6: The Hot Gates

Good work so far. Once you feel you have thoroughly rooted out the Pfhor presence from the nearby streets, I want you to jump down into the canyon pictured here. There are reports of Pfhor attacking our troops in a nearby magma chamber. You will assist our troops in their resistance. I will contact you once you drop into the canyon. Good luck.

Several large groups of Pfhor infantry are launching an assault on the surrounding streets, as you have undoubtedly noticed. I want you to help the humans and the IADDs neutralize them. Focus on the streets and nearby buildings shown here. You may come across additional ammunition or spells scattered around. This is your opportunity to do some exploring, so take advantage of it while you can.

Once you have rooted out the Pfhor presence nearby, I want you to jump down into the canyon to the northeast, pictured here. This is an area known as the Hot Gates Cliffs. There are reports of Pfhor assaults on our forces in a nearby magma chamber. You will assist them in their resistance. I will contact you once you drop into the canyon. Good luck.

You must gain entry to the ancient Jjaro structures located deep underground. The problem is, the only path to these structures is through a massive cavern that sits directly below the Central Command tower. Right now, that cavern is totally flooded with magma. You will need to drain it, which is the first step of my plan.

The switch next to you opens the door to another nearby magma chamber. Both the Central Command chamber and this chamber belong to a vast, complex system of underground caves and tunnels that were once regulated by Istoria's past inhabitants. Massive pumps and floodgates directed the flow of magma from one chamber to another, possibly acting as a sort of defense mechanism to seal off the subterranean Jjaro structures if needed. While the chamber closest to you is almost empty, the chamber below Central Command is totally flooded with magma. I think you can probably guess what I'll want you to do.

I need you to enter the nearby chamber to destroy a set of wires, pictured here. This will disable the safety interlocks on the chamber floodgates, forcing them open and draining the magma under Central Command directly into the chamber you'll be in. Of course, you'll want to plan for an expeditious escape to avoid burning alive. Once you smash the wires, follow the gangway west towards the escape platform. You will be safe... as long as you're fast enough. If you make it, find an access terminal somewhere above, near the streets. I will provide further instructions to you then.

The shaft in the southeast corner of this room leads to a gangway spanning across the drainage pool. Near the start of the gangway, you'll find a column housing a set of wires that control the floodgates' safety interlocks. Destroy those wires. Once this happens, magma will start flooding the chamber. Run as fast as you can across the gangway to the far door, where an elevator will raise you to safety. This will all happen rather quickly, so be ready. Especially considering your suit is exceedingly vulnerable to the temperatures of liquid hot magma. If you're successful, find a nearby terminal, and I will provide the next steps of my plan.

/-/ S'PHT TRANSLATOR Active /-/ 20 of us made the decision to trespass the ancient caves against the longstanding orders of the Elders. Our desperation may only betray us in the end, but we would rather perish with the knowledge that we tried something, anything. Our famine only worsens as the [ecosystem?] continues to collapse. Inaction can only lead to our doom. Ancient myth speaks of a massive edifice located deep below our planet's crust within the molten caves. This Edifice is said to have been built by the Creators millions of years ago.

/-/ S'PHT TRANSLATOR Active /-/ Though no Mrrak in recent history has set foot within the Edifice, it is said that the first of our kind were brought to life behind its walls, and that our ancestors once maintained the Edifice for the Creators. A sprawling [metropolis?] was built on the surface for our indefinite habitation, and we thrived for almost an eon. Eventually, the Creators rose up and left for the stars, having given us the tools and means for our own survival that allows us to exist to this day. Perhaps finding this ancient Edifice will provide us with some sort of answer to our crisis. Either way, we must push on and find out for ourselves.

Listen closely: I know what Sullivan has planned for you to do, and you need to know a few things before you continue. First, you cann&* [comp-][remote interference: signal degradation [1001.54.33|A] . . . [remote interference: signal degradation] . . [attempting recovery][1001.54.33|B] . .. . ... . .

[partial recovery][1001.54.33|A] the enslaved S'pht that arrived here with the [P%h**]? have been able to access ancient logs embedded deep within the computer systems here from the indigenous Mrrak that inhabited Istoria long ago. Unavailable to us until now, these records shed new light on the circumstances behind their civiliza[ti**] [*****] . . . . . .

. . . .. . . . ... . . [remote interference: signal lost [remote termination][1001.54.33|X] [CONNECTION CLOSED]

The Pfhor are stepping up their offensive in the surrounding area, no doubt alarmed at the progress you've made in spite of all their efforts. I can tell from their ground deployment that the Pfhor are trying to track your whereabouts. You're holding your own for now, but even you will be totally overrun when their fleet arrives in full force. Every minute counts.

Your first goal is eliminating the Pfhor forces from the surrounding streets and buildings. I'm sure you've already noticed extremely heavy fighting here. You'll want to clear out as many Pfhor as possible before beginning your efforts to drain the magma chambers.

Once the streets are secured, jump down into the canyon to the northeast, pictured here. I will provide more detailed instructions on draining the magma chamber once you're there. I'm sending as much ammunition and as many spells as I can. Hopefully, they will be enough to keep the Pfhor at bay.

The paved tunnel to your west leads back to Central Command. But right now, I need you to eliminate as many Pfhor as possible around the surrounding streets and buildings. After that, you need to make your way to the canyon pictured here, where I will have more detailed instructions on how to flood the chamber below this district with magma.

The switch nearby opens the door to a large pool of magma. This pool belongs to a complex system of underground chambers and tunnels once regulated by Istoria's past inhabitants. Massive pumps and floodgates directed the flow of magma from one chamber to another, possibly acting as a sort of defense mechanism to seal off the subterranean structures if needed. While the drainage pool near you is almost empty, the chamber below Central Command is totally flooded with magma, sealing the only entrance leading to the subterranean structures. I think you can probably guess what I'll want you to do.

You must destroy the nearby wires pictured here to disable the safety interlocks on the floodgates, forcing them open and draining the magma under Central Command directly into the chamber you'll be in. Of course, you'll want to plan for an expeditious escape to avoid burning alive. Once you smash the wires, follow the gangway west towards the escape platform. You will be safe... as long as you're fast enough. If you succeed, the cavern below Central Command will be drained, and the path to the underground structures will be open to you, provided you have also found a green keycard.

The shaft in the southeast corner of this room leads to a gangway spanning across the drainage pool. Near the start of the gangway, you'll find a column housing a set of wires that control the floodgates' safety interlocks. Destroy those wires. Once this happens, magma will start flooding the chamber. Run as fast as you can across the gangway to the far door, where an elevator will raise you to safety. This will all happen rather quickly, so be ready. Especially considering your suit is exceedingly vulnerable to the temperatures of liquid hot magma. If you're successful, go back to Central Command, into the tower's basement through the green door. A lift will take you deep underground, where I will contact you next.

The magma chamber under Central Command has been drained, and the subterranean passage is now open. Good work. Next, you will need a green keycard to access the tower basement back at Central Command. If you don't have one yet, I believe one can be located somewhere around the nearby river, which you can reach through the corridor pictured here. Explore that area next if you haven't acquired a green keycard. Report back to the Central Command tower once you get it. You need to hurry. We can't waste any time with the Pfhor fleet bearing down on us.

NOTICE: AUX POWER RESTORED (SNAKE RIVER DISTRICT [22]) Emergency override has been engaged for District 22. All doors and elevators operating on power grid L-24 are again fully operational.