SHADOW TOWER Walkthrough, Version 1.0, date: September 19, 2000 For the Sony Playstation (English Version), US By David Bunch bunch_david@hotmail.com US Version for the Sony Playstation Distributed by Agetec, Inc., 11/1999 Produced by FROM Software, 1997, 1998. Unpublished work, Copyright 2000 by David Bunch. This FAQ is for private and personal use only. It can only be reproduced electronically, and if placed on a web page or site, may be altered as long as this disclaimer and the above copyright notice appear in full. This FAQ is not to be used for profitable/promotional purposes; this includes being used by publishers of magazines, guides, books, etc. or being incorporated into magazines, etc. in ANY way. This FAQ was created and is owned by myself, David Bunch . All copyrights and trademarks are acknowledged that are not specifically mentioned in this FAQ. Please give credit where it is due. Shadow Tower is (c) From Software and (c) AGETEC, Inc. Statement of Purpose ==================== This FAQ/Walkthrough will be providing a lot of detail about the game play of Shadow Tower, equipment and item information, and some creature information. It is not intended to give the reader a step by step, blow by blow plan of movement through the game because then the reader will be playing my game, not their own. However, the look of the walkthrough will be in a similar structure, related in the manner in which I went through the Regions. I will be providing information about key locations, some direction of how I recommend moving through the Regions, which can be easily discarded in favor of the readers own plan of attack, and general observations that may or may not enhance game play. THIS FAQ IS NOTHING BUT SPOILERS. My first recommendation to the reader who just bought the game is to stop reading now, study the booklet that came with the game, put the disk in the machine and go to it. You will enjoy the game far more on the basis of self- discovery than following this FAQ. But the need for a FAQ on this game to help to resolve problems and to find missing items that will enable you to move forward is clearly needed. I am providing this for the many who will ignore the reviewers and critics of this game and those others like them who enjoy the first-person shooter type of game, especially in their RPG games. I hope you come to enjoy the game as much as I have and as many other gamers have. ------------------------------------ TABLE OF CONTENTS – Shadow Tower ------------------------------------ I. SHADOW TOWER VS KING'S FIELD – The Differences II. MAPS A. Using the Maps B. When Creatures Drop Items C. Status Report Tip D. *Special Note – Discovering Items/Random Creatures E. Shadow Weapons F. My Personal Bias G. Encountering New Creatures H. Special Locations – CUNE Shops, etc. III. WALKTHROUGH IV. SHADOW TOWER ENTRY V. HUMAN WORLD A. Solitary Realm B. Hidden Region C. Cursed Region D. Forgotten Region VI. EARTH WORLD A. Rotting Cave B. **Special Instructions – ITEM Stones (Smithy's) C. Poisonous Cavern D. Quaking Cavern E. Stone Cavern F. False Pit Cavern G. Hostile Rock Cavern H. BOSS FIGHT – APOLLOS VII. FIRE WORLD A. Phoenix Cave B. Burning Cavern C. Molten Cavern D. Ashen Cavern E. BOSS FIGHT – EBONY KNIGHT ============================ SHADOW TOWER vs. KINGS FIELD ============================ Shadow Tower follows in the footsteps of the King's Field I & II series by From Software. It is a first person 'shooter' type of game with swords and magic, instead of guns and bombs. Those familiar with KF I & II (hereafter) will be very familiar with the general feel and moves to this type of RPG. There are notable differences and factors that I will elaborate for those unfamiliar to those 2 prior games. >>>> No music in the background. For many, the lack of music is a BIG negative and frankly, it does make it easier to get bored without that soundtrack in the background to add momentum to game play. Still, it does add a bit of a different feel that is not all that bad if you can get into it. It actually gives a more 'realistic' edge to game play, because you do start using your senses more to hear and see what is coming next. If you were to really go into a dungeon with all your equipment, do you really think that there will be music mysteriously playing in the background that suddenly changes to something new when you drop down a hole and then returns to the old music after you climb a rope ladder 2 hours later? It made the game more 'realistic' for me. If I needed background noise I just turned on my favorite radio station or put a CD on and everything was fine. >>>> No Experience Levels. Yep, you read it right. NO LEVELS. Not in experience nor weapon proficiency nor levels of dungeon (they are actually called Regions and Realms in ST; a technicality but true). Each battle and discovery nets you experience which IMMEDIATELY affects your characters stats. Not too many games can claim that each battle makes you more proficient for the very next battle EVERY time. OK, yeah, we are talking mere points here, but if you walk into that large chamber with 10 creatures to take out, and after each one is dispatched you are a little more effective, then by the time you take out #9 you not only have down the moves to wipe out #10, but also the extra muscle and speed, etc…. We're talking no- brainer here. >>>> Equipment has a durability rating and it will wear out. This durability rating never goes up, it has a set ceiling per item. It can and does go down though. This means that if you get bludgeoned to near death by an opponent, then that favorite armor of yours is going to come out of the battle with dents and breaks that need mending, making it less durable and less effective protection until you do. Nice sharp swords that are used to carve up heavily armored opponents can break or become chipped and dented themselves, needing to be repaired and resharpened. Use of magic items (rings) which have spells in them can be used a limited number of times before you need to re-energize them. This is just plain common sense and adds the factor of realism that even the prior KF games did not do. Does it get frustrating? Yep, it can. In other games, the swords were always sharp and never needed sharpening; you would never find a dull sword anywhere or a rusted armor anywhere. You can and do in the Shadow Tower. Magic spells came from within you, not out of objects alone. If you use weapons judiciously and use the item (Ashes) that can 'repair' them in game play or visit the 'smithy' that allows you to use Hit Points to repair the items, you will do fine. An important thing to watch for is the red 'X' symbol that appears on the right side of the screen when an item has reached a durability rating of 3 or less. This occurs by regular use or by being damaged in an attack. This is your warning that some piece of equipment is about to break. It is MUCH more expensive to repair a zero-durability item than one that still has at least one point left. Be careful with items that reach this point. >>>> Potions come in only one incarnation, not 3 or more. This means that the same healing potion you find in the first chamber of the Human Region (Level one equivalent) is the same potion you find near the last Boss at the bottom of the tower and they do exactly the same thing – they always bring you to your max HP's. The same is true for the magic potions. And in my opinion, the healing potion becomes the most important item in the game, because of both the maxing-out feature and also because it is hit points that are used to repair your equipment and rings. You NEED these to keep your equipment in top shape, so long as you know where the 'smithy's' are. >>>> Movement. Pro and con with movement in Shadow Tower. The cons are when you enter a room with many creatures, the game play and movement becomes choppy as the Playstations CPU works to keep everything moving. Action slows down, recovery of the action bars for Strength and Magic slows down, turning around becomes a chore, etc. I just try to plot my attacks to minimize this problem. Most of the time I can, a few times you cannot and have to deal with being ganged up on. BUT THIS REALLY DOESN'T OCCUR OFTEN ENOUGH TO MAKE ANY REALLY BIG ISSUE IN GAME PLAY. Pros are that this (movement) is an area you need to learn ASAP because it makes game play move faster, and no, that is NOT a contradiction from the cons mentioned above. The D-pad controls forward and backward movement and left-right TURNING. The L1 and R1 buttons control sliding/strafing left and right, respectively. By getting these controls down and combining them you will take fewer hits in battle, move around right angle corners smoothly, and be able to peek around a corner before getting nailed by that skeletons sword that was just waiting to gut you. For example, let's say you are walking down a corridor and it turns right ahead. While pressing the up key on the D-pad, press L1 also and you start a slow arc-turn that will allow you keep moving around the corner without having to stop at the intersection, use the D-pad to turn right and then resume forward motion. By using this type of combination, you can run circles (literally) around opponents, facing them the entire time and preventing them from getting a direct hit on you while getting hits on them with impunity. ==================================== MAPS ==================================== Another drawback to Shadow Tower is the lack of a map, supplied neither within the game nor in a strategy guide. This is a rather appalling oversight by the designers of the game, even if the map was only for the main areas and without any notes. But do not despair! There are maps available online at From Software's website. If you can access this walkthrough online, then you should be able to access the maps also. One thing though, this web page is in Japanese, but even if you do not read Japanese, you can navigate through pretty easily. Just follow the following instructions: URL: http://www.fromsoftware.co.jp On this page, scroll down to the Shadow Tower Icon and click on it, taking you to another page. At the top of this page there are 4 text buttons, the first three in Japanese and the far right one saying HOME in English. Click on the second Japanese text button from the left. On this page you will find 9 Japanese text buttons, each a different color. These buttons correspond to different Realms of the Tower, with the first one containing buttons that reveal maps of the central Tower itself. The second button on this page is for the Human Realm, The third for the Earth Realm, etc. Click on the button for the Realm that you want maps of and you will go to a new page. Each subsequent page you arrive at contains several buttons; each one opens a new window with a map of one of the Regions in the Realm you are looking in. You can view the map or try to copy it or the image onto your clipboard and then use another program to store/print it. ----------------------------- Using The Maps – Compass Directions ----------------------------- In the walkthrough to follow, I will make reference to these maps because it is easier to visualize what I am indicating with them. I will be giving certain locations in a given Region an indicator like Chamber A, Cave B, The Pool Room, etc. These are entirely arbitrary and of my own creation and are not to be confused as the actual names of these locations, if there are any. I will try to make them logical and easily referenced by things found in the room or significant structures at that location. This is meant to aid the reader (and myself) in this walkthrough. I will also be using compass directions (N, S, E, W) to indicate which direction to travel, where you enter the room, which wall has a secret door, etc. It is important to note that there is NOTHING in the game or it's options that help you figure this out or see which direction