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[ JINXTER'S WIZARDS & WARRIORS FAQ Version 0.1 ]
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Contact Information:
Questions? Comments? Corrections? Additions?
Please e-mail me at dnum@hotmail.com
Anything I end up adding to the FAQ will be fully credited to you.
Please start your subject-line with "[W&W FAQ]" so I know it's not spam.
=============================================================================
--------------------------- [ Version History ] -----------------------------
=============================================================================
Version 0.0: Initial version, little error checking. Written after
completing the Serpent's Temple and on the way west of Ishad
N'ha. Contains (hopefully) all information for everything east
of the Caves of Ishad N'ha. (9/6/00)
Version 0.1: E-mail contact address corrected
Fixed quests to include both quests from the mayor of Valiea.
Added walkthrough part III (Temple of the Serpent Cult)
Updated main quest walkthrough. (9/11/00)
All versions are (C) Jinxter; 2000
PLEASE do not reprint or use any part of this FAQ without giving me credit.
Thank you. :)
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=========================== [ Table of Contents ] ===========================
=============================================================================
- Introduction
- General Advice
- On Characters (Races, Classes, Stats, and Skills)
- On Guilds
- Walkthrough
- Part I: General Main Quest Walkthrough (The Mavin)
- Part II: East of Ishad N'ha
- Part III: Temple of the Serpent and Environs
- Quests and Questing
- General Advice
- Guild Ascension Quests
- Guild Advancement Quests
- Part I: Valeia
- Miscellaneous Quests
- Part I: East of Ishad N'ha
=============================================================================
============================= [ Introduction ] ==============================
=============================================================================
(9/6/00) Welcome to the initial version of Jinxter's Wizards & Warriors FAQ.
This is, quite literally, the first FAQ I've ever written, but I've certainly
read enough of them to know the general flow. I decided to write one
particularly for W&W because it's such an amazingly deep game with a
wonderfully immersive world, and it seemed a great way to review what I'd
learned as I went along.
W&W was designed by D.W. Bradley -- and it really shows. He's known for his
trilogy of Wizardry games (Heart of the Maelstrom, Bane of the Cosmic Forge,
and Crusaders of the Dark Savant) -- and W&W manages to capture a lot of the
feel of the old 'Golden Age of RPGing' while updating the graphics and
interface.
So, without further ado...onto the Gael Serran!
=============================================================================
============================ [ General Advice ] =============================
=============================================================================
This section gives some general pointers which I found helpful as I played.
[A] Read the manual - if not cover-to-cover, then at least skimming it and
learning about all the major options you have (for clans, character classes,
spells). Also, keep it by you when you play. You'll refer to it often --
not least of all because there are no online descriptions of spells...
[B] Think ahead when designing your party. Think about what clans are best
suited for what professions. Think about the Elite and 'Super' roles and
which characters you think will change professions. When rolling up your
characters (as well as levelling them up) try to put points into their stats
such that they're ready for class advancement when you are.
[C] Go everywhere, look at everything, talk to everyone, and pick up anything
that isn't nailed down. Completely map the overworld -- there are chests
hidden everywhere. Remember that the world of Gael Serran is fully-3D, so
be sure to look at the ceilings and floors, too. Look at all the walls for
secret locks and switches. Learn the Spirit Spell 'Spirit Eye' -- which
reveals not only such secret things, but the locations of nearby monsters.
Talk to everyone about EVERYTHING you can (all your keywords, in other
words). Yes, sometimes they repeat themselves, but sometimes you get a good
piece of info.
[D] Early on, spend money on your character's skills and guilds rather than
on equipment. I found this especially true in the world's first section
(East of Ishad N'ha). You can pick up enough equipment during your
adventuring that you don't really need to buy stuff. Save and then spend
that money on joining guilds and training your characters. Go on guild
quests whenever you can, and try doing them in groups (have all your
Priest-type characters accept a quest, have all your Mage-type characters
accept a quest, etc...) to save time. The new options you get for guild
advancement are definitely worth it.
[E] Try to get a warlock or priest who knows how to identify items as soon as
possible. I had to spend a ridiculous amount of money on identification at
the weapon and magic shops before I wised up and did so.
[F] Just like real life -- avoid going out at night unless you know the area
well. Exploring a new area in the dead of night is a good way to get killed.
At the very least, bring along a Whiskahs (they have night-vision) or someone
who knows the Sun spells 'Torchlight' or 'Illuminate'.
[G] Play nice. Yes, everyone on the entire planet seems to be whining for
help in one way or another, but helping them out generally gets you help in
return. Stay on friendly terms with everyone you can for as long as you can
-- even someone who looks as if they're obviously working at cross purposes
to you. Learn all you can from them -- THEN burn 'em to ash. :) Actually,
this is probably a personal play-style thing. If you wanna go around
hacking and slashing everyone you meet - go ahead. Just don't come whining
to me if that person knew something you needed to know...
[H] Pick a weapon and train in it. Specialize. Swords are as common as dirt
in the beginning of the game, so they're a good choice, not to mention the
fact that your ultimate quest is for a sword... Hammers are much harder to
come by. Staves are a good choice for your magic users -- especially since
you can get nice Sleep-inducing Witch's Sticks from the Lords in the
cemetary. The shield skill is rather useful if you've got the skill points
for it -- you can completely deflect attacks. As soon as you've got Ninjas
or Monks in your party, up their Kung Fu -- it's VERY cool.
=============================================================================
============================= [ On Characters ] =============================
=============================================================================
Creating your party is a very personal thing. For Version 0.0, I'll just
list the party I used for my game and the reasoning behind it:
HAWKSBLOOD - Male Human Warrior -> Barbarian
Humans come with the Natural Leader skill, inspiring those around them,
but they tend to get attacked more often. That's OK, though, because as
a Barbarian, he's got maximum hit points and can bash anyone who comes
close. One of the war-horses of the party -- high strength makes him a
good pack animal and upping his sword and gallantry skills should make
him deadly once we get our hands on the Mavin.
A'KYLARI - Female Whiskahs Warrior -> Samurai
Quick, agile, with Night Vision, A'Kylari's style of fighting's far more
graceful than Hawksblood's. Her higher intelligence gives her access
to more skill points as well as better magic (as a Samurai she can cast
Sun spells). Another front-line fighter.
JOAN D'ARC - Female Dwarf Priest -> Paladin -> ?Valkyrie?
One of the healers of the party, but a fighter as well. Her War Cry is
good at scaring off monsters when she makes a hit. She's started out
learning mace skills and Spirit and Vine magic. After ascending to
Paladin status, she's a much more effective fighter and is concentrating
on higher-level Spirit magic. I made her female mostly because I hope to
eventually turn her into a Valkyrie.
SEBASTIAN - Male Pixie Priest -> Monk -> ?Zenmaster?
Tiny, agile, and quick, Sebastian started out learning the Staff.
Between his high agility and tiny size (Pixies come with the Dodge trait)
nothing can hit him. As soon as he became a Monk, he started learning
Kung Fu and has become deadly with just his fists. Another healer, he
tends to bless everyone in the party before going adventuring and keep
up useful spells like Spirit Eye and Heroic Might. He learned some
useful Vine spells before switching over, too -- like Lure, Haste, and
Binding Force.
NIGEL - Male Ratling Rogue -> Ninja -> ?Assassin?
Our little thief -- Nigel has made himself indispensible by picking locks
and disarming traps. Now that he's advanced, he's learning the martial
arts, how to hide in shadows and backstab, and Moon magic.
LADY SABINE - Female Oomphaz Wizard -> Warlock
The magic user and intellectual of the party. As an Oomphaz she can't
wear armor, but that's OK. Her Mana Seed trait makes sure she's ready
to go with a spell when we need it. Her long-distance Sun and Stone
spells make short work of approaching beasties, and her Fiend and Moon
magic prepares the party magically (with such boosting spells as
Bloodlust and Nimble).
I'm curious what sorts of parties others have put together and how they've
worked out. Please send your suggestions in and I'll put what I learn in
future versions of the FAQ. I'll give full credit to everyone who does so.
The Elite classes are easy enough to get in this game (they're far easier to
get than in DWB's previous games, I'll tell you that). Just get the basic
attributes required (they're listed in the manual) and then go to your guild
and ask for an advancement. I'd definitely suggest at least one class switch
for each character during the course of the game. The basic classes just
don't have enough advantages to take them very far.
You'll have to go on a quest to get the advancement, but they're generally
very easy. The individual quests and how to complete them are listed below
in the Quests and Questing section.
=============================================================================
=============================== [ On Guilds ] ===============================
=============================================================================
GUILDS IN GENERAL
Joining guilds and advancing within them is an extremely important part of
the game. Guilds can advance you to elite classes, train you in skills
associated with your class (some of which you can't get elsewhere), and sell
you specialized equipment.
However, if the messages on the Heuristic Park and other W&W boards I've seen
are any indication, then the Guild interface is one of the most frustrating
parts of the game. So I thought I'd give a brief overview of how to join and
advance within a guild.
Guilds can be found within the shops of a town and are run by the shop's
proprietor. Almost everything connected to a guild (joining, skills,
advancing) costs money -- a lot of money. Most guilds have an entrance fee
of 500 - 750 gold pieces. But it's most definitely worth it.
GETTING GUILD QUESTS
First of all, it's important to understand that within a shop/building, you
must SELECT THE INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER YOU WISH TO INTERACT WITH THE GUILD.
It's a little confusing because everywhere else in the game, you're pretty
much controlling your party as a whole. You need to left-click on the
character's portrait on the right to select them. Their figure should
appear in the upper right hand corner.
When you do so, the proprietor will greet them ('Hail' or somesuch).
Joining and entering a guild is as easy as clicking on the doorway icon in
the lower-left hand corner of the interface. Immediately ask for any
quests they might have. I've noticed thus far that only one quest is
available at a time.
An important notice is that EACH character must ask for a quest
INDIVIDUALLY. So, if you have two priests, both members of the guild,
they much EACH enter the guild and ask for the quest. Yes, that means
that you'll have to sit through the whole description of it more than once.
Them's the breaks.
GETTING CREDIT FOR GUILD QUESTS
Getting credit for a quest is also confusing. To do so, you don't even enter
the guild menu. First, select the character who finished the quest. Then,
enter the shop. Now, WAIT. Yes, just wait. First the proprietor will greet
you. Then, he or she will give you your status on any quests you may have
been on. If you've successfully completed the quest, you'll receive notice
of such (and possibly experience points and/or a guild advancement).
Some quests involve obtaining a single item (like a sword or a ring). If one
character successfully completes the quest, it doesn't mean that everyone
else can't do so. Simply choose the other character and wait for the
proprietor to recognize them. You'll get a message saying not to bother
looking for the item, but you'll still get credit for the quest.
Sometimes getting credit for a quest completed by someone else is difficult,
especially if it involves more than fetching an item. I've noticed the best
way to get flagged for completing a quest is trying to finish as much of it
as possible. Sometimes just talking to someone and then returning is enough
to get credit for the quest.
If you're stuck on finishing or getting credit for a particular quest, check
out the Quests and Questing section. It has a listing for each individual
quest.
=============================================================================
============================== [ Walkthrough ] ==============================
=============================================================================
The game (thus far) is made up of the main storyline/quest involving the
Mavin Sword and the reawakening of the Dark Lord and various subquests
involving the people of the Gael Serran and their own, personal, problems.
-------------------- [ I. THE MAIN QUEST WALKTHROUGH ] ----------------------
--------------------- [ ****** SPOILER ALERT ****** ] -----------------------
This quick walkthrough simply leads you through the steps required to win the
game. It does not go into detail on how each step is achieved. For that,
look up the particular section further on. As you can see, the path itself
is fairly simple and straightforward. As always, the devil's in the details.
;)
Optional steps (either those giving further information on the quest or which
somehow help but are not required) are marked with an asterisks. I've tried
to include plot points that are connected to the main storyline.
[1] Meet the Town Elder, Gareth, in Valeia by simply leaving the Inn. He
will tell you to find the Mavin Sword in the Cemetery Crypt in the Tomb of
Nivius (as if it were that easy...). His dream also included the Oracles of
Ishad N'ha and an ancient dragon.
*[2] Meet a snakeman wanderer on the road to the Cemetery. He'll ask you
where he can find the Elder. I lied, but I don't think it makes much
difference. This exchange will make much more sense later on.
*[3] Continue toward the Crypt. Just before the gates of the Cemetery,
there's a path leading off to the east. Find the small house of a Stout.
Talk to him about his brother and agree to take a rat pie (ick) to him in
exchange for the Secret of opening the crypt.
[4] Enter the crypt. Find the Tomb of Nivius (see below). Talk to his
spirit. This is the first mention that the Mavin isn't all it's cracked up
to be (it has eventually killed every bearer thus far). Agree to take the
Oath. Take the ring from his corpse. Head back to Valeia and learn that
Gareth has died, suddenly.
*[5] Head south-east of Valeia to the Ruins of Bersault. Meet the members of
the Circle and agree to go on a quest for them. Receive a special set of
lockpicks. Leave, and hear them being attack. Return, kill the thieves, and
find a letter from Elyssia telling the Black Hand to destroy the Circle.
*[6] Head to the Old Millhouse and meet a young woman (Kerielle) there. Talk
to her, and agree to find a necklace back in the Crypts. You've probably
already done so -- it's in a chest. It's green and curved, vaguely Egyptian
looking, and gives you +1 AC. Give it to her and she'll give you a potion
for use in the Temple of the Serpent Cult.
*[7] Travel to the Toad Village. Talk to the shaman and help them restore
their ancient toadem (UGH -- BAD pun). Talk to the shaman about everything,
including Kerah. Learn that Kerah was the FIRST Ukabu -- possibly the first
bearer of the Mavin?
*[8] If you've got a mage in the party you might be asked to find the Orb of
Clarity. Go ask the Gypsy Fortuneteller about it (the same one, who, by the
way, sent H'Thark running off to the Temple of the Serpent Cult). Ask her
about the Orb (you might have to type this in). She'll send you off to the
Temple to find the Serpent Wand, an item you'll be needing anyway. You'll
learn that the Temple Wizard has it.
[9] Enter the Caves of Ishad N'ha. They're at the extreme north-western end
of the river leading out of Nymph Lake. Travel straight ahead until you meet
the Oracle. Talk to them about everything you can. They'll open a western
passage that will lead you through the caves. The Oracle will identify your
ring and tell you that you are the Mortal Hope. They will mention the Face
of Death found in the Temple of the Serpent as well as the third keeper:
D'Soto -- whose spirit is to be found in the Ruins of Castle Shurugeon.
They'll mention you'll have to free D'Soto from the Spell he's under.
