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Star Trail : Realms of Arkania II An Unofficial FAQ --------------------------------------------------------- I have cobbled together this FAQ of info for Star Trail from a number of messages posted by people to usenet; if I've not credited you for info in the game please forgive me, it's not intentional. I have rounded off the FAQ with some data at the end noted from spells and experience in the game. The FAQ is split into general questions and questions on particular parts of the game. If you have any additions/corrections, pop them in an e-mail to me. This is really a "draft" FAQ; I'll repost a new version in a week or two if I get enough comments (and I finish the game myself ;-) Credits: Garfield (4darkow@informatik.uni-hamburg.de) Bobbie (bobbiekat@aol.com) Dirk (Dirk.Bruggemann@durham.ac.uk) Rick (redrick@delphi.com) Lance (pfrench@clark.net) + others! Enjoy! Tim (tjc@ecs.soton.ac.uk) --------------------------------------------------------------------- WHAT IS STAR TRAIL? Star Trail is touted as a "fantasy role playing simulation", the reason being that there is a lot of attention to detail in the game. The game system is based on the (supposedly) popular German role playing system called "Das Schwarze Auge". The game comes with a manual, reference card and a fold-out colour map of the realm. The map covers about 400 by 300 miles of land, and has over a dozen villages/towns marked on it. The manual is 70+ pages, thoughtfully written and well indexed. There are no details of monsters or weapons in the manual, but there is enough info to get you going and involved in the game. A separate clue book (I don't have it) retails for #13.99 or so. The game features 3D graphics in towns and dungeons (similar to 'Arena: Elder Scrolls', but oddly without the people - encounters either yield pop-up menus or combat). Combat is isometric and turn-based with good, but not great, graphics. On the CD version there are combat sounds, including spell chants. Travel between towns is done on an overhead map, with movement restricted to paths that you find. Characters can be from any of 12 races, and have around 50 skills they can develop, and a larger number of spells. You can skip a lot of the detail by playing in "novice" mode. There's a fair chance that if you'd like a cross between 'Arena' and 'Betrayal at Krondor', you'd like this game. --------------------------------------------------------------------- GAME SPECS The reference card says the game needs a 386PC or better (486/33 is recommended), 4Mb RAM (though it says only 2Mb on the box!), 580k of free base RAM, 670k min EMS and 64k min XMS (which is a bit of a pain, especially on the CD version). The CD version, which I have, claims to need 31Mb of HD space too. Sound support looks good. I played on a DX2/66, 8Mb, SB16 with no trouble. Graphics appear to be regular VGA. The game comes on 3.5" disk or CD; I got CD and thus have some extra graphics (though I'm not sure where!) and digitised speech, which seems to pop up in cut scenes. To install the full game from CD to HD would take over 100Mb, but luckily you only need a fraction of that to play off the CD. Copy protection is a one word lookup the first time you save in any game session. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ADVENTURING Star Trail has a relatively free-flowing plot; there are some linear elements, but you can spend a lot of time wandering rather aimlessly early on! To start off, save the woman being attacked by Orcs SW of the starting town - this gets you a bonus two levels of experience. Then make your general way towards the Finsterkamm and the dwarven pit. The quest in Gashok isn't too hard and can be completed early in the game. ** SPOILERS FOLLOW ** If you go to sleep in the first inn SW of the starting town you will be visited in the night by someone seeking the missing axe called Star Trail. General (Q) My characters get ill a lot - what can I do? Buy sleeping bags as soon as you can; these cut down on colds and flu-type infections dramatically. Always carry herbs for healing and curing disease. Early in the game sell off excess ones as the cash is more useful to you. (Q) How much food/water