Serpent Isle Walkthrough by Electronic Gamer (HTMLized by Ganesh - Bootstrike.Com)

============================
== THE ELECTRONIC GAMER ==
============================

ULTIMA VII PART II: SERPENT ISLE

The following is a very detailed walkthru of Origin's ULTIMA VII PART II: SERPENT ISLE. It's based on the three games I played myself, and on the comments and suggestions of a great many members of the Gamers' Forum. For players who want to find just the portion of the game they're having trouble with, I've included headers identifying the game's major locations and puzzles.

A word about flags: Serpent Isle appears to be a non-linear game, but in fact it has a strongly linear story line. This narrative structure is supported by a series of software flags that must be set by the player's actions before another action may be taken. For example, a player must often talk to NPC "A" before NPC "B" will display a keyword that will produce the information or the item the player is seeking. In other instances, a door in one location will remain locked until the player performs an action in another location.

It's sometimes possible to do things out of order by brute force (blowing up locked doors with powder kegs, f'rinstance). While you may not get into trouble doing this, you may also thoroughly screw up the game's flags and cause yourself a restart. Other than following the walkthru slavishly, there are two ways to minimize potential flag problems: first, save your game fairly often; and second, talk to everybody, read everything that's readable, make notes, and don't enter any of the game's major locations unless you have a pretty good idea of why you're going there.

A word about magic scrolls: It's possible to cast a spell from a scroll you find during the game. But I suggest you save any scrolls you find before you get a new spellbook and then transcribe them into the book. That way, you won't have to buy these spells from the game's mages, who charge fairly steep prices for their wares.

INTRODUCTION

Eighteen months after you foiled the Guardian's plot to enter the Black Gate, Lord British has discovered a magic scroll from the Guardian to his henchman, Batlin. In it, he commands Batlin to follow Gwenno to the Serpent Isle, where he will reveal his new plot to destroy Britannia. Lord British sends you and your companions, Iolo, Dupre and Shamino, to the Serpent Isle to find Batlin and stop the Guardian. Finding Gwenno is also a high priority.

After a turbulent trip in which you seemed to be flying rather than sailing, you arrive on the shores of Serpent Isle. As soon as you leave the ship, you are hit by an eerie lightning storm that exchanges your most important possessions for various odd objects, and causes your companions to disappear.

Walk south and you'll meet Thoxa, a monk, who administers a copy-protection test and then hails you as a long-awaited hero from another world. She gives you the hourglass of fate, which enables you and your companions to be resurrected by the monks if you're killed. She tells you more about your quest, and points you to a cave (with an invisible entrance) to the south, near a red bush. Follow the coast to Monitor, she says, where an old friend (Iolo) awaits you.

Among other things, she tells you to seek your three companions, because they must all be at your side to fulfill the visions of Xenka, the monks' vanished prophetess. You must also seek out three artifacts -- a ring, a necklace, and an earring -- that will allow an ancient Power to communicate with you. As Thoxa is explaining things, another monk, Karnax, appears and warns her not to interfere in your quest. They have a magic duel, and both vanish, leaving you with a great many unanswered questions.

Continue walking south, and you'll meet Shamino. He tells you his possessions have also been exchanged for strange items, and he begins making a list to compare against the list of items Lord British gave you to aid in your quest.

Follow the shoreline south until you find the red bush. The invisible cave entrance is to its right (click on it and it reads "illusion"). Inside, you'll find a bedroll, a bag with lockpicks and torches, and a chest. Open the chest with the lockpicks, or by bashing it with Shamino's hammer. There are more useful items inside, including a sextant.

There's another illusionary wall on the north side of the cave. Go through it, and you'll find the skeleton of Drogeni (beloved of the Mad Mage Erstam). She has some serpent scales (a reagent), and a scroll. The scroll is Erstam's translation of an ancient Ophidian manuscript (the Ophidians, you'll learn, were the people who lived on Serpent Isle before the current human population emigrated from Sosaria, which has since become Britannia). The scroll tells you about the Ophidians and their beliefs, which you'll need to become very familiar with as the game progresses. Its original author was Ssithnos, the last Chaos Hierophant, whom you'll meet (sort of) much later. In Drogeni's chest, you'll find gold, some boots, a sword, and a buckler.

Before you leave the cave, practice drawing water out of the well. You don't need the water, but you'll need to know how to use a bucket later on.

Outside the cave, Shamino finds his magic bow, and deduces that the lightning storm has exchanged it for the bear's skull in his inventory. He explains that if you find out where the other strange items came from, you'll find your other missing possessions.

Continue south and east along the coast, and you'll come to Monitor's west gate. Talk to Flicken, the guard captain there. He'll tell you that there have been some strangers in town recently (Batlin and his gang); that there's a strange enchanter (Iolo) in the town jail; and that you should speak to the town's leader, Marsten, about him.

Note: whenever an NPC says or infers that you should speak to another NPC about something, do it. The second NPC undoubtedly has information or an item you'll need.

Flicken will tell you that Marsten is at the crematorium, attending a funeral for some pikemen who have been killed by goblins. The goblins have stolen the Helm of Monitor (also called the Helm of Courage, and an item you'll need to recover for use in a later quest). Ask Flicken to open the gate, and go looking for Marsten.

IN MONITOR

Go north to the crematorium. Talk to Renfry, the proprietor, who'll tell you that Marsten, Spektor, Brendann and Caladin are in the crypts. Go through the green curtains in the SW corner to enter the crypts. Go south, west, south and east to find the four lords.

Note: There's a door you can't reach yet to the SE. Remember it.

Talk to the four lords:

Caladin (knight in red and yellow) will tell you that his grandfather's urn was stolen (swapped for Iolo's crossbow by the storm). Only the Champion Knight of Monitor may wear the Helm of Courage (Helm of Monitor), but the goblins now have it. Someone (guess who) needs to recover the helm and avenge Astrid, the late Champion Knight. He's the leader of the Bear Command, and he trains (in strength) at the List Field at noon. The Fawn tower was taken by goblins recently. He suspects that a traitor -- a knight -- gave critical information to the gobbies. He suspects Krayg, the provisioner. He tells you about the other commands (Wolves and Leopards), and suggests you ask Marsten's permission to take the Test of Knighthood (many people in Monitor won't talk to you unless you're a Knight). He gives you three clues about the test, and directs you to Cantra and Shmed (the test's administrator) for more information. Cantra is the daughter of Harnna, the town's healer; her father has turned up missing recently.

Brendann (in green) is the leader of the Wolves command. He has little more to add to what Caladin has already told you. Talk to him anyway.

Spektor (in gray) is the town's administrator and money exchanger. Ask him about Iolo, and he'll refer you to Marsten.

Marsten says the goblins took Astrid's body to their secret camp somewhere in the woods. He tells you about the residents of Serpent Isle and how they fled the tyrant Lord British under Erstam's leadership (say nothing about Lord British; he's viewed as a major baddie by everyone on Serpent Isle, and you'll get into serious trouble if you say you're his ally). He tells you about the island's three cities, saying that the mages on Moonshade have given up the virtue of Truth; that the people of Fawn have dismissed Love for Beauty; and that the people of Monitor hold Courage to be the only important virtue. He suggests that you talk to Krayg about the serpent ruins; that you ask Templar, another knight, about the goblins; and that you visit Iolo in jail. Ask his permission to take the Test of Knighthood; he'll agree, and will give you the password to say to Shmed when you go to the testing area.

Note: Your avatar will speak all passwords automatically at the right moment, but only if you've talked to and gotten the information from an NPC. Even if you know the correct words, you can't use them without having had the correct conversations.

When you've finished talking, Caladin suggests that you're a spy, and Brendann mentions the other suspicious strangers that have visited Monitor lately -- a fat sage (Batlin) and a woman scholar (Gwenno).

At this point, Dupre arrives, and adds to your list of swapped items.

Go back to the crypt entrance. Go west and north, and you'll pass a serpent gate (a carving of a serpent's head on the floor). It will serve as a teleporter once you've gained the tools to operate it. In this part of the crypts, you'll find Iolo's crossbow on a pedestal next to Caladin the Elder's tomb. You can take the bow now.

There's nothing else of importance in the crypts. There's a blocked passage that you can't clear, but there's nothing on the other side.

Go back into the crematorium and talk to Renfry again. Answer "No" when he asks if you're a stranger. He tells you about the cremator, and how to operate it (you'll need to know this later). He also says that a person's ashes, as distilled by the cremator's mystical processes, represent the essence of the person's life, and have a power greater than mere magic. (This will be an important clue very late in the game.) On a more mundane note, he'll pay you 100 monetari (the local currency) for each dead pikeman's body you return to Monitor and cremate (you have to do it yourself). He has some additional clues for you, as well: Andral the sculptor has suffered a recent theft; ask Andral about the strange sage (Batlin) who was in town. In the Knight's Test, if you mix the ashes of the slain goblin leader Gurnordir with your blood, your totem animal will appear, signifying that you've been deemed acceptable for membership in the command that bears the animal's name. And finally, he'll tell you (incorrectly) that the serpent gate was made by the Daemons (gargoyles, actually) who still live in a dungeon called Furnace.

At this point, you now have six quests: find Batlin; find Gwenno; free Iolo; find your missing items; find the traitors who have betrayed Monitor to the goblins; and find the Helm of Monitor (Courage).

Go to the jail (in the NE section of town) and talk to Iolo. He hasn't much to say at this point, except to tell you to talk to Marsten.

