Chapter 3 - The Fifth Crusade

Chapter 3 - The Fifth Crusade

In this chapter, you will unlock the full Crusade management mode. Before the end of the chapter, you will want to raise all four Crusade stats to 5 for a trophy.

The Final Sunset of Winter

Galfrey will come and offer you her congratulations.

She tells you that Drezen was taken more quickly than she anticipated, that losses among the troops were tolerable and that morale is high. She gives you a gift as a token of her gratitude: a Cloak of Resistance +3 and a Ring of Protection +4.

Romancing Galfrey
Lèse-majesté be damned! Select "A ring?...".

You will unlock the Queen's Gratitude trophy at this point. Before she departs, you can discuss a couple of matters with her. She surmises that the appearance of Areelu means that she has taken an interest in you. As for Darrazand, he is one of Deskari's generals. After she leaves, Irabeth gives you a report about the state of the various forces at play and gives you a paper with the most pressing problems: demons with special powers, a secret path, a missing patrol and a DRAGON.

Question her about these to initiate Know Thy Enemy, Attack out of Nowhere, The Final Sunset of Winter and The Dragon Hunt and have Wintersun added to your world map. Finally, she will ask you what is to be done with Staunton's body.

It is up to you whether you give him the dignity in death that he didn't have in life. If you are a Lich, you can make use of him. Before she leaves, she will mention her failure before the battle for Drezen, initiating Battered Spirit.

Aivu (Azata only)

If you chose the Azata path, Aivu will make herself known to you.

After exploring her conversation options, the Commander's Court will be added to the world map, initiating Above the Clouds.

Drezen - Citadel

Turn round and go inside the Citadel. A Paladin named Ciar Cobolen of the Everbright Crusaders will make himself known to you.

You will be able to speak to him in Drezen later. Click on the table to manage crusade affairs. There will be a couple of events for you to decide and you should issue decrees to establish the four councils so that you can start ranking up.

If you somehow managed to obtain the Phylactery of Stevanius the Rotten and/or the Unholy Symbol of Rovagug during Chapter 2, you may want to issue the related decrees sooner rather than later. You can turn both into extremely powerful items.

You will also want to do some building. I constructed a Main Stables, an Engineers Workshop and Teleportation Circle in Drezen and Barracks and Archery Ranges in the four outposts at Keeper's Canyon, Hamlet of Sork, Vilareth's Ford and Gargoyle Canyon. You'll probably have to dip into your own finances a little - get used to it! Note that you already have a Smithy, Arsenal, Main Archery Range, Main Barracks and Supply Center in Drezen.

Speak to Anevia and ask whether she's figured out how the demons have been sneaking up on the crusade forces. She tells you that her only lead is some scouts who never returned from some gorges to the southwest, unlocking the Lost Scouts decree. Speak to Irabeth. Don't return her sword until you get a better one (Evil Outsider Bane is a pretty decent property). However, when you do, you will receive 700 XP and 50,000G. Ask about what happened before the attack on Drezen. She admits that she acted shamefully and says that she should be relieved of her position, stripped of her knighthood and sent to serve in the Condemned.

Make one of the speech checks to restore some of her resolve. If you go to the crusade management screen, you will find a new decree: Orders to Irabeth.

Drezen - Streets

Go outside and select the streets so that you can check out the new vendors available to you: Arcane Weaver, Jewelry Trader, Blacksmith and an Exotic Weapons Provider. The latter has some tempting items if you have taken an exotic weapon proficiency. You will also find Wilcer Garms plying his trade and he has a Bag of Holding which is worth the 25000G asking price. The Gloves of Dueling sold by the Arcane Weaver are excellent for any character with weapon training and the Gloves of the Ambassador are one of very few items that boosts the Knowledge (World) skill.

If you go to the Temple, you will find Arsinoe whom you may remember from Kingmaker.

He has taken over from Kyado and carries the same stock with a few additions. If you merged spellbooks and can now cast Legendary Proportions, you may want to stock up on Dinosaur Bones. You will also find Arueshalae nearby if you want to find out more about her.

Romancing Arueshalae
Be careful when asking a "personal question". If you pursue the "small price to pay" thread, you can kill any romance if you make the wrong choices.

Go into the temple and read The Acts of Iomedae which you will find in one of the back rooms for a small boost.

There are more merchants in the northeast of the city. One-Eyed Devil carries some non-unique items. The Gold Golem in the Jewelry Artisan sells a few tiaras, amulets and rings. You will find Nenio on the second floor of the Inn. She wants to test the effects of alcohol on herself.

Give her a bottle from your inventory for a few XP. Leave the Inn and continue north to the Half-Measure Tavern. Speak to Fye the Tavern Keeper who gives you 15,000G for defeating the demon in the tavern during the liberation of Drezen.

Buy the Mulled Wine recipe from him. You may want to buy the Goggles of Malocchio for Lann or Arueshalae if you can afford them - a +10 bonus to Perception is massive. Speak to Greybor in the corner and tell him that you want to hire him for a dragon hunt.

Pay him the 2500G asking price to have Greybor join your party and have the Grimwood added to your world map.

New Companion: Greybor

Race		Dwarf
Classes		Slayer
Attributes		STR: 16, DEX: 16, CON: 14, INT: 13, WIS: 12, CHA: 10
Skills		Athletics, Mobility, Stealth, Perception
Alignment		Neutral
Lvl	Class	Level-up Bonuses
1	Slayer	Studied Target; Two-Weapon Fighting
2	Slayer	Two-Weapon Style - Double Slice
3	Slayer	Sneak Attack 1d6; Weapon Focus - Dwarven Waraxe
4	Slayer	Talent - Weakening Wound; Strength +1
5	Slayer	Studied Target +2; Accomplished Sneak Attacker
6	Slayer	Sneak Attack +1d6; Two-Weapon Style - Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
7	Slayer	Studied Target (Swift); Hammer the Gap
8	Slayer	Talent - Slow Reactions; Strength +1
9	Slayer	Sneak Attack +1d6; Power Attack

When you're ready, head to the gates and leave Drezen.

Around Drezen

You may want to create a second army and start leveling up a second general. Your forces probably still aren't powerful enough to take on the 7-strength armies but you should be able to wipe out the other forces to the north and west of Drezen before starting to eliminate the forces to the south of Drezen, clearing the way to Wintersun. This should net you the following:

• Loot: Unavoidable Drill light pick, Chainmail of Dragonfly, Bracers of Heavy Hand
• Forts: Sorcerer's Forge and Gloomy Gorge in Lake Lost to the Sun, Stone Maze in the Wintersun Lands
• Relics: Altar of the First Retriever and Faultless Daybreak.

While you're waiting for your council decrees to complete, head west from Drezen. A location called Ashen Grotto should appear on your map (requires Perception 30), although there's no direct route there. Continue west to the Temple of the Good Hunt.

Temple of the Good Hunt

There's nothing much to see outside the temple so go inside. You will find Kyado here, who has taken over as prior. If you make a Perception (20) check, you will spot a hidden switch on the altar.

Don't activate it for the moment. Disarm a trap across the doorway and go into the storeroom on the right and open a locked (27) crate to find a Belt of Incredible Dexterity +4.

While you're here, grab the Elven Notes from a table and some Magic Essence from another crate.

Go across to the other side. You will have to remove another trap from the storeroom on the left. Grab the Ultimate Predator kneepads from a locked (28) crate.

Search another locked (20) crate to find a page titled Specimen 367 "Finnean Dismar" - Test Report 1. Return to the main temple area and activate the switch on the altar to open a secret passage leading underground. Kyado begs you not to touch the door.

Ask about the concealed door and make an Intimidate (30) check (or use the Angel Mythic Path option) and Kyado will come clean: the crypt is being used by a witch named Zanedra and some cultist associates. She placed a particularly unpleasant curse on him that will kill him if anyone else goes down there. Ask him for the key and you have various options to persuade him to give it to you or, if you are a Trickster or Angel, persuade him to grow a pair.

Don't go down to the crypt for the time being unless you want poor Kyado to be eaten from the inside out. You'll be back here later so return to the world map.

Before leaving, cast long-lasting Resist Fire (Communal) or Protection from Fire (Communal) if you can.

If you head north and then east, you can reach Ashen Grotto which is challenging but manageable. On the way, you may have a brief encounter with the dragon you've been hearing about.

Devarra - 1st encounter

Most importantly, spread out. Devarra will breathe fire and fly away on her next turn.

Start making your way back to Drezen. Your first batch of decrees should complete at which point you will want to switch to the Crusade management screen and begin the Lost Scouts and Orders to Irabeth decrees.

Back in Drezen

You will have a number of event cards awaiting you when you return to the Citadel. First off, Captain Seilkind, the commander of a mercenary group called the Blackstone Company, makes himself known to you.

Next up, Arueshalae comes to discuss the demons with mysterious abilities that you've been encountering.

She tells you that she knows someone who can lead you to the source of their power, a hag named Jaruunicka who can be found in Greengates, initiating A Demon's Heresy. After Arue leaves, Grandma Gretlen comes to see you.

This time, you have to decide how your entry into Drezen is depicted. Finally, you will have to make your first batch of council decisions.

Head out onto the streets. You will find Seilkind outside the barracks. Exhaust his conversation options about his enthusiasm for Sarkorian culture and offer to help with his search to initiate Missing Scouts and have the Old Sarkorian Mines added to your map.

Afterwards, return to the world map.

Romancing Arueshalae
Add Arueshale to your party before going to Wintersun.

If you're following the Azata path, you may want to check out the Commander's Court. When you're ready to proceed, start making your way south from Drezen, turning west when you reach Lost Chapel.

Crescent of the Abyss

As you travel on the world map, you will come across some Baphomet cultists in the process of murdering a crusader. One of them says that "the Crescent of the Abyss must be informed" before fleeing, leaving you to fight the rest. They're somewhat tough so use crowd control on them. The cultists drop +1 items and the bodies lying around yield minor loot.

After the previous encounter, you will have another encounter as you get near Wintersun. Disable a series of four traps and make your way to an altar where you will find some cultists about to sacrifice a crusader. Woljif appears to be overseeing the ceremony and lies that you are fellow Baphomet-enthusiasts.

Play along and the cultists will put their knives away. Do not attack them and things will remain friendly. You can speak to Deval whom the cultists were about to sacrifice if you like and you can question the cultist leader as well. Speak to Woljif who apologises for his cowardice in fleeing the camp. He tells you how he ended up the mascot for a group of demons worshippers and that he is being pursued by a demon named Voetiel who is after the Moon of the Abyss. Agree to help him deal with Voetiel to have the Scrubland by a Bend in the River location added to your map. Afterwards, Woljif sends the cultists there, spinning a story to convince them to spare Deval temporarily. At this point, you can add Woljif to your party again or send him back to Drezen.

Berenguer (Angel-only)

You may meet a paladin named Berenguer who appears to be a dab hand at slaughtering demons.

He won't join you at this time. You will find a Longspear +4 on one of the slain demons. You will also find a Page from a Crusader's Diary which explains why Berenguer wasn't willing to join you.

Turn south at the crossroads and look for the Shrine of Sacrilege which requires a Perception (30) check. There's a tough boss fight here, but the boss drops a powerful weapon and you will find artifact components here along with a set of puzzle tiles.

Backtrack to the Lost Chapel and head south. You will need your army to have captured the Stone Maze outpost before you can go any further. When you are able to do so, continue south to Wintersun.

Wintersun

You enter the area by the missing scouts' camp. A Knowledge: World (19) check reveals that they left of their own accord. You can make a Kowledge: Arcane (19) check as well. Head west along the course of the stream and follow the path as it turns north. Cut your way through three Ferocious Smilodons and examine a dead horse (Lore: Nature 21) for a few XP.

Look for a standing stone (1/9) a short distance further north and examine it to pick up a hint that something valuable may be hidden in the village: "So that young ears may heed old wisdom, we hide it, scattered among many caches...".

There are a total of 9 standing stones throughout the area. The rest of them require Knowledge (World) checks to decipher and some of the checks are moderately challenging for this stage of the game. Nenio shouldn't have much trouble but you may want to quicksave before interacting with them.

Start making your way west again and you will come across a dead bear. Make a Lore: Nature (22) check to note that it was killed by ice magic. You will be attacked by a Blighted Treant a short distance further along. Be careful of its tainted sap which can cause ability damage when using natural attacks. After dealing with it, use the stepping stones to make your way across a pool. There is a shrine in the centre and, on the other side, the remains of the missing crusaders, impaled on spikes.

Continue down the path towards the mysterious village. When you reach a fork, take the path leading southeast where you will be attacked by a group of Babau demons and a Kalavakus. After eliminating them, look for a locked (25) chest by a standing stone containing the Sequence of Murder orc double axe.

Examine the standing stone itself (2/9): "...do not forget to look at what is in front of you".

If you follow the path downwards (east) you will find a stone circle with a sacrificial altar.

You can loot the Brazen Whip from the body. However, this causes a powerful spectre to spawn (and continue to spawn) so you may want to hold off for the time being.

Spectre

General
Level	17 Druid 8 Undead	Alignment	Neutral Evil
HP	305	Size	Medium
Speed	60'	Initiative	11
Attributes	STR: 10, DEX: 24, CON: 10, INT: 22, WIS: 28, CHA: 23
Effects and Conditions
Seamantle, Foresight, Freedom of Movement, Barkskin, True Seeing
Defence
AC	30	Fortitude	+18
Flat-Footed	23	Reflex	+16
Touch	25	Will	+25
Immunities
Mind-affecting, Poison, Sleep, Movement Impairing Energy: Negative, Fire Effects and Conditions: Slow, Sickened, Nauseated, Fatigued, Exhausted, Prone
Offence
Reach	2'	Melee	Touch
Attack	+26	Damage	1 - 8 negative energy
CMB	25	CMD	43

The Spectre will kick things off with something like Sickening Entanglement, Volcanic Storm or Sirocco. On subsequent rounds it will use its level draining touch so you will want your frontliners to be protected with Death Ward. The Spectre will spawn six more times at locations throughout the map. The XP reward is given when you finally defeat it once and for all. It is very tough right now, given that you have to fight it repeatedly, so you may want to return the Brazen Whip to its spot for the time being. You will be back here at the end of the chapter and you will be much stronger then.

Follow the path round and kill two Ferocious Smilodons before going into the cave.

Endangered Species
Examine the nest by the cave entrance.

Wintersun (Eastern Cave)

When you enter, you will find Morveg (whom you may remember was accompanying Ciar).

He tells you that this is the location of a temple of Gorum and that there is a powerful weapon here, the Fang of Malice. He also tells you that there is a powerful demon ahead that is stopping him from looking for it. Agree to help him out to initiate Vengeance of Sarkoris.

Look for a standing stone (3/9) in the southwest corner of the cave: "If you read all the admonitions - seek the reward in the heart of stone".

Follow the tunnels round to find the demon that Morveg was looking for.

Derakni Devastator

General
Level	14 Outsider 5 Bloodrager	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	325	Size	Large
Speed	50'	Initiative	12
Attributes	STR: 30, DEX: 27, CON: 30, INT: 9, WIS: 17, CHA: 16
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack, See Invisibility, Aspect of the Smilodon, Mage Armor, Bear's Endurance
Defence
AC	38	Fortitude	+18
Flat-Footed	29	Reflex	+18
Touch	18	Will	+15
29 Spell resistance DR 15 / Good
Energy Resistance
10 Acid, 10 Cold, 30 Fire
Immunities
Poison Energy: Electricity
Offence
Reach	6'	Melee	Bite
Attack	+25	Damage	22 - 27 Slashing / Piercing / Crushing
Reach	6'	Melee	Claw
Attack	+24 / +24	Damage	22 - 25 Slashing / Crushing
Reach	6'	Melee	Sting
Attack	+25	Damage	22 - 28 Piercing
CMB	30	CMD	48

The Derakni Devastator is a powerful attacker so you will want to use Evil Eye both to reduce its AB and to lower its rather high AC. It will spend its first turn casting Cloudkill which should be a turn wasted. When it's dead, loot an Amulet of Mighty Fists +1 from its remains.

Morveg tells you to follow him into the shrine. Before doing so, search a nearby chest for the Elemental Imbuement robe.

Afterwards, head through to the Shrine of Gorum.

Wintersun (Shrine of Gorum)

Examine the stone at the entrance which points out the rule of the shrine: two enter, one leaves. Go inside where you will find Morveg, a little larger than the last time you saw him.

He believes that the sword will make him invincible. Prove him wrong.

Morveg

General
Level	20 Warpriest	Alignment	Chaotic Neutral
HP	310	Size	Huge
Speed	20'	Initiative	3
Attributes	STR: 28, DEX: 17, CON: 29, INT: 10, WIS: 10, CHA: 14
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack, Bull's Strength, Bear's Endurance, Cat's Grace, Rage, Transformation, Freedom of Movement, Divine Power, Legendary Proportions
Defence
AC	32	Fortitude	+26
Flat-Footed	30	Reflex	+11
Touch	19	Will	+15
DR 15 / Adamantine
Immunities
Poison, death, movement impairing
Offence
Reach	9'	Melee	Fang of Malice
Attack	+31 / +31 / +26 / +21 / +16	Damage	45 - 55 Slashing
CMB	31	CMD	52

If he gets a full round of attacks to connect, he can cause some serious damage. As always, defang him with Evil Eye and Protective Luck. Despite his size, he can be tripped as well.

When you defeat him, he tells you to give the sword to the priests who will point you to the other Fangs. Just before he dies, he gives you his talisman to give to Ciar back in Drezen. Loot his remains for the Fang of Malice, a suit of Full Plate +2, a Belt of Giant Strength +2, an Amulet of Natural Armor +2 and a Ring of Protection +2. Search a nearby container for the Monster Casserole recipe.

Open the locked (DC 30) chest on the right of the room to find the Warden of Darkness tower shield.

Finally, make a Perception (28) check on the shield above the altar to find a Belt of Mighty Constitution +4.

Leave the caves and backtrack to the village. Make your way back to where the path forked and head west. You will fight a total of three Ancient Blighted Quickwoods which are quite tough and which can cause Fear. If you go all the way west towards the area exit, you will be attacked by a party of Sarkorian Outcasts (Barbarians, Rangers, a Slayer and a Druid). They are tough and the Rangers in particular can knock a party member out rapidly with Instant Enemy. The outcasts drop minor magic items and the Druid drops the Illustrious Sweep sickle. There is a locked (DC 26) chest next to the area exit which contains a suit of Studded Armor of Trinity.

Examine the nearby standing stone (4/9): "The power of the forest is in a hundred trees...".

Backtrack a little and take the path leading north. You will spot a bear observing you from a ridge, initiating Deep-Rooted Derangement. Continue along the path and you will be attacked by two Ferocious Smilodons, a Greater Dire Boar and a Greater Dire Bear. Turn left when you reach the marshy area and deal with a pair of Ferocious Smilodons and five Greater Dire Boars. Look for a hillock near the northwest corner of the area and examine the standing stone (5/9) on top: "Honor the old...".

Cut your way through more hostile animals until you reach a cave entrance.

Wintersun (Western Cave)

Go inside and don't disturb the sleeping smilodons. Keep an eye out for a loot pile containing Roan's Letter which makes for interesting reading.

Head deeper into the cave and make a Perception (27) check to spot a cache with a Cloak of Resistance +4.

Deeper still and look for something you can interact with to find a pair of Veteran Marksman's Bracers.

Finally, you will meet Soana, a shaman.

She tells you that Orso will make you pay for every animal you've killed. You can exhaust her conversation options if you like, but you won't get much out of her.

Back outside the cave, you will meet Orso who looks a little worse for wear. You have to fight him.

Orso

General
Level	17 Magical Beast	Alignment	Neutral
HP	264	Size	Large
Speed	40'	Initiative	8
Attributes	STR: 30, DEX: 18, CON: 29, INT: 18, WIS: 16, CHA: 14
Effects and Conditions
Fast Healing 10
Defence
AC	26	Fortitude	+21
Flat-Footed	22	Reflex	+14
Touch	13	Will	+10
22 Spell resistance DR 5/-
Energy Resistance
15 Fire, 15 Cold
Immunities
Poison Effects and Conditions: Petrified
Offence
Reach	2'	Melee	Bite
Attack	+26	Damage	11 - 16 Slashing / Piercing / Crushing
Reach	2'	Melee	Claw
Attack	+27 / +27	Damage	11 - 14 Slashing / Crushing
CMB	28	CMD	43

When you defeat him, Orso will try to communicate with you.

Make a Perception (25) check and you will observe that Orso bears a brand with the same design as Soana's medallion. Make the Lore (Nature) 27 check and you will realise that Orso is not really an animal. You can kill him or, if you prefer, you can show mercy to the bear which will allow you to do something about its plight.

Go back inside the cave and speak to Soana again. She tells you that the abyssal spirit she placed inside Orso is protecting the forest from further demonic corruption. You can question her further if you like but at some point, you have to make a decision: either kill the old woman (Lawful or Evil) or leave things as they are (Chaotic). If you decide to end matters, you can loot the Broken Shaman's Medallion from her remains.

Return to the village and look for a path sloping upwards to the north. Kill two Blighted Treants as the path climbs and continue to the top where you will find an insane half-elf.

Ask who she is to initiate The Price of Knowledge. You can't do anything for her right now so search behind the tree to find a hidden (DC 20) and locked (DC 25) cache containing a Ring of Protection +3.

Go back down the path and continue north across the rocks. Before going further, equip Alchemist's Fire and buff up significantly. Continue forward to find a group of Babau demons fighting an Ancient Blighted Treant.

