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ACT THREE - SAND VAULT
--- CUTSCENE ---
Conan returns to A'Kanna aboard her ship, and she immediately lashes out at
him upon seeing him wearing the gauntlet. She says she has been looking for
it for some time and, when it appears obvious to her that she cannot overpower
him, she comes clean and explains to him that the black death beset her island
as well, turning good men mad, and filling their minds with bloodlust.
She intimates that the black death is not a disease, but a curse, and that
it is spreading like wildfire.
A'Kanna says that the curse can be broken, but only by the use of powerful
magic (which you now possess a portion of). She begs you to help her people
by returning with her to Parad Isle, and helping to destroy the black death
before it takes over your world.
You agree, but only so you can whoop some ass (and WHO can blame you !!).
--- END CUTSCENE ---
You regain control over Conan at the top of a sandy hill that descends toward
an archway, beyond which is a beautiful castle.
You should take immediate note that you have a new energy bar - it sits just
underneath your health bar. This bar, called the Song of Death Power Bar,
fills up as you slay your enemies and, once it is full enough, unleashes the
Song of Death (an enhanced fighting mode where your blades SING as they call
for the blood of your enemies, and where (visually-speaking) they leave some
BEAUTIFUL energy trails as you dance your ballad of carnage and woe).
You also do more damage ... just in case you were wondering ;)
To keep the Song of Death going, just keep killing things - the more damage
and death you deal out, the more you top up your Song of Death Power Bar.
I should have been a muse you know *sticks his thumbs in his lapels and grins*
> Run down toward, and through, the archway, straight into your first battle
with a NEW type of enemy ... the lion. Lions attack very much as you would
expect, and CAN be despatched really easily if you read my instructions
with care (or they CAN be a real pain in the arse if you don't).
There are two very efficient ways of dealing with lions :-
1) The hit-and-run, where you NEVER get drawn into hand-to-hand combat with
a lion, and instead hit with 1 strong, or 1-3 fast attacks and then
ROLL AWAY. This will trick the beast into counter-attacking, which
gives you a HUGE window of opportunity to do the same. Attack, roll,
attack, roll and keep doing this until the beast has fallen; or
2) Close-quarters, with HEAVY reliance on blocking to prevent you being
ripped into little pieces by the beast. Again, 1 strong or 1-3 fast
attacks and then BLOCK LIKE BUGGERY. Rinse, and repeat !!
Whichever way you choose to take him out, please pay attention to these
suggestions ;)
> Head over to the cart that is blocking the archway in the back of this area,
press RB to use the cart, and then hit Y at the appropriate time to push it
out of the way. The archway WILL collapse behind you, so you cannot go back
after this.
> Move around the cart and into your first encounter with the Stygians. They,
like so many of their kin, are encountered in different levels of power.
THESE boys (the one-handed weapon-wielding type) are the equivalent of the
white-clothed pirates from Act One. They are easily defeated, can be
thrown around and pose little problem - HOWEVER they do have stronger
attacks, including not-quite-unblockables-but-which-can-cause-your-guard-
to-fail-and-leave-you-open-to-further-attack stylee moves, aka block-
breakers, so be warned ;)
> Once you have slain all the Stygians, whom I shall dub the Stygian
Swordsmen, in this area, STOP. There is a green rune triumvirate here to
be activated so we should turn our attention to that now.
> Head over to the large, free-standing pillar on the right of the area (next
to the rubble), and use RB and then tap B repeatedly, to cause it to fall.
Two of the three rune triumvirate symbols are on the ground, but we'll start
with the hardest one to reach ;)
> Head up the newly-created slope, and hack your way through the iron bars
immediately to your RIGHT. Head in and pick up the two-handed weapon IF
you fancy it.
> Come out of that chamber, and head left (picking up the green urn ONLY IF
YOU NEED IT, as you are about to do battle with a concealed lion), past the
green urn (unless you drink it), and to the far left-hand iron gate.
Behind this gate is a treasure chest filled with red runes, and a lion that
is just WAITING to be released so it can claw you to ribbons. Break open
the doorway and slay the lion CAREFULLY, using the techniques I described
to you before. There are two vases to your left that contain green runes
should you need them, PLUS the green urn you probably didn't drink (I hope)
when you were coming to this chamber.
Crack open the treasure chest by where the lion was to get your goodies.
> Head now, at last, to the final chamber (the one to your right, but to the
left of where the green urn was), and hack the door to bits to get in.
THIS is where the third rune triumvirate is.
> Activate this rune triumvirate, then drop immediately down into the arena,
turn and head into the covered chamber just to your left at ground level to
activate the SECOND rune triumvirate, and then run to the right and jump
OVER the pillar you pushed over, to reach the third rune triumvirate.
Thus empowered, we can proceed !!
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NB. I should point out that completing a green triumvirate automatically heals
all your health, as well as extending its maximum level ;)
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> Head back up the slope you created by pushing over the pillar, and then turn
and head to the right, up the stony ledges, and over to the blue stone,
which you should use to save your game.
