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*                                                                     *
*             The Complete Nightcaster Guide  Version 1.0             *
*                                                                     *
*                            by                                       *
*                                                                     *
*                        Slothrop37                                   *
*                                                                     *
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*********************************
Version 1.0 completed May 7, 2002
Writer: Slothrop37
Email:  [email protected]
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*********************************Copyright Notice**********************

I'm not a big fan of intellectual property so you may distribute this
FAQ in anyway you see fit as long as you stick by two simple rules.  Do
not change ANY of the content.  If there is a problem contact me at
[email protected].  I'll fix it and submit the latest revision.
Two, leave my name on it.  I wrote it.  That simple.  All content is
copyright of the original author who goes by the GameFAQs handle,
Slothrop37.

*************************EndCopyrightNotice****************************




Table of Contents

1.     Introduction
2.     Controls and Gameplay Mechanics
3.     General Gameplay Hints and Tips
4.     Bestiary - Who to Fight and How to Kill Them
5.     Spells and Runes - Where to Find Them and What They Do
           A.  Fire Magic
           B.  Water Magic
           C.  Light Magic
           D.  Dark Magic
           E.  Runes
6.     Walkthrough
7.     Acknowledgements



***********************************************************************
Section 1 - Introduction
***********************************************************************

Nightcaster is an action/adventure game in which you play as the mage
Arran.  At a young age  you find an orb which tells you of a plan to
destroy the world and, as usual, you are the one who can stop it.
Magical spells form the bulk of your arsenal as you fight creatures on
your way to stop the Nightcaster who has plunged the world into
darkness.





***********************************************************************
Section 2 - Controls and Gameplay Mechanics
***********************************************************************


Left Thumbstick  --   Move Arran and turn pages when spellbook is open
Right Thumbstick --   Move Orb
Left Trigger     --   Cycle through four readied spells
Right Trigger    --   Cast active spell
Clear Button     --   Hold and move left thumbstick to look around
Black Button     --   Center Camera
Y Button         --   View Map
B Button         --   Turn active Rune on and off
X Button         --   Return Orb to Staff
A Button         --   Swing Staff
Start Button     --   Open/Close Spellbook


There are four school of magic in the world of Nightcaster.  Light
(yellow), dark (purple), water (blue), and fire (red).  Your character,
Arran, will have a different amount of power in each of the four
schools.  You can see how powerful you are by opening your spellbook
(Start Button) and viewing how many bubbles have been filled up in each
school.  The more bubbles the more powerful magic you can cast.  As you
proceed through the game you will come across mana balls that you can
apply to whichever school you want to balance out Arran's magic or
specialize in a particular school.  When you get a mana ball the
spellbook will automatically open.  Use the left thumbstick to move the
orb to the school you want to increase and hit the A button.  Each mana
ball will fill in one-half of a total ball in the spellbook.

On the main screen the school of your active spell will have it's
appropriate number of bubbles over in the lower left hand part of the
screen.  As long as these bubbles are at least partially filled you can
cast your active spell.  They will regenerate rapidly so long as you
are not casting a spell.  Also, when you kill some enemies green orbs
will float in the air which you can absorb by standing over them.  This
also regenerates your mana bubbles.

Right below the mana bubbles is your health indicator.  At full health
it will be completely filled with red.  As you take hits it will start
to empty.  When it empties completely you are dead.  You can fill this
health back up by absorbing red orbs from some dead enemies, stepping
into change magic school rings or, once you get the Light Rune (Chapter
III), you can activate it.  There is also another trick that is covered
in Section 3 for recovering health.

As you go through the game you will come upon many scrolls that
contains spells.  There is no need for spell management in this game as
the spells will automatically be placed in your spellbook and are
available from then on.

You can have four spells (out of a possible 48) readied at any one
time.  These are shown in the lower right hand corner of your screen.
The active spell, the one you will cast if you pull the right trigger,
is shown at the very bottom and is in a bigger circle than the rest.
In order to change your readied spells, open your spellbook (Start
button), use the left trigger to cycle until the spell you want to
change is highlighted and then press the A button or pull the right
trigger.

You can make certain spells more powerful than other spells by aligning
Arran with that school.  In order to align Arran with a particular
school fight the change school circle associated with that type of
magic (it will glow with the appropriate color and will also appear on
the map as a circle of the appropriate color).  See Section 3 for hints
on which spells you'll want to use the most often.

Finally, in order to save the game to record your progress you'll need
to find a mushroom ring.  There are several on every level and each one
can only be used ONCE so use them cautiously.









***********************************************************************
Section 3 -- General Gameplay Hints and Tips
***********************************************************************

--  In the early stages of the game, before you receive the Light Rune,
you will be worried about your health.  Sometimes it just seems like
dead enemies aren't leaving the floating red orbs.  A trick to fully
restore health is to save at a mushroom ring and then reload the game.
Your health will be fully restored.  However, it's usually easier just
to find a change magic school circle which will fully restore your
health.

--  Not enough good things can be said about the spell "Scarring
Light".  Generally you can attack your enemies well before they get in
range of you.  Once it's powered up to level 2 you can attack two
enemies at once from a distance.  A great technique when facing a lot
of tough enemies to fire off a couple "Scarring Light" blasts, retreat
and repeat until you defeat them all.

--  Sometimes, however, you can't attack at a distance either because
you've been ambushed or you need to quickly take out a spawner.  In
these cases I would recommend a glyph spell.  They basically shroud
your character in a circle of protective magic (no, not like the Ward
spells) because anything that tries to attack within the glyph is
killed.  Just make sure there are no enemies of the same color as the
glyph or they will come through and kill you no problem.  This is
especially good for enemies that like to charge you such as wolves,
lizards and goblin riders.

--  And for those super tough enemies that you don't want to attack you
at all, use Glacial Might.  It freezes your opponent, well most
opponents, in place and you can just repeatedly hit them until they
die.

-- With those three spells I think you can make it through 75% of the
game.  Those are the three that I always keep on hand and I cycle the
fourth one as the case requires.  Keep below in Section 4 for all the
in-depth strategy on how to beat an enemy.

-- Later in the game you can break through the barricades that appear
if you use a level 3 spell of the opposite color on them.  For
instance, if a fire barrier appears use Level 3 Winter's Fury on it and
a hole should appear.  This can help you get out of some sticky
situations.  This does not work on the metal gate barriers as far as I
can tell.

-- Finding 100% of the spells gets you a bonus which makes the end of
the game easier (see end of Chapter XI).  Killing 100% of the enemies
gets you nothing.  Use this information to determine whether fighting
everything is really necessary for you.



***********************************************************************
Section 4 -- Bestiary or Who to Fight and How to Kill Them
***********************************************************************

I'm going to try to do this section in roughly the order that you run
into the monsters, but some may be slightly out of order.  I tried to
use obvious descriptions so you would know which enemy you are
encountering.  Obviously enemies encountered near the end of the game
will be at the bottom of the list.


Mushrooms (all colors) -- The first thing you encounter, two red ones
as you cross the bridge in Chapter 1.  These guys have a crown of
little fingers at the top of their head and if they can hit you you'll
become poisoned.  Nearly any spell of a differing color will kill these
guys.

Lizards (all colors) -- Lizards that crawl on the ground and try to
attack you with their hind legs.  Nearly any spell of a differing color
will kill these guys.

Spawners --  Spawners come in four varieties.  Green Jello molds that
shoot things out the top, little bushes, rockpiles, and what looks like
the stump of a tree with a hole in it.  I find the most effective spell
early on against spawners is "Sky Fall" you can take them out while
your are running toward it.  Later on the glyph spells work well
because you can stand beside it and take both it and its spawn out.

Wolves (all colors)  -- They're wolves.  They attack.  "Scarring Light"
or a Glyph works well.

Goblins (fire) -- They look like little red elves and they shoot fire
at you.  Glacial Might works well to cool them down, although Scarring
Light will take them out before they ever get in firing range.

Goblins in Barrels (fire)  -- An upgrade to your standard goblin he
uses a barrel as protection.  Same method as goblins takes them down.

Goblin Warrior Riders (all colors) -- These guys ride two legged
monsters and will ride up and attack.  Hence a glyph works well,
although Scarring Light can kill them before they ever get there.

Goblin Mage Riders (all colors) --  A bit tricky than their warrior
cohorts they guys will cast magic at you based on their school
association.  I like to kill them with Scarring Light, well outside
their attack range.  If they get too close hit them with a glyph.

