Beyond the Beyond: Update 94: The Worst Dungeon in the Game (Sand Cave)

[ladyabaxa]

Beyond the Beyond: Update 94: The Worst Dungeon in the Game (Sand Cave)

Having located the town of Zeal the team discovered it and its people are in a bit of a pickle. The game doesn't allow them to do anything about the situation so into the desert they go!

The valley has a ring of mountainous terrain surrounding the desert. North of Zeal it is possible to just barely scroll Bandore into view but not the volcano. There's no cave or anything to mark the entrance of the passage between Zeal and Bandore. It seems the developers never got around to creating what would presumably be a cavern dungeon.

Just south of Zeal the first random attack of the desert hits.

What's that sound?
That sort of fluttering noise?

It's... a Mirage Dragon!

Fluttering sounds about right.
Is it a ghost?

Maybe you should have asked that before we pounced, Tont.

The dragon does nothing before the frontliners kill it.

More fluttering? Maybe it's another dragon!
Doesn't look like it.
Dang it!

Oh and there are more Hippogriffs to waste the team's time. It could be worse.

Directly south of Zeal is a cave mentioned in town. This is supposedly the passage that Shutat used to enter the valley.

We're going in?
It's open.
Probably full of monsters. Then again every place has been full of monsters.
But this place should have new and interesting monsters.
And what do you consider interesting, Tont?
Something I haven't seen before, for starters.

1st Floor

Once inside the familiar tileset and open passage ahead seem to imply that nothing is wrong. That's a nefarious lie though. There are many things wrong that the team can't see at this moment.

Just around the first corner and everything appears to be fine.

What's that sound?
A sort of low rumble?

AAAAHHH!

Without warning a pair of stone heads shoot out of the ground and block the path.

What the hell just happened?
I think someone doesn't want us to go this way.
We can just climb over them. They're not that big.
They've got snapping jaws though. You really want to tempt those?
There's another passage over there. Before we risk being bitten let's try it.

Moments later a translucent skeleton digs out of the ground to stand around menacingly. The translucency is somewhat common for end game enemies. We'll see more of it I'm sure.

It's a skeleton... ghost? Does that mean it's double undead?

In a moment it's going to be just plain dead.
Aww. We didn't even get to say hello.

Needless to say with Annie's anti-undead rampage right out of the gate this Undead Knight does nothing but cough up some experience points.

As the team pushes forward they enter an open cavern with some starnge dark markings on the floor.

What is it? Water stains?
If I squint, maybe. I don't know, Finn. It's dark in here.
Nothing's coming out of the ground to eat us soooo...
Probably nothing then. I must be getting paranoid.

As the team heads south a solitary Young Dragon approaches.

This cave has dragons!
So does the desert outside.
But those are dragon ghosts. This one's got flesh and blood.
Not for much longer if it keeps snarling at me.

Hey! What did I just say about snarling at me? Do you have a death wish or something?
I don't think it's listening, sis.
Well it should!

The Young Dragon rushes to attack but only manages to scratch Annie. These monsters are weak and completely out of place in the Sand Cave. Either the developers couldn't think of a better place to put them or they just wanted to ease up the encounter rate a little.

The team makes its way around to the first juncture to find the stone heads are still blocking the path. This is the Sand Cave's gimmick. These barriers only despawn if we leave the floor or the dungeon entirely. They're not like the flip panels in the Flying Palace in that they're not temporary (but just like those panels they don't appear until the player steps next to them causing the game to pause while it plays the animation).

As they move further into the cave the team encounters a pair of creatures that are actually at home in such terrain.

Uh oh. Finn's making his choking noises again.
Are you okay over there oh brother of mine?
*makes assortment of throaty squeals*
Finn?
Bats... There are bats in front of us, sis!
Yes there are. And?
They're bats!

And they're multiplying!

These Bats can and will call for help to make more trouble.

Sheesh, Finn. I'll never understand what the big deal is. Just attack and we'll be rid of them.
I'm... trying, sis. They're so freaky though!
I can't take you anywhere.
Neither dragons nor skeletons phase this kid but bats... that's where he draws the line.

It doesn't take much longer for the team to find their first staircase.

