Cave System – Pools of Darkness Location

In this guide, you’ll find a walkthrough for an area in the Realms Dimension part of Pools of Darkness. To help you to navigate this area, a map and legend are provided. There are more detailed notes for each point in the map legend at the bottom of the overview section.

Map Legend

1 – Hill Giant Guard
2 – Vala’s Office
3 – Burial Chamber
4 – Planning Room
5 – The Worldstone
6 – Vaasan Battles
7 – Crucible of Flame
8 – Quiet Rooms
9 – Hill Giants
10 – Lindenwood Staff
11 – Vampire Attack
12 – Treasure
13 – Oakroot Staff
14 – Fire Elementals
15 – Final Battle
16 – Main Breach

Walkthrough

Inside the Cave System you’ll meet Vala (#2), who you might remember as a companion from Secret of the Silver Blades. Vala will tell you that a Vaasan army is using Earth and Fire Elementals to burrow its way through the snow-clogged tunnels here so that it can join up with Bane’s forces. However, four artifacts — the Crucible of Flame, the Lindenwood Staff, the Oakroot Staff, and the World Stone — can also be found in the tunnels, and they can be used to wrest control of the elementals away from the Vaasans. You’ll record this information as Journal Entry 63.

Vala will then offer to join your party (while you’re in the Cave System). Vala is a level 23 fighter with maxed out strength, dexterity and constitution, so she’s useful to have around. Also, if you allow her to join you, then she’ll give you a Silver Shield +4, which is useful as well. Just be sure to move Vala to the front of your party. You can do this under encamp->alter->order.

What you’ll need to do in the Cave System is pick up the four artifacts (at #5, #7, #10 and #13) and then head over to the main breach (#16), where you’ll be able to take control of the elementals and command them to start repairing the damage they’ve caused. At that point Vala will collect the artifacts from you and charge at the Vaasan army to “make sure they know how unwelcome they are here.” You’ll then just need to mop up the stragglers from the Vaasan army: seven Vaasan Mages and a dozen Vaasan Warriors. Doing this will remove the danger from the caves and earn your party some extra xp.


1 – Hill Giant Guard

When you reach this spot a Hill Giant will ask you if you’re there to see the Silver Lady. If you say “no” then you’ll have to fight four Hill Giants. If you say “yes” then then giant will tell you to go through the door to the north.


2 – Vala’s Office

It’s safe to rest here.


3 – Burial Chamber

If you look or search in this room, then you’ll get attacked by 26 Skeletons and 8 Spectres.


4 – Planning Room

In this room you’ll stumble upon Vaasans and Drow working on an alliance. When they spot you, they’ll attack, and you’ll have to fight three Drow Wizards and five Vaasan Warriors.


5 – The Worldstone

When you enter this room you’ll discover some Hill Giants fighting over “a rock” (aka the Worldstone). When you demand that they hand it over, they’ll attack you, and you’ll have to defeat three Hill Giants. After the battle you’ll take possession of the stone.


6 – Vaasan Battles

In these rooms you’ll get attacked by Vaasan Mages and Vaasan Warriors.


7 – Crucible of Flame

When you enter this room you’ll get attacked by six Fire Elementals. After the battle you’ll pick up the Crucible of Flame.


8 – Quiet Rooms

It’s safe to rest in these rooms.


9 – Hill Giants

In a few spots in the caves you’ll run into Hill Giants. If Vala is with you, then the giants will either stand aside or warn you about Vaasan attacks (at #10). If Vala isn’t with you, then you might get a chance to use diplomacy on the giants, or else you’ll just have to fight them.


10 – Lindenwood Staff

If you search the coffins in this chamber, then you’ll find a Battle Axe +4, 10 Bolts +3, a Hammer +1, a Helm +2, 100 gems, and 13 pieces of jewelry — and the Lindenwood Staff — but immediately afterwards you’ll get attacked by a Lich, 16 Skeletons, and 7 Wraiths.


11 – Vampire Attack

When you enter this room, you’ll get attacked by six Vampires, three Vampire Mages, and two Vampire Thieves.


12 – Treasure

If you look or search in this room, then you’ll find 10 Darts +4, Plate Mail +4, a Ring, a Ring of Blinking, 300 platinum, 100 gems, and 5 pieces of jewelry.


13 – Oakroot Staff

If you look or search in this room then you’ll find the Oakroot Staff. Afterwards, you’ll get attacked by five Earth Elementals.


14 – Fire Elementals

In this room you’ll get attacked by four Fire Elementals.


15 – Final Battle

If you don’t have the four magical artifacts (#5, #7, #10, #13) then Hill Giants will push you back away from the main breach (#16). Otherwise, this is where you’ll combine the artifacts together and use them to take control of the Fire and Earth Elementals. You’ll then command the elementals to begin mending the breach, while Vala charges at the Vaasan army to teach them a thing or two about trying to join Bane.

With Vala taking on the main Vaasan army, all you’ll need to do here is mop up some stragglers: seven Vaasan Mages and a dozen Vaasan Warriors. This battle can be tougher than it sounds. The Vaasans will be in two groups, so you won’t be able to hit them all with your spells, and the warriors will charge at you while the mages hold their ground, separating them further. So we’d recommend keeping your fighters back to protect your casters, while your casters first take down the mages and then deal with the warriors. You’ll receive some xp at the end of the battle.


16 – Main Breach


Exits

1. Exit to the Realms Dimension.