Introduction
Arcanum is one of the most innovative RPGs since Fallout — not surprising given that its creators were part of the original Fallout team. The steampunk blend of technology and magick makes for a deep, challenging game. Once you get past the dated graphics and initially unwieldy interface, you'll find an RPG of astonishing depth.
Tips Before You Begin
Download and apply the latest patch (version 1.0.7.4 at time of writing) before playing. Buy a set of Lockpicks from the virtual shopkeeper at character creation — they're hard to find in the world, and without them you can't pick even the simplest lock. Alternatively, bash open containers by entering Combat Mode and Alt+Clicking on them (remove weapons first to avoid damage).
Dexterity (DX) is arguably the most important stat. It boosts your Armor Class and directly affects Speed (roughly DX/2 determines attacks per turn). Encumbrance deducts 2 from Speed per level, so keep your own load light and give heavy items to followers.
For tech vs. magick: Melee and Magick specialists have it easiest. Guns players have it hardest. Consider investing in Persuasion — talking your way around combat is often possible and rewarding.
Combat is the fastest way to gain XP. Wandering the World Map and defeating random encounters will often net you a level before you know it. Diplomatic characters will find it slow going — quests give far less XP than killing.
Store spare items in inn room dressers — no one touches them. Schematics require skill in multiple disciplines to use successfully, not just the two ingredients. Pump bartenders for free local information. Almost every shopkeeper will train you as an Apprentice in Haggle for 100 Gold.
Crash Site
You begin here. A dying old gnome gives you a ring and asks you to deliver it to a boy. Virgil, a Panarii monk, immediately joins you — keep him, his healing skills are invaluable. Loot all corpses: get the Passport from Preston Radcliffe (the gnome), the Camera off Isaac Zapruder, and Wilhemina's Note to Jared off Wilhemina.
In the cave to the NE, past a pond: find Saltpeter, Arrows, a Fatigue Restorer, Healing Potion, a broken Flintlock Pistol, and at the end a dead bandit whose spirit gives you the quest to kill the priest Arbalah. There's also a bed for resting and an Old Flintlock Pistol plus grenades and Dynamite.
To the NW: a Kite Shaman through a cleft in the rocks is worth 500+ XP plus a Magick Chest with 150+ Gold and a Fatigue Potion. A Strange Amulet is on the ogre bandit's fallen flying machine to the north. The elf guarding the SE exit is hostile (he knew Preston Radcliffe and wants to kill survivors) — kill him and an amulet appears from his body later, identifying as a Molochean Hand Amulet. You'll find these on all the agents trying to kill you.
Shrouded Hills
A mining town SE of the crash site. The inn is to the SE of the well. Constable Owens paces near the well — speak to him about the thieves on the east bridge. The smith Lloyd Gurloes trains you as Apprentice in Repair, Pick Locks, or Disarm Traps (100 Gold). Ristezze Imported Goods (around the corner from the bank) has Quest 3. Buy Lockpicks here from the character creation shopkeeper if you didn't already — or find them in the Bessie Toone Mine to the west.
Key quests: Remove thieves from the bridge (use Persuasion to avoid a fight too tough for your level), destroy or fix the steam engine for competing factions, rob the bank safe, and free Bessie Toone's ghost by finding Sarah in Dernholm. Talk to the gypsy woman on the NE path for item identification and Apprentice Prowling training.
Dernholm
A city with a king, a pub, and its own set of quests. Notable people: Vollinger the gnome thief at the King's Inn (evil Alignment, joins at ~Level 15); Jayna Stiles the technological healer (joins if you lean tech); Lianna Pel Dar (trains as Expert in Throwing, has the powerful Sword of Baltar); Sir Garrick Stout (Level 45 Master of Melee outside the castle, involved in a long quest chain). The infamous Pits of Dernholm are guarded by Level 45 guards.