you are going, unlike KF I and II, which did have a compass. I am again arbitrarily using the maps and their images as they appear on my screen to determine NSEW directions. Some of the text on these maps is in English. Whichever way you have to hold the map to be able to read the words from left to right (the images all are in this position at the From Software website) determines the compass directions, with N being at the top, etc. ----------------------------- When Creatures Drop Items ----------------------------- If my experience with this game and my interpretation of it is correct, then practically every creature you will fight has a percentage chance of dropping some item that is usable by you. There are creatures, like Bosses, that will drop SPECIFIC items EVERY time, but I found at least 2 bosses who drop 2 different items, 1 common and one unique. But the rest seem to operate such that sometimes they drop nothing, sometimes they drop one specific item like a healing potion that is common to that specific creature type and sometimes they will drop a unique item like a unique ring, weapon or armor piece. Because of this I make the basic and understandable recommendation to SAVE OFTEN and always before you wipe out an entire room of creatures. For example, there is one room in the Human Realm that has only one type of creature in it called a Blood Skull. At different times (due to the untimely demise of my character) I have encountered anywhere from 2 to 6 of these creatures in this room. One time I killed all 4 that appeared and each one gave me a different item. Another time I received 2 of the same 4 items and one other sword. I had died shortly after leaving that room, so my repeated attempts to visit again have yielded that new sword only once. There is another room in one of the Earth Realms that has one main type of creature that drops rings, but only rarely and then only some of the creatures do. They do not appear to drop any other item except rings. This is why I think there is a small percentage with some of the creatures to drop something special. This process of dropping items will net you the most number of items in the game. There are plenty of things to just find, but taking the time to fight the same creatures several times may (and will) reveal which creatures drop rare items. My ring collection by the time I finished was probably very complete due to this process. I will mention those that I know drop specific items but I am sure I missed some of the special items. ------------------------------ **** STATUS REPORT TIP **** ------------------------------ While writing this FAQ, a fellow gamer named NANOFRAME pointed out to me that there was a way to track your progress from the main menu. Hit the select key to access the menu, and then hit the Triangle key. This leads you to a status screen showing what Region you are in and the stats of how many of the total number of Cunes (99), Items (200) and Creatures (600) you have acquired/killed off. If you then hit the R1 key, you will be taken to a screen that will keep track on a percentage basis of your progress. When you get to 100% in a given Region, you have done all, acquired all, killed all that you could possibly do/get/kill on that Region. After almost 2 times through and a third time started to clear up some detail on the first Regions, I still had not come across this menu. It helped me greatly to know that I had cleared each Region no less than 76% and many to 100% in my desire to ransack this game for details. ****** Important Note: On Discovering Items and Random Creatures ******* The information I supply regarding what is in a given room is based upon my having traveled through that room many times in a single game. The number of creatures is based upon the total number of creatures I encountered over the entire game play. For example, one of the caves in the WATER WORLD had 2 creatures in it, which I took out. I passed through that room at least a dozen more times before I moved on to the lower levels. I came back through once, encountered one more creature and THAT one dropped a major armor. So you may not encounter the total number of creatures I did or you may encounter more. Exploration is the key to successful completion of your shopping list. It is the design of the game to be variable so an exact number of creatures per area is very difficult to determine, but obviously the designers did put limits on each Region, hence the ability to create a percentage based record of your travels per level. I will also include in the walkthrough the name of each monster encountered on the level, where encountered and the items I was able to get them to drop. This simply shows what I found. If you found items that I did not or found a creature dropped something in one area that I found somewhere else, I would appreciate you notifying me so that I may make this FAQ as complete as possible. ----------------------------- Shadow Weapons ----------------------------- There are special weapons to be found like the Shadow Blade, Shadow Wolf, and (theoretically) Shadow Tiger. I myself have only found the first 2 and will update this walkthrough when I have found the Tiger and any other really distinct items. ----------------------------- My Personal 'Bias' ----------------------------- This walkthrough will introduce you to my personal bias to obtain as many of the items as can possibly be obtained the first time through. Therefore my style of writing and structure of details will reflect an emphasis on the items to be found and where. You've been forewarned. ----------------------------- Encountering New Creatures ----------------------------- One of the advantages to this game engine is that as soon as you come into close proximity to a new creature, even on the other side of a wall sometimes, their stats immediately appear in your menu list "Creature Information". You can access the information before you engage them and prepare yourself for the coming battle. This is a good habit to develop quickly. ----------------------------- Special Locations – Shops, Saves Points, WARP points. ----------------------------- There are several locations that have 'markers' that look somewhat like tombstones that serve important functions. Save Points are obvious and have a star on the maps to identify them. The locations marked MP and HP on the maps are ones, which allow you to trade equipment for potions. The locations marked ITEM are what I call 'smithy's', the places where you can repair your equipment. WARP points with an English letter (A, B, C…) are inter-Region WARP points, meaning they move you within the region you are currently in ONLY. WARP points without the letter take you to another WARP point in another region. These are the shortcuts you want to keep track of. Below is the list of items in the CUNE shops. The items offered remain the same no matter where you find a CUNE shop. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ CUNE Shop $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ The following are the items for trade grouped under their 'cost' in CUNES. They never change no matter where you find the CUNE Shop. 1 Cune ------ *Torch* – You will need some of these but I really didn't use them very often. You will probably find enough of them to satisfy, so trade for them only if the need is great. *Sacred Feather* – This item teleports you back to the LAST save point you saved at. This is necessary to get out of a few areas so keep a few of these in stock, but not until after exiting the HUMAN REALM. They are also helpful if you want to get back to a prior Realm where you saved but cannot walk back to because of various possible reasons. Several creatures will drop these and realistically, unless you are doing a lot of exploring, you shouldn't have to buy very many of these, if at all. *Hpotion* – A very common item to find and have dropped. Add to that the fact you can trade old equipment at certain sites for Hpotions makes trading Cunes for these almost unnecessary. However, as already stated, this is to me the most essential item to survival in the game. Keep a good stock of these on hand. I kept a stock of 30 and had a few encounters where I went through 10 of them before I figured everything out. *Mpotion* – Not as common an item to find and have dropped as the Hpotion, so you may wish to trade for a few of these. However, you will probably not use magic often enough in the first half of the game and since these max out your MP's, then they become seldom needed until later. Add to that the fact you can trade old equipment at MP sites for Mpotions makes trading Cunes for these unnecessary until later in the game if you find yourself short. Again, keep several of these on hand, especially after you reach the EARTH REALMs because this is where you will begin to use magic. *Anti-Venom* – a pretty common item that is dropped and found. Trade for only if you have had a hard time finding any (unlikely!). 3 Cunes ------ *Soul Pod-14* - These should be towards the top of your list of things to trade for. You WANT these. *Dorado's Ashes* – You will find many of these but you may determine you need to trade for a few of them. Keep some on hand for emergencies. 5 Cunes ------ *Soul Pod-29* – These also should be towards the top of your list of things to trade for. You REALLY WANT these. 7 Cunes ------ *Deadly Broad Sword* – The first Region of the EARTH REALM has the Broad Sword lying on the ground. This sword is a slight improvement over that weapon. Wait and decide if you need it after finishing that Region. (I didn't). 9 Cunes ------ *Harden Gauntlet* – You will have obtained dropped Gauntlets by the time you can reasonably afford this. There are several in the EARTH WORLDS and at least one in the FIRE WORLD. Wait and determine if you can live without it. 10 Cunes ------ *Beast Key* (BEAST WORLD Item) – Wait to buy this. You will need it in the Screeching Region of the BEAST WORLD to take out three monsters and collect three Cunes and a sword. This appears to be the only place to use it and therefore does not really net a good return for the investment. Personally, I only traded for it to be able to raise my stats some and to try to take out all the creatures and collect all the Cunes possible by the end of the game. *Bracelet of Movement* – Long before you can afford this, you will very likely have already have encountered a creature that drops it. Low priority. 12 Cunes ------ *Keenest Bastard Sword* – By the time you can afford this, you really don't need it. To think you have to trade for this when there are so many better weapons available both before and after you can afford to part with 12 Cunes. Nice weapon, but is it REALLY worth it? 16 Cunes ------ *Fortune Great Helm* – Perhaps the best magic aiding helm, and worth waiting for. It is VERY heavy headgear. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ SHADOW TOWER WALKTHROUGH Version 1.0, Part 1 ************************************** SHADOW TOWER - ENTRY ************************************** You will start in the middle of the tower on stone steps going down in front of you and up behind you. Do not bother trying to go up, the path will become blocked if you do. Stop immediately. Please note that you start with 751 Hit Points and 550 Magic Points. Not bad for a beginning character right? Don't let it go to your head because you can loose HP just as fast as if you were first level in KFI & II. Hit the 'select' key to activate the menu system. Change any setting you want and notice that the only thing you presently possess is a short sword. NOTHING else. When you finish looking through the menu, then return to the tower and descend the steps and walk until you come to the wood door. Press 'X' to enter and you begin your journey through the tower. ************************************** HUMAN WORLD ************************************** In these Realms, I will start out rather descriptive until you obtain a reasonable amount of equipment to ensure your survival. By the time you go to the EARTH WORLDs, you will only need basic instructions and the descriptions of what you can find. HOW you kill off creatures will be dependent on which weapons you have found and that YOU like to use. Since dropping items by creatures is a variable, I am allowing for that factor by just giving the way I would travel through the game. -------------------------------------- HW - Solitary Realm -------------------------------------- Upon entry, you will be facing NORTH. Take some time to test out your swing with the short sword and test your movement ability, especially the L1-R1 buttons in conjunction with the d-pad keys. When done, then proceed down the hallway towards the first chamber with pillars in it, the Altar Room. The Altar Room contains: >2-3 Acid Slimes (Drop Anti-Venom, Cap) >1 Blood Slime (Hpotion) >Find: Hpotion, Quilted Armor As you enter the Pillared Hall with an Altar in it, the pillar immediately on your right has a Healing Potion (Hpotion) behind it. Leave it for now and concentrate instead on the Green Slimes on the floor. There may also be a Blood Slime. This is variable. Tilt your view downward a bit with the L2-D2 keys and watch the slimes. They like to toss clouds of poison (green) and acid (red). Time your attack to match your swing and then back off. If you stay too close to these creatures you will get poisoned and die before you can obtain anything to cure you. If you encounter 3 slimes, the one that is farthest west from you (in the SW corner area) drops the Cap sometimes. Finish off the slimes, pick up anything they dropped, claim the Hpotion behind the pillar and then walk behind the altar. Pick up the Quilted Armor and stop to equip yourself. The book on the altar does nothing so proceed to the NW and go through the short corridor on the N wall. >The Hall of Corpses contains: >Dark Spiders (Drop Morning Star, Buckler Shield, Acid Vaccine, Hpotions) >Find: Hpotion The Dark Spider you see will take at least 2 hits. Use the forward-hit-backup method of attacking to take it out. It will drop the Morning Star. This weapon is effective against the Dark Spiders if you want to equip it. Move to the East and take out the other Spiders here. One will drop a Buckler Shield. When finished, go back to the West end of this area and get the Hpotion. The sound you keep hearing appears to be the 'shuffling' of the corpses laid out here. Maybe the Dark Spiders laid some eggs in them?? Anyway, move to the East and then turn South through some more corpses. At the far south wall there is some writing on the wall to read if you want. Turn East and walk just a few steps. The short corridor to the N ends in a secret door, but has 2 Skeletons that will probably slaughter you right now. Wait a while for these and come back later. >The Graveyard contains: >2 Demon Bats (Drop Long Swords) >Skeleton (in grave) (Drop Leather Armor) >Dark Spiders (on return trips) (Drop Quilted Armor, Acid Vaccine, Hpotions) >Find: Hpotion, 2x Soul Pod +5, Torch, Cune, Cune (down grave-hole) Continue into the next area, a Graveyard. To the far N there are 2 Sonic Bats on the roof that aren't that hard to take out. Move over and 'behind' them, avoiding their sonic attacks, then look up and attack. Finish them off first before collecting the other things lying around on the ground. Some Dark Spiders might appear now or upon your return to this area later. Now look at the graves. All but two of them have little wood fences around them. The other two need to be searched. Go to the one nearest the W wall where you entered and search it ONCE. You will obtain your first Cune. Search it again and the grave will open and out pops a Skeleton that can drop a Leather Armor. The other grave will just open and provide a hole to drop down into to reach the HUMAN REALM – Cursed Region. There is a Cune down there, but you can obtain it once you enter the cursed region later. Do not jump down this hole right now. Instead, head towards the NW corner of this area and walk up to the blank wall that is a secret door. Open it and go to the next door. This will take you to the HUMAN REALM - Hidden Region. You can go back and try for the two Skeletons behind the other secret door now if you wish. If you want to wait, return to them through the regular door leading from the Hidden Region to the Solitary Region that opens directly into their area when you finish off the Hidden Region level. Time your attacks carefully to take as little damage as possible. After taking them out you can enter this area and obtain another Soul Pod +5. The door at the far N leads to another entrance into the HUMAN REALM - Hidden Region. I recommend going through the Graveyard secret door first and this walkthrough will begin from there. -------------------------------------- HW - Hidden Region -------------------------------------- You enter Facing West. This is a corridor that takes a few turns but there is nothing in this corridor to attack you. Follow it and the corridor branches off to the N after 2 turns. This leads to the 'shop' listed as 'CUNE' on the maps where you can trade Cunes for items. The menu is always the same, except that there are a limited number of Soul Pods you can buy. Since you only have 1 Cune right now, don't buy anything right now. From here, turn S and then W, following the next leg of the corridor to the Torture Chamber. You will enter room this from the East. The following instructions will take you to the Save point before you kill anything. >The Torture Chamber contains: >2-3 Acid Slimes (Drop Anti-Venom, Leg Guard) >1-2 Blood Slimes (Drop Cunes, Hpotions) >Find: Ashes, SW corner. I recommend passing through this place without killing anything. But if you must, take out the slimes, pick-up the Ashes (used to repair equipment while walking through the Tower), visit the NW jail door (locked) and observe the armor and corpse. On the E wall in the SE corner is some writing on the wall. Exit through the door in the S near the writing. At the next junction of the corridor, going straight ahead (S) will take you back to the Solitary Region after passing a warp point to the EARTH WORLD Forgotten Region. For now, turn right (W) and follow the corridor into Chamber A. >Chamber A contains: >2 Acid Slimes, 2-3 Acid Slimes (Drop Anti-Venom) >1-2 Blood Slimes (Drop Hpotions) >Find: Torch, NE corner. Walk directly across the room to the corridor in the W wall and follow it to the save point. SAVE. Now you can go out collecting. Enter Chamber A and take out the slimes, go back to the Torture Chamber and take those out too, Return to Chamber A. Save if you wish. In Chamber A, there are several secret 'doors'. There are 2 in the N wall, one towards the NW and one towards the NE. Go to the NE one and pass though the chamber with the mound/hole in the middle and into another short corridor. Pause at the entrance to the corpse/armor room you saw earlier. Then walk into the room, over the corpse to the opposite wall. There is a Parasite in the body of the corpse that attacks as soon as you enter. Just stand to the side of it and take it out. It drops Ashes when dead. Pick up the Scale Mail and return to Chamber A. Now go to the SE wall and open that secret door. You will follow the short corridor into a room with 2 Acid Slimes and a Fanged Worm that comes out of the hole in the middle of the floor. >Fanged Worm Room contains: >2 Acid Slimes (Drop Anti-Venoms) >Fanged Worm >Find: Hpotion, Soul Pod +5 Move to the far side of the room and take out the Fanged Worm first, then finish off the slimes. Then drop down the hole. Follow the corridor around until you see a doorway on the left. This is a 'treasure' room/hoard containing 3 Hpotions and 1 Ashes. Take them and follow the path back to Chamber A. Now go to the NW and open the secret door there. This corridor will lead to a Side Room (f) and the 'Casket' Room. >Side Room (F) contains: >1 Casket (Drops Torch) >Find: Metal Gloves, Soul Pod +5 The Casket fades in and out and drains MP. The MP drain is not a problem; you won't use magic until the EARTH WORLD 2 realms away. Time your strike to coincide with when it becomes solid. >Casket Room contains: >1-2 Caskets (Drops Torch, Short Sword) >1-2 Blood Slimes (Drops Poison Vaccine) >Find: Large Shield, Torch, Cune Simple instructions – clear the room and leave. From here, return to Chamber A and take the E doorway. Keep heading E and S until you come to the path to the WARP point. Continue E from here to the door back to the Solitary Region if you haven't taken out the 2 Skeletons mentioned earlier. Otherwise, go to the WARP point and press 'X' to go to the Forgotten Region. -------------------------------------- HW – Forgotten Region -------------------------------------- You WARP in facing North. WARP ROOM 1 As soon as you appear here, turn left and look down to pick up a Cune. Proceed N to the main corridor. Immediately to your left is one exit to SHADOW TOWER and back up into the prior HUMAN WORLDs so use this later. If you turn right (East) you will see the main corridor and a shaft that branches off to the North. That branch leads to a point that you will be able to WARP INTO this region later, but you cannot get to it because it is up above the corridor and you have to drop down into this area from that WARP point. For now, proceed down the corridor to the E. You will not encounter any creatures in the corridor AT THIS TIME. The main corridor turns N after you pass 2 locked jail cells on your right. Follow it N all the way to the end (you will pass many locked jail cells) where it makes a right angle turn to the left (W). The first branch you come to on the left lead to an Hpotion trader, the next branch you come to leads to the SAVE point for this level. USE IT. The corridor continues to another door to SHADOW TOWER and the Cursed Region. Use this after you finish this level. Now go back down the main corridor to the right angle turn (now turning South) and face the North Wall. Press X to open the secret door here and watch the corpse fall. You may obtain the Acid Vaccine prior to opening the secret door or after. Now turn S and go to the first corridor branching off to the right after you pass another locked cell. Open the secret door at the end of the corridor and walk up to one of the 2 chests at the far end of the room. >The Skeleton/Chest Room contains: >2 Skeletons (Drop Cune, Crown) >Find: Soul Pod +5 in NW chest. As soon as you open one of the chests, 2 Skeletons appear behind you. Take them out. Then the way is clear. Exit the room and head back S down the Main Corridor to the E-W section you came from. Turn W and walk to the edge of the 'Body-Chute' (you'll see what I mean. As soon as you reach this point, a Skeleton appears behind you in the corridor. Turn around and take him out. He can drop a Cune. Go back to the Body-Chute and prepare to enter it. Stay to the side of this room at all times. I recommend making your way along the N wall to the E entry into the Blood Skull room. There is a Soul Pod +5 in the short entry to this room. >The Blood Skull Room contains: >2-6 Blood Skulls (Drop Anti-Paralytic, Bottle of Light, Small Shield, Rapier, Guardian Bastard Sword.) >Find: Bottle of Light, SW corner. Take out the creatures and then return to the 'Chute room. In the middle of the S wall is a secret door. Prior to entry, I recommend using an Acid Vaccine. >The Great Shield Room contains: >1 Acid Skull (Drop Anti-Venom) >1 Blood Skull (Drop Anti-Paralytic) >Find: Great Shield, SE corner. Attack carefully because of the narrowness of this room. Gather the items and return to the Main Corridor while the Vaccine is still in effect. Go almost all the way back to the corridor on the S wall just before the WARP room you entered in. Down this corridor you will find rooms with