Ancient Blighted Treant

General
Level	27 Plant	Alignment	Neutral Evil
HP	446	Size	Huge
Speed	30'	Initiative	9
Attributes	STR: 50, DEX: 20, CON: 33, INT: 24, WIS: 28, CHA: 25
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack, Regeneration 20 (fire)
Defence
AC	35	Fortitude	+26
Flat-Footed	30	Reflex	+16
Touch	11	Will	+20
30 Spell resistance DR 20 / Good and slashing
Immunities
Mind-Affecting, Poison Energy: Electricity, Cold Effects and Conditions: Baleful Polymorph, Paralyzed, Sleep, Stunned
Vulnerabilities
Fire
Offence
Reach	9'	Melee	Slam
Attack	+34 / +34	Damage	35 - 38 Crushing
CMB	42	CMD	53

Take advantage of the Babaus and let them take the Treant's initial attacks. Hit it with Alchemist's Fire to eliminate its regeneration. It has the Overrun ability and if it tramples your frontliners and gets to your casters, you may have to reload. Use summoned skeletons to give it more bodies to waste its attacks on and get frontliners armed with slashing weapons and protected with Displacement and Protective Luck to focus it down. When it's dead, mop up any surviving Babaus, including the bunch that arrive after combat starts, and loot an Amulet of Mighty Fists +2 from its remains.

After defeating it, look out for a standing stone (6/9): "Wisdom cannot be etched in stone...".

If you go all the way to the edge of the map, you will find a body with a suit of Padded Armor of Refined Maneuver.

You've explored the map, so make your way to the southeastern corner and deal with a pair of Morbid Gibrileths. When they're dead, examine the standing stone (7/9) between the huts: "He who is not curious will never know what it is to be truly alive".

Wintersun (Village)

Head up the slope to the gate where you will find a pair of guards standing outside the gate to the village.

They challenge your presence here but before matters descend into violence, a voice from a statue urges calm and invites you into the village. Afterwards, the guards run to investigate a commotion coming from within the village. Follow them inside and make your way round until you find some demons toying with the villagers.

It seems that the villagers are unable to see the demons for what they are. The village chief arrives to see what is going on.

Darrazand leaves after uttering some threats. Marhevok tells you that you are free to look around the village and asks you to visit him in the clan hall. Follow him up the slope and a woman named Gesmerha will address you.

Introduce yourself as the Knight Commander of the crusaders.

Question her to learn more about her and what's going on in the village. She has a feeling that there's something wrong but doesn't know what. She tells you to investigate the rune stones that should have warned of the presence of any demons, initiating Unsounded Alarm.

There are a total of three rune stones in the village, requiring Knowledge: World (27) checks.

The stones are fake. There is also a smashed stone that you can find.

While you're exploring the village, look out for a hidden (DC 25) cache in the northwest corner where you will find the Reeking Heart of the Arcane rapier.

There are also two standing stones to search out. Head up a slope in the south of the village to find the first (8/9): "Wind uproots a single tree, but dies down in a thicket...".

The second (9/9) is between two huts in the northwest of the village: "Rely on your own strength, on your cunning...".

Return to Gesmerha and tell her that the stones were broken and replaced. She tells you to confront Marhevok and hope that he remains loyal to the clan.

Wintersun (Clan Hall)

Buff up before going inside. You want Protection from Cold (Communal) or Resist Cold at the very least. Some Sarkorian Rangers will bring Gesmerha before Marhevok, telling him that they have found the "traitor".

Tell Marhevok to stay his hand. Mention the fake stones and the rangers will leave to investigate, making the fight against Marhevok slightly easier.

Marhevok

General
Level	19 Bloodrager	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	219	Size	Large
Speed	40'	Initiative	10
Attributes	STR: 28, DEX: 22, CON: 18, INT: 8, WIS: 12, CHA: 14
Effects and Conditions
Rapid Shot, Power Attack, Shield, Cat's Grace, False Life (Greater), Heroism, Stoneskin, See Invisibility, Resist Fire, Resist Cold, Bear's Endurance, Barkskin, Shield of Faith, Mirror Image, Blur, Bloodrage, Indomitable Will, Demonic Aura
Defence
AC	29	Fortitude	+21
Flat-Footed	24	Reflex	+16
Touch	12	Will	+14
DR 10 / Adamantine
Energy Resistance
Acid 10, Fire 30, Cold 30
Immunities
Poison, death Spell immunity: Magic Missile Effects and Conditions: Petrified
Offence
Reach	34'	Melee	Frost Embrace
Attack	+26 / +26 / +21 / +16 / +11	Damage	15 - 25 Slashing + 1d6 cold
Reach	34'	Melee	Fixed Obsession
Attack	+26 / +21 / +16	Damage	14 - 19 Slashing
CMB	30	CMD	41

Beverach

General
Level	18 Dragon	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	261	Size	Small
Speed	90'	Initiative	7
Attributes	STR: 31, DEX: 16, CON: 25, INT: 16, WIS: 19, CHA: 16
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack, Resist Fire, Mage Armor
Defence
AC	41	Fortitude	+18
Flat-Footed	36	Reflex	+17
Touch	15	Will	+17
26 Spell resistance
Energy Resistance
Fire 30
Immunities
Energy: Cold Effects and Conditions:Sleep, Paralyzed, Prone
Offence
Reach	2'	Melee	Bite
Attack	+23 / +23	Damage	23 - 28 Slashing / Piercing / Crushing
Reach	2'	Melee	Claw
Attack	+23 / +23	Damage	23 - 30 Slashing / Crushing
Reach	2'	Melee	Wing
Attack	+18 / +18	Damage	18 - 21 Crushing
Reach	2'	Melee	Tail
Attack	+18	Damage	18 - 23 Crushing
CMB	24	CMD	42

Marhevok is armed with twin throwing axes. Lower his AB and get Protective Luck on whomever he targets. He will get Mirror Image up again when you get rid of it. His pet dragon is formidable as well and its ice breath can make your life difficult. I disabled the dragon with Overwhelming Grief (after lowering its saves) so I could concentrate on Marhevok. The two Kalavakus demons are no more than annoyances.

After you've defeated them, Marhevok runs into the room at the back. Loot Beverach's remains for a Ring of Protection +1 and an Amulet of Mighty Fists +2. Follow Marhevok and open the locked (DC 23) chest in his bedroom to find Bracers of Dominance.

Afterwards, head down the secret passage at the back of the hall. Make your way to the end where you will find a dying Marhevok by a statue. He drops a skull which rolls towards you, giving you a Bone Key that you will need later.

The Bone Key is required to progress the game. However, the game does not prevent you from selling it or dropping it. If you accidentally do this on a random encounter map, your playthrough will be ruined.

He babbles nonsense about the key and a castle in the clouds before the "Lady of the Sun" (or rather a demon named Jerribeth) reveals herself.

She tells you that she has planted the delusion in the villagers' minds that make them see demons as human and mortals as demons. She offers you a deal: she will change the delusion so that the villagers believe that the demons have been driven back. They will no longer see mortals as demonic and murder everyone that finds the village. Wintersun will become neutral territory for mortals and demons.

If you agree to her proposal to make Wintersun a neutral zone, you can buy goods from an Incubus vendor in the village.

Before she leaves, she asks you to let her take Marhevok with her to the Ivory Sanctum (the "castle in the clouds" that he was talking about). This will help you somewhat down the line so you may want to agree. Afterwards, loot the throwing axes that Marhevok leaves behind.

On your way out of the Clan Hall, speak to Gesmerha. If you didn't agree to Jerribeth's offer, she gives you the Ward Master's Amulet.

You can also shop with her if you like.

If you examined all nine standing stones, you can claim your reward before returning to Drezen. You will find the Heart of the Stone a short distance to the southeast of the island.

Search it to obtain the Back Rank Assistance amulet, a Ricocheting Heavy Crossbow and a Rune-covered Ancient Leather Scrap.

The leather scrap is part of an artifact that Storyteller will be able to restore much later.

Romancing Arueshalae
Make camp somewhere in Wintersun. After resting, Arue will want to talk about Marhevok. Agree that what happened was a tragedy. Arueshalae worries that she is trapped in a similar illusion.

Laugh and ask who you are if the whole crusade is an illusion. Gently touch her hand and reassure her that you're real. She says that she doesn't want to imagine a world where that is not so. Ask whether she was talking about love and point out that the difference between her and Marhevok was that he knew he was living in an illusionary world while she knows that she is living in the real one. Finally, tell her that she should spend more time with her friends.

Reinvigorate the Land (Azata-only)

If you are following the Azata path, you will find a tree that you can restore near the southeastern exit.

This is just a little bit of flavour but you can keep an eye out for other locations.

Leave Wintersun and return to the world map.

Finnean Encounter

This will be a random encounter on the world map. A Baphomet cultist demands the return of "Specimen Three-Six-Seven".

After you've wiped the floor with them, talk to Finnean and ask about the "Bladesmith" that the cultists were referring to.

He tells you that the Bladesmith can be found in Iz and asks you to take him with you when you go there. His enhancement increases to +3 and he gains the Heartseeker property.

Back in Drezen (2)

Select the Citadel initially since you should have an event waiting for you, Anevia Wants to Talk. She tells you that she has some concerning information for you: Sosiel is acquiring a troublesome gambling habit, initiating Night Gamblers.

Afterwards, speak to Irabeth and tell her that the missing patrol were killed by the deluded villagers at Wintersun to close off the quest.

Early Sunset (Azata-only)

If you are following the Azata path, an otherworldly visitor named Early Sunset will make himself known to you.

He suggests that his advice can help you avoid any potential missteps.

Leave the Citadel and head out onto the Streets.

Night Gamblers

When it's nighttime, make your way to the graveyard in the southwest of the town where you will find Sosiel playing cards with the soldiers.

Deal with the matter as you see fit.

If you're not using it, you may want to sell the Fang of Malice to one of the merchants. Afterwards, break the news of Morveg's death to Ciar.

He will want to destroy the Fang of Malice. If you sold it before speaking to him, you can tell him in all honesty that you don't have it.

A Demon's Heresy

Ascension
The Lost Scouts decree should complete around now, adding the Molten Scar location to your world map and freeing up Logistics. Begin work on the Studying the Sword of Valor decree.

Crinukh

When you have a day-or-so to spare, you might pay Crinukh a visit in his Inconspicuous Camp. He will give you some intercepted correspondence unlocking the Disclosing the Letters Obtained from Crinukh decree.

Afterwards, suggest that he move to Drezen and you won't have to come out here again. You will find Crinukh near where Camellia hangs out.

Scrubland By a Bend in the River

Bring Seelah, Woljuf and Arueshalae with you when you return to the world map and head northwest from Drezen to the location marked on your map.

You will find the cultists gathered together with Voetiel, the demon pursuing Woljif.

The cultists are unwilling to fight a demon given that they're demon worshippers after all. Before battle commences, Deval (the person you did not allow to be killed earlier) appears and assassinates the cultist leader, leaving you to deal with Voetiel and the remainder of the cultists.

Voetiel

General
Level	15 Outsider	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	233	Size	Huge
Speed	40'	Initiative	0
Attributes	STR: 31, DEX: 11, CON: 31, INT: 16, WIS: 16, CHA: 20
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack, True Seeing
Defence
AC	28	Fortitude	+15
Flat-Footed	28	Reflex	+9
Touch	8	Will	+12
27 Spell resistance DR 10 / Good
Energy Resistance
10 Acid, 10 Cold, 30 Fire
Immunities
Poison Energy: Electricity
Offence
Reach	9'	Melee	Pincers
Attack	+19 / +19	Damage	20 - 34 Crushing
Reach	9'	Melee	Claw
Attack	+19 / +19	Damage	19 - 22 Slashing / Crushing
Reach	9'	Melee	Bite
Attack	+19	Damage	19 - 26 Slashing / Piercing / Crushing
CMB	27	CMD	35

By this point, you have fought much tougher enemies than this. Concentrate your attacks on Voetiel because the rest of the cultists will flee when you defeat him.

Afterwards, you can question Woljif about his connection to the demons.

He speculates that his grandfather is the demon Ygefeles that Voetiel was talking about. Tell Woljif that he can stay and he'll ask to talk to you in private back in Drezen. Finally, he suggests that you might get a little "thanks' from Deval. Tell Deval that you can't survive on thanks alone and he will give you the Steady Finger ring. Before he takes his leave, he tells you that you should look him up since the Gwenviars are always in need of good men which rubs Woljif up the wrong way. At this point, you can support Woljif or admonish his churlishness.

Before returning to the world map, grab the Belt of Demonic Shadow from the cultist leader's remains.

Don't sell this belt. It will help you against an optional superboss later.

Back on the world map, you can head south and east towards Greengates. Note that your army must have captured the Gloomy Gorge outpost and you must follow a careful route east as shown in the screenshot below.

Alternatively, you can teleport to Drezen and take a route west and south from Lost Chapel. Either way, your next destination is Greengates.

Greengates

Arueshalae will mention "the hag" when you enter the area.

She tells you that there is a relic of Desna in the fortress, the Bell of Mercy, which will prevent Jaruunicka from escaping but which needs to be repaired first. Head north through the open doorway and remove the trap from the hallway. Go left and kill a large group of demons: a Derakni Devastator, two Kalavakuses, a Vrock and a Babau Warrior. When the demons are dead, search the ground to find Aroden's Wrath which will go nicely on Seelah.

An urn on the top wall contains a bar of Cold Iron.

Go through the doorway on the right. The hallway beyond contains a number of traps so send your Trickery specialist ahead to disable them.

Ignore the room to the north for the moment. Instead, go to the end of the passageway and search a hidden (DC 20) stash to find the Bell of Mercy Clapper.

Don't attempt the Mobility check because it brings you out on top of a fireball trap. Instead, go south and follow the passage round up some stairs to a room with more enemies (two Deraknis, two Voracious Rift Dragons and a Kalavakus). When they're dead, search containers for minor loot and the Wind Master Helmet.

Go down the stairs on the other side of the room and disable the trap at the bottom. You will emerge by the entrance to the Belfry.

Go inside and search the body on the floor to find the Demon's Terror flail. The locked (DC 20) container next to it contains Boots of Free Rein.

Afterwards, repair the bell which confers the Good Hope effect on the party.

Back outside, make a Mobility (26) check to use the shortcut back to the main part of the fortress. The room to the north contains more demons (a Glabrezu, a Kalavakus and two Gibrileths) along with a Retriever. Buff up and when you're ready, go through the doorway on the left to face Jaruunicka.

Jaruunicka

General
Level	11 Bloodrager 7 Monstrous Humanoid	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	218	Size	Large
Speed	50'	Initiative	7
Attributes	STR: 28, DEX: 16, CON: 20, INT: 11, WIS: 14, CHA: 14
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack, Mage Armor, False Life, Bloodrage, Fast Healing 5
Defence
AC	25	Fortitude	+16
Flat-Footed	22	Reflex	+11
Touch	11	Will	+13
28 Spell resistance DR 2 / - DR 5 / Bludgeoning
Immunities
Poison Effects and Conditions: Petrified
Offence
Reach	6'	Melee	Quarterstaff +4
Attack	+28 / +23 / +18 / +13	Damage	36 - 41 Crushing
CMB	28	CMD	39

Jaruunicka is able to put out some heavy damage if she focuses her attacks on a single party member, so defang her with Evil Eye. She will use Displacement to make herself harder to hit.

When you defeat her, she will change her tune.

Arueshalae demands that she reveals what she knows about the demons with strange powers. Jaruunicka will try to turn you against Arueshalae who admits that she knew where the demons were coming from all along but needed help in dealing with the hag sent to hunt her down. Don't allow Arueshalae to kill Jaruunicka right away because you can ask her various questions for bonus XP. When she offers to tell you a story, she's playing for time so that she can escape. However, she is not able to so you can take your time. When she fails to escape, allow Arueshalae to deal with her. Afterwards, Arueshalae will mark the location of the Ivory Sanctum on your map.

Explore Arue's other conversation options to learn more about her past. When you're done and all is forgiven, return to the place where you fought Jaruunicka and look for a chest containing the Crippling Kiss estoc and a Quiver of Cursed Thorns.

Loot Jaruunicka's remains for a Quarterstaff +4 and an Amulet of Circulating Blood.

Go through the doorway to the south to explore the remainder of the fortress. You will find an Old Sarkorian Diary in a Burned Binding at the foot of the stairs. Be careful because the stairs themselves are trapped. There is a locked (DC 22) chest at the top containing a Belt of Physical Perfection +2.

Reinvigorate the Land (Azata-only)
You can make the tower a little more pleasant if you like.

Endangered Species
Examine the nearby nest.

Leave via the exit in Jaruunicka's lair. Back on the world map, go south and south again to Molten Scar.

Molten Scar

Head deeper into the cave to see a Vrock sorceress transforming a prisoner into a monster. Start making your way around the path and kill the five Vrock demons in your way. Continue down to meet Vorimeraak, the Vrock sorceress.

Hey, I Know You!
Resolve matters peacefully with Vorimeraak.

Ask who she is and what she is doing to learn that she is creating demon armies at the behest of someone named Xanthir. Flatter her (Bluff 18) and tell her that Xanthir sent you to relieve her (Bluff 27) to get her to leave. After she's gone, you will have to fight a Vrock Pillager and when it is dead, you can grab the Page Smeared with Blood and Soot that Vorimeraak left on the ground.

Loot the remains of the Vrock Pillager to find a Ring of Protection +1 and an Amulet of Mighty Fists +1.

Reinvigorate the Land (Azata-only)
If you are following the Azata path, a group of halfling warriors will kill the Vrock Pillager for you and you will be able to make a garden grow in the cavern.

Make a Perception (25) check to spot a body in a cage carrying a pair of Gloves of Arcane Eradication and a vial of Magic Essence.

Speak to the crusaders in the cages. Seelah will recognise her old friend, Jannah Aldori. Exhaust Wollard's conversation options to learn more about the rituals that the demons performed on them. Afterwards, you can send them somewhere where they can be taken care of. Alternatively, if you are an Aeon, you can undo the ritual.

Next, speak to Jannah. You will have to decide what to do with her.

In case it's not obvious, the [Attack] option is very bad since you will end up fighting Seelah. There's nothing more to be done here so leave by the nearby exit and fast travel to Drezen.

Back in Drezen (3)

In the Citadel, you may have a visitor.

Velg tells you that he has located a settlement of the Blackwater Clan who were working on a secret weapon to fight the demons. Agree to look into it to initiate The Last Gift of a Brilliant Mind.

You may also have a visit from Daeran who wishes to make a donation.

If Daeran is well disposed towards you, he will give you the Ring of Procrastinator, a Wand of Cure Critical Wounds and two scrolls of Resurrection. If he is less well disposed, you will receive a Wand of Pox Pustules and a Wand of Ray of Sickening which aren't exactly earth shattering.

If you have the Last of the Sarkorians DLC, Ulbrig will visit you around this time and tell you that you're going back to Currantglen.

Agree to visit Currantglen to initiate Call of Stone. Do not rush to complete this since the quest has extreme difficulty spikes that you won't be able to overcome at this point.

Thaberdine

You will receive a less welcome visitor around the same time, a drunkard who introduces himself as Thaberdine Quintissimus Hierophantel and claims to be the heir to the throne of Iz and Sarkoris.

He is, of course, an impostor and If your mythic path is not Trickster, your only option is to have him thrown out.

Speak to Irabeth and tell her that you found out how the demons were sneaking up on you to bring the quest to a conclusion.

Head out onto the streets and look for Woljif. He tells you that his "shadow" has started talking to him since he started carrying the Moon of the Abyss. He has also noticed his magical power growing.

Your response here has consequences, either encouraging Woljif to embrace his demonic heritage or favour his human ancestry.

The Dragon Hunt

Return to the world map and swap someone out for Greybor if he is not a regular member of you party.

South and West of Drezen

Have your main army take the Treasonhome Outpost in the Gray Road and start clearing armies around the Ivory Sanctum.

When you get your Military stat up to rank 3, a 7-strength demon army will be sent to lay siege to Drezen. Make sure that you head it off. If you haven't cleared them already, your army should be strong enough to take out the remaining 7-strength armies to the east of Drezen and south of Primitive Altar.

• Loot: Magician's Ring
• Relics: Broken Phylactery of Stevanius the Rotten
• Outposts: Treasonhome

Head west past the Temple of the Good Hunt. As you continue further west, you will almost certainly have another encounter with Devarra. Again, spread out to avoid her fire breath and she will fly off after 2 rounds. Eventually, you will reach the Grimwood.

Grimwood

Look for a suitable location for setting up an ambush.

When the dragon appears, buff up your party: communal Protection from Fire and Resist Fire are essential as are attack boosts like Heroism and Bless. You also want True Seeing to counteract concealment.

Devarra

General
Level	25 Dragon	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	388	Size	Huge
Speed	60'	Initiative	3
Attributes	STR: 39, DEX: 8, CON: 27, INT: 20, WIS: 21, CHA: 20
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack
Defence
AC	40	Fortitude	+22
Flat-Footed	40	Reflex	+13
Touch	7	Will	+23
30 Spell resistance DR 15 / magic
Immunities
Poison Energy: Fire Effects and Conditions: Sleep, Paralyzed, Prone, Petrified
Vulnerabilities
Energy: Cold
Offence
Reach	9'	Melee	Bite
Attack	+31 / +31 / +31	Damage	43 - 48 Slashing / Piercing / Crushing
Reach	9'	Melee	Anarchic Wing +5
Attack	+33 / +33	Damage	28 - 38 Slashing / Piercing / Crushing
Reach	9'	Melee	Tail
Attack	+28	Damage	22 - 27 Crushing
CMB	41	CMD	48

Instant Enemy and Ranger's Bond is good to help you land hits. It will use Fire Breath in its first round and it may not get a second. When it loses a decent number of HP, it will flee.

Use the area exit to pursue it. You will track it to its lair in Bloody Trail through the power of Interactive Book Sequence.

Fast travel to Drezen and make your way to Bloody Trail, a short distance to the southwest.

Bloody Trail

You will continue to track the dragon through a book sequence. Make a Perception (25) check to unlock the Artisan's Tower location. Go south from Bloody Trail and then southwest to reach Artisan's Tower. When you get close, you will have another sequence. You must choose one of two paths.

