So that was a fight! I have completed one of the three game-winning quests of Avernum 2: I have returned all three Crystal Souls to the Vahnatai.
First, I went back to Pyrog's cave and slaughtered all the Empire troops there. Got some nice loot. I must say, Jeff made the Empire troops fairly tough, and I know they'll get tougher. But it was good to clean that place out completely.
Also, I found Sulfras the dragon and got the Onyx Scepter, which I will need to destroy the Empire Portal, the second game-winning quest. I think I'll do that one next, and leave killing Garzhad for last.
But the fortress where they had the last Crystal Soul was quite a battle. First, you're thrown into an arena, where you have to fight wave after wave of monsters. The worst are the eyebeasts, and if you don't get 'em fairly quickly they will heal up the other enemies and prolong the fight.
I had to protect my spellcasters with invulnerability potions and armor potions. Nice to use those. Then I made sure I was at battle frenzy the whole time. I had some battle crystals (still have one) that came in useful. On the forum, folks were complaining mightily about that arena fight, and I don't blame 'em. I think there are about five waves of enemies. Every time you think you're done and can loot the place, another batch appears. Goes from hellhounds to the eyebeasts to ghosts to constructs (with a demon) and then to altered giants.
However, I have massive amounts of energy elixirs, and one of those fully restores all spell points. Plus, I've still got those wisdom crystals, and I used a few of those to replenish my spell points. Have plenty more. Mycroft is now at level 35!
After the arena you deal with separate groups of major enemies, but none of them are too tough. The last one is the lich, who indeed was the toughest. It turns out that you don't have to fight her. I had already found the key I needed. However, I went ahead and took her on and got a Robe of the Magi out of it! Wow! I put that on Cordelia, because Mycroft already had a really good robe.
The interesting part of this was that in order to save the Crystal Soul, you have to break a Phoenix Egg and start quickfire. Then, of course, you can't get to the chest with the Soul. Plus, the quickfire doesn't burn out while you stay in the fortress. You actually have to figure out how to leave the fortress and then come back in order to get the Crystal Soul. After that things are fairly easy.
The Vahnatai are Happy
One interesting note: I thought I had finished a minor quest of getting something for the "barbaric sliths" at the entrance to the Waterfall Warren. However, the quest is still showing in my list. Maybe they want a series of things. They're building houses. I already gave them a hammer. Perhaps they need more things, like a saw and some planks, or whatever else I can find. I'll start with that next time! Update: Yes, I had done the quest, but apparently I reverted to a different saved game just afterward. So, I did it again, and this time it's off the list.
Then I have to fight my way through some gates to get to the Empire Portal. I've already done the first one and it was a major battle. Tough enemies. Even the archers don't go down easily. So that's ahead, but not tonight!
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