geneforge v geekiness part iii

[jlsgaladriel]

( part one ayy: Northwest Terrestia -- the demo)
( Part one bee: Northwest Terrestia -- beyond the demo)
( part ii: Southwest Terrestia -- Storm Plains)
Part iii: Southwest Terrestia: Dera Reaches and endgame

Dera Bridge
n to Perikalia Crossroads
s to Camp West Alpha
e to Zephyr Oasis
cleared on crossing (?)

quick overview: This route into Dera is prone to being overrun with rogue raiders.

nw SARGEANT LANDER patrols Dera Bridge. With leadership 7 you can talk your way past him with no hostility, unless you've used more than fourteen canisters (?), in which case you'll feel compelled to fight. After your conversation, an unbound will rush the bridge; fight it with the patrols, if you choose. After the battle, the remaining guards will move south from the bridge.
ne There are shaped boots near the wingbolt nest.
sw SERVILE QUARTERS BORUN will escape if the bridge is cleared.
se As you approach the southern exit, the dryak AHSS'KEL and more rogues will attack Lander and his men. They're hostile even to rebels, but you can hide if you'd rather not help loyalists.

Zephyr Oasis
w to Dera Bridge
s to Oasis Fields
e to Camp East Alpha
cleared immediately

quick overview: Capital city of the Dera Reaches and home to Sage Taygen, Zephyr Oasis offers good shopping and questing.

sw TAYGEN'S THRONE ROOM If you ask nicely, SAGE TAYGEN will give you Taygen's License to travel with unrestrained creations. (This will make your life in Zephyr Oasis significantly easier.) Taygen will ask you a reputation question (+2/-2). If your reputation is high enough, he will offer you Q: Reclaim Cmp Dranir. Reward: shaper reputation (+3), 250 coins, and a rod of battle. Taygen will next give the quest Q: Aid Platano. Completing the quest will allow you to join Taygen's faction, should you wish to; it also grants shaper reputation (+3), 500 coins, and a wand of the inferno. Those joining Taygen will be given Repository Key E and will be assigned Q: The Proto-Fyora.

GUARDIA KULISH will teach battle spells from shocking rain through essence lances, mental spells from dominate through charm, blessing spells from battle aura through elemental armor, and healing spells from banish affliction through aura of cleansing, "exorbitant," to members of loyalist factions. To loyalists he'll also teach create drayk, creat kyshakk, create battle alpha, create rotghroth, crate war trall, create glaahk, and create wingbolt, "exorbitant."
w The sign outside the commander's office gives Q: Bounty: Wingbolts.
w COMMANDER'S OFFICE If you have Taygen's License, COMMANDER PRITZ will offer you Q: Delivery: Platano and Q: Hunting 'Bennhold'. Head to the Purity Workshop to find Platano; head to Bennhold's Keep to find the bandit. After killing Bennhold return for your reward: 700 coins and a fibrous breastplate. He'll then give you the quest Q: Drakon Sighting, to find Ellek'Ess in Dera South Shore. Lying about her existance will earn you 250 coins and rebel reputation (-2); admitting to having seen her earns shaper reputation (+2) and 300 coins; killing her earns 250 coins, shaper reputation (+2), and a blessed necklace. After killing eight wingbolts for "Bounty: wingbolts," return to receive your reward: 400 coins and sapphire legplates.
nw LUXURIOUS HOME CONSORT LEENA lives here.
n The canister in the locked storehouse teaches mass restore.
ne FEDERA gives Q: Camp East Alpha, to investigate the camp. After speaking with Genta, deny there is a problem for rebel reputation (-3), or turn her in for shaper reputation (+3) and access to a chest in Camp East Alpha.
ne PRIVATE QUARTERS DENNA, who cheated you in Mera, is here. She'll give rebels Q: Free Camp Dranir, for which she'll even give you a reward this time: Tek's spectral dirk. If you'd rather kill her, speak with Commander Pritz first, to ensure the city guards will stay out of the fight.
SANTELA'S BAZAAR If you have obtained a license from Taygen, she buys, and sells pods, spores, and excellent missiles, "exorbitant."
center TAHN is a very sad servile.
e REBENA'S IRONWORKS REBENA sells excellent armour, including shaped and puresteel, "expensive."