If you take the right-hand path, you will have to make the following skill checks:

• Lore: Nature (23) or Perception (25)
• Athletics (29) or Mobility (29)
• Lore: Nature (28) or Athletics (30).

If you take the left-hand path, the skill checks are as follows:

• Mobility (22) or Knowledge: World (24)
• Athletics (29) or Mobility (27)
• Lore: Nature (28) or Athletics (30).

Succeeding at all the checks will give you an advantage in the upcoming fight.

Failing the final check will dump you right in front of the dragon.

Artisan's Tower

Assuming you made the skill checks, you start off on a narrow ledge. Buff up with protection against fire and get Heroism on your stealthy party members. Advance along the ledge to to find Devarra menacing Storyteller.

Make two Stealth checks (20, 25) while Storyteller recounts the starting events of Kingmaker. Eventually, your opportunity will come.

Greybor will run in and stab Devarra, kicking events off. Move Greybor back since he won't last a round against the dragon's attacks. When you've done enough damage, the creature will fly off. Quick save and immediately pursue it - don't wait around to heal or grab loot. Head up the stairs past Storyteller and attack the dragon again. You only need to hit it once to defeat it. If it manages to fly off, reload. When it's dead, Greybor will be pleased with a job well done.

Tell him that you should continue working together and he will demand 12.500G for his services. Pay him (or pay him double) and he will join the party permanently. He will also become a member of your Military council.

Now you can heal any damage the dragon did. Loot Half of the Pair from Devarra's remains. There are a couple of tricky Knowledge: Arcana checks on the platform which are worth decent XP and a chest containinga pair of Bracers of Abrupt Onslaught.

Head down to the lower level and search a bookshelf for some Elven Notes.

Search another shelf for a vial of Demon Blood.

The other containers yield minor loot. Storyteller doesn't have much to say for himself so when you're done, head down to the lower level.

Artisan's Tower (Lower Level)

Go through the doorway to face an Enraged Mandragora and a Spelleater Mandragora.

Enraged Mandragora

General
Level	21 Plant	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	305	Size	Small
Speed	40'	Initiative	12
Attributes	STR: 46, DEX: 27, CON: 30, INT: 9, WIS: 22, CHA: 25
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack, Bull's Strength, Rage, Fast Healing 10
Defence
AC	37	Fortitude	+22
Flat-Footed	28	Reflex	+19
Touch	18	Will	+15
DR 15 / good and slashing
Immunities
Poison, Mind-Affecting Effects and Conditions: Baleful Polymorph, Sleep, Paralyzed, Stunned
Offence
Reach	2'	Melee	Bite
Attack	+32	Damage	31 - 46 Slashing / Piercing / Crushing
Reach	2'	Melee	Slam
Attack	+32 / +32	Damage	30 - 40 Crushing
CMB	32	CMD	50

Spelleater Mandragora

General
Level	21 Plant	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	305	Size	Small
Speed	40'	Initiative	14
Attributes	STR: 25, DEX: 31, CON: 30, INT: 9, WIS: 22, CHA: 45
Effects and Conditions
Cat's Grace, Fast Healing 10
Defence
AC	41	Fortitude	+22
Flat-Footed	30	Reflex	+21
Touch	22	Will	+13
DR 15 / good and slashing
Immunities
Poison, Mind-Affecting Effects and Conditions: Baleful Polymorph, Sleep, Paralyzed, Stunned
Offence
Reach	2'	Melee	Bite
Attack	+23	Damage	10 - 25 Slashing / Piercing / Crushing
Reach	2'	Melee	Slam
Attack	+23 / +23	Damage	9 - 19 Crushing
CMB	21	CMD	43

These are a nasty pair. If the Enraged Mandragora focuses on a character, get Protective Luck up. The Spelleater Mandragora is capable of dispelling your buffs but is otherwise straightforward apart from its high AC. In both cases, Smite Evil and Instant Enemy / Ranger's Bond help greatly against them.

A chest in the next room contains a Lesser Kineticist's Rod which is scant reward for the enemies that you had to defeat to obtain it. There's nothing more to find here so leave the way you came in and return to Drezen.

Back in Drezen (4)

Tell Irabeth that the dragon won't be troubling anyone anytime soon to close off the quest. You may want to buy the other Half of the Pair from Arsinoe (it costs 38,000G). Find Storyteller near the Citadel since you have a fair amount of saved-up business with him. You should have four Elven notes to give him, unlocking a story, and you can restore the Ring of Summoning with Magic Essence x4 and Cold Iron x2. Alternatively, you can restore the The Stern Hand with Magic Essence, Cold Iron x4 and Demon Blood x2. The bloodstained page that you obtained in Molten Scar counts as another page and unlocks another story. However, you will need to remind him about certain details:

• The centre of the magic shape was a prisoner
• It looked like a small rift was opened to the Abyss
• They repeated the word 'Ravukh'.

Show him the piece of Terendelev's claw that you found in Leper's Smile and he will tell you the rest of Terendelev's story.

After it is complete, Terendelev's Lair will be added to your world map.

Know Thy Enemy

You must be able to deal efficiently with swarms before attempting this section. You need one (or two) spontaneous casters with damaging AoE spells and, say, scrolls of Firestorm which are a regular drop from certain demons. Make sure you have the Bone Key that you obtained from Wintersun in your inventory.

Head southwest to Greengates and then swing north, following the path that crosses the ravine south of the Temple of the Good Hunt.

From here, head south towards the Treasonhome outpost.

Berenguer - 2nd Encounter (Angel-only)

While you are wandering the map, you will have the second encounter involving Berenguer. You will find a trio of Babau Warriors immediately in front of you. There are also four Babau Eliminators but these start off invisible; cast Glitterdust slightly to the right of the three Warriors to reveal them. Eliminators tend to go after your backline, eating attacks of opportunity. Ember, for example, won't last a round against one so make controlling them a priority.

Continue through the area picking up minor loot including a Greatsword +1. There is a second, much larger, group of demons further ahead, comprising two Abrikandilu Wreckers, two Voracious Glabrezus, four Babau Eliminators, five Brimorak Warriors and a Marilith. Get communal Resist Fire up as a priority along with Haste. Use something like Web to control the number of enemies charging you and take them out methodically. The Marilith is very nasty and worthy of a Smite Evil.

You will find Berenguer near the area exit. He expands on his reasons for fighting alone. Tell him that you're not going to try and persuade him otherwise.

Ancient Ghost

As you approach the Treasonhome Outpost, you will have an encounter with an Ancient Ghost.

He talks about the Heart of Mystery being open only to the most worthy and asks you a question. If you answer correctly, he will give you scrolls of Hellfire Ray, Bull's Strength (Mass) and Summon Huge Fire Elemental. You also get to ask him a single question before he vanishes.

When you reach Treasonhome, ignore Core of the Riddle for the time being since you don't have the required puzzle pieces at this point. If you turn north, you will pass Remains of a Disgusting Feast (Perception 36) and reach Crimson Dust (Perception 30). There is a powerful enemy here along with some decent loot. When you're ready to proceed, continue west to the Ivory Sanctum.

Ivory Sanctum

There's nothing to be seen above ground so look for an object that you can interact with to cause the entrance to open up. Add Resist Fire (Communal) to your buffs before going through. There is a large group of enemies in the entrance area: two Ferocious Schirs, a pair of Cultist Snipers, a Brimorak and Brimorak Warrior and three powerful minotaurs.

If your path is Azata, the Valhalflings will have cleared the enemies from the entrance.

When the enemies are dead, deal with the trap in the doorway leading deeper into the complex (DC 29 to spot, 28 to remove).

Go through the door to find more enemies: three Schirs, a Nalfeshnee, a Cultist Evoker and a Coloxus which starts off invisible. After defeating the enemies, look for some Knowledge: World checks (22, 24, 25 and 26) for bonus XP. Afterwards, have two companions step on the pressure plates either side of the door, causing Jerribeth to appear.

She proposes that you can be of help to each other, telling you that she is not inclined to share her castle in the sky with Xanthir the Plagued One and will help you take him down. Accepting her offer helps you some and costs you nothing so you may as well agree. She places a mark upon you which will identify you as an ally to her own cultists (but not Xanthir's forces).

Have the party member with the highest Perception step out into the corridor and look for a hidden (DC 35) switch on the wall opposite the doorway. Press it and step back into the previous room as a boulder rolls down the hallway, possibly killing a minotaur guard in its path. There is another minotaur in the passageway so be sure to kill it.

Return to the outer corridor and start making your way clockwise around the level. Go through the first door that you come to and eliminate the enemies (three Cultist Archers, a Deskari's Cutthroat, a Kalavakus, a Babau and a Babau Warrior). The Babau demons start off invisible. Prioritise the cutthroat because he turns into a Glabrezu. Afterwards, grab a Midnight Bolt from the ground.

Remember that these are key items and only to be used against very select enemies. Search a locked (27) chest to find Specimen 367 "Finnean Disnar" - Test Report 2. The other containers contain minor loot. There are two exits. The left (southern) door leads to a corridor patrolled by a Half-Fiend Guardian Minotaur and a tougher Prophet of Baphomet. When they're taken care of, look for two hidden (DC 25 and 26) switches on the wall.

Press them to reveal a hidden room with a locked (DC 27) chest containing a Mysterious Note which is a clue to a later puzzle.

Make a note of the coffin here.

Follow the corridor to the north to a library-cum-refectory. The initial enemies are two Schirs and a Marilith Votary. However, there is also an invisible Disciple of Xanthir (15th level Slayer) on the left of the room and three Shadow Demon's Votaries at the back. After a couple of rounds a Marilith and Voracious Nalfeshnee will gate in. When the enemies are dead, look for some Elven Notes on a table.

Return to the room with the coffin since you can now interact with it. Click on "KILL VAMPIRE" for extra XP and then grab the Phantom Slayer's Bracers from the coffin.

Return to the refectory.

Grab minor loot and provisions from the other containers and go through the locked (DC 28) door at the far end. Pick up the Coded Note from the floor which is a clue to the puzzle in this room.

There are five buttons on the wall. Each button has a shape inscribed on it: hexagram, triangle, circle, pentagram and square (zoom in to make them out). You need to press four of them to make something happen. This wall actually has two solutions. The first is given by the Coded Note: triangle, pentagram, square and circle:

This serves to unlock the door. The second solution is given by the Mysterious Note (or rather it tells you how to transform the first solution):

• "Three change places with four": Triangle -> Square
• "Turn the star to nothing": Pentagram -> Circle
• "Three changes place with four": Square -> Triangle
• "Behold a star...a different one": Circle -> Hexagram.

Press the buttons again in the following sequence:

This causes a locked (DC 29) chest containing a Ring of Sacred Touch to be revealed.

Go into the room that you opened up and remove the trap at the foot of the bed. This allows you grab the Balanced Defender longsword from locked (DC 34) chest.

This will be an upgrade to whatever Seelah is carrying meaning that you will be able to give Irabeth her sword back the next time you see her! There are hidden (DC 27 and 28) buttons by the side of the bed and one of the bookshelves. Press them to reveal a chest containing a couple of scrolls. The other containers hold minor loot. You can make a Lore: Nature (29) check for some additional XP. If you examine the plant next to the flower bed, you will find out what Jerribeth did with Marhevok.

If you destroy the plant, Jerribeth will become hostile the next time you meet her.

Backtrack to the room where you found the Midnight Bolt and go through the other door. Kill the enemies (three Cultist Snipers and two Painajai demons). The demons are somewhat tough but nothing you can't handle. When the enemies are dead, search the various containers for the Creme Soup With a Snout recipe.

Continue down the passage opposite the door and turn right, Go through the door at the bottom of some steps and eliminate the enemies in the room beyond (two Kalavakuses, a Vrock Votary, a Shadow Demon's Votary and a Coloxus Defiler). The latter enemy is quite tough and has some nasty abilities so be sure to take it out quickly. When the enemies are dead, open a locked (DC 28) chest to find the Fortune's Temper starknife.

There are three hidden switches in the room (DC 25, 30 and 32). Press the switches to reveal an alcove with a chest containing a suit of Mithral Plate +3.

Go through the door where you will find a Disciple of Vanthir trying to boss some of Jerribeth's followers around.

If you're allied with Jerribeth, you can select the 'Do it' option to have them fight on your side. You will be fighting a Disciple of Xanthir and two Deskari's Brutes. After a round the experiments in the cages will be released: two Distorted Mythic Vrocks, a Distorted Mythic Incubus and a Distorted Mythic Succubus. The Mythic demons are annoying because they need to be killed twice. When you reduce their HP to 0, they will fall over and get up next round fully healed.

When the enemies are taken care of, go though the other door and remove the trap from the hallway beyond. Go through the door at the end for a scene with Xanthir Vang. After murdering one of his acolytes in the most horrible manner, Xanthir sends a cloud of locusts in your direction.

You can get through the locusts with either of the Mobility checks. The Knowledge: Arcana check doesn't do anything apart from earning you a few XP. You will learn something about the Purple Stone Knife you found in Kenabres before Xanthir sics his acolytes on you (a Disciple of Xanthir, a Cultist Archer, a Shadow Demon's Votary) along with the Transformed Nabasu that he was working on, a Vrock, a Coloxus and two Locust Swarms. As always, the swarms are annoying and have loads of HP. You should have some scrolls of Firestorm and Ember should be able to hit them with Controlled Fireball.

When the enemies are taken care of, look on a table for Xanthir Vang "On the Nature of Demons".

Read it for a small boost. Search the enemies' remains for a Chipped Key from the Ivory Sanctum and a Bloodstained Coded Note.

Grab a Headband of Inspired Wisdom +4 and a vial of Demon Blood from a chest.

There are Three switches on the walls at the top end of the room. Press them to open a secret room on the eastern wall and grab the Ravager of Dread ring from the locked (DC 36) chest inside.

Finally, have two party members stand on the pressure plates at either end of the room and then have a third party member hit the switch next to the lower door to open it.

Before going through, use the chipped key to unlock the other door and go through to the central chamber. You will find some Followers of Jerribeth discussing whether to abandon ship and some more Disciples of Xanthir throwing their weight around.

Again if you're allied with Jerribeth, you have the 'Do it' option to have her followers help you out against the other bad guys. You will be fighting a Painajai demon, two Cultist Evokers, a Disciple of Xanthir, a Deskari's Cutthroat, a Labyrinth Minotaur and a Prophet of Baphomet. When the enemies are dead, look on the other side of the chamber to find a hidden (DC 34) and locked (DC 39) nook containing the Quarterstaff of the War Mage.

There's a button puzzle to the right of the statue. The Bloodstained Coded Note gives you the first two symbols (hexagram and triangle) and tells you that you need to press four buttons. Press the buttons in the order shown below to have a chest appear next to the statue to Baphomet.

Grab the Cloak of Carnage and a Circle Mask from the chest. Note that the mask is a quest item for Nenio's companion quest. Before leaving, make the two two Lore: Religion checks (27 and 28) that you can make for extra XP.

Return to the room where you met Xanthir Vang and go through the door that you unlocked. There is a not-very-well-hidden cache on the wall containing a Wand of Contagion, a Lesser Maxmize Metamagic Rod and a couple of scrolls.

Go through the door at the end and kill the demons inside (a Voracious Glabrezu, two Kalavakus Marauders, a Grown Nabasu, two Ferocious Schirs and two Schirs). There are two Iron Golems guarding a pair of woundwyrm eggs.

Tell them to stop and give the password "Password!". You can ask them for information and then for your next command select "Deactivation". Afterwards, examine the eggs and choose to bring them to Drezen later.

If your mythic path is Azata, you can command the eggs to hatch, releasing the dragonlings inside. The golems will deactivate since there's nothing left to guard and the dragonlings will show up at your court later.

Endangered Species
Examine the bones in the corner.

Go through the door on the bottom wall. In the passageway beyond, go through the locked (DC 40) door on the left wall. After the brief scene, kill the enemies (a Kalavakus, a Brimorak Warrior, two Abrikandilu's Votaries, a Shadow Demon's Votary and a Cultist Archer). After a couple of rounds, a Marilith and Painajai Dreamslayer will gate in. When the enemies are dead, speak to Telmer, whom you may remember from the Tower of Estrod.

Ask what he was doing for laughs and suggest that the life of a cultist isn't working out for him before letting him go. Afterwards, search a chest for a Holy Flaming Orc Double Axe +3 and a suit of Barding of Elder Beasts.

Look for a book named Baphomet the Imprisoned which you can read for a minor boost.

Back out in the corridor, kill the minotaur wandering around. Beware of a trap just round the corner and no fewer than four further along. Continue to the end of the corridor and deal with three Prophets of Baphomet. When they're dead, look for a hidden (DC 35) switch.

Press it to send a boulder rolling down the next corridor along (make sure your party members are well out of the way first). Follow it down and go through the first doorway. Remove the two traps from the hallway and search the pile of junk and trophies at the end for a Cryptic Note and Vial of Demon Blood.

At the other end of the corridor, look for a throne that you can interact with.

Do not, however, do so because it summons an incredibly tough enemy called the Eternal Guardian. There are three of these throughout the dungeon and interacting with them summons the guardian without defeating it permanently. Fighting it here is just a waste of buffs.

Backtrack to the previous corridor and eliminate three Minotaur Axe Throwers. Be careful that you don't set off a nearby trap while you're fighting them. There are more minotaurs a little further along: an Enigmatic Labyrinth Guardian, a Half-Fiend Guardian Minotaur and a Prophet of Baphomet. Draw the enemies towards you to avoid setting off another trap. After defeating the enemies and clearing the trap, move your characters away from the corridor and press a hidden (DC 35) switch to trigger the boulder trap. If you continue to the dead end, you will find another throne which summons the Eternal Guardian.

Return to the previous corridor and disable the trap across the doorway at the end. Unlock the door (DC 37) and go through. Four of the chests are Mimics which attack when you get inside the room. Search a chest for a bar of Cold Iron.

Search another for a Light Shield of Cursed Allegiance which may be an upgrade for Seelah.

There is another button puzzle in the room. The solution is given by the Cryptic Note: "Five fingers squeeze the tree. A group of six ... half of them...". The five and six refer to the pentagram and hexagram, half of six refers to the triangle and the "tree" refers to the circle. Have two party members stand on the pressure plates and then press the buttons in the sequence shown below:

This causes a secret room to open up. Go inside to find the remains of a minotuar.

Move most of your characters into the corridor outside. Have a party member with decent initiative cast Expeditious Retreat (thanks, Lann...) and loot the remains (the Demonic Resentment helmet and Bracers of Breaching) to summon the Eternal Guardian. Provoke aggro and have that character run to join the rest of the party. This allows you to fight the guardian without taking regular negative energy damage from a trap that you are not able to remove.

Eternal Guardian

General
Level	22 Outsider	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	297	Size	Large
Speed	50'	Initiative	6
Attributes	STR: 37, DEX: 23, CON: 10, INT: 21, WIS: 30, CHA: 26
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack, Expeditious Retreat
Defence
AC	46	Fortitude	+15
Flat-Footed	45	Reflex	+19
Touch	18	Will	+23
Energy Resistance
20 Fire
Immunities
Mind-Affecting, Fear, Poison, Disease, Stunned, Sleep, Critical hits, ability score damage, precision damage Energy: Negative Effects and Conditions: Prone, Fatigued, Exhausted, Sickened, Nauseated
Offence
Reach	6'	Melee	Greataxe +1
Attack	+30 / +25 / +20 / +15	Damage	39 - 50 Slashing
Reach	6'	Melee	Gore
Attack	+23	Damage	23 - 30 Piercing
CMB	29	CMD	59

It is immune to Evil Eye so you aren't able to reduce its attack or AC that way. However, Instant Enemy and Ranger's Bond gives you a decent boost. It doesn't have spell resistance so ranged touch attacks are somewhat effective, although they only do half damage.

When it is defeated, you will unlock the End of Eternal Guard trophy. Go back into its lair and loot the White Wind's Cloak from the chest.

Backtrack to the room where you found the dragon eggs and take the exit to the outside. There are three Kalavakus demons and a Nalfeshnee. After a couple of rounds, they will be joined by a Vrock and an Elder Vrock. When the enemies are dead, look for a Mobility (29) check that you can use to cross a fissure.

When you get to the other side, you will meet Vorimeraak again. She isn't exactly pleased to see you.

Note that I unlocked the Hey, I Know You! trophy at this point, even though I shouldn't have.

Choose the Trickster option if you can or make the Intimidate (22) check to resolve matters without violence. Return to the other side of the fissure and head north. You will find three minotaur-type enemies further along the ledge: a Labyrinth Minotaur, an Enigmatic Labyrinth Minotaur and a Prophet of Baphomet.

Make a hard save here in case you don't have the wherewithal to defeat the final boss. Buff up heavily and continue to reach a bridge where a mass of demons will emerge from the building ahead of you. A cultist named Zanedra will emerge to gloat.

Answer however you please. Just when things start to look hopeless, divine intervention in shape of an angel named The Hand of the Inheritor deals with the demons behind you, leaving you to face the horde in front.

In order of horror, there are three Dretches, three Distorted Mythic Dretches, three Mythic Schirs, a Distorted Mythic Babau, a Distorted Mythic Vrock, a Glabrezu and a Mythic Gibrileth Contaminator. Note that the Glabrezu is gargantuan which means that it will be able to make attacks of opportunity against anyone using missile weapons unless they have the Point Blank Master feat. Otherwise, load up on Protective Luck and have at them. You will have to kill the Babau and Vrock twice. When the enemies are dead, Zanedra will flee, initiating Seek and Ye Shall Find.

When you're ready to proceed, equip Firestorm scrolls and head through the door to the Laboratory for a second meeting with Xanthir Vang.

