-
- Forums
- Chatrooms
- Gallery
- Gameplay Videos
- Upload
- Articles
- Mod Reviews
- Shop SP: Games, Movies, Books
|
|
MARTEN'S BLUFF
Note that there's Marten's Bluff, and then there's Lower Marten's Bluff. In the course of your adventures, you will frequently have to go back and forth between the two. I've included the maps for both on this page.
Marten's Bluff
Dung Beetles
I go east from where I first entered the Bluff when I attacked by several Dung Beetles. They're a risk in that their bite attacks can cause disease, but they're not too tough otherwise. Note how I carefully position the party, even while surrounded, so that all party members have a beetle within arm's reach for melee attacks.
Shallow Dwellers
I next head east and check out a shallow pool. I now get my first introduction to a kind of marine monster known as Dwellers. Their bite attacks can inflict various sorts of nasty conditions (e.g. nausea, poison), while their tentacle attacks can inflict damage on multiple party members. Shallow Dwellers are relatively easy, certainly compared to other Dweller varieties that will be found much later in the game.
I then clean out the pool for its loot.
The Front Gate of Marten's Bluff
I head southwards, and then kill off several Stalker Seekers and Greater Seekers.
5 Mauligators show up towards the end of my finishing off the Seekers. I retreat just as I kill the last Seeker and as the Mauligators approach me. That forces them to follow me on land where I can see them. Chun-Li summons a Water Elemental to hold them up, and hits the Mauligators with an Insanity spell. It turns four of them insane. So they either attack each other, or put some of their attention on the Water Elemental. Both minimize the danger to myself and allow me to cut them down one by one.
RFS-81 advances another level. I advance his Strength, as well as his Speed to close in on the Snake Speed skill.
The gate to Marten's Bluff is just ahead.
Courtyard of Marten's Bluff
But I don't go in through the front gate just yet. I go off to the side, where I notice a side gate that is bolted from the other side, as well as a catapult. First, I click on the winder of the catapult to ready it. Then I click on the rope holding the catapult to 'shoot' it. The catapult ends up providing a gangway into the Fortress.
Once inside, I look around. I remove the bolt from the side gate and then open it. There is also a dead T'Rang near the gate. I loot the T'Rang's corpse for a T'Rang Hand, which will come in handy later. There are also Red & Yellow Wires, which may help with a teleporter that the T'Rang themselves use. Note that a trap shoots arrows near the gate, explaining the T'Rang's demise. As long as you have Missile Shield up, there's nothing to worry about.
Much of the Fortress, particularly the parts beyond the iron door to the south, cannot be explored until you can reach those areas from below.
But in the meantime, I take an elevator down to Lower Marten's Bluff.
Lower Marten's Bluff
Z'Ant's First Mission
Now I head down the elevator to Lower Marten's Bluff. Within immediate view will be their leader, Z'Ant T'Rang. I begin working for him by taking on his first mission, to retrieve a flag that will confirm that the Umpani are present on Dominus.
Brilliant Helm
The door on the west side of the chamber is locked. In order to get through, I have to use the T'Rang Arm and click on the panel next to the door. Once I do get through, there is a painting on the other side. Clicking on the painting gets me 120 gp.
I then go north, and then east, where I reach a hallway that runs north-south. The room at the north end of the hallway has a lot of hidden items, including a Brilliant Helm (+6 armor class, +20 intelligence). Chun-Li wears it for the rest of the game.
Sadok
I go to the room at the south end of the hallway. Sadok is the merchant for the T'Rang. I check first to make sure he has the items I want.
He sells healing potions of healing and Potions of Cure Disease, so I do the make Potions of Renewal for profit here too.
A key acquisition is a Stun Rod, so that Vi Domina has one too now. Another is a Light Crossbow. I eventually plan to merge three Light Crossbows together into the Tripleshot Crossbow for Rothgar.
I also buy some spellbooks, Shrill Boom and Sonic Boom and Dracon Breath for Terra, Cure Poison and Cure Paralysis for Vi Domina, Cure Lesser Conditions for Rothgar, Knock Kock and Shadow Hound and Silence for Chun-Li.
I also take the change to upgrade Ryu's leg armor. I purchase a Tosei-Do (L), which replaces the Do-Maru (L) he had been wearing.
Marten's Bedroom
Now I backtrack my way to the 'hub room'. There is another painting on the west wall. Click and on it and you'll be asked a question. The answer is 'Marten'. The painting gives way to reveal a hallway.
Now off to the left are several Higardi Spirits and Rebel Spirits. Chun-Li casts Soul Shield, which helps neutralize their chief dangers, their Terror and Insanity spells. That makes cutting them down much easier.
I check the rooms on either side of the hallway for loot. I find a Blarneystone Amulet (+1 AC, +20 Communication). Errol wears it as an interim amulet, as the bonus to the Communications skill for a Bard is very welcome.
I press on to the room to the west, which is in fact Marten's Bedroom. There are two key reasons to come here. One is the Ebon Gem, which is an ingredient for the Ebon Staff. The other is a book that provides a key clue, "Eternal Trust survives the Soul".
Now that I've found the clue and the gem, I've decided to make my way back to Arnika. I go back up the elevator and fight an Apus. I open the front gate from behind and return to the north side. I rest, buff up, and return to the Swamp. My next destination is the Cemetery near Arnika.
