Now my next destination is Orkogre Castle. There are two reasons to go this way instead of the alternatives. One is that the enemies in the Castle will be comparatively easier than other parts of the game. The other is that you will need to get items / finish matters in Orkogre Castle before you can fully complete other areas of the game. The maps below show how to get from New City to Orkogre Castle.
First, go out the east exit from New City, and follow the road through as shown on the northwestern corner of Map D-5.
The road will take you north into D4. You will come to a fork in the road. Keep going north instead of east.
Keep going. The road will turn west, and briefly loop west into Map C-3, and then curl back east into Map D-3. For the rest of the way to the Castle, see the video just below.
Lord Galiere
The video starts off at #1 on the D-3 map, where I meet Lord Galiere. You can choose to fight him if you want to. But for roleplaying's sake, I gave him Captain Beorigard's letter. He then allows me to pass through. *NOTE* By the way, anytime you run into an NPC, trade with him if for no other reason other than to check if that NPC has acquired one of the maps. Then you can choose to purchase that map.
Anyway, I now veer off to the left and deep towards the woods. The point I'm heading for is the forest path in the northwest corner, heading northwards. Along the way, I frequently run into Gorn enemies. These include Spearmen (easiest), and Lancers, who are slightly tougher versions of Spearmen. These guys can reach back-rank characters, but are also easily put to Sleep. More dangerous are Gorn Rangers, who can fire arrows from a long distance, and can cast lower-level Alchemy spells like Sleep, Blinding Flash, and Stink Bomb. Remember that anybody who uses Alchemy spells cannot be prevented from casting by Silence. Normally, I have my Monk and Ninja practice hiding during the early parts of the game. But I have them attack right away whenever facing Gorn Rangers, in order to kill them as quickly as possible. My Mage chips in as well with spells like Energy Blast or Chilling Touch.
Eventually, I go north from the C-3 Map, and make my way towards #1 on the C-2 Map. This is the ladder entrance to Orkogre Castle.
As for the Castle, the maps for it are just below. The ensuing videos show the relatively smoothest way to progress the game.
Orkogre Armor & Supply
The gate at #8 on the Level 1 map cannot be opened just yet. So I go down the stairs at #2. Then I go from #2 on the Level 2/3 map, and down the stairs at #3.
Now I head for #4 on the Level 2/3 map. Waiting for me are 2 Gorn Ashigaru (Samurai) and 5 Gorn Rangers. Gorn Ashigaru can use their Naginata on back rank characters, and can sometimes inflict critical hits. They can also damage the whole party with spells like Fireball and Magic Missile. In this fight, my Monk takes their spells out of the equation by casting a Silence spell on them right away. My Mage unsuccessfully tried to use spells like Energy Blast and Chilling Touch to try and take them out as quickly as possible, although I can say this sometimes does work. My Bard puts most of the Rangers to Sleep with her Poet's Lute. I then take out the Ashigaru first, then the Rangers. I get an Armory Key at the end of the battle.
The Armory Key opens the westward gate leading to #6 and #7 on the Level 2-3 Map. #6 simply has mundane armors and weapons. #7 has both Salted Munkmeat and Munk Innards. Both of these items will be needed later on.
Crown Key and Gate
Now I go to #7 on the Level 2-3 map, and run into a rather large group of Gorn Lancers and Rangers. I put most of the Rangers to Sleep. One is still awake, and retreats his group to the rear, but he only ends up firing arrows that miss anyway. As a result, I take out the least numerous group of Lancers so that I can reach the Rangers before they awaken. Once the battle is over, I get the Crown Key.
Now I backtrack, and use the Crown Key to open the gate at #8 on the Level 1 Map.
Bone Combs and a Polished Steelplate
Remember, I don't show everything I did in this game in the videos. But by all means, explore everything thoroughly in order to rack up the monster fights, and thus the experience as well.
In the meantime, my party hits the lever at #9 in order to open the gate at #10, and the lever at #11 in order to open the gate at #12. On my way, I run into a new foe, Gorn Shamans. They fall easily enough when Silenced. The 'C' just west of #10 designates a chest that has a Staff of Blessing and some random magical loot. My Priest equips the Staff as an interim weapon.
Now the party goes down the stairs at #18 on the Level 1 Map. I then go from #18 on the Level 2/3 map to #19. I hit the lever there, which opens the gate at #20. I then go past the gate, and then go to the room to the south. I then search just one square north of #19, and find two items.
One is Bone Combs & Brushes. This is a quest item, but one that will not be used until much later in the game.
The other is a Polished Steelplate. This will be used very shortly.
Murkatos Outer Sanctum
Now the party backtracks, and makes its way to 4 squares east and 2 squares north of #9 on the Level 1 map. Here the party "Searches" first while facing south, and then "Uses" the Polished Steelplate. This opens the gate to the south, leading to Murkatos Outer Sanctum.
They then have to kill a couple of Gorn Shamans when go in through the door way. The party then "Searches" 4 squares east of #11. This opens up the spot at 2 squares west and 1 square north of #8. Here the party finds a letter that suggests Assassins have infiltrated the Castle, as well as a Ring of Steel Keys.
