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(Dedicated to Lord Ian, Prince Heath and Billium the Ever So Humble)
THE EMPIRE SAGA WALKTHROUGH
============================================================================================
? This walkthrough is copyrighted to Mister Sinister (2003) ?
? I don\'t mind it being lifted in its entireity, but if you do so, please make ?
? sure you give credit to the author (me) and DON\'T pass it off as your own. Thanks ! ?
============================================================================================
THE SEVEN MISSIONS OF THE EMPIRE SAGA :-
1) The Necromancers Spirit
2) The Alliance
3) Antagonists
4) Uther\'s Crusade
5) Slander and Barbarism
6) The Celebration
7) Binding Forces
============================================================================================
BRIEF NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED
This is a very quick key to some of the terms I\'ll use in this FAQ :-
In areas where I am talking about troops in cities, any troops mentioned in
[squared brackets] are within the city proper (an obvious example would be Myzrael,
who would be shown as [Myzrael] as he is IN the city and, in his case, cannot leave -
all troops NOT in squared brackets are just waiting in the city (as in, healing there, etc.)
Map directions are as follows. North on the map is up and right. South is down and left.
West is up and left, and East is down and right.
Obviously the very nature of this game makes doing an FAQ quite a daunting task, as you can
go anywhere, do anything (within reason) and your opponents will pretty much respond to
the way you play ... so this is an account of what I would suggest and expect, pointers I have
learned, things I would pick up - basically anything and everything which I could think of
which might help you play as the Empire in their Saga ... I have tried to keep this FAQ
both light-hearted, and informative.
Similarly, with troops garrisoned in cities, whilst my FAQ is accurate as at MY playing the
game, these may change - ESPECIALLY in cities owned by other players (as you are doubtless
aware if you\'ve ever played this game, your computer opponents are FOREVER changing the troops
that they garrison in their cities).
Comments are always welcome - you can reach me at [email protected].
Thanks for reading this !!
============================================================================================
1) The Necromancer\'s Spirit
BRIEFING AND COMMENTS
Demosthene mourns the passing of his Queen and the loss of his son Uther.
Hubert de Layle, the reputed power behind the Throne, plays skillfully upon poor Emperor\'s
emotional strings to manipulate him into running the Empire as de Layle sees fit.
Thus empowered, Hubert de Layle squanders the vast resources of the Empire through
senseless feasts and utter debauches (we LIKE that word !!) which in turn leads to a rise
in the power of several up and coming figures, including Erhog the Dark.
Leader of a death cult, Erhog has taken over the barony of Ammennir. If she is not stopped,
her influence will continue to grow, and it could ultimately mean the end of the Empire and
the Highfather.
Your objective is to kill Erhog the Dark and thus prevent her becoming a major pain in the
butt. As you are working your way through the level towards her Temple (which is in the
south-eastern corner of the map), you will learn that she has sent corrupt nobles to
assassinate Emperor Demosthene in the Capital (they fail, but succeed in poisoning the poor
bloke)
You may find a Stone Ring, being guarded by an Ogre (just to the north of Gunner\'s Shop) -
if you do, take it to the statue in the north-east of the map behind Athlok\'s Keep to receive
a Tome of Fire. Liberate the town of Tanscroul to gain the assistance of Wolfgar, a Ranger
who is willing to fight on your side.
When you reach Erhog\'s Temple, be careful - she is warded against fire, earth, air and water,
and has a life draining attack, which replenishes her own health, and thereby prolongs her
chances of drawing out combat. Concentrate your attacks on her as she is by far the most
deadly unit in her Temple (as you would expect). She has reasonably low hit points, so she
should fall quickly enough. Once you have defeated Erhog you will find the antidote to the
poison that was used in the attempt on Emperor Demosthene\'s life, and this will be
transported back to the Capital and administered to him automatically.
OPPONENTS Legions of the Damned, Erhog the Dark.
CITIES
NEUTRAL CITIES
Name Inhabitants
Milonia 2 Goblins and a Goblin Archer
Argreban Squire, Spearman, Archer
Tanscroul Master Thug, Spearman, Thug
Jaignes Port 2 Peasants
(It is quite possible that the Legions will have taken Jaignes Port by the time you reach it)
Temple of Erhog Demon, Erhog the Dark, Ghost, Zombie
BUILDINGS
Name Inhabitants Gain anything from taking it ?
Ruined Tower Fighter, Zombie, Ghost 200 Gp, Zombie Orb
Old Fort 2 Imps 50 Gp, Bronze Ring (valuable)
Athlok\'s Keep 2 Devils, Cultist 300 Gp, Boots of Speed
Crumbled Temple Hill Giant 150 Gp, Orb of Thunder
EVENTS
Event Notes
Orc Trap Orc and 2 Goblins to the south of Milonia
Ogre Lair To the north of Gunner\'s Shop
ITEMS LYING ON THE GROUND
Treebark Potion, Potion of Speed, Life Potion, Silver Ring (valuable), Lightning Scroll,
Potion of Vigor, Emerald, Potion of Healing
ITEMS RETRIEVED FROM ENEMIES (COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND ORIGINALLY)
Strength Scroll, Orb of Restoration, Potion of Accuracy, Runestone, Banner of Protection
SHOPS
Name Sells
Gunner\'s Tower (Magic Shop) Summon Roc (200 Gp), Blizzard (200 Gp)
Thurin\'s Shop (Merchant) Life Potion x 4, Potion of Healing x 10, Potion of
Restoration x 10
ENDING
Erhog is defeated, and retreats back into her Temple as it crumbles about her.
The antidote is administered to Emperor Demosthene, but it does not break his silence -
he becomes more withdrawn and sullen as a result of the attack.
============================================================================================
2) The Alliance
BRIEFING AND COMMENTS
During the campaign against Erhog, corrupt nobles loot the Empire\'s treasury, leaving the
Empire all but penniless. Soon thereafter, many peasants (as a result of the real fear of
starvation) leave them Empire and follow would-be pretenders to the throne. Nevendaar is
on the brink of revolution as Hubert de Layle steps into the fray and offers to replenish
the treasury from his own personal funds, if he is crowned King of the Empire.
Many nobles support de Layle, fearing that the lack of funding may jeopardise their own
statuses, and the Empire splits as a result. Those loyal to the Emperor turn to their
old allies the Mountain Clans for help, and Empire emissaries are despatched to find
Slookarijj Darkstone, a member of the Clans Council, and friend to the Dwarven King
Morok Cloudkeeper.
As soon as you begin the level you are told by one of your troops that Slookarijj Darkstone
has been captured en route to meet you by the Legions of the Damned. BUMMER !! Naturally,
you set out to release him from his imprisonment.
Once you have taken the City of Pudivilimus I would strongly suggest fortifying it as the
Legions\' Capital is RIGHT next door, and there\'s a valley through which they WILL explore
frequently.
As you explore the map to the north, you will be advised by one of your Rangers that you
should follow the river to the north, and that this will lead you to the City Thrugre\'sh ...
your spies have indicated that this is where Slookarijj has been imprisoned.
A little while later you will be told (again, by one of your Rangers) that word has been
received from the Mountain Clans that Uther (the lost son of Emperor Demosthene) has been
found, deep in Mountain Clan Territory !! (Gets about a bit, doesn\'t he !!)
Whilst pootling about the map you will encounter (just south-east of Gunner\'s Tower) an
insane loremaster, who starts babbling on about how he knows what you\'re looking for, and
he\'ll never let \"her\" go ... he\'s referring to gaining immortality by drinking the blood of
an Arch-angel that he\'s captured (she\'s imprisoned in a mountain range to the north). If
you kill him and the two Yeti\'s he\'s travelling with you\'ll free and then gain control over
the archangel (who is quite chuffed to have been released) :)
If I were you I would AVOID taking on King Agraak (the Orc King who resides in Hundtoll)
until the very end of the level ... he is WELL hacked off about you killing his Greenskin
subjects, and as he won\'t leave his city (and therefore benefits from the defence bonus it
offers) he\'s QUITE difficult to kill. Definitely kill him before you leave the level,
however, as he gives good XP ;)
A bit later on, one of your Clerics will prompt you to ally with the Mountain Clans in order
to retrieve Uther, whom she believes can bring balance and harmony back to the Empire.
Just to the south-east of Redden\'s shop you will find Wizard Horek being forcibly imprisoned
by a group of nasties (thugs, master thugs and an imperial assassin for the mostpart) ...
if you free him, he will ask you to escort him to his brother, Wizard Tiorek, who is right
up there in the northwestern corner of the map. If you do this you will be rewarded with
a Quicksilver Potion, which will be automatically teleported to your Capital. A WORD OF
WARNING. Do NOT send your most powerful units in the same party as Wizard Horek as, once
he\'s been reunited with Wizard Tiorek, they BOTH disappear and your units will go with them !!
(The CHEEK !!!!!).
