Legend of Blacksilver(Commodore 64 game) FAQ/Walkthrough version 1.1.0 Copyright 2002 by Andrew Schultz schultza@earthlink.net Please do not reproduce for profit without my express permission. However, a polite e-mail asking specifically for this FAQ and addressing me by name will likely generate a favorable response. Please do note that this was an exhausting game to solve and an even tougher game to write up. Given that relatively not many people tinker with Commodore emulators I do this sort of thing for its own sake and am more favorably inclined toward requesters who seem to feel the same way. Note that this document contains huge spoilers for a huge game. It may also go too far into detail for most people(i.e. text maps.) I also have some graphical maps which are available on GameFAQs. They are for the Sparkle Maze, the two Temple Archives, and Taragas's Castle levels 1 and 2 where the teleporter bounces you around. You've probably seen this on GameFAQs so you know the page, but if not, it's below. http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/c64/game/14843.html This FAQ is pretty much feature-complete, as all maps and advice are in here, but I may add more special dialogs as I track them down. ** AD SPACE ** My home page: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhibit/2762 Lots-o-maps: http://members.fortunecity.com/cartographics Lots-o-stuff-about-old-games: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhibit/2762/games/games.htm ================================ DOCUMENT OUTLINE 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. STATISTICS 1.2. GAME INTRO 1.3. LEVELS 1.4. OUTSIDE RESOURCES 2. STUPID EMULATOR TRICKS 3. NOT-SO-STUPID GENERAL TRICKS 3.1. FIGHTING 3.2. STOCKING UP 4. ITEMS 4.1. ARMOR AND WEAPONS 4.2. SPELLS 4.3. SPECIAL ITEMS 4.4. GETTING STUCK 5. ADVICE 6. GAMBLING, OR HOW TO BE SURE YOU CAN WIN AT IT 6.1. BLACKJACK 6.2. HEIGH-LOAGH 6.3. DRAGON WHEEL 7. TRIST, BY A DUFFER, FOR DUFFERS 8. TRAP SHOOTING FOR NON-GUN(I MEAN BOW) NUTS 9. HARD ROCK MELEE(NO PRICEY T-SHIRTS, JUST ENDURANCE POINTS) 10. WALKTHROUGH 11. OUTSIDE 11.1. LEGEND 11.2. THALEN 11.3. MAELBANE 12. TEMPLE MAPS 12.1. LEDGER FOR TEMPLES 12.2. EAGLE TEMPLE 12.2.1. ABOVE 12.3. OWL TEMPLE 12.3.1. ABOVE 12.3.2. BELOW 12.4. HAWK TEMPLE 12.4.1. ABOVE 12.4.2. BELOW 13. TOWN MAPS 13.1. THALEN TOWNS 13.2.1. APPIA 13.2.2. BAD AXE 13.2.3. BEAVERTON 13.2.4. CLISSOLD CREEK 13.2.5. CRYSTAL SUMMIT 13.2.6. GLEN LAKE 13.2.7. IRON FORGE 13.2.8. IRONWOOD 13.2.9. RIDGEPORT 13.2.10. RIVERBEND 13.2.11. TUMANIS 13.3. MAELBANE TOWNS 13.3.1. BEGGAR'S COVE 13.3.2. LOST CRAG 13.3.3. MURKWATER 13.3.4. RATVILLE 13.3.5. THORTON HOLLOW 14. CASTLE MAPS 14.1. KING'S CASTLE 14.2. MANTREK'S CITADEL LEVEL 1 14.2.1. BONUS POEMS FROM THE JESTER 14.3. MANTREK'S CITADEL LEVEL 2 14.4. TARAGAS'S LEVEL 1(WITH ROUGH OUTLINE) 14.5. TARAGAS'S LEVEL 2(WITH ROUGH OUTLINE) 15. DUNGEON MAPS 15.1. MONSTER SETS 15.2. LEDGER 15.3. ISLAND CAVERNS 15.4. TARAGAS MINES 15.5. MARTHBANE TUNNELS 15.6. BLACKMIRE CAVES 15.7. DRAGON CAVES 16. SPARKLE MAZE 17. ERRATA, ETC. 18. VERSIONS/CREDITS ================================ 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. STATISTICS This is a bigger game than Legacy of the Ancients. While the dimensions are slightly different for Apple and Commodore, I take strictly the number of each location and use the Apple and not Commodore dimensions to compare LoA and LoB. While Commodore towns have more icons, Apple towns are larger relative to your size. Legend of Blacksilver is one of the biggest games out there for the first wave of personal computers. It appears to use some sort of funny compression I couldn't decode. I used save states to get the town maps. While comparing the two games I used what I would project as the Apple's sizing of towns, etc., since I played LoA on the Apple(there is no Apple LoB image for public emulator consumption) and know that it's got bigger sized towns on the Commodore. Each town seems 3/2 the dimensions on the Commodore in LoA. You just move less relative to the town's size with each move on the Commodore. Dungeon levels (16x16) LoB 39, LoA 24. Castles(72x71 tho' LoB is 106x96) LoB 5, LoA 2. Endgame Castle(182x56) LoB 0, LoA 1. Towns(55x27 in Loa/80x39 in LoB) LoB 16, LoA 12. Outdoors (95x86) LoB 2, LoA 2. Temples(counted as 55x27) LoB 3, LoA 0. Rows of archives/museum(24x x) LoB 43, LoA 32. Sparkle Maze LoB 1, LoA 0. ------------------------------------------------- Totals 81131 61488 So LoB is 33% bigger than LoA despite having the same number of disks(four.) It's also got more puzzles. The funky compression they've used has obviously paid off to create a very rich game. 1.2. GAME INTRO [The game intro is reproduced here for your entertainment. It explains how you got the falcon feather and gives a brief hint as to what to do.] An Early Dawn... You awake with a start. Your dream seemed so amazingly real. Princess Aylea, daughter of the King of all Bantross, had come to you in search of a champion. "Baron Taragas has found Blacksilver in his infernal mines," she said with a shudder, "and I fear for us all." Blacksilver A part of the ancient tales of Evil. The power to raise mountains and drain the seas. "My father raised a great army to march against Taragas, but was kidnapped before he could lead them. Now the noble wizard Seravol has sent me to find a hero, possessed of the wisdom and inner courage to lift the shadow from our land." She paused, looking intently into your eyes, and then whispered, "I CHOOSE YOU."[imagine if it put your name in there, you could call yourself 'Pikachu' for a crushingly lame joke...] Presing something into the palm of your hand, she slipped out through the mists of your dream, her voice lingering long enough to say, "Seek my brother in the castle, by my gift he will know you..." And now you sit in the pale light of the dawn, smiling at the grand dreams of a simple serf with fields to tend... until you open your hand and see the feather. THE FIELDS CAN WAIT. [end game intro] [You appear north and slightly west of the castle. I like going there first because of the free gold, then going northwest to Clissold Creek.] 1.3. LEVELS Levelling up in LoB is based on puzzles and not on monsters defeated. New levels get you more hit points and also bring a new quest with them. Below is a list of levels. You may also gain attributes, but that is detailed in the walkthrough. L NAME HP 1 SERF 200 2 APPRENTICE 300 3 ADVENTURER 500 4 WARRIOR 700 5 SQUIRE 1000 6 KNIGHT 1300 7 BARON 1600 8 COUNSELOR 2000 If you die you are sent to a random location on your current continent, and you're given 150% of your maximum hit points. 1.4. OUTSIDE RESOURCES Thanks to Matt(mechaware@aol.com) for providing me with the link to a bunch of Legend of Blacksilver maps. The site is at: http://www.math.tu-clausthal.de/~matsa/C64.gb.html which also has other cool stuff as well. It also saved me from worrying about making them myself. Making them would have been difficult for several arcane reasons(many different icon maps for the bit values, if you can grok that) and I didn't have the time to concentrate fully on this. He also helped me sharpen up the 'stupid emulator tricks' below as I had forgotten how tough it was for me to get this game to work in the first place. 2. STUPID EMULATOR TRICKS I like to use the VICE emulator for most of my Commodore stuff(the game is at ftp://arnold.c64.org/pub/games/b. The EagleSoft version works, I know.) It has some neat toggles which can really speed up the game. To wit: 'TRUE DRIVE EMULATION' must be toggled on for the game to work properly. You may also want to have virtual device traps off. To create a character disk you may want to take any other disk image with a game on it and over-write it. Blank disks don't work so great for some reason. ALT-W = Warp. The old Commodore 64 was heinously slow, and toggling warp speed helps you zoom through the disk-reading parts. However, you don't always want things at warp speed as when you are in a castle and trying to enter a doorway, you may run into the edges. In that case just hit ALT-W, (direction,) ALT-W. Warp speed is also not advisable for dungeons where monsters have turn-based attacks and you may turn several times with one keystroke, but setting the default speed at 200% should give you a nice compromise between too slow to bear and too fast to control. I enjoyed my time playing LoB but not enough to drag out the irrelevant bits! You will find the same thing too, I think. ALT-SHIFT-P = Pause. Useful when the game wouldn't have paused on a regular Commodore(i.e. the Sparkle Maze) or when you don't feel like hitting ESC. ALT-S = Save State. While you couldn't save inside a castle or dungeon on an original Commodore 64, you can do so on an emulator. ALT- S allows you to save under any file name you want--in other words, you can save as many states as you want, so if you want to go back and play a specific part of the game, it's right there. Incidentally, it's useful in writing FAQs because you can focus on a particular event, but that's another story... 3. NOT-SO-STUPID GENERAL TRICKS 3.1. FIGHTING Fighting correctly can save hit points and, hence, elixirs. Whether you want to initiate a fight with guards in a castle with minimum damage or be able to zap guards efficiently as they come at you, there are a few common-sense ways to nail 'em. There are also a few things you should avoid that will cost turns. What to avoid? Well, you should probably have an emulator at reasonable speed, and you want to avoid "nonsense moves." Running into guards or walls can cost you a turn when engaged in combat. Casting a spell that isn't there will as well. Occasionally you'll run out of Lightning Bolt or Tongue of Flame--that happens, but be sure to check on how many are left for general reasons(don't want to face ten guards without them.) You'll also want to use one offensive spell per guard, as I show below for what is my optimal offensive strategy. Also remember to avoid getting too low. The screen flashes your stats helpfully when you're scraping the bottom of the barrel, and that should be sufficient warning. Here's what to aim for when fighting. U=you, M=them. --- UU MM UU MM MM MM --- This is an ideal way to start combat. You can cast a spell at them, they'll have to take a step forward, and then you have a hand-to-hand fight. Note the monster behind the one you first engage will also have to wait a turn before approaching you, so you can nail him with a spell. Each extra turn adds up--of course, you can also use the break to drink a life elixir if your hit points are low. Remember that using a life elixir or spell with an adjacent monster is slightly wasteful. Also remember that monsters look vertically adjacent, but they don't quite look horizontally adjacent as you and they don't take up the full icon widths. You'll need to train your eye a bit. Don't be ashamed to hide out and wait for the guards to come to you. Although sometimes you'll have to run at them, meaning you take a bit of damage at first, often they will chase you with abandon. The best place to stay is where guards can only attack you once. Usually guards will not come at you from opposite sides, but if they do, back up into a corridor. Remember that everyone's size is two icons by two. Good Not so good ---- ---- UU UU UU UU <-can be attacked from above/side. ---- ---- ---- +---- UU<-only 1 |UU UU monster |UU <-can be attacked from left/right. fits here| ---- Backing up. (forces monsters to line up for a "hand-out." Stay there and get attacked twice as often.) |^^| |^^| ---+^^+--- MM UU MM MM UU MM ---------- Also note that if the guards are on a diagonal from you, they can attack you. And they will try to set that up. Bad Okay UU UU UU UU UUMM UU MM MM MM MM MM Last point: If you duck halfway behind a doorway, your spell may fizzle. Spell Spell fizzles: OK: MM UU MM UUMM UUXXMM UUXX XXXXXX XXXXXX Also casting a spell at a distance(3-4 squares) doesn't noticeably diminish its power. Guards may also get stuck like so: MMMM MMMM XX XX XXUUXX xXUUXX It might be a little costly to wipe one out with spells, which you would want to conserve, although you wouldn't take any damage--the other guard would come after you. You could just retreat back and to the left or so--then the guards would move left and come down the hallway. They'd be easy to pick off then. The second is especially desirable if there are waves of guards that have gotten bottlenecked, as otherwise you'll have to use a few spells to get the guards to chase you somewhat successfully again. 3.2. STOCKING UP While not strictly a trick it is an important part of LoB. There are many ways to accumulate gold(buy red garnets, know how to gamble, or even rob a specific town's vault and not touch the others) and you need to know a good way to spend it. You can always "max out" before starting each new castle or dungeon. I recommend: --50 tongue of flame --50 glow tip --50 armor enchant --50 light [the last 3, you probably won't need to recharge too often.] --30 life elixir. Note that if you're in line to gain a level, buy the life elixir BEFORE you gain it. Its price depends on your hit points/level so you might as well save a few bucks. Once you have etherium, you should tack on: --50 lightning bolt --20 annihilate [very useful. Pace yourself with one per level, though.] You also may want to buy backups of your favorite weapon/armor in case you run into an acid trap(destroys armor) or fight a nasty monster that destroys your weapon. Although the first can be prevented with vigilance and the second can be less nefarious if you use spells on the right monsters, we all get careless, and you can't always use emulator saves. Give yourself some breathing room for accidents. Remember also to leave excess money(anything above 1000 gold that you don't plan to spend) in the bank. The interest may not blow your mind but the banks do allow over 65535 gold and it can add up--and gold in your pocket can get stolen or involuntarily spent. An early, well- thought-out gambling binge may leave you set for the rest of the game on the interest alone. 4. ITEMS 4.1. ARMOR AND WEAPONS You can have a maximum of 5 weapons or 3 armors. Each item has a quality: shoddy, fair, good, great and superb. Here are the different sorts of items, ranked from worst to best: [weapons] BARE HANDS DAGGER WHIP STAFF CLUB FLAIL BROAD AXE SWORD LEADED CLUB MORNINGSTAR HALBERD BROAD SWORD SIMPLE BOW CROSSBOW BLACK BLADE [armor] LEATHER STUDDED HIDE CHAIN MAIL BAR MAIL PLATE MAIL As in LotA there seems to be a combination of time and level needed to get the highest item. I couldn't get plate mail or a crossbow, but a simple bow is nice enough as it fires into the distance in dungeons. 4.2. SPELLS Yes, technically spells are not items. However, they are bought and carried around much like items. Below is the listing of the maximum number of spells you can have. I find that you only have to buy 10 or so of Glow Tip and Armor Enchant for each adventuring bender you go on. However, you'll want to have Tongue of Flame and, later, Lightning Bolt at their maximums. TONGUE OF FLAME: 50 GLOW TIP: 50 LIGHT: 50 ARMOR ENCHANT: 50 TELEPORT: 50 PSYCHIC PROTECT: 50 NIMBLE STEP: 50 ANNIHILATE: 20 LIGHTNING BOLT: 50 4.3. SPECIAL ITEMS The items listed below are in the order found on the disk, not the order in which you get them. There may be some surprises here. [town] PKG.--this will, when you arrive at the unique shop at the town in question, net you 75, 95 or 115 gold. You also seem to have better luck gaining a day's wages for work at other towns when holding this package. 1. CRYSTAL RING--allows you to approach the empaths in the temples without dying. It is found at the bottom of the Island Caverns. 2. LIFE ELIXIR--allows you to heal half your hit points. You may carry up to thirty at any time. The price increases with your level, so if you are about to gain a level, you may wish to stock up on potion first a bit to save money. 3. CLIMBING GEAR--not to be confused with STORMING GEAR(rope & pulley pkg,) this allows you to climb mountains. Found in an exhibit in Owl Temple. 4. LAGGARD VAPORS--although it's supposed to slow guards down, it didn't work when I tried it in Taragas's Citadel, and you don't really need it before then. 5. SMALL KEY--given to you by the prince in exchange for the FALCON FEATHER. 6. WOODEN KEY--found in the back part of the first castle, it will help lead you to Seravol. 7. GOLD KEY--does the work of the wooden key and the small key. You trade Seravol these two for this. 8. BLACK KEY--found on the first level of Mantrek's, it opens some doors 9. IRON KEY--found on the first level of Mantrek's, it allows you into further restrictive areas. 10. QUARTZ KEY--opens the same doors as the Black Key and the Iron Key 11. LARGE KEY--found on the first level of Taragas's, it allows you to find some teleporters you can see but not enter 12. AMBER KEY--found on the first level of Taragas's, it allows you to enter the final teleporter that leads you to the second level. 13. SKELETON KEY--found in level 6 of Blackmire, it can open a useful door in Taragas's castle. Eventually it takes over the amber and large keys' functions 14. LODESTONE--this helps you open the Blackmire Pits, the first of the dungeons on the second continent. 15. RUSTY KEY--not actually used to open any doors, but it's found in the Blackmire Pits and is used to unlock another stairway there. 16. ROPE & PULLEY--this allows you to enter certain castles otherwise inaccessible. The game will note that the drawbridge is down. Using this circumvents that. Not to be confused with CLIMBING GEAR which is for mountains. Found in an exhibit in Owl Temple. 17. SILVER COIN--found throughout the game, each one enables you to improve a spell skill 10-15 points once you have drunk the Etherium in the archive exhibit. There are about thirty overall. 18. FALCON FEATHER--the item you get at the very beginning, before any real action. You need to show it to the prince, who will help you by giving you a SMALL KEY. 19. SINGING CRYSTAL--if used correctly, it allows you to walk beyond the landslide mess you discover in the royal castle of Thalen. Found in an exhibit in Owl Temple. 20. GLASS ORB--you have to pay a price to get this item, but once you do you can return it to Seravol for a nice reward. 21. OWL GRAIL--Return to Owl Temple for +5 Strength. Found in Island Caverns. 22. STATUETTE--Eagle statuette, actually. Found in the back of the first level of Mantrek's. Return to Eagle Temple for +5 Strength. 23. LUTE--found at the bottom of [dungeon.] You give it to the jester in Mantrek's castle, and he(the jester) gives you a password in return so you can get to the second level. 24. STAFF--When you finally meet Mantrek, spare him and he will give you the staff. Return it to the castle for a reward. 25. SIGNET RING--if you answer questions correctly for an elf in Mantrek's Citadel, you will be given this. It is used to help rescue the King in the Marthbane Tunnels. 26. BLACK WAND--You don't want to use this item, but it is found in the Blackmire Pits, and you get a nice reward for returning it to the archives at Hawk Temple. 27. FLAXTON INCENSE--found in an exhibit in Hawk Temple, it is used to cure you of the Rotlung disease you contract in the Blackmire Pits. 28. STEEL HAMMER--found in an archive exhibit, you need to give it to Dalvid in Lost Crag.29. BLACKSILVER--found at the bottom of the Blackmire Pits, this item, this item completes the blade that Dalvid has started with the steel hammer you gave him. 30. DRAGON'S TEARS--allows you into a final dungeon where there is a dragon protecting it. Found in an exhibit in Hawk Temple. 4.4. GETTING STUCK If you have a Beaverton package when Beaverton falls off into the sea, you can no longer deliver packages, because you need to deliver the Beaverton package before you can pick another one up, and you left your snorkel in Tarmalon, or something. Similarly if Glen Lake is destroyed and you have a Glen Lake package, you're out of luck. 5. ADVICE Here is a list of pieces advice that you pay for. Generally you get it at the jail, and you have to bribe the jail-keeper(8+ gold) and then the prisoners(depends on your current cash flow, about 14+(total/300.) So if you don't want to see what's below, you may want to save a few pennies by gathering up all the hints before winning too much at gambling. The advice appears in the order below so that you are guaranteed to go through it all, and it forms a sort of story. Big spoilers below, so I warned you :). Note that you can only talk three times in any one trip to a town before the prisoners don't give any more information. You have to leave and return to get something more worthwhile than 'thanks'--tho' it's nice to know that even criminals can be polite! They also just say "thanks" if you get to the end of the advice, after which the advice cycles back again. "I HEARD THESE GUYS TALKING." followed by... [at the end, the dialog cycles back to the beginning.] --THEY SNUCK INTO THE ARCHIVE ONCE TO SEE THE SINGING CRYSTAL (Owl Temple Archive has information on this.) --A SPECIAL RING LIES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ISLAND CAVERNS (The Crystal Ring allows you access to the Empaths.) --A FEATHER OPENS THE WAY THROUGH THE CASTLE (You get to see the prince. He gives you an item.) --THE EMPATHS ARE GREAT HEALERS. THEY KNOW. (Once you can get to the empaths, they will give you healing potions.) --THERE'S A VIBRATING CRYSTAL THAT EATS AWAY ROCK (Singing Crystal from Blue Gem exhibit gets you one.) --THERE'S A GLOWING ORB IN THE CITADEL (Mantrek's Citadel, in the central south.) --THERE'S A DUNGEON BEYOND THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS (Taragas's mines. You need climbing gear first.) --YOU NEED GEAR TO STORM MANTREK'S CITADEL (Storming Gear is found in the Owl Temple Archives.) --HE WHO HAS LAGGARD VAPORS CAN SLOW THE GUARDS (Never seemed to work for me and not necessary. But Seravol gives them to you.) --A ROYAL STAFF WAS SOLD ON THE BLACK MARKET (See clue below about the stick.) --ONE OF THEM WAS BLINDED BY AN EATON EYE, BUT WALKED IT OFF (monster in dungeon. Keep going back/forward if you are blinded.) --THERE'S AN UNUSUAL 'SKELETON' DEEP WITHIN BLACKMIRE (a skeleton key) --THEY SAID TO FIND THE YELLOW TELEPORTS IN THE LABYRINTH (Taragas's Castle has different colored teleports that send you around.) --A STICK IS HIDDEN PART WAY DOWN THE PITS OF BLACKMIRE (There's a staff at the very bottom of Blackmire.) --THE MARTHBANE TUNNELS ARE USED TO HOLD PRISONERS (You'll find one at the very bottom.) --THE 'LIGHT' OF THE ILLUSIONIST NEVER FLICKERS (Illusionist in Taragas's castle will help you through some places where a light spell doesn't work.) --THERE'S AN ARCHIVE UNDER OWL TEMPLE (general info.) --THEY ROBBED A TOWN VAULT AND GOT THOUSANDS (I've never needed to. Just sucker guards one by one into a corner, or use a bow or spells for if you happen to get surrounded, which will force you in jail where you must pay a fee no matter how strong you are. If you leave and come back everything should be OK. However this is not really worthwhile until the end of the game. I stick to gambling. On a related note you can also kill a merchant. It takes a while for people to find the body so if you are close to the exit it can be tried. Although gambling is safer and less immoral.) --MOST BURIED CASES MAKE YOU FEEL MIGHTY FINE (Here they're referring to chests in dungeones. Most raise attributes, some subtract. The later it is in the game, the less favorable you can expect chests to be. If you're using an emulator, save before opening.) --THE CITADEL IS SOUTH OF RIDGEPORT AND EAST OF BEAVERTON (Useful information, although it is more like northeast of Beaverton.) --THERE ARE 9 DISPLAYS IN THE OWL TEMPLE ARCHIVES (There are no surprises, but you need to be thorough searching for them.) --HIT THE ASSASSIN BEFORE HE BREAKS YOUR WEAPON (Many monsters do that. I've never had a problem with the assassin specifically breaking your weapon, though.) --THE TARAGAS MINES ARE 6 LEVELS DEEP (general info) --THERE'S AN ISLAND TEMPLE, REACHED ONLY BY BOAT (This is Hawk Temple. It has the second of the archives.) --IF YOU BUY A TATTOO, CHOOSE IT WISELY (Hawk Tattoo is the item you return to the seeker at Hawk Temple so that you get +5 strength.) --IT'S BEST TO REMEMBER YOUR ANSWERS TO THE ELF (Baby, Baron, Thief. The elf gives the same test even if you fail it. With 3 2-choice answers there are 8 possibilities. Emulator saving is a possible solution here.) --IT'S EASIEST TO BUY A BOAT IN RIDGEPORT, IF YOU HAVE THE RANK (It's the best place, too, as there's an important island directly south.) --THE PITS OF BLACKMIRE ARE DIVIDED INTO 3 SEPARATE SECTIONS (Yeah, this dungeon is a real ***** to work through. This is fair warning.) --THE MIDGET ADMIRES CONTINUED KIND TREATMENT (Give Max in Taragas several elixirs and you get more endurance) --ONE PART OF BLACKMIRE GOES DOWN ONLY 6 LEVELS. SEE IT ANYWAY (It has a Skeleton Key) --NOBODY HAS EVER RETURNED FROM THE DEATHSPIRE CHASMS (Oo, scary. Well, no-one useful has ever been in there.) --THE DEEPEST PART OF BLACKMIRE PITS IS 10 LEVELS DOWN (More general info) --THEY MET A JESTER WHO KNOWS SPECIAL WORDS (The jester, once you return his lute, helps you with a transporter.) 