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There is a lot of to-ing and fro-ing between the four levels of the Labyrinth. Level 6 is Labyrinth I (Labyrinth of the Winds) or Labyrinth Attic. The one on Level 7 is Labyrinth II and so forth going downwards. Many are subdivided into discrete areas. There are secret doors, teleports and pits, taking you from one to another. However, there are certain routes through the levels that you'll get very familiar with by the time you've finished. So that's the way I'll be laying out this section ... by routes ...
Route 1 ★ Route 1a ★ Route 1b ★ Route 2 ★ Route 3
You may find you reach a stalemate at some stage. I did! I found all my routes blocked by monsters which were too hard for me. I was then on Level 24. So I spent two evenings building up my character by repeating one of the fixed fights. The one I picked was the one on Level 8 Labyrinth III at H13 against minotaurs and wereminotaurs. They aren't too tough, the XP are good and so is the treasure. It happened again at Level 26/27 so again I spent two evenings bumping off the same monsters. Further on, fights against gangs of Liches and ghouls in Castlegate are manageable and lucrative with about 20,000XP each time. Luverly!!
Labyrinth I is reached from the Level 5 Thieves' Den from both sets of stairs, arriving at L14. The door nearby at K14 leads to the small room in the Dungeon Entrance L1 behind the Thieves' Door. Note that all quest items relating to the palace are taken from you as you go through this room, plus the Thieves' Key (first time only). You are welcomed to the Labyrinth Attic by an NPC at K12 - looks like there are several levels to go, and some very tough fights. The one at H11 is a lulu with hellhounds, gargoyles and other monsters in a gang! I managed it at Level 37 by casting Death Darts first to kill the hell wolves, Control twice, then using Fireball and Death Darts to finish off the other monsters. The annoying thing was I didn't get any treasure!
You notice something strange about the wall at L7. This will later be a teleport to Level 9 Labyrinth IV, Castlegate, once you've used the teleport to get up to this level from there. It'll be a while before you can use it though!
There are many pits in this area and various fountains. The Windybless Fountain heals your wounds at J13 and the Nightwillow Fountain, reached through a series of one way routes through vanishing/appearing walls, restores your mana at F13.
One NPC warns you not to jump into those pits which don't have a floor beneath them; that is the way of the Labyrinth. You could test this theory by diving into any old pit but it is best to wait until you have visited the next level down and used True Seeing so that you can guess which pits up here will land on solid ground.
When you arrive at G8, a voice echoes through the winds, saying you have travelled far and he laughed when you troubled Cleowyn's ghost, but now you enter his tunnels. You are told to go back whence you came; the Winds will keep these places clean.
From here you can go (1) through Sirocco's Door or (2) down the pit at I11 to Mage's Overlook (see Level 7 - Castle Wizard Room).
Route 1. Sirocco / Zephyr / Wind Hollow / ZZYZX / Wyn Sanctuary / Wind Knights' Tomb / Moon Hollow / Exodus / Great Hall and the Drawbridge and thence to other areas!
You'll encounter the first Wind not far away. Sirocco's door, at F7 won't open until you kill Sirocco, a lich who resides at E11 with a group of Silver Ogres. A corridor behind Sirocco's now-open door leads to the door of Zephyr at D4 which is a teleport to Level 7 - Labyrinth II arriving at D4. The door at D7 leads in to an area of pits and lava where Zephyr's Winds gust, causing you much damage. Restore health and mana as necessary after every one or two steps. Zephyr will apologise at C11 but says he is sworn to serve the Wind Elemental. He asks you to return the Harvest Horn to his wyverns to release his bonds. From here you can go two ways - down the pit at H11 or the door at B12.
Jumping into the pit at H11, you will arrive at Wind Hollow H11. Don't be tempted to go through the door at I12 - it DOES open into a lava pit. Depending on your race, you will be able to open one of the doors along this corridor. My Human character could enter the room at F13 through the door at G13 and gained increased initiative in combat.
An NPC will tell you near here that he found an interesting tapestry near one of the dwarven teleports. It had a picture of a great moon, just like the one in the sky but different. Make your way to the door at E13 where, you're told, dry desert winds burn your throat as you look down the winding passages leading to ZZYZX. Enter to arrive back up to Level 7 - Labyrinth II, E13. You will take some damage each time this door reopens as the wind hits you. A door at J14 leads to Wyn Sanctuary back on Level 6 - Labyrinth I.
To enter the lower right corner of the area, you'll need to travel through Wind Hollow on Level 8 Labyrinth III and along a passage on Level 7 Labyrinth II. This is called the Wyn Sanctuary. Info will tell you that the feeble survivors of Arnakkian's Experiment harbored hatred towards those who found home in Wyn's Sanctuary. An inscription will also inform you that the labyrinth and lower levels were first explored by Arnach of the Snow Elves.
