Machine of Lum the Mad

Machine of Lum the Mad, is the name given to this device/creature as experienced during dialogue interaction in the game. This is a disembodied non-player character found within the Watcher's Keep Machine of Lum the Mad dungeon level.
==About the Machine of Lum==
First contact with this "creature" is represented via clicking on the device in order to free Carston from his glass enclosure.
When the party is ready to free Carson, clicking on his enclosure will bring up a dialogue box from a creature labelled as "Bell Jar" - this only occurs if the party is in possession of the Crystal Mallet.
After Carston is freed/removed from the bell jar, the party can interact with the machine by clicking on it, and a dialogue box will appear and identify as "Machine of Lum the Mad".
The use of a "creature" placed on an area map to deliver dialogue and dialogue selections is an Infinity Engine mechanic used throughout the Baldur's Gate series.
The actual creature is designed to be not targetable and unseen/invisible. It is immune to many AoE status effects. This creature is just a game engine device to further the plot and deliver dialogue and scripted code execution. It isn't meant to be harmed or destroyed in some manner, which might be possible with enough player experimentation and attempts but would result in the game unable to proceed properly. 
==Background==
Carston, a mage who explored the place with his apprentices about ten years ago, is imprisoned in the machine, within a glass bell jar, which grants him eternal life, but he can't get out of it and the machine is immobile. 
The machine's controls cannot be used until Carston has been freed from the machine, which requires the Crystal Mallet.
After the mage has been released, and either let free or slain by the party, then the device can be examined and used.
==Gameplay==
The machine has nine different levers, dials and buttons, which means there are 729 different combinations in total.
A party member can be selected to operate these controls, and it can be activated as many times as desired. However, trying to get the same result twice will result in a negative effect.
By the time the party is able to use the machine, they should have found and retained all eight of the Handwritten Note parchments, ostensibly written by Lum the Mad.
These notes will provide the player with the foreknowledge to successfully manipulate the machine's control combinations in order to gain a benefit.
Carston's Journal provides the sequence needed to open the portal gate to the lower reaches.
The handwritten notes are linked below:
* Handwritten Note (LUM1)
* Handwritten Note (LUM2)
* Handwritten Note (LUM3)
* Handwritten Note (LUM4)
* Handwritten Note (LUM5)
* Handwritten Note (LUM6)
* Handwritten Note (LUM7)
* Handwritten Note (LUM8)
To use the machine, select a party member who will be the one that is affected by the machine's power. Use the cursor to select the machine, which will bring up a dialogue box and allow selections to be made. A series of dialogue boxes are needed to make the required button, dial and lever control selections in order to discover what the result is.
This series of events is required every time the machine is used. See some of the screenshots in the gallery for examples.
== Solution (spoiler) ==
Attention: Reading the solution is a "spoiler", don't expand the text if you want to try manipulating the controls based on what the game provided as clues. Reading the solution below gives all the solutions to the machine in a manner that wouldn't be available by just playing the game as presented.
Clicking on "Solve" provides a summary of all beneficial control manipulations for the machine, plus some random effects that can occur:
Successful combinations
First action 	Second action 	Third action 	Effect
Long Lever 	Blue Dial 	Green Dial 	Permanent +5% magical resistance
Medium Lever 	Green Dial 	Triangular Button	Character receives the weapon Storm Star
Triangular Button	Red Dial 	Medium Lever 	Teleporter to fifth floor is activated
Short Lever 	Medium Lever 	Square Button 	+1 permanent Strength
Long Lever 	Red Dial 	Circular Button 	+1 permanent Constitution
Short Lever 	Blue Dial 	Square Button 	+1 permanent Dexterity
Circular Button 	Square Button 	Triangular Button	+1 permanent Wisdom
Long Lever 	Circular Button	Blue Dial 	+1 permanent Intelligence
Short Lever 	Red Dial 	Green Dial 	+1 permanent Charisma
All other combinations, or reusing successful combinations, will randomly result in one of ten effects, most of which affect only the character interacting with the machine. These effects are:
Random combinations
Effect 	Description
Imprisonment 	Unlike the Imprisonment wizard spell, this effect has a power level of 1, so it can be blocked by spells such as (Minor) Globe of Invulnerability, Spell Deflection, or Spell Turning
Petrification 	Unlike the wizard spell Flesh to Stone, it ignores magic resistance and does not allow a saving throw
Fire damage 	50 pts, can only be mitigated by fire resistance
Electricity damage	75 pts, can only be mitigated by electricity resistance
Intelligence Drain	The character loses one point of Intelligence permanently
Dexterity Drain 	The character loses one point of Dexterity permanently
Poison 	1 point of damage per second for 60 seconds, can only be negated by immunity to poison
Level drain 	The character loses 15 levels, can be negated by immunity to Level drain
Experience Gain 	The character gains 100,000 experience points
Gain Potion 	Main character receives one Potion of Superior Healing
==Gallery==
OG Machine Use 1.png|Interacting with the machine begins a series of "dialogue" boxes.
OG Machine Use 2.png|The player must decide which buttons, dials and levers to manipulate in order to control the machine. Select from the choices presented.
OG Machine Use 3.png|Party member makes choices for each control type, in accordance with the handwritten note - the result is a permanent increase in the operator's Strength. 
OG Machine Random Effect 1.png|The party member can even try a random selection of controls and take their chances as to what might occur - Here a prize is received, which is lucky and somewhat underwhelming at the same time.
OG Machine Open Portal.png|Referring to Carston's Journal, the party enters the sequence of controls, which opens the portal gate. awarded to each party member.
==Mod gallery==
GORLUM.jpg|thumb|Machine of Lum the Mad, control panel - "There are three buttons—circular, square, and triangular. There are also three dials—red, blue, and green. And there are three levers—a long one, a medium one, and a short one." Portrait from the PPE mod.
Mod Carston Bell Jar.png|With the Crystal Mallet in hand, the party interacts with the Bell Jar. A nice touch here with Carston's portrait changed to look like it's behind some glass. PPE mod feature.
==External links==
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