finishing VoT

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Keighn
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finishing VoT

Post by Keighn »

Yeah, I was just chatting to someone about that asking me how ultima lore Euotopia is. I told them that more and more it has cut away from that to be unique.

OK, I just went through the entire Valley of the Trolls maps. I took many screenies but there's no real sense of posting all of those as they're more for my own reference so I don't have to walk back there and make sure I get it right.

Near the end in Sir Reginald Hillary's Journal (University Archaeology Dean) you find out that the Temples of the Sun, the Moon, and the Sky God temple has stood for thousands of years.

From what I gather the priesthood of both important parts of the sky god religion. Colors are Silver (moon), Gold (Sun), Blue (sky). The temple of the Moon is more of the magical lunar aspect though priests are mentioned in both temples.

The Sun Temple seems to be more of the warrior priests of the group since they have a foundry and smithy area in the volcano. Heph felt at home there (being a smithy).

The Sky God temple is obvious homage to the Great Phoenix though the final area you cannot enter. In fact there are a good 4 areas that are definitely unfinished maybe 5.

1. The prisoner to free from Telgar's interrogator.. just not there or dead but I'm inclined to say not dead.
Image

2. Say what in the Moon temple at the shrine. Something is supposed to be invoked to reveal a secret .. nada.
Image

3. The same goes for the Sun Temple. You're left hanging. And there's no real clue in that temple to find the Sky God temple just a clue to find the dragon den (which doesn't have a clue either)
Image

4. After seeing the secret of the Sky God Temple (which isn't a huge lot) You can find a quick egress but this part doesn't give enough clues except to tell you that the other temples had clues (which they don't)
Image

5. A way to reach the possible long dead Lord Fronal
Image

6. This may or may not be the cave hide out Telgar the great is holding up in while his golems level the castle (that has no real name other than Lord Fronal's Castle I guess). And there really is little mention throughout all the expedition of Telgar's prisoner who is female (could be one of the Captain's love interests, a princess/daughter of Fronal .. who knows).
Image

There are other loose ends of some interest like the crazy lich who is experimenting with poisonous slimes (which I don't believe are actually poisonous.. I'll check).

There is the agent who's dead in the mongbat temple area who was spying on the mining expeditions. Truth be told I'm not sure if the original supply expedition is from outside the plateau or from Fronal's ranks to try to unearth the ancient temples of Moon/Sun/Sky God.

We are uncertain what happened to Telgar but he obviously devastated the area with his resurrection of golem construction (huge at the time). We also are really uncertain what the golem power crystal is or how it is made. There is a clue in the iron foundry of a sparkling mote shard on the table near the "Crysalline Life Infusion Chamber." Is it supposed to be crystalline instead (there are a few errors here and there in vot).

The humanoids are primitive and I think they inhabited the valley afterwards. There is a possibility they are or were the original Half-trolls (there are no signs of anyone in the temples) and they migrated with the remnants degenerating into the foul humanoids that are there now. It makes a decent tie in that you might be looking for. It also makes them less of a bastard race of horny humanoids mating with trolls or vis versas and more of an ancient race that is also reclaiming their heritage much like the dwarves have a rather rough past and future.

You can still have half-orcs as a odd hybrid race where humans just got too drunk one night or w/e. We can't really be sure all orc chicks are god awful ugly if we go just by the character icons. Some are done really well for the females.

There is one other bit of info in the mongbat temple area (not sure if we know what temple that is tbh or if its just a fancy mining outpost. Seems more temple) and that's the earthquakes and the opening from deep earth where all those mongbats came from. Apparently, that's were many of the beasts came from (possibly including the dragons). The icy plateau makes sense for the ice critters. What we don't really know is where the shadow warriors and mages came from. Perhaps Telgar had a little bit to do with this since he obviously utilized infernal daemonkind/devils/imp through out the map before he got his golem army. Perhaps its the slimy darkness that followed to infiltrate the temples and keep any believers from ever returning. Maybe the guardians that were there slowly turned feral with no worshippers for thousands of years.

