Draft:Magic Isle

Omega 0.90.4

Magic Isle is the island at (4, 54) in the southwestern Sea of Chaos. The Eater of Magic lives here, making it the destination for the Collegium Magii's final succession quest.

Local map

The complete 64 by 16 scene is shown below. @ marks arrival at (62, 14).

These are spoiler maps. Coordinates are (column, row), starting at zero. Letters and highlighted symbols are article keys for sites and initial placements, not a literal game screenshot or a promise that a creature remains there.

0000000000111111111122222222223333333333444444444455555555556666

0123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123

00 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

01 +++++++++++...........................................++++++++++

02 ++++..............4444444444444444444444444444.............+++++

03 +++...........44444#########################4444444.........++++

04 +++.............##########=####################444..........++++

05 ++++..............###m###=#=########=#######4444444...........++

06 ++++++++++......444###===##=#######=#=#########444444......+++++

07 ++++++++.......444##m====###=#####=##=###########44.....++++++++

08 +++++.........44444##==E==m##=###=###=#########444444......+++++

09 ++++...........444##m======###===####==##########4.....+++++++++

10 ++++++..........444###===m############===####44....+++++++++++++

11 +++++++++.........444######4444#######44==444...++++++++++++++++

12 +++++++++++++................444444444....=...............++++++

13 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++................=.................+++

14 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++......@+

15 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++XXXXXXX

Map key

Key	Meaning
#	Wall
+	Raw chaos, displayed as water in play
.	Floor or open ground
4	Rubble
=	Magical pool
@	Arrival point, not the current player position
E	Eater of Magic
X	Return to countryside
m	Militant priest

The map shows the populated scene before its completion flag changes later visits; see the article for return and re-entry behavior.

Finding the island

The world map initially disguises the isle as Sea of Chaos. Search near the true position to reveal it. The entrance description mentions a narrow causeway, but that text is not a promise that every surrounding world-map cell is safe to cross.

The local scene is 64 by 16. You arrive at (62, 14), near the southeastern exits at x=57-63, y=15.

Feature	Placement
Eater of Magic	(23, 8)
Militant priests	Five fixed guards
Magical pools	Forty-five cells
Chaos water	375 cells; distinct from ordinary safe floor
Rubble	105 cells

Although the loader contains a nazgul option, the supplied map does not use it. The fixed inhabitants are the Eater and five militant priests. Water-looking terrain here uses the chaos interaction except for the separately marked magical pools.

When raw-chaos contact activates, a mounted character loses the mount first. An Adept survives and is restored to at least full HP and mana. Otherwise, a member of any priesthood can receive a single rescue if that protection has not already been used; every other case is fatal. Ordinary swimming or breathing protection does not prevent this effect.

The heart quest

The Eater becomes hostile when its special action detects college membership, or when otherwise provoked. In line of sight, its action halves mana, drains two current Power and attempts disenchantment or dispelling. Low-health explosions make the final approach dangerous as well as the opening fight.

Normal death creates the Heart of the Eater of Magic. Take it to the college while holding Mage rank and exceeding the incumbent Archmage's recorded character level. The college consumes the heart, appoints the player Archmage and grants five current and maximum Intelligence and Power. The body is the required trophy; merely visiting or killing the Eater does not award the rank.

Exit and strategy

Return through the southeastern exits. Re-entry rebuilds the encounter until the Eater is killed; after that flag is set, subsequent island loads omit the Eater and the five priests, but the chaos water, pools and rubble remain.

Approach with a route over actual safe terrain and a way to damage a heavily magic-resistant target. Spending a long fight in its sight costs both casting resources and Power. Do not depend on the Eater's lack of ordinary melee to make adjacency safe: its low-health mana storm can hit neighboring cells. Collect the heart before leaving and preserve it for the college rather than converting or consuming the trophy.