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Area Note

You won't be able to rest while you're inside the mansion, but you can always pop outside to the Blacklake District and rest there if you need to.


Walkthrough

This area is a puzzle zone. You'll have to do some fighting on the first floor, but mostly what you'll need to do is figure out how to get into the Collector's vault (#7).

You'll get your first clue in Vania's room (#3). If you read the Collector's diary there (located in the desk), then you'll discover that the Collector prizes a painting of the ocean, and that the painting is located somewhere in the mansion.

Vania will also help you -- provided that you're diplomatic, a good massager, or have 3000 gp to bribe her with. She'll give you Vania's key, and she'll agree to act as a hostage when you meet up with the Collector. If you decide to kill Vania instead, then you'll find Vania's key and a Saintsblood Pearl on her corpse. You can also steal those things from her.

You'll meet the Collector on the second floor (#4). If you have Vania with you, then she won't be of much help -- the Collector will prefer his collection to her -- but before leaving she'll tell you that the Collector always goes to the fireplace (#6) and a bookcase (#5) before entering his vault.

Whether Vania is with you or not, the Collector won't want to have anything to do with you. To get him to change his mind, you'll need to pick up the ocean painting on the wall next to him. He'll exchange the Collector's key for that, and he'll tell you that a book in the next room (#5) will help you out, but he won't tell you exactly how to get into his vault. If you decide to kill the Collector, you'll find Gloves of the Balanced Hands, Angurvadal (Flame Tongue), Kiss of Sune, and perhaps the Collector's Key on his corpse.

Besides the Collector's key, you'll need two more things to open the Collector's vault (#7): a second key and the entry code. You'll find the fireplace key in the fireplace (#6). The game makes it look like you can maybe reach in and grab the key from the fire, but that's never worked for us. So to get the key, you'll probably need to pick up some water from the kitchen (see #2 for details), and then use the water to douse the flames in the fireplace.

For the entry code, you'll discover a clue for it in the bookshelves (#5). There you'll find The Big Book of Numerological Nursery Rhymes (inside the right bookcase), which contains the passage:

"Nine are we when taken all three.
Last one slain, then six remain.
None survive our first less five."

This is a little word puzzle. The first line tells you that there are three numbers, and that they add up to 9. The second line tells you that the last number is 3 (9-X=6). The third line tells you that the first number is 5 (5-X=0). Thus, the entry code is 513.

When you open the door to the vault (#7), Leldon will appear behind you and attack. Leldon is a tough melee fighter, but if you have four companions with you, he shouldn't give you any trouble at all. Leldon won't drop much when he dies, but you will receive 1500 xp for killing him. Then, inside the vault, you'll find some gold and gems, plus Elven Ceremonial Armor and a Periapt of Wisdom +4.

Note: You won't be able to kill the Collector after entering the vault, so if you want to kill him for his equipment, you'll need to do that first.


1 - Starting Point


2 - Kitchen

Inside the kitchen you'll find some servants, plus a wash basin and a vase of water. If you tell the servants, "You're dead," then they'll turn hostile, and your alignment will shift 5 points towards evil for each one you kill. If you say anything else, then the servants will just stay in the kitchen, and they won't respond to you in any way.

Inside the wash basin you'll find an empty bottle. If you click on the vase of water, and then place the empty bottle inside, you'll end up with a bottle of water. You'll need the bottle of water on the second floor of the mansion (#6).

Note: As of version 1.03, it's possible to destroy the wash basin and vase of water. So if you attack the servants, be careful that nobody in your party tosses fireballs or anything at them.


3 - Vania


4 - The Collector


5 - Bookcases

You'll find two bookcases here. If you pick up the book Just Desserts from the left bookcase, then it will blow up, giving you yours. If you pick up The Big Book of Numerological Nursery Rhymes from the right bookcase, then you'll find a clue for opening the Collector's vault (#7).


6 - Fireplace

You'll need to douse the flames in the fireplace using the water from the kitchen (#2) in order to pick up the fireplace key from inside.


7 - Vault Door

To open the vault door, you'll need the Collector's key (#4), the fireplace key (#6), and the entry code (#5).


Exits:

1. Front door.
2. Stairs between the first two floors. You'll need Vania's key (#3) to use the staircase.