Camp East Alpha
w to Zephyr Oasis
s to Pacification Road
e to Purity Workshop
cleared (immediately?)

quick overview: The creation holding camp dominates the north; an unbound lives to the south.

w SARGEANT FANO wants to see your papers from Taygen.
se UNBOUND GROVE The unbound here slips past you in friendly mode and heads northwest to kill patrols. (If encountered there, it is hostile, even to rebels.) It shapes. It drops puresteel greaves.
CAMP EAST ALPHA RASINE isn't especially helpful. GENTA can be intimidated into revealing herself (requires leadership 7.)
The sturdy box with three polished stones will be accessible after finishing Federa's (Zephyr Oasis) quest. It holds ornkskin gauntlets.

Camp West Alpha
n to Dera Reaches
w to Lethia Pass
s to White Wastes
cleared by killing Sudabey

quick overview: The road to Lethia Pass is dominated by the now-destroyed creature camp, home to a mad mage and his companion rogues.

nw RENATA meets you near the entrance to the area. Speak or fight, as desired.
s Enter the stockade cautiously, killing rogues first along the north wall, then down the eastern wall, then west along the south wall, before heading to the center to fight Sudabey. The more wingbolts you can pick off from the edges, the easier your encounter with Sudabey will be.
s A nest contains an ivory skull.
se A locked room contains a canister of war trall.
e The gaseous rotworm nest contains a shaped belt; near the nest is some wiry moss.
n DESI hides in the bedroom of the north building. Rebels might wish to free him (requires leadership 5.)

Lethia Pass
e to Camp West Alpha
cleared by (getting a glimpse of the west gate?)

quick overview: Many deadly pylons stand between the region entrance and the gate Mehken wants information about. Speak with the shaper if desired, head to the northeast to take care of the rogues, then leave your critters behind before sneaking to the west to steal that glimpse of the gate.

e CONASON'S HOME SHAPER CONASON will speak on your behalf to grant you shaper reputation (+10), should you desire it.
ne CARAVAN MEETING PLACE exploding kyshakks and unstable firebolts guard a lever-sealed room with a canister of battle roar.

path through: From the Meeting Place, head west, hugging the northern wall. Head south just before the northwest alcove to avoid the many groupings of defender turrets. You can then cautiously cut a bit east using the north-south barrier as cover, before heading south across the road. From the southern campsite, it is possible to head west, hugging the south wall, to get a glimps of the LETHIA GATE.

Purity Workshop
w to Camp East Alpha
cleared by (?)

quick overview: Platano, the object of many quests, inhabits the workshop to the north; rogue serviles have shut down the workshop to the south.

sw SARGEANT FARIVAR demands proof of your right to enter: you'll need Taygen's papers, or with leadership 6 he'll accept Rawal's pass.
n PLATANO'S HALL PLATANO will reward you for delivering Taygen's scrolls: a radiant crystal, a lighting crystal, a major healing pod, and a berzerker pod. Make sure to collect before killing him, should you be pursuing Rawal's quest! (With mechanics 10 the device behind him can be disabled, making him easier to kill.) You can turn Lum in to him, should you choose.
n A chest in the northwest room of the northern building contains puresteel.
nw The sealed doors in the nortwest and southeast will only open should you make the workshop hostile, either by killing Platano or by freeing the serviles to the south. They release groups of rotghroths or wingbolts.
nw A nest contains *mandrake tincture*.
s MATERIALS STORAGE ARTISAN CYRUS isn't happy, but doesn't offer any new quests.
HEATING ALCOVE The rogue serviles have overheard enough to understand Taygen's purposes. These are the serviles for Taygen's "Aid Platano" quest. Should you choose to help them escape, the entire workshop will become hostile, but it won't ruin your relationship with the Zephyr Oasis. If you're here to kill them, simply activate the control creature close by (requires mechanics 11.)
s The northwest room of the southern building contains *crystalline fibers* in a blue chest.
e LUM'S CELL LUM is imprisoned here.