So, what is in Wyn's Sanctuary? There is a secret door in the west wall at H16 behind which you will enter a tough fight with Commanders of the Wyn Ogres. After you win, you'll find a note by the exit, written partly in runes. Translated it reads, Red, Yellow, Green and Blue. That is the order of the gems. Signed Last Wyn Survivor, Kanasgwyn.
At D12 a pit leads you to The Leap on Level 7 Labyrinth II where you are warned you'll meet dragons. Too true! There are major fights in C13, D13 and a biggie at D14. This last one is against 6 Dragons, at least. But you'll win various goodies including Voranti's Key. The pit at the end of the corridor takes you down to Wind Hollow on Level 8 Labyrinth III, I14.
Make your way around the bottom left corner. On an area surrounded by lava at C9, you will disturb a band of Sanctuary Guards, whereas a room at B7 houses a nest of dragons who sneer that the Sanctuary belongs to them, before they attack. The next room houses Wyn's Fountain - it may be old and cracked but its magical water improves your speed in a fight.
Winds pound furiously at the door at A4 and it can only be unlocked with the Wind Knight's Key which is gained at O6 on this level. As you unlock it, the soft winds seem to whisper "Beware, those who seek the treasure of Wind Knights' Tomb".
Most of the fights in this southwest corner are restricted to dead ends. At K3 you'll hear the tempest whisper that one's treasure comes from the direction of the winds and at L5, facing north, skeletal voices echo "Only forces more powerful than all four winds can open the door" - but there is no door visible, even using Detect. Could these messages have something to do with the four rooms here at B2, B4, B6 and B8, the doors of which each face one of the cardinal points?
Yes, it does! Each room is related to a wind, depending on which way you enter the room, and contains a phantasm or two, a lich and several other monsters. For instance, from the room at B2, entered north, the North Wind blows a wintry chill and as well as the phantasm and lich, you will encounter polar bears. After winning the battle, you're told the North Wind has been quieted. Defeat each wind - the hardest is the one behind the door at G2 with gargoyles, a lich and phantasm - and go back to L5 and a door will appear. Voices will say, enter the Tomb of the Wind Knights if you dare but, if you have any honour, do not disturb our bones.
NOTE: Defeat the four winds in the correct order of S-N-E-W (i.e. - South, North, East, and West). Otherwise, the door at L5 might not open and/or the Green Gem will not be there.
Inside are many rooms, each containing spit spiders or nightmares and Wind Knights. These are hard fights but don't give much treasure. Maybe that's where the 'honour' comes into it? If you want to come this way again, you have to defeat the winds a second time - a real pain. A message at O1 from Morgard, ArchCleric, shows the knights were part of Arnakkian's army. It says "The last of Arnakkian's Knights have been buried. At last I can tell my secret. I waited as Arnakkian challenged the time elemental En-Li-Kil and lost. His greed for immortality cursed us all." The final room I entered was M1 and this told me that the Four Winds gather strength once more and throw bones against the wall - a very tough fight of Wind Knights and representatives of the four 'Wind' rooms. We'll be back here later.
The room behind P4 contains a teleport, not a tomb. It leads to Moon Hollow at Labyrinth II, P4. (You can also take a short cut to Moon Hollow by jumping down the pit at Level 6 Labyrinth I, I4.) At some locations (N6, O6, F2), 300 mana will be drained from you by the Moon Hollow Winds. Don't try to restore mana when standing there, desperately trying to replace it - it will keep draining!
When you walk south at M4, a wall forms behind, but, to compensate, the wall at M5 vanishes. Warm updrafts rise from the pits at L6, L7 and K7.
There is a secret door in the wall at H8 with cyclops and giants behind. More useful is the fight behind the door at F9; you'll find a paper on entry which says "Help! My brother Orilon has been bitten by bears and is transformed, signed Margery" and after a fight you'll find some good armour (I got a pearly breastplate) and a Jack of Spades at F8.
Past the dragon and wyverns at E2, you'll find a secret door in the north wall at E1. You're told you can see the signature of the spectrum on the wall but Detect doesn't show anything. However, in a fight at A3 I found an Omniscient Prism and using this at E1 revealed the door. In the room behind it, F1, I found a Moon Prism, a quest item.
There's another secret door in the wall south of D3 and werebears behind it - a very hard fight.
More werebears are at J1 and J2, again they are hard to pass, especially when they keep petrifying you. You can be dead before you strike a blow.
There's a hidden area in the top left corner accessed through which I think relates to classes other than Knights since there are 5 such hidden rooms on this level plus one only Knights can enter (which I'll note later).
In the top left corner, past yet another gang of werebears at M2 is a pit at O3 which leads to Castlegate Bazaar, Level 9 Labyrinth IV, O3. As soon as you enter, you'll be warned about tough fights by a cleric who says you must do something about the trolls. A knight hiding in a barrel at N1 is very pleased to see you too. At D3 you'll drink from the Elffoot Fountain to gain the Channel skill.
