The land of Eriosthe is being threatened by the evil magician, Uukrul, who was once of the Ancient. A party led by the brave Mara is rumoured to have been slaughtered during their mission to eliminate Uukrul. Mara is captured and imprisoned in Chaos, the jail of Uukrul. Your party is chosen to infiltrate Eriosthe and find a way to destroy Uukrul and rescue Mara. Your party will need to search for clues and solve puzzles during game play.
Character Development
Fighting
The Fighter and Paladin will gain levels much faster initially in the game, as the Priest and Magician will not be very powerful at low level. The Fighter and Paladin can wear the heaviest armor and wield the most powerful swords. At the highest level, they can deal 200–300 damage points depending on the weapons used.
Paladins can lay their hands on enemies to damage them or heal your party.
Prayers
The Priest should try to invoke prayers as soon as possible. The Priest will need to go to a temple if he thinks he is qualified for a better ring. Gaining levels will usually reward the Priest with one or two rings. However, the Priest will have a better chance of getting a higher ring if he is able to invoke the prayers of the gods successfully.
Prayers to Ufthu are useful during combat:
- RALKOR — sends an arrow to strike the strongest opponent.
- KARNH — heavily injures monsters adjacent to the Priest.
- DROM — gives strength to your party so they cause more damage.
- IDRIS — very damaging to all undead creatures present.
- THOL — makes your opponents less effective in combat.
Prayers to Drutho are useful in dungeon exploring:
- UMESH — attempts to translate script on the wall.
- HOYAMOQ — tries to force a secret door open; usually a few prayers are required before the door opens.
- TAPU — reduces damage done to the party in dangerous areas.
- BYNDU — has no apparent purpose.
- MORPETH — helps reduce encounters when exploring.
- BELAMOQ — the most powerful door-opening prayer; no secret door can withstand its power if successfully invoked. However, it is usually not answered and costs a great amount of virtue points.
Prayers to Gothur are for healing purposes:
- SIRDHE — the basic healing prayer; heals a certain amount of wounds from each character.
- HOLNAK — increases your fighting power.
- ELIS — completely heals the character with the lowest hit points.
- TELIS — heals the entire party completely, but is only answered at an altar.
- BEYONG — removes poison and plague from the party; usually answered in a sanctuary.
Prayers to Fshofth are necessary under certain situations:
- NULAMIR — attempts to silence the enemies.
- TULAR — only answered at an altar. If successfully invoked, increases the party's food by 200 units.
- RULASAIR — similar to TULAR but can be cast anywhere; the increase is only 100 units and is more draining than TULAR.
- EMANUI — usually answered in a sanctuary; gives growing health.
- KUURAOTH — only needed to wake up the dark vision from the mirror that can tell the future of Eriosthe.
- LAIRIAN — needed to light the beacon.
Magic
The Magician gains rings depending on the frequent usage of spells from a particular discipline. For example, if you use fire spells frequently, you will get the next higher ring of fire earlier than the other rings. Generally, you will gain one or two rings every time you gain a level.
The effects of the crystal spells are not given in the manual, but you can learn about them by casting CYQIEQARAQK, the Tome of the Seer.
The Tome of the Seer
The great mystic Cyqie harnessed his own soul to create the spell which destroyed him. CYQIEKUN shall draw forth flames of the hell in which he is now imprisoned. So perish all who outreach their station. Range: 3 by 3 radius from the caster.
The great mystic Cyqie created the spell of ceaseless healing. CYQIETUR shall form a pure blue globe. Those within shall be continually refreshed and restored.
QADIOS is a mighty spell. It forms around those of pure heart the womb of infinite safety. Focus your minds on great things and no harm may pass.
Behold the greatest of spells. MUZAQ shall call forth a black trumpet; when the trumpet sounds, the cries of all the damned souls in hell shall burst forth in a maelstrom of oblivion. Effect: wipes out all enemies.
General Hints
At low levels (1–6), your party will not be able to fight very well. If you find that your party is taking a lot of punishment, try to let them gain higher levels before proceeding. Healing spells and prayers are important, so ensure that you can cast or invoke them.