*[10] Head directly west of Ishad N'ha through the far gate and then north to
the Burned-Out House (it's marked on the map that came with the game). Meet
the Black Hand. Ask them about Elyssia (you'll probably have to type it in)
to learn that the High Priestess of Temple of the Serpent not only had the
Circle wiped out, but also had Gareth back in Valeia assassinated. Hmmm...
[11] Head to the Temple of the Serpent. On the way, you may meet Kol, the
Heretic. Speak to him about everything. You'll learn about the Back
Entrance and the hidden statue of Kerah. Receive the Heretic's Key from him.
Learn that Kerah is apparently telling anyone who runs into her they're
chosen to stand against the Dark Lord. Hmmm... South-east around the
temple, swim through two small ponds, then enter by swimming under the
grating.
[NOTE: Realize that by this point you have met not one, but two individuals
(H'Thark and Kol) who have been told to go seek their Destinies only to have
been obviously mislead. I have a feeling this might be one of the main
themes of the game and might make the 'Kill the Foozle' storyline more
interesting...]
[12] Enter the temple. Complete the Ceremony of Spirit Summoning to
gain access to Xydusa -- the Snake Goddess. Explore the depths of the
place and find Elyssia, the high priestess. From her, gain the Masque.
Items necessary to complete the area include the materials for the Ceremony
and various keys.
*[13] On the way, near the too-narrow-to-enter pit where you're attacked by
temple monkeys if you pull the lever, you'll find a keyhole next to a
darkened stretch of wall. Unlock the lock with the Heretic's Key. Inside,
you'll find a Statue of Kerah which will tell you some history behind the
Pharaoh, Anephas, the Battle, the Rain of Blood, the Black Fire, and why the
Mavin tends to destroy its bearers.
*[14] Also on the way, you might possibly free H'Thark and give him back his
lockpicks. He'll give you the low-down on the temple monkeys, the Naga, the
Lizard Wizard, and the Ceremony of Spirit Summoning (very useful, that).
He'll also tell you of the Masque -- which is, apparently, what the Oracles
call the Face of Death.
...to be continued...
---------------------- [ II. IN-DEPTH WALKTHROUGH ] -------------------------
-------------------- [ PART ONE : EAST OF ISHAD N'HA ] ----------------------
The party starts out in the village of Valeia and is faced with the task of
travelling to the Graveyard Ruins of Bersault and finding the Tomb of Nivius
in the Crypt there.
II.1 GENERAL INFORMATION
This area is made up of several general sections: the forest, containing the
Ruins of Bersault, the Cemetery, and the Village of Valeia; Nymph Lake,
beside which stand the Old Millhouse and the Gypsy Lakehouse; and Snake River
which holds the entrance to the Caves of Ishad N'ha and the Toad Village.
The map which comes with the game is extremely accurate. You can generally
follow it and figure out which path/glade you're on or in using the automap.
This area is fairly easy, not surprisingly. In the forest you'll encounter
human rogues, skeletons, worgurs and trolls all of which are easy enough
to beat back. Near Nymph Lake you'll find nymphs who can cast annoying
spells but are fairly easy to beat. Up near the Toad Village you'll find
wild Toadmen who are a little harder but your characters should be a high
enough level by the time you get there that you can take care of them.
You might also be attacked at night by bats pretty much everywhere. Also,
the lake and river hold piranha.
Generally, the idea of this area is to get accustomed to the game. The
tougher stuff lies further ahead.
II.2 THE VILLAGE OF VALEIA
Your starting point and first homebase, the village offers a town hall for
your banking and general quest needs, a church, a weapon shop, a magic shop,
an inn, and a tavern. Notice that Valeia has neither a Dojo nor a Pawn shop.
You'll learn of the Tomb of Nivius from Gareth, the village elder, when you
first leave the Inn. It's this quest that sets you off on the main storyline
of the game. Don't worry about completing it immediately. The Crypt is much
larger than you'll at first think and it will take you a while to completely
explore it. Come back to it from time to time.
Various sub-quests are available. Two from the town hall (killing skeletons
and delivering a package to Ishad N'ha). Take both, but you won't be able to
get to Ishad N'ha until you beat the Crypt quest. You can also receive
various quests from the Guilds. Take them as you can. Complete details on
all quests are in the Quest and Questing section.
Notice that you can only rise to Level Three in any guild within Valeia.
After that you simply won't get any more quests. This, however, should be
sufficient for your needs. Also notice that you won't be able to complete
some quests (the Monk and Samurai advancement quests come to mind) within
this area. You'll find their solutions further down the road.
II.3 THE ROAD TO THE BERSAULT
(OR THE STOUT, HIS BROTHER, HIS WIFE, AND HER LOVER...)
Leaving through the east gate of Valeia puts you on a north-eastern road
towards the Cemetery Ruins of Bersault, where your first quest awaits.
Generally, this is the best way to head right off -- to the north of your
starting point is a rogue's camp which is too tough to beat at level one and
to the south-east lie the main ruins of Bersault and another encounter that
might be too hard right now.
Along the road you might run into a green-skinned wanderer (you'll see
fellows like him later down at the Temple of the Serpent Cult). He'll ask
after Gareth. I don't think your answer makes much of a difference. I
didn't trust him, so I lied.
The road and its signs are fairly clearly marked. Just before the entrance
to the Cemetery proper, you'll find a path leading off to the east. If you
look at the map that came with the game, you'll see a little hut in a
clearing. Go visit it.
Inside, you'll find a Stout. Talk to him, and learn about the Mines and the
madness of the last Stout King. You'll also learn that he was a
groundskeeper for the Cemetery and knows the secret of how to get in. He
also has a brother who still works as a keeper in the Crypt.
If you agree to help him by taking a rat pie to his brother, he'll tell you
the secret of how to get inside the Crypt. Or you could figure it out on
your own. It's really not much of a secret (see II.4).
II.4 THE CEMETERY AND CRYPT ENTRANCE
It's probably best to prepare for the battles ahead by having your Priests
casts 'Bless' before you enter the gates of Bersault Cemetery.
Enter and beat off the skeletons that will attack you. Pick up any skulls
you find -- you can bring them back to Valeia's town hall for experience
and money. The weapons and such that they drop can also be sold at the
weapons shop.
Further in, you'll find the crypt. As you approach, a Skeleton Lord will pop
up from the ground. Rush him. I found it the best way to kill him. Run in
and just hack at him, ignoring the rest of the skeletons that will pop up.
Once he's dead, mop up the rest.
Approaching the crypt, you'll see two carved statues on either side. Push
the one on the right (not much of a secret, huh?).
Climb down the stairs and walk through the doorway. On the other end of the
room you'll see another doorway, closed. It took me a while to figure this
out. On one side of the room, hidden in shadow, is a lever. Pull it and
the game will load up the Crypt. It turns out all sub-areas in the game
are separated from the main map like this.
II.5 THE CRYPT
The game comes with a fairly good walkthrough for this area in the Online
Help File, including a complete map. It finishes just short of reaching
the Tomb of Heroes. I won't rewrite it here, although I might sometime
in the future since some parts of it are vague...
So, skipping on to...
II.5.1 THE TOMB OF HEROES
Coming out of the water-filled tunnels beneath Scabban, you'll find
yourself in an octagonal room filled with water with a sort of "island"
in the center. On four of the faces of the island (north, south, east,
west) are locked doors. The tunnel you enter from faces the northwest
face of the island.
Swim around the island until you reach the eastern face. You'll find two
tunnels leading east. This should look familiar. In fact, you've reached
the two blocked gates near the ratkeeper's home that you couldn't get
through earlier -- you're just on the other side now.
You'll remember there was a gold key you couldn't reach earlier. It's in
the northernmost tunnel. Grab it and flip the switch. Now you have a
shortcut out of the Crypt.
Turn back and head to the island. The western face contains the tomb of
Mastus. The northern face contains the tomb of Arthus. The southern
face is blank, and the eastern face is your goal for the entire Crypt --
the tomb of Nivius.
The other tombs are useful enough equipment-wise, but aren't necessary
to the game. Inside the tomb of Nivius, you'll meet the Spirit of Nivius,
who, unfortunately, does NOT have the Mavin blade. (Did you REALLY think
it was going to be THAT easy?)
Talk to Nivius. Take the oath, then search his body for the ring he
mentioned. It might be a little hard to find, but it's there.
[QUESTION: Has anyone NOT taken the Oath? Is it possible to get the ring
without doing so? Is it possible to get to Ishad N'ha WITHOUT the ring?]
That's it -- you're done with the Crypt. If you head back to Gareth for
your reward, you'll find that he doesn't appear in town. Head to the
town hall and ask for news to find out what happened to him.
II.6 THE ROGUE'S CAMP
Just north of the eastern gate from Valeia you'll come across a group of
rogues that aren't randomly spawned by the game. Their leader's a bit
difficult to kill, so you should avoid him until you've levelled up a bit.
The best tactic I found, once again, was rushing in and killing the toughest
guy, then mopping up the rest.
Nearby is a tough chest with some nice stuff in it. Also, you can take the
horse here and go riding. I found it a quick way to get between Nymph Lake
and Valeia once I started travelling back and forth between here and Ishad
N'ha. I usually left the horse either at the western gate or the dock on the
east shore of the lake. Don't worry, he won't run off if you leave him.
II.7 THE RUINS OF BERSAULT AND THE HIDDEN CIRCLE
South-east of Valeia's east gate is an area labeled as "Ruins of Bersault" on
your map. It's not much but a collection of ruined houses. Inside one,
you'll find a ragtag group of humans. Talk to their leader, Gorthius and
learn of the Hidden Circle.
Agree to help him find H'Thark, his companion who spoke to the Gypsy and went
off to the Temple of the Serpent Cult in search of his destiny. You'll
receive a special set of lockpicks. Hold onto them.
Leaving, you'll eventually get a message that there are sounds of fighting
coming from where you just left. Return and you'll find Gorthius gone and
the thieves ready to attack you. Kill them, and search the ground of the
house to find a note from Elyssia to the members of the Black Hand telling
them to wipe out Gorthius and the Circle. Hold on to the note. You'll
learn more about Elyssia and the Hand later on.
II.8 THE OLD MILLHOUSE AND NYMPH LAKE
Near the Old Millhouse is a lakeside dock that's a useful departure point for
your raft when you find it. I used this as a connection point, leaving my
horse here and using both the raft and horse as a quick way to get from the
Caves of Ishad N'ha to Valeia and back.
Also, on this lakeshore you'll meet a Toadman - Mekdawa - who'll tell you of
the Toad People and their need for your help. He'll tell you to use the name
'Ukabu' to identify yourself. This Toadman is also the goal of a Priest
guild quest (see Quests and Questing below).
Around the Millhouse you'll find a young woman - Kerielle - who'll tell you
of the horrible Serpent Cult and of the death of her friend, Algamesh.
She'll ask you to go to the Crypt and retrieve the necklace he was meant to
be buried in. If you've explored the Crypt fully, you've probably already
found it. It's green and vaguely Egyptian looking. It gives the wearer +1
AC. Give it to Kerielle and in exchange she'll give you the potion Algamesh
was working on for use when facing the Naga of the Serpent Temple.
In the Millhouse basement is a spider. A Mage guild quest requires a
spider's egg so if you haven't found one yet, you can get one here. I found
that you can either kill them and hope they drop one, or (a smarter move) you
can have your thief 'steal' from them until he gets one. In the upper level
is a chest.
II.9 THE GYPSY LAKE HOUSE
On the north-western shore of Nymph Lake lies the Gypsy lake house. On that
shore, you'll also find a raft that's useful for travelling up and down the
lake and down the Snake River. Unfortunately, it won't take you beyond
the Caves of Ishad N'ha.
Inside, you'll find the gypsy fortune-teller, Harespia. For three hundred
gold, she'll give you a rather vague and useless fortune. If you're on the
proper Mage guild quest, she'll also agree to exchange the Orb of Clarity
for the Serpent Wand found in the Temple of the Serpent Cult, held by
the Temple Wizard.
You can either do so or simply kill her for the Orb. Completing her quest
for her has the added advantage of her opening the secret stash in the
basement of the house, leaving you free to take whatever you please.
Northwest of the house, in a clearing, is a statue of Kerah which is, in
fact, an altar. Saying "Sanctus Kerah" to it will heal a party member,
and saying the proper phrase to it is required as part of the Paladin quest.
II.10 THE TOAD VILLAGE
The Toad village seems almost non-existent when you approach it -- just three
buildings sticking out of the water. That's because most of it is
underground. And underwater.
Access to it is limited to a single ladder on the westernmost building.
Climb the ladder and approach the guard. Say "Ukabu" -- the name you learned
from Mekdawa back at Nymph lake. The guard will tell you that Shinwiki, the
Toad Shaman, wants to see you.
Head down the ladder and through the tunnels. You'll eventually come to a
ladder that leads up to the northern building you couldn't enter from
aboveground. Walk across the bridge to Shinwiki's chambers.
Talk to Shinwiki about everything you can. He'll tell you about the evil
that has infected the Toadpeople's ancient toadem [sic] grounds. Agree to
help out. Talk to him about Kerah and the Ukabu to get some interesting
background on the Mavin and its bearers. Apparently the Toadpeople agree
with Kerah -- YOU are the chosen one...
After agreeing to help the Toadpeople, turn around. You'll see a trap door
has opened in the floor. Climb down and through the tunnels, then up again.
You'll exit into an area not accessible aboveground, just north of the
village (it's visible on the map that comes with the game).
Leave the pond and follow the path northeast until you reach the clearing
with the toadem pole. Entering the ring causes a set of creatures to appear
-- victims of Scabban's experiments. Kill them all, then re-enter the circle
and touch the toadem pole. Return to Shinwiki for your prize.
Note that this quest also fulfills a quest from the Warrior's guild.
II.11 THE CAVES OF ISHAD N'HA
Entering the caves before you have completed the Crypt is an exercise in
futility. The Oracles will only recognize you as the Mortal Hope if you have
the ring of Nivius, so don't bother until you have it.
Enter the cave and just head straight down the tunnel. Approach the Oracles
(not TOO closely!) and talk to them about everything. Learn some history of
the Mavin and learn that you have to head to the next keeper -- D'Soto -- in
the ruins of Shurugeon Castle. But before that, you'll need to get the Face
of Death from the Serpent's Lair (ie. the Temple of the Serpent Cult).
Once you talk to the Oracles about everything, they'll open a passage in the
western wall that leads to the western section of the Snake River, the
Temple, and the Village of Ishad N'ha.
---------------------- [ III. IN-DEPTH WALKTHROUGH ] ------------------------
------------ [ PART TWO : TEMPLE OF THE SERPENT AND ENVIRONS ] --------------
This area makes up the western section of the Snake River beyond the Caves of
Ishad N'ha and is only accessable after gaining the Mavin Sigil and speaking
to the Oracle.
