In this regional guide for Black Cove you’ll find a map, followed by a legend filled with points of interest, and a list of exits with where they lead.
Black Cove Map
Overview
Note: All of the rats in the Black Cove have funny names — like Leratt — but they’re not involved in anything. You’re free to kill them just like normal rats if you want.
1 – Static Cloud Vent
To remove the static cloud, you’ll just need to move something — like one of the nearby barrels — onto the vent in the center of the cloud.
2 – Dying Orc
When you approach the orc here, it will mutter something about “huge claws” and “bloody claws,” and then it will die. This will trigger the quest Crabs Versus Skeletons.
3 – Black Ominous Gate
This gate will start out locked. You’ll find the key for it on Pontius Pirate (#15). When you eventually go through the gate you’ll earn an exploration xp bonus.
4 – Poison Cloud Vents
You’ll start encountering poison cloud vents at this location. You can disarm them just like the static cloud vent (#1), by placing barrels or crates over the vent at their center.
5 – Source Abomination
The abomination will cast poison spells, summon crabs, and more. It’ll probably drop some nice random equipment when it dies.
6 – Room
You’ll receive an exploration xp bonus when you enter this room. Inside the room, you’ll have to deal with a pair of traps. If you accidentally set them off, then they’ll destroy some barrels and release a static cloud vent. There isn’t really anything in the room other than the barrels, so if you want you can just go in, get the xp bonus, and then leave.
7 – Room
You’ll receive an exploration xp bonus when you enter this room. Inside the room, you might notice a pressure plate by the door. If you step on it, then the ghost of Billeh Gahr will appear, and you’ll trigger the quest “Another Crazed Mage.” Gahr will tell you that he’s a big fan of Bellegar (who you might have met in the Primordial Cave), and that you’ve stepped on a trap. If you move from the trap, then you’ll cause an explosion that will kill you. The only way to survive the trap is to find the button that turns it off. It’s located under the wooden crate in the room. Along with disarming the trap, pressing the button will earn you 1680 xp. There is also a chest you can loot in the room.
8 – Pirate Office
Inside the office on a table, you’ll discover Pirate Notes, which will mention a treasure and how pirates are hiding beneath you. To meet the pirates, you’ll need to explore the room carefully and notice a lever by the table. Pulling the lever will cause a painting to move, which will expose a button. Pressing the button will reveal a hatch (Exit B) near the exit gate from the office. The hatch will take you down to the Lower part of the cove.
The exit gate from the office will start out locked. You’ll find the key for it on a nearby desk.
9 – Pirate Boomers
You’ll encounter four Pirate Boomers (aka Exploskeletons) here. This battle is actually a little bit tricky because of all the oil barrels and spilled oil around. If you simply attack the Boomers, then their explosions will ignite the oil, which will ignite the barrels, which will set a large portion of the walkways leading to the docks on fire — possibly killing you since that’s where you’ll be standing. For a safer battle, you should move all of the oil barrels away from the oil, and then set the oil on fire before getting close enough to the Boomers to start the fight.
If you do accidentally start the chain reaction, then whatever you do, don’t move around. That will just cause you to suffer extra fire damage. Instead, stand still and have somebody in your party cast the Rain spell right over you. That will put out the fires and hopefully stop all of the burning damage before any of your characters die.
You’ll earn 700 xp for defeating the Boomers. They won’t drop anything.
10 – Lillian and Headless Nick
At the end of the dock here you’ll meet the ghosts of Lillian and her father Headless Nick. Lillian will tell you that she and her father were killed by Pontius Pirate (#15), and that Pontius lopped off Nick’s head, sending it into the ocean. This will trigger the quest Headless Nick.
11 – Locked Ornate Chest
You’ll discover a locked ornate chest next to the bridge here (#11). The key for it lying on the ground behind a shipwreck to the northwest (#11a). You probably won’t find much of interest inside the chest.
12 – Switch-Filled Courtyard
You’ll discover no less than 16 switches in and around this courtyard. You’ll only be able to press the switches once, and they’ll mostly do bad things to you, so it’s a good idea to save before proceeding. The switches are summarized in the table below.
Note: You’ll also have to deal with several traps in the courtyard, so keep your eyes peeled.
Switch Name
Location
Result of Pressing
Blood-Stained
East of courtyard (near the Glassy Switch but hidden behind a bush)
Will grant you some xp and open the skull door (#13).
Burrowed
South of courtyard
Will blind you.
Chalky
West of courtyard by dock
Will summon an Armored Swordsman. You’ll earn 1200 xp for defeating it.
Coppery
East of courtyard
Will summon a treasure chest.
Exotic
Courtyard, southeastern quadrant
Will send you back to the entrance of the cove (Exit A).
Frosty
Courtyard, southeastern quadrant
Will freeze you.
Glassy
East of courtyard
If your party is separated into two groups, will swap the positions of the groups.
Golden
South of courtyard
Will summon a treasure chest.
Ominous
Courtyard, western side
Will teleport you to an isolated hill where you’ll find an ornate chest and (if you can detect it) a Mysterious Switch (located near the chest). Pressing the Mysterious Switch will send you to the Upper part of the cove (#6).
Courtyard, southwestern quadrant (must be detected)
Will damage you with fire.
Worn
Courtyard, northwestern quadrant
Will break your weapon and possibly cripple you.
13 – Skull Door
To open this door, you’ll need to press the Blood-Stained Switch, which can be found in the bushes to the east of the courtyard (#12).
14 – Treasure Chest
When you approach this chest, you’ll earn an exploration xp bonus.
15 – Pontius Pirate
At this spot you’ll encounter Pontius Pirate. He’ll attack you along with a handful of lesser pirates, including a Pirate Pyromancer. Pontius will drop some random loot when he dies, plus a Black Ominous Key and Pontius’ Key. You’ll need the Black Ominous Key to unlock the Black Ominous Gate (#3). You’ll need Pontius’ Key to unlock Pontius’ Chest (#16).
Note: You’ll also find an Eye Gouge Skillbook on the ground near Pontius Pirate. The location of the skillbook is one of the secrets you can purchase from the Teller of Secrets in the Homestead — but it’s not a very good secret since the skillbook is in plain sight.
16 – Pontius’ Ship
You’ll earn an exploration xp bonus when you board this ship. On the ship you’ll discover Pontius’ Chest, which you can unlock with Pontius’ Key (#15). Inside the chest you’ll find Pontius’ Note and a Blood Stone. You can use Blood Stones to instantly heal your party and earn some exploration xp.
17 – Source Nightmare
At this spot you’ll encounter a giant crab-spider called a Source Nightmare, plus three Sea Spiderlings. All of the creatures are water-based, so water attacks will heal them while fire attacks will cause them extra damage. Each turn the Nightmare will draw upon the water around it, and the more water it draws, the more damage it will do. The only way you can block the Nightmare from doing this is to have characters standing between it and the water on the eastern side.
When the Nightmare dies, it will drop a few random items, plus Sam’s Collar, which you’ll need for the quest Kitty Love.
18 – Hidden Mound
If you have enough Perception, then you’ll discover a hidden mound here. When you dig it up, you’ll earn an exploration xp bonus, but you probably won’t find anything useful in the chest it reveals.
B – Hatch between the Upper and Lower parts of the cove. To make the hatch visible, you’ll need to pull a lever in the office (#8), which will cause a painting to shift over and expose a button. Pressing the button will reveal the hatch. You’ll earn an exploration xp bonus the first time you go through the hatch.