6. GAMBLING, OR HOW TO BE SURE YOU CAN WIN AT IT 6.1. BLACKJACK Blackjack doesn't seem to have as clear of a win(due to 'foreknowledge') as it did in Legacy of the Ancients, and it's just not as fun as Heigh-Loagh. So I didn't bother. But the other two games are way cool. 6.2. HEIGH-LOAGH Heigh-Loagh is a pretty simple game to understand. The general strategy is straightforward. Calculating the odds with clarity is more complex. Question: is it worthwhile? I believe it is and is the best gambling choice in LoB, but it would not be in real life. It's a bit different from the Heigh-Loagh featured in earlier games in the series, and it's a bit more fun and complex. The rules are simple; you're given five cards face down. The first is turned over and you must guess if the second is higher or lower. If you're right, then you get to guess again. If you get all four guesses right, you gain triple your wager. Note that if you draw equal cards you lose; in other words with best(or cheating) play you cannot always win. If not for this you'd win money handily. However, you can't win money too handily in any case. Winning over 1000 gold brings the guards after you. Since you win(net) three times your wager, it makes sense to bet 333 gold, decline to bet again, and talk to the gambling establishment. They'll forget the previous amount you've won. A rough guess shows that a hand has a 1-(12/13)^4 chance of being unwinnable, or 27.3%. Actually it's quite a bit lower. 243854208 of the 311875200 possible hands(52*51*50*49*48) wind up safe--most of this probability boost is because once you pick a card there are only 3 chances out of the remaining 51 that you'll have overlap. Now there is a bit of a trick you can use to win, but I'll be describing the basic game mechanics and leaving the spoiler to the end. There also seem to be stock openings, not unlike blackjack in Legacy of the Ancients, where the first time around you know what cards will be coming up, and you can always win. If you play more than once, there is no assurance cards won't repeat or hands won't be winnable. In fact set patterns tend to give two of the same card turning up in a row, a forced loss either way. The basic payout is 97% although you can of course save the emulator state before trying something, reset if you get something wrong, and try again. The stuff below is detail work and won't interest everyone, but it interested me. Here is the general best strategy. 1)If cards are 2-7, pick higher 2)If cards are 9-14, pick lower 3)If card is 8, look at the cards already picked that are lower and the cards already picked that are higher. If there are more of the first, pick higher. If there are more of the second, pick lower. For instance, choosing 2-8, you would be better off picking higher as there are 24 remaining higher cards and 23 remaining lower cards. For a rough estimate of how good your odds are, consider any game as five random numbers from 2 to 14 instead of cards. It should take a few minutes to write a program to figure this out, and here are the results. Winning: 83558 0.225046 Lose-1st: 107653 0.289941 Lose-2nd: 83993 0.226218 Lose-3rd: 57148 0.153916 Lose-4th: 38941 0.104879 This gives a payback of 90.02%. That isn't very good. However, the odds are a bit better if you consider each card is separate and nonrepeating in a deck of 52. For instance, after you choose the first card, there is only a 3/51 chance you will choose a card of the same value. That's less than a 4/52 chance in the random scenario. This sort of thing makes a difference, but not enough to break the bank. **DETOUR FOR PROBABILITY NUTS** I'll take a little detour here; the probability of getting the first guess right is rather good. I've included the general strategy and odds below. 1st card|1st gues|range ok|probability right ----------------------------------- 2 | higher | 3-14 | 48/51 3 | higher | 4-14 | 44/51 4 | higher | 5-14 | 40/51 5 | higher | 6-14 | 36/51 6 | higher | 7-14 | 32/51 7 | higher | 8-14 | 28/51 8 | higher | 9-14 | 24/51 (well, it doesn't matter...yet. But you have 9 | lower | 2-8 | 28/51 to choose one way.) 10 | lower | 2-9 | 32/51 11 | lower | 2-10 | 36/51 12 | lower | 2-11 | 40/51 13 | lower | 2-12 | 44/51 14 | lower | 2-13 | 48/51 --------+--------+--------+------- The numerators average to 36 12/13, or 480/13. So the fractions average to 480/663=160/221. 160/221=.72398 and since we have four choices (160/221)^4=.27473. That's a good payout at 109.89%. Right? Wrong. That's not the payout. Here's why, roughly. Take any sequence of 5 cards and assume we play a game through even after it's lost. Let's say you have a 2 or 14 in the middle. Then it's likely that you won't lose on the next guess; however, there is a 1/2 chance you lost on the previous guess. However, if you have an 8 then you will have less than half a chance of getting the next guess right, even though you probably got the previous one right. Safe guesses generally lead to dangerous guesses and vice versa. If safe guesses led to more safe guesses then the probability would in fact be above .274, and if everything was independent(it isn't) then the probability would indeed be .27473. This whole thing gets into conditional probability, but in general if x>y then x*x+y*y > x*y+y*x...the same sort of thing is at work here. Here's what happens without rule 3. There are 52*51*50*49*48=311875200 total hands you can be dealt. Our strategy will cover points 1 and 2 above but not 3. This time, Win 75715008 .24277 Lose-1st 86083200 .27602 Lose-2nd 68941824 .22106 Lose-3rd 47898624 .15358 Lose-4th 33236544 .10657 But we don't discriminate between cases like 3, 8, x and 9, 8, x. In the first it's better to guess up, but in the second it's better to guess down. It's a 24/50 chance either way but if you pick randomly you have a 47/100 chance(3/50 are 8's and that aside, 1/2 chance you'll guess correctly.) If we make this distinction, we get the following results. Win 75972096 .24360 Lose-1st 86083200 .27602(same as above--nothing conditional yet) Lose-2nd 68716032 .22033 Lose-3rd 47912448 .15362 Lose-4th 33191424 .10643 This leads to a 97.44% payout. Not bad! In fact, since you get 5 gold pieces if you go bust, you can even push the odds above 100%. The point at which you break even can be calculated as follows: .9744x(expected value of win) + 5(expected value of loss) = x(initial wager) x(1-.9744)=5, or x = 5/(1-.9744) = 195. So it's a break-even proposition if you have 195 gold and gamble it all, better if you have less, worse if you have more. As a final aside I would like to point out the odds if you get a free pass when the cards are equal. I figured this out with a computer program. It doesn't seem too relevant here so I put it up on the web for those really interested. Now here's the spoiler below. It guarantees you'll win every time. Note: 1) there are only five different hands you can start out with each time after you speak to the Heigh-Loagh dealer. 2) they are all winnable. 3) the game after them frequently has two cards in a row that are the same, so you may only want to play once. 4) even if the winning sequence for the five games doesn't make sense, it is memorable. 5) guards come chasing after you if you win more than 1000 gold. So bet 1000/3=333, leave, and play another game. They won't catch on. **SPOILER BELOW--HOW TO WIN ALL THE TIME** [filler carriage returns] Here are the five hands that the Commodore generates: 6 - 3 - K - 9 - Q : pattern = LHLH. Two draws here go against the odds. 4 - J - 10- 9 - 4 : pattern = HLLL. This would be won with correct play. 2 - J - 4 - 3 - 9 (2 of hearts.) : pattern = HLLH. One draw goes against the odds. A - 8 - A - 6 - 10 : pattern = LHLH. The second draw goes slightly against the odds with VERY best play. 2 - K - 6 - J - 9 (2 of spades.) : pattern = HLHL. So basically by memorizing five sequences or having a crib sheet you can type in the right sequence without even looking. You just have to remember the difference between 2 of diamonds and 2 of spades! But even if you just play properly once and leave your odds are very good. You have a 2 in 5 chance of winning 3 times your wager, 3 in 5 of losing. That is a 160% payout and if you inaccurately guess "higher" for A8A6-10 it's 240%. Not bad in a pinch, but the game itself is harsher, as you will find if you get greedy and try to get on a lucky run. That's how casinos get you in general, isn't it? I plan to include C programs themselves that describe how I arrived at some of the hairier numbers, and they should wind up in: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhibit/2762/projects/cards or will be linked to from cards.htm in that directory. But though this game is an interesting probability/computer hack-and-slash exercise, they are well outside the scope of the FAQ. All in all, a very fair game, but not quite as fair as... 6.3. DRAGON WHEEL This seems to have more possibilities but is easier to analyze. This is a slot machine with eight different symbols but some can lose you more money than you bet. If you lose more than you have, the guards will come after you. This factor, combined with random winnings and the guards chasing you if you get 1000 or more gold, means that the game is not as reliable as heigh-loagh. But to the items. From least value to greatest: skulls, dragons, [break-even,] urns, scrolls, lyres, coins, chests, crowns. You lose a gold coin if you do not get any two items in a row. You win/lose more if you get the following combinations: |2 in a row|3 in a row ---------+----------+---------- skulls |-5 |-10 dragons |-3 |-5 urns | 2 | 10 scrolls | 3 | 15 lyres | 4 | 20 coins | 5 | 25 chests | 6 | 30 crowns | 7 | 40 The numbers look slightly fudged in some places but you'll see why in a minute. First we note that the possible payout is determined by the middle element. For instance, if there's an urn in the middle there is no way you can get two dragons in a row--dragons on the ends don't count. Also note that there is one way to get, say, three urns in a row and fourteen to get two urns in a row. urn-urn-something else something else-urn-urn As there are seven something elses, that makes for fourteen total possibilities. We consider that each spin is equally likely, so summing every winning spin, the total amount you can win with "in-a-row" is 14*(2+3+4+5+6+7-3- 5)+(-10-5+10+15+20+25+30+40)=266+125=391. But you also lose a lot. If you have item X in the middle then there are seven "something elses" on each side--i.e. 49 total possibilities. 49*8 items = 392 total, i.e. -392 lose on "junk" rolls. Overall then you gain 391-392=-1 going through all 512 rolls. The payoff is then 511/512 or 99.80%. Not bad, but 1) it's still a loser in the real world and 2)you can't bet the house unless you use game-saves, in which case Heigh-Loagh is even more quick and effective. 7. TRIST, BY A DUFFER, FOR DUFFERS As an aside, just what IS duffing anyway? Well, I know what a tryst[sic] is, and you'll have a little meeting with a fellow who likes strategy games. This game is not really gambling, but it's an interesting one nonetheless. The basic strategy behind the game is to ensure that you keep as many moves as possible while not allowing your opponent the same. At first the opponents play randomly, but then they get rather good. You can't really afford any mistakes against the master. I caught myself challenging the master even after I got to my maximum intelligence of 37. This game is pretty fun and challenging as sub-games go and your opponent may even offer you a draw in a losing(for him) position. For in-game purposes it's best to master this game early in your walk- through. If you must, gamble your gold up and come in here immediately after you register for the game(you need a red garnet to do so.) As you get intelligence boosts in other parts of the game, they can be added after you attain your maximum possible here. To show common sense along with your intelligence, use game-saves a lot after each tough win. The rules are described in the game and replicated below: 1) there are 12 pits, six on each player's side. Each pit starts off with four stones in it. 2) if a player has no stones in any one of his pits, it is a draw, much like a stalemate in chess. 3) a player moves by taking all the stones out of one of his pits and placing one each per pit in a clockwise manner around the board. If there are twelve or more stones, he skips the pit he took the stones out of. 4) a player scores if a)his last stone lands in an opponent's pit with two or three stones and b) any consecutive pits behind that have two or three stones. In this case the stones are removed from the board. 5) the players can agree on a draw, but otherwise the first person to 21 is the winner. Ideally you will want to leave as few squares with one or two stones open on your side as possible, and you want to open your opponent up to the same. At the same time you will want to have filled as many of your squares as possible. This way you get more possible moves. When you are forced to fill your squares with a stone or two, you are in big trouble. So plan against that in advance. Also you may want to leave stone formations as follows: X+2 in one pit, X in the next. Then the computer has two squares where he cannot leave a single stone. Remember that if you have, say, 17 in one pit, landing on an originally blank pit with this will get you stones. The best first move seems to be to move your leftmost. The computer seems to like to drop individual stones in your open space, in which case you can pile the stones on to your second-leftmost. Moving the rightmost only means that your next move will leave a stone in your rightmost and the computer may get to score early. The computer does this sort of thing and frequently you can open up a quick early lead on him this way. That is invaluable against the thoughtful master. Be alert for combinations, especially when defending against the master. He'll find them all and use them all. Be aware that winning a couple of stones may leave you open to losing a few. You can't look several moves ahead but try to look a few ahead at all times. You'll find two games of skill besides Trist. Hard Rock Melee helps your endurance, and trap shooting helps your dexterity. Both games are pretty straightforward and you are charged more per game the higher the stat you wish to improve is. 8. TRAP SHOOTING FOR NON-GUN(I MEAN BOW) NUTS What's the NRA's parallel association in medieval times? The NBA? (National bowmen's association.) You get fifty rounds, which have a random number of objects to shoot. If you get just one three times in a row, tough. Most are worth 50 except whites and yellows(?) are worth 100. You get 500 bonus for shooting two and 1500 for shooting three. You can actually shoot off the screen and hit something, although usually you will want to shoot ahead of an object. You can shoot more than one object with one shot, but beware that your aim can shift rather slowly. A lot of this involves practice and anticipation. It's not easy. I admit to using save states for an extra high score that still wasn't THAT extra high. As an approximate formula, new dexterity = total score * 3 / 2000. 9. HARD ROCK MELEE(NO PRICEY T-SHIRTS, JUST ENDURANCE POINTS) This is a rather easy game--avoid the rocks; five hits and you're out. Especially avoid the blades, as getting hit once ends the game. Return the gold pieces you pick up to the side of the board with the white treasure chest, but note you go more slowly when you hoard. I've picked up seventeen gold and made it to the sides. If the rocks stop falling the level is near an end and if you don't dump the gold you have you won't get points for it. You do however get points for hits you have left over at the end of a round. Each subsequent round there are more and faster things falling. As an approximate formula, new endurance = total score / 3. You should be able to score 100 with no problem. 10. WALKTHROUGH Here is the very basic outline of what you must do to win Legend of Blacksilver. It contains critical junctures where you need to find and use items. It assumes that you generally keep well-stocked with money and supplies. After this you'll have a bit more detailed walkthrough. I've only included the very necessary items to win the game in the brief walkthrough. Of course many puzzles you solve will improve you immensely and are worth doing. Main Castle: trade falcon feather for small key, get first blue gem Owl Temple: get singing crystal Main Castle: Discover wooden key, rescue Seravol, trade wooden and small keys for gold key, become apprentice Island Caverns: Get Crystal Ring, first red garnet Owl Temple: get storming gear Mantrek's Citadel: get black key, get iron key, first amethyst gem Taragas Mines: get lute, amethyst gem Mantrek's Citadel L2: get staff, Signet Ring Main Castle: get two emeralds Marthbane Tunnels: get yellow diamond, rescue the king Taragas's Castle L1: get large key, amber key, yellow diamond Hawk Temple: get healed, visit yellow diamond exhibits Blackmire Pits(1-6): get rusty key, white diamonds, skeleton key Hawk Temple: get healed, visit white diamond exhibits(get stone hammer) Taragas's Castle L2: get illusion of light, rebuke Taragas Blackmire Pits(7-10): get blacksilver Main Castle: more of Maelbane has risen Lost Crag: get black blade Main Castle: receive opal Hawk Temple: see final exhibit, get dragon tears Dragon Caves: go to bottom Sparkle Maze: find Taragas, win the game 1. Walk around the castle. Give the Falcon Feather to the King and he'll let you loot. Woohoo! 2. Search the castle coffers for a blue gem. You should find one, but if not, restore from a saved state/game and re-loot. 3. Go to the Hawk Temple and use the blue gem on the Singing Crystal exhibit. Go to Crystal Summit for the best starting armor/weapon you can get. 4. Return to the castle and use the small key on the first door to the right. Go north and use the singing crystal as far north as you can. Keep using it until you've removed the entire landslide--it should dissolve then. 5. You may be able to get another blue gem with your first try going through the back of the castle, and you should find the wooden key as well, although before that you may want to buy Glow Tip and Armor Enchant and Tongue of Flame. If not you should be able to buy one from the merchants(Clissold Creek's food merchant seems rather good for this,) but with your next blue gem you should open up the Metal Work exhibit. That will get you chain mail. In the meantime you may also want to try trap shooting to boost dexterity so you don't get hit as often. 6. Once you reach Seravol, he'll inform you that he cannot be at full power without his orb. However, he will promote you to APPRENTICE for discovering him and give +5 charisma and 300 maximum hit points. He'll also give you another blue gem if you need it, along with laggard vapors. He'll also give you a gold key which opens all castle doors. 7. The Island Caverns should be your next stop. They are four levels, and you will get the Crystal Ring at the end of the four-level excursion. 8. Now you can visit the empaths in the temples. They sell you life elixirs. You should also visit the Storming Gear exhibit with the red garnet you got from the bottom of the Island Caverns. That will allow you to enter Mantrek's Citadel, your next destination. Before you start on your way, visit the Seeker of Owl Temple to return the Owl Figurine. You'll get +5 strength. 9. Use the Rope and Pulley on Mantrek's Citadel(southeast of Ridgeport, behind a mountain range.) In Mantrek's Citadel you will have a lot of fighting to do, so be stocked fully on spells and items. There is a black key in the far left. It is in a chest in a room by itself. It opens the door to the north. Wait until you've dispersed with all the guards to open that. 10. Visit the torture pits south of the room if you want(lean against the south walls to get there,) but you want to find a place to use your black key. Go back through the main hallway and when you see a big structure jutting out from the left, go down. In the south center you will eventually come upon a door that you can use the key on. The guards will wait for you so it's a bit tough but you should find a red garnet in the south of the room and in a cove with two chests, the iron key will be the one on top. 11. Go back to the upper right. The iron key now unlocks the door the brass key could not. Speak to the jester if you want, but the main problem will be to get through the maze. Step only where the squares are blue. You can step halfway onto a blue tile from where you were, and you'll be okay. In fact, you'll be able to walk around even more places. This will make things quicker. Don't be scared to back up, as the square below you should always eventually open up. The object of course is to get to the bottom, and if you goof up, just leave and come back. There's an eagle statuette to the left and an amethyst gem to the right. Worry about the teleporter later. Don't worry if you touch a bad square on the way out. Before you leave, check up in the northwest where you didn't go before. You'll pay a high price for the orb--left with 10 hit points and -12 strength. Using one life elixir bumps that back up seven but you've got a net loss of 5 either way. 12. Use your red garnets at the temple. Even though you haven't advanced since you last visited, you can now visit "Game of Honor." Use the rest on "The Wealthy." If any more red garnets fall your way(merchants sell them,) use them on "The Wealthy." After this you seem to have to find the more expensive gems. Also you may wish to play a little Trist(before your intelligence is bumped up naturally by level advancement,) and you may want to drop off the Eagle Statuette at Eagle Temple for +5 Strength. Before you go there, use your amethyst gem on the Etherium exhibit. As you get a boat, you won't need mountain stuff, but strangely the merchants don't seem to sell you an Amethyst Gem if you look at the Mountains exhibit--only the Etherium one. In case you are paranoid about running out of gems using the Mountains exhibit is perfectly OK. You just wait a bit to get great spells. 13. Stop off at the castle next. Hoohoo! More schtuff! Endurance +5. You are now an ADVENTURER with 500 hit points. 14. Putz around a bit at shops to see if you can get another amethyst gem. Enjoy it; it's the last one you'll be able to get this way, if you can. Then head northwest to Taragas's mines. Slug through there to find the lute. You should also discover an amethyst gem, which will help you open the Etherium exhibit if you haven't already. This is the right time to do so, as lightning bolt will be very nice in Mantrek's. 15. With the Etherium and the silver coins, be sure to improve your spells. I recommend improving lightning bolt and, for later, annihilate. You'll be getting more coins shortly. 16. Before visiting the jester, stop off first where you got the orb. You can get your strength back for 3000 gold. You don't get character improvement directly for returning the lute to the jester(remember to stock up again before doing so) but you do get to discover what's behind the teleporter. There is a quartz key in a room you can unlock with the iron key. Then you should be able to unlock two more doors--to Mantrek's throne in the northwest and the elf in the center. To reach the elf from the original room go south whenever you can, but veer a bit west, too. You should be able to waste all the guards. 17. In the meantime, cut loose and get a tattoo. It's in the southeast corner; use your iron key. Hawk, Turtle, or Dove? Well, there are no Turtle or Dove temples so go with the Hawk. It's the tuffest looking one anyway, I bet. 18. The elf will ask for your iron and black keys. Give them, and give the gold. Then you'll get a puzzle. The correct answers are baby, baron and thief. You'll get the king's signet ring in return. 19. Open up the throne room next. Speak to Mantrek. He'll beg for his life and give you the staff. Well, you're teleported to a room where you'll open a chest. Use the staff when on the teleporter, taking you back to the throne room. Walk east and enter the other teleporter. You're back on level one and although guards are coming after you the lightning bolt spell can dispatch them quickly--it often takes just one hit. 20. Go back to the castle. Talks with Seravol and the Prince alternately until they have no more information will reveal a motherlode of items and information. You get 3 silver coins for the staff. You are promoted to WARRIOR with 700 hit points by Seravol, and you get dexterity+1 and intelligence+5. Then the prince gives you 2 silver coins and 2 emerald coins. 