Crystal Tower and the Crypt of Hearts
Two steps closer.
Lilandril, Summurset Isle
Another province, another chore for the Mages Guild. This time Corim Ashlen, Loremaster of the Lilandril chapter, tasks us with retrieving a diamond stolen by priests from the Temple of the Mad God. With the proper rituals, this diamond will reveal the way to the Crystal Tower. The temple dungeon is so rote that it is hardly worth mentioning. We enter, kill some monsters, gain some loot, and acquire the diamond before returning to Corim for the location of the next dungeon.
The Crystal Tower
The Crystal Tower is hardly the most exciting dungeon either, although it’s worth noting that in that this one we are ascending rather than descending per the norm.
The third floor is the highlight here, in that it serves as a laboratory prison for many of the different types of monsters you can encounter in the game, giving us a rare opportunity to observe the creature models without having to defend ourselves. It isn’t to last though, one door towards the end of the level is locked and requires a key, so we have to open these cells up and look for it, battling some new creatures like stone golems and medusae in the process.
One cool detail here is finding an empty cell with the ambient text “This cell is empty. On a plaque to one side has been hastily etched your name. It seems someone has been expecting you.” I’m flattered but I really don’t need my own cell, I’ll gladly share with the medusa. Moving on…
Once we find the key, we return to the locked door and open it. Behind it lies one of our most powerful foes yet, a massive fire daemon. Despite its imposing appearance, Talin (now level 17) destroys the creature with a single cast of his potent Spirit Arrow spell.
On the fourth floor we encounter the customary riddle.
The meaning of this passage…
–
In a marble hall as white as milk,
Lined with skin as soft as silk,
Within a fountain crystal clear,
A golden apple, doth appear,
No doors there are to this stronghold,
Yet thieves break in to steal the gold…
The answer is “egg.” Behind the door, lies a room with green crystal flooring as well as our goal. We retrieve the fifth piece of the Staff and abscond.
Ria comes calling once again, bidding us to look for the next staff piece in the Crypt of Hearts. I guess High Rock as the location which proves to be correct. On our way there, we get another threatening vision from Jagar Tharn who has changed his tone somewhat, assessing Talin as a worthy foe who will be resurrected as an undead servant after his inevitable demise. We’ll see about that.
Camlorn, High Rock
We get a break from the Mages Guild for our next quest, being directed instead to a temple, the Brotherhood of Seth in Camlorn. With spells to buff, heal, and cure poison and disease, I’ve had little reason to visit temples so far, but these services are available at these locations throughout the game. Every city features at least one. The priest here is named Halfas Varn, and tells us how a junior member of the order went mad, raving about how the emperor has been kidnapped and replaced by a usurper (if only you knew buddy) before stealing several documents and fleeing to the mines of Khuras. Of these documents, one was a map detailing the location of the Crypt of Hearts. That’s our queue.
The Mines of Khuras
For this dungeon, a potion, spell, or item to resist fire is a necessity, as the entire first level is made up of pools of lava which need to be navigated and swam through.
Shortly after entering, we find the body of an adventurer, ambient text indicating that the letters “SW” are scrawled next to it in blood. I’m not sure what this is supposed to indicate, as “southwest” would be a slightly misleading description of where the stairs leading down are, which are basically straight south of the body in the dead center of the dungeon.
The lower level is much less fiery, and after some exploration we discover the body of the junior priest and the stolen map.
Map now in hand, our hero returns to Halfas Varn and is rewarded with the location of the Crypt of Hearts.
The Crypt of Hearts
The Crypt of Hearts is brimming with ominous atmosphere, featuring many bits of ambient text describing the smell of death, cold winds, low moans through vaulted corridors, etc. It’s fantastic. This dungeon also marks the point where Arena completely removes the kid gloves, throwing loads of powerful enemies at you, including our first vampire.
Deep within the Crypt of Hearts, Talin stumbles upon a mausoleum. An inscription on the lintel stone above reads "Sir Culanthir - May he at last rest."
Striding into the depths, he must bite back a primal fear, every instinct within begging him to turn back, to leave this haunted place behind forever. Yet he pushes on. At the center of the room sits a coffin, it's heavy stone lid laying on the floor beside it. From within rises a dread figure clad in black funerary clothes, the once-noble figure of Sir Culanthir now a mockery of life. His red eyes burning with hunger, the vampire smiles, his pointed fangs seeming to glint in the twilight...
The lowest level of the dungeon features a large crypt which contains the staff piece, secured via riddle.
Brave fools who wouldst face the puzzle…
–
There is a thing, which nothing is,
Yet it has a name.
It’s sometimes tall
And sometimes short
It tumbles when we fall
It joins our sport,
And plays at every game…
–
What then, doth I speak of?
This one is clever, the answer is “shadow.” With that, we acquire the sixth staff piece and get ready to pursue the seventh, which Ria tells us can be found in Murkwood, a moving forest. Between Morrowind and Black Marsh, the latter seems more likely, so the land of the Argonians will be the next step in Talin’s adventure.
