LOWER GUK
| Location: | In caves dug out next to the Innothule Swamp |
 Lower Guk - Live Side
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|---|---|---|
| Adjacent Zones: | Upper Guk | |
| Level of Monsters: | 30-50+ | |
| Types of Monsters: | Frogloks of all types, including: Shin, Tsu, Vis, Tal, Wan, Urd, Zol, Yun, Dar, Kor, Bok, Jin, and Guk in different varieties, including Knights, Shamans, and Wizards, as well as live and Ghoul forms; Basilisks, Bloodthirsty Ghouls, Deadly Black Widows, Granite Gargoyles, Greater Ice Bones, Greater Minotaurs, Vampire Bats | |
| Notable NPC's: | Basalt Gargoyle, Brother Raster, Frenzied Ghoul, Froglok Crusader, Froglok Herbalist, Froglok King, Froglok Noble, Froglok Priest, Froglok Tactician, Ghoul Arch Magi, Ghoul Assassin, Ghoul Cavalier, Ghoul Executioner, Ghoul Lord, Ghoul Ritualist, Ghoul Sage, Ghoul Savant, Ghoul Scribe, Ghoul Sentinel, Ghoul Supplier, Huge Water Elemental, Minotaur Elder, Minotaur Patriarch, Reanimated Hand, Slaythe the Slayer | |
| Unique Items: | Adamantite Band, Adamantite Epolets, Amethyst Bracelet, Azure Sleeves, Bag of Sewn Evil Eye, Basalt Carapace, Black Embroidered Sleeves, Black Tome with Silver Runes, Braided Cinch Cord, Brigandine Tunic, Broken Bow Part B, Carved Ivory Mask, Chrysoberyl Talisman, Crown of the Froglok Kings, Dark Mail Gauntlets, Dark Reaver, Ebony Bladed Sword, Embroidered Black Cape, Enamelled Black Chestplate, Enamelled Black Mace, Executioner's Axe, Executioner's Hood, Flowing Black Silk Sash, Gilded Cloth, Gorgon Quill, Idol of Zan Fi, Light Burlap Sack, Mask of Deception, Mithril Frog Totem, Mithril-Runed Tunic, Mithril Two-Handed Sword, Moonstone Ring, Platinum Tiara, Runed Cowl, Runed Falchion, Scepter of Tears, Serpentine Bracer, Serrated Bone Dirk, Shimmering White Shroud, Shin Gauntlets, Shin Greaves, Shining Metallic Robe, Short Sword of the Ykesha, Silver-plated Leggings, Silversilk Leggings, Skull Shaped Barbute, Tattered Scroll of Flesh, Thick Banded Belt, White Gold Necklace | |
| Indoor/Outdoor: | Indoor |
Allakhazam Links: Bestiary
|| Equipment
|| Quests
|| Strategy
Text last updated: 07/17/00
Map last updated: 01/10/01
Description
The Ruins of Ancient Guk is a vast array of tunnels that connect between the ruins themselves and the upper tunnelways that eventually lead to the Innothule Swamp. It is also the battleground between the living frogloks, led by the Froglok King, and the undead who have taken over most of the deepest ruins, led by their Ghoul Lord.
Dangers
This dungeon is generally regarded as one of the two most deadly dungeons on the continent of Antonica. It is divided up into two general areas, the "Live" side and the "Dead" side, named for the life/unlife status of the majority of the frogloks within. There are general dangers for the dungeon, as well as for each side, that I will mention before going into specific dangers.
Lower Guk has as its main defense the confusing nature of how it is set up, as well as lack of ready access to the deeper areas of the dungeon. It is quite easy to get lost if you don't know where you're going in these tunnels, and this is especially noticeable in the maze area on Live side. Also, getting to a particular point in the dungeon from which to pull is not an easy task for most, because they are deep in and past many aggressive creatures. The use of invisibility is helpful, but only with large cautions to it. First of all, the distinction between Live and Dead side is not absolute. On Dead side there are many "live" creatures that can readily see through Invis v Undead, most noticably the vampire bats. On Live side, it is possible to encounter undead creatures because of infrequent trains to the exit, although this is much less likely. Also, there are occasionally creatures that can see through invisibility as you travel through, so be careful as you go. Now onto each individual side.
Live side is a typical dungeon that you are likely used to, in the vein of the Solusek dungeons. The only specific danger to this side is that hunting here can seriously hurt your froglok faction, which for many is important in order to safely travel Upper Guk as well as most of Live side. If you are unfortunate enough to lose faction when you didn't want to, killing undead frogloks will increase your faction with the living ones. Dead side's only real danger is the number of undead monsters. This is a big bonus for those classes with special skills in this area, but for the others brings with it the fun that fighting the undead always brings. Most of Dead side is also very far away from any exits, so you had better have an evacuator in case of trouble.
There are few specific dangers to note in Lower Guk. The few that exist are that there are quite a number of shaman and wizard frogloks in this dungeon, which can be very problematic because of the DoT and DD spells. Most groups tend to remove them from battle sooner rather than later. The Huge Water Elemental is important to note on Live side, because even if frogloks are your friends, he will attack you and the nearby frogloks will assist him. He can see through invisibility.
Benefits
There must be something that keeps bringing people to Lower Guk, because it traditionally has been one of the most packed dungeons around, and you were able, in the past, to walk nearly freely as the frogloks were dead within seconds of appearing in their homes. Things have gotten a little bit less crowded in there, but the draw is the same: experience and loot for high-level characters.
The items in this zone are probably the most sought after items in the game for this level range. Skimming through the listing reveals mainstays of high-priced auctions, like Short Sword of Ykesha, FBSS, Runed Falchions, to name a few. Most people come here to hunt with the dream of ancient froglok treasures to carry them into the swamps.
This is also a great area for experience for higher level characters. It is also something of a training ground for fighting in the higher level dungeons on Kunark, as the skills that you develop here for advanced grouping are absolutely essential when you move to the even more dangerous dungeons of that once-lost continent.
Travelling To and From Lower Guk
There are several entrances to Lower Guk from Upper Guk. Specifically, there are three entrances that come out in relative proximity in Dead side from Upper Guk. Two of these require a short swim through the rivers, and the dry one is closest to the front entrance of Guk. The one entrance to Live side is the deepest into Upper Guk, and isn't as commonly used.
Other than using the entrances from Upper Guk to leave, there is one additional exit. From the King's Room on Live side there is a zone exit in the back that will take you to Upper Guk right beside the entrance to the swamp. It isn't an exit for casual use, as it leads you directly past the toughest monster in Lower Guk, but it's there if you need it.