Zombies (dark) -- They dig themselves out of the ground and stumble
toward you Night of the Living Dead style.  They are extremely weak and
one Scarring Light blast should eliminate them.

Ghoul (dark) -- They look a lot like purple versions of the hulk.  They
will run at you and swing.  If you attack them they will dive into the
ground.  A couple hits from any light magic spell should be their end.

Stiltwalkers (all colors) -- With the exception of the encounter at the
end of Chapter Two these guys are only medium difficulty.  Try to stay
out of the way of their bombs that they lob.  If there is only one I
like to use Glacial Might to freeze and not even worry about dodging
bombs.  In groups of two or more, Scarring Light at a safe distance is
the best bet.

Wasps (all colors) -- Usually come out of spawners.  Will float in the
air near you and try to sting you with tail.  If successful you are
poisoned.  They guys can't be attacked with ground spells like Scarring
Light and mid-air attacks like Glacial Might or Sky Fall only hit
sometimes.  It's best to use a Glyph to destroy these guys.

Spiders  (all colors) -- Descend down from off screen which can make
their attack the most shocking and potential devastating considering
that they'll poison you if you get bit.  A Glyph is the most effective
way to deal with these guys.

Dark Worm (dark) -- Giant worms with skull heads that pop out of the
ground.  They shoot a version of Venom Strike at you.  There attack
goes far, but Scarring Light goes farther.  You get the idea.

Wraith (dark) -- Mainly encountered on Chapter 4, they look like
zombies in more rags.  Much like zombies a couple of Scarring Light
blasts will be their demise.

Brutes -- Come in three varieties.  The purple and blue ones shoot orbs
into the air that become glyphs on the ground and do damage.  Scarring
Light is your best bet.  The red ones shoot a series of five to seven
fireballs in a line across the screen.  It is best to equip Glacial
Might, charge them, take one blast and hit them with the spell which
will freeze them and then continue to hit them with Glacial Might to
kill them.  They'll never get a chance to rethaw.

Wraith King (dark and light) -- One tough Beguiler.  He'll appear and
disappear quickly and when he has the chance he'll attack you with
purple lightning that does a substantial amount of damage.  You can
equip the Fire Rune once you get it, but the first time you meet him
you won't have it.  The best bet is to dispose of the jesters that he
comes with first (see below) and then take him out with the Glacial
Might spell.  Try to have the largest field of view possible.  Do not
have the spell charged up or he won't materialize long enough to use
it.  When he does appear quickly turn and fire the spell at him.  It
should freeze him.  It takes about a dozen of these strikes to kill
him.  When you do freeze him don't just stand around, he can attack
with lightning even when frozen.  He's one tough opponent.

Jesters -- Come in two flavors.  One is blue/red and one is
purple/yellow.  These are immune to two types of magic instead of just
one.  For the blue/red jesters "Scarring Light" will work well enough
and should keep you far away.  For the purple/yellow one I used Glacial
Might, but you will have to learn to quickly turn and fire in order to
catch these guys because they disappear just like the Wraith King.

Gorgon -- Quite simple, you can't kill them yourself.  See Chapter V
walkthrough for how to defeat them.

Bale the Dragon (fire) --  There is a more detailed start in Chapter
VI, but basically you use "Sky Fall" on him and avoid his breath by
moving diagonally.

Red Goblin on Cloud (fire) --  These guys are getting tricky now.  A
ride goblin rides a cloud that moves fairly rapidly and casts a red
glyph on the ground when he gets near you.  They move quick enough that
they are hard to hit.  The method that I eventually employed against
them was to charge up "Winter's Fury" to level 3, try to predict the
flight path and then let loose when he gets close.  "Winter's Fury" at
the "Hail" level covers a good deal of ground and should kill him with
one blast.

Walking Ice Man (water) -- Looks like a big ice man.  Perhaps the
trickiest enemy in the game.  You'll find a scroll detailing how to
kill them.  Basically you need to hit them with your staff using the
"A" button until they fall apart and then strike them with a fire spell
("Sky Fall" works best).  What makes it even trickier is that sometimes
that just crumble all on their own, however, hitting them with fire
spells then is futile.  You have to be the one to knock them apart with
your staff.

Frost Breath (water) -- These guys pop up out of the ground and have
the head and body of a giant.  Their only attack is to breath frost at
you.  Unfortunately for them the "Sky Fall" spell goes much farther
than their breath so they are fairly easy to defeat.

Frost the Dragon (water) -- Use the same technique as Bale the Dragon
(see above) only this time use "Sky Fall" instead of "Glacial Might".

Yeti (water) -- Big, hairy giants that come in two sizes, large and
extra large.  Fortunately, their size is deceiving and they fall easily
to any non-water spell.

Quint the Frost Giant (water) --  He's big, but not so tough.  The boss
in Chapter IX.  He'll try to freeze you with his breath.  Avoid that
attack and hit his axe with a fire spell when he embeds it in the
ground.

Shadow the Dragon (dark/light) -- Use the same technique as the others
dragons.  "Sky Fall" is the best spell to attack with.

The Rainbow Dragon (all colors) -- You'll use the same technique as the
other dragons, but you'll need to change your spell to be opposite of
the dragon's color.  See Chapter XI for complete details.

Nightcaster -- The complete strategy is in the Chapter XII walkthrough.
I don't want to give anything of the plot away here.






***********************************************************************
Section 5 -- Spells and Runes - Where to Find Them and What They Do
***********************************************************************


********************
A.  Fire Magic
********************

Sky Fall
  Star    - Fires a single fiery projectile (Chapter I)
  Meteors - Fires a row of five fiery projectiles (Chapter II)
  Comet   - A triangle appears around the caster and meteors fall
            within the circle killing attackers (Chapter X)

Lava
  Vein  - One fiery streak on ground goes toward enemy (Chapter IV)
  Flow  - Two fiery streaks on ground go toward enemies (Chapter VIII)
  Erupt - A large volcano with several smaller offshoots appears
          around the caster (Chapter X)

Fire Glyph
  Burn  - Small fire glyph appears on ground (Start of game)
  Blaze - Medium fire glyph appears on ground (Chapter II)
  Blast - Large fire glyph appears on ground  (Chapter VIII)

Fire Ward
  Wall    - Gate right in front of caster.  Damages enemies if they
               hit it  (Chapter VI)
  Barrier - Gate covering about 180 degrees around caster(Chapter VII)
  Cage    - A cage with an exit at the back appears (Chapter X)

********************
B.  Water Magic
********************

Glacial Might
  Frost   - Single ice shot (Start of game)
  Freeze  - Three in a row ice shot (Chapter III)
  Shatter - Large ice ball appears and shatters doing 360 degrees
                of damage (Chapter VIII)

Winter's Fury
  Ice    - Ice shards appear in front of caster (Chapter II)
  Flurry - Ice shoots out on ground toward enemies (Chapter II)
  Hail   - Columns of ice rain down around caster (Chapter III)

Water Glyph
  Spring - Small water glyph appears on ground (Chapter III)
  Fount  - Medium water glyph appears on ground (Chapter VI)
  Geyser - Large water glyph appears on ground (Chapter VIII)

Ice Ward
    Sentinel --  Ice ball flies quickly around caster protecting him
                 (Chapter III)
    Shield   --  Ice wall appears at caster's side (Chapter IV)
    Shell    --  A protective ice shell appears on caster(Chapter X)


********************
C.  Light Magic
********************

Primal Light
  Beam - Single shot of light magic spirals out (Chapter VI)
  Ray  - Five in a row shots of light magic (Chapter VII)
  Nova - Large ball of light with lightning offshoots (Chapter XI)

Thunder
  Strike - Single strike of light magic lightning (Chapter VII)
  Clap   - Multiple strikes of light magic lightning (Chapter VIII)
  Split  - One huge strike of thunder (Chapter X)

Light Glyph
  Glimmer - Small light glyph appears on ground (Chapter II)
  Glamour - Medium light glyph appears on ground (Chapter III)
  Glare   - Large water glyph appears on ground (Chapter IV)

Scarring Light
  Flicker - One streaks of light magic on ground (Start of game)
  Flash   - Two streaks of light magic on ground  (Chapter IV)
  Flare   - Column of light and multiple streaks around caster
                (Chapter V)


********************
D.  Dark Magic
********************

Venom Strike
  Viper    - One snake shoots toward enemy  (Start of game)
  Adders   - Three snakes shoot toward enemy (Chapter VI)
  Serpents - Large snake swirls around caster damaging nearby
             enemies (Chapter VII)

Dark Arc
  Shock - Single strike of dark magic lightning (Chapter II)
  Surge - Multiple strikes of dark magic lightning (Chapter III)
  Bolt  - One large bolt of dark magic (Chapter V)

Dark Glyph
  Hex    - Small dark magic glyph appears on ground (Chapter VI)
  Curse  - Medium dark magic glyph appears on ground (Chapter VIII)
  Blight - Large dark magic glyph appears on ground (Chapter X)

Steel Death
  Blade     - One sword shoots forward at enemy (Chapter III)
  Mortis    - Six halberds appear in front of caster and chop down
              on enemies (Chapter VI)
  Deathblow - Six guillotines fall from the sky encircling the
              caster (Chapter VII)

********************
E. Runes
********************

Light Rune -- Chapter III from Witch of the Yew Tree.  Slowly restores
health when activated.

