The drowned hall · Velstraven · Morass Games Wiki

A major room of chapter 4. When you walk in, the room card reads: A fallen framework blocks the drowned hall's only service passage.

Narrated walkthrough

The drowned hall from its entrance — The drowned hall: how to solve it

Getting there

Chapter 4, lower level. Take the stair tower south of the Service galleries and reservoir hub all the way down. The cleared passage leads to the stair down to chapter 5 and to the optional broken balcony.

What is wrong

"A fallen framework blocks the drowned hall's only service passage." The frame lies across the passage in a shallow basin of water (14,000 L). It is far too heavy to lift. Its lifting eyes line up with marks above a dry side cradle, and thin brass straps join its three grille panels.

What you can work

Mounts: Mounts under the frame, reachable while the basin is shallow.
Basin: The basin water, shallow around the frame; it overflows at 35,000 L.
Frame: The fallen teaching frame across the passage.
Drain: The basin drain, shut. It empties to a lower receiver.
Blocks: Service blocks sized to sit under the frame's three panels.
Links: The thin brass straps joining the panels.
Panels: The panel row on side runners, far too heavy to slide by hand.
Grille panel: Each of the three panels; slides along its runner once freed and lightened.
Reading lamp: Optional light to read the room by: Handle toggles it, Heat lights it, Supply liquid douses it, Place light roots a lasting flame blossom in its cup. It works none of the room's fittings.
Reading shutter: Optional: Handle or Orient opens a high window for daylight from a second angle. It works none of the room's fittings.

Solution

A nudge

Bladders fastened under the frame add enough volume to float 900 kg of metal once there is water to push on.

The full solution

Aim at the Mounts under the frame and cast Buoyant support (Wind, Wind, Growth) while the water is still shallow.
Bladders fastened under the frame add enough volume to float 900 kg of metal once there is water to push on.
What you see: "The underside mounts carry inflated plant bladders."
Walk to the basin rim, aim at the water and cast Supply liquid (Water, Water, Water) four times.
Each cast adds 5000 L. The deeper water lifts the bladders, and the frame floats clear of the floor.
What you see: "The stream pours into the vessel; its level rises." The frame reads "It floats clear of the floor, still across the passage…"
Aim at the Frame and cast Draw (Wind, Water, Will). Wait about ten seconds.
A floating frame can be pulled sideways. Over the dry cradle it loses the water under it and settles there.
What you see: "The wettable frame is drawn laterally toward the side cradle." The frame reads "The frame rests in the side cradle, clear of the passage."
(Optional) Handle the Drain.
Lets the flood water out to the lower receiver. The room does not need it.
What you see: "The basin drain changes flow to its lower receiver."
Walk through the passage to the far side.
The room is settled when you actually cross the cleared passage.
What you see: "The drowned hall settled."

Other ways that work

Suspend (Will, Will, Will) on the Frame, then Draw on it: "The frame's weight is held; it hangs free of what it rested on." The held frame is pulled to the cradle without any water.
Take it apart: Handle the Blocks to seat them under the panels. Cast Sever (Fire, Fire, Fire) on the Links three times, one strap each. Cast Lighten (Wind, Wind, Will) on the Panels. Then Handle each Grille panel four times to slide it into its storage bay. Suspend on the frame also counts as support for the cuts.

Watch for

Cutting a strap with nothing under the panels is refused: "The loaded joint shifts: its panels have no independent support."
Panels refuse until all straps are cut and the row is lightened: "The connected load exceeds the handling grips' supported capacity."
From the entrance the basin wall blocks a cast at the water. Supply liquid must be aimed from the rim.
Lighten on the frame and Buoyant support on its top rails do nothing; the mounts are underneath.
Draw before the frame floats does not move it yet. It starts travelling as soon as the bladders lift it.

If it goes wrong

There is no failed state.
Hold R for one second ("Keep holding to restart from the room's autosave"), or use the pause door "Restart from autosave", to put the room back as it was when you walked in: "Automatic room-entry save restored." Rooms you settled earlier stay settled.

Achievements here

Across the Drowned Hall: Solve the drowned hall.
Float and Fetch: Float and Fetch: Suspend the Frame, then Draw it within 20 seconds.

Spells used

Buoyant support, Supply liquid, Draw, Suspend, Sever, Lighten.