On the way (or later) you can check out various houses and shops. It's OK with the game's ethical system to steal whatever you find lying around. In some cases, you'll have to steal to get keys and other essential items. But be sure nobody is watching when you lift something. They tend to get rather nasty about it, and you may have to kill someone you'll need later. By the way, you can't steal from Standarr's armory at this point in the game -- there's always a pikeman or two on duty there.

Talk to Krayg the provisioner. He says Monitor was built on Ophidian ruins, and that the sign of the serpent can be seen all over the island. He'll also tell you that he takes long walks in the woods.

Talk to Andral the sculptor (don't commission a work of art). He tells you about the robbery. You'll learn more about Batlin and his companions, including the fact that Batlin was very interested in serpent ruins, and that the stolen article was a blackrock serpent, facing opposite the one the lightning storm zapped away from you. Simon, the innkeeper, said that Batlin came to Monitor from Fawn (a place you'll need to visit soon). Andral suggests you talk to Simon about Batlin's cloaked companion (a gargoyle), and to Standarr (the armorer) about Brunt, Batlin's warrior companion. He tells you that Wilfred (a knight you'll meet later) has been tracking Batlin ever since he visited the Sleeping Bull Inn (another place you'll want to visit).

Talk to Simon at the inn. (The Inn's register shows visits by Gwenno, Batlin, and Draygan, whom you'll meet later). Simon tells you a pack of lies about his history. He suspects that Krayg is the traitor. Batlin was fascinated by the serpent gate in the crypts, and went from Monitor NE to the Sleeping Bull. Gwenno went east to Monk Isle. He suggests you talk to Shazzana (a trainer) about Batlin's sailor companion, Deadeye, and to Spektor about Gwenno. Most important of all, he mentions his taste for Fawn ale, and offers you a drink. Accept, and note the distinctive brown color of the ale bottle. Remember that he's the only one outside Fawn who drinks it.

Ask Standarr about Brunt, and you'll learn only that he was unusually strong.

Talk to Marsten again -- you'll probably find him at the city hall, where he, Spektor, Caladin and Brendann meet each day at noon to discuss town business. Ask him about the enchanter (Iolo) and tell him he's your friend, who's not a sorcerer but was zapped by the lightning. He says that if you become a knight, he'd accept your word and let Iolo go.

Talk to Cantra, whom you'll meet on the street somewhere. She says that her father found something suspicious, and then disappeared. She says Caladin and Shazzana are the best trainers. And she gives you some clues about the Knight's Test -- move swiftly at first to avoid the explosions; look up as well as side to side, and be prepared to climb; timing is essential to outrun the fireballs; search with your hands as well as your eyes, since some things are invisible; watch for the last chamber, which is kept secret.

At the training hall, talk to Shazzana about the mysterious sailor, Deadeye.

Talk to Luther, but don't insult him yet (he has Dupre's shield, but you won't be able to get it from him until you've talked to a few more people). He's a braggart and a bully, and your companions will throw a fit if you ask him to join your party. Ask him about Lucilla (the barmaid) and he'll tell you that she's very impressed with him. Later, Lucilla will tell another story.

Talk to Spektor again. He says Gwenno left for Monk Isle, and suggests you hire a ship in Fawn or at the Sleeping Bull. He also says you can get Iolo out of jail by paying him a fine of 30 monetari. Pay it and he'll give you a gold key that fits Iolo's cell (and nothing else in the game). You can also get Iolo out of jail free by asking Marsten after you pass the knight's test.

Talk to Harnna, the town healer (her house and field are south of the western gate -- if she's not in the house, look in the field). Harnna is the town's best-informed person. She can tell you quite a bit about people, places and your strange objects, but she'll only go about three rounds before she'll claim to be too busy to talk. Come back as many times as it takes to get her input on your objects. She'll have a lot of "go sees" for you, and you MUST talk to Harnna first before the keywords will appear in the others' lists. Ask her about Cantra; she'll mention Cantra's wooden sword, which is an important item later in the game. She also sells garlic and ginseng along with other food items.

Note: Templar, Cellia, Lydia (the tattoo artist) and Lucilla won't talk to you before you become a knight.

Optionally, you can visit the town tavern before becoming a knight. Lucilla will sell you food and drink, and you may find other NPCs there around meal times and in the evening. You can also train at List Field before you're a knight. The trainers are there between 9AM and 6PM. Talk to the pikeman at the desk to arrange for training.

Note: You can sleep anywhere your bedroll will fit in this game. When you're awakened, check your companions' weapons. They'll put them away when they sleep, and will sometimes draw ones you don't want them to use the next time you're attacked.

THE TEST OF KNIGHTHOOD

Now is a good time to take the Test of Knighthood. Exit Monitor by the north gate and follow the road north. There's an interesting lightning-strike spot near the Monitor tower. Mostly, the lightning brings garbage, but sometimes it gives you goodies like magic boots or weapons. Go north to the first signpost, and then west to Shmed's office.

Talk to Shmed, and say you want to take the test. He'll put your possessions in a chest in his office, and will lead you to the testing area dressed only in leather armor and armed with a mace.

Inside the test, disregard the door to your left. It's the way out, and can only be opened from the other side. Go north, turn right, and move quickly to the first intersection (there'll be explosions behind you). Go south into the first room. Kill the gremlins and smash the chest open with your mace. Take the key and use it to open the door down the hallway to your right.

You'll come to an intersection with three doors. The north door is open, but the other two are locked. Drop the gold key (it'll stay where you put it) and go north into a room with an obelisk and many stones. There's a key on top of the obelisk that you can reach by building a "stairway" with the stones in the room. Be careful -- there are snakes under some of the rocks.

The brown key from the obelisk opens the south door. Drop the key and enter the room. You'll have to fight a Cyclops and dodge a roomful of fireball traps to reach a key in the SW corner. Walk diagonally from NE to SW and you'll avoid setting off at least some of the traps.

The brown key from the fireball room opens the east door. Drop the key with the two others and go east into the long N/S hallway. Go north and you'll find a bag with a cure-poison and a healing potion. Put the bag on your belt. The north door is locked and trapped. Stay close to the right wall to avoid setting off the traps.

Go back south, staying close to the right wall. Turn the corner east, and go north. Turn right at the intersection into the hallway with four chests. Don't touch the chests -- they'll explode. Walk east into the illusion wall just across from the intersection. You'll come to a small, square room with a brown key. Take the key and go back the way you came. (The key opens the door where you found the bag, and which you don't absolutely have to open.)

Go north at the intersection west of the chests. At the next intersection, go north again. You'll reach two doors, one after another. The brown key you just got will open the first door. Go south beyond this door. At the end of this hallway, you'll find a lever and a vertical gray key. The lever opens a hidden door in the west wall. The gray key opens the second door at the north end of the hallway.

Go through the south door into a roomful of rats and pick up a red-and-blue key in the NW corner. Then go back up the N/S hallway and open the second door. Continue west and open the next door with the red-and-blue key.

Beyond the door, go north and turn east. Go north at the second intersection and west at the next opportunity. You'll find a claw and a scroll telling you how to use it. Use the claw on yourself (double click on the claw and click the crosshairs on your avatar). Go back the way you came until you reach the last door you opened. (Somewhere in this area, you may be attacked by an invisible knight and/or a Cyclops. You can fight them or run from them as you wish.)

From the door, go south down a long hallway. Near the south end, you'll be attacked by an assassin-knight. Kill him and examine his body. You'll find a scroll ordering him to kill you, signed "X". In the west wall near where the assassin emerged, there are two torches fairly close together. There's a secret door there, which can be opened by double-clicking on it.

Go through the secret door into the cavern. Go west and south, and double- click on the south wall you come to. Reenter the hallway through the new secret door, and go west and north into a room with fountains. Read the scroll on the table. Use the bloody claw on the urn on the table, and your totem animal (a wolf) will appear. Kill the wolf and examine its body. Take the wolf steaks, and pick up the wolf's body. Take the blue key.

Go east and south from the room, and open the wooden door to the west with the blue key.

When you reach the end of the hallway, Shmed will appear, saying "she seduced me into trying to kill you." When he attacks, kill him, and take the scroll and red vertical key he's carrying.

Leave the knight's test (through the door and south) and go back to Shmed's office. You'll find your possessions in the chest on the left. You can leave all the keys you found during the test -- you won't need them later. Ask your companions to join you. WARNING: DON'T ask any of them about "belongings" or you'll spend the next half-hour sorting out your and their inventories, which will all be mixed together in your packs and bags.

BACK IN MONITOR

Back in Monitor, talk to Marsten. He tells you what to do with the wolf meat and carcass. Cellia the furrier will make you a wolf cloak, but it will take her a full day to complete it. Finally, he sends you to Lydia to get a wolf tattoo. Your knighting will occur when all of these are accomplished.

Lydia says a warlock from Moonshade (Fedabiblio, whom you'll meet later) stole her sister Selene when she was a child. (You'll meet the sister as Selina later -- be careful, she's NOT a nice person.) Get a tattoo from Lydia, and don't ask if it will hurt.

In a little while, you'll probably get very sick. Lydia is the one who put Shmed up to killing you, and has poisoned you. When you do get sick, talk to Harnna the healer. She'll send you up to Fawn to see Delphynia, an herbalist. You'll need to get some leaves from Delphynia and bring them back to Harnna, who will then heal you. Fawn is to the north of Monitor, and Delphynia's house is just east of the Fawn palace. (Go past the gatehouse and the area with fountains, across a narrow bridge, and turn right.) If you confront Lydia after the poisoning, she'll attack you. It's OK to kill her, although you won't get or learn anything especially critical.