Not bad bit of stuff packed into one map. I could be dead wrong without knowing Cat's full intentions in the map and what was left out or lost in her notes. I could look at some older posts if I can find them. I'm sure she's mentioned something here and there.

that's my speculation anyways.
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Re: euo deity chart

Post by eggmceye »

When I get time I’ll search for any notes/ emails from cat abt this map, and find out what it will take to finish it
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Re: euo deity chart

Post by Djanno »

Keighn wrote:
Drachentrog does have the Time Lord (a demi-lich) thanks for Djanno posting that pic.
Yeah and if I remember correctly the Time Lord had a pretty large dialog too, may be of interest for the Lore stuff.
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Keighn
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Re: euo deity chart

Post by Keighn »

I've been putting off the exolore each region and take notes. I was going to do it via a story (still might) to look for pieces of lore, connections to quests, and mistakes (if any). About the only things that might not have many clues are eggs. Some are throwback ultima lore and others are knowledge from various outside media, and sone are experimentation. I think a few more were added receently; up to 23 now. Whether they have any recerences to deities, I don't think so (one sort of comes close referencing a popular movie).
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Re: euo deity chart

Post by eggmceye »

I found cat's original VoT email, will paste relevant bits
Plot wise I've not done NPC's yet - but the general aim is that there's a
minor subplot with some archaelogists looking to follow the great Sir P.
Hillary to the ancient Sky God temple, they get squished, there's an evil
guy getting control over the ancient golems and squishing a good guy's keep
and an ancient temple sequence where a phoenix could possibly turn up. It's
playable as is - but I wanted to know if altars could be tricked into giving
keys to the bar feature (level 183, lava, you'll see what I mean) - basic
idea is that the player has to get a key from each temple before they can
get to the phoenix. Basic theme - squishing of good guys. Standard cliched
plotlines ripped from everywhere, as ever!
nothing abt gods but explains how the map should work
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Re: euo deity chart

Post by Keighn »

Good to know. I wonder if she ever wrote down any dialogue on say some scratch paper or anything. I also wonder if the Phoenix would be an NPC, NPC activate event, or just a mob. I could see a possibility of both. It makes me wonder on the black plateau and why Angela the Phoenix is so pissed off. I wonder if Rufus is to blame (maybe he's related to Ruffus in Black Cat's Story and just really mean to various beings; so she snapped and went angry nuts). I'll take it most of the expedition is dead though I had hoped a dying member was being interrogated (typical dying after you talk to them) and that the main archaeologist was still alive. Funny how there are quite a few archaeologists in in the game (this one, Beritha, the guard in Montor East, etc).
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Re: euo deity chart

Post by eggmceye »

so is the idea..
a) do something at this temple
Image
b) something at this temple
Image
c) and this barrier is removed
Image

there is another barrier a bit further on on the map, then a lava pit which I suppose a phoenix is meant to spawn

I could make it you have to med or sac at each altar and then for next hour so the barriers can be disabled somehow
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Re: euo deity chart

Post by Keighn »

Sounds good. I had just found the pics of Raiden and me in those areas back when summons and koy/kop could be exploited (i think). Looks like a solid plan. special effects and text dialogue could just be releasing the sky god from its prison with a fireworks display of sorts. I know many like monster encounters but lore is just as important.

Whether there are eggs or a quest is up to you. Looking at old forum entries I caught a wuest list of idea brain storming with Cat, gulnar and others. Having done quests and partial spreadsheets i noticed changes when i finished the basics. Naturally i did the quests on all servers and noted even the NG extra rewards (dang cool idea that was there being roughly extra 1/4 gp for reg xp value of each quest).

I Just posted about the haunted forest and missing npc ghost Blackheath. Now if i had been keeping a log of all text through the ages I'd be on top of what he said. A new fellow was asking me about the password for Snowy Isle and i showed him the missing clue. He mentioned xiles quest and the oddity of nothing in haunted forest but monsters. I couldn'tfind my screenshots but there was a japanese wiki and a blog that helped me with the npc name. The ghost probably mentions something about the hidden portal to the ethereal dimension.

It makes me ponder if any other quests are confusing to newbs.
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Re: finishing VoT

Post by eggmceye »

cat made an appearance 5 yrs ago and posted this
viewtopic.php?p=86551#p86551
From memory - there's supposed to be two / three main quest lines in VoT.

