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Prepare your party for some very good battles as this is a level dotted with Tough Lizard Men, Trolls, Wraith Spiders, Bombadier Beetles, Sword Spiders and Talonite Priests, all scattered through a maze of twisting passages full of dark and long dancing shadows. This will be the level where you are introduced to the ever so popular and deadly, green warted, slimy skinned Trolls that not only pack a good punch, but also regenerate and bring themselves back up to do more damage. As legends have it and even as history has written, Trolls hate fire as well as acid because the damage done is damage that cannot be undone by their regenerating bodies.
For many veteran AD&D players, killing a Troll was common knowledge but for others who perhaps were just introduced to AD&D when Baldur's Gate came out, Trolls could prove to be a problem, especially when they keep getting up after you strike them down. Upon the last blow, the Troll will fall to the ground and seem dead, but you will notice that you can still target him and attack him. To put the Troll at rest, use either fire or acid while the Troll is on the ground regenerating. Fire arrows, acid arrows or any spell that deals fire or acid damage will do the job and you'll get the experience for the Troll and be able to move on to the other battles that await you and your party.
On the far right end of the map you'll find a very large lair of Bombadier Beetles and you're more than welcome to give it a shot by running down this corridor with sword swinging and magic blasting, but be warned. There are so many that doing so would be fatal as their acid blasts and paralyzing effects would put your entire party at risk and send them to a quick death before you realized what mess you got yourself in. The reward of course for besting all their numbers is a felled corpse at the end of the passage, whose equipment will make it worth your while and time of taking on each beetle and risking your party to the smell of death.
With the dotted and scattered groups of Lizard Men, Spiders and Trolls you will eventually come forth into a very vast and large cavern, illuminated by standing torches that surround a stone dais where the Talonite Priests have come to call their home. That is, until you arrived to spoil their fun. Mother Egenia, the head priest of Ilmater and the temple that resides in Kuldahar is being held against her will by the Talonite Priests and having you arrive just before they sacrifice her to their God is quite the blessing for her indeed. Scattered around these priests are Trolls who are looking for the chance to gain revenge on the fallen brothers you have slain on your journey to this retched place. Show them who's boss here!
During the battle, make sure that you do not cast any radius offensive spells that would hit Mother Egenia because she'll take it as a hostile threat and attack the party along side of the Talonite Priests and no doubt one of the reasons Black Isle did this was so you couldn't cast fireball at the centre of the Talonite circle. That would be the easiest way to dispatch this entire group of priests and Trolls, two fireballs and a looting you will go but since that is not the case, you'll want to use some stealth and lead the Trolls out first before going in for the final battle. Whatever happens, make sure Mother Egenia does not die or attack you because she has information about her capture as well as tells you where other captured villagers can be found.
One of the villagers is Conlan's child, who is very mouthy and rude but if you talk with him long enough, you will receive a key for Conlan's locked chest at the back of the shop. The weapon within will be of great help down the road so make sure you talk with all the villagers.
During this solution, I had Mother Egenia vanish on me after I saved her and she said she'd stick around if I needed healing, which I didn't so I went on my way. When I had cleared all the lower levels, I returned to talk to her again and make sure that I had selected everything I could so when I returned to Kuldahar, I'd get my reward from Sister Calliana at the Temple of Ilmater. No matter were I looked and searched, she was gone and gone for good. Upon my return to Kuldahar and Sister Calliana, they still believe her missing even though I had spoken to her once and saved her from the Talonite Priests. Our readers have also sent in the same problem, obviously an in-game bug.
I don't recall any traps being on this level either, but it's always better to be safe than sorry so always move about carefully regardless of where you are for that extra level of safety.
Once you have cleared this level and are satisfied that you have made the passages safe to walk through, take the dark passage that leads down and get ready for some undead dancing and body dismemberment slaying.
