Lands of Lore 2

RPG by WESTWOOD

A Solution by Lucio Burroni
---------------------------

Please remember:  

This game is all about doing your own thing.  You have to do your 
own exploring, in your own good time and in any way you like - and 
take your own decisions at every turn.  Investigate at will; the 
more time you spend at it, the more you'll find.  Particularly at 
first, you are given every opportunity to feel free.  Try just about 
everything - hack at things, jump over things, go swimming - do 
anything you like and find out your limitations and your powers. 

Into the game proper, bear in mind that there are more items in this 
game than you can hope to cope with.  In every scenario, find a nice 
clear space in which to drop the stuff you don't need just yet, but 
from which you can retrieve it before you go on to the next level.  
Mostly, there is no return.  Since there is really no indication of 
how important certain items are, you might easily leave behind 
something vital without realizing it, and it's not fun having to 
reload and go back several levels just for that reason.  If you are 
really at a loss as to what to really discard, ingredients for 
spells are a safe bet.  Another is lesser weapons and armour.  I 
will tell you which vital objects you must take with you from every 
scenario, so that you don't have to do what I did - go back about 
twenty levels several times!  When I say "Take with you", I mean 
hang on to these items, you are going to need them much, much later.  
You'll see I also specifically mention two weapons - that is because 
I found them both indispensable (Great Blizzard Axe and Valkyrie 
Crossbow). 

On the subject of weapons, you are going to be spoiled for choice 
till you find the above mentioned ones. You'll have to decide which 
one you like best and be ruthless with the rest.  If you are unsure, 
take them with you from scenario to scenario and keep trying them 
out in reasonably safe circumstances.  But don't carry them all 
around with you. 

Which brings me neatly onto the subject of combat.  Most beasts will 
leave you alone if you don't attack them - if you do, their friends 
and relations tend to join in and you can find yourself in real 
trouble.  Still, if you do not fight, you don't advance so fast - 
and you need the experience points.  It is best to pick on isolated 
creatures whenever you have the chance rather than start an argument 
when there are several of them around, since they'll all turn on 
you.  Some can be killed from a safe distance, but any which have 
the power to cast things at you, be it poison or spells, are best 
fought at close quarters. 

Apart from combat, other hazards you will encounter are unexpected 
traps and, above all, having to jump to get places.  Now, this 
jumping business if very hazardous - I had a special saved game 
called Jumps and always saved before I started and every time a jump 
was successful.  A bit of a nuisance, but better than having to 
start from the beginning every few minutes.  Sometimes you can just 
jump by pressing the spacebar or D, sometimes you have to go back a 
bit and press the Shift and forward keys to run before the jump.  
Some surfaces are slippery, so that you have to press the backward 
key quickly or over you go.  

As to the ingredients for spells, when you have a good variety save 
your game and try different combinations.  If you get Arrant Prac, 
you know you've got it wrong.  Note down anything useful and reload.  
Frankly, I found that the ingredients themselves were more often 
more useful than any mixture I could concoct... 

In writing this, I cannot anticipate what you will choose to do... 
or what you CAN do.  Very often, you are restricted by which shape 
you happen to be at a critical moment.  And that's entirely random.  
"A Solution" means that I am merely describing the path I took; if 
reading this helps you, well and good - but I do not claim that this 
is the only way to solve this game. 

The most important hint I can give you is:  take your time, examine 
everything, talk to everybody, be very thorough.  Keep examining the 
map and make sure you've covered everything.  Also look out for 
Lizard-sized holes in rooms and other places:  not only can these be 
short cuts to other rooms but can also contain special items. 

Here we go.  From the start:


The Caves
---------

You get comprehensive instructions in the Manual as to how to 
proceed in these first caves - with pictures and all!  But here 
goes, anyway, for a little extra help. Don't, however, slavishly 
follow the Manual, or me - the whole puropose of this area is to 
allow you to experiment.  Try everything you can think of!  It will 
be invaluable experience for later on, and may be you'll come up 
with something nobody else has tried before. 

And, now, for some down to earth instructions:

Head generally north (without neglecting watching the map to make 
sure you cover all the ground), picking up stones, crystals, etc.  
Actually, the only really useful item is the Cave Aloe, which heals 
you - but do your own thing.  Follow the arrows you'll spot on the 
walls.  You might like to pick a safe fight or two (i.e., fight one 
guard at a time), just to get yourself a sword and a shield and 
collect experience points.  Avoid the three archers at the entrance, 
they'll kill you for sure.  Still, you might find it fun to see what 
happens if you do try to run through - but save your game first. 

Carrying on, when you come to some fireflies over a big rock, click 
on them and then follow them.  You will metamorphose as you come to 
a low entrance on the rock.  If you become the Lizard, go through.  
If you become the Beast, turn right around and follow the right wall 
till you come to a large boulder.  Walk against it to move it out of 
the way. 

Proceed along here till you come to a lit room with two columns 
barring the way.  Walk around the one to the right and push it 
against its fellow.  Then go to the front and push it forward.  
You'll soon be able to get through. 

Past here you will come to several doors, all of which but one will 
open by just clicking on them.  When you are in front of the one 
which won't, turn right and cut the chain with a sword (just click 
on the sword symbol).  Inside, an ancient magic stone.  If you right 
click it on the portrait, Luther gets extra magic power. 

Check the other rooms.  In one of them you'll see some crates.  
These can be piled up in front of the smooth wall to climb up 
through the hole.  Not that it seemed worth the effort - but I guess 
we are just being shown the ropes. 

In the other room, tucked in a very dark corner, you will meet a Orc 
on whom you can click for a conversation.  Speak to him twice and, 
when he expresses a wish to sleep before he fetches you something or 
other, let him sleep - if you poke him once more he just dies.  
Don't even bother to come back to him.  Let him follow you if he 
wills. 

I expect you'll come across a lot of waterfalls NE of a big pool.  
If you go to the waterfall to the N and smash the gushing rock with 
a weapon, this has unexpected results.  Push on here, see if it'll 
do you any good.  Then move on. 

In your travels, you might find yourself peeking through a gap at a 
guard - on the floor, an oil lake.  Cast Spark to fry the poor 
fellow, but back off quickly or you will get burned, too.  All of 
this, you realize, is to let you learn how to come to grips with the 
game.  Whatever you chose to do here, matters not at all. 

Carry on exploring till you come to a bridge over a river.  A door 
opens and a guard talks to you.  If, facing the bridge, you look to 
the left, you'll see a lever. This opens another portcullis around 
to your right and you can go into the guards' rooms and pick up some 
goodies. 

Cross the bridge towards the big doors, but don't be in a hurry - 
there's some more fun to be had.  If you hear the words "Hey, you!", 
that really means YOU.  Turn around and advance along the bridge the 
way you came.  When you see soldiers coming along, cut the chains to 
have a section of the bridge collapse (with the soldiers on top) 
while you back off to safety.  Snig, snig. 

Enough.  Let's get on with the real game.  Face the gates and enter 
the Draracle's lair.  Speak to him.  Eventually, he will direct you 
to the... 


Shinning path
-------------

Move to the door and go in, note the customer to your left and 
pretend you haven't, pick up the sword, mail (don't forget to equip 
them) and the champion stones.  These, as you will know from the 
Manual, will make you stronger. 

Now, you could open the metal bars by pulling the lever - going 
through the mirror is a shortcut to the village you are meant to 
visit.  However, it's much more fun to move the tapestry aside and 
go through the teleporter (just click on the wall). 
 

Advance and click on the Orb.  We seem to be in some sort of museum.  
Back off a little.  To your right you will find, on the wall, a 
triangular key.  Keep this key in your inventory where you can see 
it.  The creatures in this area will steal your last equipped item, 
and since you are going to use this key all the time to get a 
reading of the exhibits, it's always the last - you are going to 
have to fight tooth and nail to keep it.  Every time you've fought 
and the key is missing, search the body of your victim.  You might 
even have to run after the thieves. 