several Acid Skulls. >Acid Skull Room contains: >2-3 Acid Skulls (Drop Anti-Venoms, Leather Boots) >Find: Nothing. After finishing off the 'Skulls, then go into the next chamber. >The Jail keepers Bedroom contains: >1 Acid Skull (Drop Anti-Venom) >Find: Hpotion, SW corner & Brass Key behind bed. After dispatching the 'Skull, THEN gather the objects BEFORE you search the corpse on the bed. All that will do is push him off of it and you gain nothing else. It also triggers the Appearance of a Skeleton out in the Main Corridor to the W. Go out and take out the Skeleton, who can drop a Rapier or the Lethal Rapier. Now go though the Corridor and open the jail doors. In the jail cell next to the Acid Skull Room contains a Blood Skull that never dropped anything. In the N-S part of the Main Corridor, there is a Cune in the SW cell and an Hpotion in the cell second one down from the 'dropping corpse' secret door. Having finished all this, it is time to go to the next Region. Go to the far NW door and exit into the Tower itself. I recommend you turn right and follow the path around the inside of the tower and then enter the next door to the Cursed Region. -------------------------------------- HW – Cursed Region -------------------------------------- You enter facing North. The room immediately on your right contains the closest thing to a boss in the HUMAN REALM, so turn left instead. Go through the door and past the 2 Dark Spiders >Cavern A contains: >2 Dark Spiders (Drop Poison Vaccine) >Find: Leather Gloves, NW corner Go through the door in the W and into an odd shaped cavern that I will call Cavern B. Follow it W, then N, then back E into a corridor with a low ceiling that leads to the Save Point. Save. Go back into Cavern B. >Cavern B contains: >3-5 Dark Spiders (Drop Ashes, Hard Boots) >1 Shadow Spiders (Drop Mpotion) (use Darkness attacks) >Find: Nothing Go through the door in the SW corner down into the Tongue Imp Cavern. >Tongue Imp Cavern contains: >2 Tongue Imps (Drop Buckler) (Drain HP) >2-5 Dark Spiders (Drop Ashes) >Find: Axe (SE corner) Go to the door in the S wall. This leads to the drop-down area from the Solitary Region. There is a Cune to pick up on the floor. Then return to the Tongue Imp Cavern. Go to the NW area and a small corridor appears to the N. Follow it into another small chamber with another 2 Tongue Imps and a Fat Mole. >Fat Mole Room contains: >2 Tongue Imps (Drop Short Sword) (Drain HP) >Fat Mole (leaves a Cune) >Find: Nothing After taking out the 2 T-Imps, TALK to the mole a total of 4 times. You will see this little feller again and it pays off trying to be nice to him. Now return to the Tongue Imp Cavern and go to the E wall corridor and walk to where the corpse is laying in front of the rock-door. There is writing on the S wall just before you arrive there. Open the rock-door and pick-up the following items: >Rock-Door Room contains: >Find: Helm, Ashes, 2 Hpotions Now go all the way back to the Inner Tower entry point, stopping by the Save Point to save, and enter the Guardian Room that I told you to bypass. >Guardian Room contains: >2 Shadow Spiders (Drop Mpotion, Sacred Feather) (Darkness attack) >1 Guardian Skeleton (Drop Swift Morning Star) >Find: Hpotion (NW corner) Take out the first Shadow Spider before proceeding too far into the room. To get the second one, you will have to pass between 2 pillars that are part of the N & S walls. This is the 'mid-point' of the room. Go ahead and take out the next S-Spider but do not approach the mid-point of the room while or after you are dispatching it. If you do, the Guardian will become mobile and attack. That is how to start the battle with the Guardian, who is hanging on the far E wall/altar, simply move past the mid-point and then go back and fight it. When finished, go back out to the Inner Tower and proceed to the next WORLD/Region by walking back around to near the door to the Forgotten Region and walking off the edge of the path that hangs over the middle of the Inner Tower. You will land on a walkway and be facing the portion that goes up to the other door to the Forgotten Realm. Turn around and go straight down the steps to the door that leads to the first EARTH WORLD Region. ************************************** EARTH WORLD ************************************** In these Realms, I will keep things pretty concise except in specific need. -------------------------------------- EW – Rotting Cave -------------------------------------- You enter facing N. Follow the corridor around into the Watcher Plant Room. >The Watcher Plant Room contains: >4-6 Watcher Plants (Hpotions, Steel Boots) >1 Elder (Drops Anti-Venom) (can Paralyze if looking in your general direction) >Find: Broad Sword (NW corner) These plants shoot lasers at you. As you fight them try to make your way from the SE corner up to the NE corner and towards the NW corner where the Broad Sword can be found. Equip this immediately and chop down the Elder who is standing in the middle of the regular exit in the W wall. Go find the corridor in the south wall and enter it. This takes you to the first ITEM (Smithy) stone. ******** SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: ITEM Stones ******** These instructions are intended to maximize the use of all your HP's and minimize using Hpotions unnecessarily. Translation: It helps you efficiently repair your equipment. The amount of hit points you have is totally dependent on your strength. Some of the equipment you have (including some rings, bracelets and amulets) increases your strength. Prior to using the Smithy, ALWAYS equip yourself with the items that MAX out your strength and thereby your HP too. But DO NOT use an Hpotion yet!!!!! After you have maxed out your HP's, then make the first visit to the Smithy and have him repair as many items as you can with your remaining HP's. Some items may remain un-repaired when you run out. That's OK. Leave the Smithy by hitting O and then use an Hpotion to max out your HP's. Then turn around and visit the Smithy again to repair the rest of your items. Do this until all the items you want repaired are up to full durability rating. Leave the Smithy. Do this at all Smithy locations. ******************************************************* Now re-equip yourself to proceed on. There is a secret door to the S of the corridor in the W wall, but do not take it right now. Follow this corridor around into a Long Chamber with barrels in it. Go to the complete on and find an Hpotion. There is nothing else to find so proceed to the W wall to the door there. There is a door in the NW wall but go through the W one first. This corridor winds around and into another room with Elders and Dwarves in it. >The Elder/Dwarf Room contains: >2 Elders (N wall and S wall)(Drop Anti-Venom) >1 Minor Dwarf (Drop Hpotion) >1-3 Dwarflings (Drop Cune) >Find: Nothing Move to the N wall and take out the Elder. As soon as you do, you will hear small footsteps. One of the dwarfs will have appeared. If any of these hit you, you WILL be poisoned, so avoid being hit. When you finish them off, go to the N wall and follow the corridor there around to the Dwarfling. TALK to him and he will give you the Iron Key to open a door. Return to the Elder/Dwarf Room and proceed to the S wall by way of the SW corner so as not to get paralyzed and take out the other Elder. Enter the corridor in the S wall and find the Save point and the Mpotion trader. Return to the Long Chamber and go through the N door, following the corridor to another door. This door opens into a large chamber I call the Imp Chamber. 4-5 Imps (Drop Rings-Protection, Poison) >1 Star Serpent (Drop Large Shield) >Find: Hpotion (SE corner – the map is wrong) The Imps cast sonic attacks so move up to their side and hit them. Obviously, you will want to try and get the rings. They may all drop rings for all I know, I just recall getting only the 2 mentioned. Once you get them, return to the Smithy and repair them and the rest of your equipment. Once done repairing, equip the rings AND equip their magic. Then move into the Watcher Plant Room, move to the secret door in the W wall and enter it. Follow the corridor into the Myconid Room. >The Myconid Room contains: >2-3 Myconids (Mushroom Men) (Drop Anti-Venom, Leather Gloves) Casts Poison >Find: Hpotion in broken barrel If you stand close to the Myconid too long, you will become poisoned. (Remember the Shrooms in the KF series?) Otherwise, they attack with a spore attack that spreads out around them. Use a combination of a physical attack to stun them, then a magic attack to stun them, then a physical, then a magic, etc. By timing this right, you will be able to stand almost toe-to- toe with most opponents and never get hit. Watch for the telltale red 'X' that indicates your equipment is getting low in durability, a common occurrence when using rings/magic. You can now go down the W corridor to the secret door into the Elder/Dwarf room to save. Go back to the Imp Chamber and to the short corridor leading to a locked door. Use the Iron Key obtained earlier to open it. You will hear the Imp you must take out. This room is VERY important. >The Doll Auriel Room contains: >1 Imp (Drop Summon Ring of Frost) >1 Doll Auriel (TALK TO HER) >Find: Anti-Venom (SE corner) The Doll Auriel is actually a Demoness in dis-dress (pun intended). After taking out the Imp, talk to her and you will learn of a B—tard named Duhrin who imprisoned her in this form. After a few words, she will squat down and become unresponsive. Now go search the S wall for the secret door that leads into the Star Serpent Chamber. >Star Serpent Chamber contains: >1-2 Star Serpents (Drop Bracelets-Balance, Resistance) >Find: Anti-Venom (Behind Torch) Take them out and go back to the Smithy to repair your equipment. Return to the Imp Chamber. Go to the NE portion of the N wall and proceed N down the corridor. You will start to hear a 'grunting' sound. The corridor comes to a T running WE. This corridor has several Tondroms that attack you. >Tondrom Corridors contain: >3-4 Tondroms (Drop nothing) The way to take out the Tondroms is to hug the corridor wall they are closest to and let them get hung up and immobile so you can approach them and smash them. If you give them a straight shot at you it will HURT. Many times. Death will come very quickly. Get the drift? (pun intended) Proceed to the W and into the Barrel Snail Room. >The Barrel Snail Room contains: >2 Barrel Snails (Drop Anti-Venom) >Find: Soul Pod +5 Go back into the corridor, take out any more Tondroms you encounter, follow it until it turns at a right angle to the S. The next room you enter I call The Elders Haven. >Elders Haven contains: >3 Elders (Drop Divine Symbol x2, Crown of Resistance) >Find: nothing The elder that will appear close to the torch on the E wall will drop the Crown of Resistance. This is a potent item that improves you magic abilities greatly. A great find early in the game. You may have to come back through to get this item. When done, go N and follow the corridor to the drop back into the Watcher Plant room. Go to the Smithy and repair your equipment. You do not need to save but can if you want. Then exit out the way you came in to this Realm and walk around the inside of the Inner Tower to the next door leading to the EARTH WORLD Poisonous Cavern. -------------------------------------- EW – Poisonous Cavern -------------------------------------- This became one of my favorite Realms just because it gave up many very useful items. Follow the corridor to the first room and in the S is a save point. See? I told you that you didn't need to save. Then enter the Beak Plant Chamber. >The Beak Plant Chamber contains: >2-3 Watcher Plants (Drop Cune) >1-2 Beak Plants (Drop Crushing Mace, Hpotions) >Find: Torch, SE corner The barking noise is the Beak Plants sounding off. When you hear this, you will be Slowed. They are located in the SW corner and one along the