Fire Rune -- Chapter IV in the graveyard after you defeat the Wraith
King.  Provides some protection from magic.

Water Rune -- Chapter VIII as a reward for reuniting the two brothers
who are searching for each other.

Dark Rune -- Chapter X as a reward for returning the lost children to
their mother.



**************************
Chapter I - The Homecoming
**************************

Move forward from the starting point to look at the various books.  All
the books on this level contain basic gameplay information that was
covered earlier in this FAQ and also in the game manual so you needn't
read them if you don't want.  Cross the bridge and attack the two fire
creatures.  A barrier appears.  Defeat the two dark creatures and it
will go away.  Continue up the hill and kill two more dark creatures to
lower the barriers.  Grab the "Sky Fall" spell to the north and then
head through the teleporter to the east.

On the other side of the teleporter are four fungi of each color.
Defeat them and a barrier drops allowing you to descend the stairs to
the four change school circles.  You must step into one of them in
order to get the barrier to drop.  I would recommend you pick the fire
school for now as it is the most useful early on, however, the choice
is yours and doesn't really matter in the long run as you'll get enough
mana balls to level out any deficiencies.

Continue forward and save at the mushroom ring.  Take the left branch
up the hill and destroy the four spawners at top to lower the barrier
around the teleporter.  Step through the teleporter and get the mana
ball.  Step back through the teleporter.

Now go back and take the right fork down the hill to meet the farmer
and hear about the destroyed town.  To the right of the farmer is a
pumpkin patch with a spawner and the farmer's wife along with a scroll
telling some history.  Straight ahead of the farmer is a scroll with
more history.  The two roads converge at the bottom the hill by Arran's
house.  Above the house is a scroll telling of Madi's love for Arran.

Go across the bridge and down the hill to get another journal entry
telling how Madi is learning to use the sword.  Continue down the path
and you'll exit the level.  You should have collected two items: mana
ball and Sky Fall (1st level)  This type of summary will appear at the
end of every chapter letting you know how many items there were and how
many kills and you will always have the opportunity to go back and walk
through the level again.  If you missed something glance back over the
FAQ to try and find what it was.



******************************
Chapter II - The Road to Perth
******************************

As you start the chapter there is a mushroom ring directly in front of
you.  In a small cutscene the orb instructs you to go to the Perth
docks.  However, first head behind the rocks behind the caravan and
destroy the spawner.  Down the hill to destroy two more spawners and
across a small bridge.  Take the left branch past the bridge and go up
a small hill.  Destroy all the dark wolves and the barrier surrounding
the mushroom ring drops.  You can also find a scroll telling about the
dark wolves.  Return to the fork and take the right path down the hill.
Destroy the two spawners at the very bottom and then step through the
teleporter to get a mana ball.  Step back through the teleporter and
return all the way back to the start of the level.

This time go straight ahead across the bridge and take out the two
spawners.  Then talk to the farmer who will tell you that he has lost
his daughter and asks you to bring her back.  Continue forward and take
out another spawner to the right of the bridge.  Cross the bridge and
take out the spawner just on the other side of the gate.  You can talk
to the archers by the gate who tell you of the Black Rose and a scroll
that tells of Lochran.  At the far right side of the gate you'll find
the farmer's daughter.  Lead her back to her father and he'll give you
"Winter's Fury" spell.

Go back across the bridge and through the gate and as you proceed down
the hill you'll take out four more spawners.  After the fourth you will
find a water change school ring which I would recommend converting to
take out the upcoming goblin riders.  Take out the final spawner to
lower the barrier and cross the bridge.  Kill dragon riders and find
mana ball to the right along with a mushroom ring.  Cross the bridge
and you come to a bridge fork.

Take the left fork first, destroy the spawner by the cottage, read the
scroll and then up across the bridge above the cottage. Destroy the
spawner just past the bridge to the right and then move forward to get
the spell upgrade that increases the "Fire Glyph" from "Burn" to
"Blaze".  Step in the circle and become a fire mage again.

Return to the bridge fork and go right, destroy the two spawners and
head to the Beleaguered Guard in the goblin camp.  Kill all his
oppressors, but make sure he stays alive.  After the battle the barrier
will drop and he will give you the "Sky Fall" upgrade from "Star" to
"Meteors".  You're gonna need that before this chapter is over.  To the
far right of the camp is a mushroom ring.  Save.

There are two paths out of the camp.  If you want to get 100% of
everything you'll need to make a full circle and would recommend
heading down the grassy fork first.  Down the grassy fork you'll fight
some monsters and find a Frightened Villager who doesn't give you
anything but there is another mushroom ring behind her.  Down the road
you can see a cottage and a church directly across the road from the
cottage.  The cottage only has a scroll about the Ballad of the Black
Rose outside it.  Enter the church courtyard and a barrier appears.
Destroy all the dark creatures with light magic and claim the spell
"Dark Arc".

Continue down the road destroy the spawner and the attacking goblin
riders to lower the barrier for yet another mushroom ring (next Chapter
you'll be wishing there were this many mushroom rings).  Talk to the
nearby guard who is searching for Capt. Nolan.  Head up the rocky,
barren path by that mushroom ring.  Head up the path, destroying
spawners as you go, ignore the path to the right across the bridges for
now and just keep heading up.  At top is Capt. Nolan and a circle to
change to the dark school of magic.  I would not recommend doing this.
There are few light creatures that attack you coming up.

At this point, if you want 100% kills you should take that fork across
the bridge killing enemies as you go.  This path will lead you full
circle back to the Beleaguered Guard at the Goblin Camp.  When you are
done head back down to the guard who was looking for Capt. Nolan and
report his demise.  The gates to the town will open.  You should
proceed inside.

At the top of the stairs in the town is a priest who will give you the
"Light Glyph" spell.  Continue to the left across the bridge and up the
hill.  A guard will tell you of the battle in the marketplace.  Up the
hill, past the guard, destroy a spawner.  Take the road down to the
right to the chapel down in the valley.  There is a spawner that must
be destroyed on the way there.  At the chapel you will find a scroll, a
mushroom ring and a light magic change school.  I changed to light
magic at this point because of the large number of dark creatures you
will fight throughout the game and because (as noted before) I think
"Scarring Light" is one of the best spells.

Go back out of the valley and continue up the rocky hill killing
monsters as you go.  Kill the goblin riders at the top of the mountain
and a mushroom ring will open at the base of the stairs.  I can't
recommend saving here enough.  SAVE!  Continue up the stairs and toward
the market place.  Although I rarely did it throughout the game I would
highly recommend setting your orb as far in front of you as possible to
give yourself the maximum amount of time to kill the goblin riders in
the marketplace.  Use Scarring Light on everything except the light
mages.  You'll need to use dark magic on them.

Once they are all dead grab the mana ball between the trees and head to
the left.  A gate will pop up behind you and you'll encounter the first
boss battle.

*******************************
Battle Strategy -- Stiltwalkers
*******************************

Although the stiltwalkers aren't really bosses (you'll encounter LOTS
more of them in upcoming chapters, they act as the boss for this level.
Hopefully, you took my recommendation to join the fire school in
Chapter I, if not you should still have enough fire magic to use this
strategy.