> Drop down into the courtyard below, and to your first battle with the SECOND
type of Stygian Warrior you will face, which I will dub the Stygian Pikemen.
Stygian Pikemen are NOT to be underestimated. They generally skulk around
letting others engage you ahead of themselves, but are fearsome combatants
who have the ability to fire bolts of green energy that sap your health
from a distance, and who have a number of two-handed combos they can use at
close-quarters. They also give comparatively little warning before they
attack with their melee weapons. Watch them in any group encounter, and
think of them as Pirate Archers on Steroids.
> Once you have felled all the Stygians in this area, head over to the cart
in the back of the courtyard, and use RB and then press Y at the right
moment to push it out of the way (and yes, again, the archway will crumble
behind you, blocking your return this way).
> Move around the cart, slay all the Stygians (Swordsmen and Pikemen), and
head over to the doorway, breaking open the vases for green health if you
need to.
> This is a new type of door by the way. To open it, press RB, then LS
forward, then LS backward, then LS forward (when prompted). Run to the
right once you are through the door, and you will get a ...
--- CUTSCENE ---
The camera pans around to show you a massive wall in front of you with a
circular symbol in two halves. Obviously we are to do something with it.
--- END CUTSCENE ---
> Slay all the Stygians in this area (including the Pikemen that are standing
on the steps to the far left and right) before attempting to do anything
here.
There are 8 urns containing small amounts of green runes dotted around this
area, so use them wisely if need's be, and BE AWARE that once you have slain
the first wave of troops, another will come after you, so it's a slightly
longer fight than you might at first have anticipated ;)
> Once ALL the Stygians are slain, head over to either the left OR right set
of stairs, and use RB to activate the chain, and then tap B repeatedly to
move that half of the circular symbol to the centre of the room.
> Move across to the other side of the chamber as fast as you can and repeat
the process. The reason I asked you to slay all the enemies here first is
because this puzzle is on a timer, and if you take too long to complete it,
the first side will swing back to where it originally was (and that's rather
frustrating after a while).
--- CUTSCENE ---
A swirl of energy moves around the now completed symbol, and the sandpit in
the centre of the room disappears to reveal a hidden staircase leading down.
--- END CUTSCENE ---
> Head down the newly formed steps, and activate the blue stone to save your
game. Take the green urn here as well, if you need it. Then head through
the archway and you'll get a ...
--- CUTSCENE ---
The camera pans around to show you the three cat heads (one MASSIVE one in
the centre of the room, and two smaller ones - one to the left; one to the
right).
--- END CUTSCENE ---
> Two lions are released into the room, so strike, roll, strike, roll and
so on or go close-quarters and block, strike, block, strike and so on, until
they are both dead. Keep your cool and have fun with this fight ;)
--- CUTSCENE ---
The door to the RIGHT opens up
--- END CUTSCENE ---
> Head through the door to the right, and around the corner to the right and
into the light. To open the door, go RB, LS Up, LS Down, LS Up.
> In the next room, take out the Stygian Swordsmen AND the Stygian Pikemen,
and then destroy the vases to get some green runes.
> Jump up onto the ledge at the back, and take out the Stygians here, whilst
trying to stop your jaw from dropping at the HUGE shadow of the Dragon from
the introductory cutscene to this level walking past the windows.
> Exit via the door in the left-hand wall (on this upper level - don't drop
back down). The door requires an RB, LS Up, LS Down, LS Up combo to get
through. Head down the steps once the door is open.
> You will enter a courtyard, where you will have to do battle with 2 lions,
and a few Stygians. Slay them all. There is a green urn up the stairs
to the right (as in diagonally right) of the stairs you took to get DOWN
here, and there are also a few vases in the same area just to bump up your
health that little bit more.
From the bottom of the stairs you took to get into this courtyard, go from
the camera (as in diagonally to the left of your starting point, through
the big archway) and, once you are sure the area is adequately pacified,
we will sort out the little puzzle that lies before us.
> Run to the back wall, and push over the pillar that is beside the crawlspace
there (RB, Tap B) - Conan will say "I need to get on top".
Once that pillar has fallen, head diagonally back across the courtyard, and
push the pillar that stands by the archway back up against the right-hand
wall (RB, Press Y).
Now, go back to the first pillar you pushed over, and use it as a stepping-
stone to get up to the higher ledge.
Destroy the two vases if you need any health, and then push the pillar on
THIS level (RB, Y), so that it falls into the courtyard below.
Drop back into the courtyard, and then jump up onto this last pillar that
you have caused to fall, and use that as the basis for jumping onto the
second pillar you used (the one you pushed back against the wall). BE
AWARE, however, that the clipping and camera angle in this area is quite
frustrating, so if it helps you, try thinking about jumping slightly AWAY
from the wall, so that you don't clip it mid-jump. Works a treat ;)
> As soon as you jump from this pillar up to the ledge slightly above you,
Conan exclaims "I see you dragon" (as the Sand Dragon walks along in the
background, knocking over loads of pillars as it goes). You are about to
be set upon by 2 Stygian Swordsmen and 1 Stygian Pikeman, so be forewarned.
