Places
The Buried Gate
This page is about a place in The Way.
The first raid: an old gate the flood laid bare by the river mouth, and the spirit that sat in it.
Finding it
Follow the shore road east past the last houses of Capernaum to its end. The reed cutters camp there, under an old mound the spring flood cut open. In its raw side stands an ancient gateway of dressed stone, dark beyond, with a waymark of piled stones beside it. Its badge is on the mini map and the big map.
To go in you need Faith level 20, Total level 50, A Cord of Three Strands, The Silence in the Reeds. Use the old gateway to open the raid window; your party goes in together, down under the mound and out on the river bank.
The story Show spoilers
Last spring the flood came down the river harder than anyone remembered and cut open an old mound by its mouth. Inside lay the gate of a city that fell long before Israel had kings, with a standing stone in its gateway where the city once bowed to an idol. Something still sits in that stone, and it shuts mouths: the reed cutters who went near came back silent, or did not come back.
Each run, the party goes down to free whoever the gate holds and to drive back the spirit that sat in the gate.
The rooms Show spoilers
- The outer gate: read the four inscribed stones with It is written (their old letters glow faintly, gold once read). Each carries part of a verse. Touch them in the verse's order, all four within 30 seconds (22 in the challenge mode). A wrong touch puts the words back into the stones. Spirits of fear throw fiery darts and darts of doubt meanwhile: hold The shield of faith or Resist the devil in time.
- The dark passage: use Take lamp on the raid panel, or click the brazier to collect its light. Tiles darken a moment before they bite. Stand clear, or near the lamp, whose light they cannot bite. The lamp burns 20 seconds in one pair of hands (15 in the challenge mode): another takes it from the bearer, or light it again at a niche. Bring it lit to the far door to open it.
- The gate chambers: pray for the captive in the name of Jesus Christ. Then hold the three doors for 40 seconds (50 in the challenge mode) while he finds his courage. Each wave of spirits is shown at its door first (the line of light round the door turns violet and the dark in it stirs); a door with someone standing in the ring of light before it turns them back. If his courage fails he is bound again. When he can stand, help him up and lead him to the stair.
- The high place of the gate: the spirit of the gate. Its darts are warned like any other. When the stone draws breath (the cracks in it burn brighter and quicker), a ring marks the ground under one of you: step out before it lands. Later the floor darkens as in the passage, and at the end a dark shield turns every Word aside until all three lamp stands are held lit together. A solo player can run between them: each stays lit for 12 seconds in normal mode, or 10 seconds in challenge mode.
- The treasury: when the spirit flees, the standing stone falls and the treasury behind it opens. Open the reward chest.
Roles for a party
- The lamp bearer: carries the lamp in the passage and the court, and passes it on before it gutters.
- The shield: holds a door in the chambers, and a lamp stand in the court.
- The Word speaker: drives the spirits back, and reads the stones with It is written.
- The carrier: helps the captive up and leads him to the stair while the others cover.
The challenge mode
For the best: needs Faith level 40, Total level 120, A Cord of Three Strands, The Silence in the Reeds, The Buried Gate completed 10 times. Stronger spirits, tighter times, better odds and uniques found nowhere else. Its target time is 12:00; its fastest runs are on the raid hiscores.
In both modes the spirit of the gate grows stronger if the fight in its court drags on: after 5:00 (3:00 in the challenge mode) its blows come faster and fall harder.
This guide describes game mechanics. Skill names and levels describe a character’s progress, not a person’s spiritual standing.