Blackmire 3 - Halls of Hizk Ri
Difficulty:
Survivable at the minimum, but requires at least half a fellowship. Also
requires good jumping skill.
Level Restriction: 60-79, 80-99, 100+
Timer: 28 Days
Can be Solo'd? No
Rewards: Ancient Armored Long
Boots and Gauntlets and your
choice of a Mace, Crossbow, or
Fellowship Life Protects
The previous two Blackmire Temples are shrines to Matriarchs of evil orders, but this quest takes you into a prison crafted by good Falatacot. The guardian of this temple would prefer if you would just go away and not release the evil inside, but we need our Ancient Armor!
Step 1 - Preparation. Ideally, everyone on your quest will have Aerlinthe or Caul Recall. If someone does NOT have the recall spell though, you will need to go get a tie. Use Aerlinthe Recall, take the Northwest Direlands portal at the drop, and then tie to the Obsidian Rim portal. If you prefer Caul Recall, simply use the recall and look behind you for the Obsidian Rim portal. This will take you to the 'VoD' lifestone, a short run from the temple. Summon everyone and buff up at the lifestone - you will want to buff a flame or Slash weapon, bane against physical damage, and protect against pretty much everything. When everyone is buffed, run to the temple, located at 51.4S, 67.9W. There are a few Undead outside - kill them. There is a plate located to the SE side of the temple. Each person will need to pick it up. As soon as each person has their plate, they should head into the temple and jump down the hole. At the bottom of the pit, there are 4 Statues. ID each one and find the one that is missing a plate - the one to the south. Give the plate to the Statue and you will be teleported inside the dungeon.
Step 2 - Halls of Hizk Ri. Just like the previous 2 Blackmire Temples, the quest starts off with a riddle. One person (you!) should greet the statue immediately in front of you as you enter while everyone else runs to the south and waits by the sliding stone statue. There are 4 plates on the floor in here again - pick them up. At this point, make sure to note that you entered the dungeon facing South instead of North. You may very well die if you get disoriented. Check the plates - you have one labeled Au, Star, Rez'arel, and Alb'arel. You must turn in each plate in to the correct statue in the correct order. Au goes to the East, Star to the West, Rez'arel to the north, and Alb'arel to the South. Talk to the Guardian again and the door will open. Run through! If you did make a mistake, you will now be dead. Run back! Just beyond the door you just opened are 3 more doors - color coded to their particular level restriction. Right (red) is 100+, center (yellow) is 80-99, and left (green) is 60-79. Go through the correct door and jump down the pit ahead. Fight your way through the Undead until you come to a lever door. Kill the monsters, open the door, and then use the Guardian at the far end of the room.
Step 3 - Well of Tears. From the drop into this section, you will see a Guardian directly in front of you. You can either greet him now or later - it doesn't matter, but just don't do it more than once. Run straight ahead (to the north) and up a ramp. You will kill a few monsters and then find an Ancient Enchanter Philter on the floor. Everyone needs to pick one up. After your group has their philters, return to the drop point. Jump off the side to the level below. Be careful - you can get swarmed by Undead if you aren't careful. Head east and up a ramp. Turn right and fight your way ahead - you will find the Well of Tears. Everyone needs to fill their philter with tears from the well - you need to use the philter on the Well, not give it. When everyone in your group has their filled philter, it's time to make your way back to the Guardian. Fight your way back and take your first right. Follow the corridor until you reach a T intersection. Turn left and go up a ramp, which will lead you back to the room where you found your philter. Continue and you will return to the Guardian. Line up and give your filled philter to the Guardian and you will be teleported into the next section.
Step 4 - Jumping! Of all the dungeons in Dereth, this one requires the most technical skill. Each person needs to make over a dozen technically-challenging jumps to move on to the next section. If you are a poor jumper or have a poor connection, you will likely fall several times. Fortunately, there is an almost fool-proof method that will allow even the least talented or most uncooperative quester complete this section. Have everyone go into their options menu and uncheck the "Run as Default Movement" option from the 'Character' tab. This will force everyone to walk instead of run, altering their jumps from long, low arcs to high, short arcs. It also removes the necessity of using the Shift button, which is the downfall of so many jumpers in this section. Then lead everyone through.