Don't proceed further if you find that you have little virtue or psychic points — head straight for the nearest sanctuary and rest. When you have reached level 10 or more, only the strongest opponents will be able to hurt you. At this stage, much time is spent solving puzzles rather than fighting. The maximum level possible is 15; at this level, the Magician and Priest will have all their rings complete and will no longer need to worry about combats.
When you find a key in a certain level, it will usually unlock a grate somewhere on that level. You will not be allowed to drop it before it unlocks anything. If your character carries too many keys in their pack, they might not be able to unlock the grate even though they are carrying the correct key. If possible, don't let any character carry too many keys. Store used keys in the cache in the sanctuaries after they have been used.
Resting in higher-level sanctuaries will heal the party much faster. Always teleport to the last sanctuary you found before resting.
Before you can invoke the prayer TULAR successfully, you will need to buy food rations from the supply shop. Once you have learned to invoke it, rest in a sanctuary to reach full virtue points and then go to the altars to invoke it. When travelling long distances, make sure you have at least 2000–5000 units of food.
If you cannot find a way to open any secret door, try ALTIS, HOYAMOQ, or BELAMOQ if possible. This situation usually occurs when you need to speak a certain word to open the door. The words needed are usually the answer to a riddle or a password found somewhere.
Teleporters are only active after you have found them. If you know a teleporter's name but have never been to it, you cannot travel there.
Before casting the spell REAAM to identify your items, go to Sagaris and ask him to identify them for you. If the properties of any item are unknown, a visit to Sagaris is usually rewarding.
Searching will reveal most secret doors. However, in higher areas, you will need to cast the spell TALIS to reveal secret doors.
The Sanctuaries
URTAS — Sanctuary of the Ancients
There is not much here, except that it gives you a feel for the mapping feature. A certain part of this area cannot be mapped, and there are some spinner traps that spin your party when you step on them. The savage wolves at this level will give your party a substantial amount of punishment, but if you cast SHUM regularly, you should have no problem.
A vision of Mara shows up briefly to tell you to find the frozen hearts.
URLASAR — Sanctuary of the Village
Initially, you will come across a figure in a robe. If you don't want to fight with him, offer him money. If you choose to fight with him, you will take a great deal of damage, but winning this combat will allow you to gain a lot of experience.
This area consists of most of the places you will need to visit often throughout the game:
- The supply shop provides all the necessary items needed in the game. You can sell items if you need money or buy better equipment when you have the cash. Unidentified items are usually sold at a lower price, so try to identify them before selling.
- Directly behind the shop is a forge for you to repair your broken weapons. Most wooden and magical weapons cannot be reforged, so take care of your magical weapons.
- To the east is a hospice for you to heal or cure your party. The price requested is reasonable, so pay for healing if you need a quick fix instead of wasting food resting in the sanctuaries.
- Behind the hospice is a guild for you to recruit people eager to join your party. If a character is killed and not resurrected, you may choose a successor from three candidates presented; consider the choice carefully, as you might get a higher- or lower-level character.
- Beside the guild is the mausoleum, which will resurrect your characters if they were killed. Resurrection usually lowers experience points and sometimes attributes; the cost is proportional to the level of the deceased.
There is a teleporter BORASAL nearby so you can return here easily. There is also the hall of temples where you will find the temples of the four gods. You will need to go to each individual god's temple to gain more powerful rings. The teleporter here is BORAMIS.
When you go lower, you will find the Circle of Magicians. Your Magician will be able to gain better rings if qualified. The teleporter to here is ALARIQ. Messages on the walls tell you where to find the eight frozen hearts:
EIGHT FROZEN KEYS FOR SIX BLOODIED LOCKS
AND THE DARKEST HEART OF THE COLDEST ROCK
THE FIRST BEHIND GASES AND POISONOUS AIR
THE SECOND WITH THE DEAD BEHIND TWIST AND STAIR
THE THIRD WITH A DRAGON — THE FOURTH IN A CELL
THE FIFTH IN DEPTHS WARPED BY EVIL'S SPELL
THE SIXTH WITH HIS HORDES — THE SEVENTH IN A PIT
THE LAST IN THE STRONGHOLD WHERE THE DARK ONE SITS
ONE SHATTERED HEART SHALL THE DARK ONE STOP
Going back to the hall of temples, there is a place full of undead creatures as indicated by a skeleton icon on the map. The battle there is tough at low levels. Hidden inside is a chrome key, which unlocks the grate to the north of the teleporter BORASAL. Behind the grate is an area full of poisonous gases and air; locations marked with an 'X' on the map will damage your party if stepped on.
At the point just before you step into the poisonous gases, there is a secret door to the north. Search for it and try to open it. Behind the door is a stone heart.
URMOR — Sanctuary of the Deepening Night
You will have a lot of encounters in this area, but you will be able to gain a few levels if you fight well. You will find a few keys and unlock a few grates. Follow the map and eventually you will find a vision of Mara — heed what she says.
After searching for a while, you will find an old man who asks you to do something for him. He will want the Priest to go to a pool of testing to get a black rod. Say yes to him, and he will reveal himself as Sagaris the Sage. He will identify items for a fee; the fee is dependent on the item's value, and important or enchanted items usually cost much more. However, identified items can be sold at a higher price at the supply shop. The teleporter to here is SAGARIS.
URLUSAM — Sanctuaries of High Vault Ceilings
The battle in this area is quite tough. The caverns are very long and your party can hardly survive until they reach the next sanctuary at the eastern side. The most dangerous opponents are the black orcs — the Fighter and Paladin are unable to hit them, they have a lot of hit points, and their hits are usually critical.
The riddle on the wall reads:
MY FIRST WAS OF THE FORMING — AND LIES FOREVER STILL
MY SECOND IS OF THE AFTERMATH — THE COOLING OF THE KILL
MY THIRD IS ME ALONE — ONE OF THE MIGHTY THREE
MY FOURTH IS AN ELIXIR — AND THE PARTING OF THE WAYS
MY LAST IS OF THE HOLOCAUST — WITH THE DYING OF THE DAYS
FOR ALL IS TOLD HEREIN — TELL ME PRIEST WHAT MAY I BE?
Search for the pool of testing on the map. You will need faith to open the secret door leading to the pool. Only the Priest can get inside the pool to retrieve the black rod. After getting the rod, Sagaris appears and takes it. As a reward, he drops a wand of potency, which can be used to translate inscriptions. Use it wisely as it has limited charges.
There are lots of secret doors along the caverns, most of them yielding a cache of money. Head east to find the next sanctuary.
URRAN — Sanctuaries Beyond Reason
This is a disorienting place — the compass is not working properly and the passages twist among themselves. Your party is teleported all over. Follow the map to find the room marked with 'X' all over; you might be killed or injured if you step on certain tiles. Follow the paths on the map to safely clear the room.
The teleporter MELAS is found in the room. There is also a medal of escape in a box. Rubbing the medal will allow your party to return to this place. Every time a new sanctuary is found, you can find a medal here, so there are a total of 13 medals. Use them wisely — there are places where you can only return by medal or risk starving or freezing. Each time the medal is rubbed, it is gone forever and you will need to get another one from here if available.
The scrying mirror is buried with the bold defender of light, Kiriya. The mirror can be used to see the future of your party, showing what might happen at the next sanctuary. Use it every time you reach a new sanctuary.
URSHAS — Sanctuary of the Dragon
The mirror at the northern end of the diamond foretells the future of Eriosthe. It can be awakened by your Priest — invoke the prayer KUURAOTH to do so. Take Areth's plaque and inspect it; it contains an important clue.
At the middle of the diamond are two pits leading downwards. The messages below form a crossword puzzle. There are messages on the floor, and directly opposite each message is a secret door. If you answer a message correctly, the door will open.
Crossword Clues
- weak loud backward liar
- within or inside itself
- sounds like bread is being made, want some?