21. Finally, you get to take a boat. Only Ridgeport's is available right now, and it leads to the Hawk Temple in the inland sea directly south. Maybe bump off to Bad Axe for your new advanced spells first, but there's a lot to do in Hawk Temple besides get a new elixir stash. Play Hard Rock Melee to get your endurance to a safe level(35 is good,) and visit the seeker to get +5 charisma. Then go down below and visit the two emerald exhibits--the morningstar is a nice weapon, and it will be useful in the Marthbane Tunnels, where your other emerald takes you. 22. Marthbane Tunnels are next. You should have the signet ring to complete them, but they are not so bad. Be sure to get the yellow diamond and go to the bottom level. Speak to the king and say yes, yes, etc. There's a bit of a break in the passage up. Return to the castle where you will be raised to the rank of SQUIRE with 1000 hit points. You'll also get +5 intelligence and 3 laggard vapors. Stop by the Hawk Temple, recharge life potions, and find a place to buy a boat. I like Riverbend, up north. 23. Now it's off west to Maelbane. Look for the inlet on the east coast It's about ten north of Bad Axe before you floor it west, and go as far in as you can. Walk west by the Marthbane Tunnels(yes, the rest of this was underwater a bit ago) and go west into the castle. Use rope/pulley...you know the deal. Now here's where things get REALLY nasty. You will need to work your way through a labyrinth of teleports. Watch out here. Of course the guards will attack you, and there is a serious onslaught. You may want to save your emulator state, as I know I have forgotten to. 24. First to get the large key you go through the left teleport, find the next teleport, and then take the teleport to the left--not the north. The large key is in the first room in this area, and you will probably want to off the guards before searching for it. Once you get it, don't worry about the next door yet. Just go see Rofar and speak to him. It'll take you for some damage, and it'll force a side quest as he gives you a yellow diamond along with Ryspots Disease and -15 charisma, but it's worth it. The next teleport sends you back to the first place you went to. Now let's go get the amber key. Remember to rob every place you find as you go through. It's very lucrative here. 25. Find the teleport, and go north this time. Be prepared to fight after you go through the next teleport. Guards wait for you there on each side. Then go through the next teleport and use the large key to open the door to the left. Enter and then sack the area before entering the top. You probably can't afford the elixirs to give to the giant right now, but you will need to come back anyway, and you'll be much stronger when you do. He gives +10 strength when you do manage to arm- wrestle him, which is nice. If you have over 20 elixirs left, give it a shot. The increased strength will help in fights against guards, and you'll even wind up with hit points over 1000. 26. Exit through the top portal. North of the portal after that is a valuable amber key. You won't be using it right away, but still pick it up. Then enter the portal and see the contortionist. -2 endurance(who cares about that? It's rechargeable.) and +5 dexterity. For some reason the guards are put back in their original places--with the chests--when you teleport back. Find the to the south, then take the one to the north after fighting through some guards. You're back where you started. 27. With the two yellow stones visit the Hawk Temple exhibits. Be sure to get healed of Ryspots disease by the empath at Eagle Temple as well. Recharge and visit the castle before you go back west--now you're a KNIGHT with 1300 hit points! Re-enter the castle but don't pick any fights--get the lodestone from Rofar and get out. Head for the dungeon in the northeast, the Blackmire Pits. 28. Eee this is a nasty 'un. You'll have a lot of up-and-down and can't go to the part below level six. Don't worry about that for now. Also don't worry about contracting Rotlung Disease(gosh, I've never picked up a disease in an RPG before and now this game gives me two in such a short span!) because there's nothing you can do about that. You should find two White Diamonds and will need to find a Rusty Key to use on a chest that won't open, which will lead you to a Skeleton Key which will help you out in Taragas's. 29. But don't go back to Taragas's yet. Get back to Thalen and get healed. See the Flaxton Incense exhibit first and then Kloryk's Cage(returns the gem to you) and the Morningstar exhibit to give you a great weapon. The Blacksmith exhibit will also reveal some valuable information--and a new town when you go back to Maelbane. Exit and re- enter the temple and see the Carekeeper(+4000 for the wand) and the Empath(-2000 for the Rotlung cure, but you still make out with two grand, net.) Drop by the castle for the usual "What's Shakin, Yer Majesty?" and after reloading go back to Maelbane and Taragas's. 30. Now use the amber key to get through the door you couldn't before. It'll lead you to a new room. If you cross the glowing square you'll get attacked, probably from both sides, so instead pop the uppermost guard with a Lightning Bolt and scramble into the narrow corridor. The grey guards are really nasty so keep extra track of your hit points, not wasting moves, etc. They have about 250 hit points; the previous guys have 175 and, I think, weaker armor. However, as compensation you seem to get a silver coin per area, and many chests have four-digit gold. This makes restocking very easy. 31. The pattern through the second labyrinth is as follows: lower teleporter(upper one sends you back--NOT where you want to go right now) should lead you before a long corridor where you must use the amber key. Now you will want to give three potions to Max the Midget(i.e. speak three times to him and say yes each time.) He'll give you +5 endurance for being so considerate, and you don't even have to listen to any whiny [pun alert] small talk to be all nice! 32. You may want to go through a detour(teleportal to the left) which has a lot of treasure but is really dangerous. Through the second portal is Ludicious the Leper who will give you +10 charisma with the next teleportal sending you back to max.. You don't really need any of this, so it can be cut out. But the right portal is the place you need to go eventually. Again you have a tough fight ahead of you(the near portal kicks you back to the start of this castle level) and will want to avoid being attacked by two guards whenever possible. There's a teleporter to the bottom left you need to enter. It leads to a rather big room. 33. In this rather big room, immediately stand in the right half of the doorway and zap the guards with spells as they try to come through. Note that the guards will stop in the doorways if you don't act quickly, which would mean an extra attack for them. Wait until you've killed all the guards that have rushed at you, then move up a bit to sucker the guards in the other doorway. Then off to the left you can line up the rest of the guards and beat them one by one. That chest in the middle has 5000 gold you'll need later. There's a bottleneck ahead with three rooms. Of course the locked one is the one you want to enter(the other two loop back to locations you've already been to) and your skeleton key does that! 34. Another big room, another ton of fights. You'll need to hack through them as usual--don't move too quickly as you will have several false alarms before the all clear unless you are totally careful. There's a new teleporter in both the lower left and lower right. You'll want to go in the right one first. Some fellow named Vorn will sell you the Illusion of Light and change your other keys so that the Skeleton Key takes over their functions--and so your inventory doesn't get too crowded as well :). The cost? "A nickel," in the vernacular, exactly what you found in that one chest. 35. Take the teleporter back to the bottleneck, go north, and this time go to the left teleportal. You'll get to talk with Taragas. Of course you'll want to decline him(if you have a save state it's amusing to find what happens if you don't.) One thing that isn't amusing is if you fail to notice your hit points dropped to one and you get in a fight. Remember to use two life elixirs before entering the transporter. It sends you back to a room north of the previous portal. You'll want to go to the right portal(back to Vorn,) through that portal, and to the portal on the left. From there you take the portal to the north which kicks you back to the original room. Then you take the north(red) portal again and you're back on the lower level. Quickly enter the portal to the right, then move right and down so that you only have to confront one guard at a time. Blast away(these suckers seem to have numbers, but they'll be total busters after you've duked it out with the grey jabronies,) and take the top portal at the end of the winding corridor. Whew, you're done! 36. You'll probably need to recharge and come back. When you do, the new part of the continent should be waiting for you(courtesy of your viewing the Blacksmith exhibit.) But you'll first want to enter the Blackmire Pits again and go down to level ten. The Illusion spell will make 7-10 seem normal. At the bottom, you'll find blacksilver. 37. Climb back up, return to Thalen, and head to Lost Crag, the town on the new northern landmass. A fellow named Dalvid there will ask for your hammer and then the blacksilver. Give him both and you've got a neat new weapon! 38. Return and recharge one last time. Accept your new rank, BARON with 1600 hit points, and be sure to visit Seravol(Strength +5) and the final exhibit under Hawk Museum. That gives you Crystal Tears. 39. Enter the Dragon Caves in the lower central part of Maelbane after using the crystal tears. The caves are twelve levels but aren't too bad, especially since you don't have to go back up. Annihilate spells are handy here for quick passage, and some levels are less twisty than you'd expect. Taragas's quarters are under a chest on level twelve, and you climb through a hole. 40. The Sparkle Maze is really not too bad. Be sure to heal up first, and you may want to slow the speed on the emulator as this part is somewhat time-critical. Overall, just try to get a quick picture of the non-cavern room before running out--note where the exits are and note that the maze is a checkerboard of tunnels and sparkle rooms. Remember that sparkles never disappear. Also, if you can see a path you can't get to, you might want to try to find a way to it. Use Ye Mighty Graphyte and Ye Graph Paypre, or read the section below--which may spoil an interesting little puzzle. 41. It doesn't make much difference what you say to Seravol. As long as you have the black blade, you'll be able to conquer him. 42. Return to the castle and stop by Seravol. Pasta fazoo! +5 of everything! Then speak to the king for an extra special treat, including the princess fawning over you. I'm sure she just photographs badly at low resolution, really, or something. Your rank improves to COUNSELOR with 2000 hit points. You can inspect your dominions further if you wish, or you can quit the game. I was able to get through the game in 1260 days when proofreading for this walkthrough but would not be surprised if someone else could do it even more quickly, maybe even in under 1000 days. 11. OUTSIDE Here is a rough map of outside--both Thalen and Maelbane. The actual dimensions of each is 95x86 but I cut each down to 1/3 the normal size for easier viewing. Whether or not it's easier to understand is another matter. I touched the map up where my computerized shrinking looked illogical, but the towns are all in the right places. Remember Maelbane is to the west of Thalen. Because these maps are slightly inaccurate and a full one might tax older browsers, I dropped my two big outside maps into a crude text file. You'll find it at: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhibit/2762/games/lobout.txt 11.1. LEDGER 0-9,a: towns ^: mountain foothills (avg travel, medium food) M: mountains (slow travel, very high food) ": mixed terrain (avg travel, medium food) ': grasslands (easy travel, low food) *: forest(easy travel, low food) ,: swamp in Thalen(average travel, medium food) marsh in Maelbane(average travel, medium food) :: desert in Thalen(slow travel, high food) scrub in Maelbane(average travel, medium food) `: what appears during the last part of the game along with Lost Crag. [only in Maelbane] 11.2. THALEN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~,0,,~~~~~~~~~~~ ~*~~::*1~~~~~~~,,,~~,,~~~~~MM~~~ ~DM::'~~~~~~~*MM~~~~~,,M~^^T~~~~ ~^^::"~DP~~MM^^**~~~~*,^M^^~~~~~ ~~~::M~~~,M^^****,,,'**,~~~2~~~~ ~~~~MMM,,,::~~~~''~,,,,'~~~***~~ ~M~MMM,,,,,~~~~~''"~,,,**'''*,~~ ~MMM,,,,'',"~~~~,***,,:::^M^*,,~ ~~~'*',,***~~~~,~**::::::~~~*,~~ ~~~~*3,,M^**~~~~4*''**^^~~~~~~,~ ~~~~M*,,MM**~~~~~,',,,^^M~~~~~~~ ~,,^M*,,^M**M'~~~~~,,,:MMM~~~~~~ ~~,*MMMM^^MMM"~~~~~~~K~M,,,~~~~~ ~,**^^MMM*^^:::~~~~~~~~,,~,~~~~~ ~5***MMMMM^**:'T~~~~,~~,~~~~~~~~ ~~*,^MMMMM***:::*~M^~~,,,,,,~~~~ ~~",^M^^**,,*:MM:MMM^^M',,',,,~~ ~~*,,''**,,,,'^MMMMMMMMM''',,,~~ ~~~***'',~,,**::MMMMMM6M'''',,~~ ~~~"**~7~~,~~**~~~^^^^MM''''',~~ ~~~~*'~~~~~~~~~~~~^*MMMM'''*'M~~ ~~~,*M'~T~~~~~~~~~^^^^**''*''M*~ ~~,,*^'~~,~~~,~~~~~~^***'''*^M~~ ~~"*~~',,*^^^,~~~~~M*''''~~^MM~~ ~,,~~~~~**MMM**~~~~~8*''"~~~MMM~ ~,~~~~~~*'MC^M****'^MM*,~~~~~~9~ ~,~~~~~~~****^M~~~~~^~~',,~~~~~~ ~.,~~~~~~,,*~~~~~~~~*~~"~,~~~~~~ ~.a.,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The temples, from upper right to lower left, are Eagle, Owl and Hawk. The dungeons are: left, Taragas's Mines, right, Island Caverns. Town numbers 0 = Appia 1 = Riverbend 2 = Iron Forge 3 = Ironwood 4 = Clissold Creek 5 = Bad Axe 6 = Tumanis 7 = Ridgeport 8 = Crystal Summit 9 = Glen Lake a = Beaverton 11.3. MAELBANE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~**^**'***^~~,,,,,*~~,*~~~~~~~~~ ~*MM*'~,,*^~,0~,,*~~~~,*,~~~~~~~ ~~M~~~~~,,*```~***~~~~,,,~~^D~~~ ~~~~~~~~,,*````~*,~~~~,,,~~,~~~~ ~~~~~~~",,,*`~~~~MMM~M**,,,~,~~~ ~~~~~,~~1**``~~^^MMMMM****~~~~~~ ~~~~~~,***``~~~,'^^MMMMM^*2~~~~~ ~~~,,,,~~~````,,*:::'~MMM~~~~~~~ ~~*,,,,~~~~``~,**:::~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~:::^M**''^~~,~~::*~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~:::MMMMMMM~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~*::^MMMPDMM~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~,~~~ ~~,~CMMMM:::::'"~~~*,,,,~,~~*~~~ ~~~~~MMMM:::::*,,^M^*~~~,,~~*~~~ ~~~,,^~MM*::::**MMMMM~~",,,^M~~~ ~~~~,,~~~'::::,'^MMMMM',,,,^~~~~ ~~~~~*~~~~''*,,,'^MMMM',,~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~*~~~~'*,~~,*MMMM''*M~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~,,,,',~~,*^MMMM^MMM~~~~~ ~~~~~~~*,,,,"~~~~~*MMMMMM^M~~~~~ ~~~~~~~**',,~~~~~~~~M^*^M~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~,***,,~~~~M~~~~^*^M~~~~~~~ ~~~3~~,*,~~~~~~~D^~~***^M~~'MM~~ ~~M^,,,*,~~~~~~~~::~***'MM~,',,~ ~~MM~~~',,,,~~~~::::****4M~~,,~~ ~~MM~~~^^^~~~~~~*::~~*****,~,~~~ ~~M~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~*~~,,~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Town numbers 0 = Lost Crag 1 = Beggar's Cove 2 = Murkwater 3 = Thorton Hollow 4 = Ratville The dungeons, top to bottom, are the Blackmire Pits, the Marthbane Tunnels(the first time you visit via the portal, most of Marthbane will be underwater, and it's cute if you walk by them during the late stages of the game. I did a double take the first time. "What's that dungeon for? Oh.") and the Dragon Caves(final dungeon.) 12. TEMPLE MAPS Although all of the temples have similar layouts(head curate straight forward, magicians, empaths, skill game and seekers to the side in four separate rooms) I include the maps and details for posterity. Eagle Temple is the only temple without archives, so I only show the above part. 12.1. LEDGER FOR TEMPLES R/r = roof patterns :/. = tile patterns >/< = more funky tiles 1 = chief of temple 2 = improve attributes 3 = seeker 4 = empath 5 = magic man T = torches " = statue ' = grass = = entryway . = lining v = potential stairs down to archives. I cut off the maps slightly; owl and hawk have the two left columns cut, eagle has the two right, and owl/hawk have top two rows cut, hawk/eagle have the two bottom. For each temple you can go straight in one direction to visit the chief. The other people are arranged in a slightly different order in each temple, although there are five influential conversations in each temple. Seekers disappear once you've found their items. 12.2. 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'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''........''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' #2 will play Trist if you are registered(need to have viewed Game of Honor.) #3 seeks the Owl Grail. #4 can't be approached without the crystal ring. #5 needs etherium(need to have viewed that exhibit.) #1 asks for 100 GP the first time you want to enter the archives. He also heals you if you give tribute--1.4*the gold pieces you give him up to the maximum. He rounds his fee up and gives you money back if you pay more than you need. BELOW Note that this contains spoilers as it tells you what each exhibit says. LEGEND X = wall T = torches ^ = climb here * = door 1-9 = exhibits detailed below ARCHIVES MAP XXXTXXTXXXXXXXXTXXXXXXXX T X XXXXXXXX X XXTXX XTXXX TXXXXXXX X XXXXT X XXXXXXXX T XXXXXXXXX3X XXXXXXXXXX X XXXXXXXX TXXXTXXXXX XXXX TXXXXXXT 4XXT XX XXXT X7TXTXXX TXXX XX XX XXXX XXX XT XX XXXXX XX^XXXXX XX 5X XXXXX XX*XXXXXXX X XT XX XXXXX XTXXXXXXX1 X XX XX XXX XTX T XXXXX XT XXTX XXX X XXXXXXX X8 XXXX XXTXXX XXX XT T TX XX XXXXX TXX XX XTX XXXXX XXX XX T TXXXXXXXX XXTXT XXX XX X XXXXXXXX XXX XX XT2XTXXXXXXXXXX6XXXXX XX XXX XXXXXXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXTXX XXTXXT XXXXXXXXXX XXXXX X XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXTXXX X TXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXT9TXXXXXXXXXX 1 : Singing Crystals exhibit(blue gem)--here you get a singing crystal, which if used properly can work your way through the lost area of the castle. --BANTROSS MINERS HAVE LONG USED THE SPECIAL POWERS OF THE SINGING CRYSTAL TO AID THEM IN THEIR MINING ACTIVITIES. THESE UNIQUE VIBRATING ROCKS ACTUALLY LOOSEN THE STRUCTURE OF NEARBY ROCKS. A TRAINED MINER CAN DIRECT THIS POWER TO BORE TUNNELS AND EVEN CLEAR CAVERNS. HERE IS A SMALL 'SINGING CRYSTAL' FOR YOUR OWN USE. 2 : An Island Retreat(blue gem)--here you are teleported to an island you can't yet reach with a raft. There's a dungeon there. --FEW PEOPLE VISIT THE CAVERNS OF BANTROSS, FOR THESE DUNGEONS ARE PLACES OF TREACHERY AND DEATH. YET FOR THE INTREPID EXPLORER, THEY'RE WORTH THE DANGER. THESE ISLAND CAVERNS ARE ACTUALLY VISIBLE FROM THE NORTHERN COAST OF THALEN. YET, FEW KNOW OF THEIR EXISTENCE. THROUGH THIS EXHIBIT, YOU'RE NOW FREE TO VISIT THE ISLAND CAVERNS AS MANY TIMES AS YOU DARE. 3 : Metal Works exhibit(blue gem)--here you get chain mail. --ALTHOUGH TEMPLES ARE PLACES OF HOLY NONVIOLENT REFLECTION, WE ENJOY THE ARTISTRY OF VARIOUS MILITARY PIECES. YOU SEE BEFORE YOU A SPLENDID SAMPLE OF MODERN CHAIN-MAIL. NOTE THE EXQUISITE ARTISTRY OF THE DECORATIVE ENGRAVINGS. NO TWO ARE ALIKE. 4 : Game of Honor exhibit(red garnet)--here you get to register for the game of Trist found in Owl Temple above. --YOU SEE BEFORE YOU, A REPRODUCTION OF ONE OF THALEN'S MOST FAMOUS GAMES OF TRIST. IT WAS A FIERCE BATTLE OF WITS BETWEEN TWO MOST NOBLE ADVERSARIES. THE MENTAL RIGORS OF TRIST ARE SAID TO INCREASE A PLAYER'S INTELLIGENCE. THE GAME IS AVAILABLE ONLY IN ONE OF OUR TEMPLES, AND ONLY TO THOSE REGISTERED TO PLAY. YOUR NAME HAS NOW BEEN ADDED TO THIS ELITE LIST. WE WISH YOU WELL. 5 : Storming Gear(red garnet)--here you get Rope/Pulley which gives access to Mantrek's Castle as well as a later castle. --THIS ROPE, GRAPPLE, AND PULLEY ARE TYPICAL OF THE GEAR NEEDED TO STORM A WELL PROTECTED CASTLE. IN THE HANDS OF A MASTER, IN THE DEAD OF THE NIGHT, FEW PLACES ARE INPENETRABLE.[sic] 6 : The Wealthy exhibit(red garnet)--here you get a whole heaping helping of gold. The higher your rank, the more you seem to get. If you stumble on any red garnets along the way, you may wish to stop here and use them. --ALTHOUGH WE PREFER TO REMAIN QUIET ABOUT THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT, THIS VAULT CONTAINS MUCH OF THE GOLD AND MANY OF THE LOST GEMS OF THE LOST LANDS OF MAELBANE. ALTHOUGH SOME CONSIDER THIS GOLD TAINTED, OTHERS FEEL THAT 'GOLD IS GOLD.' AS OUR GUEST, YOU MAY HAVE A SAMPLE. 7 : Mountains exhibit(amethyst gem)--here you get climbing gear. --THE TREACHEROUS TERRAIN AND RUGGED NEAR-VERTICAL SLOPES OF BANTROSS MOUNTAIN RANGES HAVE ALWAYS MADE MOUNTAIN TRAVEL IMPOSSIBLE. THROUGH YEARS OF WORK, ONE OF OUR MONKS DESIGNED THE CLIMBING GEAR YOU SEE BEFORE YOU. WITH PRACTICE, IT RENDERS THE RANGES PASSIBLE. 8 : Magic Etherium exhibit(amethyst gem)--this allows you to drink of Etherium and gain access to advanced spells as well as spell skill improvement. --WITH THE DISPERSAL OF BLACKSILVER, THERE ARE NO LONGER ANY TRUE WIZARDS ON THE PLANET BANTROSS. YET, WE STILL HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR LIVES, TRAINING, AND PRACTICES. THROUGH A CONSTANT HONING OF SKILLS, YOUNG WIZARD APPRENTICES WERE TAUGHT SCORES OF "MINOR" SPELLS. SOMETIMES YEARS WENT BY BEFORE THE "CHANGING." ONLY WHEN A WIZARD WAS DEEMED READY, COULD HE DRINK THE POTION THAT WOULD ALTER HIS MAGICAL MIND, MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO FINALLY PERFORM TRULY AWESOME FEATS. ALTHOUGH MAGIC IS A NEARLY LOST ART, THE TEMPLES STILL BREW THE MYSTICAL ETHERIUM. YOU'RE FREE TO TAKE A SIP, IF YOU THINK YOU'RE READY. 9 : Vase of Souls exhibit(amethyst gem)--this is not a necessary exhibit. Your gem is returned if you look at this exhibit, so you might as well before you take a look at the others. --THE MAGICAL VASE OF JANTYR HAS BEEN DAMAGED BY THE EARTHQUAKES. WE'RE SORRY YOU CAN'T SEE THE VASE IN ITS ORIGINAL SPLENDOR. 12.4. HAWK TEMPLE Of course you can't get to Hawk Temple right away, but once you're allowed to use a raft/boat, the inlet south of Ridgeport leads you to a place with some interesting stuff. 12.4.1. 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Note that these archives are tougher to find the right gem for. He also heals you if you give tribute--1.4*the gold pieces you give him up to the maximum. He rounds his fee up and gives you money back if you pay more than you need. 12.4.2. BELOW Note that this contains spoilers as it tells you what each exhibit says. LEGEND X = wall T = torches ^ = climb here * = door 1-9 = exhibits detailed below ARCHIVES MAP XXXXTXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX XTXXXXXXXXXTXTXX XXX1 XX XX X XXXT XX XXXTX XT XXX3X X XXXX XT5XX XX XTXXX T XXXXX X XX X XXXXT X XTX X XXXTXXX XXXXX XXXTX TX X XXX XXXXX XXX X TXXXX XXX XXXXX X*^ XX T XXXXT XXX XXXXX XX X X XX XXX XXXXXX TXTX TT 4T 6X TXX XT XTT 2XXX XX XX XX XXX X X TT X XX XXX T TX X XX XTX XXX XX X XXX XTX XXX TX T TX XXXXXXXX XXT XX X XXXXXXX XXX8XX XX XXX XX XXXXXXX XX XX7 TX XTXXXTX XXTTTXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXTXXXTXXXXXXXXXXXXX 1 : Morning Star(emerald)--you get a morning star as a weapon. It's a very good one. It's probably above anything you have at the moment, so by all means use it. --AS MUCH AS WE ABHOR VIOLENCE AND DEATH, THE POWER OF FINE WEAPONRY HOLDS A CERTAIN PERVERSE FASCINATION. FOR THIS REASON, WE COLLECT AND EXHIBIT WEAPONS. THE IRONS SPIKES, JUTTING FROM THE SURFACE OF THIS MORNINGSTAR, BEAR LITTLE RESEMBLANCE TO THE SHIMMERING RAYS OF A WANING STAR, BUT IT'S COLD POLISHED BEAUTY IS EQUALLY ALLURING. 