Firstly, the expedition from the University, that tracks the hidden temples, ends up on the plateau with the phoenix, which is entered through its eye. Focused mainly on the hidden locations [sun & moon temples / caves] it's supposed to be tough to work out. The moon clock was supposed to be a puzzle, but we didn't have LUA! Generally this quest requires the player to find the hidden locations that require a grappling hook. If you never grappled through mountains to find entrances, you'd never find this quest. From memory, the McGuffin was supposed to be a Phoenix Egg, and there were supposed to be x2 barriers that required quest items (from the temples) to pass through - but LUA / hooks etc were only just in then, and I never got around to working out the hows. From memory you were supposed to step on a trigger at level 185 X:32 Y:46 for the Moon item and level 185 X:60 Y:29 for the Sun temple. i.e. there was supposed to be a flavor text + item (Moon / Sun blessings) dumped in your inv. when you stood on those tiles with the quest open, that then allowed you to walk through the barriers right at the end.

There's also a few (4-5) camps from the expedition, which finding those was supposed to be the triggers for the University Expedition quest.

Secondly, there's supposed to be the story of a mad wizard finding ancient golem factories (notes from various army personnel) and planning to use them to invade Sosaria. Has lots of note books scattered around of him using the various humanoid monster kin - story is you're supposed to be chasing him / her, but s/he's always one step ahead. Ends up behind the destroyed Castle, has a captive. Basically, if you play through the map straight (i.e. follow the linear paths / caves) you'll end up at this point.

Level 182 X:52 Y:86 - Troll King
Level 183 X:17 Y:11 - Ice Dragon - Moon altar supposed to give Y co-ords to hidden teleporter (the eye) / missing flavor text
Level 183 X:49 Y:11 - Fire Dragon - Sun altar supposed to give X co-ords to hidden teleporter (the eye) / missing flavor text
Level 183 X:16 Y:87 - Phoenix (yep, final boss is supposed to be a phoenix, but no need to make it aggro - fits the story it's being imprisoned. I seem to remember you're supposed to be recovering artifacts / expedition notes, so a Phoenix Egg is probably the quest item that was intended so long ago)
Level 183 X:4 Y:75 - Wizard NPC boss whose been leaving all those notes (with attendant NPC captive)
Level 184 X:23 Y:45 - Undead NPC char who got stuck - intended to be part of Wizard's quest
Level 184 X:57 Y:6 - Wizard's Familiar? Shadowcat? - Part of Wizard's Quest
Level 184 X:66 Y:4 - Friendly NPC captive, tells you to stop Wizard from using golem factories - part of Wizard's quest
Level 184 X:44 Y:84 - Probably a lich - scroll behind it was intended as a stage in the Expedition quest - I think it was the goal (scroll = ancient text)
Level 184 X:56 Y:64 - Silver Serpent - book was intended as a stage in the Expedition quest - location of temples. Location text is fine, just missing a boss. Plus, we didn't have silver serpents then, although if you look at the mini-map, you'll spot something.
Level 185 X:29 Y:89 - Boss Clay Golem - possible kill quest for Wizard's quest [from captive NPC]
Level 186 X:24 Y:17 - Boss Iron Golem -possible kill quest for Wizard's quest [from captive NPC]

Note - there quite a lot of places in Forest / VoT that I have no idea how to access. In particular the Silver Serpent book area. !?!?!


To sum VoT up:

Quest line 1 -- from the University, find the expedition. Find the various abandoned camps throughout the levels to complete. Locations are in order: Level 182 X:49 Y:18, Level 184 X:49 Y:68 and Level 183 X:22 Y:25. I might have missed one. Pretty sure I haven't, but camp #2 might suggest camp #3 doesn't exist. Camp #3 could probably do with a bit more explanation. (i.e. "Two of us escaped the golems and..."). Difficulty - medium

Quest line 2 -- find the Wizard's hide out / plans, talk to the captive NPC in the stocks, kill the two boss golems (clay, iron) and then kill him. Difficulty - medium / hard

Quest line 3 -- find the liches' clue, find the serpent's clue, get the blessing of the Sun (level 185 X:60 Y:29) & Moon (level 185 X:32 Y:46) then go through barriers at level 183 X:13 Y:93 and X:4 Y:90, talk to the Phoenix, get egg. Difficulty - hard. (Also - ideally in the two clock puzzles, stepping on the wrong bits should teleport you to the start, but that's a small nit pick. There's also a Moon & Sun mini temple, no idea what could go in there. Probably a pass to the main temple of each?)