Blackroot
North of Dernholm on the east coast. A train station connects to Ashbury and Tarant (75 Gold per person). Notable: Kietzel Pierce the Bow Master; Clarissa Shalmo the Throwing Master (retrieve Azram's Star from K'na Tha for her); Herkemer Oggdoddler (trains as Expert in Dodge, Melee, Spot Traps, Firearms for 500 Gold each after listening to his war stories); Dante at the Sour Barnacle (mage follower). The Bow Master quest to K'na Tha requires extensive use of throwing weapons through a puzzle area where you extinguish lights across a canal.
Tarant
The major commercial city, accessible via bridge to the NE. Tons of quests. Key locations:
- P. Schuyler & Sons (down the alley off Devonshire Way): Talk to James Kingsford about the ring — use Persuasion to get the basement key. Fight Zombies on two levels to meet the Schuyler wizard family. They confirm the ring belongs to Gilbert Bates.
- Gilbert Bates' Estate (end of Kensington Broadway): Famous inventor and steam engine pioneer. He'll tell you about the ring's history and give you new quests.
- The Boil (south of Garillion Bridge): Seediest part of town. Two rival gangs — work for Pollock or Darian Maug. Eventually they want each other dead.
- Vermillion Station: Trains to Ashbury or Blackroot (75 Gold per person).
- University Court: Find Aldous T. Buxington III for the book "The Pagan Gods of Arcanum" and the chart needed to complete the 12 Altars puzzle. The Zoological Society here has the skull of the dragon Bellerogrim and an Ancient Iron Chest (needs the Iron Clan Key to open).
- Thieves Underground: Join via Thaddeus Mynor's quest (steal sewer maps). Fence stolen goods at Mr. Black's, 11 Low Dervish Row. Numerous theft quests with good XP.
- The Panarii Temple (NW of Lion's Head Circle): Suggests visiting the First Panarii Temple in Caladon for more information about your situation.
Important Tarant quests: help or stop the orc factory uprising (Quest 34–36, big XP), assist/sabotage Edward Willoughsby's Unified Kingdom plans (Quest 38 — becomes Master of Persuasion quest), and investigate the Black Mountain Mines (Quest 6).
Ashbury
East coast, accessible by train from Tarant or Blackroot. Notable: Dog (the Worthless Mutt — save him from the man kicking him near the hostelry; or resurrect him with a Scroll of Resurrect if you arrive too late — a great Melee fighter). William Thorndop outside the building south of the prison is the Firearms Master (Quest 6 in Ashbury becomes his quest). Buy the Li'tani (small elven statue) from the Elven Trader at the spectacle shop — you'll need it for one of the pagan god altars.
Isle of Despair
Sail here with Captain Teach from Ashbury (he's an associate of Gilbert Bates). Speak to Thorvald Two Stones about the Black Mountain Clan — he sends you to the Wheel Clan. Get the special Wheel Clan Spectacles (either from Thorvald or crafted from a Kathorn Crystal by Raymond's Fine Spectacles in Ashbury for 1000 Gold) to see the entrance to their cave.
Wheel Clan
Between the two bridges north of Ashbury, against the mountains. Wear the Wheel Clan Spectacles and stand in the stone square to reveal the cave entrance. Speak to Loghaire Thunder Stone (the true king, hidden beneath the throne) — he reveals that the elves, dwarves, and Bates were all caught up in a struggle between old magick and the steam engine. Loghaire directs you to Stillwater and ultimately to the elven city of Qintarra. If you discuss the Stone and the Shape with Randver first, you can convince Loghaire to return to his throne — he gives you his axe "Harrow" and you earn a Fate Point.
The Wheel Clan tunnels contain an inn, inventor, smith, herbalist, and a garden with an Olive Tree (the only source of Olive Branches for one of the pagan god altars).
Stillwater
Loghaire sends you here. The innkeeper has a book from Joachim. Find the elf Myrth in the NE — he has the location of Qintarra and a pass through the mountains. He'll give you the info if you fetch him a Stillwater Giant pelt (a long quest involving a blue bunny hoax — see the section on Stillwater quests). Alternatively, pickpocket Myrth for the Amulet of N'Tala — returning it to Gaylin in Shrouded Hills gives you both map locations Myrth would have given you.
