This guide covers a part of the Drow Catacombs section of Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor. The guide consists of a list of enemy types you might encounter, along with a walkthrough that has its steps numbered.
Possible Encounters
Walkthrough
1 – STAIRCASE TO THE SECOND CELLAR
The only way to get down to the Lower Keep of the Catacombs is by using this staircase from area #20 of the Second Cellar. When you finally reach the Lower Keep the first time will able to find more exits later on.
2 – NATHLILIK
The Bridge in this area must be lowered in order to pass to the other side. To do so you must first speak with some Drow of the House of Kilsek than can be found near the bridge. Unlike the Drow of the House of Freth these Drow can help you if you try to help them too, and they oppose the Cult and the Freth Drow as well. The leader of the Kilsek Drow, Nathlilik will ask for your help. She will request from you to kill the mage that guards the stairs which take you down to the Prisons of Catacombs. If you pressure her a little without getting her hostile she will also tell you that she wants to avenge her mate’s death but she cannot reach the lower level because of the mage that guards it. When you are done talking to her and accept to help her she will lower the bridge for you. She will also inform you about a great weapon, the Sacret Staff of Light, which is in possession of the mage, and that will greatly help you against the Freth Drow.
You will also find the Gem-Studded Key on the ground here near the Bridge. The key is used to open the door in area #3.
NOTE: Areas #3 – #11 are Thyaast’s Ancient Chamber.
3 – ENTRANCE TO THE ANCIENT CHAMBER
First use the Gem-Studded Key you found in area #2 to open the door to Thyaast’s Lab. This is the ancient chamber of a great wizard that was mentioned in your Journal. Once inside be ready to fight a large number of undead creatures that lurk inside this room. They drop a Wand of Healing. Once of the chests here also contains a Sorcerer Scroll of Mass Suggestion.
4 – DELICATE GOLD KEY & STRANGE ITEMS
Several strange items can be found in this room. See below for more information.
- Unperfected Circle of True Sight – Blindness
- Prototype Potion of Sleep – Daze
- Untested Potion of Invisibility – Blink
- Unfinished Potion of Neutralize Poison – Poison
- Incomplete Wand of Slay Living – Cure Critical Wounds
- Flawed Scroll of Burning Hands – Fireball
- Ill-written Scroll of Free Action – Web
There is a trap chest here also than contains the Vulcan Mail. You will also find the Delicate Gold Key that unlocks the door to the west of the room.
5 – THYAAST’S JOURNAL
One of the bookcases in this room contains the Journal of the wizard Thyaast. Read in to learn about the Bloodflame Spell. Thyaast was trying to create a spell which would bring several dead back to life and help in the ancient battle against the forces of evil. It seems that he did not managed to finish it though because you will find a strange scroll later in area #9 called Partially Written Scroll of Mass Resurrection (stinking cloud). You will also find some useful potions in this room.
6 – THYAAST’S PHYLACTERY
This room is actually the rest-room of the Wizard and it lies behind a secret door to the north. You will find a Phylactery here which means that a lich can be found nearby. The lich is actually the Wizard Thyaast and you will have to face him in area #10. Destroy the phylactery to finally put Thyaast to rest. Search the bookcase and you’ll find another Idolon along with a note.
In one of the bookcases at this small room you will find a Cleric Scroll of Find Traps. Use it in this area and will reveal a few traps on the chests in the room nearby.
Search the bookcase here and you will find a powerful scroll, Sorcerer Scroll of Finger of Death.
In this room you will find several nice items. Some of them are the Ring of Harvest Thyaast’s Staff and a Dagger +5. On the table here you will also find the Partially Written Scroll of Mass Resurrection that is seems to be the unfinished Bloodflame Spell that the Wizard was trying to invent. Search for a secret door to the south that leads to area #10.
10 – THYAAST AMMATH
Behind a secret door to the north you will find this room which is where you find Thyaast Ammath herself. She is actually a lich now and you have to fight her. Be aware that Thyaast although a sorcerer she also has a very high AC (30) that makes her even more dangerous that already is. Defeat her and search the room. You will find an Amulet of Invulnerability, 2 potions of Spell Resistance, a Wand pf Flamestrike and a Dagger of Magus. You will also have to destroy her phylactery at area #6 in order to put her permanently to rest.
11 – MOHRGS
In this room you will have to face several Mohrgs at once. Because of their big number you might have some problems defeating them. It is wise to use any spells that can charm these creatures. Charm a few and let them kill each other. You can use the Scroll of Mass Suggestion you found before at area #3. When you defeat them they drop two great weapons, Wroth’s Executioner (battleaxe) and Woundwulf (Longsword).
12 – MEAT CLEAVER
Search this room carefully and you will find Meat Cleaver (a nice Handaxe) and a Wand of Entanglement.
13 – FLAT BRASS KEY & BENT ELVEN KEY
Inside this room you will find a couple of healing potions. A trapped chest also contains Theodore’s Gloves of Kinship along with two keys. The Flat Brass key, that opens one of the locked doors at area #55 up to the Second Cellar and the Bent Elven Key, which unlocks the door in area #30.
