Vagrant Story - Strategy Guide (Page 03)

Below are the cheat codes, hints and help for Vagrant Story - Strategy Guide (Page 03).

The Boy's Training Room
Just keep heading forward and the corridor will become part of the Keep rather 
than City Walls.

Later in the game, this room will contain a Dummy in the likeness of a Lizardman 
for training against Dragon-class creatures.






~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Keep
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Sigil doors here are for time trial bonuses only, and not essential to 
completion. You may also reach the Iron Maiden B1 from here. Regard the Keep as 
your base of operations for now.

The Soldier's Bedding
The south door leads to Iron Maiden B1, and you'll be coming back here shortly 
to use it. The north door is locked with a Gold Key: like the Rood Inverse 
gates, you won't be able to open this on first play. Just head east for now.

A Storm of Arrows
Minotaur (Kalmia Sigil), Dragon (Columbine Sigil)

Urge The Boy On
Earth Dragon (Anemone Sigil), Snow Dragon (Verbena Sigil)

A Taste Of The Spoils
Damascus Golem (Schirra Sigil), Damascus Crab (Marigold Sigil)

Wiping Blood From Blades
Death and Ogre Zombie (Azalea Sigil), Asura (Tigertail Sigil)

These eight doors lead to time trial rooms for the game's Record Time scores. 
It's not essential that you hunt down the Sigils that grant access in order to 
complete the game, and only two (Minotaur and Dragon) are actually accessible on 
first play. The challenges themselves don't even have rooms on the map proper, 
for % completion purposes. Instead you'll be warped to a previously visited boss 
room for the battle, and automatically returned to the corridor afterwards. See 
Second Play Secrets for obtaining the other six Sigils.

The Warrior's Rest
Magic Circle

Chest (needs Chest Key): 'Sweet Sorrow' (I) Francisca plus Gendarme, Tower 
Shield (I) plus Death Queen gem, Sallet (H), Sorcerer's Reagent x 3

You'll need the Chest Key from the Iron Maiden B1 to open the Chest. This area 
is perfectly safe until you try to open the door to Town Centre South, in the 
north wall. Knowing that you're near, and hiding, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern 
are ready.

Mini-boss: Jan Rosencrantz, ex-Riskbreaker HP 400 / MP 100
Human
Special Attacks: Sword Break Arts (Vile Scar, Cherry Ronde)
Most special chain effects and magic spells simply won't work on Rosencrantz, so 
don't bother trying anything too clever. This is a Riskbreaker duel, pure and 
simple, so pick your best weapon and just let him have it with Break Arts and 
short, damage-orientated combos. Rosencrantz will only yield and plead for 
surrender when you inflict enough harm, and he can also cast Heal or use items 
to undo those wounds. His use of Break Arts doesn't affect the amount of HP 
damage that you need to score against him before you're declared the winner.

Analyze will always miss, but if you use the Status screen to examine Rosencratz 
then you will at least discover that he packs a sword called Pussyfoot (looks 
like a Nepalese Kora, by the shape). There's no prize for this battle, and 
Rosencrantz slinks away quietly at the end.

WORKSHOP - Keane's Crafts
Tools for Bronze, Iron, Hagane
You can now reforge or upgrade your Hagane armour and weapons with the advanced 
furnaces here.






~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Iron Maiden B1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You can actually get away with visiting no more than the first two rooms of this 
level, as this is enough to win you the items you'll need to complete the game. 
The remainder of the Iron Maiden is essentially one big dungeon bash, a bonus 
area that offers plenty of tough monsters and puzzles to overcome in exchange 
for treasure: levels B2 and B3 won't even become accessible until you've beaten 
the game at least once. In any case, you won't be able to reach most of B1 until 
you've claimed the Tearose Sigil from the Abandoned Mines B2, but consider 
coming back later. The useful Chest Key is located in the Iron Maiden B1, in the 
possession of a boss.

There are no save points in the Iron Maiden, quite deliberately, so you'll 
simply have to retrace your steps.

Here you'll find the Kalmia and Columbine Sigils for the time trials (the rest 
are in B2 and B3). The Steel and Platinum Keys are only available on replay.