Xanthir Vang

General
Level	18 Wizard	Alignment	Neutral Evil
HP	525	Size	Large
Speed	30'	Initiative	5
Attributes	STR: 15, DEX: 20, CON: 24, INT: 36, WIS: 10, CHA: 16
Effects and Conditions
Freedom of Movement, Cat's Grace, Fox's Cunning, Mage Armor, Frightful Aspect, Blur, Mirror Image, Bear's Endurance, Shield, Fast Healing 20
Defence
AC	29	Fortitude	+13
Flat-Footed	23	Reflex	+11
Touch	21	Will	+11
19 Spell Resistance Damage Reduction: 15/-
Immunities
Movement Impairing, Critical hits Spell Immunity: Magic Missile
Offence
Reach	6'	Melee	Masterwork Quarterstaff
Attack	+11 / +6	Damage	4 - 9 Crushing
CMB	12	CMD	33

Xanthir Vang may be immune to a lot of things but he can be tripped. Get Haste on your party, Instant Enemy / Smite Evil on Vang and have at him. He's not immune to mind-affecting so Feeblemind can be good since he doesn't have a great Will save and Feeblemind comes with a save penalty. Dispelling his buffs requires overcoming a DC 31 check. When you defeat him, he will transform into eight Locust Swarms. At this point, anyone unable to harm them should run away from the swarms and maybe attack the otherwise irrelevant Schir and Babau demons. Anyone able to cast decent AoE spells should move and cast. When you've destroyed the swarms, Vang will reform (although smaller and with slightly fewer HP) and you have to take him down again.

He tells you that he will tell you the truth about the Nahyndrian crystals if you answer a couple of questions. Play along for the moment: answer that his laboratory was in Drezen because that was where the crystals were. He tells you that they come from the Midnight Fane, a shrine beneath Drezen with a concealed entrance.

If, for some reason, you want to follow the Swarm That Walks path later, ask for details about being a swarm. If you goad him that you have been working with Jerribeth, you will have to fight him again so just kill him and be done with it. Afterwards, loot his remains for an Old Grimoire a Headband of Vast Intelligence +6 and a Small Key.

Search a locked (DC 31) chest for the Touch of Mercy falchion and loot Xanthir Vang's Notes from his desk. You can read these for a minor boost.

If you didn't ask Vang about being about a swarm, the notes are hidden behind a stiff Perception check.

Search a desk in the corner for a book named Diary of a Student... which is another book you can read for a boost.

Examine the sarcophagus and make a Lore: Nature (34) check for some bonus XP. Afterwards, look in the corner for a switch that you can use to open the passage that Jerribeth mentioned.

Go through to Jerribeth's chamber where you will find her fluttering in a corner.

Exhaust her conversation options to learn a lot about your various enemies and close off the quest. Afterwards, go to the room next door and use the key you obtained from Vang to open the door that you weren't able to open previously, giving you a shortcut back to the world map.

The Outcast (Conclusion)

When you leave the Ivory Sanctum, you will have a "random" encounter while travelling the world map. This happens even if you use fast travel. Buff up (Communal Resist Fire is important). You will find Forn Autumn Haze (remember him?) lying on the ground.

You can attempt a couple of skill checks of you like. Tell him that you find all this very suspicious and Kaylessa (remember her?) will tell you that Forn is an assassin and not to be trusted. Tell Kaylessa that you believe her and Forn will reveal his true colours.

You can get him to answer some questions before you kill him.

Forn Autumn Haze

General
Level	16 Hunter	Alignment	Lawful Neutral
HP	136	Size	Medium
Speed	30'	Initiative	15
Attributes	STR: 16, DEX: 28, CON: 14, INT: 14, WIS: 10, CHA: 10
Effects and Conditions
Freedom of Movement, Animal Focus (Bull), Piranha Strike, Barkskin, Cat's Grace, Heroism, Echolocation
Defence
AC	31	Fortitude	+16
Flat-Footed	24	Reflex	+23
Touch	19	Will	+11
Immunities
Movement Impairing, Poison, Sleep
Offence
Reach	2'	Melee	Second Chance
Attack	+29 / +24 / +19	Damage	22 - 31 Piercing
CMB	17	CMD	37

Forn is accompanied by five Drow Maguses and four Fencers so use crowd control like Phantasmal Putrefaction against them. They have DR 10/Adamantine and concealment which makes them extremely annoying. You should, however, be protected against repeated applications of Scorching Ray at least.

After you defeat the enemies, Forn has some - frankly baffling - dying words.

Kaylessa is also mortally wounded but you can get a little bit of sense out of her: a corrupt eleven organisation called the Winter Council ordered her death because she had found out about the Dark Fate: that elves and drow are the same race. She will also tell you about herself, how she was a member of a vigilante group who murdered innocent people and how she became a drow herself. She asks you to kill her. Oblige her.

Kaylessa drops a Composite Longbow +3. Forn drops the Second Chance elven curve blade and a Mithral Chainshirt +3 along with some minor magic items.

The fencers also drop minor magic items along with +3 bucklers which may be an upgrade for Camellia.

Note that to have this quest marked as complete, you will have to issue either the Letter About Kaylessa decree or Hiding the Truth About Kaylessa and wait 10 days for the decree to complete.

Back in Drezen (5)

Fast travel to Drezen where you will find the Hand of the Inheritor waiting to speak to you.

You have various options depending on your mythic path.

If you have already explored the Desolate Hovel (which is possible for an Azata or a Trickster, for example), you can tell the Hand of the Inheritor that you know of a way to break through the barrier to the Midnight Fane. However, this sets various events into motion so you may wish to hold off, especially since an Azata can take an alternative path.

Go to the Citadel. If you have the Treasure of the Midnight Isles DLC, Anevia tells you about the Murky Grotto, a nearby cove where some shifty characters promise passers by untold wealth.

This is side content in every sense of the phrase and is covered in a dedicated section of the walkthrough. If you want to, you can return Irabeth's sword to her and you will also have another note to give to Storyteller.

The Dragon's Fate

Southwest of Drezen

The priority of your main army is to clear the way to Terendelev's Lair and capture the Lands of Yath Watch fort to the north of the Heart of Mystery.

You want to construct three buildings ASAP and upgrade it to a Bastion so that you can build a Teleport Circle there. The Sword of Valor decree should be finishing around now freeing up Logistics. Meanwhile, have your army clear the 7- and 8-strength armies from the Lands of Yath.

• Loot: Headband of Inspired Wisdom +4, Deadly Toll scythe
• Relics: Attractive Impulse
• Outposts: Land of Yath Watch

New Allies (Azata-only)
Your first batch of new allies should be arriving around this time. See the New Allies section of the Azata mythic quest.

Seek and Ye Shall Find

Head west to the Temple of the Good Hunt. Get Communal Resist Fire on your party. Head up the path to find a cultist, two archers and two minotaurs blocking your way. There are more enemies further along: two Abrikandilu's Votaries, two Evokers, a Cultist, a Sniper and a Half-Fiend Guardian Minotaur. When you've defeated the enemies, head inside the temple to find Zanedra.

After some gloating about the cleverness of her schemes, she challenges you to do your worst.

If you were able to stiffen Kyado's resolve earlier, he uses Delamere's bow to strike Zaneda down.

He gives you Delamere's Armor and Delamere's Bow before heading to Drezen. Loot Zaneda's remains for some minor magic items along with a letter that she will never get to finish.

There's nothing much down in the vault but you will find a body with a diary that makes for interesting reading.

Otherwise, if Kyado is with you, he will die explosively when you try to follow Zaneda down into the vault and you will have to destroy the Rat Swarm which erupts from him. In the vault, you will face Zanedra and two Voracious Glabrezus. After defeating them and looting some minor magic items from Zanedra's remains, examine the sarcophagus for an interactive book sequence.

Examine the symbols on the sarcophagus and then make a skill check: Lore: Religion (30), Knowledge: Arcana (30) or Trickery (30) to open the it, revealing the remains of Delamere. You can take Delamere's Armor and Delamere's Bow if you like. If you choose to have the remains moved to Drezen, it will unlock the Relics of Delamere decree which adds some clerics and rangers to your forces.

After dealing with Zanedra, return to Drezen because there will be a number of matters awaiting your attention.

Back in Drezen (6)

You will find Ember preaching her message of universal love on the streets, initiating The Wayward.

If Kyado survived events at the Temple of the Good Hunt, you will find him outside the cemetery gates in the southwest of the city.

You can try to return Delamere's items to him but he tells you that the crusade needs them more than he does. Since the armour is not very useful and the bow can't be equipped by Lann or Arue, they're not actually that useful to the crusade! They can be sold to pay for more Marksmen, maybe.

Back to the Roots (Lann)

Back in the Citadel, Lann will ask you to go back for the Mongrels, initiating Back to the Roots and adding Neathholm to the world map.

Underground Army (Wenduag)

Back in the Citadel, Wenduag will ask you to return to Neathholm so that she can bring the mongrels to Drezen, initiating Underground Army and adding Neathholm to the world map.

Return to the world map and make your way south towards Wintersun.

3rd Berenguer Encounter (Angel only)

You may meet Berenguer again while you're travelling. Ask what he wants to learn that he's impressed with your progress.

Make a Diplomacy (25) check and he will agree to give up his solitary ways. There is nothing else to see so leave via the area exit.

Later, you can find him in the temple in Drezen.

Exhaust his conversation options and decide whether you want him to share his knowledge with the scouts or train recruits. The first option will increase your forces' movement so this is really good.

From Wintersun, follow the path southwest towards Terendelev's Lair that your army should have cleared. When you get close, the path will fork. The southwest path continues towards your destination while the Western path takes you to the Ravaged Longhouse.

You will want to go there first to pick up the puzzle pieces required to solve the Core of the Riddle. When you're done there, backtrack to the fork and take the southwestern path to Terendelev's Lair.

Terendelev's Lair

Head across the bridge, up the steps and into the ruins where you will find a group of Baphomet Cultists who really shouldn't cause you much in the way of trouble. When you've defeated them, a man called Hal will materialise and ask you to stay your hand.

If you ask him about what he's doing, he tells you that he's a healer and offers his services to whoever needs them.

Gold Dragon
You must spare the Cultist Cleric. And yeah, don't attack Hal. He will eff you up good.

Agree to spare the cultist's life and Hal tells you that you remind him of Terendelev before revealing his true form: the gold dragon Halaseliax.

Exhaust his conversation options to close off the quest. After he leaves, search the chest in the corner for some gold and the Tunic of Ardent Warpriest.

There's nothing more to do here so return to the world map. Return to the main path and continue west to the Lands of Yath Watch Outpost from which you can reach the Heart of Mystery.

If your army hasn't captured the fort yet, you can't reach the Heart of Mystery. Don't worry too much since there isn't much to do here at this point.

Heart of Mystery

There's nothing to see above ground so go through the entrance to the "cave". There are a number of bodies on the ground. Search the one near the stairs to find the Darkness Mask which is a quest item.

Head up the stairs and an Ancient Ghost will address you.

The ghost tells you that the secrets of Creation lie before you but first you must solve five puzzles. You can question the ghost further if you like, but you won't get much sense out of it. After the ghost leaves, look for some Elven Notes in the puzzle chamber.

Back on the world map, fast travel to Drezen.

Back in Drezen (7)

Liotr's Letter

Around this time, Irabeth will deliver a letter from Inquisitor Liotr.

Aminos Renth

A group Hellknight Paralictors will arrive at your headquarters, offering an alliance.

You can speak to Regill about them afterwards.

Back on the streets, you can give Storyteller the notes that you found in the Heart of Mystery, unlocking another story.

Add Lann / Wenduag to your party if necessary and return to the world map. Go south to Lost Chapel and then east and south through Leper's Smile.

Sir Allfrey Encounter

While travelling south towards Leper's Smile, you will have an encounter with two squires of Sir Allfrey who have created a trap for demons.

They are unwilling to use the word "tentacles" to describe what has emerged from the ground. When Sir Allfrey shows up, they continue to call a spade a soil inversion device.

Play along and Allfrey will tell you about their plight: they are being pursued by a demodand. Agree to help them fight it and the Very Nasty Demodand will show up shortly.

Answer however you please.

Very Nasty Demodand

General
Level	20 Outsider	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	280	Size	Medium
Speed	30'	Initiative	8
Attributes	STR: 32, DEX: 27, CON: 27, INT: 16, WIS: 17, CHA: 22
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack, Wings
Defence
AC	32	Fortitude	+14
Flat-Footed	24	Reflex	+20
Touch	18	Will	+17
27 Spell resistance Damage Reduction: 10 / Good and magic
Energy Resistance
10 Fire, 10 Cold
Immunities
Poison Effects and Conditions: Difficult terrain
Offence
Reach	2'	Melee	Bite
Attack	+24	Damage	25- 25 Piercing / Slashing / Crushing
Reach	2'	Melee	Claw
Attack	+24 / +24	Damage	24 - 33 Slashing / Crushing
CMB	29	CMD	49

The Demodand will waste its first round knocking out Sir Allfrey. It shouldn't get too many rounds after that. Allfrey thanks you for your help.

It's up to you whether you mention monsters with tentacles. Before taking his leave, Allfrey gives you an Agile Handaxe +4. Note that there is nothing to find on the encounter map so return to the world map.

Continue your journey south and remember to turn east at Vilareth Ford Outpost to be on the correct side of the Sellen River. Continue your journey to Kenabres and when you get there, make your way to Neathholm (it's the only location on the map).

If you recruited Wenduag rather than Lann at the end of the prologue, skip ahead.

Neathholm (Lann)

Head to the centre of the village and speak to Chief Sull.

Tell him that you're here to take the mongrels to the surface. He doesn't seem particularly taken by the idea and tells you that Wenduag has taken Dyra (you may remember that she was the village merchant). Ask where Wenduag is hiding and Lann will remember that he and Wenduag had a secret spot. Agree to bring back Dyra and teach Wenduag a lesson. Make your way to the entrance to the Secret Hideout in the southeast of the village and go through.

You will find Wenduag near the entrance. She bangs on about how Savamelekh has made her stronger but you will prove her wrong - she probably won't last a round. When you've smacked her around she says that she wants to talk.

You can make a Diplomacy check for some XP if you like but your choices are: allow her to join you or put her out of your misery. She refuses simply to leave and you may want to think long and hard about what sort of person Wenduag is before you accept her into your party. Assuming you take the wiser of your two options, loot Wenduag's remains for a Composite Longbow +3 and a Breastplate +3. Search the locked (DC 29) chest nearby for the Merciless Shot ring.

Return to the village and tell Sull that Dyra and Wenduag are dead and that it is time for the underground crusaders to become actual crusaders.

Return to Drezen. You will find Lann and Chief Sull arguing about who's going to be chief.

Persuade Lann using one of the Diplomacy (26) options. Telling Lann he's not fit to be a commander probably won't end well.

Neathholm (Wenduag)

Speak to Chief Sull. As you might expect. Wenduag isn't very polite. Tell him that the mongrels must come with you and join the war. However, Lann sticks his oar in, pointing that Wenduag has been corrupting the mongrels with demonic power.

Tell him that you're not leaving and Lann proposes a duel between him and Wenduag in their secret cave. If you make a Perception (26) check, you can notice Lann and Dyar exchanging meaningful looks. You can point this out to Wenduag if you like. To avoid later tragedy, take the (Lawful) option and tell Wenduag that she must accept the challenge. Afterwards, make your way to the entrance to the Secret Hideout in the southeast of the village and go through.

Lann is waiting for you inside.

A fight is inevitable and once again you want to take the (Lawful) option so that the fight is an honest duel between Lann and Wenduag. Lann is level-matched with Wenduag (13th level Zen Archer) but Wenduag should be able to take him out regardless. After the fight is over, Lann refuses to give up.

Take the (Lawful) option to accuse Lann of betraying his tribe. He protests that he's fighting for them. Ask Wenduag to explain and she points out that the mongrels need to fight for a place in the world since no one will accept them. And to fight, they need power. After Wenduag finishes, take the (Lawful) option again and point that Lann is the only one of the tribe opposing you. Lann decides to exile himself from the tribe.

Following the actions outlined above is the only way to avoid Lann being killed at this time allowing you to recruit him later.

Search the locked (DC 29) chest nearby for the Merciless Shot ring.

Return to Sull and tell him that Lann won't stand in your way. Wenduag announces that she, the strongest hunter in Neathholm, is now the tribe's leader.

Back in Drezen, you will find Wenduag bossing Chief Sull around.

You can tell Sull to suck it up or you can order Wenduag to show some respect.

The Last Gift of a Brilliant Mind

West of Drezen

Have your main army clear the 8-strength demon armies on the way to Blackwater. If you've not dealt with them yet, you can also take out the 7-strength armies remaining in the Lake Lost to the Sun area.

• Loot: Eye for an Eye composite shortbow
• Artifacts: Voracious Jumble, Stone of Ghostly Pathways

While you're waiting for your armies to do their thing, now is a good time to solve the puzzle at Core of the Riddle. This will unlock fast travel between Core of the Riddle and the Heart of Mystery. While you're in the area, head west towards the Legacy of the Ancients. On the way, you will have another Ancient Ghost encounter.

Ancient Ghost Encounter (Legacy of the Ancients)

Allow the ghost to ask its question.

If you make the Knowledge: Arcana (27) check, you will recognise the scene that the ghost showed you: astradaemons in the Ethereal plane. The ghost will reward you with a Greater Reach Metamagic Rod and allow you to ask one question before it disappears.

Continue to the Legacy of the Ancients. You can't solve the puzzle at this time but you will unlock fast travel to the Heart of Mystery for later use. Return to Drezen and give Storyteller the Elven Notes from Core of the Riddle.

Head west past the Grimwood. At the next crossroads, take the northwestern path and follow it round to the Sacred Lands location where you will find a page of Elven Notes. Afterwards, make your way to Blackwater.

Blackwater

Search the pile of junk near the entrance for a Wand of Call Lightning.

Get yourselves protected against disease and electricity and go through the door where you will meet your first group of augmented enemies: two Grunts, two Defenders and two Augmented Spellcasters.

They tell you to surrender but don't give you an opportunity to do so.

All enemies in this dungeon regenerate. The regeneration can be stopped with shock damage or adamantine weapons. You probably don't have too many adamantine weapons but the Jolt cantrip will serve to disable enemy regeneration. Note that you can also use (Restless) Slumber and Coup de Grace. All enemies also have varying levels of damage resistance which can be overcome with adamantine weapons.

An electric cannon will strike the room roughly every round and the cutscene will almost certainly have placed your party members in a bad formation. If you get a bad initiative roll, the grunts will be attacking Ember and Nenio which makes this encounter unnecessarily hostile. When you've dealt with the enemies, you may want to arm Seelah with one of the Shock Longswords dropped by the defenders.

If you want to leave this place, you can make a UMD (35) check to open the doors. If you access the door controls opposite, you will have to input a code which you don't yet know.

Go through the doorway to the north to a room with a conveyor belt. There is a doorway to the left. Go through and destroy more augmented enemies: an Assassin, a Grunt, a Defender, two Sharpshooters and a Wizard. After you've defeated them, you will find that the Spellcaster is still alive.

Interrogate him to find that he receives commands from a "Master". Ask him for the door code and he tells you that one of his functions is not to know the code. Examine the device implanted into his head and make a Knowledge: Arcana (23) check to figure out how it works and remove it. The Spellcaster gives you part of the code - pyramid and something beginning with 'r' - before shutting down.

Cross over the walkway and go through the door to the north. You will find Augmented Salamanders wandering around. They are non-hostile until you help yourself to loot at which point they will declare a workplace protocol violation and attack. There are four Salamanders along with the Overseer who is significantly more powerful.

Augmented Salamander Overseer

General
Level	17 Skald 8 Outsider	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	463	Size	Medium
Speed	20'	Initiative	11
Attributes	STR: 21, DEX: 25, CON: 34, INT: 22, WIS: 23, CHA: 28
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack, Outflank, Powerful Stance
Defence
AC	37	Fortitude	+24
Flat-Footed	29	Reflex	+18
Touch	18	Will	+24
28 Spell resistance DR 4/- DR 10 / Adamantine
Energy Resistance
18 Acid, 18 Cold, 18 Sonic
Immunities
Disease Energy: Fire
Vulnerabilities
Energy: Cold, Electricity
Offence
Reach	2'	Melee	Spear +3
Attack	+23 / +18 / +13 / +8	Damage	30 - 34 Piercing
Reach	2'	Melee	Tail
Attack	+14	Damage	16 - 26 Crushing
CMB	25	CMD	43

He doesn't actually appear to use his Skald abilities which makes this fight easier than it might otherwise be. Take out the Salamanders as they arrive and use Protective Luck and Evil Eye to defang them. All the enemies drop +3 spears and the overseer drops a suit of +2 banded mail as well.

With the enemies dead, climb up the ladder and grab the Numerian Bomb which gives you an alternative way of getting through the code-locked door in the entrance room. The piles on the floor hold junk.

Return to the entrance room and continue through to the room to the south and take out the enemies there: a Defender, a Spellcaster and a Sharpshooter. The two doors on the eastern wall require keys to unlock but further in the room, you will find another junk pile with a second Wand of Call Lightning.

Follow the passage round and fight another group of enemies: a Grunt, two Defenders and a Sharpshooter. There are another two Grunts on the upper platform along with a Wizard and an Augmented Squad Leader. When the enemies are dead, search a crate for the Flaming Lockpick along with some fuel.

Go up onto the platform where the second batch of enemies were and use the door controls to open a nearby door which you will find to the east up a passageway. Go through and search a body to find a Time-Worn Note which gives you the third part of the door code that you need: a circle with a dot.

You now have the complete code: triangle (pyramid), (r)hombus and circle with a dot. Return to the entrance room and input the code into the door controls.

Before continuing, you can open one of the locked doors in the southern corridor. The northernmost of the two will open using the Flaming Lockpick. Go through and search the containers to find some more Flaming Lockpick Fuel and the Scream of Pain tongi.