middle of the S wall. When you are done, go to the door on the W wall in the NW corner. Open it and you will start a mini-action sequence. A voice tells you not to go that way because of the poison (the green stuff on the floor of the corridor behind the door) and to come this way. You are turned around and get your first look a Duhrin the Dwarf. He walks into the N corridor telling you to come this way. Go to the locked door at the end of the corridor, try to open it and you are called a fool. Quickly move away from the door or the Watcher Plant on the other side will burn you. Now go to the W wall door again. **Strategy Tip. -- Take off your boots and walk barefoot. The poison can cause damage to some of your footwear. But if you take the Poison Vaccine before proceeding, then you will be totally protected from the effects of poison. Also, equip the Crushing Mace. It will be the most effective weapon against the coming creatures. I also recommend not picking up any items until later. Just trust me on this one. Remember to use a Poison Vaccine prior to entry here. Open the door and follow the corridor around the bend and another. As you come out into a cavern, stop and look up. A strange figure will appear. There are actually 3 of them here. >Hanging Dead Room contains: >3 Hanging Dead (Drop nothing) >Find: Hpotion (S wall) These creatures drip poison and are the reason there is poison on the floor. Of course, the other three in the next area help also. You should be able to take these guys out with one swing each. Once done, exit through the W wall and turn N. >Overpass Room contains: >3 Hanging Dead (Drop Poison Ring) (Upper) >1 Watcher Plant (Drop Hpotion) (Lower) >Find: Shield of Resistance (SW, Upper) Move immediately to the Watcher Plant and take it out. Then keep moving N but cross to the W wall. Pass under the Overpass and you will see a ladder. Go up it by moving forward towards it. You will automatically climb it. If you do all this fast enough, the Poison Vaccine should run out right about now. Put on your boots and get ready for combat. Head S from here past the wooden Overpass and to the SW corner. Pick up the Shield of Resistance. Now move to the entry into the W room. >Wingsect Room contains: >2 Watcher Plants (Drop Cune) >3 Wingsects (Drop-in order of appearance (IOOA): 1-nothing, 2-Bow, 3-Soul Ring) The 'bark' of the Wingsect drains MP. Stay to the side of them and take them out. Now go to the N wall and find the secret door. >Secret Wingsect Room contains: >2 Wingsects (Drop-IOOA: 1-Crushing Broad Sword, 2-Magical Amulet Now go out of these 2 rooms and onto the wooden Overpass. Look to the N and you will see 1 of 3 Hanging Dead. Use the Bow to take it out. Do the same on the 2 to the S of the Overpass. The one closest to the Overpass can drop the Poison Ring. If you no wait for about 60-90 seconds, you will se the poison on the floor below disappear and allow you to go collect those things I told you not to pick up. You can also go back and save if you wish. Continuing on from the Overpass, head to the E and you will come to another Overpass situation, this one guarded by a Trickster above and Dwarven Warriors below. >The Trickster Overpass contains: >2-4 Tricksters (Drop Bracelet of Recovery) >3-5 Dwarf Warriors (Drop Magical Leather Armor, Torches) >Find: Soul Pos +5 (Above), Cune (Below) Take out the Trickster and drop down to take out the Dwarves. Then equip your worst sword (like a short sword) and head N to observe the Knight holding up the rock. He asks for your help. After he asks, turn W and face the Stone Head on the wall. Walk up and press X. The head proceeds to eat your sword. The rock then disappears and the knight thanks you before dying off. Step into the next area and look in the SW corner for a Soul Pod +5. Go no further for now. Head back to the Overpass area and head down the wide stone corridor into Duhrin's Chamber. >Duhrin's Chamber contains: >Duhrin (Drops Spirit Key) >2 Beak Plants (Drop nothing) >2 Watcher Plants (Drop Cune) >Find: Hpotion Duhrin now pleads for you to be nice to him. Problem is, you NEED that Key he is carrying. And you did promise Auriel…. So, finish him off. You will have to chase him a little but he does not fight back. There is a secret door in the N wall containing a room with another Watcher Plant that drops a Poison Vaccine. The corridor leading off Duhrin's Chamber to the SE contains a CUNE SHOP. The corridor leading off the NE curves around into a chamber with a glass coffin in it. >Demon Auriel's Bedroom contains: >Demon Auriel (Gives Summoner Ring of Fire) >Find: Hpotion (W wall) Use the key in the keyhole above Auriel's Sarcophagus and she will reward you. Go back to Duhrin's Chamber and exit through the previously locked S door, now permanently unlocked and go save. Return to the Save point, save and prepare to enter the Quaking Cavern. -------------------------------------- EW – Quaking Cavern -------------------------------------- You enter Facing South. The first chamber you enter is full of Blue Flickers that also shoot lasers at you and small Sand Leeches that shoot clouds of poison gas at you. >Main Chamber contains: >4-6 Blue Flickers (Drop Lamps, Poison Vaccine) >2-4 Sand Leeches (Drop Cunes) >Find: Wooden Glove (NE Corner, in water) The Blue Flickers have three tentacles, only one of which shoots at you. Keep to the side of the creature when attacking, but watch for the little Sand Leeches on the floor. They have a tendency to sneak up on you. The small chamber in the W wall contains one Sand Leech. It never dropped anything for me. Go to the corridor leading into the SW wall and follow it until it branches straight ahead and to the right (N). At this point, each of the three tunnels becomes filled with a very large Sand Leech, each one fills it's own corridor. They are all mouth and teeth and will poison you if they hit you. Stand a small distance away from the one you choose to attack and wait for it to try to bite you. Immediately move towards it, timing your swing to land when you get right next to it, then back off immediately. This can be tricky, because the floor here is somewhat irregular. What looks like a perfectly straight shot will sometimes be a clean miss. Then it's time for an Anti-Venom to take away the green tint that was just added to the screen. Each of these can drop a Cune. Take the corridor that leads N and into the Acid Pod room. >Acid Pod Room contains: >2-4 Acid Pods (Drop Ashes) These guys bounce around randomly and continuously spit acid at you. Keep moving and try to flank them to take them out. You will also find these in the room to the W but also some other creatures too. >Kiljoy Room contains: >3 Kiljoys (Drop Soul Ring, Bracelet of Resistance) >2-3 Acid Pods (Drop Ashes) >Find: Anti-Venom, NW corner The Kiljoy is a quick opponent. Keep moving and use the magic and sword combo to take them out. Return back to the Sand Leech Corridors and take the W one into a new area. There is nothing to neither encounter nor find here, so take the South East corridor down into the next area. The Cocoon Plants here are VERY susceptible to fire. >Cocoon Plant Chamber contains: >4 Cocoon Plants (Drop Anti-Venom) >1 Torg (After entering the Torg room and leaving it) >Find: Anti-Venom, NE corner Simply use the fire spells and a slashing attack to take these creatures out. They do not pivot, so moving behind them to avoid their attacks is easy. Now go into the S room and you will find writing on the S wall and an ITEM/Smithy stone! Repair your equipment and get ready to die REAL quick. Now go to the door in the W wall of the Cocoon Plant Room. >Torg Room contains: >2 Torgs (Drop Lamp, Broadsword) >Find: 3 Cunes, 3 Dust of Rage, Large Shield of Balance As you approach you will hear the grunting of the Torgs. Speed is essential here, as well as magic and strength. They have clubs and like to hit the ground with them, causing Loma-Prieta level seismic occurrences that drain you of HP BIG time, even on this side of the door. Try to get into the room ASAP and fire off a spell like the Frozen Hornet spell that has multiple hits. Use the Magic/Physical attack combo repeatedly until one of them falls and then take out the other one. When done in here, there is another that has appeared outside in the Cocoon Plant Room to take out. Congratulations. That is the end of this region. Return to the door to the Poisoned Cavern after repairing your badly damaged armor and equipment. -------------------------------------- EW – Poisonous Cavern (Brief return) -------------------------------------- Once back in here, you will have to go all the way back around to the ladder area and head North to the door to Stone Cavern. -------------------------------------- EW – Stone Cavern -------------------------------------- You enter this area facing South. Warning. This Region has 3 levels. Once you drop down into the main cavern (level 2), you will need to finish it before dropping down to the third level. Getting back here is a pain and a long walk. The following directions will take you the short way to the Save point on this level prior to killing anything (hopefully). Level One. This N-S corridor has a HP trader down the first E shaft. Head S then W and drop down the hole in the floor. Level Two (Main Level) Well, that was fast, wasn't it? In this room, there is a Cune in the SE Corner. Follow the rails N to a W corridor. At the N-S 'T' intersection, you will encounter a Sloth Bug to the N. Leave it be and head S. You will head some low voice chanting soon and find a W corridor intersecting it where you will find a Clay Servant chanting and another Sloth Bug. Try to get past the Sloth Bug if you can but do not get close to the Clay Servant if at all possible. This will 'activate' him and between the two you will likely die. Continue W past the S dead end corridor and you will meet (for the first time) the Dybbuk, busy digging a hole. He tells you that you are wasting your time then drops down the hole. Avoid the hole but walk past it and turn N. Walk up to the second corridor on the left and Save your game. Now to venture out into the Cavern. Head S down the corridor to the W corridor that you passed a moment ago. This is at a 4-way intersection. Enter the first of 2 rooms. There is nothing in the first so go to the S and enter the Hobble Worm Room. >Hobble Worm Room contains: >1-3 Hobble Worms (Drop nothing) >Find: Bottle of Light (in chest) Hobble worms are pretty easy so once you take out those who appear here, go to the E wall just S of the protruding rock at foot level and open the secret door. >Secret Worm Room contains: >3 Hobble Worms (Drop Hpotion, Giant Axe) >Find: nothing After finishing them off, return back to the 4-way intersection and walk back the original way you came in. Go back to the area with the Sloth Bug and Clay Servant. Now take them out one at a time. Watch the Sloth Bug for spraying poison at you. The Clay Servant will stand at your approach, orient towards you and then slide and slam into you. I recommend the Magic/Physical attack combo again and to keep moving. They did not drop anything for me. Head N and take out the other Sloth Bug. This one did drop the Divine Symbol (for curing Curse). Head all the way N and the Dybbuk will appear again and cause a cave in blocking your path. Head S to the only side corridor in the W wall of this N-S corridor. This Leads to the Clay Servant Room. >Clay Servant Room contains: >3 Clay Servants (Drop Bastard Sword, Bracelet of Movement) >2 Sloth Bugs (Drop Harden Leg Guards, Scale Mail) >Find: Hpotion Approach the CS's one at a time and finish it off prior to challenging another one. Take on the SB's when you can without getting too close to a CS. When done, head to the N exit, then W, S, and W and voila', you are back at the 4 way intersection. Go and save and come back here. Then head back E, then N all the way to the end to the rails, the