and turn south.
Go to the wall, and turn east again.  Waste the two other Shargas.
Go one square south, then march east fourteen squares.  Turn north
immediately and deal with the Shargas. Then proceed north and take
out the "backup" Sharga.  Keep going north. Then turn west and
start walking.  Wahooka puts in an appearance and asks for three
"heads of men long dead."  Now turn around, and plod back to the
east wall.  Head south all the way to the wall (this'll reset
Wahooka).  Go back north to the wall, and turn west again.  At the
same spot, Wahooka will reappear, demanding his payment.  Give him
three skulls.  He'll give you a triangle key.  If you keep going
west, and climb the stairs, you'll be back in Lower Ruins
o'Stonekeep ... if you performed that "fool's errand" I mentioned
before, this'll be a shortcut.  If you didn't, you'll be on the
wrong side of a locked door.

9.> Follow your map back to the "SECRET PLACE."  Go through the
illusory wall, and go south through the door to the south wall.
Turn west, then go south along the passage three squares.  Turn
right, and there should be another of those cylinder thingies.
Put your second cylinder in it; this will drain the sewers (and
make a certain beast a LOT less difficult to deal with).  Now
trudge all the way back to the entrance to the sewers you just
came through (I know the other way's shorter, but saving Sewer
trip time is certainly better than saving Lower Ruins trip time).
Head back east, then north, then east to the wall, then south to
the wall, then west five squares. You should hear some wind.  Turn
north and walk through the secret passage. There's a chest here.
Use the triangle key on it.  You'll find a firedagger, oil bombs,
and a rune scroll.  Inscribe this new rune (a shrink rune) over
your cure rune.

Okay, here we go ... head west to the wall, north one square, west
to the wall, north two squares, west two squares, north to the
wall, east one square, north through the floodgate to the wall,
east one square, north one square, east to the wall, south one
square, east to the wall. Clever adventurers will remember this is
where I told you NOT to take that one step south.  Guess what.
Get your runecaster up and ready, then take that one step south.
Turn left IMMEDIATELY, and fire the shrink rune at that ... thing.
I even think that's what it's called.  A "thing."  Well, that'll
chop it down to size slightly.  Do NOT attempt to engage it in
hand-to-tentacle.  Keep your distance and fire power-enhanced
(with that meta rune) firebolts at it.  Eventually, it'll keel
over.  When it does, it drops a dragon statuette.  Grab that.

Now head back to where you first saw the Thing, walk to the east
wall, turn south, and take your first left.  Walk through the
secret passage in front of you.  Follow it down; you'll wind up at
a stairwell eventually.  Take it up to yet another part of the
lower ruins.  After all that, a locked door.  Fortunately, FARLI
has the key (gee, it's a good thing you rescued him, isn't it?)
He'll open it and you just bravely march on through.  Head south
to the wall, and follow the passage to the east.  Turn south at
the wall, and go to the south wall.  Turn west and march two
squares west.  Turn north and put the dragon statuette on the
altar.  It opens a passage to the south.  Go south through the
passage, and you'll be transported to Level 4:  The Sharga Mines.
Yeah. This has been the EASY part so far.

10.> Now that you're on Level 4, keep this in mind: Not ALL the
Shargas on this level are to be slaughtered.  Matter of fact,
there's some downright good ones on this level.  Go west.  Do NOT
attack the wasp; it's just checking you out.  You don't attack it,
and the swarm of 100 wasps doesn't attack you.  Get the picture?
Good.  Now turn north to the wall, west to the wall, north again,
turn east and walk one square.  Kill the Shargas.  Check the
rubble to find a Silence Rune (very useful, all things
considered).

All right, now head back west to the wall, south three steps, west
three steps (kill the Sharga if you want, or if he charges you),
then south to the wall, west to the wall, and south to the wall
again.  Turn east.  See that fungus thingy?  If you take a step
closer to it, it'll sound an alarm that summons some Sharga
guards.  If you don't think this is a big deal, go ahead and walk
up to it.  Otherwise, blast it with Firebolts.  Walk to where it
was, and turn south.  Go two steps, and check the west wall. Press
the button, and turn around.  In the room that opens, you'll find
a Mana Circle and a "Lesser Aerial Magick" rune.  Go back to where
you saw the toadstool.  You might want to mark "GO BACK HERE" on
your map; I'll be referring to this point again.

