SPOILERS, check out the review or play the game if you want to experience this amazing quest.
Journey Through Caldera: Ending Two – “Sunlight”
Yarrow: The Beginning
My journey began in the quaint village of Yarrow, a place of humble beginnings and hidden secrets. I made my way to the ruined building outside the farmhouse, where I encountered a beetle guarding a note and a tiny key ensnared in a spiderweb. The farmhouse walls concealed a false panel, which I unlocked with the tiny key, revealing a chest containing the Graveyard Key.
With the Graveyard Key in hand, I ventured northeast towards the graveyard. The gate creaked open, leading me into a dark dungeon. Inside, I discovered a carved stone inscribed with “Serpent’s Eye.” The villagers whispered of this artifact’s significance, urging me to speak with Cellera, Zora, Nevin, and Roche to uncover its mysteries. I also found a Black Eyed Stone, reminiscent of the one my father had mentioned in his note. Cellera might know more about it.
Moon-upon-Thoss: The City of Balance
My next destination was Moon-upon-Thoss, the grand city at the heart of Caldera. Known as the City of Balance, it was a hub of trade and culture, where the edict against proselytizing maintained peace among diverse faiths. My first task was to find Nevin in the northwest ruins of the city.
The city held many secrets. I uncovered two secret doors leading to hidden parts of the ruined city. By deciphering the Jest Riddle near the graves, I found that the initials around Hernie’s grave spelled “ALL.” Another riddle led me to a hidden wall east of the graves, where I shouted the phrase “bypass,” unlocking the wall and increasing my health permanently by fifty points.
Exploring further, I used a lockpick to access The Keep’s cellar. Here, I discovered a secret door behind empty chests and hidden passages along the fire pit walls, guarded by Nomans. These challenges tested my resolve but rewarded me with valuable Cellar Note Diaries. I also encountered Ianthe, the shipwright, who sold me a Ship Title, essential for my journey to Roche’s cave.
Roche’s Cave: Unveiling Secrets
With the Ship Title in hand, I set sail towards Roche’s cave, shrouded in amber fog. Roche, a figure steeped in mystery and knowledge, handed me Roche’s Bell. He spoke of the gods and their true names, revealing that these names could banish the gods by finding their Tether and speaking their true names. The names he gave me were crucial for the journey ahead.
Using Roche’s Bell, I summoned and defeated the Forlorn Spirits, each battle revealing a new name: Tarthus, Caryon, Anun, Hezreh, and Balatoth. Caryon was found in Yarrow, near the water northwest of the farmhouse. Anun was hidden in the southern ocean, while Hezreh lurked along the northern edge of the world. Balatoth was south of Harrowdus, near the Heart Temple.
The Lament: Confronting the Tether
The final challenge lay in The Lament, a difficult dungeon located southeast, accessible through Issacarr in Harrowdus. This Tether Dungeon was unlike any other, requiring me to extinguish fire altars by yelling the correct names. The dungeon was filled with traps and powerful enemies, testing my limits at every turn.
Equipped with the legendary “Screaming Bow” made from living fearwood, I ventured into the dungeon with determination. The first few floors were reminiscent of regular relic dungeons, filled with forgotten traps and ancient machinery. But as I descended further, the air grew thick with an oppressive energy.
I brought along legendary weapons, potions, and a few trusted followers to aid me in the battle. The dungeon had multiple rooms, each with a fire altar in the middle. The Tether remained immune to my attacks unless I yelled the correct name to extinguish the fire. Any mistake would result in the Tether teleporting to me with such force that I would feel deathly sick.
In the northwest room, I yelled “Caryon,” extinguishing the fire and weakening the Tether. I repeated this process in the other rooms, calling out “Balatoth” in the northeast, “Anun” in the middle, “Hezreh” in the southeast, and “Tarthus” in the southwest. Each time, the Tether’s defenses weakened, but it retaliated with a barrage of spells: madness, stun, torpor, blindness, flame, and deathly.
Final Battle Skills
The Tether’s attacks were relentless, causing me to use my potions and amulets to counter its effects. Stun was the most debilitating, but I pressed on, relying on my followers and the gifts bestowed upon me by Our Lady of the Sanguine Moon. I employed every skill in my arsenal:
- Burrowing Shot: Firing arrows that pierced through realms, bypassing all defenses.
- Star Shot: Rapidly firing my bow in a deadly circle.
- Curse: Spreading debilitating status effects to all creatures within range.
- Moonlight: Summoning a fragment of the Sanguine Moon, which fired bolts of pure moonlight, eventually blinding the Tether.
As the final altar’s fire was extinguished, the Tether shrieked, its form flickering with instability. It launched one last desperate attack, but I stood my ground, unleashing a barrage of arrows and moonlight. The Tether’s form shattered, releasing a wave of energy that dispelled the amber fog and brought a new dawn to Caldera.
A New Dawn: The Sun Rises
Emerging from the dungeon, I noticed the amber fog had lifted, revealing a bright light on the horizon. The sun, long forgotten, now rose over Caldera. The moons no longer cycled, and the date was forever “Unknown.” All across Caldera reacted with a mix of fear, confusion, and wonder, adjusting to a world without the gods’ influence.
Returning to Roche, I found him elated at our success. The world was free, and he could finally return to civilization. His smile held the weight of years of suffering, now lifted by our shared triumph.
Back in Moon-upon-Thoss, I visited Archon Elwed, who wept with joy at the gods’ banishment. He proclaimed a new era for Caldera, free from divine control. I ascended to the throne, the people hailing me as the new Archon.
Ending: “Sunlight”
As I sat on the throne, dawn broke, casting a warm glow over Caldera. The people, once fearful, began to embrace the new day, a day without Devotion, Gifts, or Sin. The sun heralded a new beginning, a chance for Caldera to forge its own destiny. The journey had been long and arduous, but the reward was worth every step.
Caldera was now godless, dreamless, and free. The future was ours to shape, and the sun would light our path. A new era had dawned, filled with endless possibilities.
You can also read our review of Moonring here and our Pixel Chat here!