*************************** Wizardry VIII v1.7 Walkthrough - Part 4 *************************** April 9th, 2002 Written by: Jack Leung Email: bullions27@yahoo.com URL: http://jbullions.topcities.com Continued from last issue ************************************************************ III. Arnika Road ************************************************************ Synopsis: ----------- From this point on it's really up to you where you want to go. Wizardry VIII does a pretty good job in avoiding a linear approach to the plot. Well ask yourself this right now. You are stuck in an alien world, and lost. What do you do? First thing we need to do is find some civilization and base your camp there to rest and gather info. You have several choices based on what Aletheides said. We could seek out one of the races that landed here (shouldn't do this yet) or visit the local inhabitants (do this first). Companions: ----------- None. Walkthrough: ------------ - EXPLORING ARNIKA ROAD As soon as you step out of the Monastery, you may encounter a large group of HARDSHELL CRABS (extended reach, high AC), or VENOM CRABS (low HP, randomly drops Venom Shells you need for Antone Custom Item Quest), or a combination of both. Remember to back yourself to a corner if fighting a large group. To your left (South) and along the wall you can find a hidden Granite Potion. Proceed straight ahead (West) and into the ravine. It follows a serpentine path (some Bullet Stones here) until a fork. There, make a left (South), and follow this new path. When you round a bend, you will be stopped by two HIGARDI RAIDERS or BANDITS. Kill them, then back yourself to the North Wall and move around the second bend. There you will find a Bandit Encampment with a group of CUTPURSES and RAIDERS. Some of them throw poisoned knives at you. Kill them all, and go to the back to find a TRAPPED Chest and these items: Awl Pike Shurikens Leather Leggings Inside the Chest you will find Piercing Pipes, an excellent Bard instrument, and random items. Go back to the fork and now take the other path (West) and leave the ravine. You will come to an open area. To your left (South) along the wall corner is a hidden Leather Helm. To your right (North) is the UMPANI GATEHOUSE you can't access yet along with a pair of some Bullet Stones. Monsters you may encounter here include WASPS (high Speeds), a new type of Higardi thief, ROUSTABOUTS (high HP, high damage, multiple attacks), and various plants (Crimson Poppies and Acid Vines). If you have Missile Shield by now, it is HIGHLY recommended you keep that spell up in the duration you are in this area. Continue westward onto a new road. There is a sign there which points Arnika-Trynton Road to the South and Northern Wilderness to the North. If you want to hit town immediately, follow the road south till you hit the zone and skip down to the Arnika-Trynton Road section. If you want more XP and more items, well read on. ;) First make a left, avoid the road, and follow the wall southwards. You will find an Amulet of Static (5% vs. Mental) on the ground. Enemies you may encounter include all previously mentioned ones and SOLDIER ANTS (annoying low HP mobs that can swarm you). Your new Piercing Pipes works wonders here. Once you've reached the sign that tells you're about to cross zone, swing around back (North) but this time follow the western wall. Items you will find following this wall all the way up North includes: Short Bow Chamois Gloves Somewhere north you will encounter a Neutral Hogar (yellow dot on your radar). The Hogar roams in a diagonal line up and down the road. It won't attack you unless you wander too close to it. Pick the optimal distance away from it and hold Shift to run past. If you do want to fight it, the Hogar attacks multiple times and can KO at a high percentage. Plus it has a lot of HP. Use Insanity, Itching Skin, and whatever you have to slow down the attacks. Anyway, you'll eventually come to another sign which tells you're about to cross to the Northern Wilderness zone. Go back to the eastern wall and you'll notice an inlet. Go in, follow it, and you will find a secret cave guarded by three SEEKERS. No problem. Kill them, and walk in. Be ready for another fight though. This time it's a large group of FOREST MITES (very high Speed score). Again, Piercing Pipes works good as with other area effect or cone effect spells. In the cave you will find: Woodsman's Axe - Fighter & Ranger only 2-Hand Axe Potion of Hv Heal Sparkle Stix Leather Cuirass Leave the cave, proceed back South by following the eastern wall. Skirt past the Hogar (if you didn't kill it). Along the way you will find hidden Skullcap and a Bundle of Arrows. Now go to the southern zone. ************************************************************ IV. Arnika-Trynton Road ************************************************************ Synopsis: ----------- This area is one of the largest maps in the game, and can be quite challenging in later levels. Most importantly, this map will connect you to your first town, Arnika. You should go there first. Companions: ----------- None. Walkthrough: ------------ As soon as you arrive in zone, check to your right, near the wall, for some hidden Knock Picks. Along the eastern wall is also a visible purple Potion. Follow the road, and walk into Arnika. The rest of this map will be