Now head west, north, east, north to the wall-this puts you in
line with another of those toadstools.  Waste it and the Shargas.
Then follow the passage around until you meet the two Shargas -
kill them, and head north, then east one square, north again
(you'll note once you get to a certain point, the ceiling
collapses behind you.  No problem.  Whack away at it with a weapon
to clear it away) to the wall, west to the wall, south to the
wall, east one square, south (waste the two MORE Shargas...these
guys are everywhere) to the wall, one square west, south to the
wall, east to the wall, south to the wall, one square west, south
through the door to the wall, east (take out the Shargas) to the
wall, north one square, east to the wall, south to the wall, west
two squares, north one square-open the chest and take the money
bag and two coins.  Go west (kill the three Shargas) to the wall.
Go north, east, north (kill the exploding fungus), west one
square, north to the wall, west one square, north (do NOT attack
the wasp nest) to the wall, east (kill the exploding fungus) to
the wall, north to the door.  Push the button on the west wall to
unlock the door.  Go through & kill the Sharga.  Now go north one
square, mark this spot with a "DOOR DOWN" on your map, and turn
west.  Go through the door.  Go west to the wall, then due south.
Ignore the first right for the time being ... you'll be back soon
enough.  Walk south to the wall, then west one square, south one
square. Go west, and take your first left.

Go south (kill the Shargas and smash through the cave-in) to the
wall.  Turn west & walk to the wall (kill the Sharga).  Mark this
spot with an "X" on your map.  Now go north, then turn west.
Waste the Sharga guards, then go west into the room.  Pick
everything up, including (important) the skull key.  Now walk back
to that turn I told you to ignore before.  Go down that western
passage and free the dwarf with the skull key.  This is Karzak
Hardstone.  He's in bad shape-heal him up before you go any
further, and arm him ... he's a tough bastard.  He joins your
party immediately.

11.> Now walk back to the "X" on your map.  Go to the southern
turn, and walk south to the wall.  Turn west, and go through the
door.  Go north one square, west to the wall, north one square,
west to the wall (kill the fungus thing), and north to the ladder.
Follow the passage to the end. Pick up the runescepter and the two
rune scrolls ... one is a Cure (which you already have) and the
other is a Language rune.  Inscribe the Language rune and the
Silence rune on the new Runescepter.  Walk back and climb up the
ladder.

Now then ... go back to the spot you marked as "GO BACK HERE." Now
head west to the wall, north to the wall, east to the wall, two
steps north, three steps east, south to the wall, east to the
wall, south to the wall, west to the wall, south to the wall, east
one step, south to the wall, and one step west.  Note the bolt on
the floor.  Pick it up.

Hear that giggling sound?  RUN west to the wall.  Smash the
barrel.  Push the button.  Whip around, and head back to steps
east, then turn north and obliterate the Sharga sniper.  Take his
crossbow and bolts.  Head back west to the wall, go one south,
then head west through the door, and take your second turn north.
Walk north to the wall.

Now listen up VERY closely.  Do NOT smash skeletons or anything
around here. Do not do ANYTHING to make ANY noise.  You're close
to the Ettin, and you do NOT want to wake him up, because he's
invulnerable.  GOT IT?  Good. Walk due east to the wall.  Turn
south.  Use the silence rune on the barrel in the middle.  Smash
the nearest barrel.  Now step up to the chest.  Open it up to find
gems, a Throg gate key, and Aquila's Orb.  Now turn north.  Walk
one pace north.  Turn west.  Follow it west to the wall.  You've
got orb #2, but there's still some stuff to do on this level.

12.> Walk back to the spot marked "DOOR DOWN" on your map.  Go
through the door to the north to find the passage down to the
lower Sharga Mines.  As soon as you walk through the door, you'll
be attacked - waste the Sharga.  Go north to the wall, then east
to the wall.  Turn north and waste the Sharga. Then go east to the
wall, south one square, east to the wall, north to the wall, east
to the wall, north one square, east to the wall, south to the
wall, east to the wall, north to the wall, east to the wall, north
through the door, then north to the wall (kill the fungi), west
one square (smash the bones to find red mushrooms), then west one
more square, north one square, west two squares (kill the patrol),
north one square, west two squares, north to the wall, turn east
and kill the patrol.

Walk east to the wall, north one square, east one square, and look
through the crack in the wall, to get an interesting thought ...
the Shargas are getting beaten by the Throgs and won't fight back.
Hmmm.  Now go west 1, south 1, west 1, south to the wall, west to
the wall, north to the wall, west to the wall, north 1, west to
the door (check the bone pile to the north for more red
mushrooms), through the door and west to the wall, turn north and
whack the snake, go 1 north, west to the wall (smash through the
cave-in and kill the snake), north 1 square, 1 west, turn north
and grab the balista bolt, then turn back west, go 1 west, then
south to the wall, 1 west (smash the cave-in and whack the snake),
then west to the wall, north to the wall, west to the wall, south
through the door, west to the wall, north to the wall, then turn
west and walk up to the Sharga.

13.> Do NOT kill the Sharga.  Just wait.  You'll strike up a
conversation with him.  Follow him.  He'll open a secret door.
Kill the snake beyond, then follow him again ... "home."  Do NOT
attack any Shargas along the way; they won't bother you.  Talk to
Skrag.  He recharges your runecasters.  Go past him into the
alcove.  Smash the barrel.  Push the button.  Go into the room
that opens up, and open the chest.  Get the rune scroll, at least;
it's another meta rune - which enhances the potency of spells.
Very nice!