There is a green urn here too, which you might want to use ...
> Head right (down the stairs), across the walkway, and then take the stairs
leading up, over another causeway WELL-STOCKED with Stygians for you to
kill =) and then keep going right as the camera pans, to open another door
(RB, LS Up, LS Down, LS Up).
> In this next room (you're back in the main chamber with the three cat heads
on the wall, but at a higher level - level, in fact, with the two smaller
heads), turn and head left to take out the 2 Stygian Pikemen. Slay them
and, as Conan approaches the cat's head, he comments that its jaw should
come off. Hmmmmmmmm. Stand under the cat's head in the little white
circle, and press RB, LS Down, B, LS Down and watch the
--- CUTSCENE ---
The cat's head spits out a large quantity of some black powder, causing the
platform that stands in front of it to descend. As the platform goes down,
a set of stairs in the centre of the room partially forms.
--- END CUTSCENE ---
> Drop back down into the chamber, and head to the left (through the door that
has just opened in that wall).
> Kill the 3 Stygian Pikemen, and then crack open the 2 vases, green urn and
save the game.
> Head towards the cascading sands at the back of the room, and run to the
back wall. Conan will say "Nowhere to go but up".
> This is the first of quite a few sections where you have to jump and move
side-to-side to get through, by grabbing ledges. I shall keep my directions
as brief as possible for you :-
Starting on the lowest ledge (left-hand side of the back wall) :-
Jump (from the ground to the lowest ledge), Up, Right, Up, Up
> Hack through the two flimsy gates to find two treasure chests and a rack
holding 5 axes (in case you want to change styles or weaponry). There is
also a green urn on the main walkway just outside the two rooms.
> Run to the right along the walkway, and the camera will pan again. Conan
says "By Crom !!" (or it could actually be BYE Crom because the number of
times I have watched people die in this very simple area is MOST amusing).
Here are the instructions, but PLEASE BEAR IN MIND the timing :-
From ground level :-
Jump (from the ground to the lowest ledge), *wait for the black sand to
stop falling down the column immediately to your right*, Right, Up, *wait
for the sand to your right to stop*, Right, *wait for the sand to your
right to stop*, Right, Down, *wait for the sand to your right to stop*,
Right, Right, Right, Down to FREEEEEEEEEEEEDOM !!
> Run right, and keep going around and to the right until you get to the slope
which goes down. Conan will say "Spill your guts, cat !" when he gets to
the bottom, and you should block IMMEDIATELY, as there is a lion very close
to you which will attack you imminently. Despatch it after blocking its
first attack.
> With the lion dead, head from the camera (behind where it was standing),
and open up the gate on the left-hand wall (RB, LS Up, LS Down, LS Up).
> Take out the Stygian Pikeman and drop off the ledge (how spectacularly you
choose to do that is entirely up to you of course), but be aware that there
are 2 lions waiting for you down below ;)
> Your objective here is to get the lowered platform along the left wall to
raise up so that you can proceed. To do this, stand on the three circles
in the centre of the room (easy peasy).
> Once the platform has raised, jump back up to the higher ledge, then over
the newly-erected platform, and then over to the far side where a further
Stygian Pikeman awaits you. Slay him, and then use RB on the chain and
tap B repeatedly, to drag the chain down and lock it. This will cause the
sand pouring down in front of the main exit to cease its flow.
Conan will say "This should do the trick".
--- CUTSCENE ---
Hey presto ! The sand that was pouring down in front of the main exit from
this chamber has stopped - we can leave !!
--- END CUTSCENE ---
> Drop back down into the main chamber, and then head over to the opposing
wall, and jump up onto the pillar there (the wall adjacent to the black
sand that is still pouring down there).
From this pillar, jump up, and then (when the coast is clear), go Left,
Left, Left and finally Left, out the now cleared exit.
> Turn and head away from the camera, and open up the door on the back wall
(RB, LS Up, LS Down, LS Up).
> You're back in the central chamber with the cat's heads again (although this
time you're on the other side). Slay the 2 Stygian Pikemen in the room
and then head over to the cat's head, use RB to activate it, then LS Down,
B, LS Down and you will get another
--- CUTSCENE ---
As with the first small cat's head on the other side of the chamber, this one
opens its jaw (or rather YOU opened it), and black sand pours forth, causing
the pedestal in front of it to descend, and the stairs in the centre of the
room to be completed.
The largest cat's head in the room opens to reveal a *shock horror* hidden
passage !!!!! =O
--- END CUTSCENE ---
> Didn't see THAT coming did we ;) Drop down and then head up the newly-
created set of stairs, and through the big cat's head (you will have to
jump to get in by the way). Activate the blue stone to save your game,
and then open up the door along the back wall (RB, LS Up, LS Down, LS Up),
and go through.
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