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All things end, only to continue anew. Enter now at dusk, that we may all experience a new dawn.
~ Writing on the "key" stone pattern in Stormwall Gorge.

Lle a Rhemen is an engwithan ruin in Pillars of Eternity, consisting of two floors with an entrance in Stormwall Gorge.

Background[ | ]

Lle a Rhemen or "the Place of Bindings" was an Engwithan animantic facility, focused on crafting powerful soul-bound weapons using white adra. The lower level appears to have been used as a sacrificial pit, with grimy, corroded skeletons lining the floor of the vat.

The ruins lie beyond Dyrford on fringes of Glanfathan territory. This circle of standing stones at the bottom of a deep, marshy basin has proven a deadly attraction for explorers. Locals have suggested that magical rituals were conducted there long before Aedyrans even put their history to paper. This makes Lle a Rhemen a site of enduring interest to ambitious animancers. Since the basin sits near the broad end of Stormwall Gorge, the site is subject to flooding from heavy seasonal rainfall. Depending on what time of year an expedition party sets out for Lle a Rhemen, they may find an impressive arrangement of stone, or nothing at all.[1]

Points of interest[ | ]

You can come across this space in two ways, depending on whose side you choose in Defiance Bay.

If you side with The Dozens, you have access to the quest The Bronze Beneath the Lake, and you should go to that page for a complete walkthrough (note that the lower floor will remain flooded until the end of Act II, so you will not be able to access it during this quest.)

  • Go to Woodend Plains and speak to the Giantslayers adventuring group near the southern end of the area, on a small rise with a wagon on it.
  • From them, either via dialog or combat, you can obtain a small Adra stone that acts as the 'key' to enter the area.
  • The 'key' will only open the stairway at dusk; interact with the small circle southwest of the entrance stairs and choose 'wait a little while until it is dusk. The key will then drain the water and open the stairs.

If you side with either the Knights of the Crucible or House Doemenel (and do not attempt The Bronze Beneath the Lake), then the entrance to Lle a Rhemen will open (without a key) after the end of Act II upon completion of The Hermit of Hadret House.

Upper level[ | ]

There is no truer blade than essence forged in bronze. Turn twice to the left and prepare your soul for its reckoning.

The upper level can be accessed from the ruins in the northwestern section of Stormwall Gorge.

The exit to the lower floor is immediately to the west; you will need a grappling hook (only after the floodwaters have receded). Instead, speak with the stone head over the archway. It tells you to turn left twice; ignore its advice for now and turn right (south) instead. You'll find a room with a pillar and a bunch of dead adventurers. You'll also find their spirits haunt this place in the form of Spectres.

Return to the north and turn left, killing a few spiders, and turn left again. There's an adra pillar with another talking stone face, who asks you some questions. The answers you give will affect the enhancements placed on Cladhalíath, should you choose to acquire that weapon (see its item page for details). One of the mystic symbols around the room will light up in response. Proceed to the north again and around the corner into a second room with a stone face who asks different questions.

Now as you continue south you'll come to a room with a dais and a number of spiders, including a Crystal Eater. Kill them, then investigate the cobwebs in the west corner. You can:

  • Use a Hammer and Chisel to widen the path, in which case you are attacked by a small group of spiders. Interestingly, despite using a hammer and chisel, a Flint and Tinder will be removed from the stash instead.
  • Someone with Might 16 can break the webs, in which case you are attacked by a small group of spiders.
  • Slither underneath, in which case you are not attacked.

Pass through the tunnel if you haven't already, and you'll be transported to a hallway. Use caution: your party's marching order will be reversed, and there is a poison gas trap immediately behind you. Let the onrushing spiders trigger it for you while you reverse in-place.

Proceed down the hallway and around the corner. You will come into a chamber that houses Nridek, the spider queen, a vithrack who seems to be capable of some telepathic communication. (Benevolent 2 and Grieving Mother will both provide additional dialogue here.) If you offer peace, Nridek leaves. The only way to get the soul vessel is to kill Nridek. You can get Cladhalíath without fighting her but you do not get the additional enchantments. There is also a hidden cache in one of the spiderwebs along the walls of this chamber.

