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RAPAX CASTLE – UPPER LEVEL
I'm afraid the auto-map is of marginal assistance, but I included it anyway. The only part of the Upper Level that clearly shows on the auto-map is the Rapax Zoo that overhangs the rest of the Upper Level. So keep in mind that some markers reference points that are on the Zoo, while others reference points that are below the Zoo.
Setting the King's Chest
The chest that is of particular interest to me is the Rapax King's chest. Some of its prize items include:
But the one I want is the Cameo Locket (+4 armor class, +1 health regeneration, +15 vitality).
So remember, setting a chest's contents work the same as in the first Icewind Dale game. I am at the stairs in the southeast corner of the Main Level, just before the stairs leading up, so I set up a separate savegame called 'King's Chest'.
I then go up the stairs, and then do a quick-save. I basically turn north and go the end of the hallway, turn west and go to the end of the hallway, turn north and go to the end of the hallway, turn east and go to the end of the hallway, and then turn north and go to the end of the hallway.
I next turn east and follow the hallway, even as it rotates southwards and goes upward similar to stairs. I keep going south until I reach the zoo.
I wait until some Rapax make their way out of a door to the east, and then go through that same door and follow the hallway.
There is a small building on the other end of the hallway, just a little to the right. I unlock the door to it and enter.
Inside the building itself are a Hogar Statue and a statue of a female Rapax holding a spear. I click on the Hogar Statue, click on the winder on the back of the female statue, and then click on the front of the female statue so that she knocks the bed out of the way.
I then go down the revealed passageway, switch the lever so that I can go north past the door. I next go a little west and south through a nearby door. And after that I go west through another closeby door.
The room past the last door has the King's Chest. If it didn't have the Cameo Locket, I would have reloaded my 'King's Chest' savegame and repeated the process. Fortunately, it did have the Cameo Locket on my first check, so I reloaded my quick-save instead.
Portcullis
Once I've reloaded my quick-save, I actually replicate the path to the King's Chest by head by turning north and going to the end of the hallway, then turning west and going to the end of the hallway.
I reach the spot marked 'DW'. Note that just a little south, at the spot labelled 'Port' is a Portcullis that cuts off access to the chambers south of it.
'DW' is actually a dumbwaiter, as shown by a purple logo atop a raised dais, that lowers an elevator at the spot labelled 'PK'. The elevator brings down the Portcullis Key.
Now I grab the Key and continuing along the same pathway that leads to the King's Chest, turning north and going to the end of the hallway, turning east and going to the end of the hallway, turning north and going to the end of the hallway.
I next turn east and follow the hallway, even as it rotates southwards and goes upward similar to stairs. I keep going south until I reach the zoo.
I wait until some Rapax make their way out of a door to the east, and then go through that same door and follow the hallway.
But this time I open a door to the west with the Portcullis Key instead of entering the small building. On the other side of the door is a lever that I switch to raise the Portcullis.
Rapax Zoo
Now I go to the building to the southwest corner, and scope it out for items. Not much to see, so I go back down the hallway I came through to return to the Zoo.
I then head for the spot labelled 'Store' in the southeast corner of the Zoo. This is actually the Store Room, which will have various items in it. Of particular interest to some players may be the Pendulum, which a Gadgeteer can combine with the Chisel to create a Jack Hammer that replicates the Earthquake spell.
There is also a lever just outside the door to the Store Room. I switch it and release all of the Zoo creatures. The ones that immediately attack me are a Hypnotic Gazer, a Ravenous Swallower, and a few Scorchers. They're lower level, so my party has a pretty easy time of it by now.
The Ravenous Swallower leaves behind a Zoo Shed Key. I use it to open the door to the building in the southwest corner of the Zoo, at a spot labelled 'Shed'. Inside are several items, some of them hidden, including a Dragon Kite and a Bonebasher Staff (+3 to hit, -1 initiative, 7-19 damage, -1 stamina drain, +10 Staff & Wand, 12% knock unconscious, Concussion with limited charges, cursed).
