Anvil of Dawn walk-through

Introduction

The purpose of this walk-thru is to help you make it through Anvil of the
Dawn without too many headaches. The game is fairly easy, but there are a
few places that are hard to figure out. I am not going to list where every
item is to be found in the game, but only tell you what you absolutely need
to know. That way, you won't have the whole game spoiled for you. The game
allows a player to take any course they want, rather than follow a
predestined path. But there is a right order to follow and a wrong order.
Some people have made it into desolation without getting all the pieces of
the chest they will need. Here is the dungeons one should conquer, in
order:

  1. Gryphon Keep
  2. The Dark Lantern
  3. The Undersea Maze
  4. The Sunken Ship
  5. The Underground City
  6. The Land of Roots/Elder Tree
  7. The Barrier
  8. The Temple of the Moon
  9. The City of the Dead
 10. The Eye of Clay/Sanctuary
 11. Gorge Keep (optional)
 12. The Reed Plain (optional)
 13. The Iron Titan
 14. The Quagmire
 15. Fire Mountain
 16. The Warlord's Tower
 17. The Anvil of the Dawn

We'll detail what you need to do in these places, but first let's deal with
the basics.

Starting Out

You can choose from five different characters. Each has an advantage in the
four statistics (Strength, Agility, Stamina, Power), except the mire lurk,
who has even stats across the board. You can modify any character's stats
if you want, so you don't have to choose Brice (the big hairy guy) for a
strong fighter. But the stats are limited to the amount given and only a
modifier like a talisman or a potion will allow you to increase them later.
You don't get to increase them permanently later in the game. So choose
them well.

Containers

The inventory screen has an area that shows what you're carrying.
Everything is placed there in a jumble if you right click to add your items
to inventory. In order to keep things organized you will come across
containers in the game. They come in two forms: Sacks and Chests. I
recommend you use sacks to hold rocks and chests to hold other items. There
are a lot of places in the game where you will need to weigh down a
pressure plate with ten rocks. You won't always have a block figurine to
spare. Using a bag full of rocks is a lot easier to deal with because to
can pick it back up in a jiffy when you're ready to leave. Fill each sack
with ten big rocks and you will have perfect tools for dealing with those
annoying plates. Always test a plate first to see if it can take only one
to three rocks, because you don't want to tie up a whole sack of you only
needed one rock. AND ALWAYS REMEMBER TO TAKE YOUR BAG WHEN YOU LEAVE THE
AREA. You will get three bags in the game. One in Gryphon Keep, one in the
Dark Lantern, and one in the Sunken Ship. The Chests are great for storing
items. You get three of them eventually. I recommend putting all pieces of
the quest in one chest, use another for money and temple tokens and a third
for magic items like potions and power-ups. That way you will be able to
access things without sorting through a big mess. Keys should be left
available on the main screen in a neat pile, because you won't be carrying
them around long.

Artifacts

These come in many forms. Most are offensive spells, but there are also
amulets that enhance your stats and potions that enhance them temporality.
There are two potions in the game that enhance your stats permanently. They
are the potion of Mortal Enhancement and the Potion of Magical Enhancement.
When you take these they raise your maximum health or mana (magic) points
permanently. However, the number they give you is random. Always save
before drinking one, then restore and try again if the new points are low.
The max for health seems to be 10. I never accept less than an 8. The max
mana seems to be 80. I never accept less than 65. The block figurine is one
of the most useful items you come across. Using one creates a stone block
for weighing down a pressure plate. Use these things sparingly. I will tell
you where you need to use them. You should use rocks whenever possible, and
save these for the places where a block is really needed.

The Map

The auto map is very useful in this game because it will not only show you
what areas you missed, it can be used to spot enemies and see if doors have
opened outside of your field of vision. When you step on a plate or throw a
switch you can check the map to see if it changed anything on the map. This
is very useful. Monsters appear as green squares and those annoying rolling
rocks are shown also in relation to where they are when the map was called
up. When you enter a dungeon or exit a stairway, ALWAYS turn around and
look back the way you came so the map will register it. Otherwise the exit
will show up blank. You should want to know where the exit is at all times.
You can also make notes on the map by clicking on the pen box. I recommend
this for confusing areas. Now for the game...

The Castle of the Lady

Okay, your character has just awoken and you have to start the game. Grab
what's in the chest in your room, turn the knob on the wall that opens the
door (it's on an artsy pattern next to the door) and talk to each character
on your way down the stairs. You don't need to talk to the guards or the
servant boy, but you can if you want to. The first person you need to see
is the castle wizard. He will teach you the spell of healing and an
optional offensive spell. I recommend choosing the water spell "Shackles of
Ice". This spell freezes your opponent temporarily so he can't fight back.
The other spells are okay, but they are slow and don't give you as much of
an advantage. You will get all these spells later so don't worry about
missing them here. But make sure you talk to the wizard because he's the
only source of the heal spell and you need it to win the game. Next up is
the armorer. I suggest you get a sword (Slashing weapon). Swords are the
best weapon in the game. You will end up with two really powerful swords
later on, so spend your skill points on slashing before you start to
improve any others. Always check the damage a weapon does when you get it
by bringing it up to the eye on the inventory screen and clicking on it.
The higher the damage, the more deadly the weapon. Ranged weapons aren't
much use in this game except in a few places. You don't really need them.
Finally, you meet the old man who tells you what your mission is. He will
direct you to a portal that will take you to the wine cellar of Gryphon
Keep. Enter and you are on your way.

Gryphon Keep

Goal: Find the Spell of Heavenly Mend, Find Exit

This is the easiest dungeon in the game and serves to educate you on the
game mechanics. You start out in a wine cellar. Make your way to the door
opened by a pressure plate on the floor. Stepping on the plate opens it.
Step inside and fight the guard. You may find it closing on you before you
can do that. This is because the guard stepped on a plate on his side. Step
back on your plate and the door will open again. The wine cellar/basement
level is pretty small. There are a few guards to kill. Two will drop keys
which will open the rooms on this level. In one room you will find Lord
Gryphon, who is dying. Talk to him and he will give you his signet ring.
You will need this when you finish the keep. The ground floor is pretty
straight forward. In four corners of the keep are stairs that go to four
separate towers. Each has some useful items. There are long halls on either
side of the castle and lots of rooms in between. I will break down the
areas by compass direction on the map. The South West Tower entrance has no
door. There is a healing altar nearby. This is where you use the strange
looking tokens that you find to heal yourself. The gold ones heal all your
points, the flesh colored ones heal a random amount of points. Upstairs in
the tower are two pressure plates. You need to weigh down the one in front
of the door first, with three rocks. Then step on the other plate. This
will open the door to the next room. A round switch on the wall opens an
alcove where two chests are hidden. There is also a chest on this level
with the spell of "Heavenly Mend of Unseen Artisans". Do not leave the keep
without this spell. It is essential to winning the gam and this is the only
place you find it. The South Corridor of the Keep has a flying skull spell
coming down the hall like clockwork. Wait for it to pass. You will see a
door with no way to open it. Find a side passage nearby. At the end is a
switch on the side wall. Throw the switch. A rock will roll back and forth,
opening the door in the south hall every now and then. Go to the door and
wait for it to open. You may get hit by a skull spell, so make sure you are
healed up. Inside you get your first shield in the game. The South East
tower entrance is opened by pushing a stone block onto a nearby plate. You
will enter a room with rolling rocks. Find the stairs. In the tower is a
Mana Altar which can only be accessed by putting a gold coin in the hole in
the wall next to the door. At the East side of the keep is the exit to
outside. Make sure you finish the keep before leaving. You can reach the
exit by pushing a block onto a plate near the door. This leads to a hallway
with some chests before the true exit. Across from the Exit hall is a big
Throne room where there are several chests. You can enter this room by
putting one stone on the plate in front of the door. In this room is a
messenger monster. These guys are really tough to fight. I suggest using
the offensive spells you find earlier to soften him up first. If he is
hurting you badly,, try running away and healing up, then come back and
finish him off. The North East Tower entrance is opened by entering the
room next door and placing three rocks on each of the two pressure plates
inside. There are two doors that open periodically due to a rolling rock.
Wait for them to open. One leads to the tower. Upstairs you will find two
pressure plates next to a switch in the wall. Move back and forth on the
plates until you can throw the switch. An alcove opens revealing two
chests. The North West Tower entrance is opened by a switch in the wall.
Near this entrance is a room with armor. It doesn't hurt to get it before
you go on. Upstairs in the tower are two pressure plates you have to walk
over before reaching the chests. Move fast and then sidestep. These chests
activate traps that send Earthen Fists flying at you from behind. After you
have searched every room, go outside the castle and turn to face the ruins
one step from the door. You will meet Parselfal, whom Lord Gryphon spoke to
you about. Parselfal will hand you a bag of gold coins which come in useful
later. Head on straight down the way you were coming to the Dark Lantern,
your next dungeon.