- mythical monsters become tiresome
- the infinite ethereal plane contains many small bones
- sing out, but keep your mouth closed
- the avenger is moved to carve two points where the dead lie
- a keen joint
- the tree before and after the fire
- conditions important when walking less than twelve inches
- gives up a short recess to get a word in
- covered with cold wet spikes
Crossword Solution
F I K A R E N O U N C E S A S E H I C I C L E D L D R T E N G R A V E H E G E U N D E R F O O T M D N H
Behind each secret door is a set of codes consisting of squares and diamonds. Arrange them in order from 1 to 12. Where diamonds outnumber squares, use the top symbol; otherwise use the lower symbol.
After getting the codes, go to the southern end of the diamond. You will find a mechanism with two buttons: square and diamond. Enter the code you have learned and you will find yourself inside a room. Kill the ice dragon inside and retrieve the stone heart. The chalice can be sold for quite a high price.
UREAL — Sanctuary of Twisted Paths
This level is essentially a setup by Uukrul to test your potential. Pull the chains near the grate to open it. Once you have passed through, Uukrul will close it behind you. You must find your way out through these twisted paths. At the end of the paths are three tests put up by Uukrul. Clearing any one of these tests will grant access to the next area. If you opt to retreat, go back to the grate; Uukrul will open it if you respond correctly.
First Test — Four Keys
Find four keys to open four grates to gain passage. By taking note of the four fragments of maps found and placing them on top of each other, a drawing is formed with some letters on it. The meaning is difficult to guess at first, but on close examination it reveals something quite simple:
Solution: Cast the spell TALIS whenever you are at a place which resembles a U. You will find a secret door leading to the key you need. Check the maps to learn their locations.
Second Test — Speak the Word
A secret door lies in front of you. You need to speak a word to open it. Since no clue is given whatsoever, the only reasonable answer is the word "WORD" itself. Speak it and the door opens. This is the easiest test but can be quite tough if you think in the wrong direction.
Third Test — Combat Gauntlet
You must fight the minions of Uukrul through three consecutive battles:
- Three acid organisms — like to spit acid and poison; relatively high hit points and difficult to kill.
- Four trolls — can stretch time to slow down your party; easier than the organisms but hit hard.
- Two fire spirits — breathe fire and deal a lot of damage; nearly impossible to defeat unless you are powerful.
Don't forget about this place after clearing it. Always return here to fight for experience. When you find that you have suffered a great deal of damage, turn back and use the other two test routes to return to the sanctuary URTEHLN. Train here until you can easily pass the third test — only then are you prepared for what lies ahead.
The Heart Urn
After passing the tests, you will find an urn in an area protected by shifting walls. Enter the following lever combination:
Position: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Setting: ^ v ^ ^ ^ v v ^ ^ = lever up v = lever down
Walk along the paths indicated on the map to find the urn. The dark heart of Uukrul is hidden inside. Insert the stone hearts you have found — you will need six hearts to obtain the dark heart. Return here every time a new heart is found.
URTEHLN — Sanctuary Beneath the Pyramid
This place consists of six levels. The number of magic cards your Magician carries determines which level your party will be teleported to when stepping into the elevator. At any time, waving the card will bring you to the teleporter.
Level 1
The first card is found behind a secret door. Give the card to your Magician, then proceed to the next level.
Level 2
This is an area of torture — beware of the black circle, which may permanently decrease your attributes. There are four rooms in the four directions. Go to the eastern room and press the buttons to reach different places. Keep doing so until you have found four keys and one card. Proceed to level 3 when you find the card.
Level 3
Simply go to the four corners and select the unlock function if it is not damaged. After that, activate it to reach level 4. Those grates that remain locked can be unlocked with the four keys you found. Look around until you find two cards and Nalusi. Nalusi will give you a stone heart before he dies. There is also a bone of cursing which can be used in combat — wave it for it to take effect.
Levels 4–6
- Level 4: Give 4 cards to your Magician to reach this level. There is a secret door to the west — get the card.
- Level 5: Give 5 cards to your Magician. To the west is a secret door hiding a war shield — give it to your Fighter or Paladin.
- Level 6: Give 6 cards to your Magician and travel to this level.
