Tomb of the Eaters

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Spoiler Warning: This article contains information normally only found in the course of advancing the main quest line.
Tomb of the Eaters
Tomb of the Eaters (large).png
Biome

banana grove

Tomb of the Eaters

Through the prismatic umbrage fly the archways and buttresses of the monuments above the catacombs of the Eaters of earth.

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Exterior wall of the Tomb of the Eaters

The Tomb of the Eaters is a the game's largest dungeon-like area. It plays a central role in the main quest.

The tomb is enormous. It fills an entire parasangAn area made of 3x3 screens, which is represented as one tile on the overworld map. and extends for twelve total levels upward and downward throughout that entire area, making for a total area of more than 100 zones. The tomb's exterior perimeter, which passes through 16 additional zones to encircle the Tomb's entire parasang, is constructed of carved stone from the sultanate of each of the five sultans that preceded Resheph. This carved stone perimeter is dotted with many recesses that are filled with golden statues of Eaters that are in various states of weathered decay.

The tomb is constructed around the Spindle, which extends vertically through the center of the entire Tomb. This central zone of the Tomb of the Eaters is generally inaccessible, but if the player does manage to dig or phase into this zone, it will be constructed entirely of burnished azzurum except for a circular opening in the middle of the zone. These central zones are referred to as The Spindle Channel.

Exterior

Arcade to the Twin Gates, Omonporch, surface

Arcade to the Twin Gates

The entrance to the tomb is found in the Omonporch area, in a zone called Arcade to the Twin Gates, Omonporch, surface. There will be an elaborate brick walkway that leads to tomb from several zones to the south. The Arcade to the Twin Gates, Omonporch, surface is also the area where one finds Asphodel, Earl of Omonporch, a key character in the main quest sequence before the player must enter the Tomb of the Eaters.

This entry zone includes the twin gates that seal the tomb, the Death Gate and the Life Gate. The player must eventually enter through the Death Gate in order to proceed in the Tomb of the Eaters questline. Attempting to enter the Death Gate before inscribing the Mark of Death will result only in seeing the message The gates are sealed for eternity. The Life Gate is not relevant to the quest and cannot be opened through normal means.

Interior - Surface Level

Grand Vestibule, Tomb of the Eaters, surface level

The Grand Vestibule

The immediate entrance area within the Tomb of the eaters lay in ruins.

This area, called the Grand Vestibule, Tomb of the Eaters, will be constructed of gilded marble from the sultanate from several sultan periods, as well as ebon fulcrete.

The vestibule will be filled with ruined sultan murals, rubble, boulders, bones, and other refuse. Amidst the rubble, a dark marble walkway will form a path that is also lined with a multitude of arc sconces and holograms of Eaters. In this section of the tomb more than any other, an industrious player would be wise to bring a pickaxe or another means of overcoming solid walls, in case the paths proceeding further into the tomb have collapsed under rubble.

Although the marble walkway path is likely to be blocked by heavy rubble and very dense ebon fulcrete walls, it is possible to break through (or phase through) the wall and follow the path through several screens. The zone that is directly west of the entry zone will also be part of the Grand Vestibule, and will contain elevator shafts that one may use to jump down into the Folk Catacombs. However, it is often easier to take the side tunnel rather than try to break through the walls.

Surface Level Layout

This is the full 9-zone parasang layout of the Tomb's surface level.

Grand Vestibule structural rib
(solid wall)
▲ Crematory
access corridor
▼ Folk Catacombs
Grand Vestibule Spindle Channel structural rib
(solid wall)
Grand Vestibule
▼ Folk Catacombs
Grand Vestibule
Entrance
▲ Crematory
access corridor
▼ Folk Catacombs

All nine zones are typically blocked off from one another by walls and debris. Typically, a player will descend into the Folk Catacombs and then only later ascend back upward through one of the access corridor zones. However, it is possible to bypass the Folk Catacombs entirely by digging straight into an access corridor.

Side Tunnel into the Folk Catacombs

From the first screen of the Grand Vestibule, immediately inside the Death Gate, there will be a dirt path leading south through two torch sconces. This leads into the exterior wall of the Tomb, down into a deep shaft, and then through a tunnel into the southwest corner of the Folk Catacombs. This tunnel actually runs directly underneath Ezra. It will typically have a high density of graffiti, as if perhaps to indicate it is often used by graverobbers and other vandals.

The side tunnel is likely to be a preferred route for most players, both because it is one of the easiest and most accessible entry points to the tomb, and also because it leads to an area on the western edge of the catacombs, which is quite close to the Mopango enclave and its related questlines.

Access Corridor, Tomb of the Eaters, surface level

Access Corridor

There are two access corridors on the surface level that act as connecting zones between the Folk Catacombs below and the Crematory above. When the player enters a stairwell teleporter on the Folk Catacombs level below, it will transport them to the staircase that leads directly up into the access corridor. This area will contain several industrial fans that can potentially blow the player or other creatures into shafts that lead back downward into the Folk Catacombs.

It is possible to tunnel directly to the southern access corridor through the outer wall of the spindle from the north-eastern zone of Omonporch, bypassing the folk catacombs entirely. The shortest point through the walls is straight north, seven tiles from the eastern edge of the zone.

Interior - Crematory Level

The crematory level is the level 1 strata above ground. It features a large number of steaming vents and machine presses along -conveyor belts.

It contains two cybernetics credit wedge 3¢ in the Crematory Machine Room, which is the easternmost zone of the parasang.

Unique Mechanics

The Bell of Rest

The room above is a Place of Rest, and has tiles marked as such.

A player who has the Mark of Death on their body is affected by the Bell of Rest. The Bell of Rest rings every 300 turns, with a countdown that appears in purple text in the message log. At the end of the countdown, the player is teleported to a random Place of Rest. The places of rest are spaces marked with a checkerboard-like tile. If the player is in a place of rest, they receive an effect called Tomb-tethered. If the player is Tomb-tethered when the Bell of Rest rings, they will not be teleported.

An example of the Bell of Rest countdown.

In the Folk Catacombs, the Places of Rest are in seemingly random places. However, as the player progresses to less damaged areas of the Tomb, Places of Rest will be reliably available in the individual intact crypts. There will usually be at least one Place of Rest per zone.

Astral friction

Zones with high astral friction apply reality stabilization with strength 40 to all creatures within the zone, and have a 90% chance to deflect esper attacks:

Some dimensional interlopers attempt to enter this region of spacetime, but the ambient normality field keeps them at bay.