White Wastes
w to Bennold's Keep
n to Camp West Alpha
e to Dera South Shore
cleared after the assault

quick overview: A battle between the rebels ensconced in the camp and the loyalists who want them dead: pick a side, and join the assault or the defenders.

n SHAPER CAMP SARGEANT POLAN is here; let him know you'd like to help him destroy the rebels (requires leadership 7), let him be for a few more minutes, or kill him in cold blood.
nw ABANDONED BREEDING GROUND Dera Nomads hiding here can be convinced to show you the access route to Bennhold's Keep.
se The nest contains a runed ruby.
center CAMP DRANIR Rebel characters will be met by servile rebels who will point you south to Vattick.
VATTICK waits around the campfire. Killing Vattick earns you shaper reputation (+3)If you're there to help defend the fort, speak first with her, then with the battle betas and the guardian roamers to the west to convince them to help fight. (Betas require leadership 6; roamers require leadership 8.) Let Vattick know you're ready, buff everyone, and return to the gate. Sargeant Polen and his soldiers will be the first wave through the door if you left them alive upon entering the region. The last wave includes the assault leader, GUARDIAN HROGNAR, supported by warriors and assault kyshakks. Killing him improves rebel reputation (-3). He drops a guardian claymore.

Bennhold's Keep
e to White Wastes
cleared by (killing bennhold?)

quick overview: The final step in the bandit quest series, Bennhold's Keep is home to Bennhold, who really does exist! Follow him counterclockwise to the center of the region. Don't miss the access crystal in Bennhold's room: it will allow you to enter the optional dungeons near the Okavano Barrier.

ne Exploding Kyshakks, wingbolts, and rotdhizons jam the area just east of BENNHOLD. He wants you to leave. Assuming you don't, he'll flee west after you've wounded him sufficiently. Kill the corrupted turrets and follow him, wound him again, and kill more currupted turrets, elite warriors, and rotdhizons.
w The building contains puresteel and a drakeskin cloak among its treasures.
nw The canister teaches blessing magic.
sw The southwest pillar hides a lever which allows access to the northwest canister.
s CRECENTA drops quicksilver sandals.
s Bennhold's room holds an access crystal and a reaper baton.
center Bennhold makes his stand surrounded by mines of various strengths (require mechanics 13-17.) Disable as many as you can to make the battle easier, then kill him. He drops a puresteel charm and some puresteel boots.

Oasis Fields
n to Zephyr Oasis
w to Camp West Alpha
s to Dera South Shore
e to Pacification Road
cleared in crossing from north to south

quick overview: Pylons, pylons everywhere, and two unbound as well. Entering from the north will allow access to a sage who will gauge your reputation for you. After using the pylon control, reënter from the west for access to the mandrake tincture.

n Turn immediately east, then south between pylon columns, then east past the broken pylon to reach the northeast building. From the north entrance, turn immediately west, then south between pylon columns, then west past the broken pylon to reach the northwest building.
ne PYLON CONTROL Use the northern "B and C" pylons to clear side access; or the others for crossroad access.
nw HALL of the ORACLE SAGE LARA will give you a reading, either offering a you-are-what-you-make-yourself sort of message, or, if you ask how others see you, gauging your shaper/rebel reputation for you.
sw The nest contains *mandrake tincture*; the blue box contains puresteel.

