An Elder Scrolls Legend
                    Battlespire - Part 1

                Walkthrough by Vic Horsley

See also the maps in this issue and Vic's letter last issue

First Level

This game will run on the lowest of PCs. The only problem is sound
drivers. If you are using any computer over low spec Pentium make
sure you configure your computer's drivers during installation and
not the game's built in drivers. These will cause today's
computers to crash constantly. This game was meant to be a DOS
game, with Windows 95 being installed at a later date, hence the
troubles.

By following the instructions you can either accept a ready made
character or make your own. If it is your first time then the
ready made 'Spellsword' is a really good choice and choosing your
race as a 'Redguard' also helps with a strong person. Remember
though, even this character will be weak to begin with.

The fighting scenes in this game are really tough and you are
likely to be killed many times, so save your game often,
especially when approaching a new area. The little blue gems that
you find in various corners are health and spell points so note
where they are because you will need to return to these quite
often.

Pick up all the scrolls you find and although you do not have to
keep them, unless you can remember every word on them it would be
better that they were retained. There is vital information that
will get you through certain sections. I found that unloading
these scrolls on first entering a new level was the best way to
lighten your load. They will not be needed on any new level unless
it says so.

There is no need to burden yourself by carrying a load of weapons
and the room in your pack can be put to better use, i.e. scrolls,
potions and special items, a good example being the cogs you have
to pick up on this first level.

It is worth remembering that a lot of gear that you wear and carry
is magical. If it is described with a name besides the item name
i.e. Sword of Power as opposed to just Sword. Then the word Power
is the secret. In your inventory by double clicking on this item
you will be told to leave the inventory and your magic is ready to
use. It can be especially handy when you are in a tight corner and
your health is low, most are attack magic, so you get extra firing
power, just remember one thing the item you use will disintegrate
after a number of uses (about four but it varies), just equip
another from a nearby chest.

When you first arrive in the Battlespire (1), you will be standing
at the bottom of one of four ramps that go up to the exit.
However you are unable to get out due to it being sealed by a
Force Field, do not, whatever you do go up these ramps from the
beginning or you will fry. Touching the field reduces your life
points but at first you do not have enough points to even survive
a small touch. Later if you wish to try you can but it will
achieve nothing.

First off, equip your clothes and weapon by clicking on your
portrait, below the window and on your status bar. Then save your
game. It is very important that you do this now as the first
enemies are very near and should you not survive them on your
first attempt, all your settings will be lost.

The best way to look at this level, is like a bicycle wheel you
begin in what would be the hub of the wheel and there are
corridors representing the spokes that go off in different
directions. These spokes have other areas of different sizes at
their ends. It doesn't really matter which path you take first as
all have to be faced and in any order.

Turn to your right [east] move along a little and you will see a
couple of Imps, get rid of these and search the baskets, once the
basket comes up on your screen it is to the right of your own
infantry, double click on it again as there can sometimes be
several other baskets of boxes inside of it, click on the items
you want and drag them over.

If you now take the next turning off you will meet your first
ghoul, very tough at this stage of your life, keep slashing with
your sword and best strikes come from corner to corner on your
screen. That done, you have now beaten two of the three types of
enemy that you will meet on this level. The other one is Daedra
looks like a human and they are the toughest. In fact they are
incredibly tough and you will see the first behind one of these
doors nearby, save your game and move close to the door, click on
it. As the door opens the Daedra will attack.  There is a good
chance that you won't survive this first encounter (9), so reload
and try one of the other passages, return here when stronger. This
is all part of the strengthening procedure and will also occur at
other areas. The small numbers in brackets in these paragraphs
refer to the map areas.

There are three main things that you need to do on this level that
enable you to go to the second level. The first is to find the
'Battlemage Clarentavious Valisious', he is off to the north east
of where you first started be careful of the two ghouls as you go
in (2). If you are following my route, you will now see your first
Anchor. It's the large blue tube on the left wall but more of that
later, go past it to the large room. On the right side of this
room are what look like lockers, click on these and they will
slide open to reveal the 'Battlemage' in his hiding place, he will
instruct you to go to his chambers. This is best done a little
later in your journey around this level as it is tough getting
there.

The second thing you need to do is close all the 'Anchors', some
are open and some are closed. This one near to the 'Battlemage'
should be left open until you are finally ready to move on to the
next level, but as you travel around close the others. There are
five in total.