You can bring the vessel back to the room with the dais. Following the directions, send one party member to stand on each of the glowing symbols. Then send your avatar onto the dais. After a brief and painful ritual, you can then use the urn to enchant the spear with the pre-chosen bonuses.

Lower level[ | ]

The lower level is inaccessible while the gorge is flooded. Upon completion of Act II, the water will recede and the lower level can be accessed either via the cave in the southwestern corner of Stormwall Gorge, or via the upper level of the dungeon by using a Rope and Grappling Hook on the collapsed staircase immediately southwest of the entrance. If any party members have less than 2 Athletics, the character with lowest score gets a Swollen Eye. After this, the party may freely travel between the two levels unhindered.

This level is fairly unremarkable, except for the hidden switch that opens a secret room in the east. You'll find some spirits, some Trolls, and some Sporelings. There's an exit to the bottom of Stormwall Gorge in the far west.

If you have started Bounty: Glasdial, he will appear here.

Characters[ | ]

  • Nridek, a vithrack and last of his colony.
  • Glasdial, found on the lower level during the appropriate bounty.

Enemies[ | ]

Upper level[ | ]

Lower level[ | ]

Loot[ | ]

Notable loot[ | ]

  • Cladhalíath: Upper level, in the sarcophagus behind Nridek.

Containers[ | ]

Note: For a complete list of fixed and random loot found in Lle a Rhemen, see here.

Upper level[ | ]

Debris:
Debris:
Debris:
Corpse (Byne "The Nimble"):
Corpse (Bandon Leer):
Corpse (Urblat "The Ripper"):
Corpse (Azrael Stonebelly):
Corpse (Hannah Cade):
Corpse (Nok-thar):
Web Sac:
Web Sac (Hidden, Difficulty 6):

Lower level[ | ]

Sarcophagus (Trapped, Freezing Pillar Trap, Difficulty 7 / Hidden - Difficulty 6):
Vase:
Container:

Plants[ | ]

Behind the scenes[ | ]

  • This area contains developer commentary.

Occasionally on a project you will inherit another person's work when they move onto other areas in the game, or in this instance another project at our studio. This level was initially designed by Constant Gaw, a veteran designer here at Obsidian, and it shows in the levels unique design and look. However, his skills were needed elsewhere, and his area was handed down to me. A daunting task to fill the shoes of another designer, but it is gratifying to learn and improve based of an existing design.

A lot of what makes this dungeon unique apart from its layout, is the use of narrative that is interwoven into the design of the area. The dungeon as a whole serves one purpose: to craft a powerful, unique weapon fused by the player's choices. It is literally one giant puzzle. However, this is an aspect that lies underneath the direct goal of the level, which is to find ancient bronze weapons for The Dozens. Marrying the two cohesively was a challenge, but we managed to accomplish this by the characterization of a vithrack, Nridek, whom you encounter here. He is trying to understand the power of this place, and hopefully take it back to his people as a powerful boon, that is if the player has anything to say about it.
~ Matthew Perez, Junior Designer (upper)

In many RPGs, re-traversal can often be a chore, but unfortunately is often a necessity as areas must be economised and sometimes you will need to travel back through a wilderness or two to reach further areas within the game. In order to keep the player's interest piqued in exploring, even through areas they previously existed[sic], we try to throw extra content at them they might not have noticed the first time round.

Once such area is the second level of this dungeon. Chances are the player made their way through this area before the flooding had stopped in Stormwall Gorge. If they were to travel back into this dungeon they will discover [the] previously flooded floor is now available. Here the player can find some valuable loot, and if they happen to be on a bounty, discover a powerful troll awaiting in the murky depths.
~ Matthew Perez, Junior Designer (lower)

Map[ | ]

References

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