Travelling through time and space, Keith Pullin seeks the ultimate answer. In other words he spent a week sweating it out on Lands Of Lore III so that you donÆt have to
This guide gives you that all-important walkthrough as well as general tips on how to prepare yourself for the gruelling adventure ahead. Furthermore, thereÆs advice on how to cope with other well-trodden areas of the game such as the town and forest. Let the quest beginà
DECISIONS, DECISIONS
After the gentle introduction, you end up outside Gladstone Keep wondering which guild to join. The cleric guild is to the west, the mage guild is to the east and the fighter guild is just north of the mage guild. To be honest, each class has useful advantages and thereÆs nothing stopping you joining all of them, so go ahead - do just that. However, if youÆre going to choose a familiar go for Syrus (Thief) - he tends to offer better advice than the rest and can also open locked chests and find hidden doors.
HereÆs a bit more information on each guild:
GUILD HOW TO JOIN GENERAL ADVANTAGES
Fighter Kill all the rats in the old docks Enables powerful close combat
Mage Take a sample of portal energy Learn powerful long-range spells
Cleric Get a pork chop for Boris Gives you plenty of healing options
Thief Simply find their hideout Enables deadly back-stab/killing blow
Remember to visit the guilds whenever you find any interesting items that might be worth selling. Think about it logically though: if you find a two-handed sword, itÆs highly unlikely that the mage guild will be interested; but take it to the fighters guild and itÆs a very different story.
Generally speaking itÆs a good idea to return to the guilds after each world. Not only can you heal yourself, but you can also find out about any sub-missions you need to undertake, and learn new skills. You can also stock up on any items you need for the next world. Visit your guilds often; use them well, for they are the key to your survival.
WALKTHROUGH
DraracleÆs Lair
Once you have joined a guild you should continue by seeking the Draracle. Go into Gladstone Forest and head south until you reach a small volcano. The portal here takes you to Volcania, where the Draracle is currently residing. Chat with him and go through the portal he leaves behind. This takes you directly to the DraracleÆs Lair where the Sigil is hidden. The Sigil is the device you need to use to collect the five pieces of mirror in order to get your soul back. Got that? Good.
After Jakel has messed you about with his pathetic puppet, the real DraracleÆs voice guides you onwards. Throw some dust over the invisible pathway and keep going. You should find the Sigil fairly easily.
Now itÆs time to start collecting those pieces of the mirror. Two portals are visible on the map. Choose either one, it doesnÆt matter which order you complete them in, although the Frozen Wastes is probably the easier world of the two.
The DraracleÆs Lair is a place you find yourself returning to time and time again. Skeletal warriors patrol the hallways and, while a hindrance at first, they eventually turn out to be a good supply of money - for some reason they always carry loose change around with them. These skeletons are often accompanied by orcs who also have a base within the Lair. Being slow and stupid theyÆre easy prey, though sadly have very little of any worth. After the first exploration of their paltry caves itÆs not worth going back.
The Frozen Wastes
Head through the Frozen Wastes, defeating the snow tigers as you go. At the White Tower you encounter Jacinda, the leader of the tribe of warrior women who live there and the keeper of the shard. You have two options at this point; you can kill her immediately, or you can help her by destroying all the starks (fire-breathing chickens) that have overrun the Tower. Frankly itÆs worth getting rid of her first and forgetting about the chickens, because even if you complete the task she still attacks you when you visit the throne room later for your ærewardÆ. So kill her, pick up the vault key and go directly to the throne room to find the shard.
You are now transported back to the DraracleÆs Lair. Chat to Jakel, then proceed through the old caves (invading the orcsÆ lair while youÆre at it) and head towards the portal leading to Volcania.
Volcania
A combination of nimble footwork to avoid the lava, and good long-range weaponry to wipe out those pesky firebugs should be enough to take you through to the final lava cave where Morphera (the hormonal dragon) awaits. You might actually encounter her up to three times on your way there, but unfortunately you wonÆt be able to defeat her until you reach that final cave.
When you get there, run around the edge of the cave destroying the plugs. This stops the lava flowing into the lake and prevents Morphera regenerating when you kill her. With those out of the way simply wade in close and hack her to bits. When sheÆs just about to die, run backwards and finish her off with range attacks so she doesnÆt kill you with her explosive death. Collect the shard in the middle of the dried up lava lake and youÆre promptly transported back to the DraracleÆs Lair where Jakel awaits you.
Back in Gladstone Forest some more portals have opened up. Go through the Underworld portal in the northà
The Underworld
At the entrance to the portal your thief friend gives you a key. Advance through the portal to find yourself in a stunningly atmospheric haunted house. Walk north until you reach the ballroom with an old grandfather clock standing between two lifts. Turn the key in this lock until the clock breaks. Use a lift to go upstairs and turn right. Go through the last door on this side of the landing and open the cupboard door. The tormented ghost of a girl is here, and she wants you to stop the fire burning her for eternity. To do this, run quickly into the other bedrooms and empty the lamp oil before it sets the house on fire. DonÆt worry if you arenÆt quick enough and the flames kill you, as youÆre instantly resurrected at the cupboard and asked to try again. This cycle keeps going until you successfully drain the oil and put the ghost out of its eternal torment.
Go back downstairs and find the organist in the north end of the ballroom. To get him to tickle the ivories collect the sheet music located down the hallway to the west of the front door of the house, and a bottle of wine which is down some stairs in the kitchen off the hallway to the east.
