Stonekeep (Part 5) Walkthrough supplied by Bill Commons @~Continued from Issue 52 26.> Welcome to the Gate of the Ancients. Guess what! There are NO monsters on this level at ALL! So put all your weapons away. Really. I'm not kidding. There ARE, however, some of the most ridiculous puzzles in the game on this level. There is also Safrinni's Orb, the last and most powerful runecaster, and...well, you'll find out. Occasionally, you'll see signs. Click the "Look" icon on 'em. If Enigma says "Sorry, I can't read it," it's meaningless - don't waste a Language rune on it. Exceptions will be noted (if there are any). And yes, you'll finally get to use that Duck Rune. Here we go. Note that a lot of this is unnecessary, but helpful (gets you some very useful armor & stuff) North to wall. West, take right, mark spot as "BACK 1," north, take first left, 1 square west. Look north, push button. 1 west, 1 south, push button, 1 north, 2 west, 1 north, pull handle down. Mark spot as "TELEPORT SWITCHER." Return to "BACK 1." West to wall, north 1, west 4, south to bodies. Punch bodies, take arrows. North 2, east 2, south to campfire, use icebolt on fire. Take scare rune scroll. North, take 1st left, west to wall, north to wall, west 1, north to wall, east 1, north to wall, east 1, north to body. Punch body, take stone, Poison Resist Ring, Throg Shaman feathers. South to wall, east, take next left, north 4, west through door. Take Life Restore potion, Vampyre Rune Scroll. East to wall, north to wall, 1 west, 1 north, west to wall, 1 north, west to wall, south 2, west 1, south 6 onto the clickplate. North 1, turn east. Note portcullis timing. Run through when all the way open (timing is crucial, else SPEAR TIME). Take Life Restore Potion and Dagger Of Penetration. Time exit west to wall. Walk through west wall (illusion), then 1 more west. 1 north to recharge runecasters. 1 south, 1 west. Cast Feather Fall (Lesser Aerial Magic) on party. South (jump into pit). Take super heal potion. South to wall, west to wall, north to wall, east to wall, south 1, east 1, south 1, mark spot as "BACK 2," east to ladder, climb ladder. East 3, south & jump in pit. 4 West, 1 North, 3 West, 1 south. Face east wall, push button. Face west wall, push button. North 1, west 1. Push button to restore Vitality. East 1, south 2, east 1. Push button to heal party. West to ladder, climb up. South 2, east 2, south 2, west 2 - jump in pit. 1 east. Face north. Push button. East 1, read sign on North wall. East through door. Take wolf key. West through door, then 2 west, north through door. Search & take Poison Resist Ring. South through door and through south door as well. Take Magic Shield. North back through door (all three now lock!), north 1, west 2, north to wall, then 1 more through 1-way door. 1 West, climb ladder. Return to spot marked "TELEPORT SWITCHER." 27.> Push handle up. Follow annoying pit route back to "BACK 2." East to ladder, climb ladder. East to wall, north 1, east to wall, south & jump in pit. South to wall, west 1, south 2, west 1, south 2, east to wall, south 3, check corpse for warhammer, helm, chain shirt, chain skirt, heal potion. East 1, 2 south, 5 west. Mark spot as "BACK 3." South through 1-way door. Go to ladder & climb it. West to wall, south & jump in pit. East to wall, south 2, west to wall, south 1, west 2, face north. Use Fairy Duck Rune on Duck statue. North through passage that opens - take Horn of Fear, magic quiver for arrows, life restore potion, Ring of Ducking, Language & Sphere Rune scrolls, and two message scrolls. South to wall. West to wall, north to ladder. Climb ladder. West to wall, south to wall, east to wall, 1 south, east ... time portcullis again (careful!) and go through (but not through second portcullis). North to wall; push button. Portculli shut off. South 3, east to wall, 1 north, 1 east, 1 north, push button. South 1, west 1, south 1, west 3, north 2, east 1, north 1, east 1, north 1, east 1, north through door (unlocks it) then north to wall, west 2, north 2, east 1, north 2, east 1, north 3, west 2, north to wall, east to door. Unlock door with wolf key. East 2, north 2, east 1, north to campfire - use icebolt & take Eagle Key. South to wall, west 1, south 2, east 1, south to wall, east to wall, north 2, east & pick up hammer, chain shirt, chain skirt, Dwarf helm, and message scroll. West, south to wall, west to wall, north to wall, west to wall, south 2, west to wall, north & take first right, east to wall, south to sign. Read it. Joy. 4 North, 2 west, 1 north, 1 west, 1 north, 2 west, 6 north, east to wall, north 1, east to door. Unlock it with Eagle Key, continue east to wall, south 1, east to wall, south to wall, east 1, south ... another timed portcullis ... to wall, east 1. Pick up Orb Key ("very sturdy key") and Stoptrack Rune. 28.