The Dark Lantern

Goal: Talk to Wizard, Get Sea Shell of Summoning

When you reach the causeway leading to the Lantern Tower, you will see it
is gone. Use the spell of "Heavenly Mend of Unseen Artisans" to repair the
causeway, then head to the tower. This is a small place except for the
basement. On the first floor you will have to put three rocks on the
pressure plate near the entrance to make a teleporter vanish. Then, put a
rock on the pressure plate the teleporter was hiding. This will open the
door to the rest of the tower. In the north is the exit to the pier. You
will leave this way when you finish the tower so make a note of it. There
is a block nearby. Push it onto a plate to open the two doors leading down
and up. Take the down stairs first. You should finish the basement level
before going on to the rest of the tower. Next to the stairs is a healing
altar. A gargoyle guards the entrance to the north section of the basement.
Talk to it and find out you need to "unsummon" it. Go south to a long hall,
then west. In a north side passage is a switch. This opens a wall to the
south. In this area are some chests and a clue to unsummoning the gargoyle.
Down the hall, west of there is a side passage to the north. There are lots
of chests in here, guarded by Wyverns. The chests are hidden behind
illusory walls. You can always tell an illusory wall because it flickers.
Pay close attention to each wall. Further west is a pressure plate that
makes a teleporter appear. Enter the teleporter and find yourself in an
area guarded by a juggernaut. There is better armor in a chest nearby.
There is also a section with two rolling rocks. This section will have a
chest with one part of the unsummon spell. You need to get it then teleport
out and reenter the hall teleporter. This will take you to another
identical area. Go to the rolling rock spot and get the second part of the
unsummon spell. At the west end of the long hall is a plate and a wall
switch. Step on the plate and then flip the switch. It opens a door to the
south. This area comes in two parts. Behind an illusory wall is a big room
with four wyverns guarding chests. The middle chest contains a sea shell.
You need this to get to the sunken ship. The other area has two hidden
chests revealed at the far west end by stepping on a pressure plate.
Unfortunately, the plate also causes a screaming skull spell to come flying
at you. If you avoid the spell, it goes into a teleporter nearby and comes
around again. Every time you step on the plate, more skulls fly. If you
keep avoiding them you will soon see lots of flying skulls. This is very
dangerous because you will get hit sooner or later, so take it like a man
and empty those chests. Now you can go back the way you came and unsummon
the gargoyle. You will then find a long hall with a door to the south and a
door to the west. You need a key to go west so enter the south door. You
will find yourself in a large room with rocks neatly laid out. Walk the
length of the room along the north wall and head south toward the entrance
to the next room. There is a spinner going on in this room that will try to
mess up your sense of direction. Try doing moves in reverse when this
happens and make your way into that room. It takes some effort. You will
find a chest with the key and three teleporters guarded by a juggernaut.
The middle teleporter will take you to the exit of the rock room so you
don't have to deal with the spinner again. Once you unlock the west door
you find yourself in a similar room. The far west door needs a key, the
door to the south is opened by a pressure plate. There is a stoneblo you
need top destroy to free a pressure plate. This will open the door to a
room with a bunch of chests. One of the has the key to the third area. The
third area is the same. You'll need a key to go further west. Entering the
south door you'll see rolling rocks. Enter their halls and find the gaps to
get across to a room. Throw any switch you see. Get the key in a chest. The
fourth area is the final area. A door to the south leads you to a room full
of switches. Throw all the switches. Doors open revealing chests. One door
leads to the final room. To get in you have to go to a side passage, kill
the juggernaut and put a block on the pressure plate. The other pressure
plates will then let you in the door. Now head upstairs to the second floor
of the tower. There are three doors leading to the stairs to level three.
To open them you must do the following: Near the doors is a switch in a
recessed area. It causes a stone to roll onto a plate. Throw it. Now, there
is a pressure plate east of the stairs. Put three big rocks on it. Another
plate in the south requires a block. A wall opens and closes periodically.
It has the block, but I'm not sure if you push it into one of the plates in
this area or on the plate to the north. I just made sure there is a block
on the first plate in the hidden area and the one exposed. The doors will
then be open, go on the way to the stairs is a side passage with an
illusory wall. Throw the switch on the other side and rob the chest. Head
upstairs and you will walk across a plate that opens a wall. Inside, behind
a illusory wall is a chest with a key inside. Get it. East of the stairs is
a Mana altar. Throw the switch nearby. This will cause rocks in another
room to roll which will open the door to the Wizard's lair. You will find
that he's already dead. Get the yellow globe on the floor and put it in the
fish's mouth. Go to the nearby chest and read the scroll inside. Then click
on the globe. The wizard will tell you his story. In the locked room is a
chest with a good sword. Now that you've cleared the tower, make your way
to the pier exit on the ground floor. You can take the teleporter in the
hidden room where in the key was, but it takes you to the causeway exit.
Use the pier exit. Go to the end of the pier and use the sea shell. Talk to
the elemental, then enter...

The Undersea Maze

Goal: Get to ship

This area is pretty simple. It's a maze with the center as the goal. But
you must inspect every square inch of the place before you try to enter the
center. You'll need to find eight pearls to reach the center. You should
also find Aegis, the best shield in the game. Throw away your old shield
when you find it. The maze has blood thorns which can poison you, so save
up on those poison cures. Only use them when you really need them. If you
can fight a couple monsters while poisoned, hold out until you must use the
cure. That way you won't run out. There is a teleporter on each side of the
maze that will take you to the opposite side. There are two exits. One
takes you to a land pier to the south of the underground city. The other
takes you to the lantern pier. If you accidentally exit the maze, call the
elemental with the shell again and click on GREET. The Mana Altar is in the
North West part of the maze, the Health Altar is in the South West part of
the maze. Once you reach the center of the maze, teleporters will block
your way. You need to enter them until you are next to a chest with the
final pearl. Teleport back and put the pearl in the hole in the wall. The
next teleporter will take you to the center where another teleporter whisks
you away to an area north of the maze, the entrance to the ship.

The Sunken Ship

Goal: Talk to Demon

You enter the ship and find yourself in a room with two exits to the north.
Either one takes you to a huge room in the center of the ship. The far west
side of this room is a altar of healing. You need a gold coin to get in.
The far east is a room with the demon the wizard told you about. The demon
wants eight hearts, which you get by killing the sailors on the ship. You
get four on the first level and four on the upper level. You may want to
wait until you have all the hearts before talking to the demon to save
trips back and forth. The north east door of the great hall is opened by
pulling the anchor switch. Inside the room are seven switches. Pull them
all. You can now enter seven doors off the hall. The south east door leads
to the stairs going up. Save them for after you finish clearing level one.
Somewhere near the western end of the great hall are two doors facing each
other. They are opened or closed by a pressure plate. To hold down the
plate, put a bag on rocks on it. Take them off to enter the opposite door.
Both rooms are identical. They have a teleporter and a wall switch. Two
pebbles will be on the floor. Get them, pull the switch, enter the
teleporter. Put a pebble on each pressure plate in the room you have
arrived in, then step in the teleporter to get sent back to the hallway.
Only one teleporter does this. The other keeps you in the room. You can now
get into four rooms at the west side of the ship. Now go upstairs. To the
east of the ship is a area with rooms and chests. A hidden room can be
accessed by fining an illusory wall near the area where a rolling rock is
standing in a side room. Enter the wall, throw the switch and two rocks
roll onto plates, opening up the hidden room to the far east. The middle
section of the ship has a large room with four blocks in the center. Push
them onto the four plates in each corner. This opens a door to the north
that leads to the captain's quarters. On the way watch out for the rolling
rock. There are alcoves you can jump in to let the rock pass. The captain's
quarters is in a hidden area. You can only reach it by stepping on the
pressure plate in the center of the room. A wall to the north opens. Go
into the south room, pull the wall switch. Do the same to the north room
and a west wall will start to open and close. Enter and find a suit of
shell armor and some other stuff. The suit is the best one so far. It looks
goofy, though. Go back and talk to the demon, give him the hearts. Now that
you've accomplished that and found out what you need to do in the game, go
back into the sea maze. The north west corner of the sea maze is the exit
leading to the underground city. That's the best way to go.