The third thing is to collect the five parts of cogs that are
placed on the desk to open the 'Great Star Galley' (13) which is
to the left of the room holding the 'Battlemage', again do not
place the cogs until you are finally ready to go to level two.

There is plenty more to do besides the above and many foes to beat
to improve your power and as the passageways are all up and down.
It is best to just go and explore. There is no set pattern so just
go where you are pointing. If you are not sure whether to open a
door or push a button, save and then try it. If it's not right you
can always reload but I can tell you that it's usually best to
engage every item.

I will now tell you how to get to the 'Battlemages' quarters.
Take the second spoke or passage left [west] of where you first
started, open the door to be confronted by a molten lava room
which as a few paths over it. If you go left close to the wall to
the side of the room you will find a button, push this to open
another path across then make your way to the far right corner
where another button will open the rest of the path, once across
kill whatever is around and go into the square (5) with three
paths in front of you and one that goes down to your right and
behind. The path to the left is easy to explore and should be done
first (6). It will bring you back to the hub eventually, I will
cover this after the 'Battlemage' quarters. The middle path goes
up and to another Anchor (4) [close it]. The path to the right is
to the 'Battlemages' quarters (3), to that in a moment, I just
want to point out the path to the right and behind you. It goes to
the very bottom of the Battlespire (7) and is a very large area
holding a crashed spaceship. Take your time down here as there are
quite a few enemies and some attack you in three's, I found it
best to go all way round the outsides and then make my way into
the centre. There is a body with scrolls.

Now go down the path to the mages quarters. Walk all around the
area, keeping close to all the walls. There are a couple of ghouls
but once taken out they do not rematerialise, in fact once killed
nothing returns and you are left to roam wherever you wish. When
you have looked around this area, look at your map find the cross
that represents you and see your area. The round large black dot
that is nearby (3) is a teleporter but it appears you cannot get
into it, so do this. Walk around the walls until you find a button
which brings down a lift, go up on it and save your game. Walk to
the end between the two walls and look down. It is now possible to
see enemies running all over the teleporter which is surrounded by
a round sealed wall.  There are now several choices you can make
as how to get rid of these foes, you can either stand up here and
try to hit them with arrows or lances or you could fire your magic
at them but you will probably only have enough points for one shot
or you could press the button on the end wall alongside you. This
will open the teleporter walls. Then walk back along the lift
press the button and go down and take your chance, but I suggest
you get the best bow you are able to find the best claymore and as
many arrows as you can carry then from the top of the lift fire
your arrows at them nipping back every now and again so as not to
be hit by their returned fire. When these run out fire off your
magic configured to area and organic. Then press the button to
open the walls and go down, go towards the teleporter but as you
see the Daedra back off and drag him to the lift, here between the
walls you have the best chance to finish him off, he is by far the
most formidable on this level.

Walk up the teleporter to the top and be transported to the
quarters, first stop is a section of short passages with other
teleporters at their ends. The door here goes to the main rooms so
open it using 'BOUSTROPHEDON', go in and step on the next
teleporter. These rooms all have enemies so be careful. Make sure
the 'Anchor' is closed pick up the scrolls and whatever else you
require. When you step on the teleporter to leave it takes you
back outside the round wall.  There are still the other
teleporters to search but its no good rushing this so take your
equipment back to the room where the 'Battlemage' is and put it in
to the chests there, now come back and go through the teleporters
again repeating the procedure. It's a little awkward to know which
transporters you have already used, I found that using the doorway
to the first room as a marker I could count left each time I came
through and just jotted down 1, 2, 3, 4 turns to left.

Now back to the first path in this section (5). It leads to a
square room, open the chest and go through the passage to the left
(6), keep close to the right-hand wall and follow it all the way
round. It goes through a dark corner that is not easy to see but a
long narrow passage leads to another room, in here you will find a
floating gem that replenishes your magic points (6). This gem
returns every time you leave the area and can be reused, so note
its location, come back to the entrance to this section and turn
right as you near it. This will bring you to a button on the wall
(6), press and bring down the lift, go up, 2 Imps so be careful,
along one side of the room is a button which will raise another
part of the floor and allow you access to the door and the path
that goes down to the hub section.  Before leaving go into the
corner and find another gem. This time it's for your health.

