Contents
- 1 Main floor
- 2 Heart of the Laboratory
- 3 Old Wing
- 4 Find a way to remove the demonic seal
- 5 Midnight Fane
After completing Know Thy Enemy, return to Drezen where the Hand of the Inheritor will tell you about a demonic seal that blocks your progress. Passing the Arcana check will yield 120XP and reveal a few choice words carved into the rock.
You may need to finish your first Mythic quest before proceeding with this quest. Once you're ready, head for Desolate Hovel, located on the Gray Road to the southwest.
Main floor
Head through the west hall and take out the Shadow Demons in the south side side room using Good/Cold Iron weapons and/or magic (Magic Weapon/Greater Magic Weapon will help). Check out the north side room for Cloak of the Ancient Herald.
Ignore the Old Wing exit for now and head south. In the second room on the west side you'll find Expedition Boots and "Experiment: The Suture" Crystal. The next room on the opposite site contains Midnight Bolt. Examine the vessel on the table and pass the Arcana check to find it's meant to contain a soul. If you're Trickster, take it (Magical Moonshine Flask) for The Best Liquor in the World quest and receive 240XP. (Return the hooch to Thaberdine in Half Measure Tavern later to complete it and earn 1600XP.)
In the southwest most room you'll find a trap and a recipe for Skullberry Pie.
Near the exit to Heart of the Laboratory you'll find Tortured Angel. Attack to fight everyone but her (no significant loot is to be had from this). Otherwise, be off.
Heart of the Laboratory
Take the south exit to Heart of the Laboratory. Run down the stairs after Hollow Voice and pick up your party then buff before taking the exit to fight Tarry Demodand and her demon friends. Killing Tarry after the battle won't yield any notable loot or significant outcome; if you're a Trickster, you can simply transform her into a bird, opening up an Arcana check for 60XP.
Touch the crystal on the desk along the wall, then interact with the mist to summon Suture once more. Take the Key to the Abyss Barriers he gives you and head into the next main room.
Whatever you choose, you'll gain a Mythic level for everyone now.
Loot the shelf in the southwest corner to find Buckler of Ray Negation and the shelf in the northeast corner to find "Experiment: Transformation" Crystal.
Open the rift in the center of the room to summon Socothbenoth, triggering another Council meeting quest (An Urgent Invitation). A portal will appear as well, but ignore it for now and head for the Old Wing (northwest exit in the main lab).
Old Wing
Enter the right room to find an Old Mongrel strapped to a chair by appendages. Whatever you say (apart from leaving him be), he ends up dead.
In the southwest circular room, fight Nalfeshnee, which is still vulnerable to Enervate.
The southeast rectangular room contains Elven Notes. The back room on the north side contains Heavy Crossbow of Degradation and "Secret of Great Sorcery" Crystal.
At the end of the main hall you'll find a secret door next to the purple mist. Open it for some minor loot.
Enter the circular room to the south now at the end of the main hall to take on Marilith and a Derakni. Pack heavy defensive buffs and hit the former with Enervate. Loot the chest to acquire White Dragon and Lockpicker's Kit II.
Return now to the aforementioned portal and use it to return to Drezen.
Find a way to remove the demonic seal
Make a hard save now just in case, as you're approaching the point of no return.
Speak to Hand of the Inheritor about your adventures and you'll be prompted to wait for the Queen. Now's a great time to finish any remaining quests and explore the world map, as you have to wait approximately a whole month.
When you're ready, inform Galfrey, then take on the demons in the Midnight Fane.
Midnight Fane
In the northwest corner, near the exit to the Abyss you'll find an Arcana check. Pass it to earn 432XP and learn the wall of flame is a planar rift.
In the north center room, take on the Vrock Pillager (Enervate should make it easier), then loot The Bliz off the ground by the gate. Once ready, take the northwest exit to The Abyss.
The northeast corner sees you facing off against Vavakia. Reflex-targeting spells and Enervate are the key here. Post-fight, pick up Full Plate of Spell Nullify.
Take the southwest exit out, at which time your allies will call for help. (When you like, return to the entrance and help them take on the demons.)
Head southeast a short ways to the large circular room containing Baphomet High Priest and a couple minotaurs. Repeat the Expeditious Retreat trick, but this time brace yourself for the hard-hitting Priest (Guarded Hearth may be desirable). From the Priest, loot Baphomet Servants' Key and Banshee's Heart.
