Legend of Faerghail - General Hints, "Quick Method" and Riddles Sent in by MerC General Hints (Normal Play) Make up a Party of six which includes three spellcasters, one of whom should be a Blacksmith and Dismiss one of the "ordinary" members. This is necessary because : 1. You will meet useful characters who want to join your party, and room is needed for them. (On the PC version do NOT take Siegurd into the Dwarven Mines the first time you enter. He "helps" by taking you all the way through to the Wilderness of Cyldane, but having neither keys nor gunpowder, you're stuck there. A Rogue with his lockpicks may help, but I have not tried it) 2. Only spellcasters can use Healing Staffs, and although these are "multiple shot", they do run out. 3. The Smith can buy a high-level spell called Titan's Fist, which I found essential to solving the game, so don't Dismiss him ! Your companions can be chosen from a wide variety of Races and Trades and can be (within limits) male or female. Choose wisely (see above). Objects can be found or bought and sold at the Emporium. There is no limit to the number of items that can be carried, except that you can only carry a certain weight. Once dropped, objects disappear. Objects, rations and gold can be freely exchanged. Your Characters' Levels and Spells (where appropriate) can be increased (at a cost) when Experience has been gained, when visiting the nearest town. Languages can be bought, though I have not found this to be of any practical significance. Weapons and objects are many and various (and mostly useless, except that they can be collected and sold). Some, however, are part of the solution. You WILL eventually need the Keystaff, the Emerald and the Corona, and someone to fashion them into a Key for the final dungeon (though I once managed without him OR the Corona!). Other objects may be required en route to getting these (don't drop the large soup server!). Certain weapons are unique and powerful and should always be kept in good repair. Hide can be used, and be careful with the Death Mask until you need to ensanguinate it. Scrolls may give hints as to your task, as will the occasional spy you meet, though I never did discover why Idrielle's room has the secret to the Hammer of the Gods (whatever that may be). In the last dungeon, second level down (potato waffle) Fist your way through the wall immediately to the S of the entrance location. Use the same spell to avoid the Lava Seas and (earlier) to access two rooms in the Mines from which you are cut off by a powerful force. Topography Warning : on the ST version, things do not always happen as expected. The exact course of events may well depend on where you have already been, your character levels and the objects you carry. The first time I visited the Plain of Cyldane all locations were accessible. Never again did it happen like that! You begin in Thyn, in the Valley of Faerghail. Outside the walled town you are in a forest, pleasant enough in the daytime, but much more sinister at night. As you travel, the time of day changes. Torches and light spells do not work outside, so you Rest when it is too dark to see where you're going. You are trying to locate the Dungeons for exploration and the Taverns for refreshment. On this side are the Dragon Temple, Derelict Castle, Dwarven Mines [N & S entrances are both in the mid-West] and the Elven Pyramid [Elven heroes - Game Manual]. There is also a deserted graveyard, but it doesn't seem to serve any purpose. To leave the area [remember the map] go into the N entrance of the Mines. Going upwards you will eventually come out in the Plain of Cyldane. Here, besides the Towne itself are the Oracle [have a spare character slot] and the Monastery of Saggicita complete with Catacombs [take a climbing aid]. There is a small area in the SE corner which SHOULD be inaccessible and which contains the locked entrance of the last dungeon, the Inactive Volcano. To get to this enter the Mines and go downwards. You will have to negotiate a maze, where there is a safe route through numerous deathtraps [No Save]. When out, hopefully on the Cyldane side, you will eventually see a stone Halfling. (We'll meet again). Provided you have the Keystaff and Emerald (or have had them fashioned into a Key) and approach the entrance [before you go to work] you get into the Volcano. On the whole, I can thoroughly recommend the game, though I don't like its price or the disc swapping most players will have to do. It is "buggy" but does not crash. Playing by the ordinary method, it will take many hours to solve, most of them enjoyable. The short-cut is described next. Quick Method As in Bard's Tale, there is a quick way of building up strength, so the essential problems can be concentrated on. a. At the start take one character and leave Thyn. Go S and E. Unlike Bard's l, you can refuse combat, which at this stage would kill you. Find the Priestess. Use the Amulet given you as a newcomer and get the Healing Staff. Return to Thyn and dismiss the companion. Create another member and bring them both back into the party. Give the staff to the other and dismiss him/her ONLY. DO NOT USE THE IN-GAME SAVE OPTION. Go out of the town and reset the computer. On restart, recall your party and two companions will now have a Healing Staff. Do this until everyone has half a dozen or so. (At this stage you could find the Dwarven Mines, N entrance, over in the mid- west and enter. You quickly find a Crystal Ball, which means you can use the M key to examine a map of places (with immediately adjacent locations) you have visited. b. Go to the Derelict Castle in the NW corner of the wilderness and down to the Dungeons. Open all chests until you find a potion, which on Using tells you it is a Game Level Potion. (Always Save before using a potion - some are poisons). At the same time, collect as much gold as you can find. Leave the Castle and make your way back to Thyn. Multiply the GLP's as described in a. and get everyone to Use them until at Level 20 or higher. c. Multiply the gold and deposit in the Bank (about 2000 Au each). d. On restart, now with five rich, high level characters, three of whom have numerous healing staffs, go to the Training Guild. Buy all the spells you can for all companions, making sure that your Smith has Titan's Fist. You are now in a much better position to begin the Quest proper. The uncoded answers to the Riddles follow.... The Riddles Some of the answers are: king, water, plough, fire, square, circle, earth, eyes, flame, air, echo, stairs, mushroom, queen, knight.