Return to the entrance room and go through the newly-opened door. Use the door controls on the other side to create a shortcut back to the area where you found the Flaming Lockpick. There's a trash pile with a scroll of Dimension Door (Mass) which may come in useful later. Continue through to the central room where you will find some augmented demons: three Greater Kalavakus Marauders, two Augmented Incubuses and two Augmented Succubuses. This is a tough battle: The Greater Kalavakus demons have very high AC and will haste the enemies before going after your backline. Use Evil Eye to reduce their AC and all the means at your disposal to boost your attack.

There are a number of paths leading off the central room. The only one you can go through the is the western door which requires the Flaming Lockpick and fuel that you picked up earlier. On the other side, there is a door immediately to the north which requires Flaming Lockpick Fuel to open. The door to the south leads to a room with more augmented demons: two Greater Kalavakus Marauders, two Incubuses and two Succubuses. When the enemies are dead, you can examine the machines (UMD 20 and 25) for some bonus XP. Go through the door at the end and use the door controls to open the south door in the central room.

If you go all the way to the end of the corridor, you will find a door protected by a psionic field that you cannot bypass at this point. Backtrack a little and go through the door on the left (west) wall and kill a handful of augmented enemies: a Defender and two Grunts. Head down the corridor they were guarding. Pass a door which requires a pass key and go through the next door along. Interact with the purple glowing machine to remove the barrier from a door elsewhere in the complex.

Continue to the end of the corridor where you will find the controls to open the door back to the previous area. Buff up and go through the newly-opened door at the end to find Chief Khara.

Chief Khara

General
Level	15 Bard (Human)	Alignment	Lawful Good
HP	188	Size	Medium
Speed	30'	Initiative	9
Attributes	STR: 16, DEX: 20, CON: 22, INT: 10, WIS: 10, CHA: 17
Effects and Conditions
Rapid Shot
Defence
AC	27	Fortitude	+11
Flat-Footed	23	Reflex	+14
Touch	14	Will	+9
26 Spell resistance DR 8 / Adamantine
Energy Resistance
15 Acid, 15 Cold, 15 Fire, 15 Sonic
Immunities
Poison, Disease, Petrified Spell immunity: Magic Missile
Vulnerabilities
Energy: Electricity
Offence
Reach	30'	Melee	Blasting Bracers
Attack	+14 / +14 / +9 / +4	Damage	1 - 8 Sonic
CMB	16	CMD	29

Khara is accompanied by a pair of Augmented Incubuses, a pair of Augmented Succubuses and a pair of Greater Kalavakus Marauders. These are actually the bigger threat since the chief is vulnerable to sleep, for example. Khara will hang back while the rest of the enemies rush to attack you so take her out her with ranged attacks.

When the enemies are dead, Khara will speak to you.

She tells you that she is the chieftain of the Blackwater Clan and that they are on a mission to create an augmented, mindless army to take the fight to the demons. She also tells you that Hundred-Face, the Numerian wizard behind this place, identified you as a threat. Exhaust her other conversation options and then kill her (if you say you will spare her, she simply blows herself up anyway). Search her remains for a Numerian Key.

The key opens a number of doors throughout the complex, including one that you just passed. You will find a chest with some gold and a machine in the corner that invites you to enter Hundred-Face's personal access code.

A second door is near the entrance, off the corridor to the south. There are a number of containers with minor loot and a couple of interesting items: one of Hundred-Face's Circlets, the Ring of Devastating Will and the Stormlord's Resolve bracers.

Return to the central room because you can now open the door to the northwest. When you go through, you will be attacked by three Greater Kalavalkus Marauders. There is a door blocked by a psionic field and a door to the north that you can go through.

There are four Augmented Salamanders here. Position your party defensively and loot one of the crates to kick hostilities off. When the enemies are dead, grab the Components for Hundred-Face's Circlet from a crate.

Return to the previous passageway and continue northwest. Go through the door that you pass to find a captured crusader named Athara Vahns.

Exhaust her conversation options and, at the end, put her out of her pain. You cannot do anything else for her. Because, clearly, reasons. After she's dead, grab some loot from a container on the floor and some Flaming Lockpick Fuel from a container on the counter. There are a number of skill checks to make: Perception (19), UMD (24) and Lore: Nature (19 and 22). Afterwards, operate the machine in the corner.

Examine the mechanism (Knowledge: World 15) and try to figure out how the circlets work (Knowledge: Aracana 22). Finally, convert the crown into a protective circlet (UMD 29), giving you a Helm of Psionic Protection. Note that you do not need to equip this, you just need to have it in your inventory.

Head back towards the central room because there is a door that you can now open. There are some augmented demons inside: a Greater Kalavakus Marauder, an Augmented Incubus and three Augmented Succubuses. When the enemies are dead, grab some Flaming Lockpick Fuel from a crate and the Eluding Swing light mace from a locked (DC 34) chest.

Backtrack to the room to the north where you found the circlet components and use the Flaming Lockpick on the door there. Make a Perception (33) check to find the purely decorative Helmet of the Abyss Killer.

You should have one unit of Flaming Lockpick Fuel remaining. The door is found in the corridor leading west to Chief Khara's room. Operate the machine and make a UMD (23) check to figure out how it works.

Press the hand symbol followed by the wind symbol. You can now unlock the door in this room (DC 25) and the one in the next room (DC 36) allowing you to retrieve the Certainty of Death dwarven urgrosh.

Finally, head all the way to the bottom of the corridor leading south from the central room since you can now open the protected door there. Search a chest to find the Triple Fin helmet.

Backtrack to where you met the Athara (the captured crusader) to find your way blocked by a lightning field.

There is no way to disable it from this side. Cast Communal Protection from Electricity on your party and run across to the other side where you will find a machine that you can use to disable the arcane emitter and open the door.

Make sure that you're healed up and buffed up (including Communal Resist Fire) before going through the door. You may want to equip the scroll of Mass Dimension door that you found earlier on someone able to use it. Go through to meet Hundred-Face.

Exhaust his conversation options before fighting him.

Hundred Face

General
Level	18 Wizard (Human)	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	261	Size	Medium
Speed	30'	Initiative	9
Attributes	STR: 12, DEX: 20, CON: 28, INT: 28, WIS: 10, CHA: 7
Effects and Conditions
Mage Armor, Stoneskin, Heroism
Defence
AC	28	Fortitude	+15
Flat-Footed	22	Reflex	+11
Touch	16	Will	+11
29 Spell resistance DR 10 / Adamantine
Energy Resistance
16 Acid, 16 Cold, 16 Fire, 16 Sonic
Immunities
Poison, Disease, Petrified Spell immunity: Magic Missile
Vulnerabilities
Energy: Electricity
Offence
Reach	50'	Melee	Heavy Crossbow
Attack	+14 / +9	Damage	1 - 10 Piercing
CMB	10	CMD	26

The legitimate to way to defeat him is to disable the various devices in the corners of the room and then bring down the force field protecting the wizard. The smarter way is to use Dimension Door to bring the party to him and cut him down. A couple of Greater Kalavakus Marauders will teleport in but shouldn't make any difference.

When you defeat Hundred-Face, whatever is controlling him offers you the control codes. After he dies, examine the device.

You can make a Knowledge: Arcana (34) check for some bonus XP. However, your choice is between reactivating the device (Evil) or destroying it (Good).

If you don't destroy the device, you get a repeatable decree to create cyborg soldiers. If you do destroy it, you get an item that you can sell for a decent chunk of change.

Before leaving the dungeon, return to the room where the machine asked you for Hundred-Eye's personal access code. The doors are now open and you will find a chest with the Numerian Greatsword.

There's nothing more to do in the dungeon so fast travel back to Drezen.

Back in Drezen (9)

Battered Spirit (Conclusion)

At some point after completing the Orders to Irabeth decree, she will come to express her gratitude for how you dealt with her loss of nerve.

Back on the streets, you have some notes to give to Storyteller and a vast quantity of loot to sell. If you destroyed the machine, you can sell the Heart of the Machine for 37,500G.

The Desolate Hovel

At this point, you will have several wait-and-see quests and a couple that you cannot progress. To move things along, you have to complete a Mythic quest specific to your path. You will also need to spend some time to get your army ready to take on the 9- and 10-strength armies remaining on the map.

After completing or progressing your Mythic quest, you will be able to go to the Desolate Hovel. The quest that takes you there is path-specific but all Mythic paths end up there.

Romancing Arueshalae
Bring Arueshalae with you.

If you have captured Lands of Yath Watch and built a teleportation circle, you can fast travel there. Otherwise, head south past Wintersun. You will have another path that you can take, leading west.

There is a 7-strength demon army in your way, so you may want to send your army ahead of you. Eventually, you will reach your destination.

If you are an Azata, the Desnan adepts will send you here. Go to your court and speak to them.

Desolate Hovel

There's nothing much to see outside so go into the Old Hut. There's not a lot to see inside, either, although there are a couple of crates of minor loot. When you're ready to proceed, examine the desk to trigger a trap.

Areelu's Laboratory - Level 1

Examine the large jars (Lore: Nature 24) for a few XP. There are a couple of things to loot including a hidden (DC 28) shelf with a Headband of Vast Intelligence +4.

When you're ready to proceed, examine the table on the right of the room.

Touch the Crystal for a recording of one of Areelu's experiments. Afterwards, a dretch named Suture will speak to you from the walkway.

You remember him from the festivities in Kenabres - he was disguised as a halfling and gave you the crossbow that you used against Deskari. He tells you that you are in Areelu's old laboratory but that there is no way out. What's more, there are a bunch of barriers that only open to demons - but not Arue. Before leaving, he opens a door for you in the western wall.

Go through the newly-opened door. There are two doors in the corridor. Kill some weak Shadow Demons in the southern room. One of the Shadow Demons is tougher than the others and will teleport away. Afterwards, search the chest for a Speed Cold Iron Rapier +3.

The northern room contains the results of some long failed experiment strapped into a chair. Search a cabinet at the top of the room for the Cloak of the Ancient Herald.

Continue west and be careful of a level draining trap that you probably won't see unless you rotate the camera.

After you've disabled the trap, send a fireball through the open doorway in the northwest to damage some Corrupted Rat Swarms. While you're fighting them, you may aggro a Tarry Demodand in the corridor to the south. Go inside the room where the rat swarms were and search a shelf for an Ancient Scrap of Script-Covered Leather.

Back outside in the corridor, ignore the entrance to the old Wing for the moment and head down the corridor where you fought the demodand. As you pass an open doorway, you will be attacked by a pair of Carnivorous Crystals. Continue past the room and go into the first room you come to where you will find a page of Elven Notes on the floor.

One cabinet contains a pair of Expedition Boots while the other contains the "Experiment: The Suture" Crystal.

Go into the next room down and grab the Midnight Bolt sticking out of the wall.

You will find a note On Midnight Bolts on one of the shelves. Examine the vessel on the table and make a Knowledge: Arcana (30) check to identify it as a soul jar.

Depending on your Mythic path, it may or may not be important. If it isn't important, it will crumble to dust if you try and take it.

Disarm the trap in the next room down. Afterwards grab the Skullberry Pie recipe from a shelf along with a Scribbled Page from Areelu's Laboratory.

The final room on the level houses three trapped people and a Tortured Angel behind a barrier.

Angel Mythic Path
Tell them you are seeking the angel Targona.

Exhaust their conversation options to learn that the angel whom they call the protectress projects an aura that keeps the demons at bay. Ask whether they know anything useful to learn that Areelu was somehow able to pass through the barriers. Afterwards, search the shelves for a bar of Cold Iron.

Ignore the exit to the Heart of the Laboratory for the moment. Instead, backtrack and head through to the Old Wing.

Areelu's Laboratory - Old Wing

Go through the first door you come to. You will find an Old Mongrel who has been subjected to horrific experimentation.

You can question him to learn his story. If you free him, he will dedicate your death to Baphomet and attack. He is a 15th level Witch but shouldn't cause you any trouble. Continue to the end of the corridor. You may have to fight a patrolling minotaur. When you've dealt with it go through the door and deal with the enemies inside: a Tarry Demodand, a Tarry Demodand Marauder and a Guardian Minotaur. I fought the Shadow Demon Bard here as well and it teleported away again. When the enemies are dead, search the cabinet for a Speed Composite Longbow +3.

Follow the corridor as it turns south. Keep an eye out for a trap which is disabled by a mechanism in the eastern room. Search the lower of the two rooms on the left side of the corridor for a hidden (DC 32) cache containing the Helmet of Comradery.

Remove a trap further along the corridor. If you go through the next door on the left wall, you will find a short passageway. The door at the end is locked (DC 29) and leads to a room with enemies: two Vrocks, a Coloxus Defiler and a very tough Nalfeshnee. As far as I can tell, there's nothing worthwhile in here.

Return to the main passageway and go into the room opposite where you will two Omoxes and two Oolioddroos. I found that the Shadow Demon was here as well - cast Glitterdust to the right of the enemies to reveal it. This time, you can actually destroy the Shadow Demon, although it will do the Mythic demon thing of becoming untargetable and regenerating all its health. When the enemies are dead, grab a page of Elven Notes from the ground.

There are three doors off the room. The door to the north leads to a small laboratory area. Check the shelves for the "Secret of Great Sorcery" Crystal and the bench for a Heavy Crossbow of Degradation. The doorway to the east is blocked by a barrier. Search a shelf in the small room to the south to find a vial of Magic Essence.

Back outside in the corridor, keep an eye a secret door (DC 25) just before the seal. Search the room to find an Old Letter, a Note from Areelu's Laboratory and a Shock Flaming Corrosive Cold Iron Kukri.

There's nothing more to do on this level for the moment, so head back to main level and take the southern exit to the Heart of the Laboratory. As you attempt to go through, you will be enveloped in fog.

Select the [Get out of the fog] option and you will be whisked...elsewhere.

Areelu's Laboratory - Heart of the Laboratory

Follow the figure down the stairs and you will witness your companions being subjected to demonic visions after which you will be able to add them back into your party.

Romancing Arueshalae
Arueshale's vision is...interesting.

When you have a full party again, you will find an exit to the laboratory. Go through to find yourself in a room filled with enemies: a Tarry Demodand, an Incubus, a Kalavakus, a Coloxus and a Guardian Minotaur. After dealing with the enemies, you can deal with the abomination in the tank.

If you are a Trickster, you can transform it into a bird. Otherwise, destroy it and be done. Examine the lab bench and touch the crystal to see another scene of Areelu's experiments. Touch the purple barrier and Suture will appear and give you the key. Clear the barrier from the doorway and make your way down the corridor. Search a shelf to find a Note Fragment from Areelu's Laboratory. Continue to the end of the corridor to find a large room in the centre of which is the remains of a book called the Lexicon of Paradox.

Ascension
You must accept the power given to you. Do not attack Suture. Keep the book in your inventory.

Take the book and and you will be filled with Mythic power again. You will also have a vision of your decision in the prologue, watched by Areelu.

Afterwards, Suture will appear and tells you that you have taken the gift that Areelu left for you. After he leaves, you will have gained a mythic rank. Open the up the rift but do not leave yet since there is some business to take care of. You will find the "Experiment: Transformation" Crystal on one of the shelves and there is a projector in the room that you can use to play them back.

Search another shelf to find a Buckler of Ray Negation.

There is a passage to the north at the end of which is a door back to the Old Wing. You can now get through the southern barrier which leads to a room with a Mythic Derakni and two Mariliths. The Derakni will need to be killed twice but otherwise you should be able to manage the enemies easily. Search a chest for the White Dragon breastplate.

Return to the main part of the laboratory and destroy the barrier holding the Tortured Angel.

Exhaust her conversation options to learn more about Areelu's schemes. Tell her that you came here to rescue her and that you have unsealed the way out.

Return to the Heart of the Laboratory and use the rift to leave.

Romancing Arueshalae
Rest outside the hut. Afterwards, Arueshalae will want to talk about what you both saw in Areelu's laboratory. Ask what's bothering her and whether she really thinks that she hasn't changed. Reassure her that it wasn't her fault and tell her that she doesn't need to torture herself. When she says that she's incapable of changing her nature, tell her that you can clearly see that she's changing for the better. Tell her to think about all the good things she does and that her deeds matter far more than the thoughts in her head which is why it is important for her to live among mortals. Arueshalae will feel suitably comforted by your reassurances.

Back on the world map, continue southwest to the Old Sarkorian Mines.

Old Sarkorian Mines

There are five Plagued Smilodons a short distance to the east together with a somewhat tougher Plagued Smilodon Pack Leader. After you've defeated them, search the pack leader's remains for an Amulet of Mighty Fists +4.

You will find evidence of Seilkind's missing scouts nearby.

Make your way to the northwest corner where will find a body. Make a Lore: Nature (24) check for bonus XP.

Continue east to find another body. Make a Lore: Nature (23) check to note that this was the work of demons.

Look for a tree in the centre of the map and make a Perception (24) check for bonus XP.

Return to the world map and fast-travel back to Drezen.

Back in Drezen (8)

Find Seilkind near the barracks and tell him the bad news about his missing men.

You should have two pages of Elven Notes for Storyteller which unlocks another story.

Ask him to look in your pack and he tells you that he can reforge the cloak if you bring him five vials of magic essence, two bars of cold iron, two vials of demon blood and three skins of magical creatures. You don't have any of the latter so this will have to wait.

If you are an Angel, you will find Targona with the Hand of the Inheritor.

Ask what she wanted to talk about and she tells that what powers the wardstones is not the creatures imprisoned inside them, but rather their selfless sacrifice. With some individuals, there is no need to imprison them to create the desired effect: their presence alone weakens and repels demons. As you saw in Areelu's Laboratory, she is one such individual as are Eliandra and Katair. The Hand of the Inheritor wishes to find more souls capable of becoming "living wardstones". Before you go, she wants to know how Lariel died. Answer however you please.

If you were sent to the Desolate Hovel by the Desnan adepts, return to the court and report back to them. Otherwise, speak to the Hand of the Inheritor and tell him that you are able to breach the demonic barriers.

He tells you that he will send word to Queen Galfrey for help and that she will arrive within the month.

If you are an Azata, you can declare your intention to surprise the demons and attack the Midnight Fane without waiting for Galfrey's arrival. This will cost you your title which will have some minor effects in Chapter 5.

Confirm your intention not to wait and the Hand of the Inheritor says that he will send word to the free crusaders. It will take around a week for them to assemble in Drezen.

Call of Stone

This section requires the Last of the Sarkorians DLC. If you do not have it, skip ahead.

You need to be immune to Confusion for one encounter so make sure you have Unbreakable Heart memorised. If you are unable to get past this encounter, the quest does not fail if you leave it for Chapter 5.

Head east from Drezen to reach Currantglen. When you get there, use the shortcut that you (hopefully) created back in Chapter 2 to reach the Stone of Voices in the eastern section of the village and touch the stone to open up a portal.

Go through to find yourself in the village of Gundrun.

Gundrun

Head south for a scene and then continue south along the path. There are stones that you can study for a few XP. Equip Swarmbane Clasps when Ulbrig points out the diseased horse ahead of you. Afterwards, destroy the Devouring Horse along with a Decrepit Bhoga Swarm. The swarm is annoying as always so have those able to damage it take care of it while other party members deal with the surprisingly tough horse.

Before going further, get Resist Fire (Communal) on your party members. Follow the path as it turns west and north and you will see a group of villagers trying to fend off an attack from a number of Devouring Villagers. When you kill a Devouring Villager (which take half damage from weapons), you will then have to deal with a Thin Bhoga Swarm which means that this may be a lengthy battle. The sarkorians throw Alchemist's Fire with abandon. Resist Fire should mean that you are not inconvenienced. Afterwards, two villagers named Ysenna and Sigvorn introduce themselves to you.

She is the village shaman while Sigvorn is the chieftain. You learn that Gundrun is the last sarkorian settlement in the Worldwound. Explore their conversation options for backstory and ask about the enemies you were fighting to get a name at least: the Hunger That Moves. After Sigvorn leaves, Ysenna tells you that you come at a difficult time: a sickness has swept through the village and Sigvorn has ordered those affected to be quarantined.

Head north up the main village street and make a note of the bridge with a guard. Go all the way north where you will find Ysenna standing outside her hut. Ask about the monsters at the gate to initiate Whence Moves the Hunger? Ask what you can do for Gundrun to learn that Cerenna's Grove is besieged by demons. You can also ask about the Strange Charm if you found it in Currantglen, but she doesn't tell you anything very useful.

Return to the gates where you will find a number of villagers gathered around a fire where they are burning the bodies of the Devoured Villagers that you killed earlier. Look for a nearby interaction point and make a Perception (29) check to uncover a hoard containing a Cold Iron Earthbreaker +1, a Speed Keen Composite Longbow +2 and a Swarmbane Clasp.

Head south back towards the path that you used to reach the village earlier and make a Perception (20) check to find some tracks that you can start following.

If you are able to cast Dimension Door, you can get across the fallen tree blocking the bridge.

On the other side, head west up a slope and keep an eye out for a hidden (26) and locked (DC 30) chest containing some gold and a Ghost Touch Quarterstaff +4. Use Dimension Door to get back across the bridge and head up the slope, following the trail until you reach a point where you can make a Mobility (27) check to descend.

When you reach the bottom, look for some debris that you can clear with an Athletics (22) check, revealing a cave entrance.

Equip Swarmbane Clasps and go through.

Gundrun (Cave)

You will find a Devoured Horse and a Thin Bhoga Swarm near the entrance. Of course, you will have another swarm to fight after taking out the horse so ensure that you destroy the swarm first. There are more enemies further in: four Devoured and four Bhoga Swarms. When the enemies are dead, look for a pair of Trapspringer Gloves on the ground. Search the nearby tunnel to find the place where the Hunger That Walks comes and goes.

The lair of a Fiendish Purple Worm is just to the northeast.

Buff up and make an Athletics (33) check to clear the debris blocking the entrance. While you're fighting the worm, you will be attacked from behind by another Bhoga Swarm. Defeating the worm unlocks the Stay Underground trophy. After destroying the enemies, burn the worm's remains. Grab some minor loot before leaving the cave.