The Underground City

Quest Items: Heartstone, Sun Disc, Trumpet of Earthen Quake This place is
pretty creepy. If you came out of the sea onto the land pier you will enter
the city from the East. If you go in from the Gryphon Keep side you will
enter South. At the South entrance is an NPC who will tell you the story of
the city. It is haunted by some horrible monsters. The Blood Spawn are
especially tough. There are two other exits to this place. North is the
Exit to the Elder Tree. West takes you to the Barrier. If you enter from
the East follow the outer wall south until you get to the south entrance.
This is a good starting point. Talk to the weird looking man. Following
along the outer walls is usually safe. No monsters are around there unless
they chase you there. The only threat are Iron fist spells which fly along
a set path. These are easy to avoid. You can use a reflecting pool spell to
deflect them anyway. There are two levels to this place. A huge main level
with lots of buildings to explore and a small mine level where you will
find the heartstone needed for your quest. Worry about the mine later. Save
it for last. Throw away the Sea Conch if you want to. It's no longer
needed. Since most of this dungeon is pretty cut and dry I will only
describe the tricky parts. The main thing to remember is look for illusory
walls, all picks stuck in walls are switches and be careful of those
monsters. Like the sea maze, there are teleporters at each side of the
dungeon, next to the exits, that will take you to the other side of the
city. The altars are in two separate areas. The Health Altar is in a open
area surrounded by a lot of monsters. It's near the center, north of the
Enclave Area. You can just ignore the monsters and heal up if you are
desperate. They don't immediately attack you unless you face them. The Mana
altar is slightly north of the West exit. You need an Amethyst Hex key to
get in. This is found in a house nearby, surrounded by four pressure
plates. (See description below) We'll start with the south entrance and
work our way around in no particular order. There are plenty of other
places I don't describe here. Make sure you check everyone. Don't leave any
section of the map blank. Directly to the north of the south entrance is an
area I call the Enclave. It is a large walled off area full of houses. The
entrance has rolling rocks and spikes guarding it. Go straight through,
watching out for the rocks and fire spells. You will find the place has
lots of houses. Directly north of the entrance is the first place you
should enter. Here are a couple Sword Thanes (like the one's guarding
Gryphon Keep) inside. One of them will drop a gold skull key when you kill
him. To the west of this room is another room opened by a pressure plate. A
messenger will be guarding it. Kill him and take his hat. These hats are
the best headgear in the game until you get the knight's armor, so throw
away that stupid seashell helmet. An adjoining room is entered by stepping
on the pressure plate again. Inside you will find a sun disc. This is an
important item you will need later on. Two houses on either side of the
enclave have pressure plates. They take one rock each. Now go around the
enclave and clean out the other houses. The one locked by the gold skull
key has a flame shooting crossbow inside. It's helpful against blood spawn.
Especially when you enter the rolling rock house I describe later. Finished
with the enclave? Okay, let's now go north of there to the healing altar.
It's in an open area surrounded by what looks like square pillars. There
are a lot of monsters here, so be careful. It's also a no magic zone, so
you will have to use your weapons on the beasties. If you don't look at
them, they usually won't attack, so if you are desperate for healing, just
ignore them and head for the altar. One of the quivering pool monsters will
drop an ankh when you kill him. This is needed to enter a house near the
east exit. If you don't get an ankh in this area, you will probably get it
from another quivering pool elsewhere. They are really small, so pay close
attention to the ground. To the east of the enclave, just south of the
altar area, is a house that must be opened with a blue tear key. Inside a
rolling rock moves across your path. Monsters block your away ahead. You
have to kill them without stepping in the way of the rock which will
clobber you. The Inferno weapon comes in handy here. Also, the throwing
star you found in the sea maze that comes back to your hand. Another method
is just step up when the rock passes, take a whack at the monster, then
step back. When the monsters are dead, go into the far room and throw a
wall switch. This will open a door in the hall where the rock is rolling
back and forth. Go right, raid the chest, then return to the switch, throw
it again, and go left down the hall when the rock passes to find another
chest. You will find an hour glass artifact that comes in real handy later.
In the South East corner of the city is a house with three pick switches in
its walls and a teleporter blocking the door. Fire spells keep starting
periodically. Wait for the fires to die down. Go to the west/left switch.
Pull it, then go to the east/right switch, pull it. The teleporter will
have vanished. Then, pull the middle switch and enter. There are illusory
walls directly in front of you. Behind them are some chests. Next door is a
house with a rolling rock sitting motionless between two pressure plates.
Nearby is a chest with a key and a wall switch. Get the key, throw the
switch. Open the locked door with the key and you will see a rock rolled
away to reveal a chest. Raid the chest, go back to the switch, throw it
again and return to find another chest revealed. Near the East exit is a
big house requiring an ankh key. There is a hole in the wall next to the
door and a speaking statue. Use the ankh to enter, go to the door that has
a wall switch next to it in the north east of the place. Throw the switch,
enter and you will see a pressure plate. Step on the plate four times and
it will open the other doors. Two rooms are empty. Two have monsters. One
has a chest with another hourglass artifact. North East of the city, next
to the Ankh house is a house opened by a blue tear key. Entering you will
see two pressure plate doors and a door opened by a wall switch. The wall
switch opens the center door which only leads outside. The north room has a
chest containing the Trumpet of Earthen Quake. The south room has a sleepy
imp inside. Talk to him then leave the room and shut the door. Now, without
entering the room again, step on the plate and open the door. Use the
hourglass you found to stop time. Enter the southern room and you should
see the imp sleeping with a thought bubble over his head. Wait for the time
spell to wear off and you will learn the spell of Fire Haven. Slightly west
of the south exit is a house with two closed doors and a stone block.
Destroy the block with your sword and the doors will open. The door
farthest away from the block may need coaxing. Step on and off the plate
until it opens up. You can check it with your map. Near the West exit is a
house surrounded by four pressure plates. Put one rock filled bag (8 to 10
rocks per bag) on three of the plates. You should have three bags by now.
On the fourth plate place a stone block. Now you can enter the house. If
you don't have enough rocks or blocks, then try entering anyway. A spinner
will make it really hard but if you keep trying you will eventually get in.
It took me a long time when I tried it without the rocks. Inside you will
find the Amethyst Hex key needed to get to the Mana Temple. The Mana Temple
is slightly north of the west entrance. You need the Amethyst Hex key to
enter. There will be blood spawn guarding the place and it is a no magic
zone. Near the North Entrance is a house opened by a steel circle key. This
house contains a great sword, the best weapon you will find up to this
point in the game. It can cause up to 16 points in damage. So I recommend
you start using it. In the North West section is the entrance to the mine.
It's a wood building with a rock rolling in front of the entrance. But
before you enter, next to this building are two rows of small houses.
Explore them and you will find a little girl. Talk to her before entering
the mine. Back to the mine. Fight your way past two blood spawn to the
stairs. The stairs lead down. You will find you way blocked by a collapse.
Use the Heavenly Mend spell to raise all fallen debris. You will find a
miner near the entrance. He is the father of a little girl NPC you can find
upstairs. The miner will tell you about the heart stone and give you a tool
for finding it. Once you have the stone you can leave the mine. It's not
worth exploring as there are a lot of zones that steal your mana points and
no treasure. You'll also fight Jesters, who are a pain in the butt. You may
want to use the Reflecting Waters spell to avoid getting hit by their
screaming skulls when you're not looking. Here is the directions to the
heartstone if you want to get there without too much bother. Go south of
the miner, take the first left, heading east, take the second right,
heading south, go around the bend heading south. The next right and you
will see the stone stuck in the south wall. Take it and get the hell out of
there. It's not worth hanging around. Once you are finished with the
underground city you will have one green leaf key left. Throw it away. Some
programmer made a mistake in the game. Now head out the north exit and you
will face the Elder Tree.