Now go back to where Skrag was, go one north, west to the wall,
south one, west four, and turn north.  See the little Sharga?  For
some reason, the other guys here don't mind when this guy gets it,
so walk up to him.  He'll tell you not to open the door.  Open the
door anyway.  See the BIG Sharga? Well, whack the little guy
anyway.  (This is only for humor value). Go walk up to the big
Sharga and kill him.  Take his six coins, blue and green gems, and
check the barrels - you'll find some more red mushrooms in one.
Go back into the east-west corridor and keep going west.  Go
north, west to the wall, north, west to the wall, north to the
wall, and west to the door.  Use the key you got from the Ettin's
chest on this one, and go through ... into the Throg Temple, also
known as Level 5.  Fun, fun, fun!

14.> Level 5.  Another guy to rescue, another orb to get.  Sigh.
Okay, head south and waste the fungus.  When you get to the wall,
go west three, and turn south.  Go through the door.  Wahooka
shows up.  Hand him any item except an orb.  Offer him another
item (anything but an orb).  Now hand him any weapon or armor item
(one of those eighty billion Sharga swords you have by now will
do).  He'll give you some not-so-free advice.  Go back to the
corridor.  Go west to the wall, north one square, west to the
wall, and north to the wall.  Turn right and smash the two
barrels.  You'll find a dead Dwarf, and a short conversation.
Then pick up his stuff - a blue gem, battle axe, armor ring (equip
Drake with this) and two scrolls.

Turn around, walk west to the wall, south four squares, west to
the wall.  Now you're in a little trapped maze, so follow this:
Turn north & walk to the wall, turn west & walk two squares, turn
south & walk four squares, turn west & walk two squares, turn
north & walk two squares, turn west & walk to the wall, turn south
& walk one square, then turn west out of the maze. Follow the
passage west to the little room.  Search the refuse for Dombur's
Helm.  Exit back to the east and take your first left.  Walk north
to the wall.  Turn west & walk all the way to the wall (ignore
everything unless it attacks you).  Now turn south, go through the
door, and down into the Temple of Throggi (note: there's one rune
I'm skipping in this walkthrough, but you've already got it <the
"feather fall">, also because you'd have to kill THREE of those
tentacle...things you met in the sewers.  Not fun.)

15.> Head south.  Three Throgs are wandering around the passage.
Kill 'em all as you get to the wall, then turn west to the wall,
then south 12 squares, then east.  Ignore the southern passage for
now.  Time to go get another rune; walk east & take your first
left.  Walk north to the wall, west to the wall, north to the
wall, east and take your first left.  Decimate the Throg & pick up
the dowel he drops.  Now go back south, west to the wall, south
two squares, and east one square.  Don't open the door yet; turn
to face the north wall & find the hole.  Put the wooden dowel in
it; then go in.  You'll find super heal roots & a "flame column"
rune scroll. Now exit the room, walk west back to the corridor,
and south to the wall, east one square, south four squares, then
turn east & walk to the wall. Turn north and walk to the wall.
Then turn east again.  Some Throgs will ALMOST attack you, but
then run off ... waiting in ambush.  Big plan.  Anyway, keep going
east; when they attack you, take 'em out.

Take your second left and walk north.  Watch out for the two tough
Throgs that come at you. After getting by their little alcove,
take your first right.  Go through the door & waste the bodyguard.
Now exit back to the north-south passage and continue north four
squares.  Turn east, go through the door & waste the second
bodyguard.  Now exit back to the north-south corridor again and go
two squares south.  Turn east & go through the door.  Walk all the
way into the room, then IMMEDIATELY get in the sub-shaman's face
and waste him.  Don't let him get time to start casting spells!
Pick up his dagger, and check the rubble to find a shield scroll.

Now exit back to the corridor; walk north to the wall, then turn
east & go through the door.  Follow the twisting little room in,
and, once again, get RIGHT IN THE GUY'S FACE.  This is the head
honcho shaman, and he is NOT nice.  Kill him and pickup his
pendant and runecaster (yep, now you've got 3 of 'em).  Check the
rubble piles to find an Energy Bolt rune scroll.  Now exit back to
the corridor and head south.  Stop one square before you reach the
south wall; note the BIG Throg standing around the corner?  I
suggest you get ready; he's tough. Take the south step, turn
quick, and go in, all guns blazing (so to speak). (He, by the way,
was summoned when you walked into the sub-shaman's room, but if
you hadn't done that, you'd have to deal with both the shaman AND
the sub-shaman at the same time!) Once he's dead, head west and
take your first right.

@~More in Issue 51
                              - o -