from: the Asimov collection




                    T H E   B A R D ' S   T A L E   I 
                          (Tales Of The Unknown)

              (Full Solution - compiled by John R. Barnsley)

(Order  of exploring the Dungeons.........SEWERS.........SCARLET BARD INN -
Ask  for wine - CATACOMBS - below Mad God's Temple - Tarjan........HARKYN'S
CASTLE  -  Top RH - need eye from Catacombs.........KYLEARON'S TOWER - Kill
Mad  God's  when it comes to life - only if you have the eye - then you can
enter MANGAR'S TOWER through the long staircase in the Sewer).

                               THE SOLUTION

Obviously,  the  first thing you must do is assemble your party. There is a
BEGINNING  party  (supplied  with  the  game) already equipped with a basic
level  of  Armour,  Instruments, etc. A much better and unique option is to
transfer  characters  over  from  either  WIZARDRY  or  ULTIMA  III!! These
characters  come  over  as  fairly  senior  level  characters  and make the
beginning   of   this   game  much  easier.  This  is  a  highly  desirable
alternative.

If  you  create your own characters - which you MUST do for your Bard - pay
special attention to the DEXTERITY attribute. This attribute determines who
strikes  first  in  combat,  and  can  be  the  difference  between an easy
encounter and one which is a struggle.

Magic users should have a HIGH IQ, while Fighter classes should have a HIGH
STRENGTH. It is recommended that you choose a Monk as one of your Fighters.
Their  Armour  class  drops  as their level rises. Eventually the Monk will
have an Armour class of 'LO' wearing only a robe. They can also do the most
damage unarmed in actual combat!

The  starting  party  in  this  solution consisted of a Monk, 2 Paladins, a
Bard,  a  Magician  and  a Conjuror. At higher levels of the game, you will
want to trade in one of your Paladins and develop another MAGIC user.

When  you  first  leave  the  Adventurer's  Guild,  explore the City. Visit
Garth's  Armoury,  and  find  the  Review Board (located next to the Inn on
Trumpet  Street). Don't wander too far until you get a feel for how you can
survive.  To  restore HIT POINTS after fighting, visit a Temple. There, all
ills  - including death - can be cured for a price. After a fight, you will
quite  frequently  find  objects  of some type. Keep them all. If you don't
need them, go to Garth's and sell them for gold - you will need it!

Visit  Roscoe's  Energy Emporium located off the Gran Plaz on the corner of
Grey  Knife  Street. There you will get an idea of what it costs to RESTORE
SPELL POINTS.

Early  on,  when you are still short of gold, the best way to restore Spell
Points  is to go into the Adventurer's Guild and just wait. This game is in
real-time  and Spell Points are restored as you just sit there. If you wait
on the street or in a house, you will almost certainly be attacked.

When  you  find  an  object  after  a  fight or in a Chest in the Dungeons,
experiment with it to find out what it is. There are no cursed items. Quite
a  few  objects have magical properties that are not readily apparent. Here
are  a  few  of the objects that you will find most useful, even though you
won't run into these until later in the game:

(1) KAEL'S AXE: Seems to be the best weapon, causing the most damage
                for your Paladins.

(2) FROST HORN: For your Bard, when used in combat it causes 40 - 70
                Hit Points of damage to a group of Monsters.

(3) MAGE STAFF: For your Magic Users, allows them to regain Spell
                Points even in a Dungeon (this is incredibly useful).

It is left to the individual player to discover the usefulness of the other
items  found  during  the  game.  After learning the game-play by wandering
around  the  City  and  being  able  to  survive,  it  is time to visit the
Dungeons. This is where the battle with Mangar will be won or lost!

There  are FIVE Dungeons in the game that must be explored in the following
order:

                         (A) WINE CELLAR & SEWERS
                             (B) THE CATACOMBS
                            (C) HARKYN'S CASTLE
                           (D) KYLEARAN'S TOWER
                            (E) MANGAR'S TOWER

Each  contains  something  that  will  help in the subsequent stages of the
game.

WINE CELLAR & SEWERS.
The  easiest  dungeon of them all is reached from the Inn on Rakhir Street.
Enter  the  Inn,  ask  to order a drink, then select WINE. You will then be
ushered into the Wine Cellar. I cannot overstress the importance of MAPPING
in  this  game.  Whenever  possible, have the MALE SPELL in operation. This
will  help you avoid some of the traps that are lying around. When you have
an encounter and find a Chest, always cast a TRZP SPELL to disarm any traps
that may be guarding the Chest.