When (or should I say IF) you take the City of Malharon, you will be told by one of your
Rangers that Slookarijj is held east of the City (which is true - Thrugre\'sh is in the
northeasternmost corner of the map).
As you approach Thrugre\'sh you will be ambushed by two units of Undead Troops, each
containing THREE Werewolves. Werewolves CANNOT be harmed by physical weapons, so you will
have to have some pretty kick@ss magic to beat on these guys ;)
[Interesting thing : It was a poor ickle Arch-angel of mine that stumbled upon the werewolf
ambush, and naturally I figured she was dead meat ... but to my surprise, the werewolves
totally ignored her, and tore off across the other side of the map to pick a fight with my
MOST POWERFUL TEAM of heroes !! What a bunch of dummies !!]
Another quirk on this level is that if you leave it long enough (as in, if you go all over
the level killing everything and avoid the most direct route to your target), the heavy
hitters (ogres, etc.) will begin moving around the map and attacking cities, troops who are
just standing around, etc., etc., so beware ;)
Once you have taken the City of Thrugre\'sh, Slookarijj Darkstone is released and the level
ends.
OPPONENTS Legions of the Damned, Mountain Clans
CITIES
NEUTRAL CITIES
Name Inhabitants
Alinadan 3 Goblins, 3 Goblin Archers
Hundtoll Orc Champion, 3 Goblin Archers
[Ogre, Orc King, Orc Champion]
Pudivilimus Orc, Goblin, 3 Goblin Archers
Hoolbarr Barbarian Warrior, Barbarian Chieftain
Garken 2 Barbarian Warriors, Barbarian Chieftain
Thrugre\'sh Ghoul, 2 Templars, Necromancer, Specter
Malharon Master Thug, 2 Man at Arms, 3 Thugs
(It is quite possible that the Dwarves will have taken Malharon by the time you reach it)
BUILDINGS
Name Inhabitants Gain anything from taking it ?
Lost Temple (near Capital) Master thug, 2 Thugs 100 Gp, Elven Boots
Lost Temple (near Tiorek) 2 Barbarian Chieftains 250 Gp
Ruined Tower Orc Champion, Goblin, 2 Goblin Archers 150 Gp, Potion of
Protection
Abandoned Tower 3 Barbarian Warriors 500 Gp, Orc Orb
Big Mouth Lair Orc, Ogre, Goblin Archer 200 Gp
Antique Temple Ogre 100 Gp, Silver Ring
Ancient Tower LOOTED FROM THE OUTSET (Beside Wizard Tiorek)
Perthin Skeleton Champion, 2 Skeleton Warriors 200 Gp, Emerald
EVENTS
Event Comments
Insane Loremaster (Just south-east of Gunner\'s Tower) - babbles about \"her\" and how he\'ll never
let her go.
Hill Giant (Just east of the Insane Loremaster) - tells you you must leave.
Cemetery (Just south-east of Wizard Tiorek) - tells you this is holy ground; the
burial site of one of the heroes who fought during the First Great Wars,
and that his spirit will aid you (quite WHAT that does for you is beyond
me ...)
Ambush (Just outside the city of Thrugre\'sh) - ambushed by 2 sets of 3 werewolves.
ITEMS LYING ON THE GROUND
Potion of Striking, Life Potion, Bronze Ring (valuable), Ice Shield Scroll, Weakness Scroll,
Potion of Healing, Staff of Travelling, Potion of Restoration, Strength Scroll, Air Ward
Scroll, Gold Ring (valuable), Potion of Vigor, Incantare Hellhound, Emerald, Tome of Water
(behind the Legions\' Capital City, protected by an Ogre), Ruby, Summon Living Armour Scroll
ITEMS RETRIEVED FROM ENEMIES (COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND ORIGINALLY)
Life Potion, 2 x Potion of Restoration, Unholy Chalice (artifact), Bronze Ring (valuable),
Potion of Air Warding, 2 x Potion of Protection, Treebark Potion, Potion of Accuracy,
Potion of Strength, Sapphire, Imp Orb, Dwarven Bracer (artifact - being protected by the
Kraken to the southeast of Wizard Tiorek)
SHOPS
Name Sells
Gunner\'s Tower (Magic Shop) Ignis Carn (400 Gp), Incantare Hellhound (200 Gp),
Chronos (400 Gp)
Furren\'s Shop (Merchant) Life Potion x 5, Potion of Protection x 4, Potion of
Restoration x 10, Potion of Healing x 15, Potion of Fire
Warding x 1, Iron Skin Potion x 1, Banner of Speed x 1.
Redden\'s Shop (Merchant) Life Potion x 9, Potion of Protection x 4, Treebark Potion x 4,
Potion of Healing x 16, Potion of Accuracy x 3, Potion of
Vigor x 6, Potion of Invulnerability x 1.
Allar\'s Shop (Merchant) Talisman of Restoration, Goblin Talisman
ENDING
Slookarijj Darkstone is released from his imprisonment, and Morok Cloudkeeper strikes up an
Alliance with Emperor Demosthene and the Empire. Unfortunately Uther is still missing, AND
to make matters worse, during negotiations with the Mountain Clans, Hubert de Layle has time
to amass a small army ...
============================================================================================
3) Antagonists
BRIEFING AND COMMENTS
Hubert de Layle, now having put together a reasonably-sized army, has begun his march to the
north, occupying all cities en route, and razing those that challenge his rule. The heads of
all those who stand against him are displayed on pikes throughout his corrupt Empire.
News spreads throughout the Empire of Uther\'s return, and rumour has it he is leading a
group of Mountain Clan warriors down from Griffin Heights to purge the Empire of those
disloyal to his father. Emperor Demosthene takes his court northwards ahead of Hubert de
Layle\'s army to the City of Fhindar - a heavily fortified city, and home of Inquisitor
Phillip d\'Agincourt, whom the Emperor hopes will be able to ensure his safety.
Your primary objective on this level is to UTTERLY annihilate Hubert de Layle ... which is
cool, \'coz the little MAGGOT has been causing you a lot of hassle so far ... on with the
mayhem !!
As soon as the level starts you are greeted by an Imperial Assassin called Nobar the
Traveller. Nobar tells you that Phillip d\'Agincourt is awaiting your arrival in the city
of Fhindar, and that he will lead you there (this isn\'t STRICTLY 100% accurate, as Nobar
and his two archers then becomes yours to control, so he doesn\'t really lead you anywhere),
but the Imperial Assassin is a cool unit, and quite handy to have about the place.
Just to the north of your capital is the city of Khazan Keep - I would suggest taking this
city early on in the level as it\'s so close to your capital. If your troops are having a
hard time beating the forces in the city, just return them to your capital to heal and then
try again ... and again if need\'s be :)
Nobar soon warns you of the dangers of remaining in the water, saying that the rivers are
inhabited by Sea-Witches, and so you should watch your step ... in reality there aren\'t
THAT many Sea Creatures to worry about, but you should keep your eyes open nonetheless ...
... a couple of turns later, Nobar will advise you that Phillip d\'Agincourt has blocked all
the passages leading to Fhindar, just to be on the safe side ... let\'s hope you can get
through eh !!
After a few more turns one of your Rangers reports seeing smoke rising from Silk Forest (a
fair ways to the east of your capital city). It seems someone or something has set the
forest ablaze and driven the spiders that inhabit it out ... but who could that be ...
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ...
... next turn, sure enough, the Spiders begin pouring out of the valley to the north-east
of the city of Silveria. There are LOADS of spiders (which is both a good and a bad thing
- they are tough, but give oodles of yummy XP).
The SOURCE of the fire in Silk Forest is, surprise surprise, Hubert de Layle. He and his
band of MUPPETS have scared out the spiders, and are about to begin their march to Fhindar ...
[HINT : If you want to delay imposing what amounts to a time-limit on this level, DON\'T GO
INTO THE SILK FOREST after you\'ve killed the Spiders - instead, just wipe out the spiders that
come out (which are ... ooh ... about four Giant Black Spiders and one Giant Spider if my
memory serves) ... and then continue exploring the rest of the map - this will give you a
little more time before de Layle makes his exit from the Forest].
As you step onto the little ramp leading from the northeastern section of the level (where
the Legions\' Capital is located) up to Perthin, you are greeted by (fanfare) Uther ! AT
LAST !! I was wondering when he was gonna show up ... he asks you ... no ... he TELLS you
basically to rally with him to cleanse the Empire of its corruption (a bit arrogant, but
sounds like a plan, non ?) and you are then given command of THREE more units of troops - (1)
Uther, a Hill Giant and a Warrior (2 and 3) 2 Warriors, Crossbowman, Axe Thrower. Your
objectives also now change to become \"Destroy Hubert de Layle. Uther must not die\".
I personally would suggest NOT taking Uther into combat, as his survival is key to the
completion of the level ... find a shady spot for the boy, and leave one of his 2 Warrior,
Crossbowman, Axe Thrower units to protect him (not that he really NEEDS it, but it\'s better
to be safe than sorry), and then march the other unit out to kick some @ss !!
