Drakkhen (Walkthrough)
DRAKKHEN
1 Introduction, Getting Started, Mini-Walkthru, Troublesome Spots
2 Detailed Instructions for Hordtkhen through Haaggkha
3 Prince of Earth Revisited, Endgame
DRAKKHEN: Part 1
INTRODUCTION
Two common problems can arise when playing this game. The first comes in not understanding that the game has a linear quality. Some places need to be visited before others. Some players wander all over, raising the levels of their characters, but eventually seeming to run out of new places to go, and not being able to collect the eight gems necessary to finish the game. The second problem is that the player's party doesn't have enough experience levels to accomplish certain tasks. This walkthru (which is based on the Amiga version of the game) will help you solve both of these problems.
GETTING STARTED
Create a Characters Disk. The original disks cannot be copied. Disk 1 will have to be used to boot the game, but then you will be asked to replace Disk 1 with the Characters Disk you created (which can be copied freely). Since you save your game to the Characters Disk, this allows you to have a backup of your saved position. Boot with Disk 2 to create a Characters Disk. Be patient: You will have to make a number of swaps between Disk 2 and your Characters Disk after you create your four characters. This is because in addition to the four character files, your Characters Disk will contain all the files you will need to play the game. You will be notified when the Characters Disk is finished.
CREATING CHARACTERS
It makes little difference in game play if the characters are male or female. The graphic representation of your character changes, however. A good starting party includes one of each class: Fighter, Scout, Mage, and Priest.
Give your Fighter high strength, your Scout high dexterity, your Mage high education, and your Priest high intelligence.
High strength is useful for all the characters: Your Mage and Priest can be as effective with a sword as they are with spells.
THE INTERFACE
Study the Instruction Guide. The Interface is logical but needs to be learned. For instance, your characters will have weapons and armor, but only in their packs. You will have to equip your characters. Select the character you want to equip (right click on the mouse) and the Character sheet will load. Click on the items you want to equip. They will turn red, and you will see the objects appear graphically on your character.
The Instruction Guide does not explain the circle near the pit you see on the Character sheet. This is where the gems you will get from the Dragon Princes and Princesses are shown. There are eight gems.
Remember, you can only save your position when you're outdoors (in Group mode).
THE LANGUAGE OF MAGIC
Before casting a spell, you should be a bit familiar with the language. Turn to "The Book of Spells." The first spell is HEAL MINOR. It is spelled HEALMIN in Draconian. The Lightning spell is spelled LIGHTNG. Invisible is spelled INVISIL. Cure is spelled CURE, Light is spelled LIGHT. Knowing the Draconian alphabet will allow you to translate the various potions you find. Remember that you will only find abbreviations of the spells on the potions.
MINI-WALKTHRU
This game is classical CRPG. You _must_ develop your characters in order to defeat monsters along the way. The monsters progressively get stronger; therefore, your characters need to increase their experience levels, and acquire better weapons and armor as the game progresses. There is no need to progress beyond 16th level for any character.
You can pretty much explore at will (if you can survive the monsters); but if you want to finish the game, there is an order of events to follow.
Generally, the objective of the game is to visit all eight of the Dragon Princes and Princesses in the game, and get their gems (tears). Then your characters can perform a final ritual and restore magic (and dragons) to the Universe.
The order of events begins near where your characters are placed in the beginning of the game, on the path to the Prince of Earth's castle. (It has a shark swimming in the moat.) You must enter the castle and talk to the Prince (use the "?" icon). He will send you to his sister's castle. You will get a message there that she has been captured along with a human prisoner.
Go back to the Prince of Earth and talk to him (bearing the tale of this message), and he will tell you that the Prince of Water has the prisoner. The Prince of Water's castle has a drawbridge that slams shut when you step on it. You must find the prisoner hanging in a cage and release him. He will tell you that the Princess of Air has your sister.
Go to the arctic and visit an Ice Palace near the Weapon Master's hut. You will receive a message sending you to the second (more westerly) Ice Palace. There, you can rescue the Princess of Earth, who will give you the first gem, and tell you to go to the Princess of Water's castle. (It looks like a Chinese Pagoda).