Got those from a quick trawl through memory + MapEd (with only the maps!). Note to self - instead of keeping it in memory, should have emailed Egg this 5+ years ago. :cow:
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Re: finishing VoT

Post by Catherine »

What did you want to know?

But, yeah. Outlined this 5 years ago, then life happened.

Hope you're all well!
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Re: finishing VoT

Post by eggmceye »

after having read cat's notes and re-examining the map, it appears my post where I suggest doing things at the 2 altars is wrong. It should be more like do something at the fire & ice temples.
tmples.PNG
and at each of these there could simply be an ice & fire drag as suggested, and the final room could have a friendly pheonix
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Re: finishing VoT

Post by Keighn »

Sounds like a plan. What about in the individual temps of the moon, sun, and the snake temple (well looks like a snake)? Would those temples (if whatever puzzle is solved) give something to sacrifice or use on those altars in the areas shown?

I'm also curious if there will be a way to get to the trapped rasidents in the ruined castle that's under assault by the wizard (who I hope we see and the prisoner). Good content here and I'm glad to see it worked or thought about.

Oh, and on unique mobs (give them special xp and abilities) players like surprises.
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Re: finishing VoT

Post by eggmceye »

so, which are the sun & moon temples:
these

Image

or these:
Image

Image
:?

reasons for the outdoor ones: they are near the phoenix bit
reasons for the indoor ones: they have actual altars and it talks about speaking and receiving wisdom
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Keighn
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Re: finishing VoT

Post by Keighn »

The bottom two pics I think are the first temples. (yeah, I'm not quite sure what to speak either in the case of the underground temples)

The ones above I would say could open the entrance fully to the temple of the Sky God (I believe there is a very narrow opening to get to the great "firebird" temple. Funny anvils were used instead of altars.
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Re: finishing VoT

Post by eggmceye »

but when you read her wall of text, there is this
step on a trigger at level 185 X:32 Y:46 for the Moon item and level 185 X:60 Y:29 for the Sun temple. i.e. there was supposed to be a flavor text + item (Moon / Sun blessings) dumped in your inv. when you stood on those tiles with the quest open, that then allowed you to walk through the barriers right at the end
and those points refer to these places
Image
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Re: finishing VoT

Post by Keighn »

The only barriers I recall at the very end was the one before the lava (where I'd assume the trapped Phoenix would be. I need to find the screenshot of the Phoenix Temple er The Temple of the Sky God main (the big one to the south. If there are two anvils in there at the bottom then here's how I see this.

Moon/sun temple grant either a word of power / item to use on each shrine in the above plateau temples. If words then saying the words gives you items from the above temples. It makes sense since the below ground ones say gives you wisdom (though to make easy I guess you could be given a scroll from each of those temples to get an item from the above. Think Indiana Jones where he solves some puzzles and gets a scroll to read.

Reciting the words of wisdom above in the sky temple of the moon gives a moon item. Reciting words of power in the sky temple of the sun gives a sun item.

Place each item on the altars in the Sky bird temple and it disables the force field where you face the Phoenix there. Seems funny you'd fight the phoenix since this was their god but then again, maybe it expects a living sacrifice when that field is down and well.... whatever goes in.. don't come out (ie.. the cultists toss the sacrifice in, close the field, and egress out the escape portal). That ancient phoenix is probably pretty hungry.
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Re: finishing VoT

Post by eggmceye »

it's done
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Re: finishing VoT

Post by LaughingCoyote »

Swifty, Milamber, fosfOR, Mortiferus, Nick and I tried to do this in a heroic instance in an attempt to get the full clear and the ear for Ariel.

We found got the Moon blessing, Sun blessing, found the forcefield area, still couldnt get past it. We walked and meditated on the anvils/altars in the glacial plateau, still couldn't trigger forcefield removal.


In the end we had to cheese by using summons to lure Ariel and using a grappling hook/sieze to get her out of the locked area.

What did we miss? One of the clues was about "the great waterfall cave" and the "puzzle" in it, which we couldn't find/recognise though we went through all the caves that was on the surface map. We definitely missed something cause we couldnt trigger the countdown to the last 10 mobs.

Or, does the script for removing the forcefield not work on heroic instances?
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