Tartarus/Hades II

HadesHades II

Tartarus is an indoor region just outside of the House of Hades. It is a maze of dungeons and corridors which holds the souls of those who committed crimes and sins in their lives. The Sands of Chrysos flow through and around Tartarus, emptying into a pool inside the House of Hades itself. Tartarus is the final region that Melinoë must fight through to reach Chronos.

The following sub-area is the House of Hades.

Book of Shadows entry

'The ever-shifting depths of the Underworld are not as once they were. Chronos now resides there, with his retinue of Satyr worshipers. How exactly the Titan escaped an inescapable prison, he alone can say. But the groaning wheels and machinery throughout the place have grown more prevalent since his return, suggesting long-dormant plans that came finally to fruition.'

Description, Society and Culture

• Tartarus is the final region of the Underworld in Hades II, a labyrinthine prison filled with clockwork machinery and golden sands. It is Chronos' domain, where he has reshaped the terrain to reflect his long-dormant plans. The area is divided into six main chambers, each marked with Roman numerals, leading to the House of Hades, where Melinoë must confront Chronos.
• Tartarus was once a prison for the damned, but under Chronos' rule, it has become a fortress of time. The Satyr worshipers of Chronos now reside here, reinforcing his control over the Underworld. The Sands of Chrysos, which flow through Tartarus, symbolize the passage of time, emptying into a pool inside the House of Hades.
• Despite its oppressive nature, Tartarus still holds allies. Hades himself is imprisoned here, offering boons to Melinoë when she finds him. Cerberus, now restored, also resides in Tartarus, though he refuses to let Melinoë pet him. The Book of Shadows describes Tartarus as a place where the groaning wheels and machinery have grown more prevalent, reflecting Chronos' influence.
• The culture of Tartarus is one of punishment and control, where time itself is weaponized. The terrain features hourglass pillars, which create golden bubbles that freeze everything, and brimstone pillars, which fire rotating beams. The Satyr Hoplites, Goldwraiths, and Crawlers serve as Chronos' enforcers, making Tartarus a relentless battlefield.

Friendly Encounters

Name	Offers	Challenge	Notes
Bouldy	None	None
Cerberus	None	None
Charon	Charon's Shop	None
Eris	"Blessing" Of Strife	None
Hades	Boons of Hades	None
Persephone	None	None	Will only appear after achieving the True Ending

Layout

Tartarus is divided by six main chambers each bearing a golden Roman numeral (V-IIII-III-II-I) with the final chamber having an hourglass symbol. Unlike other regions, these chambers offer no rewards and only serve as progression to reach Chronos. Occasionally, side chambers containing rewards can spawn from time to time but it should be noted that clearing these will offer no progression.

The final chamber contains Charon's shop who offers high tier items and the entrance into the House of Hades.

Traps

• Hourglass Pillar: If destroyed it will create a very large golden bubble that freezes everything caught.
• Brimstone Pillar: Fires a rotating pink beam. Can be destroyed.
• Spiked Pit: If an enemy or Melinoë walks on them, after a very short delay, spikes will protrude from the plate, dealing low damage to Melinoë and high damage to enemies.

Unique Chambers

Tartarus features a unique chamber with Hades, Bouldy and the restored Cerberus. Hades was imprisoned in Sisyphus's old chamber following his father's takeover of the Underworld. When encountered, Hades will offer Melinoë a brief conversation, and then grant his boons. Cerberus can be interacted with but will not allow Melinoë to pet him. Also, so long as Cerberus is in the chamber, Bouldy cannot be interacted with.

After the True Ending, Persephone now appears in the chamber. Additionally, Cerberus will now let Melinoë pet him.

Enemy Encounters

These are all the enemies that can be encountered in any other Tartarus chamber. These enemies can also appear as Elites, giving them armor and upgraded attacks.

Regular

Name	Attacks & Abilities	Elite
Crawler	Attacks by performing a lunge attack.	?
Goldwraith	Fires a single beam that crosses the entire length of the chamber. This beam will then rotate towards Melinoë, and deal small but rapid amounts of damage if she gets caught in its path.	Beam lightly traces your position.
Sandskull	Attacks by performing a lunge attack.
Satyr Hoplite	Attacks by throwing its spear or by thrusting its spear. Can block damage with its shield. Can sidestep to dodge.	Throws three spears
Satyr Vierophant	Attacks by firing a fireball. Swings tail in a full circle, causing knockback. Can summon three Crawlers.	?
Tempus	Attacks by launching an orb that rotates counter-clockwise. When it dies it drop a golden ring that will form into a bubble. If Melinoë is caught within the bubble she will be frozen for a few seconds.	Launches three orbs.
Wretched Thug	Attacks by charging its axe and swinging it in a frontal arc.	?

Warden(s)

Name	Attacks & Abilities
The Verminancer	Attacks by charging its tail and spinning in its current position. The spinning area of effect increases in size after it finishes the spin. Fires three fireballs. Summons a pack of Elite Crawlers.
Goldwrath	Fires a single beam that crosses the entire length of the chamber. This beam will then rotate towards Melinoë, and deal small but rapid amounts of damage if she gets caught in its path. If in melee range, it will start to spew Gold Coins around itself. Touching these coins will damage Melinoë.

Trivia

• The Sands of Chrysos are named after Chrysos, a minor god and personification of Gold in Greek Mythology.