Malice: I need a clue

I'm actually tired of going to Malice, trying to figure out how to get through the "toxic barrier". The note near the barrier (entry 1976) tells me that I need three letters. The only "letters" that I can find are Entry 1973, Entry 1975 and, of course, Entry 1976.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Spoiler

The guy in the walkthrough video has four letter and three gems. The three gems are on the skeletons, open like a treasure chest. The first one is in front of the barrier, the second is the one in front of the furnace, left of the barrier. The third is right of the barrier I believe in the middle of the room.

 

Wow. So I spent all this time searching, frustrated, going nowhere, and there are skeletons that that I didn't know are containers simply because you can't loot containers in combat mode (you don't even get a green cursor). Brilliant design.

 

In fairness, there is a clue right in front of the barrier: the note telling you that you need the "missives". The problem is it's not evident that some skeletons are containers. I understand why they made containers unlootable in combat mode but there needs to be some indication that something is lootable. Maybe if the cursor turned yellow indicating it's lootable but you need to come out of combat mode? That one simple change would have prevented all my frustration.

 

Is there any purpose for the gems after the quest is done?

 

This explains so much, thank you!

 

Spoiler

Not that I know of. There is another quest in the Crypt about getting a report to Eris.