2 : Marthbane Tunnels(emerald)--This teleports you to the Marthbane Tunnels for your next challenge. --EONS AGO, WHEN THE EVIL LANDS OF MAELBANE PERISHED BENEATH THE OCEAN WATERS, ONE MOUNTAIN WAS TALL ENOUGH TO BECOME AN ISLAND ATOLL. THIS JUTTING PRECIPICE CONTAINS THE ANCIENT MARTHBANE TUNNELS, ONCE HOME OF AN AWESOME SORCEROR. HIS VILE CREATURES FILLED THE GROTTO CORRIDORS. THE POWER OF THIS TEMPLE CAN TRANSPORT YOU TO MARTHBANE, AS MANY TIMES AS YOU DARE. 3 : Dark Wand(yellow diamond)--This tells you about the Dark Wand, for which there is a reward if you return it. It is in the Blackmire Pits. [They're not joking about what happens if you use the wand.] --THE PRIZE POSSESSION OF THIS TEMPLE WAS ONCE THE BLACK WAND, AN ANCIENT MAGICAL DEVICE DATING BACK TO THE DAYS OF BLACKSILVER. WE KNOW FAR TOO LITTLE ABOUT THE BLACK WAND. WE DO KNOW THAT IT WAS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WEAPON IN THE HANDS OF ONE TRAINED IN ITS USE, BUT NO ONE UNTRAINED SHOULD DARE USE IT. SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE WAND WAS STOLEN FROM THIS ARCHIVE. WE WOULD HANDSOMELY REWARD ANYONE WHO RETURNS IT HERE FOR SAFEKEEPING. ONE WARNING: DON'T USE THE WAND! IF IT IS STILL CHARGED, IT MAY KILL YOU. 4 : Underwater Port(yellow diamond)--This tells you about a land far away(to the West,) Maelbane, and the possibility of a magic portal there. You are probably better off just taking a boat there, though. I checked back and stuff was still under construction. --WHEN THE LANDS OF MAELBANE SUNK, ITS CITIES WERE LOST TO THE SEA. YOU SEE BEFORE YOU A MODEL OF MURKWATER, FORMERLY MAELBANE'S LARGEST CITY. AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD, THE LANDS OF MAELBANE ARE RISING, AND WITH IT THE WATER LOGGED CITY OF MURKWATER. WE'RE WORKING ON A MAGICAL TRANSPORT TO MURKWATER. UNTIL IT'S DONE, HOWEVER, YOU MUST RELY ON PRIMITIVE MEANS OF TRAVEL. YOU SEE BEFORE YOU A PORTAL TO A NEWLY RISEN CITY WHICH WAS ONCE CALLED MURKWATER. AS THE LAND OF MAELBANE SLOWLY ROSE FROM THE SEA, THIS WAS THE FIRST CITY TO EMERGE. NO ONE KNOWS WHETHER THE CITY IS NOW INHABITED. ANCIENT TALES SAY THAT MAELBANE NEVER DIED LIFE WAS JUST SUSPENDED WHILE IT LAY UNDER THE SEA. THIS PORTAL WILL TAKE YOU TO THE COUNTRYSIDE OUTSIDE MURKWATER. 5 : Blacksmith(white diamond)--This gives you a hammer. You'll need another item to work with it, and it is a special item instead of a weapon. --JUST THIS MORNING, NEW AND ANCIENT LANDS ROSE ON THE CONTINENT MAELBANE. THESE WERE THE LANDS OF THE WORLD'S BEST BLACKSMITHS. IN DAYS GONE BY, A TOWN BLACKSMITH WAS MORE THAN JUST A SHOER OF HORSES. A SKILLED SMITHY COULD MAKE ALL MANNER OF UTENSILS, WEAPONS, ARMOR, AND TOOLS. NO SMITHY WAS EVER BETTER KNOWN THAN DALVID, A SKILLED ARTISAN FROM MAELBANE'S OLDEST TOWN. HE WAS ONE OF THE FEW DECENT MEN WHO LIVED ON THAT DEPRAVED CONTINENT. THE HAMMER SHOWN HERE WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED BY DALVID'S GREAT-GREAT GRANDFATHER. IT IS ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING ARTIFACTS FROM THE AGE OF QUALITY. 6 : Flaxton Incence(white diamond)--This is used to heal special diseases, one of which you will get in the course of your travels. The temple empaths can't heal you until you've taken it. --ACCORDING TO THALEN HEALING LORE, THE MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF THE FLAXTON PLANT ARE EXCEPTIONAL. IN THE HANDS OF A TRAINED HEALER, FLAXTON CAN HELP CURE MANY AILMENTS. FLAXTON SALVES ARE SPREAD ON WOUNDS; FLAXTON-BASED INCENSES ARE INHALED TO CURE DISEASES. 7 : Kloryk's Cage(white diamond)--Another "local flavor" exhibit that returns your gem on completion. --HERE ARE THE REMAINS OF KLORYK'S CAGE. THIS RELIC OF THE MAGE WARS ONCE TRAPPED THE SOULS OF VALIANT WARRIORS WHO SOUGHT TO END THE MAD DUKE'S REIGN. RECENT TREMORS COLLAPSED THIS PART OF THE ARCHIVES AND DESTROYED THE CAGE. WITNESSES BELIEVED THEY HEARD A CHORUS OF GHOSTLY SIGHS AS THE GLITTERING TRAP WAS SMASHED. 8 : Crystal Tears(black opal)--Gives you the item "Crystal Tears" which you use to open the final dungeon. --DRAGONS CRY ONLY ONCE, FOR THE TEARS OF A DRAGON PRECEED ONLY ITS DEATH. AS ITS FIERY BREATH TURNS TO STEAM, A TEAR OF LIQUID CRYSTAL FLOWS FROM EACH EYE. ALL THIS IS LEGEND, OF COURSE, FOR DRAGONS PERISHED WITH THE DECLINE OF BLACKSILVER. YET, THE GEMS YOU SEE BEFORE YOU ARE CALLED "DRAGON TEARS." THEY BEAR THE LEGEND OF THE DRAGON. IT IS SAID THAT THE LIFE-FORCE OF AN ANCIENT DRAGON RESIDES IN THESE BEAUTIFUL POOLS OF LIQUID CRYSTAL. 13. TOWN MAPS As a general comment, I want to point out that if a town is easily accessible, it is probably not terribly useful, and vice versa. You'll probably want one town for each special task(i.e. gambling for money, banks, buying spells, buying weapons.) I was able to get through the game while mostly ignoring the Maelbane towns. I also found Bad Axe to be very useful late in the game and Crystal Summit and Clissold Creek to be useful early on. Ridgeport is handy too. You don't have to bother with four of the Maelbane towns. I never did. They are spread out and located across dangerous terrain. Wheel and deal on Thalen. The towns are scaled in by a factor of two from the Commodore. One- to-one mapping would probably make the maps too big and unweildy for what are mostly non-game-critical locations. So there's a bit of rounding off. In addition it's not an exact science about some of the notations for landscaping. Full-size town text maps should be available at: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhibit/2762/games/lobtown.txt. However the link to the graphical maps is even better. 13.1. LEDGER r/R = roof C = chimney c = cannon/catapult E = entryway B = bush X = miscellaneous obstruction x = half-obstruction S = statue " = flowers |+- = borders = = tiles OR brick roof o = cannon balls T = trebuchet or something F = fire pit 0-9 = where various stores are(a in Beaverton) ~ = water # = fountain border . = path ' = vegetation v = way out(of Ridgeport) : = path(type 2) ; = misc. terrain s = sundial 13.2. THALEN TOWNS 13.2.1. APPIA ''XXXXXXXXXXXXBBBBBB'..'BBBBBBXXXXrr6RRR 'XX''RR2rr''''BBBBBB'..'BBBBBB''''rrrRRR 'X'''RRrrr''''B''''''..''''''B''''rrrRRR 'X'''RRrrr''''B'''s''..''s'''B''''rrrRRR 'X'''RRrrr''''B'''........'''B'''ErrrRRR 'X''''''EE''''B'''..####..'''B''''rrrRRR 'X''''''==''''''''..#~~#..''''''''rrrRRR 1rrrr'''==''''B'''..####..'''B'''''EE''X rrrrr'''==''''B'''........'''B'''''==''X rrrrrE====''''B''''''..''''''B'''''EE''X RRRRR'''==''''B''""''..''""''B''7RRRRRRR RRRRR'''==''''B''"''#EE#''"''B''RRRRRRRR RRRRR'''==''''B''"''#EE#''"''B''rrrrrr8C 'X''''''==''''B''''######''''B''rrrrrrrr 'X''''''EE'''\#4#/'######'\#5#/''''==''X 'X'3RRRRRRR''#\#/##########\#/#''======X 'X'RRRRRRRR==##################===|~~|=X 'X'rrrrrrrr==##################===|~~|=X 'X'rrrrrrrr''#/#\##########/#\#''======X 'XXXXXXXXXXXX/###\''''''''/###\XXXXXXXXX Not a particularly useful town, I'm afraid. It looks pretty, but that is about it. It's also way on the northern stretches. 1 : Slings 'n Arrows(weapons) 2 : Cooper Shop(make barrels) 3 : Jail 4 : La Gourmet(food) 5 : Charmed I'm Sure(standard magic) 6 : Manly Man(armor) 7 : Outrageous Fortune(blackjack) 8 : Outrageous Fortune(Dragon Wheel) 13.2.2. BAD AXE ;;';;;'';;'';;;;';';;;;';';';'';;;'';';; ''\#/;''''''''';';'''''''';''';';'''\#/. ;'#X#XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXX#X#. ;'/#\..............'c'...;'';'...c'./#\. '''.''1RRRrrrr''';;cc;o;;c;;c.o;;c;;.X.' ;''.''RRRRrrrr''';;;;;;;;c;cc;;.;;;;;X.' ;''.''RRRRrrrr''';r2rRR'.....;.XXXX'.X.' '''.''RRRRrrrr''''rrrRR..XXXX..'.....X.' ;''.''''.''E.'''''rrrRR..X..X"E.5RrrrX.' ;''.''''"':;'''''.rrrRR.........RRrrrX.' '''.''''"':;TTTT''rrrRR...;;;;;ERRrrrX.' '''.'''''':;'TTT'.'.E....;;;.;";RRrrrX.; ;''X:::::::;:::::...;;;;;;;.;.".RRrrrX.' ;';X.....;;;;...;;;;;;;.;...;XXXXXXXXX.' ;';XXX..;;;;;;;;;..E.''.;....X;;6RRRRX.' ;;;;;;;;;......;;rrrRRR....;.X;ERRRRRX.; ;'';;;...c...;c..3rrRR4....T..;ErrrrCX.' ;\#/...;cc.ccccc.rrrRRR.TTTTTX;;rrrrrX.; ;#X#...cc;ccc;.c;rrrRRR...;T;X;;;;;;;X.; ;/#\XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.' An excellent reference point for later in your adventures. It's between Maelbane and not only the King's Castle but also the Owl Temple. It's also got both types of magic spells to stock up on. Before you get the Etherium, this town's out of the way, but once you need to cross the ocean, it's a good place to know. 1 : Smash 'n Bash(weapons) 2 : Conjurations(dungeon magic) 3 : Bank 4 : Sweet Meats(food) 5 : Munitions Plant(cannon balls) 6 : Conjurations(standard magic) 13.2.3. BEAVERTON X1RRRRRRRXXXX'''''''''''''######XXXXXXXX XRRRRRRRR====X####5######/###7##''+--+=X XRRRRRRRRE====##################''|~~|=X XrrrrrrrrE====###################'+--+=X Xrrrrrrrr=====#######E===E######:======X RRRCrr========##################E======X 2RRrrr''''''==#########6#########'+-+==X RRRrrr'''''''B###########\###8##''|~|==X RRRrrr'''''''''''''''=''''######''|~|==X RRRrrr''''\@4@@@/'B''='''''''''''++~|==X 3RRrrr''''@\@@@/@'B''='RRRrrr''''+--+=== RRRrrr''''@@\@/@@''''='RRRrrr'''''''''=X X'''='''''@@@X@@@====='RRRrrrRRRRRRRR'=X X'''====''@@/@\@@''''='9RRrr0RRRRRRRR'=X X'''''==''@/@@@\@'B''='RRRrrrrrarrrrr==X X''+''==''/@@@@@\'B''='RRRrrrrrrrrrrr''X X'~~~'=='''''''''''''='''='''rrrrrrrr''X X'+~+'===================='''''''''''''X X'''''====================''''B'+++++++X XXXXX'''XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Beaverton's busy as a...well, beaver. With all the different places to go it's quite a happening town. Lots of roofs and buildings here. Beware that this town isn't always here. The only thing it doesn't have is a marina. However, it's a bit out of the way, so I generally ignore it. 1 : Raucous Rick's(blackjack) 2 : Raucous Rick's(Heigh-Loagh) 3 : Dark Defiler(standard magic) 4 : Jail 5 : Bank 6 : Cash it Back(broker) 7 : Battle Blades(weapons) 8 : Heavy Metal(armor) 9 : Earthly Delights(food) 0 : Fine Aroma(pastries) a : Dark Defiler(dungeon magic) 13.2.4. CLISSOLD CREEK '''''''''''''''''~"'''R4RrCrr'''''''"""' '''BBBBBBBB''''"~~~BBBRRRrrrrBBBBBBBB."" 'BB.......BBBBB.~~~;..RRRrrrr....B..BBB" 'B\'t'''t''...".~~~;..RRRrrrr....B....B' 'B 1RRRRRR.'.".~~~~;..RRRr5rr.;.......B' 'B.RRRRRRR&/."..~~~;..RRRrrrr......\###/ 'B.RRRRRRRXR."..~~~~......;;;;.....#\#/# 'B.rrrrrrr&\..".;~~~~....;;;;;;;...##X7# 'B.rrrrrrr....."..~~~........;;;;;E#/#\# 'B/........'..""..~~~~;.RRRRRRRR.;./###\ 'B.........'..""..====;.RRRRRRRR';;...B. 'B............."..====..R6RRRRRR;;....B' 'B......'.E....."..~~~..rrrrrrrrE;....B' 'B.''\%%%/%\%%%/...~~~..rrrrrrCr.;....B' 'B.''%\%/%%%\%/%"..~~............;;...B' 'B.''2%X=====X%%"..~~~;.......;;;;....B' 'B.''%/%\%%%/3\%....~~~~..BB..;;;.BB..B' 'B.''/%%%\%/%%%\.""..~~~.......;;.....B' 'BBBBB..........BBBB.~~~BBBBBB';BBBBBBB' '''''BBBBBBBBBBBB'''.~~"'......"'.....'' Closest to the castle, Clissold Creek is my favorite place to play Heigh-Loagh. It's a bit light on everything else, as I can't even deposit my gold quickly. Still its two virtues make it a good town to know. 1 : Jail 2 : Steel Deals(weapons) 3 : Evil Pete's(Heigh-Loagh) 4 : Al's Armor(armor) 5 : Iron Works(mail) 6 : Sail Sales(marina) 7 : Ethel's Eats(food) 13.2.5. CRYSTAL SUMMIT XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX\##4#####5#####6##XX X===================##################'X \###/===============##################'X ##1##===============/#################'X #####=====+----+===='#''''######'''''#'X #####=====|~~~~|===='#''S''#EE#'''S''#'X /###\=====+----+===='#''''''...''''''#'X '######============='#''''''...''''''#'X '######E============'#''''B'...'B''''#'X '######E============'#'""'B'...'B'""'#'X '######============='######'...#######'X '####'''=+----+=====''''''''...''''''''X \###/'''=|~~~~|==''''''''B''...''B'''''X #####'''=+----+=='''''''''''...''''''''X #####'''========='''''''SS''...''SS''''X ##2##'''''''''rrrrr'''B''''.....''''B''X /###\'''''B'''3rrrr'''''''..+~+..''''''X X'''''''B's'B'RRRRRE'''B''..+~+..''B'''X X'''''''''B'''RRRRR'''''''.......''''''X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.....XXXXXXXX A very neatly laid out town, it seems to be in the vanguard of weapons and armor. You might want to stop by here before taking on the lost area of the castle. It's not the very most convenient place to go, but since it has a bank, you'll probably stop here a few times. A bit surprising given the relatively small number of businesses here--but quality over quantity in this case. 1 : Deadly Steel(weapons) 2 : Classic Arms(armor) 3 : Vases R' We(pottery) 4 : Slurp 'N Burp(food) 5 : Cashback Shop(broker) 6 : Bank 13.2.6. GLEN LAKE XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX#########XXXXXXXXX7RRrr X''''''''''X'''''3RRRRRRR4'''''''.'RRRrr X'1rrRRRr''X'''''rrrrrrrrr'''''''.'RRRrr X'rrrRRRr''X'''''rrrrrrrrr''''XXX.'RRRrr X'rrrRRRr''X'''''''E'''E''''''X''''RRRrr X'rrrRRRr'''''''''''''''''''''X''''''.'X X'rrrRRRr''X''''''''~''~~~''''X''''''''X X''.'.'.'''X'''''~~~~~~~~~~''''''''''''X X''''''''''X'''''~~~~~~~~~~~''''XXXXXXXX X''.'''.'''''''~~~~~~~~~~~~'''';;....... X''''''''';''~~~~~~~~~~~~~''';;...;....; X'''''''''~~~~~~~~~~~~~''''';;.;..;...;; X'''';''''~~~~~~~~~~~~''''';.....;;;.;.; X''E';'''''~~~~~~~~~~'''''''.XXXXXXXXXXX X2RRrrr''''''''''''''''''''';X'''''''''X XRRRrrr''''';''EE'''''''''';.X'''8RRrr'X XRRRrrr'''':''R5RRRR6R'''''';''''RRRrr.X XRRRrrr'''':''RRRRRRRR'''''''X'''RRRrr.X XRRRrrr'''':''rrrrrrrr'''''''X:::RRRrr'X XRRRrrrxXXXXXXrrrrrrrrxXXXXXXXXXXRRRrC'X This city gets ruined late in the game, and I say good riddance. It's pretty much impossible to get here, and you have no spells and the lamest gambling when you do. 1 : Jail 2 : Sinner Sam's(blackjack) 3 : Singing Swords(weapons) 4 : Manly Mail(armor) 5 : Wave Rider(marina) 6 : Paint Shop(paint) 7 : Feeding Frenzy(food) 8 : Bank 13.2.7. IRON FORGE XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXRR3RRR~~;''''';' X;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;';;''RRRRRR~~~''''''' X;'''''E'';'''';;;;;;;;;rrrrrr'''''R5|rr X;'''R1rrr''''''E'''';;'rrrrrr'''''RR|rr X;'''RRrrr''''R2RRRR'';'''E.'''';;ERR|rr X;'''RRrrr''''RRRRRR'';;;;;;;;;;;''RR|rr X;'''RRrrr''''rrrrrr''';;''''''''''..... X;'''RRCrr''''rrrrrr''';;''''''''''XXXXX X;''''''''''''.'''.'''EE''''''''XXX~~~~X X;''XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXRR4rrXXXXXXX~~~~~.X X;''X'TTT'''TTT'TTTT'RRrrr''''~~~~~~~~~X X;''XTTTT''TTTT'TTTT'RRrrr''''~~~~~~~~'X X;;.X'''''''''''''''''E.'.'''''|rr|R6|'X X;;''''''''''''''''''''''''''''|rr|RR|.X X'';'''''''''''''''''''''''''''|rr|RR|'X X'''X'cc'c''''''''c'c'c'''''''E|rr|RR|'X '''.Xccccc'c''''c'ccc'c''~~~~''|rr|RR|'X X''.X'c'c''c'cccc''''''''~~~~''|7r|RR|.X X'''X'ccc'''ccc'''''''~~~~~~~''|rr|RR|'X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX|rr|RR|'X Way off near the east coast of Thalen, this town is pretty much useless although it is neatly divided and looks very fortified. Nice dungeon magic, but Bad Axe is much more convenient. 1 : Mage O' Magic(dungeon magic) 2 : Trail Place(food) 3 : Sweet Shop(candy) 4 : through-house 5 : Frantic Fred's(broker) 6 : Mace Place(weapons) 7 : Safeguards(armor) 13.2.8. IRONWOOD 'X'''''''''''''''''''===''''''''''''===' ''.''===''''========= ====RRRR4/=======. ''''' ======.1RRCrr..===..RRRR/r....===. '''''===.....RRRrrr:c:==.:RR--rr:::::= . ''''''==...X'RRRrrr:c:==.:Rrrr\r:::::==. '''.''==..'''RRRrrr':::..:rrrr5\=======. ''.'=======''RRRrrr':::::::::::== 6====. ''''= =====.'2RRrrr':'=='::::::= =====. '.'.= 0====.'''::..':'==.::::::= ======. '::E= =====E::':::::''==.::::::== =====. '::E= =====E::::::'''.==.:::::::=======. '::'= =====.:::::'''''==.\RRRR7/:.... . ''''= =====.''':'RRrrr==.R\---/r:::::==. ''''=======.'.':'RRrr3==.R|--C|r::::===. 'X'''.==....''':ERRrrr==.R/---\r:======. ''.'''==....'::''RRrrr==./8rrrr\:=..===. '''.. ==========RRrrr==........:=.X'... ''''' ==........=.'''=============.'''.. '..''.....''''''===== ==...........''''' ''''''.....'''''.....===..''''''''''''.' A nice middling sort of town with cool huge bricks all over the place. It's missing a spells store, which drags it down, and although it's roughly in the center of the continent it's not particularly near any one important location. 0 : through-house 1 : Feeding Trough(food) 2 : Ye Old Bakery(bread) 3 : Win a Wad(Dragon Wheel) 4 : Win a Wad(Heigh-Loagh) 5 : Bank 6 : Jail 7 : Castle Arms(weapons) 8 : Hard Knocks(armor) 13.2.9. RIDGEPORT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~XXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~'~~~~~~;~~~\%4%%/;~~~X::rrR7R:::::X ~~~~1RRRRRRRR~'"%----%;~~~X::rrRRR:::::X ~~~~RRRRRRRRR"''/%%%%\;====::rrRRR::BB:X ~~~~rrrrrrrrrE''.EE...;~~~X::rrRRR::.B:X ~~~~rrrrrrrrr'''''"..;;;~~X::rrRRR:::::X ~~~~;........''"~~~~~~~~~~X::rrR8R:::::X ~~~~~~~~~~~"''";~~~~\###/==:::E::::::::X ~~;B;~~~~~~""'~~~~~~#\#/#::::+------+::X ~~;B."".~~~;~""~~~~~#5X##::::|~~~~~~+--+ ~~"""''''===='"~~~~~#/#\#::::|~~~~~~~~~~ ~~r2rRRR.====".~~~~~/###\::::|~~~~~~+--+ ~~rrrRRR.'"~~~~~~\#####/:::::+------+::X ~~rrrRRRE'''"~~~~#=====6:;;:::::=::::::X ~;rrrRRR.'''~~~~~/#####\;BB;:@@9##:::::X ~~rrrCRR.'''"".;~~===EE=;..;:@@###:|v|:X ~~;;"".''%%%%%.;~~=::::::::::@@###:+-+:X ~~;B;"'"'%3%%%E;===:::::::::E@@###:::::X ~~;B.;;~"*****.;==::::::::::E@@0##:::::X ~~~;~~~~;......~~~XXXXXXXXXXX@@#C#XXXXXX You have to go through Ridgeport to win the game. There's a marina here to an inland lake which has an important island. Of course it's nice that Ridgeport is a pretty busy place too. Although you can hit L to leave, the exit is the fuzzy square in the southeast of town. 1 : Bay Travel(marina) 2 : Hungry Heifer(food) 3 : Den of Power(standard magic) 4 : Straw Stuff(brooms) 5 : Bank 6 : Jail 7 : Dealing Dick's(broker) 8 : The Manly Hazard(Dragon Wheel) 9 : Hit Me(weapons) 0 : Hurt Me(armor) 13.2.10. RIVERBEND X\/RRrrr#BBBBBBBB\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\XXXXXX X.&1Rrrr&.......B"'....'""..'..;;;'.;.B. X.RRRrrrr::::::.B"rrrRRR""..'...;;'';... X.RRRrrrr::::::.."rr4RRR.".~'...;;';;.'' X"RRRrrrr".".:::::rrrRRR."~~~~.;;;;;;''. X.'&/r&&..".".::..rrrRRR.~~~~~~;;;;EE".. X"./Rrr&..""".::."rrrCRR.~~.;.~~~;RRRRRR X"#====#."..""::"........~....~~~;RRRR8R X.".".".....""::"....""~~~\@@/.~~;rrrrrr X.."t"."...."":E".."""~~'.@\/@.~~~rrrrrC XXX"".""."##/RR3R##/";~~"@@/\@@"~~;;.... .B.".";.~~#/#RRRR#/#~~~'.@/@@\@.;~~~~~.. .B....~~~~#\#rrrr#\#~~"."/@@5@\.""""~~~. .;~~~~~~;.##\rrrr##\"".".;";;"""....~~+| .~~~~~~.B.;;..EE...""."";..";"r6rRRR"~+| ;'...........;;;.""".;...".;".rrrRRR""+| |2||R|.......;;...";.;;...;.;ErrrRRR"".. |R||R|E.;.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;ErrrRRR..BB ||||||.;;;;;;;;;...;...;....B.rrrR7R.BBB |r||rCrXXXX...;...XXXXXXXXXXXXrrCRRR"BB. This may be the best place to buy a boat. It's close to Maelbane(head west.) You won't want to stop here again though. Of course you can't visit here at the start of the game due to the mountains and after one stop by you won't really want to. Drop your boat off at Bad Axe and commute that way. 1 : Bank 2 : Victuals(food) 3 : through-house 4 : Protecto(armor) 5 : Float Villa(marina) 6 : Dupe'm(counterfeit coins) 7 : Shady Sue's(blackjack) 8 : Sharp Stuff(weapons) 13.2.11. TUMANIS '''''''''''rrrrr3r''''XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX' 'XEEEEEEEEErrrrrrr''''rrrrrr5r''''''''X' 'X::::::::ErrrrrrC''''rrrrrrrr''''''''X' 'X::'X:::::rrrrrrr''''rrrrrrrr''''7RRrr' 'X::'X':::'RRRRRRRXXXXRRRRRRRR::::RRRrr' 'X::'X'::''RRRRRRR''''R6RRRRRRE::ERRRrr' '''''X'::''R4RRRRR'''''''''''''::'RRRrr' '''''X''::'''''''''''''''''''''::'RRRrr' '\######'::'BBBBBBBBBBBBBB'''''::'RRRrr' '1######::''B''''''''''''B''':::''''''X' '#######E::'B''''+---+'''B'''::'''''''X' '#######:::'B''+-+~~~+-+'B'''::''##8###' '######\'::'B''|~~+-+~~|'B'':::''######' 'X'''''''::''''|~~|~|~~|'''''::''######' 'X'''''''::'B''|~~+-+~~|'B''#EE#'######' '2RRrrr''::'B''+-+~~~+-+'B'############' 'RRRrrrE:::'B''''+---+'''B'############' 'RRRrrr:::''B''''''''''''B'###9########' 'RRRrrr'''''BBBBBBBBBBBBBB'############' 'RRRrCrXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX''''''''''' Tumanis feels a bit walled off as you have to wind around to get anywhere. It also has two ways to exit. It's a pretty busy place with good gambling and supplies and even a bank. Although it's a bit secluded in the mountains, it is close enough to the castle to be a standard reference point. 1 : True Grits(food) 2 : Wooly Rug Shop(wigs) 3 : House O' Hunk(armor) 4 : Bank 5 : Mispells(standard magic) 6 : Clang 'N Bang(weapons) 7 : Soldier's Supplies(arms broker) 8 : The Greedy Gambler(heigh-loagh) 9 : The Greedy Gambler(Dragon Wheel) 13.3. MAELBANE TOWNS 13.3.1. BEGGARS COVE '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' 'XXXXXXX2rrrrRRRR'XXXXXXXXX'XX6RRRrrr.'' 'X....c.rrrrrRRRRXX.cc...cXXX.RRRRrrr.X' 'X...cc.rrrrrRRRR............cRRRRrrr.X' 'X......rrrrrRRRR.............RRRRrrr.'' 'X......rrrrrRRRR.............RRRRrrrXX. 'XX...........E....4RRRRRR5...RRRRrrr.X. ''X...........:....RRRRRRRR':.'...E...X. '1RRRRrrrr....:....RRRRRRRR'''''':.::::. 'RRRRRrrrr...:::::Errrrrrrr::''::....... 'RRRRRrrrrE::::::::rrrrrrrrE........'''. 'RRRRRrrrr.'':::'''rrrrrrrr''::''.:'''X. 'RRRRRrrrr.''''''''''''''''''''':.''''X. 'RRRRRrrrr.''''E''''''''''''''':E:'''XX. ''X........''3rrRRRR''''''.:RRRRRRR.'X'' 'XX''''''''''rrrRRRR:.......RRRRRRR.'XX' 'X.''.'''''''rrrRRRR..:::::Errrrrrr.'X'' 'X''X'''.''''rrrRRRR:'''''''rrrr7rr.'X'' 'XXXXXXXXXXXXrrrRRRRXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX'' '.....................................'' Beggars' Cove, like most towns on Maelbane, can be safely ignored. But it has funny business names. 1 : Bank 2 : Personal Protection(armor) 3 : The Sleepy Sage(standard magic) 4 : The Cockroach Cafe(food) 5 : Dicker and Deal(broker) 6 : Tip of Perfection(weapons) 7 : Now You See It(blackjack) 13.3.2. LOST CRAG .............4rrrrrr..7rrrRRRRR.....===. ..===........rrrrrrr=.rrrrRRRRR ==== .=. .. .=====....RRRRRRR:.*rrrRRRRR.....===. ..===........RRRRRRRX.rrrrRRRRR.:X:X= .. ...=...........EE.....rrrrRRRRR.::::==.. ...=........:::::::::.:::..........:==.. .........:::::...::::::::::::::8RR*R|=.. .:::::::::::.CRRRRRRRRR...:::::RrRRR|=.. .:.::...::::.RRRRRRRRRR.:.::::ERRR*R|=.. ...XX...::::.5RRRRRRRR6...:::::RRR*R|=.. .\1##/..::::.rrrrrrrrrC..:..:::RRRRR|=.. .#\#/#:.::::.rrrrrrrrrr.....:::.....= .. .##X##E::.::................:::..XXX==.. .#/#\#...RRRRr2rr|::X:....:.::::....===. ./###\...RRRRrrrr|.::..X....::::.=== .=. ..=.X....RRRRrrrr|..:.......::::.=..===. ===..X...RRRRrrrr|===..X....:::......... = .......RRRRrrrr|.........::::..=...... ===...==.RR3Rrrrr|.:...:.::::::......... ....................:....:::.........:.. Dalvid is an important guy to see but other than that, this town, which doesn't appear until near the end when North Maelbane rises from the sea, isn't terribly important or useful. 1 : Dalvid's(special location) 2 : Belligerant Bob(broker) [sic] 3 : Nasty Nuggets(food) 4 : Incantations(standard magic) 5 : Bank 6 : Shiny Shield(armor) 7 : Incantations(dungeon magic) 8 : The Angry Armsman(weapons) 13.3.3. MURKWATER '''''''''''''''''''';''''''''''''''''''' \#/.'''''''''''''''';''''''''''''''''\#/ #X#XXXXXXXXxXXXXXX';;.'XxXXXXXXXxXXXX#X# /#\...'c'...;'';'X..;;'..;'';'...c'../#\ ~X..;;cc;o;;c;;c.X..;...;c;;c;o;;c;;;.X~ ~X..;;;;;;;;c;cc.X..;...;c;cc;;;;;;;;;X~ 'X.;.F";;;;;;;..;.;.;;;;......CRRRRRR;X~ ~'#1r2RC..........';;;;.......6RRRRR7..~ ~~#rrRRR.''''''';;;.;;".;.:'''rrrrrrr'~~ ~~#rrRRR'''';;;;;;;;E;"';;:'''rrrrrrr~~; ~~#rrRRRE;;;;;''''5RRrrr'..:::...E...~~~ ~~#rrRRR.'';;'''''RRRrrr;.;....;;.;~~~~~ ~~''''''':::E:::''RRRrrr'''';;'''';;.''~ ~~~'''''':'4Rrr':'RRRrrr''''''''''#####~ '~~~''''':'RRrr'':.''..':'''''''''8RRRR~ '~~~''~~~~~RRrr''''''''':'''~~~~'Errrrr~ ~#3rR#'~~~~RRrr''''''''':'''~''~'~rrrrr~ ~#rrR#'~''~~'..'':::::::'~~~~''~~~~.~~~~ ~#rrR#'~''~~~~~~~~~'~~'~~~~''''''~~~~~~~ ~#rrC#~~'''''~~~~~~~~~~~'''''''''~'~'''' A pretty useful and accessible town in the east of Maelbane. The usual both-magic stuff. It'd be perfect with Heigh-Loagh but even has a boat in case you die on Maelbane. 1 : Java's Jab Shop(weapons) 2 : Del's Defense(armor) 3 : Nancy's Necromancy(standard magic) 4 : Bank 5 : Dizzy Duk's(food) 6 : Double or Nothing(Dragon Wheel) 7 : Nancy's Necromancy(dungeon magic) 8 : Craft Cruisers(marina) 13.3.4. RATVILLE +---------------RR3Rrrrr---------------+ |..ccc..........R*RRrrrr.....XXXXxXX...| |.:c:::::::::...RRRRrr*r..XX.x:.:::X...| :.:::::::::::...RRRRrrrr.....X:::::::..| :::::::::::::....:E..........XxXxXXxX:.| .:::::::::::::::::::.............:.....| .::::E:::::::::.................:|5R|R*| |.1RRrrr.:::::...4RRRRRRRR.....::|RR|RR| |.rRRrrr.:::::...RRRRRRRRR....::E|RR|RR| |.RRRrrr..::::::ERRRRRRRRR..X.:::|RR|RR| |.RRRrrr..::::::ErrrrrrrrC..X.:..|RR|RR| |.RRRCRr...:::...rrrrrrrrr...::........| |..........::...............:::........| |\2##/.....::......c........:::........| |#\#/#..:..::......c........::.RRRRRRRRR |##X##E::::::...............:::RR6RRRRRR |#/#\#....::::..............::.RRRRRRRRR |/###\.....::::...::::::::::::Errrrrrrrr |.X.X......::::::::::::::::::::r*rrrr7rr +-----------..::::.+-----------rrrrrrrrr Another amusing name without much to show for it, although you will find a both types of magic here. That could be useful if you are heading for the final dungeon, which is close to this town. 1 : Gambler's Glory(blackjack) 2 : Chains 'n Things(armor) 3 : Pig in a Box(food) 4 : Whips 'n Things(weapons) 5 : Bank 6 : The Black Magician(standard magic) 7 : The Black Magician(dungeon magic) 13.3.5. THORTON HOLLOW 1rrRRRXXXXX:BBXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX..... rrrRRR....X:BB"""""""""BB;.;.;.';.X....~ rrrRRR....X:BB""""""BB"BB.6rrRRR..X...~~ rrrRRRE::.X:BB"\#4#".."BB.rrrRRR..X..~~~ rrrRRRE::.X:BB"#\#/#5#"BB.rrrRRR..X.~~~~ rrrRRR.:::::::E##/####.BB.rrrRRR..X..~~~ X.........::BB"#/###\#.BB.........X.;~~~ X...;;....::BB"/#####\.BB....;;...X.~~~~ X.~~~~~~..::BB"........BB....;;;..~~~~~~ X.~~~~~'..::BBBB"""."""BBXXX';;...~~~~~~ X.;'B~~~..::BBBB"B";BBBBB...;;';..~~~~~~ X......;..::BBBBBB..'....;.';;..'~~~~~~~ X.%%%2***.::........"""""..;;....~;~~~~~ X.%%%****.::."""."..."".';;;.."".~;.~~~~ X.%%%****.::..""..;...;;;;.."""~~~~~~~~~ X.