Head east to find the next sanctuary. Along the way you will fight some monks and find a globe of blood. This globe can be used to see the past, but you need to wait some time before using it again. Use it regularly as it gives hints about what is happening in the world.
URZHUT — Sanctuary of the Great Engineer
This area stretches over a large distance, so make sure you have enough rations and are powerful enough to survive the long journey. Don't miss out on any places in this area — there are quite a number of magical items to collect, including an enchanted robe and a hat of thought for your Magician.
Head east until you reach the control rooms. Get the key at the northern control room to open the grate. At the turbines, close gates A and B but leave gate C open. At the carriage control, enter STRIYA. The carriage is now ready.
At the northeastern corner, cast TALIS to reveal a secret door leading to a teleporter. If your party is weakened, you can return to URZHUT and take the carriage to reach URQOL; otherwise, continue searching for the hammer.
Use the map as a guide to find the obsidian hammer. The pits are difficult, so bring ropes if possible. At the very bottom, speak DARNUTH to open the secret door behind Mara's vision. A daemon will be guarding the hammer — kill it to claim the weapon.
Teleport to teleporter 4 and head for the carriage. Gates A and B are closed because you need to walk through those rooms without flooding them. Gate C must remain open to supply energy to the carriage.
URQOL — Sanctuary Beneath the Cube
This place is literally a cube. Picture the maps as stacked on top of each other — pits are directly connected. If you drop from a trapdoor, you will arrive at the place directly below. Keep this in mind when using the maps provided.
The battle here is quite tough — your party should be at least level 10 to survive long enough. Look for the bronze key at level 4. At level 6, you will find a trapdoor with 3 handles; pull them in the order 2, 1, 3 to open the doors at level 5. Follow the map to level 4 to get the stone heart.
Find your way to the grate at level 7. If you have not yet found the key, speak the word QOLARIS to open the secret door in the room to the east of the grate.
URQASTUR — Sanctuary of Adron's Legions
This place is a bit unstable at first. There are a number of portals that will teleport your party to unexpected locations the first time you step on them; the portal disappears once activated. Don't be surprised when you are teleported to an area not shown on your maps — the maps only show the stable areas.
There are numerous secret doors in this region. The passwords used are DRASZ and SALUNH — speak them to open the secret doors. Travel around to gather the four messages in gold.
Use the teleporters to reach Heart Hall. Walk around the place until your party finds a spot to enter. The teleporter here is HEARTHALL. The four secret doors can be opened by speaking four words decoded as follows:
Pick the Nth letter of the Nth message, then put them together to form a word.
Example: First inspect runes, each letter is given however taken → F, i, r, e, l, i, g, h, t → Firelight
Open the secret doors and fight the creatures behind them. You will need to defeat a wraith, two fire drakes, and one titan before reaching the last door. If you are struggling, retreat to the teleporter and rest at any sanctuary, then return when strong enough. Behind the last door is another stone heart.
The fight with the Titan is very rewarding — about 8,000 experience points per character. Keep fighting him until all your characters reach level 15 and have obtained all the crystal rings.
UROQLAMN — Sanctuary of Adron's Palace
You will find your party in a hall covered with dice squares. Defeat the necromancers to find Adron's die. Search for the secret door as indicated on the map — you will find a room with buttons to press. The third button adds a diamond; the second button lights the dice square equal to the number of diamonds.
Button sequence: 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2 — make sure all six dice squares are lit before proceeding. Go back to the hall and verify the squares are lit. Casting Adron's die while standing on a lit dice square will bring you to another location.
Finding Sagaris
Walk to dice square 3 and cast the die. Walk east and you will find Sagaris. Speak SAGARIS to open the secret door and follow him — he will brief you on your mission. The teleporter here is SURAQIS. The altar here allows your Priest to invoke TULAR to provide food for your party. Another teleporter will bring you to a code machine; follow the map.
Search this area for secret doors to find all hidden messages. You will need to find the beacon codes, beacon commands, and instructions.