The Princess of Water will give you a weapon and armor and send you to kill the Prince of Earth. After doing so and getting the second gem, revisit the Princess of Water. She will give you the third gem, and send you to the Princess of Fire (the white Minaret in the desert). You can get the fourth gem from Princess of Fire's, without killing her. Walk into the next room and kill her guards.
You will meet the Prince of Air in the Minaret. He will tell you to go kill his sister (the Princess of Air). Go back to the Ice Palace and do so. You will then receive the fifth gem, and after meeting the Prince of Air there, you will get armor from him as well as the sixth gem.
You will be sent to kill the Water Prince at his Water Palace. Killing him will get you the seventh gem. Now, you must kill the Prince of Fire in the Pyramid to get the eighth gem.
Your characters must now perform the final ritual, and step on one of the firepots to end the game.
TROUBLESOME SPOTS
THE MAGIC SKILL LINE (BLUE) DISAPPEARS. This only happens when the character has reached the maximum (about level 21). Since the characters need only go to level 16 or so, this problem need never come up.
THE ATTRIBUTES OF THE CHARACTERS GET LOWER AND LOWER. This happens when you throw away attribute building scepters and rings without first selecting (activating) them. In other words, if you have a character whose strength is normally 10, and he has a scepter which raises his strength to 12, make sure you throw the scepter away (or sell it) when his attribute reads 12; otherwise, he'll go from 10 to 8!
YOUR CHARACTER HAS HIS MAGIC BLUE SKILL LINE, BUT HE CAN'T CAST SPELLS. Reboot Disk 1. The game has to reload the magic abilities back into RAM.
YOUR CHARACTER CAN'T MOVE. (1) He may be paralyzed from a spell. You just have to wait until the spell wears off. (2) The characters are all crowded together and are stuck. Reload the game. Sometimes pressing the spacebar several times may unstick the characters.
DRAKKHEN Part 2
PRINCE OF EARTH (HORDTKHEN)
The game starts outside of the Prince of Earth's castle. You are facing east. Go east and you will see the shark swimming around in the moat. You need to sneak by the shark to enter the castle. You can wait until the shark swims under the drawbridge and past your group, or you can have the walking character use an invisibility spell to get by the shark.
Once inside the castle there are doorways with symbols on them. The symbols are for Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. You will need to manipulate the earth sign to de-energize the force field on the door. Don't worry about pressing the wrong symbol. You're going to need to do that many times, anyway, in order to build up some experience points. Hunchback type creatures come out, but they are fairly easy to defeat.
If you win, exit the castle, and save the game. Random factors are built in so that the hunchbacks can become very powerful; eventually, they will probably defeat your group. Don't do battle with them more than once or twice before saving and healing. (By the way, grab the shield on the wall. A new one appears each time you leave and come back.)
Healing takes time. You can wait outside the castle until you've healed, or you can speed up the time a little by using a Minor Heal spell. Have your healer stand at an angle behind the damaged hero. Aim the heal spell at the hero's knees. You should see a message that the character was healed so many points. Major Heal is a much better spell. It heals everyone in the group without having to aim the spell, but it takes a while to get the spell.
When you're bored killing hunchbacks, you can always explore the paths around the castle. One of them leads to a Tavern where you can pay for some hints. The more money you have, the more hints you get. There are some huts to the south and west of the tavern. Remember to go around the hut, and you'll find another hut further west. You can get information from the inhabitants of the huts.
Back to shark castle. After you have gained a level of experience, enter the energy door. The monsters will be a little tougher inside, but you should be able to defeat some of them. To the right you'll find (eventually) a golden lizard in what looks like a laboratory. (Note on opening doors: I usually used my scout who had an Unlock spell. You can find keys, however.)
On the floor are two messages that you will be able to read if you step on them. After reading them, you'll be able to make use of the skull you see in the room. Turn it until you hear two clicks. This reveals a secret door which you should find in a room near the Prince of Earth. To find the Prince, go left when you enter the energy door, and talk to him (with the "?" icon). Have your group combat icon turned off when you talk to him. He'll tell you to go visit his sister to the east. Before you leave, check out his room. You may want to come back a few times. There is a set of armor in a niche in the wall. Grab the armor, leave the castle, and save the game. When you come back, grab the new armor that appears. Behind the Prince of Earth you will find the room that should have a secret door revealed. If the secret door isn't there, go back to the laboratory, and experiment with the number of clicks turning the skull. Two is the number that worked for me.