III.1 BASIC INFORMATION
There isn't really a lot going on here. Along the western shore of the river
you'll find a dock. Following the path west from there will lead you to the
gates of Ishad N'ha. Following the river to its endpoint (and another dock)
will leave you just north of the Temple of the Serpent Cult -- your next
destination.
III.2 THE HERETIC
In this area, you might run into Kol the Heretic. I found him just in front
of the entrance to the Temple. Speak to him. You'll learn that inside the
temple, "within the rock" he found a statue of Kerah, which spoke to him of
the approaching evil. Keep talking to him and he'll tell you of a secret
entrance to the temple, as well as give you the Heretic's Key which will gain
you access to Kerah's statue.
Kol is interesting story-wise because he's the second person (H'Thark was the
first) to be told his destiny is important. Even more interesting -- it was
Kerah, the same person that told you YOUR destiny was important.
Could there be more than one chosen one? Is Kerah telling EVERYONE their
destiny is important?
III.3 ACCESSING THE TEMPLE
Getting in is fairly easy. Looking at your map, you'll see two creeks that
run behind the temple. Cross both of them and you'll find a broken gate that
leads into the depths of the temple. Swim under the gate and you're in.
Inside, you'll find a set of locked doors that lead to the serpent pens as
well as a locked gate beyond which you might catch sight of the Naga. Forget
this entrance -- you'll get access to Xydusa in a completely different (and
convoluted) way. Also forget getting access to the serpent pens until later.
You don't have the proper key.
Further in, you'll find a long, circular set of hallways that slope generally
up. These will lead you to the temple proper.
IV.4 THE TEMPLE AS A WHOLE
The temple has a very complex layout with several layers. As such, I found
it very hard to keep a map of the whole place in my head and actually aimless
wandering served me fairly well.
All in all, you don't have to visit the various areas of the temple in a
particular order. The major areas are: the entry halls, the kitchens, the
storerooms, the torture chambers, the nectar harvestry, the serpent altar,
the library and the undertemple. You can visit almost any of them from the
very moment you enter the place (with the important exception of the
undertemple).
Your first job is to figure out what's going on. H'Thark is a good source of
information, as are the Temple Wizard Kreug and the Temple Inquisitor.
Once you have a general idea of your quest, you'll need the four monkey idols
(scattered throughout the temple -- see the section on the library for more
information) and the serpent idol. Proper use of these will give you the
Serpent Wand and the Book of the Servant. You'll also need two more items
for the Ceremony of Spirit Summoning: incense cones and spider nectar.
Armed with your new posessions, you'll perform the Ceremony at the main altar
and gain access to the Xydusa, the Naga. Beyond her, you'll find the
undertemple which holds the Serpent Master and Elyssia, the High Priestess.
Defeat her to win the Masque of Death -- your reason for being here.
III.5 THE TEMPLE ENTRYWAY
At the top of the sloping passages you'll find Kreug, the Temple Wizard.
Speak to him and stay on his good side -- don't mention Kerah, Anephas, or
Cet, for example -- and you can get some useful information from him.
Eventually, you'll either have to kill him or rob him since he has the
Serpent's Key which you'll need later on.
Nearby you'll find a Golden Serpent which stands above a basket with a slot
in it. Put a golden Serpin (the coins the priests drop from time to time
when you kill them) into the slot and you'll get a set of incense cones which
you'll need for the Ceremony to come.
The main entrance lies just above. You can exit the Temple at any time from
here by pulling the lever by the closed door. It's more convenient than
slipping out the back again. Plus, it has the added advantage of leaving
that door open when you come back.
III.6 THE TEMPLE KITCHENS
Nothing much interesting here. In the dining room you can find a strange
menu on the table, and there's a secret passage out of the kitchens leading
to a monkey storage room with a locked chest. Also, there are some
dumbwaiter-like elevators that lead to the various storage rooms.
III.7 THE STORAGE AREA
On the eastern side of the storage area you'll find a hallway that dead-ends
in six doors. Between them, you'll find four skull switches and a coin slot.
This strange place is essentially a slot machine. Set the levers and put a
Serpin in the slot. If you set them correctly, a door will open, revealing a
chest and some monsters. If not, nothing will happen.
You'll need to open all the doors since one of the chests contains a monkey
idol you'll need later on (see the library). Also, all the chests have gold
and items that you should probably take.
The pattern for when I played the game was as follows. The numbers indicate
which levers (numbered from left to right) needed to be activated to open the
door. The doors are labeled alphabetically from left to right.
Door [A] - Lever #3
switch 1
Door [B] - Levers #2 & #3
switch 2
Door [C] - Levers #3 & #4
coin slot
Door [D] - Levers #1 & #2 & #3
switch 3
Door [E] - Levers #1 & #3 & #4
switch 4
Door [F] - Levers #1 & #2 & #4
Before you leave the storage areas, make sure you have at least one empty
flask. You'll need it later (see III.9).
III.8 THE TORTURE CHAMBERS
The torture chambers lie in the lower levels of the temple. It should be
fairly obvious when you find them since they're lit by fires and contain all
sorts of nasty instruments. In one section, you'll find a fire burning in
the center of a room with sloping walls. In the center of the fire (beside
which lies a red-hot poker) you'll find a switch. Slide up to it and push
the switch. This will open a secret panel in the ceiling (accessable by
climbing the slope beneath it) leading to a hidden chest.
Beside this room is a sub-chamber with a locked door. On either side you'll
see the walls have slits in them, enabling you to see the prisoner inside.
This is H'Thark. To open his cell, you'll need the Monkey Key, which is held
by the Inquisitor.
You can get the key from the Inquisitor (you'll know when you meet him)
either by saying you're here to see the prisoner, or just killing him (or
possibly stealing it from him?).
Talk to H'Thark. He won't trust you. However, if you give him his lockpick
set (given to you by Gortheus back in the Ruins of Bersault) he'll realize
you're a friend. Talk to him about everything you can -- particularly the
Masque and the Ceremony of Spirit Summoning.
You'll notice H'Thark is someone else who thinks he has an important destiny
(he was told so by the Gypsy fortunteller near Nymph Lake).
III.9 THE NECTAR HARVESTRY
Right beside the torture chambers is the egg hatchery where spider eggs are
turned into nectar. H'Thark will have told you how this is done, as well as
the fact that spider's nectar is a necessary part of the ceremony.
In the center of this room is a large wheel. Turning it lowers the weighted
plate in the corner into the pit below, crushing anything there. In the pit
is a drainage cover.
It should be fairly obvious what happens here -- spider eggs are crushed in
the pit and the resulting nectar flows through the drain. But where does it
end up?
Jump into the pit and you'll find a switch that opens the gate set into the
wall. Following the passage you'll find a t-junction -- one passage leads
out to another corridor, the other ahead to the egg room. The lever here
switches the gates open and closed so only one passage is available at a
time (this is why you entered via the pit rather than the side-passage).
Enter the egg room and kill the spiders there. Pick up some eggs and take
them back to the pit. Drop them there.
Follow the other passage of the t-junction to a room with a fount and a
platform. Place an empty flask (you should have found one in the storage
areas) on the platform. Then follow the hallway back out to the main room
with the large wheel. Turn the wheel, then return to find the flask has
been filled with nectar.
III.10 THE MONKEY PIT AND STATUE OF KERAH
On the main floor of the temple, you should find a room containing a chute
which is too small to enter. Pulling a nearby lever will release a set of
temple monkies, which will immediately attack you.
Nearby, in the hallway which slopes up immediately outside this room, you'll
see a lock set next to a dark stretch of wall. Unlock it with the Heretic's
Key you got from Kol and a new passage will open up.
Beyond, you'll find Kerah. Speak to her (I think I used "Sanctus Kerah") and
she'll give you some history on the Mavin, Cet, Anephas, and the Battle
between them. There are some good items at the foot of her statue, as well.
III.11 THE MAIN ALTAR
Also on the main floor, you'll find a giant statue of a Serpent with a
brazier set before it. The storyteller will make the comment that it is
clear the mouth opens, although it's not obvious how. To do so, you'll need
to complete the Ceremony of Spirit Summoning and answer the Xydusa's questions
correctly. To complete the ceremony, you'll need incense cones, spider's
nectar, and the Wand of Serpents. Burn the cones on the brazier, add the
nectar, then wave the wand over the ashes. A spirit will appear over the
fire and question you. The answers can be found in the Book of the Servant.
The wand and book can be found in the library (see below), the incense is
gained from the Golden Serpent, and the nectar from the harvestry (see
above).
Opening the snake's mouth leads to a small chamber with a lever on the wall.
Pull the lever and the floor will open, dropping you into the Serpent's Lair.
III.12 THE LIBRARY
Behind the brazier in the Main Altar room are two skull levers. Pulling both
of them opens the gates on either side of the altar. The leftmost gate leads
you down to the library area.
Most of the library is completely useless to you -- you can't access any of
the books on the shelves. However, you should notice some strange lines on
the floor and niches set into the walls.
The niches require the use of idols. There are five scattered throughout the
temple. Four are of monkeys, the fifth of a serpent. Three monkey idols can
be found in chests (one in the storage area) and the fourth taken from a
monkey who is carrying it. The serpent idol lies below the snake pens near
where you first entered the temple. You'll need the Serpent Key (which is
held by Kreug) to get inside. Pull the lever on the left wall to flood the
chamber, then swim through to a small room where the idol lies on a pedestal.
Placing the four monkey idols into the niches connected by lines on the floor
starts an elevator going in the northern portion of the library. Ride it up
and kill Kreug's minion to gain access to his inner sanctum. Inside, you'll
find a poison-curing fountain and the Wand of Serpents (listed as a
?Runed Wand?).
Placing the serpent idol in the final niche opens an altar which contains the
Servant of the Serpent -- a book you need to answer the questions the Naga
Spirit will pose you during the Ceremony of Spirit Summoning.
III.13 THE SERPENT'S LAIR
Immediately after dropping into the lair, you'll see that you're in a circular
room with a passage leading north into another. Cast some protective and
combat-preparation spells -- immediately before you lies Xydusa, the
snake-goddess of the temple. I used the following suite of spells: Bless
(several times), Heroic Might, Bloodlust, and Nimble.
As you enter the circular chamber, she'll appear from the northern passage,
essentially blocking it. I've heard from a couple players that it's
possible to sneak around her and out, but I think it's necessary to kill her
to complete the temple -- plus she's worth a good deal of experience (I
think my characters averaged about 14,000 apiece).
A couple of strategies: keep away from the Naga and cast long distance spells
and use long-distance attacks. She'll breathe at the party, but it probably
won't be as deadly as from melee range. Alternately, just run in and hack
her to pieces before she gets a chance to move. If you have Algamesh's
Elixir (which you can get from Kerielle back at the Old Millhouse if you
complete a quest for her), a good idea might be to have your strongest
character drink it, then cast Lure (Vine magic) on them. It seems to shield
you from the worst of her effects (the absolute worst has to be stoning --
you might want to keep some stone-to-flesh potions around).
With her dead, head north to a t-junction. To the east, you'll see a dead-
end. Remember it. West, you'll find a room with a fountain and some chests.
The fountain cures poison, and above it, you'll find a skull lever. Pull
it and return to the t-junction to find that the dead-end has opened up.
Beyond, you'll find a series of essentially empty passages. Head generally
north-east to a long east-west passage leading to a room with a set of lifts.
III.14 THE LIFT MAZE AND THE SERPENT MASTER
This area is essentially a maze -- there are four rooms set in a square
pattern, all of them connected by corridors accessable from the lifts. You
enter by the north-western room. Your ultimate goal is the western passage
from the south-western room, but you'll need to traverse a different
part of the maze and gain the Skull Key to successfully leave.
You'll notice that the southern lift of the first room and the northern lift
of the south-western room don't work. Don't worry, you'll activate them
later.
It might be a good idea to map the maze on your own, since most of the
dead-ends contain useful items and gold in chests, or priests you can fight
for experience points. Your first goal is the northern lift of the
north-eastern room. It leads to a passage that ends in a one-way slide.
Go down it.
Continue following the passage to the chambers of the Serpent Master. Talk
to him. Answer his questions honestly: you HAVE gazed upon the Xydusa
(you looked at her just before you killed her), and you HAVEN'T drunk of
her nectar. He'll think you're neonate priests and hand you the Skull Key
you'll need to get to Elyssia. Alternatively, you could just kill him for
the key, or pick it out of his pockets.
After you get the key, look around the room. You'll notice a set of lifts
seperated by a wall containing a skull lever. Flipping the lever activates
the lifts. They correspond to the two innactive lifts you saw in the maze.
Ride the southern lift to the south-western room of the maze. Unlock the
lock you'll find in the western passage to gain access to the undertemple.
III.15 THE UNDERTEMPLE AND ELYSSIA, THE HIGH PRIESTESS
It's here that you'll finally face Elyssia. You'll find her in the auditorium
-- the single figure on the stage. Again, you'll probably want to prepare any
protective or enhancing spells you have for the battle ahead.
Listen to her rant, then attack. She'll summon quite a few fellow priests and
their combined magical power can make things a little hairy. A good strategy
I used was to wait until Elyssia finished he speech, then run for the passage
you entered by. The narrow passages make it much easier to pick off the
priests in ones-and-twos rather than all at once.
When you successfully kill Elyssia, you'll get both the Masque of Death (your
goal in the temple, according to the Oracle) and the Serpent Staff - a cursed
but useful weapon (I gave it to my warlock).
To leave the undertemple, head out the far passage in the auditorium -- it
leads to a passage that slopes upward and ends in a gate. Flip the switch
nearby to open the gate and leave through it back into the temple proper.
=============================================================================
========================== [ Quests and Questing ] ==========================
=============================================================================
---------------------------- [ General Advice ] -----------------------------
Quests are the game's way of giving you goals -- both overall ones (such as
the main quest of finding the Mavin and defeating the Dark Lord) and smaller,
more manageable sub-goals. Almost everybody in the Gael Serran will want
something from you and you can choose whom you wish to help. Generally, it's
a good idea to stay on good terms with everyone you can and be a general
do-gooder, since inevitably you'll be rewarded with either experience points,
gold, items, information, or even all of the above.
Quests come in two general flavors -- guild quests and miscellaneous quests.
And guild quests come in two types: those for general advancement within the
guild, and those which are necessary for ascention to a new character class.
All are detailed below.
The general tact I took on each one is: (a) where do you get the quest, (b)
what's required for the quest, (c) how can you get credit for the quest,
and (d) what do you get when you do so.
------------------------ [ Guild Ascension Quests ] -------------------------
Ascension quests require three things before they're assigned:
[1] The character must be a member of the proper guild.
[2] The character have the required minimum statistics.
[3] The character must be holding the required amount of gold.