%%%****:::..........7RRRRRRR~~~~~~~~~~ X.%%%****...........;;RRRRRRRR.~~~~~~~~~ X;3%%****......"B.....rrrrrrrr.~~~~~~~~~ X;..............B.....rrrrrrrr.BB;'~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXrrrrrrrr.BB..~~~~; This is a sort of last pit stop before the final dungeon, although given that it's in the far southwest you'll want to take the pit stop from your boat, not by foot. Of course, the prudent adventurer will be stocked up before, so overall I didn't find this town too useful. Being prudent and all, like. Me, not the town. But the town is the cleanest looking on Maelbane and has pretty good shop variety for its inconvenience. 1 : Kitchen Kupboard(food) 2 : Bank 3 : Shakey Jake's(Heigh-Loagh) 4 : Medalmania(armor) 5 : Deadly Hardware(weapons) 6 : Dungeon Depot(dungeon magic) 7 : Dingy Dinghys(marina) 14. CASTLE MAPS 14.1. CASTLE LEDGER T = teleportal border t = the fuzziness where you get teleported |,-,+ = outlines of structure X = immovable blocking object " = torch ~ = water ' = flowers . = normal castle floor ! = force field $ = treasure chest @ = first of doors to open # = harder door to open(need tougher-to-find item) [other caps] = special person encounters detailed in each individual castle. 14.2. KING'S CASTLE Most of the King's Castle is innocuous, so a lot of what I'm including here is not terribly critical to the game. Skip ahead to the Lost Area. The orcs in there have about 25 HP each. If you leave before killing them all, you have to run the gauntlet again. SUB-LEDGER FOR KING'S CASTLE > = pennant T = torches Entrance | Main Area--L O S T | | A R E A Private Anterooms | Area | | +-------Throne Room Entrance | +--------------------------------------+ | |''''''''''''''''''''|..T...T..|'''''''| | |'''''+--------------+.........+----+''| | |'''''|.............................|''| | |'''''|.............................|''| | |'''''|.............................|''| | |'''''|.............................|''| | |'''''|......... .........+--| +------+-----+........ +-----+ ...........| .T...T................ ++~~~~~++ ...........| ...................... |~~~~~~~| ...........| ...................... |~~~~~~~| ...........| .T...T................ ++~~~~~++ ...........| +------+-----+........ +-----+ ...........| | |'''''|......... .........+--| | |'''''|.............................|''| | |'''''|.............................|''| | |'''''|.............................|''| | |'''''|.............................|''| | |'''''+--------------+.........+----+''| | |''''''''''''''''''''|.........|'''''''| | +-------------------------+..+---------+ What a nice introduction! A fountain and flowers. Head south to the main area. Main Area | +-------------------------+..+---------+ | | |..| | | |..+---+ +--+ | | |......+-+..+--+ +--------------------------------+............@.. |.............||......T..++..T...............@.. |.............||.......................+-+..+--+ |..+---+......||.......................| +--+ + |..+-+ |......||.........++............| |..$$|++......++.........||............++ |....||..................||.............| |....||..................||XX...........| |....||..................||XX...........| |....||...++$$.....T.....||..........T..| |....||...|+-------------++---+....+----| |....++...+---------++--------+....+----| |...................||+------+......+--+| |...................|||''''''|......|~~|| +-----------+.......+++------+......|~~|| +-----------+.......................|~~|| |...................................|~~|| |...................++..............|~~|| |..++..++...........||XX............|~~|| |..||..||...........||XX............|~~|| +--+|..|+---+.......||XX............|~~|| +---+..+----+.......||XX............|~~|| |...................||XX............|~~|| |$$..............T..||..............|~~|| +----------+..+-----++-----+........|~~|| |@@| |........|~~|| |XX......|~~|| |XX......|~~|| |........|~~|| |........|~~|| |........|~~|| |........+--+| |----+...+---+ |...| +----+...+ Lost area to the right. You can't enter unless you've talked to the prince. You also can't enter the private area to the left until you've seen the prince. The chests of treasure will be nicer later on, but again...talk to the prince first! Go south to the anterooms to get closer. Anterooms +----+...+-----------------+ |--+........T..T...........| |''|..............+------+.| |''|..............|~~~~~~|.| |''|..............|~~~~~~|.| |''|..............|~~~~~~|.| |''|..............|~~~~~~|.| |''|..............|~~~~~~|.| |''|..............+------+.| |--+.......................| +-----------+..............| |..............| |..............| |XX............| -+ |XX............| .| |..............| .| |..............| + .| |..............| | .| |+-+........+-+| | .| ||'|........|'|| | X| |+-+........+-+| | X| |..............+--+ .| |...............@.. .| |XX.............@.. -+ |XX.............@.. -+ |...............@.. .| |...............@.. .+--------+ +++-----------++--+ ...T...T..| ||'''''''''''|| | ..........| ||'''''''''''|| | ..........| |+-----------++ | ..........| | | ..........| | + ..........| | | .T...$$...| | | ----------+ | | +----------------+ Private Area +----------+..+ |@@| +----------+..+---------+ |................T..+--+| |..|||||............|''|| |.X|||||XX..........|''|| |.X|||||XX..........+--+| |..|||||................| |.......................| |XX...................XX| |XX...................XX| |.......................| |.......................| +-+..........$$.......T.| +-----+..+-----+..+---+ +------+++..+-++--+..+---+ |...$$.||.....||......T..| |......||.....||........X| |......++.....||........X| |.............||...$$...X| |.............||........ | |......++.....||........X| |.T....||.....||.T....T..| +------++-+..+++---------+ +--------+..+---------------+ |..................T........| |.....................||||..| |....++.......++......||||X.| |....||.......||......||||X.| |....|+-------+|......||||..| |....+---------+......||||XX| |.....................||||XX| |.....................||||..| |$$..++.......++.....T......| +----+|.......|+------------+ +-----+.......+-+ +-------+ |...............| |$$.....| |XX............X| |.......+--------+ |XX............X| |.........T...T..| |XX............X| |................| |XX.............| |................| |XX.............+---+................| |....||||||..........................| |....||||||..........................| |....||||||.$$..+---+..T....T...$$...| +---------------+ +----------------+ Some great treasure here once you've gotten the small key. It's pretty linear so you shouldn't have problems locating all the treasures. Throne Room |---+..+---+--------------------------------------+ | |..| | | |..| | | |..| | | |##| | | |..| | | |..| | | ++..+------------------------------------------+ | |...<.....<.....<.....<.....<.....<.... | | |.....................................^ | | |....................................^^ | | |...................................^^^ | +--+.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;^^^ | .@...;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::^^^ | .@...;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::^^^ P | .@...;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::^^^ PP | .@...;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::^^^ P | .@...;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::^^^ | +--+.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;^^^ | | |...................................^^^ | | |....................................^^ | + |.....................................^ | |...<.....<.....<.....<.....<.....<.... | +----------------------------------------------+ The Prince is there to greet you the first time through. Later on the King will appear and later yet the Princess will drop by. Stand to the left of the Prince to talk to him. Note there is a door to the Lost Area that you can't enter until you've solved it. Nevertheless it is convenient later when you want to talk to Seravol and the Prince/King quickly and in turn. Lost Area + |------------------------------------++---------++------+ |!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..................||$$...T...||..T...| |!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...................||.........||......| |!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....................||.........++......| |!!!!!!!!!!!!!!......................||.................| |!!!!!+---------------------------+..||.................| |!!!!!| |..||.........++......| |!!!!.| |..||.........||......| |!!!..| |..++.........|+---+..| |!!...| |.............|+---+..| |!!...| |.........T...||$$....| |!!...| |-------------+|......| |!!...| +----------------+-------------+|.....X| |!!!..| |.......T..T...................||.....X| |!!!..| |..............................++.....X| |!!...| |.+---+................++.............X| |!....| |.|~~~|.........++.....||..............| |.....| |.|~~~|.........||.....++....T.++......| |.....| |.|~~~|.........||...........+-+|..+---+ |.....| |.|~~~|.........||$$.........|+-+..+---+ |.....| |.|~~~|.........|+--------+..||........| |.....| |.+---+.........+---------+..||....+---| |.....| |............................||....|...| +.....| |.......T..T.................||....|AA.| ......| +----------------+--------+..||....|AA.| ......| |-------+|..||....|...| +.....| |$$.....||..||....|...| +-+..++ |.......||..|+--------+ |##+-------+ |.......||..+---------+ |..........| |..++...||............| |..........| |..||...||..........$$| +-------+..| |..||...|+------+...+-+ |..| +--------+..||...+-------+...++ |..| |...........||........T.......| |..| |...........||................| |..| |..+-----+..||...++...........| |..+-----+ |..| |..||...||.........T.| |........| |..+---+ |..++...||...+-------+ |........| |..#...| |.......||...|+------+ +-----+##| |..#...| |.......||...||.$$...| +------+..+-+ +---+..| |.......||...||......| |....||...T.| |..| |.......||...||......| |....||.....| |..| |.......++...||......| |....||.....+-------+..| |............||......| |.SS.||................| |............++......| |.SS.||................| |.......++...........| |....||.....+----------+ |.T...$$||.........T.| |....||.....| |-------++-----+..+--+ |....||...T.| |-------++-----+..+--+ +------+..+-+ |....T..||.........T.| |##| +-----+ |.XX....||...........| +----+..+---+.....| |.XX....||...........| |...........{.....| |.......++....+------+ |...........{.....| |.............+-------+ |..+--------+.....| |.....................| |..| +-----+ |.......++............| |..++ |.......||..........$$| |..T| +---------------+.......||.......+----+ |...| |+--+...T....$$||.......||.......+----+ |...| ||''|..........||...$$..||............| |...| ||''|..........|+-------++---+........| |...| ||''|..........+-----++------+..+-+...| |..T| ||''|................++.........++|...| |..++ ||''|...||||.....................||...| |..| |+--+..X||||.....................||...| |..| |......X||||.XX......++..........||...| |..| |.T.....||||.XX....$$||.T.....T..||$$.| +..+---+--------------------------------------+ You would generally do well to expect two orcs per room. They'll be blue guys that look like guards but aren't really guards--well, they're guarding SOMETHING. To find the wooden key you'll need to go all the way to the south. If you wish to chicken out quickly, just go in, get the blue gem(it's in the first room,) and leave. This actually might be the best way to improve yourself as if you don't have a blue gem when you reach Seravol, he'll give you another, which will allow you to visit the Island Caverns. Besides, you can use the blue gem you got to wear Chain Mail, which will really help against the orcs. Also, before braving the Lost Section, you may want to stock up on good spells first. I recommend Glow Tip and Armor Enchant, which have long lifespans, so you only need to buy 10 or so. If possible you may also want to accumulate 50 Tongue of Flame spells. These are very useful because you can blast orcs as you stand in a doorway. It's like having a few extra moves, and if you are very careful you can make it through one time and maybe even have one of the apprentice's life elixirs left over. The Apprentice should be your first target. Run for him if you can and chat with him; he's a bit prickly if you get clingy, but there's that nice hallway above you where you can whack orcs one at a time. You'll need to futz around a bit to find the wooden key(it's in the room with the chair, one south of the room where you'll need to use it) to open the door in the hall to the left, but once you do and you find Seravol, you get a nice reward. 14.3. MANTREK'S CITADEL LEVEL 1 Rough map Upper Area-Jester-Teleport | | Torture Middle | | Secluded Entry Guards have about 35 HP here. This place is not too bad, again. The first time through you won't be able to use the transporter, but the next time you won't have to beat up any guards to get there. Torture |..| |..| | .| ============= .============= ============== ============ =============== ============= ================ ================ ============== =============== ========== ============== ==== XXX ============== === X ============== = ============ = ============ = ========= == ======= == XXX == ====== == XXXXX ==== ======= == X XXXXX ==== ====== ====== XXX ====== ======= ====== ====== ========== ============= ========== ============ ========== ========== X == XXXXX = ========== == XXXXX = ============P == = ===========P == = ==PPP ====P = = == = == ==== = = ======= ==. . = == ======== ===$$ = =========== == ========== = ========== ===P == =========== ==P == ============= ===P ==== ============ == === ============ == == ============= = ====== X ========== ==XXX ======== =========== ======== XX $$======= ========= . ======= ===== =========== ========= =========== ======== ============== ======== =============== ====== ====== ====== ====== ==== X ====== ====== ===== === ====== === XXX ===== = XXXXX ==== =X XXXXX ==== =X XXX ===== =X . .== ====== = XXX $$ ==== ========= =============== XXX ============ == == == == ======= == == == Surprisingly the guards stay away from you here even without provocation--isn't that just like bullies! However there are torture victims who tell you various things. To wit: "I'll never escape these chains alive, but I'll tell you this..." "The best treasures are well guarded." "Step carefully through the flashing squares." "I once angered the Lord. Think carefully on my message." "You will need help to use the magical teleport." Not up to the usual standard of help you might expect(the real criminals in the jail were more useful, weren't they?) but these guys are under a bit of duress, no? Poor things, they probably don't even get three square meals a day like the jailbirds. This part of the castle is not really necessary but has relatively few guards to go with some nice treasure. Secluded +-----+ |..+----------------+ |.."..| |..............."...| |.....| |...................| |.....+-+...................| |.................+-+.......| |.................| |.......| |.....+-+.........| |.......| |.....| |......$$.| |.......| |.....| +---------+ |.......| |.....+-----------+ |.......| |.................| |.......| |.................| |.......| |.."..............| |.......| +---------+.......| |$$.....| +---------+.......| +---+...| |$$...............+-----+...| |.................$$........| |...........................| |...........................| |...........................| |$$.........................| +---------------------------+ You need the black key to get back here. You'll discover the iron key in the lower left corner(the chest above it, actually) as well as another red garnet to the right. Beware that the first guard here will just sit in the door after you've opened it with your black key. You'll take a bit of damage when guards nail you without your being able to reply. Teleport +----------------+ |.......XXX......| |....XXXXXXXXX...| +-+....XXXXXXXXX...| ......XXXXXXXXXXXX.| ......XXXXXXXXXXXX.| +-+....XXXXXXXXX...| |....XXXXXXXXX...| |.......XXX......| |................| |................| |................| |................| |..+----------+..| |..| |..| +-+..+----------+..| |331133223344332244| |331133223344332244| |224422441122441122| |224422441122441122| |113311224433114433| |113311224433114433| |221144113322442244| |221144113322442244| |442211221144113311| |442211221144113311| |11334422..11442233| |11334422..11442233| +-------+..+-------+ +---------+..+-------+ |.."..."......."...".| |....................| |....................| |$$..................| |....................| |....................| |....................| |..........TttT......| |..........TttT......| |...|||||..TTTT....$$| +--------------------+ This, the teleport area, can't be fully used until you've solved the jester's quest. However, you still may want to familiarize yourself with it as there is some nice treasure beyond. The rules for the squares are as follows: 1. squares have four different colors, and every one switches colors regularly. Squares are defined as spaces the same size you are. 2. there is a fixed pattern for each square to turn; however, if you are standing on it, it will stay blue. As a corollary if you manage to stand on two squares, both blue, they will stay blue the next time squares are supposed to change. This may give you greater latitude to move. 3. stepping onto a non-blue square closes the door to the south. You'll need to re-enter the castle to try again. 4. You can make at least five moves(move across 2.5 squares) before squares change again, if you are quick. 5. Wait long enough, and there will always be a square opening up to the right or below you. 6. No real penalty for stepping on the wrong square as you leave. The puzzle's a bit laborious but it's kind of neat. You should be able to get through it without too much trouble. Jester +---------------------------------+ |.$$..."......XXXXXXXX......".....| |.............XXXXXXXX............| |.................................+ +.................................. ................................... ..................................+ +.................................| |.................................| |.................................| |.................................| |.................................| |.................................| |................................++ |............"...+-+.............| +------+..+------+ |.............| |..| |.............| +------+..++ |.............| |..........+-----+ |..+-------+..| |XX........|.....| |.++~~~~~~~++.| |XX........|.....| |.|~~~~~~~~~|.| |..........|.JJ..| |.|~~~~~~~~~|.| |..........|.JJ..| |.++~~~~~~~++.| |XX........|.....| |..+-------+..| |XX........+-----+ |.............| |..........| |.............| +----------+ +-------------+ Just talk to the jester here. If you've got his lute you will be able to work fully on the teleporter scene to the right. You need the lute, found in the Taragas Mines, to explore further. But to get to the Taragas Mines you need to get the red garnets found in this castle. So not everything can be done at once. Also you may want to stop by the king's castle before coming back here, as the jester doesn't tell his secret to people below a certain rank. You can't access the area south of the pool--you're too fat :). Upper +--------+ +-----------++---------------+ +-------+...."...| |.$$........||...XXX.........| |X....|..........| |...........||.XXXXXXX.......| |X....|..........| |...........||.XXXXXXX.......| |.....|..........| |...........++...............+-+ |..WW.|..........| |.............................@. |..WW.|..........| |.............................@. |.....|..........| |..+---------+...............+-+ |.....|..........| |..+-------+ |...............| +-------+........| |..........| |............$$.| |...."...| |..........| +------+..+-----+ |...+----+ |..........| |..| |...| |..........| +------+..+-----+ |###| +--+.......| |$$.........XXX.| +-------+...+-----------+.......| |...........XXX.| |$$.............................| |...............| |...............................| |...............| |......................++.....$$| |...............| |......................|+-------+ ++..............| |......................| |..............| |......................|+--------+ |..............| |.....||||||...........||..."....| |..............| |..+-------------+..+--+|........| |.||||.........| |..+---------+ +-+..+---+........| +-------+...+--+ |...."...."..| |.....$$........XX| |...| |............| |.................+----+ +--+...+--+ |............| |......................| |.".......| |............| |......................| |.........| |............| |.................+-+..| |.........+-----------------------+ |.....$$.....| |...............XX| |..| |................$$...............| |............| |.................| |..| |........................+-----+..| |............| |$$......XX.......| |..| |.......................++~~~~~++.| |............| +-----------------+ |..| |.......................|~~~~~~~|.| |............| +-------------------+..| |.......................++~~~~~++.| |............| |......................| |........................+-----+..| |."........".| |......................| |..........$$.....................| +------------+ |..+-------------------+ +--------------+........+---------+ You need the black key to get to the wizard in the upper left. You need the iron key to get to the jester who is to the right. The black key is found in the lower right of this area, in the chest in the middle of the room. South and to the left is a huge torture area. Middle +---------+........+---------+ |............................| |XX..........................| |XXXXX....................XX.| |XXX .....................XX.| |XXX X.......................| |XXX ......................XX| |XXXXX.....................XX| |XX..........................| |............................| +----+..+-------+............| +----+..+------+|............+------------------------------+ |..............||...................$$.....XXXXXXXX.........| |.......XXXXXX.||..........................XXXXXXXX.........| |.......XXXXXX.||...........................................| |..............||.........................................$$| |..............||.....................................+-----+ |..............||$$...................................| |...........+--++--------------------+..............XX| |...........|+----------++----------+|...........XXXXX| |...........++......$$..||...XXX....||............ XXX| |XX.....................||.XXXXXXX..||...........X XXX| |XX.....................||.XXXXXXX..++............ XXX| |...........++..........||.......................XXXXX| |...........||..........||..........................XX| |......$$...||..........||..........++..$$............+ +-----------+|..........||..........|+----------------- +-----------+|..........||.XX.......|+--------------------+ |...XXX.....||..........||.XX.......||..."............"...| |...XXX.....||..........||..........||....................| |...........++..........||.XXX......||....................| |XX.....................||XXXX......||.......+----+.......| |XX.....................||XXXX......||......++~~~~++......| |XX.........++..........||.XXX......++......|~~~~~~|......| |XX.........||$$........||.XXX..............|~~~~~~|......| +---+..+----++----------+|.XXX..............|~~~~~~|......| |##| |XXXX......++......|~~~~~~|......| |XXXX......||......++~~~~++......| |.XXX......||.......+----+.......| |........XX||....................| |........XX||....................| |$$........||..."............"...| There's a red garnet in the main hall. You'll need the iron key to unlock the door to the south but can't get it until you view the upper part. Other than that there's a lot of killing guards and finding treasure. Entry |+--------------------+ ||..."............"...| ||....................| ||....................| ||.......+----+.......| ||......++~~~~++......| ++......|~~~~~~|......| ........|~~~~~~|......| ........|~~~~~~|......| ++......|~~~~~~|......| ||......++~~~~++......| ||.......+----+.......| ||....................| ||....................| ||..."............"...| ++------+......+------+ |......| +-------+\..../+-------+ |XXXXXXX........XXXXXXX| |XXXXXXX........XXXXXXX| |XX..................XX| |XX....../----\......XX| |XX...../......\.....XX| |XX.....|......|.....XX| |XX.....|......|.....XX| |XX.....|......|.....XX| |XX.....\....../.....XX| |XX......\..../......XX| |XXXXXXX..\--/..XXXXXXX| |XXXXXXX........XXXXXXX| +-------+......+-------+ --------+......