1 - Arrival

The Goromorg Temple is a two-level area that will serve as your toughest challenge yet. Difficult combat and maddening puzzles await you. Be sure you're well supplied with food, ammunition and alchemy ingredients before moving on. This level is relatively straightforward, but you'll need to take three items from podiums (9), (20) and (21) to reach the end.

Take note of the banner on the wall as you enter. These banners can be ripped away with a single melee attack, and you should do this to every banner you see, as several hide useful items. This one immediately in front of you doesn't hide any secrets, though.

Also note that Level 9 requires several items for a few secrets, as well as to proceed on to Level 10. Make sure you have at least one Skull, one Rock, and it also helps if you have any arrows or quarrels. Optionally, if you want to collect all the secrets, you'll need two Rocks, a Bone Amulet, and three Torches.


2 - Pitroot Bread

Tear down the banner here for some deliciously stale bread.


3 - Holy Scriptures Chamber & Ornate Key

The Holy Scriptures area is locked off here... to get in, tear down the banner next to the door and press the switch on the wall. Recognizing a pattern yet? Destroy the Uggardian, and he'll drop an Ornate Key - hang onto it for later, as you'll need it to get into the Outer Sanctum (13).

There are two scrolls in this room. One provides a vague bit of information about an "Undying One", while the other is an obscure set of directions. Keep the latter scroll for future reference, as you'll need it at (16).


4 - Checkered Room

This puzzle can be hair-pullingly annoying until you understand your goal. The name "checkered room" is a hint on how to solve the puzzle - you'll need to place objects on every other floor switch in the room to open the gate at the end. To do this easily, make sure you have an object on the switch immediately in front of the far door, otherwise you'll have to rearrange the items you dropped down.

Before continuing, tear down the banners in the room for a scroll suggesting you don't let the Checkered Room "make a fool of you." Not going to happen today!


5 - Armoury & Secret

Time to gear up! Defeat the Uggardian in here, then grab the five Broadhead Arrows, Lightning Bomb, Longsword, Iron Basinet and Ring Mail as needed. Be sure to take at least one Broadhead Arrow and hold onto it - you'll require one later.

Before leaving, smash the crates on the floor and search the small alcove they were occupying for a hidden switch. Press it to open up a room nearby containing another Uggardian to kill... and Norja, the game's second-best Axe-type weapon!


6 - Hallway Puzzle

This hallway's a bit strange... namely, it seems to shift slightly, and you can walk down it as far as you want without ever reaching the end! Turns out, it's a clever trap - at certain points in the hallway, you're being instantly turned around and sent back in the other direction! To get through, move in one-step increments and, when you see the walls change (fairly obvious due to all the chains etc. hanging from them), turn 180 degrees and continue. Eventually you'll reach the end.


7 - Temple Grounds & Gold Key

The runic text at the entrance to the Temple Grounds warns that trespassers will be hunted down, and that couldn't be further from the truth. Prepare to navigate a lengthy maze full of vicious monsters (which continually respawn within the maze). It's a sheer battle of attrition in here, so consult your map regularly to get out quickly.

Those monsters, Ice Lizards, are one of the late-game threats. As fast and fairly quiet beasts, they have powerful jaws and can do quite a bit of damage to an unprepared party. Worse, they're fond of sneaking up out of the darkness and attacking suddenly. Alone they aren't a huge threat, but two or more can be quite difficult to deal with, so try to avoid getting pinned by them. Avoid using Ice-based attacks against them, as they have no effect. Also keep an eye out for the meat they leave behind - Ice Lizard Steaks are very filling and one of your only sources of food this deep in Mount Grimrock. They also give decent XP, making this a good place to gain levels if you need them.

Note that if you kill the Ice Lizards in here for long enough, eventually one will drop a Gold Key (check under each Ice Lizard Steak you find just to make sure you don't miss it). Hold onto this key - you'll be able to use it for some treasure at (26).