> West 1, north to wall (through portcullis again), west 1, north to wall, west to wall, north 1, west through door to wall, south 1, west to wall, south 3, west through illusionary wall to real wall, south and jump in pit. Walk to spot marked "BACK 2," east to ladder, climb ladder. East 3, north to wall, west 1. DEACTIVATE Featherfall rune, if still in effect (cast Spoilspell on party to do so) and jump in pit. You take damage, but a door opens to the north. Go north 2, west 1 to recharge runecasters. East 1, north 2, east 1 and pick up Safrinni's Orb. Examine signs on walls using Language rune. Scourge, huh? Hmmm. You'll meet HIM on the next level ... heh heh heh. Now go back to the square where you picked up the orb. Turn to face west. Click the new orb on Drake. As soon as you reach the top of the pit, step forward. North 1, west to wall, south through 1-way door to wall, west to wall, south 3, west through illusionary wall to real wall, south & jump in pit (no need for Feather Fall any more; the Orb does it for you!) Walk to spot marked "BACK 2," east to ladder, climb ladder. East 3, north 1, east 2, south to pit and jump in. Walk to spot marked "BACK 3." West to wall, face south. Click Safrinni's Orb on Drake. When you reach the top walk forward through illusionary wall. East 1, north 2, west 1, north 6 (clickplate does nothing), east 1 (take ancient, magical armor helm breastplate, leggings). West 1, north to door. Use orb key (sturdy key) to unlock it. Go through ... but do NOT step into that gate thing yet. East 1 through illusionary wall, north 1, west 1 through illusionary wall, north through door. Pick up silver runestaff, three super heal potions. South 1, east 1 through illusionary wall, south 1, west through illusionary wall, face north ... and step through the Gate to the Palace Of Shadows. See, that wasn't so hard, now was it? Yeah, right. Oh yeah ... and NOW, you're in trouble. Yes, we've only got two "levels" to go. No, it's not going to be easy ... at ALL! 29.> A word about the Palace of Shadows ... it's divided in halves, east and west. Creatures in the western half are "real," while creatures in the eastern half will be shadowy reflections of their opposites. Therefore, watch out on BOTH sides. Okay. Ready? Good. Walk all the way north to the north wall; notice the walls start closing behind you. Hope you're not claustrophobic. Walk all the way to the north wall, then go one step east. You'll get a warning from Thera. Take one more step east, turn north, and walk through the illusory wall. Take the four heal potions. Go back south 1, then west 4, turn north, and go through another illusory wall for more heal potions. Arm as many party members as you can with Daggers of Penetration. Take 1 step south, 2 west, 1 south. Walls close behind you, and a couple floating skulls come after you. Kill 'em if you want, but if you wait too long, more show up ... and these are NOT nice creatures. Use magic at long range and the Daggers of Penetration (or a magic throwing axe) for up-close & personal combat. Head 2 south, then 1 east. Look around for a Yin symbol on the wall. Take it. Now go 1 west, 2 south, 1 east, 4 south. Turn and face the dark mirror on the wall. You can step through it to teleport, but you'll lose some Strength temporarily (so don't OVER use it!). Step through it now. Go north 4 (watch out for Shadowskulls that may be flying around here), east 1, north 2, west 1. Look for the Yang symbol. Place the Yin symbol on it. That opens up two secret doorways. Go west to the wall, then head south. Actually, heal your party a bit first ... once you get to a certain square, the Shadowking shows up and blasts the hell out of you for about 60-80 points of damage. OW! Fortunately enough, he only does this once. Walk down south again so you have a short passage off to your left. Turn right and push the button to open the passage's other end. Do not go through; continue south to the wall, east 