Hub 2: Caves of Circe

Caves of Circe is a map in the second hub of Hexen, Shadow Wood. The player must collect the Cave key from this map, and find two puzzle switches that require keys from other maps.

''Countless travelers have lost their way in the caverns, never to be heard from again. To find the key, the caves must be explored and the dangers faced.''

Cave key
At the start, slay the Brown Chaos Serpents, and then fall down the hole into the first cave. In this cave you are presented with three passages - follow the one to the left. Shortly down this corridor there is a room to the right with four Crystal Vials (or two if you are the Cleric) on a ledge. To the left of the ledge there is a small hole which you need to fall down. Once you have exited the room at the end of the hole, the doors to the centre cave will open, which is accessible from most of the other caves in the level. This is where the Cave key is located.

First puzzle switch
This puzzle switch requires the Horn key, which can be found on the Wastelands. From the first cave, head south through the cave with the skylight and towards the large cave with the pool of water. Before you reach this cave, turn off to the left and follow the corridor to the Horn Key door. Beyond this door there is a portal leading to the Wastelands, and the first puzzle switch.

Second puzzle switch
This puzzle switch requires the Swamp key, which can be found on the Darkmere. From the centre cave (where the Cave Key was - directions in the first section above), take the staircase leading up to the north-west. There is another cave here, with a large pool of water to the left. The Swamp Key door faces onto this water. Open the door and take the first turning on the left, which leads down to a small cave that contains the second puzzle switch. The portal beyond leads to Darkmere.

Secrets

 * Once you have fallen to the caverns, head to the corridor on your right. The middle stair there is longer than the others. Stop at the stair, turn left and press the wall to make it spin around its centre point. Be careful with this, however, as the wall moves quickly and is capable of crushing you between itself and the corridor wall. During the spinning, go past the wall to find a secret cave with six Crystal Vials (or four when playing on the Cleric) and a Brown Chaos Serpent.
 * When you continue the previous corridor forward, you will find a narrow staircase in an outside area with deep drops either side. Near the beginning of this staircase, there is a Porkalator on a lower ledge to the left of the steps. These stairs lead to a teleporter to take you back to Shadow Wood.
 * From the north entrance to the cave with the huge deathdrop, you can jump to reach a ledge with six Fléchettes (or four if you are the Mage).