Investigate the Black Mountain Clan

"Crawling through these mines can get a body killed. The place is filled with traps and odd creatures, not to mention the live (and dead) thieves of all kinds out for your blood."
-PRIMA’S OFFICIAL STRATEGY GUIDE

Investigate the Black Mountain Clan
Start:	Tarant
End:	Black Mountain Clan
Prerequisite:	Get Information from Gilbert Bates
Location:	Tarant, Black Mountain Clan Stillwater (Optional)
Rewards:	2500 exp, Possible Follower

Walkthrough

Tarant

• The quest to Investigate the Black Mountain Clan can be given one of two (or three) ways:
  • The first way is to read The Journal of Gilbert Bates
  • The second way is to accept it from Gilbert Bates himself
  • The (third) way is to use Conjure Spirit on Bates' dead body
• In all cases the location of the Black Mountain Clan (BMC) will be marked on the player's map
• You also find out that:
  • The "Gnome Preston Radcliff" was actually a Dwarf named Stennar Rock Cutter
  • Stennar was a close friend to a young Bates
  • Stennar was a member of the BMC and introduced Bates to his clan and its advanced Technology
  • Stennar had Bates' signet ring as a gift of friendship
  • Stennar and the entire clan went missing about 70 years ago
  • Bates launched several investigations into their disappearance, all which were fruitless
• It is now up to The Player to renew the investigation

Stillwater (Optional)

The party may wish to force the town of Stillwater (1190W 753S) on the World Map

• Stillwater can provide a convenient base of operations for exploring the BMC mines
• The mines are notorious for being one of the most difficult portions of The Main Quest
• Fully exploring them may require several trips back and forth to sell loot and for resupplies

Black Mountain Clan

• The BMC is composed of 4 levels; the fourth is optional

Level 1

• The First Level is split into two parts
  • The first part leads directly from the surface to Level 2, and is guarded by ailing wolves
  • The second part can only be reached by another place in level 2, and it leads to levels 3 and 4
  • This part is guarded by Brute Fangs

Level 2

• The Second Level is lightly trapped and is guarded by gangs of kites
• It is also guarded by Rock Golems and Seething Masses which can damage weapons and armor
• This level also contain Lava Rocks and Geodes, which are necessary for offerings to the Ancient Gods
• There are some dead Molochean Hand assassins which can be looted
• The back chamber containers some Rare and Unique Items like Eye Gear, Pyrotechnic Bow Schematic, and Machined Guantlets

Level 3

• Third level starts in a moderately trapped throne room
• The throne room is guarded by a large force of kites, and several Granite Rats
• A passage at the back of the throne room is unguarded but heavily trapped
• It leads to a chamber containing Gudmund Ore Bender and the Pillar of Truth (see below) and a Machined Hammer

Level 4

• The Fourth Level is heavily trapped
• It is guarded by various Rats, kites, and Molochean Hand assassins
• It has a Garden with copious amounts of herbs
• Many Rare and Unique Items can be found like a Star Ruby, Power Axe and Mental Inhibitor Schematic

Gudmund Ore Bender

• Talking to Gudmund Ore Bender and/or reading the "Pillar of Truth" found next to him completes the quest
• This reveals that under pressure from M'in Gorad representing the Elves, King Loghaire Thunder Stone of the Wheel Clan found the BMC guilty of leaking Advanced Technology to the Humans and allowing it to spread, via Gilbert Bates
• The punishment for this was to allow the Elves to teleport the entire BMC to the Isle of Despair penal colony
• These new facts will then initiates the Investigate the Isle of Despair Quest

Rewards

• 2500 exp is given at the site of the Pillar
• If Gilbert Bates is alive and the information is given to him, then:
  • He will give the player some gold
  • He will also offer to arrange for free passage to the Isle of Despair (island) via Captain Edward Teach of Ashbury
  • Under certain circumstances Bates may even offer his Bodyguard Chukka as a Regular Follower to the party

Notes

• This is one of the most difficult quests of the game
• This quest should not be attempted until Level 15 at the earliest, and more realistically around levels 20-25
• This is often considered the "Reality Check" for your build, in that if you can't get passed the BMC, then you may want to start the game over from scratch with a different build
• Typically this is also the point where if you do clear it, then money no longer is a concern or issue thanks to all of the loot
• Keep at least a few of the Lava Rocks that you find in the mines, because this is the only place where you can reliably get them