Located  in  the  Wine  Cellar are the stairs down to the SEWERS. The First
Level  of  the  Sewers  contains  almost nothing of interest. So locate the
stairs  to  the  Second  Level of the Sewers as quickly as possible and get
down there. The Second Level contains one very important bit of information
that  you  will need to enter The Catacombs: the name of the Mad God. There
are  also  two  hints  to  questions  that will be asked in other Dungeons.
Explore  this level fully to find all the hints and the Mad God's name. The
Lowest  Level of the Sewers is next and contains one item of importance for
later in the game. Locate and take the stairs exiting from this level. Make
sure  you  know  where the stairs lead EXACTLY. After this (I hope you have
been  visiting  the  Review Board regularly to advance levels and learn new
spells), you are ready for the Catacombs.

THE CATACOMBS.
The Catacombs are reached from one of the Mad God's Temples, located on the
East  side of the Temple. Ask to speak to the Priest, then give him the Mad
God's name: TARJAN.

The  First  Level  of  the catacombs is just a survival test at this stage.
Once  you  can survive there fairly easily, head for the Second Level. This
level  has  a  clue  in it about the Mad God. It also contains a very nasty
creature  called  a  Soul  Sucker that lurks in the Southwest corner of the
Second  Level. If you decide to go in there and try him out, make sure that
you  have your character disk backed up. You will not be able to defeat him
at this stage of your development but, fortunately, you don't have to!

The  lowest  Level  contains  something  you will need later. Once you have
reached  the  Third  Level  you  must  use  a  TELEPORT SQUARE to enter the
Wizard's  Realm.  The  Teleport  is  located in the SOUTHEAST CORNER of the
Dungeon.  Once  you  are in the Wizard's Realm, you must defeat him to gain
the  EYE.  After  you  have  this  item,  you  are ready to tackle Harkyn's
Castle.

HARKYN'S CASTLE.
Harkyn's  Castle  is located in the NORTHEAST CORNER of SKARA BRAE. At this
point  in  the  game, it becomes very important for you to have filled your
special  slot with the most powerful character your magic users can summon.
If you are in the process of developing a Wizard, a lesser demon is best.

The First Level of this castle contains one item of importance: THE CRYSTAL
SWORD  from  the SOUTHEAST corner of this level. You will now begin to find
some   of  the  more  powerful  objects  to  experiment  with  during  your
encounters. After obtaining the CRYSTAL SWORD, head for the Second Level of
the  Castle.  The  stairs  are located in the NORTHEAST corner of the First
Level.

The  Second  Level of the Castle has a couple of interesting things. If you
answer  the riddle correctly ("SHIELDS") you get a MAGIC MOUTH which can be
used  to  cast  the SOSI SPELL. You must also obtain the SILVER SQUARE from
the  SOUTHWEST corner of the Dungeon. The access to this is from a TELEPORT
located  towards  the  middle  of  the Northern section of the Dungeon. The
PORTAL  to  the  Third  Level  is  located in the NORTHEAST section of this
level.

The Third Level of the Castle contains the ENTRANCE to KYLEARAN'S TOWER and
some  interesting  opportunities.  The  answer to the Old Man's question is
"SKULL  TAVERN".  When  you  encounter the Berserkers, located at 12E 5N of
this  level,  take  advantage.  They can be fairly easily defeated with the
right magic spells. You should have at least 2 Sorcerers capable of casting
the  MIBL SPELL. It also helps if your Bard has a FROST or FIRE HORN to aid
the others along.

When  you  can  defeat  these guys easily, it is time to make another Magic
User.  You  can  TELEPORT  from  the CASTLE ENTRANCE, fight the Berserkers,
TELEPORT  back  back to the Entrance, exit the Castle, then do it again and
again  until  your  spells run low. At 60,000 Experience Points a crack, it
doesn't take long to develop a decent Magic User.

After this, it is time to attempt Kylearan's Castle. When you approach, and
fight  the  STATUE  OF  THE MAD GOD located in the SOUTHEAST corner of this
level, you will be teleported inside the gates of Kylearan's Tower.

KYLEARAN'S TOWER.
After  the  battle  with  the Mad God and your subsequent teleport (you DID
have  the  EYE in your possession?!), go ONE STEP forward, TURN RIGHT, then
kick the door down. You will then be entering one of the two most difficult
mazes  in  the  game.  Most of it is in the dark and there are riddles that
must be answered. Back up your character disk BEFORE entering this maze!

Once you are in, watch carefully for teleports - they are everywhere. It is
extremely  important  that you map this maze VERY CAREFULLY. After you have
reached  the ANTIMAGIC SQUARE from wandering in a very small section of the
dark, the next step forward is a TELEPORT to 11E 12N.

Explore  until  you  find  a  MAGIC MOUTH that asks you to "Name the one of
cold,  foretold twofold". The answer to this one is "STONE GOLEM". You will
then  be  teleported  again.  After this, you will enter a very large, dark
area.  In  order  to get out of this, you must answer the question posed at
12E  2N  which  says:  "Name  the  Endless  Byway  and  your  path  will be
guaranteed".  The  answer  to this is the only street in Skara Brae with no
end - "SINISTER".