The Cage
Steps leading down...

The Cauldron
This is a locking trap room. You'll need the Tearose Sigil to pass through it, 
but the only items vital to game completion are right here.

Wraith HP 120 / MP 140
Phantom
Affinity: Dark
Special Attacks: Mind Blast, Poltergeist, Reaper Scythe

Prize: Mandrake Sigil, Grimoire Exsorcer (Warlock spell, Exorcism) 

The Wraith's tactic is to cast Silence on you first, then pile in with its 
specials (NB these count as physical rather than magical attacks, so they won't 
cancel your Silent state and Magic Ward won't save you). Like the Ghost, the 
Wraith has the ability to teleport.

Light-affinity Break Arts and spells like Spirit Surge will have an advantageous 
effect against this Dark spirit, but physical damage is still a good way to deal 
with Wraiths.


Gargoyle HP 120 / MP 0
Evil
Affinity: weakest versus Air
Special Attacks: Numbing Hook

Prize: Spirit Orison x 3, Vera Bulb x 3

When you're Numbed, your walking speed drops by 50% and you lose the use of all 
battle abilities. Cancel this by administering a Spirit Orison, or avoid it in 
the first place through timely application of the Ward defence ability.

One point about flying creatures: to reduce their movement to 50%, you should 
target their wings rather than their legs. Also, this high concentration of body 
locations in a small area can make them prone to multiple-target spells. It's 
worth packing a crossbow or a two-hand weapon to reach these fliers more easily 
with your physical attacks. 


The Wooden Horse
This is simple enough when you're going into Maiden - just drop down. When you 
want to get out then you'll need to return this way, so push the lowest movable 
rolling cube next to the stuck one so that you can push the upper rolling cube 
towards the crate. Stand on the cube and pick up the crate, placing it one ledge 
higher. Use the crate to jump higher.

Starvation
Another locking trap room.
Wraith
Prize: Kalmia Sigil, Grimoire Venin (Poison Mist)
Mummy
Prize: Shamshir (H), Vera Bulb x 3
Mummy
Prize: Chamkaq (H), Vera Bulb x 3

The Breast Ripper
You've reached a crossroads. To maximise your treasure retrieval, try east, then 
west, then head south.

The Wheel
Dark Skeleton, Shadow HP 170 / MP 260
Evil
Affinity: Light and Dark
Special Attacks: casts single-target elemental attack spells
Oddly strong in both Light and Dark affinities but weaker in others, this flimsy 
psychedelic spirit is physically weak enough to be polished off from a distance 
with a decent crossbow. The four examples in the game will each stick to casting 
one of the following, in order: Vulcan Lance, Fireball, Lightning Bolt or Aqua 
Blast.

Chest (magic lock): 'Bull Shot' (H) Griever plus Bhuj Type, Baselard (H), Djinn 
Amber Gem, Valens wine

The Branks
Dark Skeleton, Shadow

Chest (needs Chest Key): 'Balalaika' (H) Balbriggan, Bec de Corbin (H) blade, 
Dao Moonstone gem, Volare Wine


The Pear
To cross to the west side using the Cloudstone, you need to add its momentum to 
yours in order to propel yourself to the other side. That means making your leap 
at the very last moment, just before it stops moving.

To make the return journey, jumping that same distance to the Cloudstone, you 
need to gain some height first. Destroy the two crates in the corner to make a 
space; slide the free push crate right in front of the doorway; then climb into 
the space of the exit passage itself (being careful not to leave the room 
altogether) and push the crate out to the very lip of the chasm. A Faerie Wing 
or Invigorate spell can also help your jumping here.

To climb to the upper level, remove the two 1-point rolling cubes from play by 
pushing them anywhere once, then roll the 3-pointer to the wall and left one 
tile. Jump up and left to grab the wooden catwalk. It's tricky but possible, and 
Invigorate can help again. Alternatively, roll the 3-pointer left two tiles only 
- some players find this jump easier, as it's straighter.