In the meantime, while you're waiting for your cloak, ask Harnna about more of your strange objects and follow up on her leads. You may also want to do some training, or to explore outside Monitor a bit. You can poke into the Monitor side of the dungeon Furnace. Its entrance is just south of Monitor, at 136S 27E. There are some trolls there who carry diamonds, and a pikeman's body that you can bring back to the crematorium for a reward. You'll come to a bridge across some lava fairly soon in your explorations, and your companions will begin to complain about the heat. Later in the game, you'll get a magic spell that will protect you from Furnace's heat. For now, don't cross the bridge or you and your friends will roast alive.

There's a ruined castle at 137S 43E, inhabited by more trolls, and a curious sheep pen north of the castle. It has teleporters that lead to a locked area of the Temple of Chaos, which you won't get to until later. You can climb into the sheep pen, but BE WARNED: some players have gotten in but couldn't get out again. I suggest you just leave it alone -- you don't need to use the teleporters, and there's nothing else useful inside.

Talk to Marsten after you pick up your wolf cloak from Cellia. He'll tell you to go to the banquet hall in an hour. When you arrive, you'll find almost everyone in town is there.

Someone will ask you what part of the test you found most harrowing. If you say the gremlins, the Cyclops, or the invisible man, you'll learn that the test was rigged by persons unknown -- these things weren't supposed to happen.

Harnna will come in and report that Cantra is missing. Templar will say that there's a traitor among you, and Shazzana and Luther will fight about who the traitor might be. Marsten will declare that the banquet is over.

Talk to all the people who were at the banquet.

Brendann, who's now your knight commander, says Krayg's not the traitor, but maybe Luther is. He says Shmed's treachery sounds like wizardry, and asks you if you have enemies in Moonshade. He asks you to continue to search for the spy. (If you're a female avatar, he'll also come on to you, and will ask you to, um, tryst with him after midnight. If you do, he'll give you a gwani cloak and an interesting experience.)

Cellia, Flicken, Luther and Shazzana have nothing new to say.

Templar tells you some useful things about the goblins (attack them early in the morning) and the Helm of Courage (it has mystical powers and was not made by humans or goblins). He also thinks Krayg is the traitor. And he tells you someone is stealing money from the Monitor treasury.

Spektor admits that there is a thief, but asks you not to tell anyone else.

Marsten tries to convince you that Shmed was the one and only traitor.

Caladin says the traitor was a knight, but couldn't have been Shmed, who was terrified of goblins. He suspects Krayg, and also thinks you must have an unknown enemy among the mages of Moonshade.

Lucilla has no new information about the traitor, but she tells you about the goblins' secret camp, the location of which remains a mystery. She also tells you that she hates Luther, but that he's been invincible ever since he got a new magic shield (Dupre's). If you're a male avatar, she'll invite you to a secret tryst, and, if you go, will give you a gwani cloak. If you're a female avatar, she'll dish the dirt with you about all the men in Monitor. She seems to know them all VERY well .

Talk to Harnna. She lets you look in her crystal ball, which shows Batlin threatening Cantra in an abandoned castle (Shamino's). Cantra reveals that she's possessed by a bane (about which more later), and they have a magic duel. Harnna asks you to rescue Cantra, and says you'll need two things: Cantra's wooden practice sword (which she gives you) and the Hound of Doskar, which she doesn't know where to find. She prophecies that you'll also need three ancient and powerful artifacts (the Helm of Courage, the Rose of Love, and the Mirror of Truth). She also says you'll need to go north through caves that lie to the west (beyond the swamp).

Talk to Krayg. He says that someone else also takes long walks in the woods -- someone who may not be human. Ask him about "evidence" and he'll tell you about a goblin meeting site in the woods north of the Knights' Test. He says look for a strange black obelisk.

LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE

Go to look for evidence at the strange black obelisk Krayg told you about. Follow the road north to the "Fawn" sign. Go west on the Fawn road. You'll have to fight the goblins that have taken over the Fawn tower, which will become important when you finally get to Fawn. You'll know you've retaken the tower when you see pikemen inside it. (Be sure none of the goblins escape -- if they do, you'll fail to set a flag that's important to your quest in Fawn.)

Continue north until you reach the Fawn gates, then go west into the woods.

The black obelisk is at 82S 18W. You'll find a bottle of Fawnish ale there. Take it with you -- and don't drink it.

Some other things to find in the woods:

A house where everyone has been massacred at 72S 20W -- there's nothing vital here, but the chickens and wild pigs make good eating.

The House of Wares at 77S 28W -- you can't get in now, but you'll find a key in the caves you'll take to get to the northern mountains.

Hollow trees with treasure at 78S 16W (Destroy Traps scroll) and at 85S 23W (serpent crown , money and other goodies).

A jester at 85S 31W whose house contains a trapped chest and a few goodies. He won't talk, and it's OK to kill him.

And the secret entrance to the goblins' caves at 69S 32W. Don't go in now, because you need a key that's back in Monitor.

BACK IN MONITOR

Take the bottle of Fawnish ale to Lucilla, who will tell you it belongs to Simon. Confront Simon with the bottle. Question him and accuse him of lying. He'll change into a goblin and will attack you. Kill him -- and with his dying breath he'll tell you that the goblin king Pomdirgun has the helmet, where to find the goblins' lair, and that the key you need is around his neck. Take his keys -- the gray vertical one fits the chest in his room; the brown one doesn't fit anything I ever found; the red-and-blue one fits the locked door inside the goblins' cave.

THE GOBLINS

Go back to the entrance to the goblins' lair (69S 32W). Inside, head north to a locked door, which will open to your red-and-blue key. Continue heading north. The first tunnel to the left leads to a beer cellar and nothing important. The next tunnel to the left leads to a pair of stairs down. At the bottom, you'll find a checkerboard that's trapped and guarded. In the center is a firedoom staff (a powerful weapon). Continue heading north in the main tunnel. You'll come to two stairs down. The one to the north leads to a dead end, guarded by headlesses (there are some gems to be had). The one to the west leads to a fountain of healing, guarded by a water beast. Take the stairs up in the NW corner of the room. In quick succession, you'll find two more stairs up. After the second one, you'll come to a roomful of bats. If you go east from here, you'll find a dead end, a statue that's trapped, and a fire wand. On the way, you'll pass a brass chest behind a cavern wall. The brass chest holds a magic bow and some magic arrows, but you can't get to them without using magic or cheating. The route to the goblins' camp lies to the north from the bat room. You'll come across a circle of stones with a chest inside. The chest is trapped, and contains nothing but some poison potions. A little farther north, on the right, you'll find a locked door, behind which is the goblin king's treasure room (and the Helm of Courage). You can't open it except with the goblin king's key, so keep on traveling north for now.

Shortly, you'll come to the end of the caverns and the north side of the goblins' camp. Check your watch, and wait until early morning to enter the camp. Most of the goblins will be sleeping then, and won't come out to attack unless you go inside their huts.

Follow the mountains south to another cave mouth. It will take you to the south end of the camp near the king's hut. Confront the goblin king (at 31S 21W) and kill him. He has a magic axe and the bronze key to the treasure room. In his hut, you'll also find your burst arrows (swapped for the strange hairbrush), money and gems, and another bronze key that doesn't seem to fit anything in the game.

Back up toward the northern end of the camp, you'll find a cooking area that contains the bodies of Astrid and other pikemen. They have some useful weapons, and you can take them back to Monitor for cremation and reward. In a pen nearby, you'll find the pikeman Johnson, who wrote a book on how to be a successful soldier. Apparently, he writes better than he fights, because he's gotten himself captured and put on tomorrow's goblin menu. Release him, and he'll follow you part way back to Monitor (but he won't join you, fight, or go past the first stairway.)

In the farthest-north hut, there's a magic bow and a magic sling.

Go back to the treasure room and loot it to your heart's content. Be sure to take the Helm of Courage and the two scrolls near it. They're the proof you need to identify Marsten and Spektor as traitors. Be sure to take BOTH scrolls. If you don't expose both traitors at the same time, one will go free, which will thoroughly mess up the rest of your game.

BACK IN MONITOR

Go back to Monitor and tell Brendann or Caladin about the traitors. They'll take care of having them arrested. Ask about the Helm, and they'll give it to you. (Take care of it -- you'll need it later.)

Now's a good time to retrieve Dupre's shield. Talk to Luther, who'll lie about having the shield. Call him names, and he'll get mad and challenge you to a fight. Go to List Field and tell the pikeman you want to train with Luther. Beat him on the field, and he'll be your friend. Talk to him again later, and he'll give you Dupre's shield.

NOTE: Make sure you have room in your backpack for the shield. Otherwise, he'll say he's giving it to you, but it won't appear in your inventory.

Talk to Marsten in jail, and he'll tell you about his secret weapon. He says it's well hidden and you'll never find it.

Talk to Spektor in jail. He'll tell you that Cantra's father stumbled onto their secret cave and that he and Marsten killed him. He'd found their secret explosive weapons.

Talk to Standarr, and he'll tell you that he created a combustible powder for Marsten and Spektor.

Talk to Lucilla. Ask her about Spektor, and she'll give you the key to their secret cave.

The secret cave is behind an illusory mountain wall just south of the crematorium (154S 12W). Walk through the illusion, and open the door with Spektor's key. (It's the door you saw from inside the crypts but couldn't reach.) Inside the cave, you'll find Cantra's murdered father, four chests of treasure (Spektor's thieving), and ten kegs of gunpowder (DON'T DOUBLE CLICK ON THEM!!!) You won't actually need the gunpowder until you're almost at the end of the game, and when you do need them, you'll find more at a nearby location. Bottom line, you don't really need THESE kegs, but you know where they are.

Take the pikemen's bodies to the crematorium. Be sure to talk to Renfry after you cremate each body, or you'll only get paid for the last one you fed to the machine.

