Return of the Ring: The Ring of Darkness - Part II
by John F. Humphreys and David A. Briskham
Solution.
As this game is an RPG a command by command solution cannot be given. Instead, general directions
are given as to how to proceed and specific commands given when such direction can be given.
CREATING A CHARACTER
Give 10 points to the Regenerations attribute - it is possible to complete the game without losing a
life, and it is highly unlikely that you will lose more than a couple or three (unless a beholder
steals your regenerations, in which case you will be left with 1 regeneration no matter how many
regenerations you had remaining at the time).
For the remaining attributes keep in mind that your choice of character type and skill will increase
specific attributes. Human will increase Intelligence by 5 points (plus add another 5 to
Regenerations), Dwarf increases Strength by 5 points, and Elf increases Charisma by 5. Technician
adds 5 to Intelligence, Warrior adds 5 to Strength, and Trader adds 5 to Charisma.
The most important attribute appears to be Strength as this defines your character's maximum
stamina: the greater your stamina the more damage your character can take.
Charisma helps in any transaction where you can haggle, the higher your Charisma the greater your
chance of striking a bargain.
It remains unclear as to what the Intelligence attribute influences.
No matter what you choose as your starting attributes there will come a time towards the end of the
game when you will have the opportunity to increase your Strength, Charisma, and Intelligence
attributes to the maximum allowed (40 points).
GENERAL PROGRESS
In common with most RPGs 'levelling up' is an important part of the game. As your Gestalt
Level increases more items will become available, plus your character's maximum stamina will
increase thus allowing you to venture into ever more dangerous regions (provided that you have
enough food to give you that stamina).
To increase your Gestalt Level you must gain experience points. There are three ways to gain
experience points, the first is by completing a task or quest, the second is by having a successful
non-violent transaction with a mutant, and the third is by defeating a mutant in combat. More
experience points are on offer on the Forest Moon than on the Planet, with the points - and danger -
increasing as you travel further into the forest.
SURVIVAL
Survival depends on keeping your stamina above zero, which in turn depends on eating food. Try to
keep your stamina as close to maximum as feasible, check your status at regular intervals and after
you take heavy damage - remember, you can always eat during combat, in which case do not waste
rounds by checking your status. Note that although your maximum stamina increases with Gestalt Level
(using the formula [maximum stamina] = 15 x [strength] x [gestalt level]) a status check will not
show the increase until after you have eaten some food.
In the early stages of the game almost all of your money should be spent on food, before reaching
Gestalt Level 2 your only purchases other than food should be for the green pass and to the Door
Krell. In the later stages you will need to purchase better weapons and other objects in order to
progress, but food will still be your greatest expense.
MONEY
Maximise your money before purchasing anything by visiting the Money Krell in the Krell Village. A
simple transaction will suffice.
PASSES
Usually you should buy the passes as soon as they become available and visit the areas that they
open up. There are two exceptions, first, do not buy the brown pass until after you obtain the blue
pass (during the early part of the game the money you save by not buying the brown pass is better
spent on food). Second, do not buy the blue pass until you can afford a planet rover (or land planer
- ignore the waste of money that is the moon-walker) because one is useless without the other.
KRELL VILLAGE BEGGARS
Never move directly above or below a village beggar, and should a beggar move into such a position
move away immediately - beggars may steal from you if you do not heed this advice. Sometimes the
positioning of the beggars will make movement towards the places you wish to visit extremely
hazardous, in these situations simply leave the village then reactivate the transportal, with luck
the placement of the beggars will be more fortuitous.
POWER PACKS
Power packs are always sold discharged, so after buying a pack you must buy a recharge. Recharge
prices are non-negotiable and fixed according to power pack stage, and not how much charge remains
in the pack. This means that a partial recharge will cost the same as a full recharge.
When using a power pack always have a reserve in hand, this could be in the form of another pack or,
when travelling in less dangerous places, a weapon that does not use a power pack. If you let your
companions carry such backups then spread the backups between them (as a companion may disappear at
the most inopportune time).
