Amberstar - Thalion (Part 7) A Playguide by Brian Burke @~Continued from last issue. CASTLE OF MANYEYE Entry point is from the mid-south. The door shuts behind the Party as you walk forward. At the first crossroads go west and south into an alcove to search Bones and find lots of Treasure including a Tower Shield, a two-Handed sword, a Metal Helmet and Plate Mail. Head into the southwest region to fight Skullhunters and use your Pickaxe on Rocks to expose a set of Stairs up. Up the stairs find a false wall to the east then go north to fight Skullhunters in the Laboratory to the south. Ensure that you trigger the Pressure Plate by stepping on the Symbol in the north before leaving. These Pressure Plates open up walls in a particular area later in the Castle. Return to the entrance crossroads and go into the southeastern region. Again just one set of Skullhunters here and, to the north from the fight, a set of Stairs up. Up the stairs you find a girl imprisoned in a cage. Dispose of the two Mutants before hearing her story. She can't be released until the Cell Key has been located. This will be found later in the Castle. Before leaving enter the north wall of the Cage room to step on the Symbol. In the northeast find another gang of Skullhunters. Beware of a spinner at a crossroads in the mid-east of the map. Go west at this point, fight more Skullhunters and find a Red Statue. Examine the Statue twice to find two Gems. West and south of the statue climb to the stairs. At the top of the stairs go east to find Melgrim's Diary. Now west to the Knights Hall, note the wine goblets - brrr. There are Skeletons in the southern room but avoid the Pit as it dumps you back outside the castle. In the northwest open the Chest to discover the Cell Key that'll allow the girl in the Cage to be released. There are two sets of Skullhunters to dispose of. In the south is a Bedroom with a Chest that contains 6420 Gold but more importantly a Master Key for use on the next level. It is to this area that you will need to return once all the Pressure Plate Symbols have been activated. Back then to release the girl only to find her transforming into a Doppleganger. Defeat the monster to be rewarded with a Necklace of Defence and be thanked by the girl's spirit as she transforms into a Skeleton. Go now to the mid-west area of the map enter through a door west. As you head west you pass through anti-Light squares whether going the northern or southern route. Travel clockwise round a series of Statues that give, collectively, the following message - " Find. The (beware the spinner between this statue and the next) Secret doors. Meet him. Way. Is. Manyeye. From. Only. Escape. The". I'm sure you get the gist. Back through the door and north to find a Teleport. Bash the Skullhunters before entering it and be sent into the northeast area of the map. North to fight Skullhunters then east and south to use Pickaxe on Rocks to expose more Stairs up. Upstairs read the sign on the door "Transporter Room". So this is the place referred to in the Diary. To the north is a room with three Teleports. The western passage has a door west. Fight the Skullhunters then go south through a false wall to step on another symbol. Avoid the centre of the three Teleports, it's a trap. The picture on the wall says "Transformer defective, please do not use" Ho ho ho, Thallion! The other Teleports say something about New Force. Back down to go right into the northeast corner and enter a Teleport that returns the Party to an alcove in the southwest of the map. Retrace your steps to the place where you first Teleported and go west. Look out for a spinner at the crossroads. Keep west then north past Skullhunters and round to another staircase up. The sign upstairs says "Storeroom" and there are Packets of Herbs to be found in the northwest barrel. Fight Skullhunters then find loads of Herbs in the northeast. Enter a false wall and in the southeast step on the final symbol. Before returning to the stairs in the centre of the map explore the mid-north area to find four alcoves. From west to east the alcoves contain Armour & Robes, Weapons, Helmets and then Five Torches & Six Potions. There are a set of Skullhunters to the west of the alcoves. Back upstairs to find that a passage has opened up in the north allowing the Party to progress. But first you must go through a series of traps. A Blinding Light in the first room and a Green Mist in the second. Finally Poison Gas Spores causing you Disease in the third. Onwards then to enter the next Level. Entry point is from the southeast. Proceed west, onwards through a false wall. Should you explore the northern passage first you find a message saying "If you find no way search where it is not possible". Once through the wall another message to the north of here says "You will see at the centre, the centre, and next to it is the only true way to go". Make your way southwest to find three Teleports. The western one takes you into the northeast area where you find three more Teleports. Use the centre one here as the other two transport you back to the start of the level. Again you'll see three Teleports, again take the centre one as the other two again lead back to the start. Now in the third room are three more Teleports. Once more take the centre Teleport to the room south and fight Mutants there. Go east and south to discover a Chest with a Piece of the Amberstar plus ten Gems. Return west to Teleport back into the southwest. Back again in the southwest take the eastern Teleport to be transported to the northwest. Immediately fight Mutants. Before going north to Teleport back go south and through a door east to discover loads of scrolls. It's Wizard Heaven here. Once past the Mutants there are White, Grey and Black Wizard Scrolls galore. I dread to think what level one needs to be to learn some of these as even at the end of the game before the final confrontation I didn't have enough experience to learn some of these. Once loaded up return to the north to be Teleported back and now enter the Middle Teleport to be transferred to the mid northeast of the level. Travel south passing a group of Mutants and then north. Ignore the door north for the moment and go south again then west past more Mutants. Continue past the doors north and south, there's nothing behind them, to the crossroads where there's a Spinner. To the north and through the door east are twelve Potions to be found. To the south and through the door east are two Iron and Silver Rings plus a magical Necklace and Dagger. I didn't enter either the northwest or southwest Teleports, at a guess they land you back at the start of this level. Back then to the door north and use the master key on the lock. SAVE the game and enter the door west to fight Manyeye (also known in SSI games as a Beholder). Cast Anti-Magic spells at him and you'll win the day. After the battle you receive the Gate Key and gain a Windgate Necklace. Leave this room to head north and east to use the Gate Key on the door east that leads to the Windgate and out. ALTAR OF REUNIFICATION Map reference - 049/329 Located in a forest clearing in the southwest of the island. Now you have all the pieces of the Amberstar it's time to join them together. This then provides the key to let the Party enter the Fortress of Godsbane and thus to the endgame battle. The pieces must be laid in a strict order. Failure means gameover time. Herewith the correct order - 1. Lay Knowledge = Mork 2. Lay the Ally = Bralkur 3. Lay Master of the Sea = Sobek 4. Lay Mother of Life = Gala 5. Lay Falsehood = Sansri 6. Lay Friend of Eagles = Nut 7. Lay Evil = Lord Tabros 8. Lay Power of the Earth = Geb 9. Lay Mother of Death = Bala 10. Lay the Fire = Harachte 11. Lay the Traitor = Marmion 12. Lay what is coming = Talmit On laying the final section the Amberstar appears in the same window as the compass and map locator etc. On then to Godsbane. FORTRESS OF GODSBANE. Map reference - 209/047 Located within a Mountain range in the northeast. Only accessible by Air Eagle. The building near here can be explored at any time. There are a few Skeletons and Ghosts to vanquish and one or two Treasures to find. Map three levels, the first on a 38 x 38 and then the Tower and Cellar levels both on 13 x 13 Grids. Entry point is from the mid-south. Once through the first door possession of the reunited Amberstar will open the second. At the junction go west. Be wary down this corridor as at each crossroad there is a Spinner. In the southwest are two sets of Yellowslimes to fight and a third set up the first passage north. Head north at the final crossroads of the Spinner corridor and go east. Down the third passage south is a Chest containing a host of good Scrolls, Hurricane, Earthquake, Conversion of Dust, two Reincarnation and Salvation Scrolls plus a Magic Sphere and two Potions. At the end of the passage east is a door north. Avoid the centre of this room as there are four Spinners here. Go north and west disposing of Yellowslimes in the north. Through the door west round a twisty passage and fight another set before passing through a door north and finding another load of Yellowslimes. To the west is another set but your way lies east. Make your way east then north meeting two sets of Yellowslimes. Then west and south past another set before entering a door south in the centre of this area and flattening the final band of Yellowslimes. Hop down the stairs into the Cellar. Go either east or west in the Cellar to find doors east and west and battle a set of Yellowslimes in each room. The passage north in the centre of the southern corridor finds Bralkur blocking the door north. Fear not, he's easy to beat. In the Chest beyond is a Disintegration Scroll and a Staff of Runes which serves as the Key into where Marmion meets his nemesis. Return to your entry point on the first level and go east till you find the door north. Fight Yellowslimes - save your magic spellpoints as these guys are resistant. Then west and north to go east through a door. South here through a door south then east. Through two doors north to find an area with four Teleports in the centre. The southern Teleport takes you just to the southwest of your position. Round the bend to Teleport into a corridor in the west. No go here. The eastern Teleport takes you to the southwest and the Teleport ahead lands you in the same corridor as the southern one, only just a little further on. The northern Teleport takes you just west and again you Teleport into the corridor as described above. Finally the Western Teleport takes you again west but this time the Teleport you enter next sends you north. You immediately have to fight Yellowslimes. Head south after the battle ignoring the Teleport down the passage east you pass en-route. This northeastern area contains three more sets of Yellowslimes. After wiping them out find a door in the mid-north heading south and enter to climb a staircase up to the Tower level. In the Tower you'll find Cavetrolls to the east and west. When you've destroyed them travel south to go north into the centre of the map fighting a band of Cavetrolls and Yellowslimes on the way. Use the Staff of Runes you found in the Cellar on the Keyhole in the wall to access the door that leads to the final confrontation. Note that the wall closes behind the Party as you advance. Moving into a candlelit room you encounter Twelve Wizards and the dreaded Marmion. They attack. You will be unable use magic against the foe but do cast Anti-Magic spells. Keep your front men hacking until you destroy all the enemy. Then walk forward into the Light to activate the Amberstar. Shandra then provides an escape Teleport back into Twinlake where Lord Karwain addresses the Party. Sit back and enjoy a satisfactory end game sequence. - o -