ELITE ROLES
BARBARIAN'S QUEST
MINIMUM STATISTICS: ST 8, DX 8, AG 8, FO 12, PR 8
QUEST GOAL: Find your fury by going out and killing 20 creatures. This is
fairly straightforward. Notice that you, personally, have to KILL the
creature, not just assist on it. I found the best way to guarantee this is
just to make a party made up of only that fighter. If he's at least level
three, he should be able to take care of himself against anything he should
find in the forest. You can keep track of your kill record on the character
statistic screen.
GETTING CREDIT: Just return to the guild, choose your character, and wait.
REWARD: You're now a barbarian, and gain the Fury trait.
BARD'S QUEST
...currently no data...
MONK'S QUEST
MINIMUM STATISTICS: ST 8, IN 8, SP 10, DX 8, AG 10, FO 8, WL 10, PR 8
QUEST GOAL: Prove yourself by not wearing weapons or armor for two full days.
This quest does not require that the character be alone, so just strip
him/her of everything -- and that means EVERYTHING, they'll essentially be
running about in their skivvies -- and just leave 'em that way for two days.
They'll generally suck because at this point you can't have learned Kung Fu,
but just have the other characters support them. Some people have pointed
out that you must spend those two days out in the wilderness -- that dungeon
crawling doesn't count. I don't know if this is true or not. Entering and
leaving towns does NOT effect this quest, so you can do so with impunity.
GETTING CREDIT: Head to the Bushi Dojo (Ishad N'ha), choose your character,
and wait.
REWARD: You're now a monk, and gain the Nature's Keeper trait.
NINJA'S QUEST
MINIMUM STATISTICS: ST 8, IN 8, SP 8, DE 10, AG 10, FO 8, WI 10, PR 8
QUEST GOAL: Prove your stealth by sneaking into the Shurugeon Ruins and
lowering the drawbridge without waking the dead. I found this to be one of
the harder quests, but it turned out ok since you can't perform it until you
get past Ishad N'ha anyway. The ruins lie west of that village. You can get
inside the castle by swimming through the moat on the eastern side of the
castle, diving down and heading north through the tunnels -- then pulling the
lever and rising up again through the grate you just opened. You'll be at
the castle's rear where the wall has collapsed. Head generally north until
you reach the outer keep wall and then west along that wall until you reach
the drawbridge. I found it impossible to avoid the ghosts here, but trying
to keep to the letter of the quest, I didn't fight them but ran past. Climb
the eastern tower (there's another ghost here -- ignore him) and pull the
lever you'll find. Then run back down and out the lowered drawbridge. As I
said, I wasn't very stealthy on this quest -- it seems impossible to be --
but I got credit anyway.
GETTING CREDIT: Head to the Bushi Dojo (Ishad N'ha), choose your character,
and wait.
REWARD: You're now a ninja, and gain the Cloak of Night trait.
PALADIN'S QUEST
MINIMUM STATISTICS: ST 8, SP 10, DX 8, AG 8, FO 8, PR 10
QUEST GOAL: Prove your devotion by approaching the Altar of Serran and
chanting "Sanctus Holy." [QUESTION -- This is just repetition, yes? Sanctus
MEANS "holy".] Fairly straightforward -- the altar lies in a small clearing
to the northwest of the Gypsy Lakehouse which lies on the northern shore of
Nymph Lake. The altar looks just like the angelic statue you'll find in the
Crypt (Kerah). Just walk up to it, choose the right character, and 'talk' to
it. Type in 'Sanctus Holy'. [NOTE: If any character says "Sanctus Kerah" to
the altar, they'll be healed for free.]
GETTING CREDIT: Just return to the guild, choose your character, and wait.
REWARD: You're now a paladin, and gain the Noble Cause trait.
RANGER'S QUEST
...currently no data...
SAMURAI'S QUEST
MINIMUM STATISTICS: ST 8, IN 8, DX 10, AG 10, FO 8, WL 8
QUEST GOAL: Attain the blessing of your ancestors by finding the last resting
place of a fallen Samurai and attaining a Samurai Baton. I'd call this the
second most difficult quest, mostly because you have to travel so far from
where you'll probably receive it to complete it. The Samurai burial ground
lies directly west of Shurugeon Ruins, but you can't get there directly.
You'll have to enter the moat and look for a break in the trees. Entering,
you'll see what looks like a small burial plot with a few headstones. There
should be a Samurai Spirit here (as well as several skeletal Samurai). Just
kill him and take the Baton.
GETTING CREDIT: Head to the Bushi Dojo (Ishad N'ha), choose your character,
and wait.
REWARD: You're now a samurai, and gain the Ancestral Guide trait.
WARLOCK'S QUEST
MINIMUM STATISTICS: IN 10, SP 10, FO 8, WL 10, PR 10
QUEST GOAL: Help out the priest and/or mage in town by finding two
ingredients for a potion they're developing: a skull and a spider's egg.
Skulls are easy, you've probably been collecting them for the Mayor's bounty
in Valeia. The egg is harder. Spiders are generally found in the deeper
woods far from town. A guaranteed encounter with a spider is the basement of
the Old Millhouse. Unfortunately, there's no guarantee that a spider will
drop an egg if you kill it. You have a better chance of attaining one if you
have a thief with decent pickpocket skills. Have him "steal" every turn he
can. He'll probably nab you an egg.
GETTING CREDIT: Just return to the guild, choose your character, and wait.
REWARD: You're now a warlock, and gain the Ancient Lore trait.
SPECIAL ROLES
ASSASSIN'S QUEST
...currently no data...
VALKYRIE'S QUEST
...currently no data...
ZENMASTER'S QUEST
...currently no data...
----------------------- [ Guild Advancement Quests ] ------------------------
Guild advancement quests are jobs you'll do for your guild masters to curry
their favor. They're very much worth it because if you don't advance within
your chosen guild(s), you won't have access to the better services they
offer.
This section is broken down by town, and then by individual guild.
--------------------------- [ Part I: Valeia ] ------------------------------
Note that you cannot attain a guild level higher than three via Valeia --
the guilds will simply stop offering quests.
------------------------ [ VALIEA WARRIOR GUILD ] ---------------------------
MON THE SCULZ QUEST
QUEST GOAL: A thief has robbed the armory in Valeia. Go find him and kill
him. This is easy enough. You'll encounter him somewhere in the eastern
lands -- he actually came upon my party as we were leaving the crypt. Just
kill him.
GETTING CREDIT: If someone has already completed this quest, just go to the
guild. You'll be told you don't have to bother and get credit anyway.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
TOAD VILLAGE QUEST
QUEST GOAL: The Toad people are becoming restless. Find out what's the
matter and what can be done about it. Head up to the Toad Village after
talking to Mekdawa to find out how to identify yourself. Talk to Shinwiki to
learn the problem and solve it. Further details are below in the "Sacred
Toadem Ground Quest" notes.
GETTING CREDIT: If someone's already completed this quest, it's sufficient
enough to just go and talk to Shinwiki again.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
GUILD SWORD QUEST
QUEST GOAL: Return with the sword of Mastus. It's in his tomb. The tomb is
right next to Nivius' so if you haven't gotten there yet, don't worry. If
you've already been in the Tomb of Mastus and haven't found the sword, don't
worry -- it apparently only appears once you get the quest. Go fetch it.
GETTING CREDIT: Just talk to the guild head, he'll tell you it's been found,
but give you credit anyway.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
------------------------- [ VALIEA PRIEST GUILD ] ---------------------------
GUILD TOAD QUEST
QUEST GOAL: Give an important elixir to Mekdawa, a toadman. Easy enough --
Mekdawa hangs out my the eastern shore of Nymph Lake -- near the dock and the
Millhouse. Choose use/give and choose the potion, then click on Mekdawa.
He'll thank you.
GETTING CREDIT: If someone's already done this, don't worry, Mekdawa will
just keep acceping Elixirs.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
GUILD DONATION QUEST
QUEST GOAL: The guild's coffers are low. Make a donation of 500 gold. The
wording of this is rather confusing. You DON'T have to click the 'make
donation' button. Instead, just enter the church with 500 gold in that
character's pocket.
GETTING CREDIT: The guild will recognize you have enough gold and ask you if
you want to make a donation. Say yes.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
GUILD RING OF SAINTS QUEST
QUEST GOAL: Fetch the Ring of Saints from the Crypt. It's sort of hard to
see, but it's under the table in the secret room above Pharaoh's chamber.
Grab it.
GETTING CREDIT: If someone's already finished this quest, don't worry. Just
go to the church and they'll tell you it's been found. You'll get credit
anyway.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
------------------------- [ VALIEA WIZARD GUILD ] ---------------------------
GUILD SCABBAN QUEST
QUEST GOAL: Scabban vanished in the Crypts sometime ago. Return with news of
him. You need to find Scabban (he's in the Asylum), and talk to him about
everything you can. You especially need to realize that (a) he's mad,
(b) he's been running experiments on the dead, and (c) he's become infected
as a result of those experiments. I killed him afterward.
GETTING CREDIT: I don't know if it's possible to get credit for this if
you've already killed Scabban before speaking fully to him.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
GUILD TEUIK TORPORN QUEST
QUEST GOAL: The evil Teuik Torporn, acolyte of the Serpent Cult, is
recruiting members. Kill him. He's easy enough to smash, but you'll only
find him west of the Caves of Ishad N'ha, in the forests surrounding the
Temple.
GETTING CREDIT: If he's already dead, you'll be told so and get credit
anyway.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
GUILD ORB QUEST
QUEST GOAL: Find the artifact known as the Orb of Clarity -- it was last
known to be held by the Gypsies camping near Nymph Lake. The gypsies do,
indeed, know of the Orb, but they'll be loath to part with it. Speak to
Harepsia (she of the vague and useless fortunes) and type in "Orb of
Clarity". She'll send you on a quest to fetch the Serpent Wand from the High
Priest of the Serpent Temple. Since you'll need it anyway, agree to her
terms. You can alternatively just slaughter her and her clan and take the
Orb.
GETTING CREDIT: You'll be told the Orb has already been returned and get
credit anyway if someone beat you to it.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
------------------------ [ Miscellaneous Quests ] ---------------------------
These quests are those not connected to guilds and are generally given by the
people you'll run into across the Gael Serran. Again -- goodness is usually
its own reward, as you'll get help in return if you help out those in need.
Plus doing so will give you that nice, warm, gushy feeling inside...
--------------------- [ QUESTS EAST OF ISHAD N'HA ] -------------------------
THE TOMB OF NIVIUS
ACQUIRED FROM: Gareth, Village Elder of Valeia
LOCATION: Outside the Inn as you enter the game
QUEST GOAL: Find the Mavin within the Tomb of Nivius. Of course, it turns
out that acquiring the Mavin is hardly that easy -- but this quest is here to
point you in the right direction. Your first step will be to get to the Tomb
and speak with the Spirit of Nivius. He'll direct you further.
GETTING CREDIT: Impossible, since you'll essentially fail and Gareth'll be
dead by the time you return after speaking to Nivius anyway.
REWARD: None
SKELETAL BOUNTY
ACQUIRED FROM: The Mayor of Valeia
LOCATION: The Town Hall
QUEST GOAL: The mayor will set a bounty on any skeletons you can kill.
GETTING CREDIT: Essentially, every time you find a skull, pick it up. The
mayor will count up what you have when you enter the Hall and give you your
reward. This is an excellent way of making money early in the game.
REWARD: 50 gold and 50 experience for every 10 skulls you return with.
A PACKAGE TO ISHAD N'HA
ACQUIRED FROM: The Mayor of Valeia
LOCATION: The Town Hall
QUEST GOAL: Deliver the letter the mayor gives you to the Town Hall of
Ishad N'ha.
GETTING CREDIT: This one is easy enough except for the fact that you can't
reach the village of Ishad N'ha until you complete the Tomb of Nivius quest.
REWARD: 250 gold pieces.
RAT PIE DELIVERY SERVICE
ACQUIRED FROM: Bilbump, retired crypt keeper and all around nice Stout
LOCATION: A small house south-east of the Cemetery
QUEST GOAL: Bring his brother in the Crypts a Rat Pie. In exchange, Bilbump
will tell you the secret of opening the Crypt (not much of a secret, but
there you go...). Giving the pie to his brother will result in another
secret -- this one far more useful.
GETTING CREDIT: Just give the pie and you'll get your info.
REWARD: Two secrets -- one dubious, one useful.
FINDING H'THARK
ACQUIRED FROM: Gortheus, leader of the Hidden Circle
LOCATION: An abandonded house in the Ruins of Bersault
QUEST GOAL: Find H'Thark -- who's run off to the Temple of the Serpent Cult
in search of his destiny -- and give him the lock picks Gortheus gives to
you. H'Thark's locked away in a cell and you'll need to get the key from
the Temple Inquisitor by hook or by crook. Just give the thief his lockpicks
back for him to trust you. In return, he'll tell you all about the Masque,
the Temple, and the Ceremony of Spirit Summoning.
GETTING CREDIT: Impossible, since the man who sent you on it is now dead.
REWARD: Information. First, you'll get a letter after Gortheus' dies
indicating who ordered his assassination. Second, you'll get all sorts
of useful data on the temple from H'Thark after you convince him to trust
you.
ALGAMESH'S NECKLACE
ACQUIRED FROM: Kerielle
LOCATION: The Old Millhouse near Nymph Lake
QUEST GOAL: Return with Algamesh's necklace so that he can be properly
buried. It's found in a chest in the Crypts -- it's green and curved and
vaguely Egyptian looking. Wearing it will result in +1 AC. Give it to
Kerielle and in return she'll give you a potion Algamesh was working on.
GETTING CREDIT: Give the necklace to Kerielle.
REWARD: Algamesh's elixir -- useful for when you face the Naga of
the Temple of the Serpent Cult.
CLEANSING THE ANCIENT TOADEM [SIC] GROUNDS
ACQUIRED FROM: Shinwiki, the Toadman Shaman
LOCATION: Toad Village, northeast along the Snake River
QUEST GOAL: Destroy the evil at the toadem grounds. Shinwiki will offer you
a special spear and a 'bag of yellow' (read: gold) as a reward. After
speaking to him about the quest and agreeing to go on it, a trap door will
open in the floor of the room. Climb down and head along the tunnels until
you find a way up again. You'll exit into an area inaccessable aboveground
(you can, though, see it on the map that came with the game -- it's north of
the village proper). Head along the path generally north-east until you come
to a circle of totem (yes that's what they are, darnit) poles. Enter the
circle and a bunch of Scabban's creatures will appear. Rush 'em and kill
'em. Then re-enter the circle and have each character touch the totem for +5
permenant HP and healing. Return to Shinwiki for your reward.
GETTING CREDIT: Talk to Shinwiki after killing the monsters and touching the
totem.
REWARD: Shinwiki's spear -- +1 to hit and it's enchanted, and a bag of gold.
