ask balthazar work:ask balthazar work:
"Ha! I have it. Good fortune has brought you to me today! There is a problem that needs to be solved, and you, my friend, will solve it for me. You see, there is a matter of some importance that is preventing my actions in the area to the east of Silvermere from succeeding. I require an covert ally there to retrieve information for me, conduct assassinations, the regular sort of thing. A source has told me that an exiled sect of dwarves, the Duergar, are living in the caverns of the Khazarad mountains. They would be ideal for my purposes, but all attempts to find them have been met with failure. If it were not for your timely arrival, I would likely have executed a few of my servants in wrath."
"Your task is to find and talk with the leader of these Duergar. A rumour I have heard is that one of the Duergar has been cast out of the group to die alone and defenseless. However, the vermin has survived, and supposedly is lurking somewhere in Silvermere. If you find him, you will certainly find the way to the Duergar stronghold. Go now. Come back with news of their alliance, or do not come back at all.
ask shifty
duergar
The shifty dwarf looks downcast when you mention the Duergar.
With a heavy sigh, he says:
"Threw me out for trying to murder the chief. I wouldn't have been
tossed out if I'd succeeded! Crawled my way here and got jumped by a gang
of kobolds from Khazarad. Stole my crown!"
ask
shifty crown
Crown? Kobolds! Nasty ratsy beasts swarmed over me and stole my crown! Little scurrying vermin leap and jump all over me, laughing while their king grabbed the crown from my head! I'm a lord, I tell you! A lord!
He continues rambling about mud and rats.
When you show him the iron crown, his eyes light up like fire, and he snatches it from your hands. Shouting with glee, he tells you:
"Mine! Miiiine! I have the crown back! Again a lord! Lord Rugath! Now they'll take me back! Of course, for I am Lord Rugath! Hee hee..."
With that, he runs away at top speed. Unknown to him, however, he has left a small cloth pouch behind, which you quickly pick up.
ask
lord alliance
A hint of interest in his eye, the duergar listens to you.
When you mention Balthazar's name, and mention an alliance, a cunning look comes over the deep dwarf's features.
"Interesting proposal. The alliance would be much to the advantage of Balthazar however, and be of little gain to us. However... perhaps a deal of sorts could be made. You scratch my back, and I'll scratch Balthazar's, so to speak."
"I want that accursed King Kulgar dead. Not just dead, but poisoned so foully that whoever finds him is haunted until the end of their days. This requires a special combination of ingredients, two of which I am currently lacking. What you must do is collect some Nightshade mushrooms, and a clutch of Black Retchweed. The mushrooms can be found growing in a certain cave near the abode of the Dark-Elves, deep beneath the Dragon's Teeth. They must be freshly harvested, or they are useless to me. The retchweed is usually found in the centre of a dismal swamp. Bring these two ingredients to me, and then we shall talk again."
ask
lord ingredients
You give the two poisonous ingredients to the Duergar Lord, and he promptly tosses them into a pot beside him. Then he turns to you, and says:
"Good. Now, the problem of getting TO the king must be addressed. If you have not thought of it, then you must understand that poisoning the king will not be an easy task. Getting into his inner chambers via the regular route will be impossible. Therefore, I have done some research and have come up with a plan. This obelisk behind me has the power to transport someone to anywhere there is another obelisk. This one is broken, but I have used my powers to convert the last of its magic to focus on one specific location: the king's kitchen. You will transport there, poison the king's food, and fight your way out."
"There is one catch. To activate the obelisk, you will need to go and obtain an Obsidian Talisman. One can be found deep in the mines, in an ancient city that now is little more than rubble. A species of beastlike inhabitants reside there now, the Quaggoth, and will have to be fought. Return to me once you have the talisman, and then I shall transport you and any of your party members to the king's inner sanctum. If you do not have any allies, I advise you to find some or to hire some mercenaries to accompany you-- it will likely be suicide alone. And remember that only members of your party will be teleported."
Note: you must be wearing the obsidian talisman.
ask
lord transport
The deep dwarf lord looks at you expectantly.
The Duergar Lord takes the talisman from you. Working quickly, he places it against the obsidian obelisk, which begins to glow. Stuffing a small leather bag of the poisonous concoction in your hand, he says:
"Remember, poison the food in the kitchen, then get out! With luck you will return victorious."
After a moment, you are consumed in a brilliant flash, and find yourself elsewhere!
You find yourself in the Royal Larder with Champion Gudruk.
Note: You must kill Champion Gudruk to push the button.
push button
You push the stone button, and the door swings open.
Royal Kitchen
This large kitchen is stocked with anything and everything a person could need for cooking. Pots and pants of all sizes and shapes hang from racks, and four iron stoves burn with great heat to prepare banquets at the king's whim. The door to the larder is to the west, while an archway leads out into the corridor to the north.
poison food
You empty the contents of the leather bag into the cooking pot. You chuckle as you imagine the look on the king's face as he chokes to death on his own vomit!
ask lord return
The Duergar Lord looks at you expectantly.
With an impressed nod at your tale of poisoning the food and defeating the king's champion, he says:
"I must admit I did not expect you to succeed. Hmm... perhaps I underestimated the resourcefulness of Balthazar's followers. I will gladly ally with him. Go now and speak with my new ally, that we might expand both of our domains!"
You go back to speak to Balthazar, and collect your reward.
Couple of hints here:
