Avernum 5
FAQ/Walkthrough
Version 0.5
By Matt Pasek
Email: Elementalizard@aol.com
Avernum 5 (A5) is the fifth game in the Avernum series. A5 builds on the
technical capabilities of A4 with a hugely improved plot, fascinating new land
to explore, and improved strategic aspects. Major technical/strategic changes
from A4 to A5 include:
A new inventory system. No longer are you weighed down by all the stuff in
your backpack. Now your character's encumbrance is decided solely on what
your character is wearing (presumably your character can drop the backpack
with 40 tons of iron prior to fighting). This de-emphasizes the importance of
strength for wizards, and allows you to carry more stackable items as desired.
New combat movement. A5 uses the Geneforge 4 combat system, which means that
your characters can attack with 1 AP left. This allows for some intriguing
strategic options, most notably the ability to shuffle characters around mid-
fight. For instance, if your bowman is your first character (since they tend
to be the fastest at the beginning), your bowman can move your melee fighter
forward one to three spaces as necessary. For instance, if you are trying to
get to a Monster M with Bowman B and Fighter F:
.F.
.B.
...
...
.M.
Do the following:
.B. ... ... ...
.F. .FB .F. .B.
... > ... > .B. > .F.
... ... ... ...
.M. .M. .M. .M.
until you reach your foe. This becomes especially important when you get the
haste spell, as it may mean you can attack twice instead of just once.
New battle techniques. There are now eight battle techniques available for
your characters to use (detailed further below). All give significant
bonuses, and can be very useful when used tactically. Also, it is now more
useful for mages/priests to add some points to bows and melee so as to access
a few of these skills to boost spell damage.
Boats! Elevation! A few new, really cool items are elevation (making forts
look really cool) and boats, which really help add to the "Frontier"
perspective of A5.
Bold story- you now have several choices to make, and are no longer stuck in
the save-the-underworld mentality.
Lots of new monsters + a whole new area to explore. You will see all of 1-2
areas that may be familiar from A4, but otherwise everything is all new. The
monsters are also very imaginative, including several boss fights.
Table of Contents:
1. Miscellaneous Info
2. Skills Guide
3. Spells Guide & Battle Disciplines
4. Traits
5. Walkthrough
6. Item Overview
7. Spell Teachers, Skill Trainers and freebies
8. General Strategy
9. Munchkin Guide
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1. Miscellaneous Info
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The following is a list of important tidbits for things you should pick up and
take with you on your travels through Avernum. Pick up these items throughout
your quest, as well as any item worth anything to sell. Money is scarce in
the game.
Quest and job items:
20 Parchment
All mined Crystals
9 Sentinel Power Stone
25 Chitrach Claw
8 Chitrach Husks
Fishing Pole
Pipe
Potted Plant
Scissors
Vase
Crafting Items:
All Herbs
Focusing Crystals
Fine Leather
Fine Steel
Rare Items:
Eyestalks
Mandrake Tincture
Demon Bile
A few:
Gold Necklace
Platinum Ring
Sticks \
Emeralds > for wands
Rubies /
Also, you will rapidly get the ability to travel via the pylons. The
following is a list of their locations:
Pylons:
Blackchasm Outpost (00)
New Harston (03)
Shanker's Tower (19)
Gladwell's Keep (23)
Harkin's Landing (38)
Exodus (43)
Tranquility (58)
Anama Lands (66)
Highground (82)
Muck (90)
Vahnatai Lands (A4)
Melanchion's Keep (B8)
ALWAYS GET JOBS FROM JOB BOARDS AS YOUR FIRST ACTIVITY WHEN YOU REACH A NEW
AREA!
If you don't you may end up with uncompleted quests, especially with quests
like "Collect item Q from enemy Z".
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2. Skills Guide
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Main Stats:
Strength (Str): Strength affects the amount of damage you do in melee, the
amount you can wear as armor (without losing APs), and your stun resistance.
An average character will want about 6 points total to wear nice armor, and a
melee fighter will probably want 8 points to access some of the better skills
available.
Dexterity (Dex): Dexterity increases your To Hit (TH) percentage with all
weapons, your attacking order in combat, and your dodging ability. It's also
a major prerequisite for several special skills. Aim for about eight points,
that's all you'll need.
Intelligence (Int): Intelligence affects the amount of spell points (SP)
you have, and your mental resistance. Magic users will want about 8 points to
be able to cast a bunch of spells and to access magery and other key skills.
Melee fighters can probably ignore this skill, although they may want to
invest a few to access Anatomy, which is a lot easier to get to than previous
Avernums.
Endurance (End): Endurance affects your hit points (HP), and your poison
and acid resistances. This skill is a bit more necessary than A4 because HP
are more necessary. Also, Magical Efficiency is a lot more powerful, so it's
probably worth try to get a decent amount of these points even for magic
users.
Combat Stats:
Melee Weapons (MW): Melee weapons affects the amount of damage you do with
melee weapons (daggers & swords), your To Hit percentage (TH) with these
weapons, and increases the number of battle disciplines you can use. Melee
fighters (even pole weapon users) will want six points in this skill to get
access to Blademaster. For magic users, you may want to buy three points here
to get some of the nicer battle disciplines, but otherwise ignore this
ability.
Pole Weapons (PW): Pole weapons affects the amount of damage you do with
pole weapons (spears & halberds), your To Hit percentage (TH) with these
weapons, and increases the number of battle disciplines you can use. Melee
fighters (including sword users) will want six points in this skill to access
Blademaster. As before, magic users may want to buy three points to get some
of the nicer battle disciplines, but otherwise will probably want to ignore
this ability. There tend to be fewer, but more powerful pole weapons than
melee weapons.
Bows (Bow): Bows affects the amount of damage you do with bows (bows &
longbows), your To Hit percentage (TH) with these weapons, and increases the
number of battle disciplines you can use, though at half the rate of MW and
PW. There are a lot of really nice bows, and though they tend to be less
powerful than thrown weapons, they have better side bonuses. Also, they weigh
a lot less, and you don't need to carry around a large selection of them.
Pretty much everyone should try to get a few points in this skill, unless
they're using thrown missiles exclusively.
Thrown Missile (TM): Thrown missiles affects the amount of damage you do
with thrown weapons (javelins & razordisks), your To Hit percentage (TH) with
these weapons, and increases the number of battle disciplines you can use,
though at half the rate of MW and PW. Thrown weapons are the most powerful
weapons available, but are limited in number. I tend to have 1 character
devoted exclusively to these weapons, usually a mage. Note that these can
also be quite heavy.
Quick Action (QA): Quick action gives you a chance of having two attacks in
a single round and increases your turn order in battle. It's not an
especially powerful skill, since you don't get a large chance to double-hit,
but it's not bad to invest 3-4 points in since it's fairly cheap. It's also
an easy way to increase your turn order.
Magic Stats:
Mage Spells (MS): This skill increases the damage you do with your mage
spells, and the number of mage spells you have access to. If you're going to
cast magic spells, this is your skill. Eighteen points is all you'll ever
need, and if you have the natural mage trait, you'll get an extra point every
five levels or so. Add about 13 points to this skill for your mage, and
that's about all you'll need. This skill is a bit more expensive than priest
spells but gives access to better spells. DON'T INVEST HERE IF YOU WANT TO
JOIN THE ANAMA!
Priest Spells (PS): This skill increases the damage you do with your priest
spells, and the number of priest spells you have access to. If you're going
to cast holy spells, this is your skill. Eighteen points is all you'll ever
need, and if you have the pure spirit trait, you'll get an extra point every
five levels or so. Add about 13 points to this skill for your priest, and
that's about all you'll need. This skill is cheaper than mage spells but
doesn't have as good of spells.
Arcane Lore (AL): Arcane lore increases your ability to read books (giving
new spells) and increases your mental resistance. Everyone should probably
try to get about four points in this skill so that you won't be upset when you
run across a book you can't use. The mental resistance is a nice icing on the
cake.
Spellcraft (SC): Spellcraft increases the damage and duration of your
spells. All magic users should increase this skill, though probably after
buying a few points in it from Shanker. Magery is similar to this skill but
more expensive.
General Stats:
Hardiness (Hard): Hardiness increases your armor and resistances. It is a
cheap and effective skill. Buy at least 2 points for everyone, 4 if you've
got a few points (or brews or crystals) to spare. This skill is a precursor
to resistance. The only resistances it doesn't increase are mental and stun
resistances.
Defense (Def): Defense decreases your likelihood of being hit. It's
relatively cheap and inexpensive. It is the precursor to the quite useful
skill parry, and riposte. Definitely buy 6 points for all your fighters so as
too access parry.
Tool Use (TU): Tool use affects your ability to disarm traps and open doors
(as well as a few special encounters). A maximum of 15 is all that's needed
for 98% of things, 17 will open nearly everything (especially when you equip
the two tinker items). Only one character need acquire this, and I'd
recommend giving said character the "Nimble Fingers" trait as well. I'd
recommend about 8 points for Chapter 1, 10 for Chapter 2, 12 for Chapter 3,
and 15 from then on (which means add about 8-10 points for a character with
Nimble Fingers).
First Aid (FA): First aid affects how many HP and SP you gain after
successfully killing something. This is a useful, cheap skill that can help
delay your need to go back to town. I'd recommend buying at least 2 points
for everyone early. Increase to 4 when you have the spare points.
Nature Lore (NL): Nature Lore affects your ability to calm wild animals and
to find caches, and is used for a few special encounters. Buy 2 points for
everyone at the start of the game, then set 4-6 skill points in reserve for
the occasion later when you can't get a cache (by about chapter 3 you will
need to add a few more points).
Luck: Affects pretty much everything, including resistances, armor, dodging
ability, and probably damaging ability. Expensive though, and I might
recommend holding onto your points until you find the late-game trainer for at
least some of your party. Maybe add 1 point for everyone to increase
survivability.
Special Skills:
Key:
(initial skill point cost) Name: Requisite 1 (cost of requisite when requisite
is reached) + Requisite 2 (cost of requisite when requisite is reached):
Description.
Note that special skills have requisites before you can train in them. You
can buy points, get quest rewards, get them through traits or as racial bonus,
or equip items to get points in these skill, but can only train in these
skills once you have reached the requisites. Additionally, the requisites
must be reached through training or buying points in the requisites- they do
not include other bonuses (whether through traits, quest rewards, or
equipment). Thus you must reach the point where the skill starts to cost X
points, where X is the number to the right of the skill. This will help
clarify what you need, and explains why you might have 10 points in dexterity
and still not access some of these skills- equipment, quest, and racial/trait
bonuses do not count.
(3) Quick Strike (QS): 6 Dexterity (starts to cost 8) + 6 Melee or Pole
(starts to cost 7): Quick strike will give you a slight chance of getting
bonus movement points in a given round. If you invest heavily here you get a
chance for getting even more AP. One of my favorite skills, well worth trying
to get for all fighters.
(3) Parry (Par): 6 Dexterity (starts to cost 8) + 6 Defense (starts to cost
5): Parry gives you a slight chance of blocking an attack completely (about 3%
per point invested). A good skill for fighters, and a prerequisite for
riposte. Worth trying to get for fighters.
(5) Blademaster (Blm): 6 Melee (starts to cost 7) + 6 pole (starts to cost 7)
+ 6 Strength (starts to cost 8)- Increases you to hit% and your damage done
with melee weapons. Also decreases your fatigue time so you can use battle
techniques more frequently. A prerequisite for the top tier abilities Lethal
Blow and Riposte. Worth getting for devoted fighters as you'll be able to
burn through battle techniques with this skill.
(4) Anatomy (Anat): 4 Intelligence (starts to cost 7) + 8 Melee or Pole
(starts to cost 8): Gives a bonus to your first aid recovery, and gives a
damage bonus when fighting against humanoids. This skill is a whole lot
cheaper than it has been in previous Avernum games, and is worthwhile for
fighters and/or priests. Buy points in this skill first though. This skill
is a prerequisite for Lethal Blow.
