Desperate Measures is a task in Pillars of Eternity.
Synopsis[ | ]
Trapped within a section of the Endless Paths of Od Nua, a clan of ogres has resorted to cannibalism to stay alive. Thulgar, the sole sane survivor, asks the Watcher to put the clan head out of misery, so that he can find a measure of peace.
Walkthrough[ | ]
As you enter the floor, turn right and approach Thulgar, the Ogre druid. He'll tell you a tale of woe about how the Ogres on this floor used to live well, happily eating Xaurip, until one day the Xaurip turned poisonous. Faced with slow death by starvation or slightly faster death by poison, their leader, Zolla, went mad and turned cannibal. Thulgar can't stand to kill her himself, since she was once his mate, so he asks you to do it.
Almost all of the battles on this level will be difficult for a low-level party. One Ogre is doable, but often you will fight more than one at once, and there are several Ogre Druids as well. You will need at least two fighters and possibly three, as well as strong spell support, to clear the level. Thulgar's stash has a set of camping supplies, which may come in handy.
As you cross the bridge opposite Thulgar, there is one Ogre patrolling to your right (North) and two to your left (South). Take out the patrolling one first so he doesn't sneak up on you while you're attacking the other two. Once you've cleared these three, go slightly North and cross the bridge to your right. You'll find the Earl of Yenwood's tomb. You can't do anything here right now, but see the Notable Loot section below.
If you're ready to take on Zolla (you probably aren't), go South and West. There is an Ogre guard here, and attacking him will probably bring Zolla and the Ogre Druid into the battle.
Otherwise, your next assault is on three Ogres to the North. They move slowly, so do as much damage as you can from distance before they close to melee. If you get past them, you can find the Master Stairs that take you back to Level 1 or Caed Nua.
South of the Master Stairs there are two more groups of Ogres, each of which has two fighters and a Druid. These are difficult combats. Use the segment of broken wall as a choke point. (For bonus points, set a trap there for the Ogres to walk into. There are a handful of traps in this room, if you didn't bring any with you.) If you get lucky, only one of the Ogres will be able to attack you at a time, and you can concentrate fire and spells on the Druid while holding off the fighter. If both Ogres and the Druid can all attack you at once, you're in for a world of hurt.
Once you get past these two fights, there is one more Ogre patrolling the hallway to the West. You'll pass a room to the West with some Black Oozes; this room also has the stairs down to Level 4.
When you beat Zolla take her torc back to Thulgar to complete the quest.
Journal[ | ]
quests\10_od_nua\10_tsk_cannibal_ogres | ||
---|---|---|
ID | Objectives | |
0 | Desperate Measures | |
10000 | Trapped within a section of the Endless Paths of Od Nua, a clan of ogres has resorted to cannibalism to stay alive. | |
1 | Kill Zolla the ogre chieftain and retrieve her ceremonial torc | |
10001 | One of the ogres I encountered proved willing to talk. Thulgar claims to be one of the only - if not the only - ogres to retain his sanity. The others have yielded to the commands of their chieftain, Zolla, who - driven to madness by starvation and peculiar nightmares both - has resorted to cannibalism to stay alive. Thulgar has asked me to do what he cannot: end Zolla's life, and in so doing bring about an end to this brutal existence. He has asked me to bring back her torc as proof. | |
3 | Return the torc to Thulgar | |
10003 | I have slain the ogre chieftain Zolla. All that remains is to tell Thulgar that the deed is done. | |
End states | ||
Tell Thulgar about Exit | ||
30000 | I informed Thulgar that the grim task is done, and Zolla is dead. He seemed to find some measure of peace in this, though he was also much grieved . With luck he'll find a new place for himself far from here. | |
Kill Thulgar (Failed) | ||
30002 | I decided there was little point in helping a man-eating ogre, and put an end to his life. | |
Killed Zolla, Didn't Tell About Exit | ||
30003 | I informed Thulgar that the grim task is done, and Zolla is dead. He seemed grieved by this, though relieved to find the matter settled, and resolved to follow her into the afterlife, in time. Even so, he thanked me for my assistance. |