Garrote Gorge

map_garotte

 

Expert teachers:

  • S: Arms, dragon, Identify Monster

Master teachers:

  • W: Mace, Sword
  • M: Body, Spirit
  • S: Body Build, Dragon, Repair

GM Teachers:

  • Shield, Plate, Dragon, Learning

Training:

  • Maximum (to level 30?)

Magic shops:

  • None

Quests (Short term):

  • Find flower for Dragon Hunters
  • Find flower for Dragons
  • Kill all Dragons
  • Kill all Dragon Hunters
  • Drum of Victory
  • Find Ebonest
  • Rescue Stormlance (Shadowspire)
  • Get the dragon egg for Dragons
  • Get the Dragon Egg for the Dragon Hunters

Dungeons:

  • Castle
  • Temple of Eep
  • Naga vault
  • Dragon Cave

Exits:

  • North to Murmurwoods.
  • East to Ravenshore
  • South to ravage Roaming

With two exceptions, if you are in GG (Garrote Gorge) you had better be advanced parties seeking some real serious fighting. GG, Shadowspire, and Murmurwoods are HARD! One reason to visit without fighting is to sneak in from Ravenshore just to get the Dragon Ithigore to join your party (or to visit dragon teachers.) Another is to quickly pass through on your way to Ravage Roaming to visit the Minotaur Caves. Don't wander into the western half of the area unless you're ready to see if that Kevlar vest really works. The Master teachers for the critical skills of Body and Spirit magic are here, along with the dragon teachers (Ex/M/GM.) A key part of GG is the need to take sides. Either kill the dragons, or kill the dragon hunters. You'll notice that the quests, above, can be solved for either side. It all boils down to personal preferences. One quest, get the Dragonbane flower, is requested by both sides. Do it before you choose sides. There are three flowers you'll find along the river. Get two of them, and collect from both the dragons and the dragon hunters!

  1. Dragon Cave. In the N central part of GG is the dragon cave. If you are coming south down the road from Murmurwoods, once you cross the river get off the road, heading left (east) up and around a hill. Inside the entrance, directly to the left, is Ithigore’s cave. He'll join you, if wanted. The expert, master, and GM teachers are here and down the path to the right of the entrance. You also receive the "kill all Dragon Hunter" and the "Dragonbane Flower" quests here. If you allied with the Dragon Hunters, there are lots of dragons here that need to be hacked, plus all those out in GG. The treasure room is down to the left, and is HEAVILY guarded.
  2. The castle. If you take the dragon’s side, you have to kill everyone in the castle (plus outside). Like several other dungeons, the hardest part is when you first enter (once you've taken sides.) Immediately run through the door to your right and get away from the entrance. If not, you are surrounded and trapped and even a very strong party can be wiped out. There's various treasure here. In a secret room off one of the rooms are 8 chests, one containing an artifact sword. By now, with high perception skills, it will be easy to find.
  3. Dragon Hunter’s camp. Just some tents on a hilltop, but surrounded by warriors and "pet dragons." All have to be eliminated if you are siding with the dragons. One of the bodies near the tent will have the sword Whistlebone which will be needed as part of the dragon quest.
  4. Temple of Eep. Another of the three cheeses (Alvar quest) is here. Cure poison and disease is quite helpful here. Most of this is straight-forward. The only glitch is a hard-to-find switch (on the side of a desk in one of the bedrooms) that opens a passage under the altar that leads to a lower level. The cheese is down there.
  5. Naga Vault. In multiple times playing though MM8, I didn't find any value in wading through the horde of nagas outside near the vault. Instead, I'd swoop down on a dragon to the front door and just jump in. Presetting torchlight, regeneration, and protection from magic is real useful here, before you enter. Inside, clear out the first two rooms. In the second room, press each of the 5 buttons to reveal nagas inside hidden rooms. One (the far room) has a secret panel to a chest. One opens a passage to a stairway. Head upstairs. At the top of the stairs is a room full of nagas. Beyond it is a branch to two rooms. The left one has a secret door at the far end hiding a chest. The one to the right has a button you must press. Its heavily trapped. Telekinesis is good here. If not, save before touching it as you'll probably lose a few party members! Head back to the room at the top of the stairs. The button you pressed lowered a chest out of the ceiling. It contains the Drum.
  6. The river. As noted above, three dragonsbane flowers can be found on the banks of the river flowing E-W at the north side of GG.