If you\'ve picked it up and not yet used it, you COULD always cast that Divis Nocte spell to
give Uther a bit more shade (and thereby protect him from spells for a while) - juuuuuuuuuust
a thought ;)
Anyhow ... a few turns after you have gained control of Uther, you will be made aware of the
presence of Hubert de Layle in Silk Forest (in the game - as in, if you\'d NOT been reading
this FAQ !) ... yeah ... anyway ... he and his band of merry men tell you that you\'re a fool
for not joining them, and embark upon their march to take the city of Fhindar. Your
objectives change once again to become : Destroy Hubert de Layle BEFORE he captures the
City of Fhindar. Uther must not die.
Nobar also shows up (bless) to tell you that Phillip d\'Agincourt has led you into a trap, and
that you need to be careful (DUH)
For your information, Hubert is VERY well guarded - he travels with the following units :-
Name of Group Units in Group
Hubert de Layle Hubert de Layle, Elementalist, Inquisitor, Hierophant, Imperial
Assassin
Hubert\'s Guards 2 Archers, 2 Spearmen, Hubert\'s Guards (aka ONE Imperial Assassin)
Hubert\'s Scout 2 Archers, Imperial Knight, Hubert\'s Scout (aka ONE Ranger)
Hubert\'s Guards 2 Archers, 2 Spearmen, Hubert\'s Guards (aka ONE Imperial Assassin)
(No, I\'ve not got the shakes - there are two units called Hubert\'s Guards).
You now have THREE major ways of dealing with the situation (you\'ll probably use elements of
all three) :-
1) TAKE HUBERT WHERE HE IS. Since his troops are all closely huddled, you can barracade
the exit to Silk Forest with your troops and take him whilst he\'s still IN the forest.
2) PICK OFF HIS TROOPS PIECEMEAL. As he is marching along the map, he and his troops are
VERY vulnerable to spells, so if you\'re playing as a Mage Lord you can literally BOMBARD
them with combat spells as they are marching to Fhindar - you should be able to
dramatically weaken (even kill) most of them before they get there ... similarly, as his
units move at different speeds, they can be taken one by one (ish) and that SHOULD allow
you time to hit and run ;)
3) BEAT HIM TO IT. Take Fhindar yourself !! Why not !?!?! Keeping Fhindar under the
control of a Neutral Power is NOT one of your objectives on this level, so you can take
Fhindar before him and build it up from the Level 2 City it is at the minute to a Level 5,
stock it with all your troops (including Uther, because if either he dies OR Fhindar
falls, you lose) and then wait for him to come to you.
The choice is entirely yours, but MAKE THAT SCUMBAG PAY !! =D
Once Hubert dies, the level ends.
[HINT: IF at all possible, take the Den IN the Silk Forest as well, as it contains a Soul
Crystal - a VERY useful artifact for the levels ahead]
OPPONENTS Hubert de Layle, Legions of the Damned.
CITIES
NEUTRAL CITIES
Name Inhabitants
Khazan Keep 2 Spearmen, Man at Arms, Archer
Silveria 2 Man at Arms, Spearman, Marksman
Runia Orc, 2 Goblins
Fhindar 2 Man at Arms, Spearman
BUILDINGS
Name Inhabitants Gain anything from taking it ?
Ruined Keep Orc, Goblin, 2 Goblin Archers 300 Gp, Sapphire
Abandoned Temple Ogre, 2 Goblins 100 Gp
Den Giant Spider, Ogre, Goblin Archer 500 Gp, Soul Crystal
Perthin Rock Giant, Druidess, Crossbowman 400 Gp
Lost Mastaba Ice Giant, Mountaineer 300 Gp, Talisman of Freezing
EVENTS
Event Information
Nobar the Traveller Introduces himself at start of level and proves quite useful throughout
as a source of information
Startled Spiders Hubert de Layle forces Spiders to flee Silk Forest, east of your
Capital
Hubert\'s March Hubert and his forces march to Fhindar to slay Emperor Demosthene
d\'Agincourt\'s Betrayal That PUNK !! =O
ITEMS LYING ON THE GROUND
Potion of Striking, Life Potion, Wotan\'s Blessing Scroll, Potion of Restoration, Potion of
Water Warding, Orb of Regeneration, Gold Ring, Orb of Nosferat, Potion of Fortune (just to
the north-west of Perthin)
ITEMS RETRIEVED FROM ENEMIES (COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND ORIGINALLY)
2 x Potion of Strength, 2 x Life Potion, Call Decay Dragon Scroll, Emerald, Banner of Battle
(carried by one of the spiders that flees the Silk Forest), Wotan\'s Blessing Scroll (no,
it\'s not the same one I listed above - there are DEFINITELY at least 2 on this level),
Divis Nocte Scroll, Banner of Protection
SHOPS
Name Sells
Under\'s Shop (Merchant) Life Potion x 5, Potion of Protection x 2, Potion of Healing
x 10, Potion of Restoration x 10, Potion of Vigor x 2,
Healing Ointment x 3
Thurania\'s Shop (Magic Shop) Chronos (400 Gp), Cursa demoneus (400 Gp)
Malavien\'s Tower (Magic Shop) Chant of Arms (600 Gp), Vithar\'s Might (200 Gp), Tempest (600 Gp)
Tralar\'s Shop (Merchant) Life Potion x 5, Potion of Healing x 9, Potion of Restoration
x 10, Healing Ointment x 3, Ring of Strength (artifact) x 1
ENDING
Uther (UTHER !?!?! WE did that !!) defeats Hubert de Layle, and returns home to Nevendaar.
Emperor Demosthene\'s illness miraculously heals and, feeling overjoyed and renewed at the safe
return of his son to his house, sets about rebuilding the crippled and corrupted Empire.
[Hint: If you take the Soul Crystal from this level with you, you\'ll have a MUCH easier time
on the next level.]
============================================================================================
4) Uther\'s Crusade
BRIEFING AND COMMENTS
Even though Hubert de Layle is now defeated, his legacy remains ... many petty nobles have
arisen from the ashes of his demise, to lay their own claims to the Throne of the Empire.
Demosthene awakens from a nightmare he was having about bad fruit (as you do) and, realising
that this dream was an Omen (and that he, as he is still weak, cannot yet reclaim his Empire)
sends Uther to quell the uprisings.
Kewl !! So we get to kick BUTT (again). Hokay boys and girls, buckle up ...
Your objective in this level is to re-capture the Cities of Avonia Castle, Rock Castle and
North Keep. Oh ... and Uther must not die.
Since this is another one of those Uther (precious) HAS to keep breathing levels, I would
strongly suggest not sending him into any BIG battles ... use him to mop up weaker troops
around the map if it pleases you, but save the MEGA fights for your bestest leader and his
troops, and leave Uther garrisoned in one of your Cities ... your capital is obviously
safest ...
Also, as there are plenty of heavy hitters in the Greenskin mob out there (i.e. Trolls),
bringing the Soul Crystal from the previous mission would have been a GREAT move, as it can
be used to paralyse opponents and thereby prolong your chances of not getting your butt
kicked too early on ;)
As you begin the level, Uther runs out of the capital (impetuous child) to tell you that
the cities you need to capture lie to the south. Yes Uther. Right. NOW GET BACK INDOORS
BEFORE YOU CATCH A COLD YOU SILLY SOD !!
Soon after starting, a very nice Drawf by the name of Dagarik Stormcaller shows up to advise
you of the presence of the Mountain Clans on this level, and to confirm that they will aid
you in your mission and respect the boundaries of your lands as per the Alliance between your
two peoples.
... bless ...
So off you go ! As you get close to Malavien\'s Tower (a magic shop just to the southeast of
the City of Kenoshann), one of your Rangers will pop up to give you a health warning about
Trolls ... they are M-E-A-N (as if you NEEDED to be told that !!) ... sigh ...
As the level progresses, you will start to see Uther becoming ... well ... a bit more
tyrannical basically ! He doesn\'t just want to protect the Empire from its would-be
destroyers ... he wants to wipe them out ENTIRELY ...
To make matters slightly worse, one of your Rangers pops up a bit later on to tell you that
Avonia Castle has fallen to the Greenskins, and that the populace has been decimated ...
that\'s SURE to nark Uther even more, non ??
More plodding, more exploring, more looting and pillaging under the guise of a holy
crusade ... ah, we love the Empire :)
[Note ... A little while after learning that Avonia Castle has been nabbed by our green-skinned
friends, E-V-I-L little SCUMS that they are, the Mountain Clans break their treaty with me !!
In my experience of playing this game, treaties are frequently broken by the computer at
different times, so this might not happen at this point during your level, but EXPECT it to
be happening soon ... always got their eye on a better deal those crafty dwarves ... well
I\'ll show THEM !!]