The Elder Tree /The Land Of Roots

Quest Items: Dragon Amber, Hallowed Staff of Elder Wood Now that you've
beat the underground city, you should have the Trumpet of Earthen Quake in
your possession. Head toward the tree and you will see the bridge is up,
turn right and keep going until you see a big rock holding back the sea.
Use the trumpet. You can now enter the Elder Tree. Once you enter the tree,
you can get rid of the trumpet. You don't need it anymore. The Healing
Altar is just outside the entrance room, to the west. There is no Mana
Altar in this Dungeon. This place is divided into the ground floor called
the Land of Roots, which is rather large, and the Elder Tree, which is a
series of small floors leading up to the top. You need to go to the top
floor before you do anything else. When you enter the tree, you start out
in a room with a door to the north and a teleporter east and west. Go east
to the teleporter that takes you to the stairs. Go north to the stairs,
fight your way to the top. The Fungus Man and Earthbile monsters will
poison you and there are no poison cure bottles on the way, so use your
stash sparingly. The floors with the Fungus Men are a trap. There are
hidden alcoves behind illusory walls where fungus men lie in wait. When you
get attacked by a fungus man coming at you from the front, wait for him to
come to you. DON'T stand in front of those illusory walls or you will be
slammed from three sides! Kill the Fungus man and run for the stairs. If
you really want to fight the others, go ahead, but you can bypass these
levels once you reach the top. You don't need to come back this way. At the
fourth floor you will see a pressure plate. Drop a bag of rocks on it and a
wall opens up. You will get an Earthen Rot Spell inside a chest there. Now
go up to the top and exit the tree. Turn to face the west and the tree
spirit will appear. She will give you a wand of healing called the Hallowed
Staff of Elder Wood. This thing makes your healing spells a lot more
effective when you hold it. Now go back into the tree and take the
teleporter to the second floor and head for the Land of Roots. You're ready
to finish off the rest of this dungeon. Okay, let's start from the stairs
and work our way back to the entrance. South of the stairs is a rolling
rock that keeps entering a teleporter and coming back around. Wait for it
to pass then enter the teleporter. It should take you west of it. If not
try again, then move out of the way so you don't get clobbered by the rock.
Due North West of the stone teleporter is a illusory wall facing a north
passage. Enter and go to through the other illusory wall. Be aware that a
spinner will trick you and make you face the opposite direction, so watch
the map window on the lower corner of your screen. When your direction
turns you can back up into the wall, or just turn yourself around again.
Heal the root you find hidden away in there. Now go south the way you came,
then west. There will be a door with a teleporter nearby. Enter the
teleporter and you will find yourself in the room behind the door. When
you're finished you should have a stone claw key. Step on the plate and you
will be let out. Go south of there to find the room needing the stone claw
key. The place is large and full of fungus men. West of this room is an
illusory wall where a big rock rolls in and out. Follow the rock and you
will find another root to heal. Back through the stone teleporter until you
are back where you started. Head due east, then south down a twisty
passage. When it comes to the T crossing, go east. You will enter a room
with spikes and a rolling rock. Navigate around the rock and head north,
turn east then go down another long passage, being careful to avoid another
rolling rock. At the end are some chests with some useful stuff and another
root. Now go slightly north and enter an illusory wall on the east. There
is a teleporter inside. Take it. You will find yourself in a room in the
North East section of the map. It goes in a circle around a area with no
door. There are four pressure plates in this area. One of them will move
when you step on it. Weigh this one down with a bag of rocks. Now repeat on
plate, using blocks when you run out of bags. Go back to the first bag and
pick it up. A door will open in the wall. Kill the earthbile, raid the
chests and heal the root. After retrieving your bags from the plates, enter
the illusory wall and go around the teleporter. You will find another root
to heal. Once you're done with it, you can enter the teleporter and make
your way back to that T crossing. Go west, young man, but the passage will
turn south. Go all the way south till you come to a room with four
teleporters in it. The front two blink on and off. Wait for them top blink
off then step into the back teleporters. You will find yourself in either a
passage with a chest or a hall with a root to heal. Whatever, do your thing
then reenter the teleporter and get to the other hall. When you're done,
teleport out of there by reentering the 'porters until you are able to
leave the room. Head north and face the east door that needs a copper sun
key. You should have found one in the teleporter room. Open the door and do
your thing. You will find a illusory wall to the south. Put a bag on rocks
on it and it opens a wall in the main room, revealing a chest. The chest
has some armor that's better than the Sea Shell stuff, but just as goofy
looking. Don't worry. There's some fly armor coming up later in the game.
Now head west again. In an area where blue fires sprout you will see a door
to the south opened by a pressure plate. That's the entrance room. You want
to pass it for now and keep going west. Take a north west route first. It
leads eventually to a passage that heads south over two pressure plates.
Step on the first one and a wall opens up nearby. Go inside, do your thing.
Explore the rest of this small area, and so on. Due west of the entrance
you will come to a shut door. South of there is an area with pressure
plates and a block. Cast a Reflections on the Lake spell and push the block
all the way west. The door will now be open. Talk to the purple rock and
you will be almost be finished with this dungeon. In the south west corner
of the dungeon there is a shut door and two pressure plates. Step on them
to open the door. Heal the root inside. East of this door is an area with a
rolling rock. Moves north and south in front of an illusory wall. Go inside
and get some block figurines. They'll come in handy later on. Okay, you're
almost done. Go back to the entrance room and take the teleporter to the
dragon (the western 'porter). Put the ruby shard you found earlier into the
hole in the wall next to a door and get the jar out of the chest. Now Click
on the ornate hole in the wall where the dragon comes out and say it's
name. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE JAR ON YOUR CURSOR ICON when you do this. A
dragon comes out and spits amber. Gather it up with the jar on your cursor.
You now have the second quest item the demon mentioned. Put it away with
the heartstone. Now leave the tree through the way you entered. You are not
ready to cross over into desolation yet. Go back to the underground city
and take the west exit. Head for the Barrier.