Talk to Harnna about the scroll you found on her husband's body. It's not really required, but it's the civilized thing to do.

You've now completed the quest sequence in Monitor, and are ready to move on to Fawn. (If you have enough money, you can buy gwani cloaks, fur hats and fur boots from Cellia. You'll need them later in the frozen northland.) FAWN

It's okay to go to the Sleeping Bull next, or even over to Moonshade. But Fawn is probably your best bet for the next quest. If you haven't been there yet (if you didn't get poisoned), follow the road north to the second signpost and turn left.

Ruggs, a sailor from the ship Batlin came on, will meet you at the gate and ask you for a favor. He wants you to carry a letter to his significant other, Delphynia the herbalist. You should agree to do this, but you don't have to do it immediately.

From the Fawn gate guard, you'll learn that the city gates are closed at night, that there's a traveler's shelter west of the gate, and that justice is swift (if not always just) for any form of troublemaking. There's a little food in the shelter, but it's not restocked if you take it.

As soon as you enter the city, a sailor (Olon) will run up to you asking Iolo to sing. Have Iolo oblige him with a sad song about Gwenno. (If this DOESN'T happen, search out Olon at the inn and talk to him. It's important to the rest of the Fawn plot.)

Talk to Olon after the song. He'll tell you about the gwani, but his info is wrong -- the gwani are friendly, and you'll need them as allies later.

If Olon meets you beyond the gate, Kylista (a priestess), Delphynia, and Jorvin (the captain of the guard) will also be nearby.

Talk to Jorvin. He thanks you for retaking the Fawn tower, and tells you about the Fellowship folks who came on Batlin's ship. (Lady Yelinda, the city's ruler, had them banned for spreading heresy. In this game, however, unlike in the Black Gate, the Fellowship people are the good guys.)

Jorvin also says that Lady Yelinda will wish to welcome you formally (for saving the tower), and that he'll see that you're properly escorted when she wants to see you. He'll tell you about Lady Yelinda, Kylista, the Oracle (he says ask Kylista), the ruler's chancellor, Zulith, and the Great Captains who are Yelinda's advisors. He'll also tell you about Alyssand, who makes fishnet stockings. It seems a storm took away her engagement ring (he recognizes the one you're wearing as Alyssand's). She's also one who listens to the Fellowship's "babbling," he says.

Kylista tells you about the city's Oracle, whose revelations only she can interpret. She'll also tell you about the false prophets (Ruggs and his friends) who came preaching blasphemy and brought on the lightning storms. (She's wrong, of course, but she has her own agenda working here.) She'll also tell you her views of Lady Yelinda, the Great Captains (Joth, Garth, and Voldin, whom she obviously favors), and Zulith.

If you're wearing Kylista's white armor when you meet her, she'll exchange it for your magic armor. If you're not, you can find your armor in her house, which is just west of the temple. You don't need to return hers.

Talk to Delphynia and give her Ruggs' letter. She'll tell you some unsettling things about Fawn's Beauty-based religion, and will give you a letter to take back to Ruggs. She'll also tell you that Batlin came to her, seeking to buy reagents and asking about blackrock carvings. She sent him to Pothos in Moonshade for reagents, and to Delin (Fawn's provisioner) for serpent ruin information. She'll also tell you that Alyssand is headstrong and has a weird notion that the town's Oracle is a sham (which, of course, it is). Delphynia also sells black pearls, nightshade, garlic, ginseng, mandrake, and fruits and veggies.

You can continue exploring Fawn at this point, or you can go to the Fellowship camp to deliver Delphynia's letter. I went to the camp first. It's at the end of the dirt path just east of the Fawn gate.

I found Alyssand at the camp. (In Fawn, she's usually at her father's provisions shop on the small island just beyond the main gate, or their house just across the plaza.)

Ask Alyssand about her ring, and she'll give you your magic gauntlets which were swapped for her ring. She'll ask you if you're willing to help free the city from its false traditions and evil schemes. Say yes. She'll tell you that she suspects that the Oracle legends are false, and that Kylista and Voldin are using it for their own purposes, corrupting Fawn's religion in the process. She tells you to look everywhere and talk to everyone to find the clues that have evaded her and the members of her Cause. (This is the main plot in Fawn, so pay attention to what she has to say.)

Talk to Ruggs, and give him Delphynia's letter. He'll introduce you to Scots, another sailor, who will give you a map of Serpent Isle. It's not entirely accurate, but it's better than nothing. He'll also tell you a bit more about Batlin and his companions.

Talk to Kalen, another sailor. He's a surly lout, who turns out to be another bane host, like Cantra.

Talk to Leon, who'll try to get you to join the Fellowship. Ask him about other subjects before you bring up the Fellowship -- he'll stop talking to you when you tell him the Fellowship has been disbanded. He'll agree with Alyssand, and will tell you that Kylista is manipulating the Oracle, but he doesn't know how she does it. He'll also tell you that Lady Yelinda is a figurehead, and that Zulith is a puppet but can be vicious if he's slighted.

Zulith showed up in camp while I was there, too. He tells you that he exchanges money. He'll also talk about the Oracle and the Great Captains, but he'll tell you a very different story. From here on out, he'll follow you until you ASK if he's following you. Then he'll go away mad, but it's OK -- you don't really need to stay on his good side.

Scots says that Kylista has the soul of a viper, and you shouldn't trust her. He'll also tell you how Gwenno and Batlin got to Serpent Isle.

BACK IN FAWN

Go back to the city after you've talked to everyone at the camp.

Some other folks in Fawn to talk to:

Garth (one of the Great Captains) tells you that the Fawn lighthouse was zapped by a teleport storm and exchanged for a haunted building. (It's the Britannia Mint, and you'll get to visit it with Selina, whom you'll meet at the Sleeping Bull). Garth also has some rather negative opinions of Voldin, Kylista, and the Oracle.

Note that Garth's house (far SW corner), like most in Fawn, is pickable. He has a suit of plate armor there. In his warehouse (far NW corner), there's a Great Ignite scroll on the balcony. There's also a crate on a very high shelf. If you're a major masochist, you can reach it by building steps out of crates, bales, and bolts of cloth. But it's not worth the bother -- there's just a gwani cloak and some conventional weapons in it.

Delin, the provisioner, tells you that the storm exchanged his cashbox full of filari for your food. He also mentions that his son, Freli, was taken away by the Moonshade mages. (You'll meet Freli when you get to Moonshade.)

Voldin, Joth, and Yelinda have nothing of interest to say at this point.

Jendon, the innkeeper, is a wealth of information, though. He's Fawn's equivalent of Monitor's Harnna, and will give you leads about your strange objects. He'll also tell you that the Sleeping Bull was once a pirate fort.

There's a gold key in Jendon's rooms that doesn't fit anything I found in the game. In the inn's basement, there's a chest under the stairs. To reach it, move the spear next to the wine cask. A lever there will open a secret door in the wall next to the chest, which is pickable.

There are things to pilfer all over Fawn, but you'll find only a few items of real utility. In Yelinda's house (to the right of the throne room), there's a bronze key that opens a door on the SW side of the throne room. The passage beyond leads to Fawn's serpent gate. In a palace room, you'll find two magic scrolls in a chest, and a red key that doesn't open anything. There's also a secret door in the small room in the SE corner of the throne room. It leads to Fawn's treasury, but you won't be able to get into it until much later.

Along about this time, you'll be attacked by the surly sailor, Kalen. He'll tell you that Batlin will soon have more power than you can dream of. When he dies, a bane will exit his body. By the way, if Kalen attacks when you're talking to any of the town officials, try to get him to follow you away from them before you go into combat mode. Otherwise, you may wind up with all of Fawn attacking you, and you'll have to restore to an earlier save.

Kalen's attack will trigger the unfolding of the rest of the Fawn plot. In a few minutes, Jorvin will approach you and say that Lady Yelinda is ready to receive you formally. Come to see her in the throne room in the afternoon, and be sure to bring Iolo.

THE FORMAL AUDIENCE

Yelinda praises Iolo for his song, and gives him a diamond necklace for Gwenno. Everyone toasts: Hail to Beauty. Dupre, always rash, toasts Lord British, and is promptly arrested for being an ally of "Beast British." Jorvin knocks you cold with the wand of detainment. When you wake up, you're in a room at the inn. A gold key on the nightstand unlocks the door, and a scroll tells you to go to the temple for Dupre's trial. There's nothing you can do about any of this, so just sit back and watch it unfold.

THE TRIAL

Go immediately to the temple (the doors will open for you). Don't worry about what to do at the trial -- Dupre's guilty no matter what you do. The whole scene is pretty funny, though, so just watch and chuckle. When everyone's done trashing Dupre's reputation, the trial will be adjourned until tomorrow, at which time the defense will be presented. You'll be ushered out of the temple, with one day to uncover and foil the plot.

Walk around for a while and Alyssand will find you. She'll tell you that Dupre is being held in a cell under the temple, and will give you a gold key that will unlock the door to the left of the entrance in the temple. She'll tell you that the temple won't be guarded that night. (You can go there at any time, though. You don't have to wait for nightfall.)

Go to the temple and unlock the left door. Go downstairs, and you'll find Dupre. He can't talk to you, though, and you can't unlock his cell. Pull the switch on the left, near the cell. Go up the stairs, and you'll find Voldin, who will spill that he and Kylista use the levers you see behind him to rig the Oracle's revelations. He's just set them to condemn Dupre. He'll attack, so kill him.