covered after the Arnika section down below. ************************************************************ V. Arnika ************************************************************ Synopsis: ----------- Arnika exists as only a shadow of its former glory since the arrival of the Dark Savant. Most of the citizens have fled (take note of the abandoned buildings), and only a few guards here and there are left to fight off the hordes of Higardi thieves and the machines. Companions: ----------- - Myles Level 5 Human Rogue Found at: Arnika Entrance Return Location: Arnika Entrance Will not go to: Sea Caves, Bayjin Shallows, Bayjin, all T'Rang and Umpani controlled areas, Ascension Peak Myles will try to recruit you right from the start for a mission to rescue a woman at the Crash Site. Grade: D+ Myles will supplement the role of thief if your party lacks one. However, he will not travel with you anywhere beyond the confines of civilization (beyond Arnika and Trynton) except for Rapax Castle, and thus isn't worth keeping around as there are other RPCs with far more valuable skills who will travel with you. - Vitalia (Vi) Domina Level 6 Human Valkyrie Found at: Arnika (Crash Site) Return Location: Arnika (He'Li's Bar) Will not go to: Sea Caves, Bayjin Shallows, Bayjin, all Rapax controlled areas As a child, Vi Domina was taken into custody by the Dark Savant as repayment by the T'Rang. She is believed to come from the Cosmic Lord's Phoonzang's lineage and so earned interest from the Dark Savant. She grew up to become a fierce and capable warrior. Grade: B+ Vi has all the positives of the Valkyrie class with Polearm bonuses and the ability to Cheat Death. She makes a capable tank at handling damage and can wear some of the best armor out there. Her only flaw is that she won't travel with you in some of the more dangerous areas, like the Sea Caves and Rapax areas. She will, however, accompany you to both T'Rang and Umpani areas and most importantly, Ascension Peak. - Urq Level 9 Mook Psionic Found at: Arnika (Mook HQ) Return Location: Arnika (Mook HQ) Will not go to: Sea Caves, Bayjin Shallows, Bayjin, all Rapax controlled areas, Ascension Peak Urq is part of the Mook exploration team from the ship Callisto. Grade: C- Urq wants to explore Dominus and will pay you 500 gold for each new area you take him. He won't follow you into dangerous areas so there isn't a whole lot of places you can take him. Walkthrough: ------------ Use the Fountain there for some very minor healing if needed. - GREETING MYLES You will be greeted by MYLES the thief at the city gates. He has a mission to do and he needs some muscle to back him. Say YES when he asks for your help. Ask him whatever questions you want, although details will require bribes. Recruit him now if you want, and equip him with whatever you've picked up so far. He can throw things, and this early in game, he can be a good help. - MYLES' EXPOSITION At any point you dismiss Myles, or if you never recruited him, and run into him again, he may have additional jobs for you. Job One: This involves a recent heist at the bank where the thieves made off with an invaluable Diamond. Their hideout is located in the North Wilderness right near the bridge to the Umpani Base Camp. Kill the bandits and their leader, and loot the Diamond. You could return the Diamond to the Bank (give it to Lorrac) for 2000 Experience and 1000 Gold, or you can sell it to another merchant for more money. I've been offered 10,000 Gold from He'Li so up to you. Job Two: Myles will tell you that he needs to help the bank transfer some items from the vault out to another place. It's similar to the Rattus Rattus job. Don't bother with it unless you want to make enemies with Arnika. - SAVING VITALIA DOMINA First thing to do, head to the Crash Site. Go straight down the street, past the first intersection, until you come upon a flaming wreckage of a ship. You will probably be attacked by a large group of Higardi Raiders, and whatever random spawns are there. Tip: The Higardi Patrols and Temple Monks that wander in the city are your friends. They are the green dots on your radar and act as supplementary players (you can buff them, protect them with spells). They WILL assist you in fights without any experience penalty costs, and they CAN die if you let them get wounded enough. This also works in Rapax Castle, Trynton or any other area with friendly NPCs. Go into the wrecked ship, pick up the Copper Gauntlets, and search for a hidden Poignard. You will also find a damaged Black Box on the ground. At the end of the hallway, there are two rooms. The one on the right is empty and is a good place to rest. Get your magic ready, and open the left door. Here you'll meet VITALIA DOMINA and several SAVANT TROOPERS as well. Save Vitalia and help her kill the Troopers. She can hold her own but keep an eye on her health. After killing them all, talk to her and you will be rewarded with 500 Gold and 7000 Experience. Ask her about everything on your list, and then recruit her. Grab the Hinged Box - gadget - in the corner as well. Leave. The crates Northeast of the ship have some hidden bundle of arrows. Look directly South, see the Fountain with the Statue. Go there, pop the sign there for some random hidden potions and powders, and look West for He'Li's Inn. Go inside. - HE'LI'S INN & TAP Meet the