+-------- Again there is little to worry about at the entry. It's got a garden and a path and a fountain and everything. And it looks kinda cool in a text map, even. 14.3.1. BONUS POEMS FROM THE JESTER I thought some of the poems the jester spouted were kind of cute, so I reproduced them here. It beats "FIND ME ITEM X" at any rate. ONCE DID I SING ONCE DID I PLUCK THEY SAID I WAS WITTY THEY SAID I BROUGHT LUCK BUT NOW I STAND DRESSED IN A GAUDY CLOWN'S SUIT TIL SOMEONE CAN FIND MY MAGICAL LUTE [Once you find it:] YOU'VE RETURNED THE LUTE, FOR WHICH I DID YEARN NOW HERE IS A SPECIAL PRIZE I GIVE IN RETURN. [If you're an apprentice:] BUT WAIT MY FINE TRAVELER, I SPOKE OUT OF TURN, YOU'RE JUST AN APPRENTICE, AND NOT READY TO LEARN. SO HURRY TO SERAVOL, AND HEAR HIS WORDS TRUE, THEN COME BACK TO SEE ME, TO RECEIVE YOUR DUE. [Once you're promoted:] THERE'S A MAGICAL TELEPORT THAT SHIMMERS WITH HUE IF YOU KNOW HOW TO USE IT, YOU CAN SIMPLY STEP THROUGH. THE PASSWORD IS RAINBOW, THIS WORD YOU MUST SPEAK, ONWARD LIES YOUR DESTINY, IF EXCITEMENT YOU SEEK. GO TO THE TELEPORT, IT'S VERY NEAR AND SPEAK THE WORD RAINBOW SO NO ONE CAN HEAR.[speaking now does something. No, you can't reboot and keep the lute and still know to say Rainbow. Besides, this ain't Bard's Tale, and you're an adventurer and not a musician anyway.] [If you talk to him again:] OUR FRIENDSHIP WAS SHALLOW, SINCE I'M NOT TOO DEEP, I WILL SOON FORGET YOU, BUT THIS LUTE I WILL KEEP. 14.4. MANTREK'S CITADEL LEVEL 2 Rough general map SMALL-THRONE-NORTH ROOM ROOM EAST | SOUTH TH W | U E SO S T The second level of the castle winds around quite a bit. Knowing where to look before you attack your first guard helps immensely. There are two key spots here with important items, both of which require you to use the Quartz Key you'll find. Guards have about 75 hit points here. Side Room XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX..XX..XX..XX X............X XX....TTTT..XX X.....TttT...X XX....TttT..XX X............X XX..........XX X............X XX...$$.....XX X............X XX..XX..XX..XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX There's not much to do here except open the chest, get the staff, and use it once you're in the side room. You're returned to the right of Mantrek's throne. Throne Room +--------------------------------+ |........."..............."......| |................................| |::::::::::..XX...XX...XX...XX...| |. . . . .:..XX...XX...XX...XX...| | ::......................| |. . . . .:::::::::::::::::::::::+-+ | MMMM .::::::::::::::::::::::::#. |. .MMMM ::::::::::::::::::::::::.#. | MMMM .::::::::::::::::::::::::#. |. . . . .:::::::::::::::::::::::+-+ | ::......................| |. . . . .:..XX...XX...XX...XX...| |::::::::::..XX...XX...XX...XX...| |................................| |........."..............."......| +--------------------------------+ You'll need the Quartz Key to get past the door. Defeat all the guards(stand in the doorway for the first wave and slowly move to the left--when guards run up/down toward you, pull back to a safe position) and walk up to Mantrek. Attack him or something(casting a spell also works) and he'll dialog. No matter what you say you're thrown in the side room, and Mantrek's gone once you return. The bunkers may impede quick progress but with patience you can probably conk the guards pretty easily. Southwest +---------------++---------------------+ |.........XXXX..||$$..|''''''''''|.."..| |.........XXXX..||....+----------+.....| |...............||.....................| |XX .......XX||....................X| |XXXXX .......XX||....................X| |XXX .........||XX..................X| |XXX X .........||XX..................X| |XXX .........||.....................| |XXXXX .......$$||.........."..........| |XX ......+--++-+..+-------------+..| |............|+----+..+---++--------+..+--------+ |............||.."........||$$..................| |............||.........XX||....................| +----+..+----+|.........XX||.....+--------+.....| +----+..+----+|...........||.....|~~~~~~~~|....X| |$$..........||...........||.....|~~~~~~~~|....X| |............||..........X||.....+--------+.....| |............++..........X||....................| |XXXXXX..................X||....................| |XXXXXX...................||....+-+......+-+....| |..XXXX......++...........||....|'|......|'|....| |...........X||X..........||$$..+-+......+-+....| |...........X||X........XX|+------+......+------+ |....XXX....X||.........XX| |......| |....XXX.....||.....".....| +------------+|..+--------+ +-------------+..+--------+ |..XXXXXXX.."...........$$| |.XXXXXXXX................| |.XXXXXXXX................| |..XXXXXXX................| |....XXX...............+-+| |......................|'|| |......................+-+| ++..+---------+..+--------+ ++..| +-------+..+--------+ |...| |.XXXX........".....| |...| |.XXXX..............| |..++++...................| |..| |....................| |..| |X....XXXXXXXXXXX....| |..| |X....XXXXXXXXXXX.XX.| |..| |.....XXXXXXXXXXX.XX.| |..| |....................| |..| |....................| |..| |$$..................| |..| ---------+..........| |..+----------+|+--------+| |.............|||~~~~~~~~|| |.............|||~~~~~~~~|| |.............||+--------+| +---------+@@@|+----------+ +---------+...+-----------+ |$$..................."...| |.........................| |............XXX..........| |.......XXX..XXX.........X| |......XXXXXXXXXXX.......X| |......XXXXXXXXXXX.......X| |......XXXXXXXXXXX.......X| |X.......XXX..............| |X........................| |.........................| |..........$$........XXX..| |....."..............XXX..| +-------------------------+ YYeepp, you need to go all the way in the corner here to find the Quartz Key. If you haven't alerted the guards yet, use the iron key on the lower left door and walk up to the bottom of the left guards. When three down and one right of where he is(i.e. one space between you) cast a lightning bolt north. He should go down quickly. Dispose of the other guard and go right. There are three guards to dispose of there, and the key is in the chest to the right. Be sure to hoard gold on the way back to the south. South +---------------+ |$$.XXX......"..+---+ |...XXX.............| |...................| |..........XXXXXX...| |........X.XX ...| |........X.XX X...| |........X.XX /...| |........X.XX /....| +-----+..+---+|..........XX /....X| |......| |..".....XXXX||..................X| +-----+......+-----------+ |........XXXX||..................X| |$$............."...+---+| |............||XX................X| |...................|~~~|| |............||XX.................| |...................|~~~|| |...........X||...................| |XX.................|~~~|| +---------------+...........X||.XX................| |XX.................|~~~|| |...........................X||.XX..............XX| |...................|~~~|| |...........................X||.................XX| |...................|~~~|| |............++..............++...................| |...................|~~~|| |............||...................................| |...................+---+| |$$..........||XXX................................| |...............+--------+ +------+.....||XXX..........................".....| |--+............| +--------------+|.....|+----------------------+....+-------+ |''|............| |.....XX...."..||.....|+----------------------+....+-------+ |''|............| |.....XX.......||.....||XX .......XXXX..."...........+-+| |''|............| |.....XX.......||.....||XXXXX .......XXXX...............|'|| |''|............| |...EEXX.......||.....||XXX ..........................+-+| |''|............| |...EEXX.......||.....||XXX X .............................| |''|............| |.....XX.......||.....||XXX .............................| |''|............| |.....XX...."..||$$...||XXXXX .............................| |''|............| +-------+..+---++-+..++|XX ...................+----+..+-+ |''|............| |##| |..+++--+......................| |@@| |''|............+-----+ +-+..+------+...+--+|....................XX| |..| |''|................$$| |................$$||....................XX| |..| |''|..................| |..................||X.....................| |..| |''|..................| |..................||X.....................| |..| |''|..................| |..................||X................"....| |..| |--+..................| |..................||X...........+---------+ |..| |$$...................| |+-+............+-+||............| |..| |.....................| ||'|............|'|||............| +------------+..+-+ |.....................| |+-+............+-+||$$..........| |......XX.".......| |.....................| +------------------++--+.........| |......XX.........| |.....................+------------------------+.........| |......XX.........| |................................".......................| |......XX.........| |........................................................| |...22.XX.........| |...+----+......................................+----+...| |...22.XX.........| |..++~~~~++....................................++~~~~++..| |......XX.........| |..|~~~~~~|....................................|~~~~~~|..| |......XX.........| |..|~~~~~~|....................................|~~~~~~|..| |......XX.........| |..++~~~~++....................................++~~~~++..| |......XX.........| |...+----+.......+-----------------------+......+----+...| |......XX.........| |............"...|'''''''''''''''''''''''|.."............| |......XX.".......| +--------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------+ Your first time through, you'll need to go all the way through to the exit to the southwest. First you may wish to stop to unlock the southeast door. It's got a tattoo parlor behind it. Of course your fashion statement can be, err, fashionably later. The elf at the center can't be visited until you've visited the southwest(actually, you exit to the northwest here to get there.) Once you do there's a bit of a puzzle. Watch out for guards in the big wide-open spaces in the lower left. They have nasty affinities for staying kitty-corner from you and if that happens, take the wall i.e. MM X MM X UU X UU X vv X vv XXXXXX >>>>>>> >>>>>>> HAWK DOVE TURTLE? There's no dove or turtle temple. You'll get a "hawk tattoo" item which will go over well with the seer at Hawk Temple. WHAT'S THE ANSWER, HUNH? The elf sure is greedy. He first wants your two iron and black keys-- then gives the quartz key their power(this frees up space in the "use item" menu.) He then charges you to take a quiz. Sorta like college I guess. You can probably guess the first two but even if you can't there are only eight total combinations. Save the emulator state here if you can, as each time you get something wrong you will have to pay to play again. princess BABY dragon BARON THIEF drunkard He gives you a signet ring he stumbled on if you guess right. It happens to be King Durek's. Once you've seen the elf, you probably just need to go see Mantrek. Back to the northeast. Northeast +--------------+ +-------------------------+ |+------------+| |.....XXX...XXX...........| ||~~~~~~~~~~~~|| |.....XXX...XXX...........| ||~~~~~~~~~~~~|| |..................TTTT...| |+------------+| |..................TttT...| |..............+-+..................TttT...| +-+..........................................| :#...........................................| .#...........................................| :#...........................................| +-+..........................................| |..........................................| |................................... XX| |..............+-+.................. XXXXX| |..............| |X................. XXX| |............XX| |X................. X XXX| |..............| |X................. XXX| |XX............| |.................. XXXXX| |..............| |.................. XX| |..............| |XXXXXXX..................| |............XX| |XXXXXXX..................| |..............| |XXXXXXX."................| |..............| +----------+....+---------+ |..............| |....| +-------------------+|..............+-----++-----+....+---------+ |$$............"....||....................||$$............."....| |...................++..................XX||....................| |......XXX..............................XX||....................| |....XXXXXXX..............................||....................| |...XXXXXXXX........++$$......XX..........||......+--+..........| |...XXXXXXXX........|+--------------------+|......+-+|..........| |....XXXXXXX........|+--------------++-----+........|+------+...| |...................||...XXX......$$||..............|+------+...| |XX................X||...XXX........||..............||.XXX......| |XX................X||..............||............$$||.XXX......| |...................||X...XXXXXXX...||.....+--------+|XXXXXXX...| |...................||X...XXXXXXX...||.....+---------+XXXXXXX...| |.................$$||....XXXXXXXX..||..........................| +--------+..+-------+|....XXXXXXXX..||..........................| |..+--------+....XXXXXXX...||..........................| |................XXXXXXX...||................+---------| |..........................||................|'''''''''| |..........................||.....+--------------------+ |..........................||.....| |.......".............."...||.....| |..+-----------------------+|.....| |..+----------------++------+.....| |.......XXXX........++............| |.......XXXX......................| |.................................| |...................++..........$$| |$$.................|+-----+..+---+ +----+..............| |..............| |+-+...........| ||'|...........| |+-+.........$$| +--------------+ Of course, you start out in the very northeast. There's not much game-important stuff to loot here, although there is a lot of nice gold, so you probably want to head south. That throne room looks important, but you have to go to the other end of the castle and back and get the quartz key in the process. Once you do, enter if you are sure you've wiped out all the other guards--the ones behind the locked door are frothing at the mouth and you don't want to get caught in the middle. See the throne room for combat details. Just enter the teleporter to leave this level. Beware--guards will be in attack mode when you return to level one. You should at least have five elixirs and some tongue of flame spells left to dispose of them easily. 14.5. TARAGAS'S LEVEL 1(WITH ROUGH OUTLINE) Below are rough maps for all areas. As they do not connect to each other I separated them in the order I found them. To search for any one area type "*Lx area y." Guards have about 175 hit points here. SUB-LEDGER FOR TARAGAS(L1) G = Giant C = Contortionist R = Rofar the Ravaged TELEPORTAL SKETCH MAP FOR TARAGAS(L1) 1 <-> 2 <-> 3 --> 4 --> 10 --> 11 | v v v | 2 ----> 12 --> 3 v 5 --> 6 --> 7 --> 4 | | v 8 --> 9 --> 5 v L2. (If a room's choices appear up/to the left, I don't reproduce them.) *L1 area 1 -----------+..........+----------- +----------+..........+----------+ |XX."........................".XX| |XX............................XX| |................................| |.......+----------------+.......| |.......|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|.......| |.......|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|.......| |.......|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|.......| |.......+--+~~~~~~~~~~+--+.......| |......TTTT|~~~~~~~~~~|TTTT......| |.......ttT|~~~~~~~~~~|Ttt.......| |.......ttT|~~~~~~~~~~|Ttt.......| |......TTTT|~~~~~~~~~~|TTTT......| |.......+--+~~~~~~~~~~+--+.......| |.......|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|.......| |.......|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|.......| |.......|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|.......| |XX.....+----------------+.....XX| |XX............................XX| |..."........................"...| +--------------------------------+ --the left teleporter sends you to L1 area 5. --the right teleporter sends you to L1 area 2. This starts off innocuous, with no guards inconvenience you. However, it presents a very early choice. Which way to go? Neither is outright wrong, but you'll get the run-around a bit if you go to the right. *L1 area 2 +----+ |TTTT| |TttT| |TttT| +----------+T..T| +--+.......!!......| +----------+ |..........!!......| |XXXXXX."..| |.......+-----+T..T| |XXXXXX....| |.......+----+|TttT| |XXXXXX....| |............||TttT| |..........| |............||TTTT| |..........| |............|+----+ |..........| +--------+...+------+ |..........+-----------+..........| |.................................| |...".............................| +-----------+....+----------+!!!!!| +-----------+....+---------+|.....| |.XX.XX.XX."......XX.XX."..||.....| |.XX.XX.XX........XX.XX...X||.....| |.XX.XX.XX........XX.XX...X|+-----+ |.........................X| |..........................| +--------------------------+ --the top teleporter sends you to the right part of L1 area 1. --the bottom teleporter sends you to L1 area 3, lower right. If you're leaving, obviously you'll want to take the top teleporter. However you may not have killed the guards the first time around, so be sure to block a hallway to take them out one-by-one. Some may be stuck at the top; lure them into a hallway and bash 'em. Exit when the slaughter's finished. *L1 area 3 +-------+ |XXXXXXX| +-----------+XXXXXXX| |XX.......$$......XX| |XX...............XX| +------++-----+...................| |+--+..||.........................| ||~~|..||$$.......+-----------+...| ||~~|..|+-+......++-----------+...| ||~~|..+--+......||$$.............| ||~~|............++...............| ||~~|.............................| ||~~|.............................| ||~~|....+-----+......+------+....| |+--+....|+----+......|+-----+....| |........||$$.........||+-+.".....| |........||..........X|||~|.......| |$$....".||..XXXX....X|||~|.......| +--+..+--+|.XXXXX....X|||~|.......| +--+..+--+|.XXXXX.....|||~|......X| |."....".||..XXXX.....|||~|......X| |........||..XXXX.....|||~|.......| |........||..XXXX.."..||+-+.......| |..T..T..|+-----------+++...T..T..| |..TttT..|+------------+|...TttT..| |..TttT..||''''''|...$$||...TttT..| |..TTTT..||'+----+.....||.".TTTT..| +--------+|'|..........|+---------+ --the right teleportal sends you to L1 area 2, lower right. --the left portal sends you to L1 area 4. Forward progress is only accomplished by going to the left portal. There's some good treasure here so be sure to get it after you've alerted the guards. But don't alert them here. *L1 area 4 +----------++----+ |......"...||$$..| |..........||....| |..........||....| |..........||....| |..+-------+|....| |..+--------+....| |................+-+ |................".| |..................| +-+...+------+.....| +-+...+-----+|.....| |.......".".||.....| +------+ |...........||.....| |......+-------+...........||$$...| |TTTT..........@...........|+-----+ |Ttt...........@...........| |Ttt...+---------+..+------+ |TTTT..| +-+..+-------+ |......| |........TTTT| +------+ |.........ttT| |.........ttT| |........TTTT| +------------+ --the left portal sends you to L1 area 10. --the right portal sends you to L1 area 2. The doors you can't seem to open are, of course, important. If you don't have the large key, just go through the teleportal. Otherwise, if you have enough life elixir, step left to further journeys. You'll probably have to fight through all the guards first, and be sure to go right to get a little treasure before moving on. *L1 area 5 +---------+ |......"..| +----------------------+ |.........| |''''''''|...........$$| |.........++|''+-----+.............| |..........||''|..................X| |..........||''|..................X| |."........||''|......++..........X| +-----+..+-+|--+......||...........| +----+..+--+.........||...........| |$$..................||...........| |................XXXX||..........++ |...............XXXXX|+--+...+---+ |XX.............XXXXX|+--+...+---+ |XX..............XXXX||$$......".| |................XXXX||..........| |................XXXX||..........| |X.......+-----------+|..........| |X.......|+-----------+..........| |X.......||$$....................| |X.......++......................| |................................| |................................| |...............++....+----------+ |....+---+......||....+----------+ |....+---+......||.............+-| |...............||.............|'| |...............||.....T..T....|'| |$$.............||.....TttT....|'| +-----+.........||.....TttT....|'| |."....$$.||.....TTTT....+-| +---------++---------------+ --the portal sends you to L1 area 6. Not much choice here, but you have an easy corridor to fight from as you appear in the upper left. *L1 area 6 +----+ +-------+ |."..| |.......| |....+--+..TTTT.| |...........ttT.| |...........ttT.| |....+--+..TTTT.| |....++ |.......| |.....| +-------+ |.....| |.....| |.....| +------+ |.....| |.XXXX.| |.....+--+.XXXX.| |........X......| |........X......| ++....+--+......| |....| |....".| |....| +------+ |....| |....| |....| +------+ |....| |.XXXX.| |....+--+.XXXX.| |.......X......| |.......X......| |....+--+......| |....| |....".| |....| +------+ |....| |....| |....| +-------+ |....| |..."...| |....| |.....XX| |....| |.....XX| |...++ |....XXX| +--------------+...+--+....XXX| |XX........................XXX| |XX........................XXX| |..........................XXX| |."......++......."..++....XXX| +--+..+--++----------+|.......| +----+..+--++-----------+.......| |..........||."................X| |..........||..................X| |.TTTT.....||...................| |.Ttt......||$$.................| |.Ttt......|+-------------------+ |.TTTT.....| |..........| |..........| +----------+ --the left teleportal goes to L1 area 8. --the top teleportal goes to L1 area 7. You'll have to go through both portals from here. The first one to visit, thought, is the left one. It will take you to area 8 where you can get an important item. *L1 area 7 +----------+ |~~~~~~~~~~| |~+------+~| |~|......|~| |~|......|~| |-+......+-| +---+..........| |..............| |..............| |......".......| |....+---------+ |....+---------+ |............+-| |............|'| |............|'| +---+........|'| |........|'| |........|'| |........|'| |........|'| |........+-| +--+....+--+ |!!!!| +--+!!!!+--+ |$$......$$| |..........| |...T..T...| |...TttT...| |...TttT...| |...TTTT...| +----------+ --the teleportal goes to L1 area 4. Look out here! You've probably annoyed the guards by now, so what you want to do is to move quickly to the left to blast the guard(s) over there. Once you do you'll only be attacked from one side and won't have to gulp down elixirs. Once you're through with that it should be easy to find the next portal. *L1 area 8 +-------------+ +--------------+ |...........$$| |..............| |....TTTT.....| |......TTTT....| |.....ttT.....+-------+.......ttT....| +-------------+.....ttT............#........ttT....| |..................TTTT............#.......TTTT....| |...........................+-------+..............| |..+----------+.............| |..............| |..| +-------------+ +--------------+ |..|+--------------++--------------+ |..||....".....$$..||...."..$$...".| |..||..............||.XX...........| |..||XXXXXX........||.XX...........| |..||XXXXXX........++.......XXXX...| |..||.......................XXXXX..| |..||.......................XXXXX..| |..||X......................XXXX...| |..||X.............++.......XXXX...| |..||X...........XX||.XX...........| |..||X...........XX||.XX...........| |..||XX......."....|+---------+...++ |..||XX.....+------++---------+...| |..||.......|+------+|''''''|.....| |..||.......||$$.."..+------+.....| |..||.......||....................| |..||+-----+||....................| |..|||~~~~~|||....................| |..|||~~~~~|||..................XX| |..|||~~~~~|||.............."...XX| |..||+-----+||...........+--------+ |..|+-------+|...........| |..+---------+.........$$| |...............+--------+ |...............| +---------------+ --the left teleportal goes to L1 area 9. --the right teleportal goes to the second level(L2 area 1.) [First time through:] Okay, here's where you should probably attack your first guard. I recommend wiping out everyone before getting the large key. You start in the spiral, and the large key is in the nearest chest. Once everyone's gone, don't worry about what's behind the door. [Second time through:] Tiptoe by. Don't annoy the guards and v e r y quietly use the amber key. Bam, you're in a new location entirely. *L1 area 9 +--------------+ |...|..".."..".| |...|..........| |.RR|..........| |.RR|..........| |...|.......TTTT |...|........ttT |...|........ttT |...|.."....TTTT +--------------+ --the teleportal goes to L1 area 5. Not much to do here other than to talk to Rofar. He'll give you a disease. He may also give you a yellow diamond. Don't worry about the disease; it doesn't affect you, really, if you get back to the temples quickly once you're outdoors again. If you've already talked to Rofar and seen the yellow-diamond exhibits, he'll give you the valuable Lodestone. *L1 area 10 +------------+ |''''''|...$$| |'+----+.....| |'|..........| |-+..........| +------+|............|+---------+ |."....||............||."...TTTT| |......||...+-----+..||......ttT| |......++...+--++-+..