Shortly after the Mountain Clans break the Treaty, one of your Mages reports that they have
severed ALL Diplomatic Communications with the Empire, and are amassing troops near their
capital ...
As you bear down on North Keep, the inhabitants come out to face you (NOT a smart move on
their part) ... they are outraged that you have come to \"liberate\" their City in the name
of the Empire, claiming that they have had to defend against Orcs, Goblins, and Trolls and
have had NO help from the Empire in spite of their pleas. Once you have despatched their
warriors and occupied the city, Uther (in response to their constant complaints about the
inequities of the Empire) has them all put to death !!!!! =O
((( whips out a copy of the Dictionary )))
Saviour : \"A person who rescues another from harm, danger, or loss.\"
Hmmm ... I wonder if Uther knows about this ... =./
Oh well ... there\'s always more cities ... ONWARD !!!!!
A little while later a Vampire pops up to threaten Uther - who responds with his usual
\"I\'ma gonna kick yo\' @ss you scrawny lil\' punk\" rubbish ... yeah yeah little man, dream
on ....................................... oh ... wait a minute - that\'s us !! GO UTHER !! =D
In the next few turns, the Vampire that made the threat (who is in a unit with 2 Templars
and a Warlock) and a Zombie group (comprising a Zombie, 2 Ghouls and a Warlock) make towards
the Capital to beat on Uther. The Legions also pop up to insult the Empire for sending a mere
boy to assault them, and Uther responds with something interesting ... he says \"Laugh all you
want ... prepare to meet your new master\" ... hmmmmmm =./
After those two groups have been despatched, one of your Mages advises you that you have
received a message from the Mountain Clans - they\'ve declared war on you ! It\'s from Dagarik
Stormcaller ... our friend from earlier ! Here\'s a brief transcript of their conversation :-
[Begin transcript]
Dagarik (clears throat) : \"Um ... I\'m TERRIBLY sorry sonny, but my master has told me to
whup yo @ss\"
Uther \"Say WHAT !?!?! Little man I\'m SO gunna put my boot up yours\"
Dagarik \"It\'s not MY fault dude - he\'s been really cut up since his son passed away in
that tragic skiing accident\"
Uther \"BOO HOO\"
Dagarik \"Omigod ! How MEAN are you !?!?! I\'m gonna rip your head off you KRAZY man !!\"
[End transcript]
So the upshot is that Dagarik Stormcaller says he\'s REALLY sorry, but he has no choice, and
that Morok Cloudkeeper has COMMANDED his subjects to destroy Uther ... OH WELL THAT\'S ALRIGHT
THEN INNIT !! SHEESH !! =O
Dagarik leaves under a cloud, and vows to seek vengeance when he meets you on the battlefield.
Dagaric (notice the difference ? I reckon the programmers were having an oojie) Stormcaller
then leaves the Capital city of the Mountain Clans and move south across the map ... you
really SHOULD stop him as, even though he\'s a TOP bloke, he\'s carrying some natty items
including a Life Potion, some Potions of Restoration AND a Runic Blade (artifact) ... once
you\'ve slain him, he says his bit and pops his clogs ... it\'s quite emotional really (wipes
a tear from his eye).
If at any point on this level you move towards the Crumbled Castle, a terrified peasant named
Emand comes running up to to ask you to help him and save his children from the Trolls that
have raided his farm and forced him to flee. You then gain control of Peasant Emand for a
little while. I know what you\'re thinking ... \"What the HECK am I supposed to do with a
PEASANT, right ?\" Well check out his LEADERSHIP dude ! Zat\'s right !! Peasant Emand has
FIVE leadership points ! Put him in the back row and outfit him with some KILLER troops if
you fancy ... why not !! Just remember same rules apply as with Wizard Horek in the previous
level - once you\'ve finished with Peasant Emand, he\'ll leave and take whoever was with him
with him, so don\'t say you\'ve not been forewarned.
You will see that as soon as you\'ve gained control of Peasant Emand, a troll walks up to just
south of the unit that found him ... this is the troll Emand was speaking about ... as soon
as you have killed this unit, you will lose Emand ... so in all PRACTICAL reality you won\'t
have Emand long enough to enjoy him ... but you COULD do if you really wanted to (just don\'t
kill the troll !!)
As soon as you have destroyed the troll that was hassling Peasant Emand, he thanks you and
reveals his family secret to you - apparently one of his ancestors was a great warrior, who
recorded all his secrets in a tome ... this tome is located in his house, which is beyond a
mountain range to the south of your present location - Emand opens the secret passageway there
for you as a token of his gratitude.
Outside Rock Castle a wayward band of Spearmen offer to ally with you as soon as you draw
close - it appears they are afraid of the UTTER buttkicking you would otherwise give them ...
smart kids !! :)
So you gain the following in one unit :- Spearman, 2 Men at Arms, 2 Archers (handy !!)
Once all three cities are under your control, you will automatically complete the level.
With the cities uprisings quelled, Demosthene returns to the Capital, to rest ...
OPPONENTS Legions of the Damned, Rebels and Greenskins holding the Three Cities in question
ALLIES Mountain Clans (at least at the outset)
CITIES
NEUTRAL CITIES
Name Inhabitants
Jenosh 2 Master Thugs, 2 Archers
Avonia Castle 2 Trolls
Kenoshann Zombie, Fighter, Warlock, Wraith
Goxx City Orc Champion, Orc, Goblin Archer
Asmara 2 Peasants, Thug, Archer
North Keep 2 Spearmen, 2 Marksmen, Man at Arms, Priest
Rock Castle Imperial Priest, 2 Grand Inquisitors, Marksman, Spearman, Elementalist
MOUNTAIN CLANS CITIES
Name Inhabitants
March Fort Crossbowman, Rock Giant, Loremaster
BUILDINGS
Name Inhabitants Gain anything from taking it ?
Tower 4 Goblin Archers 150 Gp, Orb of Vigor
Crumbled Castle Werewolf, 2 Wolves 100 Gp, Staff of Paralyzing
Haunted Halls Shade, Deathdragon, Ghost 750 Gp, Banner of Resistance
Old Tumulus Orc Champion, Troll, Ogre 1,000 Gp, Tome of War
Ancient Temple 2 Goblins 30 Gp, Rust Scroll
Ruined Outpost Orc, 2 Goblin Archers 300 Gp
Abandoned Farm Devil, Cultist 200 Gp, Orb of Venom
Kassel 2 Peasants, Apprentice 100 Gp, Orb of Fear
Lost Mastaba Polar Bear 200 Gp
EVENTS
Event Information
Dagarik Stormcaller Introduction - Dagarik Stormcaller advises you of the Alliance
between the Empire and the Clans
Ranger Warns you about how MEAN Trolls are as you approach Malavien\'s
Tower
Dwarven Betrayal HAVE WE NO FRIENDS AT ALL !?!?!?!?!??!!
Vampire Assault Vampire, Zombie, Ghouls, etc., attempt to assassinate Uther
Dwarven War (!!) Dwarves declare WAR on the Empire
Peasant Emand Peasant Emand asks to be liberated from his Troll Troubles
(Note that you might not do the above in that order - I would expect you can do Emand a LOT
earlier in the level - I just went a different route !!)
ITEMS LYING ON THE GROUND
2 x Potion of Healing, Potion of Air Warding, Runestone (artifact - just east of Malavien\'s
Tower), Potion of Vigor, Healing Ointment, 2 x Life Potion, Ice Shield Scroll, Potion of
Accuracy, True Sight Scroll, Silver Ring (valuable), Orb of Fire, Ruby, Lizard Man Orb,
Talisman of Life (just to the west of North Keep (it\'s floating in the water)), Gold Ring
(valuable), Iron Skin Potion (on the floor beside the Crumbled Castle), Titan\'s Might Potion
(on thefloor beside the Crumbled Castle), Diamond, Orb of Regeneration, Potion of Striking
ITEMS RETRIEVED FROM ENEMIES (COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND ORIGINALLY)
6 x Potion of Restoration, 8 x Life Potion, Treebark Potion, Potion of Healing, Maledicere
Scroll, Summon II: Evil Ent Scroll, Talisman of Restoration, Banner of Striking, Potion of
Swiftness, Runic Blade (artifact - carried by Dagaric/k Stormcaller), Talisman of Life (not
the same one as I picked up off the floor - I\'m 100% sure), Orb of Earth, Potion of Strength,
Infernal Knight Orb, Rust Scroll
SHOPS
Name Sells
Ebhon\'s Shop (Merchant) Angel Orb x 1, Zombie Orb x 1, Orc Orb x 1, Lizard Man
Talisman x 1
Malavien\'s Tower (Magic Shop) Weakness (200 Gp), Fog of Death (600 Gp), Summon I: Skeleton
(200 Gp)
Thurin\'s Shop (Merchant) Life Potion x 5, Potion of Healing x 10, Potion of Restoration x
10, Potion of Striking x 5, Potion of Vigor x 5, Healing
Ointment x 3, Potion of Might x 2
Yggar\'s Shop (Merchant) Life Potion x 5, Potion of Protection x 5, Potion of Healing x
10, Potion of Restoration x 10
Xennon\'s Camp (Mercenary) Man at Arms (50 Gp), Spearman (300 Gp)
ENDING
With the three cities retaken, Emperor Demosthene can finally make his way back to the Capital
to rest ...