The first door to your right on leaving the lift room has another
'Anchor'. If not closed do it now search the basket behind the
anchor and go back out into the long down passage, halfway down
and again off to the right is another room, be careful of your
attackers and close the last 'Anchor', that's all five now
visited, four closed and the one near to the 'Battlemage' open.

Carry on down to the next turning right, opening the door will
reveal one of the Daedra attackers, be ready for this. Then carry
on to the end and open the door. It doesn't do anything other than
give you the items you see there, now turn to your left or right
and go around this narrow passage to the opposite side and in
through the opening in the wall (8), be really careful inside
waiting for you are two ghouls and two imps, kill these and go up
the ramp at the end. The ghouls here can knock you down openings
on either side so make sure there is a solid wall behind you,
after taking care of these search the baskets and in the two far
corners are gems, again one is for health the other spell points,
come back down the ramp, at the bottom go to the other side of
this room and along the narrow passage to a small room at the end
that has a chest and maybe a ghoul if he fell down from above.
When you were up there fighting. As you leave this area to make
your way back to the main passage, just outside the doorway, look
up above the wall.  There is an opening but you are not able to
jump up there but you will come through it from above a little
later.

In the main passage and to your left can be seen the central hub
once again but carry on down this passage and open the door. It's
the one I told you to open at the beginning, now you should be
strong enough to cope with it, although you may need to go back at
various stages of door opening to replenish at the gems. As you
move through to the flashing light be quick up to this next human
(9), he is strong but if you strike him quick he will fall.

You now have to four different doors on either sides of this
central light, behind each are enemies, chests, baskets and a
control to open the next section. The final one to the east leads
to another door and some floating stone platforms over molten lava
(10), fall in and you're a goner, step on the first rock and it
will carry you up to the higher one. Walk over to the next and
jump over north to the short passage and open the door.

Be very careful of this wooden platform over the lava and do not
go on the lift in the centre just yet, fight the ghouls, search
the basket and step back and look up. It should be possible to see
some ghouls hurrying about up there. If you just jump on the lift
the chances are that they will knock you down into the lava, so
fire a ranged fireball set to organic and get back into the
doorway out of its way. This will take care of at least one of
them and you will stand a better chance when you go up on the
lift, up there keep away from the edge and after defeating them
open all the baskets. Then go down, jump over to the wooden
platform search thoroughly before jumping south and exiting
through the opening down into the passage that I pointed out
earlier (8).

If needed, now would be a good time to go and top up at the gems
close by. Then head back round the passage and to the central hub
(1).

If you were quick thinking you would have been taking the
important items back to the chests near to where the 'Battlemage'
is but if you didn't and you have left something behind now would
be a good time to do another circuit and recover these items.

Now cross the hub to the north-east and go into the large open
cavern (11). It is a great void with swinging bridges between rock
platforms there is not a lot to do other than kill a few ghouls
and open some baskets but on the far side you meet a human who you
can talk with but finish up fighting anyway.  Return now to the
'Battlemage'(12), talk with him and he will blabber on about all
of you dying and will not go with you but get the staff. He will
not talk with you again, pick up the cogs from the chests if that
is where you stowed them, go out to the Star Gate control box and
place them on by clicking on it, now click on the red button. The
gate in front of you will open and you will have another fight on
your hands.

The two paths around the sides lead nowhere, only into the lava at
the bottom. From the doorway go straight ahead along the path but
only half way then turn around and walk off the path into the
corner. Between this path and the entrance platform underneath the
doorway is a teleporter and that is where you are aiming for, once
you have jumped down a ghoul appears. Take care of it and search
the basket, go onto the teleporter and through to a large oblong
room.

This room (12) has no enemies. Along one side is a wall, in the
centre of this is a large stone Turtle, clicking on it produces
written script and he tells you he is the 'Mock Turtle, King of
Turtles as in Mock Turtle Soup', he will tell you to speak his
name in reverse or backwards, now turn around and look into the
far corner where a light is glowing, go over to this corner and
press the button on the wall. This is where you insert the
turtle's name backwards 'ELTRUT KCOM'. It brings down a chest,
search this and leave via the teleporter close by, you arrive back
close to the door (13).

Go back to the room where the 'Battlemage' is (2) and unload
everything you do not need, only carry your scrolls and potions
and the equipment you are wearing, now go and close the last
'Anchor' nearby. Turn around and walk onto the platform in the
'Great Star Galley' (13), as you walk towards the centre you will
be whisked away to the 'High Halls and Librarium' and the second
level.

