This guide will explain the puzzle found in Portals to the Unknown at the end of the trash mob stages in Endless Archive.
Not only will you get some tips and tricks for defeating them, but we’ll highlight the archive upgrades you can earn by completing their achievements! Whether you’re looking for extra clues or are confused about what to do in Filer’s Wing, you’ll find it all here!
What/Where Are Portals To The Unknown?
After completing the trash mob stages in Endless Archive, smaller Portals to the Unknown will sometimes open next to the main portal you used to enter the next round. This additional portal will open up some kind of mini-game, where you usually have to complete tasks while avoiding danger.
You only have one chance to win, but completing them will give you an extra reward chest and a second Verse buff for the next stage.
Currently, you can encounter 5 different puzzles, each with 5 different variations. Each time you beat the previous version, the difficulty gradually increases.
What Do You Get For Winning?
When you complete all 5 variations of puzzles, you will unlock an achievement and permanent upgrade. You can also buy it from Filer Tezurs for ESO Gold. So what do you need to do to advance them?
Treacherous Crossing
The first game is Treacherous Crossing. In this game, you need to press switches to clear the corridors of those pesky ink puddles, then run across the room to press the last switch. It’s important to note that stepping into a puddle won’t kill you, but it will send you back to the beginning of the room.
This puzzle will be easier for 2 people. Because one person can move across the room and another person can hit the switch, but you have less time to move across the room than a single player. You can figure out the correct sequence of switches to make traversing easier.
As a solo player, I found that I also had enough time to hit all the switches as quickly as possible and move through the room at an efficient pace. Completing this puzzle’s achievement unlocks a permanent movement speed upgrade.
Haefal’s Butchery
To complete the next challenge, you need to collect 3 Sweetrolls around the map while Butcher will chase you and try to kill you.
If you are in a duo, there will be 2 butchers, but this does not apply to companions. Each Sweetroll increases your ultimate skill. Once charged, you can use it to defeat them instantly.
The first three difficulties of this game are the same, but in the fourth and fifth stages, it reduced your maximum stamina by 100 each time.
While doing this, don’t forget to use the environment to keep your distance from Butcher. You can do this by jumping off ledges or taking long routes. Completing this puzzle will unlock the ability to choose from 3 Verses permanently.
Filer’s Wing
Next up is Filer’s Wing. After entering this game, Filer Kor will turn you into a Watchling. You will need to navigate a maze filled with Booknado and Abyssal Tendril to find and kill Tomeshell.
Once you transform, your skill bar will change. You can use your second skill to see Tomeshell through walls. When you find one, press your first skill to attack it.
You have limited health and cannot heal if you take damage. Initially, you only need 1 Tomeshell, but this increases to 4 in the final stages, so take advantage of these skills!
Not only do you have to avoid traps, but there will also be enemies running around in later turns that will kill you quickly. If you lose all your health points, the challenge fails. There is no time limit, so don’t rush!
If you are playing this game with a friend, you need to travel around the room together. You can resurrect each other through synergy. So solo players are at a disadvantage in this game, but duos need to get double the number of Tomeshells to win. Completing Filer’s Wing will give you a permanent 3rd Vision option.
Echoing Den
Now let’s look at Echoing Den. In this game, you need to bring all the glowing souls into the center of the room before the timer runs out. If you move too fast, they will stop following you, but if you move too slowly, you may run out of time.
In the first phase you only need to return 1 ghost light, but in later phases you need to return 6.
This seems less challenging on a controller. With the joystick, you can move slightly around the room to get all the ghost lights and move them to the middle. But on PC, it’s recommended that you walk backwards or block walk to keep your speed slow enough.
This is the only mini-game that is constant between solo and duo groups. Permanent upgrades to this challenge will increase the strength of your chosen Verses!
Theater Of War
Finally, Theater of War requires you to fight Arcanist.
In the early stages, combat is straightforward. But as you level up the fight, she adds more mechanics to the fight. It is very similar to Arcanist world boss in Necrom. Interrupt her when you need to, and avoid Tentacle and AOE that spawn at your feet.
In later stages, you’ll see a crystal or two in the room. When they glow, they will actively fire projectiles at you, dealing with increasing damage.
Watch for the small green light that shoots from her hands and awakens Crystal. When this happens, focus on destroying Crystal.
If there are 2 players, you will get double the amount of Tentacle spawns. This game can permanently increase your Vision strength.
What If You Lose?
If you fail any of these mini-games, you’ll be moved to the next stage, but you won’t lose a life for failing, so it’s worth a try!
What Puzzles Do You See In The Group?
When you complete the ultimate level of all puzzles, from that point on you will only encounter level 5 puzzles when playing solo. But when you’re in a team, the level of the puzzle is determined by the player with the lowest level of completion.
Archive Quests
In addition to 5 different puzzles, you can also randomly pick up 2 quests in the portal. Completing them will unlock permanent onetime upgrades that increase your thread count.
Destozuno’s Safety Net
Like the other upgrades, it can be found in Filer Tezurs and is called Destozuno’s Safety Net. It costs a lot, but is well worth the purchase as you get extra lives with each run.
A Bookbinder’s Bind
A Bookbinder’s Bind task is to collect 5 bundles of paper. Once you have collected all the pages and are responsible for returning to Destozuno, Portals to the Unknown will open at the end of the stage and take you back to meet her.
Restoring The Resurrected
After you help her find the pages of the book, she will need further help to find and open 7 lockboxes in the quest of Restoring the Resurrected.
Like the first mission, these lockboxes are randomly generated in trash mob stages, and RNG affects how quickly you find them. When you grab the last one, Portals to the Unknown will open and you can talk to Destozuno to unlock Word Waltzer Achievement. Once completed, you are free to purchase Safety Net!
Restorer Of Theories Daily
Destozuno’s Library also has a daily quest called Restorer of Theories. Completing it for the first time each day will give you 500 Archival Fortunes, but only 100 for any additional characters.
I hope this guide helps you collect all the puzzle achievements and archive upgrades. Good luck!