============================================================================================
5) Slander and Barbarism
BRIEFING AND COMMENTS
As Demosthene was returning home, he received word from the East that an army of undead
warriors was staging a relentless assault on the Elven Lands. Should they be victorious,
they would have an unobstructed path through High Annulia and thereafter to Nevendaar.
Nobody knew why Mortis had returned, but it certainly wasn\'t a good sign ... and even though
the Elves had not requested the aid of the Empire, Emperor Demosthene, realising the severity
of the situation, arranges for a small group of warriors to rush to their assistance in what
could be a MOST important battle to ensure the future safety of Nevendaar.
Your objective on this level is to destroy Dark Elf Lyf before he can kill the Elves.
Sounds quite simple ? This guy is BAD news I\'m tellin\' ya.
Upon your arrival, one of your Marksmen tells you that the Elven City is to the west of your
Capital, and that you must be quick, as they are under attack.
As you explore the level you will find that, perhaps a bit disturbingly, the Legions do not
seem that fussed about losing to you - they babble incessantly about the rebirth of their
God Bethrezen, and how this will mean your suffering \"a millennia of pain\", and other such
pleasantries. Don\'t these people know how to say Hello ?? Sheesh !!
A little while into the level, you are approached by a Forest Elf who tells you of the
plight of his people - it appears that their city is under attack by the undead (tell us
something we DON\'T already know will ya !), and he offers to lead you to his Lord Hyllia,
as \"humans cannot enter Elven Lands\" (we\'ll see about THAT !!).
Once again, he doesn\'t actually LEAD you anywhere - you simply gain control of his unit
(the Forest Elf, who (at least in my level) is quite badly wounded, and two Elf Rangers), so
I would heal the Forest Elf if he needs it, and then use this party as cannon fodder OR
(even better) to explore the map and (ideally) find the Elves ... whom we know are to the
west of your capital.
If you\'re not moving quick enough, you will find that the Forest Elf attempts to chivvy you
along by saying that he\'s not sure how much longer his forces can hold off against the Undead
Hordes (and technically he\'s right - the Undead ARE on their way to beat the living PLOP out
of the Elves) ;)
Time to get your skates on kid !!
To the south-east of Werric\'s Shop, you will encounter a Mermaid and a Kraken, and the
Mermaid will introduce herself to you and tell you that she is a friend of the elves, and
has been sent to protect you whilst you are en route to their island in Ullguth\'s Lake, which
is west of your present location.
Once AGAIN (really REALLY unhelpfully) she doesn\'t show you the way - she just joins your
team ... nevermind ... to get to where you\'re going just follow the river to the west of your
present location (as in, up alongside Werric\'s shop and upwards), and then to the south
(i.e. left) when you reach the corner of the island, so to speak. Undead are pouring from
the north to the south on this map, so you basically have two options - either stop the
flow of Undead by moving north and taking out the Lost Mastaba (your ultimate target), or
protect the Elves from their existing attackers, by going south to their island.
The choice, as they say, is entirely yours ...
[HINT: Do NOT select the Mermaid unit too many times, or the sound of her going UH-HAW
will become SOOOOO annoying you\'ll probably never wanna play through the rest of the game ...
T-R-U-S-T M-E ! ! !]
Dark Elf Lyf appears a bit later to ask you what the heck you think you\'re doing, and to
GO AWAY ... yuh RIGHT buddy ... ONWARD !!
I would suggest moving to the north, to take out the mainstay of the Undead Army before it
floods the map ...
If you DO decide to go to the north, one of your troops pops up to warn you that the land
appears strange - nothing is growing, and he feels concerned that \"weird things\" could pop up
at any moment ... to which Dark Elf Lyf responds by saying that it\'s too late - caution is a
good thing, but the \"weird things\" are comin\' atcha !!
BRACE FOR AN ATTACK !!
Assuming you survive, you should make your way deeper and deeper into the north until you
secure the City of Groshhenn, which you should STRONGLY fortify so as to defend against
further undead passers-by. A seemingly ENDLESS supply of Undead Warriors pour from the Lost
Mastaba down to the other areas of the map, and quelling this onslaught is a great ... no ...
make that a GREAT ... idea ...
I would suggest sending the Mermaid and her Kraken friend to the island she spoke of WHILST
sending your best units into the north to take Groshhenn, to give you a 2-pronged attack.
[HINT: NOT all the elves you encounter are your allies (obviously Dark Elf Lyf isn\'t, but
also some of the elves in the waters around their home island are ... let\'s say ...
unwilling ... to let you pass) - you have been forewarned !!]
When you reach the Elven Island, you will find that the Elf Lord Hyllia rushes out to
greet you ... he thanks you for your aid, and tells you a bit more about Dark Elf Lyf ... it
appears that Mortis HERSELF directly intervened to bend Dark Elf Lyf to her will, and how he
is her willing pawn ... you will then gain control of 2 or 3 parties (depending on how many
have fallen to the Undead by the time you get here - it will most likely be just two). These
comprise :-
1) 2 Elf Rangers, 2 Centaurs and Elf Lord Hyllia.
2) Centaur Lancer, 2 Elf Rangers.
Your objectives will ALSO change at this point to include a new one - Elf Lord Hyllia must
not die.
((( You know what this means )))
Time to wrap him up in cotton wool then, eh ... hokay ... since he (and every other elf on
the map it seems) has stipulated that humans are not allowed into the Elven Island, I would
use your Elvish troops to defend the Elven Island and press north with your best warriors to
secure the Lost Mastaba ... meanwhile you can send Elf Lord Hyllia to explore the Elven
Island and nab all the goodies there for you ...
Depending on how long it takes you to battle northwards to challenge Dark Elf Lyf in his
Fortress (Lost Mastaba), the Elves WILL keep sending you messengers and others to tell you
how badly they are fairing (I thought the elves were supposed to be STRONG !!), and Undead
Hordes will continue to pour forth from the Lost Mastaba and head southwards ...
Once you have conquered the Lost Mastaba in the North-west of the Map, the level ends and
disaster is averted.
[INTERESTING THING : If you re-take Fox City you get a little spiel (as you\'re no doubt
accustomed to by now), but this one actually comes from an Undead Fighter Unit (but he speaks
as if he were one of your own troops !!) he says that the streets have all been swept clean
of living things by pestilence winds Mortis\' minions must have assailed the City with ...
O-U-C-H !!]
[INTERESTING THING : If you re-take Avonia Castle, one of your Mages pops up to tell you that
there are carvings on the wall depicting Lyf the Elf BEFORE he was turned by Mortis, and how
the Elves had no choice but to abandon the city after Lyf\'s transformation to Dark Elf
Lyf ...]
[HINT: Obviously focus your attacks on Dark Elf Lyf when you finally DO fight him, as he is
a powerful summoner, and will fill any and all empty spaces in his party of six every turn he
gets a chance ... but as with all summoners, if he is slain, all his summoned creatures will
instantly die too :\">]
OPPONENTS Dark Elf Lyf and his army, Legions of the Damned, Undead Hordes.
CITIES
NEUTRAL CITIES
Name Inhabitants
Ugghekk Giant Black Spider, Goblin Archer
Fox City [Fighter, Ghost]
Brisburg [2 Fighters]
Avonia Castle 3 Lizard Men, Medusa
Grosshenn [Doomdrake, Dracolich]
Suldon Cultist, 3 Imps
Gromdam [Demon, Demonologist]
UNDEAD CITIES
Name Inhabitants Gain anything from taking it ?
Taura [Doomdrake, Zombie] Orb of Fire, Potion of Restoration
BUILDINGS
Name Inhabitants Gain anything from taking it ?
(NOTE: in the list below, se = south-east, and nw = north-west. Ta !)
Abandoned Castle Wraith, 2 Initiates 200 Gp, Staff of Necromancy
Perthin 2 Goblin Archers 100 Gp, Celerity Scroll
Lost Mastaba (se) Dark Lord, Warlock, 2 Specters 500 Gp, Summon II : Golem Scroll
Lost Mastaba (nw) Dark Elf Lyf, Deathdragon, Lyf\'s Summons 1,000 Gp
Ruined Keep Imperial Assassin, 2 Master Thugs, Peasant 300 Gp
Old Temple 2 Lizardmen 300 Gp, Ice Spirits Scroll
Crumbled Temple 2 Ghouls 200 Gp, Orb of Nosferat
EVENTS
Event Information
Notice of Elves under Siege Marksman tells you to haul @ss to the west
Forest Elf visits the Capital Tells you that you need to haul @ss to the west to help his
people
Mermaid assists you Tells you to haul @ss to the west (starting to see a pattern
here ?)
