«

What do you mean, the stairs up disappeared? I never knew they disappear when you open the door before the red plates. You can't leave anymore only when you put the leather clothing on, that's when the exit from the red plates way closes until you put the clothing back. Did you try to put the leather clothing back in (just move into the chest)? There's no need to leave the mines through the chute, you can just leave the mines the usual way up to town.
About alchemy, the one party member with the highest skill in it needs to have following: scroll with the recipe, the necessary ingredients such as herbs and an alchemy apparatus. Then you need to rent a room in an inn but not rest, instead click on the hand icon for the special talents and select alchemy. After that select the recipe, and try to brew the potion. Might work, might not, it's random but the higher you alchemy skill the more sure it is that it works. Save before you try.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Vongoethe @ Oct 4 2006, 06:24 AM) [snapback]259287[/snapback]</div>

What do you mean, the stairs up disappeared? I never knew they disappear when you open the door before the red plates. You can't leave anymore only when you put the leather clothing on, that's when the exit from the red plates way closes until you put the clothing back. Did you try to put the leather clothing back in (just move into the chest)? There's no need to leave the mines through the chute, you can just leave the mines the usual way up to town.
About alchemy, the one party member with the highest skill in it needs to have following: scroll with the recipe, the necessary ingredients such as herbs and an alchemy apparatus. Then you need to rent a room in an inn but not rest, instead click on the hand icon for the special talents and select alchemy. After that select the recipe, and try to brew the potion. Might work, might not, it's random but the higher you alchemy skill the more sure it is that it works. Save before you try.
[/b]

Hey you're right! I just put the leathers back and the door opened. I must've saved after taking a set of the leathers. Now I guess I can go back up and get a torch. Thanks for saving me from starting over. Wow, it's been many times that I thought I've to start over again. Pessimistic, eh? :P About the alchemy, there's no way to purchase any recipes, is there? Recipes have to be "found"? If I'm not mistaken, recipes can be written to books as well? Speaking of which, is there a "smithing" talent or something? When I talk to NPCs about smithing, they say things like "there's nothing you can teach me" or words to that effect.

No, there's no such talent as smithing in the game. Alchemy recipes can be written down to book, yes, so you don't need to carry all the recipe scrolls around with you. I don't think you can purchase recipes anywhere, but if you played the first game in the trilogy, Blade of Destiny, you'll have already many good recipes along with you that you can then transfer to book in Star Trail.
Overall Star Trail contains many good unique items that you won't find in Star Trail but can find only in Blade of Destiny, such as the unbreakable two-handed sword, unbreakable short sword with improved attack stats or this strong axe (don't know the name in English) that's also unbreakable and has furiously increased damage but to the price of much weaker parade rating. That's why I always play the entire trilogy beginning with the first game whenever I'm about to play it once again. Blade of Destiny might be less attractive than Star Trail or Shadows over Riva but it's worth it, even if alone for the higher levels (char level 8-12) to start with in Star Trail.

Unfortunately, I dont have RoA 1 so I didn't get to play it. Star Trail is my first RoA game that I'm playing. Well, I don't have any recipes at the moment, so I guess I've not much need for a book. The only scrolls I've got are the Ingerimm one (parchment), the one about the order of anathemizer thing and 2 undeciphered scrolls from the salamander stone dungeon quest though. Not sure what it's for till now. If it's not of any more use I think I'll discard them. Taking up lots of inventory space :P I'm at Lowangen now and I'm stuck. I just got in and the salamander stone has been picked and I've no idea what to do now. I checked a walkthrough for help but I can't do what it says, because I can't find Dragan Escht (whoever he is) Probably did something wrong somewhere. I also had some pursuers chasing me just before I got to Lowangen but I didn't get attack by the time I reached Lowangen. Maybe it's got something to do with me being stuck?

The pursuers will be your pest all the time from now on when you're travelling on the area map, it has to do with you carrying the salamander stone. If you're not carrying it there're no pursuers, too.
As for Lowangen, here's a short, spare guide.

