Your prize for this amazing feat of fleet-footedness is an audience with the Warden himself. Unfortunately, he’s keen to recite some of his poetry, which, on this evidence, is perhaps the fourth-worst poetry in the universe. On the plus side, he’s distracted enough to give you time to poke around your new surroundings. There are three diaries, sealed with combination locks, on the desk nearby, plus a Somrune Tattoo in the bookcase to the left.
The combination number you require is pinned to the noticeboard a little way beyond the Warden—but you need to sneak past unnoticed, to reach it. Heroes with a high Guile Ranking should have no trouble here but everyone else should tread as carefully as possible. With the combination in your possession, sneak back to the locked diaries and try to open one.
Sadly, it seems that—no matter which diary you choose—your first attempt at escape is doomed. That means a year of torture and solitude for you—just as it will if you fail again. Luckily, though, time flies and, soon, it’s the Warden’s birthday once more—so complete the race just as you did previously. If you manage to score the combination and open the diary, the Prison Cell Key is yours—though victory still culminates in a trip back to your cell.
The Warden’s Key
With the key in your possession, you can now open any door in Bargate Prison. Try it on your own cell door first. Once it’s open, you can find a Stick in the barrels directly opposite—but you’re better off evading Guard opponents than attempting to take them on with a branch. Your next job should be to run along the cell block and free every single prisoner in the room—they provide a handy distraction once your escape is under way. Admittedly, you’re leading each and every one of them to their death, but, as the saying goes, you can’t make an omelette without getting some prisoners stabbed in the head.
Once you enter the Prison Courtyard to the north, your mother’s whereabouts is displayed on your mini-map. Before you break her free, though, you’re going to need to retrieve your gear. With that in mind, head up the steps into the courtyard proper then take a left and nip through the first doorway on your left again.