It is simpler to have your energy items ready and to use or stop using the power pack, than it is to
ready or stop using the individual energy items. The tracker is an exception, if you know where you
are then there is no need to use it.
There seems to be only one difference between the power pack stages, and that is how much charge
they can carry. It does not appear that the stages make weapons or armour more powerful. With this
in mind, you should use a lower stage pack as your main supply (by switching the pack off when not
needed you can travel 10 Krell miles into the Forest Moon and back on a second stage pack) and keep
the higher stages as backups.
Beware of evil ents on the Forest Moon, they can drain any power pack in use.
THE FOREST MOON
You must have a breather mask before visiting the Forest Moon, the mask becomes available once you
reach Gestalt Level 2. Other essentials for the moon are a weapon, food, the copper ring, and the
dark ring. For deeper exploration the suit of energy armour, an energy weapon, and at least one
power pack will become necessary. The reasons for the mask, weapon, armour, and power packs should
be obvious.
Part of the reason for taking food is obvious, see "Survival" above, the non-obvious
reason is that you can successfully transact with some types of mutant, but only if you have some
food. In these cases you will usually gain experience and either crystals or credits. The copper
ring deactivates traps, just by carrying the ring you can walk over traps without harm. The dark
ring acts as a transport device, if you find yourself in a tricky spot then using the dark ring will
transport you to somewhere else on the Forest Moon though the distance into the forest will remain
unchanged. Be aware that using the dark ring in this way carries a small risk of losing the dark
ring (it will reappear in the General Store of Human Town).
If you see a sack and you can reach it without harm then pick it up, sacks always contain goodies.
Keep in mind that for you to see creatures and objects other than trees you must face that creature
or object, you cannot see them at a diagonal, and the distance must be under six spaces. Also, you
will not be able to see, activate, or take, objects if you are in the same space as the object.
When night falls all of the daytime mutants disappear, making it an excellent time to cross the more
dangerous places of forest (for example, the distance into the forest where the sappers dwell), but
beware the Nightfall Mutant! This mutant will not harm you, but it will take you deeper into the
forest should it catch up with you (you cannot fight it). You will hear the nightfall mutant
whenever the mutant comes close. After completing the quest involving the Nightfall Mutant's
cave night will no longer fall.
The get away spell, which becomes available at the General Store of Human Town when you reach
Gestalt Level 4, is a very useful object for one of your companions to carry on the moon. When you
use the spell you are immediately transported to 1 Krell mile into the forest, thus allowing for a
quick getaway from deep in the forest. Once used you can return to the General Store and buy a fresh
spell.
Lastly, before travelling to or returning from the Forest Moon always make sure that all of your
companions are with you, any who are not (and still living) will be left behind which will
necessitate a return journey to collect them.
COMPANIONS
There are four companions, each of whom will appear on the planet surface after you reach a certain
Gestalt Level, though you will also have to free Princess Xandra before she appears. To finish the
game you must recruit all four companions, recruitment requires nothing more than moving next to the
character, transacting in the direction of the character, and answering yes to their request to join
you on your quest. Should a companion die you will need to re-recruit him after he has regenerated.
Besides the necessity of recruiting the companions they can also carry objects and perform actions
for you. However companions are unreliable and can run off or decline your requests, therefore you
should always carry critical objects (such as a power pack) yourself so that you can be sure you can
use them without delay. The same is true of objects that you know you will need to use in the near
future, if a companion is carrying such an object at this point ask the companion to give that
object to you, and make sure that you do receive it.
For reasons unknown, companions may sometimes attack you or another companion, if you are using an
energy weapon then stop using your power pack so that any damage inflicted becomes zero. The only
known way to make them stop - unless you know different - is to tell them to attack someone else,
preferably a mutant (at which point you should use the power pack again, if applicable).
GRON
Avoid Gron, and never attack him.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
START
I, drop copper ring, drop bronze ring, drop silver ring, drop gold ring (the Regeneration Room is a
useful place to store objects as the minimal room description allows for a large number of objects
to be displayed before the screen scrolls), take dagger, ready dagger, n.