But don't let us anticipate.  In front of the orb, a tile on the 
floor can be moved and a stand will pop up.  Use the key on it and 
the wall at the back will open. Go in, cast Spark at the torch and 
then take all the scrolls.  Open the panel to your right and cast 
Spark.  Leave the way you came in.  Should the wall close before you 
can get out, a lever to the left of the door will open it again.  
Retrieve the key from the stand. 

OK, you must keep checking the map to make sure you don't miss 
anything.  Try to keep hugging the left wall so that you cover all 
of this area methodically.  Use the triangular key on the stands by 
the exhibits to find out what they are all about. 

If the scenario is a bit dark, walk up to the dim or unlit torches 
and cast Spark to light them up. 

You will first come to a barred room which you cannot enter.  If you 
stand on the right side and cast Spark, you will be able to see and 
pick up a green gem.  Put it in the square for magic items in your 
inventory - it gives you considerable protection. 

The next exhibit will give you a broken sword.  Hang on to it.  
Still keeping left, you should find a door on the wall which will 
lead you downstairs, where you will pick up the Prism Sword.  This 
is the best weapon to be had at the moment, till you get the 
Firesword.  Go back up and keep going left. 

In a room full of paintings, click on the one on the far wall to 
reveal a lever.  This opens up the next complex of rooms along (one 
of them contains THE hourglass, more of this anon).  Naturally, you 
will use the triangular key to hear all about the paintings. 

Going on, spot the one lit room (containing the hourglass) with the 
other three dim ones - using the triangular key on the stand at the 
opening to this complex will give you the clue.  We'll be coming 
back here later.  Carry on for now. 

You will come to a huge blue gem.  After you've heard what it's all 
about, you can hack away with a sword and get three chips off it.  
If you click them on the fire around this room, they are charged 
with the fireball spell.  You can only use them once, though.  I did 
not find where else you could charge them, but I was soon packing so 
much stuff, I didn't care. 

Having got right around here, you can next do the centre of this 
area.  You will find an axe over a stand (this axe is extremely 
useful because it can be thrown when you need to hit something from 
a distance and it comes back to you).  When you pick it up, you'll 
find yourself in some sort of liquid - going up will get you to the 
scroll room behind the orb.  To get out, find the lever on the left 
and the wall will open leaving you at the orb. 

Once you've been all around, go to the room to the S with the 
hourglass (don't discard the triangular key, make sure you take it 
with you; you'll need it much later). Hit the hourglass with your 
sword and it will break.  If you now back away and turn to your 
right, you will see that bits of the wall have fallen off.  Hack at 
it with any weapon and then go through. 

Just go along the corridor until you come to a barred door.  Kill 
the creature, click on it to get some Dragon Blood and collect the 
other vials in the room (these, by the way, act as delayed bombs).  
Open the door and go along to the dragon having a kip, click on him 
to chat and he will take you to... 

(Take with you:  Triangular key)


The Jungle
----------

You might like to start by discarding here anything you don't need. 
Just move ahead of you at first.  If you meet a two-headed beast, 
don't start poking at it after talking to it, otherwise it'll have 
you.  Just follow on till you get to the village.  An old man will 
tell you some people are missing and won't let you through.  You 
might as well start searching. 

The best way of going about this area is to use Luther to explore, 
the Beast to fight the two-headed nasties (experience points, you 
see) and the Lizard to get into those nooks and crannies.  But it's 
up to you. 

Wandering around the jungle and following rivers is fraught with 
danger, particularly if you fall into deep water (oh, do - save 
first and have a go, it's really worth seeing).  If you spot an 
isolated rock spouting water, attack it with a sword or something 
and you will find that a river bed dries out.  In the north end of 
the dried out river there is a hole - the Lizard can get a Speaking 
Stone and other items. (On the subject of Speaking Stones, use them 
by clicking them on the portrait.  They will give you a slight clue 
as to what's going on.) 

While you are exploring, keep your eyes on the ground and see what 
you can pick up.  Some bushes with paler and darker leaves give you 
aloe (healing).  If you cut the trees with a yellow blob at the 
bottom, you get ironwood sap.  You can get some wax from hanging 
hives and, by a small waterfall, Mind Stones.  Save your game, use 
one in the usual way and you'll see the whole area mapped.  If you 
then reload, you can use the same stone time and again. 

You might come across a small temple by this same waterfall, with 
several statues all around a circle on the ground.  Pick up the 
scroll you'll see on the floor and read it, but save before you 
attempt going up the stairs - I got trapped up there because I 
couldn't get the jump right, but you do get another scroll and some 
experience.  You might like to have a bash.  Me, I reloaded and 
tried something else.  If you click on the wall behind one of the 
statues, it opens out.  On the same side, but nearer the arch though 
which you entered there is a hidden panel with a lever.  Using this 
you can lift the statue in front of the secret door and go through 
it.  The stuff you can pick up here is pretty useless, so don't 
bother - at the end you'll be in another part of the jungle. 

To the SW, and going between two green mounds, you'll meet Kit'yara, 
who has a fine sword and wants an orb of power for it.  She also 
tells you, amongst other things, about her son Daniel.  She is 
important and you will be meeting her later on. 

N of here you'll come to a waterfall.  Approaching, you'll get a 
close up - click on the right and you'll enter a cave in which there 
is a skeleton and another Speaking Stone. If you've covered the 
whole area thoroughly, we can get on with the business on hand.  
Although there is a short cut to where you want to be, you need to 
be the Lizard to get to it and, because this is beyond your control, 
you might as well head for the maze of thorns.  You have to be 
careful because they suddenly grow and leave you cut off and 
disoriented.  Keep an eye on the map and, if you feel there should 
be an exit in a particular spot, hack away with one of your weapons 
to get through; better still, cast Spark.  This prevents the thorns 
from growing again and also marks your path rather conveniently.  
You want to head south and then west.  At length, you will come out 
into a clearing.  Search carefully for an opening in the rock and 
enter... 


The Hive Caves
--------------

You'll have to walk them all.  Look out for pieces of amber and some 
very nasty blue spidery things.  You must kill them (careful, you 
can get poisoned).  You should also find in a nest (or a messy bit 
of something or other), around here, a fine armour.  You will come a 
chasm and you won't be able to get round it on the south side unless 
you are the Lizard.  Alternatively, hack away at the overhanging 
stones in front of the chasm to create a path.  You need to be 
Luther to do this, and it's worthwhile, so that you don't have to 
rely on changing at the right moment.  Get across. 

If you head roughly E to some lava (jump from one slab of rock to 
another), you will come to two statues guarding a large sword - I 
don't know what this is all about, but if you want it, grab the 
sword and get out very quickly, otherwise you get crushed to death. 

Towards the north, you will find a pathetic little pile of bones 
which belong to the girl you saw in the intro.  And please don't 
mutter "serves her right!"  Move on to the E of here and you'll meet 
her mother.  This means you've rescued her, because now you've 
killed the nasties she feels free to buzz off to her village.  
Before you follow her, just go round here to the NW.  You will come 
to a tiled room.  Before you enter it, note the runes to the right, 
on the wall.  Enter the room and look around.  This is, in fact, a 
lift - but you can't use it yet.  Make your way all the way back 
to... 


The Village
-----------

This time, the senior citizen will let you through.  Go in, visit 
absolutely everywhere and talk to absolutely everybody.  After 
you've talked to the magician fellow, you can nick anything you can 
lay your hands on around him - particularly, get the Speaking Stone 
on the floor, to the right of him.  He is able to mend that broken 
sword... in exchange for an orb of power. 

A visit to the clandestine merchant is worth the effort.  He will 
offer you Kit'yara's firesword in exchange for a spot of murder.  In 
the meantime, pick up the key on the right and the green poison 
alongside.  

This key will open some of the locked doors in the village:  apart 
from a lot of ingredients, you can pick up a really nice crossbow.  
Every third shot, it snares your attacker, giving you an edge. 

Don't make up your mind yet about that murder.  Take that decision 
later - remember that, if you commit it, you won't be able to come 
back to the village. 

