Durgan's Battery (West Tower)

West Tower is a location in The White March - Part II expansion of Pillars of Eternity.

Background[ | ]

The west tower of Durgan's Battery is the heart of its artillery batteries and contains the foundry used to cast iron balls for the mighty cannons of Durgan, store rooms, gun range, and a patination chamber created in an old armory by Potionmaster Andren to protect the cannons from the environment of the White March. Unfortunately, the artillery elevator was notorious for breaking and when the Eyeless attacked, it was temporarily shut down for maintenance, preventing the dwarves from ever using them against the monstrosities. When the Battery fell, the West Tower became a haven for skuldrs and their eight-legged pals.

Points of interest[ | ]

Lower floor

You begin in the stairwell, partially collapsed. The chamber beyond leads to the seat of the artillery master, with the Artillery Lift Notice still intact on the desk. The adjacent room is the dwarven archive, doubling as storage for the cannons and their ammunition. Grab the Cannon Range Key there and a copy of On the Treatment and Preservation of Cannons.
The corridor beyond circles the central chamber (Roundshot Smithery), with skuldrak nests located in collapsed sections of the wall along the perimeter. The lift to the Battery's battery is located to the northeast, but cannot be used until you retrieve the necessary components. The central chamber contains the cannonball smelting facilities, with two forge guardians, two flame blights, and two magma blights.
To the northwest is the patination chamber, filled with deadly gas (used to patinate the cogwheels for the elevator). The cloud inside will deal constant Corrode damage to anyone entering and the disease puddings inside are no joke either. The best companion to send in is, of course, the Devil of Caroc (she's immune to the gas, but will still take a modest amount of Health damage, so, y'know, don't tarry). The prize is a Patinated Cog, one half of the solution to the lift.
- The alternative solution is to enter the cannon range, then use the hole to reach the room from the outside. Might 14 (incurring a Wrenched Shoulder) or a Hammer and Chisel (incurring Minor Fatigue) allow the character you send out to break down a portion of the wall, venting the gas and making the room safe. If the party member venting the gas has Constitution less than 16 then they suffer Severe Burn from the searing noxious gas.
The maintenance chamber at the end of the corridor contains minor loot and more cannons stored there (buried in snow). The pile contains a Lever Request and the trapped chest a Dwarven Lever.
The room beyond is the cannon range (Cannon Range Key opens the door), filled with more skuldrak and spiders to dispose of. The locked chest to the southeast contains the unique stiletto Vent Pick, while the adjacent potionmaster's quarters has plenty of potions, Pargrun Rust-Dissolver, and Andren's Notes.
To reach the upper floor, you need the patinated cog, dwarven lever, and rust-dissolver. Repair the artillery lift by replacing the lever into the slot (although you can also use a torch, a prybar, or a pickaxe with either Mechanics 14 or Dexterity 20), the broken cog on the wheel, and finally the rust-dissolver on the rusted chain.
Skuldrak will attack you in a scripted interaction. You can make a stand, dealing with acid attacks, or send someone out to repair the winch. With Might 16, or Stealth 8 they will be able to work unmolested, but solving the problem requires Mechanics 12. At any rate, sustaining acid attacks as the skuldr attacks gives stacking wounds as side-effects, so you'll face the skuldr at the top of the tower greatly weakened. If you don't clear the jam, your party members will suffer acid burns and you'll be drawn into a lengthy confrontation with the skuldr on the platform. Otherwise, you arrive at the top.

Battlements

Almost there. To activate the cannons, you need to unfreeze them, after you wipe the skuldrak from the top (pick the Dragon's Maw Shield from the corpse of the elder skuldrak for a nifty memento of your visit). Then interact with the turnwheel to warm them up and complete the quest... And witness the origin of the Eyeless.
Once Wengra's informed of the new state of the cannons, she will move to the top of the tower. Each cannon receives its own name, in clockwise direction from the left: Caredmaer the Elder, Caredmaer the Younger, Fat Yngelroed, Haeferic's Nose, Mocga, Minoletta, (next three are nameless), Culmar's Complaint.

Loot[ | ]

Notable loot[ | ]

Dwarven Tome: In the cannon storeroom.
Vent Pick: Southeastern trapped and hidden (Difficulty 5) chest in the cannon range
Dragon's Maw Shield: Carried by the Elder skuldrak.
Mantle of the Excavator: In the hidden skuldrak nest (Difficulty 9)