Equip "Sky Fall" which should be powered up to level 2 (you did save
the Beleaguered Guard, didn't you?).  Basically run around in a circle
around the fountain with the stiltwalkers following behind, when "Sky
Fall" has charged to level 2 QUICKLY turn around, fire at your pursuers
and start running again.  If you keep running the balls they fire at
you should always fall short of the mark.  You never need to see your
pursuers because Meteors will bounce off the wall and you can guarantee
hitting them.  Keep repeating the charge, fire, run pattern.  You can
see which stiltwalkers are left alive by seeing the color of the balls
that are being flung at you (purple, blue, red and yellow).  The Meteor
spell (after a dozen or so firings) will take down three of your
pursuers, but will not work on the fire magic stiltwalker.  When you
only see red balls being flung at you, on the fly equip the "Glacial
Might" spell and turn around to fire at the last stiltwalker.  This
should freeze him in place.  Keep firing at "Glacial Might" at him and
he'll never have a chance to thaw.  He falls and the barrier finally
drops.


After the death of the stiltwalkers, continue on a very straightforward
path through the cheering townspeople and down to the ship, which,
unfortunately sails away with your friends, but without you.  On the
way there you should find the upgrade to "Winter Fury" to "Flurry".
You should have found nine items:  3 mana balls, Winter's Fury (1st and
2nd levels), Fire Glyph (2nd level), Sky Fall (2nd level), Dark Arc
(1st level), Light Glyph (1st level)



*********************************
Chapter III - The Forest Fortress
*********************************

This chapter is long and has several paths that loop back on itself.  I
am going to describe the way I did it and the way that guarantees
finding all the items in the chapter.  This is not by any means the
only way to successfully complete the chapter.  You are free to strike
out on your own.

Cross the bridge from the docks to find a mushroom ring under the tree.
Continue down the path killing enemies and one spawner.  You'll come to
a fork in the road with a dying dwarf.  Take the left fork and continue
up the hill killing monsters and spawners as you go.  About halfway up
the hill, on the right, is a mushroom ring guarded by a dark worm.  At
the top is a plateau with several fire creatures and some dark worms.
I would recommend using Scarring Light to quickly eliminate as many as
possible.  It is necessary to kill all the monsters before they kill
the man at the far end of the plateau.  When the battle is over, if he
survives he will give you the "Freeze" powerup to Glacial Might and
there is a mana ball up here.  Continue back to where the dying dwarf
was.

On a small hill behind him is the powerup to "Dark Arc" called "Surge".
Continuing down the right fork you come to another fork by the wagon
with a scroll about the Witches of the Green.  In the long run this
will form a giant loop that is connected in the middle by a teleporter.
However, I recommend going down the right path.

Continue down that right path around a 180° turn until you come to
another fork in the road.  There are several spawners here disguised as
piles of rocks so be careful.  Take the right fork here down to a dying
soldier who asks you to save the town.  To kill the monsters in the
town I would recommend equipping "Scarring Light" running up the hill,
firing off a couple of rounds and retreating to a safe distance.
Repeat this technique until they are all dead.  When monsters are dead
a dark magic circle will open.  I would not recommend using it, in
fact, I stayed as a light mage for the rest of the game past Chapter
II.  You can take this advice or not, but there really aren't enough
light enemies to justify being a dark mage.  You'll also find a
mushroom ring at the far end of town.

Return back to the last fork where the rock spawners were and continue
up the hill.  A little ways up, off to the right by a building, before
you get to the barrier is a mushroom ring.  This mushroom ring is
surrounded by tons of enemies so I would recommend using it after you
have defeated them all.  Return back to where the goblins in barrels
were, kill them to lower the barrier and continue up the hill.

At the top of the hill you will come to a Witch of the Green who is
being besieged by enemies.  Defeat them all and she will give you the
Ice Ward spell.  There is a light magic school circle here which I
would recommend if you aren't already a light mage and a teleporter.
The witch will instruct you to find her sister.  Step through the
teleporter and you're on your way to doing that.

You'll find a scroll telling of the Book of the Tree and you'll exit
the little nook to the main path.  For those wanting to skip some vital
stuff and get off the level as fast as possible head right into the
fortress and skip down to the section on the fortress in this chapter.
You're missing a lot of good, vital stuff though so I wouldn't
recommend it.

For the completist, head left on the main path to the gate and find the
dying soldier.  Head through the gate and kill all the nearby enemies
to open a mushroom ring to the right.  Continue around on this right
path and you'll come to a barrier.  Defeat the two spawners to lower
the barrier and receive the spell "Steel Death".  Continue forward and
destroy another spawner and nearby enemies and open the fire magic
school circle.  Continue forward and return to the main path.  Take a
right and you'll run into an ice brute and two spawners.  Destroy them
and continue south on the main path.

To the right is a scroll and another path, but for now stay on the man
path and you'll run into the Hunted Man who asks about Stonehaven.
Continue on the main path up the hill and you'll come to the wagon from
earlier.  Congratulations, you've walked around in a circle.  Return
back past the Hunted Man to the path by the scroll below that you just
past and head up it.

Destroy the first spawner, head up again, destroy the second spawner
which lowers the barrier to the powerup "Winter's Fury" to "Hail"
level.  The orb will congratulate you on reaching a level 3 spell.
Proceed forward and destroy both spawners including the one hiding
behind the blue circle to open the water magic school circle.  Then
kill the goblin riders to open the barrier to the much needed mushroom
ring.

Then it's two dead dark worms to open the barrier to the mana ball and
forward to defeat the enemies attacking the Witch of the Green.  After
defeating the enemies the Witch gives you the Light Rune, a healing
rune, which will make the bulk of the game much, MUCH easier than it
has been up to this point.

Return to the main path and head north to where you teleported into
this section at.  Here you'll find the fortress of Stonehaven.

Clear off the right landing that doesn't lead anywhere and then head
over to the left landing.  On the left landing head to the left and up
the stairs to destroy the goblins in barrels and open the mushroom
ring.  Back down the stairs and head north across the stone bridge.
Here a guard warns you that the fortress is under attack in case you
hadn't noticed that.  Head down the stairs to the right and you'll come
to a three way split (straight, left, right).  Take the right path up
the stairs around the landing and down the first set of stairs.  To the
left is a mushroom ring and to the right is a scroll with a will.  Down
the second set of stairs and to the right down another set of stairs is
a barrier.  Clear out a horde of monsters and the sealed area opens to
reveal a mana ball.

Back up the stairs to the main landing and head right to find another
long set of stairs down [for the completist you'll need to clear out
the north side of the fortress (the path to the left at the three way
split) before heading down these stairs].

Down the stairs, clear off the landing, and down another set of stairs,
clear another landing and find the "Glamour" powerup to the "Light
Glyph".  Then down and down again fighting enemies and spawners as you
go to find a large courtyard with a two rows of columns in front of it.
You'll find a spawner at each side of the courtyard and a mushroom ring
on the right side.  Proceed forward past all the columns.  At the end
of columns, on the left, is a guard who gives you the "Water Glyph".
Head toward the gate and exit the level.

You should have found 12 items:  4 mana balls, Glacial Might (2nd
level), Dark Arc (2nd level), Ice Ward (1st level), Steel Death (1st
level), Winter's Fury (3rd level), Light Rune, Light Glyph (2nd level),
Water Glyph (1st level).


****************************
Chapter IV - The Buried City
****************************

Mushroom ring in front of you.  Head into town, kill three goblin mage
riders, read scroll and the spirit tells you how he lost the scroll to
start the fountain.  Forget looking for his scroll, hit the fountain
with any water spell to open the gate.  Head through the gate and
destroy the spawner in front of you to stop the flood of beetles.  Note
the closed gate in front of you.  Return back to the opened gate and
take the stairs up the west side.  Destroy the creatures to open a
barrier and get a mana ball.

Head to the east of the gate and destroy a spawner around the corner to
open the way to the mushroom ring.  Continue to head east up the hill,
a barrier appears behind you.  Kill the mummy and dark worm thus
lowering the barrier.  Behind barrier find powerup to "Light Glyph" to
"Glare" and a light magic school circle.  Hit the statue the light
magic and this opens the formerly closed gate.

Head down through the now opened gate and head around the corner to the
left to destroy both beetle spawners.  An Impatient Messenger will tell
you that all the fountains must be lit for the gate to open.  Return
back east, past the scroll about the Gorgons and down into the canyon.
At the bottom of the canyon destroy a plethora of zombies, mummies,
beetles and a spawner to open a mushroom ring, a dark magic school
circle and to find the "Ice Ward" powerup to "Shield".  To the far west
you'll see the glow of a mana ball.  Head toward it and a barrier pops
up.  Defeat the spawner and zombies, claim the mana ball, and head back
up to the town.