8 - Secret

Check here for a hidden switch - pressing it opens a hidden room to the north east, just around the bend (you'll be able to hear it opening, so follow the sound if you get lost). Inside, you'll receive the Pit Fighter Gauntlets, a very useful Unarmed Combat weapon, as well as a Lightning Bomb and Fire Bomb.


9 - Locked Door

This door is shut tight. You'll need to open it from (10).

Once it's open, grab the Scroll of Lightning Bolt from the podium. Note that this room connects to a central chamber described at (21). However, to access it you'll need to take the items at (20) and (21) as well.


10 - Lever

Throw this lever to open the door at (9).


11 - Circlet of War

Check the floor here for a Circlet of War, a useful piece of headgear that provides a Strength bonus.


12 - Lightning Bombs

There are two Lightning Bombs waiting in this room for you.


13 - Tar Bead

Check the pile of bones on the floor for a Tar Bead, useful if you need healing. There are two of them near each other, both marked on the map above.


14 - Outer Sanctum

To get into the Outer Sanctum, you'll need the Ornate Key at (3). However, you will need to explore the whole level, so feel free to continue south.

Once inside, take a second to admire the beauty of the room... but get ready for a fight as the door shuts and three Uggardians appear and attack.

When they lie defeated, examine the room. A hidden switch on the wall in the central chamber will open the door, letting you back out. There are three portals in the three other chambers, but stepping into them will only bring you back to the central chamber... but you'll soon spot a scroll after using the portals a couple of times, reading "III-II-I-III."

Examine the portals around the room. You'll notice they each bear an inscription containing a number or some allusion to one - "Sun of Hatred", "Hands That Slaughter, Eyes That Deceive", and "Three Ancient Beings of Deep." If you relate this to the scroll, you'll soon be able to figure out the correct order to go through the portals in. When you do, you'll be teleported to (21).


15 - Tar Beads

Check the floor of this dead end for two more Tar Beads.


16 - Pillared Hallway

The Pillared Hallway is another maddening challenge, at least if you don't know what to do. Like the puzzle at (6), it will constantly turn you around, making it impossible to continue...

Fortunately, there's a trick to it. If you checked the Holy Scriptures room at (3), you likely noticed an odd set of directions: "two times left She slithers, once right, once left, three times right and twice more is left. This She repeats twice."

For those who can't figure it out, the solution is to advance on the left and right sides of the hallway in accordance with the note's directions... so, two spaces on the left side, once on the right, etc. Repeating this will eventually allow you to pass to the end. Hurrah! Once you've passed the challenge, you'll be able to move through the hallway freely.


17 - Hallways

This maze of hallways contains some Uggardians to fight. Your destination lies north at (20).


18 - Toorum's Note #10

Search here for a note containing Toorum's musings on the source of Mount Grimrock's violent quakes. Be sure to grab the Rock the note is pinned under, as you'll need it later.


19 - Lurker Hood & Shrakk Torr

In this room, you'll come across a new enemy - fast-moving, fly-like creatures called Shrakk Torr. Individually they are actually fairly weak, but they have very fast movement and attack speed that can make then a nuisance.

When you're finished, tear down the banners in the room to find the Lurker Hood, the final piece of the Lurker Set for the ninja in your party.


20 - Locked Door & Book of Infinite Wisdom

This door can be opened by using a hidden switch in the hallway, just to the south. Inside you'll find the Book of Infinite Wisdom, which grants the reader 5 Skill Points. Not so infinite, but still appreciated!

Note that this room connects to a central chamber described at (21). However, to access it you'll need to take the items at (9) and (21) as well.


21 - Puzzle Room

You'll arrive here after using the portals in the Outer Sanctum (14) correctly. First, avoid stepping near the demon statues - they'll unleash poison clouds at you, causing serious damage. You'll notice that you're standing on a floor switch - stepping off it will remove the floor in front of you. Place any object on the switch you're standing on, then step forward to the next space.

From here, examine the situation. There's a portal that switches on and off in sequence, and a platform that raises and lowers every second or two. There's also a gate with a floor switch on the other side.