Dera South Shore
w to White Wastes
n to Oasis Fields
e to Spire Entryway
s/down to Lost Dera Vault
cleared by killing the unbound

quick overview: Many flavours of vlish glide through the area; unbound ones enter the area to provoke a feeling of an "ominous presence." The smith in the northwest can work puresteel; a drakon inhabits the south. Dera South Shore provides access to the Lost Dera Vault.

se ELLEK'SSS' DEN ELLEK'SSS will speak with rebels and moderates, but is hostile to strong loyalists (or moderates with low leadership.) This is the drakon Pritz is seeking. For those aligned with rebel factions, she teaches battle spells shocking rain through essence lances, blessing spells battle aura through elemental aura, mental spells strong daze through charm, and healing spells banish affliction through aure of cleansing, "exorbitant." She teaches create drayk, create kyshakk, create battle alpha, create rotghroth, create war trall, create glaahk, and create wingbolt, "utterly ridiculous."
se The vlish nest behind Ellek'sss' home contains a quicksilver bulwark.
s The southern building houses six golems which move gradually from peaceful awakening golems to hostile radiant golems. Kill them to access the trap door which leads to the Lost Dera Vault.
nw FITZ'S WORKSHOP SMITH FITZ will make a puresteel item for you if you have the coins and the puresteel. His workshop holds a blessed forge in a heavily-locked room. He'll unlock the door for you if you complete the quest he offers, Q: Dara Drakons, to slay the unbound which roam the area.

Lost Dera Vault
north to Dera South Shore
cleared by (dealing with both eyes?)

quick overview: Optional for all but Taygen's faction, Lost Dera Vault is guarded by the two eyebeasts who destroyed it. Two canisters and two superior crafting items grace the area.

n HABAS-EYE can be convinced to flee (requires leadership 10.)
nw CONDUIT JUNCTION The junction contains the flow controller for pylons in the central dome: use it to restart the power requires mechanics 10.)
nw CONTROL CENTER The northwest corner houses the controls to either deactivate the dome pylons or to direct them to destroy rogues. The latter is by far the most satisfying option. (mechanics 10 to deactivate them; mechanics 12 to redirect them.)
w A blue container contains *demon's bile*.
w the door to the inner vault needs Taygen's key for entry. The scrying stone he's seeking is to the south of the linked shades. Traps in the side-corridors require mechanics (?).
center PYLON DOME Rogues can be lured into the central room for pylons to destroy, should you tire of fighting them.
se VABAN-EYE'S LAIR In the middle of a sea cave, VABNA-EYE makes its lair. At first, he'll be highly resistant to all but physical damage, but after being significantly wounded he'll change his shielding to block physical attacks, at which point fire, ice, and acid affect him. The canister behind him teaches create gazer; the chest contains *essence-infused iron*. Don't miss the insanely-hidden lever behind a pillar in this lair: pull it, then follow the trail of levers to the center, then south, then back to the northeast for a canister of create ornk! (Note that there is no icon for ornks in the creation screen: to create a delicious beastie, simply open "Make Creation" and click "okay" without making a creation choice.)

Pacification Road
w to Oasis Fields
n to Camp East Alpha
s to Spire Entryway
e to Kayar's Spire Cells
cleared by (not crossing, not activating pillars. Killing a certain number of creatures?)

quick overview: Pacification Road is overrun by an intense rogue infestation. Each building contains a device attached to a nearby pacification pylon: turn on the devices to activate the pylons. Note that rogues remain hostile and will still see you at a significant distance.

w, w, n, ne, se Buildings contain power controls connected to pacification pylons.
ne Shaper ghosts protect a shaper's boon, among other treasures.
sw The canister in the grove teaches mass madness.