1. Go to the tavern Orkdeath (or whatever it's called in the English version of the game), drink or eat something one or few times until Gavron appears. You need to follow him quietly without attracting attention. You need at least one party member following him until he disappears in a house. Then gather the remaining party members that fell behind (there always fall some behind) at the door to this house, save, enter after a conversation and fight. Gather all equipment, some you would want to equip like armors and weapons, rest can be sold if not needed (much gold for selling stuff in Lowangen). Keep the salamander stone of course.
2. Rest and heal some time, then go to southern part of the town. One spot east (on the map) and 3 spots south of the tavern At the Moat (I suppose it's called so, at least it's name is something with water and hole) is a house. Save, enter and immediately after the conversation follow into the house, "falling with the door inside". Fight, gather stuff, equip and keep what you need, keep the fake salamander stone and sell the rest.
3. Go over the bridge to the northwest part of the town, look on the western wall for a high white house beside a well. Ask Ragan about three things (that's the limit you have), accomplishing a favor for each of them before he helps you. My recommendation is like that:
Where to Eat/Drink. Go to a house, 2 spots west and 3 spots north of a hostel/harborage Sweltje Palace, save and talk to Vinsalter. Choose always the 3rd answer, with some luck (it's random) convince him to come with you to Ragan. If you fail, reload and try again. Ragan tells you can now buy all kind of things at the southern-most of the town, house at the wall, using his name as entry card.
Where to get weapons. Get him a brooch at the Show-house of Arts in the north-east, but do it at night after 12am. Save before you do, you might get caught and arrested (you don't want that to happen, some items will get lost forever). Back at Ragan he tells you can buy weapons, armor and all such stuff at a house 3 spots north of a tavern Klonballas.
Ask about travelling / how to leave the town. Deliver a package for him, but you'll be told Deregorn isn't where Ragan told you he would be. Instead you'll find him now 3 spots north and 2 spots west of the previously mentioned tavern (Klonballas). Don't go inside when invited (you don't want to be beaten up :P). Now Ragan, asked about traveling, tells to contact Jandora (1 spot north and 1 spot east of the hostel Great Freedom).
4. Go to Jandora, ask her about a secret passage. If you mention Ragan to her you will have to pay less money. Now go to where she tells you to, ask for master Eolan and tell him what Jandora told you to say. When he asks for a real reason for your visit, tell him you need to leave the town. You'll have to accomplish a favor for him though, and leave 2 party members behind. Tip - leave those behind that have the most exp and highest level (so they won't miss anything). Exchange all items from and to them you need, and after that you're free to leave. You should accomplish this task before anything else.
On the intersection from the secret passage to the main road you'll meet some battle mages who ask you for the salamander stone. Fighting them is pointless, even if you win that fight (which I doubt very much) you'll meet the same amount of them shortly after again, and again. So give them the salamander stone, you'll find it later again at the Blood Tins (the ork mountains at the western part of the map).

I hope this will help you to continue along
Btw., Blade of Destiny can be downloaded right here at Abandonia.

Wow, thanks for such a comprehensive walkthrough. It's rather frustrating when you keep getting stuck. I'm not able to spend much time playing of late due to work commitments, which is why I'm still rather slow on the game. Thanks very much for the help. It's very much appreciated

[Gottfried]

I only wish Shadows over Riva were unprotected sooon, its just gr8 - atmosphere, quests, music, everthing... anyway, is your ST also that slow and choppy as mine? I turbo-ed DOSBOX and it didn't helped a thing... like to take 1 square step lasts 3 seconds or so and also turning around, it's irritating. How to show up secondary stats? I forgot

[The Fifth Horseman]

I only wish Shadows over Riva were unprotected sooon, [/b]

Not likely. CDAccess has over 80 still in stock.
Given the speed at which CDAccess seems to be getting out of stock, it's not likely they'll get rid of these in next half decade.
If CDAccess went bankrupt and folded up, it would be sooner - but that's not likely to happen at all.

Some posters reported in previous pages that they got the game to run under WinXP without the aid of DosBox or VDMSound. Could anyone tell me how to do that?

Thanks

Hannes

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Guest @ Nov 18 2006, 09:43 AM) [snapback]267456[/snapback]</div>

Some posters reported in previous pages that they got the game to run under WinXP without the aid of DosBox or VDMSound. Could anyone tell me how to do that?

Thanks

Hannes
[/b]

And another question: After I have started the game once in Easy Mode, how do I change the difficulty setting and start a new game in Advanced?

Thanks

Hannes