[ JINXTER'S WIZARDS & WARRIORS FAQ Version 0.1 ]
--------------------------------------------
Contact Information:
Questions? Comments? Corrections? Additions?
Please e-mail me at dnum@hotmail.com
Anything I end up adding to the FAQ will be fully credited to you.
Please start your subject-line with "[W&W FAQ]" so I know it's not spam.
=============================================================================
--------------------------- [ Version History ] -----------------------------
=============================================================================
Version 0.0: Initial version, little error checking. Written after
completing the Serpent's Temple and on the way west of Ishad
N'ha. Contains (hopefully) all information for everything east
of the Caves of Ishad N'ha. (9/6/00)
Version 0.1: E-mail contact address corrected
Fixed quests to include both quests from the mayor of Valiea.
Added walkthrough part III (Temple of the Serpent Cult)
Updated main quest walkthrough. (9/11/00)
All versions are (C) Jinxter; 2000
PLEASE do not reprint or use any part of this FAQ without giving me credit.
Thank you. :)
=============================================================================
=========================== [ Table of Contents ] ===========================
=============================================================================
- Introduction
- General Advice
- On Characters (Races, Classes, Stats, and Skills)
- On Guilds
- Walkthrough
- Part I: General Main Quest Walkthrough (The Mavin)
- Part II: East of Ishad N'ha
- Part III: Temple of the Serpent and Environs
- Quests and Questing
- General Advice
- Guild Ascension Quests
- Guild Advancement Quests
- Part I: Valeia
- Miscellaneous Quests
- Part I: East of Ishad N'ha
=============================================================================
============================= [ Introduction ] ==============================
=============================================================================
(9/6/00) Welcome to the initial version of Jinxter's Wizards & Warriors FAQ.
This is, quite literally, the first FAQ I've ever written, but I've certainly
read enough of them to know the general flow. I decided to write one
particularly for W&W because it's such an amazingly deep game with a
wonderfully immersive world, and it seemed a great way to review what I'd
learned as I went along.
W&W was designed by D.W. Bradley -- and it really shows. He's known for his
trilogy of Wizardry games (Heart of the Maelstrom, Bane of the Cosmic Forge,
and Crusaders of the Dark Savant) -- and W&W manages to capture a lot of the
feel of the old 'Golden Age of RPGing' while updating the graphics and
interface.
So, without further ado...onto the Gael Serran!
=============================================================================
============================ [ General Advice ] =============================
=============================================================================
This section gives some general pointers which I found helpful as I played.
[A] Read the manual - if not cover-to-cover, then at least skimming it and
learning about all the major options you have (for clans, character classes,
spells). Also, keep it by you when you play. You'll refer to it often --
not least of all because there are no online descriptions of spells...
[B] Think ahead when designing your party. Think about what clans are best
suited for what professions. Think about the Elite and 'Super' roles and
which characters you think will change professions. When rolling up your
characters (as well as levelling them up) try to put points into their stats
such that they're ready for class advancement when you are.
[C] Go everywhere, look at everything, talk to everyone, and pick up anything
that isn't nailed down. Completely map the overworld -- there are chests
hidden everywhere. Remember that the world of Gael Serran is fully-3D, so
be sure to look at the ceilings and floors, too. Look at all the walls for
secret locks and switches. Learn the Spirit Spell 'Spirit Eye' -- which
reveals not only such secret things, but the locations of nearby monsters.
Talk to everyone about EVERYTHING you can (all your keywords, in other
words). Yes, sometimes they repeat themselves, but sometimes you get a good
piece of info.
[D] Early on, spend money on your character's skills and guilds rather than
on equipment. I found this especially true in the world's first section
(East of Ishad N'ha). You can pick up enough equipment during your
adventuring that you don't really need to buy stuff. Save and then spend
that money on joining guilds and training your characters. Go on guild
quests whenever you can, and try doing them in groups (have all your
Priest-type characters accept a quest, have all your Mage-type characters
accept a quest, etc...) to save time. The new options you get for guild
advancement are definitely worth it.
[E] Try to get a warlock or priest who knows how to identify items as soon as
possible. I had to spend a ridiculous amount of money on identification at
the weapon and magic shops before I wised up and did so.
[F] Just like real life -- avoid going out at night unless you know the area
well. Exploring a new area in the dead of night is a good way to get killed.
At the very least, bring along a Whiskahs (they have night-vision) or someone
who knows the Sun spells 'Torchlight' or 'Illuminate'.
[G] Play nice. Yes, everyone on the entire planet seems to be whining for
help in one way or another, but helping them out generally gets you help in
return. Stay on friendly terms with everyone you can for as long as you can
-- even someone who looks as if they're obviously working at cross purposes
to you. Learn all you can from them -- THEN burn 'em to ash. :) Actually,
this is probably a personal play-style thing. If you wanna go around
hacking and slashing everyone you meet - go ahead. Just don't come whining
to me if that person knew something you needed to know...
[H] Pick a weapon and train in it. Specialize. Swords are as common as dirt
in the beginning of the game, so they're a good choice, not to mention the
fact that your ultimate quest is for a sword... Hammers are much harder to
come by. Staves are a good choice for your magic users -- especially since
you can get nice Sleep-inducing Witch's Sticks from the Lords in the
cemetary. The shield skill is rather useful if you've got the skill points
for it -- you can completely deflect attacks. As soon as you've got Ninjas
or Monks in your party, up their Kung Fu -- it's VERY cool.
=============================================================================
============================= [ On Characters ] =============================
=============================================================================
Creating your party is a very personal thing. For Version 0.0, I'll just
list the party I used for my game and the reasoning behind it:
HAWKSBLOOD - Male Human Warrior -> Barbarian
Humans come with the Natural Leader skill, inspiring those around them,
but they tend to get attacked more often. That's OK, though, because as
a Barbarian, he's got maximum hit points and can bash anyone who comes
close. One of the war-horses of the party -- high strength makes him a
good pack animal and upping his sword and gallantry skills should make
him deadly once we get our hands on the Mavin.
A'KYLARI - Female Whiskahs Warrior -> Samurai
Quick, agile, with Night Vision, A'Kylari's style of fighting's far more
graceful than Hawksblood's. Her higher intelligence gives her access
to more skill points as well as better magic (as a Samurai she can cast
Sun spells). Another front-line fighter.
JOAN D'ARC - Female Dwarf Priest -> Paladin -> ?Valkyrie?
One of the healers of the party, but a fighter as well. Her War Cry is
good at scaring off monsters when she makes a hit. She's started out
learning mace skills and Spirit and Vine magic. After ascending to
Paladin status, she's a much more effective fighter and is concentrating
on higher-level Spirit magic. I made her female mostly because I hope to
eventually turn her into a Valkyrie.
SEBASTIAN - Male Pixie Priest -> Monk -> ?Zenmaster?
Tiny, agile, and quick, Sebastian started out learning the Staff.
Between his high agility and tiny size (Pixies come with the Dodge trait)
nothing can hit him. As soon as he became a Monk, he started learning
Kung Fu and has become deadly with just his fists. Another healer, he
tends to bless everyone in the party before going adventuring and keep
up useful spells like Spirit Eye and Heroic Might. He learned some
useful Vine spells before switching over, too -- like Lure, Haste, and
Binding Force.
NIGEL - Male Ratling Rogue -> Ninja -> ?Assassin?
Our little thief -- Nigel has made himself indispensible by picking locks
and disarming traps. Now that he's advanced, he's learning the martial
arts, how to hide in shadows and backstab, and Moon magic.
LADY SABINE - Female Oomphaz Wizard -> Warlock
The magic user and intellectual of the party. As an Oomphaz she can't
wear armor, but that's OK. Her Mana Seed trait makes sure she's ready
to go with a spell when we need it. Her long-distance Sun and Stone
spells make short work of approaching beasties, and her Fiend and Moon
magic prepares the party magically (with such boosting spells as
Bloodlust and Nimble).
I'm curious what sorts of parties others have put together and how they've
worked out. Please send your suggestions in and I'll put what I learn in
future versions of the FAQ. I'll give full credit to everyone who does so.
The Elite classes are easy enough to get in this game (they're far easier to
get than in DWB's previous games, I'll tell you that). Just get the basic
attributes required (they're listed in the manual) and then go to your guild
and ask for an advancement. I'd definitely suggest at least one class switch
for each character during the course of the game. The basic classes just
don't have enough advantages to take them very far.
You'll have to go on a quest to get the advancement, but they're generally
very easy. The individual quests and how to complete them are listed below
in the Quests and Questing section.
=============================================================================
=============================== [ On Guilds ] ===============================
=============================================================================
GUILDS IN GENERAL
Joining guilds and advancing within them is an extremely important part of
the game. Guilds can advance you to elite classes, train you in skills
associated with your class (some of which you can't get elsewhere), and sell
you specialized equipment.
However, if the messages on the Heuristic Park and other W&W boards I've seen
are any indication, then the Guild interface is one of the most frustrating
parts of the game. So I thought I'd give a brief overview of how to join and
advance within a guild.
Guilds can be found within the shops of a town and are run by the shop's
proprietor. Almost everything connected to a guild (joining, skills,
advancing) costs money -- a lot of money. Most guilds have an entrance fee
of 500 - 750 gold pieces. But it's most definitely worth it.
GETTING GUILD QUESTS
First of all, it's important to understand that within a shop/building, you
must SELECT THE INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER YOU WISH TO INTERACT WITH THE GUILD.
It's a little confusing because everywhere else in the game, you're pretty
much controlling your party as a whole. You need to left-click on the
character's portrait on the right to select them. Their figure should
appear in the upper right hand corner.
When you do so, the proprietor will greet them ('Hail' or somesuch).
Joining and entering a guild is as easy as clicking on the doorway icon in
the lower-left hand corner of the interface. Immediately ask for any
quests they might have. I've noticed thus far that only one quest is
available at a time.
An important notice is that EACH character must ask for a quest
INDIVIDUALLY. So, if you have two priests, both members of the guild,
they much EACH enter the guild and ask for the quest. Yes, that means
that you'll have to sit through the whole description of it more than once.
Them's the breaks.
GETTING CREDIT FOR GUILD QUESTS
Getting credit for a quest is also confusing. To do so, you don't even enter
the guild menu. First, select the character who finished the quest. Then,
enter the shop. Now, WAIT. Yes, just wait. First the proprietor will greet
you. Then, he or she will give you your status on any quests you may have
been on. If you've successfully completed the quest, you'll receive notice
of such (and possibly experience points and/or a guild advancement).
Some quests involve obtaining a single item (like a sword or a ring). If one
character successfully completes the quest, it doesn't mean that everyone
else can't do so. Simply choose the other character and wait for the
proprietor to recognize them. You'll get a message saying not to bother
looking for the item, but you'll still get credit for the quest.
Sometimes getting credit for a quest completed by someone else is difficult,
especially if it involves more than fetching an item. I've noticed the best
way to get flagged for completing a quest is trying to finish as much of it
as possible. Sometimes just talking to someone and then returning is enough
to get credit for the quest.
If you're stuck on finishing or getting credit for a particular quest, check
out the Quests and Questing section. It has a listing for each individual
quest.
=============================================================================
============================== [ Walkthrough ] ==============================
=============================================================================
The game (thus far) is made up of the main storyline/quest involving the
Mavin Sword and the reawakening of the Dark Lord and various subquests
involving the people of the Gael Serran and their own, personal, problems.
-------------------- [ I. THE MAIN QUEST WALKTHROUGH ] ----------------------
--------------------- [ ****** SPOILER ALERT ****** ] -----------------------
This quick walkthrough simply leads you through the steps required to win the
game. It does not go into detail on how each step is achieved. For that,
look up the particular section further on. As you can see, the path itself
is fairly simple and straightforward. As always, the devil's in the details.
;)
Optional steps (either those giving further information on the quest or which
somehow help but are not required) are marked with an asterisks. I've tried
to include plot points that are connected to the main storyline.
[1] Meet the Town Elder, Gareth, in Valeia by simply leaving the Inn. He
will tell you to find the Mavin Sword in the Cemetery Crypt in the Tomb of
Nivius (as if it were that easy...). His dream also included the Oracles of
Ishad N'ha and an ancient dragon.
*[2] Meet a snakeman wanderer on the road to the Cemetery. He'll ask you
where he can find the Elder. I lied, but I don't think it makes much
difference. This exchange will make much more sense later on.
*[3] Continue toward the Crypt. Just before the gates of the Cemetery,
there's a path leading off to the east. Find the small house of a Stout.
Talk to him about his brother and agree to take a rat pie (ick) to him in
exchange for the Secret of opening the crypt.
[4] Enter the crypt. Find the Tomb of Nivius (see below). Talk to his
spirit. This is the first mention that the Mavin isn't all it's cracked up
to be (it has eventually killed every bearer thus far). Agree to take the
Oath. Take the ring from his corpse. Head back to Valeia and learn that
Gareth has died, suddenly.
*[5] Head south-east of Valeia to the Ruins of Bersault. Meet the members of
the Circle and agree to go on a quest for them. Receive a special set of
lockpicks. Leave, and hear them being attack. Return, kill the thieves, and
find a letter from Elyssia telling the Black Hand to destroy the Circle.
*[6] Head to the Old Millhouse and meet a young woman (Kerielle) there. Talk
to her, and agree to find a necklace back in the Crypts. You've probably
already done so -- it's in a chest. It's green and curved, vaguely Egyptian
looking, and gives you +1 AC. Give it to her and she'll give you a potion
for use in the Temple of the Serpent Cult.
*[7] Travel to the Toad Village. Talk to the shaman and help them restore
their ancient toadem (UGH -- BAD pun). Talk to the shaman about everything,
including Kerah. Learn that Kerah was the FIRST Ukabu -- possibly the first
bearer of the Mavin?
*[8] If you've got a mage in the party you might be asked to find the Orb of
Clarity. Go ask the Gypsy Fortuneteller about it (the same one, who, by the
way, sent H'Thark running off to the Temple of the Serpent Cult). Ask her
about the Orb (you might have to type this in). She'll send you off to the
Temple to find the Serpent Wand, an item you'll be needing anyway. You'll
learn that the Temple Wizard has it.
[9] Enter the Caves of Ishad N'ha. They're at the extreme north-western end
of the river leading out of Nymph Lake. Travel straight ahead until you meet
the Oracle. Talk to them about everything you can. They'll open a western
passage that will lead you through the caves. The Oracle will identify your
ring and tell you that you are the Mortal Hope. They will mention the Face
of Death found in the Temple of the Serpent as well as the third keeper:
D'Soto -- whose spirit is to be found in the Ruins of Castle Shurugeon.
They'll mention you'll have to free D'Soto from the Spell he's under.