Try resetting the levers to any pattern. You'll find that the farthest- right lever is jammed. After you've reset several others, the Oracle will say "Stop!" Then, try the right lever again, and the Oracle will speak to you. Tell the Oracle to say that the trial is corrupt, and to denounce the true traitors. She'll thank you for freeing her.

Now, you have to wait for the trial to resume. If there's nothing else you want to do, just bed down by the main doors and wait until noon.

When the trial resumes, call your witnesses. You don't really have to, but the rest of the testimony is pretty funny stuff. The Oracle will proclaim that Dupre is innocent, and that the true criminals are Kylista and Voldin. Yelinda will express her regrets, and will give Dupre the Crystal Rose of Love. (Take care of it -- you'll need it later.) Jorvin reports that Kylista has been captured and has confessed, and that Voldin has been found dead.

Once the trial is over, you're done in Fawn for now. You can talk to Kylista in jail, but she has nothing new to say.

Time to head for the Sleeping Bull Inn.

SOME THINGS ON THE MAINLAND BELOW THE SWAMP

At 46S 36E, you'll find the Swamp Cathedral. There's a dead troll nearby, with a dead child inside. The child has a fire wand. The doorways to the cathedral are all trapped. Go through the red doorway and you'll be 'ported to a little ruin in a lava field. Push the button to open the sliding door. The corpses have jewelry, magic arrows, serpent weapons, and other loot. There's a teleport that will take you back to the surface.

At 62S 44E, there's a small stone building with wooden walkways on either side. There's a secret door on the east side. There's nothing useful in the whole complex, so I'd advise not bothering with it.

At 54S 73E, there's a stone stairs leading down. You'll find some serpent scales here, and an illusion wall to the south. Beyond it, there's another small building, some more serpent scales, and a stairway leading up to a stone temple. You'll find some ordinary weapons there, along with still more serpent scales.

At 59S 66E, you'll find a ruin with a Blink scroll.

At 71S 52E, you'll find a ruined powder mill and a ghost that will play a major role in the endgame. He's Ssithnos, the last Great Chaos Hierophant, which won't mean much to you now, but will later. Anyway, he was a major power among the Ophidians.

Note: Save your game before talking to Ssithnos, then restore afterward. There's something buggy hereabouts. Much later in the game, you'll find another way to talk to Ssithnos, in another location. If you've already talked to him here, you may hit a bug with the prophetess Xenka that will keep you from finishing a major part of the game.

Ssithnos will tell you a lot about the game's REAL quest, which is to restore the balance that was destroyed by the actions of Exodus, one of the avatar's earlier foes, and by the civil wars that followed. Basically, he tells you how to complete the next-to-last quest in the game -- restoring the Chaos Serpent. He'll tell you about the banes, and about a mystery force that you'll need to find before you can complete the quest. He'll give you a scroll that covers most of what he tells you. Don't worry about restoring and losing the scroll. He'll do it all over again when you meet him later.

There's a bunch of very nasty skels in the mill's basement, guarding a chest with a few paltry gems in it.

At 76S 82E, you'll find the transplanted Britannian Mint. You can't get into it now, but you will get in after you visit the Sleeping Bull.

At 83S 40E, you'll find a corpse under a rock who has some plate leggings.

At 100S 39E, there's an invisible chest on top of an obelisk. You can build a stairway to the chest using rocks from the area. The key to the chest is in a hollow tree just south of the Sleeping Bull (at 117S 35E). Inside are: a magic sword, an invisibility ring, magic bolts, gems, gold, and potions.

AT THE SLEEPING BULL

There are many people at the Sleeping Bull with a lot to say.

Talk to Byrin, the bard, and pay him one coin after every song to keep him singing. His songs and tales contain many clues to the later portions of the story. He'll tell you about the northern savages (gwani); the lost culture of the Ophidians; a lost king (Shamino!) in whose castle trapped souls await the return of the one who deserted them; the dreadful story of the White Dragon King; the land of dreams (in Gorlab Swamp); and the Forest Master (whom you'll meet beyond the swamp).

Miggim, a monk from Monk Isle, says someone will make an attempt on your life soon (it's Selina, whom you'll meet shortly); and that the monks' prophetess, Xenka, will return when the end of the world (and the game) is near.

Ensorcio, an exiled mage, will tell you about virtually everyone in Moonshade. All his information is useful, although it comes from a highly biased source. He'll tell you: Batlin stole his serpent jawbone (the game's teleportation instrument); Flindo, a merchant, had Captain Hawk thrown in jail because he refused to sail to Moonshade; Flindo trades in merchandise and information; the Mountains of Freedom on Moonshade is a prison full of magic traps; stoneheart (your glowing stone) comes from Freedom and is used in death spells; Erstam, the Mad Mage, moved to an island off Moonshade; his mentor, Vasculio, was executed for his experiments with stoneheart; and Silverpate, a pirate, hired Erstam to do magic at the Sleeping Bull.

For a price, Ensorcio will tell you how to turn stoneheart into bloodspawn, the reagent used in death spells. (Don't pay -- others will tell you for free.) After you've gotten a spellbook (beyond Moonshade), he'll also sell you some of the nastiest spells in the game.

Argus, the innkeeper, says the pikemen at the Bull Tower are holding Hawk; that the Moonshade mages are split into warring factions; and that Silverpate disappeared after building the inn. He'll also tell you about his other guests, and will rent you room #3. (The other rooms are pickable, but you need the key to enter room #3. You'll find the diary of one of Batlin's henchmen in room #6, and a trunk containing some antique armor in room #7. The switches in each room are all red herrings. Don't bother with them.)

Devra, Argus' mother, will exchange money. She'll also trade your mysterious slippers for your swamp boots. She says her husband, Angus, disappeared one night when Batlin and his gang were staying at the inn. She heard voices in the cellar late at night, and in the morning she found the cellar in disarray and both Batlin and Angus gone. She'll ask you to find out what happened to Angus. (I never found a trace of Angus, but I did find quite a lot in and beyond the cellar, of which more later.)

Kane, another guest, tells you that his brother, Edrin, was taken by a storm, after which he found only a parrot named Ale (who is really Edrin in drag). Edrin, he'll tell you, had a crystal that had strange effects on his dreams. He's going to Moonshade to ask the mages there to help him find his brother.

Flindo, the Moonshade merchant, will be an important contact to have once you get to Moonshade. He tells you that he has "connections" in Moonshade, and that you should ask him about them again when you get there. Be sure you do. He'll also tell you that Vasculio was executed, but that his tomb turned up empty within a week. (You'll meet Vasculio much later, in a very unpleasant encounter.) He'll also tell you about Mortegro, a mage whose specialty is speaking to the dead, and about the MageLord's mistress, Frigidazzi, who specializes in cold spells.

Another guest, Selina, will lead you on a dangerous quest. But before you talk to her, take a tour of the cellars. The stairs are in the kitchen.

SLEEPING BULL CELLAR

Downstairs, go through a hidden door between the wine casks in the NW corner. Walk north to a small room with a switch and two chests. Throw the switch, which opens a sliding door in the SW corner of the cellar. Open the left chest and take the tan key. Don't touch the right chest -- it explodes.

Go back into the cellar, through the sliding door in the SW corner, and down the stairs. You'll find a corpse in a prison cell. Open the cell door with the tan key and search the corpse. You'll find a scroll that will explain the mysterious switches in the inn's rooms. (Silverpate used them to spy on his guests from a secret "wardrobe room" in the catacombs. Don't bother with the switches -- they're not important.) The scroll will also tell you that two torches mark the entrance to a hidden serpent gate.

Go north and west from the cell, and you'll find a locked door that your tan key will open. You've found Silverpate's wardrobe room. On the north wall, there's a pickable invisible chest containing two magic scrolls (False Coins and Mass Cure). There are five chests along the west wall. The fourth one from the top has a map to Silverpate's treasure, which is not under the inn but in a cave in the frozen northern mountains (you'll be able to get there later in the game). The antique key doesn't open anything I found in the game. Don't touch the other chests -- they're empty and they explode.

Go back the way you came and continue east and north from the intersection. At the end of the north tunnel is a wine room that's unimportant. The two torches the prisoner's scroll mentioned are in the middle of the N/S tunnel leading to the wine room. Go east at the torches, through an illusionary wall. In the tunnel to the south (trapped), you'll find some plate armor and other loot in a trapped chest. In the tunnel to the east of the illusionary entrance, you'll find some empty trapped chests and a Create Food scroll. In the tunnel to the north, you'll find a serpent gate and a brass chest. The pickable chest holds an Explosion scroll, a gray key that unlocks the door to the right, and a map that describes the entire layout of the serpent gate teleportation network. Unlock the door on the right, and take the teleporter to the Sleeping Bull's office.

BACK AT THE INN

Stop by the Bull Tower (NW of the inn) at this point and inquire about paying Captain Hawk's fine. However much money you offer, the guards will demand more, and will continue raising the fine.

To solve this problem, go back to the inn and talk to Selina. She'll propose going to the building that was swapped for a lighthouse. She'll say that it's supposed to be full of treasure, and that she found a key outside. Agree to go with her without your companions (they'll stay at the inn until you come back). She'll give you a tan key that will unlock the haunted building (look in your own inventory for it). Look in HER inventory, and you'll find a blue key that will unlock several doors in the Temple of Order (which you won't find until much later), and a Columna's Intuition scroll.

Note: Despite Selina's instructions, you CAN take your companions with you on the quest.

Go with her along the coastline to the transplanted Britannia Mint (76S 82E). Unlock the door with the tan key. Go straight to the room in the NE corner and grab the gold bars. Then, get the heck out of there, or you'll spend all eternity fighting spirits and teleports. You CAN'T clean the place out, no matter how hard you try.