Also here: Adkin Chambers, a blind hermit who is the Master of Dodge. Cure his blindness with the Potion to Heal the Blind (from completing Dernholm Quest 4) for Alignment points, or get him to train you as Dodge Master first if you've already killed Stout.
Qintarra
Beautiful elven tree city in the Glimmering Forest, NW of Hardin's Pass. Talk to the elves at the base of the tree for passage to the top. Key quests here involve the Silver Lady, a missing hunter (at the Bedokaan Village), and the dark elves of T'sen-Ang. The Silver Lady ultimately tells you: "Your answer lies with Nasrudin." Raven, the Silver Lady's daughter, joins your party after you return from T'sen-Ang.
T'sen-Ang
The dark elf village. Located in the far northern Glimmering Forest. Tell the guard you're with the Molochean Hand (using one of their amulets from agent bodies). Find M'in Gorad to learn what happened to the Black Mountain Clan. As you leave, you'll encounter Gideon Laier of the Molochean Hand — careful dialogue choices can stop them from pursuing you. Virgil leaves the party here on personal business.
Caladon
Southern tip of the continent, reached by ship from Tarant, Ashbury, or Blackroot. Key activities:
- First Panarii Temple: Visit after talking to Raven in Qintarra. Speak to historians Gunther Willhelm and Hadrian the gnome archaeologist. Hadrian will eventually give you access to his collection (including the Glass Key to the Iron Clan) after you discover the truth about the tomb of Mannox vs. Nasrudin.
- P. Schuyler ring investigation: Find Victor Misk's address (9 Gray Wolf Terrace) — he's already dead. His widow Lillian eventually points you to Roseborough for his hidden copy of "Horror Among the Dark Elves."
- Whytechurch Murderer (Quest 4): Chief Inspector Henderson needs help. Leads to acquiring the Blade of Xerxes from the Pit of Fires (see Tarant Quest 33) and using it to kill the demon-possessed elf in the Caladon sewers.
- Master of Persuasion: Complete Willoughsby's quest (Quest 38 from Tarant) to negotiate Caladon joining the Unified Kingdom.
Virgil reappears in the basement of the Sobbing Onion — save him from thugs, and he rejoins changed and ready to help you face Arronax.
Roseborough
Far NW of Caladon on the coast. Lillian Misk puts it on your map. Find Victor Misk's copy of "Horror Among the Dark Elves" in his father Philip's grave in the north cemetery — this completes the quest for the dark elves' book. The Ring of Brodgar is just west of here — an ancient stone circle with an altar and a puzzle that leads you to Nasrudin's true tomb.
Thanatos
You need your own ship to reach this southern island. To get a ship: buy one from the Blackroot Ship Builder (50,000 Gold), gamble for it as a Master of Gambling from Killian Drake (Blackroot), or complete three quests for the ghost pirate Stringy Pete at Stringy Pete's Cove. Stringy Pete quests: return his treasure to the Williamson family, deliver a message to Vooriden (complete Vooriden Quest 1), and destroy the Bangellian Scourge in the Bangellian Furnace.
On Thanatos, find the shack past the Land Bridge — it contains Nasrudin himself. He sends you to the Vendigroth Ruins for the fabled Vendigroth Device.
Tulla & Vendigroth Ruins
Tulla is a wizard city — a wizard at the entrance tells you of your coming. Find Simeon Tor on the second floor of Pejorian's Pool building. View the Mural of Enlightenment first, then speak to him. Complete his quest to get Pelojian's spirit to speak by stepping on magic symbols in the correct order (Earth, Air, Water, Fire → Necromantic White, Black, Summoning, Nature → Conveyance, Force, Morph, Phantasm → Divination, Meta, Mental, Temporal, then surround the Pool in order). Pelojian puts the Vendigroth Ruins on your map.
The Vendigroth Ruins are underground via a tower. Navigate through four key areas using Vendigroth Keys 1–4. Find the great altar of Velorien the All-Father (if you've completed all 15 previous pagan god offerings, walk onto it for a massive blessing). In the lab area, find the Vendigroth Device down the north stairs.