The Barrier

Quest Items: Spring Equinox Disc Before you enter this place, turn right
and go into the ruined house. You will find an old man there who wants to
trade with you. Buy everything he has. You will get some useful items. Now
head back to the barrier. This place is a simple maze. You can cut straight
through it once you solve the place, but first you need to deal with some
headaches. The monsters here are the hilarious Clansmen, who sound like
Scotty on Star Trek, and the Colossal Baboons who are no laughing matter.
You can avoid the baboons by freeing their king. But to do that you have to
fight a bunch of clansman. The main goal here is gather up four ivory lion
keys and place a stone block on each of the four pressure plates found at
each corner of the dungeon. When you enter the East entrance of the place
you find dying warrior who tells you the tale of the place. Past him to the
west is a door opened by a switch on the wall. This will lead to an area
with a spinner. There are four directions you can go in this spinner area.
Go north. It takes some getting used to but eventually you can do it
without a lot of effort. Due east of the north door in the next room is a
Healing and Mana Altar. Now, you can go north, east, or west when you enter
the north door. Unless you need to use the altars, go north. The first room
you enter has a side passage to the west full of stone blocks. Destroy the
first block and you will see an illusory wall. Enter and follow the passage
around. When you come out the other side, push the block in front of you
north onto a pressure plate. Now destroy the block to the west. You can
then enter a secret area and find members of the resistance. Take four
stone block figurines from the chests in there. They're needed for this
level. Go back past the blocks and head north. West is an area with lots of
plates. Cast a reflections on the lake spell and walk over the plates until
the door to the west opens. Go inside and find the withered hand key and
the first plate you need to weigh down. Put a block on it. Before you
explore anymore of the north section, go back to the spinner and head
through the south door. Either fight or avoid the baboon that you see, but
head due south of the door until you find a Green Baboon behind a force
field. He's their king. Talk to him, then use the withered hand key to free
him. All the baboons will vanish from the game and you will not have to
fight them. If you want to fight them, save the king for last. Behind the
king are some chests. One of them has the Spring Equinox disc. Put it away
with the sun disc and the other quest items. Go north again and finish off
the north area. Heading west of the North door, you will find more chests.
Heading east, past the altars, you will come to a twisty passage that heads
North East. When it dead ends, fine the switch that opens a wall. Cast a
Reflections on the Lake spell and move through the next area as fast as you
can. There are doors that open and shut in the walls. If you move fast you
can catch them all before they close. When you see the pressure plate, put
a block on it. Now go through the south door again. Head east. You will
come to an area with a row of plates. Walk over the plates then put a bag
of rocks on the first plate. Find the SE corner plate and put a block on
it. Now head west. The SW plate is in a hidden area. Find an illusory wall
on the south wall. Behind it is a teleporter. It will take you to the area
with the SW plate. Put a block on the SW plate and one rock on the other
plate to activate an escape 'porter. Now head down the south west passage
and you will come to an area where four doors need four ivory lion keys.
You should have three by now. A Clansman will drop the fourth one when you
kill him. Open all four doors and throw all four switches. The blocks you
put in the four corners opened inner doors here. If you failed to place any
of the blocks, these doors will be closed. Throwing the switches opens the
way due west. Go back to the spinner. Head west. Unlock the first door then
throw all the switches you see on the way out. These turn off spinners. You
are now across the scar and ready for the Temple of the Moon.

The Temple of the Moon

Quest Items: Tears of the Weeping Moon, Three Soul Houses Leaving the
Barrier, head due west until you see some strange rock formations, like
dark fingers. Turn north and you will see a white towered city. Head
straight for it. It's the Temple of the Moon. This place is on three
levels. The main level is large. There are two floors above which are
slightly smaller. The South Eastern exit leads to the City of the Dead
where you need to go after finishing this place off. When you enter the
temple, a blank scroll will be on the floor. Pick it up and click on the
floating pen in front of you. It will answer your questions by writing on
the scroll. You need a blank scroll for each question and these you will
find throughout the first floor of this dungeon. In the next two rooms are
chests. One has an iron mark. The other has a blank scroll. North is a door
to a long hallway where a rolling rock moves east and west. Another hall
just like it runs parallel to the north. Destroy the blocks in-between so
you can avoid getting hit. I'll refer to these halls as the north and south
halls. The south being the one closest to the entrance. Wait for the rock
to roll East then walk West down the South Hall. On the way you can enter a
room to the south by hitting the wall switch. In there you'll find a gold
Ankh key. Keep on going west. Before the hall ends you'll see an illusory
wall to the north. Inside is a chest and two harpies. At the west end of
the south hall is a door with a switch on the wall and a plate in front of
it. Weigh down the plate with a bag of rocks. Then throw the switch. The
door will open. Now go around the room turning on every wall switch you
see. There will be an area where you will see some pressure plates. Ignore
that for a second. You will see a side room with a Lightning Wild spell
roving the hall. Cast a Reflections on the Lake spell and go into this
other room and search it. After making a circle of the rooms and turning on
all the wall switches, you can take back your rocks bag without exiting the
room. Go to the area with two pressure plates in an alcove. Step on the
plates, back and forth until you see another area next to this one has
opened up. Weigh down that plate with two rocks. A secret passage will open
up nearby with a chest inside. In the Southwest corner is a room opened by
an opal moon key. You should have got the key off of one of the monsters
you killed while combing the area. Inside there is a side passage with a
pressure plate in front. Step on the plate, wait for the fire spells to
wear off, the go inside and get a soul house. You will need this later.
Search the rest of the area, then go out into the main room and look for
the teleporter that came up when you hit a wall switch. This will take you
to the east side of the south hall. Before you explore this area to much,
go into the south hall and raid the room next door, which is opened by a
wall switch. Now return to the South East area and raid any chests you
find. To the south is a teleporter in a hallway. Keep entering it until you
are on the other side and able to enter the room. The first time another
teleporter will block you way. This will be gone the next time. It is
activated by a plate you are standing on. Once you are in this room you
will see an east, west and south door. Ignore the south door because that
leads to the City of the Dead and you aren't going there yet. Go to the
East door. One of the monsters you kill will drop an opal moon key. Raid
the chests then go to the West door and open it with the key. You will find
a second Soul house in a chest in this room. Take it. Now, go to the North
Hall and avoid the rock. Go all the way to the west door leading north. The
East door can only be opened from the inside. Use the Gold Ankh key to get
in. You will find yourself in a room leading to the tower stairs. In the
North of this area is a Healing Altar. Find the stairs and head up. The
second floor is pretty simple. You come up the stairs and find a teleporter
to either side of you. It doesn't matter which one you take. They both go
to an identical room where two harpies will attack you. Choose which one
you want, kill the harpies and make for the hall directly south. The
teleporter you se in these rooms takes you back to the stairs. A long hall
goes east and west. Go East all the way and enter a southern area. You will
see a room off to the East. It opens by pulling the Cross shaped wall
switch. Inside is a Mana Altar and two chests. Go down the south hall, step
on a pressure plate and it opens a wall to the north hiding a chest with
the third Soul House. You now have all of them. Continue south down the
hall and the last room has something called the Sacred Sipher in it. You
need this bottle so don't forget it. Read the note on the floor. Go all the
way west down the hall, ignoring the center southbound hall for a moment.
You will enter an area were a rolling rock opens and shuts a door. Go in
the door and follow the rolling rock to your right as it enters a
teleporter. You will find yourself in a room with a chest. In the chest is
a powerful weapon. Now, return to the main hall and go to that center south
bound hallway. Wait for the teleporters to blink off them move down that
hall as fast as you can. At the end is an illusory wall. Enter it and raid
the chest. Now go up the nearby stairs. He third floor is a series of doors
and teleporters leading to the Oracle. You need eight gold coins and two
iron marks to get through them. The first bunch of doors take one coin
each. The last door takes an iron mark on either side. Take the teleporter
and look for an illusory wall. Inside is a room where the Oracle weeps.
Talk to her, holding the sipher in your cursor. When she weeps, move the
sipher to the tears and click. When you see the Sipher become blue you now
have the tears of the Moon. Put it away with the rest of your quest pieces.
Now head for the exit to the City of the Dead. It's in that hall in the
South West of the first floor. The south passage. You will enter into a
bend. An illusory wall will be to your west. Put a block on the plate
behind it, then step into the teleporter. You should be in a room leading
out to the City of the Dead. Near the door, if you are playing one of the
male characters, you will see Foxwen, the blonde woman, dying from a bunch
of arrows. She will tell you to look for Nula in the City of the Dead. If
you are playing one of the women, you won't see anything in the alcove.