1, south to the wall, west 2, south 1. Note the REALLY big orb. This is Marif's Orb. Use the Shrink rune on it to get it to a size you can manage, then take it. Walk south to the wall, then east over to the Dwarf. It's Farli! He's back! YAY! (I think). Once he joins the party, walk west & take your right. North 2, east 1. Look around for a button. Push it, then go east to the wall, south three. Turn to face the Dark Mirror and smash the hell out of it FAST (it'll start throwing Firebolts if you wait too long). Then grab a shard of the mirror and go north 3, west four, look for a button, and push it. Then go west to the wall, north 1, west to the wall, and south to take on the lesser and greater skeletons. Now, as SOON as one collapses, grab either his sword, helm, or skull IMMEDIATELY, or he'll re-form and attack again! Do this with both of 'em. Nasty, huh? Take one step west, go south and take your first left. Take one step (and ONLY one step) east. Wahooka, after all this time, shows up again-and this time, he joins your party. 30.> Take one step west. Go south through the door to the wall. Go east three squares, and north 1. Open the chest to find a heal potion and super heal potion. East to the wall, south two squares (through the one-way passageway). Go west through the door. Kill off the skeletons (remember the trick), then go west all the way through the second door and to the wall, then south to the chest to find another heal, super heal, and poison cure potion. Ready a weapon. Turn around and walk 2 east (through the illusory wall). You'll be attacked by a couple floating skulls. Kill 'em off, then go east 7 squares, turn south, and walk through the illusory wall. Pick up the thing on the floor; part of the Shadow Weapon. VERY cool ... but only part of it. Now walk two north, 1 east, 1 south, 1 east. Prepare for battle again, then walk through the dark mirror. You'll be beset by a set of Shadow Skulls. After they're toast, take two steps east through (yep, you guessed it) another illusory wall. Take one step south. Before you do the next thing, check your stats to determine what your best weapon skill is. Then put the part you just found onto the base - the top will morph from weapon to weapon ... sword, hammer, dagger, ax, spear ... every few seconds. When it becomes the one you're best at, GRAB IT! You now have the most powerful weapon in the game. Feel safe? No? Good. Go north 1, west 2 to the mirror, through the mirror, one more west, north 1, west all the way to and through the illusionary wall, then north 1, east through the door, further east through the door and to the wall, then south through the door and waste the two skeletons. South to the wall, west 1, south 1, west to and through the door, west through the second door, north two (watch for floating skulls), west 2, north through the door, north through the second door, north through another door, kill the floating skulls, north more (check the chest to the east for more super heal potions) to the next door, through that and north MORE through the next door, to the wall. Then east to the wall, north 2, east through two doors, waste the small skeletons, then through the door-and to the wall. You're back almost where you started. Now for some real fun ... Mark this spot as "X." 31.> South to the wall. East 1, south 4, west 1. North 2 through illusionary wall, west 2 through illusionary wall, 2 south. You're teleported. Kill skeleton, then touch the green thing in the wall to heal you and Farli (the others'll have to suffer, I guess). Now go north through the one-way passage, then follow it north all the way back to the spot marked "X." Go south to the wall, east 1, south 4, east through the mirror. North to the wall, east 1, north 2, west 3, south to the wall, east 1, south 2, west 2, south 2, west 3, north 1, west to the wall, south 8, 1 west, south and take your left. Get that shadow-weapon ready NOW! March on down the hallway east to meet ... Scourge. Three floating skulls ... may not seem like much. Yeah, right. Each skull can do a different kind of damage, and only the Shadow-Weapon can hurt him so BASH HIM. This is a good place to save the game, by the way ... he's tough! Once you manage to defeat him, walk north to the wall, east to the wall, and south 2. Turn east & step through the dark mirror to teleport to the other side of the palace. Go south