Return to Ysenna and tell her that you have discovered the location of the Hunger That Moves to receive a Belt of Physical Form +4. Afterwards, make your way back to the bridge and speak to the guard blocking the way.

Make a speech check (Diplomacy 31 or Intimidate 29) or bribe him to cross. Once you get to the other side, continue to the northwest of the village where you will find a place to rest if you need it. Speak to the Troubled Merchant and ask about the caravans being attacked to initiate Trouble at the Trade Route.

If you want to trade, you will find a merchant named Arysen Krei a short distance to the south.

Explore his conversation options and he will make you a business proposal. He has heard that there is a valuable relic in Cerenna's Temple and will pay for any information about it, initiating The Merchant's Request. Browse his wares - you may want to buy another Swarmbane Clasp while you're here.

Head up the slope next to the Troubled Merchant and head inside the Chieftain's House. Speak to Sigvorn who is none-too-pleased about the quarantine being broken. Ask him whether he needs help with the quarantine and explore his conversation options to learn that the sickness struck after a feast in honour of the goddess. He gives you permission to investigate with the proviso that Ysenna is not to be allowed near the sick.

Sellout
There is a trophy for getting to the bottom of the source of the sickness.

Speak to Sigvorn's advisor, Bjordolf, if you like. You can question him about the disease afflicting the village but he doesn't tell you anything useful. Before leaving, go into the side room and search the locked (DC 30) crate to find the Owl's Cowl helmet.

Make your way back towards the bridge. As you do so, you will see a scene play out with two drunkards. Something strange happens to one of them and the other flees. Speak to Donnek, the now-invisible drunkard, and promise to see what you can do about his unfortunate situation to initiate The Invisible Drunk.

On the other side of the bridge, look for a child named Smart Boy.

Ask about the recent feast day and tells you that there was a "pilgrim" handing out food for free. He tried to the follow the man to his camp but was scared away by the golems guarding it. Make your way to the Infirmary marked on your map and go inside. Speak to one of the citizens to find out more about the illness. He tells you pretty much what Smart Boy told you: that he ate some food given to him by a pilgrim before falling ill. Afterwards, investigate the corner to find a healthy cat, indicating that the illness is not transmissible to animals.

Back outside, head north back towards Ysenna and look for a sad old man grieving over a dead dog.

Ask how the dog died and where he got the food from to learn that it was the same "pilgrim" who gave it to him. There is no disease after all. Before chasing down the saboteur, ask Ysenna about the drunkard and the potion he drank. She asks you to being her the vials from which he drank and some ingredients that you need to obtain from Krei and Sigvorn.

Head back across the bridge and pick up the Empty Vial from the ground near the Invisible Drunkard.

Speak to Arysen Krei and show him Ysenna's list to obtain the Claw of a Swamp Beast. He suggests that you might send Donnek to him since he has a business proposal for someone who is invisible. Afterwards, show Sigvorn Ysenna's list to receive a Dried Tongue. He suggests that you might send Donnek to him to receive the cure since he thinks that a day or two cooling his heels in a prison cell will do him good. Talk to him about the reasons for the quarantine and tell him that your investigation has borne fruit: everyone who fell ill and the dog that died had all eaten the same food, food handed out by a suspiciously generous "pilgrim". The evidence suggests that there's a poisoner at work. Sigvorn remembers that Bjordolf recently ordered poison purportedly to deal with pests. Bjordolf comes clean: he's sick to the back teeth of Gundrun and sick of being Sigvorn's advisor and receiving no credit for the work he does. He has decided that he would be better off working for the demonic forces.

He turns hostile along with four of the Numerian Spellcasters. They're not that tough and you should have little trouble in dealing with them. When the enemies are dead, you will unlock the Sellout trophy. Sigvorn express amazement at the depth of his advisor's betrayal and rewards you with a Swarmbane Clasp. Search Bjordolf's remains for a Suspicious Note, an unsent request for a healer and a bunch of minor magic items. You can grab some more minor magic items from the remains of the spellcasters.

Return to Ysenna who creates a potion for the invisible drunkard. Return to Donnek and give him the potion (or, if you prefer, send him to Sigvorn or Arysen Krei).

Head south through the gate and speak to the Caravanner (who is marked on your map) and follow him to his wagon. Click on the cart when you're ready to start the journey.

Gundrun (Treacherous Passage)

When you reach the new location, walk ahead and examine a broken cart. Afterwards, keep following the path northeast until you come to a dead end. A large number of animated dead rise from the ground and you realise that Tefan, one of the caravan guards, is a traitor.

If you take the (Good) option, Tefan will leave you to fight his undead minions: two Ferocious Zombie Lords, two Greater Skeletal Champion Guards, a Greater Skeletal Champion Berserker, an Energized Skeletal Spellcaster and two Carrion Storm swarms. Otherwise, you will be fighting Tefan, a level 14 Sorcerer, as well. Get an attacker onto him and spread out to avoid Grasp of the Dead. The Champion Guards are problematic because they have 43 AC which is hard to get through unless you can target their touch AC. You can loot two scrolls of Mind Blank, a Belt of Mighty Constitution +4 and a bunch of +2 magic items from Tefan's remains.

Return to Gundrun and tell the Troubled Merchant that the path to Numeria is open. He gives you a pair of Bracers of Mighty Boar for your efforts. Head back through the southern gate and go towards the southeast (where you will spot some figures on your map). You will find the Dead Pilgrim wandering round along with three Brass Golem Bodyguards. The pilgrim isn't much of a threat but, like many enemies, releases a Bhoga Swarm when you kill her. You will find another note from Crow In Shadow on her remains.

Afterwards, get Resist Acid (Communal) on your party and send only party members immune to Confusion (Bookworm's Heaband, Wooden Flesh, Unbreakable Heart) ahead towards the southwestern corner of the map. You will see a scene with the wolf spirit and a locust demon named Muhazol the Swarm Carrier. Muhazol leaves you to fight three Baleful Apocalypse Locusts. These creatures have a continuous Maddening Buzz aura with a 100' (!) radius which causes Confusion. At this point, you are very unlikely to make three Will saves so keep unprotected party members well out of the way. Besides their confusion aura and melee attacks, the Apocalypse Locusts use an acid breath attack which should damage them more than you since they are prone to friendly fire. After the enemies are dead, you can take the area exit to the Forest of the Forgotten Spirits.

Forest of the Forgotten Spirits

You will find the wreckage of a cart near the forest entrance. Ignore the temple doors nearby and continue deeper into the forest. You will spot four Ghast Knights a short distance ahead feasting on corpses. After you kill a couple of them, four Nabasus will ambush you. After you destroy all the enemies, a hafling Spirit Catcher named Vinchek will introduce himself.

He tells you that the forest is filled with ghosts and that a terrifying creature snatched the rest of his party and caused his horses to bolt. Agree to try to find them to initiate Spirit Catchers and Spooked Horses.

Continue further along the path and make an Athletics (23) check to cut a body down from a tree. Search the body to find some minor loot and an Old Journal, Page 117 (1/4) which makes for interesting reading.

You will find Old Journal, Page 11 (2/4) by the side of the path a short distance further ahead.

Hanged Man's Notes
There is a trophy for finding all the notes.

Head north initially and you will meet a huntress who warns you to go no further. She says that there is a magical sickness spearding through her party and it may be contagious.

Agree to help to initiate Sick Scouts. Return to the main path and continue past a shrine and then turn south into a graveyard. If you want it, one of the graves contains an Empower Metamagic Rod.

If you take it, a number of undead enemies will attack: two Wight Brawlers, four Lifeless Brawlers, three Lifeless Sneaks and two Lifeless Poets. Follow the path as it turns south and keep an eye out for a Devoured Bear. Defeat it (and the associated Bhoga Swarm) and search the nearby body to find a Dirty, Crumpled Note on the remains of someone sent to find a way into the shrine previously.

Continue south and explore an abandoned ranger's hut on the eastern side of the map. If you're collecting journal pages, you will find Old Journal, Page 23 (3/4) next to the hut.

Return to the main path and follow it down to the entrance to the Abandoned Cave. Buff up and go through.

Abandoned Cave

Go deeper into the cave to find Rudgur the Cold-Blooded Rage.

Rudgur the Cold-Blooded Rage

General
Level	17 Bloodrager	Alignment	Chaotic Neutral (Half-Orc)
HP	332	Size	Huge
Speed	30'	Initiative	3
Attributes	STR: 32, DEX: 16, CON: 34, INT: 12, WIS: 16, CHA: 18
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack, Bear's Endurance, Barkskin, See Invisibility, False Life (Greater), Heroism, Protection from Fire, Protection from Arrows, Enlarge Person, Legendary Proportions, True Seeing, Seamantle, Dark Flicker, Incorporeal Bloodrager, Bloodrage, Indomitable Will
Defence
AC	39	Fortitude	+26
Flat-Footed	35	Reflex	+12
Touch	22	Will	+17
DR 10 / -
Energy Resistance
Cold 10, Fire 120, Negative 10
Immunities
Critical hits, damage from non-magical weapons, precision damage Energy: Fire Effects and Conditions: Prone
Offence
Reach	9'	Melee	Earth Breaker +2
Attack	+28 / +23 / +18 / +13	Damage	38 - 48 Crushing
CMB	24	CMD	52

I'm not sure how a Bloodrager is supposed to cast Legendary Proportions and Seamantle. You need to be able to make a DC 31 check to dispel his buffs so that's unlikely to happen in Chapter 3. You certainly have two Ghost Touch weapons if you found the Quarterstaff. If you forged the Bane of Spirit ring, you can convert damage to force and do full damage without a Ghost Touch weapon. You will have difficulty overcoming his AC and Mark Of Justice is no help. Instant Enemy + Ranger's Bond is and the Big Game Gloves can make him sickened, which will help even more. Make sure that you surround him with your frontliners to prevent him from going after your backline. When you defeat him, loot his remains to find the Key of the Dusk, a Belt of Physical Might +4 and some +2 items.

The key is one of two needed to unlock a trophy.

The Spirit Catchers that Vinchek wanted you to find are in here. One of them has already been sacrificed and one of them is cowering near an altar. The rest are in a cage and you can free them to complete the errand.

Search a crate near the altar to find a suit of Full Plate Armor +3 and leave through the exit at the back of the cave. Search a nearby body for Old Journal, Page 48 (4/4).

You should unlock the Hanged Man's Notes trophy at this point. You will see a scene with some wolf spirits fighting some demons. Help them take out two Derakni Devastators and a Voracious Glabrezu and go inside.

Forest of the Forgotten Spirits (Shrine)

Head across the bridge and look for a platform with a tree growing on it. Interact with the tree to meet the wolf spirit, Kerenai.

Explore her conversation options for some background and colour. Ulbrig asks why Aervahr stopped answering him and Kerenai replies that he cannot speak to the heavenly griffon until he remembers everything that he has forgotten leading to a memory of Ulbrig's murder in the demonic temple beneath Currantglen at the hands of his brother.

Before leaving, ask Kerenai about the ancient relic and tell her that she is wrong to forsake the people of Gundrun. You can suggest Ysenna or Sigvorn as being worthy to receive her blessing. Meeting Kerenai will unlock the Lady of the Forest trophy.

Back outside, wade into the swamp to the east. You will have to fight zombies and Omox demons at various points and you will find the remains of someone else that Arysen Krei employed to search the shrine. Hug the southern edge of the map until you find a Devoured Horse and two Carrion Storms. After defeating the enemies, examine the dead horses to complete the Spooked Horses errand.

Afterwards, head north to the entrance to the Swamp Cave. Buff up with electricity protection and go through.

Swamp Cave

Head deeper inside the cave and you will face two Omox demons and Gathrius the Book Worm.

Gathrius the Book Worm

General
Level	17 Thassilonian Specialist	Alignment	Neutral Evil (Human)
HP	162	Size	Medium
Speed	30'	Initiative	2
Attributes	STR: 8, DEX: 14, CON: 18, INT: 26, WIS: 13, CHA: 12
Effects and Conditions
Mage Armor, Greater Heroism, Protection from Fire, Protection from Good, Bear's Endurance, Cat's Grace, Fox's Cunnng, Shield
Defence
AC	23	Fortitude	+14
Flat-Footed	20	Reflex	+12
Touch	14	Will	+16
DR 10 / -
Energy Resistance
Fire 120
Immunities
Fear
Offence
Reach	2'	Melee	Masterwork Quarterstaff
Attack	+12 / +7	Damage	1 - 5 Crushing
CMB	11	CMD	21

He's a lot less formidable than Rudgur, that's for sure! Ulbrig with Death from Above should be able to take him out in a single round. Two more Omox demons will show up, leaving you with a mopping-up operation. Gathrius drops the Key of the Dawn, a Quicken Metamagic Rod, an Apprentice Robe and some minor magical items.

The key pairs up with the Key of the Dusk that you found earlier.

Search a nearby loot pile for a Necromancer's Staff and Midnight Lily x2. These can be used to cure the sick scouts (although you'll need four in total). Leave the cave and start making your way to the entrance to the forest. On the way, speak to the Spirit Catcher who is grateful for the return of his friends.

Ask him what they're going to do now and Vinchek will give you an OFFISHAL Spirit Catcher's License.

Continue to the gates near the entrance. Depending on the time of day, you can use either the Key of the Dawn or the Key of the Dusk.

Make time pass and you can use the other key. If it is nighttime, you will find two Midnight Lilies near the broken carts. You will also be attacked by a Ghostly Maledicitor. When you have placed both keys, the way to the Cave of Lamenation will open up. Buff up and go through.

Cave of Lamentation

Head deeper into the cave and take out the Pale Marrowgnaw and Pale Rotwhisper. When they're destroyed, you will unlock the Sarkoris Will Be Green trophy. Search a loot pile for a Robe of Transmutation, the Eternal Night helmet and the Rootspeaker's Boots.

The enemies drop a Greater Quicken Metamagic Rod along with some minor magic items. Leave the cave and return to the sick scouts. Equip Midnight Lilies in your belt slots and use them on the four scouts lying ill on the ground. When they're cured, speak to the Human Huntress for your reward, an Undead Bane Starknife +2.

Forest of Forgotten Spirits (Nighttime)

If it is nighttime, you can climb the ridge above the entrance to the Cave of Lamentation where you will find a bunch of Cultist Evokers up to no good. When they're dead, you can place the Strange Charm you found in Currantglen in an urn to summon a Bear Spirit.

After years of being forgotten, the spirit is vengeful and hostile. If you're in the business of doing favours for evil spirits, you can agree to destroy the other shrines. Otherwise, you will have to fight it.

Bear Spirit

General
Level	25 Undead	Alignment	Neutral
HP	318	Size	Large
Speed	40'	Initiative	9
Attributes	STR: 34, DEX: 21, CON: 10, INT: 26, WIS: 20, CHA: 18
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack, Rage
Defence
AC	30	Fortitude	+14
Flat-Footed	25	Reflex	+13
Touch	16	Will	+25
Immunities
Mind-Affecting, Fear, Compulsion, Poison, Disease, Charmed, Dazed, Nauseated, Stunned, Death, Sleep, Petrified, Negative Level, Critical hits, damage from non-magical weapons, ability score damage, precision damage Energy: Negative Effects and Conditions: Nauseated, Sickened, Fatigued, Exhausted, Prone
Offence
Reach	2'	Melee	Bite
Attack	+36	Damage	35 - 40 Slashing / Piercing / Crushing
Reach	2'	Melee	Claw
Attack	+36 / +36	Damage	35 - 38 Slashing / Crushing
CMB	34	CMD	47

The creature's attacks drain levels so you may want to buff up with Death Ward first.

Return to Gundrun and tell Arysen Krei that there's nothing in the shrine to receive 3000G. Head back through the portal to Currantglen.

Currantglen

Use the short cut to get back to the western side of the village. Go down to the tree by the river and destroy some undead: an Energized Skeletal Spellcaster, a Lacedon Mutilator and two Lacedon Butchers. After defeating them, search the ground for the Cat's Boots.

Head back up the slope to the main part of the village. As you approach some dodgy-looking individuals will run into the nearby cave. Follow them in and deal with a series of traps. There are a total of five as you make your way to the temple area. When you reach the temple, one of the marauders will want to know why you're chasing them.

Make the Intimidate (29) check and they will leave their loot behind, including a Maximize Metamagic Rod and the Ring of the Mad Duelist, Be careful of another two traps around the altar.

Return to Drezen and speak to Ulbrig to complete the quest.

The map doesn't make it clear, but you will find him on top of the citadel walls.

On the Cusp of the Abyss

While you are awaiting for Galfrey's arrival, you will have a number of events in your headquarters and around Drezen.

Lathimas the Antiquarian

This event happens 48 days after starting chapter 3. Lathimas visits you in your headquarters, claiming to be an antiquarian.

He tells you that he's planning a dangerous expedition and he needs some muscle. Agree to help to initiate Dusk of Dragons and have the Dragon Burial Ground added to your map.

Yaker's Dire News

Yaker Ankelle will visit you again with dire news: a group of Hellknights has vanished under mysterious circumstances on their way to Iz.

Ask for more details to initiate Watch Your Step and have the Hellknights Outpost added to your map.

Markyll's Visit

Markyll from Chilly Creek will show up with a contribution to the war effort.

If you have time, you can return to Chilly Creek to pay Markyll a visit (+3600 Diplomacy XP).

On the way, you will learn the significance of the dolls in the trees: a grey ribbon is for someone who died on land, a blue ribbon is for someone who drowned in the river while light blue is for a firstborn child. The villagers are conducting a memorial service for a firstborn in the grove outside the village. If you question Markyll and Malessa about it, Malessa will let slip that the river "loves firstborns".

Arueshalae Wants to Talk

Arueshalae asks you to speak to her in the tavern, initiating Borrowed Dreams.

Lann Wants to Talk

At some point after completing Back to the Roots, Lann will demand to step down as the Mongrel chief.

Don't relive him of his duties. Instead, try to figure out how to deal with his problems: a girl from his tribe wants to marry an elf, five of his people refuse to leave the sewer and he has no idea what to do with the Mongrel children. Decide how to handle each situation and tell him he can talk to you anytime.

Dyra's Body

Some time after completing Underground Army, you will notice that Dyra is no longer with the mongrels in Drezen. Head to the cemetery where you will find her body.

Speak to Sull about the matter who tells you that Dyra was acting as if someone was threatening her and that she was carrying something in a bag, a bag that wasn't on her remains. Agree to find out what happened to her. You don't have to look far. Search the front wall of the building that Wenduag is standing next to find a hidden (25) cache containing a Book of Forbidden Knowledge about Demons and a Letter in Uneven Handwriting from Dyra.

Return to Wenduag and show her the book. Tell her that you'll be keeping it and make a Perception (24) check to notice how badly she wants it.

Tell her to take the book and make sure that no one else suffers because of it. Wenduag thanks you for your trust.

Wenduag, Queen of Mongrels

Some time after the above unmarked quest, you will find Wenduag bossing the mongrels around.

Ask her what's going on and repeat the question. She replies that she's teaching them obedience because they need to be reminded of who is in charge. Join in the fun and tell her to kneel. Wenduag respects the show of strength.

Seelah Wants to Talk

Seelah asks whether you will go shopping with her since she wants to buy a replacement ring for Elan.

Agree to go with her to initiate Till Death Do Us Part.

Anevia Wants to Talk

This actually happens out on the street some time after the Traitors crusade event. Anevia mentions how the victim went missing and was found murdered outside the city walls.

She tells you that another crusader has gone missing and that you need to start searching for him right away. Agree to do so to initiate A Noble Intent.

The Arrival of a Mysterious Visitor

Twenty days after completing Back to the Roots, a woman named Ria Neath will visit you in the citadel. She gives you her business card and asks to speak with you about a personal matter, initiating Seeking Forgiveness.

An Impostor Calls

Sosiel will collar you in the citadel, telling you that Anevia sent for him. Anevia enters accompanied by someone purporting to be Sosiel's brother, Trever.

He is, of course, an impostor. Take the (Lawful) response and have him thrown in jail, initiating The Impostor.

Terta

A badly beaten woman visits you in the Citadel and tells you that Ember has been taken.

She tells you that Baphomet cultists attacked the crowd attending the sermon and carried Ember off to their shrine, adding Baphomet's Shrine to your world map and progressing Ember's companion quest. If you make a Perception check you can ask how come she knows where the shrine is. She will come clean: she fell in with the wrong crowd and ended up a cultist herself, albeit an unconvinced one, and was spying on Ember's sermons before Ember showed her the errors of her beliefs. You can decide what to do with Terta.

The Arrival of Kenabres Reinforcements

If he survived events in Kenabres, Hulrun will arrive at your headquarters bringing the Wardstone from Kenabres with him.

He also comes with a modest army: 60 Conscripts, 25 Marksmen, 10 Inquisitors and 6 Paladins.

The Arrival of the Order of the Flaming Lance

Klaem, whom you may remember from the Blackwing Library, will show up at your headquarters.

He is the leader of the order since the former leader, Sister Miammir, disappeared from Kenabres. He gives you a picture of her which you recognise as the mad woman from Wintersun, updating the Price of Knowledge.

The Arrival of Queen Galfrey

Shortly after completing the last of the outstanding Chapter 3 quests, you will see an event card requiring your presence in headquarters.

South and West of the Lands of Yath Watch

Your armies probably still need a bit of time to build their strength to take on the various 9- and 10-strength demon armies in the Lands of Yath. Build up your forces in anticipation of being strong enough before the chapter's end.

The remaining demonic forces yield the following:

• Loot: Claws of a Sacred Beast gloves
• Artifacts: Dirty Squealer and Wicked Dope
• Outposts: Camp on the Ferry

When you capture the outpost, you will uncover an additional four armies, ranging in strength from 9 to 11. You can deal with the 9-strength armies in all likelihood but you can save the others for later. Alternatively, since you won't retain your forces anyway, you can throw them against the 11-strength army with the Ancient Map of Sarkoris. While taking on the enemy forces in the Lands of Yath, your army will uncover the Befouled Burrows location.

