Here is the English FAQ for Blade of Destiny (DSA-schicksalsklinge)and it
has a URL for a site to get the English Star Trail FAQ (DSA-
Strenenschweif).
FAQ & Hint sheet for Realms Of Arkania - Blade of Destiny Rev2.2
====================================================================
Section 1 Introduction
Section 2 Putting together a Party
Section 3 General hints and tips
Section 4 Potions and herbs
Section 5 Weapons and Armour
Section 6 Cornucopia (Everything that won't fit elsewhere)
Section 7 Days and Months
Section 8 People and places Warning!! spoilers
Section 9 Answers to riddles Warning!! spoilers
Section 10 Outstanding Questions
List of Contributors
--------------------
Uwe Hauck
Dominique Bertrand
Martin Tramm
Rune Wilhelmsen Amiga Solution/Hintbook
Ernst Eigenbauer
1) Introduction
---------------
This FAQ was put together by Nigel Clarke and Sean Abrams to help
other players of the Realms of Arkania - Blade of Destiny game.
Despite being quite an old game this has no previously written FAQ
that we can find. The game is appearing in bargain bins and players
of Realms of Arkania - Star Trail who liked that may enjoy the
precursor to that game.
The third part in the series, Shadows over Riva, has been delayed
until the Summer of '96 and this may give players a chance todevelop a
party from BoD through ST ready for when it is released.
The Star Trail FAQ can be found at Games Domain's Web site. Screen shots from Shadows overRiva can be seen at
the Sir Tech site
The FanPro Web site has some background material(the text is in
German).
2) Putting together a Party
---------------------------
These are some hints and tips for putting together a party. Weassume that
you are using advanced mode to play.
A party is made up of six characters, although a single Non Player
Character may join you at various points. We suggest 2 fightertypes
(Warrior, Thorwalian or Dwarf), a Druid, Magician, Sylvan Elf
and Hunter make up a reasonably balanced party.
When completing the generation process or when going up levels your
characters should concentrate on getting high haggle skills,healing skills
or spells, lockpick skills, perception/danger skills,
nature skills, survival skills, carouse skills, and orientation
skills. When raising combat values we do not tend to increase parry
levels beyond the initial level. Rather we rely on raising attack
levels to hit the enemy first and harder.
At the beginning at least two or three characters should try and get
good healing skills (wounds, disease and poison). These will be very
important during the early game.
We suggest that your Fighter/Dwarf characters concentrate on the
survival and perception/danger skills. These help in leading the
party and avoiding danger. The party leader should have goodcharisma for
interacting with people you meet. Lockpick is another
skill choice the fighters should have.
Elves should gain skills in perception/danger, nature, survival,herb lore
and orientation. These help with hunting for food andwater and other
outdoor work.
Hunters should choose perception/danger, nature, survival, and
orientation skills. These help with hunting for food and water and
other outdoor work.
Druids should choose nature, perception/danger, and herb loreskills to
allow them to gather herbs easily.
Magicians should make sure that they have good spoken, read/write
skills, ancient tongues, ancient lore etc to allow them to readscrolls,
recipes etc. We suggest that combat spells be chosen as the
preferred Arcane Lore. In addition we strongly suggest thatMagicians
switch skill increase attempts for Astral Points, give all
the Life/Astral points increase to Life Points and convert 5 skill
attempts to get 5 spell attempts when going up levels.
For spells we specifically recommend the following:
Magicians
All combat spells, Horriphobus, Foramen, Pure and Clear, Analyze,
Transversalis and Penetrate.
Druids
Lightning, Iron Rust and Evil Eye.
Sylvan Elves
Lightning, Fulminictus, Eagle Eye, Balm of Roond, Rest the body
and Odem Arcanum.
Generally at least one magic user should get the dispell skills
necessary to remove petrification (Dispell Transformation) as soonas
possible.