From now on treat any mutants that you meet as you will, and remember to check your status at
regular intervals.
Move westwards through the opening, then southwards to the south wall, eastwards, northwards at the
next junction, westwards at the following junction, then northwards to the north wall. Travel
westwards following the north wall, but bypassing the passage to the Human Town transportal, until
you reach the transportal to the Krell Village (this is the shortest possible path between the
Regeneration Room and a Krell Village transportal). Activate the transportal and answer yes.
THE KRELL VILLAGE AND HUMAN TOWN
In the Krell Village you must visit all of the buildings and transact when inside each, at the Pass
Shop buy the green pass (you may argue over the price) but do not buy the brown. In the Room of
Doors you cannot haggle over the price, just agree to the price and carry out the following:
N, e, get staff, give staff to princess (from now on the princess may reappear as a recruitable
companion), e, s, get tracker (you may never get around to using the tracker - you use it on the
Forest Moon, where it can be useful if you do not have a map - but you can always sell it), n, n, w,
get suit, w, w, s, s, s.
After visiting all of the buildings leave the village and following the north wall travel eastwards
then northwards to the nearest Human Town transportal. Activate the transportal. Visit the Food
Store, make a status check and spend all of your credits on food. Eat enough food to bring your
stamina to (or one under) your maximum stamina. Leave the town.
On leaving Human Town drop the green pass next to the transportal (when you do not need the pass
this is the most convenient place to leave it). Now you need to increase your experience (see
"General Progress" above, though at this stage all remaining tasks and surviving the
Forest Moon are beyond your capabilities) as Gestalt Level 2 is where the fun begins. During this
time you should drop the suit of energy armour and tracker (if you do not sell it) off in the
Regeneration Room or on the path to the Forest Moon transportal.
GESTALT LEVEL 2
On reaching 450 points you will achieve Gestalt Level 2. By now Princess Xandra should have joined
you on your quest, if not then keep moving around the city map until you find and recruit her. With
Xandra in tow and at least 110 credits to your name visit the General Store of Human Town and buy
the pike and breather mask. Ready the pike (you may wish to sell the dagger, otherwise drop it off
somewhere convenient) and the breather mask. Visit the Food Store and buy as much food as your
remaining money allows. Leave the town and drop the green pass at the usual place. Make your way to
the Regeneration Room.
At the Regeneration Room take the dark ring and the copper ring. You should be carrying the dark
ring, the copper ring, a pike, and a breather mask. Leave the room and travel westwards through the
opening, southwards to the south wall, then eastwards following the south wall until you come to the
transportal to the Forest Moon. Take a status check and eat enough food to bring your stamina to (or
one under) your maximum stamina, then take an inventory check of Xandra (i xandra) and make sure
that she is carrying the flask, if Xandra is not with you then wait (keep pressing the enter key)
until Xandra returns. Activate the transportal.
THE GENIE
Make your way to the transportal that goes to somewhere interesting and activate it. Tell Xandra to
drop the flask (say to xandra "drop flask"), repeat if necessary. Get the bottle, then
leave the stone chamber.
Spend time on the moon to accumulate more experience points. If you have enough stamina and food you
may wish to travel 2 Krell miles into the forest, if you do then go to the place of interest and
take the stone. Try to keep your stamina close to the maximum and as soon as you have fewer than 150
food units remaining make your way back to the transportal that takes you back to the planet.
Activate the transportal.
BACK ON THE PLANET
If you have sufficient stamina and food you can drop the bottle and stone (if you have it) in the
Regeneration Room before travelling to the Krell Village. Otherwise travel straight to the village
or, if you are desperate, travel direct to the Food Store of Human Town and obtain more food. At the
Krell Village turn your crystals into credits, then go to the Human Town and if your Gestalt Level
is still 2 spend all your money on food. Repeat the Forest Moon, gain more experience, return to the
planet to change crystals into credits, buy more food, procedure until you reach Gestalt Level 3
(1350 experience points).