Finn you can stop hyperventilating now. The bats are all gone.
You're right. They're gone. There's a staircase here.
It goes up. Wait, it goes... up?
Then that's where we'll go.

2nd Floor

A pond full of nasty-looking water is right next to the staircase. From where the team's standing it seems like there are paths in every direction.

Which way?
They all look the same to me. Just pick one.

South turns out to be a bad choice.

Why do I suddenly feel a breeze?
And what's that growling sound?
Look below us, Finn.
What? Craaaaaa...

aaaaaaaaappppp!

Here's the other half of this dungeon's gimmick - hidden pits! Their spots are marked but only on the floor below which is pretty useless without any frame of reference. This is another instance where tile counting can be helpful but the player either has to take notes as they go or have a good visual memory. Oh and that whole "frame of reference" thing I just mentioned which usually means blundering into a pit and remembering where it was later.

Everyone okay?
Bruised but still in one piece over here.
That pit was just mean!
Yeah what did we do to the ground to deserve that? Just walkin' around and it opens up beneath us.
I think I'm starting to understand why Shutat didn't bother to seal this cave.

The team climbs back up to the second floor but they manage to stumble into another pit trap while still within sight of the staircase.

Is this place designed to be like this? Who would do something so evil?
I would say Shutat but I don't think he or his flunkies stuck around long enough for that.
Oooooohhh! I wish Edward was here. I bet this place is oozing with magic.
That doesn't answer either of my questions, Tont.
I know. I was just wondering out loud.
If it's magical then it's probably deliberately designed.
Keep people out of Quamdar...
Did Samson just mutter something?
Maybe. Hard to tell sometimes. He could actually speak up for once.
Hrmph!
Like that?
I suppose so.

The camera reveals a staircase up that the team can't see or get to because of more hidden stone faces. Way to arbitraily block my path game!

If I listen closely it sounds almost intelligible.
Maybe it's a secret code.
Maybe Finn's just reading something into nothing.

Maybe they're just trying to warn us about the monsters?
There's nothing surprising about those three to begin with.

A pair of Manticore Elders and a Demon's Pet approach. None are a real threat but it is interesting to finally see a Demon's Pet in a dungeon more appropriate to its tier.

Seeing as how the team had barely explored the floor I turned back from the staircase. On the west side a big, shiny treasure box is spotted but it leads to only heartbreak from this side.

TREASURE!
Wait, Finn!

AAAAAHHHH!

The team dusts themselves off after falling yet again.

I should've known it was too good to be true.
It was just sitting out in the open, Finn. What made you think it was safe?
Well I wasn't thinking about safety.
He was thinking about TREASURE!
*nervous chuckle*
If you see any more chests please, for the love of Arawn, think before you start running.
I don't make promises I know I can't keep.
Oy, Finn...

As the team begins making their way back they run across a pack of four Bats.

This cave must have a lot of bats in it.
I know. I've been hearing them scratching and screeching above us.
And yet no screams? Are you going soft on us, Finn?
I'm okay so long as they're not a direct threat.

Less talk, more fighting.
The silent giant has spoken!

I know. I know. These things make my skin crawl but... ewww! Go away you creepy thing!
That's more like the Finn we know.

AAGGH! That's not an invitation to attack me!
Those punches hurt, don't they?

Two can play the pain game!
Tont that was terrible.
Maybe but I'm the one with the magic. Go forth my minion!

BWAHAHAHA!

For once it is the enemy who gets to bear the brunt of deadly snake lady magic. This Thunder 2 spell would groggy Annie and Tont if it dealt that much damage to the team so I'm glad they're both not the targets and have magic resistance now.

After a single round of battle the four Bats are reduced to only one.

Now that I think about it aren't these things kind of familiar?
They're bats, Finn. We've seen many bats since leaving Isla.
It's the colors. I swear I've seen it before.

Finn is right. These Bats are familiar and that's because the team ran into groups of them out on the seas. This is another instance of Beyond the Beyond's strange difficulty curve. With higher levels and better weapons Bats are still fast and can hit fairly hard but they also die quickly.

From the pond the team turns north only to find a one-tile wide passage is blocked by a stone head.

