MAP12: The Temple of the Oracle (Strife)

MAP11: Borderlands is a level in Strife. It uses the music track "Mood".

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 in the "crimson and obsidian" tower 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. Whichever 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 of the Oracle's Spectre, check this page.

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.

Walkthrough
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 and 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 room with Acolytes and Stalkers attacking. Kill them and keep going until you get to a spacious waterfall area. There are Stalkers all around the ceiling, so be careful. If you want the route without enemies, jump down to the eastern side of the bridge. Once you are down there, you cannot return up. In case you want the route with enemies, go through the door across the bridge and to the west.

The path with enemies
Open the door to encounter a Templar. When he is dead, proceed until you come to a hub room with doors. To the southwest and southeast are Acolytes behind bars. To the northeast, there is a sneaky one sniping from a window although he might wander elsewhere in his spacious room. Finish the Acolytes off and enter the southern door. To get behind the bars where the Acolytes were, simply turn left or right.

When you proceed on either side, a Templar will be revealed in front of you, at first appearing to be peaceful. Kill him. Flip the switch nearby to open an adjacent door to get behind the bars. Get the medical supplies and ammunition. Flipping the switch also reveals one or two Sentinels. Do the same for the other end; kill the Templar, flip the switch, destroy the Sentinel(s) and get the goodies. Once you are done, take one of the two lifts.

Up there, you will find another stationary Templar on Training and Rookie (1, 2) or two ambushing Sentinels on Veteran, Elite and Bloodbath (3 - 5). In addition, there is a Crusader on Elite and Bloodbath. Whatever you find, kill it. As you approach either of the southern doors, more Sentinels will appear around the room. When they are finished, go through a door and flip the switch beyond.

Once you get back to the room where you came via a lift, you will notice that doors have opened. Go through the newly accessed door to the west. Kill the Acolyte and take the lift up. Flip the switch upstairs. Quickly turn around and kill the ambushing Stalkers before they get you. Jump down the balcony, kill any Templars on the lower level and flip the switch there.

Now, take the door at the end of the northern staircase and you will find another Crusader on higher skill levels (3 - 5). Be careful of the enemies on the edges that will either be Reavers or Templars. Kill the Sentinels in the small room with a switch and flip it. Take the stairs left or right and you should 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 there 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. They vanish if they receive enough damage. Walk past the stationary Templars and open the northern door to find the Oracle.

The 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 you jumped down from the bridge as mentioned earlier, you will find yourself in a cave. Find and flip the switch that opens an area.

Jump on the greenish pillar and choose to either jump your way left or right. In case you fall, you will have to find the way to the 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 you have to jump from to get on the other side.

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

The Oracle's room
As you approach the Oracle, some Acolytes will raise 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.

Secrets
The following secret does not have sector type 9 and is thus non-official.

When you are in the enemy-free area with the greenish pillars and walkways and have pressed the switch to raise a bridge, walk carefully on the other side of the switch bar. There is another switch there that opens the small door to the east. The room holds a box of ammo, phosphorous grenades and a surgery kit.