*[10] Head directly west of Ishad N'ha through the far gate and then north to
the Burned-Out House (it's marked on the map that came with the game). Meet
the Black Hand. Ask them about Elyssia (you'll probably have to type it in)
to learn that the High Priestess of Temple of the Serpent not only had the
Circle wiped out, but also had Gareth back in Valeia assassinated. Hmmm...
[11] Head to the Temple of the Serpent. On the way, you may meet Kol, the
Heretic. Speak to him about everything. You'll learn about the Back
Entrance and the hidden statue of Kerah. Receive the Heretic's Key from him.
Learn that Kerah is apparently telling anyone who runs into her they're
chosen to stand against the Dark Lord. Hmmm... South-east around the
temple, swim through two small ponds, then enter by swimming under the
grating.
[NOTE: Realize that by this point you have met not one, but two individuals
(H'Thark and Kol) who have been told to go seek their Destinies only to have
been obviously mislead. I have a feeling this might be one of the main
themes of the game and might make the 'Kill the Foozle' storyline more
interesting...]
[12] Enter the temple. Complete the Ceremony of Spirit Summoning to
gain access to Xydusa -- the Snake Goddess. Explore the depths of the
place and find Elyssia, the high priestess. From her, gain the Masque.
Items necessary to complete the area include the materials for the Ceremony
and various keys.
*[13] On the way, near the too-narrow-to-enter pit where you're attacked by
temple monkeys if you pull the lever, you'll find a keyhole next to a
darkened stretch of wall. Unlock the lock with the Heretic's Key. Inside,
you'll find a Statue of Kerah which will tell you some history behind the
Pharaoh, Anephas, the Battle, the Rain of Blood, the Black Fire, and why the
Mavin tends to destroy its bearers.
*[14] Also on the way, you might possibly free H'Thark and give him back his
lockpicks. He'll give you the low-down on the temple monkeys, the Naga, the
Lizard Wizard, and the Ceremony of Spirit Summoning (very useful, that).
He'll also tell you of the Masque -- which is, apparently, what the Oracles
call the Face of Death.
...to be continued...
---------------------- [ II. IN-DEPTH WALKTHROUGH ] -------------------------
-------------------- [ PART ONE : EAST OF ISHAD N'HA ] ----------------------
The party starts out in the village of Valeia and is faced with the task of
travelling to the Graveyard Ruins of Bersault and finding the Tomb of Nivius
in the Crypt there.
II.1 GENERAL INFORMATION
This area is made up of several general sections: the forest, containing the
Ruins of Bersault, the Cemetery, and the Village of Valeia; Nymph Lake,
beside which stand the Old Millhouse and the Gypsy Lakehouse; and Snake River
which holds the entrance to the Caves of Ishad N'ha and the Toad Village.
The map which comes with the game is extremely accurate. You can generally
follow it and figure out which path/glade you're on or in using the automap.
This area is fairly easy, not surprisingly. In the forest you'll encounter
human rogues, skeletons, worgurs and trolls all of which are easy enough
to beat back. Near Nymph Lake you'll find nymphs who can cast annoying
spells but are fairly easy to beat. Up near the Toad Village you'll find
wild Toadmen who are a little harder but your characters should be a high
enough level by the time you get there that you can take care of them.
You might also be attacked at night by bats pretty much everywhere. Also,
the lake and river hold piranha.
Generally, the idea of this area is to get accustomed to the game. The
tougher stuff lies further ahead.
II.2 THE VILLAGE OF VALEIA
Your starting point and first homebase, the village offers a town hall for
your banking and general quest needs, a church, a weapon shop, a magic shop,
an inn, and a tavern. Notice that Valeia has neither a Dojo nor a Pawn shop.
You'll learn of the Tomb of Nivius from Gareth, the village elder, when you
first leave the Inn. It's this quest that sets you off on the main storyline
of the game. Don't worry about completing it immediately. The Crypt is much
larger than you'll at first think and it will take you a while to completely
explore it. Come back to it from time to time.
Various sub-quests are available. Two from the town hall (killing skeletons
and delivering a package to Ishad N'ha). Take both, but you won't be able to
get to Ishad N'ha until you beat the Crypt quest. You can also receive
various quests from the Guilds. Take them as you can. Complete details on
all quests are in the Quest and Questing section.
Notice that you can only rise to Level Three in any guild within Valeia.
After that you simply won't get any more quests. This, however, should be
sufficient for your needs. Also notice that you won't be able to complete
some quests (the Monk and Samurai advancement quests come to mind) within
this area. You'll find their solutions further down the road.
II.3 THE ROAD TO THE BERSAULT
(OR THE STOUT, HIS BROTHER, HIS WIFE, AND HER LOVER...)
Leaving through the east gate of Valeia puts you on a north-eastern road
towards the Cemetery Ruins of Bersault, where your first quest awaits.
Generally, this is the best way to head right off -- to the north of your
starting point is a rogue's camp which is too tough to beat at level one and
to the south-east lie the main ruins of Bersault and another encounter that
might be too hard right now.
Along the road you might run into a green-skinned wanderer (you'll see
fellows like him later down at the Temple of the Serpent Cult). He'll ask
after Gareth. I don't think your answer makes much of a difference. I
didn't trust him, so I lied.
The road and its signs are fairly clearly marked. Just before the entrance
to the Cemetery proper, you'll find a path leading off to the east. If you
look at the map that came with the game, you'll see a little hut in a
clearing. Go visit it.
Inside, you'll find a Stout. Talk to him, and learn about the Mines and the
madness of the last Stout King. You'll also learn that he was a
groundskeeper for the Cemetery and knows the secret of how to get in. He
also has a brother who still works as a keeper in the Crypt.
If you agree to help him by taking a rat pie to his brother, he'll tell you
the secret of how to get inside the Crypt. Or you could figure it out on
your own. It's really not much of a secret (see II.4).
II.4 THE CEMETERY AND CRYPT ENTRANCE
It's probably best to prepare for the battles ahead by having your Priests
casts 'Bless' before you enter the gates of Bersault Cemetery.
Enter and beat off the skeletons that will attack you. Pick up any skulls
you find -- you can bring them back to Valeia's town hall for experience
and money. The weapons and such that they drop can also be sold at the
weapons shop.
Further in, you'll find the crypt. As you approach, a Skeleton Lord will pop
up from the ground. Rush him. I found it the best way to kill him. Run in
and just hack at him, ignoring the rest of the skeletons that will pop up.
Once he's dead, mop up the rest.
Approaching the crypt, you'll see two carved statues on either side. Push
the one on the right (not much of a secret, huh?).
Climb down the stairs and walk through the doorway. On the other end of the
room you'll see another doorway, closed. It took me a while to figure this
out. On one side of the room, hidden in shadow, is a lever. Pull it and
the game will load up the Crypt. It turns out all sub-areas in the game
are separated from the main map like this.
II.5 THE CRYPT
The game comes with a fairly good walkthrough for this area in the Online
Help File, including a complete map. It finishes just short of reaching
the Tomb of Heroes. I won't rewrite it here, although I might sometime
in the future since some parts of it are vague...
So, skipping on to...
II.5.1 THE TOMB OF HEROES
Coming out of the water-filled tunnels beneath Scabban, you'll find
yourself in an octagonal room filled with water with a sort of "island"
in the center. On four of the faces of the island (north, south, east,
west) are locked doors. The tunnel you enter from faces the northwest
face of the island.
Swim around the island until you reach the eastern face. You'll find two
tunnels leading east. This should look familiar. In fact, you've reached
the two blocked gates near the ratkeeper's home that you couldn't get
through earlier -- you're just on the other side now.
You'll remember there was a gold key you couldn't reach earlier. It's in
the northernmost tunnel. Grab it and flip the switch. Now you have a
shortcut out of the Crypt.
Turn back and head to the island. The western face contains the tomb of
Mastus. The northern face contains the tomb of Arthus. The southern
face is blank, and the eastern face is your goal for the entire Crypt --
the tomb of Nivius.
The other tombs are useful enough equipment-wise, but aren't necessary
to the game. Inside the tomb of Nivius, you'll meet the Spirit of Nivius,
who, unfortunately, does NOT have the Mavin blade. (Did you REALLY think
it was going to be THAT easy?)
Talk to Nivius. Take the oath, then search his body for the ring he
mentioned. It might be a little hard to find, but it's there.
[QUESTION: Has anyone NOT taken the Oath? Is it possible to get the ring
without doing so? Is it possible to get to Ishad N'ha WITHOUT the ring?]
That's it -- you're done with the Crypt. If you head back to Gareth for
your reward, you'll find that he doesn't appear in town. Head to the
town hall and ask for news to find out what happened to him.
II.6 THE ROGUE'S CAMP
Just north of the eastern gate from Valeia you'll come across a group of
rogues that aren't randomly spawned by the game. Their leader's a bit
difficult to kill, so you should avoid him until you've levelled up a bit.
The best tactic I found, once again, was rushing in and killing the toughest
guy, then mopping up the rest.
Nearby is a tough chest with some nice stuff in it. Also, you can take the
horse here and go riding. I found it a quick way to get between Nymph Lake
and Valeia once I started travelling back and forth between here and Ishad
N'ha. I usually left the horse either at the western gate or the dock on the
east shore of the lake. Don't worry, he won't run off if you leave him.
II.7 THE RUINS OF BERSAULT AND THE HIDDEN CIRCLE
South-east of Valeia's east gate is an area labeled as "Ruins of Bersault" on
your map. It's not much but a collection of ruined houses. Inside one,
you'll find a ragtag group of humans. Talk to their leader, Gorthius and
learn of the Hidden Circle.
Agree to help him find H'Thark, his companion who spoke to the Gypsy and went
off to the Temple of the Serpent Cult in search of his destiny. You'll
receive a special set of lockpicks. Hold onto them.
Leaving, you'll eventually get a message that there are sounds of fighting
coming from where you just left. Return and you'll find Gorthius gone and
the thieves ready to attack you. Kill them, and search the ground of the
house to find a note from Elyssia to the members of the Black Hand telling
them to wipe out Gorthius and the Circle. Hold on to the note. You'll
learn more about Elyssia and the Hand later on.
II.8 THE OLD MILLHOUSE AND NYMPH LAKE
Near the Old Millhouse is a lakeside dock that's a useful departure point for
your raft when you find it. I used this as a connection point, leaving my
horse here and using both the raft and horse as a quick way to get from the
Caves of Ishad N'ha to Valeia and back.
Also, on this lakeshore you'll meet a Toadman - Mekdawa - who'll tell you of
the Toad People and their need for your help. He'll tell you to use the name
'Ukabu' to identify yourself. This Toadman is also the goal of a Priest
guild quest (see Quests and Questing below).
Around the Millhouse you'll find a young woman - Kerielle - who'll tell you
of the horrible Serpent Cult and of the death of her friend, Algamesh.
She'll ask you to go to the Crypt and retrieve the necklace he was meant to
be buried in. If you've explored the Crypt fully, you've probably already
found it. It's green and vaguely Egyptian looking. It gives the wearer +1
AC. Give it to Kerielle and in exchange she'll give you the potion Algamesh
was working on for use when facing the Naga of the Serpent Temple.
In the Millhouse basement is a spider. A Mage guild quest requires a
spider's egg so if you haven't found one yet, you can get one here. I found
that you can either kill them and hope they drop one, or (a smarter move) you
can have your thief 'steal' from them until he gets one. In the upper level
is a chest.
II.9 THE GYPSY LAKE HOUSE
On the north-western shore of Nymph Lake lies the Gypsy lake house. On that
shore, you'll also find a raft that's useful for travelling up and down the
lake and down the Snake River. Unfortunately, it won't take you beyond
the Caves of Ishad N'ha.
Inside, you'll find the gypsy fortune-teller, Harespia. For three hundred
gold, she'll give you a rather vague and useless fortune. If you're on the
proper Mage guild quest, she'll also agree to exchange the Orb of Clarity
for the Serpent Wand found in the Temple of the Serpent Cult, held by
the Temple Wizard.
You can either do so or simply kill her for the Orb. Completing her quest
for her has the added advantage of her opening the secret stash in the
basement of the house, leaving you free to take whatever you please.
Northwest of the house, in a clearing, is a statue of Kerah which is, in
fact, an altar. Saying "Sanctus Kerah" to it will heal a party member,
and saying the proper phrase to it is required as part of the Paladin quest.
II.10 THE TOAD VILLAGE
The Toad village seems almost non-existent when you approach it -- just three
buildings sticking out of the water. That's because most of it is
underground. And underwater.
Access to it is limited to a single ladder on the westernmost building.
Climb the ladder and approach the guard. Say "Ukabu" -- the name you learned
from Mekdawa back at Nymph lake. The guard will tell you that Shinwiki, the
Toad Shaman, wants to see you.
Head down the ladder and through the tunnels. You'll eventually come to a
ladder that leads up to the northern building you couldn't enter from
aboveground. Walk across the bridge to Shinwiki's chambers.
Talk to Shinwiki about everything you can. He'll tell you about the evil
that has infected the Toadpeople's ancient toadem [sic] grounds. Agree to
help out. Talk to him about Kerah and the Ukabu to get some interesting
background on the Mavin and its bearers. Apparently the Toadpeople agree
with Kerah -- YOU are the chosen one...
After agreeing to help the Toadpeople, turn around. You'll see a trap door
has opened in the floor. Climb down and through the tunnels, then up again.
You'll exit into an area not accessible aboveground, just north of the
village (it's visible on the map that comes with the game).
Leave the pond and follow the path northeast until you reach the clearing
with the toadem pole. Entering the ring causes a set of creatures to appear
-- victims of Scabban's experiments. Kill them all, then re-enter the circle
and touch the toadem pole. Return to Shinwiki for your prize.
Note that this quest also fulfills a quest from the Warrior's guild.
II.11 THE CAVES OF ISHAD N'HA
Entering the caves before you have completed the Crypt is an exercise in
futility. The Oracles will only recognize you as the Mortal Hope if you have
the ring of Nivius, so don't bother until you have it.
Enter the cave and just head straight down the tunnel. Approach the Oracles
(not TOO closely!) and talk to them about everything. Learn some history of
the Mavin and learn that you have to head to the next keeper -- D'Soto -- in
the ruins of Shurugeon Castle. But before that, you'll need to get the Face
of Death from the Serpent's Lair (ie. the Temple of the Serpent Cult).
Once you talk to the Oracles about everything, they'll open a passage in the
western wall that leads to the western section of the Snake River, the
Temple, and the Village of Ishad N'ha.
---------------------- [ III. IN-DEPTH WALKTHROUGH ] ------------------------
------------ [ PART TWO : TEMPLE OF THE SERPENT AND ENVIRONS ] --------------
This area makes up the western section of the Snake River beyond the Caves of
Ishad N'ha and is only accessable after gaining the Mavin Sigil and speaking
to the Oracle.