Now I head west through a door and kill a WeirdNightmare. And from there I go through a door to the north to finish off the rest of the Zoo creatures 5 Poison Seekers, an Adamantium Slime, 3 Oozites, and 4 Greater Picuses. I'm much higher-level now, so none of them pose any problems. As an aside, if you still want the Beastslayer Axe or the Steehide Breastplate and still haven't gotten a Picus Egg or a Venom Sac needed for them, here's your chance.
I also find a Book of Superman, which Chun-Li inscribes.
Rothgar and Ryu advance to their 24th levels. Rothgar takes Death Wish, while Ryu takes Nuclear Blast.
Deposit Slips
Now I go to the Zoo and head down the stairs at its northeast corner. Problem is, there's several Rapax stuck and blocking the stairs. A simple solution is to rest and rebuff, and they'll be gone of their own accord.
I go halfway down the stairs as they spiral, and then head south along the hallway.
I open a door on the east side and check out the Prince's room, who's apparently having fun with some female Rapax. He leaves without an incident.
I continue east, and then north a little. A nearby room has a Sulphurous Scorcher attacking a couple of Rapax, which I kill.
I leave the room, continue a little west, then south until the end of the hallway, and then a little east. The Constable's Office is on the north side of the hallway, where I use the Constable's Key on the small keyhole. I get the Smudged, Folded, and Ragged Deposit Slips.
I leave the Constable's Office and then go west until the end of the wayy. I turn north and continue until I reach the end of the next hallway, and then a little west. I am back at the Dumbwaiter I used earlier. I go south through the now raised Portcullis, continue west, continue south, and then go west. Now I go south through the westernmost door in this hallway. This is actually the King's Treasury. I go to the south end of the room and then west until I reach the spot labelled 'Deposits'.
Note that there's a small receptacle at the north wall here, while there's a closet of sorts at the west wall. So, all I have to do is put the Deposit Slips into the receptacle in order to get items from the closet.
I use the Deposit Slips to get:
I switch RFS-81 to the left flank. He can fight with his bare hands as a rock solid tank when enemies approach the left side. He can now attack with his newly acquired Zatoichi Bo if enemies are attacking only the front.
Vi Domina and Chun-Li stay in the middle, using their Faust Halberd and Staff of Doom respectively to attack enemies at extended range.
Queen's Chambers
Now I continue east from the King's Chambers, turn north and go east a bit, turn south and go east some more until I reach a cluster of spots marked 'QD', 'T', and 'QC'. These are within the Queen's Chambers.
The room at 'QD' has a Rapax lying dead, with a Cat O' Nine Tail (+3 to hit, +3 initiative, 11-23 damage) lying nearby. I also find the Queen's Deposit Slip.
I take the slip to the Deposit room, and use it to obtain the Queen's Key. Now I can open the other doors in the Queen's Chamber.
The spot marked 'T' is a teleporter that would take me to the Temple in Arnika. But I can't use it yet without another item.
The spot marked 'QC' is the Queen's Chest. It has an Ornate Rod that can be used to operate the nearby teleporter, a few random items, as well as the Cape of Stealth (+3 armor class, +20 Stealth) that becomes my Ninja's cloak for the rest of the game.
Al-Sedexus
Now the catch is, if I want to leave the Rapax Castle or the Rift, the character who got it on with Al-Sedexus will end up cursed and sick. So I have to kill her to make progress.
Ryu casts Return to Portal to return the party to the Rapax Rift.
I start off near the entrance to the south. I follow the walkways that go north, through the jail, and through the red carpet hallways until I reach the teleporter at #2.
And from #2a I return to where I first saw her, and speak to her. Combat begins immediately. Chun-Li summons an Air Elemental Lord. Ryu casts Elemental Shield while Rothgar casts Soul Shield. Terra casts Body of Stone on Zarax. Al-Sedexus is obviously the chief danger here. She's a powerful spell caster in her own right (22nd level), but her real danger is that she can inflict devastating damage with her claw attacks. They can score 100+damage, and can Hex or knock their targets unconscious. As such, I want my 3 front warriors to take her down as quickly as possible. And they manage to do it in two rounds. I have little trouble taking care of the Rapax Templars afterwards.