proprietor of the establishment, He'Li. If you have Myles with you, she'll ask that you pay his long overdue tab. Do so for 500 Experience. If you have Vi, she will also give you 200 Experience and Ale. Chat with her about anything you want. She'll mention a certain character named FUZZFAS if you mention Trynnies and Trynton. Ask her about ROOMS. She'll rent you one for free if you go kick out the unruly Higardi Raiders upstairs. Sounds good. Go through the doors, and check both rooms on the first floor for a Viola D'Amore - Bard Instrument, a TRAPPED Chest containing He'Li's Bankcard and random items and another Chest for more random items. Go upstairs, open the door, and waste the Raiders there. De- TRAP the Chest there as well for some more gear. Rest here if you want, then go on down and out. Make a left (East), across the fountain, past the Temple (there are some Sneeze Powders on the barrels), into Antone's Armory. It's the Building with the blue banners. - ANTONE'S ARMORY Go inside, chat with Antone, and buy some good weapons and armor. He has a very good stock with fairly affordable prices. Talk to him about his CUSTOM items and he'll give you a list as follows: Beastslayer Axe: Piercer Modai Claw - off various Piercer Modai Wide Cleaver Blade - your basic Cleaver weapon Giant Picus Egg - off various Giant Picus Ebon Staff: Wood Spirit Staff - off various Wood Spirits, Oaklings Ebon Gem - found in Marten's Room, Lower Marten's Bluff Mummy Dust - dropped randomly off Mummies Zynaryx Plate: Venom Crab Shell - random drop off Venom Crabs Tomb Skull - found in Graveyard Spider Silk - random drop off various Spiders Steelhide Armor: Steelhide Croc Hide - dropped from Steelhide Croc in Swamp Poison Seeker Sac - random drop off Poison Seekers Iron Weed Thorn - random drop off Iron Weeds Check his bedroom and de-TRAP his Chest for Antone's Bankcard and random items. His room is also an excellent place to rest. - EASTERN HOUSES You can find some hidden Icicle Stix on top of a barrel near one of eastern houses. None of the houses however will have anything else. - ANNA'A MARINA AND BAIT SHOP Chat with Anna about Arnika and so on, details requires bribe as well, and buy items. Anna has much better stock of ammunition for bows and so on than Antone so keep that in mind. She also sells some Gadgets. Check the back of her place and de-TRAP her Chest for Anna's Bankcard and random items. Leave her place, and search around the docks for a hidden Porthole - gadget - and some Flash Powder. - NORTH WEST HOUSES Some of them are locked and need to be PICKED. Inside you will find a Doll - gadget - an Empty Bottle, and a hidden Book of Lesser Cures. Loot them all. - TEMPLE Now return to the Temple (it's Southeast of the Fountain), go up the ramp, and into the Temple. Descend down and talk with Braffit. He'll give you 500 Experience for saving Vi. Talk to him about the Ascension Peak, and anything relevant to the Cosmic Lord and the Dark Savant. You will find out that the Dark Savant has constructed some tower/bomb in the western part of the city, and has threatened to blow up the city if anyone interferes with him. We'll deal with that soon. You'll also hear about Marten, an ex- Higardi soldier that stole the Destinae Dominus and ran off with a bunch of followers. Braffit will direct you to the HLLL Building for more info on Marten. We'll do that later. Clicking the pool in his room will fully recover your Health by the way. Leave his room, and now find the ramp which descends further into the Temple. There are two outside which join up together in a T with another hallway which leads into the Inner Sanctum as I like to call it. Go inside. Click on the statue for some minor magic restoration, look to your right (South), go down that hallway and to a locked door. UNLOCK it, and enter the room and search for all these items: two Necklaces of Endurance - female only; great for Bards Ring of Protection Potion of Mod Healing Potion of Mod Stamina Potion of Cure Poison Potion of Cure Disease Pickmeup Potion Return back to the room with the magical Statue, and check out the door half-covered by a huge banner. UNLOCK that one, proceed inside. You will find another door. Get ready for an Undead fight. Open the door and you'll be confronted by two groups of Higardi Spirits (weak AC) and one lone Rebel Spirit (spellcaster) in the rear. You will probably catch just the Higardi ones if you don't rush into the room. Kill them all (Dispel undead is good here). Heal up, then cautiously approach the center pillar. Rush around, and attack the Rebel Spirit. He casts a variety of Mental spells (Sleep, Terror, Insanity) so be forewarned. Defeat him and grab the WHEEL KEY on the floor. This is used back at the Monastery. - ARNIKA COMMUNITY BANK Now it's time to visit the Arnika Community Bank and make use of all those Bankcards. The building is situated about West of the fountain. Go inside, and talk with Lorrac and tell her you want a WITHDRAWAL. Show her any of the Cards (apparently they can't tell the difference), and she'll open the elevator door for you. Go on in and click the button to go down. Well time to clean the place out. :) First move as you step out of the elevator, go left. Use Antone's Card to open his vault and grab the Bloodlust sword inside. It's a cursed weapon which grants wielder permanent Berserk