Testing Grounds – Pools of Darkness Location

In this guide, you’ll find a walkthrough for an area in the Kalistes’ Dimension part of Pools of Darkness. To help you to navigate this area, a map, and legend are provided. There are more detailed notes for each point in the map legend at the bottom of the overview section.

Map Legend

1 – Barracks
2 – Drider Pens
3 – Locaste’s Chamber
4 – Daris’ Chamber
5 – Balia’s Chamber
6 – Secret Door to Tests
7 – Test #1
8 – Test #2
9 – Test #3
10 – Test #4
11 – Test #5
12 – Test #6
13 – Test #7
14 – Daggers and Amulets
15 – Altar Room
16 – Battles

Exits

1. Main entrance from Kalistes’ Dimension. If you arrive via this entrance, then you’ll have to battle four Drow Priests and two Drow Priestesses.
2. Secret entrance from Kalistes’ Dimension. This is the entrance you’ll use if you join up with Dennia in the Ramparts.
3. Secret entrance from Kalistes’ Dimension. This is the entrance you’ll use if you join up with Valardis in the Forest Village.

Walkthrough

Your goal in the Testing Grounds is to pick up the Ward of Safe Passage plus six Amulets of Stillness for your party. These items will allow you to enter Kalistes’ Parlor safely. To acquire the items, you’ll have to pass several tests (#7-13). You’ll be allowed to rest in each of the testing rooms, so the combat tests at least shouldn’t pose a great challenge to you. You’ll automatically claim the amulets when you finish the tests (#14).

For the ward, you’ll need to continue on to the altar room (#15), where you’ll find Hern, Locaste and Daris. Depending on who you met in Kalistes’ Dimension, you might want Hern dead or alive, and you’ll be allowed to help him or not. However, during the skirmish at the altar, Daris will flee with the ward, and you’ll have to follow him to get it.

When you reach Daris in the final room (#16), you’ll have to fight his guards, and then you’ll witness him being transformed into a Drider as punishment for allowing you to get this far. Finally, you’ll have to fight Shest (a Pet of Kalistes) plus five Enormous Spiders, but after the battle you’ll be able to pick up the Ward of Safe Passage. With the ward and the amulets, you’ll now be able to skip a lot of random battles in Kalistes’ Dimension, plus enter Kalistes’ Parlor safely.


1 – Barracks

In each of these barracks you’ll encounter three Drow Priests, three Drow Priestesses, and a Drow Sorcerer. After each battle, you’ll find 10 Bolts +1, a Fine Long Bow (+2), a Silver Shield +4, and more. Clearing out a barracks will allow you to rest there safely.


2 – Drider Pens

Outside each of these pens you’ll notice a pair of drow guards. If you have a capable thief in your party, then you’ll be able to sneak up on the guards and dispatch them. Otherwise, they’ll see you coming, and you’ll have to fight two Drow Sorcerers and two Drow Sorceresses.

Inside the pens, you’ll be given the option of freeing the captive driders. If you do, then you’ll earn xp, and you’ll be given some clues about the tests (#7-13).


3 – Locaste’s Chamber

In this chamber you’ll witness the mage Locaste speaking to an underling. You’ll record this conversation as Journal Entry 55.


4 – Daris’ Chamber

If you enter this room with Valardis, then you’ll witness Daris giving Valardis a dagger and an amulet, and you’ll record the scene as Journal Entry 33. If you enter the room with Dennia, then you’ll have two options. If you “attack,” then Daris will flee and you’ll have to fight two Driders, three Drow Champions, and three Drow Wizards. If you “hide,” then you’ll see the dagger and amulet exchange from a different perspective, and Dennia will tell you about the two items in Journal Entry 92.


5 – Balia’s Chamber

In this room you’ll discover the Mirror of Kalistes and the Ward of Safe Passage, and you’ll describe them in Journal Entry 28. The two items are trapped, and if you touch either of them then you’ll get attacked by four Drow Priests and three Drow Sorceresses.


6 – Secret Door to Tests

When you go through this door you’ll earn some xp, but you won’t be allowed to go back through until you’ve completed all of the tests.


7 – Test #1

For this test you’ll need to break down the wall to the east. If your characters are somehow not strong enough to do this, then you can rest in the room and have a magic-user learn Strength or Enlarge.


8 – Test #2

For this test you’ll just need to push forward. If you don’t then you’ll get attacked by a group of spiders.


9 – Test #3

For this test you’ll need to defeat 10 Driders.


10 – Test #4

For this test you’ll need to defeat four Drow Champions and four Drow Wizards.


11 – Test #5

For this test you’ll have to answer a riddle: “He is his name. Ill is his fame. He crushes all — the strong, the weak. His touch is gall. Of whom do I speak?” The answer is “Bane.” Nothing bad will happen if you guess incorrectly.


12 – Test #6

For this test you’ll have to pass through a wall of heat. To do this, you’ll just need to select “yes” twice.


13 – Test #7

For this test you’ll see Hern holding the Ward of Safe Passage. If you “approach” or “talk” to Hern, then you’ll have to fight ten Driders. If you “ignore” Hern, then you’ll discover that he’s an illusion, and you’ll earn some xp.


14 – Daggers and Amulets

When you enter this room you’ll spot a table with Amulets of Stillness and Daggers +3 on it. You’ll automatically pick up the amulets (which are quest items, so you won’t see them in your inventory). You’ll also find 1893 platinum, 76 gems, and 35 pieces of jewelry.


15 – Altar Room

When you enter this room, you’ll record what you see as Journal Entry 37. You’ll then have to decide whether you want to help Hern or not. Either way, you’ll have to fight five Driders, four Drow Priests, and five Gaze Spiders. After the battle you’ll find 20 Arrows +3, Chain Mail +4, two Elfin Chains +3, a Long Sword +3, and Ring Mail +3. During the confusion, Daris will flee into the next room (#16) with the Ward of Safe Passage.


16 – Battles

When you reach this spot you’ll have to fight two battles. In the first, you’ll have to deal with eight Driders, six Drow Priests, and four Giant Spiders. Then you’ll witness Daris being transformed into a Drider by Shest, and you’ll record this sight as Journal Entry 51. Finally you’ll have to fight Shest (a Pet of Kalistes) plus five Enormous Spiders. After the first battle you’ll find a Ring of Invisibility, and after the second you’ll take possession of the Ward of Safe Passage (another quest item that won’t show up in your inventory).