Beyond the secret door is a healing pool, among other things. (You can use one of the empty flasks you find in the laboratory, and fill it.) The healing pool restores hit points. Another secret door will be revealed if you have a character stand on the grate, and keep him there while the others explore. You'll find a room with sepulchers. They have writing engraved on them. You will also find a room with four coffins. There are some tough monsters in these rooms, so be careful, and realize that there's nothing important here. Take a quick look and get out. You'll have to come back to the sepulchers later, but not until the end of the game.
PRINCESS OF EARTH (HORDTKHA)
After you've been able to kill the golden lizard in the laboratory several times, you can hunt for the Princess of Earth's castle to the east. The first time you're in the laboratory, you may want to bring in only one of your characters (after making him invisible). Let him turn the skull, and grab a flask.
The easiest way to the Princess of Earth's castle is by going west. You'll find a teleport in a grove of trees in the northwest. The teleports in the game are a lot of fun. It's like flying over the whole country between teleports. It's completely visual. Going west is a little tricky. You'll want to go north to walk around the firepots, then south to pick up the path again. Along the way you may find the Chinese Pagoda (home of the Princess of Water).
When you reach a castle that looks exactly like the Prince of Earth's castle (minus the shark), you'll have found his sister; she's not at home. Report what you find to the Prince of Earth, and he'll send you to the Prince of Water.
PRINCE OF WATER (HAAGGKHEN)
The Prince of Water's castle is almost due north from the Prince of Earth's castle behind a river. You need to cross a bridge and pass by a destroyed city. His castle has a drawbridge that slams shut when it's stepped on, and crushes the character doing the stepping. A simple Unlock spell will prevent this.
The Prince of Water's castle is very tough. You need to increase levels before being able to explore it. I took my group further north into the arctic, which is quite dangerous; there are lots of experience points to be gained there.
Save before you go, and don't go too far. Win a battle, return to the Water Castle, and save. Go back to the Arctic, and continue this routine until your group is at least fifth level. (The Weapon Master is in the Arctic. You can buy and sell items there, but make sure you pick up the two shields he has for sale. He doesn't have much else of value. )
When your group is at least fifth level or so, you can try exploring the Prince of Water's castle. Once inside, go north twice, then west. This should place you outside the checkered room. This room is dangerous; the birds inside are magically enhanced and can't be fooled by an Invisibility spell. They can literally peck you to death as you cross the room. Send your characters across one at a time. The Mage and Priest can use Haste spells. They will probably pick up some damage, but they should be able to make it through the exit door in the center.If they hang around in the room outside, the birds will follow. It's best to have your scout and fighter cross first, and kill the birds in that room, not in the checkered room.
After the checkered room, you go through a series of rooms, some of which are guarded. You don't have to kill the guards if the characters can sneak by them, but your scout and fighter should easily be able to kill them. Be careful to NOT have the "Group" icon on when you go through the fireplace rooms. The second fireplace has a trigger stone in the middle of the room. Do NOT have more than one of your characters step on that stone. Preferably the last one. You'll hear a click, and a secret door will be revealed in one of the rooms past this point.
When you find the room with the secret door, enter the door. You'll find a pool, another room or two, and, finally, a dark room. (Use a light spell or burn a torch.) In the dark room there is a small fountain. Have a character walk up to the fountain and examine it; he'll be transported into a Water room. There is some useful armor on the walls of the Water room. If you have Invisible rings for the mage and priest and Protection rings for the fighters, it will be helpful. Water elementals spring up in a never-ending supply in this room. You may choose to stay for a while and build up levels. (Use a Heal spell whenever you're running low on hit points.) In the room next to the water room, you'll find a prisoner in a cage. Manipulate a trigger button near his cage and free him. He'll thank you if you were successful. You will not be able to enter the ice palaces without having first freed this prisoner.
After freeing the prisoner, you will find a room with more sepulchers with writing on them, a very dangerous energy field (use a Shield spell to get the armor if you want it), and a dangerous undead creature. Beyond this room you will find the exit out of the castle. (You will need all of your characters at the exit to use it.)
Upon finishing this part of your explorations, congratulate yourself on a job well done: It's one of the hardest exercises in the game.