attack mode for the sword only. Leave, go down the hallway, and use the other cards on their respective vaults and loot more items. Don't be surprised if you get crap. Continue following the hallway, and UNLOCK the vaults there for some more treasure. Be careful of the final Vault however. It's guarded by a tough Guardian Golem (a lot of HP, high AC and multiple attacks with high damage). Hit it with Blind by spell or by powder immediately and pummel it to the ground. Most spells are pretty ineffective against it. Once all done, head on up and out of the Bank. - JAILER'S STOCKADE It's directly straight ahead from the bank. Head on up to the door, and UNLOCK it. Go inside, and UNLOCK another door and go into the office. Check the lockers for Marten's ID Tag and some various items. Push the BUTTON on the wall to de-activate the force-field and walk inside the Prison. There are three Cells here blocked by fore-fields with corresponding controls at the end of the hallway. De-activate them all if you want. The center room is the one of interest only. You CAN kill the Higardi thieves locked up in the other cell however with relative impunity. Check the center cell, look at the floor with the odd coloring and click it to expose a fake floor. Drop on down. You'll be attacked by a SPEWING SLIME in the tunnel down here. Kill it, and continue onwards. It'll end with a high drop into a room. Drop down (you'll take damage here regardless what you do), and loot these items: Diamond Epee Oilskin Cloak Amulet of Stillness Hey, well we're underneath the bank again. This is where the other elevator door leads to by the way. There are only two ways out of here. One by picking the 10-tumbler lock on the door (which is a major task itself) and thus triggering an alarm, or step on the contraption by the corner and warp out of here. Do the latter. Tip: The locked door here is an excellent place to work on your Lock & Traps skill, and work on Earth magic by casting Knock Knock continuously. - HLL HEADQUARTERS Next stop, time to dig up some more info on this Marten character. Head to the HLL Building (the one with the Unicorns in front), let the eye scan you with the Marten's ID Tag. It'll think you're him, and let you in. Go inside, and make the first left. Follow it into a room with Star chart and lots of Lockers. Check them all. Go back, and take the right now. Find the floor lift in the last room, and go up. Talk with Tramain about Marten. He'll tell you that Marten stole the artifact, fled to Trynton, and then to an old HLL fort in what is now Marten's Bluff. Unfortunately, he vanished there at the fort before Tramain and his men could capture him. Looks like we'll have to travel to Trynton and the Bluff for some more clues. - DARK SAVANT'S TOWER Walk through the collapsed portion of the wall (west side of Arnika) and move around to the back of the tower. Several Savant TROOPERS and GUARDS led by a SAVANT ORB will threaten you and attack you. Teach them a lesson. One of the Androids will drop a NAS-81. Keep that. The Savant Orb will drop a bag full of random items. - UNITED MOOK ALLIANCE HEADQUARTERS Situated in the northern part of Arnika, you can't do much with the building at this point. The Mook Hologram will not let you in. However, if you have a Mook in your party, he is allowed to enter, but you can't control him. He'll be gone from your party for 8 hours. You can rest and wait for him. When he does return, you will be told that the Mook have with them one of the major artifacts, the Chaos Moliri. This will be continued in another part of the game... - SPACEPORT The Spaceport is at the Southern end of Arnika. Remove the sign there by viewing it, then UNLOCK the door. You may encounter a group of Savant Orbs, various Androids or Savant HENCHMEN (can Paralyze) here. Walk in. On the runway, you can find some Bullet Stones and the Mook Stealth Bomber called the Callisto. The ship was never really explored by Sir-Tech so it's not important. You can talk to it. Leave anyway, and go into the Building with the open door. Walk around until you come to a room with large Machinery. Check the back and you'll be told of a device nearby. Check it. Looks like you can fit a box in there. Take your damaged Black Box and put it in. It'll spit it back out after some garbled messages. Well now you know what to do when you find an undamaged one. Leave the building and go to the elevators, and go up. Nab the X-Ray Chip - gadget - on the left and check the device on the right. It's been vandalized by someone. That someone has also left a message, "THANKS FOR THE MAGIC BALL. BOBO WILL LOVE IT." Hmm... who's Bobo? The item needed here is the SHINY METAL BALL (tracking module) and that's found in Trynton. Re-installing it will allow you to contact or track ships around Dominus. This is required for a T'Rang quest later on. Leave the building, and go right, and check the two Hangars for these items: Empty Bottle Boom Bomb Potion of Haste Fire Stix Be sure to check between the two Hangars for some hidden Steel Gauntlets. You can also find a hidden Beanie at the Southwestern corner of the Spaceport. And that is all for Arnika, for now. With the Wheel Key in hand, you might as well return to the Monastery and make use of it. You get two good items and potentially more from the room it unlocks. More next issue - o -