Stage 12: Closing the Council: Demon Lair, Silvertongue's Treason & the Oracle

Approx. level 28-34 Kriegspire Free Haven Castle Ironfist Eel Infested Waters

You are level 28-34 and one councillor short of an audience with the Oracle. This stage finishes the last High Council quest in the volcanic wastes of Kriegspire, then catches the Council's Baa-worshipping traitor, Slicker Silvertongue. You will clear the Demon Lair for Lord Temper, get stonewalled at the Free Haven Council, expose Silvertongue with proof pulled from the Superior Temple of Baa, and ride the resulting Saintly reputation to the Master Light trainer in the Eel Infested Waters. The reward is an audience with the Oracle, who hands you the four Memory Crystal quests and the Control Cube hunt that drive the endgame.

Where you stand: one quest to go

By now five of the six High Council representatives back you; only Lord Osric Temper's vote is missing, and it hinges on the Devil Plans quest item from the Demon Lair (also called the Devil's Outpost) in Kriegspire. Warp or coach to Kriegspire (the Free Haven south-station coach to Kriegspire runs Tuesday/Friday, 3 days, ~150gp) and set a Lloyd's Beacon in town the moment you arrive — you will be bouncing between Kriegspire, Free Haven and Castle Ironfist repeatedly this stage.

Kriegspire's outdoor canyon between the volcano and the snowfields is patrolled by Minotaurs, Rock Beasts, Earth Spirits and Drakes. Fly over them rather than grinding through — the Demon Lair cave sits on the south face of the central mountain chain, roughly northwest of Castle Kriegspire.

Sources: GameFAQs — 5. The quests of the Six Lords · GameFAQs — VIII. MAIN LINE QUESTS · GameFAQs — XVIII. BOAT AND STAGECOACH SCHEDULE · RPGGamers — Kriegspire · RPGGamers — Free Haven · Pottsland — Quests
🗺 Dungeon — Demon Lair / Devil's Outpost (Kriegspire) - the Devil of Baa

This is the simplest dungeon of the stage: a single room packed with Devil Spawn, Devil Workers and Devil Warriors. The instant you step in, every demon rushes you, so save first and switch to turn-based mode before entering. Your only objective is to kill the unique Devil of Baa (about 540 HP) standing in the centre of the room and take the Devil Plans quest item he drops. He is one of the first to reach you, so he often dies early.

Two warnings the sources are emphatic about: the demons drain your spell points, so do not rely on a pure caster party here, and do not use Fire magic — the lesser devils are fire-immune (they cast and absorb Fire) and the Devil of Baa is heavily fire-resistant. Water/Cold spells (Ice Bolt, Ice Blast, Shrapmetal) and physical attacks do the work. You can wipe the room for the XP and gold, but only the Devil Plans is required.

Beacon back to Free Haven, head to Castle Temper in the south, and give the Devil Plans to Lord Osric Temper. That secures his vote and completes the last of the standard council quests.

Sources: GameFAQs — VI. WALKTHROUGH · GameFAQs — 5. The quests of the Six Lords · RPGGamers — Kriegspire · Pottsland — Quests · Decompiled game scripts — GLOBAL
⚔ Combat — Demon Lair combat: water, not fire

Devil Spawn/Worker/Warrior are Fire-immune with 50% physical resistance and high HP (100 / 280 / 540). Devil Warriors are additionally Magic-immune, so finish those with weapons. Lead with Water/Cold and Shrapmetal, keep the party clustered so you can heal the spell-point drain between rounds, and pop the Devil of Baa first to grab the Devil Plans even if you intend to flee afterward.

✅ Clear

  • Devil of Baa (boss, ~540 HP) - REQUIRED; drops the Devil Plans quest item for Temper's vote
  • Devil Spawn / Devil Worker - good XP and gold; killable with Water/Cold + melee once the boss is down
Sources: GameFAQs — VI. WALKTHROUGH · RPGGamers — Kriegspire · Pottsland — Quests
⚙ GrayFace Patch — GrayFace: monster elements actually matter now

On unpatched MM6 a bug made all monster spells deal Fire damage and monster Paralyze do nothing. The GrayFace patch fixes this, so elemental resistances and crowd-control behave as intended — which is exactly why fire is useless against the fire-immune devils and why you should bring Cold/physical answers instead.