The City Of The Dead

Quest Items: The Soul of the Warrior, The Knight's Armor, Anti-Poison
Shield. This place is on two levels. The ground floor is a necropolis, a
city of the dead. But many tombs have stairs leading to underground areas.
The Lurking Stench monsters are poisonous, but you will find a poison proof
shield in this maze, which will make you invulnerable to poison once you
start using it. If you have any Wyvern Blood flasks left, this is a good
place to use them. The Tormented Souls that hang around this place shoot
arrows at you from far away. It can get real annoying. Lightning Wild
spells seem to hurt them badly, though, so you may want to fire off some
now and then. Go around the path and head south. Explore the three southern
tombs first and the game will be easier. The one closest to the entrance in
the south west has two stairs leading down. You will find yourself in a
huge area with a bunch of Infernal Bones standing over armor and weapons.
At the far south of this area is a throne. In front of the throne is a
shield that will make you 100% invulnerable to poison. Start using this
shield. There is also an axe that casts Raging Hero spells. Take what you
want, but most of the armor and weapons in this dungeon are stuff your
probably threw away earlier. The next tomb to the south of the City is a
small one. You will find a portable chest inside. If you are playing a
woman character, it will have a Fall Equinox disc inside. If you are
playing a man, it will be empty. The tomb in the South East corner is very
important. In the center is the blue knight. Do not take his soul yet. Talk
to him. Do not open the chest south of him. Leave it for later. You can
raid the other two chests if you want. Go through an illusory wall to the
east and down some stairs. You will find the fourth disc (Moon Disc) in a
chest. You now have a complete set. Now, head north along the easternmost
wall of the city from the blue knights tomb. Throw a switch and open a
north wall. Beware of the rolling rock. You will see a stone block to your
left. Destroy it and throw a switch. Keep moving north. You will see a
pressure plate in an alcove to your left. Put a stone block on it (or a
rock bag). Now go around to the west side of this tomb and enter. You will
find an illusory wall on the inner east side in an alcove. Enter and take
the stairs down. You will find the evil spirit the blue knight talked
about. Talk to this clown, then take his soul. Drop the soul house on the
floor, because you won't need it. Enter the room to the north. Talk to the
lady ghost. Do NOT take her soul. Let her go. Now, return to the blue
knight's tomb. Tell him what happened then take his soul. You can get rid
of the third soul house. It's not needed. You know have another quest item.
Store it away. Go ahead and take the armor in the chest now. It was cursed
before. Now it is the best armor you will find in the game. It also looks a
lot better than any other armor (I like the War Armor the best, but it's
wimpy). Too bad they don't have a dry cleaners in this world. The blood
stains are annoying. Anyway, you can now explore the city anyway you like.
Here are descriptions of the more tricky tombs. NW of the City is a healing
altar. A few paces east of there is a Mana Altar. Both are at the north. A
few more paces east of the Mana altar is an exit to an outside viewing
area, where you can look at the scar. You will meet Nula there if you are
playing a male character. She will give you the Fall Equinox disc. If you
are playing a woman character, no one will be there. South of the healing
altar is a tomb. There is a illusory wall on its east side that leads to a
complex area. Take the stairs down, get all the rocks you can from the
chest and surrounding area. A plate in the floor opens a wall. Go in and
ignore the plate near the east wall. Put a bag on rocks on each of the two
plates in the side passage and enter the teleporter. You are now in a room
with four pressure plates. Put one rock on each plate, then step through
the 'porter. Take your rock bags off the two plates and you can now enter
the area. Near one of the chests is a spinner. Make sure you are facing the
right way. It has a ruby shard. Now go back to the door with the hold next
to it and load in the ruby shard. You will get a wand of unmaking which is
a very powerful weapon. Save it for the nasty monsters later in the game.
Just south of the NW area is a graveyard. One of the monsters will drop a
Onyx Raven key that'll let you into a tomb nearby. The rest of this place
is pretty simple. Just look for illusory walls and you won't miss a thing.
When you're done, go back into the Temple and take the 'porter to your
left. You will be taken to the exit of the temple.

The Eye Of Clay/Sanctuary

Quest Items: The Sacrifice of Clay After finishing the Temple and
Necropolis, you will have four white discs. Go back to that area where the
strange rock formations sprout up and walk around. It goes in a circle. To
the side are four altars with round holes. Put the discs in the holes until
you have filled all four of them. You will also see a stranger hiding
behind a rock. Talk to him and take the Wreath of Hallowed Leaves. You'll
need this at the end of the game. Keep walking around and you will find a
center area. When you walk into it after putting all the discs in you will
be transported to Sanctuary. This is a weird place but rather simple to
explore. On the north walls are six dragon imprints. To the south is a door
that looks like an eye. East and West are four teleporters. You need to
enter each of the teleporters and get the dragon pieces, then place them on
the dragon imprints to open the doors to the Eye of Clay. Let's deal with
the teleporters one by one. To the East are two 'porters. One is in a
recessed area the other is not. The same as in the west side. Eastern
Non-Recessed 'porter: This takes you to an area with shifting walls. Just
keep moving ahead into what looks like hallways before you. Eventually you
will come across three chests. The exit is behind a illusory wall with a
plate in front of it. Stepping on the plate causes a 'porter to appear
behind the wall (or disappear). Eastern Recessed 'Porter: You end up in a
big room with a pressure plate at one side. Step on the plate to open a
wall in the north. Beware of fires and flying fists. Enter the two porters
behind the wall to get to the two chests. Western Non-Recessed Porters:
This area has a bunch of plates between walls. Rolling rocks patrol along
the far walls. You must weave yourself around the center walls, walking
across the plates as if you were sewing a thread. This will open two doors
on one side and one on the other. Three chests await. Western Recessed
'Porter: Save this one for last. It takes you to an area where a Mana and
Health Altar are. Stepping on the plate will create a Jester to fight you.
Finish your business then teleport out. Now enter this 'porter again and
you will be in a new area. This place has a plate that requires one rock.
It opens a door to a chest. Teleporting out you will end up back in the
altar room. Using that escape porter takes you to a north/south hall with a
porter at each end. Go into the north porter, but beware of the spinner
that will try to make you head south. You will arrive before the final
chest and get the last dragon piece. Once all pieces are in place, you can
enter a hallway to the north. Open the door to the west and raid the
chests. Now go east and follow the twisty hallway around. You will see a
rolling rock and an illusory wall. Pass through the wall and keep going.
Beware of spinners. Eventually you will come to a teleporter. Take it and
talk to the tree in the north. Now that you have the sacrifice of clay,
teleport out. Nearby is a porter in a recessed area. Take it to the exit.
You can now cross over to desolation and the last stage of the game. The
way you take is up to you. I list both methods below. If you choose Gorge
Keep, just go back to the Temple of the Moon, but turn north right before
you enter the gates. Follow along the path, enter a waterfall on the way to
pick up a spell, then make your way to the keep. You will see Brice, the
big bearded guy crucified in front of the keep if you are not playing him.
If you choose to go through the Reed Plain, cross back over the scar on
either the Ward Bridge or the Barrier. Go back to the top of the Elder
Tree. Move north and the tree will bend and take you across the Scar. It
will only do this if all the roots were healed earlier.

The Reed Plain (optional)

Goal: Cross the place to get to the Iron Titan

This area is optional, but if you cross into desolation from the Elder
Tree, you have to pass through it. There are a lot of Slog Riders and a few
Will O' Wisps here, but you can move in any direction. Beware of hidden
spikes in the reeds. The only things to find here are the spell of unmaking
in a chest surrounded by spikes and Skaracs. Skaracs are scorpion things.
You only need one. When you exit at the north west side you'll come to a
bridge guarded by a two headed giant. Talk to him and you'll eventually
find the skarac to be useful.

Gorge Keep (optional)

Goal: Cross the Scar to get to the Iron Titan.

If you decide to cross into desolation through Gorge Keep get ready for a
fight. This place is good for racking up fight and spell points because it
is full of enemies. The layout is really simple and there are no heavy
tricks to the place. Enter and you find yourself in a huge room full of
Slog Riders. This room is a magic free zone, so you can't use spells. You
have to fight. Run if you have to or choose a corner and fight them one by
one. To the north is a long hall leading to the other exit. But it's
useless to go that way until you have raised the portcullis. Enter to the
east of the large room and go all the way north. Kill all the guards until
you get a key. Take that key back to the large room and enter the western
area. Go north and find a chest with a glowing ember inside. Take that to
the south eastern room where a man is encased in ice. Drop it on the floor.
He will give you a key when he thaws out. Go north to the one room you
couldn't get into before. Use the wooden dowel you should have found
earlier and insert it in the mechanism. Move it all the way to the left.
Also throw all the switches on the wall to turn off the spinners. Now you
can make it to the north exit. But get ready to fight three messengers
waiting for you.

