Durlag's Tower Walkthrough

Before you set foot in this tower be aware that there are traps galore found throughout, especially in the lower labyrinth levels beneath the tower. Almost every container is trapped as well. It might be a prudent idea to reserve a party slot for a thief or one of its variants with ample thieving skills to sniff out and deal with the danger ahead.

Outside ^(AR0500)

Outside

When you arrive at the tower the first person you'll come across is Erdane, He's a merchant that has items for sale, some of which are quite useful in the exploration of the tower. The toughest enemy encountered on the outer grounds of the tower are a pair of Battle Horrors. Doppelgangers, Skeletons, a Doom Guard and another Battle Horror are also lurking about the grounds, mostly upon the inner wall surrounding the tower. A high value item, Rashad's Talon is located in a nook on a chimney pipe that is located on the rooftop.

Basilisks

On the second floor of the tower, one of the corridors ends with an exit to the roof. Be aware that there is a Lesser Basilisk waiting when you exit the door. Three Greater Basilisks are found on the top roof level. A Potion of Mirrored Eyes may not last long enough, pending your speed and luck in battle. Since Protection From Petrification in its various forms lasts at minimum of 1 hour, this is the better choice.

The Tower Floors

Ground Floor ^(AR0502)

Ground Floor

If you are taking Ike's guided tour of the tower, keep talking to him until he tries to sell you a wardstone. Whether you accept or reject it, the Demon Knight will appear and unleash a couple of Fireball spells on Ike, the tourist's, and any party member located in the wrong spot and then teleport away. It is impossible to kill the Demon Knight at this point. The only floor trap on this level is in the doorway to the left of the skeleton. This is a silent trap that is only activated when one of the tourists sets it off.

Second Floor ^(AR0503)

Second Floor

There are no notable NPC's on this floor though there are numerous items you can collect. The only enemies are six ghasts which may be tough to defeat depending on your level. There are several floor traps too.

Third Floor ^(AR0503)

Third Floor

There are two NPC's on this floor; Daital and Riggilo. There are no floor traps on this level, but there are numerous items you can collect including a Tome of Understanding.

Daital

Daital is a specter who can be found in the medical room. He will mistake you for the former master of the tower and will summon an Invisible Stalker and cast Chaos when he turns hostile. This may be a tough battle but results in 6750 XP.

Riggilo

In the bedroom is Riggilo. He will talk to you upon sight. If you annoy him he will attack otherwise he'll remain neutral.

Fourth Floor ^(AR0504)

Fourth Floor

This is the final floor of the tower. The only NPC is Kirinhale. There are no floor traps on this level, but again there are still numerous items you can collect.

Kirinhale

Kirinhale can be found in her room. She is desperate to escape the tower and will give you a chance to help her. You can refuse her request, in which case she will attack, or offer to help her out of her predicament. She also carries the Staff Spear.

Cellar ^(AR0501)

Cellar

The only NPC is Bayard and the only enemies are five ghasts. There are several floor traps too. A secret door will become visible while exploring the cellar and this leads to the lower labyrinth levels beneath the tower.

The Lower Labyrinth Levels

Exploring the tower's lower levels tells the story of the dwarven hero Durlag Trollkiller and is much harder to complete than the upper floors. There are plenty of potions, ammo, coin, and nifty artifacts to obtain here, but doing so without disarm and unlock skills can be quite challenging. There are dozens of floor traps to locate and disarm. The vast majority of containers are trapped and locked as well.

This area is not for the faint of heart or those of low level. You have been warned.

Note: Throughout the dungeons beneath the tower magical wardstones are required to travel between some levels, open specific doors, or perform other functions. They are considered gems and therefore can be stored in a Gem Bag.

Labyrinth Level One ^(AR0511)

Labyrinth Level 1

This first labyrinth level beneath the tower has one primary objective which is to solve the riddles of The Four Warders. The level contains numerous floor traps and trapped containers. One high value item to be found is The Practical Defense, a magical set of armor originally owned by Durlag's father, Bolhur Thunderaxe. Enemies of note include Greater Doppelgangers, Mustard Jellys, Skeleton Warriors, and a Flesh Golem. The only way to advance to the next level is by having the Level 1 Exit Wardstone in your possession.

The Four Warders

The four warders represent weaknesses of the warrior: Avarice, Fear, Love, and Pride. Each is a riddle that must be solved by exploring the level and performing certain actions to gain an understanding of how they relate to horrors Durlag had to face.

Labyrinth Level Two^(AR0512)

Labyrinth Level 2

This level is where it really gets fun...and confusing. There are numerous doors, some of which are warded and require specific actions to be undertaken to open them. Magical wardstones also play an important role in the exploration of this level. Notable NPCs include Durlag and his family: Islanne, Fuernebol, and Kiel the Legion Killer, although they may not be who you think they are. Floor traps, some of which are silent, are everywhere. Among the high value items to be found are the possessions of Kiel which include his: helmet, morning star, and buckler. Ghasts and Dwarven Doom Guards are just some of the enemies that are encountered. The only way to advance to the next level is by having the Level 2 Exit Wardstone in your possession.