14 – GULRITHI & SERPENT KEY
Gulrithi (Dark Naga), a few Mohrgs and a master Wight reside in this area. Once you defeat them they drop Denvendoor’s Chisel (dagger), an Amulet of Perfect Health and the Serpent Key. The key is needed to open the door at area #15 where you will find the 2 Guardian Nagas that protect the Shrine of the Silver Fire.
15 – SHRINE OF THE SILVER FIRE GUARDIANS
Ethe and Gloran the 2 Golden Naga and Guardians of the Silver Flame are held captive in this room. In order to free them you must first smash the skull to the center of the room. Once the Naga are free, they will thank you and depart to the Shrine of the Silver Fire. Every time you return there from now on Ethe and Gloran will offer some healing to your party.
Now it is also a good time to return to the Shrine and recruit the 2 sisters of the Order of the Silver Fire if you like.
16 – SLEETHURR
Sleethurr a dark naga dwells in this room. As soon as you enter here he will address you and ask for help, if you respond to his request, he will find the time to cast a fireball at your party and attack you. If you want to avoid this just attack him as soon as he starts talking to you. When he is down he leaves behind Nezra’s Mysterious Chainmail, a fine piece of armour.
NOTE: Areas #17 – #22 are the Ancient Tombs. In these rooms you will have to place several common weapons that are scattered around these rooms in order to get the magical ones from the sarcophagus of each room. If you don’t offer anything and take the weapons you will be attacked by the Guardians of each room that there nothing less than Dwarven Statues. You will also find some undead that guard each room.
17 – MOONSPLINTER
The first tomb is located here. Dispatch some undead that guard the room and place the Common Dagger into the Basin of Tribute. You can take a nice dagger from the sarcophagus, the Moonsplinter.
18 – SHADOWISPER
Again fight a couple of undead creatures here and place the Common Iron Blade (shortsword) into the Basin of Tribute. Search the sarcophagus and you will find another great weapon the Shadowisper (shortsword).
19 – ASTERFELLON-MACE OF POWER
Place the common Iron Spiked Club (mace) into the Receiver of Respect and take Asterfellon-Mace of Power from the Sarcophagus.
20 – VALAMIR’S SLAYER
Place the common Long Iron Blade (longsword) into the Receiver of Respect and you will be able to take Valamir’s Slayer (longsword) from the sarcophagus without been attacked by the Dwarven Statues.
21 – SUNDERSTONE
Place the common Warhammer into the Receiver of Respect and loot Sunderstone (Great Warhammer) from the sarcophagus nearby.
22 – ARTOTH’S BANE
Place the common Iron Axe (battleaxe) into the Receiver of Respect and take Artoth’s Bane (battleaxe) from the Sarcophagus.
Upon entering this room you will be attacked by several Orog Marauder Brutes along with an Orog Marauder Big Boss and an Orog Hoodoo. When you defeat them they drop a Chainmail +3, a Handaxe +4, a Ring of Blessing and 2 keys, the Crude Metal Key and the Bent Key. The Bent key opens the door at area #25 and the Crude Metal key the chest in area #24.
24 – MARTISSA’S BEADS OF RIGOR
You can find two chests in this room. One of them contains a Potion of Neutralize Poison. The other chest is locked and can be opened with the Crude Metal key. Inside you will find a nice amulet, Martissa’s Beads of Rigor.
25 – BARREL OF SPIRITS
Use the Bent Key you’ve obtained from the Orogs in area #23 to unlock the door to this area. Once inside you will be attacked by a Wraith. Defeat it to gain another Bent Key. The room also contains the Barrel of Spirits which casts Heal on the character that drinks from it. You can however only use it once a day.
26 – ANCIENT SIGNED JOURNAL
Inside this room you will find 2 Orog Marauder Bosses. Defeat them and take from the table a Light Mace +4 and an Ancient Signed Journal. It seems to be Victoria’s Journal and mentions Greyanna and how she slew her and her people. You will find Victoria’s Tomb later on in area #27.
27 – VICTORIA’S TOMB
This room is actually the Tomb of Victoria. You will find a mummified head on the ground near the sarcophagus. Pick it up and place into the Sarcophagus. Soon after, the Spirit of Victoria will talk to you and ask you to avenge her death. Victoria must have been a great warrior in the past but was slain from Greyanna and now her spirit cannot rest until she avenges her death. You will also find several powerful weapons previously owned by her in area #28 behind a secret door.
28 – VICTORIA’S WEAPONS
Search for a secret door here and you will find a secret area full of Victoria’s Weapons. There are 5 chests in this room which contain the following: Victoria’s Gloves of Electric Touch, Dagger of Angels (casts Raise Dead), Victoria’s Leather Corset, Victoria’s Boots and Arrowflight of Angels (longbow – casts Resurrection).
29 – PASSAGE TO STILLWATER
In this room you will have to face the Cult again, several cult soldiers led by a Cult Archmage and a Dragon-kin must be fought. Once you defeat them they drop a Ring of Health, a Wand of Magic Missiles, the Cult Map of the Catacombs Level 3 and the Heavy Key. Use the key to unlock the door to the west which leads up to Stillwater.