When you've unlocked the Dusk of Dragons and Watch Your Step quests, add Regill to your party, and head west of Drezen, following the path north of the Temple of the Good Hunt. Continue west and you will reach the Hellknights Outpost.

Hellknights Outpost

When you enter the area, Regill tells you that you must be on your guard. There is an Omox on the other side of the bridge and, if you make a Perception (30) check, you may spot a cache by the river containing the Grand Owl of Wisdom.

You will find another two Omoxes and an Omox Befouler by the outpost gates. When you've defeated them, a Suspicious Traveler will emerge. Regill says he matches the description of one of the cultists who were being escorted by the missing hellknights. A Perception (36) check reveals that Regill is correct.

If you are unable to make the check, additional questioning will reveal the cultist. After he's unmasked, the cultist transforms into the Fouler of Virtues. Despite being a named enemy, you fought harder enemies in Chapter 1! Smack it down and respond however you please to Regill.

Head deeper into the fort and you will meet a succubus named Kiranda.

Accept her invitation to talk if you like. Make a Perception (28) check and ask how she knew you were coming and then ask whether she has anything meaningful to say. She says that she wants to become a crusader and says that she can be of use - in more ways than one. Reply that you'd have to be mad to trust a demon. Reject her advances again and you will find yourself fighting Kiranda, two Oolioddroos, four Incubuses and three Abyssal Huntresses. This is somewhat tough because of the sheer number of enemies. After you've defeated them, Regill will offer his opinion on how you dealt with Kiranda.

Follow the walls around and go inside the keep proper. Some hellknights will express relief that you're here to rescue them.

Again, a Perception check will reveal that they are not who they claim to be. You will find yourself fighting four Deep Shadow Demons and a more powerful shadow demon called the Angler of Vices.

Angler of Vices

General
Level	11 Outsider 4 Mythic (Sorcerer)	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	260	Size	Large
Speed	40'	Initiative	7
Attributes	STR: 12, DEX: 16, CON: 18, INT: 14, WIS: 14, CHA: 20
Effects and Conditions
Mage Armor, Enlarge Person
Defence
AC	26	Fortitude	+9
Flat-Footed	22	Reflex	+14
Touch	22	Will	+9
25 spell resistance DR 10 / Good or Cold Iron
Energy Resistance
Acid 10, Fire 10
Immunities
Poison, Critical hits, precision damage Energy: Electricity, Cold Effects and Conditions: Prone, Petrified
Offence
Reach	6'	Melee	Bite
Attack	+17 / +17	Damage	1 - 8 Slashing + 1d6 Cold + 6 Divine
Reach	2'	Melee	Claw
Attack	+17 / +17	Damage	1 - 6 Negative Energy + 1d6 cold + 4 Divine
CMB	19	CMD	35

Two Succubuses and an Abyssal Hunter will join in after the fight starts. The Angler of Vices spends the first couple of rounds buffing his allies during which time you can hit them with everything you've got.

When you defeat the enemies, Angler of Vices will take the cultist he used as a vessel hostage plead for his life.

If you agree, you will receive a decent ring, Martyr's Testament. If you refuse the ring, the demon will offer the hostage's life. The best option at this point is the (Lawful) response. Afterwards, search the dead cultist's remains for the Hasty Eradicator dagger.

Go into the room at the back and search the locked (DC 34) chest for the Sun Stroke heavy mace and a vial of Demon Blood.

Head outside to be met by Paralictor Renth. It turns out that the demons were drawn here by the foreknowledge that you would be coming to the outpost and that the charade was a test of you carried out by Regill. Assuming you made the right choices, you should have passed. It's up to you how you respond to this revelation.

There's nothing more to do here, so return to the world map. Travel to the Gloomy Gorge outpost and take the path leading north west. Follow the path past the Broken Cart location (it just gives you reagents) until you reach the Dragon Burial Ground.

Dragon Burial Ground

You will meet Lathimas near the entrance.

He suggests that you go ahead and deal with any enemies that may be around. Afterwards, go inside the cave. Head down the passageway to find four Venomous Giant Spiders. These creatures have high-ish AC so a good way to deal with them is Restless Slumber and Coup de Grace.

The path forks. If you go right, you will simply find enemies and junk. There is an Athletics (20) check immediately ahead of you which takes you to a separate area with chest containing a couple of worthwhile scrolls. Go down the left fork and you will find a rock pillar that you can topple with an Athletics (24) check, creating a bridge.

On the other side, look for some rocks that you can clear with an Athletics (19) check.

It will take you two hours to clear the rocks regardless. Continue deeper into the cave and look for a substantial loot pile. Most of it is junk but there are a couple of minor magic items. You will find a bell and a door a short distance ahead which excites Lathimas greatly.

He tells you that the door is sealed with magic that will take him some time to bypass and gives you 10,000G for coming this far. You can make a Knowledge: Arcana (30) check to figure out something about the seal. Lathimas promises to let you know when he is able to open the door which will be much later in the game. There's nothing more to be done here so return to Drezen.

Borrowed Dreams

After the throne room event, go to the Half Measure Tavern and Arue will tell you more about her redemption. Another step is that she has! Begun! To Dream!

Accept Arue's invitation to participate in her dream. At this point there is little to see. Answer her question about what you dream about to have something added to the dreamscape.

When you return to the waking world, Arue will ask you to find out what the inhabitants of Drezen dream about. You need to speak to the following people:

• Fye the Tavern Keeper (dwarven whisky)
• One-Eyed Devil (wealthy retirement)
• Hilor (2nd floor of the inn; his daughter, Lourry)
• Horgus Gwerm (not getting old)
• Ciar (bringing the war dead back to life)
• Arsinoe (Drezen neat and tidy)
• Storyteller (he suffers from insomnia)
• Irabeth (putting an end to Baphomet's templars, weapons, adamantine...)
• Anevia (baking bread).

Return to Arueshalae in the tavern and she will take you back into her dream. There is more to the dreamscape now. Speak to the Ravenous Greater Shadow to bring the dream to an end.

Speak to Arueshalae again to bring the quest to a close.

Arueshalae Imprisoned

Some days after completing her companion quest (and only if you have progressed her romance), Anevia will tell you that Arueshalae has locked herself in the prison.

Make your way to the prison and ask Arueshalae what she's doing there. She says that she's a danger to you and that she has to keep her distance from you until she curbs the demon inside herself. Ask her what's going on and she replies that she wants to be near you, to talk to you and touch you. Point out that that's not such a bad thing and she protests that the caress of a succubus is a terrible thing. Tell her that you understand and that you're not without sin yourself. Reassure her that she doesn't have to hide herself away since desires are not deeds and people aren't sent to prison for their thoughts. And her desires aren't horrible - there is nothing wrong with wanting to talk and share thoughts and feelings. Point out that if she wants to live like a mortal, she needs to learn how to live among the people she cares about and reassure her that you will be there to help her overcome her nature.

Till Death Do Us Part

After the throne room event, go to the Jewelry Artisan which is next door to the inn. The proprietor, Darek Sunhammer, will greet you warmly. Seelah tells him that she wishes to buy a ring similar to the one that Sir Elan bought.

You can agree to chip in, if you like - 1000G should be small change by now - or you may want to keep your money. Afterwards, you will automatically speak to Elan.

Ask him about the wedding and he tells you that you are invited. Agree to attend and the Wedding Meadow will be added to your world map. You will find it a short distance to the east of Drezen.

Wedding Meadow

Elan will greet you when you arrive. He tells you that there are two areas of festivities, one organised by the Houndhearts, the other by the bridal party. You will find the groom's friends on the east of the map where they have reconstructed the First World with Elan as a Wild Hunt Monarch.

If you choose to take part in the "treasure hunt", you will have to get past a number of Color Spray traps to reach "The Beast".

Return to Elan and give him the "Priceless Artifact" for some bonus XP.

The bridal party has reconstructed Ustalav with the bride playing the role of a vampire princess.

When you're ready to proceed, speak to Arsinoe who can be found with the bridal party. Before the ceremony starts, Seelah will be asked to give a speech. Give her some help when she becomes tongue-tied. Afterwards, Arsinoe will ask all the guests to place a gift in a cup. When it's done, make a Knowledge: Arcana (29) check to figure that there's something wrong.

Warn Seelah who shares your suspicions - it seems that Sunhammer has added some evil magic to the ring. Seelah stops the bride and groom from exchanging rings. Curl appears and tells you that you have ruined everything before leaving some demons to crash the wedding: an Abyssal Huntress, a Distorted Mythic Schir, a Gilbrileth, an Omox and a Greater Shadow Demon.

Depending on how the dice roll, this could go badly - the game will probably have placed Nenio, Ember and anyone else that you don't want next to a demon in an unfavourable position. So long as you can get your party members out of immediate harm's way, this fight shouldn't give you too many problems, although you will have to kill the Schir twice. When the enemies are defeated, Arsinoe gives you an idea of what may have happened: the demon possessed Curl's body while his soul was transferred into a vessel, most likely a gemstone. Unfortunately, the demon stole the cup with the gems in it which means that you need to find the cup first.

Loot the remains of the Abyssal Huntress to find a Belt of Physical Form +4 and return to Drezen with all haste. You will find that the same thing has happened there.

When you return to Sunhammer's shop, the golem will explode (and may well do Constitution damage which, given that this is a cutscene, is an exceptionally dickish thing to do). Arsinoe tells you that what happened at the wedding ceremony has been happening all over Mendev - there were lots of people who bought Darek Sunhammer's jewellery. Seelah vows to hunt him down.

A Noble Intent

You must either pursue this quest or tell Anevia that you're not interested, which causes you to fail the quest and lose Camellia as a companion. You can't go anywhere in Drezen until you do.

After Anevia speaks to you, make your way to the Abandoned Building marked on the city map. Go inside and down the stairs to the basement where you will find Camellia standing over a fresh kill, murder weapon in hand.

You can listen to her tale if you like - she tells you that the spirits made her do it. Or rather one specific spirit, Mireya, who Camellia says has been bound to the amulet that she wears. You can go through her various conversation options but your choices boil down to: do you allow Camellia to live and, if so, do you allow her to keep on killing (she reckons ten or twenty should be enough). As it happens, if you've built Camellia properly it might be kinda hard to kill her since she will have rather high AC and there's just the one of you. If you allow her to complete her ritual (and you're male), she will want to get physical with you.

Make whatever decisions work for you. Back outside, Anevia will be waiting for you.

If you want Camellia out of your hair but weren't able to kill her, you can get Anevia to do the necessary. Otherwise, you can tell Anevia that the problem has been solved.

Seeking Forgiveness

After the throne room event, you will find Ria Neath outside the inn. Ask about the personal matter to learn that she is looking for her son, Lann.

Explore her conversation options to find out more about her marriage to Lann's father and her reasons for abandoning Lann. Agree to speak to Lann on her behalf. Lann doesn't want to see her. When you tell Rita this, she gives you an arrow from the time she taught Lann to shoot. Take it to Lann who breaks it and asks you not to tell his mum. When you ignore him and tell Rita that Lann threw the arrow away, Lann shows up.

Play family counsellor and they will hug and make up.

The Impostor

After the throne room incident, head to the prison where you will find Sosiel.

Exhaust the prisoner's conversation options to learn that he is a deserter from the Extirpators chapter of the Order of the Nail. He tells you that he was Trever's valet and was badly mistreated by him. Ask the man where Trever he is and he will add the Extirpators' Camp to your map.

Add Sosiel to your active party if needs be and fast travel to Lands of Yath Watch. Head east and then south and you will reach the Extirpators' Camp.

Extirpators' Camp

Head forward a short distance to find a burrow dug by a particularly large purple worm.

Buff up and continue deeper into the area. The squad you're looking for are dead. Afterwards, the Gluttonous Maw attacks.

Gluttonous Maw

General
Level	22 Magical Beast	Alignment	Neutral
HP	451	Size	Gargantuan
Speed	20'	Initiative	4
Attributes	STR: 43, DEX: 18, CON: 39, INT: 4, WIS: 16, CHA: 16
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack
Defence
AC	43	Fortitude	+29
Flat-Footed	39	Reflex	+17
Touch	10	Will	+10
DR 15 / Adamantine DR 10 / -
Immunities
Poison Effects and Conditions: Prone
Offence
Reach	8'	Melee	Bite
Attack	+29	Damage	32 - 60 Slashing / Piercing / Crushing
Reach	8'	Melee	Sting
Attack	+28	Damage	30 - 44 Piercing
CMB	46	CMD	52

Instant Enemy + Ranger's Bond can help you get through its AC. You want Protective Luck on anyone going toe-to-toe with the creature.

When you've defeated the creature, Sosiel speculates that the Extirpators were killed by the worm. However, Trever is not among them and you guess that Trever's impostor sent you here deliberately.

Before exploring the area further, remove the trap (DC 32) presumably placed by the Extirpators. Search the bodies for the Living Flame cloak along with minor loot and some +1 magic items.

Before leaving the area, make a Perception (32) check to spot a location where you can climb the cliff.

Make the Athletics (27) check to get to the top. There is a knapsack here but when you try to open it, a Greater Ravenous Shadow will attack. After defeating it, grab the loot from the knapsack, including a Wand of Cure Moderate Wounds, 2 diamonds, scrolls of Mass Heal and Holy Aura and a Flaming Dagger +1.

Return to the prison in Drezen to have a chat with the impostor.

Graham isn't inclined to be cooperative, assuming that you're like Sosiel's brother. However, you can show him otherwise (or threaten him with the noose if you prefer) and he will tell you how a demon snatched Trever during a monster hunting expedition. The rest of the squad were punished terribly for fleeing and only three men from the unit survived. He tells you that the other two survivors are somewhere in the Lost Chapel area, trying to steer clear of the local commander.

Trever
If Sosiel says that Trever betrayed everything they believed in, the quest will finish here.

Suggest that you find the other two survivors and get their side of the story. Leave Drezen and travel to Lost Chapel. You will find the fugitives near the entrance.

They give a different account of Trever: he was strict but fair and thought the world of his brother. They also tell you how Trever was snatched by a demon in a black mask. They assume that he was killed but since no body was found, Sosiel hopes that he can still find his brother.

Trever
During the ensuing conversation, choose "Your brother hoped to keep his heart pure - but he couldn't".

The Wayward

After the throne room event, the quickest way to Baphomet's Shrine is to fast-travel to the Lands of Yath Watch outpost, and use the portal from Heart of the Mystery to Core of the Riddle. The shrine is a short distance to the west.

Baphomet's Shrine

Walk up the path for a scene between the cultists who have Ember and some demons who announce that Baphomet demands blood - faithful and traitor alike. Afterwards, you will find yourself fighting alongside the cultists against a Glabrezu, Glabrezu Conqueror, Voracious Glabrezu, Minotaur Axe Thrower and Fiendish Minotaur Warlord.

Afterwards, the cultists will show how far they have fallen under Ember's influence by demanding that you kill them on the spot.

Ember, of course, wants no such thing. The former cultists are sincerely repentant and - as she points out - dealing with them harshly will not make anything better. Deal with them as you please, although forbidding Ember from preaching will make her cry. After you've made your decision, you can find the Templar's Missive by the fire (Perception 22). Search a crate to find the Blazing Crown which will fit Ember nicely.

The Price of Knowledge

After Klaem visits your headquarters, march south to Wintersun. Make your way to the hill where you found the madwoman earlier and buff up before going to the top. When you climb up, you will find Klaem pleading with Miammir. She briefly comes to her senses but then you hear a voice in your head saying that she now belongs to this place. Challenge the voice to show itself and the Siabre will oblige you.

You can explore its conversation options if you like, but if you want to rescue Miammir, you're going to have to fight it.

Siabre

General
Level	20 Druid (Undead)	Alignment	Neutral Evil
HP	310	Size	Medium
Speed	40'	Initiative	8
Attributes	STR: 19, DEX: 18, CON: 10, INT: 13, WIS: 40, CHA: 29
Effects and Conditions
Owl's Wisdom, Bull's Strength, Barkskin, Stoneskin, Cat's Grace, Bear's Endurance, Freedom of Movement, Foresight, Seamantle, True Seeing, Resist Cold, Resist Electricity, Greater Longstrider, Echolocation, Greater Magic Fang, Thorn Body, Cape of Wasps
Defence
AC	42	Fortitude	+23
Flat-Footed	37	Reflex	+16
Touch	19	Will	+31
DR 10 / Adamantine and Bludgeoning
Energy Resistance
Cold 30, Electricity 30
Immunities
Mind-Affecting, Poison, Disease, Charmed, Dazed, Stunned, Sleep, Petrified, Movement Impairing Energy: Acid, Fire, Negative Effects and Conditions: Sickened, Nauseated, Fatigued, Exhausted
Offence
Reach	2'	Melee	Corrosive Quarterstaff +2
Attack	+21 / +16 / +11	Damage	9 - 14 Crushing + 1d6 acid
Reach	2'	Melee	Gore
Attack	+14	Damage	3 - 10 Piercing
CMB	19	CMD	38

The Siabre brings two Plagued Smilodons to the party which aren't too threatening by now. You will struggle to hit it until you can get Instant Enemy / Mark of Justice on it. By this point, you should have some powerful tools in your arsenal. Once you can hit the Siabre it can be tripped. It will kick things off with Polar Midninght so you will probably have some ability damage to put right afterwards.

Once the enemies are dead, Miammir will start to return to her senses.

Decide what is to be done with her to complete the quest. Search the Siabre's remains for a Corrosive Quarterstaff +2, a suit of Hide Armor +4, the Shapeshifter's Helm, a Ring of Protection +2 and a Cloak of Resistance +2.

Removing the Demonic Seal

After receiving the event card, return to the citadel in Drezen where you will find Galfrey waiting for you.

She tells you that the Hand of the Inheritor summoned her so that she can help you attack the Midnight Fane.

Ascension
You have a [Give Galfrey the half of the Lexicon of Paradox] option. Doing so will make a later quest somewhat easier and so long as your Mythic path is not Demon or Lich, Galfrey will return it to you.

Before continuing, make sure that you are rested and that Radiance is in your inventory. When you're ready, tell her so.

Romancing Queen Galfrey
Galfrey asks to speak to you alone. Agree but don't choose the "summoning you to a date" option.

Do not be flippant in the ensuing conversation. She tells you what duty means to her: it is her life and her life is not her own. There can be no place in her heart for emotions, attachments and affections.

Reply that when the war is over you hope that she will finally be able to start thinking about herself instead.

When you're ready to proceed, you may want to issue a bunch of decrees to be completed later. Ones which give you troops and / or recruitment bonuses are advantageous. Dismiss your generals so that you can get them back right away when you return. Select your preferred party; the Midnight Fane awaits.

Midnight Fane

Galfrey tells you that she and the Inheritor will take up a defensive position and try to attract the demons' attention while you battle your way to the depths. However, if you hear a horn, you must rally to her side. You follow her to a room where demons are gathered and fight them: Babau Warrior x2, Babau Infiltrator x4 and a Kalavakus Marauder. The Infiltrators are a pain: high AC and Concealment so get your protections up and True Seeing on your party members. The Infiltrators drop +1 items.

Storming the Fane (Azata-only)

If you have breached the fane yourself, the demons in the entrance area will be shocked to see you and flee. You won't have traps to clear and there won't be a corpse barrier blocking your way in the western hallway. Instead, you will find Minagho in the process of creating it.

Take the (Good) option and attack the demon prison guards while Minagho flees. You will be fighting three Kalavakuses and a Glabrezu. If you want to save the minotaur, take out the Glabrezu first. When the fight is over, your allies will arrive.

Early Sunset advocates rushing for the heart of the Fane. However, this is not a good option so order your allies to help the Hand of the Inheritor hold his position. If you made the choices I advised you to make, your allies will obey.

Assuming you saved Rvveg the minotaur, speak to him and grill him for information about your enemies.Take the (Chaotic) option and let him go - you will see him later. Afterwards, open the cells to free the slaves.

As you proceed through the Midnight Fane, you will find fewer enemies because of the demons' reduced state of preparedness.

Afterwards, there are a couple of traps to disarm: one on the platform at the top of the starting chamber and a couple in the hallway to the west.

If you head down there, you will find a barrier made of piled corpses along with Minagho.

After exchanging words, she runs, leaving you to fight two Babau Eliminators, a Schir Brute and a Babau Infiltrator. When the enemies are dead, make an Athletics (23) check to get to the other side of the barrier where you will be attacked by two Schir Brutes, a Babau Eliminator, a Vrock Pillager and a Greater Kalavakus Marauder. When the enemies are dead, grab The Blitz battleaxe from the rock in which it is embedded.

Go through the door to the left and take out the Pursuer Retriever and Greater Kalavakus Maruader. When they're dead, make a note of the portal to the abyss and remove the two traps from the room. There is a Schir Brute and a Distorted Mythic Schir further down the hallway along with a locked (DC 27) door which will bring you out on the near side of the corpse barrier. You cannot go further south so use the portal to the Abyss.

Midnight Fane - Abyssal Cave (1)

You will be attacked by three enemies almost immediately a Nalfeshnee and two Voarcious Nalfeshnees. Follow the path north and then west into a cave with two Carnivorous Crystals, an Ancient Carnivorous Crystal and an Omox Befouler. The crystals can cause stun but are otherwise not too threatening. The Befouler is quite tough with lots of HP.

On the other side of the cavern, you will be attacked by another Omox Befouler. When it's dead, go northwest across the crystalline bridge and kill another pair of Carnivorous Crystals. After they're defeated, continue deeper into the cave where you will be attacked by a Vavakia which has a lot of HP but is not otherwise too dangerous. When it is dead, search a nearby cache for a suit of Full Plate of Nullify.

If you want to be thorough, follow the cavern as it turns northeast. You will come across three Baphomet Cultists who immediately turn into Glabrezu Conquerors. These creatures have extremely high AC (46) and the one in the corner spams Greater Dispel Magic. Apart from the scrolls that Glabrezus routinely drop, you don't get anything from this encounter.