The Doors

Locked and warded doors are found throughout and can make navigating this level quite frustrating. And by opening certain doors, others that were already opened just might close. Several different wardstones can aid in opening some of the initial doors that the party will come across and can help in easing the way forward. And once the party has reached the switch room it becomes much easier to open and close a good number of these doors.

Traps

The level contains numerous floor traps and several of them are silent. Triggering these silent traps will lead to the spawning of Greater Doppelgangers in the guise of Durlag and his family, or even in their true doppelganger form. A long passageway contains many of these traps that, when tripped, will unleash multiple ghasts upon the party. Trapped containers are also found in many of the rooms on this level.

Labyrinth Level Three ^(AR0513)

Labyrinth Level 3

This level of the dungeon beneath the tower doesn't have many rooms but what it lacks in rooms it makes up for in the difficulty of completing the level and moving on the the next. Three initial rooms each present unique challenges that will test the party in different ways. Enemies in these different rooms include Greater Wyverns, Skeletons that shoot magical arrows, and invisible Ashirukurus that can kill a party member with one backstab. The level also contains four elemental challenges, each in its own separate area, which must be completed to advance to the chessboard. Floor traps are numerous. High value items include the Wizard Slayer and The World's Edge.

The Four Elemental Challenges

These four areas each contain a specific type of "elemental" foe that must be defeated. The four elements these foes represent include: fire (Phoenix Guard), ice (Kaldran the Bear), slime (Fission Slime), and wind (Air Aspect). The instant the last challenge is completed, the party will be immediately teleported to the chessboard.

The Chessboard

Here the party will find itself confronted by all the pieces of a typical chessboard. It seems that Durlag enjoyed the age old game of chess and the challenges it can present in winning the game. Killing the King piece will allow the party to advance to the next level of the dungeon. An ethereal voice will provide the rules of moving on it. Failing to obey said rules will lead to an electrical barrage of lightning bolts unleashed upon the transgressor(s) and everyone else on the board. On the other side is a door that leads to the next level.

Labyrinth Level Four ^(AR0514)

Labyrinth Level 4

This is the final dungeon level beneath the tower. The specters of Durlag and Islanne can be found on this level. He will provide you with vague clues as to what must be accomplished on this level to gain understanding about his predicament and why he still haunts this place. Islanne will provide a quick way to exit the level and return to the outside world. Exploration of this level reveals a statue that will speak to you, a room with a carpet that can make the party's journey to the afterlife a quick reality, and a huge cavern of slime filled with Greater Ghouls. And finally, when the riddles of the compass room have been solved, a showdown with the Demon Knight will be your final task. Notable NPCs include the greater ghoul Grael, Clair De'Lain, and the young adventurer Dalton, who's discovery and release will lead towards the completion of a side quest. Numerous high value items are found on this level including: The Burning Earth, a Staff of Striking, Pellan's Shield, Krotan's Skullcrusher, Arla's Dragonbane, Karajah's Life and Death and a Cloak of the Shield. Difficult enemies, besides those already mentioned, include a couple of Helmed Horrors and an Astral Phase Spider.

The Compass Room

Exploration of the level will reveal certain rooms which contain specific items, that when clicked on, will teleport the party to a circular room with four stone golems. The only way to leave is to correctly answer the riddle posed by one of the golems. Speaking with the other three will provide clues to the answer of each riddle. The party will be teleported here a total of three times. After the third time, speak with Durlag's specter in the hallway and he will lead the party to a warded door, which when opened, leads to the last of Durlag's many throne rooms beneath the tower.

The Demon Knight

When you enter this final throne room, Clair De'Lain will immediately hail the party. She will describe the horrors she and her group of fellow adventurers encountered when they attempted to confront the Demon Knight. This is the toughest of all the battles fought by the party. Be prepared for the spells cast by the evil entity and the possibility of having to fight a duplicate of every member of the party. The Demon Knight has a Helmet of Opposite Alignment and the Soultaker Dagger in his possession. The dagger is needed to finish the Recovering "Soultaker" quest. Killing the Demon Knight will complete your exploration of Durlag's Tower.

Bugs

• In the console release of the Enhanced Edition, it is currently impossible to return to the chessboard and thus also to labyrinth level 4. Players are advised to go there with minimal inventory and clear the entire floor on their first visit, carrying out anything they intend to take out with them. -- This bug is fixed as of version 2.6.6.0. (Not yet remedied for the Nintendo Switch ver. 1.0.4)

See also

• Durlag's Tower (treasure)