(4) Gymnastics (Gym): 8 Dexterity (starts to cost 9) + 6 Strength (starts to
cost 8): Increases your attack order and decreases your likelihood of being
hit. Not too bad, and you can get it pretty easily. I recommend training in
this skill first though.
Pathfinder: Pathfinder affects your resistance to acid and poison. It's
cheap but untrainable, and no items seem to offer it. Go ahead and buy three
points in this skill when you can, just because that'll further diminish the
affects of poison and acid.
(4) Lethal Blow (LB): 8 Anatomy (starts to cost 8) + 8 Blademaster (starts to
cost 9): Gives a chance of doing massive damage when attacking with melee/pole
weapons to a single foe. Not that bad, though quite difficult to obtain. I'd
recommend buying training in this and leaving it at that. By the time your
warriors could access this skill you'll probably doing way more damage with
your magic users instead. Fighters will serve primarily as meat shields.
(5) Riposte (Rip): 8 Parry (starts to cost 7) + 6 Blademaster (starts to cost
8): Gives a slight chance of reflecting damage back at a foe. This skill
doesn't do too much damage, but is a modest improvement from parry. If you
build your stats for your fighters with getting this skill in mind, you will
have very powerful fighters by the end game.
(4) Sharpshooter (SS): 6 Dexterity (starts to cost 8) + 8 Bows or Thrown
(starts to cost 6): Increases damage done by bows and thrown weapons. Nice to
buy points for all characters, and then train your archers in this skill even
further. Don't bother investing skill points for non-archers in this skill,
as it takes a devoted archer to get to it. Essentially the next "Bows" skill
for archers.
(4) Magery (Mgr): 8 Intelligence (starts to cost 9) + 6 Mage Spells (starts to
cost 8) or Priest Spells (starts to cost 7): Gives your spells larger bonuses
in terms of damage and duration. Probably mostly equivalent to spellcraft,
though a prerequisite for magical efficiency. Aim your mage to get this
skill, and probably your priest at a later time.
(4) Magical Efficiency (MEf): 8 Magery (starts to cost 8) + 8 Endurance
(starts to cost 8): Gives a chance of decreasing the spell point cost of a
spell. Much more effective in A5 than in A4, this spell is well worth getting
for your mages and probably your priests as well. With this spell you'll be
able to spam lightning spray and smite much longer, and your buffs are much
cheaper. You won't go wrong if you build your mage with this skill in mind.
(5) Resistance (Res): 8 Dexterity (starts to cost 9) + 8 Endurance (starts to
cost 8) + 8 Hardiness (starts to cost 5): Gives a bonus to most physical
resistance stats. Probably not worth try to get to, due to its cost, I'd
still recommend buying three points or so for everyone. It will make you last
that much longer.
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3. Spells & Battle Discipline Guide
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The spells and battle disciplines are described below. Each spell is also
affected by spell "strength" which for a given spell is equal to the number of
times trained in that spell, plus the spell class skill (either mage spells or
priest spells), plus your spellcraft, plus your magery. The effects for
increasing your spell strength in a given spell are described by "+". The
best way of increasing your spell strength is to add points to magery and
spellcraft as both skills affect all spells cast. Training in a spell with a
teacher has less of an effect, and may not be worth the cost, especially if
you have found a book that will train you instead. The bonuses from spell
strength (from the manual) are described as well.
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Priest Spells
These are the healing spells, the buff spells, and the occasional damage
spell and summoning spells available to everyone. In general they have a much
smaller damage output per SP than mage spells, but can compensate in other
ways. These spells are cheaper and easier to use than mage spells.
Minor Heal: The staple health returning spell at low level. Very useful early
in the game, a bit less so later in the game.
+ Increases HP regained (+ 1d3)
Curing: Removes negative effects like poison and acid from a character.
Necessary for some fights, and cheap to cast.
+ Removes more levels of poison/acid.
War Blessing: Cast this before every moderate fight, it increases your chance
to hit and your damage done to foes.
+ Increasing the level of this spell makes it last longer.
Protection: Decreases your chance of being hit by a foe and decreases the
damage received. Cast this before every moderate fight, it lasts for fairly
long.
+ Increases the duration of the spell.
Repel Spirit: Does disruption damage to undead and demons. Undead take a lot
of damage from this spell, and this spell is the main damage-dealer for
priests when available. Couple it to a mighty blow to kill many undead
instantly.
+ Increases damage done by spell (+ 1d5).
Smite: The first major damage-dealing spell of the priestly repertoire. This
spell is costly but does a decent amount of energy damage (not ice, I don't
think). Great, useful spell.
+ Increase damage done (+ 1d5).
Summon Shade: Summons a shade (~43 HP) or a greater shade (~62 HP) to fight
for you.
+ Increases the chance of getting a greater shade (?) and the length of time
they stick around.
Enduring Shield: Places a long-lasting shield that decreases the likelihood of
getting hit. Well worth casting before every decently large board. Less
powerful than Enduring Armor.
+ Makes the spell last somewhat longer.
Unshackle Mind: Removes charm, daze, and terror effects. Doesn't seem to
always remove daze or terror, but charm is easily broken. Very useful spell
for those occasions.
+ Increases likelihood of removal.
Heal: Provides a nice batch of health to a single character. Well worth it
for the middle of fights.
+ Increase HP regained (+ 1d5).
Mass Healing: Casts a healing spell on all your (nearby) characters. Often
useful right after a nasty hit (for instance, by a fire shrub).
+ Increases HP regained (+ 1d3?)
Mass Curing: Casts a curing spell on everyone. Very useful when fighting
poisonous-cloud launching creatures.
+ Increases poison/acid levels removed.
Steel Skin: A long-lasting shield spell that decreases the damage you receive
from most attacks. This one can be cast in conjunction with enduring
shield/armor.
+ Increases the duration.
Divine Fire: Hits foes with fire in an area of effect. The staple mid-high
level damage spell for priests. Not as powerful as fireblast, but still
respectable.
+ Increases damage (+ 1d5).
Control Foe: Seizes the mind of a foe, forcing it to fight for you. Doesn't
work on enemies without brains, or undead.
+ Stronger strength of spell.
Enduring Armor: Strongly reduces chance of being hit with a long-lasting
protection spell. Better than Enduring Shield, it replaces it if you cast
this instead.
+ Increases the duration.
Return Life: Brings a character back from "unconsciousness". Useful for D'oh
moments. Better than traipsing all the way back to town, for certain.
+ Increases health restored (?).
Divine Retribution: Casts a fire spell on all visible enemies. Especially
powerful on weak, distributed foes. Kind of cool, acts like a wand of the
inferno. Not too useful on higher level foes.
+ Increases damage (+ 1d4).
Divine Restoration: THE healing spell, this spell removes all negative effects
other than "unconsciousness". Also, gives the invaluable ability to
regenerate, making your characters last much longer. Some crystals can also
give the ability to regenerate, so hold on to those.
+ Increases HP regained, and regeneration duration.
Divine Host: Summons a battle wraith (133 HP) or a protector wraith (118).
The protector wraith will cast spells on you.
+ Increases spell duration.
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Mage Spells
These spells are capable of the most damage in the game. Couple that to a
high magical efficiency and a high first aid and you're mages will be the
major source of damage in the late game.
Bolt of Fire: A single fire attack to damage your foes. This spell is good
early on, and good late in the game as well. It is strong against humans and
most undead, and weak against demons, reptiles, and things colored red.
+ Increases damage (+ 1d3)
Call Beast: Summons a weak foe to come fight for you. Summons cave worms,
giant rats, huge bats, cave wolves, and cave crawlers (19-27 HP). Summoning
spells got a boost in A5, and are pretty cool for some assistance. Useful for
distractions, no doubt.
+ Increases duration, may increase probability of getting a good summon.
Spray Acid: Hits a foe with a blast of acid, which continues to do damage
through time. A bit nerfed since Avernum 4, this spell is no longer as strong
as it was. Useful at the beginning of the game, but not near the end.
+ Increases initial damage (+ 1d3), adds more acid.
Daze: Stuns foes until you wake them up by attacking them. Cool and
occasionally useful.
+ Increases spell strength.
Haste: Adds about 2 or 25% to your AP for a single round. An invaluable
spell, this spell will help you attack twice in a single round, or up to three
times late in the game (depending on your character setup). Cast this on
everyone before every major fight.
+ Increases spell duration.
Slow: Drops the AP of a foe so that they only attack once every two rounds.
Really useful on bosses, and/or on splitting monsters (e.g., doomguards).
+ Increases spell duration.
Icy Rain: An area of effect ice attack. One of the few ice attacks available
in the game. It is nearly always useful except on ice loving foes or undead.
Don't forget about it as you fight higher level enemies, it often does more
damage than lightning spray or fireblast, depending on the size and number of
foes.
+ Increases spell strength (+ 1d3).
Unlock Doors: Removes magical locks. A moderately necessary spell, this spell
removes the magical parts of locks. No longer as powerful as in A4, you can't
unlock normal locks with this spell. You can replace this spell with
"tinker's crystals" for the Anama or magically-disinclined.
+ Increases magical lock removal strength.
Augmentation: Casts a long lasting boost to HP of about 35 HP, give or take.
This is a very useful buff at middle levels, and still good at high levels.
It will last about two maps worth of slow exploration, so you may need to
recast on long jaunts.
+ Increases spell duration.
Minor Summon: Summons a middle level foe to fight with you (Searing Slimes,
Ghasts, Spitting Wyrmkins, Chitrachs, Fire Lizards, Wights, Hellhounds- HP 53-
78). Good for distractions, and some have some special attacks. Especially
useful for mage-heavy parties.
+ Increases duration, may increase probability of getting a good summon.
Lightning Spray: The middle-upper level staple damage spell, this spell does
energy damage to up to three foes. The foes must be 2 spaces (diagonal counts
as one) from the target foe in order to give them spray damage. Few foes are
strong against energy damage, so this spell will do damage consistently. Its
expensive cost in SP is moderated by a high magical efficiency and first aid.
+ Increases spell damage (+ 1d4).
Terror: Scares foes so that they run away. Might be useful on melee-focused
strong foes, I don't use it too much.
+ Increases likelihood of terrorizing.
Prismatic Shield: Provides resistance to mental attack spells (charm +
confusion + maybe terror + daze?) and to cold (petrification-like) attacks.
Worth casting whenever fighting an opponent that freezes or tries to confuse
you. One of the nice, generic buffs for mages.
+ Increases spell duration.
Dispel Barrier: A necessary spell that removes barriers. Piercing crystals
are its anama equivalent, but piercing crystals don't always remove barriers.
You'll get this in Tranquility.
+ Brings down stronger barriers.
Summon Aid: Summons a pretty powerful creature to fight with you (Warped
Wolves, Mutant Lizards, Experimental Rats, Rabid Hellhounds, Plated Chitrachs,
Revenants, Worgs- between 58 and 111 HP). Some have special attacks or good
resistances.
+ Increases duration, may increase probability of getting a good summon.
Strong Daze: Strongly stuns enemies. Useful when surrounded by low level
melee fighters/foes. Not bad in emergencies.
+ Affects stronger foes.
Fireblast: The generic damage spell at high level, this one replaces icy rain
in damage output. Expensive to cast though.
+ Increases spell damage (+ 1d5).
Arcane Summon: The strongest summon spell for mages, summons Writhing Massses,
Guardian Hellhounds, Enormous Cavebats, Terror Wolves, Pustulant Zombies,
Gnawing Stoneworms, and Skeleton Warriors (HP from 125-154). Very useful as
distractions and as damagers.
+ Increases duration, may increase probability of getting a good summon.
