Classic Games Revisited
Ultima VIII: Pagan Walkthrough
Carthax Lake
7.20. Carthax Lake Waypoint
Unload superfluous items in Tenebrae if you wish to, then teleport to the Hall of the Mountain King. Climb down east from the teleporter, go north and west to the Earth symbol (F) to be transported to the other end of the Hall of the Mountain King. Leave the map by jumping down east and going all the way south to Stone Cove. Go west and exit back to Upper Catacombs 2.
Go north past the door, around the pillar to the pillar with the switch, east and north all the way. Jump east across the water and continue north (east a bit) until you reach a pool of lava. Jump east across the narrowest part, go south around the stalagmite, east through the narrow corridor, south past the electric gate, and all the way south-southeast until you come upon a brick wall with spikes on top and a fence-like gate in the middle.
On the brick pillar just north of that wall is a switch that almost blends into the background. Flip it to lower the gate, open the door to the south with the Key of the Scion, and exit to Carthax Lake. Just two steps to the east will activate the Carthax Lake waypoint.
7.21. Free Hydros
To your south (covering all of the center of this large map) is the bed of a dry lake. You don’t want to fall in because there is no way to climb back up. Follow the edge of this lake bed going west-southwest, then south. Continue going all the way south to the wall and follow the wall east and south to the opening of a cave. Go in.
Walk west past the troll and a new map will load. Keep going west up to a lone stalagmite.
[Optional] Run west to a campsite with a troll. You can choose to make yourself invisible by any means (potion, scroll, Fade from Sight focus), or you can also kill or avoid the troll. A skeleton between the campfire and the eastern wall has magical arm guards. You already have a set, but this walkthrough will point out all magical items. There’s also some meagre amounts of money, potions and an invisibility scroll to be found on the ground, in the containers, and on the other skeletons. Return east to the lone stalagmite once you are done scavenging.
Go north, climb over the wall to the other side and continue north. There are two switches under the fenced opening in the western brick wall. Flip the left switch and climb to the other side. Go west all the way past the troll and past an automatic gate that (thankfully) opens as you approach.
[Optional] To the north is a trapped chest and a troll. Again, make yourself invisible if you want to. If you have a scroll of trap destruction, use it to disarm the chest. It has magic leggings and a few potions. Once more, we already have a set of magic leggings and these are no different.
Go south and then southwest, jump over the water to the west, continue west to the end, north to the very end, and east to the very end through an opening, evading or killing monsters along the way. From where you emerge, go north to find a gravestone. Stand 4-5 steps away from the gravestone and cast Open Ground. This will start the flow of water. Teleport yourself back to Carthax Lake.
From now on, the colors will go hazy for some periods. This is because Hydros has been freed and she is messing with the weather.
Once again, walk around the edge of the lake going west-southwest, then south (you’ll have to jump over a stream at one point). At the southwest corner, go east, this time hugging the lake edge instead of the wall. You’ll come upon a stone bridge that looks like you can simply walk on to. It’s actually above you, so you need to jump up to it. Cross this bridge to the east and follow it north (for reference, on the corner is blackmoor). Jump to the landmass to the north and then go east all the way and north again to the white steps. Walk up the steps to the central pedestal and Hydros will speak to you. Teleport back to Central Tenebrae.