Once outside, you'll be ambushed by a bunch of fighters, and Selina will vanish. On one of the assassins, you'll find a scroll from Batlin, telling them to kill you. Don't be fooled by Selina's pretty eyes -- she's a pal of Batlin's, and was an accessory to this murder attempt. She's also Lydia's sister (the tattoo artist from Monitor who tried to poison you), and was a rebel on Moonshade until things got too hot for her there. You'll meet her again later, in the northern mountains.

Go back to the Bull Towers and offer the pikemen your gold bars. They'll take them and give you the gold key to Hawk's cell. Go downstairs in the tower and unlock the cell. Hawk will say he'll meet you at the inn.

Go back to the inn, get your companions, and talk to Hawk. He'll tell you about his treasure map (but you've already found his treasure, in a hollow tree in the goblin forest). He'll also tell you a bit about Selina and Batlin. Most important, he'll agree to take you to Moonshade.

Go out to the ship. On the way, you'll probably meet Wilfred, Argus' brother. He'll tell you some things you already know, and will be quite a jerk about it. He's not really worth talking to, but Dupre's comment about him is priceless ("What a butthead!").

Note: Wilfred is also a trainer -- the only one outside of Monitor.

Get on Hawk's ship and sit down. Shortly, Hawk, Flindo, and Kane will get on board, and you're off to Moonshade. (Note: if Flindo and/or Kane don't get aboard, they're probably sleeping. You'll have to go back to the inn and wake them up before Hawk will set sail. Don't worry, he won't leave without you).

IN MOONSHADE

Once your ship lands, go north and east to find the town. Don't worry about exploring the island yet. There'll be plenty of time for that later.

The first building you come to will be the Rangers' headquarters and winery.

Flindo, the merchant, was there when I entered. He has lots to say, and it's pretty much all useful. He'll tell you tales about ancient passages that connect Moonshade to the other islands, and will suggest you ask Fedabiblio about them. He'll also direct you to Bucia, his assistant, who, he says, talks a lot (and he's right!). He'll tell you that she has a farfetched notion that Pothos, the apothecary, is connected to the mad mage in some way. Bucia also exchanges money. About Erstam, the mad mage, he'll suggest you talk to Pothos (who is out of town at the moment). He'll also tell you juicy (and important) tidbits about several Moonshade mages, including Frigidazzi, who, it seems, isn't so frigid after all.

Ask Flindo again about his connections. He'll agree to set up a meeting for you with Filbercio, the Mage Lord. (This is a key conversation, because it sets a flag that moves the plot forward. You'll have to talk to Flindo again about his promise, but this first step is essential.)

Talk to Julia, the head Ranger. She'll list some of Moonshade's rules -- like it's illegal to own stoneheart or bloodspawn. She'll also tell you that it's unhealthy to cross Filbercio's whims, and that Erstam, the mad mage, hacks up his assistants for his experiments with creating life. She'll reveal that the Moonshaders believe in truth, but only within reason. (Don't say you work for Lord British during this conversation, and shush Dupre when he tries to speak up.) She'll send you to Pothos for reagents, and to Fedabiblio to learn more about magic. Finally, she'll identify your ice wine as being of the same vintage as the wine that disappeared recently. (The wine was swapped for a map of Britannia, according to Origin's cluebook, but I never found the map.)

There's another Ranger named Ernesto you can talk to. He's a great-looking dude, but he hasn't much of interest to tell you. The other Rangers are just there for show, and all say basically the same thing -- talk to Julia.

There's a curious secret room quest in the winery, beginning in the office in the NW corner. There's a tan key in the desk drawer that fits the upstairs office door. (Make sure none of the Rangers is watching when you take it.) Go upstairs and unlock the door. There's a Enchant Missiles scroll on the desk, and a lever behind the table, next to the chest (which contains mundane items). The lever opens the way into the sub-basement, where you'll find another lever between a chair and a table. This one opens a secret door in the wall. Behind it, you'll find a scroll telling you the secret of winemaking: sorcery makes it easy, but the real secret is to use great grapes. So far as I can tell, there is absolutely nothing of value in the basement, nor any value in knowing the secret of winemaking. Go figure!

AT THE BLUE BOAR INN

Various Moonshade NPCs drop in here from time to time. The owner, Rocco, and his metal spouse, Petra, are always here. Hawk, Kane, Ducio (the master artisan) and Bucia, Flindo's assistant are often here in the evening hours.

Talk to Rocco (who'll rent you a room and will sell you food and drink). He'll tell you that Batlin was here two months ago, stole an ancient artifact, and fled by ship. He'll also tell you that Gwenno was here, too, but left months ago for Monk Island.

Talk to Petra, the automaton. She'll give you the lowdown on Torrissio, who created her to be more complex than the other automatons he has made for the mages. Torrissio, she says, is willful, vicious and mean (an understatement). She says his magic isn't his own, but came from scrolls he found in ancient Ophidian ruins. She'll also tell you about Mosh, the rat woman, who likes fish. (Petra, too, will sell you food and drink. Buy some fish -- it's good nourishment, and you'll eventually need one to give to Mosh.)

A note about buying things: you can haggle with just about anyone in the game, and you'll save money by doing so. But be warned that if you make frivolous offers, the seller won't negotiate with you. And if at some point in the negotiations the seller merely repeats his last offer, take it. He's hit his rock-bottom price, and if you persist in haggling, you may hang the game or cause the seller to refuse to talk to you any further.

About this time, you'll be approached by an automaton who identifies himself as belonging to Rotoluncia, a powerful mage who's a member of the Council of Mages. He'll give you a magic scroll from her. Use it by double clicking on it. (Do it right away, since it's also a flag-setting trigger.) She'll tell you that she met Batlin and his gargoyle companion Palos, and demands that you tell her Batlin's secret of controlling what she calls "daemons." Since you don't know the secret, you'll have to say no to her. You don't really have a choice here -- whatever you do, you'll make a dangerous enemy in Rotoluncia (who was Filbercio's mistress before Frigidazzi, BTW).

If Bucia's at the inn, talk to her. She's Moonshade's equivalent of Harnna or Jendon -- she'll tell you useful things about people and places, and will give you leads about your strange objects. She'll only talk for a little while at first, but if you meet her at the inn in the evening, she'll talk a little longer. She'll ask you for the pine cone, and it's OK to give it to her. DON'T ask her about the bird's egg or the bloody hand -- she'll stop talking to you until you drop them. She'll tell you that Pothos is out of town on a secret errand for the Mage Lord. Be sure to ask her about Pothos later, after he's returned to town.

If Ducio is there, he'll tell you that he can create or repair anything -- magic apparatus, magic weapons, etc. He'll also tell you to talk to his apprentice, Topo. If you show him the apparatus here in the inn, he'll tell you to bring it to his shop and he'll examine it. He'll also direct you to Torrissio to ask about automaton magic, and to Fedabiblio for answers to your questions about history.

Hawk will tell you that the pine cone comes from the woods north of the swamp, and that the only way to get past the swamp is by ship (he's wrong).

EXPLORING MOONSHADE

Now is a good time to explore the rest of the city and see who's doing what to whom. By the way, if you explore OUTSIDE the city and find Gustacio's lightning experiment at 37S 143E, DON'T touch anything. He'll send you there later, and if anything is missing, it will mess up your game royally.

You can visit the following houses in any order. The occupants may or may not be home when you visit, so try again later. If you steal anything, make sure no one (including the automatons) sees you do it.

Mortegro's House (65S 143E)

If Morty's home, he'll tell you that he's a necromage, and specializes in speaking with the dead. He has baaaad spells to sell when you've gotten a spellbook. He also holds seances, in which you'll meet some interesting dead folks. He says he and Gustacio, another mage, are studying the weird lightning storms -- a detail that will be useful later. There's a gray key on his entry table that opens the front door. There's also a Restoration scroll in his desk, and some reagents on another table. The glowing gold key doesn't open anything I found. There's a lever behind the northernmost slab that opens his seance room. The "magic ball" there is useless but funny.

Rotoluncia's House (74S 153E)

Roto won't be home when you call, but her house is open. You'll find some reagents and a bag containing a serpent's tooth on a side table. Make sure you take the tooth -- it will fit in a serpent jawbone you'll get later. The chest in her bedroom (pickable) holds a red key that unlocks the naga's cell, a Fire Snake scroll , a Paralyze scroll, and two interesting letters from Filbercio -- one is an old love letter, and one is a hate letter, accusing her of flirting with Torrissio. Roto's shifting relationship with Filbie becomes important later.

Frigidazzi's House (77s 150E) Frigi will be out, too, but her goblin servant (who's harmless and doesn't talk) will be home. You'll find a key to her frozen lab area under a flower pot on a side table in her dining room. In her lab are reagents, magic scrolls, a fire wand, and a note saying she lost her serpent tooth near the savages (the gwani, whom you'll meet later up north). The door north of the entrance is locked, and you won't be able to get through it until Frigi invites you to visit her later in the game.

Stefano's House (82S 152E)

Stef's out, too, and there's nothing useful in his house. The glowing green key on his table doesn't fit anything I found in the game.

Gustacio's House (92S 152E)

Gus is probably home, but he's much too busy to talk to you. Later on, he'll be more accommodating. There's a set of stairs to his basement in the NW corner of his tropical plant garden. At the moment, there's just a Summon scroll to be found down there, but this location will become very important later in the game. There are some reagents on the first floor, and a magic telescope on the roof. Look through it, and you'll see random scenes of locations that are in some way important in the game.