[When you arrive in the West]
Elf Lord Hyllia Greets you and offers to help you fight Dark Elf Lyf
Dark Elf Lyf Tells you to buzz off and then tries to kill you !! Can\'t we
all just git along ?!?!?!?!
ITEMS LYING ON THE GROUND
Orb of Vigor, Seafaring Scroll, 2 x Life Potion, Rot Scroll, 2 x Potion of Restoration,
Boots of Travelling, Tome of Arcanum, Potion of Healing, Stone Rain Scroll, Potion of
Protection, Tortio Menta Scroll, Ignis Carn Scroll, Tormentio Scroll, Orb of Regeneration,
Ruby, Tiara of Purity (artifact - from the mountainous cave to the south-east of the Undead
Capital), Orb of Poison
ITEMS RETRIEVED FROM ENEMIES (COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND ORIGINALLY)
4 x Life Potion, Potion of Invulnerability, Incubus Talisman, 2 Healing Ointment, Orb of
Fire, 2 x Potion of Restoration, Zombie Talisman, Potion of Healing, Potion of Restoration,
Dwarven Bracer (artifact), Potion of Might, Weakness Scroll, Gold Ring (valuable)
SHOPS
Name Sells
Kilgen\'s Shop (Merchant) Healing Ointment x 3, Life Potion x 5, Potion of
Restoration x 10, Potion of Healing x 10, Treebark Potion
x 5, Potion of Water Warding x 1, Potion of Fire Warding
x 1, Potion of Striking x 5
Purthen\'s Camp (Mercenary) Wolf (300 Gp)
Mathemor\'s Tower (Magic Shop) Ignis Mare (200 Gp), Chronos (400 Gp), Paraseus (600 Gp)
Furren\'s Shop (Merchant) Life Potion x 5, Potion of Swiftness x 5, Potion of
Restoration x 10, Potion of Healing x 10, Highfather\'s
Potion x 1, Potion of Striking x 3, Potion of Strength x 3
Werric\'s Shop (Merchant) Life Potion x 3, Potion of Restoration x 10, Potion of
Healing x 10, Potion of Accuracy x 3, Potion of
Protection x 3
ENDING
Congratulations !! You slew the tyrannical Dark Elf Lyf (Mortis\' Angel in the World), and
can now return home with your troops to Nevendaar, where a great feast awaits you ...
============================================================================================
6) The Celebration
BRIEFING AND COMMENTS
As is apparently the custom in Nevendaar, Demosthene as Emperor prepares to crown his son
Uther whilst he is still alive (that\'s Demosthene - not Uther). News of this momentous
occasion spreads throughout the kingdom, and all attend the great banquet in the Capital
(even in a GAME nobody can resist a free meal it seems). Still nobody knew what had happened
to Uther during the ten years he had been stolen away from Nevendaar, but all were certain
of the strength he wielded, and that the burden of being the Emperor at such a young age did
not seem to phase him at all ...
Your objective at the outset of this mission is a simple one - ensure that Uther is crowned
Emperor ... to do this, you just need to watch the events unfold.
Demosthene is all set to begin the ceremony, when Uther turns his banner to the Legions and
utterly ANNIHILATES his dad !! THAT LITTLE BUGGERHEAD !!!!! As if that wasn\'t enough,
Uther then flees the capital and several (3) units of demons teleport in to start laying
waste to Nevendaar.
Great. Juuuuuuuuuuuuust great. I leave you alone for TWO little minutes and just LOOK at
the mess you make !! =O
Hokay. We\'re off.
As this is Nevendaar, the CAPITAL of the Empire, you would expect that it would be REPLETE
with people loyal to the Empire, yeah ? Well ... kinda ... you DO get a load of extra units
to start off with, which are as follows :-
1) Peasant (like, WOW)
2) Spearman and Archer
3) Spearman
4) Spearman
5) Spearman and Man at Arms
6) Spearman and Man at Arms
7) Spearman
... so THIS is the mightiest Nevendaar can muster ... Mercenaries, basically. Pathetic.
Well, we\'d best make do, \'coz it ain\'t gonna get any easier ;)
You ALSO gain control of, not only your capital (which you would naturally expect), but also
a city just outside Nevendaar, called Gilgam City ... it starts out as a very humble level 1
City with nobody in it, so I would move the Spearman just outside it indoors and build it up
to serve as a gatehouse for Nevendaar.
Naturally your objectives have now changed ... your new primary goal is to avenge the death
of Emperor Demosthene by KILLING Uther .......................................... COOL !! =D
[INTERESTING POINT : The units you are so graciously \"given\" have really RUBBISH leadership
scores ... usually no greater than the number of units they have with them to begin with (in
some cases 0 !!) so they are about as much use as a chocolate fireguard really ...]
So ... your first step should be to despatch the Demon GOONS in Nevendaar ... this SHOULDN\'T
prove to be too much hassle, but I would concentrate on doing so with your BEST troops, and
thereby focus on minimising the casualties to your new troops.
A short while after the disaster in Nevendaar has at least been contained, you receive a
messenger from the Elven Lands to the East. He voices the sorrow of the Elven People at not
having been able to help you prevent the tragic death of Emperor Demosthene, and says that
they are unable to help you in your present plight either, as they are handling an internal
matter in their lands to the east. You are asked NOT to intrude on their lands ...
... What ? After ALL we did to help them last time out ? How RUDE !! =(
If you take Indrus Keep, an Initiate says to you \"Why don\'t we ally - Mortis had ordered us
to kill Uther as well ?\" - this sounds like a dodgy idea ... you really wanna trust a corpse ?
Doesn\'t matter \'coz he doesn\'t actually offer you an alliance - it seems to be just a suggestion
... hmmm ... =./
Uther is, for your information, in the south-western corner of the map, behind the Legions\'
Capital City. Whilst this means that the Mountain Clans (being in the northwest) are
geographically out of your way (at least a bit), neither they NOR the elves should be
ignored ;)
After a few more turns have passed (during which you will almost definitely still be making
your way towards the Legions in the corner), you receive (at your Capital) an Elven Messenger,
who says that the Elves offer to help you, provided you do them \"a small service\" and destroy
the living dead to the south of their realm. Obviously this represents a deviation from your
intended course, but if you choose to help them out, you need to clear out all the undead to
the south and south-east of your Capital City ... if you do this an Elf Centaur will appear,
thank you, and give you a gift - the Horn of Awareness (artifact).
However, EVEN AFTER doing this the elves do not seem to want to let you into their lands ...
you will be met with distinct resistance when you go there ... ESPECIALLY if you try and take
the city in their lands ...
If you conquer the city of Haven to the north, the Dwarves respond much as the Initiate
did ... they question why you have attacked them instead of allying to defeat your mutual
enemy ... (LOOK WHO\'S TALKING !! Any time Clan troops have encountered the Empire on this
level so far, they\'ve tried to kill you !!)
Once you have found Uther, he casts a spell on you which reduces your unit\'s chances to hit,
and then he sends a unit to attack you ...
... since the spell only lasts for one round, I would strongly suggest that as soon as you
have battled off the first assault from Uther\'s troops, you end the turn and wait until next
turn before pressing on ... Uther and his other bods SHOULDN\'T attack you ... you will need
to take the fight to them.
Once Uther has been felled, he laughs at you, telling you that now that you have spilled the
blood of your ruler, he can assume his \"true\" form ......................................
D-E-M-O-N U-T-H-E-R !!!!!
OPPONENTS Uther, Legions of the Damned, Mountain Clans, Elves (if you push them)
CITIES
EMPIRE CITIES
Name Inhabitants
Gilgam City [Empty at the start, so I would strongly advise stocking it ASAP]
NEUTRAL CITIES
Name Inhabitants
Nimoria 2 Cultists, Thug, Possessed
Haven 2 Axe Throwers, Dwarf
Rotturdam 2 Centaur Lancers, Oracle Elf, Elf Lord, Elf Ranger
Indrus Keep Initiate, Doomdrake, Ghost
North Keep 2 Titans, Spearman
Western Fort Demon, Marble Gargoyle
Kenoshann 2 Goblins, Orc
BUILDINGS
Name Inhabitants Gain anything from taking it ?