There is no reason to, but you may wish to return to this level.
The only way to do that is by saving your game before leaving, and
of course you will only come back as you are now and cannot bring
anything with you. It is still worth doing so, just in case you
have forgotten something.

Second Level

Collect the items around you on arriving here and don't leave the
small room, you are in until you have saved the game. This level
is going to cause some real problems especially at the beginning.
The strength you have is not really good enough against the
adversaries and it make's for hard going. However a few
precautions taken will help, do not stick to the same path. When
you can't get any further turn back and try something else. Then
come back later, many times you will run short of health but keep
looking there are various health improvements out there, some will
not be there the first time you look so search everything again.

The teleporter room (1) you are in is looking East into a large
hall (2) with a doorway on either side at mid section. There is
another doorway in the far north corner that is guarded by a
protective Sigil (3), next to this door is another that goes up
some stairs and turns back to the north mid way door, explore this
but keep moving all the time.

Also in this large hall at the far end is a ramp that goes up to a
higher ledge that stretches around one side of the hall, a scroll
is on the table, make sure you read it and stow it in your pack,
go along the ledge to the end and open the chest, one other thing
there is a ghoul up here try to dispatch him up here. It's one
less to deal with, he may however fall to the main floor and this
can add to your problems.

The small teleporter room (1) is a good place to hide, your
enemies can't get into it, use it to draw these early foe to you
and kill them from inside using bow and arrow or fireball. There
are 3 or 4 ghouls to be taken care of, and a Daedra Spider or two,
from now on I will refer to them as Spiderman, make sure you are
slightly outside this small room if you use fireball, or the only
one it will damage will be yourself.

The room with the Sigil (3) should be left at this time. Its magic
is too strong and you do not have a entry Sigil for it.  Once you
are happy that this area is clear, go to the door to the right
centre [south] and through to a passage that goes north south (4)
parallel with the large hall, to the left are double doors (15).
There are a few Spiderman behind these and they are strong. It may
be a better idea to turn right [west], look at this level as the
large room with a passage that goes along the four outsides, and a
few rooms off of this, some up steps others down.

Along the passage, around a small bend is a little alcove with
some broken boards in it, before entering this save your game, I
should point out, that if you haven't already met your second
Spiderman then you will just here, you will also meet your first
Daedra destroyer in this level, from him the passage now goes left
and right or north-south (5).

Turn left [south]. There are some steps going up into a teleporter
room (6) and at a higher level you can see another Daedra, side
step his magic and as he comes down towards you, strike at him,
search the room, you cannot use the teleporters but pick up the
scrolls on either side. They contain some good passwords, search
the basket up the ramp and then go back to the passage.

Going North along this passage you are behind the area from where
you first teleported to this level, just to your right is a large
head, click on this and a message will appear. The word is 'TREE',
click on the small wall notice in this room (7) and the stone slab
in the middle will move over, pick up the glove in the corner and
place it in your inventory, clicking on it will restore your
health points but be careful, you only get a few top ups, now
leave this room and turn right to carry on down the passage.

One handy point to be aware of at this time, is, should you die
and then restart the game, many of the items in the Baskets and
chests will have changed. It can be a good or bad thing, again I
say. If you want to keep anything special, make sure you save
after picking it up.

Go past the skulls on the opposite wall, past the crates [boxes]
and down the passage, where you come to a dead end, you can see an
opening on the other side of a large hole (8). It could possibly
be jumped but you may also fall down the hole which has ghouls
wandering about, better to go back along the passage to the stairs
just alongside the crates, go down dispatch the ghouls and open
the baskets, save, behind the crate's in the corner is a lever,
clicking on this brings up a message. The answer is 'BELLTOWER'.

Go back to the large hole (8). It's actually this room [no
ceiling], and cross over the bridge that's now there, at the other
side is a ghoul that wanders up and down, so be aware, at the end
of the passage you can turn left or right. If you go left first
(9) there are some stairs going to a lower floor. The Spiderman
here is awkward as he has two ways to get at you. If it causes any
problems fire one or two shots at him and return later to finish
him off.