++......ttT| |............$$||$$.........TTTT| |..............||...........TTTT| +--------------+..............||....++......ttT| |.......|.............++......||....||......ttT| |...GGG.|.............||......||....||."...TTTT| |...GGG.|.............||......||....|+---------+ |...GGG.|...........$$||XX....||....| +--------+ +--------+!!!!+-------+|XX....||....+-+.....$$.| +------------+!!!!| |......||...............| |+---+............|+-------+......++...............| ||'''|............||.........................XXXX..| ||'''|............||.........................XXXXX.| ||'''|............||.........................XXXXX.| ||'''|............||.XXXXXX.......++.........XXXX..| |+---+........."..||.XXXXXX.XXXX..||.."..."..XXXX..| +-----------------++--------------++---------------+ --the top portal goes to L1 area 11. --the bottom portal goes to L1 area 12. This is the "funnest" area of the first level. If you can sneak through the force field and quickly talk to the giant, you may also want to get the +10 strength in exchange for ten life potions. It's a steep price, but you'll be able to inflict a lot more damage on the guards. Be sure you have about ten potions left though or you'll be in trouble. If you can reach the doorway past the force field, then you should be able to take guards out one by one. You can make a run for the teleportals as you won't need to come back here if you enter the right one. Once all guards are dispatched I recommend exiting via the top portal, as you can access area 12 from area 11. *L1 area 11 +----------------++----------+ |$$....."...."...||."....."..| |................||..........| |................||..........| |..XXXX..........++..........| |XXXXXX......................| |XXXXXXX.....................| |..XXXXX.........++..........| |.XXXXX..........||."....."..| |.XXXXX..........|+----------+ |................|+------------+ |................++......|'''''| |........................+---+'| +--+.........................|'| +--+.........................|'| |................++..........+-| |$$.......".+----+|............| +-----------++----+..........$$| +-----------+|.................| ||~~~~~~~~~|||...............+-| |+---------+++...............|'| |............................|'| |........................+---+'| |...........++$$.........|'''''| |...T..T....|+-----------------+ |...TttT....| |...TttT....| |.".TTTT."..| +-----------+ --the teleportal goes to L1 area 12. Oh boy. You'll probably need to take out all the guards to get to the teleportal, but make sure you look through all the chests. The left bottom one has the amber key, which will be nice in the future. *L1 area 12 +----------------+ |....|.....!!....| |....|.....!!....| |....|.....!!....| |.CC.|.....+-----+ |.CC.|.....+-----+ |....|...........| |....|...........| |....|.....TTTT..| |....|.....Ttt...| |....|.....Ttt...| |."..|.....TTTT..| +----------------+ The contortionist is here. He'll lower your endurance by 2 but raise your dexterity 5. Now this is overall a good deal even though you can improve both at the temple as it is easier to get endurance points back. 14.6. TARAGAS'S LEVEL 2(WITH ROUGH OUTLINE) This is the second part of the labyrinth. Although there are fewer areas you need a special key to get to the critical areas, which include Vorn the sorcerer and Taragas himself. I've assigned the area numbers a bit arbitrarily again. However, I think the maps will be straightforward enough. TELEPORTAL SKETCH FOR TARAGAS(L2) 1 --> 2 --> 4 --> 5 --> 3 v | L1. | v 3 --> 1 ^ | v 6 --> 5 | | v 7 --> 8 --> 6 ^ | v 9 *L2 area 1 +----------------------+ +--------------------------+ |''''''''''''''X."..XX.| |$$..."...XXXXXX.........".| |'XXXXXXXXXXXXXX....XX.| |........XXXXXXX...........| |'X..................XX| |XX......XXXXXXX...TTTT....| |'X..................XX| |XX.......XXXXXX....ttT....| |'X..+-------+....+----+ +---+.......XX......ttT....| |'X..+-------+....+----------+..............TTTT....| |XX....................!!...........................| |......................!!...........................| |.................+----------+..........+-------+...| |XX...............+----+ +---+..........|+------+...| |'X.........++.......$$| |..............||..........| |'X.........||.........| |$$.....+------+|..........| |'X.........||.........| +-------+ |..........| |'X.........||.........| |TTTT......| |'X.........||........'| |Ttt.......| |'XXXXXX....||''......'| |Ttt.......| |''''''X..$$||''.."....| |TTTT......| +-----------++---------+ +----------+ --The upper teleport leads you back to Taragas's Castle level 1 where you'll have some nasty guard fights. --The lower one leads you to L2 area 2. If you've entered the castle and haven't attacked any guards, your trip may be easier. You can decide on what terms to attack the guards. Going over the force-fields will alert the guards and make them attack you; however, if you stand with a space between you and the guard in the upper right and pop him with a few spells, you should be able to run to the top corridor and take the guards out one by one. The middle corridor is another great place to bop the guards coming in from the right. *L2 area 2 +--------------+ |......|."...".| |..MM..|.......| |..MM..|.......| +------+ |------+.......| |."....| |..............+---------------------+ |......| |...........................@......XX| |......| |...........................@......XX| |......| |..............+------------+........| |......| |.T..T...T..T..| |........| +--+..++ |.TttT...TttT..| |........+------------------------+..| |.TttT...TttT..| |....................................| |.TTTT...TTTT..| |."..................................| +--------------+ +------------------------------------+ --the left teleport leads to L2 area 3. --the right teleport leads to L2 area 4. There are no guards here. You'll appear in the upper right from area 1. You'll need the Amber Key, which you must already have had to get this far, to get through the door. Max the Midget is behind the door. Talk with him three times and give him a life elixir each time. Your reward will be +5 endurance. Now you can go to the left if you want to pick up ten charisma(nasty guard fights along the way, and you loop back here) or to the right to skip to the main part of this castle. *L2 area 3 +----------+ |."........| |......TTTT| |.......ttT| |.......ttT| |......TTTT| +------++-----------------+|..........| |."..''||XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX|+-+!!!!+---+ |....''||X'''''''''''''''X+--+!!!!+----+ |......||XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX...........''| |......||............................''| |......||..............................| |......||..............................| |......||....+------+..................| |......++....+------+..................| |................................"..$$.| |.......................+--------------+ |$$.....................|+-------------+ +----+.....+--+....+----+|...........".| +----+.....+-+|....|+---+|.............| |............||....||.$$||.............| |............||....||...||....++.......| |....T..T....||....||...||....||.......| |....TttT....||....++...++....++.......| |....TttT....||........................| |....TTTT....||........................| |."........".||$$............."......".| +------------++----------------+....+--+ +---+!!!!+--+ |.."......".| |...........| |...........| +-----------+ --the upper right teleport leads back to L2 area 1. --the lower left teleport leads to L2 area 6. Note the force fields will keep you safe until you cross through them. There will be a guard that just hangs around to the right; don't worry about him. Go down on the left side of the force field, take the hit the guard will give you, and start whaling away. Note you may have to take another hit to move down further so that you can attack the other guards, but it is better than wasting spells. Quite a few guards to kill here, but there are even more later. Brace yourself. The lower left teleport is your goal unless you are leaving. *L2 area 4 +--------+ +--------+ |....."..| |..".....| |TTTT....| |........| |Ttt.....+-+........| |Ttt................| |TTTT...............| |........+-+........| |........| |......".| |........| +--------+ |$$......| |........| |........| +--------+ |."......| |."....XX| +---+...++ |......XX| |...+--+.....XXX| +------+............XXX| |XX.................XXX| |XX.................XXX| |......................| |.....................'| +-+!!!+------+!!!+-----+ +------------+!!!+------+!!!+-----+ |..."..."...................."....| |.................................| |XX...............................| |'X.................++............| |'X...............$$||............| |'X....+------------+|.....++.....| |'X....|+------------+.....||.....| |'X....||..................||.....| |'X....||..................||.....| |'X....||................$$||.....| |'X....++.........+--------+++..+-+ |'X...............|+---------+..+-+ |XX..........++..++|..".........".| |............||..++|..............| |..."......$$||...||.............X| +------------+|...||.....XXXX....X| +-------------+...||....XXXXX....X| |$$......"........||....XXXXXX....| |.................||.....XXXXX....| |XXX..............||....XXXXX.....| |XXXX.............||....XXXXX...XX| |XXXX............'||.....XXXX...XX| |XXX.............'||..............| |....".......$$..'||$$..........".| +-----------------++--------------+ --the teleporter leads to L2 area 5. I'm not sure if fighting all the guards is worth it. There's some treasure below but nothing terribly valuable. You'll probably have to stave off a few guards just to make it to the transporter, and you should have enough to bull your way through here, but if you have any doubts at all, use a save state or come back after you've cleared everything else. The teleporter leads to a place where you can improve your attributes. *L2 area 5 +--------------+ |.."....|......| |.......|.LL...| |.......|.LL...| |.......|......| |.......+------| |..............| |..............| |..............| |.....++!!!!!!!| |.T..T||.......| |.TttT||.......| |.TttT||.......| |.TTTT||.......| +-----++-------+ --the teleporter leads to L2 area 2, south of Max the Midget. Say yes when Ludicious asks if you want to share in his ability. You should probably have at least 3000 gold at this stage, so use it to get +10 charisma as he mentions that although he is physically repulsive he is nice and people like him that way. Enter the teleporter. *L2 area 6 +-----------+ +----------+ +---------+ |.........".| |."......".| |.".......| |.TTTT......| |...TTTT...| |.....TTTT| |.Ttt.......| |...TttT...| |......ttT| |.Ttt.......| |...TttT...| |......ttT| |.TTTT......| |...T..T...| |.....TTTT| |.........".| |..........| |.........| +-----+..+--+ |..........| |.".......| |..| +---+..+---+ +--+..+---+ |..| |..| |..| |..| |##| |..| |..+---------+|..|+--------+..| |............||..||...........| |............||..||...........| +---------+..||..||..+--------+ |..||..||..| ++..++..++..++ |............| |............| |............| |............| |."........".| +---+....+---+ +-----------+....+---------------+ |."......X.........XX........".''| |..............................''| |................................| |........................++......| |...XXXXXXX....XXXXXXX...||....XX| |..XX~~~~~XX..XX~~~~~XX..||....XX| |..X~~~~~~~X..X~~~~~~~X..||..XXXX| |..X~~~~XXXX..XXXX~~~~X..||..XXXX| |..X~~~XX........XX~~~X..||..XXXX| |..X~~~X..........X~~~X..||..XXXX| |..X~~~X....$$....X~~~X..||....XX| |..X~~~X..........X~~~X..++....XX| |..X~~~XX........XX~~~X..........| |..X~~~~XXXX..XXXX~~~~X........$$| |..X~~~~~~~X..X~~~~~~~X..+-+..+--+ |..XX~~~~~XX..XX~~~~~XX..|++..+--+ |...XXXXXXX....XXXXXXX...||......| |........................++......| |................................| |................................| |......".........."......++......| +------------------------++------+ --the left teleporter heads back to the southeast part of L2 area 3. --the right teleporter heads back to L2 area 5. --the center teleporter heads to the south nook in L2 area 7. If arriving from area 3, you will find yourself in the lower right. Proceed IMMEDIATELY to one of the doorways and stand on the inner half. Wait for guards to come around and bop them one at a time. When the scene seems clear, go on, but just retreat into a doorway or corridor to ensure one-on-one combat and bash 'em some more. Once the area is cleared be sure to get the chest between the fountains--5000 gold, which you'll need for another puzzle. If you have the skeleton key, you can go straight north. Otherwise you'll have to loop back to two of the areas further away from Taragas. *L2 area 7 +--------------------+ |...".XXXXXXX."....$$| |X....XXXXXXX........| |X......XX..........'| |X..................'| |....................+----+ |....................!!...| |$$......"...........!!...| +--------------+.....!!...| +-------------+|.....++...| |$$.".......XX|+-----+|...| |...........XX+----++-+...+------+ ++................$$||......."....| |'..................++..........XX| |'..............................X'| |XXXXXX.........................X'| |XXXXXX.............++..........X'| |..............."...||..........X'| +--------+...+------+|..........X'| +--------+...+------+|..........X'| |$$.."..............++..........XX| |.................................| |...............................$$| |....XXXXXXXXXX.....+-----+...+---+ |....X~~~~~~~~X.....+---+ |...|+--------+ |....X~~~~~~~~X.......''| |...||........| |....X~~~~~~~~X.......''| |...||........| |....XXXXXXXXXX.........| |...++........| |.......................| |.......TTTT..| |.......................| |........ttT..| |."..........."......$$.| |........ttT..| +---+..+----------------+ |...++..TTTT..| +--+..+--++-------------+|...||........| |........||.."....."..$$||...||........| |........||XX...........||...||........| |..T..T..||.............||...++........| |..TttT..||XXXX.......XX||.............| |..TttT..||XXXXX........||.............| |..TTTT..||XXXXX........||...........$$| |........||XXXX.........++!!!+---------+ |........||..................| +--------+|XX................| |..................| |................XX| |................XX| |.."....$$...."....| +------------------+ --the teleporter on the left leads to L2 area 9 and Taragas. --the teleporter on the right leads to L2 area 8 and Vorn. Oh wow, lots of guards here the first time through. The force field should supply you with a good bunker, although the hallway ahead is three-wide and allows one-on-one combat. Plus you can cop out and head for Vorn's as the one transporter is close by. Remember that once you pass that corridor there may be guards stuck to the left so don't be on autopilot when you head for the left teleporter. Lots of good money chests here. If you just came from Taragas's you'll appear in the upper left. Work your way right and retreat--to areas 8, 6, 3, 1 and to the first level. *L2 area 8 +--------------+ |..."..........| |..............| |.........TTTT.| |..........ttT.| |..........ttT.| |.........TTTT.| |..............| |..............| |..............| |..............| |..............| |..............| |----+.........| |....|.........| |.VV.|.........| |.VV.|.........| |....|.........| |....|...".....| +--------------+ --the teleporter leads to the bottleneck in L2 area 6 just before the passage splits into three parts. Not much to do here except talk to Vorn. For 5000 gold you'll have the illusion of light, which will permit you to explore levels 7-10 of the Blackmire Pits. *L2 area 9 +--------------+ |.....|...."...| |'.AA.|........| |'.AA.|........| |.....|........| |-----+........| |..............| |..............| |XX..........XX| |'X..........X'| |'X..........X'| |'X..........X'| |'X..........X'| |'X..........X'| |'X..........X'| |'X..........X'| |XX..........XX| |..............| |....T..T......| |....TttT......| |....TttT......| |....TTTT..."..| +--------------+ --the teleporter leads to L2 area 7, upper left. Oh look, Taragas. He offers to take a drop of your blood for half of the kingdom. If you're curious the quasi-ending is entertaining(won't show it here, but it DEFINITELY precludes the regular ending. Save before trying.) Of course if you say no he gets all crybaby on you. Be sure to use life elixir before you get out. 15. DUNGEON MAPS All in all dungeons work out better in LoB than in any of its predecessors. They aren't all ungoldly long, the first one even being only four levels, and the monsters are the most interesting yet. You also have more castles to offset the dungeon action, which makes the game more fun. For the most part, you need to go down into a dungeon, pick up the object at the bottom, and get out. To make things more fun there are optional items on the way, with chests including silver coins and even special-reward items. I don't tell you the way back. Just reverse the instructions--as you've just been one way through the maze it should be relatively easy to turn around and retrace your steps. If you have the patience to save money(or earn it by gambling) to buy annihilate spells before you enter, those can help you speed through the dungeon nicely once you've gotten the etherium. Just use them sparingly as you only get twenty. Of course you want the other spells such as lightning bolt and tongue of flame to be maxed out, and it helps to have glow tip and armor enchant running at all times. 15.1. MONSTER SETS In dungeons, the monster sets change every three levels. I've listed some monsters and any special abilities I know of and have kept the groups they are in. Note that monsters get stronger as you advance through dungeons(i.e. more hit points, damage) even if they do not change names. ======== GROUP 1 ======== URP: hangs from ceiling ASSASSIN: robed, sword KAPOK: tree THUMPER: vaguely humanoid, strong IDOL: golden, impervious to magic SCORPOD: lots of eyes ======== GROUP 2 ======== EATON EYE: can blind you(walk for a few turns. If unsure of territory, walk forward and backward.) GROWLER: looks like a standing wolf BAG-O-BONES: looks like a skeleton. Impervious to magic SLUDGE HEAVE: looks like Jell-O gone awry, with a twisted lip and weird eye. SNAP JAW: snake that can paralyze you if you're caught by a tooth TOAD COLONY: can reduce your food total ======== GROUP 3 ======== ANGEL TOOTH: hangs from ceiling WHIBAS: looks like a standing bull. Nothing special MIND TRILL: brain with eyes on tentacles. Drains intelligence occasionally SHADOW FIEND: looks like a heart with a claw replacing a valve blows out your light SPIKE: squatting doggish looking, destroys your armor NEEDLER: nothing special, a bee on legs ======== 15.2. LEDGER In general I will give directions in brief shorthand(i.e. 3N 3E 3S) and gloss over traps so as to make the walkthrough quick. Cast Nimble Step or just push X after you turn or walk down a corridor a bit. Of course the traps are listed on the map, and you may wish to track the right path--don't be scared to do something kitty like drawing a line through the right path to see if you run over any hidden traps. Also, you may find gems in the dungeons, but the cases that contain special stuff disappear the next time you enter. Unlike in other games where you can go back to the dungeon to get +2 agility yet again, there are one-shot deals here. Also it seems that in the later dungeons you are more likely to open cases that take away attributes. There is a general ledger for many squares. Specific adjustments to each dungeon generally include different important gems to open museum exhibits or treasures. Capital letters indicate a visible trap, which you can always avoid, and small letters indicate a hidden trap. You should examine a few squares before a hidden trap--if it is six squares ahead you won't see it. You also may not see it if it is behind a chest. X = wall [space] = open square C/c = V/v = hole in the floor(falling through this causes nasty damage, but you can climb up/down safely.) ^ = hole in the ceiling 1,2,3,4 = treasures/cases. This is not perfectly proofread. If you come across one of these it is not necessarily safe to open it. 2 = silver coin unless otherwise noted 15.3. ISLAND CAVERNS The Island Caverns aren't too treacherous. They shouldn't be, being the first dungeon in the game. The object is about what you'd expect; get to the bottom level, get the treasure, and get out. L1-3 hold group 1 monsters, L4 holds group 2. Island Caverns L1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X^X C XXX = XXXX X X X XXX XX XXXX X X XXX XX X XXXX XXXXX+X XXXXXXXXX$XX X XX C XXX XX X XX XX XXXX XXXX X XX X$XXXXGX X XXX XX X XXXX XXX XXX X $g X XX XXX G XXXXX+X XXVXXXX X XXXX X XX XXXX XX X X XX D D XX XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 2S 2E 2N 2E 3S 4E 2S 1E 4S 1W 1S 2W 2N 4W 2S 1W 1S D. Island Caverns L2 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX + XX X XX XXXXX $ XGX X XX XX XXX XXX$X X XX G $ X X XXXXX X XXdX XXXX XXd XXXX X XXX XXVXXC1X XX + X XXXXX XX XDXX XXX XXXXX X C XX XXXXXXXXXXX XX XX XX C XXXX D XX XX XX$X XXXX4X$XX XX XX^X c X XgX XX XXXX+XX X X XXX XXXX XXX XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 2N 2E 3S O(might as well get extra hit points) 1S 3E 1N 2E 2N O(get blue gem) 1N 2E 2N 1W 2N 2W 2S 3W 2N 1E O(+2 intelligence) 1W 1N X 3W 1S D. Island Caverns L3 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX - XX $ XXVX XXXXXXX XX X XX X X XX XXgX XX3X XX X XX X X XX $ XX XX X XX XX X XXCXXX+XX X XX^Xc + XXX XXX$X XX X XX-XXXXXX X XX $ XX XXX1XX XX XX X XX XX c X XX X + XX X + X XXXXXXX XX$X XX X XX g$g XX X X XX XXXXX XXXXX XX XX d $ 2 $ d XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 4S 1E O 1E 2N 1W O 1E X 2N 2E O 1E X 4S 3E 1N X 1E 1N O(+3 endurance) 1S 1E 1S 1E O and now you have a choice. If you want an extra silver coin, 2E 2S 1W 2S X 7W O and back. Otherwise, 1E 3N 1E 1N O 1N 1W 2N 1E 1N O(owl grail) 2N D. Island Caverns L4 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXgXXXXXXXXXXXX^X XX+X XXXXX dd X Xg X-X $ X XXXX X$XX XCX XX d X X XCXXX XX XXX XX XXX c $ X XX XX XX X XXX X X = XX X XXX X XXcXX $ X D C X X XX XXX XXXX$XX X$XXX XXX XXXX XX X cX D 1 d X XX XXX XXX XXXX X XX XXX $ XXXX2X XX g$g X XX 3 4 X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The dungeon monsters change here. S X 3W S 2W 3S W 6S 3E O(empty for me) X 3E 2S O(silver coin) S W O(red garnet) 2W O(crystal ring, the object of your quest.) 15.4. TARAGAS MINES With six levels this one isn't too bad either. It still doesn't approach the tedium of LoA or, God forbid, the "tuffer" Questron dungeons. Nevertheless with tougher monsters it's less of a bunny than the original. There is an item at the bottom. Taragas Mines L1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X^X XX C X XX X X X X 1 X X XXXX XXCX XXX$X X $ XXX X - X XdX X XcXdXXXXX X XX XX X X X X X X X XX X X-XXdXX XX XX$X X X XX X X XXcXXXX=X XXXXX XX X c X c X X XX X XXXX XgX X X+XX D XXVX X$X X X d XX $ c X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 1S 3E 1S 2E 2N 2E 1S 2E O(nothing special, just a scroll--"Kill Quickly the Gaping Mouth.") 1W 2S X 3S 1E 3S 1E 4S X 2W 1N D. Taragas Mines L2 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X $ $ XXXXXXVXX XXX XXX XX - + gX X XX C XXXXcX X+XXcXX XXX 1 XX X XX X XX XX XXXX X g X X XX XXXXX XXX X$X X $ Cc XX XgX XXXXXXX = XXXXXX XXX G X X $ d X XX XXX X-XCXXX X XXdX-XX X Xg$ X=X XX X + X XXXXX X XX2XX XXX^ D $ X XX dC XXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X 5N 1E 1N 3E 2N 1E 2N 3W(avoid the chest, endurance -1) 2S X 2W 1N 2W 2N 3E 1N X 3E O 1E 1N D. (You can get the silver coin but it's really out of the way.) Taragas Mines L3 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X D XXXX XX XX^XX X X v X $ g X X XXXVXXXX XXgXX XX $ X + X XX XX XXXXX XXX X X cC 4 XX X X-X X XXcXXX XX=X$X X X $ d X c c X X+XX XXXX XX XX X X = X C Xc X1 X XX XXX XX XdXXXXX XX $ XX-X g$ X XX XXXXX XXXXdX XXgXXX X X+X c X XX $ gX c c XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X 4S 1E X 5S 1W O(+2 strength) 1E 2N X 3W X 4W 2N 2W O 1W 2N 2W O 1W 1N 1W 2N 2E 1S X 2E D. Taragas Mines L4 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX Cc X-XXXX X X XX^XX + X$X X$XXX ^XX-XXXX X Xg XX c c XX XXX X - XX X XXX XX dXX X XDX X XX$XX d X+X XX$X X X XgX X X$XX XXXXX X c XX X c X -XX X X X XXXX$X1XXX XX$X X X = XX D gX XX XX X XXX X XX+X c X2XXXVX+X XX XX XXX d v X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (1) loses you 125 hit points. 