The Judas Cradle
Dark Skeleton, Shadow

Chest (magic lock): 'Sonora' (H) Bastard Sword plus Power Palm, Bullova (H) 
blade, Ifrit Carnelian gem, Prudens Wine

By now, it should be sinking in that practically every room in the Maiden sounds 
like a really naff death-metal B-side.


The Whirligig
Dark Skeletons

Spanish Tickler
Boss: Wyvern Knight, HP 520 / MP 0
Dragon
Special Attacks: Flame Breath

Prize: Elixir of Dragoons, Elixir of Queens, Chest Key

This creature has a remarkably high INT (150), despite the lack of magical 
power, and the result of this is a greater resistance to spells. Given that the 
Wyvern Knight has no real elemental weaknesses to exploit either, melee combat 
is a much better route to take. To that end, you'd be wise to turn Blunt weapons 
against its head and Edged weapons against the Neck and Body. If you're packing 
something like a spear, run around to the side of the Wyvern Knight and you'll 
find a weakness to Piercing weapons in its Tail. 

Here's the correct location of the Chest Key. I've tried to mark all chests in 
the game with the correct method of unlocking them so a text search for Chest 
Key should, in theory, turn up everywhere you need to use it.

Heretic's Fork
Dark Skeleton
Be sure to use Eureka to pick out those Freeze and Gust Traps before your rush 
your enemy.

The Chair of Spikes
Dark Skeleton, Wraith
Another locking trap room, just for the hell of it.

Blooding
Dark Skeleton
Again, the presence of only one enemy should alert you into casting Eureka. This 
room has the deadlier Eruption and Death Vapour traps.

Bootikens
Getting down here is simple enough - keep falling. But how do you get back up? 
Like this.

The highest ledge to which you can climb still leaves you one cube-height short 
of grabbing the top. So you need to get a blue magnetic cube onto that ledge, to 
stand on.

There's only blue magnetic cube you can pick up to start: stand in the space by 
the wall, lift the cube from its ledge under the push crate and place it over 
the blue cube to your left side. Now step up, grab the other blue cube and place 
it to hover in the space where you stood to move the first cube. By stepping up 
onto this you can grab the first cube. Carrying it, step down onto the ledge it 
came from and put it down just below the push crate. Now take the floating blue 
cube behind you. Putting one cube on the other, you can climb up and grab the 
hovering cube.

Burial
Boss: Iron Golem HP 420 / MP 0
Evil
Special Attack: Granite Punch

Prize: Columbine Sigil, Elixir of Dragoons

This incarnation is tougher in body only, and hasn't learnt any new tricks over 
its stone predecessor. Blunt weapons and Air-aligned attacks will still have the 
advantage. You shouldn't have too much trouble.

Burning
Bit of a red herring, that pile of crates. You only need one push crate ever, 
either to jump up to the door or to jump over to the Cloudstone when it's at the 
nadir of its cycle. You can even make it to the Cloudstone without a crate at 
all, although it's advised if your agility is low. Regardless, there's a rather 
nasty Terra Thrust trap in roughly the spot that you'd cross upon landing safely 
and dashing for the exit.

Cleansing The Soul

The Ducking Stool
Dark Skeleton, Shadow

Chest (unlocked): 'Red Viking' (H) Kora plus Power Palm, Pole Axe (H) blade, 
Marid Aquamarine, Virtus wine

The Garotte

Hanging
Dark Skeleton, Wraith
Not only is this door sealed with a Steel Key, but there's a Platinum Key door 
just inside so it's pointless venturing any further until you've got that too. 
In fact, you may find yourself hopelessly trapped. These are available on replay 
only, I'm afraid. See Second Play Secrets if you're ready to pursue it.






~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Town Centre South
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You have a choice of paths to take from here. Now that you have the Bronze Key, 
you'll find a door in the Rue Morgue that you can unlock to reach the Abandoned 
Mines B2. This is the general direction to take to proceed to the next stage of 
the game. However, if you've obtained the Mandrake Sigil from the first rooms of 
Iron Maiden B1 then you may also begin to explore further accessible regions of 
Undercity West via City Walls East. You'll have to do both at some point, and as 
the creatures introduced in the Undercity are much weaker than those of Mines 
B2, there's an implicit suggestion by the game itself that you should tackle the 
Undercity a little way first. You only need to explore far enough to grab some 
key items, including a Cattleya Sigil.