Don't neglect to visit the tavern.  When you've finished doing the 
rounds, you have a date on a bridge and you know you must go to the 
Monastery.  This is roughly to the SE of the map, I'm sure you'll 
find it. 


The Monastery
-------------

When you enter it, click first on the arch leading outdoors and talk 
to the brother you'll meet there.  Exit by using the arrow which 
will appear at the bottom of the screen when you move the cursor 
there. 

Next, click on the archway to the left.  You have an interesting 
conversation with Dawn.  Exit. 

Click on the door directly in front of you and you have an even more 
interesting conversation.  Now you know you have to get a copy of 
the runes with the wax (so make sure you have two bits of wax), and 
you have a flute which will let you use the lift you saw before in 
the Hive Caves, and which leads to... 


The Old Caves
-------------

Make your way to the Hive Caves.  Have another look at the runes 
before you enter the room with the lift, just to remember their 
order.  Step on the square platform sticking out and use the flute 
by right clicking it on the portrait.  The lift will come up.  Step 
on it.  You will see a stick with runes on it.  The top one 
corresponds to the top floor (the one you are in) - let's call it 
the 1st floor.  You can visit all the other floors by clicking on 
each of the runes. 

2nd floor:  touch the three hanging blocks.  They will drop into 
place and a fountain will appear, which heals you if you are hurt. 

3rd floor: a poisonous creature guards a hole in the wall.  I found 
I could kill it from a distance with the wonderful crossbow I got at 
the village.  You can crouch and go through the hole to a chamber.  
Pick up what you see and search the nest for a net. 

4th floor:  pick up the Speaking Stone on the floor and crouch to go 
through the tunnel.  You are on another floor.  Press the keys 
around the cat block in the same order and number of times which you 
saw by the entrance to the lift in the 1st floor.  This opens a door 
up a ramp.  Go up and manoeuvre the blocks in the correct niches 
(which match the symbol on each block), with the cats facing front.  
You will notice that, if you try to transfer the blocks, as they 
are, directly into the niches, the tend to be facing edge first and 
get stuck - if you see this is the case, move the block all over the 
room so that next time you approach the niches with it, the block is 
square on.  The blocks will turn the right way around automatically 
as soon as they are in. This is rather tricky and will try your 
patience somewhat.  However, once they are all in, this opens up a 
couple of chambers which contain a bow and a shield.  Picking them 
up will cost you health points.  In the room with the niches, now 
filled and barred, there is a hole in the wall.  It could be worth 
your while to hang around till you turn into the Lizard and go in to 
retrieve the goodies. 

Find your way to the lift and call it by pressing the green tile on 
the green pedestal.  Step on the lift and look at the stick with the 
buttons - we seem to have down two floors and we are now on the 6th.  
Go to the next floor, i.e., the 5th. 

On the 5th floor, turn the blocks so that all the cats are facing 
forward.  This opens up a secret passage - if you follow the right 
wall (carefully) you will come to a pile of rocks with an arm 
sticking out.  You can get the ring, which is magical.  Gross.  It's 
supposed to heal you and even resurrect you, but it didn't do this 
fellow much good.  No point in going on further down.  Nothing there 
except one of those nasty blue spiders.  Go back to the lift. 

6th floor:  we've been there.

7th floor:  if you are the Beast at the moment, wait till you are 
Luther.  Step on the round room, grab the scroll and keep walking 
around the edges to avoid the large rolling boulders.  By the way, 
this type of scroll contains a regeneration spell and it's worth 
it's weight in gold to you.  Keep it, and others you might find, for 
those critical moments when you've run out of magic points and are 
on the point of dying. 

8th floor:  Have a look around.  A passage leads to a lit room, but 
there is a rockfall when you try to follow it.  At the next passage, 
you will notice a niche in the wall composed of two tiles with cats 
on them and another tile in the middle, with an indentation on it.  
Use the flute on this tile.  Advance with care - if you see some 
blades on the wall, wait till they explode.  Move along and to your 
left - as you go through here a boulders falls through the roof and 
opens up a pit.  Try pressing the tiles either side of the wall, I 
couldn't figure out what that did.  I mean, a passage opened up 
leading nowhere and then a pedestal rose from the floor and I 
couldn't do anything with it.  Is this a red herring I see before 
me, or am I too dumb to see the obvious? 

Light the burner and step into the pit.  By clicking on the beast to 
the right, you get one of those magic stones.  Click on the left and 
you've found the runes - couldn't see them, myself.  Take two copies 
by clicking two pieces of wax on them.  Go back to the monastery but 
use the exit to the thorn maze.  As you come out of the caves, you 
meet Dawn.  At the end of the conversation, give her one of the 
copies of the runes.  Continue on your way.  At the monastery, give 
the other copy of the runes to Brother Julian, and you will get an 
orb of power.  Take the orb to the other brother in the garden - he 
shows you how to use it, but I'm too dim to understand what he was 
going on about.  Finally, speak to Dawn in the Library.  As you 
leave, she gives you a very useful spell. 

Now, if you click on the door to the left of the picture, you'll 
meet a very odd chap called Rix.  Go through the other door and you 
will come to a room full of crates.  If you pile them up in front of 
the bookcase, you can get up there and break it with a weapon.  You 
can then jump into the... 


Dark Halls  
----------

I fought my way all the way up the stairs without finding anything 
terribly useful, apart from the plasma staff (and I don't know how 
useful that is), a couple of other things and a few scrolls in the 
bookcases.  You have to be careful here when you explore, and not 
only because of the blue nasties which attack you.  The walls close 
behind you as you advance, so go slowly and don't be in a rush to 
climb up the stairs.  Keep opening the slats on the walls and peer 
into other rooms.  A tantalizing sight!  Do your best to get into 
them.  For instance, in the case of the very first room, to the 
right of the entrance, when you open the slat you will see inside a 
crate.  Poke it with your finger to reveal the explosives inside.  
Cast Spark at it and a hole will be blown in the wall, crouch and go 
in.  Pick up the scrolls. An oval chamber to the NE contains two 
nasties - find the chains quickly, pull them and daylight will come 
flooding in.  The nasties disappear; pick up the red fruit, which 
cures poisoning. 

One chamber worth getting into was through an opening in the S, 
going N.  You enter a room, hack the wall with the crack and pop in 
to find some really good stuff. 

Eventually, you'll reach the last floor and you will be trapped.  
Ignore the large circular room to the left as you advance and move 
to the metal door at the end of the passage.  Save your game.  Pile 
up a couple of crates by this door, but open them first clicking on 
their tops.  Then step well back and fire the plasma staff (which 
you get when you meet and kill Rix) at them.  They will explode and 
destroy the door.  Enter and pick up all the goodies you can, 
particularly the Speaking Stone. 

And now, save again and have a quick look at the circular room.  All 
right?  Reload and open two crates:  pick up one.  Manoeuvre it to 
the left and, counting the bricked-up windows, move the crate under 
the sixth.  Go back and get the other crate and pile it on top.  
Then, step back and fire the plasma staff at the crates and, when 
the bricks blow up, jump through the hole back to the jungle. 

I think I must have missed something, because otherwise this was a 
pretty pointless exercise.  Still. 

OK, now you are back in the jungle:  decision time.  You could a) Go 
to Kit'yara and swap your orb for the firesword; b) Give the orb to 
the Magician so that he mends the broken sword (I have a feeling 
this is important; remember the commentary on one of the paintings?) 
and afterwards; c) kill the captain and get your reward -the 
"merchant" will let you out through the back (you can't go back to 
the village, but do you want to?).  Or don't kill the captain (if 
you do, you might as well pop in and do the ruler in - he's got 
useful items about his person).  Up to you. 

Wander around southwards to find Kit'yara who is now in the jungle 
(if you haven't found her already) - she will give a you knife for 
her son.  Hang on to it - it's important. 

Before you head E to the bridge you might like to hang around for a 
while and kill plenty of those cats to build up experience points.  
Believe me, you won't want to tangle with the beasts in the next 
part of the game, since it's pitch dark and you can't see them.  
Also, once you are across the bridge, you won't be able to come back 
- so if you've left any item you think important laying about, don't 
forget to retrieve it before you cross.  