Head north through the town and a Frightened Spirit will tell you that
Gorgons have invaded the Cathedral.  Continue north to a T in the road.
To the right is a mushroom ring where you'll probably want to save
right now and a closed gate.  Head left past the Wizard who tells you
of a powerful rune in the graveyard and you'll reach another T.

Head left and destroy the two dark riders and spider to lower the
barrier to the fire altar.  Collect the mana ball here and light the
fire altar with fire magic.  Then take the right fork at the last T to
enter the graveyard.

***************************************
Boss Strategy - Wraith King and Jesters
***************************************

In the graveyard you'll find the Wraith King and two jesters.  One
jester is dressed in blue and red, the other in purple and yellow.  The
Wraith King is also dressed in purple and yellow.

First take out the red and blue jester using about a half dozen blows
from the spell "Scarring Light".  Next equip Glacial Might and stand
near the T in the road.  The Wraith King and jester should materialize
near you occasionally, fire a couple of quick bolts freezing them and
then run and hide.  When needs be run out of attack range and equip the
Light Rune to restore your health because the Wraith King's lightning
attack can be deadly.  Repeat the process and eventually the King and
jester will freeze and shatter.  Claim the Fire Rune in the graveyard.

Head back to the original T and through the now open gate destroying
the spawner to the immediate right as you go.  Head left and the Hero
will tell you that to defeat the Gorgons they must be reunited.
Continue left and across the bridge to the first landing where you'll
find the "Lava Spell" and dark magic fountain.  Hit it with dark magic
of course and head up to the top landing where you'll find the school
of blue magic after defeating a spawner.

Now go all the way back to where the Impatient Messenger stood before
the closed gate.  It is now open.  Proceed through and up the hill to
destroy the spawner and lower the barrier for the mushroom ring.  To
the left is a Lost Leader who encourages you to get your butt to the
cathedral.  Destroy the spawner and pick up the "Flash" powerup to
"Scarring Light" and go on.

*****************************
Boss Strategy Pt. 2 - Totems
*****************************

The totems are quite easy.  Charge the "Dark Arc" up to "Surge", run
forward, strike, run back.  Try to dodge the light magic from the
yellow bird.  After about two hits the totem will break apart.  Just
keep using Surge magic on the three individuals until they disappear.
Repeat the process for the other totem.  Again, if you run low on
health just stand out of range and use the Light Rune.

Proceed up the steps to exit the level.  You should have collected 8
items:  3 mana balls, Light Glyph (3rd level), Ice Ward (2nd Level),
Fire Rune, Lava (1st level), Scarring Light (2nd level).



***********************************
Chapter V - The Abandoned Cathedral
***********************************

There is a mushroom ring directly to your right.  You may want to save
it later because it's gonna be awhile before you see another one.
Immediately as you move forward down the north path (the only path)
walls spring up trapping you between them and a horde of zombies and a
spider attacks.  Kill them to lower the barrier.

Continue to move down the path using the same technique, kill monsters,
lower barrier.  At the end of the path are two totems.  Use the same
strategy from the end of the last chapter to dispatch these guys.  Now
would be a good time to go back and save.

Once in the cathedral you hear some soldiers say that the only way to
kill a Gorgon is with another Gorgon.  The goal of the level is to lead
both Gorgons to this center chamber.  You can do either side first, but
I did the right side first so that's how we'll proceed here.

Head down the stairs.  It's best to have the Light Glyph spell fully
charged because you get ambushed by a large group of dark magic
enemies.  Now run down the second flight of stairs, past the Gorgon for
now, and down the third flight of stairs, deal with the monsters,
continue forward and a barrier will spring up trapping you in with a
Wraith King and a jester.

Deal with them using Glacial Might and Scarring Light.  You can hide
from there attacks if you press yourself against the barrier in the far
left or far right corner.  You will be just out of their attack range
and you can use the Light Rune to heal any damage.  Once they are dead
head down to the open tomb and acquire the "Bolt" powerup to the Dark
Arc and save at the mushroom ring.

On your way back up change your orb to dark magic (i.e. select a dark
magic spell as your active spell) and get the Gorgon's attention by
running (quickly) in front of her.  Try to stay just in front of her
vision cone, this way she will follow you without throwing tridents at
you.  Once you have her in the center chamber, change to light magic
and run up the stairs.  Dispatch the baddies and get the attention of
the light Gorgon in the same manner as before.  Again try to stay just
in front of her vision cone and lead her back to the center chamber.
Then sit back and watch the fireworks as they turn each other to stone.

DO NOT exit the level yet.  Head back up the stairs where the light
Gorgon was and then up the next flight of stairs.  Kill the enemies and
head around the corner where you'll face another totem pole.  Dispatch
it and continue to the open tomb where you'll powerup "Scarring Light"
to "Flare" and find another mushroom ring to save.  Return to the
Gorgon sisters who are now statues in the center chamber and step
toward the light/dark essences to exit the level.

You should have found 2 items:  Dark Arc (3rd level) and Scarring Light
(3rd level)

There is now a cutscene in which time passes and Arran begins to age.
And with age comes a goatee.


*****************************
Chapter VI - Stonehaven Ruins
*****************************


Mushroom ring right in front of you which you'll want to use because
you've got a fight coming up.  As you step forward the Orb tells you
that you're even more powerful now which you can confirm by noticing
the levels in your spell book have risen slightly.  Nice to know the
goatee wasn't the only benefit of aging.

Move forward and Bale the dragon appears.

*******************************
Boss Strategy - Bale the Dragon
*******************************

This is an easy fight.  The Wraith King was much harder.  Equip all
your ice spells although Glacial Might is the only one you'll probably
use.  Run back and forth at the back of the large rectangular arena
waiting for your magic to charge.  When it does run diagonally forward
and when you're within range fire and retreat running diagonally.  Go
to the back of the arena.  Recharge you energy and repeat.  If Bale
does do damage just stay at the back or the arena running back and
forth while the Light Rune heals you.  In order to get hit even less,
you should always change course right AFTER Bale adjusts himself to
your movement.  Hence when you see him shift to stay pointed at you,
that's the moment to change course.  He shouldn't hardly get a shot off
if you do this repeatedly.  As you hit him more and more, ice will
begin to form on him and after about twenty hits he will die.


*********************************
Chapter VI - Revenge at Fallstown
*********************************

The chapter stays the same, but the name changes.  The strategies
however, are pretty much the same as they've always been.  This chapter
is the EXACT SAME layout as Chapter III - The Forest Fortress except
that it's in reverse order (and I thought Halo was the only game that
employed this technique).  Hopefully you'll be familiar with the layout
by now so navigation should be a little easier.

Go forward and take out the spawner immediately in front of you and the
one to the left along with killing everything that moves to open the
mushroom ring.  Head around to the left side of the stairs and destroy
the other spawner and then up the four flights of stairs taking out
enemies on each landing.  At the top of the stairs take a left and then
another left to go down and destroy the spawner.  Back up the stairs to
the main floor and take a right to clear the north side of monsters.
When you reach the four-way intersection this time an ice walls will
appear at all the exits and you'll need to defeat two stiltwalkers and
a couple goblin riders to lower them.  Continue to the other side of
the fortress, up the stairs, across the landing, down the stairs
clearing out all the enemies to lower the barrier on a mushroom ring
and mana ball.

Now head back to the bridge that leads out of the fortress.  At the end
of the bridge you'll see a blue glow.  As you approach a barrier
appears and you are attacked.  Obliterate them and claim the "Fount"
powerup for the Water Glyph.  Up the small stairs and two the right,
take out the spawner at the bottom of the stairs and then up the long
stairs to fight a mushroom ring and a scroll at top.

Back down the stairs and head out of the fortress, if you want all the
kills don't forget to clear the other landing that doesn't go anywhere
where you'll find a scroll that alludes to Madi.  Leave the fortress
for good and get on the main path.  Off to the left is still the small
nook with the statue and a spawner, but unfortunately the teleporter
has been destroyed.  So head down the main path.  When you approach the
gate a fire brute will appear.  These guys are easy.  Just hit him
repeatedly with Glacial Might and he won't even get a shot off.  Exit
through the gate.

Directly in front of you you'll see a barrier spring up around a mana
ball.  Kill the enemies and claim the mana ball and then head around on
the circular path to the right.  As you continue around, just as you
get to the barren area, several barriers will spring up along with two
purple brutes and a fire brute.  Dispatch them all to claim the Fire
Ward spell and continue on.