In the southeastern rectangular room, take on some Cultist Archers and loot Nightmare from the trapped chest.
Once ready, take the southwest exit from the circular room to the lower floor. It won't take long before you run into a pack of Distorted Mythic Succubi. Repeat the Expeditious Retreat trick a second time, but run back to the second doorway this time. Once the battle begins (have Haste on beforehand), spam crowd control AoE's (e.g. Phantasmal Putrefaction, Phantasmal Web).
Proceed through the back door, prompting a storybook event. Pass the Arcana check to find she's lying and to earn 432XP.
You're lying | True; 432XP; Help and stop options appear |
Use remove curse | Lose Scroll of Break Enchantment; Help and stop options appear |
Your prisoners are no concern of mine | Prisoners tortured; Rush/observe/get out options appear |
Let those poor creatures go | Spared; Help or stop options appear |
Don't you dare threaten me | Prisoners tortured; Rush/observe/get out options appear |
Help the victims | Yaniel rescued |
Stop Minagho from escaping | Escapes anyway; Yaniel rescued |
Rush into battle | Minagho escapes; Yaniel rescued |
Observe the victims' agony | Says you're pretty demon-like yourself; Yaniel rescued |
Get out, but spare them | Spared; Help and stop options appear |
Afterward, speak to Yaniel.
I've met Yaniel once already | Laughs |
Go to the part of the Fane | Agrees and thanks you |
Kill the woman | Seelah stops you, Yaniel heads off |
I don't have time to talk | Heads off |
Kill Yaniel (Seelah cannot be in party) | Allows you to corrupt Radiance (Thanks, RhysMo.) |
Take the northeast Abyss exit and meet with Gresilla, Priestess of Nocticula, who wants to make a deal with you.
I'll prove to you | Receive Nocticula Servants' Key, Twisted Temptation |
I'm not interested | Gives you Nocticula Servants' Key |
Attack | Fight |
If you choose to fight, you'll want to be prepared with either Aura of Greater Courage, Shield of Law, or Freedom of Movement in order to counter Overwhelming Presence. You'll also want to pre-cast Guarded Hearth, Remove Fear, Unbreakable Heart (on all), and summons (on top of your usual buff routine). Afterward, loot Nocticula Servants' Key and Twisted Temptation. Whether you fight or not, loot Mantle of Night from the locked chest. If you try to make a deal, nothing extra will come of it after defeating the demon she speaks of (she'll just give you what you came for regardless - the key).
Take the southeast exit to find yourself on the northeast side of the map. Use the Hold function to avoid the trap. When the Gallu Warmonger approaches, hit it with Witch goodies if possible (Enervate, Evil Eye - AC, Slumber, Fortune, etc).
Passing a Perception 35 and Arcana 42 check will reveal a doorway near the statue and transport you through it to fight a handful of Ravenous Greater Shadows. Selective Web should work well against them. Afterward, pass the Mobility 24DC check to cross over and cleanse the corruption using the altar and to acquire Ring of Deadly Swing.
Go up the south stairs (the broken ones) and hit the switch on the wall to unlock a secret room. Loot it to find Lenses of Prolonged Gaze. Head west to the large room with the Minotaur, Votary, etc. and hit the switch by the weapon rack.
Take the northeastern-most Abyss exit to bust up some Bodaks (fire works). Walk a short ways northeast; near the purple crystals you'll find a skeleton, from which you may loot Rebound.
On the north side of the map you'll notice three skeletons and Playful Darkness, one of the most potentially difficult bosses in the game. You'll absolutely want to use turn-based for this one (even if you despise it, it really does make the fight infinitely easier). If you're on a higher difficulty, you may want to come back later (when you're at least Mythic Level 5).
On higher difficulties, you may need more help. Some other options include Pillars of Life with body blocking specters, Hideous Laughter (for mobs), Last Stand, Radiant spam, Creeping Doom, Bolt of Justice, Blade Barrier and Sirroco spam, Maximize rod + Enduring Cave Fang, Deadly Earth, and high level summons + Belt of Demonic Shadow (among others).
An Unfair viable strategy against Playful Darkness is to drown it in summons and zap it with Lightning, Mass Heal, Selective Sirocco (with Ascended Element), Unremittable Path spells, etc. (should take about 10 rounds).
After the battle, pick up Manual of Quickness of Action +2 and Helmet of Weakening Torture.