Arena:Crypt of Hearts

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[edit] Quick Walkthrough

Sleep and receive a vision from Ria.
Travel to High Rock and meet with the Brotherhood of the Seth.
Go through the Mines of Khuras to acquire a map to the Crypt of Hearts.
Have the Brotherhood decipher the map to learn exactly where the Crypt is.
Retrieve the sixth piece of the Staff from the Crypt.
Repel another attack by Jagar Tharn.

[edit] Detailed Walkthrough

[edit] Sleep and Dream

Go to sleep again (this should be a regular practice by now) and Ria will tell you:

"It has become a habit, congratulating you on your success. Still, there are three pieces left, and what guards them only the Divine Lady may know. I have spent many a day searching the ethereal planes for some clue as the location of the sixth piece of the Staff. This is what I have found. The piece was sent to a place called the Crypt of Hearts. I have no clue as to the location of such a place. The price for the little knowledge I have was... exacting. Still, only three provinces remain that can hold these last pieces. It can only lie in one of these. Good luck..."

[edit] Camlorn, Part 1

Asking around about the Crypt of Hearts leads you eventually to the Brotherhood of Seth in Camlorn, High Rock. There you are told that one of their junior members went nuts, talking about how the Emperor was kidnapped and he needed the Staff of Chaos to free him. (Probably they'd think you were just as nuts as Brother Barnabas if you didn't already have five pieces of the Staff to show them.) He fled with a map telling them where the Crypt is, and they know where he went. If you agree to get the map back, they mark the location of the Mines of Khuras on your map. It is a short way southeast of Camlorn.

[edit] Mines of Khuras

This is a bi-level dungeon with huge levels. You will find lava in abundance as well as magic-, fire-, and shock-throwing monsters, so ensure that you have plenty of defensive magic (potions, spells, or magic items) on hand. Because spell-throwing monsters can kill you while you're climbing out of a pit, it's also very helpful to have levitation so you either stay out of pits or, if you end up in one, don't have to laboriously climb out.

On the first level, the way down is more or less in the center of the dungeon. Levitation is a big help dealing with the puddles of lava that are rife here. You could jump over them, but it's often difficult to do that without landing in another flaming puddle of hurt on the other side.

The fastest way down is to head west in the first east-west corridor and take the first opening south. Immediately work your way a short bit back east, then go south quite a way. Eventually you should see the blue dot that shows you where to go to go down (51,58); it'll likely be a bit east of where you're going south.

The second level, while it thankfully has little lava, has pits a-plenty and not a few tunnels; it is very maze-y and dark and difficult to navigate. You can find the map fragment (and what's left of Brother Barnabas) in the southeast corner of the level (21,86). Your best bet is to take the trench south of where you entered to where it comes out, then make your way south and east as best you can.

[edit] Camlorn, Part 2

Back at the Temple, return the map so they can mark the location of the Crypt of Hearts on your map.

[edit] Crypt of Hearts

This is a four-level dungeon. The first level is quite large; fortunately, the lower levels are smaller. There are scads of every kind of undead here, as you might expect. There is also a large number of the most deadly of monsters, the stone golem. Many monsters that are very dangerous from a distance, just like in the Mines of Khuras. This dungeon is easily the most difficult so far, and the fourth level is definitely a pain in the ***. Stone Golems just spamming you with projectiles, killing you in a matter of seconds. This is why you'll need passwall, because many of the levels offer a shortcut to the exit if you have it. Especially needed on the way back, when you realize that your number of health potions wasn't enough. Lots and lots of Heal True-potions. A couple of invisibility potions can protect you from the distant Stone Golems of the bottom level (so that you can just make a run for it), resistpotions of all three kinds, and about 15 levitation potions. The dungeon doesn't really offer much treasure, even if you'll find dead bodies from time to time, sometimes including nice magical items that are worth a lot, like Crystals. But a hint would be not to explore until you have the staff piece.

The way down on the first level is in the north center of the level. Make your way west while staying as far north as possible and you'll quickly find it. This level also holds your chance to meet your first vampire, if one didn't occur in the Crystal Tower (see that half-circle room in the center?).

The second level is quite small in terms of actual area to explore. The way down is in the southwest section. If you have Passwall and don't want to explore, it's worth cutting your way south immediately, skirting the pit of floating floor tiles, and then making directly south for the way down. Otherwise make your way east down the long corridor on the north section, then back west as you can.

The third level is also small. Again, if you have Passwall and don't want to explore, getting to the way down is a snap; you can probably see the blue dot on the map as soon as you enter the level. So, just cut through the wall right behind where you entered. If you don't have Passwall, you'll have to go a way north and east, then down a very long corridor south and, eventually, back west.

The fourth level is larger and more problematic. It is heavily pocked with trenches and pits; levitation is an enormous help, particularly when having to deal with the very dangerous (especially while distant) stone golems and wraiths. The Staff piece is in the center of the level. If you have Passwall, you can immediately head north, cut through the east wall, and instantly find yourself in the area where the Staff piece room is. This is highly recommended, also use invisibility to get through to the staff piece-room without being shot at. Otherwise, you are in for a long trek east, then a long trek north, then a long trek west, then a slightly-less-long trek south before you can get into that area. Once in that area, there are more fell beasts and automata, plus of course a riddle-locked door and the Staff piece (30,32).

[edit] Notes

There are other cute Easter eggs, like on the second level of the Mines. The maze in the southeast corner spells out "BLACKMARSH" in mirror writing. One supposes the designers originally meant for this to be the lead-in dungeon on the Murkwood quest, but decided it was too easy at that point in the game and decided to demote it to High Rock, and they mirrored the dungeon so as to disguise that fact (if fact it is). Also, note the smiling faces on the third level.

If you've ever wondered what the Arena Void looks like, your only chance at this point is to break through the walls on the fourth level of the Crypt of Hearts. Try the very thin east wall. All other dungeons are ringed by an impassable wall except for the Imperial Dungeons. You could therefore also break through the Imperial Dungeon walls into the Void, but it can be quite difficult to get Passwall capability down there, and anyway, you'd have to start a new character to even try.