You'll get two very useful bits of info; "past the Castle Gates and past the Elves you will find a place where the blue light of the sky meets the underworld below" and at a gypsy stall, "it is written on the Lava Walls that a hero will one day reach the end of the rainbow and confront time. Go now, before more trolls come!"
Ah yes, the Trolls! There are lots of small rooms in this area, some empty, some containing Blue Troll Knights. One, at B3 contains a fight against Blue Troll Knights and Phantasms, after which you will gain a piece of Blue Metal. This is used in the Land Of Giants (see later).
To leave this area, go through the north wall at E6 (to Castlegate).
Now, jumping around a little, the pit at I6 on Level 7 Labyrinth II drops you to Exodus on Level 8 Labyrinth III. This was so named by the survivors of the Cataclysm. Here they escaped the horrors of Arnakkian's Castle and began their subterranean life.
Exodus is surprisingly restful after the rigours of the earlier sections. Many random fights but none too hard. You arrive at I6 and a fight against Orange Orc Knights at K6 will net you the Key to Back Alley. A ranger at F6 tells you that there is a great river in the dwarven lands below. It seems to lead to a great chasm she could not cross, and a mage told her the chasm was called the Ageless Void. She says to be careful in the great river as it drains your health for every step you take.
The Infinity Fountain at E7 restore your mana and the Charter Fountain at K13 restores all your health. Steam vapours arise from the pits by L9, L10 and K10. An access shaft at J15 leads to Level 9, Labyrinth IV - The Drawbridge, L9 and a door at M16 to the Castle Great Hall.
Route 1a. Level 9, Labyrinth IV - The Drawbridge
Arriving here at J15 from the shaft in Level 8, Labyrinth III you'll find it is a one way route. Where did those rungs go?! Never mind, there are plenty of new areas to explore from here.
Moving north to K15 you'll find a one-way door to Castlegate, a village just outside Arnakkian's Castle. A teleporter near the entrance, at L16, says that of all the Winds, the Tempest is the most violent and dangerous. It takes you to Level 8 Labyrinth III, L16. The Tempest Winds rip through your armour, causing many wounds down the corridor here, you'll lose 100HP ever move. There is an object to protect you later ... A few rooms hold monsters but nothing too tough. You can teleport back to the Zephyr section at D9, arriving at Level 7, Labyrinth II ,D9. But at E15 you will meet the Tempest Wind. It unleashes its full torrent of winds as you approach, then it reveals its natural form. You will enter a fight with banshees, were minotaurs and the Tempest Wind. Luckily it can be controlled! You'll win the Harvest Horn and this will protect you from the Tempest Wind which caused damage before.
Anyway, back to Castlegate. There are some tough fights here against werebears, hellhounds, gangs of liches and ghouls etc. Past a fight at L9, you meet a barbarian at K8 who tells you 'Andreas built a great pit. Two.' Holding up three fingers he repeats, 'Two, must need two to cross'. At K7 is a room with a teleporter, built by the survivors of the Arnakkian disaster thanks to the generosity of the Mage Council, which takes you to Level 6 Labyrinth I by the 'wall that looks strange'. This wall is now the return teleporter, a very useful short cut.
At I5, loose rocks tumble, revealing a passage beyond. This takes you to Level 10, Elf Villages, 011. We'll go there later.
Wandering along one of the passages which takes you round the top right corner of the map, you'll find the Nightfrost Fountain which restores your mana at M3 and the Dayfrost Fountain which restores your health at P5, and will eventually get to M16 where you will find the entrance to Arnakkian's Arena. More on that later too.
At D7, you'll learn that it is rumoured that a band of dwarves once lived behind the doors of Lookout (is that where we are?). A rune inscription on the wall at C7 reads "We, the Dwarves of NottiRock, seek brightly coloured metals to forge magnificent treasures."
Past the lava is a door and you go through to C5 where there is a hard fight against dragons and Black Knights. Cast Control, then use Poison Cloud on the Dragons and try to survive. The next two locations have similar fights but it is worth continuing because at B5 you find Lookout Fountain where you gain the stamina skill.
There is a teleport to Heaven's Fury at A7 - enter it if you must; it's where Voranti cursed the Winds. You'll arrive at Level 8, Labyrinth III, A7, and it's a one-way route. In fact, there are a lot of one-way routes here. You'll walk along a corridor and a wall will appear behind you. The Ariel Fountain restores your health at B7 and there is a secret door to detect at C6, going south. The door to Voranti's Passage is at C4 but you need his key to enter. You find this by beating the Dragons of the Leap at Level 7, Labyrinth II, D14.