The Iron Titan

Quest item: Invincible Iron This three level area is one of the most
complex of all the dungeons. It is also full of some nasty monsters and
traps. It's the first dungeon to have pits, so watch your step. The
monsters here are poisonous, so start using the anti-poison shield when you
enter this joint. This place is really tough to get through and a nuisance
to back out of, so make sure you have all the quest items you need before
trying on this maze. The only things you won't have by now are the Wood and
the Iron for the chest. These you get here and the next dungeon. Okay, upon
entering you will see a big area to the north with lots of blocks and four
pressure plates. It's kind of a simple puzzle. You want to push the blocks
next to the plates onto the plates, which creates teleporters. Then push
the remaining blocks into each of the teleporters and step through. This
will take you to four separate rooms with pressure plates. Push the blocks
onto the plates and take the escape 'porters outta there. This will open up
some halls around the rest of the first floor. Before you weigh the blocks
down, there will be holes in the floor that will drop you down below.
Unless you want to deal with that, just push them blocks. The puzzle is
simple. To the north and south of the plates are the blocks you push on
them. The other four blocks go into each of the teleporters that appear.
Shove them on the plates in those rooms. Straight to the north of the
entrance is a giant head coming out the floor. Talk to him and hear his
story. He needs you to use a magic immersion spell to free him. But the
area he is in is a no magic zone. There is a switch to the east that will
shut it off. Go into the east hall and follow it around to the north. On
the way you will come across a pressure plate that opens up a room with two
altars in it. To the west is some chests with goodies and a cube of magic
immersion maker. For some weird reason, if you use the cube sitting on the
floor, another will appear. I always do it just because it may have some
purpose in the game. Shrink the big guy's head, then walk past him and head
for the stairs. A lot of blocks will be in your way. Either push them or
destroy them. After the first block you will find an illusory wall. It
leads to a room full of stamina potions. You may want to use them to help
you with the blocks, but I never bother. Now head down to the second floor.
First, go north until you have to turn right past four closed doors. A
rolling rock will be in this area. You will see a south passage near the
fourth door. Go down it. Put a bag of rocks on the pressure plate, then
throw the switch on the wall. This will shut of the no magic zone on this
level. Now walk past the plate and take your bag back. Go back to the
south. The hall wraps around and you will see a hole in the floor. A plate
in an alcove closes the hole. Go into the illusory wall and shrink the
giant's torso the way you did before. Now go back to the hall and keep on
going west. It will curve like a snake. Beware of holes in the floor that
open and close and spinners. On the way you will see a mana altar.
Eventually you will come to a room with a plate in the center and four
pebbles on the floor. Pick up the pebbles. Step on the plate. A teleporter
will appear. Step into it. Drop a pebble on the plate where you appeared.
Enter the escape 'porter and repeat until you have visited four separate
rooms and weighed down four plates. Now make your way back to the area to
the north east where the four closed doors were (and the switch). The doors
will be open. The first three have chests. The fourth takes you to a
Packrat's lair. This is the only Packrat I found in the game. If you find
any others, let me know at the above e-mail address. Now you can go to the
third level. Pass the shrunken body. You will enter a room with lightning
wild tornadoes and rolling rocks. Do a reflections on the lake spell and
find the chest to the north. The stairs down are in the west. The third and
final level is pretty easy. Explore all the rooms you can until you have
five iron dragon keys. The monsters down here are Swarm Maidens. I found
the Fountain of Scorching Vapors spell kicks their ass. Usually only one
does the trick. You should have got that from the guy in the waterfall in
front of Gorge Keep. Anyway, after you have all the keys you can unlock the
five doors leading to the exit. On the way you will pass a rooth two
altars. Take the stairs up and up. When you reach the first level a
messenger will attack you. He will drop a Soul Link spell when you kill
him. Now head out the door and straight for the land with the hand.

The Quagmire

Quest Items: The Sword "Soul Wrought", Wood from the Wicked Tree, The
Whistle of Fiery Summons, the Spell of Dance on the Stone of Winds This
place is pretty cut and dry. With won't even detail it for you. Basically,
you're going to deal with a big, one level maze full of monsters. There are
some important things to do here though, so pay attention. Turn on all
switches you see. They look like wood knots in sticks imbedded in the
walls. Keep your eye peeled for illusory walls. There are lots of them on
this level and they hide a lot of important stuff. The monsters here are
poisonous, so keep using that anti-poison shield. Near the entrance a
messenger attacks you. He'll drop a whistle of fiery summons. Save it for
later. It's important. Make your way to the North West first. You will find
a lot of Mire Lurks, those green snaky dudes who do bad Peter Lorre
imitations. Here you will find a lot of gold coins. You'll need them. Trust
me. A big throne area around here has two plates. If you drop a rock bag on
each one a wall opens revealing a chest with a suit of armor. This armor is
inferior to the knights armor, but it slows poison. If you have the poison
shield, you don't need it. If you want to look like a lizard man, this
armor is for you, though. North of this area is a hidden room, behind an
false wall that moves when you put a bag of rocks on a plate (behind an
illusory wall). There are wind chimes in a chest. Get them. Once you clean
out this area, head southeast. You will find some illusory walls and lots
of Murk Elementals. Eventually you will find a talking sword being held by
two magic chains. Put money in the holes to free it. This is the second
best sword in the game and you will need it. In the west, behind some
illusory walls, is a wind elemental. With the chimes in your possession you
can understand her. She will teach you an important spell you will need in
Fire Mountain. Finally, go to the center where the Wicked Tree is. It's
surrounded by rocks and protected by those Beast of Trung. Use the yellow
sword to chop off a piece of wood. You now have all the pieces you need to
build the dark slag container. Head to the north east and the exit. You
will end up on top of the giant hand. Use the whistle of fiery summons and
you will be taken to the Dark Lords...I mean the Warlord's tower.

Fire Mountain

Goal: Meet Black Gnarl, get him to make you the Container, find the words
of opening.

Okay, you need to go here after the Quagmire, but you've ended up on the
Warlord's doorstep instead. No problemo. Just enter the Warlord's tower.
Two Sword Thanes will attack you (and a Cacofiend, which you can ignore for
now if you like). One of the Sword Thanes will drop a gold ankh key. Use it
on the door to your right. Enter the 'porter and head for the nearest exit.
You will be facing Fire mountain. Step off the landing and you will be
teleported there. Now enter. This place is on two levels. The first level
is similar to the Barrier, in that you need to open doors to get through
the mountain so you can reach the Anvil of the Dawn. But first you have to
meet Black Gnarl and get your container made. To enter the stairs leading
down you will need to find four iron marks and an amulet called the Sigil
of Fire. You also need to find a scroll with the Words of Opening on it.
This is all fairly simple. You enter in the west. To the north is an
opening. This leads to two altars. Ahead in the east-west hall are pressure
plates. These open and close holes in the floor. You do not want to fall
through these holes because the second level is deadly hot. You need to
find the Sigil of Fire before you can go down there. So be careful. The
spell the wind woman gave you will allow you to float over holes and move
faster. But when you use this spell, make sure you aren't standing over a
pressure plate when it wears off. For some reason this is deadly. Anyway,
down the hall, to the south are two illusory walls. The first leads to an
area you need to explore. In there, behind an illusory wall, you will find
a scroll with the words of opening on it. Read the scroll then toss it.
Another hall in this area is found behind an illusory wall. It has spinners
and holes in the floor. If you can make it to the end you will find a
teleporter. It will take you to an area where you can find the Sigil of
Fire in a chest. Put it on. Now, once you clean out this section of the
map, head back down the hall. The second south passage leads to a door that
requires and iron mark. You will need at least three of them to enter
through to the stairs leading down. So go west down the hall to the first
opening in the north. This leads to a hall of teleporters. To the east is a
illusory wall. Go down this hallway to an area where there is a spinner
that will make it really hard for you to weight down a plate in an alcove.
Do it anyway. An illusory wall in the north of this area has a mark and
some old armor. Go back to the teleporters. Enter and keep entering them
until you end up in a room to the west. You will find some useful stuff in
here. Between the teleporters is an illusory wall to the north. Enter
there, head east then north. In the end of that hall is a room. In a south
west wall of this room is a switch that opens passages to the east and
west. The western room has some rad armor that is less powerful than the
knight's armor but it gives to 25% protection against fire spells. To the
east is a complex area with holes in the floor, and spinners. A south
passage in this section has illusory walls to east and west. Put on a
Dancing Winds Spell and float into these rooms. Put bags on the plates
until a pressure plate is revealed at the south end of the hall. Put
something on it then repeat until a second plate is revealed. After
weighing this down, two rooms open up. In one of these rooms you'll find
War Render, the best sword in the game. Use it for everything except the
Castellan, whom you'll be fighting soon. Once you've explored all the areas
you can, head back to the room with the mark doors to the south. Put an
iron mark in the hole and you'll find another door wanting a mark. In the
next to last room an illusory wall to the south will provide the fourth
mark, if you need it. Make sure you have that Sigil of Fire on. Now go
downstairs. This part is easy. There are a bunch of infernal bones in this
place to fight. There are blocks and rocks here. Push a block on one of the
plates or roll a rock onto one. A door will open in the center of the
dungeon. There are four plates controlling four doors. You only need to
open one. Go in and find Black Gnarl. He's hard to miss. Talk to him and
he'll make you the Container. Now head back to the Warlord's tower. By
stepping off the landing in front of fire mountain (the side you came in,
west) you will end up back at the tower.