to the wall, then east to the wall. Push the button. Go 4 north, then through the now-open door. You're back in the Temple of Throggi! Why? You'll see. Grab the heal roots & scarf 'em. Then stand in the square where you found the heal roots for at least 10 seconds. Turn left twice, then turn right four times. The whole party is poisoned with an unusual sort of poison ... as in, it actually heals 3 points of damage up to your maximum every 15 seconds for the next 90 minutes! Nice, huh? Now go back through the dark mirror, and west to the wall, then 2 south, and 1 east. A little conversation will come up. Use the Dark mirror shard on Drake to reveal a skull door. Open it, then climb the stairs ... and welcome to the tower of the Shadowking. Oh boy, are YOU in trouble now ... 32.> Walk up to the Gatekeeper Gargoyle. He asks you two questions ... "Do you want to enter the Shadows?" Answer "NO" by pressing the Red button. (Would you really WANT to enter the Shadows? I don't think so ...) Then he'll ask "Do you NEED to enter the Shadows?" Answer "YES" by pressing the green button. If you whine because you're colorblind, the triangle is YES and the square is NO. Set up one runecaster with the Shield rune, as well as a x3 Power Metarune on it. You'll be needing it. 2 steps north, east through the door to the wall. Open the panel. A puzzle. Joy. Now, the solution you could get by freeing the ensorcelled Dwarves on the basement level, but hey, if you wanted to do that, you wouldn't have bothered with this walkthrough. So here's the solution...there's a grid of 16 tiles in the puzzle. Click on the ones marked "X" below: x x o o x x x o o x x x x x o o Now go west 4, north 2, west through the door. Note the floating spikers that attack you. Kill 'em with a piercing weapon, but watch out! They explode (jump back!). Continue west to the wall, north to the wall, east to the wall, north to the wall, 1 more north (illusory wall), 1 east, north through another illusory wall to the wall. Turn east and walk up to the portcullis. There's a button on the north wall. Push it to open the portcullis. Take one step east and kill the floating spiker that comes through the illusory wall. Now then...read the next section VERY CAREFULLY! Back west, where you have to go, is a nearly invincible giant spiker, who can turn your whole party to mincemeat, no matter how well armored you are. So, here's how to deal with him. And don't screw this up! Turn around and march west to the spiker's location. He'll start coming after you. Back up rapidly away from it (still facing it) until you get to the square beyond the portcullis. Turn right and back up three squares. Wait for the spiker to come into the room. When it's right in the same square as you are, turn left or right twice quickly (so you're now facing south). The spiker should spin with you. Back up three steps rapidly, turn left, back up one space, turn left again and whack that button! The portcullis will close, and if you did it fast enough, the spiker will be trapped behind it. Nice! NOW, march west down the corridor to the wall, go 1 south, then 1 west through the illusory wall. Pick up the silver ankh you find on the ground. Now go east through the wall again, to the real wall, north 1, east 5, south 5 (through another illusory wall), west 1, south 1 through the illusory wall and south 2 more, then west to the wall, south 2, east 6 (through the door), south 2, west 2 through the door, kill the floating skull, and continue west to the other door. Open it to go to the second floor of the tower. 33.> Use that Shield rune (w/Power x3 and Ball enhancements). Arm up a cutting weapon. Go 2 east, 1 south, then head east down the corridor. Note the fire elemental. If you didn't put that Shield rune up, you're toast. Literally. But with it, you'll kick butt. Do so. Take your second left (should be where the elemental appeared). North 6, east 2, kill elemental. East to wall, south 1 to teleport. Ignore the scroll on the ground unless you want to read a silly inside joke from the designers. Go 1 north, then east to the wall (kill the elemental). When you get to the wall, take 1 step north. Set up a "Circle" Rune here. Wait; notice the energy bolt slamming into the wall? Hmmm. Time for some timing. Wait until one slams in, then RUN north to the wall immediately after it hits. Now go 2 east, and 1 south. Once again, wait