By the same token, discard here anything you really don't need, such 
as the lesser weapons and armour.  Combining reagents at this point 
will probably give you more room in the inventory.  You are going to 
need it. 

When you do get near the bridge, you'll meet your four-armed friend.  
After a conversation, he will lead you across.  You follow him 
automatically.  Watch what happens.  You are now in... 


The Savage Jungle
-----------------

Advance and you speak to Daniel automatically.  Give him the knife 
his mother gave you.  At the end of the conversation, the wild ones 
scatter - pick up the knife off the floor. 

At this point you might like to examine your inventory and discard 
anything you feel you don't need just yet - you can always come back 
and retrieve it.  Leave room in your inventory because you are going 
to find many things.  A few of them are some of those 
strawberry-like fruits (remember, they cure poisoning), those green 
light eggs thingies (they light up the surroundings) and a fish 
(allows you to see what is going on behind you - what's wrong with 
just looking round, I ask myself). 

You will find some traps covered with straw on the ground - they can 
be tripped, if you are careful (save first), and then the rope which 
holds the stone can be cut.  But I have no idea what this is all in 
aid of. 

You will meet horrible little bird-like creatures.  Mostly, they 
won't attack you if you leave them alone.  However, if you do attack 
them, they poison you - others join in and fight you from a 
distance.  Once dead, though, you can get a poison sac from them, 
and if you click this on the weapon circle, you'll poison your 
blade. 

OK, keep roughly to the right to find the Temple to the south.  When 
you get there, watch what happens.  You have to go to the mountains 
for a key.  I'll save you the trouble of going to the far E to the 
mountains, just now - a huge dragon will have you for breakfast 
because you don't yet have what you need to neutralize it. 

Instead, go back to where you started and keep left this time.  By 
the river, you'll find the fish I told you about.  Round about here 
there is a building with a barred door you cannot open.  Go to the 
back, wait till you are the Lizard and enter through the hole by the 
boulder.  Inside, some interesting items.  You will be able to open 
the door from here. 

Keep exploring.  If you come to a building in which there is a 
semicircle of torch stands, lighting them will allow you to reach 
the door above - however, you need some sort of key. 

To the N, you will come to the settlement of the wild ones.  The 
guard will let you pass when you hand him Daniel's knife.  Speak to 
Daniel then leave.  Step back. Click on the right, on a campfire and 
speak to the herbalist - you can help herself to some of her stuff, 
if you want.  Step back.  Click on the circular building and talk to 
the Shaman.  He suggests you join the tribe and bring him a 
SilverLeaf, giving you the key to the cemetery.  If you click on the 
right in his hut, you'll meet an old friend. OK, you can leave now 
and go... 


To the Cemetery
--------------- 

Go in.  If you haven't listened to the Speaking Stones yet, do so 
now (just click them on the portrait).  Dump them here and anything 
else you don't need immediately.  Use the key on the gate and go in.  
Walk around entering the buildings which are already open.  Pick up 
any orbs you see laying around (watch the floor).  Open the tombs 
and look inside.  If you see stairs going down, don't use them yet.  
Just remember where they are (mark the building on your map). You 
will notice than some buildings are locked, and that beside them 
there are statues with open mouths.  If you click on them, you will 
see at the bottom of the pedestals light patterns of different 
colours.  Three, to be precise - yellow, blue and white.  Hm.  Make 
a note on your map of which colour applies to which building, as you 
go around.  Count their number (i.e., so many yellow, so many white, 
so many blue).  When you can't enter any more buildings leave the 
cemetery and go SW... 


To the Ruins
------------

You'll see a circular pit in the ground surrounded by statues.  Go 
to the tree trunk laying across.  Jump onto it and save your game 
before you start negotiating your way downwards (at times, you'll 
have to jump - keep looking down).  You will do it eventually.  Find 
the entrance to the ruins.  There are pretty dangerous monsters 
here, so save a lot.  It's also very dark and you can't really see 
where you are going; what with that and the monsters hassling you, 
you have your work cut out to explore this place. 

Fortunately, I got turned into a Lizard as I got through, so I ran 
like a scared rabbit to the N and then turned to my left (W).  
Hugging the left or right wall, whichever seemed safer at the time, 
I didn't even pause for breath till I got to the Tower. 

Keep casting Spark to see where you are going, chances are you'll 
light a torch or something.  Indeed, in this area you have to light 
orbs on pedestals to move on.  For instance, lighting one of this 
will bring down a bridge so that you can get to the Tower. 

Inside the Tower, you'll notice a staircase you cannot climb.  Find 
the orb on a pillar and cast Spark.  This destroys the forcefield 
and allows you to go up, but before you start congratulating 
yourselves, look who's coming down the stairs!  I hope you have 
changed into something hefty, otherwise you'll have to run around 
till you do.  Kill the beast and nip up.  On the first floor you 
come to you'll see a claw.  Place one of those glass orbs you found 
(the empty ones, not the ones with a sword in them).  It will start 
doing weird things.  Retrieve it - you will see it has changed to 
white.  Has the penny dropped?  Yes, this is what you need to open 
the closed doors in the cemetery.  If you've counted the colours in 
the cemetery you'll know you only need one white orb. 

Right, now you've got it, use Spark on the dark orb on the pedestal 
to remove the next forcefield.  Go up, there is nothing on the next 
floor.  Do the necessaries and go up again.  Here you will find a 
beast who talks to you (couldn't understand a word) and then attacks 
you.  Fight it and kill it.  Take the bracers - the dead beast talks 
to you and all I could make out is that with these bracers you can 
talk to the dead.  Right, no need to go any further.  

You can go all the way down; on the ground floor, you can go round 
the stairs, light an orb and go down to find a pair of gauntlets.  
Go up and out of the Tower.  If you keep to your right, you will 
come to a room with a mirror.  Walk through it.  You'll find 
yourself in a room with three mirrors - the one to the left takes 
you to the Savage Jungle and leaves you there.  The one on the right 
takes you back to where you've just been.  The one in front takes 
you to the cemetery, so go through it.  Note where you are - you can 
use this teleporter to go back to the Dracoid Ruins when you want 
to. (Take with you:  Bracers of the Dead) 


The Cemetery
------------

OK, go to the building in which you saw stairs going down.  When you 
descend you'll find it hard going because it's very dark and you 
have to keep consulting the map to see where you are.  Keep casting 
Spark - with a bit of luck you'll hit the burners and you'll get a 
bit of light.  You will also be hassled by very nasty ghostly 
things. 

You need to go N first and then W.  You are looking for a lit room 
in which there is a claw like the one you saw in the Ruins.  There 
should also be an orb on the floor.  Put what you've got in the claw 
- you should have at least two yellow orbs, now. 

Leave and let's start methodically opening all the buildings which 
can be opened.  Always look inside the tombs and on the floor - look 
at the walls, as well.  Go to the first to the NW and enter it.  
Look around.  A lever by the door opens a building to the S.  Go to 
it.  You will see a barrel inside the door.  Go past it and collect 
another orb.  Go to the barrel, click on it to turn it on its side 
and again to get it rolling.  Follow it.  Now, wasn't that fun? 

I tried to see what was in the barrel by casting Spark - bad idea.  
It wasn't dark, as I thought, that was oil on the floor!  What you 
have to do here is use a Dragon Blood on the portrait, then put it 
on the ground and back right out of the building.  It explodes and 
uncovers an underground complex.  Jump in. 

It's very dark in here, so keep casting Spark and hope you'll hit a 
burner.  What you are looking for here is another claw which turns 
the orbs blue.  You only need two, at the moment.  Going east-ish, 
you'll find two lots of balustrades, jump over them and you'll reach 
the claw which turns the orbs yellow, also you'll be able to find 
the stairs and get out. 