Forcas Rise
Crimson Blades
When you've finished exploring the Valdiman Gate and Rue Aliano to either side, 
climb the eastern steps of the inner courtyard and clamber up onto this 
building's low, flat roof. Make a leap across the rooftops to the north-eastern 
corner. There's a high exit here to Rue Faltes. If your agility is too low to 
make the jump, cast Invigorate or use a Faerie Wing from the Snowfly Forest. And 
make sure you're not still holding weapons in Battle Mode, of course.

Valdiman Gate
Magic Circle
A latched doorway here will later offer access to City Walls South.

Rue Aliano
Crimson Blades
The door to The House Khazabas is locked with a Mandrake Sigil, obtainable from 
the beginning of Iron Maiden B1. 

The House Khazabas
Chest (magic lock): Eye of Argon x 10, Grimoire Muet (Sorcerer spell, Silence)

Zebel Walk
Like Dinas Walk,, you just have to jump and get through.

Rue Volnac
One door is latched, but on first visit you can pass through City Walls East to 
Undercity West. The latched door simply adjoins City Walls East at a different 
point.

Rue Faltes
That portcullis isn't opening. Take the archway.

Rue Morgue
Crimson Blades
When ready, use your Bronze Key on the gate and descend to the Abandoned Mines 
B2.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
City Walls East
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Train and Grow Strong
This room boasts another door locked with the Rood Inverse, available on replay 
only.

The Squire's Gathering
Zombie Mage, Dark Skeleton HP 150 / MP 25
Undead
Special Attacks: none

The Invaders Are Found
Dark Skeleton
Unlatch the door here for that secondary access to Rue Volnac.

The Dream Weavers
Zombie Mage, Dark Skeleton

The Cornered Savage
Gargoyle
Three gargoyles, no less. The staircase leads down to Undercity West.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Undercity West
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fear of the Fall
Boss: Dark Elemental HP 380 / MP 160
Phantom
Special Attacks: Dark Chant

Prize: Cattleya Sigil, Grimoire Meteore (Warlock spell, Meteor)

Spirit Surge and other Light-affinity attacks or Break Arts will be your best 
weapons against the Dark Elemental, unless you're confident enough of your 
physical prowess to stick to bashing away with a Phantom-slaying weapon. Dark-
aligned and Piercing attacks will have less effect.


Sinner's Corner
Magic Circle
Dark Skeleton
Dark Eye HP 100 / MP 90
Phantom
Special Attacks: Dark Chant, spells

The Children's Hideout
Dark Eye, Gargoyle

Chest (unlocked): 'Sweet Death' (S) Shamshir plus Knuckle Guard, Footman's Mace 
(H) blade, Steel Bolt grip, Spiked Shield plus White Queen gem, Sallet, Undine 
Bracelet, Speedster gem, Grimoire Dissiper (Sorcerer spell, Dispel)

Nameless Dark Oblivion
Dark Eye, Dark Skeleton
This passage connects this area to the rest of Undercity West, but is sealed 
with the Silver Key at one end. The Washing-Woman's Way is on the other side.

Corner of Prayers
One door is sealed with the Gold Key. It leads to Hope Obstructed, which in turn 
leads to the Abandoned Mines B2. If you haven't been able to get a 100% rating, 
you may have left this route unexplored.

Hope Obstructed
This staircase leads downs to Work, Then Die in Abandoned Mines B2. Follow it to 
the end and you'll enter Bandits' Hollow via the final, unexplored one-way door.





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abandoned Mines B2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is a large and testing level, with more than half of it devoted to a major 
time challenge. Follow it to the very end, though, and you'll reach Town Centre 
East. Beating the final boss will also give you a Tearose Sigil that will enable 
you to explore more of the Iron Maiden at your leisure.

Corridor of Shade
Enter here from the Rue Morgue, Town Centre South.