The Seminarium (93S 150E)

There's a lot of stealable stuff here (reagents, scrolls), but you'll have a hard time finding a moment when nobody's watching you. There's a tan key in the anteroom desk, but it doesn't fit anything. In one of the dorm chests, there's a magic compass, but it doesn't work. In the library, there's a book that tells you about stoneheart and bloodspawn. You don't really have to make bloodspawn, by the way. There's plenty of it to be found later; just be sure to search all the corpses and chests and such that you come across.

Talk to Fedabiblio, the schoolmaster. He'll tell you some interesting things about the other mages. He'll say he sent Gwenno to Monk Island, and that Batlin was obsessed with the Ophidians. He won't, however, tell you about the catacombs under the city (a non-functioning flag, it seems). The most important thing he has to say at the moment is that he'll give you a new spellbook if you bring him three FRESH mandrake roots from Monk Isle. You can't get to Monk Isle yet, but now you know why to go there.

Talk to Andrio, the older of Fedabiblio's two students. He'll tell you some useful things about Torrissio. He'll also tell you that Freli, the younger boy, is researching a stone-to-flesh spell like one of Torrissio's. You can't buy this spell, but later on, you'll find a wand belonging to Torrissio that will allow you to cast it when you need it.

Talk to Freli. He'll tell you that Batlin bought some spells from Torrissio before he left. He'll also warn you not to mess around with Frigi, or Filbie will toss you into the Mountains of Freedom. (You will, and he will, but that comes later.) He'll also give you a scroll for his father, who is Delin, the Fawn provisioner. If you ever get up that way again, Delin will sell you supplies at half price for bringing him word of his long-lost son.

Columna's and Melino's House (85S 150E)

Columna and Melino won't talk to you until you have a spellbook, but there's some stealable stuff available here now. In the chest in the hallway, there's a tan key that unlocks the basement door. Be sure to save your game before going down there, though. There's a horrendous buzzsaw trap at the foot of the stairs. The best way to avoid it is to double-click on your avatar the moment your party appears on the stairs. Once you've brought up your avatar's screen, you can take the items in the basement at your leisure. Just be ready to run quickly back upstairs as soon as you close all your windows, or the buzzsaw will make hamburger out of your party. What's down there? A green key that fits a chest hidden in the back yard; a scroll that tells you about a magic Comb of Beauty (which you'll need later), and reveals that Columna and Mosh, the rat lady, are actually twins; and a Time Stop scroll (which you could also have used to get the other items).

When you're safely back upstairs, go into the bedroom and look for a secret door in the north wall. Open it and walk around to the back yard. Look for a chest that's nearly hidden among the trees. Open it with the green key and take the Comb of Beauty.

After you've gotten your spellbook, Columna and Melino will sell you spells.

Torrissio's House (84S 142E)

If Torrissio's home, talk to him (BUT DON'T MENTION THE STRANGE STOCKINGS -- he'll take them and give you nothing in return.) He'll tell you some useful information about Rotoluncia, Columna, Batlin and Gwenno. Among other things, he'll tell you that he did indeed sell spells to Batlin. (He'll also bore you to tears with details of his own life, but you gotta wade through it all to get to the good stuff.)

In his house, you'll find some reagents in the bedroom chest, and a Reveal scroll in the nightstand. In his lab are two partly assembled automatons. You can revive them with the Create Automaton spell, and they'll join your party. (If you're a party of four, only one will join.) They're not very good fighters, but they're good at carrying stuff. Be sure Torrissio's not in the house when you cast the spell. Early in the game, he goes to the inn every morning at 9AM. Later, he's mostly at the MageLord's house.

Pothos' Shop (79S 139E)

Pothos' shop is at the top of the wooden stairs next to the water. The shop area upstairs is guarded by a very vigilant automaton. If you wait until it goes downstairs for a moment, you can nab the reagents and scrolls in the two pickable chests, and the potions on the counter. In Pothos' office downstairs, there's a tan key under the chair on the left. Look carefully, because it's almost entirely under the table. It opens his downstairs storeroom, which has a few nice magic items inside. Once again, make sure the downstairs automaton is looking the other way when you open the door.

When he's there, Pothos will sell you reagents and some magic items.

There's also an amusing beta-testers' area under his outside stairs. Look for an illusionary wall in the east side of the stairs. It leads to a small room which has another illusionary wall to the north. The tan key from Pothos' office opens the locked door, which leads to a football field (yes, really!) with cheerleaders and a troll team for opponents. At the goal line, there's a chest with some nice magic items inside. BE WARNED, though, that the teleporter beyond the goal line doesn't seem to work, and you'll be trapped here unless you (1) cheat, or (2) arrange for the trolls to kill you after you've gotten the goodies.

Ducio's Shop

If Ducio is in, show him the strange apparatus and he'll tell you it belonged to Vasculio, the mage who is alleged to have risen from his grave in revenge for his execution.

His apprentice, Topo, will buy gems. He'll also tell you that Mosh, the rat lady, claims to be Columna's twin sister, and that Stefano makes his living stealing things from one mage for another.

There's a magic sword in a crate near the blacksmith-automaton, and a two- handed axe on a table.

Mosh the rat lady may make an appearance about now. Don't kill her rats -- tell her you like them. She'll tell you that she was once a powerful mage, but that her power was stolen by another. She'll tell you to ask Columna about it (which you can't do until you get a spellbook).

BACK TO THE MAIN PLOT

Now that you've toured the place, find Flindo again and ask him about his promise to introduce you to the MageLord. He'll say that it's all set up, and that the MageLord will summon you.

Walk around for a few minutes, and you'll be teleported to the MageLord's banquet. This is a cut scene, so you can't do anything but watch. Basically, Rotoluncia will attack you, Gustacio will defend you, and Pothos will come in saying he hasn't been able to find any bloodmoss for Filbercio.

That will break up the banquet, giving you an opportunity to explore the MageLord's palace. (The outside doors will remain open for the rest of the game, but you won't be able to get into the SE rooms or to the teleporter in the bedroom until later.)

There are some Create Food scrolls in the kitchen, and a Translate scroll in the library. Most important, there's a treasure room next to the stairs. To open the room, pull the lever behind the throne. To open the chests, look for a purple key under a flower pot in the bedroom. There's a fire sword, a magic axe, and a lot of gold and gems in the chests. It all will stay right where it is until you need it, so you don't need to carry any of it away with you. If someone in your party carries the fire sword, by the way, you'll never need any other light source.

THE ERSTAM CONNECTION

Now that Pothos is back, ask Flindo about him. He'll tell you that Pothos may be Erstam's son, but that he won't talk about it.

Ask Bucia again about Pothos (she may make you wait until she goes to the inn at 10PM). She'll tell you there's a rumor that he looks like Erstam.

Note: These two conversations set flags, so they're essential to the plot. They won't happen until after the banquet scene.

Now, talk to Pothos. Among other things, he'll tell you that if you get sent to Freedom and escape, your crimes will be forgotten. He'll also tell you some useful things about Batlin and Gustacio. He'll identify your bloody hand as a product of Erstam's experiments. And he'll tell you that he'd trade his dearest secret for some bloodmoss. Confront him about his secret, and he'll admit to being Erstam's son. He'll tell you that if you bring him some bloodmoss, he'll help you contact Erstam.

TO THE SWAMP

To get the bloodmoss, go south from the city steps near the serpent gate. Follow the coastline to the south tip of the island. Enter the swamp at about 127S 153E. Follow the path to an area with standing stones; there's bloodmoss growing all around. It'll grow back after you pick it, but since you only need a few to satisfy Pothos, you can leave the rest for yourself.

Take the bloodmoss back to Pothos. He'll tell you how to get to Erstam's island, and will give you a password that will identify you as a friend.

THE KIDNAPPING

Before you get more than a few steps toward the dock Pothos directed you to, one of your companions will be kidnapped by Rotoluncia. You'll have to rescue him before you can get to Erstam's island. Go to the palace and talk to Filbercio. Tell him you suspect Rotoluncia, and he'll send you to search her house. When you get there, one of Roto's automatons will attack you. Kill it, and go back to see Filbercio again. He'll tell you that he and Roto renewed their relationship a while back, and that he built a passion palace for her on an island in the center of the city's lake. Roto has probably taken your companion there. He'll give you permission to use his boat to get to her island. You can get to the boat from the upstairs hallway. Double click on the engine (in the rear of the boat) to start it. Then move the boat with your right-hand mouse button. Double click on the boat again when you want to disembark.

Take the boat to the center of the island and get off. Go inside and up the stairs. Get the gray key in the dresser, and go down to the basement. Unlock the gate with the gray key. Roto will attack you, assisted by some gremlins. Waste 'em all. The gremlins all have black pearls, and Roto has two purple keys and a fire wand. One of the keys unlocks your companion's cell, the teleporter next to the cell, and the door in Filbercios' bedroom (the other end of the teleport). The other key doesn't unlock anything. Get your companion and zap back to the city.

ERSTAM'S ISLAND

Head for the northern tip of the island by going past Roto's house and along the eastern coastline. You'll find Erstam's dock at 15S 129E. There's a fetching nude sunbather at 21S 127E, by the way. Her name is Cindy, but she's only window-dressing. She won't talk (or do anything else ).

Ring the bell on the dock, and Erstam's turtle will come to get you. Get on his back and he'll take you to Erstam's island. (He'll only do this once, so save your game before you call him.)

Note: There's another beta testers' room with magic stuff and pretty ladies in the mountains west of Erstam's house. To get to it without using the cheat mode, go to Stefano's old house on Moonshade (82S 100E). Put a crate next to the tree stump out front, and climb onto the stump. You'll teleport to a tiny island with a teleport pad. Work your way around until you find an invisible path north that leads to a cave in the mountains. You can also get here by using the super cheat mode (teleporting to hex 7de, 51a, or picking up sections of the mountains with the hack mover function). Be warned that you can corrupt your game files doing either of these things.