So carry on opening buildings, finding orbs and going to charge them 
(in one of them you will also find a fine crossbow).  In one of the 
buildings you will find the ghost of a priest, who won't give you 
the SilverLeaf until you do him a favour, but he does give you his 
urn.  What's a ghost urn?, you ask yourselves. 

Make sure you have opened all the buildings.  You should now have 
three blank orbs.  If you charged too many, you can discharge them 
by using them on Luther.  Now go to the teleporter to... 

(Take with you:  Valkyrie Crossbow)


The Dracoid Ruins
-----------------

As soon as you arrive, you could go to the Tower and get one of the 
orbs charged white.  That's that done.  Now, you are going to have a 
tough time.  For one thing, you are going to change into the wrong 
creature every few seconds.  For another, you've no idea what's out 
there. 

Use the Lizard to light up as many torches/orbs as you can, keep him 
moving.  The Beast is absolutely wonderful at killing gorgons and 
snake dragons - he seems to be immune to their poison and hardly 
gets hurt at all, but he is totally hopeless for everything else.  
Luther is fine for lighting things and manipulating things, and can 
also fight the creatures - at a cost.  Once last thing:  save before 
you venture into water. 

You want to reach the NE of the map so, from the bridge after the 
Tower, head roughly E, S, N, E, S, E, N, W.  You will see what I 
mean as the map unfolds.  You should be reasonably well N now; 
you'll come to a river.  Cross it and you'll find a square building, 
roughly midpoint between E and W.  Searching around here you should 
find a statue of Belail.  Mark this spot on your map.  Go back to 
the river.  Instead of crossing straight E, wade a little to the N 
to find a parallel passage.  Follow this, skirting the river and 
later a large lake.  

Quite a way along, you'll see an entrance to the right.  Follow this 
and you'll come to an antechamber.  What looks like a large boulder 
on the floor is in fact the body of the priest.  Pick it up and 
manoeuvre it into the chamber and onto the slab. Light the two orbs 
and the body will be incinerated - use the urn the ghost gave you on 
the ashes to collect them.  Now all you have to do is to get back to 
the teleporter.  A piece of cake.  Get back to... 


The Cemetery
------------

OK, you know what to do, just go to the ghost and give him the urn.  
Will he give you the SilverLeaf?  Hah!  No use saying you've urned 
it.  You won't get it till you do what he says.  Right, you might as 
well go and charge the other two orbs, one blue and one yellow. 

When you've done that, go find the large wall with the symbol on it 
(to the S of the building in which the ghost was).  Use the key on 
the symbol and an underground passage will appear.  Go in and place 
the orbs in the boxes (just try each one, they will only accept the 
right one).  Then the door opens and you get to talk to the ghost of 
the King, who, guess what, wants you to do something for him.  Sigh.  
Collect his corpse off the tomb and head for the teleporter.  At 
least you know where you are going, this time. 


The Ruins, yet again
--------------------

Considering you did a very good job of mopping up monsters the last 
time, you might like to explore the ruins properly, since there is 
some interesting stuff around and at least another Speaking Stone.  
Me, I had so many items already, I needed a wheelbarrow to cart them 
around.  So, if you can't be bothered, just head for the building in 
which you saw the statue of Belial, which you no doubt marked on the 
map.  When you cross the river, instead of going to the building 
were the statue is, skirt around it to the W and N and clear the 
area of nasties - this is because you are going to be coming here in 
a minute and you really don't want to be hassled at that point. 

OK, go to the statue and use the corpse you are carrying on the 
golden container to the left.  Watch.  The statue comes to life.  
Follow it.  You will enter a narrow passage - be on the look out for 
an entrance to your left.  When you see it, save the game, go 
inside, have a look - to your left, there is a wooden contraption, 
could be a table.  All right.  Reload and continue following the 
statue.  Watch what happens.  As soon as you have control, save.  
Look at your map.  Head for the building with the table (be quick), 
and when you get there, jump on it.  You'll float up.  As you near 
the top of the waterfall, step onto the other table and then jump 
into the gap.  So far, so good.  Follow the passage and turn to your 
left, ignore the hole with the rock in it and enter the next passage 
- this takes you upwards and to an exit.  On the floor, a wooden 
door.  Because this is rather tricky, save again.  Move the wooden 
door onto the water in front and, hanging on, step on it.  You 
should float up to the entrance to the Ruins. 


Savage Jungle
-------------

Turn over, you are snoring.  As you wake up by the flooded ruins 
you'll meet Dawn; she'll ask about the bracers - give them to her 
and she'll give you a speaking stone and an amulet.  Now go back to 
the cemetery and talk to the King's ghost.  You won't understand a 
word.  So what's new?  Leave and pick up the spell you'll see on one 
of the boxes.  You will also see a silver tree.  Pick up a few 
leaves. 

Go to the settlement and see the Shaman.  Give him the SilverLeaf 
and he'll tell you you must fight.  Do so, don't hold back and have 
the healing spell ready.  After a while the fight is stopped and 
everybody is good friends.  Now go back to the Shaman and he will 
give you the potion and also a spell.  

OK, time to head for the Claw Mountains.  You are aiming E/SE.  If 
you see a spot surrounded by broken down walls, save, go in and have 
a look.  You'll probably get killed, but at least you'll know what's 
down there.  Not that it will do you any good. 

When you get to the river, you'll see a huge tree.  Push it and 
either climb over and then jump or, if you are the Lizard, crawl 
through and jump to the tree on your left.  That way you can get 
down without getting hurt.  Either way, head northwards with great 
care, hiding behind the boulders as you move.  Mix the SilverLeaf 
with the potion and then, at an opportune moment, toss it at the 
dragon.  He'll drop off and you can enter... 


The Claw Mountains
------------------

As soon as you are through, you'll meet Dawn again, who suggests you 
look for the Dream Stone while she looks for the Citadel.  You can 
start exploring around here, bearing in mind that ice paths are 
slippery and the snow is unstable.  Whenever possible, hug the walls 
along your way.  If you think you should be able to get through 
somewhere, try a fire spell. Before you get to where you really need 
to be, there are a few minor adventures you might like to undertake; 
they are not absolutely necessary to complete the game and they are 
also a bit of a pain in the neck.  However, it's up to you. 

Do, by all means, go S and have a look - nothing there.  Come back 
and try N.  An interesting village and a reagent.  Nothing else.  
You really need to go E over the ice bridge.  If you hug the right 
wall, you will come to a cave covered in skeletons.  Inside, a 
sleeping beast.  If you are feeling belligerent, you can kill it; 
but this means his mates will hassle you the rest of the way.  You 
might prefer to let sleeping cats lie.  Wait till you become the 
Lizard and enter the hole in this cave.  You can pick up more magic 
stones and also light one of those orbs.  Leave.  This action means 
that a building emerges in the middle of the lake.  On top of the 
building there is a very necessary axe (Great Blizzard Axe), and you 
must leap onto the ice floes to get as near as you can and pick it 
up - just keep clicking on it and eventually you'll get it.  You can 
be in the actual water for a very short while without dying.  Then, 
jumping from floe to floe, get as near to the shore as you can and 
take a running leap out.  Continue heading towards the NE. 

Hugging the right wall, you'll come to another entrance and you'll 
hear the sound of rushing water.  Stick like glue to the wall as you 
advance; there is an avalanche waiting to take place and you could 
well go down with it.  If you've made it in one piece and peer over 
the side, you'll see some wooden pegs on the cliff side going down. 
You don't really need to, but this is what you could do. 

Climb down the pegs (save before you try) and make sure you don't 
fall in the water at the end, but rather turn right and jump safely 
onto the snow.  Cross one of the ice bridges, find a funny looking 
wall behind some crossed sticks and cast a fireball at it to melt 
it.  Wait till you turn to the Lizard, go into the caves and you 
will come out at a place where, right in front of you, there is a 
warrior holding a bow frozen into the wall.  Go to the end of right 
ledge, fireball the guy and quickly pick up the bow (just click on 
it) before it disappears into the water.  Leave the caves. 