The Warlord's Tower

Goal: Get the Dark Slag

This place is pretty simple and by now you should find it easy to kill the
monsters because you should have the best swords in the game. Two words of
warning. Watch out for holes in the floor and keep a Reflections on the
Lake spell going at all times. You will keep out of harm that way. The
switches look like bull horns on a demon face. Pull them down whenever you
see them. I think the best way to do this place is kill everything you see
on the first level and try to clean out every room. In the north of the
first floor you will find the barracks. Lots of Sword Thanes here. Kill
them, get the keys. The southern barracks room has a block standing near a
pressure plate. Ignore the teleporter in the alcove. Push the block onto
the plate. It opens a door down the hall. In that room you can find
Cloudburst, a shield that helps make you immune to lightning. Though I
think a reflection spell is the best way to go. One room in the north has a
lot of pressure plates and lightning spells going off. Cast a Reflections
spell, walk over the plates until the doors open revealing the chests. Get
the key you need inside. The altars are right off the main entrance room.
They are opened by using a wren key. You need to hit the switches on either
side of the room to reveal the wren keyholes. But you have to move fast
because rolling rocks are turning off the switches. Pull it and a door
opens. Use the key and you can get to the altars. When you have cleaned out
this place, use the pearl serpent key to open the door in the north of the
entrance hall. This reveals a teleporter that takes you to the stairs going
up. But before you can find the stairs you have to deal with a few
annoyances. Avoid the rolling rocks. Go to the north east hallway and put a
block on the plate in the alcove east. Now walk through the illusory wall
to your west and step on the pressure plate. A wall opens revealing a door.
Use the sun key to get in and head upstairs. On the second floor, keep your
reflector spell going. You will enter a room with three blocks and one
rock. Destroy the block south of he rock with your sword. Now get behind
the rock and push it north into the blocks above it. Now destroy the block
to the east of it. Now go where that block was and push the rock west, then
south onto the pressure plate. If you return to the hall, you will see a
passage opened to the stairs going up. On the third floor you will find an
illusory wall north of where you come up the stairs. A switch in there
opens a nearby door. Pass the gold ankh door, and head upstairs. On the
fourth floor, fight you way to the room with the Wither Priest. Take the
key in the chest. Now return to the third level. Go to the door, open it
with the gold key. Make sure you have the golden sword "Soulwrought"
equipped as your sword. You better do a save. And make sure you are healed
up. Head north, kill the cacodemons, avoid the rocks and find Castellan.
He's the dude in the purple armor to the north. Talk to him then get ready
for a fight. When he's dead, enter the alcove, pull the switch. In the next
room you will find the dark slag. MAKE SURE YOU ARE HOLDING THE CONTAINER
WHEN YOU PICK IT UP. MAKE SURE IT GOES INTO THE CONTAINER. The container
will be shut when it's in there. If what I just said doesn't work, try
picking it up with your hand or variations, but it must go into the
container or you will suffer. All right. One last dungeon. Make your way to
the exit and head for fire mountain.

Anvil of the Dawn

Goal: Destroy the Dark Slag

Enter fire mountain gain. Put blocks on the pressure plates to the north in
the east west hall to open the doors leading east. Exit the mountain and
head for that light in the sky. After crossing the ice, you come to a
mountain door guarded by an armless giant. Talk to him, then use the spell
of Heavenly Mend. Now talk to him again and say the words of opening. You
will now be able to enter the final part of this game. Just when you think
you're almost done, they throw one more obstacle in your path...an
invisible maze. This part of the game can be the most frustrating. But I
will help you through. The first area has three exits to the east and a
rolling rock that sits on a pressure plate to the south. Throw the two
switches before you until you get the rock to the north side. Then make it
go south. You should now be able to walk through the north most eastern
opening. This part is hard to describe, but feel your way east near the
north wall, then about half way, turn south and head for that plate in the
center of the room. You have to walk about one space past it or so then
head back west all the way until you see a switch on the wall. Throw it.
Now feel your way over to the plate and step on it. Okay, you can now feel
your way south to an illusory wall. Enter and stand a pace or two away from
the ice worm. Throw that spear Steelripper at it a few times to kill it. Or
fight it with your sword if you really want to. These things are tough,
though. A Vampire Mist spell doesn't hurt. Enter the illusory wall to the
north and push the block you will eventually see over one. Then push it
east onto a plate. There is an illusory wall to the south. Enter and you
will be in a room with one alcove and three plates. East, South, and West.
Step on the east plate and a teleporter appears in the alcove. Enter. You
should be in a room with two teleporters and a block. If only one
teleporter is there, go back to the plate room through the porter and step
on the south plate. Check your map to see if a second porter came on in
that other room. If not step back and forth on the east and south plates
until one does. Now enter that porter and push the block through the
nearest porter. Teleport into the plate room, push the block onto the east
plate. Weight down the south plate with a block or a bag of rocks and leave
the area. You can start divesting yourself of bags now. You only need two
rocks after this. After leaving the first room, head back to that plate in
the middle of the main room and step on it again. Now work your way east of
there. You will be able to go all the way east just north of a big eastern
opening. When you hit the wall, turn north then west and enter the illusory
wall to the north. You will be in a big room after stepping on a pressure
plate to open a door. On both sides of this big room are thrones. The old
gods sat on these things. Looks like they bought their furniture at Levitz.
No variation. Anyway, ignore these areas. Go all the way east and fight the
ice worms. A chest in the back has a silver chalice. Take it. Now go back
to the plate in the main room and step on it two times. You should now be
able to work your way south again to another illusory wall further east on
the south wall. A teleporter on the other side takes you to a room in a big
circle. Twelve plates are in this room like numbers on a clock. Put a rock
on the north and south plates. Now walk over every plate in the room,
making a circle. A passage will open to a teleporter to the main room. You
can now work your way to the big eastern opening. Kill the worm. Put the
chalice in the hole and a door will open. Almost there! First, put on the
wreath of hallowed leaves. Now activate a soul link spell. Exit through the
eastern door (do a save for the hell of it, you never know). Heading east
you will meet the Warlord himself. I guess he likes hanging out in weird
ass locales. Anyway, talk to him. He will lay a Darth Vader rap on you.
Don't accept the dark side, Luke. Trust me. After talking to him you can
only do one thing. Walk to the Anvil of the Dawn. For an alternate ending,
do everything I just said, but don't wear the wreath or use a soul link
spell.

Credits

The walk-through was originally written by Veikko Danilas in Estonia. HTML
conversion done by Ken Fishkin in sunny California. March 1996.