PRINCESS OF AIR (NAKHTKHA)
There have been clues telling you that the Princess of Earth was captured by the Princess of Air. She lives in the arctic; it's time to go to the North Country again. The green path that leads you to the Weapon Master is also the path that will lead you to the Ice Palace. Don't take the branch off to the Weapon Master. Follow the path to the next branch, and take that one. You'll get a message that indicates no one is at home. You'll have to go to the second Ice Palace. It looks exactly like the first one, but is much further west, hidden from view behind a circle of inverted icicles.
In the second Ice Palace you will be able to find and release the Princess of Earth from her dungeon cell. You can find it by going through the first door to your right once you are past the energy fields. She will tell you to go to the Princess of Water's castle (the Chinese Pagoda, remember?), and she will give you a gem -- the first of eight tears you will get in the game.
PRINCESS OF WATER (HAAGGKHA)
It is possible (and useful) to enter the Chinese Pagoda with the aid of a teleportation spell earlier in the game. (Inside you will find a set of golden armor and some dragon swords; these will make getting through the Prince's Water Castle much easier.) You do not need the teleportation spell now, however, because you are welcomed into the castle. You will find the Princess in her throne room. She will give you her gem (number 2), some armor, and a weapon. Then, she'll ask you to kill the Prince of Earth.
DRAKKHEN: Part 3
PRINCE OF EARTH REVISITED
Killing a prince is not an easy task. It takes lots of levels to do it easily. If your characters aren't in their teen levels, you may want to go back to the Water room in the Water Castle, and build them up a bit more. (Above level 16 is unnecessary; above level 20, your characters may lose their magic abilities.) I was able to kill the Prince with the dragon sword +2 (given to me by the Water Princess). My level 12 Mage used it after he boosted his own strength with strength spells. He was also protected by a shield spell. You may need more experience levels, or find different strategies that work. After killing the Prince (and getting the third gem), go back to the Princess of Water for another mission.
THE FIRE PRINCESS (HAZULKHA)
The Princess of Water sends you to the desert. You must find the Minaret and get the gem from the Princess of Fire. It is possible to get the gem much earlier in the game. The Minaret opens only at dawn. You can kill the Princess, but the fourth gem you seek is in the next room. You'll have to kill her guards to get the gem. Explore the Minaret, and you'll find the Prince of Air. He'll ask you to kill his sister, the Princess of Air. (She's in the second Palace of Ice, remember?)
THE DEATH OF THE AIR PRINCESS
The Air Princess is in her throne room. It's a fairly easy battle. You get your fifth gem, then later you'll meet the Prince of Air (Naakhtkhen). He'll give you the sixth gem as an additional reward. He'll also send you to kill the Prince of Water.
THE DEATH OF THE PRINCE OF WATER
The Prince of Water is in his throne room. This battle will be very hard. You may need to have your characters at level 14 (or higher) before you can easily defeat him. I used a level 14 scout armed with a dragon sword +2 and two Shield potions. Killing him gives you the seventh gem.
THE PYRAMID AND THE FIRE PRINCE (HAZHULKHEN)
The last gem belongs to the Fire Prince. The battle against him is fairly easy; getting into the Pyramid isn't either, it's just tricky. Go around to the back entrance, line your characters up between the two arrow pools, and face the Pyramid. You'll be able to get in that door.
ENDGAME
This is _very_ tricky. The only clue I found was something the old sage that pops up in various places said. This time, I found him on a path near the firepots. (Some people refer to this as the "Dragon's Landing Strip.")
Translating what he tells you, you must visit the rooms with the sepulchers with the writing on them (there are four locations and eight sepulchers). You must examine each sepulcher (this constitutes reading it), even if you've examined them all before. The whole ritual reads:
"From Your Humble Servants, To Almighty God, Source of Life and Death, Free The Remorse."
Having said that prayer (in any order), you can go to a firepot, and divest your characters of everything they're carrying (e.g., armor, weapons, rings, scepters, potions, etc.). You must turn off the "Combat" icon, and make sure you have no spells in effect.
Now, step on a firepot, and you'll be asked to insert Disk 1. Enjoy the graphics and sound. You deserve them because you've finished the game!
DRAKKHEN is published and distributed by Data East.
