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Barkhang Monastery |
Items: 44 |
Kills: 52 |
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| No visit to Tibet is complete without a visit to a Tibetan Monastery, and what better monastery to visit than the Barkhang Monastery1. | |||
Sights to See |
This huge monastery was built nearly half a millenia ago, and was once
probably inhabited by over four thousand monks. Now, there are only a
couple hundred monks remain in this vast building. The building is typical architecture and style of Tibetan monasteries, with large courtyards, stone gardens, and gateways. The Barkhang monastery is nestled in the remote safety of a high mountain range. Though, in general, this sect of Tibetan Buddhist monks have sworn off material wealth, still their halls are ornately decorated with traditional tapestries and lanterns. The grand hall contains a 27m high statue of the Maitreya Buddha which is forged from over 85 kg of gold. Foreign visitors are accepted in the monastery, though not actively welcomed. Do not be surprised if the monks cast a wary eye on you. If you prove yourself to be a threat, the monks will react in like posture. Be careful in your tour of the building. This building was not meant for tourism, and areas in which visitors are discouraged to visit are clearly staked out with deadly traps. |
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Local Fauna |
Very few creatures can manage to exist in the rugged heights of Tibet. Indigenous to this region, however, are ravens. Being that food is probably very scarce up here, they probably won't wait around to scavenge, but will actively attack anything that might be a worthy meal. | ||
Residents |
This monastery is neither abandoned nor ruined. It is still the home of lots of monks. They are suspicious of foreigners, but are harmless if you don't provoke them. If you do provoke them, then all monks within earshot will respond in kind. | ||
Tourists and Thieves |
The monastery gets lots of tourists, so you won't be the only foreigner touring the building. With the artifacts that are strewn around the monastery, temptation to nab yourself a free souvenir is great. Thieving is a common threat to the monks. They do not tolerate any such behavior and will quickly deal with any violators. Feel free to pick up objects to examine, but be sure to leave them behind in their proper place before you leave. | ||
Souvenirs
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Your mission will be to locate five prayer wheels which are scattered all over the monastery and the surrounding grounds. Along the way, a few of them will be tucked away behind lock and key, so you will need to retrieve a few keys as well. Among the valuables in the monastery are two beautiful gemstones, which you will need to pick up as well. | ||
Hidden Treasures |
The dragon statuettes in the monastery are all well hidden, but the first two can easily be found with a little exploration. The last of them has been hidden in a place that people will be very unlikely to want to visit. Getting will require you to be very nimble. | ||
Hazards |
The greatest hazard is probably the new enemy that can be found on this level. We call them commandos. There are plenty of them, they are well armed, and they are persistent. The sum of which makes them very dangerous adversaries. Aside from them, the next most troublesome thing about the monastery is the number of traps. Some are obvious, while others are more subtle. Keep an alert eye and ear out for them. | ||
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Footnotes:
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