Over the crest of the hill it's death to a group of dark worms to open
up a mana ball and then a little ways more to reopen the fire magic
school circle.  Continuing forward a barrier pops up that can be
lowered by taking out the enemies and a spawner of light wolves.
Continuing around is a spawner of yellow fungi and a little ways north
a spawner of dark wolves whose defeat opens a mushroom gate which you
should definitely use by this point.  You've now come full circle back
to the gate so head south and east down the main path.

Destroy the spawner to the left and the light creatures to lower the
barrier and then take out the two spawners directly in front of you
along with various associated evil things to lower the barrier to the
left and claim another mana ball.  To the right is a group of farm
people who are starving and up the hill past them back toward the Altar
of the Witch of the Green is the way you want to go.

Two spawners and two dark worms stand in the way of lowering the first
barrier.  As before about halfway around is the water magic school
changer and just past that a mushroom ring which you'll want to use
once you get it to open.  Just past that off to the right is a barrier,
which, when lowered, gives you the "Mortis" powerup to "Steel Death".

Unfortunately, at the altar the witch has lost her mind.  Make sure you
are at full health, equip Light Glyph, run up under her and blast her
to oblivion.  Then read the scroll and head back to the main trail.
Head east at the main trail and take out two spawners to open a
mushroom ring.  Another barrier leads to more dead enemies and about
halfway up the hill is another spawner hidden behind a tree.

At the top of the hill a barrier necessitates the destruction of two
more spawners, one by the now destroyed wagon and one a little ways
down the path to the south.  Continuing down the southern path we come
to the fork in the road.  The left fork leads past several spawners and
two barriers to the spell "Primal Light" down by the docks.  The right
fork leads up the hill.  About halfway up, just like last time, is a
mushroom ring to the right protected by goblins in barrels.  Continue
up past more monsters, spawners and barriers to the top plateau where
you'll find the dark magic school circle and the "Adders" powerup to
"Venom Strike".

Return all the way to the fork with the destroyed caravan and take the
east path toward town.  More monsters and spawners litter your path as
you continue around to the fork of the town.  Halfway around, at the
apex of the turn, hidden back in some trees, guarded by three dark
worms is a mushroom ring.  Save again.

At the fork to the town, after defeating a couple spawners, an archer
will tell you that a dragon is attacking the town and you must hurry.
But we're gonna ignore him for now.  Continue west and up the hill.
You'll go past two more spawners and as you come to the T in the road
you will be totally ambushed.  All three escape routes close and you
are attacked by three goblin riders, a purple brute and a fire brute.
Use Light Glyph to dispatch them all.

When the barriers lower, take the right path of the T and destroy two
spawners, a green one directly in front of you and another rockpile one
in the far back.  This will open a mushroom ring and the "Dark Glyph"
spell.  Now take the left fork up to the diseased Yew tree with another
crazy witch that you must defeat.  NOW it's time to save the town so
head back to the fork to town and go down into the valley.

Almost as soon as you step on the path, two barriers will spring up
trapping you in with a spawner of beetles and a stiltwalker.  Once you
kill them, you'll see a mushroom ring ahead, but you'll be ambushed
before you can get there.  Vanquish all your enemies to gain access.
Continue forward and a fire brute blocks your access to Fallstown.
He's no match for Glacial Might though and his defeat allows you to
enter the town.

As you enter town you watch a cut scene in which Lochran dies and turns
into the fire essence.  Head into the fire essence to exit the level.

You should have gathered 11 items on this level:  5 mana balls, Water
Glyph (2nd level), Fire Ward (1st level), Steel Death (2nd level),
Primal Light (1st level), Venom Strike (2nd level), Dark Glyph (1st
level)



********************************************
Chapter VII - Mountains of Pain "The Ascent"
********************************************

There is a mushroom ring directly to your left and a spawner directly
in front of you that must be dealt with.  Head up the trail, past a
spawner to a fork.  Take the right fork and defeat the goblins to lower
the barrier and claim "Deathblow" powerup to "Steel Death".  Cross the
bridge to the school of fire magic and claim the mana ball there.
Cross the other bridge, avoid the ambush, and continue up the main
trail to another fork.

Take the left fork this time, destroying the two spawners as you go up.
A fire brute pops up.  Quickly destroy the spawner to the left of him
and retreat to a safe distance, then attack him and the goblins.  If
you want, at this point you should take the bridge to the east over to
another little circular area.  When you cross into the area, barriers
will block your exit. You have to defeat two spawners, two jesters and
a Wraith King.  As far as I can tell there is no where you can hide
from the Wraith's King attack.  This battle was EXTREMELY difficult for
me and I wouldn't recommend doing it unless you want 100% on everything
as there is no reward and it's an inordinate amount of trouble.

Either way, when you are done continue on the main path to the north
where at the next plateau you'll find a man warning you of the blue
dragon and also the light magic change school.  Continue up the hill
and defeat the red brutes and spawner to lower the barrier to a
mushroom ring.  Past that is another plateau with a skull head in the
ground.  There are spawners to the far left and far right.  Defeat all
the enemies here and a barrier lowers so that you can get the "Ray"
powerup to "Primal Light".

Continue up the main path fighting more enemies and spawners.  You'll
reach another plateau with a mushroom ring and mana ball on the right
and a dark magic change school on the left.  There is also a spawner on
each side.  Up and up more, the next stop is a plateau with a rundown
house.  Destroy all the goblin riders to open the paths to the left and
right.  This will make it easier to fight the Wraith King and his
cronies as you'll have somewhere to run when you need to use the Light
Rune.  When you finally kill the Wraith King you'll find the "Thunder"
spell by one of the houses and a scroll telling how to defeat the ice
men.

Down the right path is the fire side.  QUICKLY move forward and take
out the three spawners and the fire brute using the Light or Dark Glyph
(preferably Light).  The mushroom ring will be opened.  A little ways
up the hill is a barrier with the "Serpents" powerup for "Venom Strike"
inside.  Continue up and you'll need to beat two goblin riders and an
ice man to open the water school of magic.

NOTE:  To defeat ice men you must strike them with your staff using the
"A" button and then hit the rubble with fire magic.

Further up you'll need to defeat two spawners and an ice brute to lower
the barrier.  At the top of the plateau using "Scarring Light" to
defeat the fire brute and destroy the spawner behind the pillar.  This
lowers a barrier to a mana ball.  Defeat the ice brute and totem pole
and a mushroom ring becomes available.  You'll be at a fork.  Head down
the left branch and defeat the ice brutes and ice men to open the
mushroom ring.  Head back up to the fork and take the north path,
fighting monsters and spawners along the way.  On your way up you'll
pass by a mushroom ring and further up the "Barrier" powerup to "Fire
Ward", both on the right.

You'll know you are getting near the top when you encounter another
Wraith King and two jesters (one red/blue, one yellow/purple).  Defeat
them and there is a mushroom ring just beyond.  Enter the town and head
to the west toward a wooden fence that is the exit from this level.

You should have found eight items on this level:  3 mana balls, Steel
Death (3rd level), Primal Light (2nd level), Thunder (1st level), Venom
Strike (3rd level), Fire Ward (2nd level).


*******************************
Chapter VII - Ice Fortress Gate
*******************************

This time it's not Bale the Dragon, it's Frost the Dragon, although the
technique is identical to Bale.  This time load up all your fire magic
spells.  Of most use is the "Sky Fall" spell.  Charge up run forward
diagonally, attack, run away.  Use the Light Rune at the back of the
arena is you need to.  He'll start to smoke after a couple attacks and
about twenty hits later he's dead.  If he isn't smoking or doesn't seem
to be responding to your attacks by wincing, then you are probably too
far away when launching "Sky Fall".  Get closer.

After his defeat the Orb tells you about the castle and you enter the
next level.


**********************************
Chapter VIII - The Fortress of Ice
**********************************

There is a mushroom ring in front of you as usual.  Take the only
available path northward.  You encounter one spawner and a few monsters
before coming to a bridge where you'll encounter a man who is searching
for his brother.  Across the bridge you come to a T.  Go left up the
stairs and defeat two spawners and a frost breath.  You will find a
priest trapped in a block of ice next to the water magic change circle.
Use "Sky Fall" a few times on the block of ice to free him.  In
gratitude he will give you the "Flow" powerup to "Lava".  Head across
the bridge to the west defeating enemies to lower barriers as you go.
At the end, to the left of the building, you'll find a mana ball.
Return to the T and take the right fork.