Crumbled Outpost Black Dragon, 2 Goblin Archers 650 Gp, Mjolnir\'s Crown (artifact)
Old Fort 2 Ghouls, 2 Specters 500 Gp, Titan\'s Might Potion
Crumbled Temple Griffin, Elf Lord, Centaur 400 Gp, Vengeance of Ymir Scroll
Ruined Farm 2 Master Thugs, Mage, Spearman 260 Gp, Royal Scepter (valuable)
Abandoned Outpost 3 Lizard Men, Medusa 200 Gp, Lizard Man Talisman
(please note that the first Abandoned Outpost is west of Nevendaar)
Abandoned Outpost 2 Orc Champions, Ogre 500 Gp, Staff of Celerity
(please note that the second Abandoned Outpost is south-east of Nevendaar)
Ancient Keep Fighter, Ghost, 2 Initiates 200 Gp, Potion of Fire Warding
Ruined Fort Peasant, 2 Man at Arms 50 Gp, Weakness Scroll
Old House 2 Fiends, Cultist 350 Gp, Holy Chalice
EVENTS
Event Information
Demosthene Dies by Uther\'s Hand That unappreciative little bugger ! I\'ll take the crown !!
Uther flees the Capital Scoundrel ... HUNT HIM DOWN !!
Hunt for Uther begins ((( yey )))
Elves ask for help to kill Undead Ya wot ? We\'ve already saved you guys once ... can\'t you
do anything !!
Uther is slain by heroes Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeha
Uther becomes Demon Uther ... oh ... dear ...
ITEMS LYING ON THE GROUND
2 x Potion of Restoration, Talisman of Fear, 3 x Potion of Healing, Winds of Travel Scroll,
Ignis Potens Scroll, Orb of Vigor, Silver Ring (valuable), Treebark Potion, Banner of Strength,
Silver Ring (valuable), Orb of Restoration, Potion of Swiftness, Gold Ring (valuable), 2 x
Life Potion, Stone Rain Scroll, Tome of Air, Potion of Strength, Strength Scroll, Healing
Ointment, Diamond, Potion of Earth Warding, Ancient Relic (valuable), Potion of Fire Warding,
Orb of Earth, 2 x Emerald, Sapphire, Bronze Ring (valuable), Lightning Scroll, Orb of Life,
Orb of Water, Orb of Vampire, Potion of Striking
ITEMS RETRIEVED FROM ENEMIES (COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND ORIGINALLY)
5 x Potion of Restoration, 6 x Life Potion, Potion of Healing, Treebark Potion, Potion of
Invulnerability, 2 x Healing Ointment, Banner of Striking, Unholy Dagger (artifact)
SHOPS
Name Sells
Furren\'s Shop (Merchant) Squire Orb x 1, Angel Orb x 1, Orb of Restoration x 2, Orb of
Strength x 1, Orb of Fire x 3, Orb of Inferno x 1, Orb of
Thunder x 1, Orb of Lightning x 1
Sallat\'s Shop (Merchant) Summon I: Roc Scroll x 2, Rust Scroll x 1, Healing Scroll x 1,
Chant of Arms Scroll x 3
Thurania\'s Tower (Magic Shop) Ice Shield (200 Gp), Blizzard (200 Gp), Seafaring (400 Gp),
Chant of Arms (600 Gp)
Turian\'s Camp (Mercenary) Man at Arms (50 Gp), Peasant (30 Gp), Spearman (300 Gp)
Yggar\'s Shop (Merchant) Ice Shield Scroll x 1, Ice Storm Scroll x 1, Blizzard Scroll x 1,
Water Ward Scroll x 1, Vithar\'s Might Scroll x 1
Othon\'s Tower (Magic Shop) Summon I: Roc (200 Gp), Summon II: Valkyrie (600 Gp), Tempest
(600 Gp)
Werric\'s Shop (Merchant) Talisman of Vigor x 1, Talisman of Poison x 1, Talisman of Fire
x 1, Talisman of Regeneration x 1
Elihar\'s Shop (Merchant) Life Potion x 6, Potion of Protection x 5, Potion of
Restoration x 10, Potion of Healing x 10, Healing Ointment x 5
ENDING
Uther\'s demise at the hands of your intrepid heroes leads him to transform into Demon
Uther ... you rally your troops for one last push to overthrow this tyrant ... let\'s hope
you\'ve got what it takes !!!!!
============================================================================================
7) Binding Forces
BRIEFING AND COMMENTS
Crunch time ... Uther has become Demon Uther, and threatens to not only destroy the Empire,
but to plunge the entire WORLD into chaos. In a last-ditch effort to defeat this maniac,
emissaries are despatched throughout the kingdom. 5 messengers are sent to enlist the aid
of the Elves; 3 travel up through Griffin Heights to impress the urgency of the matter upon
the Mountain Clans, and 8 more messengers travel around the Empire, rallying warriors and
mages alike to the final battle. (Can you say Lord of the Rings MUCH ??)
Right ... this is the level you\'ve been waiting for ! The chance to flex the muscle of your
most powerful units against the greatest adversary you (CAN basically) encounter as the
Empire ... DEMON UTHER.
This boy is BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD man ... he\'s REALLY really tough, and is well
protected by his underlings ...
... so you ready ?? :)
Right ... FIRST OFF I would play this final level more like a level of Command and Conquer
than anything else ... Demon Uther is on this map (he\'s in the north-western corner) and,
contrary to what I had originally believed (which was that he wouldn\'t leave, and you could
just take your time getting to him, Michal Zaj���has informed me that if you haven\'t got to
him by about the 75th turn, he WILL start making a move towards your Capital) ... BUMMER !!!
Since you have three opponents (Legions, Undead AND Clans) to worry about on this level,
attacks will be rife and you should therefore look to not only take as much ground as
possibly as quickly as possible, but to HOLD that ground as well. I would strongly suggest
that you not only fill all your cities with troops IN the city, but also leave a FULL unit
of troops garrisoned within the city walls as well, so that anybody wanting to take over one
of your cities has to have TWO fights to get through (which should ideally give you a bit of
time to balance out your forces if one or more cities is/are under attack).
So ... that being said, we begin !
I would start off by securing the south-eastern corner of the map ... kill off the
Greenskins that are trolling (no pun intended) around down there ... I would look to take
the City of Indrus Keep quite early on in the game as well ... it\'s quite a handly little
staging ground for raids on the south-eastern corner of the map ...
... If you approach the city of Western Fort (which is to the west of your Capital City)
then you will see a unit comprising a Spearman and 2 Peasants guarding the city (to its
eastern side). Approach these and they will change their allegiance to your side. If you
TAKE the City of Western Fort, the populace actually THANKS you !! WOOHOO !! =D
Taking the City of Khazan will call up a brief dialogue between an Apprentice and an
Imperial Priest where the fate of the Empire is discussed ... basically the Apprentice is
balling his little eyes out, and the Imperial Priest tells him to look to the Highfather who
is sure to aid them in such dark times ... hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm =./
For your information, the Dwarves are SUBSTANTIALLY unimpressed with you if you invade their
city of Aragonia ... but so be it I say !!
If you decide to take it, you will find that the city of Runia has had all its populace put
to the sword by the Undead Hordes (oh dear !!) ... tum tee tum ... let\'s move on ... :\">
There\'s a GREAT XP opportunity at the Ruined Outpost (Black Dragon AND 2 Wyverns - KILLER !!)
and if you proceed to take the city of Rengur, one of your Knights pops up to tell you that
there is the stench of sulphur in the town, which signifies that the Legions have DEFINITELY
been there ...
A bit later on one of the Clan Lords will pop up and grill you for information concerning
Demosthene\'s death. The Imperial Priest he speaks to tells him the truth, and suggests an
alliance ... the Clan Lord departs, telling you that he will bring the matter before the
Council, but as it stands, with Demosthene dead, your treaty with the Mountain Clans is
O-V-E-R (oh plop).
As you approach the Ruined Farm, one of your Rangers shows up to forewarn you of the presence
of (drum roll) Cultists (!!!) on the land beyond.
... like ... wow ... I\'m TOTALLY quaking in my little booties ...
If you take the City of Otzwall you have the dubious pleasure of being insulted by a goblin ...
(lovely).
Whilst you\'re in this neck of the woods if you go all the way to the south-western corner of
the map, you will find one lonely unit of elves ... if you approach them they will tell you
not to fear, for the elves are on the way ...
((( ... you CAN attack this unit of elves if you like )))
[INTERESTING NOTE : I wonder whether this unit of Elves would be here if you HADN\'T cleaned
out the undead in the previous level ... hmmmmmmm ...]
A trap awaits you as you approach the City of Gruu\'kheml ... there is a Tiamath and two
Gargoyles protecting the city ANYWAY, but as you approach MORE units teleport in behind you
and the Tiamath looms towards you ... prepare for a fight !!
As you approach the Abyssal Demon just south of the Legions\' Capital, one of your Wizards
tells you of a Great Fog that is descending on you ... and how it must be the Legions
doing ...
... sure enough, the Legions are casting a Nightfall spell ... those RATS !! Basically this
means that the fog of war is totally replenished aside from the areas around the cities you
already control. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH !!
Also, FOUR UNITS of Abyssal Demons and some of their mates teleport onto the western and
southern borders of the map ...