Revelation Shaft
As you enter, push the crate over the edge and use a weapon to destroy the top 
carry crate. Drop down onto the push crate and pick up the remaining carry crate 
on the stack. Take it to the chasm's edge and line it up with the high 
Cloudstone, then place the nearby carry crate on top on top. From this high 
vantage you should be able to jump across and grab the Cloudstone, but use 
Invigorate to aid you if in you're having trouble.


Gambler's Passage
Orc HP 240 / MP 25
Human
Special Attacks: none
Besides a weakness to Blunt weapons and a strength versus Piercing ones, this 
demi-human hog-beast is also slightly more susceptible to Water affinity 
attacks.

The Miner's End
Boss: Air Elemental HP 380 / MP 160
Phantom
Special Attack: Lightning Bolt

Prize: Grimoire Foudre (Warlock spell, Thunderburst), Mana Bulb

Soil Fusion will enhance your weapon attacks against this creature. If you've 
acquired anything else, Gnome items on weaponry and Sylph items on armour and 
accessories will help. If you're suffering too greatly from his Lightning Bolts, 
try timing the Windbreak defence ability to halve damage.

The Treaty Room
Magic Circle
Poison Slime, Slime
Damned slime! Use that Magic Circle, as you're about to undertake a time 
challenge.

Way Of Lost Children
Orcs, Orc Leader HP 280 / MP 110
Human
Special Attacks: casts Herakles, Prostasia
Unlike his minions, the shamanic orc leader possesses great defence against 
Blunt weapons and is weaker against Edged blades. 

Here's the time challenge: twenty rooms, numerous dead ends, and just two 
minutes to find the right path through to the Bandits' Hollow. Don't worry if 
you get lost or foul up: the worse that can happen is for you to be teleported 
back to the Treaty Room. It's not a locking door challenge either, so you're 
free to return to the Treaty Room of your own volition before the two minutes 
expires, if you wish.

I haven't spotted any bonus for doing this perfectly on first attempt, and 
correspondents have reported same, though I still need to know if there's a time 
reward. The fastest route through from the Treaty Room is south (to Way of Lost 
Children), east (to Desire's Passage), east (to Senses Lost), north (to Crossing 
of Blood), east (to Fool's Gold, Fool's Loss), north (to Tomb of the Reborn), 
north (to The Lunatic Veins), and finally, unavoidably, east (to Bandits' 
Hollow). Calling up the Main Menu pauses the timer as well as the game, so 
you've got a chance to get your compass bearings.

If you want simpler directions from rushing through then that's forward through 
the door of The Treaty Room, left, forward, left, right, left, then keep going 
to the end. 
If you choose to explore a little first, there are three treasure rooms where 
you'll find chests and traps: these are Hidden Resources (requires Chest Key), 
Acolyte's Burial Vault and Suicidal Desires.

One last tip: if you've become reasonably strong, it's often faster to stop and 
kill the creatures in your path before they get a chance to slow you down with 
their own attacks. Otherwise, gulp down a Faerie Wing and watch that Riskbreaker 
move! 

Hidden Resources
Mimic, Imp HP 150 / MP 70
Evil
Special Attacks: casts Poison Mist and Stun Cloud
These can be quite tough against a crossbow that is Piercing rather than Blunt, 
but you're in such a small space that a hand-weapon can be as effective. That 
would mean letting them near enough to cast spells, but the Restoration spell 
becomes available in this room.

Chest (requires Chest Key): 'Eviscerator' (S) Kudi, Tower Shield (I), 
Breastplate (I), Fusskampf (H), Trinity gem, Saint's Nostrum x 3, Grimoire 
Mollesse (Shaman spell, Restoration)

Desire's Passage
Slimes
There's a Cure Panel trap just before the door, if you're suffering from any 
status ailments.

Senses Lost
Orc Leader, Orc
Cast a preparatory Eureka for two Traps before attempting to dash through this 
dog-leg.

Crossing of Blood
Orcs
Diabolos and Death Vapour traps guard two exits. Very often you'll find this 
beneficial, as one Orc regularly stumbles into a trap upon spotting you.