E to a new room. >Demon Bat Room contains: >3 Demon Bats (Drop Long Sword, Fiery Long Sword) >Find: Bottle of Light (in chest) Yep. These are the bigger cousins of those same 2 on the Solitary Region of the HUMAN WORLD. Once you have finished here, enter the E tunnel to the Blue Crystals in the floor. Search them and find the (surprise!) Blue Crystal. From here, go back and save and then proceed to the hole the Dybbuk dug for you and drop down to Level Three. Level Three The big chamber to the E is the way out, but you need to go W and then N for now. Head to the chamber in the far N of the corridor and encounter the Crying Roots. >Crying Roots Room contains: >3 Crying Roots (Drop- Sacred Feather x3) >Find: Bottle of Light, Cune (NW corner – the map is wrong) You have to swing at these creatures to 'activate' them, and then you can chop the roots up. Now head down into the E passage leading to the Dybbuk Room. >Dybbuk Room contains: >1 Dybbuk (Drop Caustic Ring) >Find: Hpotion The Dybbuk is VERY apologetic for being so rude and will cry MURDER when you try to take the ring from him. He moves around like Duhrin did so just follow him and obtain your prize, the Caustic Ring. Now head back to the drop down point, enter the large chamber to the E and the S to the exit from this Region and into the False Pit Cavern. -------------------------------------- EW – False Pit Cavern -------------------------------------- You enter this area facing South. Move into the main cavern here to encounter an Earth Knight. >Main Cavern contains: >2 Earth Knights (Drop Harden Large Shield) >2 Acid Pods (Drop Hpotion) >Find: Cune SE corner This E-W chamber has several key locations immediately branching off. Before you fight the Knights, turn right (W) and immediately enter the next passageway running to the N. There is a SAVE point here. And above the SAVE point is an opening that is inaccessible to you, leading to a WARP point from the Hostile Rock Cavern (Boss – Throne Room) one Region down. Back into the cavern to fight the Knights. Use the Magic/Attack combo to keep them stunned enough to never hit you. They are fast and will do good damage. When finished with them, look to the S at the two passageways in the S wall. The W one leads to a WARP point that will take you back to the HUMAN REALM Forgotten Region to the WARP point you could not access before because it was on a slightly higher level than you could access back then. This is the way back from the lower Regions to the higher ones. The nice thing is that there is a Door in the corridor paralleling this one to the E with a Door into the Shadow Tower and the Lowest Regions. And it will remain accessible. Now head W and prepare to encounter many Acid Pods in the corridors. They will mainly Drop Hpotions. The twists and bends make it easy for them to attack you with acid balls and hard for you to approach without getting hit. So take an Acid Vaccine prior to entering the corridor. Equip the Caustic Shield if you have it. Or you can just rely on the vaccine as your defense and un-equip all items so as to spare them the acid baths you will be going through. The first one will appear after you turn S, in the curve in the corridor. But don't worry, you will hear it long before you see or feel it. Do not try to use the Bow because the angle will prevent it from hitting. While working on the first 'Pod, another will appear in the corridor to the NW of it and add to the acid bath you will probably be in. Use the Forward/Hit/Back off tactic to finish off the first pod or the Magic/Physical hit tactic. Either can be effective. The Bow and long-range spells do well against the second one. Going forward (N), by pass the two side passages on the left (W) and follow the corridor N and then E. Another 'Pod will appear prior to an intersection Going N. In that Corridor is another 'Pod that will Drop an Ashes. There are 2 more on the floor to find. Go back to the main corridor and head E. This will turn N and leads to the Fire Tower room. >Fire Tower room contains: >2 Cannon Snails (Drop Fiery Gauntlet, Caustic Steel Boots) >Find: nothing After dispatching the snails, read the plaque on the N wall and then examine the Tower in the middle of the room. You will notice a slot near the bottom. Place the recently acquired Blue Stone into the slot and watch the room change color as the flame turns blue. Remember this room because you will be returning here, but by a different route. Go all the way back to the area where you first encountered the second 'pod and the 2 W corridors that you did not take. Follow it around to the far W corridor, ignoring the corridor that heads to the N, which leads to a ledge over an open cavern with a Cune on it. Walk out to the end of the path, turn around and slowly backup until you start falling. Press the forward direction key on the d-pad as you fall to land safely on the ledge directly below you. You are now facing East. Follow the corridor until you come N side corridor that will take you to a room with Acid Pods (yep, again!). >Acid Pod room contains: >2 Acid Pods (Drop Anti-Venoms or Hpotions) >Find: Soul Pod +14, Tower Shield of Honor The best way to take these 'Pods out is with long range attacks. Return to the main corridor, travel E and take the first right (S). DO NOT go to the end of the corridor yet! This is the Ray Plant room. >Ray Plant room contains: >2 Acid Pods (Drop Hpotion) >1 Ray Plant (Drop Deadly Amulet) >Find: Hpotion, Mpotion, Cune, Soul Pod +14 x2 Again ranged attacks are best. Target the Ray Plant (on the pedestal) last. Pick up everything and return to the end of the corridor, where you will be teleported to the Blue Flame room. Go back and save your game. As you pass through the corridors, you will encounter several more Acid Pods, all close to the same spots you encountered them before. You will also encounter one in the Main Cavern. Now you are ready for the Pit Overpass. Head back into the hallways on a NW course. When you come to the second pathway on the left, take it and immediately turn right (N). This will take you to the Pit Overpass. At the point you exit the tunnel and come out into the open with the stone path in front of you, you will encounter the first creatures barring your way. >Pit Overpass contains: >2 Guardians (Floating Skeletons) (Drop Cunes) >4 Sloth Bugs (Drop Hpotion, Caustic Gauntlets) >Find: Tower Shield The Guardians drop Cunes, so to get the Cunes, make sure they are hovering over the path when they die. Use Spirit Magic on them and crushing attacks. Then proceed up the path. I recommend the bow as the best way to take out the Bugs. But again, try to take them out when they are in the middle of the path. Either the things they drop fall over the edge or you may make a mis- step and plummet to your death, all to get an Hpotion. When you go under the Overpass, then take a sharp right, you will see another Bug ahead. Be careful on this portion of the path because if you stop and try to stand still, you may find yourself sliding over the edge. The path is steep and slick. Watch your footing. After you complete the Overpass, you are rewarded with a door to a new Realm contain the first real Boss of the game. -------------------------------------- EW – Hostile Rock Cavern -------------------------------------- You enter this area facing North. Follow the corridor into the main chamber. There are only 2 chambers to this level so this is going to be a battleground of sorts. Moving into the main cavern here will bring you face to face with 2 more Earth Knights. >Main Cavern contains: >2 Earth Knights (Drop-????) >8 Black Unix (Drop Hpotion, Bottle of Light) >Find: Leg Guard This entire Realm looks on the map like a squashed turtle with a very big square head as the Boss chamber. You enter at the tail. At the end of each 'leg' is a treasure chest. 2 of them are supposed to have something in them but I only found the Leg Guards in the SE chest, nothing in the NW one. If you find something in that chest, let me know what it was. The floor of this Main Cavern has rocks that look like teeth sticking up. Upon entry, you will have the 2 Knights to deal with and then the Black Unix's appear further in and shoot pinks beams at you. They fly but constantly get hung up on the teeth, so use that to your advantage. Their beams do not pass through the teeth either. But they are tough to damage. Use the Magic/Physical tactic on them and keep moving. Killing one usually causes another to appear at a bad angle to you, like behind you or to the side and back a bit. Mop them up, get your best armor on and a sword like the two-handed great swords (meaning no shield) and equip things that increase your movement rate. For rings, I found the Frost and the Poison spells worked best. Also, be ready to use the Anti-Paralysis item quickly. Now head W and enter the Chamber of Apollos. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ BOSS FIGHT - APOLLOS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Apollos was a knight of the king that was betrayed and then modified to be the walking nightmare in front of you. You will also have to contend with at least one other Earth Knight, but you should be able to take it/them down quickly. USE YOUR RINGS to full advantage here to eliminate them so you can concentrate on Apollos. Besides, it really is a short trip back to the smithy from here, believe me. >Apollos Chamber contains: >1-2 Earth Knights (Drop-????) >1 Apollos (Drop Great Sword) >Find: Plate Mail of Curing, Spirit Book, Soul Pod +5 Depending on how many Knights you encounter determines your strategy. Apollos has a sword in one hand, his other hand is a long tentacle that hits HARD, and he can paralyze you. Add the two knights and you can have a real Knightmare on your hands. (Pun intended) I recommend taking out the knights first, keeping in constant motion and as far away from Apollos as possible. Not easy because big A is a fast mover. Use the Hit/Spell/Hit/Spell/Hit type of maneuver. Now move to the side of big A and use the same type of maneuver. He may try to paralyze you. As SOON as the screen flashes you are paralyzed, immediately hit the select button to go to menu selection. If you time it right, it will allow you use the Anti-Paralysis item and keep pounding away on him. Keep moving and he should go down pretty fast. You gain his thanks, a new sword, some new items and a WARP Stone back to the False Pit Cavern overlooking the Save Stone. When done, go ahead and save. From the Save stone, head due S to the WARP stone that leads to the Forgotten Region of the HUMAN WORLD level. From there, drop down, turn right, drop down again and head outside into the Tower and enter the door leading to the EARTH WORLD Rotting Cave where the smithy is. Fix yourself up and head back down to where the False Pit Cavern is. Save your game. Exit into the Tower through the SE corridor right next to the WARP stone you just took a few moments ago and head to the only other door you can enter that looks reddish in color. This is door #1 to the FIRE WORLD. ************************************** FIRE WORLD ************************************** In these Realms, Flame rules. As you will notice, you do not have a lot of fire insurance right now. You will pick up a piece here and there. This is one of the things I like about this game. You do not gain items that help you in the level(s) prior, you gain them as you go along. Of course the opponents are tougher and your equipments durability rating is going to suffer from the fireballs you get hit with (and you WILL get hit with many). But an adventurer's life is never supposed to be dull. Get ready. You are now about to enter the Phoenix Cave. -------------------------------------- FW – Phoenix Cave -------------------------------------- On the map, this place somewhat resembles a basketball court to a limited extent. It is hard to name the specific sections/areas in this