The Forgotten River is a central area in Legend of Grimrock II. Besides the entrance of Castle Nex, it connects to several locations, and offers access to the Hub.
Walkthrough[]
After a short passage through a forested area, you will find the river that divides this map in half. The west side of the river is open for exploration, but the stone bridge across has been destroyed. An island to the north connects the sides with wooden bridges, but you won't be able to reach the second bridge yet. Travel south to proceed.
The path will take you past a wooden bridge, but raised bars block you. An inscription next to them reads "And with a keen eye and a sharp aim, they entered..."; from the north side of the bridge, a pressure plate is visible to the west. Throw an item onto it, and the bars will descend. Picking up the item will cause them to rise again, but should you need to go back that way, the plate simply needs to be weighed down again.
Shrine of Entanglement[]
This shrine is composed of four plates, some of which have raised bars between them. Stepping on a plate will switch the positions of the bars on each of its sides. Solving the puzzle is more than just getting past, though: two Windgates block the path ahead. They're temporarily deactivated when the demons' heads on the wall successfully fire a spark at the receptacles on the other side, so no gates can be blocking their paths. To get them into the right position, step on the westernmost plate, the northern plate, the southeastern plate, the southern plate, and the southeastern plate once more. Done properly, only one set of bars should be raised, and it will not interfere with either spark's path. Launch them with the button, and hurry through the opened path.
Continuing forward, you will cross a wooden bridge to reach the Crystal of Life. You can stand on the plate to open the doors to Keelbreach Bog. Throw the switch next to the northern gate to continue exploring this area. You can descend into the Cache, a treasury in the River Tunnels, or explore the courtyard of Castle Nex, though both are dead ends for the time being. Continue north, where the path loops around a Gold Lock. If you proceed on the left, a Viper Root will burst from the ground in front of you; should you prefer, you can take the right-hand path and fight the Root later. The stairs in the north lead down to the Hub, permitting a quick return to Shipwreck Beach.
West of here, two bridges lead to the island previously mentioned; throw the switch between the bridges to open a gate, giving you much faster travel across the river. Now that you have that, jump into the water from the bridge closest to the Hub. A ladder in the north will allow you to return to dry land, where a Power Gem lies. Reenter the water and reach the ladder southwest of there to get back to the shore.
Shrine of Pain[]
This puzzle relies on speed and reflexes, and mistakes are met with swift and harsh punishment. Spikes rise from the ground in a pattern through the paths, looping around the two pillars. The exit on the other side is blocked by a gate, with the switch controlling it placed between the two grates. You will have to move quickly to reach the switch and the newly-opened path without getting skewered.
A Letter from the Island Master waits there for you, as well as a Viper Root further down the path. Fortunately, beyond it is a pressure plate that permanently opens the wall next to it, allowing you to bypass the shrine when backtracking. Continue north to reach Sleet Island.
Courtyard[]
Once all four Elemental Essences have been formed and placed before the appropriate statues, you will be able to enter the Shrine of Balance. Between the four statues, the Balance rune is just barely visible on the ground; stand on top of it and cast a spell using just that rune to enter the shrine.
Monsters[]
Items[]
Weapons[]
- 3 Broadhead Arrows
- 2 Crossbow Quarrels
- Fire Bomb
- 3 Frost Bombs
- Long Sword
- Nectarbranch Wand
- 10 Pellets
- Short Bow
- 3 Shurikens
- Warhammer
Armor[]
- Bearclaw Gauntlets
- Leather Boots
- Leather Cuisse
- Leather Gloves
- Reed Gauntlets
- Reed Legmail
- Reed Sabatons
- Rogue Gloves
- Rogue Hood
- Tattered Cloak
- Thraelm Tribal Chestplate
- Thraelm Tribal Legplates
Consumable & Ingredients[]
- 2 Blooddrop Caps
- 2 Cheese
- Energy Potion
- 5 Etherweed
- Falconskyre
- Healing Potion
- 3 Horned Fruits
- Lizard on a Stick
- Shield Potion
- Smoked Sea Bass
Miscellaneous[]
Secrets[]
- In the room in the southwest corner, look for a hidden button on the east wall. This will activate a Windgate in the corner which leads to a sealed room. Flip the switch next to the chest and unlock it to obtain Rogue Gloves and Thraelm Tribal Legplates.
- In the previous secret's room, another hidden button on the wall opens a passage in the connecting room. Quickly go back through the Windgate, and the path will lead you to the secret Summon Stones boss.
- On the wall south of the fountain, a hidden button opens the gate to the east. Go through and follow the path to find a locked chest holding the Rogue Hood and one Fire Bomb.
- In the Shrine of Pain, a very small button is hidden on the wall in the southwest corner. Press it to lower the gate, revealing a chest containing the Bearclaw Gauntlets and a Shield Potion.
- A switch is tucked away beneath the southernmost bridge, accessible from the north. Flip it to open a gate on the south side of the bridge, revealing 3 Frost Bombs and the Reed Legmail.
Treasure Chests[]
- A map found in Herder's Den marks a spot south of a rock, near some bridges. This refers to the rock just in front of the courtyard; dig there to find a locked chest containing Reed Sabatons, Cheese, and 3 Shurikens.
Gold Locks[]
- Near the entrance to the Hub, a glowing force field surrounds a pedestal. Use a Gold Key on the lock to bring down the field and retrieve the Nectarbranch Wand.
| Isle of Nex locations | |
|---|---|
|