Go half way through one of the ice bridges and wait till an ice floe 
floats under you.  Jump onto it and wait till you go past a cave - 
jump in and get a ring and another recipe.  Then wait for an 
opportunity to jump back onto dry land.  A perfect waste of time.  
You'll have to climb up those wooden pegs again. 

What you really need to do is to stay up there after the avalanche 
and carry on along the right wall till you come to another entrance.  
Follow this and you'll find Kenneth's dead body.  If you click on it 
you get a photo of his girlfriend.  Cast it against a wall and it 
smashes, producing a highly protective amulet. 

And now, there is nothing for it - you'll have to jump somehow 
across to the next complex.  Examine the map and place yourself in 
front of the bit which projects the most from the other side, then 
take a running leap. 

When you are across, follow along and you will see Baccatta in a bad 
state and he tells you the Roloi have Dawn.  Continue on till you 
get to... 


The Citadel
-----------

You in a lot of trouble here.  Very nasty creatures indeed are going 
to attack you at every turn.  The only really effective way of 
dealing with them is to get right up close and bash away with your 
best weapon.  However, they never keep still and they erect pink, 
deadly barriers between you and them.  If you nevertheless persist 
and dodge around and pursue them, they take flight and even go 
through walls.  Since you must kill them all, you might as well get 
practice just as you go through the door, when only one will be 
there to attack you.  If you chase it around you will see it 
disappears through an opening in the wall (with your back to the 
entrance, this is to the left, just around the corner).  I was still 
packing the Valkyrie crossbow, so I shot and shot at that opening 
(use Q to rise your sights) until I got it.  How did I know?  When 
you click on the weapon circle, if you are hitting a creature, even 
if you cannot see it, there will be a splash of blood.  When the 
blood doesn't show any more, the creature is dead. 

Once that's done, you are about to enter the first chamber.  Click 
on the orb in the middle of the room and go to your right (E).  You 
will see eggs in a lake of poison.  Go around shooting them all and 
dodging behind the columns to avoid the rays being shot at you.  
Make sure you destroy all the eggs. 

Now go out and go W.  You will enter a very large circular chamber, 
chock-a-block full of those creatures.  Naturally, you will change 
into the Beast and the Lizard when most inconvenient - it is best to 
be Luther here all the time, but no such luck.  You have to have 
your heal spell ready at all times if you are going to survive, so 
you won't be able to stop yourself from changing.  

There are obviously various strategies to deal with this deadly 
section, but here is one.  Concentrate on destroying the creatures 
first - don't touch anything - lighting globes seems to drive them 
nuts.  Hug either the left or the right wall looking for cover and 
trying to spot the holes up in the wall though which the creatures 
come and go.  Try to find a good place from which to strafe those 
holes - once no more creatures are left in them, move on to the 
next.  If you change into the Beast or the Lizard, go hide somewhere 
and use them to let your mana and health points recover.  The Beast 
can do a lot of damage if he can get close to the creatures, but he 
is so slow that he is unlikely to do so.  Better keep very still and 
recover.  The Lizard doesn't stand a change, so either run like fury 
or keep very still, too, somewhere safe. 

When you feel you've pretty well cleared the larger part of the 
monsters, go around clicking on all the orbs you can see.  There is 
an important one in the shape of an eye behind a large column.  The 
orbs around the centre open up slabs to offer you lots of reagents.  
Take what you like, but make sure you get a dragon blood, 
silverleaf, aloe, poison sac and light like egg - if you have these 
already, just make sure you don't use them, since you are going to 
need them later on. 

While you are wandering around you will see an entrance to a passage 
to the N.  Move along here and click on an orb to open the door.  
You'll get shot at.  Go through and you'll come to a round poison 
pond with a teleporter in the middle.  Jump on it and you'll see 
Dawn.  You'll need the Dream Stone to get her out.  Leave. If you 
continue along here you'll come to another passage and another 
teleporter.  You'll see imprisoned women.  OK, out you go. 

If you have been all around and killed all the creatures, go to the 
E where you'll see some pink steps.  Jump up on them - you'll find 
it easier to use the ledges on the actual wall to help you reach 
each step.  You should make it all the way to the top without too 
much trouble.  You will see a bridge forming and disappearing very 
quickly.  Step in front of the machine spewing the plasma, save your 
game and, as soon as the bridge appears, run across.  Walk around 
here till you find an entrance and go in.  Watch.  At the end of the 
scene, the beast talks to you and asks you to come near.  Oh, yeah?  
I used the net on it and then moved in with the axe - it backed away 
from me, and I just leisurely shot it with the Valkyrie bow.  Easy 
Peasy.  Get the Dream Stone from the claw and step on the teleport.  
You come out near the entrance - use the stone to open the door and 
go back in.  First, go to the imprisoned women.  Click on the weapon 
circle and the cover on the left will fall.  Pull the lever to open 
the bars.  If you've missed any of the creatures outside, the women 
won't come out and you'll have to go searching for stragglers and 
dispatch them -one good way of attracting them is to turn the orbs 
on and off.  You'll know you've killed them all when the women leave 
the prison. 

Go to Dawn and use the stone on the right of the forcefield and she 
will be free.  She will give you another spell and will tell you 
she'll meet you at the Temple.  Don't forget to recover the Dream 
Stone. 

Make your way back to the circular room and find the column with the 
ramp going up.  Near the top you'll find a teleporter which will 
leave you by the entrance. 

Now you have the very tiresome task of finding your way out of here.  
When you come to the broken ice bridge, bide your time and jump onto 
a floating ice floe.  Wait till you get reasonably close to the 
accessible land - actually, you can only clamber up on the left 
bank.  You'll then be at the foot of those wooden pegs.  Jump all 
the way up, saving every time you are successful.  You should be 
Luther to do this.  Don't try for the very last one.  Just face the 
cliff and jump up. 

(Take with you:  The Great Blizzard Axe, the Dream Stone and the 
reagents I mention above) 

OK, from here on is reasonably easy.  Get back to the Savage Jungle, 
get to the cliff side, in front of the green bit (save first) and 
take a running jump at it.  Now it's just a matter of getting to... 


The Temple
----------

As you come in, you'll notice a corpse on the ground.  Leave it for 
now and open the door (both panels).  Go in and you will see an 
altar with two bowls.  In front, to your left, a tapestry can be 
moved to reveal a passage.  Leave it for now.  Go E instead and have 
a look at the chapel.  Either side of a second altar, an aloe leaf 
and poison paint.  Aha!  Leave them and go back to the first altar.  
Put an aloe leaf on the left bowl and poison paint (made with a 
venom sac and a light like egg - I hope to brought those with you 
from the Citadel).  A noise at your back will alert you that things 
have changed.  Look and you will see a slab.  What a lovely place to 
put a corpse on!  Go back and get the stiff from outside and place 
it on the slab.  Poke it and it will disappear in a flash. 

OK, let's go E.  To the left of the altar, a secret door opens out 
into another room.  Another door appears to lead to a blank wall, 
but in fact, if you step in and close the door, a passage will 
appear.  However, no need to go down it because it's actually a way 
out rather than a way in.  Go back and around to the second altar; 
pick up the aloe and put it in one bowl and then the poison paint 
and put it in the other.  A ghostly ball of light appears.  Turn 
around and go out into a courtyard in which there is a fountain - in 
front of it, a green shard.  Get it. You will notice that this shard 
matches exactly the indentation in that round building we saw in the 
jungle but had to leave for lack of a key.  Take my advice and 
forget it.  If you go to all the trouble of getting there, 
clambering up the steps and then opening the grate, what you'll find 
inside is simply not worth the bother.  Honestly.  Still, it's up to 
you. 

Back in the courtyard, you will have noticed that a hole has 
appeared in the ground.  You can do several things, now, whichever 
appeals to you the most.  You can go down and along the passage, you 
can back off, hack at the columns and watch the ceiling fall down, 
or you can get in, hack at two columns, then duck as you hit the 
last (best done as the Beast).  Me, I brought the ceiling down and 
backed off smartly.  I like to have my back covered - goodness knows 
what's down there. 