3) General Hints and Tips
---------------------
These are in no particular order.
a) Make a map. The bargain bin CD-ROM doesn't have a map. Having amap
makes it much easy to work out where you need to go, especially
when you are at a harbour which doesn't show the map screen. Do this
by standing at a town exit and clicking on the map for information
and place names.
b) Visit every building in each town or village. Talk to every Innand
Tavern keeper and their patrons for information. If necessary
split the party and use just the character with the highest carouse
skill to avoid getting drunk. The game will almost certainly lock up
and crash when this happens.
c) Make a donation and pray at every temple as this may help with
certain, minor, side quests.
d) Use tarnele on any wounded character prior to sleeping as ithelps
recover Life Point's.
e) An alchemy set is a waste of time and carrying capacity. Buying
magic potions to recover Astral Points or using meditate is easier.
f) Magicians should meditate to turn Life Points into Astral Points
and then eat whirlweed to recover Life Points. Whirlweed is cheaper
than healing potions and can be stacked on a space. Use healing
potions as soon as you lose Life Points to reduce weight carried.
g) Use the 'analyze' spell to check if items found are magical andto find
out the properties of the magic item. If your magician is
short of AP's then cast Odem Arcanum first to see if it is magical.
h) Save game often, 50 points is easily recovered in a fight against
just about anything.
i) Always cure wounds after combat when low level. Failure to do so
will cause the party members to frequently die of tetanus from
infected wounds.
j) Secret doors can be found by characters with high perception
skills. Make sure that the character at the front (in the left most
slot) has this skill. You can sometimes see them when bumping intoa wall
as the game will not say "You cannot go any further" when
there is a secret door, these doors you have to go throughbackwards. You
may also find them by attempting to go through the
wall at every likely point. Another thing to remember is that the
caves, dungeons etc are all laid out as a square so if you don't see
the complete square then generally you will have missed something.
k) When characters are about to go up a level remove any MRenhancing
devices from them before you get the experience to reach
the new level. A bug in the game fails to increase the character'sMR
correctly when you are using one of these devices.
4) Potions and Herbs
--------------------
Some potions and herbs are useful and others are just for
background and local colour. The healing herbs are most useful as
they can be stacked in a characters pack unlike potions. Poisons
should be used on arrows and extra strength healing potions can be
useful in combat. However whirlweed is generally the best source of
Life Points.
Healing
Whirlweed gives back up to 10 LP's.
Four leaf Loneberry gives back up to 4 LP's.
Tarneles will aid in recovering AP's and LP's while sleeping.
Healing potion gives back 10 LP's.
Potent healing potion gives back up to 30 LP's.
Miracle cure gives back all lost LP's.
Antidote cures poisons.
Making money
Most herbs that you find should be sold to herbalists in townsand
villages. Sell excess healing potions and buy whirlweedsinstead.
5) Weapons and Armour
---------------------
Weapon Damage Attack Parry Weight
--------------------------------------------------
Cutting
Cutlass 4-9 0 -1 70
Sabre 4-9 0 0 60
Mace 5-10 0 -2 110
Kunchomer 5-10 0 -1 70
Pointed
Knife 1-6 -3 -4 10
Obsidian D 1-6 -2 -3 30
Mengilbar 2-7 -3 -4 20
Dagger 2-7 -2 -3 20
H Dagger 3-8 -1 -3 30
Foil 4-9 0 1 30
Rapier 4-9 0 1 35
Epee 4-9 0 1 35
Swords
Short Sword 3-8 0 -1 40
Sword 5-10 0 0 80
Axes
Skraja 4-9 0 -2 90
Hatchet 5-10 0 -3 120
Orc Hook 6-11 -1 -3 120
Polearms
Wand 2-7 0 0 70
Quarterstaff 2-7 0 -1 70
Catchogre 3-8 -2 -3 30
2H Swords
2H Sword 6-16 -2 -3 160
War Axe 6-16 -1 -4 150
Missile
Short Bow 4-9 0 0 20
Long Bow 5-10 0 0 30
Crossbow 7-12 0 0 200
H Crossbow 8-13 0 0 220
Throwing
Knife 1-6 -3 -4 10
Francesca 4-9 -1 -3 60
Axe 4-9 -1 -4 120
Armour AR Att Parry Weight
---------------------------------------------------
Body armour
Quilt 2 1 1 120
Leather 3 1 2 180
Toadskin 3 1 2 150
Chainshirt 4 2 2 320
Scale 5 2 2 480
Shield
Shield 1 0 0 140
Iron Shield 2 0 -1 200
Head armour
Cap 1 0 0 90
Pot helm 2 0 1 100
Iron Helm 3 1 1 180
Leg armour
Leather greaves 1 0 0 70
Chain greaves 2 1 1 80
Scale greaves 2 0 1 100
6) Cornucopia
-------------
a) Crystal balls are often found in the posession of enemies. Youwill find
that casting 'analyze' on them reveals that they generally
have a spell to warn of danger. Doesn't seemed to have helped thebad guys,
but you may find it warns of ambush or pitfalls by
increasing the danger sense (by 2) of the character holding it in a
hand while leading the party.