III.1 BASIC INFORMATION
There isn't really a lot going on here. Along the western shore of the river
you'll find a dock. Following the path west from there will lead you to the
gates of Ishad N'ha. Following the river to its endpoint (and another dock)
will leave you just north of the Temple of the Serpent Cult -- your next
destination.
III.2 THE HERETIC
In this area, you might run into Kol the Heretic. I found him just in front
of the entrance to the Temple. Speak to him. You'll learn that inside the
temple, "within the rock" he found a statue of Kerah, which spoke to him of
the approaching evil. Keep talking to him and he'll tell you of a secret
entrance to the temple, as well as give you the Heretic's Key which will gain
you access to Kerah's statue.
Kol is interesting story-wise because he's the second person (H'Thark was the
first) to be told his destiny is important. Even more interesting -- it was
Kerah, the same person that told you YOUR destiny was important.
Could there be more than one chosen one? Is Kerah telling EVERYONE their
destiny is important?
III.3 ACCESSING THE TEMPLE
Getting in is fairly easy. Looking at your map, you'll see two creeks that
run behind the temple. Cross both of them and you'll find a broken gate that
leads into the depths of the temple. Swim under the gate and you're in.
Inside, you'll find a set of locked doors that lead to the serpent pens as
well as a locked gate beyond which you might catch sight of the Naga. Forget
this entrance -- you'll get access to Xydusa in a completely different (and
convoluted) way. Also forget getting access to the serpent pens until later.
You don't have the proper key.
Further in, you'll find a long, circular set of hallways that slope generally
up. These will lead you to the temple proper.
IV.4 THE TEMPLE AS A WHOLE
The temple has a very complex layout with several layers. As such, I found
it very hard to keep a map of the whole place in my head and actually aimless
wandering served me fairly well.
All in all, you don't have to visit the various areas of the temple in a
particular order. The major areas are: the entry halls, the kitchens, the
storerooms, the torture chambers, the nectar harvestry, the serpent altar,
the library and the undertemple. You can visit almost any of them from the
very moment you enter the place (with the important exception of the
undertemple).
Your first job is to figure out what's going on. H'Thark is a good source of
information, as are the Temple Wizard Kreug and the Temple Inquisitor.
Once you have a general idea of your quest, you'll need the four monkey idols
(scattered throughout the temple -- see the section on the library for more
information) and the serpent idol. Proper use of these will give you the
Serpent Wand and the Book of the Servant. You'll also need two more items
for the Ceremony of Spirit Summoning: incense cones and spider nectar.
Armed with your new posessions, you'll perform the Ceremony at the main altar
and gain access to the Xydusa, the Naga. Beyond her, you'll find the
undertemple which holds the Serpent Master and Elyssia, the High Priestess.
Defeat her to win the Masque of Death -- your reason for being here.
III.5 THE TEMPLE ENTRYWAY
At the top of the sloping passages you'll find Kreug, the Temple Wizard.
Speak to him and stay on his good side -- don't mention Kerah, Anephas, or
Cet, for example -- and you can get some useful information from him.
Eventually, you'll either have to kill him or rob him since he has the
Serpent's Key which you'll need later on.
Nearby you'll find a Golden Serpent which stands above a basket with a slot
in it. Put a golden Serpin (the coins the priests drop from time to time
when you kill them) into the slot and you'll get a set of incense cones which
you'll need for the Ceremony to come.
The main entrance lies just above. You can exit the Temple at any time from
here by pulling the lever by the closed door. It's more convenient than
slipping out the back again. Plus, it has the added advantage of leaving
that door open when you come back.
III.6 THE TEMPLE KITCHENS
Nothing much interesting here. In the dining room you can find a strange
menu on the table, and there's a secret passage out of the kitchens leading
to a monkey storage room with a locked chest. Also, there are some
dumbwaiter-like elevators that lead to the various storage rooms.
III.7 THE STORAGE AREA
On the eastern side of the storage area you'll find a hallway that dead-ends
in six doors. Between them, you'll find four skull switches and a coin slot.
This strange place is essentially a slot machine. Set the levers and put a
Serpin in the slot. If you set them correctly, a door will open, revealing a
chest and some monsters. If not, nothing will happen.
You'll need to open all the doors since one of the chests contains a monkey
idol you'll need later on (see the library). Also, all the chests have gold
and items that you should probably take.
The pattern for when I played the game was as follows. The numbers indicate
which levers (numbered from left to right) needed to be activated to open the
door. The doors are labeled alphabetically from left to right.
Door [A] - Lever #3
switch 1
Door [B] - Levers #2 & #3
switch 2
Door [C] - Levers #3 & #4
coin slot
Door [D] - Levers #1 & #2 & #3
switch 3
Door [E] - Levers #1 & #3 & #4
switch 4
Door [F] - Levers #1 & #2 & #4
Before you leave the storage areas, make sure you have at least one empty
flask. You'll need it later (see III.9).
III.8 THE TORTURE CHAMBERS
The torture chambers lie in the lower levels of the temple. It should be
fairly obvious when you find them since they're lit by fires and contain all
sorts of nasty instruments. In one section, you'll find a fire burning in
the center of a room with sloping walls. In the center of the fire (beside
which lies a red-hot poker) you'll find a switch. Slide up to it and push
the switch. This will open a secret panel in the ceiling (accessable by
climbing the slope beneath it) leading to a hidden chest.
Beside this room is a sub-chamber with a locked door. On either side you'll
see the walls have slits in them, enabling you to see the prisoner inside.
This is H'Thark. To open his cell, you'll need the Monkey Key, which is held
by the Inquisitor.
You can get the key from the Inquisitor (you'll know when you meet him)
either by saying you're here to see the prisoner, or just killing him (or
possibly stealing it from him?).
Talk to H'Thark. He won't trust you. However, if you give him his lockpick
set (given to you by Gortheus back in the Ruins of Bersault) he'll realize
you're a friend. Talk to him about everything you can -- particularly the
Masque and the Ceremony of Spirit Summoning.
You'll notice H'Thark is someone else who thinks he has an important destiny
(he was told so by the Gypsy fortunteller near Nymph Lake).
III.9 THE NECTAR HARVESTRY
Right beside the torture chambers is the egg hatchery where spider eggs are
turned into nectar. H'Thark will have told you how this is done, as well as
the fact that spider's nectar is a necessary part of the ceremony.
In the center of this room is a large wheel. Turning it lowers the weighted
plate in the corner into the pit below, crushing anything there. In the pit
is a drainage cover.
It should be fairly obvious what happens here -- spider eggs are crushed in
the pit and the resulting nectar flows through the drain. But where does it
end up?
Jump into the pit and you'll find a switch that opens the gate set into the
wall. Following the passage you'll find a t-junction -- one passage leads
out to another corridor, the other ahead to the egg room. The lever here
switches the gates open and closed so only one passage is available at a
time (this is why you entered via the pit rather than the side-passage).
Enter the egg room and kill the spiders there. Pick up some eggs and take
them back to the pit. Drop them there.
Follow the other passage of the t-junction to a room with a fount and a
platform. Place an empty flask (you should have found one in the storage
areas) on the platform. Then follow the hallway back out to the main room
with the large wheel. Turn the wheel, then return to find the flask has
been filled with nectar.
III.10 THE MONKEY PIT AND STATUE OF KERAH
On the main floor of the temple, you should find a room containing a chute
which is too small to enter. Pulling a nearby lever will release a set of
temple monkies, which will immediately attack you.
Nearby, in the hallway which slopes up immediately outside this room, you'll
see a lock set next to a dark stretch of wall. Unlock it with the Heretic's
Key you got from Kol and a new passage will open up.
Beyond, you'll find Kerah. Speak to her (I think I used "Sanctus Kerah") and
she'll give you some history on the Mavin, Cet, Anephas, and the Battle
between them. There are some good items at the foot of her statue, as well.
III.11 THE MAIN ALTAR
Also on the main floor, you'll find a giant statue of a Serpent with a
brazier set before it. The storyteller will make the comment that it is
clear the mouth opens, although it's not obvious how. To do so, you'll need
to complete the Ceremony of Spirit Summoning and answer the Xydusa's questions
correctly. To complete the ceremony, you'll need incense cones, spider's
nectar, and the Wand of Serpents. Burn the cones on the brazier, add the
nectar, then wave the wand over the ashes. A spirit will appear over the
fire and question you. The answers can be found in the Book of the Servant.
The wand and book can be found in the library (see below), the incense is
gained from the Golden Serpent, and the nectar from the harvestry (see
above).
Opening the snake's mouth leads to a small chamber with a lever on the wall.
Pull the lever and the floor will open, dropping you into the Serpent's Lair.
III.12 THE LIBRARY
Behind the brazier in the Main Altar room are two skull levers. Pulling both
of them opens the gates on either side of the altar. The leftmost gate leads
you down to the library area.
Most of the library is completely useless to you -- you can't access any of
the books on the shelves. However, you should notice some strange lines on
the floor and niches set into the walls.
The niches require the use of idols. There are five scattered throughout the
temple. Four are of monkeys, the fifth of a serpent. Three monkey idols can
be found in chests (one in the storage area) and the fourth taken from a
monkey who is carrying it. The serpent idol lies below the snake pens near
where you first entered the temple. You'll need the Serpent Key (which is
held by Kreug) to get inside. Pull the lever on the left wall to flood the
chamber, then swim through to a small room where the idol lies on a pedestal.
Placing the four monkey idols into the niches connected by lines on the floor
starts an elevator going in the northern portion of the library. Ride it up
and kill Kreug's minion to gain access to his inner sanctum. Inside, you'll
find a poison-curing fountain and the Wand of Serpents (listed as a
?Runed Wand?).
Placing the serpent idol in the final niche opens an altar which contains the
Servant of the Serpent -- a book you need to answer the questions the Naga
Spirit will pose you during the Ceremony of Spirit Summoning.
III.13 THE SERPENT'S LAIR
Immediately after dropping into the lair, you'll see that you're in a circular
room with a passage leading north into another. Cast some protective and
combat-preparation spells -- immediately before you lies Xydusa, the
snake-goddess of the temple. I used the following suite of spells: Bless
(several times), Heroic Might, Bloodlust, and Nimble.
As you enter the circular chamber, she'll appear from the northern passage,
essentially blocking it. I've heard from a couple players that it's
possible to sneak around her and out, but I think it's necessary to kill her
to complete the temple -- plus she's worth a good deal of experience (I
think my characters averaged about 14,000 apiece).
A couple of strategies: keep away from the Naga and cast long distance spells
and use long-distance attacks. She'll breathe at the party, but it probably
won't be as deadly as from melee range. Alternately, just run in and hack
her to pieces before she gets a chance to move. If you have Algamesh's
Elixir (which you can get from Kerielle back at the Old Millhouse if you
complete a quest for her), a good idea might be to have your strongest
character drink it, then cast Lure (Vine magic) on them. It seems to shield
you from the worst of her effects (the absolute worst has to be stoning --
you might want to keep some stone-to-flesh potions around).
With her dead, head north to a t-junction. To the east, you'll see a dead-
end. Remember it. West, you'll find a room with a fountain and some chests.
The fountain cures poison, and above it, you'll find a skull lever. Pull
it and return to the t-junction to find that the dead-end has opened up.
Beyond, you'll find a series of essentially empty passages. Head generally
north-east to a long east-west passage leading to a room with a set of lifts.
III.14 THE LIFT MAZE AND THE SERPENT MASTER
This area is essentially a maze -- there are four rooms set in a square
pattern, all of them connected by corridors accessable from the lifts. You
enter by the north-western room. Your ultimate goal is the western passage
from the south-western room, but you'll need to traverse a different
part of the maze and gain the Skull Key to successfully leave.
You'll notice that the southern lift of the first room and the northern lift
of the south-western room don't work. Don't worry, you'll activate them
later.
It might be a good idea to map the maze on your own, since most of the
dead-ends contain useful items and gold in chests, or priests you can fight
for experience points. Your first goal is the northern lift of the
north-eastern room. It leads to a passage that ends in a one-way slide.
Go down it.
Continue following the passage to the chambers of the Serpent Master. Talk
to him. Answer his questions honestly: you HAVE gazed upon the Xydusa
(you looked at her just before you killed her), and you HAVEN'T drunk of
her nectar. He'll think you're neonate priests and hand you the Skull Key
you'll need to get to Elyssia. Alternatively, you could just kill him for
the key, or pick it out of his pockets.
After you get the key, look around the room. You'll notice a set of lifts
seperated by a wall containing a skull lever. Flipping the lever activates
the lifts. They correspond to the two innactive lifts you saw in the maze.
Ride the southern lift to the south-western room of the maze. Unlock the
lock you'll find in the western passage to gain access to the undertemple.
III.15 THE UNDERTEMPLE AND ELYSSIA, THE HIGH PRIESTESS
It's here that you'll finally face Elyssia. You'll find her in the auditorium
-- the single figure on the stage. Again, you'll probably want to prepare any
protective or enhancing spells you have for the battle ahead.
Listen to her rant, then attack. She'll summon quite a few fellow priests and
their combined magical power can make things a little hairy. A good strategy
I used was to wait until Elyssia finished he speech, then run for the passage
you entered by. The narrow passages make it much easier to pick off the
priests in ones-and-twos rather than all at once.
When you successfully kill Elyssia, you'll get both the Masque of Death (your
goal in the temple, according to the Oracle) and the Serpent Staff - a cursed
but useful weapon (I gave it to my warlock).
To leave the undertemple, head out the far passage in the auditorium -- it
leads to a passage that slopes upward and ends in a gate. Flip the switch
nearby to open the gate and leave through it back into the temple proper.
=============================================================================
========================== [ Quests and Questing ] ==========================
=============================================================================
---------------------------- [ General Advice ] -----------------------------
Quests are the game's way of giving you goals -- both overall ones (such as
the main quest of finding the Mavin and defeating the Dark Lord) and smaller,
more manageable sub-goals. Almost everybody in the Gael Serran will want
something from you and you can choose whom you wish to help. Generally, it's
a good idea to stay on good terms with everyone you can and be a general
do-gooder, since inevitably you'll be rewarded with either experience points,
gold, items, information, or even all of the above.
Quests come in two general flavors -- guild quests and miscellaneous quests.
And guild quests come in two types: those for general advancement within the
guild, and those which are necessary for ascention to a new character class.
All are detailed below.
The general tact I took on each one is: (a) where do you get the quest, (b)
what's required for the quest, (c) how can you get credit for the quest,
and (d) what do you get when you do so.
------------------------ [ Guild Ascension Quests ] -------------------------
Ascension quests require three things before they're assigned:
[1] The character must be a member of the proper guild.
[2] The character have the required minimum statistics.
[3] The character must be holding the required amount of gold.
