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Nordom

The Black-Barbed Maze is one of the Lady of Pain's many mazes. Once a lifeless stone structure, the maze became an overgrown bramble-filled garden after a single black seed was planted by Ravel Puzzlewell—the night hag who inhabits the place.

The maze is reached after using the Unfolding Portal. Sigil will not be returned to until after Curst Prison, where the potential companion Vhailor can be recruited. It is necessary to leave Sigil with five or fewer companions if he is a desired companion, otherwise another companion will have to be permanently abandoned there.

The next area after Ravel's maze is Curst.

Map[]

To view X, Y coordinates in-game, press L.

Click the map to enlarge it.

Ravels maze map

Walkthrough[]

If the Nameless One completed the Dreambuilder in the Great Foundry, this area will already have been seen during a cutscene. The maze is full of trigits, all of which eventually respawn after being killed (750 XP per trigit killed).

There are many alignment shifts possible while talking to Ravel, including one shift towards chaos that cannot be avoided if all "flattering" answers are given. There are a limited amount of lawful and chaotic alignment shifts in the game, so if the player is pursuing the +3 strength bonus from Vhailor (or any other "lawful"-aligned things), choose "[Truth]" whenever possible.

During the conversation there are chances to flatter Ravel. These dialogue options can lead to additional XP and stat gains at the end of the conversation, but this does not change the information learned and is not necessary to progress. See below for more information on specific dialogue options.

Ravel roams the center of the maze (X=2400, Y=1900). Greeting her grants 90,000 XP. Allowing her to touch the Nameless One leads to a memory being recalled if he mimics her touch (16+ intelligence or wisdom required, no XP granted).

Early on while talking, Ravel makes it clear that she wants some answers from the Nameless One. Refusing to answer here or at any point after leads to combat. If companions were brought to the maze, Ravel will ask TNO what they mean to him. "Truth/lie" answers here do not influence lawful/chaotic alignment (unless stated otherwise under "Alignment," below). Saying cruel things about companions lowers their morale, while saying kind things increases it. If Fall-from-Grace and Annah are both present, conversation options involving Fall-from-Grace come first by default. Telling Ravel that TNO could "fall in love" with both Fall-from-Grace and Annah leads to combat.

All of this ends up leading to the ultimate question: what can change the nature of a man? Though all of the answers are "truth/lie" responses, none of them here influence alignment. Telling Ravel you cannot answer the question leads to combat. Interestingly, the "[lie]" option that calls Ravel beautiful does not count as a flattering option (requires 16+ charisma).

Eventually, Ravel explains that she does not know where the Nameless One's mortality is. With 16+ intelligence, the Nameless One can ask if she knows someone who does know where his mortality is (no XP granted). Regardless of whether the Nameless One asks, Ravel reveals that there is an angel who does. Asking where the angel can be found grants 180,000 XP.

If Ravel is asked about herself, she will ask TNO what he thinks of her appearance. The "truth/lie" options here do influence alignment. If Ravel is told she is ugly she will change her appearance to that of a lovely woman – Grace or Annah if either is present (if both are present she will shift to Grace first); if neither is present she will appear as a random beautiful woman. Ravel asks if the shape is more pleasing; if the answer is no she will change her form to that of Annah (if she had just appeared as Grace) or will change back to herself. Otherwise Ravel can be kissed while in any of the forms TNO accepts. Kissing Ravel while she presents herself as Grace or Annah will affect morale: if Ravel is kissed while presenting herself as Grace, Grace will gain morale and Annah will lose morale, and vice versa.

After this, Ravel can be asked about her other forms she has taken – Mebbeth, Ei-Viene, and Marta. If any of them are dead then there are no rewards for asking about them.

  • Mebbeth: the bonus gained when discussing Ravel's role as Mebbeth (90,000 XP) depends on the answer the Nameless One gave Mebbeth for why he wished to learn the Art. The response given then is echoed here:
    • "Because I may need it to solve the mystery of who I am," grants +1 wisdom, 90,000 XP.
    • "Because I just want to know," grants +1 intelligence, 90,000 XP.
    • "Because I need power," grants +1 wisdom as well as +1 intelligence, 120,000 XP.
  • Ei-Vene: when asking about Ei-Vene, Ravel will reach out to stitch up the Nameless One. Choosing to "stand your ground" and "let her work" grants permanent Max HP +3.
  • Marta: when asking about Marta, Ravel will reach out to cut the Nameless One. Choosing to "stand your ground" and "let her work" leads her to giving TNO his own intestines.

After asking Ravel why she was imprisoned within the Black-Barbed maze, she explains that she tried to free the Lady of Pain from her cage. She didn't believe that anything should be kept imprisoned in such a way – not even a power like the Lady. The Nameless One can ask if that's why she helped him (16+ wisdom or intelligence required). This causes her to pull some hair from her head, which she gives to him (90,000 XP). This functions as the key to a portal within the maze (see "Ravel's Secret Garden," below).