Go back to the ghostly Elton John and give him a bottle of wine. Once pepped-up give him the sheet music. Now we can rock ÆnÆ roll. Get down with the ghost dancers and follow them through the secret passage up to the attic. Dash straight to the end of the room and overwind the clock/mirror containing all the lost souls. This makes the Scythe Reaper appear. Killing him is easy - get in nice and close and slice him with a sharp weapon. As long as you have plenty of healing items itÆs a piece of cake. If youÆre a mage you must now take a sample of the shard heÆs left behind. Everybody else simply picks up the shard to be teleported back to Jakel at the DraracleÆs Lair.
Now itÆs time to go to the Ruloi Homeworldà
The Ruloi Homeworld
The key to winning this level is finding the Ruloi hand. To gain the hand, keep killing the yellow Ruloi Warriors until it appears. To ease your task, destroy all the regeneration pads - this stops the Ruloi reappearing after youÆve defeated one.
Essentially this is a very straightforward level providing you have either a spell or item that protects you from poison (ie the stone bracers). Not only are you then immune to numerous spells, but you can also walk freely through the many acid pools scattered liberally around this acrid world.
When you have the hand, go to either door with a claw inscribed on the lock and use it to go through. Jump on the teleport pad to be taken to the Ruloi Hive Mother. Once again, get as close as you can and keep hacking with a sharp object - her spongy flesh doesnÆt take this kind of attack too well and she soon dies, leaving the shard on the floor nearby. Collect the shard to be returned to the DraracleÆs Lair. After you talk to Jakel, proceed to the Shattered Desert portal.
The Shattered Desert
Do not enter this world unless you have some kind of protection from poison, or the radiation will fry you before youÆve barely set foot on the planet.
From the start head through the canyons killing as many of the mutants and monsters as you can. Remember that these things are basically immune to magic so youÆll need some kind of heavy cleaving weapon to do the job properly. The route through can become confusing, so keep your eyes open for vines that lead up to ledges and new areas. Also, donÆt forget to smash the piggy bank; incredibly it contains 100,000 credits - handy. Eventually you must enter the cave that emits a strange buzzing sound and has wires hanging down. To reach this you can just make the jump from a nearby ledge.
Once in the cave your troubles are just starting. As well as piling up objects on top of each other (use the object manipulation key) to reach otherwise inaccessible passageways, you must find a robot eye to unlock a door, destroy computer panels, and shoot hanging live wires to stop yourself being electrocuted.
Once you gain entrance to the wizard (main computer), you must destroy the force field generators before you can destroy the computer. Just circle around the central area, taking out the shields with a long-range weapon, and the sentry guns preferably with a sword. With that done you can now face the main computer - what a joke, itÆs just six panels that can be destroyed with any weapon. Once youÆve picked up the shard, escape back through the caves before the base self-destructs, then when youÆre outside make your way back to the portal.
The Final Battle
Once youÆre back, go straight to Jakel at the DraracleÆs Lair. He teleports you into a pool of water. Turn around and climb up the rope. You find yourself in some kind of pulsating chamber with a pack of rift hounds. However, worse threats come from the four Jakel holograms that hurl a torrent of spells at you. To defeat these you need to be extremely well stocked up on healing items. Get in close to these spectres and keep hacking - avoid the pink columns and try some apparition spells of your own.
When theyÆre defeated, turn the wheel that lowers the drawbridge and then head for the final showdown. The real Jakel is no more difficult than the fake ones. Use the same aggressive manner, and after a long struggle you should be victorious. Pick up the seal that Jakel leaves and use it on the mirror.
And thatÆs it. Sit back, witness your soul return, and breathe a great big sigh of relief.
UPPER GLADSTONE
This is where you find GladstoneÆs guilds, as well as Gladstone Keep. Ideally you should visit the Keep at least once. ItÆs not an integral part of the game but it does add a little something to the plot.
When you first arrive at Upper Gladstone remember to smash as many barrels as possible - they contain items that can be useful on your quest.
Later in the game this important part of town is completely overrun by monsters. When this happens new areas such as the Graveyard are revealed. Unfortunately, the Guilds do not survive the onslaught, so if you have Guild business you need to attend to, make sure itÆs done before you find the fourth piece of the mirror.
LOWER GLADSTONE
This is the main part of town where Copper lives. YouÆll find shops in the southern part of the town over the river, so spare some time to browse through them. Also look out for grates and unlocked doors - thieves can have a grand time in this area if they search hard enough. Go into the pub too - there are a few people in there who can offer you some helpful advice.
Sadly, itÆs not too long before Lower Gladstone also succumbs to the monster rampage. At this point the southern part of town becomes completely blocked off, and the only way to access it is through the sewers.
GLADSTONE FOREST
The forest is home to many useful herbs, and a lot of vicious otherworldly beasts too.
Make use of whatever you can in here, and donÆt forget to stock up on the pork chops readily supplied by the abundant boars. This is a place youÆll visit often. Get to know the route from one place to another, and if you get really lost try glancing at the signposts dotted around.
As with most other areas of Gladstone, the forest soon becomes a haven for a mixture of enemies from all five worlds. Stay on your guard, and donÆt become complacent in here - itÆs not rare for a rift hound to appear from nowhere and rip your heart out.
IN THE MIX
Clerics have the dubious pleasure of being the only class capable of mixing together ingredients to produce useful potions etc. As soon as Boris gets his meat, this eco-friendly ability is learnt automatically. From then on, every time a useful herb, plant, rock or lump of sap is picked up your journal can provide information on what to mix it with. Items range from healing potions to ultra-deadly poisons.