Arcane Shield: The ultimate buff for mages, this one gives you potent
resistances to magic, as well as spiny shield. The spiny shield ability
reflects a portion of the damage you take back onto the foe. That's very nice
for most battles (except with splitting foes!). Cast before boss fights.
+ Increases spell duration.
Arcane Blow: The final rung on the damaging ladder, this spell casts an area
of effect blast of energy. Does a lot of damage, and costs a lot of SP.
Actually manageable if you have enough magical efficiency, though not for too
long.
+ Increases spell damage (+ 1d6).
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Battle Disciplines
Battle disciplines are new to Avernum, and are the closest thing to fighter-
spells. These operate on a different set of rules than spells- your character
can use a discipline, but will become fatigued for a certain amount of time so
that they can't use another. You can decrease the number of rounds your
character is fatigued for by adding points to Blademaster, and by wearing
armor that has "fatigue removal" under the description. I've maxed out at
about 3 fatigue points removed per round. These disciplines are extremely
worthwhile for all characters, and I would recommend training everyone in some
skills so as to access these skills (at the very least the first two) by mid-
late game. These disciplines are stackable with spells, and if a caster can
get to the last skill (battle frenzy) they can become a dervish of
destruction.
The highest level discipline you can access is equal to your melee weapons +
pole weapons + bows / 2 + thrown missiles / 2 skills (I call this battle
skill). Points can be trained or acquired by equipment, they aren't picky.
Points from traits or racial bonuses count as well, making it very easy for
sliths and nephilim to get these disciplines.
Well-Aimed Blow. 5 battle skill points needed needed, gives 3 fatigue.
Increases the damage done of your next attack by about 20-30%, give or take.
Can make a huge difference late in the game, especially for mages (an extra 30
damage every three rounds will bring that boss down 30% sooner).
Shield Breaker. 6 battle skill points needed needed, gives 5 fatigue. Curses
your foe so that they take more damage (again about 20-30% more). Use this
skill on foes first then hit them with a well-aimed or mighty blow. Try to
get to at least this skill for your mages and priests once you've maxed out
their priest/mage spells skills.
Leg Sweep. 8 battle skill points needed needed, gives 5 fatigue. Curses your
foe so that they do less damage to you. Makes a big difference early on in
the game, less later. Use on low-level bosses.
Berserker Rage. 9 battle skill points needed needed, gives 6 fatigue. Blesses
and shields you but does some damage as well. Myeh, I prefer war blessing +
protection to this.
Focus Spirit. 11 battle skill points needed needed, gives 5 fatigue. Removes
negative effects from your character (slow/curses). The ones that you really
need it to remove (terror/charm/daze) it can't affect because you can't use
it. Occasionally useful, but the next discipline is much more so.
Mighty Blow. 13 battle skill points needed needed, gives 4 fatigue. Adds a
hefty bonus on your next attack. Excellent for everyone, including mages and
priests. Priests are a bit more likely to get to it though.
Adrenaline Rush. 15 battle skill points needed needed, gives 8 fatigue. Adds
some AP in exchange for HP. Sometimes useful, but if you're here you may as
well just build up to battle frenzy.
Blade Shield. 16 battle skill points needed needed, gives 8 fatigue.
Increases your parry ability. Cool while waiting to get to battle frenzy.
Stunning Blow. 18 battle skill points needed needed, gives 5 fatigue. Stuns
an enemy with your next attack. Couple this to a slow spell and that foe
won't be moving any time soon!
Battle Frenzy. 20 battle skill points needed needed, gives 12 fatigue. The
ultimate discipline, this ability blesses you, and hastes you (stacks with the
haste spell and other AP increasers). Makes your fighters incredible. Magic
users become even more incredible, but would have to invest a lot of points
here in order to get this discipline. Still, Wow!
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4. Traits
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Traits are character features that increase (or decrease) the effectiveness
of certain abilities. You can have up to two traits which will affect the
rate you gain experience, plus a race, which will also do the same. You will
get about 40 levels for a human with no traits, which means that each 6-8%
decrease will cost you about 1 level (or 5 skill points) by the end of the
game. However, most traits more than make up for this decrease. I do not
recommend any negative traits.
Traits give slow increases to skills which means one point at the beginning
of the game and one point every 12 levels or so, and fast increases to skills
which means two points at the beginning of the game and one point every eight
levels or so.
Good Constitution (1 level lost): Increases your resistances. Effectively
acts as a free two points in hardiness, and gives a few more points in mental
and stun resistances. Good cheap trait if you hate losing levels.
Nimble Fingers (1 level lost): Gives a bonus of 2 points initially to tool use
which increases quickly, and a bonus to first aid which increases slowly.
It's worth giving one character this skill just to save points on tool use
(effectively about 42 skill points by the end of the game!).
Thick Skin (1 level lost): Gives a bonus to armor naturally. No bonuses to
resistances, and I prefer good constitution slightly.
Strong Will (1-2 levels lost): Hugely increases your mental resistance (by
about a full 50%!). Good if you hate charming and terror, especially good for
priests (so that they can cast unshackle mind in following turns). Not
necessary though.
Deadeye (1-2 levels lost): Gives a bonus to sharpshooter (+2) which increases
quickly. Pretty good for dedicated archers and nephilim. There are better
traits for everyone else though.
Fast on Feet (2 levels lost): Increases your attack order and occasionally
gives one bonus AP. A really nice cheap trait if you can't stand not maxing
out your level.
Pure Spirit (2-3 levels lost): Gives a bonus to priest spells which increases
quickly and gives a bonus to magical efficiency which may also increase
quickly. Any dedicated priest (the character who is aiming for 18 in Priest
spells) should get this trait.
Natural Mage (2-3 levels lost): Gives a +2 bonus to mage spells which
increases quickly, a smaller bonus to magical efficiency which may increase
slowly, and a bonus to the amount of armor you can use before losing access to
your high mage spells. Extremely potent for mages, definitely go for it for
your dedicated mage.
Elite Warrior (2-3 levels lost): Gives a bonus to parry and blademaster which
increases quickly for both skills, and a slight bonus to your carrying
capacity. Great for melee warriors, or any sort of meat shield characters.
Divinely Touched (4-5 levels lost): Gives slow increases to magery,
blademaster, and sharpshooter, with +1 free points to these skills. Also
gives a very healthy increase to armor. You can't go wrong with giving any
character this trait, especially characters who want to do more than one
thing. This trait will benefit everyone.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weak-Minded (1 level gain): Decreases your mental resistance. Not worthwhile.
Delicate Skin (1-2 levels gained): Decreases your fire and cold resistances,
and perhaps your energy resistance. Ouch.
Sluggish (1-2 levels gained): Decreases your attack order, and sometimes takes
away an AP. May find mild use for late-stage characters (for instance,
priests who need to cast cure or healing spells) but probably not worthwhile.
Brittle Bones (2-3 levels gained): Increases damage taken from melee attacks.
Ouch.
Frail (3-4 levels gained): Everything goes badly for you. Double ouch. The
extra levels aren't worth it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Races:
Due to the introduction of battle techniques, all non-human races are quite
useful as they will get you significant bonuses to the abilities which decide
what level battle techniques you can use. Some may suggest that you give your
entire party a non-human race, which really isn't a bad idea as the cost isn't
that high. I would recommend making an all-nephil party due to the power of
bows in the late game, or a 3 nephil-1 slith party. Anyway you try it, you'll
be wiping the world clean.
Human: No penalties or bonuses.
Nephilim (about 2 levels lost): Gives a bonus to bows, thrown missiles, (+2
for both and which increases quickly ) and gymnastics (+1 which increases
slowly). Excellent for archers or anyone who can use a bow (OK, so everyone).
Slithzerikai (about 3 levels lost). Gives a bonus to pole weapons (+2 and
which increases quickly), and a bonus to fire, poison, and acid resistances,
and a few bonus HP. Excellent for melee fighters.
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-------------------------------------------------------------
====================WALKTHROUGH==============================
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KEY:
Name of place (number)
Q: Quests available {rewards for job board quests}
I: Items of Note
C: Cache supplies
S: Skills, spells, and trainers (cost)
D: Secret Doors
$: Merchants [Key Items] *Constructions*
////////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
1. DEMO AREA
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Map of demo region:
15 17
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11-10-09-16 14
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06-04-03-08-12
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05-01-02-07 13
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00
Blackchasm Outpost (00)
Q: Get Out of Basement
Transit Papers
See the General
The Pylon Lesson
Get Your Boat
The Northern Frontier
Intisar's Cauldron
Dirty Dan
Dirty Desiree
Message: New Harston {100c}
Nice Scuttler Eyes {Healing x2, Speed, Energy Potions}
The Bargha Walls {Ice Bolt and Lightning Scrolls}
Aid to Aminro {Platinum Ring}
I: Shielding Band, Blessed Bauble, Blessed Shield
S: Incantrix Intisar (slightly expensive)
D: Rivlin's room.
$: Sergeant Damien
You start in Blackchasm Outpost, exiting a portal. Grab the few items to
the NE (some supplies), you will need all the gold you can find. There are
also some bolts of cloth to sell hidden a bit to the SW. Anything that has
any value you should pick up and sell. Towards the end of the game this
becomes less necessary, though you will always want to have a few thousand in
reserve.
Captain Newsom greets you off the platform. Talk with him, then leave to
the east. Grab some supplies from the rooms, and continue on, getting
messages of the suspicious sort. Head south, and you'll see what happens.
Kill the skeletons, and grab their stuff. One may drop a short sword, equip
it instead of your knife. If you want to understand the damage potential of a
weapon, take the high number and divide it by the low number. For instance, a
dagger does 2-4 damage. This is 2d2 in RPG terms (roll 2 two sided dice and
calculate). The short sword is 3-6, or 3d2, slightly better (with a bit
better chance to hit). Most melee weapons have d2 or d3, pole weapons are d3
or d4,
Continue east and kill the rest of the undead. Grab the stuff on the
bodies, and continue south. Grab the nearby spear and energy potion. You
have a choice- kill the lizards or kill the zombie. Or both, if you want some
xp. Head west through the skeletons, north through the worms (ignore the pot
for now), then face Newsom. Kill him and his zombies, then go through the
door. He drops a shielding band on death, the first magic item you'll find.
Open the doors to the north (there's a key near the beginning of the level
from here) to grab the stuff (slightly better equipment than what was first
available). Soldier rush out as you head to the east, then go up the stairs.
Sergeant Cienna greets you. Talk with her to get your official quest,
Transit Papers. Immediately nearby is a job board with four more quests for
you. Grab them all if you'd like.
Incantrix Intisar is an empire-approved mage who will teach you some weak
magic skills for slightly expensive costs. She also gives you a quest to take
care of her cauldron down below. Go back downstairs and open her cauldron,
kill the 10 or so worms that fly out (the leader, a brainy worm, drops a
blessed bauble). You get a fiery wand from Intisar for your troubles. Once
you get to Tranquility or so her spell repertoire increases.
Sergeant Damien is the quartermaster who will trade with you. He also gives
you a series of quests, starting first with "Dirty Dan". Completion gets you
300c. You then get the "Dirty Desiree" quest. Completion gets you 300c and a
pair of plate vambraces.
Rivlin is an Avernite agent to the south. Talk with him and he'll complain
about noise in his quarters. Go to his quarters (they're nearby), and search
for a small black spot on the wall. These are secret door buttons, which are
among the best return to old-school features of A5. These buttons are common
and will open up much. Use the "U"se button frequently to find them if you're
not sure how to enter a secret spot. Use this button and kill the rat. Grab
the scroll and tell Rivlin about it.
Report back to Sergeant Cienna with the news from the mayor. You're
instructed to see the general. Go west and talk with general Manfred. You
get your next quest, to learn how to use the teleporters, and you can get a
blessed shield out of him. Go ahead an touch the pillar to the SW twice. You
are teleported to (08). Once done, you get two quests- to get your boat, and
to explore the northern frontier.