The Abandoned Catspaw
Slimes

Hall of Contemplation
Orcs, Orc Leader

Hall of the Empty Sconce
Orc, Orc Leader

Acolyte's Burial Vault
Mimic, Imps

Chest (unlocked): 'Affinity' (H) Corcesca, Framea Pole, Circle Shield (H), 
Gauntlet (H), Hellraiser gem, Grimoire Vie (Shaman spell, Surging Balm)

The Fallen Bricklayer
Not a pub I'd recommend, by the sound of it.

Cry of the Beast
Orcs
Staircase down to...

The Ore of Legend
Orcs, Orc Leader

Suicidal Desires
Mimic, Imps

Chest (unlocked): 'Dog's Nose' (H) Footman's Mace plus Sarissa Grip, Target Bow 
(I) blade, Barbut (S), Gnome Bracelet, Elixir of Queens, Vera Bulb x 3

Hit that Eye of Argon or Eureka before you take a single step, because this is 
the second-deadliest trap room in the whole of Vagrant Story. Predictably 
enough, there's a Trap Clear panel to deactivate the lot, and you'll find that 
it's the lone tile high to your right.

Lambs to the Slaughter
Slime, Poison Slime
There's a Heal Panel trap on the south wall that's worth bumping into purely for 
its RISK reduction.

A Wager of Noble Gold
Orc, Orc Leader

Kilroy Was Here
Orc Leaders

Fool's Gold, Fool's Loss
If you approach from the west then you can drop straight down to the left via 
that wooden catwalk. Those coming from the south will have to wait around for 
the Cloudstone to ferry them across.

Tomb of the Reborn
Boss: Earth Elemental HP 380 HP / HP 160
Phantom
Special Attack: Vulcan Lance

Prize: Grimoire Gaea (Warlock spell, Gaea Strike)

Equip the Gnome Bracelet for better defence. If choosing between the Earth 
armour of Terra Guard and the Air weapon enchantment of Luft Fusion, bear in 
mind that the latter would probably bring about the end of the battle in a 
shorter time. Also, this is an opportunity to try out your level 1 Thunderburst 
spell and also throw in any Air Break Arts you have before chaining a single 
combo.

If you're watching the clock move into the last few seconds then also keep in 
mind that the time challenge doesn't end with this boss. Oh, no. You still have 
to negotiate two more doors before it's all over, so be ready to get cracking as 
soon as you're done turning this chap to sediment.

The Lunatic Veins
Slimes
Almost there... The exit you're about to take is a one-way door rather than a 
Latch, so you won't be able to return after passing through. If you haven't 
grabbed all of the treasure, now's the time to consider letting yourself be 
teleported back the Treaty Room for another exploratory foray.

Bandits' Hollow
Magic Circle
Blood Lizard, Imps
Cast Eureka to see both a Trap Clear (which is the panel beside the lower 
rolling cube) and a Heal Panel. You must avoid stepping on the Trap Clear if you 
want to use the Heal Panel.

If the thing is still there when you try to climb up, you may need to shoot out 
or spear the push crate that's wedged into a corner of the top ledge. Destroying 
it makes a lower wall edge that's one cube closer for you to grab when you jump. 
Often, as with the Wolves back in Wine Cellar, the Imps will attack and destroy 
it beforehand if they consider it to be in their way. Also on this tile, under 
the crate, is the Heal Panel - assuming you haven't removed it with Trap Clear.

The second one-way door won't be opened on your first play, and there's also an 
Iron Key door that's inaccessible right now. That leaves only one wooden door 
you can take, but save, save, save first.

Dining in Darkness
Boss: Sky Dragon HP 675 / MP 0
Dragon-class
Special Attacks: Tail Attack, Thunder Breath
Remove that Gnome Bracelet! You want the Sylphid Ring instead. You may have 
acquired a Gaea Strike in the past few minutes, but the area of effect is too 
pitiful at level 1 to reach many hit locations. So equip a Piercing weapon for 
the head or an Edged weapon for its tail, decorate your grip with Dragonite and 
cast Soil Fusion to get the job done quickly. Windbreak its breath attack if you 
can and keep your RISK low or you may be surprised by the power of this boss. 
Mind you, doesn't it have the loveliest translucent wings? Ahem.