ELITE ROLES
BARBARIAN'S QUEST
MINIMUM STATISTICS: ST 8, DX 8, AG 8, FO 12, PR 8
QUEST GOAL: Find your fury by going out and killing 20 creatures. This is
fairly straightforward. Notice that you, personally, have to KILL the
creature, not just assist on it. I found the best way to guarantee this is
just to make a party made up of only that fighter. If he's at least level
three, he should be able to take care of himself against anything he should
find in the forest. You can keep track of your kill record on the character
statistic screen.
GETTING CREDIT: Just return to the guild, choose your character, and wait.
REWARD: You're now a barbarian, and gain the Fury trait.
BARD'S QUEST
...currently no data...
MONK'S QUEST
MINIMUM STATISTICS: ST 8, IN 8, SP 10, DX 8, AG 10, FO 8, WL 10, PR 8
QUEST GOAL: Prove yourself by not wearing weapons or armor for two full days.
This quest does not require that the character be alone, so just strip
him/her of everything -- and that means EVERYTHING, they'll essentially be
running about in their skivvies -- and just leave 'em that way for two days.
They'll generally suck because at this point you can't have learned Kung Fu,
but just have the other characters support them. Some people have pointed
out that you must spend those two days out in the wilderness -- that dungeon
crawling doesn't count. I don't know if this is true or not. Entering and
leaving towns does NOT effect this quest, so you can do so with impunity.
GETTING CREDIT: Head to the Bushi Dojo (Ishad N'ha), choose your character,
and wait.
REWARD: You're now a monk, and gain the Nature's Keeper trait.
NINJA'S QUEST
MINIMUM STATISTICS: ST 8, IN 8, SP 8, DE 10, AG 10, FO 8, WI 10, PR 8
QUEST GOAL: Prove your stealth by sneaking into the Shurugeon Ruins and
lowering the drawbridge without waking the dead. I found this to be one of
the harder quests, but it turned out ok since you can't perform it until you
get past Ishad N'ha anyway. The ruins lie west of that village. You can get
inside the castle by swimming through the moat on the eastern side of the
castle, diving down and heading north through the tunnels -- then pulling the
lever and rising up again through the grate you just opened. You'll be at
the castle's rear where the wall has collapsed. Head generally north until
you reach the outer keep wall and then west along that wall until you reach
the drawbridge. I found it impossible to avoid the ghosts here, but trying
to keep to the letter of the quest, I didn't fight them but ran past. Climb
the eastern tower (there's another ghost here -- ignore him) and pull the
lever you'll find. Then run back down and out the lowered drawbridge. As I
said, I wasn't very stealthy on this quest -- it seems impossible to be --
but I got credit anyway.
GETTING CREDIT: Head to the Bushi Dojo (Ishad N'ha), choose your character,
and wait.
REWARD: You're now a ninja, and gain the Cloak of Night trait.
PALADIN'S QUEST
MINIMUM STATISTICS: ST 8, SP 10, DX 8, AG 8, FO 8, PR 10
QUEST GOAL: Prove your devotion by approaching the Altar of Serran and
chanting "Sanctus Holy." [QUESTION -- This is just repetition, yes? Sanctus
MEANS "holy".] Fairly straightforward -- the altar lies in a small clearing
to the northwest of the Gypsy Lakehouse which lies on the northern shore of
Nymph Lake. The altar looks just like the angelic statue you'll find in the
Crypt (Kerah). Just walk up to it, choose the right character, and 'talk' to
it. Type in 'Sanctus Holy'. [NOTE: If any character says "Sanctus Kerah" to
the altar, they'll be healed for free.]
GETTING CREDIT: Just return to the guild, choose your character, and wait.
REWARD: You're now a paladin, and gain the Noble Cause trait.
RANGER'S QUEST
...currently no data...
SAMURAI'S QUEST
MINIMUM STATISTICS: ST 8, IN 8, DX 10, AG 10, FO 8, WL 8
QUEST GOAL: Attain the blessing of your ancestors by finding the last resting
place of a fallen Samurai and attaining a Samurai Baton. I'd call this the
second most difficult quest, mostly because you have to travel so far from
where you'll probably receive it to complete it. The Samurai burial ground
lies directly west of Shurugeon Ruins, but you can't get there directly.
You'll have to enter the moat and look for a break in the trees. Entering,
you'll see what looks like a small burial plot with a few headstones. There
should be a Samurai Spirit here (as well as several skeletal Samurai). Just
kill him and take the Baton.
GETTING CREDIT: Head to the Bushi Dojo (Ishad N'ha), choose your character,
and wait.
REWARD: You're now a samurai, and gain the Ancestral Guide trait.
WARLOCK'S QUEST
MINIMUM STATISTICS: IN 10, SP 10, FO 8, WL 10, PR 10
QUEST GOAL: Help out the priest and/or mage in town by finding two
ingredients for a potion they're developing: a skull and a spider's egg.
Skulls are easy, you've probably been collecting them for the Mayor's bounty
in Valeia. The egg is harder. Spiders are generally found in the deeper
woods far from town. A guaranteed encounter with a spider is the basement of
the Old Millhouse. Unfortunately, there's no guarantee that a spider will
drop an egg if you kill it. You have a better chance of attaining one if you
have a thief with decent pickpocket skills. Have him "steal" every turn he
can. He'll probably nab you an egg.
GETTING CREDIT: Just return to the guild, choose your character, and wait.
REWARD: You're now a warlock, and gain the Ancient Lore trait.
SPECIAL ROLES
ASSASSIN'S QUEST
...currently no data...
VALKYRIE'S QUEST
...currently no data...
ZENMASTER'S QUEST
...currently no data...
----------------------- [ Guild Advancement Quests ] ------------------------
Guild advancement quests are jobs you'll do for your guild masters to curry
their favor. They're very much worth it because if you don't advance within
your chosen guild(s), you won't have access to the better services they
offer.
This section is broken down by town, and then by individual guild.
--------------------------- [ Part I: Valeia ] ------------------------------
Note that you cannot attain a guild level higher than three via Valeia --
the guilds will simply stop offering quests.
------------------------ [ VALIEA WARRIOR GUILD ] ---------------------------
MON THE SCULZ QUEST
QUEST GOAL: A thief has robbed the armory in Valeia. Go find him and kill
him. This is easy enough. You'll encounter him somewhere in the eastern
lands -- he actually came upon my party as we were leaving the crypt. Just
kill him.
GETTING CREDIT: If someone has already completed this quest, just go to the
guild. You'll be told you don't have to bother and get credit anyway.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
TOAD VILLAGE QUEST
QUEST GOAL: The Toad people are becoming restless. Find out what's the
matter and what can be done about it. Head up to the Toad Village after
talking to Mekdawa to find out how to identify yourself. Talk to Shinwiki to
learn the problem and solve it. Further details are below in the "Sacred
Toadem Ground Quest" notes.
GETTING CREDIT: If someone's already completed this quest, it's sufficient
enough to just go and talk to Shinwiki again.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
GUILD SWORD QUEST
QUEST GOAL: Return with the sword of Mastus. It's in his tomb. The tomb is
right next to Nivius' so if you haven't gotten there yet, don't worry. If
you've already been in the Tomb of Mastus and haven't found the sword, don't
worry -- it apparently only appears once you get the quest. Go fetch it.
GETTING CREDIT: Just talk to the guild head, he'll tell you it's been found,
but give you credit anyway.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
------------------------- [ VALIEA PRIEST GUILD ] ---------------------------
GUILD TOAD QUEST
QUEST GOAL: Give an important elixir to Mekdawa, a toadman. Easy enough --
Mekdawa hangs out my the eastern shore of Nymph Lake -- near the dock and the
Millhouse. Choose use/give and choose the potion, then click on Mekdawa.
He'll thank you.
GETTING CREDIT: If someone's already done this, don't worry, Mekdawa will
just keep acceping Elixirs.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
GUILD DONATION QUEST
QUEST GOAL: The guild's coffers are low. Make a donation of 500 gold. The
wording of this is rather confusing. You DON'T have to click the 'make
donation' button. Instead, just enter the church with 500 gold in that
character's pocket.
GETTING CREDIT: The guild will recognize you have enough gold and ask you if
you want to make a donation. Say yes.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
GUILD RING OF SAINTS QUEST
QUEST GOAL: Fetch the Ring of Saints from the Crypt. It's sort of hard to
see, but it's under the table in the secret room above Pharaoh's chamber.
Grab it.
GETTING CREDIT: If someone's already finished this quest, don't worry. Just
go to the church and they'll tell you it's been found. You'll get credit
anyway.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
------------------------- [ VALIEA WIZARD GUILD ] ---------------------------
GUILD SCABBAN QUEST
QUEST GOAL: Scabban vanished in the Crypts sometime ago. Return with news of
him. You need to find Scabban (he's in the Asylum), and talk to him about
everything you can. You especially need to realize that (a) he's mad,
(b) he's been running experiments on the dead, and (c) he's become infected
as a result of those experiments. I killed him afterward.
GETTING CREDIT: I don't know if it's possible to get credit for this if
you've already killed Scabban before speaking fully to him.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
GUILD TEUIK TORPORN QUEST
QUEST GOAL: The evil Teuik Torporn, acolyte of the Serpent Cult, is
recruiting members. Kill him. He's easy enough to smash, but you'll only
find him west of the Caves of Ishad N'ha, in the forests surrounding the
Temple.
GETTING CREDIT: If he's already dead, you'll be told so and get credit
anyway.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
GUILD ORB QUEST
QUEST GOAL: Find the artifact known as the Orb of Clarity -- it was last
known to be held by the Gypsies camping near Nymph Lake. The gypsies do,
indeed, know of the Orb, but they'll be loath to part with it. Speak to
Harepsia (she of the vague and useless fortunes) and type in "Orb of
Clarity". She'll send you on a quest to fetch the Serpent Wand from the High
Priest of the Serpent Temple. Since you'll need it anyway, agree to her
terms. You can alternatively just slaughter her and her clan and take the
Orb.
GETTING CREDIT: You'll be told the Orb has already been returned and get
credit anyway if someone beat you to it.
REWARD: Guild advancement and experience
------------------------ [ Miscellaneous Quests ] ---------------------------
These quests are those not connected to guilds and are generally given by the
people you'll run into across the Gael Serran. Again -- goodness is usually
its own reward, as you'll get help in return if you help out those in need.
Plus doing so will give you that nice, warm, gushy feeling inside...
--------------------- [ QUESTS EAST OF ISHAD N'HA ] -------------------------
THE TOMB OF NIVIUS
ACQUIRED FROM: Gareth, Village Elder of Valeia
LOCATION: Outside the Inn as you enter the game
QUEST GOAL: Find the Mavin within the Tomb of Nivius. Of course, it turns
out that acquiring the Mavin is hardly that easy -- but this quest is here to
point you in the right direction. Your first step will be to get to the Tomb
and speak with the Spirit of Nivius. He'll direct you further.
GETTING CREDIT: Impossible, since you'll essentially fail and Gareth'll be
dead by the time you return after speaking to Nivius anyway.
REWARD: None
SKELETAL BOUNTY
ACQUIRED FROM: The Mayor of Valeia
LOCATION: The Town Hall
QUEST GOAL: The mayor will set a bounty on any skeletons you can kill.
GETTING CREDIT: Essentially, every time you find a skull, pick it up. The
mayor will count up what you have when you enter the Hall and give you your
reward. This is an excellent way of making money early in the game.
REWARD: 50 gold and 50 experience for every 10 skulls you return with.
A PACKAGE TO ISHAD N'HA
ACQUIRED FROM: The Mayor of Valeia
LOCATION: The Town Hall
QUEST GOAL: Deliver the letter the mayor gives you to the Town Hall of
Ishad N'ha.
GETTING CREDIT: This one is easy enough except for the fact that you can't
reach the village of Ishad N'ha until you complete the Tomb of Nivius quest.
REWARD: 250 gold pieces.
RAT PIE DELIVERY SERVICE
ACQUIRED FROM: Bilbump, retired crypt keeper and all around nice Stout
LOCATION: A small house south-east of the Cemetery
QUEST GOAL: Bring his brother in the Crypts a Rat Pie. In exchange, Bilbump
will tell you the secret of opening the Crypt (not much of a secret, but
there you go...). Giving the pie to his brother will result in another
secret -- this one far more useful.
GETTING CREDIT: Just give the pie and you'll get your info.
REWARD: Two secrets -- one dubious, one useful.
FINDING H'THARK
ACQUIRED FROM: Gortheus, leader of the Hidden Circle
LOCATION: An abandonded house in the Ruins of Bersault
QUEST GOAL: Find H'Thark -- who's run off to the Temple of the Serpent Cult
in search of his destiny -- and give him the lock picks Gortheus gives to
you. H'Thark's locked away in a cell and you'll need to get the key from
the Temple Inquisitor by hook or by crook. Just give the thief his lockpicks
back for him to trust you. In return, he'll tell you all about the Masque,
the Temple, and the Ceremony of Spirit Summoning.
GETTING CREDIT: Impossible, since the man who sent you on it is now dead.
REWARD: Information. First, you'll get a letter after Gortheus' dies
indicating who ordered his assassination. Second, you'll get all sorts
of useful data on the temple from H'Thark after you convince him to trust
you.
ALGAMESH'S NECKLACE
ACQUIRED FROM: Kerielle
LOCATION: The Old Millhouse near Nymph Lake
QUEST GOAL: Return with Algamesh's necklace so that he can be properly
buried. It's found in a chest in the Crypts -- it's green and curved and
vaguely Egyptian looking. Wearing it will result in +1 AC. Give it to
Kerielle and in return she'll give you a potion Algamesh was working on.
GETTING CREDIT: Give the necklace to Kerielle.
REWARD: Algamesh's elixir -- useful for when you face the Naga of
the Temple of the Serpent Cult.
CLEANSING THE ANCIENT TOADEM [SIC] GROUNDS
ACQUIRED FROM: Shinwiki, the Toadman Shaman
LOCATION: Toad Village, northeast along the Snake River
QUEST GOAL: Destroy the evil at the toadem grounds. Shinwiki will offer you
a special spear and a 'bag of yellow' (read: gold) as a reward. After
speaking to him about the quest and agreeing to go on it, a trap door will
open in the floor of the room. Climb down and head along the tunnels until
you find a way up again. You'll exit into an area inaccessable aboveground
(you can, though, see it on the map that came with the game -- it's north of
the village proper). Head along the path generally north-east until you come
to a circle of totem (yes that's what they are, darnit) poles. Enter the
circle and a bunch of Scabban's creatures will appear. Rush 'em and kill
'em. Then re-enter the circle and have each character touch the totem for +5
permenant HP and healing. Return to Shinwiki for your reward.
GETTING CREDIT: Talk to Shinwiki after killing the monsters and touching the
totem.
REWARD: Shinwiki's spear -- +1 to hit and it's enchanted, and a bag of gold.