Outside Outpost (01)
C: Beautiful Crystal, Energy Potion
There are lots of routes down here. But first, head north, and you'll find
Dirty Dan. Beat up his dogs (you're not really supposed to kill him), then
demand he give you his key. Let him go.
Underneath the level to the NW you'll find Dan's stash, as well as some
bats. The eastern tunnels hold rats. There are a few herbs spread around.
Press "g"et often when in dark places.
South of Harston (02)
I: Piercing Gloves
C: Energetic Herbs, Healing Herbs
Not much here beyond some worms and an avernite soldier who doesn't like
you. Underneath, you will find Aminro, a nephil who would like your help
(provided you got the quest in Blackchasm Outpost). First head north and kill
a bunch of worms. You'll get the maximum xp return if you do so, but don't
kill too many as you head to the east. Then get Aminro, and go on the hunt.
Go to the north then east, and kill the gassy crawler. Aminro leaves you,
then pillage its loot for some piercing gloves (+1 to anatomy).
New Harston (03)
I: Shadow Band
Q: Hunt Hirickis
Land Grab
The Rat Lord
The Friendly Giant?
The Anama Letter
Baquba the Aranea
Venomous Mongbat
Pit Crawler
Lost Shade Moref
Mindwarp Chitrach
Whirling Thrasher
Hraithe Lord
Black Horror
Message: Gladwell {Invulnerability Potion, Knowledge Brew}
Package: Harkin's Landing {Fine Razor Disks}
Rat Bounty {Beautiful Crystal x 2, Focusing Crystal, Piercing
Crystal}
Lowlands Slime {300c}
Courier Satchel {Blessed Belt}
C: Lovely Crystal
S: Minister Pilhofer (exorbitant), Lark (expensive), Augmentation, Control
Foe, Strong Daze, Spellcraft, Quick Action, Magical Efficiency, Parry,
Resistance, Riposte, Magery, Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence
D: In Lark's upstairs
$: Vaosh
This is a decent city loaded with quests and things to do. You are first
recommended to go talk with the mayor. Go ahead and do so (talking with the
mayor solves one of your job board quests, getting you 100c). She tells you
that before you can be given the papers of transit, you must first defeat
Hirickis, a crazed mage to the NW. You can go up from her room, however,
there's a locked door (12 tool use to unlock) that houses a nasty shade. Kill
it if you'd like and grab the nice armor and goods.
There's a job board here, grab everything that you'd like. Note that
"Courier Satchel" will only appear when you have completed a few tasks
already. Vaosh the slith will trade with you.
Dionicio is an avernum agent who gives you a quest to deal with a friendly
giant. Tell him when you've completed this quest (500c), and you'll see more
of him later.
Minister Pilhofer is a priest of the Anama who talks with you. He will
train you in spells for exorbitant prices. He will also give you a message to
deliver when the mayor sends you on your way. Two strongly-locked doors are
upstairs. One you can get in near the end of the game (20 tool use required).
Behind is a book of Control Foe.
You'll find several people at the inn. Most are unfriendly, and the soldier
at the bar will hint that you're marked. Go up the north stairs and you can
loot the inn for a disruption wand (among the most useful of the wands). Go
up the south stairs and talk with Goodman Wulf for a new quest- to claim the
Rat Lord's lands. He also wants you to tell him first when you remove him.
Lark the hedge wizard gives you one of the most interesting and involved
quests of the game. She will also sell you a number of spells, including icy
rain and unlock doors, which is probably worth your while buying from her.
Unlike previous Avernums, unlock doors isn't the uber-spell it used to be, but
it's still very useful. Upstairs she has a spellbook with "Augmentation," and
two very-locked doors. They will become unlocked as you complete her quests.
Lark's first quest is to kill the Aranea Barquba (10). Do so for a free
point in spellcraft for all your characters. Next she wants you to kill the
Venomous Mongbat (26). You get a free point in quick action for finishing
this quest. Next she wants the brain of a pit crawler (42). Do so for a
point in magical efficiency. She then wants some of the ectoplasm from the
lost shade Moref (63). Do so for a point of Parry. She then wants you to
hunt the Mindwarp Chitrach, which is in the anama lands (72). You can also
now explore her top floor (one room, anyway). Enter it, kill the lizard, then
read the book for a point in strong daze. Once you return with the Mindwarp
Chitrach's mandibles, Lark cooks up another stew that gets you a point in
Resistance. She then asks you to hunt for the Whirling Thrasher (88). Bring
in the Thrasher's claw for a point in riposte (nice!). Lark will then request
the eyes of a Hraithe Lord. Bringing this item to Lark will get you a point
of magery, and she will open up her rooms upstairs, allowing you to read a
book on Arcane Blow, and grab a wisdom crystal and a shadow band. Her last
hunt quest for you is the Black Horror (C1). This is easily the most
difficulty battle in the game, but it's well worth it. When you have its
skin, come back. Give it to her for +1 to strength, dexterity, and
intelligence. That's it, the end of one of the most involved quests in the
game!
Mother Alice gives you a quest to depose of the rat lord. She also wants
you to inform her of his removal first. Upstairs she has a magically-locked
door with a piercing crystal (woo!) and other goods behind it.
After you depose of the rat lord, you can choose to tell either Goodman Wulf
or Mother Alice about it. Telling Goodman Wulf first gets you a Chilling band
from him and 20c from her. Telling Mother Alice first gets you 600c and
nothing from Goodman Wulf. The money is probably a bit more useful in the
long run.
West of New Harston (04)
C: Speed Potion
D: Goodwife Paulette's house
Scuttlers live here. These are the bugs desired for a quest in the
Blackchasm outpost. Occasionally, when you kill a scuttler or you'll get an
eye from it (it's a special item). Try to collect nine. Go down below and
collect even more. You may want to reload if you kill a batch without getting
any eyes, since there are limited numbers of the things. Not all scuttler
batches will drop eyes, so don't try too many times.
Beneath Paulette's house is a secret door that will get you a curing potion.
The Blackchasm (05)
I: Nimble Chain
C: Heavy Boots
$: Storgald
More monsters here. Also, Storgald the scum farmer sells a variety of
herbs, none of which are direly necessary. Go down his stairs and loot his
stuff for some more herbs and the ultra-useful invulnerability elixir.
Go through the tunnels and head west after cleaning them out. Go back up
the stairs and you'll encounter Dirty Darius. Get rid of him however you'd
like, then go north and fight Dirty Desiree. Kill her for a nimble chain, and
loot her stuff. You'll get a bar of fine steel from her stuff.
Bargha Gates (06)
C: Energetic Herbs
Not much to do here. Watch out for the guards as they're not too friendly.
Try going to the north and west till you receive a note along the lines of,
"It's not your job to invade the fort", then head south and get a similar
note. That's all you need to do for the job board quest.
Harston Lowlands (07)
I: Bladeshield
C: Energetic Herbs, Assault Crystal
$: Techtar [Mandrake]
You're probably here to do the Lowlands Slime Quest for Mother Alice. First
talk with Techtar, he will help you get ready. Then head south, killing all
the slimes. When you reach the SE, the slime will run away. However, hang
around the lizard (talk with Techtar to get one), and it'll return. Kill it
and it'll drop a few nice items. Tell Techtar and he'll tell you about some
other slimes that live under the swamp. He'll also sell you some stuff, most
notably a piece of mandrake (buy it!). He also warns you of a slime living
underneath the swamps.
Head underneath the swamps and kill the batches of slimes nearby. Make your
way to the NW, and bless, shield and haste your characters. Then go north.
Wait for the slime to attack you, then lay into it with all you've got. If
you don't do a lot of damage to it, then when it splits, the second slime will
be as strong as the first. Kill it and take its stuff (bladeshield chain,
nice minor items).
Static Fields (08)
Q: Portal Shades
More Portal Shades
I: Shining Silver Band, Ghostly Blade.
C: Beautiful Crystal x2
S: Summon Shade, Minor Summon, Summon Aid
There's not too much to do here until you've defeated Hirickis and got the
papers of transit.
You are teleported here whenever you touch a pylon. This is an excellent
place to store your junk. Drop everything you want on the floor.
When you get here the first time, Sergeant Cienna will talk with you. She
will want an update every time you find something new (which is fairly often).
Talk with Portmaster Pirro and you'll get a quest to kill some shades. Also
explore the southern staircase to get another piercing crystal. Then take the
northern staircase and fight the shades. One has a lot of HP and should only
be attacked with missiles and spells, otherwise it will frighten your melee
attacker. Once they are dead, explore the area. The magic barrier to the
south is guarding a shining silver band, which is a fairly weak ring. You can
use Pirro's book for a point in Summon shade for your victory. He will have a
second quest for you when you get to Tranquility.
The second shade is a fragmented shade. This shade will spawn off help
after every round you do damage, and will also slow/curse your melee
attackers. Hit it hard with spells and take it out. Use your melee attackers
to kill the spawned shades and occasionally hit the fragmented one. Once dead
you get a point in minor summon.
He has a third quest once you get to the Azure Gallery (or soon thereafter).
Several shades have taken up residence again. The Shamanic Spirit is the
leader of three shades. If you hit it with melee, it may freeze your
characters. Try using your meleers on the accomplice shades and focus magic
attacks and missiles on the shamanic spirit. When it dies it drops a ghostly
blade, which has the quite powerful ability to curse those it hits. It's a
very cool weapon. You also get a point of summon aid for your time.
Underneath this area you'll find some goblins. Not too big of a deal.
North of Harston (09)
Q: The Crocolisk
C: Healing Herbs
S: Daze
D: Underground entrance to Fortunado's basement.
$: Apprentice Tess [Knowledge Brew];
Fortunado: *Healing Potion*
*Curing Potion*
*Speed Potion*
*Energy Potions*
Fortunado the alchemist lives here with his apprentice, Tess. As you enter
Fortunado's room, he is attacked by some goop. Kill it with him. He doesn't
have too much to say, but will give you a quest to kill a crocolisk. He can
also make potions for you, if you like. Don't drink from either of his
basins. Tess is more interesting, as she sells some interesting items, most
notably a knowledge brew and invulnerability potion. Check his basement for a
lot of herbs and a spellbook for the daze spell.
Head to the north and walk along the coast with a fish in your inventory.
You will be attacked by Fortunado's crocolisk. Tell him after you kill it for
a focusing crystal, fine steel, and fine leather.
Northwest Harston (10)
I: Nimble Sandals, Blessed Bauble
C: Energetic Herbs, Spiritual Herbs, Speed Elixir
Spiders rule this region. Otherwise, this area is just there to hinder you
in your pursuit of Hirickis.
Underneath Northwest Harston you'll find a lot of spiders. Fortunately,
they're fairly easy to beat. In the southeast tunnels you'll find a body with
some nimble sandals (+1 Dex), and a cache. A bit north you'll find some
slimes guarding herbs. Towards the center of the underground you'll find
Baquba the aranea. It's a fairly easy enemy, and drops a blessed bauble on
death.
Scuttler Pits (11)
I: Blessed Silk Tunic, Warmth Ring, Warmth Shield, Apprentice Belt
C: Curing Potion
S: Slow
D: Red brick room
This area should be your focus for the demo region. There are lots of
scuttlers around on the surface. Kill them all and take as many eyes as you
can (you need 8, and can check on them in your special items). Try to at
least have 6 by completing the upper area. You can summon some scuttlers with
the gong (pick up the whip as well!), but other than a cache, there's not too
much here initially.
Go down the NW passage and you'll find Hirickis. He runs away initially,
after taunting you (with a bit of funny dialogue). Grab the scroll of raise
dead (wow!), read the book, and pick up a whip somewhere if you haven't found
one yet, then go south. Use the gong, and if you have the whip, two scuttlers
will be friendly. There are three gongs on this level, and each one will give
you two more friendly scuttlers. When ready, pillage the main fortress.