If you kill the Abyssal Demon you were originally approaching, Demon Uther speaks (at last)
to tell you how you\'re going to die ... lurvely ...
Just when it all looks like it\'s going a bit pear-shaped ... with the Abyssal Demons coming
from all sides to retake cities and the like, WOOHOO !! The cavalry (literally) arrives ...
the Dwarves offer (or at least they did in my game) to ally with you, and in the south-
easternmost corner of the map, the following units appear and offer their allegiance to you :-
[IMPORTANT NOTE - I believe this will only happen if you are at least REASONABLY good to the
Elves during the previous levels]
1) Centaur Lancer, Oracle Elf, 2 Elf Rangers
2) Forest Elf, 2 Centaur Lancers
3) Forest Elf, 2 Centaur Lancers
Use them wisely - you probably won\'t get any more ;)
When you have waded your way through the level and are finally (!!) ready to fight Demon Uther,
please bear the following bits of information in mind :-
1) He doesn\'t fight alone. His \"unit\" comprises himself, a Modeus, 2 Infernal Knights AND
a Hag !!
2) He has 1,500 Hit Points !!
3) He is immune to fire and mind, and warded against death, earth, air and water.
4) He attacks once per round, but his attack is two-fold ... a 150 point Inferno Spell and
a chance of paralysis, both of which can hit and affect EVERY unit in your group !!!!!
Basically this guy is the Boss for a GOOD reason ... be exceedingly careful and DEFINITELY
save before you take him on !!
Cast ALL your spells on him beforehand, use ALL your scrolls ... just throw everything you\'ve
got at him !! :)
BEST OF LUCK (pats you on the shoulder and salutes you)
If you beat him ? This saga is OVER :)
OPPONENTS Demon Uther, Legions of the Damned, Undead Hordes, Mountain Clans
CITIES
NEUTRAL CITIES
Name Inhabitants
Indrus Keep 2 Ghouls, Werewolf, Cultist, Ghost
Gilgam City [Doomdrake, Warlock]
Gromdam 2 Spearmen, Titan, Marksman
Otzwall 2 Trolls, Goblin Archer
Khazan 2 Apprentices, 2 Spearmen, Man at Arms
Runia Death, Dark Lord, Specter
Rengur 3 Werewolves, Ghost
Western Fort 2 Man at Arms, Spearman
LEGIONS OF THE DAMNED CITIES
Name Inhabitants
Bhaagruz [Marble Gargoyle, Demonologist, Witch]
Gruu\'kheml [2 Onyx Gargoyles, Succubus]
Thuggr\'hesh [Demonologist, Onyx Gargoyle, Pandemoneus]
Nepheris 2 Gargoyles, Cultist, Possessed
[2 Possessed, Sorceror]
MOUNTAIN CLANS CITIES
Name Inhabitants
Aragonia Rock Giant, Archdruidess
BUILDINGS
Name Inhabitants Gain anything from taking it ?
Abandoned Keep 4 Goblin Archers, Goblin 150 Gp, Sapphire
Crumbled Temple 2 Orcs 200 Gp, Stone Rain Scroll
(The first Crumbled Temple is to the east of your Capital City)
Crumbled Temple 2 Trolls, Goblin Archer 500 Gp, Orc Talisman
(The second Crumbled Temple is in the north-easternmost corner of the map)
Haunted Temple Ghost, 2 Cultists 200 Gp, Imp Orb
Ruined Tower Orc, Goblin Archer 500 Gp, Potion of Accuracy
Old House Squire, Apprentice, Titan 400 Gp, Projicere Terra Scroll
Ruined Farm 2 Anti-Paladins, Beast 300 Gp, Lich Orb
Kastel Imp, 2 Ghouls 250 Gp, Summon Skeleton Scroll
Densell Wolf Lord, 2 Wolves 200 Gp, Potion of Might
Ancient Keep Succubus, Demon, 2 Imps 500 Gp, Potion of Invulnerability
Perthin Overlord, Anti-Paladin, 2 Witches 800 Gp, Banner of War
Anthrin 2 Goblin Archers, Goblin 50 Gp, Potion of Accuracy
Ancient Library 3 Lizard Men, 2 Medusa 500 Gp, Incorruptible Scroll
Hideout 2 Axe Throwers, Rock Giant 300 Gp, Touch of Mortis Scroll
Ruined Outpost 2 Wyverns, Black Dragon 800 Gp, Banner of Fortitude
Haunted Fort Death, 2 Vampires, 2 Shades 800 Gp, Vampire Orb
EVENTS
Event Description
Gain Troops Go to Western Fort to gain more troops.
Dwarven Grilling A Clan Lord asks all about Demosthene and his demise ...
Elven Encounter Approach the Elves on the south-western shores to enter into dialogue with
them.
It\'s a Trap ! Go to Gruu\'kheml to set off a trap.
Night night :\"> Approach the Legions\' Capital to set off a Nightfall trap
The Cavalry !! Saved (?) by the Dwarves and Elves at the same time !!
ITEMS LYING ON THE GROUND
4 x Life Potion, 6 x Potion of Healing, Potion of Speed, Runestone (artifact), Plague Scroll,
Treebark Potion, Orb of Bane, 4 x Potion of Restoration, Seafaring Scroll, 2 x Emeralds,
Call Decay Dragon Scroll, Orb of Freezing, Tormentio Scroll, Banner of Speed, 2 x Potion of
Protection, Orb of Elder Vampires, Boots of the Elements, 2 x Potion of Swiftness, 2 x
Diamond, Orb of Icefall, Shadow Scroll, Talisman of Strength, Potion of Strength, Potion of
Air Warding, Orb of Healing, Goblin Orb, Potion of Earth Warding, Potion of Accuracy,
Potion of Fortune (just south-west of Gilgam City), Weakness Scroll, Sanctuera Scroll, 2 x
Incante Beliarh Scroll, Cursa Demoneus Scroll, 2 x Potion of Celerity, Healing Ointment,
Potion of Vigor, Orb of Restoration, Imperial Crown (valuable - beside Thuggr\'hesh City),
Angel Orb, Potion of Invulnerability, Call to Arms Scroll
ITEMS RETRIEVED FROM ENEMIES (COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND ORIGINALLY)
Sybil\'s Vision Scroll, Fire Ward Scroll, Vampire Talisman, 7 x Potion of Restoration, 3 x
Potion of Healing, 7 x Life Potion, Emerald, Treebark Potion, Potion of Strength, Goblin
Orb, 2 x Healing Ointment, Haste Scroll
SHOPS
Name Sells
Tralar\'s Shop (Merchant) Life Potion x 5, Potion of Protection x 3, Potion of Healing x
10, Potion of Restoration x 10, Healing Ointment x 5, Potion
of Striking x 3, Treebark Potion x 3, Potion of Might x 1
Guggux\'s Camp (Mercenary) Ogre (2,800 Gp), Orc (300 Gp), Orc Champion (850 Gp)
Ebhon\'s Shop (Merchant) Life Potion x 4, Highfather\'s Potion x 1, Potion of Healing x 5,
Potion of Restoration x 5
Ebbon\'s Camp (Mercenary) Barbarian Warrior (850 Gp), Man at Arms (50 Gp)
Reggen\'s Camp (Trainer) [Train Units Here (!!)]
Gunnerth\'s Shop (Merchant) Life Potion x 5, Potion of Healing x 10, Potion of Restoration x
10, Healing Ointment x 4, Potion of Air Warding x 1, Potion of
Water Warding x 1, Potion of Earth Warding x 1, Potion of Fire
Warding x 1
Under\'s Shop (Merchant) Life Potion x 5, Potion of Invulnerability x 1, Potion of
Healing x 10, Potion of Restoration x 10, Potion of Speed x 2,
Potion of Swiftness x 2, Potion of Vigor x 1, Potion of
Strength x 1
Gunner\'s Tower (Magic Shop) Call Red Dragon (800 Gp), Call Decay Dragon (600 Gp),
Stone Rain (400 Gp), Curse of Nygrael (400 Gp)
Shorlakk\'s Shop (Merchant) Tome of Earth x 1, Etched Circlet x 1, Banner of Battle x 1,
Staff of Demonology x 1
Malavien\'s Tower (Magic Shop) Vengeance of Ymir (800 Gp), Chant of Hasting (600 Gp),
Chant of Arms (600 Gp), Seafaring (400 Gp)
ENDING
With your allies - the Mountain Clans and the Elves - fighting by your side, you are able to
defeat the Demon Uther, and at last bring balance to the Empire ... but the Empire is still
without a leader, and much damage has been done ... it will surely take an age to restore the
former glory of this shattered nation.
============================================================================================
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks and credit go to Michal Zaj���for his insight into Demon Uther\'s movements on the
Binding Forces level ... and thanks also to everybody at gamefaqs.com who has posted on the
messageboards and encouraged me to keep going !! =)
============================================================================================
Copyright David Booth, 2003
============================================================================================
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