should I carry? It depends where you are exploring; in mountain and desert areas you should carry at least two full water skins each and probably at least 6 ration packs (you can top these up with overnight foraging). (Q) Where can I get alchemy recipes? There aren't too many around. It may be that Realms of Arkania I recipes will work. You'll find two in the Dwarven Pit. Vomicum: lamp oil, shurin bulb, mandrake. Hylailian fire: 2 brandies, licorish, 2 lamp oils. (Q) The markets seem always shut? No. The markets arrive one day a week in Kvirasim (Fireday) and Gashok (Praiosday). Time your visits to the towns accordingly or spend a few nights in an inn. The Dwarven Pit The pit is in the Dwarven town in the Finsterkamm mountains. Herein lies the salamander stone and a few other handy items including a magic waterskin and a number of +5 STR belts. It is important NOT to rob anything (the altar, the graves and the axes) else you'll anger the Dwarven god. You may find a rope, spade, crowbar and more than one lockpick useful for the pit. (Q) How do I get in? You can use the back entrance, but better still ask the priest in the temple of Ingerimm (inside the mountain) about the pit three times and he will give you the key. (Q) How do I get out? Either go out the back way, or get the key from the gnome and leave by the main entrance. The back tunnel will collapse the first time you pass through it. The back exit is at the lowest level. Just keep climbing down (not using the stairs) till you can go no further. Or you can leave a character with a key outside the double door entrance. (Q) Where is the magical water skin? The skin must be found in the watery level; if you turn the wheel on the higher level the water (and the skin) drain away. You need to turn the wheel later to get through the trapdoor on that level (and you need a crowbar for that). (Q) When does the hammer strike? After getting the stone, go to the altar room with the lit torches and stay there for a day. (Q) How do I get across the fire plates? You need the leathers from the chest; wear them and put them back when you are done. (Q) What is the answer to the gnome's riddle? MOOSE! (Q) What is the Asthenal Ring? It seems to be a fire resistence ring. It's in the brazier on the first level north and east of the main pit double door. You will take temporary damage retreiving it. It may be useful in the hot "hole" on a level further down, and possibly entering there with a rope ladder and the ring on may be worth trying. (Q) Can I get the sword and the stone? The only way I've found to get both the sword and the Salamander Stone and get out alive is to do things in this order: Talk to Golem first time. Go to far SE chest and take stone *but* when offered chance to swap or not hit ESCAPE instead of choosing. Then go back to Golem and when he's done with the sword you'll get it. Lowangen This is the city under seige by an Orc army. (Q) Can I sneak into Lowangen? You'll have to give your non-magic items to the orcs first time in, but after that you should find a secret passage in/out. To keep your stuff put it in a warehouse or leave it with another party member outside the town in a temple (you can create just a "dummy" character for this. (Q) Where is Black Jandora Four squares west of the eastern wall, about halfway up. Or: 4 paces north of the Rod and Mare brothel in Colorful Flight. (Q) Who is Gavron? Usually, a party who enters Lowangen carries the stone with them and get it stolen by Gavron. To get it back you have to find him (wait in the Orc Death tavern). You will also find out about the fake stone if you get yours stolen. (Q) Where is Vidaria Leechbronn? Her house is located in Eydal...1 pace east and 3 paces south of the Canal Tavern. (Q) Where is Vinsalter? Find the Temple of Rahja on your automap, Vinsalter is five steps west and one step south of there. (Q) How do I get into the castle? You`ll find out if you find Dragan and ask him about travelling. (This is important to do!). The Swamp The swamp is in the middle of the main map. (Q) How do I catch the Rantzy? Equip a character with a net, then use it in combat. (Q) What do I do with the Swamp Rantzy wearing the necklace? Catch him with the net. Then find heather