3S X 2E 3S 2E 1N O 1S 1E 2S 2E 2S 2E X 1E 2S O 1S X 1W D. Of course X 5W 1N 1S 5E D to pick up the silver coin can be done now or when you come back. Taragas Mines L5 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XV 2 X + XXg+ XX XXXXv XX XX X$XX X XXXX C X XX X$X XXXX-XXX XXXX X X XX XXcXX=XX X XXXcXX XX $ X $ XX XXXXXXX1XXXX XXXX XX $ X X c XX XX XX XcXdXX X XX XX d X X X X XXX-XX X cX X X+X XX XXXX X-X X $ X XXcXg$ ^X X XXX D d X XX ^ X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 1E X 4N 1W 2N X 2W 2N 1E O 1E X 2N 2W X 4N 1E O 1W 2S 3W 2N 1W O 2W 1S X 2W 1N 1W O 2W D. 1 = scroll. "You must give the lute away." Taragas Mines L6 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X^ XdX XXdX 1 3 X XX $^X C X-XgXXX XXXX X XX c XXXXX X- X-XXXX$X + X XXdXXX XgX$XdX XX g$ XXX XX X X XXDXXX c X XX X XX c X-X$X c X XX+XXXXX X X XXXX X - X X - XX X$XXX X+XXXXdX X X gX X X X XX2X=XXX-X XX+X$X XX X XXX c C d X XXg $ XXXXXX X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 1E 1S 1E O 1E 2S 2W X 5S O 1S 1W 1S O 1S 1E 1S O X 2S 4E O 2E 1N X 5E 1N O 1N 1W X 5N 2W 1N 1W 1N 3W X 3N 3E 1S X 2E X 2N 1E (case seems empty but has exploded before) 2E O. You have found the magic lute! 15.5. MARTHBANE TUNNELS Around here Annihilate spells start getting very convenient. Remember that you can hold only twenty at any one time. That means, when you go down to level ten, that you can use one spell per level. In general that is a good pace to remember, and you can get through without a lot of disturbance. Marthbane Tunnels L1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X^ XX X d $ X XX D XX X XX X XXX XXX XXX X X X XX XX X XcX X-XXXX X X XX X XXcX XXX -X X X$X X X X XX X X X XX X X X X X D d XX X XCXX XcX X X+XX X X + X X XX X XX X X X X XX X$X XX X c X VX X - X $ X $ XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 1E 1S 5E 1S 3E 1S 3E 1S 3E 2S 1W 3S O 3S 1E. Marthbane Tunnels L2 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X V XXX XX XXX X X-X d XXX $ gX X XXdXX XX XXX X X1XX XX $ XXXX+X X + XX XXX X XcX XXX XX d XX X XCXXX X X X X$X XXXX XXXcXX X X X XXXX-XXX XX$X X $g X XcXXXXX X XXXCX$X X + X X X X XXXXX X XXDXX X X $ XX c ^X X XXXX - XdXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 3N O 2N O 2N 1W 2N 1E 1N O X 2N 2W O 2W 1S 1W 1S 1W O 2W 1S 2W O 4W 1N O(+2 agility) X 3N 1E D. Marthbane Tunnels L3 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X ^ XX $ XXX X X X - XX XcXXX X$XXX XXXXX X X 1 d XXX-X XXX XXXXX X C X X XXX X XX$X XgX X 2 VX X XXgX X$X XXXXX X X X X X = X-X XX XXX X X XcXX XX Xg X X X X X+XXX $ X XXXdX X GXXXXX X + X XXX X $ XX X XX XXX XXX $ c XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 1 loses gold if you open it. 1E 2S O 1S 2E 2S 2E 1S 1E O 2E D. Marthbane Tunnels L4 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX - XXXXX Xg $ XX X XXX X X XXXX XX X+X c X X X X X$X X$XX X XdXXCX X X X X Xc X XXXX XXX^XXXX X-X XX D cc $ X XX+XXXXX-XXXXXX X XX $ X $ X X XXX X X XX X X XXXX X X X 2 X X$XXVX X XXXX X XX1X=X XcX g+ X X VXVX X XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [first time: 1S 3E O 4E 2S 1W O 2W 2S 1E O 1W 2S X 2E O 2W 4N 2W 3S 4W 3N 2W O 2W 1S 1W 2S O 2S 1E D. A bit of a detour, but you may need to recharge a bit anyway. [second time: 2S D. Open chest, lose 2000 gold.] Marthbane Tunnels L5 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X XXXXXX + X GX X2X $ X=X XXXX X c XXXX C X X X X XX XXX XX$X XDX X - X XgX X X XXX XdX X X XXX X1X X X XXX X $ X X XXX XXcX XXXX XcX X X + X X X XXdXXX XXXX X$X XVXXXX X$X D X X XX ^X + X-XX X XXdXXXdX X XX X X XX^X^ X $ c X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [first time: X 2N 2E U] [second time: 2E X 2N 1E O 1E 1N O 2N 2E O 2W 2N 1W 1N O(scroll, agility +2) S 5W O 1W 6N O 6S 2E 2S 2W 2S. [third time, if you take the shortcut on returning: 2W 2S 4W 2S 1E 3S 1W 5S 2W 2S 2W U] Marthbane Tunnels L6 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X - $ XX c XV^XX X XXX+XX$XX XXXXX X$X X Xd X XXXX X GXX X X X XcXXXXX XXdX XX XXX $ X X cX X XX X X + XX X$XX X X-X XGVX X XX+X X X$XvXX X XcX X XG X XXgX-X X X=X + XX X^4g X$XvX X XX XXgX X X X 2 XX XX d X X X XdXX X XXX gXXX $ X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [first time: 1E O(yellow diamond) X 2E 1S 2E 2S X 2E 1N 2E 2N 2E 3S 1E O 1W 2N 1E O 1W 2N 1E O 1W 2N O 2N 1E O E X 2S D] [second time: 1E U puts you in the upper right of level 5] Marthbane Tunnels L7 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X - XX c X V^XXX X XX $ X X X + X X X XX X XXXX X XX D $ X dd 2gX X XXXXX XXXXXXX XX$X XX -X d X X- X d X + X XX X XX+X X X XXXCXX^X XX c $ 1 ^ X XXXX X X X-XX X X XX X XcX X X X XX ^XXXX X X$XdXX X X XdXX X X $ = c X-X XX+XXgXX XXXX $ X XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX [first time: 6W O("turn back before you die") X 5N 1W 3N x 2E 2S 1E 1S X 4E O X 1E 2N 1W O 1W 1N 1W D] [second time: 1W U, returning from level 8] On level 8, you will find King Durek. SPEAK to him. If you have the Signet Ring, you will be able to let him escape. But you cannot escape with him. "If you were nobility, you wouldn't have to climb back up. But you're NOT, so you WILL have to. Nyeah." The map for level 8 is just a stair up with the square for the king to the right, so I didn't draw it. Once you rescue King Durek, he will appear in the throne room. 15.6. BLACKMIRE PITS The Blackmire Pits are probably the nastiest dungeon in the game. You'll have to go through them several times, and you'll go up-and-down levels a few times. So I have labeled the first time through 1-1 and 1- 2, the second time 2-1 when you take different paths. However at the start when there is only one way to go I will not annotate any paths separately. Blackmire Caves L1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X^ dX - XX $ X XCX XX XXX X X XXX X XX -XX X XX X XX X XXX XXDXXXX=XX XX X X XX X$XXvX$XX X XXXXX X c c 2 + X X XXXXXX XXXXXX$X X-XXXVXX XX X X XX 4 X XXXXX XX$XXVXXX + X XX XXX d XXXXX X XX XXX $gc X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 2S 1E 1S 1E 2S 6E 2S 1E O 3E O 5W 3S 1W O(white diamond) 2W S D. Blackmire Caves L2 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX $ XX $ XXXX X XX XX XXX X X+XXX X 3 XdXX+X X c XXVX G X XCXXXXX C X X XX X X XXcX XX X XX$X X cX XXX$X XX X^ XXXX XXX X X XXXXX $ X d X XcXXXXX XcXXXX XX X $ X^ - XX X X X XXXXXXX XXXgX X d ^ $ X XXX3X XXX XX XX XXXgX XXX + XXXX + X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [1-1, 2-1: 3E O 1E 1S 2E 1S 2E O 2E X 4N 1W 2N 1E 2N O 1N 1W 2N 1E 1N O 1N 3W 1N 2W O 2W 2S 1E O(black wand, return to temple for gold) 1E 1S D. [1-2: 1N 3W 2S 2E X 2S 2E 2S X 3E 2S 1E X 2S (use rusty key) D] Blackmire Caves L3 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X X -cX X c X X X X $ X X$X X X+XXXXXcX X X X X $ X ^ XX X XXXXXX+XXXXXXX XX X C X X $ XX X X$X 2 X c X XX XX X X - X g+ X XCXXXXXXXX1XXXXXX X cg$gd X -X X+X XXXXX X $gXXX X g$g X XcXVX XXXXXXXXVXXXXcX^X X - 3 cc XX X XXXvXXXvXXXX XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [1-1: 1E 1N 2E 1N O 1N X 2E 3S 1W 4S 1W O X 4W 1N X 2W 1N 2W 1S 1W O 1E 1N 2E 1S 2E 1S 1E 1S O(3000 gold) 1S 1E 1S X 2E X 3S X 6W O(old rusty key) and now retrace your steps back up to level 2.] [1-2: 1N D] [2-1: repeat first time, but go 2W 1S D after getting to (3).] Blackmire Caves L4 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX V X c X + XX XXCX$XVX+XgX X XX XX X X XVXdX2XX XX c XX $gX XX X XX XXXXXXX=XXX X XXX+XX $ XXX X$X XX XXXX - X X XX X d XXX X XXXdXX g XX XXX$X XX XXX X - X XX X $ X XXXX X X XgXXXcX ^X XDXX$XXX^X X+XX X X X XXXcX XXcX X X^Vg ^XX $ X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [1-2 first time: 3W 1S O 3N X 3E 1N O 2N X 2W 3N 1E 1N O 2N 1W O 1E 3S 1W 2S 2W O 3W 5S 1W O 3W 1N 1W X 3N 2E 1N O 2N 1W 2N O 1N 1W D.] [1-2 second time: 1S 2E 1N O 2S 1E O X 1E 1N D] [2-1: 1E D] Blackmire Caves L5 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X X^ + X - X X X+X$XX^X X=X$XX X X X c cX X^ XX X X XXXXX XXX XX X X $ XXXX Xg X X-XXXdXX C X$XX X d 1 XXX X X X XXXX 4 VX X X X2X c XX XXXX X X X XXX XX$XXX XX X X XXX X XX XXX X XX d X+XX XXX+XXXcXX-X X X X $ XX XXX d XX XXX XV^X $ XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [1-2 first time: You will contract rotlung here and lose 10 endurance. Nothing can be done about that until you leave the dungeon. 2E O 1E 1S U] [1-2 second time: 2N X 2W 3S 1W 1S 3W O 1E X 2S 3E(skip -1 endurance) 1S 1E O(white diamond) 2E D] [2-1: 1W D.] Blackmire Caves L6 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX $ XXX c XXX XX+XX X-X+XXX XX X XXXgX X $ X XXX XX X X X XXXcXX d X$XCX-X XX X XX X X XX-XX XXcXX X X XX XX $ ^XXdXX XX X XX XXX XX XXX XXX - $ XX X $ XXXXXXXXX X XXXDXXX XXXXX X X X X 3 X X X XXXcc XXXXXXX X d X^VXX + XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [1-2: 4W 3S 2W 2S 2E X 1S X 2E 1S 1E O 1W 3N 2E 1S 3E O. A skeleton key! This was your goal for the Blackmire Pits--the first time through. Now retreat to the surface.] [2-1: 1E D.] Blackmire Caves L7 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXX X - c +Gv X X+XX XXXdX$XXXXvX X XXX $ X v X X X D XX+XXXX X$X XX XXX XXXX X XX XVXdXXX $ c X X X XXXXX X-XX X XXX2X X d X X c X XX$XXXX1X X XXXXX-XX X X XXX d X X$X XX X X XCX X XX XcX XXX X XX XX X + X ^ Xg $ X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [2-1: 1W 2N 2E 1N 3E 1N 2E 1S O 1S 1W X 2S 2E O 1E 4N 1E 2N(skip -1 endurance) X 3W 2N 1W O 1W 1N 2W 1N O X 3N X 4W X 3W 1S O 2S 1E 3S 1W 2S X 4E 1N O 1N 1W 1N D.] Note the stairs in the upper left lead to an enclosed area which does have some hit points but isn't worth it overall and wastes time. Blackmire Caves L8 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X X XXX XXX X X+X$X XXX$X ^XX X2X X X X XXX^X X c XdX ^ cX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX XX X + d XX XXgX^XXdXXXXXXXXX X XXX X X X X X X XX C X X+X X XX - $ X D X X $ XX X XcXXXXX XXXXXXX $ X = X X XXX XXXXX X$X X +g X X XXX X XXXXX c X v V v X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [2-1: 3N 1W 2N O 1N 2W 2S O 1S 3E 2S 3E X 2S 2E 4S 1W O 1W 2S 2E 1S X 1E D] Blackmire Caves L9 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X d X $ X + X X XX X XX X XXX1X X$XX X d XDXX X X X XX XXX d XX X c XX X XXXXX XXXc X X X XXXXXX$XXX c XX X X 2 XX XXX X X$X XvX + XXX XX gX X X$X XXXXcXXXXXX XGv X c XX X XXXX X=XX - X+X X X XX X X X+XX X X$XX XXXXX X $ X X^ ^ ^XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [2-1: 1E 3N 1W 1N X 5W 2N 1W O 1W S O 2N 1W O 1W X 1S D.] Blackmire Caves L10 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Xg + XXXX $ X X XXXXDXXcXCXXX X X2X XX X X X X X3XX X$X X XXcX X X X X X + X X XXXXXX X XXXXXX X dd X c XX XXXXX$XXXXXXX X X X^ XX X c XX X XX XX$XX XXX-X XX^X - XX gX X XXXX$XX XXX X X=X X X X $ X XcX XdX-X$X X X X X + X X + X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [2-1: 1E 1S 2E 1S X(side trip south for loot if you want) 3E 2S 4E 2N X 2E 4S 1E O 1E 4N X 2N 2W 2N X 3W 4N 2W 1S O 3S 4W X 3W 4N O X 2N 3E O 2E 4S 3W 1N O. If you haven't had enough fun yet, don't worry. Now you get to go back up.] 15.7. DRAGON CAVES Although the Dragon Caves have more levels than Blackmire, they are a bit easier to negotiate, and you don't have to enter twice--unless you get killed, which is sadly quite possible. There's only one place(the end) where you need to go up-and-down. LEGEND 1-almond smelling liquid in a chest. It is of course cyanide and costs you three life elixirs if you drink it. Stay away. Dragon Caves L1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X^ X -XX XXXX XXXX X XX X + XX X X$XcXX XX X X X$Xd X $ XX X$XX X XX X XX X XgXX X XvXCXX X XX X X XX X c XX X XXXDXX XXXXXdXX X-X 2 X XX X X XcXXXX X + X X X XX XXX XX X XXX = XXXXX XX X X XX $ c X X XVX X XX XX XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 3E 2S O X 4S 1E 2S 2E O(okay, you probably don't need any silver coins, as you're hoping to make this a one-shot deal. But it's fun to be greedy.) E 2S 2W 1S 2W 1S 2W 1S D. Dragon Caves L2 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X - XX $ VgX X XXXX+XX XX XX X X gX $ X X XcXX$XXXcXX$XXX-X X c XX d X X XXXXXX XXXX X X XX^$ X X+XXXX X X dXXXXX X XcXXX = X XcX XX X XXXDXX XXX XCXX X $ X XXdXX + XX X X-X $ XX$XX XX XcX X XX XX XX X d XXX XX X^XX-XXXXX = XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X 4N X 6N X 7E X 2N 1E 2N 2E O 3E D. Dragon Caves L3 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X + X gX ^ X XdX X X XXX XCX X X c XVX + X X XX XXXX X XdXcXXX XX $ XVX2XdX X X XXXXXdX X X X XXX XVXXX XXXcX XX X X gXdX X XX+XX XXXXXXX X X - = X+X X XcXXX X+XXX X XcX X $ X $ X XXX X XXdXX XXX X $ X X $ GXdXXX X X X X-XXX X $ XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX W X 5S 2E X 3S X 4S 4W 3N 4W S O N X 2W 3N X 2N 3W 2N X 3E 2N 2E 4S D. The other two passages lead nowhere really, but if you want to take the first ladder, pick up some hit points, and go right back up, that is not the worst idea in the world. Dragon Caves L4 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX X X XXX X XXdXXXX + X $ - X XX $ XX^XXXXX X X XXXX XXX $ X XdX XX $ XX^ X X X X X XXXXXXXX X + X XdXXgXX^X X XDX X c c X XXX X X XXXXXXXXX - X$X X + X XXXX gX X X C XXX XXXX X$X XXXXX1XXdXVXX X X $ c X X X X XXXXXXX X XXX+X X d =c X $ gX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 2E 1N 2E 3S 2W 4S 3E X 2S 1W 2S 3E X 1E 1N O 1N 1W 1N D. Dragon Caves L5 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Xg+ XXXXX + X X X XX XX XX XVX X $ X XX XX C X XcXXXX-X c XX XvX X X X X XX X X X XX = XcX $ X$X XX XXXXX X-XX gX XX dd $ XXXX XXXXX XX XXX X X XXXX XXX XX X X XX XcXXGX X$X XXXXXX$X ^ X X X X X XX-XXX X+X d XX d X X X X c X $ XX X + X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Some of the next few levels are surprisingly breezy if you know where to go. 2W 4N 4W X 4N X 2E 3N 2E O 1E 2S 2E 1N D Dragon Caves L6 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX XXX X X X X XX XX + X $ $ d ^X XX X X X X-X X XX X X XX X c ^X XXdXX c XXXXX$XX X XXXXX $ Xd X XX XXVX X XCXX$XX X X $ gX X dX XXX XXXXXXX XXXX X X + XX c X X XcXcXXX d X XX XX X XX X X XXdXXXX$XXX X XX XX D v XCXX+XX X XXXX XXX XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X 7W 3S X 3W 1N 1W 2N 1W O 1W X 6S 1E X 4S 1W 2S 5E and 1E D or if you need hit points 2N 2E 2N 2W O 2E 2S 2W 2S 1E D. Dragon Caves L7 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX XXXXcXXX XXXX X d d d $ X XdXXXXX+XXXXcXXXX X X $ XX X X-X XXXXX XXcX X X 1 X-XX X X XXX X^X XX+XXcX X X XXXdX XX XV X X$X d XcX XX X X XXXX XX XX X X $ c XX X XcXXX XXXXXXXXXcX X d 2 $ X X+X XXXX^XX X X X X $ C = C gX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 1N(1W O 1E for the greedy) 7E X 5N 1W D. No, really. Dragon Caves L8 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XV XXXDXXXX = X X X + c XX+X X X X XXXXXX d X X X X V XX XX XX$X XdXXX XX X X X XX XX$XX XcXXXX+X XXcXX XX XcX $ X d XX^XX X XX XX $ gX XXX XXXXXX X X X - XXXX $ X XX XgXX c XXCXX X XVX X X c - XX X g XXdXXXX XX$XX X X $ XXXX + XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 1S 3W X 5N 2W D. Dragon Caves L9 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X^ $ XXXXXXX c X XdX XcX $ X X$X X gX XXX X X X XXdX XX X^X XcX X X-X $ XXX X XDX X+X XX c X X $ c XXdXXXX XXX XXXXXXV XXXcXXX X - + XXXg$ X X X XXX gXXgXXX+X X X XX2X X X XdX-XX XdXX XXX X^XX XgX X X - X X XDXXXX$X X XX $G X + X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 2S 1W X 2S 2W D. What is going on here? Dragon Caves L10 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX + X cc c $ XX XX X X XX XXXX-XX XX XXXCX + X XX d X$XXX XX X XXXX XXX XXg XX-X X $ X X d XXg$ X X-XXXXdX X XXVXdX X $ ^X XX XXX X XXX XX1X $ X XXXDX XX XXXXX X d XXX2XX c X X X XX XX+XX XXX X$X XXX Xd XgX X XX$X XXXcXXXX$X X Xg+ XXX $ X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 2S 2E 1N 7E X 3N X 2W S D. Well, that was a little tougher, I guess. Dragon Caves L11 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX dd X g$ cX X XXX X XXXVX X+X X X 2 XXXXX X X$XcXXX XXVgv X XXX X XX XX$X XXXcXXX$X XX XX X X X d X ^XdX X+X X XXXXXXX X X X d X XDX$X X XXX - X X$X X X X$XXX X X X X X XX XcXXXXXX Xg X$XX X XgVg X XXX+X d X XXX1X XXX XXXXX c X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [first time through: 1W 3N D.] [second time through: X 2E 2S X 4W 1N 1W X 3N 2W 3S X 3W 7N 2W X 6N X 4E 1S 2E 1N X 5E X 1E 1S D.] Dragon Caves L12 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX + XXX $ XXXXXX XX X = X c ^X XX XX$XX X XXXXXX XX X XX d X^c^ X X XX-X XXcXXXX X X$XX X X $ XdX X X X $ XX=XX XdX XdX XXX XXX dX X $ XX d XcX XXXXX XX XX XXXcX X C XgdgX+XXXcX X XXXXXdX1X X d X X$X 3gdgX X^X X X XXXXXXX XXX$X X X + D - XXg$ X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [first time through: X 3E 1S X 4S X 6S X 2W 2N U.] [second time through: X 5W X 7S 1E 2S O 2S 2W 1N X 1N X 2W X 2S X 3W O D.] After the second time through, you proceed to the Sparkle Maze, which is detailed below. 16. SPARKLE MAZE Note: a full maze text map is below, although I recommend my graphical map instead. It should make the solution evident. The Sparkle Maze is certainly intimidating at first, and without any pauses(Escape doesn't work; you have to enter a room without sparkles, although you can cheat and use CTRL-ALT-P on a Vice emulator) it will even get annoying. But here are the basic rules to remember about it: 1) There are two types of rooms: tunnels where you have a refuge from sparkles, and open areas where you don't. All exits from any one type lead to a room of the other type. 2) You often cannot reach all the exits in one room from any one entrance and may have to go back through a room more than once. 3) Sparkles accumulate the more time you spend in a sparkle room. Plan your strategies in the spare rooms. 4) Many sparkle rooms have areas that sparkles can go through that you can't. 5) The Sparkle Maze itself consists of sixteen rooms. 6) Heal yourself up to 1600 hit points before doing anything. This is very important as sparkles take damage each time they hit you, and there aren't any monsters to fight in this endgame. I don't want to spoil any more before I get to the solution as this part of the game is fun to work through, but note that you can slightly outrun the sparkles. Note that if you start on the top right of the vertical border, and there's a sparkle on the other side, if you move down you'll have a huge enough head start to go down/left and up/left and exit through the left lower door. This sort of strategy should work well in general. Okay. One last hint. 7) If there is no exit from a room in a certain direction, you have reached the edge of the maze. OK, here's the solution. Don't worry if you get hit a bit, as there's no actual fight with Taragas afterwards. Taragas is in the lower right, and you start two squares up and to the left of him. Of course, this is intended to be a tricky maze, so you shouldn't be really surprised that going down or right doesn't work at first. I prefer to go through the lower door on the left. The best way to get there quickly is to hit the vertical blocker, and if there are sparkles to the left you should be able to outrun them going down, diagonally left/down, and up/left. If you hold down two keys you will get diagonal movement, so that should not be a problem. Yay! You've caught a break. Now take the exit down, and there's only one way to make progress in the next sparkle room. Avoid them with a diagonal right/down and left/down. You may take a bit of damage here, but don't worry. There are only a few sparkle rooms left. Now there are two ways to proceed depending on whether or not you want to double back through a sparkle room again. 1) If you do, in the tunnel room, down/right and up/right should lead you back to the old room. Circle around the barrier(sparkles should not be a problem as they are probably all on the left now) and if there's a sparkle behind it just be sure to hug the wall and aim so that your diagonal down/right run hits the door. Then go all the way right through the tunnel and go diagonal up or down/right depending on where the sparkles are to circumvent the barrier to the right. Take the right exit. 2) If you don't, go down and right and exit in the lower right. There should be a pretty easy path right and up to the exit on the right, but if there's a sparkle hanging around that exit, you can probably fake him out by waiting for it to go down/left and circling around the top of the barrier. Exit right. You should exit up through the tunnel(you probably figured that :) ) and there's a relatively straight run in the sparkle room above to the right exit. You're now one room above Taragas, but you'll have to take a small step back. So go up, circle diagonal up/left, up/right, down/right to the right edge and down/left. You'll probably take some damage here--no big deal. You'll return to the passage you saw but couldn't enter on the previous screen. Go south and get ready for the big encounter. I was able to sneak off to the left, down, and right(frequently zigzagging past the sparkles, although with enough hit points you can take the damage and bull through.) As long as you reach Taragas, the endgame will commence. It doesn't make much of a difference what you do, but after you do it, you need to return to the castle and speak to the King to wrap up the game completely. Then enjoy the ending. You've earned it. LEDGER FOR SPARKLE MAZE TEXT MAP : = door X = wall + = wall sparkles can go through but you can't T = Taragas S = start |,- = side of screen(exc. next to Taragas) +----------------+----------------+----------------+----------------+ | |XXXXXXXXXXXXXX : |XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX| | |XXXXXXXXXXXXX X| |XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX| | XX |XXXXXXXXXXXX XX| XX |XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX| | XX |XXXXXXXXXXXX XX| X X : XXXXXXXXXXX| | XX |XXXXXXXXXXXXX X| X X |X X XXXXXXXXXX| | XX |XXXXX XXXXX : X XXXXXX|XX XX XXXXXXX| | XX |XX XX XXXXXX| XX |XX XXXXX XXXXXX| | XX : XXXXXX XXXXX| |XX XXXXX XXXXX| | XX |XXXXXXXXXX XXXX| |XXX XXXXXX XXXX| | XX |XXXXXXXXXXX XXX| |XXX XXXXXXX XXXX| +---:----------:-+------------:---+-------------:--+---:-------:----+ |XXX XXXXXXXXXX X| |XXXXXXXXXXXXX XX| | |XXX XXXXXXXXXX : X |XXXXXXXXXXXXX XX| XXXX XXXX | |XXX XXXXXXXXXXXX| X |XXXXXXXXXXXXX XX| XX | |XXX XXXXXXXXXXXX| X : XXXXXXXXXXX XX| XX | |XXX XXXXXXXXXXXX| X S X |X XXXXXXXXXX X| XX | |XXX XXXXXXXXXXXX| X X |XX XXXXXXXXXX X| XX | |XXX XXXXXXXXXXX| X X |XXX XXXXXXXXXX X| ++ | |XXX XXXX : X XXXXXXXX |XXX XXXXXXXXXX X| XXXX+XX+XXXX | |XX XXXXX| |XXX XXXXXXXXXX X| XX | |XX XXXXXXXXXXXXX| |XXX XXXXXXXXXX X| XX | +--:-------------+------:---------+---:----------:-+---:--------:---+ | + |XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX| X |XXX XXXXXXXX XXX| | + |XXXXXX XXXXXXXX|XXXXXXXX + |XX XXXXXXXX XXX| | + |XXXXXXX : + : XXXXXXXXX XXX| | + |XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX|XXX+XX+XXXX |XXXXXXXXXXX XXX| | + |XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX| |XXXXXXXXXXX XXXX| | + X |XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX| |XXXXXXXXXXX XXXX| | + X |XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX| X |XXXXXXXXXX XXXX| |XXXX + X : XXXXXXX| X |XXXXXXXXXX XXXXX| | + X |XX XXX : X |XXXXXXXXX XXXXX| | + X |XXX XXXXXXXX XXX| |XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX| +--:---------:---+---:--------:---+------------:---+---------:------+ |XX XXXXXXXXX XXX| X |XXXXXXXXXXXX XXX| | |XX XXXXXXX XXX| XXXXXXXXXXXX |XXXXXXXXXXX XXX| XXXXXXXXXXX | |XXX XXXXX XXXX| X |XXXXXXXXXX XXXX| X | X | |XXXX XXX XXXXX|XXX X : XXXXXXXXX XXX| | T X | |XXXXX X XXXXXX| X |X XXXXXXXXX XX| X X | |XXXXXX XXXXXXX| X |XX XXXXXXXX XX| XXXXX | |XXXXXXX XXXXXXX| |XXX XXXXXX XXX| X | |XXXXXXXX XXXXXX| |XXXX XXXX XXXX| X | |XXXXXXXXX XXXXX|XXX |XXXXX XXXXX| X | |XXXXXXXXXX : |XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX| X | +----------------+----------------+----------------+----------------+ Pattern: W, N, S, S, S, E, E, N, E, N, S, S. 17. ERRATA, ETC. If you attack the King in the Marthbane Tunnels, he is an Urp. [and if you return...what then? He still there?] If you are stuck with a Beaverton Package when it is submerged, you can do no more errands. (End of FAQ proper) ================================ 18. VERSIONS/CREDITS Version 1.1.0: sumbitted 05/12/02 to GameFAQs.com. I fixed some errors and added map information. Also added outline numbers to make this FAQ a bit more easy to navigate and search. Version 1.0.0: submitted 01/08/02 to GameFAQs.com. Some dialog detail is overlooked and in something this big I'm sure there are errors. But I'm satisfied with this effort. [credits] The personal: Thanks to matt(mechaware@aol.com) for pointing me to the nice maps at... http://www.math.tu-clausthal.de/~matsa/C64.gb.html...which saved me the trouble of whipping them up. pop at GameFAQs for suggesting I make outline numbers for readability The impersonal: Thanks to project64.c64.org for the manual. Thanks to arnold.c64.org for the disk images. Solving this on the original C64 would entail incredible delays. Thanks to the people on the Commodore 64 message board on GameFAQs-- enough expressed an interest in this game for me to look into it. Thanks to kahei's hex editor(www.kahei.com) for being able to break down the save states, which would not have been possible without... ...the creators of the VICE emulator, which was so nicely and easily downloadable from... ...www.zophar.net. Restore Page