There's a secret door that leads to some nice armor and a piercing crystal in
the room with the red blocks, at the very least grab the crystal.
When ready, charge Hirickis. He's not too difficult, especially if you have
scuttlers helping you. When he gets to about a third of his life, he will
plead with you to spare him. If you want to spare him, you can claim his
hidden treasure, 3 rubies, a blessed silk tunic, and a focusing crystal.
Otherwise kill him for the blessed silk tunic. Sometimes mercy is the better
route (as far as loot), as in this case. Explore his stuff for a book that
teaches you slow, and some decent armor.
Ascend his stairs, and kill the altered scuttler (haste and bless
beforehand). It drops a warmth ring on death. There's a barrier nearby, go
ahead and use a piercing crystal to get a warmth shield and some other goods.
Kill Apprentice Kvell for an apprentice belt. You're done here, so head on
back to New Harston to tell them your success.
Northern Avernum (12)
I: Nimble Sandals
C: Lovely Crystal x3, Piercing Crystal, Beautiful Crystal x2, Wisdom Crystal
D: SE under tunnels
The bridge is out here. To the north you'll fight the rat lord, to the
south, a bunch of goblins. Take your pick.
Underneath this level to the NW you'll find some shades guarding some
crystals. Two of caches include a piercing crystal and a wisdom crystal, very
nice. If you head to the SE, you'll find a secret door that leads to a room
loaded with barriers. Bring them down then open the door and kill the wight.
Claim its nimble sandals. If you head west, a golem will stop you. So long
as you have the crystals for the pylons, you'll be safe. Otherwise, you will
have to fight it. Two rubies are your reward.
Goblin Warrens (13)
I: Swampwalker Leather, Tribal Symbol, Coated Cloak, Fine Cleaver, Girdle of
Might
S: Minor Heal, Smite
D: Caves SE
Goblins are your foe here. Kill them all. Grab the swampwalker leather off
of the shaman to the SW. Grab the tribal symbol off of the altar and kill the
demon that pops up.
There are four routes to the caves below. The first two are near the altar.
If you go down these, you will have to use missiles and spells to take out
some goblin flingers. Another route is to the north, and takes you to the
upper ledge which is tactically a slightly better position. The final route is
a secret door to the SE, which takes you directly to Chief Throngul, who on
death will drop a coated cloak.
Take stairs down to the north and then head west for a spellbook of minor
heal. Head east from the same door to find Chef Vorlag who drops a fine
cleaver on death (great for archers). To the west you'll find a courier
satchel, which you should show to Minister Pilhofer. To the east you'll find
Marrowsucker the giant. Talk with him and tell him Dominicio's request.
He'll agree. If you want, after you've cleaned up that quest, you can kill
Marrowsucker. He drops a girdle of might on death (+2 Str). Rob his stuff,
and kill his giant spawn. You can get a point of smite as well.
The Rat Cave(14)
I: Swamp Boots, Bonding Knife
C: Healing Herbs, Fine Steel
D: Near middle stairs up
Before coming here, be sure you have the job board quest to kill rats from
New Harston. This is the home of the Rat Lord, another Avernite crazy. He'll
taunt you from his ledge. Go ahead and chase after him. Go down the stairs,
and you'll get into a series of fights with the rat lord's rats. Foul rats
are the end rats of the first two, and an oozing stinkrat is the last one of
the third. When you make it out, be on the lookout for a secret door that
gives you access to a fine steel cache. Head a bit north and you'll come to a
room with some swamp boots. Head up the north passageway to face the rat
lord.
The rat lord calls some well-bred rats to help him fight. Kill him and
he'll drop a bonding knife.
Harston Dock Road (16)
I: Girdle of Insight, Shielding Knife
C: Woven Golden Chain
Immediately to the East are some old ruins. There is a cache with a woven
golden chain and a few lizards. You can't really go too far here without
having taken care of Hirickis.
Once Hirickis is removed, head back here to get your boat. Hasen, a mage,
intercepts you and tells you he will help you escape some darkside loyalists.
Follow him, and then fight the loyalists. Hasen drops a shielding knife on
death.
You can get underneath this area by coming from (12). The notable items
here include a mung rat guarding a girdle of insight (+1 Int) and other goods.
Northern Isles (15)
You can get here by starting near the spider caves (10), and going
underground then north. Alternatively, you can get here later when you get a
quest to do so. This area will be revisited in the post-demo section.
Harston Docks (17)
Q: Revenge on Ronaldo.
Message: Shanker {200c}
Western Rapids {Piercing, Purging, Assault Crystals}
We Hate Basilisks {unlock nearby locker}
$: Aspen
Welcome to the last place in the demo. You have a lot you can do here, and
there's a message board ripe for quest giving. Talk with Schwarz to tell
someone about the assassination attempt. He'll tell you about what to expect
around here. Aspen will trade with you. The last person to talk with is
Duaria, an empire spy. She gives you a quest to kill Ronaldo, an evil
avernite (26). When you do, return for no real reward. When you're ready,
grab your boat and head on out!
***********************************************************************
=======================================================================
END OF DEMO! BUY FULL GAME FOR $28! EXCELLENT PRICE FOR SEVERAL HOURS OF
FUN! BEST AVERNUM GAME YET!
=======================================================================
***********************************************************************
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2. NORTHERN ISLES
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\/////////////////////////
NOTE: You have three boats with which to explore. If you follow this
walkthrough, you will use two of them to explore the drake pillars and fulfill
a minor job board quest. You should always have one spare.
Map:
31-32-33-34-35
|
30-29-28-27-26
| | | |
22-21-19-20-25
| | | |
15-18-17-23-24
| |
09 14
Northern Isles (18)
I: Blessed Gauntlets, Grounded Boots
C: Energetic Herbs
There are islands here ripe for exploration. The eastern island has lizards
and a path down to a lizard den full of crystals. Clean it out. Head out the
NW ladder to grab some blessed gauntlets, then head down to the SW and kill
the basilisks (fulfilling a Harston Docks quest). For your troubles, you get
a pair of grounded boots and a piercing crystal.
North of Harston (09)
C: Purging Crystal
Come here quickly to pick up the purging crystal. That's it.
Shanker's Tower (19)
Q: A Gassy Brew
The Crystal Field
Ogre Thwacking
Machinery Repairs
The Mad Crystal
Wanted: Paper! {Scrolls: Acid Shower, Madness, Group Haste}
Skull of the Black Wight {terror wand}
Rogue Kherrr {Wisdom, Purging, Assault Crystals}
I: Magestone Band, Enchanter's Robe, Symbiotic Cloak
S: Shanker (pretty average), Haste, Terror, Arcane Shield
D: SE building, outdoors- fine lances hidden.
$: Horyn [Knowledge Brew], Sage Belkin, Sarramor [Wisdom Crystal], Landman
Shanker's Tower is one of the more interesting places you will visit.
Shanker is a mage on the run from the empire with a number of helpful
merchants. She has a job board as well. Explore the area thoroughly to see
what's available. There's a pylon here as well, and a boat in case you need
to use one in the late game.
Horyn is an alchemist living to the SW. She's quite weird, and gives you a
quest to take care of her cauldron. Head up her stairs, then use the
cauldron. Prepare for a fight. You'll fight three waves of hallucinations-
undead, slimes + ogres, demons. Make it through the three and talk to Horyn
for your reward- an energy potion, an invulnerability potion, and a knowledge
brew (Wow!).
Sage Belkin will sell you scrolls, and will take your paper if you've got
his quest. He gives you some powerful scrolls in exchange.
Sarramor is a nephil crystal worker who will sell you a wisdom crystal
(1100c, the most expensive to purchase. Still, quite worthwhile though maybe
not immediately). He also gives you a quest to find and clear a field of
crystals. Once you do, you get some beautiful crystals, a piercing crystal,
and a wisdom crystal.
Landman will also trade with you. He has two barriers upstairs, one of
which is too strong to bring down with a piercing crystal. Come back here
later and loot this place.
Finally you should talk with Shanker. She is upset that empire soldiers
have found her, but if you promise to help her remain hidden from the empire,
she'll help you a lot. It's in your best interest to do so, so I'd say to go
ahead and lie to Cienna the next time you see her. Shanker will teach you
magic (pretty average prices), will teach you skills (post-lying to Cienna)
and give you a few quests. Buy points in magery for all of your magic-using
characters from her, she has the best prices early in the game. You may also
want to buy some points in magical efficiency, though you can get those points
for cheaper a lot later on in the game. I would prioritize with magery, then
magical efficiency. Also, if you lie to Cienna, she will give you a magestone
band ring. Her first quest for you is to go calm down an ogre servant. Go up
the stairs, break the barrier, go south, then haste, shield, and bless your
characters, and thwack away at the ogre. Once it gets down to <100 HP or so,
it'll quiet down. Tell Shanker to get an aranea silk tunic and a spellbook of
haste.
Next she wants you to get some tools from Solberg to repair some of her
stuff upstairs. Go on upstairs. Bring down the barriers (if you're strong
enough you can bring down the ones to the NE for an enchanter's robe and
mandrake). Go up to the room with the machine. Buff up. Then insert a
crystal. Four shades appear. If you're strong enough, kill them (don't
bother with physical damage- fire, disruption, and energy all work very well
though). If not, avoid them, and insert a new crystal into the machine every
3-4 turns. Return to Shanker for your reward- a symbiotic cloak and the
ability to read another book (Terror). She has one final quest for you- the
Mad Crystal.
To complete the mad crystal, you will first need to find some vahnatai (A5).
Once you know what to do, go ahead and go up the stairs. Dispel the NW
barrier, then go talk with Festante. Get him to become hostile, then hit him
as hard as you can (no melee!). You will probably have to use missiles and
ice to take him to half his health, then he'll be friendly. Go down and tell
Shanker for your reward, a silk-woven cord and book of arcane shield.
Northern Isles (15)
S: Enduring Shield
D: Nearby black wight.
Now let's explore this area, since we got the quest from Shanker, "Skull of
the Black Wight". Land on the shore, and kill the undead. Make your way to
the altar and kill the ruby skeleton. Claim its gems and the sword on the
altar. Go down the SW stairs.
Ring the gong and fight the undead. The nearby gate should open for you.
Head east, and then fight the wight. It's not too tough. You can read the
enduring shield book after you kill it and its fellow undead. Also, use the
nearby secret door.
Northern Isles (20)
Q: Claudia's Island
I: Girdle of Endurance
C: Healing Herbs, Energetic Herbs
$: Goodman Grando [Mandrake Root]
Some merchant-inhabited islands. Goodman Grando will sell you a mandrake
root. On the island a bit north, Claudia will talk with you and ask you to
clear away her island immediately east. Go there, grab the caches, then head
down the pit. Kill the worm-eaten zombie at the end of the pit. It drops a
girdle of endurance and some other minor goods. Tell Claudia (25c) and she
will be a bit more talkative.
Northern Isles (21)
I: Girdle of Dexterity, Ruby Breastplate
C: Healing Herbs
These are the islands near the rapids that Duaria wants you to check out.
The way in is slightly hidden for both islands, but carefully patrol the
perimeter of both and you'll see a way in. The southern island is home to a
sea ogre. Go ahead and kill it. The northern island is home to a bunch of
testy nepharim. Kill them if you like, one drops a girdle of dexterity. Head
north, and there's a small pullout from the water. Go down the pit and you'll
face a number of spiny stoneworms. Use spells to kill them. Then kill the
lurking gargoyle (again with spells). It drops a ruby breastplate on death.
Northern Isles (22)
C: Blessed Belt
Just a cache here, that's it.
Gladwell's Keep (23)
C: Focusing Crystal, Shining Golden Band
$: Antrobus
There is a small island to the NW that has two caches. Row your boat
diagonally to get through the rocks to get them.
You now come upon one of your first dilemmas in the game- whether or not to
be geased by Gladwell. But first, you can investigate his stuff. Antrobus
will trade with you, and has the best prices if you are geased. Sabina is in
charge of the inn and will give you a healing potion periodically if geased.
