View source for The Caves of Mendelius

{{Area
|area_id=5130
|instance=yes
|realm=The Island of Kordan
|builders=morpheus inessa dentin
|level=18
|aggro_type=
}}

== Overview ==

The Caves of Mendelius is one of the largest and most intricate areas in the game, teeming with shadow soldiers, demons, imps, and necromancers with their accompanying undead.

== Notable Loot ==

<div class="item-gallery">
{{:A blood runed broadsword (Item)}}
{{:A set of jet black robes (Item)}}
{{:A crimson red sash (Item)}}
{{:A pair of crimson red boots (Item)}}
{{:A midnight black raven medallion (Item)}}
{{:A pair of mystical blue gloves (Item)}}
{{:A mystical blue sash (Item)}}
{{:A magically enchanted shackle (Item)}}
{{:The Shield of the Nut Snatcher (Item)}}
{{:The belt of the gravekeeper (Item)}}
{{:A belt of human flesh (Item)}}
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== Main Quest Walkthrough ==

The following is a spoiler for one of the most interesting areas on the island. It recommended as a last resort if you get irrecoverably lost. In such a case you should leave the area and let the timer on {{Icode|instance show}} expire for the area so you can start from the top. This walkthrough will only cover beelining to the completion of the main quest, there are a handful of ancillary quests that can be completed by fully exploring the area but are not required to continue the main quest.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" data-expandtext="Reveal" >
Before starting this quest it's advised to know the {{Icode|remove poison}} spell or have scrolls of said spell. Warriors and thieves should have a nonorm weapon to damage ethereals such as [[The spirit slayer (Item)|The spirit slayer]]

Level 1

# After entering passing the entrance by saying 'dirty tree' to the guards or killing them and picking the door open, enter the stairs to descend to the first level of the caves
# Make your way all the way to the northeast corner of the area where you'll see two closed doors to the north and south.
# Open the door south to the storage area and kill the demon to obtain a wand covered in runes
# Exit the storage area and head west until you hit a north/south fork and take the way all the way south until you hit a wall
# Before a solid wood door open the door and head east in to the blacksmith's forge
# Talk to the blacksmith to trigger the next phase of part 1 of the quest
# Head out west and continue until you hit a wall
# Take the path north until you're before a hewn stone building
# Open the door to the east and enter the mansion
# Head north to the set of stairs. Take note that a necromancer and a pair of wights patrol this mansion and can be absolutely devastating if you are not prepared
# Go up and follow the hallway south, through the closed door into a small library
# {{Icode|move bookcase}} to open the way east to the secret study
# Go east into the study and pick up the lucky coin. This satisfies the secondary quest "Find the old hermit's cave" but the coin can be confused for another coin used for a different part of this area so to avoid that put it in a bag or other container
# Head back out of the mansion the way you came until you are a roomed titled "Before a hewn stone building"
# Go north, west, then south and you should be in a room titled "Standing below a black archway covered in runes"
# If you look at the archway and then look at the wand you picked up earlier you are directed to use the wand on the archway so do just that with {{Icode|use wand archway}}

Level 2

# Having used the wand on the archway you are transported into a small hewn stone room. The wand no longer serves a purpose so can be discarded
# Open the door south and continue in that direction until you hit a staircase
# Follow the staircase down and go east into the hallway before a door leading north
# Open the door and go north
# To your west will now be another door. If you open the door and scan you should see the archmage.
# Prepare yourself before entering the room and defeat the archmage. Be careful as they are obviously a spellcaster but also cast dispel to remove your defensive spells
# After defeating the archmage there will be a key on the floor, pick this key up
# Go back to the east and then north to the end of the hallway
# Open the door east and enter the Altar Room with the dark priestess
# {{Icode|move altar}} to open the way south
# Go south into the secret room and search, it should reveal several black coins and a bronze censer. The censer can be ignored but you should pick up 1 black coin (The previous coin we picked up is called a "lucky coin" and was hopefully safely stashed away so as not to be confused with this coin)
# Go back to the altar room, open the door north, and continue into the next room
# From here follow the path west and north to a pair of fire demons who block a set of steps down to the third level
# Slay these demons to unblock your path and {{Icode|enter stairs}} to descend to the third level

Level 3

# Follow the tunnel west, north, and finally down
# Go north and you'll be at a northwest/northeast fork, take the northeast fork
# Walk all the way north to the northwest corner of the graveyard
# Unlock the door (We picked up the key from the archmage on the previous floor) and head west
#* At this point melee characters should wield a nonorm weapon, casters should take this moment to recover their mana. All classes should be prepared to fight several ethereal enemies in a row
# Go north into the room with tombstones and {{Icode|touch tomb}}, this will open the way east
# Head east, skip the tombstones in this room and go north to the next set of tombstones and {{Icode|touch tomb}} which opens the way west
# Go west and an ethereal ghost will attack you, kill this and again {{Icode|touch tomb}} which opens the way south and west
# Ignore the south path and head west where you'll be attacked by another ghost, kill the ghost and {{Icode|touch tomb}}, opening the way west
# Go west, then south (You should be in a room with only a north exit) {{Icode|touch tomb}} to open the way east
# Go east twice, north, then west where you'll be attacked by another ghost
# Kill the ghost and head north
# {{Icode|touch tomb}} to open the way east
# Head all the way east then north, ignoring all the tombstones
# You should be in a room with the ferryman.
#* At this point check your inventory, you should still have the small black coin. If you have both a lucky coin and small black coin it's ''very'' important that you put the lucky coin into a container so you don't lose it. '''Do not''' drop the lucky coin as a way to separate them, you will lose it and have to redo the area.
# Give the small black coin to the ferryman who should nod and after a moment you will be in a new room with a north exit
# Go north and you'll be at an east/west junction
# Go east then follow the path all the way north. If you take the wrong path you may fall in a hole, if you do {{Icode|climb}} to get back onto the path and continue with the next instruction
# Go all the way west, north, then one east
# You should be in a room with two armored wight who block your path north
# Slay both wights then go 1 north
#* The next room will be a fight so rest up and prepare your defensive spells
# Go north into the room with the gravekeeper
# Slay the gravekeeper
# As the game suggests pick up a hand or a foot off the ground

Final Section

# Having picked up a hand or foot head north twice then east twice and you should be back at the blacksmith's forge. Do not yet give the blacksmith the hand or foot!
#* Upon giving the blacksmith the hand or foot you will be in for the biggest fight yet, prepare powerful defensives such as sanctuary and ice shield to reduce fire damage
# Give the item to the blacksmith and story will play out in which the blacksmith will close the door which you should immediately open in case you need to flee
# Immediately after Qoorik reveals himself you can attack him to get the upper hand. Defeat him to complete this step
# With Qoorik defeated you can now recall
# Head south to the captain to complete the first part of this quest series
# Take the lucky coin you stashed and give that to the captain to complete the second part.
# You are now done with one of the most involved quests in the entire game, take a breath
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