The Ring of Brodgar & The Void
Meet Nasrudin (or K'an Hua if playing the evil path) in the Ring of Brodgar west of Roseborough. You are sent to the Void.
In the Void, speak to Arronax — the true villain is Kerghan, not Arronax. You can enlist Void allies: Kraka-Tur (read his journal from Bellerogrim's Lair), the Bane of Kree (easy to recruit, has Torian Kel's Ancestral Sword), and Gorgoth. Fight through Kerghan's castle.
When you reach Kerghan, you can convince him to surrender the argument philosophically (lengthy dialogue), fight him (he morphs into a Level 50 serpent, then returns to human form — use the Vendigroth Device on him), or join him (evil path, unsatisfying ending). The best ending involves defeating the serpent then using the Device.
The 12 Altars of the Pagan Gods
Making offerings to the 16 altars in the correct order provides powerful permanent stat bonuses. The key is found at University Court in Tarant — Aldous T. Buxington III gives you "The Pagan Gods of Arcanum" and a wall chart showing the order. The circles are Moon, Earth, and Sun, each with 4 lesser gods and 1 greater god. Make offerings within each circle in the correct order or prior blessings are cancelled.
Offering order and blessings:
- Ter'el (Sun) — Falcon's Ache — Li'tani (Elven trader, Ashbury docks) — PE+1, Bow+1
- Makaal (Sun) — Bedokaan Village — Heartstone (Bedokaan Village) — DX+1
- Alberich (Sun) — Wheel Clan — Lava Rock (Black Mountain Mines) — ST+1
- Geshtianna (Sun) — Stillwater — Passion Root (east of altar) — BE+1
- Halcyon (Sun, greater) — Vooriden — Olive Branch (Wheel Clan garden) — WP+2, PE+1, Spot Trap+1, Heal+1
- Torg (Moon) — Torg's Altar — Ruby — CN+1
- Bolo (Moon) — Bolo's Altar — Any Ring — Pick Pockets+1, Pick Locks+1
- Kerlin (Moon) — Kerlin's Altar — Mnura Coin — Haggle+1, Persuasion+1
- Shakar (Moon) — Kree — Bone Dagger (Caladon Sewers, Krag Berserkers) — Dodge+1, Melee+1
- Moorindal (Moon, greater) — Ancient Temple — Black Diamond (Ancient Maze) — Backstab+2, Prowling+1
- Alberich (Earth) — Wheel Clan — Lava Rock — ST+1
- Makaal (Earth) — Bedokaan Village — Heartstone — DX+1
- Kerlin (Earth) — Kerlin's Altar — Mnura Coin — Haggle+1, Persuasion+1
- Bolo (Earth) — Bolo's Altar — Any Ring — Pick Pockets+1, Pick Locks+1
- Kai'tan (Earth, greater) — Gorgoth Pass — Geode — BE+1, CH+1, Bow+1
- Velorien (All-Father) — Vendigroth Ruins — Walk onto altar — HP+100, FT+100, ST+3, DX+3, Dodge+3, Melee+3, Pick Pockets+3, Firearms+2, DR+30, MR+30 (cancels all previous blessings)
Notable Followers
- Virgil — Joins at Crash Site. Healer and advisor. Keep him to the end.
- Sodd Mead Mug — Half-ogre at Shrouded Hills inn (need CH 9+). Brutal melee tank.
- Dog — "Worthless Mutt" near Ashbury hostelry. As useful as Dogmeat was in Fallout.
- Magnus — Dwarf outside P. Schuyler & Sons in Tarant. Useful early, very politically correct.
- Raven — Silver Lady's daughter, Qintarra. Good healer and archer. Joins after your T'sen-Ang visit.
- Loghaire Thunder Stone — Wheel Clan true king. Joins regardless of follower limit after you complete his quest chain. Formidable fighter.
- Jormund — Dwarf wizard, Qintarra. Full complement of Fire and Force spells including Disintegrate.