b) The coronet found in the Temple of the Nameless God adds 2 to MR
of anyone wearing it.
c) Gold star design amulets are either fire resistance amulets
- useful in the Pirate Cave on Manrek, or increase MR by 5 for the
wearer. The blue, flower design, amulets protect against the
Ignifaxus spell - useful when opening some chests.
d) There are several rings to be found in the game.
Red - +2 magic resistance
Green - Fire resistance
Blue - non-magical
e) Scrolls of 'praises' and membership scrolls for cults are found.
We haven't found a use for them so far.
f) After finding 7 map pieces the game allows you to startsearching for
the location of Hasgar's Grave.
g) Death's Head belts reduce your Necrophobia by 4 points whenworn. When
fighting a zombie or skeleton the belt loses its
effectiveness and disappears.
h) A Girdle of Might can be found and increases the strength of the
character wearing it by 5.
i) To read a document you need to select it and use object ratherthan drop
it on the eye icon. You may need several tries depending
upon who is trying to read it.
j) Numbskull and blue cough are related illnesses. If a character
develops blue cough they must be isolated from the rest of the party
otherwise they infect other characters with numbskull and blue
cough. Find an inn and have the infected character sleep until they
recover and treat those characters with numbskull outside the inn to
cure them. If any other character succumbs to blue cough then put
them in the inn after the first character has recovered, but in the
interim you must separate them from the rest of the party to
avoidinfecting everyone else.
k) According to Ernst, in the German version of BoD there are
the following artifacts which we did not find in the US version.
This may be due to our carelessness rather than the items not being
in the game. There is a magic short sword in a house in Daspota.
There is a magic axe (Orknase?) to be found. There is a magic sickle
that increases the user's herb finding ability. A magic spear vs.
spiders is to be found in the spider cave between Ottarje and Skjal.
There is a green coronet to be found that holds the Armatruz spell
(no english translation yet).
l) The unbreakable 2-handed sword is found in the Orc Cave on the
Phexcaer to Skellelen road. At the location of the Daspota Treasure
there is a magic chainmail shirt that doesn't reduce AT and PA asmuch as a
standard chainmail shirt.
7) Days and Months
------------------
The days of the week are:
Marketday, Praiosday, Rohalday, Fireday, Waterday, Windday, Earthday
The months are each 30 days in length:
Summer
Praios, Rondra, Efferd
Autumn/Fall
Travia, Boron, Hesinde
Winter
Firun, Tsa, Phex
Spring
Peraine, Ingerimm, Rahja
Days without a name (5)
During Winter you will find it impossible to travel across theHjaldor
Mountains. You may have to defer visiting some locations or
travel by ship.
WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING
HERE FOLLOWS INFORMATION THAT MAY SPOIL THE GAME FOR YOU
8) Places and People
-----------------
Location Person Information
----------------------------------------------------------
Hetman Innkeeper Problem at Old Ungalf
Oremo Inn Hetman's looking for heroesThorwal
proclamation (possibly any
inn in Thorwal). This is the
first place to go after
searching around in Thorwal so
you get the message about the
Old Ungalf and hear the
proclamation from the Hetman.
