From my Vampire Coast army to my legion of Tomb Kings, nothing on Total War: Warhammer 2 could stop my fierce onslaught. I would smash my way across plains and tundra, with no adversary able to stop me. That was until I met one tricky puzzle that took more than a strong sword to conquer.
That puzzle was the Dial of the Old Ones, a tricky little cryptograph found in the southeast of Hysh. If you want to know its ancient secrets, read on as we give three ways to solve the Dial of the Old Ones.
Purpose of the Dial
The Dial of the Old Ones opens the crypts in the Hysh area. Large, broken menhirs will surround the tombs, so it is easy to locate. There are two different solutions, of which the first is my personal favorite.
The puzzle contains three concentric circles. The outer circle contains several hieroglyphs. Combinations of glyphs are at the bottom of the screen for you to choose from, once you have solved the puzzle, and will open the door.
The middle circle is the least populated of the three circles, with blue, yellow, and red line zig-zagged lines. Finally, the inner circle contains both colored lines and an image that resembles the mask of a Mexican luchador. To open the crypt, the alignment of these parts will point out three glyphs, which you can use as the key.
We have selected three methods you can use to solve the puzzle. On each one, the key is to align the head of the demon, so it is upright as if it was facing you. From here, the other sections should fall into place.
Pen and Paper Solution
This is my preferred method. It is the quickest, with little fuss. However, it does still take a little bit of brain wrangling to solve.
You will need a thin piece of paper and three colored pens or pencils. Each of them should match the colors of the lines (red, blue, yellow). You will also need a plain pen or pencil.
- Hold your paper against the screen. You should be able to see the image through if the paper is thin enough. If not, you will have to move the paper back and forth to trace it.
Trace the outline of the inner circle. Make sure you draw around its eyes and mouth. Then use your colored pens to notch the outer rims of the lines. - Now rotate your paper. Keep it going until the face is in a standard upright position. Its eyes should be at the top, and its mouth at the bottom.
- Check the colored notches around the inner circle. Visualize moving the middle circle until three lines of the same color match with the ones on your paper’s upright face. Visualize following the lines you need to point out the correct runes.
Photo Editor Solution
If that was still confusing, don’t worry. There are many people online who find it easier to use a photo editor for this task. If you don’t have an editor, then get a fresh sheet of paper and go to step seven.
- Take a screenshot of the puzzle using your PC. You then need to load it into your image editing software.
- On your editor, crop the innermost circle. You then need to rotate this, so the face is in a standing position with the eyes at the top and mouth at the bottom.
- Once you have lined this up, you can either use your editor to rotate the next circle (colored lines only circle) so it aligns with the ones in the inner circle. Keep the outer circle static, and the realignment should let you follow three lines to point out three glyphs.
This is the code you need to open the crypt. While your face and the lines may change position or design in the game, the concept remains the same.
Cutting Out Solution
If you are still struggling or don’t have editing software, then it is time to get old school, like the ancient would have done. For this, you need everything from solution one plus a pair of scissors.
- Trace the whole puzzle, starting by drawing the concentric circles. Make sure you have the face drawn in, with all eyes and the mouth aligned, along with all the glyphs and colored lines. Try to be as accurate as possible.
- Fold your paper in half, making it easier to cut. Cut out the inner and middle circle, so that you have a hole surrounded by the circle of glyphs. Place your paper flat on a table or surface.
- Place the inner circle back, so that it is aligned facing you. Once again, eyes should be at the top and mouth at the bottom. You should have a gap between this and the paper, where the middle circle will sit.
Place the middle circle into the gap and rotate it. At one point, three colored lines will align with three in the inner circle. Follow them to reveal the glyphs that will open the crypt door.
Ruling Out Glyphs
If you are still struggling to see what the answer is, then Reddit user Star Commandante had one handy hint to share. By checking the outer circle glyphs against the ones in the key at the bottom, you can eliminate many that are not in use.
Cracking the Code
Warhammer: Dial of the Old Ones is not the most complex puzzle in the game to complete, but it is visually confusing. We prefer solution one, though it requires some thought. Use solution two or three depending on your preference.
Have you found yourself stuck on one of these taxing in-game puzzles once again? Then have no fear! Click here to see all our hints, cheats, and hacks from the world of gaming.