When asking Ravel to teach you some of the Art, if you are not a mage she will decline. With 12+ charisma she can be convinced otherwise. If you are a mage she will ask your level of skill. Though the options appear to be, none of these count as "flattering" dialogue options; they influence the reward given after:

  • "I am but a rudimentary student."
  • "I am but a rudimentary student, beautiful Ravel." (Charisma 16+ required.)
  • "A master in the arts."
  • "A master in the arts, beautiful Ravel." (Charisma 16+ required.)
  • "I really couldn't say... I seem to be alternately complimented and ridiculed for my efforts."

The XP/items granted varies depending on the Nameless One's stats and answer given:

  • "I am but a rudimentary student [beautiful Ravel]" or "a master in the arts [beautiful Ravel]" (16+ charisma required to call her "beautiful" in either instance):
    • Int 11 or lower: one black-barbed seed (also grants 30,000 XP if Ravel was called "beautiful")
    • Int 12 or 13: 3 seeds (also grants 60,000 XP if Ravel was called "beautiful")
    • Int 14 to 16: 6 seeds (also grants 60,000 XP if Ravel was called "beautiful")
    • Int 17 or higher: 6 seeds, 1 black-barbed charm (also grants 90,000 XP if Ravel was called "beautiful")
    • Mage specialization:
      • Single: 6 seeds, 1 black-barbed charm (also grants 90,000 XP if Ravel was called "beautiful")
      • Double: 6 seeds, 1 black-barbed charm (also grants 120,000 XP if Ravel was called "beautiful")
  • "I really couldn't say... I seem to be alternately complimented and ridiculed for my efforts" grants one seed, no XP.

Options for non-mage asking to be taught magic (Charisma 13+ required):

  • With intelligence of 11 or lower: one black-barbed seed, 30,000 XP
  • Int 12 or 13: 3 seeds, 60,000 XP
  • Int 14 to 16: 6 seeds, 60,000 XP
  • Intelligence 17 or greater: 6 seeds, 1 black-barbed charm, 90,000 XP
  • Single-specialized mage: 6 seeds, 1 black-barbed charm, 90,000 XP
  • Double-specialized mage: 6 seeds, 1 black-barbed charm, 120,000 XP

When you try to leave, Ravel informs you there is an important question you have yet to ask (with int 14+ or wis 13+, you can ask it yourself without her having to tell you). The question is how to leave the maze. There are portals scattered around the maze's edges. One of them leads out, but she's not certain which one. After this, there is a last chance to flatter her by saying "You have done me a great service, beautiful Ravel..." Here is where all of those "flattering" options come into play. Depending on how many "flatter" options were chosen throughout the conversation, the reward Ravel grants is different:

  • 6 or fewer: 90,000 XP and permanent +1 wisdom.
  • More than 7, fewer than 11: 120,000 XP and permanent +1 wisdom.
  • 11 or more: 180,000 XP and permanent +2 wisdom.

"Flattering" responses[]

There are many "flattering" dialogue options during the conversation with Ravel. Two of them require both Fall-from-Grace and Annah to remain in the party for the conversation—if Annah is allowed to leave during the dialogue with Grace, one of the options will become unavailable.

  • "I assure you, I did no such thing..." (Possible if "How could I forget you, Ravel?" is chosen when first greeting Ravel; 13+ charisma required.)
  • "Of course they knew. Who would *not* want to travel..." (Possible after Ravel asks why you traveled to the maze with companions, and if they knew you were headed there; requires having gone to the maze with companions, as well as 16+ charisma.)
  • "I thought we might speak alone, beautiful Ravel..." (Possible after Ravel asks why you have come to her maze without companions; 16+ charisma required. This is also possible if companions were brought but left far enough away to not be included, and then Ravel was truthfully told that they were left behind so you could speak alone.)
  • "Lie (or Truth): 'What is she to you, beautiful Ravel? She cannot even compare...'" (Possible when Ravel asks TNO what his companions mean to him, specifically regarding Fall-from-Grace; 16+ charisma required. There is no alignment shift for the Lie/Truth here, or during any of the other "how I feel about 'X companion'" bits.)
  • "Lie (or Truth): 'Nothing, beautiful Ravel. Only you hold meaning to me...'" (Possible when Ravel asks TNO what his companions mean to him, specifically regarding Annah; 16+ charisma required.)
  • "The way to this place is difficult, beautiful Ravel..." (Possible after Ravel asks why the Nameless One waited so long to return to her; 16+ charisma required.)
  • "Nay, it is *your* charms that persist, beautiful Ravel." (Possible after the previous flatter option listed. No additional charisma required, but 16+ charisma is a requirement for the dialogue option leading to this.)
  • "Lie: 'I would call you beautiful, Ravel.'" (Possible after TNO asks about Ravel, when she asks what he thinks of her appearance. No set charisma required.)
  • "I think you did the right thing trying to set her free, Ravel." (Possible after learning Ravel tried to free the Lady. The "[lie]" variant of this option also counts.)
  • "So you are at fault, Ravel? At least you *tried*..." (Possible after saying you think Ravel was right to try to free the Lady; 13+ charisma required.)
  • "You have done me a great service, beautiful Ravel..." (Possible after Ravel shares how to leave the maze.)