OK, you can go back to the first altar, remove the tapestry and 
begin investigating.  If you keep left, you will see a large chamber 
with two floating dishes - empty, of course.  The next room, on the 
left and past some beds (amongst which is a lightning crystal) has 
some sort of a fountain - if you press the button, an aloe plant 
grows).  In the next room to the right of the beds, there are some 
chairs and tables.  As I was looking around, a horrible blue spider 
barged in.  I followed the tunnel and got myself into a room in 
which there were three coffins.  Looking inside, I found a flute. 

I walked across to another passage and went left.  Here things got a 
bit sticky because, whereas I was most polite and forbore to 
interfere with the spiders, they very rudely attacked me at every 
turn and made my progress very difficult indeed.  And there were 
more of them than of me.  Make sure you don't change shape while 
fighting, or you are a dead duck.  The Lizard, above all, doesn't 
stand a chance.  If the spiders run away from you, don't go after 
them - let bygones be bygones.  You haven't a hope of destroying 
them all. At any rate, I found my corpse again and pressed a key by 
it.  It moved elsewhere.  I noticed it was on a conveyor belt, and 
watched for a while until more spiders distracted me.  When I looked 
again, it was obvious that it had been minced.  I walked around to 
the back of the machine and found a box full of... full of... Gulp.  
The next obvious thing to do was to transfer this box onto the next 
conveyor belt, spiders permitting, and then walk around the back of 
the machine to see what we got this time.  In fact, it was a 
statuette. 

Now is the time to explore around, consulting the map, pressing the 
odd button here and there and killing a few spiders.  You should 
then find, in a newly opened niche between the first altar and the 
second, a whole lot of statuettes just like yours behind bars.  Only 
one square is empty, so obviously you will put the statuette in.  
Great, you get another shard.  

Go back to the room with the floating dishes and, very carefully, 
place the shards on them.  A wall opens up.  Go through it and you 
will see three portals.  Go first through the one in the centre - 
you will be on a tilting floor.  If you have one of those light like 
eggs use it to see what you are doing.  The idea here is to press 
two buttons either side when the floor is tilted in a way in which 
you can reach them.  You'll be hassled by those bird-like creatures 
you met in the Savage Jungle.  Ignore them, if you can.  When the 
floor is level, go across and pick up a statue.  Leave. 

Through the portal to the right, you just have to brave the flaming 
passages to get a mist of doom spell and press a button.  When 
you've pressed all three buttons, a bridge will come down at the 
other end of the room and you can cross it to get another statue.  
Leave. The last portal leads to my least favourite pastime - 
jumping.  First you have to press two buttons, to the NW and to the 
SW.  Then you have to get in through the opening at the other end.  
Use the map to see the best way to jump to get to where you need to 
be, and save often.  Getting through the opening is not as tough as 
it seems - line yourself correctly with it and take a running leap.  
You'll be on a narrow passage way, walk carefully along here, 
braving the fireballs, and collect some regeneration spells and the 
last statue.  You will be teleported to the entrance of this 
particular puzzle.  Leave.  Behind these three portals there is 
another entrance.  To the right, you will see an indentation for the 
flute - how unoriginal.  Advancing along here you will see some 
blades.  However, a door to your right will allow you to bypass 
them.  As you emerge into the corridor, cling to the right wall as 
you walk forward, otherwise you'll trigger a trap.  At the end of 
the corridor, don't press the buttons.  Move into the chamber 
instead and place the statues in the pedestals thoughtfully provided 
for you.  Some stairs will appear. 

Go up them and you'll cross an unstable bridge.  Have a look around.  
Nothing here, yet this must lead somewhere.  I tried the bridge 
again to see what happened, but nothing did.  I even jumped up and 
down.  To pass the time, I killed some of those bird-creatures and, 
what do you know, their dead weight was enough to move the bridge 
downwards.  There I met with Belial, or a Belial look-alike (they've 
lost me, by now) and had a surprisingly easy fight of it.  Once the 
beast was dead, I went through the only doors available.  Coming to 
a stand, I placed the Dream Stone on it.  Then there is an animated 
bit and you see the Dracoid City emerge from the water, and you take 
a Number 9 Dragon to it. 

(Take with you:  a silverleaf, dragon blood)


The City
--------

You'll start in what looks like a balcony - use the only door there 
is and take a lift down.  You are now in the main part of the city.  
Look, why don't you walk around to see all there is?  Then I can 
tell you what to do.  By the way, don't tangle with the ambulating 
blobs if you can help it - if you do, though, you'll find that the 
Great Blizzard Axe makes short work of them. 

OK?  Are you back at the starting point?  Right, now we'll advance 
directly south, going around the main square.  You should be at a 
large fountain.  Look up and you should see a globe floating over 
the spout.  Attack it with the Great Blizzard Axe (GBA).  The water 
will overflow.  Marvellous.  Now turn around and head N. 

Turn right at the square and head towards the round building at the 
SE.  Along here, on your right, you will see an opening.  Go in and 
you will see a chip floating on a fountain spout.  Hack at the 
fountain with the GBA and it will freeze.  Break it and get the 
chip.  Out and carry on towards the SE.  To your right, another 
opening.  Pop in.  As you explore around here, you will see pairs of 
items.  You will also have noticed a stand in front of some sort of 
altar.  It transpires that if you take one of the items of a pair 
and place it on the stand, its fellow will appear on the altar.  
Whereas most of the items are not all that desirable, I found it 
worth while to use the following pair:  ring of regeneration/ancient 
magic stone.  So I placed all the ancient magic stones I had about 
my person and got as many rings as I could carry, and found them 
jolly useful later on.  You might decide otherwise.  At any rate, 
leave when you have finished. 

Proceed to the round building at the SE.  You will see a tall, black 
column in the middle with doors which don't open - the same as the 
other round buildings in the four corners of the map.  Push in, look 
around and jump over a ditch and you will see some doors - go 
through.  The idea here is to keep going through doors which give 
access to other doors (some only lead to blank walls with an 
inaccessible opening).  If you can't get through by way of a door, 
try the next along, and so on.  Eventually you'll come out in a 
large chamber with an oil lake and the head of Belial.  Use the 
Dragon Blood here and get out fast.  This does something or other, 
oh, I don't know, something terribly important.  When you come out, 
you will find, on returning to the circular building, that the doors 
on the black column are open.  Pick up the lightning storm crystal 
and go up the stairs.  You will see a box and a teleporter.  Move 
the box into the teleporter (gently, otherwise it goes right through 
and out the other side) and enter the teleporter yourself.  At the 
other side, move the box into the square hole in the floor and enter 
the teleporter again.  You'll be back where you started (these moves 
have to be repeated at each of the buildings in the corners of the 
map). 

Right, leave this building and head for the one on the NE.  As you 
proceed along, you will see an opening to the N of you.  Pop in, if 
you like, and you'll see statues at either side.  You can safely 
leave this area for now, but mark it in your map.  Leave, and 
continue to make for the NE. 

When you get to the round building there, you'll know what to expect 
- further in, there is a black column with locked doors.  What you 
do here is the following.  Place a SilverLeaf under the red glass 
pyramid, turn around and click on the yellow hexahedron (it waters 
the plant) and then move forward and click on the hourglass (it 
accelerates the passing of time) and you will see that a SilverLeaf 
tree has grown inside the pyramid and broken it.  Watch how the red 
ball inside it moves forward and gets the doors open on the black 
column.  Go inside - you know what to do.  By the way, you can also 
grow other useful vegetables on the plots either side of the 
pyramid, and by the same means.  All I had on me was aloe, and I 
really didn't need any more of its leaves since they weren't all 
that useful when I was in dire need of healing - but it's up to you.  
It's fun, anyway. 

OK, now let's head for the NW.  As you walk along the road, keep 
your eyes either side for openings (in one case you'll see a blank 
wall, but clicking on it will let you through).  On your left (I 
feel like a tour guide!) an opening will lead to a strange scene in 
which a dragon is having a kip - I could do nothing about it, so I 
moved on. 