The last person of interest here is Maggie, who doesn't say much. Everyone on
the island acts a bit funny, which isn't too much of a surprise.
Rat Cave (14)
I: Archer's Band.
Come here briefly to pick up some herbs and use a stairway to get an
"archer's band" ring. You can also use the little land jut for a quick and
easy way to kill the rat king. That's it.
Gladwell's Keep (24)
I: Incantor's Ring, Magus Vest, Seeking Rapier, Chaotic Halberd, Assassin's
Shield
S: Icy Rain, Unlock Doors, Dispel Barrier, Prismatic Shield
Gladwell lives here. Give him the message for a batch of potions. Talk
with him. You now have your first good Avernum 5 dilemma. Will you be geased
by Gladwell? Or will you explore freely. (Take the Geas at least once for a
playthrough, if only to see what it does.) What Gladwell would like from you
is your help in retrieving certain items. The geas will tell you when you
need to get the item. You can talk with him first, though.
Agreeing to submit to his geas will get you +1 to Str, Dex, Int, and End for
all your characters for as long as the geas is in effect. This is a hefty
bonus. You will also learn a fair bit on what is going on around here-
whether Dorikas came through the region, and will be able to trade with him
townies. Also, when you complete some of his tasks you will be given a shadow
key which will enable you to open doors in his basement and grab the supplies
and use the fountains for an experience boost. However, being geased by
Gladwell will prevent you from dealing with one character, and you will not
have as many items as you might like for trade with others. The biggest set-
back is obtaining his items. In three of five cases, getting the items he
desires will result in the town where those items are based becoming mad with
you. Generally, that's not game-ending, though it can be frustrating when you
can't finish a quest or trade with the townsfolk. In two of the other cases
you can get the item without a fight (but at significant cost for one of the
items). If you take the geas and decide you don't like it any more, you can
remove it after getting the second item. Note that if you don't get the item,
you will be cursed nastily.
Not taking the geas gives you a lot more freedom to explore and enjoy towns,
and gives you the chance to trade the items wanted by Gladwell for other
services by other Avernite Powers.
That said, if you're finding the Northern Isles a bit tough and/or are a
first time player, take the geas for the fun of it. If you really don't like
it, end it midway through the game.
The items Gladwell will have you get include: a Drake's skin, the Anama
Prayer Scrolls, a Spiral Crystal, a Piece of a Crystal Soul, and a dragon egg.
Yikes! When you trade him one of these items, you can go into his basement
and collect your prize. There are three options- spells, armor, and weapons.
In each case you also get to use a basin for some xp granting fluid.
In the Offensive magic area you can use one key to open a room with an
Incantor's Ring and a book of Icy Rain (+3) and Unlock Doors (+3). The next
door holds a Magus Vest and a book of Dispel Barrier (+3) and Prismatic Shield
(+3).
If you choose the room of the blade you get a rod of battle and seeking
rapier for your first key, and a chaotic halberd and rod of alacrity for your
second key.
Finally, if you choose the room of the shield you get an assassin's shield
and some invulnerability potions for your first key, and a mercuric plate and
some invulnerability elixirs for the second.
If you want to maximize your output, choose which of these is the most
appealing (the second door rewards are many times better than the first time
rewards), and stick with it. Note that the anama scrolls and the crystal
spiral are both desired by others, but that the drakeskin and the crystal soul
chip are not. You could kill Gladwell after trading the items that only he
desires, and give the others away.
Northern Isles (25)
Q: Farmhouse Ghost?
I: Swamp Boots, Treated Leather
C: Healing Herbs, Spiritual Herbs, Energetic Herbs
D: Door near slith.
Explore the items a little bit to collect some caches. Then head to the NE
to the mainland. Talk with Fae. She is being bothered by a ghost,
apparently. Yes, the lock doors are suspicious. Anyways, head down to the
south building and get trapped. Go through the passage, and grab the swamp
boots, kill the rats, then talk with the slith. It points to a secret button,
push it then escape. Grab the miscellaneous goods on your way out, then go up
the stairs. Kill the thugs (the nephil drops treated leather), grab there
stuff, then head out the door. You can either kill Fae or let her go. Either
way you get a platinum ring for your troubles.
Northern Isles (26)
I: Grounded Boots, Coated Cloak
C: Graymold
The island to the SW isn't really explorable by boat. Look around
elsewhere, exploring the passageways as you see them- one to the NW, the next
one east has some grounded boots, the next your passage to the SW island, the
next some bats. The NE passage holds Ronaldo. Go ahead and get into a fight
with him. He drops a coated cloak on death.
When ready take the middle passage and go down the tunnel. You'll have to
fight a lot of fast bats, thorny fungi (turrets from Geneforge), but none are
too difficult. Go down the south passageway to find the venomous mongbat.
When you attack it, it summons a bunch of weak help. Blow the bats it calls
away with a few blasts of icy rain. Then take the bat down to get its wing
for Lark. You can leave these tunnels by the west, though there's less for
you to do there.
Northern Isles (27)
Q: Pests in the Basement
D: Poison vat room NE.
$: Galena: *Fine Leather Helmet*
*Leather Vambraces*
*Blessed Boots*
*Girdle of Strength*
*Mercuric Leather*
Galena will give you a quest to clean out her basement, after which she will
give you the ability to craft with her and some fine leather. Head down her
stairs. Shoot one plant from a distance. All will explode, clearing the
area. Then go kill the lizards. Go talk with her and if you want to craft
anything out of your fine leathers and focusing crystals, go ahead. You can
also get two more leathers from the poisoned vat room to the NE. The Mercuric
Leather is fairly good if you can stomach the strength loss.
Northern Isles (28)
I: Swamp Pants
C: Spiritual Herbs
Head to the island and talk with Goodwife Amber. She is weird. Take some
tea with her, then kill the shade. Go down the nearby hatch, and go smash the
crystal (grab the herbs in the cabinets as well- includes one mandrake).
Return up and Amber is normal again. She gives you all herbs other than
mandrake as a reward/apology. Explore the passageway to the east for a pair
of swamp pants behind some fungi.
Northern Isles (29)
Head to the NW, and go up a secret passage where you find a bunch of
nephilim. Push past them and kill them, then go through the gate. Prepare to
move fast- you get trapped in, and must kill some lizards and nephilim to make
it to your prize (a crystal mine). The calderas behind you will explode
periodically so try to make it to the end of the area so that the gate will
open and your party can escape. Kill the few nephilim in the crystal room,
then grab the crystals. You can get a few other minor items here as well,
including a piercing crystal.
Fang Clan Village (30)
I: Ratskin Shawl, Nephil Warblade, Ceremonial Longbow, Ceremonial Leggings,
Deadeye Cloak, Blessed Bow, Thick Wool Tunic
D: Room 3.
The nephils here surprisingly don't want to kill you. Pilot your boat to
the main island, then explore the village. The rogue nephilim Kherrr is in
the building to the north- ask him to duel as you'll run into him during the
main quest of this area. You can rob the room to the NE if you'd like. Talk
with Elder Mhrrorr when you're ready to take on the quest of this area, the go
down the hatch to the NW.
Enter the chambers, then head to the east. Use the map below for
assistance. 1) Testmaster Orrassa and two wolves are your first challenge.
Beat him up till he submits (don't kill him!) to pass the test. 2) traps
impede you here, if you have a character with decent tool use this shouldn't
be a problem. You get a knowledge brew and iron bracers for your efforts. 3)
Another chest. You have 3 options- unlock it with a spell, use strength to
open the gate, or hit the secret button. The button is obviously the best
route. 4) Ring the gong and summon some worms. They're pretty easy, though
can surprise you. 5) A blade-warded ghoul blocks you here. Use spells to
bring it down (ratskin shawl for a reward). You can also pillage the
ceremonial item, a nephil warblade (wow!). All ceremonial items will
disappear though as soon as you leave the premises (unless you cheat- see end
of FAQ for details). 6) A massive worg is here and it doesn't like you unless
you have decent cave lore. Then it's friendly and you can claim the loot (+
ceremonial bow!). 7) Testmaster Shelles is against you here. Beat her up
till he submits. 8) Arkada the Assassin is guarding this room. Beat him up
till he submits. You can get some ceremonial leggings for your trouble. 9)
Hssrrotis Piercer is in this room. You will need to kill him to win. He
drops a deadeye cloak and a blessed bow for your troubles. Now head west
through the doors. Don't go up yet, instead kill Kherrr, who lurks near the
place you entered. Kherrr drops a thick wool tunic on death.
1-2-3
| | |
4-5-6
| | |
7-8-9
Northern Rapids (31)
Q: Spiders in the House
I: Polar Fur Cloak
These areas signal the end of chapter 2. Talk to Captain Amero on the mail
island. She will give you a quest- to clear out the spiders living to the
north. Head to the NW first, and kill the spiders there. The spiders are
guarding a body with some minor goods. Head to the northern passage, kill the
spiders on the first floor, then go up and kill the rest (including an
aranea). Claim your polar fur cloak and other goods, then head back out.
Tell Amero of your success, then head on down the rapids.
Northern Rapids (32)
C: Speed Potion
Go down the rapids, then take the south route to find some land. Some
gremlins are here. They can be obnoxious, so get the jump on them. Kill them
and take their stuff. Head to the north rapids, and get out of your boat onto
the land. Go down and grab the crystals.
Northern Rapids (33)
I: Clover Boots
Go down the rapids, then explore the south path. Kill the brigands on the
ledge with missiles and spells, then go down the hatch to the south. Disarm
the traps and kill the brigands. Go up the ladder, then fight some more
brigands, and Mafalda the pirate. Mafalda drops some clover boots on death,
which are some excellent early level boots. Also grab the jeweled wand from
the chest. Head back to your boat and continue down the rapids.
Northern Rapids (34)
I: Ivory band
C: Fine Steel
Get off at the north jut of land, and go east. Use the secret door to get a
cache. Mark this area mentally, it is the subject of a later quest.
When you have the "empty the cache" job board quest, grab a new boat then
head back here. Approach the wall, and then go through it. Kill the
fireeater goblin- it drops an ivory band and a knowledge brew on death. Not
too bad!
////////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
3. DRAKE PILLARS
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\/////////////////////////
Map of Drake Pillars
34-35-41-49-48-44-55
| | | | |^^
36-39-40-42-43^ Nothing at 50, 53.
| | | | |^^
37-38-45-46-47^
| | | |^^^^^
50-51-52-53^^^^
|
54
Drake Pillars (35)
I: Spectral Gloves
C: Mined Crystal x2
I'd recommend heading straight to Harkin's Landing (38). Come back after
you've rested and sold off junk. There's a bandit camp on the mainland, kill
them and take their stuff. Kill the worgs to the north as well.
When you've reached the ledge from (41), proceed to the end. You'll find
Summer and Mabile's pylon. Talk with Summer then prepare for battle. A nasty
vahnatai shade appears. Hit it a bit. It will split into parts. Hit the red
shade with melee and physical damage, the blue one with bolt of fire, and the
green one with disruption. Once you do enough damage to the parts of the
shade, the whole shade dies. You get some spectral gloves as a reward. Talk
to Summer and send him on his way. That's it for this area.
Drake Pillars (36)
I'd recommend heading straight to Harkin's Landing (38). Not too much is
here otherwise, the island holds a small fort with some minor goods.
Drake Pillars (37)
I: Crystal Woven Chitin
C: Spiritual Herbs, Healing Herbs, Energetic Herbs
I'd recommend heading straight to Harkin's Landing (38). Come back after
resting to hunt around a bit. Head to the west wall, and search for a passage
down. Look a bit north and you'll see lots of calderas and fire lizards. Try
to draw the lizards out with missiles, then send a single hasted character
north to pick up crystals and supplies from the stone nests and mage body
(especially the crystal woven chitin!) to the north. Heal the character every
turn, then bring them back with all the goods.