GESTALT LEVEL 3 AND BEYOND
From here on just the specific quests and when to carry out these quests will be mentioned. Most of
these quests will require you to travel ever further into the forest of the moon, at these distances
the pike will no longer suffice. Each time you travel to the forest moon from now on you will need
to carry an energy weapon, the suit of energy armour, a charged power pack, the breather mask, the
copper ring, and the dark ring. Remember to ready your armour and weapon (it seems that after you
ready the mask that you never need to ready it again, you just need to carry it to get the benefit,
the same may be true of the armour). Get your companions to carry anything else that you may need on
these expeditions. When you return to the planet surface remember to recharge your power pack as
well as buying more food, along with any other items you may need as they become available. You may
find that it is more convenient to use the pike rather than an energy weapon when travelling on the
planet surface.
HAMLE'S TREASURE SACK
You will probably need at least 1,000 units of food for this quest. Before leaving for the Forest
Moon make sure that Xandra or another companion is with you and carrying the bottle. Make your way
to the place of interest 4 Krell miles into the forest. If you have not already collected the stone
from 2 Krell miles into the forest do so on your way in (tell a companion to get the stone). At the
Temple of Hamle tell the appropriate companion to drop the bottle, tell a companion to take the
treasure sack (if the treasure sack has not appeared then leave and re-enter the Temple). Return to
the planet, ask the appropriate companion to give you the treasure sack (you can drop an item or two
before entering the Krell Village, but remember to pick them up afterwards), go to King Cebar's
Throne, and transact. The treasure sack should now be dropped off at a safe place for collection
later, do not try to return it to the Lost Krell at this time.
THE ROOM OF MANY QUESTS AND THE STONE
After you reach Gestalt Level 4 (2700 experience points) obtain at least 2200 credits to buy the
blue pass and the planet rover. Collect the stone that you obtained from the moon, or let a
companion take it. Pass through the airlock and board the planet rover. Move northwards, skirting
the craters, once past the last crater move four spaces east then continue north until you see a
transportal. Head towards this transportal and activate it. If a companion holds the stone then tell
him to give you the stone (this is true for all quest objects taken to a Room of Many Quests). Look,
take the money sack and leave. Head back to the airlock, exit the planet rover, pass through the
airlock, and drop the blue pass. Go to the General Store of Human Town and sell the money sack.
THE CYCLOPS EYE AND THE BLACK ORB
If you have high enough stamina and sufficient food you may wish to collect these two items in one
expedition. Otherwise, collect the cyclops eye from the Stone Chamber (5 Krell miles into the
forest) first, before returning at a later time for the black orb from the Elf Hall (6 Krell miles
into the forest). Buy the brown and yellow passes (the yellow pass becomes available at Gestalt
Level 5, 4500 experience points). Take the cyclops eye to the Room of Many Quests in the city that
requires the brown pass to enter, look, and take the future unit. Take the black orb to the Room of
Many Quests in the forest in the badlands (the area outside of the cities), look, and take the
present unit. Both units should be left in a safe place until needed.
THE MAGIC GRAIN
You must take the magic grain to King Cebar before the Lost Krell will accept the treasure sack.
Make sure that none of your companions are carrying anything. Take nothing but the green pass, the
suit of energy armour, and a power pack into Human Town. If too many guard robots block the route
between the Grain Store and the exit then leave and re-enter the town until the guards are better
placed. Stock up on food, ensure that your stamina is at (or one under) your maximum, enter the
Grain Store, make sure that the suit is in use, switch on your power pack, and take the magic grain.
Leave the Grain Store and make your way to the exit, avoiding as many mines as possible, eat when
you think you have sustained a lot of damage.
On leaving Human Town, drop the green pass, pick up your weapon (and make sure that it is in use),
take the Magic Grain to King Cebar in the Krell Village, and transact. Along with the boost you will
receive the past unit, leave the unit in a safe place until needed.