Kayar's Spire Cells
w to Pacification Road
s to Kayar's Spire
cleared on crossing

quick overview: Many crafting materials, essence-infused iron, and a canister of create drakon grace this area which is one of the two routes into Kayar's Spire. Littered with deadly pylons and patrolled by deadly spire defence golems, the Cells can quickly prove fatal: explorers are advised to save early and save often.

nw CONTROL HALL The northern hall is home to the control creatures which control golem patrol paths. Procede to the end of the room where MIND VANT sits in its alcove. With leadership 9 you can convince it to allow you access to the control creatures in the hall. Return to the westmost living creature and reset the path from JK to KLI; use the eastmost creature and set the path from ECB to CBA. Avoiding the golem patrol, head east down the northern corridor to the lever-locked room, where you'll find PARIA and three other serviles in a SERVILE CELL. (Unless you're on Ghaldring's quest to kill Taygen, they're not especially helpful to you, but their room does provide a refuge from golem patrols.)
ne Dera warriors led by SAGE HELLEBORE bunk in the northeast corner. Hellebore's room contains *essence-infused iron* among other treasures. The common room holds a talisman of might.
ne The cells just southeast of the servile cell holds a spore box guarded by a damaged construct. Use it to turn off the nearby pylons. A jar in the storeroom holds a rotghroth fang; there are ethereal bindings among the treasures on the floor.
w Head west down the corridor past the now-dormant pylons to a small alcove with another sporebox. Use it to deactivate the western pylons.
w A storage room contins an artila eye, a vlish tentacle, a perfect fyora scale, and a glaahk eye.
sw Head to the southwest corner, and -- cautiously -- turn east. When you see the golems head north from the southernmost spot of their patrol, follow at a distance and use the spore box just south of the water. This turns off the southwest pylons and gives you access to a room containing a canister of create drakon.
se The last sporebox is on the eastern wall, just east of the water. Use it to turn off the nearby pylons, and follow the southeast golem patrol -- at a safe distance -- south, down to the exit.

Spire Entryway
w to Dera South Shore
n to Pacification Road
e to Kayar's Spire
cleared in crossing

quick overview: The most straightforward of the routes into Kayar's Spire, the Entryway is combat-heavy. The area is hostile to all not allied with Taygen, including loyalists. Head east to reach the Spire.

sw The rats' nest contains a shaped belt.
s SOUTH CAMP BETA Swarming with wartralls and exploding defender kyshakks, also home to AGENT PALAH, KEEPER WETHERS, and many dera warriors. With leadership 7, those in Taygen's faction can convince Wethers to part with some spores.
e WARRIOR CORTH and more dera warriors guard the east.

Kayar's Spire
w to Spire Entryway
n to Kayar's Spire Cells
cleared by ()

quick overview: Central to most factional quest sequences, Kayar's Spire is the generally the last quest before the endgame. Litoria, Astoria, and Alwan want you to sabotage the purity agent being held in the southeast; Taygen wants you to complete it. Those on Taygen's quest will find the area to be friendly: they should head to the southeast to meet with Agent Caluma and defend the laboratory. Everyone else should head first to the northern power crystals if you'd like to use stealth, or throw yourself into the general slaughter if you'd rather engage in combat. Note that engaging guards renders Zephyr Oasis hostile.

ne POWER CRYSTALS With mechanics (13 or 14) you can unlock the controls and turn off the power to the conduits, luring those guarding the southeastern lab from their posts.
se Run south through the thin pink concealing corridors into the now-vacant PURITY AGENT VAT. If you're here to release the agent early, head carefully from the vat room to the end of the corridor on the west, where you can sabotage the device before heading back to the east; otherwise, head directly east to the control chamber.
se CONTROL CHAMBER The purity agent can be destroyed or released in the southeastern control chamber. Perform an emergency dump to destroy it, or charge the conduits and energize for a premature release. (Note that destroying the agent may make the Zephyr Oasis permanently hostile, even if you're not seen by guards.) If you haven't chosen the sneaky power-crystals route, AGENT CALUMA and three agent assistants will be here; they drop brutish greaves. (Note that the mind agent assistants are immune to mental effects.) There is an eyebeast eye here.
nw If you've chosen to fight your way through the spire, head to the northwest corner. In the storeroom behind the gazers, wartralls, and spire researchers there is a canister of purifying rain, as well as some crafting materials. Use the lever next to the shelves on the north wall to reach the access crystal in the small locked room.
nw the MIND CONTROLLER can unlock doors.