On the right, another opening will take you to three fountains.  
Attack them with the GBA to freeze them, and again to destroy them.  
Place the cube on the platform and then follow the corridor till you 
come to a wall with bars.  Find the other cube and place it on the 
other platform.  Climb on the cube and take a diagonal running leap 
to get over the wall.  Advance along here and up the stairs.  Save 
before you try anything silly.  Get your bearings.  Grab the chip 
and run down the stairs and over the water and over the wall, and 
don't stop until you are safe - the reason being that the ceiling 
begins to come down and can crush the life out of you. 

You can go now onto the street again and continue on your way.  To 
the right you will see an opening which leads to a chalice on an 
altar.  This is a colossal red herring - I don't know how much time 
I spent pushing it, pulling it, jumping on it, hacking at it and 
trying to put things in it.  I even tried placing items in the three 
alcoves round it.  A perfect waste of time and, in the long run, it 
made no difference whatsoever to the outcome of the game.  May be 
you'll think of something I didn't. 

Let's move on, why don't we.  As you continue, you will spy another 
opening on the left.  Go in and head for the statue on your left.  
Click on it.  Turn around and walk towards the statue which seems to 
be across a chasm.  Save and start walking boldly towards it over 
the vacuum - but don't rush and walk straight.  If you look down, 
you'll see that a path is being created beneath you even as you 
advance.  Collect the chip the statue is holding and walk back 
carefully.  Leave. 

OK, when you get to the round building to the NW you will find 
enough blocks raising and falling to make you dizzy.  What you need 
here is to destroy three items - one is a floating stone and the 
other two a red blob and a white blob.  Once you've done that, you 
can go in to find the black column - the doors will have been opened 
and you can do what you have to do. 

Now we must head SW.  Round the square and on, you will find an 
opening to the right.  Another chip is enticingly waved at you - but 
save before you get it because the chamber in which you are will 
quickly flood and drown you.  Get your bearings and be ready to 
scamper in double quick time.  As you continue along the street you 
will see an opening to your right.  This is where you use the 
triangular key you've been carting around with you.  Each room 
contains a reagent which you might or might not need - but if you 
are going to break the glass and get it, be ready to retreat quickly 
or be crushed to death.  None of my antics here did anything to 
eliminate the glass forcefield in front of the room which contained 
a table.  However, since this made no difference whatsoever to the 
outcome of the game, I have to assume it was another red herring (or 
the work of a programmer not it touch with what the rest of the 
programmers were doing).  Actually, it stands to reason that this 
cannot be important - how many players could be expected to keep the 
triangular key the first time they play the game? 

Enough of this.  Moving on, you will see an opening on your left.  
If you go in, you will see a deep well in front of you.  Either 
side, a silverleaf plant.  Below, as I found out afterwards, is an 
entrance/exit to the Underground Caverns.  Of no importance 
whatsoever, so let's go on. 

You will soon arrive at the last round building in the SW.  You just 
put in the chips in the right indentations and the last black column 
will be open to you.  You know what to do. 

Now, instead of going back into the teleporter, wander outside and 
click on all four yellow hexahedrons.  Go through the nearest 
teleporter back to the city and this time head for the town square.  
A building will have emerged in the middle - go in through the 
shimmering gate and meet yet another clone of Belial.  After a 
heated conversation you will have a fight and, no doubt, kill the 
beast.  Continue walking forth inside till you come to a forcefield.  
Step into it.  Ah.  Yes.  I think this has something to do with the 
Mantle.  It means that you won't change unless you want to, which is 
a great relief. 

Leave this building and head for the opening I asked you to mark on 
your map.  As you come in you will notice that there are doors left 
and right.  If you open them all and light up the orbs on the 
pedestals, a secret panel opens in the room to the SE and, inside, 
you'll find a scarab.  Blessed if I know what THAT does.  However, 
this is not important.  What you have to do here is to proceed along 
the corridor, braving fireballs, to reach a broken-down fountain.  
Go on to the next room and you'll find a functional fountain.  Get 
in it and hack at the dragon and, when it bleeds, a wall will open 
at the back.  Go through and around and you'll find a teleporter 
to... 


The Underground Caverns
-----------------------

The idea here is to head to the SW of the map.  Save very often.  
Don't tangle with the spiders, there's just too many of them.  Slip 
quietly past and, if at anytime you should be surrounded by them and 
unable to proceed, reload and be warned to avoid them.  Don't mind 
the odd blow as you walk past, just keep your eye on the red bar and 
make sure you are not losing too many hit points. 

Eventually you will reach a round chamber to the SW.  To the W of 
that, you'll find an opening (consult your map) blocked by some 
tubes - keep hacking at them and advancing and you'll find yourself 
at another one of those special entrances.  Click on the left and 
you will get to a... a... thingie.  Hack at it and you'll be able to 
go through.  You'll find another thingie in the foreground and 
something green on the right (I hope I'm not getting too technical 
for you).  Click around, hack around and wait a bit and a spider 
will come along and do something or other - but a gap appears on the 
left and, by clicking on it, you will get to... 


The Laboratory
--------------

Watch the bit in which Bacatta has a bash at the enemy.  He will 
give you a horn, which is the only weapon with which you can 
ultimately destroy Belial - so hang on to it.  As soon as you are in 
charge, turn right and move along.  Have a look around - the red 
liquid from the fountain flows under the wall, and the opening is 
barred by spears.  Look down at them and hack them broken, then 
change to the Lizard (place the Curse Control in the spell circle 
and press 3).  Jump in and through and turn left.  When you get up 
there, use one of those light like eggs, if you have any left, to 
see what's ahead.  I saw three switches and shot at them to move 
them, but it didn't seem to make much difference.  Next, I found out 
to my cost that I had to go right. 

Running first W and then S, I got to a round room which in the map 
was marked Summoning Chamber.  Well, I tried all sorts, and this 
worked:  place the group of spells indicated by a skull (how 
appropriate) in the spell circle and, aiming accurately at each of 
the four skulls, cast Lesser Apparition (i.e., press 1); they all 
end up in the centre of the room and a Demon appears.  Fight it and 
get what it's carrying.  Get the corpse and go to the doors - 
opening them will place you, and the corpse, on a lift.  You need to 
go to a room to the SE of the Summoning Chamber (consult the map) 
and, once there, find the silver circle on the floor and place your 
corpse on it.  This opens a door to a lift which will take you to... 


The Birthing Chamber
--------------------

You meet Dawn, who has another simple request for you.  Aren't you 
sick of them.  Following your nose, you'll come to a blob.  Press 5 
with the Control Curse in the spell circle.  Watch.  Fight all the 
demons which appear (collecting what they are carrying) and then 
attempt to follow Belial.  There is nothing for it - hack away at 
the door till you get through (in fact, all locked doors in this 
area have to be destroyed to open them). 

In the next room you will see some unhealthy mists and contraptions 
on the ceiling above them.  Shatter them with a bow and you will be 
able to get through.  Along the corridor you will come to a chamber 
with platforms going up and down, and Belial will talk to you from 
the other side.  He conjures up Scotia and you have to fight her - 
get right up close to her and bash away keeping your eye on your 
health.  Then, leap across to the other side.  

Before you go any further here, approach the next door with caution.  
Look to your left and you'll see an accident waiting to happen.  
Leap onto the shelf along the wall on your right, otherwise you'll 
trip a fireball trap. 

When you get to the next room, you'll see a lot of stone columns 
going up and down, also red hot bars and ice columns.  By dint of 
getting myself killed surprisingly often, I discovered that to the 
W, E and N of the entrance there were a stone slab, a white blob and 
a red blob to destroy, and this cleared the room of all obstacles. 

Head for the next room to the N and you'll have to fight a simile of 
the Draracle - get right up close to him and you'll have no problem.  
Equip the horn. 

Continue along here and you will finally get to Belial.  After a 
friendly chat, I had the briefest of fights and it was all over. 

Watch the daft finale.  That's it, you've done it.



~Written by Lucio Burroni