⚙ Patch note: a bug where ALL monster spells dealt Fire damage (and monster Paralyze did nothing) is fixed — so elemental resistances and crowd-control now matter as the game intends. Plan resist gear/spells accordingly.

Sources: GameFAQs — VI. WALKTHROUGH

The Council snubs you - and Humphrey gives the Cloak of Baa

With all six lords' votes in hand, walk into the big High Council building in southern Free Haven (the one you have ignored until now). Surprise: Representative Slicker Silvertongue refuses to seat you, abstaining on a flimsy excuse. Talk to Silvertongue in the Council room first — this is required, or the next step will not trigger.

Then go to Castle Ironfist and complain to Regent Wilbur Humphrey (topic: 'Silvertongue's refusal'). Humphrey defends his man but hands you the Cloak of Baa and sends you to the Superior Temple of Baa in Kriegspire to find a 'cure or explanation' for the refusal. The cloak lets you pass the temple's Baa-cultist gatekeepers.

Sources: GameFAQs — 5. The quests of the Six Lords · GameFAQs — VIII. MAIN LINE QUESTS · GameFAQs — VI. WALKTHROUGH · RPGGamers — Castle Ironfist · Pottsland — Quests · Pottsland — Answer to Question
⚠ Warning — Order matters: Silvertongue before Humphrey

The sources flag a sequencing trap: you must speak with Slicker Silvertongue in the Council room before talking to Humphrey, otherwise Humphrey will not give you the traitor quest (the Cloak of Baa). As one source puts it: “He won't give it to you until you've talked with Slicker.” If the cloak topic never appears, this is almost always why.

Sources: Pottsland — Answer to Question
🗺 Dungeon — Superior Temple of Baa (Kriegspire) - the two keys & the Letter from Zenofex

Wearing the Cloak of Baa you can enter. The temple opens into a seven-path hub, and the doors here are trapped and require Expert Perception (rank 8+) on at least one character to open safely — bring that character or you cannot progress. Touching the locked central chest without the keys instead releases monsters, so collect the keys first.

Work the rooms methodically. A western rectangular room (clear its priests and mages) yields the High Cleric's Key; a far-eastern room holds a priest carrying the High Sorcerer's Key. Take both keys back to the room with the single Druid and the chest on the table, open it with the two keys, and claim the Letter from Zenofex — proof that Silvertongue serves the Kreegan lord Zenofex. The temple's enemies (Druids, Sorcerers/Magicians/Warlocks, Priests of Baa) also drop sellable Temple Gongs; pocket them. You can leave once you have the letter.

Sources: GameFAQs — VI. WALKTHROUGH · GameFAQs — 5. The quests of the Six Lords · RPGGamers — Kriegspire · Pottsland — Quests
⚔ Combat — Superior Temple of Baa combat: dodge the Insanity casters

The temple is wall-to-wall casters. Priests/Clerics/Acolytes of Baa have low HP (30-137) and die fast, but the real danger is the Sorcerer / Magician / Warlock line: they are Electricity-immune, and Warlocks (~400 HP) spam Insanity almost every turn. The Druid line resists everything 10-30% across the board, so pick them off with whatever element they are weakest to and keep moving. Fight from doorways to funnel them, and carry Cure Insanity/Remove Curse coverage.