We should just climb over this one.
By all means lead the way.
Okay! *starts humming to himself* Aww! It bit me! Bad stone head! Bad!
I guess that answers that question.

Circling around to the eastern side reveals another passage heading north.

It also reveals a pair of small dragons and animated suits of armor. Since I figured I'd just walk around for a bit collecting treasure and getting a lay of the land (at least for this part of the dungeon) I decided to go ahead and use more of Tont's magic. He's got summon level 4 now and there's no sense in not seeing what it summons up when cast.

And my spell calls... a demoness!
I still don't understand where they're being summoned from.
It's probably best if we don't ask her.

Well she's kind of busy creating an ice storm so I doubt she'd hear the question anyway.

This Ice 3 is overkill, especially for the Young Dragons who are weak to ice, but it's to show off Tont's Summon 4 rather than to win the battle.

The eastern passage allows the team to approach this treasure chest from the correct side. That's a lot of work for a Healing Jewel they might never use.

Then two Manticore Elders and a Demon attacked the party. Yes, an actual demon.

Said Demon didn't live long enough to do anything. Given how high the encounter rate is I'm sure the team will be seeing more of them.

3rd Floor

Upstairs is a rather nondescript semi-open chamber. Knowing that hidden pits could be anywhere cranks up the tension though.

To the south is a branching path. At a glance it is immediately obvious that the branches rejoin but the question still remains - did the map designer put any hidden traps in either path? Or perhaps both? Without using a guide or walkthrough the only way to find out is to test one's luck.

Left or right?
This would be funnier if we just blindfolded you.
Yeah then you wouldn't have to agonize over all these decisions. You'd just go.
Right then. Or is it forward? I hope this is the right choice.

For once I manage to choose wisely. Hello there Source of Vitality!

Traps everywhere.
I did make the right choice. Woohoo!
Your treasure sense worked out this time, Finn.
Please, for the love of Arawn, let it keep working.

It turns out that this is the only way to approach this chest. Once I see it I remember it well because every previous time I've played this game I managed to stumble in from a different direction. Then I had to waste a bunch of time figuring out where I missed a turn for this loot. (I have just as much a weakness for treasure as Finn.)

Directly north is a somewhat obvious (if you hit the stone head first, that is) trap. I walked into it purely for this screenshot showing what NOT to do. Then I reloaded my savestate and continued with the dungeon crawl.

Just around the bend Tont reached level 6 and picked up the Steal level 1 spell. He entered the Sand Cave at level 4 and the experience has been rolling in alongside the damage. This spell isn't all that great as evidenced by the fact that Annie never uses it. Steal can be helpful but it is rather situational. I'll go over why later.

The next random encounter brings the team up against a Necromancer and a Dead Armor. Having seen a Demon's Pet earlier it should come as no surprise that Necromancers would also be prowling around. For those who've forgotten the team was able to find both out on the overworld north of Leaf Village.

The encounter tables in this game make no sense sometimes.

Oh and Necromancers can cast the Void spell. Just thought I should throw that out there. Fortunately Annie's always been fast enough to attack first. They do heal themselves but only once and only if they're at half health or less. In this instance Annie either just barely didn't do enough damage or, more likely, the game decided to ignore the usual reaction and go ahead with Void.

Moving right along the team walks past another pool full of murky green water and turns south.

This is a big cave.
Before you ask I can still hear the bats everywhere.
They're not attacking us though.
Good. Maybe they've finally learned.
I wouldn't count on it, kid.

*sighs* More stone heads. Who put these here?
Someone with way too much time on their hands?
If they are magical it means a mage put them here.
So a sadistic mage with too much free time. Lovely.
Maybe this is more of Arawn's work.
If it is then what's he testing us on this time? Our patience?
Why does it have to be a test? Maybe he just got bored one day.
I would say this is someone wanting to block the only passage to Quamdar but...
But if they were gonna do that they should have just caved in the entrance.
Well yes. That would be faster.

Ahh, here's the other side of that barrier. Goodbye treasure chest. I already looted you. To the south is just a small dead end chamber with nothing in it. Thus they head east through the passage.

Just then two Necromancers (split across two groups) and a Dead Armor attack the party.