Harkin's Landing (38)
Q: Lysstak the Beast
Lysstak's Spies
Damaged Pylon
Mined Crystals
The Crypt's Purpose {Healing, Curing, Speed Elixirs}
Crypt Summoning {Silken Shield}
Claim Check {300c}
Empty the Cache {Drakeskin Bracers, Archer's Band}
Delivery: Exodus {50c}
I: Blessed Boots, Girdle of strength (40), Serpentskin Helmet, Crystal Symbol
S: Mother Kriss (Pretty Average)
D: Under Kelda's Inn.
$: Sage Mabile, Fuller
This is the first frontier town you get to visit with. There's a healthy
amount to do here. Pefko tells/threatens you to go check with the mayor as
soon as you land. Go ahead and do so.
Mayor Killgore is friendly enough. He tells you of the troubles that plague
the land. He is also your source for a bracelet to continue exploring.
However, he won't give it to you unless you kill the bandit Lysstak. He's not
a bad mayor, just obnoxious. This is a common theme you'll encounter through
the next few villages.
Pefko will now talk with you. She gives you a quest to ferret out the spies
who are in the town. Telling on Kelda gets you 3 beautiful crystals and an
assault crystal. Telling on Kolata gets you 3 beautiful crystals and a
purging crystal. Those are the only traitors you can turn in, but that's not
too bad!
Mother Kriss is the Priestess of the Town. She will teach you priest spells
and some skills for decent prices. You can use her altar if you want. There
are four random results that can happen for using it- you can gain xp, lose
xp, gain coins, lose coins. The negative penalties are worse than the positive
ones. If you use it often enough, you will get a prize (blessed boots). She
also gives you several jobs, and an excellent silken shield as a reward for
the completion of the last one. Note that though she has good prices for the
skills she trains, the skills are mostly very low-level skills (1 skill point
increases or such). I would recommend saving your money by investing 2 points
in these skills, then buying the last point (good coins/skill point saved
ratio). I do not recommend buying hardiness from her.
Sage Mabile will trade with you, and will give you a quest to investigate a
damaged pylon to the north. Do so and you'll get a serpentskin helmet, a fine
piece of armor.
Fuller is a businessman from the empire. Don't go down his hatch unless
you're ready to stop dealing with him. Fuller is a member of the Underworld
Joint Trading Company. It's an unusual business, but you can buy a share in
it for 1000c. It's probably worth doing at some point as it actually has an
effect on the end game. Fuller will also give you a quest to buy Mined
Crystals. He will give you 15c a pop. Note that there is a later individual
who will pay you more, so it's up to you if you want to use his services. Try
to give him at least 40 to get his special reward- a crystal symbol
Kelda is the innkeeper here. She will sell you various hints for cash. One
you should buy is "Lysstak the Beast". Go down her stairs and to the end of
the line (39) then (40). Prepare for battle once you see the gate. Plotz,
one of Lysstak's lieutenants ambushes you along with some archers. Kill them
all. He drops a girdle of strength on death. Go back up, tell off Kelda,
then tell Pefko.
Arriannia is the claims manager of the town. She knows a bit about Lysstak,
but won't tell you unless you have killed one of Lysstak's lieutenants. The
info she gives you is really the only valid info you'll get.
Gall, outside of town, will tell you to talk with Kolata with regards to the
bandits. Kolata will tell you to explore the three tunnels claim, hitting a
switch. Do so eventually then tell on Kolata to Pefko.
Drake Pillars (39)
I: Mica Band
C: Flawed Crystal x 3, Mined Crystal x 2, Wisdom Crystal, Lovely Crystal x 2,
Beautiful Crystal x 2.
D: Three Tunnels Claim, Stone Carver Claim
Top level- kill the worgs, and grab the caches. Near the Stone Carver Claim
you'll find a crystal cache by pushing a hidden button. Bottom level- I
recommend taking the three tunnels claim first (normal path). Grab the
crystals, kill the goblins, and grab as much stuff as you can. Then go up and
use the secret button to open a fourth tunnel down. Get close to the gate,
prepare for battle, then fight the brigands who appear. Lysstak is among them!
However, he runs away as fast as possible if you hit him much or kill his
comrades. The slith drops a slith spear and a mica band.
If you take the locked door pathway down, you can see Anemona, the drake.
Don't do this till you're done with the chapter, especially if you have
Gladwell's geas!
Drake Pillars (40)
C: Mined Crystal x 2, Beautiful Crystal
An ogre tries to rob you to the north. Kill it for some good salable items.
There's also a stone circle here which you can't do anything with until you
get a quest from Exodus. Some worgs need killing as well.
Once you have the quest from Foramon, come back here. Charge your
characters up with protective spells, and make sure your priest has mass
healing. Then approach the pillars. One pillar will come to life as a golem.
Don't kill it! Instead, take its abuse with a strong character (enduring
shield + augmentation + a hasted priest to heal every turn helps). After 5-10
rounds, the golem runs out of juice. Go tell Foramon for your reward.
If you're underground, you can take the central-south passage down to a
decently challenging area, Khora-Vysss (through 45). Otherwise, there's
plenty of foes here, including some bandits (and Thea the Scourge) to the
north. Kill them and take their stuff. You can use any number of the passage
ways here to get back to town in case you need to sell your stuff or what have
you. Head north.
Drake Pillars (41)
I: Wyrmskin Helmet, Blessed Gauntlets
C: Mined Crystal x 2, Healing Herbs, Spiritual Herbs, Energetic Herbs
D: South rock formation, down hatch.
Kill the rats here, then go into the Gelickson Claim. You'll find lots of
decent crystals behind the traps, then head down the hatch. Continue to
collect the crystals, and kill the slimes that get in your way. Continue east
to (35)- this route will take you up on the ledge.
Condon the merchant is cornered by bandits to the east. Kill them and take
his stuff. On the south rock formation you'll find a secret door. Go down
the hatch, break the barriers, and grab the crystals. Don't forget the hidden
focusing crystal behind the secret door! At the Levine mind you'll find
Arland, who will tell you to go hunt for Lyssak in the mine to the north. Go
ahead and go there. Kill the slimes, then search the body to the west for a
wyrmskin helmet. Head south, and reach the gate. It's a trap! Head back to
the slime pit and kill all of the slimes, including the cryos slime (which
drops a wisdom crystal on death). Then head back on up and kill Arland. He
drops some good armor and blessed gauntlets on death.
Drake Pillars (42)
I: Treated Carapace
C: Graymold, Speed Elixir
D: South of Avernite camp.
There's a friendly avernite camp here. Once you have the Gelmax quest, go
south from this camp and you'll see a goblin. Kill it, go through its secret
door. You'll find Gelmax the goblin shaman. Whack his goblins, then smack on
him. Once you do enough damage, he runs away. Pillage his stuff.
Immediately south of the entrance is a small claim marker (reddish looking
stakes) that belongs to Tobias. Walking next to this provides a check for the
"Claim Check" job board quest. Also, in the far NE of this area, you'll find
another Tobais claim stake.
To the west of the goblin hideout are some slimes and herbs. To the east is
a puddle which is guarded by more slimes, including an unstable mass.
If you're coming here from the underground, you'll notice a lot of foes.
Lava bats roam the cave passages, they can gang up on you if you're not
careful. Try to fight in the bending passages so that the bats have to fight
on your terms. There are a few pools here- the green one is the only one you
should try to drink out of. Kill the fissure bats guarding it so that you can
use it at will.
The Pit Crawler is to the NW. Prepare prior to fighting it, then approach
it. Don't hit it until it charges you. It summons lots of abyssal worms to
help it fight, kill the worms until it breaks free. The worms should die with
one hit from a decent meleer/spell. When the pit crawler breaks free use
spells on it to take it down (lightning spray + smite work well). It hits
hard, but is soft against attacks. Try using spells only, as melee will
reflect some damage back at you. You may lose a character or two, but you can
use the green pool to the NW to heal back up. The pit crawler drops a treated
carapace on death. To the SE you'll find some undead- kill them and take the
stuff on the nearby bodies.
Exodus (43)
Q: Hunt for Gelmax
Slith Kidnappers {Inertial Shield}
Claim Jumpers {Beautiful Crystal x 3, Piercing Crystal, Wisdom
Crystal}
Message: Tranquility {0}
I: Blessed Shortsword
D: Near Moro, and in north building.
$: Poutin, Moro
As you are entering this area, Skarp, a drunken abyss attacks you. Try to
talk your way out of it, and his friends will leave. Kill him. Head into the
city. Towards the west you'll encounter Ruth, a darkside loyalist. She
mostly talks, but offers to let you join the darkside loyalists. This is one
of the starting points for the darkside path, and introduces a major game-
influencing dilemma. Try doing both the pro-empress and pro-darkside paths
once. This FAQ will be written from the pro-empress path. Tell her to buzz
off. I will try to play again as a darksider, and will add this info as it
comes up.
Poutin will buy your stuff, but won't sell to you. Mayor Vikas will give
you a quest to hunt for Gelmax, a goblin. Do so for a blessed short sword.
Downstairs and to the southwest you will find Moro, who is another member of
the Underworld Joint Trading Company. He's fairly wimpy, but is guarding a
secret door with tough barriers blocking it. The pylon is outside of the
town.
When you have the magic to bring down the barriers near Moro, do so, then
cast unlock doors. Prepare for battle. Open the door and kill the
hellhounds. Grab the stuff (including a wisdom crystal).
Exodus (44)
Q: Stone Circle
I: Mandrake Tincture, Sniper's Vest
C: Mined Crystals x 2,
S: Foramon
$: Gorp, Haskell
Gorp: *Blessed Shield*
*Blessed Shortsword*
*Blessed Vambraces*
*Blessed Spear*
*Blessed Breastplate*
Haskell: *Healing Elixir*
*Curing Elixir*
*Energy Elixir*
*Armor Elixir*
Gorp is a smith here. He will trade with you, and will craft blessed items
for cash, fine steel, and focusing crystals. Dellinger is a miner who is
quite chatty. His quest is on the job board to the south. Shiarra is a
nephil miner who wants you to help Merrum. You will do so eventually.
Haskell is the town's potion maker, and will make some decent elixirs for you.
She also wants you to check her basement for noise. Go down, and grab the
mandrake tincture behind the spell-locked door. Continue till you see a gate.
Persephone, a Lysstak-friendly mage, is waiting for you. Kill her and take
her stuff. Go back upstairs and chew out Haskell. She will sell you potions
now and give you info. You can get behind that ledge and grab a sniper's vest
when you raid Lyssak's keep.
Incantor Foramon is the last person of interest here. He is your route to
Tranquility. However you will need the mayor of Harkin's Landing's permission
before you can get through. Foramon gives you a quest to explore the stone
circle to the west. Return back when successful to get some potions and
access to a bunch of skills, most importantly resistance. The other two
Shanker will teach you instead for cheaper.
Drake Pillars (45)
I: Woven Silver Chain, Nullity Shield
C: Beautiful Crystal x 2, Mined Crystal x 2
S: Mass Curing, Steel Skin
This is home to one of the very few friendly miners in the game, Armella.
Talk with her to figure out what's going on. She doesn't tell you too much of
use, but warns you of ghosts in her mine. Ooh, sounds like something to kill!
Go down into her mine and look in the nearby locked room. You'll get a chance
to improve Mass Curing for your efforts, plus some crystals. Go north, and
kill the ghost (rather, have it attack you). Continue north, killing ghosts
for fun, and picking up the crystals. Once you make it to the top, grab the
stuff in the coffins (including a woven silver chain). Pick up the tablet and
kill the ghoul.
Take the tablet back to Mother Kriss and get the next job board quest (Crypt
Summoning). Head back to the area with the coffins, then perform the chant.
Some undead will be summoned. Prepare the battle, then "you are called".