== Endgame ==

Citadel East Ward
n to North Citadel Pass
w to Shaper Citadel
cleared on dealing with Mehken.

quick overview: Ghaldring's faction will begin their final assault here. (With leadership 11, you'll be able to convince AHKARI BLAZE to send drakons to help in your assault of the west gate.) All others will have some final shopping opportunities and an encounter in the northeast grove before entering the Shaper's Council.

e On entry, you'll be met by COMMANDER KILEY, who will give you a message to go to the northeast glade.
nw EAST WARD SMITHY MUDEDE sells excellent armour, "expensive."
nw SCHMADER'S SUPPLIES SCHMADER buys, and sells goods including missiles, crystals, and living tools, "very reasonable." This is your last chance to pick up living tools, and they're cheap: buy them.
THE ROASTING ORNK STEEN sells food, "utterly ridiculous."
SELING'S WORKSHOP INCANTATRIX SELING is willing to bribe you 500 coins to mention her name to the council. She sells pods and spores, "exorbitant."
SAVAGE'S OFFICE GUARDIAN SAVAGE is here. The building contins an essence pool; you may wish to use it to apply essence buffs before heading to the north.
nw MEETING GLADE MEHKEN waits for you here. Depending on your faction, she might warn you of an impending attack, and even be convinced to help you (requires leadership 10.) Should you be a loyalist, she will attack you, but with leadership 10 you can convince her to leave.
w After your grove encounter, the gates west will open.

Shaper Citadel
e to Citadel East Ward

quick overview: Ghaldring's faction will engage in an assault on the shaper dome, fighting the final three members of the shaper council. To kill the council members, you should first disable the four shaper machines in the corners: each requires three living tools and (reasonable mechnaics?) to disable. All other factions will meet with Rawal, Astoria, Taygen, Alwan, Sharissa, Nawaz, and Shema to recieve their final quest: Q: Slay Ghaldring. Head to Outside Gazaki-Uss to join the assault.

[council endgame]
Fight east against the waves of rebels in Outside Gazaki-Uss.
In Gazaki-Uss, speak with Commander ELYSSA: with leadership 10 you can convince her to send all of the creations under her command with you into the assault. Fight your way east through Ghaldring's Hall to the entrance of Inner Gazaki Uss. Note that "stealing" rebel goods in Gazaki-Uss will cause Elysia and her creatures to become hostile.

Inner Gazaki-Uss
w to Gazaki-Uss

quick overview: Head south briefly, if desired, to pick up some allies and some nice canisters; then head north to speak with Astoria. Move east, as instructed, to bomb the eastern entranceway, return to Astoria to report your progress, then enter the final battle in the centre of the room.

sw The heavily lever-locked room contains a canister of minor heal. Behind the four wingbolts, which are recruitable (with leadership), there are canisters of create drakon and of firebolt. The sweetling wingbolts will "hurry to catch up with you," and fight with you all the way through the endgame.
nw The heavily-locked door conceals exploding kyshakks, which are controllable with leadership 12.
nw COUNSILOR ASTORIA waits for you in the northwest corner of Inner Gazaki-Uss. She'll offer tips for fighting Ghaldring before giving you a glowing orb, which she instructs you to throw through the eastern doorways. Buff, and head east along the northern pathway.
ne An eyebeast and two shaping drakons create rogues in the northeast corner.
ne The room with two eyebeasts contains many crafting materials and a canister of create gazer.
e GENERAL GRETA waits to the east. She chooses not to defend Ghaldring, should rebels wish to let her leave. Loyalists will have no choice but to fight her.
e Fling the glowing orb against the east wall to collapse the eastern tunnel. Return to Astoria, and let her know you're ready for the final charge.
center Ghaldring and his ally-drakons await in the center of the cavern. Allow your creatures to help with the assault, but before attacking yourself, cut off each of the four pylons surrounding the platform. Each pylon requires three living tools to disable.