Turn round and start making your way south. You will fight an Omox Befouler followed by a large group of enemies: Babau Warriors and Infiltrators, an Abyssal Huntress and two Succubus Sharpshooters. The Sharpshooters are quite nasty with high AB, high AC and level drain. Once you're past these enemies, you will reach the exit.

Back in the Midnight Fane, you will find yourself in a previously inaccessible part of the level. You will find a door control in the passage to the east which opens the way to the hallway with the corpse barrier. Return to the Abyss exit, buff up a little and go south through a door for a scene with Minagho instructing a priest of Baphomet to put a stop to your shenanigans.

When it finishes, you will have a fight on your hands: three Enigmatic Labyrinth Minotaurs and the Baphomet High Priest.

Baphomet High Priest

General
Level	20 Cleric (Human)	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	270	Size	Large
Speed	20'	Initiative	7
Attributes	STR: 33, DEX: 16, CON: 24, INT: 8, WIS: 21, CHA: 15
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack, Freedom of Movement, Magical Vestment, Resist Fire, Life Bubble, Shield of Faith, Shield of Dawn, Frightful Aspect, Owl's Wisdom, Bear's Endurance, Delay Poison, Greater Magic Weapon, Foresight, Death Ward, True Seeing, Divine Power
Defence
AC	36	Fortitude	+19
Flat-Footed	33	Reflex	+13
Touch	25	Will	+17
20 Spell resistance DR 10 / Magic
Energy Resistance
30 Fire
Immunities
Poison, Movement Impairing Energy: Negative Spell immunity: Stinking Cloud, Cloudkill, Mind Fog, Death Throes, Plague Storm, Acid Fog
Offence
Reach	10'	Melee	Banshee's Heart
Attack	+33 / +33 / +28 / +23	Damage	40 - 49 Slashing + 1d6 sonic
CMB	33	CMD	52

The three minotaurs will try to block the doorway so initiative rolls are important. The priest is somewhat dangerous so focus on him. However, he spends a couple of rounds buffing up during which time you should be able to take him out with ranged attacks even if your melee attackers can't get to him. When they're dead, loot the priest's remains for the Baphomet Servants' Key, the Banshee's Heart glaive, a Breastplate +3 and a Belt of Physical Flow +4.

At this point, the horn will sound so rush back to the entrance where you will find two Babau's Votary Murderers, a Marilith and two Babau Infiltrators. As the combat proceeds, a couple more Infiltrators and two Voracious Glabrezus will join in.

You can now use the lower passageway on the western side of the entrance chamber which gives you a slightly more convenient path back to where you were previously. Activate the two door levers in the passageway. One opens the way north while the other opens up a new passageway to the south. There is a tricky (DC 40) trap to remove along with three weapon racks filled with nothing in particular. Follow the passageway as it turns west and open a door to face a Cultist Evoker, a Cambion Marksman and a creature called the Sedative Knife.

Sedative Knife

General
Level	17 Tranquil Whisperer 3 Outsider	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	170	Size	Medium
Speed	40'	Initiative	6
Attributes	STR: 17, DEX: 15, CON: 14, INT: 17, WIS: 10, CHA: 21
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack, Barkskin, Heroism, Greater Invisibility, Fox's Cunning, Bull's Strength, Displacement, Sinfrenzy, Sinfrenzy (Lust), Inspire Courage
Defence
AC	27	Fortitude	+10
Flat-Footed	24	Reflex	+18
Touch	15	Will	+15
30 Spell resistance
Energy Resistance
10 Acid, 10 Cold, 10 Fire
Immunities
Poison Energy: Electricity
Offence
Reach	2'	Melee	Scimitar +1
Attack	+20 / +15 / +10	Damage	22 - 27 Slashing
Reach	2'	Melee	Claw
Attack	+14	Damage	14 - 17 Slashing / Crushing
CMB	22	CMD	33

The only problem is actually hitting him, although True Seeing should take care of his concealment which means that he may not last longer than the first round.

When the enemies are dead, search the trapped (DC 27) and locked (DC 32) chest for the Nightmare falcata.

Return to the round chamber where you fought the Baphomet High Priest and take the exit to the Fane's lower floor.

Midnight Fane - Lower Floor

Go through the door in front of you and remove the trap from the floor. Continue through the door to the north where you will find another trap on the floor along with a bunch of enemies: two Shadow Demon's Votaries, three Distorted Mythic Incubuses and two Distorted Mythic Succubuses. As always, the problem with these sorts of enemies is having to kill them twice. When the enemies are dead, grab Faxon's Letter from the table and a vial of Magic Essence from the wardrobe.

Go through the door in this room for an interactive sequence with Minagho and some captured crusaders hung from hooks.

She tells you that any blow you aim at her will be directed at them. However, a Knowledge: Arcana (30) check reveals that she's lying. Don't bother trying to stop Minagho - her time is not yet. Instead, help her victims. One of the captives turns out to be Yaniel - the real Yaniel this time. The husks don't have a lot to say for themselves so speak to her.

You can mention meeting an impostor if you like. Give Radiance to her and she will power it up and return it to you. Exhaust her conversation options and tell her to go and find the Hand of the Inheritor at the entrance. Assuming your PC isn't a Paladin, you will want to equip Radiance on Seelah since it is now a +4 Holy Avenger.

You cannot go through the blue barrier that Minagho created but you can make a Knowledge: Arcana (27) check for some bonus XP. Go through the other door where you will find a trap and a Pursuer Retriever. If your trickery expert is stealthy, you should be able to remove the trap without provoking the enemy. Afterwards, go through the portal to the Abyss.

Midnight Fane - Abyssal Cave (2)

Head north from your starting point and kill a Babau Warrior and two Babau Infiltrators. There is an exit back to the Fane nearby but this simply brings you out on the other side of Minagho's barrier where you will have fight a Distorted Mythic Vrock (twice, of course).

Back in the abyss, head north and you will meet a priestess of Noctcula named Gresilla.

If you speak to her, she will try to beguile you (Will DC 25 to resist). She offers you the key that she's holding if you can prove that you can kill Darrazand. However, she will also give it to you if you say that you won't play her games. Either way, you have the Nocticula Servants' Key. Search the locked (DC 23) chest next to her for the Mantle of Night leather armour.

You can take Gresilla on if you like (she's worth a fair few XP).

Gresilla, Priestess of Nocticula

General
Level	17 Cleric 8 Outsider	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	388	Size	Medium
Speed	70'	Initiative	16
Attributes	STR: 26, DEX: 34, CON: 28, INT: 18, WIS: 26, CHA: 29
Effects and Conditions
Piranha Strike, Bull's Strength, Magical Vestment, Owl's Wisdom, Bear's Endurance, Heroism, True Seeing, Barkskin, Shield of Faith, Death Ward, Cat's Grace, Freedom of Movement, Life Bubble, Foresight, Greater Heroism, Haste
Defence
AC	48	Fortitude	+26
Flat-Footed	40	Reflex	+31
Touch	24	Will	+31
31 Spell resistance DR 10 / Good or Cold Iron
Energy Resistance
10 Acid, 10 Cold, 10 Fire
Immunities
Fear, Poison, Movement Impairing Energy: Electricity, Negative Spell immunity: Stinking Cloud, Cloudkill, Mind Fog, Death Throes, Plague Storm, Acid Fog
Offence
Reach	2'	Melee	Claw
Attack	+32 / +32 / +32	Damage	26 - 31 Slashing / Crushing
CMB	37	CMD	58

Gresilla will use Sense Vitals on her first turn and then hit you with Overwhelming Presence which can be quite nasty. The Succubi in the pool are more of a distraction than anything so focus your attacks on Gresilla. Loot her remains for some minor magic items and the Twisted Temptation gloves.

The Succubi drop +3 composite longbows.

After dealing with Gresilla, head across the crystalline bridge to the east. You will find a Greater Kalvakus Marauder, a Distorted Mythic Nabasu and two Coloxus Defilers on the other side. When they're dead, head south to find an exit that takes you back to the Midnight Fane.

Back in the Midnight Fane, there are some enemies near the exit and - of course - a trap. Aggro the enemies (a Schir Brute and two Gallu Warmongers) and have them come towards you. While you're fighting them some enemies may arrive from further up the passage: a Cultist Evoker, two Abrikandilu's Votaries, an Abyssal Huntress and a Succubus Sharpshooter. It doesn't appear to be possible to disarm the trap without setting it off so move your party back and have someone suck up the Stormbolts. When the enemies are dead, go into the room that the second wave of enemies emerged from and search a cabinet to find Specimen 367 "Finnean Dismar" - Test Report 3.

Return to the previous room and go through the door on the western wall. When you do so, you will have a brief scene, the horn will sound and two Babau Eliminators and a Babau Infiltrator will attack you. After killing the enemies, look for a Mobility (27) check to access a ledge where you will find a body with some minor loot.

Get back across (Mobility 6) and disarm a trap to the south before going through the passage to return to the entrance chamber and defend the queen. You will be facing a Vrock Pillager, a Marilith, a Shadow Demon's Votary and a Succubus Sharpshooter. Two more Vrock Pillagers, a Voracious Nalfeshnee and a Marilith Conqueror will join in shortly after combat starts.

When the enemies are dead, return to the hallway where you were previously and have those able to cast it equip Firestorm scrolls and approach the door to the southeast. Open the door and cast a spell to aggro the Deskari High Priestess.

Deskari High Priestess

General
Level	20 Oracle 6 Undead	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	423	Size	Medium
Speed	30'	Initiative	12
Attributes	STR: 18, DEX: 22, CON: 10, INT: 10, WIS: 10, CHA: 30
Effects and Conditions
Freedom of Movement, Ice Armor, Ice Body, Shield of Faith, Greater Magic Weapon, Magical Vestment, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Bear's Endurance, Eaglesoul, Death Ward
Defence
AC	36	Fortitude	+17
Flat-Footed	29	Reflex	+15
Touch	24	Will	+16
DR 5 / -
Energy Resistance
20 Acid, 5 Fire
Immunities
Mind-Affecting, Fear, Poison, Disease, Movement Impairing, Critical Hits Energy: Acid, Cold, Electricity, Negative Effects and Conditions: Fatigued, Exhausted, Sickened, Nauseated
Vulnerabilities
Energy: Fire
Offence
Reach	2'	Melee	Scythe +3
Attack	+28 / +23 / +18 / +13	Damage	13 - 19 Slashing
CMB	23	CMD	47

The Priestess isn't that difficult but the Hideous Locust Swarms accompanying her are seriously annoying and will require multiple applications of Firestorm. When the enemies are taken care of, loot the priestess's remains for the Deskari Servants' Key, a Scythe +3 and a Headband of Alluring Charisma +4.

There is a hidden (DC 35) door behind the statue.

Make a Knowledge: Arcana (42) check and you will be whisked elsewhere and attacked by two Ravenous Greater Shadows. When they're dead, make a Mobility (24) check to cross a gap and then make a Perception (30) check to find a Ring of Deadly Swing.

You will also find an altar to Desna here if you need to clear some abyssal corruption. Make a Mobility (26) check to get back across and interact with the door to return to the room where you fought the priestess of Deskari.

Ignore the other door for the moment and head up the steps to the south. You will be attacked by two Marilith Conquerors and a Marilith's Votary at the top. There is an Enigmatic Labyrinth Minotaur, a Half-Fiend Guardian Minotaur, two Vrock's Votaries and a Succubus Sharpshooter a little further along. The Votaries spam Destruction so prioritise them. After defeating all the enemies, you can open up another passage back to the entrance chamber. Backtrack to where you fought the Marilith Conquerors and you will find a passage to the east that terminates in an impassable (for now) magical barrier.

Just below that is some kind of laboratory. Search the floor for the Lenses of Prolonged Gaze which are nice if you're an Aeon, high-class vendor trash otherwise.

Backtrack to the room where you fought the priestess of Deskari and go through the door to the northeast. Some enemies will try and stop you: a Greater Kalavakus Maruader, two Succubus Sharpshooters, an Abyssal Huntress, a Succubus Guard and a Tainted Retriever Watcher. note that there is a Plague Storm trap in front of the ranged enemies. When they're defeated, you will find an exit to the abyss. Make sure that your party is protected by Death Ward before going through.

Midnight Fane - Abyssal Cave (3)

This entire area is both difficult and optional. Unless you're playing for specific trophies, you can ignore it.

There is an Unhallowed Bodak and a Ghoul Stalker on the other side of the portal. Head north to face more enemies: two Unhallowed Bodaks, two Vrolikais and two Grown Nabasus. The Vrolikai spam Enervation but if you have Death Ward, this does nothing. When the enemies are dead, make a Perception (27) check to spot a body on the ground carrying the Rebound hooked hammer.

Continue north until you come to a fork in the path. Do not take the left path for the moment. Instead, continue north until you encounter a single Deathsnatcher and take it out - you do not want this enemy joining in while you are fighting the main threat here. Afterwards, backtrack to the fork and take the left path to a small cave where Playful Darkness awaits.

Playful Darkness

General
Level	19 Monstrous Humanoid 12 Vivisectionist 2 Instinctual Warrior	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	712	Size	Medium
Speed	70'	Initiative	21
Attributes	STR: 45, DEX: 25, CON: 40, INT: 22, WIS: 31, CHA: 26
Effects and Conditions
Barkskin, Stoneskin, Heroism, Freedom of Movement, See Invisibility, Echolocation, Blur, Greater Mutagen, Shield, Greater Invisibility, Displacement, Haste, Mind Blank, Power Attack, Owl's Wisdom, Focused Rage, Fast Healing 20
Defence
AC	68	Fortitude	+37
Flat-Footed	59	Reflex	+32
Touch	34	Will	+30
36 Spell resistance DR 10 / Adamantine
Energy Resistance
30 Cold, 30 Fire
Immunities
Poison, Sleep, Movement Impairing, Critical Hits Energy: Cold, Negative Spell Immunity: Magic Missile Effects and Conditions: Prone
Offence
Reach	2'	Melee	Bite
Attack	+47 / +47	Damage	40 - 50 Slashing / Piercing / Crushing
Reach	2'	Melee	Claw
Attack	+48 / +48 / +48 / +48	Damage	39 - 44 Slashing / Crushing
Reach	2'	Melee	Sting
Attack	+47	Damage	39 - 42 Piercing
CMB	44	CMD	81

Preparation is key. You want the Belt of Demonic Shadow on someone who is able to cast Greater Dispel Magic spontaneously (Ember or Daeran). Send a summoned ally (I used a Movanic Deva) into the cave to take the initial aggro. With Initiative 21, Playful Darkness will go first and whoever (or whatever) faces its initial charge will be dead, no questions asked. in subsequent rounds a high AC ally (such as a leopard companion) can tank its attacks with Protective Luck. In all likelihood, you are only going to damage it with rolls of 20. Blessed Weapon and Quarry, for example, will allow you to turn these hits into critical hits, You want Instant Enemy + Ranger's Bond for the damage bonus and you also want to apply Mark of Justice. Meanwhile, you want to hit it with targeted Greater Dispel Magic to remove some of its many buffs. With the Belt of Demonic Shadow this will have the additional benefit of summoning a Greater Shadow Demon which is able to hit Playful Darkness's touch AC quite reliably and is also a disposable ally if it bears the brunt of Darkness's attacks for a round. Once you've stripped Darkness's Shield protection, you can use Magic Missile (in combination with Mark of Justice) for big damage. When you defeat it, you will unlock the Playful Mood trophy if you are playing on Core difficulty or higher.

When hostilities commence, you will be attacked by four Greater Ravenous Shadows. You will want to eliminate these as a priority to help deny Playful Darkness the benefit of sneak attacks. When it's dead, congratulate yourself for overcoming one of the greatest challenges in the game and loot its remains for a Belt of Giant Strength +4, a Headband of Vast Intelligence +4, an Amulet of Mighty Fists +4, Bracers of Armor +5, a Cloak of Resistance +3 and a Ring of Evasion, along with a couple of high-level scrolls.

Inevitable Darkness
If you beat Inevitable Darkness during a previous playthrough on Core difficulty or higher, look for a rift in Playful Darkness's lair.

Search it to find a Belt of Physical Perfection +6. If you managed to beat Inevitable Darkness on unfair difficulty, you will find a Flawless Belt of Physical Perfection +8.

Search the bodies in the lair for a Speed Corrosive Shortspear +4, a Manual of Quickness of Action +2, a Headband of Vast Intelligence +2, a Mithral Speed Scimitar +2 and the Helmet of Weakening Torture.

Note that the last item requires a Perception (28) check. Continue following the cave northwards and take out the Deathsnatcher if you didn't do so earlier. At the end of the passage, you will find some rope which you can use to climb down to the cave below, bringing you out by Gresilla's camp.

Return to the entrance chamber and rest up if needs be. When you're ready to proceed, interact with the altar in front of the statues and insert the three keys that you picked up from the various high priests.

Go through the newly-opened door at the top of the chamber where you will find Minagho trying to leave and Darrazand forbidding it. Choose the [Attack] option and you will find yourself fighting Darrazand, two Vrock's Votaries and two Marilith Conquerors. Minagho won't join in.

Darrazand

General
Level	24 Outsider	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	540	Size	Large
Speed	40'	Initiative	13
Attributes	STR: 39, DEX: 29, CON: 44, INT: 24, WIS: 24, CHA: 27
Effects and Conditions
Power Attack, Unholy Aura, Barkskin, Shield of Faith, Heroism, Foresight, See Invisibility, True Seeing, Death Throes, Vorpal Strike
Defence
AC	54	Fortitude	+31
Flat-Footed	45	Reflex	+31
Touch	25	Will	+29
33 Spell resistance DR 15 / Good and Cold Iron DR 10 / -
Energy Resistance
10 Acid, 10 Cold
Immunities
Fear, Poison Energy: Electricity, Fire Spell immunity: Dominate Monster, Charm Whatever
Offence
Reach	6'	Melee	Rupturing Storm
Attack	+37 / +32 / +27 / +22	Damage	33 - 38 Slashing + 3d6 fire
Reach	10'	Melee	Flaming +1 whip
Attack	+28	Damage	23 - 36 Slashing + 1d6 fire
CMB	41	CMD	64

One of the Mariliths will Cast Blade Barrier given half a chance and the Votaries will cast Destruction which is nasty. Darrazand himself isn't too bad: hit him with Greater Dispel Magic and have your highest AC party members tank his attacks. His Death Throes ability can kill party members who were badly damaged by Blade Barrier so move people like Ember and Nenio out of the way before you strike the killing blow.

Minagho's Fate

If you stormed the Midnight Fane early, Minagho will say that she simply can't do anything against you - you always show up when least expected and she can't undermine your followers' discipline because they have none.

Pump her for information about the mark on her face, where the rift leads and the demons who command her. Take the [Let Minagho go] option, telling her that the demons she chose to serve are responsible for what happened to her and that she should stop obeying them and fight back. Minagho warns you that you should trust no one if you decide to follow your enemies into the Abyss before taking her leave.

When you've defeated Darrazand, Galfrey decides that the time is ripe to discuss your conduct of the crusades.

She is actively looking to find fault however faultless your conduct has been. If your Mythic path is Trickster, Lich or Demon, you have no chance. Same if you're an Azata and stormed the Fane early. Otherwise, the presence of Arushalae will be considered a black mark.

You have Diplomacy (27) and Intimidation (33) options and if you are an Angel you can point out how you see the light in her soul. Next she mentions the Sword of Valor which she reckons is now a reflection of you before announcing that she is relieving you of your post as Knight Commander. If you are an Angel, you can argue that this is not goodness and justice. Your party members may have their own contributions. Ultimately, it doesn't matter; even if you keep your formal title, Galfrey announces that she is taking control of the armies while you go on a suicide mission into the abyss. The Hand of the Inheritor announces that he is coming with you.

If you haven't done so already, mention the Lexicon of Paradox and make sure you give it to Galfrey to study.

Before doing anything else, loot Darrazand's remains for the Rupturing Storm scimitar, the Menace of Death amulet and a Gold Coin with Baphomet's Mark.

Midnight Fane - Secret of Secrets

The wall switches throughout the level which you used to open up the various passageways form a puzzle. Arrange the switches so that they are open ('O') or closed ('X') as shown below:

Be careful to activate the two switches by the cages above the corpse barrier and move them into the "closed" position. When you do so, another entrance to the Lower Fane will appear in the entrance chamber.

Close the switch immediately to the left of the entrance room last with your entire party on the "wrong" side. Go down to the Fane's lower level and through the abyssal cave system to get back to the entrance area with the secret passage unlocked.

You will find a single coffin which has a trap which requires Perception (47) to spot and Trickery (52) to remove. Greater Heroism, Guidanace and a Wand of Save Scum can help with the latter check. If you open up the coffin, you will be attacked by 4 Enraged Vescavor Swarms.

Enraged Vescavor Swarm

General
Level	27 Outsider	Alignment	Chaotic Evil
HP	419	Size	Diminutive
Speed	30'	Initiative	17
Attributes	STR: 7, DEX: 36, CON: 28, INT: 8, WIS: 13, CHA: 12
Defence
AC	50	Fortitude	+20
Flat-Footed	36	Reflex	+30
Touch	28	Will	+18
29 Spell resistance
Energy Resistance
25 Fire, 25 Electricity
Immunities
Poison, spells with a target, physical damage from weapon Energy: Acid
Offence
CMB	19	CMD	49

The swarms' Gibber ability makes them even more dangerous. Unless you have ways of delivering massive AoE damage, leave the coffin closed! I used two applications of Storm of Justice backed up with minor contributions from Controlled Fireball and Firestorm.

When (if!) you've defeated them, you can grab the Earth Unleashed ring, a Wand of Acid Arrow and a Manual of Bodily Health +2 along with some gold, gems and a load of Diamond Dust.

When you're ready, return to the main level and step through the Nexus to unlock the Fifth Crusade trophy and bring the chapter to a close.