✅ Clear

  • Priests / Clerics / Acolytes of Baa - low HP, good XP, drop sellable Temple Gongs
  • Priest carrying the High Sorcerer's Key and the mages in the High Cleric's Key room - REQUIRED to get the keys
Sources: GameFAQs — VI. WALKTHROUGH · RPGGamers — Kriegspire
💡 Tip — Optional in-temple side puzzle: the Almighty Head of Baa

The Superior Temple of Baa hides a one-time side reward worth 50,000 XP (the “Let you be a Baa follower” subquest at the Almighty Head of Baa): press the four Baa heads, walk a spiral corridor and return. Two big caveats from the sources. First, it carries a brutal reputation hit (-500 reputation), which fights the Saintly status you need for Master Light. Second, and more important, this only works while Baa still considers you one of theirs — players report that once you have exposed Silvertongue, the Baa mural just says “You are not worthy of Baa,” drains your HP and grants no XP. So if you want this XP, claim it now, before you take the Letter from Zenofex to the Council, and be ready to re-earn Saintly afterward (or simply skip it if you would rather keep your reputation clean for the Master Light run).

Sources: Pottsland — Quests · Pottsland — Questions · RPGGamers — Kriegspire · RPGGamers — Subquests (not shown in your quest list) · Decompiled game scripts — T7
Show spoiler — SPOILER: the Baa-head order (only if you want the XP)

SPOILER: the Baa-head order (only if you want the XP)

Press the four Baa heads in numerical order 1 → 2 → 3 → 4, then walk through the spiral corridor and return to collect the 50,000 XP (along with the -500 reputation hit). This must be done before you expose Silvertongue at the Council — afterwards the mural rejects you with “You are not worthy of Baa” and gives nothing.

Sources: RPGGamers — Subquests (not shown in your quest list) · RPGGamers — Kriegspire · Pottsland — Quests · Pottsland — Questions · Decompiled game scripts — T7

Expose the traitor - reputation jumps to SAINTLY

Return to the Free Haven Council with the Letter from Zenofex and present it to expose Slicker Silvertongue. He threatens you, vows to overthrow the Ironfists, and vanishes (you will kill him later in a temple). With the traitor gone, all the genuine representatives back you and your reputation automatically becomes Saintly. (The walkthrough also has you stop by Castle Ironfist to show Humphrey the letter on the way; either way the result is the Saintly status and access to the Oracle.)

Sources: GameFAQs — VI. WALKTHROUGH · GameFAQs — 5. The quests of the Six Lords · Pottsland — Quests
💡 Tip — Cash out the Temple Gongs

Sell the Temple Gongs you collected in the Superior Temple of Baa to Lawrence Aleman in southern Free Haven for a tidy payout — they have no other use.

Sources: RPGGamers — Kriegspire · RPGGamers — Free Haven · Pottsland — Quests

Use the Saintly window: Master Light in the Eel Infested Waters

Your Saintly status may not last, so spend it now. The Master Light Magic trainer (Ki Lo Nee) in the Eel Infested Waters only teaches characters with Saintly reputation. From Silver Cove the boat to the North Island sails on Wednesday (the trip is day-of-week gated, so plan around it); from there fly south to the three-fingered island directly south & west of Castle Alamos and find Ki Lo Nee at the back/south door of the Stone's Throw Tavern inn. Upgrade every eligible caster to Master Light while you can.

While you are out here, set a Lloyd's Beacon on the north island: Castle Alamos there holds one of the four Memory Crystals you are about to be sent after, and a saved beacon makes the next stage's return trip (which is also day-gated) far less painful.

Sources: GameFAQs — VI. WALKTHROUGH · RPGGamers — Eel Infested Waters · GameFAQs — Directions to Trainers · GameFAQs — XVIII. BOAT AND STAGECOACH SCHEDULE
⚔ Combat — Eel Infested Waters: getting to the trainer alive

The open water is hostile but you only need to pass it. The eels (Sea Serpent / Monster / Terror) are Cold-immune, hit for huge Cold damage, and sink when killed so they cannot even be looted — fight them only if you want pure XP, otherwise Fly straight to the islands. Around Castle Alamos, Agar's mutated birds are Magic-immune and the abomination paralyzes, while Dust Devils, Twisters and Air Elementals are Electricity- and Magic-immune. Do not commit to clearing Alamos now — it belongs to the next stage. This visit is just train-and-beacon.