Once she goes down, Errol is free of the curse and I can freely leave the Rapax areas now.
Valkyrie's 24th Level
Terra casts Return to Portal to return the party to the Rapax Castle, next to Ferro.
I provoke the first Rapax group that I find into fighting me by casting pressing the sword icon on the bottom of the screen, and then casting an offensive spell or two at them. I wipe the first horde and then the next for the xp.
Vi Domina takes Superman on her 24th level-up. The party goes up the stairs in the northeast corner.
Templar Knights
Numerous Templar Knights are immediately in view once I go up the stairs. I start a fight with them by clicking the sword icon on the bottom, and having Terra cast Toxic Cloud and Chun-Li cast Death Cloud on them respectively. They can't do much once Ryu casts Elemental Shield and Rothgar casts Soul Shield.
Prince's Playroom
Now I continue to follow the stairs as they go up in a spiral. I enter an adjoining hallway to the south, and go west until I reach the northeast corner of the Zoo.
I go south and go through the door at the southeast corner of the Zoo. I follow the hallway to its ends until I see the small building I had earlier shown when setting the King's Chest, the Prince's Playroom. My Bard has to pick a multi-tumbler door to get in.
Ryu casts Detect Secrets once I'm inside. I find the Doll's Gloves (+3 armor class) and the Doll's Armor (+6 armor class for the legs), which Faeries of most classes can wear. But Terra my Faerie Ninja can't wear them.
Now I click on the Hogar statue. I then turn around and face the back of the Female Rapax Statue. I click on the winder in order to turn it.
I then click on the spear held by the Female Rapax Statue, and it rotates to move the bed out of the way. A hidden passageway is now revealed.
King's Apartment
*NOTE* It is vitally important to do what I show in this video, otherwise you'll get the Suboptimal Ending whereby the Dark Savant blows up all of Dominus with his bomb should you try to confront him.
Now I go down the hidden passageway, and end up in a room (labelled 'KAK') that was previously sealed off by a door. Resting on the table is the King's Apartment Key. I then open the door from the inside by switching the lever.
I then go west, and south through the door, and then to the King's Chest at 'KC'. I then get the Cameo Locket (+4 armor class, +1 health regeneration, +15 Vitality, +30% divine resistance) for Errol, as I set up earlier. It has the obvious benefits of Hit Point regeneratoin, and a +4 bonus to AC for Errol as a rearguard tank. But it also raises his Vitality to 125 in combination the Canezou Helm, and that means even more Stamina for playing his instruments.
Now I go back a little. Notice what appears to be a large bed frame resting against the wall. Very close by is a small keyhole that requires the King's Apartment Key. Once you use the key, the bed frame moves aside and reveals a secret door.
On the other side is a Teleporter that brings the party to ...
Savant Bomb
The Teleporter takes me inside the Dark Savant's tower in Arnika. I immediately have to fight a few Savant Destroyers, which are more powerful versions of Savant Gunners. Their projectiles can knock party members unconscious.
Once they're dead, I place myself in front of the panel that controls the bomb. Pressing the second and the third button retracts the control rods and disarms the bomb. Everybody gets 500,000xp as a reward. RFS-81, Zarax and Errol all advance another level.
Now I stand in the middle of the platform, which is actually an elevator that takes me down. I fight several more Savant Slashers and Savant Gunners.
I follow a tunnel leading away from the elevator, and kill a couple more Savant Destroyers and a Savant Behemoth. Note that having the *Light Sword* makes chopping these guys down as easy as pie.
I continue down the hallway until I reach the green transponder, and I'm back in Arnika itself.
I defeat Savant Minions and Savant Gunners at both the base of the Savant Tower, and in the Spaceport.
I then give Lord Braffit the good news, and everybody gets 40,000xp as a reward.
The Rapax Away Camp is my next destination.