Realm, so I will arbitrarily name each area separated by an archway or bridge by a name like Area A, Area B, etc. Therefore, this section of the walkthrough will look and read differently than the others. It will be more step-by-step in most places. You enter this area facing East. You are in the SW corner of the Cave. This is Area A. To your left you can see a lava river heading E. You can actually walk over this river (and survive!) but not without losing a great deal of your HP. From this start point, straight ahead (E) is an archway. Prior to going through it, pick up the Fiery Large Shield in the SE corner. Equip it; you WILL need it, very soon. After going through the archway into Area B look to the right to find an Acid Vaccine. There is a bridge that is in the up position to the N, the lava flow forks and creates an island with a lever on it to lower this bridge and an archway to access it, and another archway to the E of you. As you approach the archway to the E, a Fire Jinn (hereafter FJ) will appear on the other side. These guys are common and carry a sword and shoot fireballs at you, even through the archways if the angle is good. Go through the archway into area C and take out the FJ. He can drop a Rapier or a Potion. Another one can appear in this area later and drop the other item. To the N is a stone bridge over the lava to Area D. which has a Cune lying on the ground in the SW corner and another Lever to drop the bridge that extends over the lava flow to the N. As SOON as you kill this FJ, another appears in Area D in the W section. It will begin shooting fireballs at you. As you move across the bridge to confront it, hit the 'X' key to move the lever. Take out this FJ (Drops an Hpotion or Fiery Long Sword), grab the Cune, enter the archway to the W into Area E, activate the lever and pickup the Fire World Stone that is on the ground. This little feller is going to come in handy, but do not use it just yet. Go back to Area D, cross the N bridge into Area F and take out the FJ (if he appeared; he didn't always appear each time I played through). He Drops an Hpotion. In this area you will find 2 Cunes and an Ashes* in the SW corner near the lava. This* is shown on the map as being in the next area. The map is wrong for the American Version. Head through the archway in the E wall into Area G and encounter a new opponent. This Armored Jinn is called and Armored Jinn (hereafter AJ). Use the same tactics that help you to take out a FJ and he will go down, just a little later is all. He will Drop a Fire World Stone. Save it too. Cross the bridge to Area H and throw the Lever. Another FJ will appear in Area I across the lava and start tossing fireballs. Avoid them until the bridge is down. Then cross over and take him out. He Drops the Shadow Blade, a 'Twilight' weapon unique to the Tower, essentially a Katana. The Water World Boss can also drop this item later. The key drawback to this blade is that it puts you in darkness, limiting your sight to just a few feet in front of your face. But it does NICE damage here and now. Save it for the next area. An AJ will appear here on your way back out that did not Drop anything. Go through the archway in the E wall into Area J and take out the FJ here that Drops an Hpotion or Broad Sword. Now, there is a small island called Area K made by the 2 lava flows coming back together that has a Lever and a shimmering flame in the air on it. There is also a bridge that is up leading over to Area L. You might want to use a Fire World Stone from here but you really will not need it. Move to the switch and throw it. As soon as you do (or a moment sooner) the shimmering flame coalesces into the Jinn Lord. Use the Hit/Magic/Hit/Magic/Hit tactic with the ice Spell Frozen Hornet (Ice Balls) for maximum efficiency. He Drops a Fire World Stone or the Summoner Ring of Fire. I have you take him out now because if you do not, he will throw fire attacks that look like earthquake shockwaves that do a lot of damage quickly. Grab the Cune here and the Cune in the middle of Area J. Cross the bridge over to Area L and take out the FJ that has been tossing fireballs at you. You will find 2 Cunes on the floor and the Fiery Helm in the chest. Now, head all the way back to Area B. As you go back, you will encounter FJ's and AJ's here and there. They all seem to drop only Hpotions or Fire World Stones. For right now, the stones are the preferred item to get. Back at Area B, take a quick jaunt back into Area A and take out the FJ that should be there. Go back into Area B and across the bridge (N) into Area M. Grab the Cune here. Now prepare yourself, because there can be as many as 5 possible FJ's appear in the next Area N which is through the W archway. Watch your health meter and finish them off. They only drop Hpotions. The chest has an Amulet of Guardian. The other item indicated on the map next to the lava flow is something I have never found. If you did find something, let me know. Exit this level through the door in the W wall and back into the Tower. Follow the path along the wall to the next level. -------------------------------------- FW – Burning Cavern -------------------------------------- You enter this level facing West. Welcome to the Hothouse. This place has flames in practically EVERY room and trying to dodge the flames and opponents, without taking any damage is a real trick, babe. It is in reality virtually impossible. Or is that impassable? Whatever. So once again, getting to the save point is your best bet. And it is fortunately very close by the entrance. Head W and then turn N. >Entry Chamber contains: >5 Mystic Towers (Drop Fire World Stone, Lamps, Keenest Long Sword) >Find: nothing The save point is in the room that is due North. Try to avoid the Mystic Towers, the laser shooting creatures, and the flame spouts and get to that save point. Save your game, use the other headstone to trade for Mpotions if you need them. Now go back into the Entry chamber to engage the Towers. Your best bet is to choose one of them that is away from the other and 'dance' around it using the strafe (L1,R1) keys and the d-pad, darting in and hitting then back off and move to the side of your target. Try to watch out for the other Towers shooting at you and when possible dodge them, especially if they are closing in on you. You do not need to kill a Tower if it means getting hit by 2-3 lasers from the other Towers. Keep moving around if you wish to minimize the damage you take. Good spells to use are Ice and Acid based. The Fire World Stones do help, but try not to use them yet. You will need them to finish out the other levels, especially the Ashen Realm. Ok, finish them off and then save again. Move to the W wall and the Corridor of Flames. Get ready to be crisped a bit. Here's a hint for you. This is a good place to use your shield, especially if you have obtained one with flame resistance. Hold your shield up as you pass through this corridor to add extra protection from damage! Now if you have access to the maps, you will see there is a secret room off the N wall of this corridor. Leave it for later and come back when it is cooler in here. >Wide Stair Room contains: >3 Mystic Towers (Drop Lamp) >1 Berserker (Drop Lethal Rapier) >Find: Guardian Amulet, Gothic Shield In this room you can maneuver behind the flame spouts but often the creatures you encounter are positioned to block that path making it harder to attack them. If you encounter the Berserker before you shut off the flames, then take a Fire World Stone and wade into the flame spouts. These creatures MUST be taken down quickly. They are very fast and do hefty physical and fire damage with almost no let up. Berserkers look like the upper part of a Knight and the axle of a racecar. And they match that combination very well. Use the Frozen Hornet then hit with a good Slash attack then the Frozen Hornet again, etc. Speed is essential with these guys. And there are many of these you will have to take down. After finishing here, move W and enter another room, this time with fire shooting up from the floor in quick, random bursts in many spots. >Flame Bursts Room >3 Mystic Towers (Drop Bastard Sword, Tower Shield) >Find: nothing Take out the Towers one at a time, the same as the Entry Chamber. You now have 3 ways to go, N, W, & S. Go to the W wall first and take that corridor to a room with a Cune exchange stone. This room also has an Hpotion in it. Return to the Flame Bursts room and go to the N room. >Iron Crusher Room >4 Iron Crushers (Drop Magical Plate Mail) >Find: Fiery Plate Mail (on raised platform with archway) The Iron Crushers like to shoot iron rivets at you. Isn't that nice of them? And each one of these critters is located in a corner of the room, where they stay. So even when you fight one there is at least one other shooting at you. Constant movement is again mandatory. I recommend a smashing weapon and acid based attacks to quickly dispatch them, as well as keep circling them. The one in the SW corner dropped the Magical Plate in my game. I was never able to get any of the others to drop anything. Finish these 4 off before you go up on the platform. Avoid entering the archway and collect the Fiery Plate mail lying on the floor here. Now head out of this room saving the archway for later. Head S to the corridor out of the Flame Bursts Room. The next room you will come to is full of Berserkers, so get ready to take some damage. Stop after you enter this corridor and equip your best fire resistant and damage reducing equipment (as if you hadn't already) and magic like Frozen Hornet and Bubble Magic which can hit multiple times. These are necessary to make the Berserkers pause in their attacks giving you an opportunity for a mighty hit that will pause them again, followed by another magic attack, etc. >Berserker Room >3 Berserkers (Drop nothing) >1 Iron Crusher (Drop nothing) >Find: nothing (Kinda depressing for all the pain you are about to experience.) The same tactics explained in the Wide Stair room and just above are what you need to employ to take these guys out. The only good thing about this room is that they only come at you one at a time. There will be another realm where you encounter these guys en masse. When you finish with them, move into the room to the N and you will find yourself between 2 furnaces, which supply the flames to this level. And on the N wall there is a switch you can flip to turn off all the flames on the level. You cannot open the door to the E yet; that will come later. Now it would now be a good idea to go back to a smithy and repair all your items. Or you can wait until after you have emptied the secret room back in the Corridor of Flames. >Secret Tower Room >4 Mystic Towers (Drop Lamps) >Find: nothing Nothing really special about this room, it is just there. If you have difficulty trying to get out of the room, just tilt your view up or down and hit the X key until the door opens. I had this bug a few times. If nothing seems to work, then use a Sacred Feather to 'port to your last save point (hmmm, that is just around the corner, isn't it?). You DEFINITELY want to go to a smithy and save your game before attacking the Molten Cavern. After you ready to proceed, go back to the room with the archway and walk through it. -------------------------------------- FW – Molten Cavern -------------------------------------- You enter this level facing whichever direction you were facing when you entered the Archway on the last level, either North or South. >Molten Cavern Archway Room contains: >Find: Hpotion, 2 Anti-Venoms You find yourself on another archway platform with an Hpotion on it and stairs going down to a door. WARNING! Right outside the door is a Mystic Tower and it will attack you through the wall and door. Go Around the room and pick up the Hpotion and Anti-venoms. Head through the door and take out the Tower, which is to your left (E). It will Drop