✅ Clear

  • Nothing is required here this stage - the trip is for training and a beacon only
Sources: RPGGamers — Eel Infested Waters · GameFAQs — VI. WALKTHROUGH
⚠ Warning — Dungeons in these regions you do NOT finish this stage

Castle Alamos (Eel Infested Waters) and Castle Kriegspire are both right here, but their crystals (Beta and Epsilon) belong to the four-crystal hunt in Stage 13 — skip the interiors for now and just set your beacons. Likewise Agar's Laboratory and the Caves of the Dragon Riders in Kriegspire are optional 'very hard' detours, not part of closing the Council.

Sources: RPGGamers — Kriegspire · RPGGamers — Eel Infested Waters

Meet the Oracle - the endgame quest opens

With the Council finally yours, enter the Oracle's chamber in the Free Haven Council building: touch the panel at the entrance, go down the hall and touch the middle panel to open the way, descend the stairs, and click the dark void to speak with the Oracle. It charges you with recovering four Memory Crystals (Alpha from the Supreme Temple of Baa, Beta from Castle Alamos, Delta from Castle Darkmoor, Epsilon from Castle Kriegspire) and then the Control Cube from the Tomb of VARN. That is your Stage 13 onward. The council questline is complete and the main quest is open all the way to the endgame.

Sources: GameFAQs — VI. WALKTHROUGH · GameFAQs — VIII. MAIN LINE QUESTS
⚙ GrayFace Patch — GrayFace: beacons and town portal behave

You will lean hard on Lloyd's Beacon and Town Portal this stage. With the GrayFace patch, Town Portal now pauses the game properly and Lloyd's Beacon no longer fires an unnecessary autosave right after you spend the spell points — so the constant Kriegspire/Free Haven/Ironfist/Eel hopping stays smooth.

⚙ Patch note: Town Portal now pauses the game and avoids unnecessary autosaves; Lloyd's Beacon no longer autosaves right after spending the spell points.

Sources: GameFAQs — VI. WALKTHROUGH
⚡ Power-Leveling — Time the Saintly window and the Kriegspire fountains

Two efficiency tricks while you are in Kriegspire: there is a town fountain that grants a temporary +30 levels — drink it right before a hard fight or a training run for a big short-term boost. More importantly, treat exposing Silvertongue as a one-shot Saintly window: do the Master Light training and any other Saintly-gated tasks immediately after the reputation flips, since later quests can drop it again. Watch the calendar — monthly/new-day effects and the boat schedules to the Eel Infested Waters are day-gated, so plan the trip around a sailing day.

Sources: RPGGamers — Kriegspire · GameFAQs — VI. WALKTHROUGH
⚔ Stage combat summary

✅ Clear

  • Devil of Baa (Demon Lair, ~540 HP) - REQUIRED boss; drops the Devil Plans quest item. Use Water/Cold, never Fire (devils are Fire-immune)
  • Lesser Devils (Spawn/Worker) in the Demon Lair - solid XP/gold with Water/Cold + melee once the boss is down
  • Priests/Clerics/Acolytes of Baa in the Superior Temple - low HP, fast XP, drop sellable Temple Gongs
  • The key-holding mages/priest in the Superior Temple - REQUIRED for the High Cleric's & High Sorcerer's Keys
🗺 Dungeons in this stage
  • Demon Lair — now
  • Superior Temple of Baa — now
  • Castle Alamos — later (Stage 13 - Beta Crystal)
  • Castle Kriegspire — later (Stage 13 - Epsilon Crystal)
Sources: GameFAQs — VI. WALKTHROUGH · GameFAQs — 5. The quests of the Six Lords · GameFAQs — VIII. MAIN LINE QUESTS · GameFAQs — Directions to Trainers · GameFAQs — XVIII. BOAT AND STAGECOACH SCHEDULE · RPGGamers — Kriegspire · RPGGamers — Free Haven · RPGGamers — Eel Infested Waters · RPGGamers — Castle Ironfist · RPGGamers — Subquests (not shown in your quest list) · Pottsland — Quests · Pottsland — Answer to Question · Pottsland — Questions