Prize: Tearose Sigil, Grimoire Demance (Warlock spell, Drain Mind), Elixir of 
Queens

While the Tearose Sigil will let you have a crack at the goodies held in the 
Iron Maiden (recommended), the Drain Mind spell starts you on the road to self-
sufficiency and should be tried out as soon as you find yourself short of mana.

Subtellurian Horrors
There's a bit of work to do before you're free. Jump to the Cloudstone, using 
Fixate to aid you if necessary. The other side of the abyss is blocked by a wall 
of crates, but the rightmost stack is only two cubes high rather than three and 
leaves a vital gap. You can reach that gap by jumping and grabbing when the 
Cloudstone is lined up against the right-hand wall. If your agility is low then 
use Invigorate or Faerie Wings to aid you.

If you happen to have a crossbow on you then you can make the second jump even 
easier by shooting out some of the crates beforehand.

Ignore the frictionless cube here, as it's only useful when you're coming back 
from the other side and want to get back up to the door.

To return to the surface, you'll take a very short detour through two new rooms 
of Undercity West. 

** NB Additional Room for 100% Completion
Work, then Die
This staircase isn't accessible on your first play, as it's on the opposite side 
of the other one-way door that leads into Bandits' Hollow. To get to it, you 
need to come down from Hope Obstructed in Undercity West (requires the Gold 
Key). Follow it to the end and you'll enter Bandits' Hollow via the final, 
unexplored one-way door.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Undercity West
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Crumbling Market
Magic Circle
Dullahan
Unlatch the door in the Crumbling Market as you pass through (it leads to the 
Hall of Poverty), but don't take it yet - head east instead. And if you fancy a 
laugh, try Eureka too. You won't be going *there* on first play, oh no.

Tears From Empty Sockets
Dark Skeleton
... The title might lead us to believe that this is one unhappy Lea Mondean, but 
don't fall for it. He'll still have your guts on the cobbles as soon as look at 
you, so be the cause of those tears and head on up to the fresh air of Town 
Centre East with a light conscience. The only other exit is a Gold Key door that 
you'll ignore for now.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Town Centre East
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you have the Cattleya Sigil then this will likely become your new base of 
operations for the rest of the game. Your next port of call is Undercity East, 
where you'll retrieve items and powers to open up more of the map. For now, 
explore both the Town Centre East and the City Walls North to get the lay of the 
land.

Rue Lejour
Magic Circle

There's a side door here to the City Walls North. The more obvious path leads to 
Town.

Kesch Bridge
Magic Circle
Crimson Blades
The other end of City Walls North can be reached through the wooden door here 
(some spatial dilation/contraction, surely?). You're now entering a region with 
the toughest Crimson Blades in the game, but that's also a euphemism for 
'Crimson Blades with the most desirable kit'. I spent hours robbing and looting 
these fellows, and I think it paid off on the whole.

Point o' fun: if you can kill a Crimson Blade in mid-air while he's jumping over 
the water, he'll fall with a resounding splash. Hurrah!

Rue Crimnade
Crimson Blades
Previously you met a defensive-type Crimson Blade magic-user: this area and the 
next contains offensive-types. Don't get carried away on the old RISK.

A regular trick with these areas is that each Crimson Blade is weak to a 
different weapon. If you enter an area with three Blades then regardless of what 
you're packing - Blunt, Edged or Piercing - you'll find that one takes lots of 
regular damage, one takes half that damage and one takes almost nothing at all. 
Getting rid of the easiest first and leaving the toughest till last for a one-
on-one means that you don't have to worry so much about escalating RISK.

WORKSHOP Junction Point
Tools for Wood, Leather, Bronze, Iron, Hagane
This workshop is sealed with the Cattleya Sigil, won from the Dark Elemental in 
Fear of the Fall. Read back over Town Centre South if you haven't got it yet.