Before heading up the stairs to the right step around the corner and
destroy the spawner.  Now head up the stairs.  A large horde of
monsters meets you at the top.  Defeat them and head west to defeat
another spawner and an ice man to lower the barrier to the next flight
of stairs.  Up the stairs and you'll find the powerup "Curse" for the
"Dark Glyph" and a mushroom ring to the left.  To is the right is the
light magic circle.  Past the circle is a small landing with a trapped
adventurer.  Defeat the spawner and you can free him although he
doesn't give you anything in return.

Now up the long flight of stairs by the change circle.  Up another
small flight of stairs and you'll find a bridge.  Halfway across the
bridge, on the right, is a stairway down to a small walkway.  At the
end of the walkway is another mana ball.  Take it, return to the
bridge, and head east.  Down two flights of stairs and you'll have to
defeat a spawner at each of the three corners of the landing to lower
the barriers on a mushroom ring to the west and a trapped adventurer to
the east.

Free the trapped adventurer.  It is the brother of the Searching
Brother.  Lead him all the way back to the bridge at the beginning
(there is no shortcut) and once reunited they will give you the Water
Rune.  Return to where you found the trapped brother.  Once back there
head to the room to the northeast to a room with a mana ball and then
take the trail which continues north.

The trail winds around and down.  As it bottoms out you can find the
"Shatter" powerup to "Glacial Might" at the side of the first building.
Ahead is the fire magic school circle and up ahead the road forks.
Take the left fork up the path and at the beginning of the bridge
you'll find the "Clap" powerup to "Thunder".  Cross the bridge, defeat
the spawner and to the far side of the building you'll find the "Blast"
powerup to the Fire Glyph and a dark magic change circle.  Return back
to the fork and take the right fork.

Continue straight back to the castle, passing the stairs on the right
(you've already been up there) and continuing down the stairs in front
of you.  Around the corner to the right you'll find an area where, if
you defeat a spawner and an ice man, you'll obtain the "Geyser" powerup
to "Water Glyph".  Head south and down the stairs to defeat the
monsters and read a scroll.  Then back up the stairs, head west and
down the path.  Defeat the monsters to lower the barrier to the
mushroom ring.  A little ways off you'll find another guy who is
trapped in ice asking you to kill him.  If you free him he does
nothing, if you kill him he sighs happily and still gives you nothing.
They don't get much more useless than that guy.  Regardless continue
forward and exit the level.

You should have obtained 10 items:  3 mana balls, Lava (2nd level),
Dark Glyph (2nd level), Water Rune, Glacial Might (3rd level), Thunder
(2nd level), Fire Glyph (3rd level), Water Glyph (3rd level)


******************************
Chapter IX --  The Throne Room
******************************

This level is basically one big boss battle against Quint the Frost
Giant.  The Orb gives you a large hint when it states that "his
brutality will be his downfall".

Basically this is just a large circle with Quint at the center.  There
are several little teeth-like structures that go from the ring in
towards Quint.  The Frost Giant only has two attacks, his freezing
breath and a blow from his axe.  Obviously since he is the Frost Giant
you are going to want to attack him with your fire spells.  I recommend
"Sky Fall", it works quite well.

Much like in the battle with the Stiltwalkers in Chapter II, you'll
spend the bulk of the time running around in a circle.  Quint will
occasionally breath frost which you can usually stay ahead.  If he does
hit you, turn on the Light Rune to heal yourself.  Or another method is
to equip the Water Rune and then you will certainly be fast enough to
outrun his breath.

When you want him to strike with his axe (which you do want him to do),
just step onto one of the teeth-like structures.  He will raise his
axe, swing and get stuck in the ground.  When the axe is stuck in the
ground fire your "Sky Fall" spell at THE AXE, not at him.  Hitting
Quint does no damage, only hitting the axe causes damage.  If you are
successful, he will rear back and holler.  Keep up this pattern, run,
step toward him, he strikes, hit his axe.  If you do this about thirty
times he dies.  As with the other bosses you shouldn't even die once
during this battle.

You automatically exit the level after his defeat and time passes yet
again.


*******************************************
Chapter X -- Mountain of Pain "The Descent"
*******************************************

Mushroom ring in front of you.  Defeat five goblins in barrels and
three fire brutes to lower barrier.  The next circular area contains
two spawners (one on each side) and a fire brute.  Continue east,
you'll need to deal with two spawners, two jesters and a Wraith King.
This will open a mushroom ring that you should use before exiting town.

Down the hill rush up and kill the fire brute with the Light Glyph and
then take out the two spawners to lower the barrier on the mana ball.
Killing the next set of enemies down the hill will lower the barrier
for another mushroom ring.  Continue down until you come to the Caged
Soldier.  Hit the lock with Level 3 dark magic and you'll free him,
although he does nothing for you.  Continue down and you'll come to the
school of light magic.

On the next plateau down you'll find a mushroom ring and the last
powerup for the "Dark Glyph" ("Blight"), but only after you fight a
hard battle against two fire brutes and two spawners (one of which is
hidden next to a far column).  Continue east and run past the dark
magic school circle for now.  You don't want to fight the Wraith King
and four jesters until you've cleared yourself a little breathing room.
Past the dark magic school find two spawners and then some dark magic
enemies and two more spawners.  By this point you should have cleared
out plenty of room to do a snipe and hide attack on the four jesters
and Wraith King.  So go back and defeat those guys and open the dark
magic circle and the "Cage" powerup for the "Fire Ward".  Head down the
path and make sure you use that mushroom ring.

As you step out into the center, a load screen appears and you enter

**************************
Chapter X -- The Icy Field
**************************

Here you face your third dragon, Shadow.  I'll admit Shadow gave me a
bit of trouble when I first faced him.  But I think the following
strategy will help you defeat him fairly easily.

First off, the Light Rune is powerless in his presence so now restoring
health.  Just equip the Fire Rune instead as you are going to need to
be protected from magic before this fight is over.

You can first attack him using light magic, particularly "Primal Light"
charged up to the second level.  However, as you attack him he changes
from a dark creature to a light creature so these attacks are only
effective for a short time.  Once your light magic is no longer
damaging him (he'll stop reacting to your attacks), change over to the
"Sky Fall" spell as fire magic works well against him.  Make sure you
charge your magic to level 2 however as level 1 damage rarely hurts him
and level 3 takes too long to charge.  As you continue to attack him
he'll turn more and more white and yellow.  His attacks at this point
are fairly easy to avoid and mainly consist of a breath attack.
However, do NOT get too close to him when attacking or he'll bite you
and that takes about half of your health.

After some strikes, he'll be about half white and half purple.  This is
when he begins to rear up and a mana ball comes out of his chest to
attack you.  When this happens the easiest method to avoid his attack
his to run about 3/4 of the way back the screen and then run forward.
This will cause the dark and light glyphs that he casts to mainly fall
behind you.  As you run up, hit him with "Sky Fall", run back, wait for
the glyphs to shoot out, run forward, attack, repeat.

It takes about fifteen to twenty more attacks once he starts rearing up
to finish him off, but eventually he'll die.  At that point claim the
mana ball and the that was in his chest and is now on the ground and
the "Split" powerup for "Thunder".

After the battle you can find a mushroom ring on the west side path.
Unfortunately, a glitch in the game has caused the spawners to reappear
on the path above you.  If you are going for 100% kills you need to
clear the ENTIRE circular path around the icy field of spawners and
enemies yet again.  If you are not up for this or don't care, continue
down the main path to the southwest.  If you do, clear them out and
then continue down the main path to the southwest.

Down at the next plateau you'll find a Caged Man and his family.
Finally, some grateful people.  Use the opposite color magic on the
door and their freedom earns you the "Shell" powerup for the "Ice
Ward".  There is also a mushroom ring where you can save your progress.
Continue down past more enemies to the next large plateau with a yellow
skull head and hand.  After killing a large goblin horde you'll find a
trapped woman under the hand.  Free her also and she'll ask you to find
her lost children.

Continue down the main path to the next plateau where some enemies and
a spawner guard the fire magic circle.  There is also a mushroom ring a
little down the path from the school.  Down the path farther you'll
come to a fork guarded by two totem poles.  Kill them and continue
around to the right.  Do NOT cross the bridge.  Head around the corner,
defeating two spawners, and then coming to another fire brute and
spawner.  If you are not a water magic mage I would still recommend
against crossing this bridge.  Just wait a little while, we'll be back.

Continue down the main path defeat some goblin riders and other enemies
to lower the barrier to the water magic change circle and the "Erupt"
powerup for "Lava".  I would recommend stepping into the water magic
circle and becoming a water mage.  Now head back up to the bridge you
avoided before.