plants W of there. When you get back near Lowangen use the 18th heather on him. There are also two documents related to this problem. (Or: Go to where the heather is. Pluck each bush, until you find the one that makes the rantzy react. Throw away heathers that do not make him react.) To transform the character back into a human, have a character with adequate skills hold the rantzy, the dcoument, and the magic heather. Use the document, then use the heather. If you do not have adequate healing skills, wait till you are about to enter Lowengrin. If your party has a healer, you can cure his disease and adventure with him. (Q) How do you open the chest in the swamp? Turn stepwise mode off to get into the chest.(!) (Q) How do I get into the tower? Talk to the witch. It seems wise NOT to pull up the witch's herb garden before you try to speak with her. (Q) How do you appease the Fire Elemental? Answer with one word at a time...... Love, Mercy, Pity, Justice ... any of these will do. Tiefhusen A port in the NE of the map, Tiefhusen contains the Temple of Phex and is a place to go to find Star Trail. (Q) Who do I ask about Star Trail? Try the priest in the Hesinde(?) temple. (Q) Where is Hensgen? You should be able to find him sitting by a tree outside the city walls (I think it's in the north, but I'm not sure). The Phex Dungeon (Q) Can I escape the first skeleton trap in the Phex dungeon? There is a way: you should find another scroll in that region. When you pick it up, the barrier vanishes (Q) What is the answer to the riddle? NIGHT. Tjolmar Try here for the temple of Nameless. The Final Dungeon (Q) How do I get in? Look at the scroll you get from the Dwarf's house; it has the letters "2L 4R 4L" on it; you have to push the walls is the right order, ie. 2 Left, 4 Right and 4 Left from that passage. (Q) Which four-digit code do I have to enter on one of lowest floors? The code is 1325 and I got the answer from someone else who never explained how *they* got it. --------------------------------------------------------------------- WEAPONS Attack Defense Damage Bonus Bonus Weight Type Knife 1-6 -3 -4 10 pointed Obsidian dagger 1-6 -2 -3 30 pointed Kukris mengbilar (*) 2-7 -3 -4 20 pointed Dagger 2-7 -2 -3 20 pointed Kukris dagger (*) 2-7 -2 -3 30 pointed Heavy dagger 3-8 -1 -2 30 pointed Foil 4-9 0 -1 30 pointed Epee 4-9 0 -1 35 pointed Rapier 4-9 0 -1 35 pointed Wolf knife 4-9 0 -1 50 pointed Magic wand (+) 2-7 0 0 70 polearm Quarterstaff 2-7 0 -1 70 polearm Grain flail 3-8 -2 -3 100 edged wpn Sabre 4-9 0 0 60 edged wpn Sword 5-10 0 0 80 sword Sword of Artherion 6-11 +3 -1 80 sword Bastard sword 6-11 -1 -2 140 2-handed Two-handed sword 6-16 -2 -3 160 2-handed War axe 6-16 -1 -4 150 2-handed Skraja 4-9 0 -2 90 axe Hatchet 5-10 0 -3 120 axe Orc hook 6-11 -1 -3 120 axe Long bow 5-10 0 0 30 missile Bow of Artherion 7-12 0 0 30 missile Crossbow 7-12 0 0 200 missile Heavy crossbow 8-13 0 0 220 missile Cutting tooth 5-10 0 0 50 thrown (*) weapon carries poison (+) can hold special charges Note certain weapons can only be used by certain character races. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARMOURS Name AR Hind At Pa Weight Iron shield 2 1 0 -1 200 Skull girdle - - - - 10 Necrophobia -4 This section needs expanding :) --------------------------------------------------------------------- CREATURES Name Lvl At Pa AR MR Att Dam LP AP Orc 1 3 0 2 -17 1 3-8 13 0 Stag Beetle 1 8 2 3 10 1 2-7 30 0 Frost spider 1 9 0 1 10 1 2-7 16 0 War Ogre 13 17 14 6 0 1 8-18 60 0 Goblin 3 7 3 2 4 1 4-9 18 0 Lion 1 11 6 1 4 2 5-10 40 0 Elf 4 12 9 3 4 1 5-10 44 20 Harpy 1 15 10 2 10 1 5-10 40 0 Forest gnome 1 14 6 6 7 1 7-12 28 0 Tusk tiger 1 15 7 1 -2 2 5-20 52 0 Robber 8 15 12 3 5 1 7-12 57 0 Deregon (*) 10 8 6 2 6 1 7-12 62 0 Exholt (*) 10 16 14 3 6 1 7-12 72 0 Ogre 1 9 3 3 -2 1 8-18 48 0 Arkanian 3 5 3 3 -3 1 5-10 36 0 Gargoyle 1 10 5 6 12 1 7-12 60 0 Dwarf undead 8 9 5 3 5 1 7-12 40 0 (*) Individual "NPC" in game. Life Points are LPs observed from healthy opponents via spellcasting; these will vary for individual creatures. It may be that other stats vary too. --------------------------------------------------------------------- That's all - please e-mail additions/corrections to tjc@ecs.soton.ac.uk