These mages are human... right?
Why do you ask?
I was just wondering why they're attacking us.
Or why there are so many of them?
That too.

When there's only one Necromancer it's possible to keep them locked down but if there's more then one hijinks ensue. Titan level 1 hurts but it could be worse.

GAH! Maybe we should hold off until they stop summoning spirits to pelt us with rocks.
Argh, agreed, sis. Ouch.

Samson scores the first kill of the battle by finishing off Necromancer A.

One down.

Tont to the rescue! Go my minion!
Oww, my eyes.

Tont's Summon 4 spell calls another Ekidona (it loves to do that) who Thunder 2s the enemy. The spell doesn't do enough damage to kill anyone.

What? NOT AGAIN!

Then the surviving Necromancer cast Titan 1 again because Tont and Domino didn't deal enough damage to kill them. Yes, Necromancers get to act twice every round just like bosses. I'm pointing this out because, while getting hit with multiple Titan spells in one round is bad, multiple Void casts are even worse. It's rare but it does happen.

Hurray for magic resistance! Without it half the team would have been groggied by the second Titan spell.

For the last time Finn I don't see any dents in your head.
Are you sure? I swear I can feel one right here.
Yes I'm sure.

The team turns north (the south path in the above screenshot has a hidden stone head waiting to appear) and around to this path. Oh and there's a marker on the floor that hints at a drop above. That means there are at least four floors to this winding maze.

Just then a trio of Liches attacks.

Take that!
Finn I hit the other one.
Uh, sorry, sis. Head's still a little messed up.

For once the team's AI decides to split Annie's and Finn's attacks across a group. It has disastrous results. I suppose the Lich Samson finished off could have cast Void instead but the spell that did go off kills Domino and Tont.

Sis why did it suddenly go quiet behind us?
Look behind us.
What? Ugh, oh my... this is bad!
Understatement of the year, Finn.

Although the team is diminished by half two Liches (one at half health) still aren't much of a problem for them to clean up in the next round. Afterwards Annie raises Tont and Domino from the dead. Disregard the fact that the Void spell animation has targets sucked up into a black hole where they disappear. Through the magic of Game Logic life can be restored to their bodies. There is a penalty with the spell in that targets come back at half LP (which makes it easier for the newly-resurrected to die again) but it isn't permanent.

Tont! You're alive again!
That's what dying feels like? That was awful!
And here I was naively hoping I'd never have to use this spell.
Thanks Merlin!
What about Domino?
Give me a minute. Casting that's draining.

To the south is a staircase up. It (and a stone head blocking a passage) are partially obscured by the menu in the screenshot above. With three floors explored and their treasures looted Finn dials up an Escape spell.

That punts the team back to the entrance but their business isn't quite complete yet.

We're not leaving?
I just want to check something.
I hope it's worth it.
Me too.

I would say the journey back up to the second floor is eventful but it isn't.

But Tont does hit level 7 and upgrades his Titan spell to level 2. The chances of him casting it are still tiny but he has it!

I saw a staircase on the second floor that I diverted away from in order to explore. Since the team's leaving soon I head back to the maze of invisible pits to have another look.

The staircase leads to a small isolated part of the third floor which contains a chest. Inside is a Mystic Dagger which Domino immediately equips. Considering the fact that the Mithril Blade is better than the Mystic Blade it's a bit odd that the Mystic Dagger offers more attack power than the Mithril Dagger. Consistency, who needs it?

Finn then casts Escape again. MP is getting low across the team. Granted I've been more lax about Tont's reserves than I am normally but Annie's been tapped out by healing and resurrecting.

That could have gone better.
If I never die again that would be great.
Eventually we all must leave this world, kid.
Not if you have enough magic!
Your optimism is amusing.
Thanks!

How's the new dagger working out?
I like it.
Never misses its mark.
I don't miss, kid.

The inn in Zeal is a welcome sight.

Should I show you to a room?
Hell yes.
We could rent out the entire inn.
We could buy it if we really wanted to.
Is there anything stopping you?
That's money I need for my future lair.
Aww, I should have guessed.

Next time on Beyond the Beyond - back to the misery that is the Sand Cave.

Update Ninety-three | Index | Update Ninety-five