I'll warn you beforehand, when you cross you'll face a spawner, two
jesters and a Wraith King.  This is the fight I recommended avoiding in
Chapter VII, unless you were a stickler for getting 100%.  Well, we
don't want to avoid it this time cuz it gets us a cool prize.  So equip
"Glacial Might" which is now a powerful spell because we are a water
mage.  Take out the spawner to the right as quickly as possible and
then concentrate on avoiding the attacks of the Beguilers and
destroying them.  I got lucky and one of the jesters dropped health
when he died which is how I got through this fight.  When you do manage
to beat them the barriers will drop around the children and the
mushroom ring.  Definitely save and then lead the children back to
their mother.  She will give you the Dark Rune which will make you
invisible so long as you aren't moving or casting spells.  This really
helps to sneak up on tough enemies.

Continue all the way back down the main path to where you left off.  Do
NOT exit the level yet by stepping toward the wooden barricade by the
water magic circle.  Instead continue on the main path.  After
defeating the next group of enemies a mana ball is opened in the rocks
to the right.  And finally, at the last circle, after defeating another
Wraith King (how many kings are there anyway?) and two jesters along
with some zombies you'll receive the "Comet" powerup for "Sky Fall".

Now return to the wooden barricade and exit the level.  You should have
received 10 items:  three mana balls, Dark Glyph (3rd level), Fire Ward
(3rd level), Thunder (3rd level), Ice Ward (3rd level), Lava (3rd
level), Sky Fall (3rd level), Dark Rune.


*******************************
Chapter XI -- The Island of Yew
*******************************

You start off in a large circular area.  In front of you is a mushroom
ring.  This time you'll need to defeat the wolf spawner behind the tree
before accessing the mushroom ring.  You will now find yourself in a
large circular area that has three paths leading out of it.  One on the
right, one on the left and one straight up the center.  They all
eventually lead to the same place.  The easiest path is probably the
center path, followed by the one on the right.  The hardest path is the
left path because initially you have to defeat two beetle spawners that
spawn creatures of all colors so no matter what type of magic you pick
there will be some creatures attacking you which aren't phased.

Whichever path you pick the journey is fairly the same initially.  You
go up the path fighting monsters and spawners until you come to the
fire magic school.  The left and center paths have mushroom rings at
the top, while the right path does not.  If you want 100% kills then
you can clear out the other two paths.  Otherwise, use a mushroom ring
and then cross over the tree branch that has red bars on the sides.

Walk over the tree branch and you'll encounter a few more enemies.  The
path continues down and around a corner where you'll find another
Wraith King and two jesters guarding a mushroom ring.  If you step all
the way back to the barrier they will disappear which will give you
time to regenerate your health.  Continue on and up the hill to two
more spawners where you'll find yet another mushroom ring and a mana
ball by it before crossing another wooden bridge.  On the other side of
the wooden bridge is the light school of magic.

Up the hill and you'll come to a fork with two totem poles.  Take the
left fork down the hill past the spawners.  There will be another
mushroom ring halfway down and just past that you'll find another mana
ball by a wolf spawner.  At the end of the path you'll find a
teleporter which takes you to a small island off section.  On this
island are numerous zombies, a Wraith King and two jesters.  If the
battle gets too intense step back through the teleporter to give
yourself a breather and regain your health.  Then step back through the
teleporter and continue the fight.  When you have defeated all the
enemies you will fight a dark magic school, the "Nova" powerup to
"Primal Light" and a mushroom ring.

At this point, if you've followed this walkthrough to the letter you
should have collected every spell possible, all 48 of them.  If you
have, when you collect the "Nova" powerup the Orb will tell you that
because you have mastered every spell you are now a Nature Mage.  Your
cloak turns a cool green color.  This means that ALL your spells are
more powerful and ALL resistances are increased.  You can no longer
align yourself to just one school (since all your spells are powerful)
by stepping into a change circle, however, the change circle will still
restore your health.

Step back through the teleporter and go back the way you came to where
the fork was.  This time take the right path, up the hill defeating
groups of enemies to lower barriers.  When you come to a fight with two
dark worms, check to your left and there is a short path that leads up
to a mushroom ring.  After using the ring continue up the hill.  You'll
know you are near the top when you have to fight two more totem poles,
a load of zombies, and ice man and a beetle spawner all at once.  This
is a tough battle.  I recommend using the light and dark glyphs.
Charging one all the way up to Level 3, running forward as far as
possible, releasing and then running back to safety.  repeat until
you've destroyed everything except the spawner and then run up to take
care of it.

At the top you'll find another mana ball and a mushroom ring along with
a teleporter.  Grab the ball, use the ring and step through the
teleporter.  That's the end of the level.  You should have found 4
four:  3 mana balls and Primal Light (Level 3).


*********************************
Chapter XI -- The Pinnacle of Yew
*********************************

At the top you meet another dragon.  This is perhaps the toughest boss
battle of the game, even the Nightcaster isn't this tough.  What makes
the rainbow dragon so tough is the fact that he changes color and hence
no one type of magic is going to be effective all the time.

My strategy is to equip each of the four spells that have arrows by
them for longest attack range.  They are Primal Light (light), Venom
Strike (dark), Glacial Might (ice) and Sky's Fall (fire).  You do not
want to charge these spells up all the way to Level 3 because while
they do more damage their range is often limited to just around the
caster.  Level 2 spells usually travel farther forward.

Run around the circle until you come to an open area.  I find that the
little ice shards, while protecting you from some of the dragon's
spells, generally get in your way when you are trying to run away.
Regardless, the basic strategy is to set your active spell to be
opposite of the dragon's current color, run up, hit him, and run away.
Be careful, just like in the last battle he has a vicious bite if you
get too close.  When you have him about halfway defeated he'll rear up
and start shooting the glyphs at you.  His colors also begin to change
a little faster.  Try to hit him with the opposite magic still, but as
long as you don't hit him with the same magic you will still do damage.

Mainly try to stay in the open area, running back and forth and
attacking when you get the chance.  Remember that just like in the last
battle none of your Runes work so you'll need to play conservative to
hold onto your health.  Upon his defeat you will automatically go to
the next level.


**********************************
Chapter XII -- The Island Pinnacle
**********************************

After an introductory speech that tells you the origins of the battle
the final boss battle will begin.  Slightly disappointing is that you
don't actually fight the Nightcaster, but rather your old friend Madi
who has been possessed by the Nightcaster.

This battle is easy and straightforward.  You will see four little
balls, one of each color, swirling around Madi.  Those are the essences
and it's your goal to capture them.  In order to do this equip the
following spells:  Lava (fire), Winter's Fury (ice), Primal Light
(light) and Dark Arc (dark).  You don't have to use those four, any
particularly powerful spell will work, but I find those four to be the
easiest to use.

Basically you just need to keep unleashing Level 3 magic on Madi while
running around and avoiding her attacks.  Fortunately, her attacks are
rarely accurate as long as you are moving so the avoiding part isn't
too hard.  When your spell has charged up to Level 3 just run up to
her, unleash the spell, and run away.  You will know if you are hitting
her in two ways:  a floating red orb should appear to restore your
health and you can hear the Nightcaster roar in pain.  After awhile you
will capture the associated essence.  You will know this because a
cutscene will occur telling you about it.  I would recommend
concentrating on one type of magic until you capture that essence and
then switching to another type of magic.  You will need to use all four
types to capture all the essences.

Light magic captures the light essence.  Water magic captures the fire
essence.  Fire magic captures the water essence and dark magic captures
the dark essence.  Don't worry about the fact that she is aligned to
dark magic, it will still do damage in this case.

After you have captured all four essences the ending sequence takes
place.  Congratulations sit back and enjoy the predictably happy
ending.  You may also want to watch the credits as after some mediocre
music they have some outtakes of the voiceacting, a few of which are
funny.

That's it.  Hope this helped.


***********************************************************************
Section 7 -- Acknowledgments
***********************************************************************

Me, myself and I for completing the guide.

My girlfriend for providing the hours of entertaining commentary as I
tried to complete this game.  If ever I was having trouble finishing a
section she was always there to laugh at my inadequacy.  Thanks
sweetie.

GameFAQs for hosting this, my first guide and for providing all the
guides that I've needed to complete so many games.

And you the reader for reading it.  Any suggestions, corrections or
desired additions can be sent to me at [email protected]

Thanks again.

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