Grimrock

The first time I played level 9, one of the first few ice lizards I killed dropped the gold key. This time, I have cleared out the area and have not found the key. I picked up every ice lizard steak to make sure it wasn't under one. Also, I thought the lizards continuously respawned but after clearing the area and resting for a long time they have not come back.

I think it may be because I already got past the puzzle at the crystal of life and then went back to look for the gold key.

I've already had to go through the level twice because the first time I didn't have a skull, so I'm pretty frustrated at this point.

This key is a randomly assigned drop. You can find it from first or twentieth lizard.

The key definitely exists, and it definitely was in the stomach of one of the ice lizards. They can wander a really long ways, so if you left gates open, try checking ANYWHERE they could have run off to

Dr.Disaster wrote:This key is a randomly assigned drop. You can find it from first or twentieth lizard.

Well I killed all of them and never found it. I also waited and rested in the area and no lizards respawned. Without having access to the source, I would guess that they stop respawning after you open up the four walls before you get to the crystal.

I ended up having to re-play the level a third time.

It has nothing to do with respawns. One of the original lizards in the area is holding the key (not random, but they all move around plenty before you get there, so it may appear random), and he definitely drops it when you kill him, absolutely positively. But their lizard steaks usually fully cover the key, so it's very easy to miss. And if you left any doors open, a lizard can run wild throughout nearly the entire level, so finding him could be an issue, but he's definitely somewhere.

By the way, the lizards never stop respawning. Their respawn is based on two pressure plates, one on the north side by the front entrance which respawns just one of them and one on the south side in the hallway heading toward the outer sanctum which respawns two of them. Those respawns have a long cool-down time as well, so you can't just step on the plates multiple times and get a lot of lizards.