Orkogre Prison
Now I head back to the Castle Prison, the series of rooms in between #2 and #3 on the Level 2-3 map. The Ring of Steel Keys can open the gates to all of the rooms.
At #27 is several bunches of Bananas, as well as Bread Rolls. I take 1 bunch of Bananas, since they will be used as a quest item very soon.
After entering the gateway to #30, I get into a routine fight against Fungus Oozes. At #30 itself is a button that opens the way to #31.
After opening the gateway to #31 and entering through the doorway, I end up having to kill a Boar Weevil (a somewhat stronger beetle). I then hit the lever at #31.
I then open the gate leading to #32 and step through. I then have to kill an Iguanodon. #32 itself is a pit leading downwards.
As an aside, it didn't include it in this video, but #28 is a fight against T'Rang, and #29 is a fight against Rattkin. The T'Rang encounter pretty much always includes a few Watchers, who can cast Psionic spells like Psionic Fire, Hold Monsters, and Psionic Blast. Be sure to have somebody cast Silence on them before they can get their spells off. For the Rattkin, they aren't tough individually, but they are numerous and love to use darts and slings. Be sure to put up Missile Shield to start combat.
Jail Pit
Going down the pit leads to #32 on the Level 2-3 Map. Falling down a pit before I can use the Levitate spell results in me taking some damage. Here I provide an example of how the Diamond Ring can be used to regenerate my female characters without having to use any Divine mana. I simply pass the Ring around to each female character, and rest up until that character is completely healed up. Each one takes her turn. It will only be the male characters that I have to spend Divine mana on.
I then go to #33 and press the button.
Along the way, slimes of various sorts are expected to be the kind of monsters you find down here. Once in a while, a new kind of foe shows up, Spectral Moths. These creatures aren't very tough, although they can use a Sleep-type effect once in a while.
Pressing the button makes accessible the ladder at #35.
Murkatos Inner Sanctum
Once I go up the ladder, I find myself at #35 on the Level 2/3 Map. I hit the lever at #36 in order to open the gate at #37.
Once I go across, I have to fight a Spirit Guardian. If he kills a party member outright with something like Lifesteal, simply reload. Once he dies, the spirit of Murkatos will give a rather windy speech of regret, and direct me to seek a tomb in Nycatlinth.
To the right of me is a chest with random magical loot.
At #38 I find a Bonsai Tree. This is a quest item, but one that will not be used for some time, so I tuck it into my Bag. I also find a fair bit more of random magical loot, including Snake Dust and an Acid Bomb. This will come in handy fairly soon.
At #39 is a button that opens the north wall. I saved my game, because I'm going to have a fairly intense encounter. As soon as I step north, random party members are going to get Silenced. I then get attacked by several groups of Spectral Ravens. These monsters can paralyze with their bite attacks, can Blink in and out and thereby often avoid attacks, and can scream with a Terror effect. With enough party members consistently being kept frightened, it can sometimes be difficult to take any action against the Ravens. This is what can make this fight dangerous, the sheer numbers, their ability to make repeated use of Terror, and the fact that some of your own party members will have been Silenced first, thereby preventing them from using Silence on the Ravens. One of my advantages is that they don't do a lot of damage. My other card is that I can use cloud-effect spells OR items that duplicate those spells, to inflict lingering damage on monsters. As such, my Mage uses both her Acid Bomb and a Snake Dust (Poison Gas) on the most numerous group of Spectral Ravens. This way, the most numerous group of Ravens takes ongoing damage round after round even when my own party has trouble attacking due to being frightened. Once that is in place, it is simply a matter of my Bard putting Ravens to sleep whenever she can with her Lute, and the rest of the party going the distance and bringing the Ravens down one by one.
There is a spot designated as 'C' just north of #39. This is a chest that will hold more random magical loot, as well as the Azure Key, and a Gem of Power (which I couldn't identify just yet and so appeared in the video as 'Jewellery?'). My Valkyrie temporarily equips the Gem of Power, and invokes its special power. She now has the Power Attack special skill, which allows her to penetrate her target's armor more often, and score more damage on each attack.
Now I hit the button at #40 to open the gate at #41. I then go up the stairs at #42.
The Gorn King
Once the party goes up the stairs, they find themselves at #42 on the Level 1 Map. I then hit the lever at #43, which opens the gate at #44.
I then go to #14, the location of Gorkunga the Killer Ape. This is where I use the Bunch of Bananas that I found earlier. This prompts the Ape to open the glass window to the south, but then a lone Gorn Ashigaru attacks me. I then press the button at #15, which open the way to #16. At #16 is a lever that opens the gate to the Throne Room.
At #17 is the Gorn King, yet another morose and melodramatic personality. He gives me the Key of the Gorn King and is on his self-defeatist way.
Temple Map
Now I head down the stairs at #18 on the Level 1 Map. From #18 on the Level 2/3 Map, I head towards #21 and press the button there, which opens the north wall. The gate at #22 is opened with the Key of the Gorn King.
I then disarm and open the chest to get the Temple Map.
Now I'm done with Orkogre Castle. I head to #45 on the Level 1 map. The gate here is opened with the Azure King. At #46 is a fountain that will replenish mana for spellcasters.
Now I leave the Castle by going up the ladder at #1.
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