In the lower room which is guarded by a Sigil is a Daedra (10),
stay back and dispatch him from a distance. If you have the Sigil
Entry go in. If not come back when you find it, clear the room, in
one corner close to the doorway is a lever on the wall, touching
this will kill you unless your health points are high, so save
before making this move. It opens a small section on the end wall
in which you will find the 'VOIDGUIDE', leave the room and return
above.

Cross over the passage to a lobby (11) in which is a firewell and
a square object in one corner, go through and round the next
passage to an opening, in which a small girl is standing next to a
tiger rug (12), her name is Rishaal Tamir, speak to her she wants
the 'VOIDGUIDE'. You have to decide whether to give it or not,
don't do anything for now, just carry on round the passage.

The next space is a cavern with stone platforms over a Lava Pit
(13), jump from rock to rock and kill the ghoul. The door ahead of
you (14) has another rhyme the answer is 'TEETH', now you must
decide what to do because on the other side of this door is a
Spiderman who is very hard to tackle from this angle, a better
idea is to go back to the large room and go around another way.
This will give you a better chance at him, but open the door
before back tracking.

From the large room turn left [East], open the double doors and
pick up the scroll on the bench (15), as you push into the second
room a Spiderman will come (16), lure him bit by bit back to your
teleporter room (1) and finish him with arrows.  There is also
another Spiderman behind him in the third room (17), he is not so
easy to lure but if you stay the near side of the table he will
stop in that room [with Sigil] and you can shoot your arrows from
there. If you go around the other side of the table, he will come
out of the room and is not as easy to take care of, arrows seem
short but if you search some of the chests again you will find
others, search the chest at end of table.

It is not possible to get by Sigil to begin so press on through
the passage into a small hall with a broke pillar and some boxes
(18), open the basket and click on the coffin. It will move over
to reveal a button, press this and a door behind you will open,
steady as you enter this room.

Behind the pillar right and close to the door (19), a Daedra is
hiding. If you stay half behind the pillar he is easy to take care
of. There is a firewell to the left and behind this a chest, which
you will need to clear the first time opened. It will not open
again, directly above the firewell on the upper floor a Spiderman
is waiting, move far right turn around and look up, he will
probably not move until you do so. Get in the first shot with a
'Fireball', move around, fire arrows and if need be run outside
the room to recover. Then try again, open the chests.  Go through
the passage going North from close to where you pressed the door
button. This passage weaves a bit but another Spiderman is near by
and may attack along this passage, his true domain is at the
bottom of a ramp three quarters way along this passage (20).

There are two rooms here besides the Spiderman there are one or
two ghouls, move into the second room (21) and click an the body,
get the scroll and click on all the barrels, one will move
allowing entry to a chest or two, now return upstairs and proceed
along the North-South passage.

Now you enter a area that has a large open well in the middle (22)
[try not to fall down this], you are in the room that connects to
the Northern, East-West Passage and just to your left is the door
(14) where you should have used the answer 'TEETH' beware the
Spiderman is in this area, he could be seen through to the stairs
in the next section (23) or he may be closer, you need to strike
and move back. Then strike again and so on. It is a perseverance
task and you need to be up to it.

Down the steps to the North from where the Spiderman comes. There
is also a Daedra Warrior, he's in the far stairwell (23). This one
seemed quite easy to overcome, you will get a Sigil, go up the
stairs but not too close to the gate. If you do go close it will
open and you will have to fight the enemies without protection, so
with the gate closed just pick off with arrows the Spiderman,
followed by the Ghoul and Imp then go in and search the baskets.

This large room (24) with raised platforms has a gem in both top
corners, health and magic, around the side walls are some useful
weapons, just jump from the platforms on to the ledge and walk
along. The woman at the top is 'Zenaida Nacarra', talk with her,
you may wish to escape, leave the room.  Go back to the little
girl 'Rishaal'(12) and give her the 'VOIDGUIDE', she will allow
you to go through the teleporter (25), first answer the riddle to
the door behind her. The answer is 'HORSE', but don't go through
just yet, 'Rishaal' will also give you a entry Sigil and this will
let you into the room near to the main hall [where you opened the
double doors] (16-17).  Search the chests and look behind the
crate's to reveal a lever.  When pushed it will raise the lift and
you can pick up the items below and press the button. This will
open the door to the next room.

Go back to 'Rishaal' (12) and through the teleporter, after making
sure you have saved the game.

To be continued next issue




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