You  can  then map your way through a lighted section to another dark area.
From  this  dark  area  you must obtain the SILVER TRIANGLE, located at the
very  NORTH  of the dark area. You can then exit the dark area, going SOUTH
from  1E 6N. After this, you will face the CRYSTAL GOLEM (did you bring the
CRYSTAL  SWORD?).  You can defeat him with conventional weapons and spells,
but  somebody  has  to  have the Crystal Sword or he will reappear to block
your exit!

At  this  point, you can exit the Tower to refresh your players or continue
on.  If you exit, when you re-enter you must again answer the endless byway
question  to continue. Upon reaching the end of the Snakey Road on the East
side  of the maze, DON'T go through the South door. Take the door that goes
WEST.  You  will  then enter several rooms with Spinners and Teleports that
make finding your way almost impossible!

The  way  past these is SOUTHWEST. When you make it, you will be teleported
to 14E 1N. It is then an easy stroll to meet Kylearan himself. He turns out
to  be  the friendly Wizard and gives you a KEY that allows you to get into
MANGAR'S  TOWER. He then teleports you to the stairs exiting his tower. You
no  longer  need  the  Crystal  Sword or the Eye, and you are now ready for
Mangar himself!!

MANGAR'S TOWER.
If  you  paid  heed  and  followed  the stairs from the Bottom Level of the
Sewers,  you  will know how to get inside Mangar's walls. If not, go to the
Wine  Cellar,  TELEPORT your party 17E 16N 3D, and take the stairs UP. Then
TURN  RIGHT and kick the door in. You should be at the Entrance to Mangar's
Tower.

Level  One  is fairly easy to find your way around in. Follow the teleports
and  walk  around  until  you reach the MAGIC MOUTH on the EAST side of the
maze.  What is tricky is that after leaving the MAGIC MOUTH, you are now on
Level Two of the Tower.......so BE CAREFUL with your mapping!

Level  Two is again fairly easy (not even a warm-up for Level Three!). From
this  level  you  must  answer the question located at 4E 15N to obtain the
SILVER  CIRCLE.  The answer to the question is "CIRCLE". You must then make
your  way  to  the stairs located in the MIDDLE of the SOUTHERN side of the
maze.

Level  Three  is  the  hardest  maze  of  all, but by this time you must be
getting really proficient at mapping. You must wander around this level and
obtain  quite  a  number  of items. First of all, you should get the MASTER
KEY,  for  50,000  Gold  Pieces, from 19E 12N. This Key allows you to enter
Mangar's through the Front Gate, instead of from the Sewers.

You must then find the CLUES to the SEVEN WORDS needed to access the Fourth
Level of Mangar's. Gratefully, you can teleport into and out of this level.
After  finding  the  CLUES, you can then SPEAK the SEVEN WORDS to the MAGIC
MOUTH located at 10E 4N. They MUST be entered ONE AT A TIME. The words are:
"LIE WITH PASSION AND BE FOREVER DAMNED". Stairs will then appear at 3E 9N.
This is the ONLY way to obtain access to the UPPER REACHES of MANGAR'S!!

The  Fourth  Level  of  Mangar's  has  only ONE tricky part. When you first
arrive,  you  have  a  LIMITED  NUMBER of ways you can go. After reaching a
certain  point,  located in the NORTHEAST CORNER of the level, doors appear
everywhere.  Don't  be  confused!  Everything maps the same, it's just that
doors  are  everywhere!! Eventually, you will find the PORTAL to Level Five
in the SOUTHWEST corner of this level.

Level Five is the home stretch. This easy maze leads you to the LAVA PIT in
the  middle  of  the  EASTERN  side  of the maze. There you DIVE IN and are
TELEPORTED  to  10E 6N. You will then find the march up the Hall of Harm to
be  fruitless if you didn't bring the THREE SILVER ITEMS along. If you have
the  SILVER  TRIANGLE,  SILVER SQUARE and SILVER CIRCLE, a door will appear
directly NORTH of you.

After  passing through this door, cast your REST SPELL to restore everybody
to HEALTH and proceed directly NORTH to the final battle with Mangar!

The  final  battle itself is a large disappointment as it is fairly easy to
defeat  Mangar  and  his  Vampires,  and meet Kylearan again, who gives you
300,000  bonus  Experience  Points.  After  defeating  Mangar, you can then
proceed ONE MORE SQUARE NORTH for the LAST QUESTION of the game!

The  answer  is:  "SPECTRE  SNARE",  which you then receive (it is good for
binding to your party any of your opponents in battle).

  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