The Gargoyle Riddles
Go to the next level and visit all four quadrants. Note the four quadrant keys. There are four gargoyle riddles in this area. The answers are:
- HAMMER
- SAGARIS
- PRIEST
- MAGICIAN
If you answer incorrectly, you will be sent to some other place. In one such place, you can escape by walking through the walls. In the second place, there is no way out by searching or walking — instead, check the Magician's inventory, as a strange scroll will have been added. Reading it allows your party to escape. Behind the riddles are four prophecies about the future of Eriosthe.
Confronting Uukrul
Cast Adron's die to reach the next level. There will be three more riddles. The first two are obvious; for the third, inspect Areth's plaque. After answering the riddles, you will find Uukrul inside. Since you don't yet have the obsidian heart, he will disappear before you can kill him. The fight is not difficult — cast MUZAQ two times and he will disappear.
Search Uukrul's room for two secret doors — speak UUKRUL to open them. Inside you will find another stone heart and a code book.
The Obsidian Heart and Beacon
By now you should have found at least six stone hearts. Go to the heart urn and insert them. You will then be able to obtain the obsidian heart of Uukrul.
Use Adron's die to go to the hall with five dice squares. Step onto the square with five stars and cast the die. Follow the map to find your way to the Beacon Arming Machine.
Beacon Arming Sequence:
- Use the code machine, enter the code, command, and key.
- Example: enter VGAK, DIVIDE, 6 → result: north quadrant 1231
Alternative Arming Sequence:
- Use the code book to translate the code, then apply the command with the key.
- Example: using the code book, V=7, G=3, A=8, K=6 → 7386 DIVIDE 6 = 1231
Enter the arming sequence in the order north, east, south, west. The beacon will then be armed.
Killing Uukrul
After arming the beacon, go back to find Uukrul. Cast the obsidian heart in his presence and he will be trapped in this plane forever. His soul will always regenerate his hit points when he is critical — only the obsidian hammer can split his soul and kill him.
After killing him, you will find an ornate key. Use it to open the grate in his room. His treasure room contains a large amount of money and some precious items — but you should have no need for them now. Proceed to the next sanctuary.
URXASZEL — Sanctuary Beyond the Beacon
Sagaris will give you instructions when you reach here. There is nothing else in this place, but you will need to go to CHAOS to save Mara.
CHAOS
At any teleporter, enter CHAOS and you will be here. In this place the passages warp around — if you head north, after some time you will return to the same place. Most walls are one-sided; you can walk through one side but not both. Many spinner traps are found here, so check your map and compass. At certain locations your compass will not work and you cannot map.
There is good news: there is absolutely no fighting in CHAOS. Just puzzle solving.
Rescuing Mara — Step by Step
- Give the 5 cards of moving to your Magician. When you step out of the teleporter CHAOS, walk to the elevator just in front of the cage where Mara is trapped. You will be teleported to a new place — head east to find a teleporter with buttons numbered 1 to 4.
- Press 3. Walk east, east to reach the card room. Get the card, but do not give it to your Magician yet. Go out and step into the elevator again, then walk to the teleporter.
- Press 2. Walk north, then west to get the ornate key. Walk west, west, then face east. You will find a grate — open it with the key and step inside. Read the map, then turn back and walk outside. If you cannot find the grate, go to the teleporter again, press button 3, then walk east then west to find it.
- Give the 6th card to your Magician. Walk into the elevator. You will arrive at a place where you cannot map. You must touch all six latches within 18 steps:
. . R L . . E A C . . . . V . . .
Make sure the message "mechanism restarted" appears before proceeding. Then follow the path: A → V → C → L → R → E → Y. When done, the cage imprisoning Mara will open. - Find your way back to Mara's cage. Make sure you do not touch the latches again — if you do, you will need to go back and activate them again. Walk inside the cage and save Mara.
- Let your Magician carry only 5 cards and walk into the elevator. Walk east to the teleporter and press 3. Walk south and you will be at the teleporter CHAOS. You can go to any sanctuary to save the game if you want to repeat the ending sequence. Otherwise, enter BEACON at the teleporter.
BEACON
Sagaris and Mara will be waiting for you here. You will need to enter the last verse for the prayer LAIRIAN in order to light the beacon. When the beacon is lit, sit back and watch the end game.
