Old City is a location in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire.
Background
Beneath the Gullet lies a vast cavern littered with the remains of an ancient city. Referred to simply as the 'Old City' by the denizens of Neketaka, this sunken metropolis is notable for two reasons - the Old City's architecture is markedly different in style, form, and apparent use from the architecture of modern Neketaka, and there is no readily available explanation for the Old City's destruction that has not already been considered and discounted by those inclined to study it. Moreover, the Huana's tastes show a clear preference for designs that mimic the rhythm and shapes of the natural world. The Old City shows none of these things. Indeed, what remains was constructed primarily of stone cut in austere blocks, and the buildings are arranged in a manner not dissimilar from those prevalent in the Engwithan ruins that dot the landscape.
Regardless of its origins, the Old City is filled with undead vessels and other monstrosities. Although it's also filled to the brim with ancient history, the Huana mostly use it for executing criminals, rather than exploration.
Points of interest
- Overlook
- Old City Overlook can be accessed via the lift in The Gullet, and connects to the Old City to the northwest, and the Old City Ruins to the southwest.
- Warning: The lift disappears after half a day, then the only way back is via the Undercroft.
- The Overlook is crawling with guls and other undead, making for excellent target practice. This area is relatively light, but makes up for it with lots and lots of decaying corpses that give your party the Sickened affliction. Botaro's body is roughly in the center of the northeastern area.
- The entrance to the Old City proper is in the northwest. There's a nest of grubs and skuldraks roaming the area. Wipe them out, then find the stairs winding down the cliffside, leading to the southeastern-most point of the Old City proper. This interaction requires Athletics 3 to make your way down without injury.
- The entrance to the Old City Ruins is in the southwest, protected by grubs and their nests.
- There's a scripted interaction in the center, at the temple ruins. With Perception 13 you can inspect it to hear a muffled melody below the waters. To dive perfectly safely, you need Constitution 16. After grabbing the Cornett of Depths, you will have to fight a troop of skeletons (though the loot they leave behind is good).
- In the southeast is a passageway filled with Sigils of Nightmare and various specters. Fight through them to find the Lone Survivor.
- Ruins
- This area can be accessed from either the Undercroft or the Old City Overlook, which will put you at the southwest and southeast corner respectively. The layout is the same otherwise. The southeastern half is dominated by cave grubs, which make trudging through a little annoying. The other sector, entered through the Chamber of the Waves from the Undercroft, is a little more open, holds the ruins of the city and the Temple of Ondra, and has a lot of rotghasts and darguls. Wonderful.
- Be sure to check out the northeastern corner for the talking sword - Modwyr and other loot. The exit to the City proper is in the northern part of the map.
- The Old City
- The final part of the Old City stretching beneath Neketaka and as ruined as the rest. The derelict Temple of Ondra you're looking for is in the northwest, but the main entrance is blocked so you enter through the side entrance in the north. Be wary of the mad harvesters and corpse eaters on the way.
- To access the temple proper, you'll need either the Cornett of Waves retrieved from Takano's estate, or the Cornett of Depths from the Old City Overlook.
- Inside is a massive grub that can be a potent challenge for a lower level party (anywhere below ten is suicide), but you can always sneak past it. If you killed the grub, find Cog of Cohh hidden nearby.
- You can find the mural for The Cornett's Call at the back of the temple.
- To enter the hidden room, you need to use both conches on the mural. You'll find Cadhu Scalth (trapped and locked, difficulty 7), Wahai Pōraga, and some Rubies inside.
- Outside the ruins it's mostly a fight through various undead. Inspect the shore in the northeast corner to find Min's Fortune, Corroded Bronze Horn Figurine, and a hastily scrawled note. Reading the note reveals that Rotghasts will attack you if you take the Corroded Bronze Horn Figurine, everything else is safe. After the fight, loot Mewnan's Broad Belt from the Reeking-Ghost.
- The southeastern part is a hideout for a few blights, with minor loot spread throughout. There's an exit to the cliff steps right in the corner. You ascend the cliffs, but need Athletics 3 to cross them perfectly safely (if you have not already descended the cliffside). This leads you directly to the Overlook near the skuldrak nest to the northwest.
Loot
- Ruins
- Modwyr: In the northeastern part, inside the hideout.
- Unguent of Animalism: In a hidden rubble pile in the northwest-most corner of the map.
- Old City
- Wahai Pōraga and Cadhu Scalth : Inside the secret chamber.
- Min's Fortune and Mewnan's Broad Belt: Overlooking the northern pond, on the skeleton.
- Cog of Cohh: Hidden in a rubble pile in the Old Temple of Ondra (Giant cave grub lair).
Gallery
Being lowered into the Old City:
Traversing the cliffside:
Tunnel between Ruins and Overlook:
