AL-QADIM - THE GENIE'S CURSE - part 2

               HINTS AND TIPS by VIC HORSLEY

@~Continued from Issue 54

THE ISLAND OF SHIBAZ:-There are three scrolls that you must pick
up in the first building you enter, the first is through the
entrance door, turn south, go all the way, it's laying there (read
and take), go back to the main door and go east in the building,
in one of the central rooms against the northern wall is the
second, in the room in the N. E. corner is a book, read and
memorise, now go south then west, in the middle room here is the
third scroll, smash the barrels here.

In the first building south of the main building (where the chests
and furniture attack you), it is best to position yourself about
two paces outside the door and facing it (after having first gone
in and enticed the items to come at you), then swinging with your
sabre and firing your sling (or other magic you may choose to use
from your inventory), pick them off, one at a time. If you let
them at you in an open area, i. e. the room or outside (where they
will follow), they will attack from all sides, doing untold
damage, your reward in this task is gems and a shard to boost your
sword.

The Banshees between the flame poles can consume a lot of your
health, so if you mean to take them on make sure you are topped up
and have saved, they appear then disappear without warning,
catching you off guard, better to walk down the side of the poles,
there's no reward.

When you get to the last building in this area, go first to the
left statue, inspect it, keep putting in coins until it tells you
it's satisfied, now move to the right statue (it may be a good
idea to save here), inspect it, put Heart of Stone scroll into its
ear, do not use the other scrolls or you will lose them, now move
to the central statue, where you will earn points and be allowed
through.

At the lilac chest in the last building, save and be very careful
what you say, politeness is needed here when talking to it (if you
do upset it in any way Banshees appear from around the corner and
you have another tough fight on your hands, with no reward), I
did it this way, look at wondrous, say dazzling rock is plain,
give generous gems (13), if you've got it right, you'll receive a
power shard.

RASHIDIN'S MAZE:-The reason for this maze is to stop you getting
to the library but you really can't go far wrong, from where you
come down just go east then south. Cover this area going back and
fore, step on all the sign tiles that you can and pull all the
levers also at the beginning don't worry about the chests that you
can't reach (when the entrance to the library is reached you have
a magic carpet and can fly all over this area, clearing up), when
you've done all you can here head west and north (one point here
in the S. W.  there are rows of spikes with a chest in the center,
this is your final way through the maze and as you may notice
opens up as you discover the tiles and step on them).

In the N. W.  area there's a book you have to read aloud, then go
behind the two pillars to the north and push up, a magic path will
appear, walk onto it and keep pushing to the east it weaves about
a bit but eventually you get to the other side.

The number of large chests in the maze area is three, two are only
reachable by flying on the magic carpet, place your carpet over
the nearest tile and it will land.

JAZA'IR JIZA:-Before you go here, go to Trainer and take a lesson,
it is always best to train up at the earliest convenience, also go
in the shops and get a snake, ask for half price, it won't be
given but a little will be knocked off, same also goes for the
coal which you will get a little later.

At the Checker Board in the centre of the Island you have to go to
the four elements, so from where you come in, go around the board
to the top N. W.  corner, step on the first black coloured tile,
then go five tiles south, three east and one north, you're in, as
you go the tiles light up to the elemental colour. The next one
to try is the S. W. from the light tile go five east, three north
and one west, now the N. E.  corner, from the light tile go, five
west, three south and one east, the last one is the S. E. go five
north, three west, one south. It is possible to go to these areas
in any order and you will need to go back and fro, to sort things
out, what you need to do is get favours from different elements,
so as to proceed through to the last element, which is fire (red
tiles).

When in the Beya's cave, be careful of the double line of guards
you have to pass through on your way to speak with her, they
attack without warning and can be very costly in the way of health
if not death. It is possible to go straight down the centre of
them, without making them move.

In the last area (red tiles), don't step on Gubishbakin's own
chess board until you have the magic potion that protects you,
you'll get it from the water elemental. It's certain death if you
try.

THE ISLE OF SENAT:-The chest holding the Scimitar is in the S. W.
corner just above where you land, take the first opening north
then follow the path around westward, watch your health it burns
away very quickly, there are three chests on the island, which is
very small.

BANDAR AL-SA'ADAT:-A veil can be bought in one of the shops here,
it was asked for by one of the genies but I didn't need it, maybe
it's worth buying as an investment to the future.  Top up with as
many potions as you can afford, particularly health potions, you
are going to need them, the potion shop is half way up the main
street on the eastern side.

THE OLD DUNGEON:-The Cyclops (he's in the middle cell in the
north) you can try saving him, by smuggling him out through the
palace (not a very easy job), it's far easier and safer to just
kill him, he's tough so just keep backing off and giving him
everything, there's points at the end.  The long passageway going
North to South has eight buttons on its western wall, don't pull
any until you've taken care of the Wizard in the southern
passageway (he's a doddle), then pull them one at a time and go
take care of the beasties in the cell it just opened, then back to
the next one and so on. Leave the fourth lever down until last,
it's the cell that takes you through to the last section of this
dungeon and a large ghoul comes out of it, much easier to deal
with when you haven't any other problems.

CALIPH'S PALACE:-When you teleport to the Caliph's private
quarters, do not let any of the people see you (except for the
women in the harem) or it's sudden death, best creep around.

It is possible to read all of the paperwork in the Vizier's
chamber here, the guard carries on sleeping as long as you don't
approach him, there is a scroll in the cupboard.

The way to get past the guard in the East-West passage is to go
through the door from the Vizier's chamber turn sharp North and
keeping close to the wall, go up into the N. E.  corner, then just
wait there facing the wall until the guard come along and stops,
then creep along the north wall and out through the West door. He
must have stopped walking and you must be swift.  Don't drink the
tea from the trolley, it makes too much noise, just push the
trolley out of the way, again as before wait until the guards have
made their move and stopped, then go.  In the harem make sure you
get right behind the door and don't move until she gives you the
signal to go, then move through the door speedily, no need to come
around the door.

Do not touch any of the chests in the rooms off the Caliph's
bedroom, they are all traps and it's instant death, you can
however open the one in the secret room and take the book.

When you go to teleport back from the room you started this area
in, go to the S. E.  corner of the carpet and click on the ring in
your inventory.

@~More next issue


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