MAP12: The Temple of the Oracle (Strife)

MAP12: The Temple of the Oracle is a level in Strife. It uses the music track "Mood".

Overview
After the Programmer is destroyed, the player gets the first Sigil piece. Macil wants the player to find the Oracle and ask it about the other four pieces. The Oracle resides in its own temple that is found in the borderlands. At first, the Oracle sends the player to destroy the Bishop as he possesses the second Sigil piece.

When the piece has been obtained, the Oracle reveals that Macil holds the third one. At the point, the player must decide if he still trusts Macil and thinks that the Oracle needs to be destroyed, or believe its words and kill Macil. The decision is crucial for the outcome of the game. Whatever choice the player makes, the Oracle needs to be fought eventually to get one of the Sigil pieces. If the player kills the Oracle before Macil, the temple can be left for good. For tactical information on the Oracle's spectre, check this section.

In the Oracle's room, there is a door to the west that only opens when the player trusts the Oracle. The door has a teleporter that leads straight to the proving grounds. Thus, the commons and the acolyte factory are skipped entirely in the chosen branch.

Essentials
There are two entrances to the level. One of them is hidden in the borderlands and does not need the oracle key.

To find the Oracle, you can take one of two separate paths. One of them has enemies, while the other does not. The hidden entrance leads to the latter path. If you take the primary entrance, you will find yourself walking in a large room. Keep going until you get to a spacious waterfall area. If you like to take the route without enemies, drop to the eastern side of the moat. Once you go there, you cannot return up soon. If you prefer the route with enemies, go through the door across the bridge and to the west.

Path with enemies
Proceed until you come to a hub. Enter the southern door and take one of the two lifts. Upstairs, go through one of the doors in the south and flip the switch beyond. Get back to the room where you took a lift up and you will notice that doors have opened. Go through the door in the west and take another lift up. Flip the switch in the new area. Drop through a window and flip another switch.

Now, enter the door at the end of the stairs in the north and continue to the hall beyond. There are three staircases. When you take the middle one, you will find a room with yet another switch. Press it. Take the stairs to the left or right and you should eventually hear a chanting sound. Kill any remaining enemies before opening the big silver-white door.

The green room is the Oracle's inner sanctum. You can take a break as the enemies here will not attack if you let them be. The chanting sound is produced by the kneeling characters. They can be ignored, as they are just holograms. Walk past the stationary templars and open the northern door to find the Oracle.

Path without enemies
The alternative way is a bit shorter and easier since there are no enemies on the way. If you took the hidden entrance in the borderlands or continued to the east from the waterfall area, you will find yourself in a cave. Find and flip a switch that opens a new area.

Jump on the greenish pillar and continue to the left or right. If you fall, you will have to find a switch that lowers a lift to take you back up. You should notice a door to the east. When you get to a switch that faces a dark opening, flip it. It will raise a small pillar that helps you to proceed.

Go through the dark cave hallway, and you will find a rising switch. Pull it to lower a lift. Go aboard and activate another switch on the top to access the green room. It is noticeable that the two templars that stand there become crushed by ceiling pillars when you enter the lift. In the green room, take the northern door to find the Oracle.

Oracle's room
As you approach the Oracle, some acolytes will rise from the ground to your left and right. Do not worry about them as they will not attack you. If you look up, you will see the Oracle's spectre in the ceiling hole. Talk to the Oracle and ask your question. Once done, a teleporter will appear nearby that leads back to the borderlands.

Other points of interest
In the Veteran Edition, an alcove is added in the room before the Oracle's chamber, containing the blue talisman sealed behind bars. These bars are raised when you approach the Oracle - after speaking to it, go back through the silver door to collect the talisman.

Official
There are no official secrets on this map.

Non-official

 * 1) When you are in the unoccupied area with the greenish pillars and walkways and have pressed the switch to raise a bridge, step carefully to the other side of the switch bar. There is another switch that opens the small door to the east. The room beyond holds a box of bullets, phosphorous grenades and a surgery kit.

Player spawns
This level contains twenty spawn points:
 * 1) facing north-east. (thing 129)
 * 2) facing west. (thing 130)
 * 3) facing south. (thing 131)
 * 4) facing north. (thing 132)
 * 5) facing south-west. (thing 133)
 * 6) facing east. (thing 134)
 * 7) facing south-west. (thing 135)
 * 8) facing north. (thing 136)
 * 9) facing south-east. (thing 137)
 * 10) facing south. (thing 138)
 * 11) facing west. (thing 139)
 * 12) facing north. (thing 140)
 * 13) facing south. (thing 294)
 * 14) facing north. (thing 377)
 * 15) facing south. (thing 378)
 * 16) facing east. (thing 379)
 * 17) facing east. (thing 445)
 * 18) facing south. (thing 479)
 * 19) facing south. (thing 480)
 * 20) facing south. (thing 483)

Things
This level contains the following numbers of things per skill level:

* The item is only present in the Veteran Edition of this map.

Technical information
The sector around the teleporter in the Oracle's chamber and the south door of the previous room both use tag 222 - sectors with this tag are coded to open like normal doors when the Oracle's spectre is killed (they automatically shut when deciding whether or not to kill the Oracle). A switch is also revealed in the Oracle's chamber that performs the same function when pressed.

Trivia
The kneeling holograms in the inner sanctum are harmless. If the player attacks them anyway, each will vanish upon taking 51 points of damage, leaving a projector behind.