Hetmans House Hetman Gives Letter of IntroductionThorwal
to gain entrance to armoury
and to get people's help. You
must have this LoI to get at
least one and possibly more
map pieces. Visit here after
Hetman Oremo Inn to get LoI
for the armoury so that you
can get properly equipped.
Gives you a name to start.
???????? Jondra Gives letter? to allow you to
Thorwal get into the armoury.
Armoury Allows you to get up to 30 D
Thorwal worth of weapons if you have
the LoI from the Hetman.
Old Ungalf Master Dramosch Gain experience by defeating
Thorwal bandits. 4 floors. Visit here
after the armoury to gain
experience and get some
potions, loot etc.
Healer Noro Mystico Good healer
Thorwal
Chandler Stoerrebrandt Best selection of goods
Thorwal Grossberg
Amourer Grollo Best weapons
Thorwal Gumbladsson
Magicians Can remove curses and identify
Academy magic items.
Thorwal
Felstyn Isleif Olgardsson Descendant of Hyggelik
Gives map piece
Gives 3 names.
Angbodirtal Bjorn Hjallasson Gt, Gt Grandson of Hyggelik
Gives 2 Names.
Varnhome Eliane Windenbeck Will give map piece after the
party destroys the Temple
of the Nameless God.
Gives 3 names.
Ottarje Hjore Ahrensson Map piece (false)
Gives 3 Names.
Skjal Jurge Thorfinsson LoI from Hetman required for
map piece. Gives 4 Names.
Hjalsingor Algrid Trondesdottir Sold map piece to a merchant
(Kolborn). Gives 2 Names.
Orvil Umbrik Sevenstones A druid who asks the party to
destroy an evil druid in the
area. Will give a Letter of
Introduction to Tiomar in
Brendhil and 2 names.
Brendhil Tiomar Swafnildsson Needs letter from Umbrick
Sevenstones to give you the
map piece. Gives 3 Names.
Pride of Hjalland Swafnid Egilsdottir Will give you a ride and will
Boat give a map piece to you in
Aryn and 3 names.
Phexcaer Alrik Derondon False lead?
Gerbold Smith in lower right corner
of town - false lead?.
Vidsend Ragna Firundjasdottir Needs careful choice of words
to gain map piece from her.
Gives 4 Names.
Thoss Yasma Thinmarsdottir Moved from Clanegh
Map piece stolen by man with 2
'brutes'. He is in the ruins
on the road to Rybon. Gives 2
names.
Breida Asgrim Thurboldsson Descendant of one of
Hyggelik's party. Gives 2
names.
Road from Merchant Kolberg Has map bought from AlgridVarnhome
to Trondesdottir in Hjalsingor.
Daspota Charges 50/60D but allows you to
to trade with him to get the
funds. He says that he can be
found in Clanegh if you don't
wish to trade at this
point. This is a random
encounter sometimes elsewhere.
Daspota Pirate town with plenty of
fighting and lots of loot
that you can sell.
Old man wants writ ?
Pirate Treasure Cave Lots of pirates, 2 floors.
Road from Rybon
to Thoss.
Leaping Salmon Innkeeper Yasma Thinmarsdottir now Thoss
lives in Hasgar's house
Ruins on Sorceror Has map piece from Yasma. The
Thoss to ruins are maze like, haveRybon road
many secret doors. Use bag
from orcs in NE corner of room
to gain entry to rest of
ruins. 3 floors.
Road from Olvir Gunridsson Tells tales and sings songs.Ala to
Orvil
Old Inn Lots of secret doors,
on road from Zombies. Death's Head belts.
Daspota to
Ottarje
Ljasdahl Alwine Terhaas Good chandler
Ljasdahl Temple of Nameless God
Ruined shack 2 floors.
Spider Cave Priests have weapon breaking
on road from Spells. Use crystals fromOttarje to
Skjal spiders on altar.
Heptagram with SNATCAM, You
need this to exit the teleport
trap (in the second floor, in
the middle of the map is a
area with a secret entrance,
beside the chest there is a
teleport, which takes you to a square
on the first floor. You can only
leave via another teleport, which
asks you for the spidermaster.