THE AMPLIFIER
On reaching Gestalt Level 8 (12600 experience points) buy the red pass. Take the bronze, silver, and
gold rings to the Amplifier and drop these three rings: thereby giving you maximum Intelligence,
Charisma, and Strength! Go to the Room of Doors in the Krell Village, pay the Door Krell, and carry
out the following (or you could get a companion to take the rings):
N, e, e, n, w, w, w, s, w, n, n, get bronze ring, get silver ring, get gold ring, s, s, e, s, s.
Return these three rings to a safe place for storage.
THE AMULET, THE LOST KRELL, AND THE ORACLE
If you have enough credit you may consider trading in your planet rover for a land planer. Buy the
grey pass, board your vehicle, travel to the city that requires the grey pass to enter, take the
spell of eviction that lies beside the transportal to the Room of Many Quests, and head back to the
main city.
Build up your experience to Gestalt Level 10 (20250 points). Buy the cyan pass and with the land
planer travel to the transportal that is ringed by craters. Activate the transportal and take the
fake book. Return to the main city and get ready for what should be your last journey to the Forest
Moon.
Before embarking on this expedition you should consider having at least 10,000 units of food (you
can get away with 6,000 if you are very careful and lucky) and the blaster. You must take the spell
of eviction, treasure sack, and fake book with you, you will also need the get away spell.
To avoid sappers, try to cross as much of 7 and 8 Krell miles into the forest as possible during
nightfall. Go to the place of interest 8 Krell miles into the forest, use the spell of eviction,
take the amulet. Go to the place of interest 9 Krell miles into the forest, drop the treasure sack,
if nothing happens then leave and re-enter the Lost Krell. After you receive the space unit give it
to a companion. Go to the place of interest 10 Krell miles into the forest, make sure that your
character has the get away spell, drop the fake book, take the book of skulls, leave, take an
inventory of whoever is carrying the book of skulls to ensure that they still have it (if not, go
back in to take it), and immediately use the get away spell which should take you to 1 Krell mile
into the forest. Find and activate the transportal to the planet surface before the nightfall mutant
has a chance to catch you. Should any of your companions have been left behind, then return to the
moon and await their return, but you must still avoid the nightfall mutant.
On returning to the planet you should have reached, at the very least, Gestalt Level 12 (29700
points) - in the unlikely event that you have not, build up your experience until you have. Buy the
white pass, take all the units and all the rings, and make sure that you have recruited all four
companions. Take the amulet to the correct Room of Many Quests, and take the travel unit. Ensure
that your character is carrying the book of skulls and take it to the Oracle, confirm that you now
have the binding unit. Leave the Oracle and head north to the revealed transportal.
If you decide to not carry out all of the above Forest Moon tasks in one expedition, then leave the
quest for the book of skulls till last.
THE TIME CHAMBER
Once in the Time Chamber drop all of the units, then make sure that your character (i.e., none of
your companions) is carrying all of the rings. Take the time ring.
RINGWORLD
N, n, w, get copper ring, w, w, w, n, n, n, n, e, s, s, get gauntlet, n, w, s, s, s, e, e, e, e, e,
e, e, s, w, w, s, e, e, get chalice (the chalice is hot - notice the blue flame - which is why you
need the gauntlet), w, w, n, e, e, n, w, w, w, w, w, w, w, s, s, e, e, drop chalice, i, w, n, w, n,
e, e, s, e, s, give copper ring to xandra (in fact any ring will do), n, w, n, e, e, e, e, e, n, n,
n, n, n, w, give gold ring to merak, e, s, s, s, w, w, n, n, e, s, get bronze ring, n, w, s, s, e,
s, give bronze ring to syclon, i syclon, n, w, w, w, n, w, s, s, say to syclon "give me the
key" (repeat if necessary), l, w, get silver ring, e, n, n, e, n, w, give silver ring to
sidevalve, e, s, s, e, l, n.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Written by Alastair for the Classic Adventure Solution Archive (CASA)
http://solutionarchive.com/