Ravel's Secret Garden[]

"The black barbs covering these trees are quite fascinating."Fall-from-Grace

The purple depressions in this area will prompt the Nameless One to hum and feed seeds to the hungry twigs.

The player can choose to use up all the seeds, creating up to six Black-Barbed Wands that have multiple charges of the Black-Barbed Curse of the seeds, OR Black-Barbed Shield of the necklaces, but do not stack in inventory. One to three of the seeds can be kept to add Black-Barbed Curse to spellbooks, but it is a level 2 spell that does only 4-16 damage. It is worth keeping at least one of the seeds to later give to Mebbeth. (See Ravel for more information.)

The wands have a number of charges that depend on int and whether TNO asked to learn Ravel's magic:

  • Nine charges: int 15
  • 33 charges: int 16
  • 66 charges: Ravel's magic teachings, int 15
  • 99 charges: Ravel's magic teachings, int 16

Find the arch and use the portal to get back to the main area of the maze.

The portal to leave the maze altogether is in the northeast (upper right), 4250, 850; shadows are everywhere, and some move towards the center of the maze. A dialogue box appears when near the portal. Its use leads to Curst.

"Hey, let's find a way out of here before this place grows on us, okay? Literally."Morte

Tattoos[]

There are a few tattoos that can be unlocked while in the Black-Barbed Maze:

Alignment[]

  • Lawful: telling Ravel that her "rules are fair" when she wants the Nameless One to answer her questions.
  • Lawful: answering truthfully when Ravel asks why the Nameless One's companions have chosen to follow him.
  • Chaotic: lying to Ravel that she is beautiful when she asks about it.
  • Lawful: choosing "Truth: 'Only truths do I speak, Ravel,'" when she doesn't believe the Nameless One after saying his companions chose to travel to the maze to see if tales of Ravel's beauty were true.
  • Chaotic: choosing "Lie: 'Only truths do I speak, Ravel,'" under the same circumstances as the previous option.
  • Evil: telling Ravel that the Nameless One's companions are nothing more than tools.
  • Chaotic, Evil: telling Ravel to go ahead and "strike down" Fall-from-Grace and/or Annah after claiming they mean nothing to him (counts whether it's the "[truth]" or a "[lie]").
  • Evil: choosing "Ha! More fools they..." after answering Ravel's question about what can change the nature of a man.
  • Chaotic: lying to Ravel when telling her she is beautiful.
  • Lawful: truthfully telling Ravel she is beautiful because she has a sharp mind.
  • Lawful: truthfully telling Ravel that she is ugly.
  • Good: telling Ravel that you think she did the right thing by trying to free the Lady of Pain.
  • Chaotic, Evil: lying to Ravel when saying you think she did the right thing by trying to free the Lady of Pain.
  • Evil: telling Ravel that you would have let the Lady of Pain stay imprisoned.
  • Evil: telling Ravel you look forward to the day when the planes bend to your will (requires having asked her to teach you some of her magic with a certain skill level – int 17+).
  • Good: telling Ravel you do not want the planes to bend to your will (requires having asked her to teach you some of her magic with a certain skill level – int 17+).

External Links[]


The Hive
Mortuary Area (Mortuary | Gathering Dust Bar | Mausoleum) • Northwestern AreaMarketplace AreaSmoldering Corpse Area (Smoldering Corpse Bar | Fell's Tattoo Parlor) • Alley of Dangerous AnglesRagpicker's Square
Under the Hive
Trash WarrensBuried Village (Pharod's Court) • Weeping Stone CatacombsDead NationsWarrens of ThoughtDrowned NationsTomb of the Nameless One
Other Wards
Tenement of ThugsAlley of Lingering SighsLower Ward (Great Foundry | Bones of the Night) • Clerk's Ward (Brothel for Slaking Intellectual Lusts | Civic Festhall) • Undersigil
Mazes
Player's MazeModron MazeBlack-Barbed Maze
Outlands and Hells
Outer Curst (Traitor's Gate Tavern) • Inner CurstCurst UndergroundCurst PrisonOutlandsBaator (Pillar of Skulls) • Curst GoneCurst in CarceriCurst Administration
Fortress of Regrets
Fortress EntranceFortress Main HallTrial of ImpulseMaze of ReflectionsFortress Roof
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