30 – BENT ELVEN LOCK
In order to pass through the door here you must first unlock it with the Bent Elven Key. The key can be found in area #13. When you open the door you will be immediately attacked by several undead creatures.
31 – RING OF SILENCE
Dispatch a few Margoyles along with their Queen and take the Ring of Silence, a Potion of Full Heal and some Gemstones and Jewels from the ground.
32 – MORE MARGOYLES
Some more Margoyles dwell in this room. Defeat them and take handful of Gemstones and Jewels and some healing potions from the ground.
33 – GAUNTLETS OF NECROMANCY
Fight a large number of Wights and Mohrgs here and search the room for the Gauntlets of Necromancy. There is also a secret door to the east. If you approach it carefully you will hear an Orog speak from the other side of the door at area #34.
34 – HIDDEN ROOM WITH STRANGE ITEMS
Open the secret door from area #33 and enter this room. You will be attack by some more Wights and Mohrgs along with a Dark Naga and an Orog Hoodoo. They drop a Wand of Undead Control and a Quiver of the Second Death (particularly good against undead). You room also contains several strange items. You will find a funny potion labeled Salve of “I can’t believe it’s not Black Pudding” and a Salve of Undead repair. There is also a Great Warhammer +4 in this room.
35 – MAJOR CULT FIGHT
The stronghold of the Cult at this level of the Catacombs is located here. Once again you will have to face a large number of elite Cult forces. To make things easier use any spells that can charm your enemies and force them to fight by your side, by now you will have several items that can do that and maybe if you also have a sorcerer in your party he can cast a few spells like Charm Person, Charm Monster of Mass Suggestion. After the fight you can take what they left behind, a Staff of Deadly Splinters, a Halberd +4 and a Longsword +5.
NOTE: The part of the map beyond area #35 is trapped with several traprunes that cannot easy be spotted and cast fireball once you step on them causing heavy damage to your party. It is recommended to have one of your party members wear the Necklace of the Safe Footfalls, you have found down to the Ancient Tomb, which disarms the Traprunes of Fire by speaking the Word of Bolt. This way you can venture freely around these areas without triggering the traprunes. The locations of the traprunes are marked on the map with a capital “T”.
36 – OLD ELVEN PRISON KEY
The area here within these 3 connected rooms is full of Freth Drow Commandos and a Freth Drow Priest. You will have to defeat them in order to get the Old Elven Prison Key that unlocks the door in area #37. You will also gain a Drow Quiver of Arrows and a dagger +5 for doing that.
37 – OLD ELVEN PRISON LOCK
In order to have access to this room you must first unlock the door here with the Old Elven Prison key (area #36). Once inside be prepared to face several Wraiths and Master Wraiths.
38 – PASSAGE TO SURFACE
Another door here takes you back to the surface near the cave at Stillwater.
39 – FRETH DROW ASSASSINS & A LICH’S PHYLACTERY
Some Mohrgs and Spectre lurk in this room. When you defeat them you will be ambushed by 3 Freth Drow Assassins. Dispatch them too and search for an ornate wooden box. Once you find it destroy it to prevent the Archlich in area #40 from coming back to life.
40 – ARCHLICH
An Archlich dwells in this room, defeat him and also destroy his phylactery at area #37 to permanently put him to rest.
41 – STAIRS TO THE FIRST CELLAR
The stairs in this room take you up the First Cellar of the Catacombs at area #69 behind the gate that needs the Adamantine Key. This is the only way to unlock the gate since the key is located near there on the ground at area #68. The gate however is locked and you need the Corroded Metal key to open it. The key can be found in area #42.
42 – ARRACCAT LAIR
The room here is the Arraccat Lair. All kinds of arraccats including an Arraccat Mother can be found here. There are also many corpses here that fell victims of the arraccats, one of them is the Mage you were suppose to kill for Nathlilik and another is the body of Nathlilik’s mate. When you defeat the Arraccats you will be the owner of one of the best weapons of the game, The Sacret Staff of Light which can turn to dust any kind of drow only with a single hit (+7 and triple damage against drow). Smash the egg-sacks around this room and take your reward from the ground. You will find a Cleric Scroll of Firestorm, Prince Antonae’s Stormbow, a Leather Armour +5, and the Corroded Metal Key that unlocks the gate in area #41.
43 – ANOTHER ARCHLICH
Another Archlich along with his phylactery are located in this room behind a secret door. Defeat him and also destroy his phylactery for a nice amount of experience.
44 – GLYPH OF SAFEKEEPING
In this room you will finally find the Glyph of Safekeeping. Remember that Annorrweyn taught you the Word of Necessity that you need to open this door. If you don’t know the Word you have to travel back to the Nightingale Court and learn the Word from the Annorrweyn Eversong. You will also have to dispatch a few Black Arraccats here.
45 – STAIRCASE TO THE PRISONS
The staircase here will take you down to the last level of the Catacombs, the Prisons, where you will finally find the Bealnorn Miroden Silverblade.
Warcraft Tavern
Warcraft DB
Diablo Tavern
