Machine of Lum the Mad, is the name given to this device/creature as experienced during dialogue interaction in the game. This is a disembodied non-player character found within the Watcher's Keep Machine of Lum the Mad dungeon level.
| “ | The Machine of Lum the Mad appears securely fastened to the floor. The bizarre contraption has a number of levers, dials, switches, and buttons protruding from all sides. | ” |
About the Machine of Lum[]
First contact with this "creature" is represented via clicking on the device in order to free Carston from his glass enclosure.
When the party is ready to free Carson, clicking on his enclosure will bring up a dialogue box from a creature labelled as "Bell Jar" - this only occurs if the party is in possession of the Crystal Mallet.
After Carston is freed/removed from the bell jar, the party can interact with the machine by clicking on it, and a dialogue box will appear and identify as "Machine of Lum the Mad".
The use of a "creature" placed on an area map to deliver dialogue and dialogue selections is an Infinity Engine mechanic used throughout the Baldur's Gate series.
The actual creature is designed to be not targetable and unseen/invisible. It is immune to many AoE status effects. This creature is just a game engine device to further the plot and deliver dialogue and scripted code execution. It isn't meant to be harmed or destroyed in some manner, which might be possible with enough player experimentation and attempts but would result in the game unable to proceed properly.
Background[]
Carston, a mage who explored the place with his apprentices about ten years ago, is imprisoned in the machine, within a glass bell jar, which grants him eternal life, but he can't get out of it and the machine is immobile.
The machine's controls cannot be used until Carston has been freed from the machine, which requires the Crystal Mallet.
After the mage has been released, and either let free or slain by the party, then the device can be examined and used.
Gameplay[]
The machine has nine different levers, dials and buttons, which means there are 729 different combinations in total.
A party member can be selected to operate these controls, and it can be activated as many times as desired. However, trying to get the same result twice will result in a negative effect.
By the time the party is able to use the machine, they should have found and retained all eight of the Handwritten Note parchments, ostensibly written by Lum the Mad.
These notes will provide the player with the foreknowledge to successfully manipulate the machine's control combinations in order to gain a benefit.
Carston's Journal provides the sequence needed to open the portal gate to the lower reaches.
The handwritten notes are linked below:
- Handwritten Note (LUM1)
- Handwritten Note (LUM2)
- Handwritten Note (LUM3)
- Handwritten Note (LUM4)
- Handwritten Note (LUM5)
- Handwritten Note (LUM6)
- Handwritten Note (LUM7)
- Handwritten Note (LUM8)
To use the machine, select a party member who will be the one that is affected by the machine's power. Use the cursor to select the machine, which will bring up a dialogue box and allow selections to be made. A series of dialogue boxes are needed to make the required button, dial and lever control selections in order to discover what the result is.
This series of events is required every time the machine is used. See some of the screenshots in the gallery for examples.
Solution (spoiler)[]
Attention: Reading the solution is a "spoiler", don't expand the text if you want to try manipulating the controls based on what the game provided as clues. Reading the solution below gives all the solutions to the machine in a manner that wouldn't be available by just playing the game as presented.
Clicking on "Solve" provides a summary of all beneficial control manipulations for the machine, plus some random effects that can occur:
| First action | Second action | Third action | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Lever | Blue Dial | Green Dial | Permanent +5% magical resistance |
| Medium Lever | Green Dial | Triangular Button | Character receives the weapon Storm Star |
| Triangular Button | Red Dial | Medium Lever | Teleporter to fifth floor is activated |
| Short Lever | Medium Lever | Square Button | +1 permanent Strength |
| Long Lever | Red Dial | Circular Button | +1 permanent Constitution |
| Blue Dial | Square Button | Short Lever | +1 permanent Dexterity |
| Circular Button | Square Button | Triangular Button | +1 permanent Wisdom |
| Long Lever | Circular Button | Blue Dial | +1 permanent Intelligence |
| Short Lever | Red Dial | Green Dial | +1 permanent Charisma |
All other combinations, or reusing successful combinations, will randomly result in one of ten effects, most of which affect only the character interacting with the machine. These effects are:
| Effect | Description |
|---|---|
| Imprisonment | Unlike the Imprisonment wizard spell, this effect has a power level of 1, so it can be blocked by spells such as (Minor) Globe of Invulnerability, Spell Deflection, or Spell Turning |
| Petrification | Much like the wizard spell Flesh to Stone, it ignores magic resistance and does not allow a saving throw |
| Fire damage | 50 pts, can only be mitigated by fire resistance |
| Electricity damage | 75 pts, can only be mitigated by electricity resistance |
| Intelligence Drain | The character loses one point of Intelligence permanently |
| Dexterity Drain | The character loses one point of Dexterity permanently |
| Poison | 1 point of damage per second for 60 seconds, can only be negated by immunity to poison |
| Level drain | The character loses 15 levels, can be negated by immunity to Level drain |
| Experience Gain | The character gains 100,000 experience points |
| Gain Potion | Main character receives one Potion of Superior Healing |
Gallery[]
Mod gallery[]
External links[]
- Machine of Lum the Mad on the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting Forgotten Realms.