Kill them, the skeleton hunter drops a nullity shield. Disrupt undead,
lightning spray, and bolt of fire are your friends for this fight, as is
hasting prior to the battle. Go explore the last tomb for a point in steel
skin.
Underground is also the route to Khora-Vysss. Kill the few sliths guarding
the way, and proceed south to (52)
Drake Pillars (46)
C: Energetic Herbs, Spiritual Herbs
D: Underground north
This area is home to Merrum, the nephil who knows how to get to Lysstak,
which is where you should go when you finally want to start chasing his evil
self down. First explore the SW- kill the scuttlers, then go down the
passage, kill some more scuttlers, and grab a few minor items.
When you're ready to take on Lysstak, find and talk with Merrum. You'll
have to go through some traps or pass by a nasty lizard, but Merrum is
otherwise friendly. He'll disarm his traps for you if you ask him to do so.
Of course, you can disarm them yourself for the xp. There's a secret door to
the north, you can go up and kill the rats and grab the crystals. Head to the
NW, then get on the platform. Prepare for battle then pull the lever. Kill
the rats that jump down at you. If you're prepared you should be able to kill
them all before they can hit you too hard.
Drake Pillars (47)
I: Viperskin Boots, Girdle of Nimbleness
S: Minor Heal, Heal
D: E, SE.
Here you will find a secret door to the east that leads to lizards and
sliths. Go through it then go down the stairs. You can't go too far in, but
you can grab some nice minor items.
Approach this map by boat and go through the secret door to the SE. Go down
the stairs, then kill the slith flingers. More sliths come running, kill them
too. Continue along the bridges, slaughtering anything that gets in your way.
To the NW you'll find Slavemaster Gvass, on death he drops some viperskin
boots. Read the book behind him to get some healing spell points. Open the
nearby gate, then head to the east and free the prisoners. Accompany them to
the exit, killing the last few sliths. One slith drops a girdle of nimbleness
on death. When the humans have safely escaped, you'll get some xp, and can
complete the job board quest.
Drake Pillars (48)
I: Girdle of Insight, Shield Ring, Pustulant Vambraces
C: Piercing Crystal x 6, Beautiful Crystal
There are some fake merchant bandits near the south center of this area.
Kill them and take their stuff. Gelmax (take 2) is here if you've fought him
at (42). Kill him this time, taking his girdle of insight and shield ring as
your prize.
Near the smashed sign you'll find a crazed miner. Kill him and take his
stuff. His mine also has some spiders and caches at the end. Kill them and
take their stuff (+ caches). The other miners here are Dellinger's foes and
claim jumpers. Kill them and take their stuff. You get a pair of pustulant
vambraces for your troubles. Head down their mine and explore a bit. You'll
be attacked by a bunch of spiders and an aranea for your troubles. However,
all through this level you're rewarded with gobs of piercing crystals.
There is a Tobias claim in the west part of this map.
If you're here from raiding Lysstak, kill all of the spiders, and grab the
crystals. Head all the way to Exodus (44).
Northern Plateau (49)
I: Blessed Vambraces, Static Band, Swamp Boots, Worgskin Cloak, Samaritan
Sandals, Blessed Shield, Ruby Necklace
C: Gold Necklace
S: War Blessing, Protection
D: Small rock jut south, ledge nearby underground entrance,
If you're here by the surface layer, there's not much to do. A secret door
can be found to the south, use it to grab some potions.
If you're coming here to kill Lysstak (from the underground), kill the
archers and bandits that impede you, then press the button up on the ledge.
Before going the secret passage route, go east and kill the rats, goblins, and
archers. Stay away from the shrubs for right now as they are quite difficult
for low-damage archers. Head back and bring down the barrier. Go and kill
the goblins and nephil, then head north. Kill some more bandits, ignoring the
shambler until they're all dead. Kill the shambler once you're no longer
preoccupied. Vekoslav the ogre is to the north. Kill it from a distance if
at all possible. It drops some blessed vambraces on death. Rawiri Beasttamer
is a bit east. Kill him for a static band. Continue east, killing the shrubs
and archers that get in your way. You'll get a healthy amount of stuff for
doing so. You can head all of the way east from here to get to (48) again.
When ready, head up the stairs.
You're nearly immediately attacked by bandits. Kill them and take their
stuff. Some swamp boots are nearby. Head east, kill the sliths and lizards,
then you can open the doors nearby. Inside is some help- a large dangerous
rat, and Private Varrick, both of whom will follow you and help you fight.
It's up to you if you want to take them. They don't hurt. Kill Lizardtender
Vormr for a worgskin cloak, and kill the cultists for some Samaritan sandals.
Go north from the altar and enter the room, read the book for a bonus to war
blessing and protection, and use the basin to get some decent long-term
protection. Go up the platform, then use the secret door to the west to grab
a blessed shield and other goods. Use the basin to heal if you need to. Head
back out (don't press that button just yet), and kill the rest of the bandits.
Then head towards the ledge and face Lysstak the beast.
The first round of fighting Lysstak you will barely be able to do any
damage. Hit him anyway, you'll take off a few points. Once you've been
fighting for a few rounds, he'll call an older version of himself to help
fight. You can now do full damage though, so it's not that bad. After a bit,
a third Lysstak will join the fight. Kill one, then kill the second, then
kill the third. You get a ruby necklace for your efforts. Phew! Private
Varrick leaves you then. Return to Harkin's Landing.
Drake Pillars (51)
C: Graymold
There's a cache amongst these islands, as well as a pit down. Take the pit
down and kill the fungi, ogre botanist, and goblin shamen (shamans?). That's
it for here.
Drake Pillars (52)
I: Radiant Short Blade
C: Graymold, Mined Crystal, Mandrake
D: West path underground, SW building with tomb.
Some islands with bats and caches. Note that one of the trees has some
healing herbs behind it- in A5 it's fairly common for cool items to be hidden
behind pillars, trees, and such. Keep on the lookout.
If you're coming from the underground, you'll approach a cross-path. Take
the west route and use the secret door, then use the teleporter. You'll be
teleported to a platform. Use the secret button on the SW side of the
building, then enter the room. Kill the two sentinels, then grab the radiant
short blade from the tomb. Use the teleporter and go south.
Khora-Vysss (54)
I: Woven Silk Robe, Tinker's Gloves, Warrior Vambraces, Slith Bloodspear,
Demon's Bile, Mooneye Girdle, Warmaster Helm
S: Thrown Missiles, Pole Weapons
D: N of Chroisss
This is one of the most challenging areas of the game. I'd recommend
completing this area only after getting through a few of the next chapters.
You can kill a bunch of stuff now though, to make your later foray easier.
There are a few good challenge areas in the game, the rewards can be well
worthwhile.
You're here from the basement. Head south, killing the sliths that get in
your way. This map holds a bit of a puzzle- water prevents you from exploring
a majority of the map. You need to find several wheels that will close off
the water levels and enable you to explore. The first is to the east. Using
the wheel there after killing the sliths drains the west river passage. You
can also cross the bridge to the east, and can kill some more sliths. You'll
find Chroisss, a slith magic user. Kill it for a woven silk robe. There's a
secret door immediately north that has a book which will improve your thrown
weapons ability. Cool! Head to the SW. Kill the sliths and lizards that get
in your way, then use the wheel that isn't broken. The wheel empties the
eastern river. Go now to the SE. Kill the sliths, including Beastkeeper Tah-
Kss. You are rewarded with the useful Tinker's Gloves for your efforts. Use
the nearby wheel to block the south river. Head across the water way and
you'll find Kazhri-Uss. He's a fearsome foe. Don't bother with his lizards,
just concentrate on Kazhri-Uss. It drops a key on death as well as some
warrior vambraces.
Head upstairs, but only if you feel confident enough to take on 1300 HP
sliths repeatedly. I'd recommend trying the upstairs a bit later. You've got
all that you need to have for the moment (the slith key). Maybe wait until
after you've beaten the Tranquility region- you'll have a better arsenal of
spells with some more experience. Take out the javeliners to the south and
around the entrance. Then kill the temple defender. Work your way west a bit
till you get attacked by a screeching horror and some slith scourgers. Then
head north, and clean out those buildings. Head all the way north to (52) and
grab the graymold and mandrake cache. Work your way back south (avoiding the
temple and its defenders for now) and then go kill Chief Gleth-Sss. He has an
attack that will make you run away if it hits, so try to block his attacks as
best you can. He drops a slith bloodspear on death. This is the best pole
weapon you'll find for a long while. Continue west from the dead chief and
you'll find Goram-Kryss and a slith cultist. Kill them. Then grab your
rewards- a point in pole weapons and some demon's bile.
Next head to the temple. Kill the two defenders, then head up and buff up.
Charge the slith horror as best you are able, casting slow on it once every
turn, and using battle disciplines religiously. It's weak against ice,
slightly. However, it will also cast a death curse on you. This spell has a
limited duration, but will do a lot of damage to you when it activates. If
you have it cast on you, run to one of the filled basins and drink from it to
remove it. Continue along these lines and eventually it will fall. You get a
mooneye girdle for your efforts. Head west and pillage its stuff. You also
get a warmaster helm if you go down the stairs and grab the blue chest. Best
helmet in the game.
NOTE- After you have defeated Lysstak, go to some of the various mines and
claims. Some people may have returned or will deal with you better, including
Armella and the Stone Carver Claim (buy the wisdom crystal!). Also, if you
have Gladwell's Geas, you can't leave this area without the skin of the drake
beneath Harkin's Landing. Getting it will make the whole town hate you,
though, so be warned!
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4. TRANQUILITY
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6. Item Overview
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The following is a list of weapons and armor with some recommendations. These
lists are not yet complete, but should give most of the info.
Weapons
Stick 1-2
Dagger 2-4
Bronze Short Sword 3-6
Iron Short Sword 5-10
Steel Short Sword 7-14
Stunning Band 3-6, Stuns
Fine Cleaver 6-12, +1 Dex
Bonding Knife 7-14, 6%, -1 Str,Dex,Int, +4 End
Discipline Blade 7-14, 30% Ftg Rmv, +2 PW, +1 MW
Falchion of Evasion7-14, +2 Def, +4HER
Shielding Knife 4-8, 6%
Nephil War Blade 10-20, +4 Str, +4 Dex, 75% Ftg Rmv
Singing Rapier 10-20, +2 QA, +1 Blm
Seeking Rapier 13-26, +1 Blm, +3 Anat
Radiant Short Blade16-32, +10TH, +15ER
These weapons are great for non-melee fighters (like archers and magic
users). The discipline blade is probably among the best as it gives you
access to more battle disciplines if you have a few points to begin with. My
end game priests and archers find it invaluable.
Bronze Broadsword 4-12
Iron Broadsword 6-18
Waveblade 8-24
Fine Waveblade 10-30
Blessed Broadsword 12-36
Ghostly Blade 8-24, +6HER, 6PFW, Jinx
Flaming Sword 11-33, +10TH, +10FR, Fire
Oozing Blade 11-33, +10AR, +5TH, Acid
Frozen Blade 11-33, +10CR, +15TH, Jinx
Venomous Blade 12-36, +12AR, +12PR, Poison
Radiant Soulblade 16-48, +8%, +2 LB, +2 QA, +3 Par
For melee weapon users, the various ghostly blades, flaming blades, acid
blades, Frozen Blades, and Venomous Blades are your staple as far as weapons
go. The single radiant soulblade in the game is incredible for devoted melee
weapon users, just from bonuses alone.
Bronze Spear 6-18
Iron Spear 8-24
Slith Spear 8-24
Steel Spear 10-30
Lava-fired Spear 10-30, +10FR
Chaotic Halberd 12-36, +10CR, +1 Dex, Jinx
Spear of the Fen 12-36, +10AR, +3 Def, +1 Rip
The Chaotic halberd is my personal favorite of these, however, you should 