(just type SNATCAM backwards)
2 floors.
Prem One Leg Best herbalist
Sperm Whale Innkeeper Old mine rumour and NPC
Prem Garsvik (Thorwalian)
Old Mine The mine is near the river
Prem (east side) and in the north
of town. There is a weapon
shop nearby.
There is no fighting involved
but you gain a lot of
experience.
This is not easy to find as it
occupies a plain green square,
there is no indication of it
until you actually try to
enter the square.
Runin Lighthouse Faenwulf Excellent healer
Runin Island Pirate cave. Lots of pirates.
Cave on road Dragon sends the party on a
to Lighthouse quest.
Tjanset Morvan Excellent chirugeon(healer)
Pirate cave Dangerous trap at end.Road from
Treasure of 100 D and goldManrin to
jewelry. This is a good place
Brendhil to use that Fire's Bane spell
and fire resistance amulet.
Upper Orcam Morka Good armourer
Upper Orcam Veteran Dwarves, good for exp.
Dwarven dungeon? Treasure of 400D at end. Use
the statue with the movable
arm to assist in crossing
the pit.
Road from Robbers Lots of experience and an
Felstyn to amulet (+5MR)
Orkhanger
Beetle Cave Lots of stagga beetles, goodRoad
from experience.
Orkhanger to
Felstyn
Snapper Inn Harika NPC She Rogue who will joinPhexcaer
the party for 20D?.
Road from Griffons Answer riddle to avoid being a
Phexcaer to hostage. (This encounter is
Hermit Lake with a Dragon (Drachen) in the
German version of BoD).
Unicorn Promises map piece, you may
have to return in a week's
time to get it.
(also sometimes found on road
from Felstyn to Hermit Lake).
Hermit Lake Hermit Hermit's stew recovers LP's
Going round Hermit lake and
climbing the pillar can give
clues to the date of the Orc
attack and also information on
the location of some of the
map pieces. You can get some
useless information. We don't
know the trigger for the
correct information.
Orc Cave Need name from statue toon road from
answer riddle. Make sure thatSkelellen to
you get the Orc document, it
Phexcaer needed to find the Orc camp
for the end game.
Hasgar's Grave You need to have at least 7 map
Road from pieces for the game to allow you
Phexcaer to to find this location.
Skelellen There are lots of zombies here
I strongly suggest that you save
game before entering.
9) Answers to Riddles
---------------------
Griffon/Drachen
Riddle - When it is whole it symbolizes movement, when in half
symbolizes one's end.
Answer - Wheel (Boron's symbol, used as a grave marker)
Orc Cave
Riddle - Who is the Lord of Death, Master of Blood and of Revenge.
Answer - Found on one of the statues earlier in cave.
Spider Cave
Riddle - What is hard as iron and transparent as glass.
Answer - ??????????????????????
10) Oustanding Questions
Temple of Nameless God
What use are the black statue and the praises and membershipscrolls?
Prem
Where is the free fighters academy on top of the hill by the town?It is
mentioned in the glossary/index in the PDF file on the bargain
bin CD-ROM.
Daspota
What is the writ needed by the old man and where can I find it?
Hasgar's Grave
How do you open the door with two mirrors on the second floor?
Orc Cave
What use is the Red moon disk?
Various locations
What use are the (iron, bronze, red, gold etc.) keys that you find?
With the exception of one found in the cave on Runin, none seemto be
specifically needed to open any doors.
A Ship of Death/Ghost Ship with 3 floors/levels and a crew ofZombies
appears at sea but in about 3 or 4 run throughs of BoD we
have never seen it.
Here is a list of some NPC's that did not appear in the
games that we played - I don't have any more information.
Ardora, ?
Curian, Magician L9 in ?
Erwo of Collbrink, Rogue L4 in Manrin
Nariell, Huntress L6 in Clanegh
?, Warrior L? on Ship of Death
Email comments and suggestions on this FAQ to<nclarke@bda-hp.bda.nasa.gov>
Nigel J. Clarke