Start with the gate by dropping any object through its bars onto the switch. This will cause it to open, giving you access to a lever. Flip it, and then examine the wall in this hallway. You'll find a hidden switch to press, which will temporarily "freeze" the platform in the middle of the area - make sure it's raised. Quickly run across through the portal (just keep moving forward, you'll make it to the other side after one or two tries) and flip the other lever here. This will open the door nearby, revealing an Ornate Key. You'll need the Ornate Key at (27) and it'll come in handy at (24), so hold onto it.


22 - Cuirass of Valor

One of the game's best items is in your grasp, provided you have at least three Torches and two Rocks. Fall down the pits near (21) to get started. Down in the basement, get your bearings and search around for a Tar Bead and some Pitroot Bread. You'll notice a scroll through some iron bars, and a suit of armor inside. Read the scroll to receive a clue: stand where the shadows converge, and throw Rocks east and north.

Start by grabbing three Torches and placing them in the sconces about the room. The pillars will cast shadows which converge on a single space. Stand there and do what the note says - throw a Rock east and north each. The gate will open, revealing the game's strongest suit of armor, the Cuirass of Valor (you may have already found some of its pieces previously). When you're ready to leave, use the portal nearby.


23 - Central Chamber

If you've been following this guide, the walls around the area will raise, revealing a central chamber where all three of the "podium" rooms converge. If not, you'll have to backtrack to (20) and/or (9) to remove the items at those locations.

When they do, search the remaining cubby-hole for a Sulphurous Potion, which will boost its imbiber's Attack Power at the expense of Evasion. Congratulations, you're nearing the end of the level. Continue west through the new door.


24 - Crystal of Life & Object Riddle Room

You'll now have to perform a reverse operation of sorts. Inside this room, there are four shelves which require four items to be placed within them. Doing so will open the door forward. They are:

"Game's Bane, with head of steel" - Arrow or Quarrel of any type
"Tear of the Land" - Rock
"Severed Dread" - Skull
"Unraveller of Mysteries" - Any key

When you have placed all of them, the door will open and you'll be able to continue on. Don't worry, you'll be able to take the items back once the puzzle is complete.

Unfortunately, you may not have some or all of these required objects. You'll need to do some backtracking for them, in that case. For once, the kleptomaniacs can pat themselves on the back.

Skull - There's one back on Level 8, inside the large room where you fight a horde of Herders
Arrow - Can be found in the Armoury at (2)
Rock - Found at (18), and on upper levels.
Key - There's an Ornate Key found at (21).


25 - Scroll

The scroll here congratulates you for your perseverance, but also suggests there are larger challenges to overcome yet. Who left this thing here, anyway?


26 - Treasury

This Treasury is full of loot, provided you have a Gold Key. Like the Treasure Store a few levels up, you'll only be able to grab one of these - unless you saved your Gold Key from Level 6, in which case you can get two.

The treasures are:

South: Book of Infinite Wisdom (+5 Skill Points to reader)
West: Plate Greaves, Frost Bomb x2
North: Flarefeather Cap, Serpent Bracer

Of course, if you aren't interested, you can always save your Gold Key for even later, on Level 13.


27 - Gate & Spiral Tunnel

This gate is locked. You'll need to use your Ornate Key, found at (21), to pass it. Inside, you'll follow a long and spiraling hallway. There are two Ogres to fight on the way, one at the first northwest corner and one at the second northeast corner. Given the close quarters, you'll almost definitely be charged by them. Exercise caution when rounding the corners, and backtrack as quickly as you can to minimize damage. Any sort of freezing spell will be useful.

Note that if you return down the hall, your way will be blocked by a new wall. Look for a hidden switch at the south end of the tunnel to open it.

At the end, you'll come across the stairs down to Level 10: Goromorg Temple II (B). Things are about to get even more challenging.


28 - Iron Door

This Iron Door has a riddle - "Made from the dead, Guillotined Man does not need me." The solution is actually very easy - it's a Bone Amulet. If you have one, place it on the shelf to gain your prize: Zhandul's Orb, the most powerful Mage weapon in the game.