an Amulet of Composure. While fighting it, you will get hit by the fire rings thrown by the Berserker behind the other door to the far E. Save him for a moment and head W up the steep stairs. At the top is another Tower that will drop a Lamp. Another one will appear here later. Follow this around to a locked door with creatures behind it. I just wanted you to see this. Go back to the room with the Berserker in it and take him out. >Molten Berserker Chamber >1 Berserker (Drop nothing) >2 Berserker (Drop nothing) – After Abraxus >1 Berserker (Drop nothing) – Returning from the Arachness Chambers >Find: nothing (Enough to irritate you, isn't it? Drop & find nothing??? Sheesh) Walk all the way to the E and then N to find the Save point and an HP trader. Now head out of this room and head S until you see the Fat Mole. He tells you some (soon to be obvious) information about someone named Abraxus then disappears. To the E of him is the Steel Servants room. Enter. >Steel Servants Room >2 Steel Servants (Drop Deadly Axe, Hpotion) >Find Shining Great Shield (in chest) The Steel Servants will not attack until attacked so bide your time. Move to their side and swing once. Usually, as soon as your strength meter is full, they are moving and can be damaged. They are susceptible to smash attacks. Head out of the room and S through the door, then W. The big guy is (guess who??) Abraxus the Red (fire breathing) Dragon. He is currently having his daily Lava bath and is dreadfully upset at being interrupted, saying something about burning your ass. No, I mean turning you to ash. Yes, that's it. You can move around him (through the Lava) to the platform if you want to, but you also have to contend with many flying, flaming Horned Skulls. Add to that, that even Ice based spells and absolutely no weapons can harm him (right now) suggests you find another way to take him out. Translation: Get a look at him, let him give his schpiel and get out of there. You will meet Fat Mole at the same place again and he basically tells you 'I told you so' then disappears again. Head all the way back to the locked door at the top of the steep stairs and run into Fat Mole (again). Only this time he is far more helpful. He opens the door as he disappears, but not before telling you that the rooms ahead contain something that will help you with Abraxus. Enter the next room. >Arachness Chamber #1 >2 Arachness (Drop Gauntlet, Ring of Desire) >Find: Fiery Leg Guard (in chest across the Lava These are tough. No weapon did significant damage, no magic either. And they like to breathe fire a lot. Wait to go after the chest until as bit later. Take the other door and go to the next chamber. >Arachness Chamber #2 >3 Arachness (Drop Fire World Stone, Gothic Shield of Rage [Skull-shaped]) >Find: Soul Pod +14 across the Lava After dispatching them, move to the NW wall and pull the chain. Turn around and watch the lava stop flowing. If you stop and think about that, it's somewhat like Abraxus is taking a hot shower and you just flushed the toilet. Heh, heh, heh. If you wait here long enough or return later, the Lava will cool enough for you to cross and not take any damage. Or you can take about 200-300 HP damage with each crossing. Your choice. Now go all the way back to Abraxus and voila!, he seems to be at a loss for words. It must be awfully cold Lava, the way he just stands there looking real dumb. Why, I bet if you just walked up to him and gave him a little love tap, he would just fall to pieces. >Lava Chamber >Abraxus (Drop nothing) >5 Horned Skulls (Drop nothing) >Find: Silent Sword, Soul Pod +14 The bow does work against the HS's but not too well. It would be best to use a crushing weapon and either Acid or Ice attacks on them. In the far SW area of the lava is a sword in the stone, the Silent Sword, which mutes your magic totally when equipped. No spell casting. When ready, step through the archway on the platform that was behind Abraxus when you entered and step into the next realm. -------------------------------------- FW – Ashen Cavern -------------------------------------- You enter this cavern facing North. This is a boss level and it is in reality, one of the most challenging you will come across, based on your present experience, weapon/item/armor combinations and the number and abilities of the creatures you will encounter. So be sure to enter here with ALL items at full durability and lots of Hpotions. You will probably go through several. This region is a series of rock-'platforms' suspended in darkness and attached by walkways/bridges. >WARP Arch #1 >Find: Cune (SW, at the edge), Gauntlets (NE, If not already obtained) Grab the items and head N up the steps. WARNING!! There are 3 Berserkers ahead and begin attacking before you get to the next platform. >Berserker Platform >3 Berserkers (Drop Bottle of light, Swift Steel Boots)) >Find: nothing These guys attack en masse, meaning all at once, together. Remember that they are Fast, Strong and Magic throwers. Put on your best armor, best weapon, use a Fire World Stone, use Bubble, Frost or Acid magic. Take them down quickly, and then check your stats. To the NE of this platform is a bridge heading E. Do not take it. Meteorites will fall on it (Damaging you) and destroy the bridge. Spare yourself some unnecessary damage. Head N, up then down to the next platform. >Bone Demon Platform >3 Berserkers (Drop nothing) >2 Bone Demons (Drop Cunes) >Find: nothing The Bone Demons are fireball throwers, but crushing blows and water spells work well. The BD's are slow movers but the Beserkers are not. These creatures keep coming, so once you kill one, another will take its place. It will be like this on each platform. Finish them off, keeping a CLOSE watch on your Hpoints. Weapon/Magic/Weapon was the easiest and fastest way to take them down for me. Now make your way E down the bridge. Near the bottom stop moving. You will slowly creep down the ramp anyway. Use this time to target with ranged attacks either the Horned Skulls and/or the Zygotes in this area. Once you reach the platform itself, the Horned Skull will be only JUST within sword strike range as they fly overhead. This is good and bad. It means that they will probably not damage you. This is good. But if you try to fight them and keep moving around, with your head tilted all the way back looking up to try and hit them, you just might find the edge of the platform before you know it. This is bad. Wait until later at the ruins in the middle of this platform before you attack them. You can reach them easier from there. >Zygote Platform >3 Zygotes (Drop nothing) >2 Horned Skulls (Drop nothing) >Find: Mpotions(2), Flaming Key (at locked pedestal) *Special note on finding items – The map has an item here to be found that I never did. Given the way I was exploiting the game while playing, it is possible I found this item earlier in the game and it was already in my inventory when I got here. If you know what this item is laying on the ground, please let me know. Zygotes are the creatures that remain in one spot and have a large marble for a head. Just keep to the side of them and your sword will finish them off. However, they have friends that like to shoot magic at you from behind, so keep moving if you can. Please note the pedestal with the 'pincer' shaped ring at the top in the NE area of the platform. This is the locked pedestal containing the key you need to help you transport to the boss. How do you open it and with what? Keep going. Be sure NOT to drop down the big hole in the platform. There is no bottom to it and nothing to find down there. Except death. When finished, heal up and head E again to a long pathway to another small platform. >Small Zygote Platform >2 Zygotes (Drop Plate Mail of Protection) >Find: Priest Ring of Fire Same strategy as the last platform. Sword is all you really need. Now, be SURE to check your stats, health, Mpoints, items durability, etc. The next platform can be tough. Make sure you have a Fire World Stone going AT THE LEAST. >Cerberus Platform >2 Ruby Demons (Drop Anti-Paralysis) >4 Cerberus' (Drop Fire World Stone, Anti-Paralysis, Fiery Key) >Find: nothing *The map indicates the Fiery Key can be found, but it is actually dropped. Everything here breathes fire (surprise!). And casts paralysis. Take out the Ruby's first because they supply you the antidote to paralysis. Then turn your attention to the mutts at your back. They bite, growl, bark and try to stomp you down. Magic spells like Frozen Hornet work well for close encounters. Watch your health and keep swinging. Grab the key that is dropped and prepare for the Boss. You can step into the portal in the S and that will take you to the locked room in the Burning Cavern near the Berserker Room. There is an Hpotion in that room. I recommend first going through the once locked door and then re-enter the room and drop down the hole in the middle of the N wall to go back to the smithy to fix your equipment. You also will want to make sure you have at least one (1) Sacred Feather before approaching the Boss. Once done, SAVE GAME and then return all the way back to the locked portal here in the Ashen Cavern and use the Fiery key. A compartment opens to reveal the Flaming Key. Use this key right here, right now and you will teleport to the lone platform with no bridge leading to it. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ BOSS FIGHT – EBONY KNIGHT ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The guy in front of you is the Ebony Knight and he is itching to pick a fight with you. Use your heftiest sword and the Frozen Hornet spell. He moves a lot and likes to cast an explosive fire spell at you when you are close to him. Fire defense is the RULE in armor and items. Keep an eye on Hpoints, especially if you are going toe to toe. He can move fast, but generally is moderate in movement if you keep near to him. If you move away for ranged attacks, he can suddenly slide right up next to you with a pretty good hit. Try dancing in and out with attacks and magic hits, reorienting on his side or flank while he recovers from the stunning hit(s). Once down, he will give you a schpiel and then Drop the Fiery Bastard Sword. There is now no reason to stay, so use the Sacred feather to return to your last save point. ****SPECIAL NOTE**** Remember the door you first entered after leaving the Phoenix cave that led to the Burning Cavern? Well, there is a walkway across the Tower from here that leads you to the next World, the Water World, Impure Pool area. Head to that area and enter the next World. ****END OF NOTE**** ================ =Special Thanks= ================ Of all the thank you's for this project to go out, first and foremost to From Software for bringing another first person RPG to the states and second for ASCII/Agetec (pronounced Age-Tec) for distributing it. I hear RPG Maker is on its way and King's Field IV is due later in the year for the PS2. This is my favorite type of RPG and I am indebted to them for providing these for my personal entertainment. Thirdly, I'd like to thank the people posting to the Agetec Messageboard and to my new friends at the Verdite Inn in Yahoo land. It makes all the difference in the world to find people who like the games you do even though most reviewers who want "the next bigger, better, more technological adrenaline fix in the first hour of game play" to sate their entertainment appetites bash the heck out of those games you love. And lastly, for the same reason in #2, just because it doesn't stack up to most people's tastes, doesn't mean it is a bad game. I believe the commonly used word was 'dreck'. This game had many of it's own merits and I will be the first to speak of the many problems with Shadow Tower, including a weak ending. But to those who can understand this and judge a game on its own merits (and de-merits), a heartfelt thank you for your support, fairness and intelligence.