As you enter, you will notice a large portal device directly ahead of you and several differently-colored eyes along the walls. You need to hit each of the eyes that is color-coded to your level - red for 100+, yellow for 80-99, green for 60-79. There are 4 red eyes and 3 for the other 2 groups. Using each eye will debuff you, but unlike the nasty debuffs in the other Blackmire quests, you can dispel these with a Dispel Gem or Eradicate Magic spells. If you have used the method detailed above, all you need to do for each jump is tell everyone how long to hold the space bar. Practically all of the jumps are half-power jumps, although there are a few exceptions. Going around the room counter-clockwise, the strengths and directions are:
Half E, Full E, Half NNE, Half N, Minimum N (Red Eye), Full N, Half W, Half N, Full N, Half ESE toward Red Eye, minimum back to previous platform, Full W to Portal Platform, Run across to the NW edge and then Full W, Run along the platform to the SE, stand in the middle, and then Full W (Red Eye).
When using this Eye, your jump skill will be halved! You absolutely MUST dispel that one or you will fall.
Minimum N to previous platform, run SE to edge, 1/3 S, Full W, run to edge and Full SW toward candle. Run and use final eye. Run back NE and Full NE to previous ledge. Full ENE, then Full ENE toward Portal Device. When you have used all 4 eyes and are back at the Portal Device, have a seat and wait for anyone who fell.
If you do fall, you will have to navigate your way through a maze filled with Wailing Statue traps and lots of Undead. If you are a high level character, you might be able to make it through the maze by running if you know the way, but running through with more than one person is a death sentence. I recommend gathering up people who fall and fighting your way through when you have a decent number together. When you're ready to go, head south and jump into the hole. Fight your way to the east, going straight through the first intersection then turning right. Make a quick left and head up the ramp. The next room has two exits - turn right and press the button to open the path. The rest of the trip is linear, but with all the monsters and crypts, you are likely to get stuck if you run. Once you reach the next lever, you will be back atop the jumping section, ready to try again.
Once everyone in your group has used all the eyes, use the Device to head into the next section. Make sure you recheck the "Run as Default Movement" option if you turned it off.
Step 5 - The Sewer. You will likely need to rebuff at this point, depending on how quickly your team made it through the jumping section. You will need to buff a frost weapon, bane against physical and acid damage, and protect against all damage types. This next section is filled with Guruk. These guys hit fast and hard, so watch your health. When you are ready, bear to the left at the first intersection. Hug the left wall, killing as you go. You will find a ramp going up - take it. Keep hugging the left wall and you will come to another ramp. Keep hugging the left wall and you will come to another ramp going up. Take your next left and you will go up a ramp into the last large room. Watch out for the rock-throwing Guruk! Kill the monsters and head to the far end of the room, where you'll find a lever door. The button to open the door is back at the entrance to this room, so go hit it and run back to the other side. Everyone should then use the Guardian, but make sure everyone knows NOT TO MOVE from the drop point. They will surely die and throw your group into disarray.
Step 6 - The Patriarch. It's time to fight the boss! You'll see a line of Undead guarding the Patriarch. If you take a step forward, the whole group will attack you. When everyone is ready, have your mages shoot off wall spells directly ahead to try to soften up the Boss's minions. Once the horde arrives, have your mages stick to the Boss and have your melees and archers clean up whatever is left alive. Once they are all dead, everyone should focus on the boss. He's a wily monster - he teleports away at will and has a nasty habit of sending you into a holding cell. Fortunately, it's easy to break out - anyone can open the locked door from the main room. If you do get sent to jail, yell out and have someone free you. Keep on the Patriarch until he dies. As soon as he dies, everyone who isn't in jail should run north to the door that just opened. There's a Guardian and a button here - no one should use the Guardian until everyone is inside. Chances are, someone is locked in jail. Go free them and then have someone in your group reopen the door. Use the Guardian when everyone is past the last door.
Step 7 - Rewards! Just like the other Blackmire quests, you get your choice of two rewards. Use the Sarcophagus to receive Ancient Armored Gauntlets and Long Boots. The other rewards are:
Razorblade Flange (Mace): 40.3 - 62, Slashing, +12 +10, Crushing Blow, Moderate Mace, Strength VI, Rejuvenation VI, BD VI, SK VI, Defender VI, Base Mace 370 to wield, 200 Arcane to Activate
Portal to Izji Qo's Temple: Hookable Portal for Mansions Only - Teleports you to the North Dires at 12.3S, 59W.
Also, there are Fellowship Scroll Rewards. This time, they are Life Protects. There are seven total - there isn't an Armor spell for some reason. Those spells are:
Flange Ward - Bludgeoning
Scythe Ward - Slashing
Lance Ward - Piercing
Inferno Ward - Fire
Frore Ward - Frost
Voltaic Ward - Lightning
Corrosive Ward - Acid