until an energy bolt flies past (NOT when it hits) and QUICKLY go 1 south, 2 east, 1 south. PHEW. Grab the silver crescent. Now you've gotta go back! You can repeat this process in reverse to get out, or, if you took my advice, just cast the return rune to warp back to the spot just south of the energybolts. Anyway, once you get to that spot, go 1 south, east to the wall, south 1 through the teleporter. Go 1 north, west to the wall, south to the wall, east to the wall, north 1, east 1, north 1, east 1, north to the ankh on the wall. Step into the wall to teleport (you need that silver ankh from the first floor for it to work). Go 2 west, north to the wall (kill the elementals...you ARE checking that Shield rune occasionally, right?), east 1, north 1, east 1, north 1, east to the wall, south to the wall, west 1, south through the door and to the wall, west 1 and pick up the silver cross, then east 1, north through the door and to the wall, east 1, north 4 squares, west through the door to teleport again. Walk east through the door & kill the elemental, then east to the wall, south to the wall, west 1. Face the south wall and step through it to teleport to the third floor of the Shadowking's tower. 34.> Fire up that Shield rune again ... or else! Go south 1, west all the way to the wall, north 2, turn east & kill the elemental, north to the wall, and pick up the silver circle. Go east to the wall, south 3, east 3, north to the wall, west 1. Welcome to Hell. Go 2 squares north, then I suggest you retreat one square - there's 4 elementals in that hall, and they'll hit you from both sides! Sure hope you got that shield active! Anyway, once they're all dead, go north to the wall, west to the wall, north 2, and then east 2. Note the flashing icons. Ready? Step on through to the top floor of the Tower of the Shadowking. Go east to the wall, south to the wall, 1 west, 1 south, 1 west, then north 1 through a 1-way door. Go north 1, east 1, north 2, west 1. Enigma mentions this must be the room where the Gods were trapped. Hmmmm ... the Shadowking is a god, isn't he? Hmmmm. Take ONE more step forward (west). Note the four sunken pillars (one's in front of you) surrounding a center square. If you step onto that center square, the Shadowking will appear and blow you to hell, so DO NOT DO THAT! Instead, put one of your silver items down on the sunken pillar in front of you. It'll rise up from the floor. Now go 2 east, 2 south, west 1, south 1, west 2, north 2. Place a second silver item on the sunken pillar in front of you. Go south two, west 2, north 1, west 1, north 2, east 2. Place the third silver item on the sunken pillar in front of you. Now go west 2, north 3, east three through the one-way door. Save your game!! Take two steps south. Take a deep breath, and READ THIS NEXT SEGMENT CAREFULLY FIRST! 35.> Take one more step south into that square. The Shadowking appears, along with Thera's Orb and Kor-soggoth's Orb. He goes through his little spiel, then tells you to take the last 2 orbs. Do so. He then tries to cast a spell on you. It won't work. He THEN tells you to give him the orbs. Yeah, right. Take one step backwards, IMMEDIATELY open your inventory, grab the last silver item and put it on the last sunken pedestal in front of you. It rises up, and the Shadowking is trapped! You can grab his Orb if you want, it doesn't matter. Go south to the flashing silver icons on the wall. Step through the wall; all your buddies disappear, and you're alone in the temple of Thera. Note the pillars. One should be glowing. This is the last puzzle. Place the orbs on the pedestal in the proper order. The orbs correspond to the planets of the solar system and their relative distance to the sun is the order to place them in. For those of you who are confused, or just plain don't remember Astronomy 101, follow this: Place each orb in order on the GLOWING pillar. As you place an orb, another pillar starts glowing to let you know that's the next one to place an orb on. The correct order of orbs is: Helion (Mercury), Aquila (Venus), Thera (Earth), Azrael (Mars), Marif (Jupiter), Afri (Saturn), Safrinni (Uranus). The last two (since their orbits alternately are closer to the sun) can be in either order - Yoth-Soggoth (Neptune) or Kor-Soggoth (Pluto). Once all nine are placed, the game goes into endgame sequence and you've won. GAME OVER, MAN!!! - o -