Go into Erstam's house and have a look around. You'll find a Stop Storm scroll in one crate, Flash and Deter scrolls in another, and an Erstam's Surprise scroll in the chest in the bedroom. You'll also find your missing dagger behind the stairway.

Talk to Erstam. Among other things, he'll tell you NOT to ask him about teleportation, and NOT to ask his assistant Vasel about it. He'll also say the strange apparatus you found is his, even though Ducio said it was Vasculio's. This is, I believe, a text error, and not anything important to the game. He'll also tell you that he's missing some critical ingredients for his experiments, and that you can use the magic telescope on the roof. Like Gustacio's telescope, it will show you random important game locations.

Talk to Vasel and ask him about teleportation. He'll tell you about the serpent jawbone.

Talk to Erstam again, and he'll 'fess up to having the jawbone. He says he'll give it to you if you retrieve a phoenix egg for him. Say yes, and he'll teleport you to the phoenix's island.

This is a small island, and you should be able to find the phoenix's lair with little trouble. Flip the switch to let the lava flow into the room, and the phoenix will arise from the flames. Talk to the phoenix. She'll tell you that now that there's a living phoenix in the world, the balance between order and chaos can be restored. As a reward, she'll give you her egg. Go to the nearby teleporter and return to Erstam's island.

Talk to Erstam. He'll ask you to help with his experiment. Gather the body parts near the machine (a talking head, a torso in a crate, an arm, a forearm, two legs -- don't use any twitching parts). Put the parts in the machine's funnel. Each correct one will produce a swirl in the funnel. Incorrect ones will be spit out. When you've put in all the body parts, chuck in the phoenix egg. Erstam's creation, named Boydon, will emerge. If you talk to him, he'll ask to join your party. Say no -- he smells awful and will keep people from talking to you. And if he gets killed, the monks won't restore him.

Talk to Erstam again. He'll give you the key to his storeroom and a serpent tooth, and he'll tell you to come back when you have the jawbone.

Go to the storeroom (it's behind his house) and get the jawbone. It's the V-shaped item in the NW corner. Double click on it, and you'll get a large- screen view of it that shows eighteen empty sockets. Pick up one of your two serpent teeth and place it over one of the sockets. It will find its proper place. (The one you got from Roto's house will go into slot #11, counting from the top left, and will take you to the tunnels of Furnace; Erstam's goes in slot #12, and will bring you back to Erstam's island.)

Note: Don't do this yet, but to teleport using the jawbone, stand on one of the serpent gates and double click on the carving. You'll be teleported to "serpent central," a large hall floating in the void with eight irising gates. When you walk by an iris gate with the proper tooth installed in the jawbone, that gate will open. Go down the corridor and double click on the serpent gate there. You'll be teleported to that gate's corresponding location on Serpent Isle. Eventually, you'll find all eighteen teeth and will have access to all the gates in serpent central. You found a map of the whole layout in the catacombs under the Sleeping Bull, but the gates aren't identified. It's a good idea to test each tooth shortly after you find it. That way, you can make your own gate layout and label each gate as you learn where it takes you.

Go back to the house and talk to Erstam again. He'll give you two more teeth: #13, Moonshade; and #6, Monk Isle.

Go back to the serpent gate and use it to take you to Monk Isle. (It's the first gate to the north off the eastern corridor at serpent central.)

MONK ISLAND

From the serpent gate, go south to reach the monastery. (You can't open the north gate yet.)

Be sure to read all the books in the library (use the lens of translating) and the book of Xenka's prophecies on the altar.

Talk to all the monks who can or will talk. Karnax says that Xenka will return to deliver the final key to saving the world. Draxta says you'll need a thief-braggart for an ally. She also says you must triumph even in your dreams, and she invites you to the Place of Visions (7N 139E) to see one of Xenka's visions. (You'll see the automaton Petra walking through a field of acid while you stand by watching. You'll actually do this, sort of, a little later in the game.) And Thoxta says that Gwenno was seeking information about the ice people of the north (gwani) while she was here.

The mystic monk, Braccus, has the most useful information for you at the moment. He says fresh mandrakes grow in their swamp, but you can only find them when the salt tides are low (which they aren't at the moment, of course).

While you're waiting for the tide, tour the island. Look for a ruin in the swamp at about 13N 144E. A tan key in the hollow tree will open the gate downstairs. Under the swamp is a ruin on a small island. In its basement are magic bolts, a lightning wand, a magic axe, and a blue key.

The blue key opens the gate to the east, which leads to another ruin. A corpse there has a red key that opens the south gate in the main cavern. That passage will bring you back to the serpent gate and the monastery.

When you've returned to the monastery, ask Braccus again about the tides. He says they're right for mandrake picking now. Go back up to the swamp and walk around its muddy banks. You should find a dozen or so mandrakes lying on the mud (they're brown, and look like gingerbread men).

Use the serpent gate to go back to Moonshade. Take your fresh mandrake to Fedabiblio and he'll give you a spellbook (after asking you several more copy-protection questions). As soon as you can, transcribe all the spell scrolls you've collected into your spellbook.

Now that you're officially a mage again, Columna and Melino will talk to you and sell you spells. (You can also buy spells now from Mortegro and Torrissio, and from Ensorcio back at the Sleeping Bull. Before you leave Moonshade, though, Gustacio will offer to teach you many spells for free. And after you rescue him later in the game, Mortegro will sell you his spells for half-price, so spend your money wisely.)

Columna and Melino don't have much new information for you. DON'T ASK EITHER ONE OF THEM ABOUT THE STOCKINGS. Melino says that most of the mages in Moonshade have stolen a serpent tooth from Erstam at some point. (Neither he nor Columna has one.) Columna denies hotly that she's related to Mosh.

Gustacio still won't talk to you, so it's time to drop in on Frigidazzi again. She should be in her house now, although you may have to wait for her a bit. She'll trade the fur hat for your magic helmet. And she'll invite you back to her house after midnight to, ah, discuss magic.

After midnight, leave your companions outside and go into her bedroom. Say yes to whatever she asks, and you'll have an interesting evening, no matter what gender your avatar is. (You can say no, if you prefer. It'll all come out the same anyway.) In a while, Filbercio will burst in on the two of you and haul you off to court. No matter what you do, you'll get thrown into the Mountains of Freedom.

MOUNTAINS OF FREEDOM

When you arrive in Freedom, you'll have with you only your spellbook and reagents, some scale armor, and a staff. The automaton that meets you will tell you that Stefano is here, and that there are two rogue mages here looking for stoneheart.

Get the scythe in the next room, and wait until the automaton opens the door to his office to go on rounds. When he does, kill him and search him. Be sure to loot his office -- it's your beginning supply depot. And get the red key in the bag. It unlocks the chest in the office, the office door, and several more doors throughout Freedom.

Unlock the door north of the teleport with the red key. Walk through the illusion wall in the NW corner, by the sign that reads "Escape is Impossible."

From the illusion wall, go east, south, west, south, and west until you see some bloody footprints on the floor. Follow the footprints south through another illusion wall. To the east is a pickable door leading to a chest guarded by harpies. You'll find a sword, a magician's staff, and some magic arrows there. To the west are a gargoyle, a monk, and a pickable door to a storeroom where you'll find some reagents, including bloodspawn.

To the south of this area is a teleporter behind a pickable locked door. From the teleport landing, go east and north to a locked door. Unlock it with the red key. Inside, you'll meet one of the rogue mages, who'll turn into a bear and attack you. When he teleports out, collect his reagents and follow him through the teleporter.

At the other end, you'll meet Stefano. He'll tell you about Celennia (who is Selina) and how she fled town after a fight with Frigidazzi. More critical to your quest, he'll tell you that to escape Freedom, you must pull two switches simultaneously. He'll suggest that you and he should work together to escape. Ask him to join you.

Unlock the door to the east with the red key. Two men will attack you, one of whom has your blackrock sword. The demon in the sword will speak to you, urging you to release it. Don't release it at this point. When you've killed the knight, MAKE SURE you have the blackrock sword. It should be somewhere in your inventory, most likely on your back. DON'T leave this area until you're sure you have it. You can't get back here later to look for it.

Take the gold glowing key in the bag on the table, and go east and north to another locked door. Open it with the red key and fight the woman warrior. Teleport to a cavern with doors to the east and west. Open the west door with the gold key. You'll see the mage Lorthondo kill his aide and turn him into a skeleton dragon. He'll then teleport out.

Kill the dragon and open the door to the south with the gold key. The chest there has a firedoom staff, a Great Heal scroll, a bag with lockpicks, and a blue glowing key.

Unlock the door to the east with the blue key. The chests in the next room are all trapped, and contain some good magic armor items. East of the chests you'll see the two levers that Stefano mentioned. Double click on one lever and Stef will get the other. Move quickly into the teleporter to avoid the explosions behind you.

You'll be in a branching tunnel. To the north, there's a trapped chest with Cold Blast and Telekinesis scrolls. To the west are many bodies around a teleport pad. Search them and find a regeneration ring, some magic arrows, and another Telekinesis scroll.

To the east, you'll see a chasm with a raised drawbridge. Cast Telekinesis on the drawbridge's winch to lower it. On the other side, step near the desk and sign and the sliding door will open. Walk around the sleep fields into the room with many levers.

THE LEVER ROOM

The lever room has nine locked rooms, and twelve levers arranged as two rows of four levers inside a larger square formed by levers in each corner.

In the outside square:

NW raises and lowers doors around the lever area