Through here you're told that Voranti's Passage is home to Voranti, the Dark Dwarf Thief. Enter the door at B4 to arrive in Level 7, Labyrinth II, B4. Voranti, some more thieves and a Dragon are at C4, behind a secret door which you find by casting Detect west at C5. Winning this fight gains you an Ace of Spades. This area is full of doors, many of which are fake. At B6 a whirlwind takes half your health - and you'll go through this room a lot! Walk along the edge corridor to the door at J16 which needs the Key to the Back Alley. And at L14 is the doorway to the Labyrinth Back Alley itself, arriving at Level 8, Labyrinth III, L14.
There are a few one way routes here and from M1 you have to decide whether to go north or south. Going north, past O3 is Trolls End, a dead end apart from a teleport back to Mage's Overlook (M14) at M14. My My Fountain at P3 gives you the Beserker skill while Troll Fountain makes you stronger at O13. A message at N15 passes on a gem of knowledge; to cross the void and challenge En-Li-Kil you must see the rainbow. A note behind a stone at N16 vows death to those who help the Snow Elves and is signed Nasranti, Mage Dwarf. A series of bad fights along the corridor starting from O6 culminates in a biggie at O10. This gives good treasure, in my case Armor of Patience (4000), a Kite Shield (2000) and a War Hammer of Doom (13000). South from M1, at A3 is StoneGiant Fountain where you gain the skill of Athletics.
Past a hard fight against Tyrans and Manticores at E5, go north to enter Heaven's Fury, a cyclone where the forces of Chaos and Harmony meet. At some locations the fury of Hell's Wind causes considerable damage. But at others a peaceful breeze cools your soul. Sometimes these swap - it depends which direction you're walking! Behind the door at L3, in room L2, you gain the Medic skill at Morgard's Fountain. This is a cure skill.
Go through the door at L5 to enter a fight against Hell Wolves, Tyrans and Pincer Cobras.
Again, from the entrance to The Drawbridge, moving down the corridor to B16, you'll find a very hard fight against Tyrans (tyrannosaurs to you and me) and Hellwolves. Once past them and through a door at C12, you'll enter a small room and behind the east wall (though the picture shows a door) you hear rushing water and muffled roars ...
There are dragons at E11 and, at E10, you meet a gnome cleric, the Guardian of the Phoenix. He says the fact that you have passed his dragon guards is proof of your courage. The way is now clear for you to meet the Phoenix. It is time for the Phoenix to die and so be reborn from its own ashes. So, return to the wall and ahead, bounded by the River of Eternity, is the shadow of the Phoenix Firebird. The raging waters of the river look daunting, you're told. So does the fact that the Phoenix is accompanied by Gargoyles and Dragons! Pray that Control works! The Phoenix needs about 5 lots of Blast. Use Poison Cloud on all of them too. When you walk east after the fight, to C15, you feel a sudden increase in your dexterity. Don't bother returning to the Gnome Wizard. He just thanks you for helping his master being reborn and says the Phoenix may no longer be disturbed.
Route 1b. (See Level 8 - Castle Great Hall)
Route 2. (See Level 7 - Castle Wizard Room)
Route 3. Sirocco / Zephyr / Secret Chamber of the Labyrinth Thieves / Torbriar's Treasury
Collect a Harvest Horn and, once again, make your way through Sirocco's Door and Zephyr's Door, past the lava to Zephyr and through the door at B12. Through the door at C14 is a very hard fight. When you enter, the Zephyr Wind whispers, I have taken the Harvest Horn and I give you something to help you defeat the Wind Elemental. After the fight, you get some Flex Metal.
Go along the corridor (the Corridor of Zephyr) to the door at J15 which, you're told, is the gateway to the Secret Chamber of the Labyrinth Thieves. It sounds lucrative, and it is!
You'll teleport in at J15. There's a secret wall south from M16 and a fight behind it. This northern area, The Secret Chamber of the Labyrinth Thieves, has several secret doors and false doors - they look like doors but you won't be able to walk through them. Several times you will find yourself trapped in a one way route and going in the opposite direction from the way you want!
A secret wall at P7 leads west to the Thieves' Shrine where you will gain the pickpocketing skill. A major fight at O6 will gain you the Wind Knight Key and a message nearby tells you that beneath each pit is a floor or another pit; fall through the floors to find more passages. Nothing ventured ... drop into the pit at N6 to discover Torbriar's Treasury on Level 7 - Labyrinth II. On arriving here, at M6, you are told the treasury was built by the knights to celebrate WarMaster Torbriar's victory over the armies of ogres and trolls. There are several fights against Manticores and Nightmares along this corridor and at a few locations the wind is nasty and causes 100 damage. Finally at N14, use detect north o find a secret door only visible to knights and, behind it, Torbriar's Fountain which gives you the martial arts skill. No, I don't know what other classes find and I couldn't enter the room at N15.
