Some questions

[Hoggar]

Hi.
I'm still in the newbie stage in this game because I have trouble really getting into it. It feels as if it could become a great game but some silly things annoy me still, things that I can't understand why they are in the game in the first place. I mean, sure, it's very realistic that you can't see a thing in the forest at night (or even during the days sometimes) but it doesn't make the game all that enjoyable. Anyway.

First off, I have trouble in the first crypt. I know I am supposed to get the crystal Rethpian dropped in the water with the Bauble Stick, but I can't find it. I try to use the stick (dunno if I do it right, I clicked on use and scrolled to the Stick, then I clicked with the use-symbol in the water) all over the pool, but no. Once I got a message about something glittering, but I only got it once and I have no clue where it was. Am I doing it right? Where is that cursed crystal?

After getting severely tired of the crypt, I ran away to the toad place, which took me ages of wading in the river (is there no road?) to get to. However, getting into the village proved rather difficult. I ran around it down in the water for some time, not finding an entrance. At some place I heard a guards voice, probably from above, and talked to him about Ukabe (or whatever) for awhile, but it didn't make it any easier to get up.

Also, I tried to deliver the potion for the priest to that toad, Mekawa or whatever. He told me to go to the toad village and then ran away. I caught up with him and managed to give him the potion, and he said "the toad need this" (at least I think he was referring to the potion, he might have been talking about my visit to the village as well). But when I got back to Valeia, the priest said I still hadn't delivered the potion. Did I do it wrong? Is the toad supposed to ask for it first in order for it to count in the quest log? Or do I have to do his village-quest first?

Please help me!

[Davros]

Let's see Hoggar,

Nights are not much fun at the start - you need to develop the illuminate spell quickly (level 3 fire). Having a Whiskas in the party helps as they see better. Try to coincide night time exploration with crypt exploration (it's going to be dark in there anyway). Use the map screen in the lower left hand corner to keep track of where you are headed at night. The other option is to weed the garden or read a book on the early nights until you get illuminate.

The crystal and the keys (remember then when you end up on the other side of the portcullis much later) are about the base of the Right hand passage terminating in a portcullis - turn your gamma up if you still can't see anything.

Several people have had problems with the Medkawa quest. How many people have the quest (ie more than one?) - did the quest participant give the potion to the toad (you didn't transfer it to someone else in the party?), is the quest participant the one talking to the priest - all these things could catch you out. Did he tell you that you were Ukabu - if so, then you should be able to talk to the guard named Ekbu. I have heard that if you wander all around in the water before getting to Ekbu, you can rile some toads into attacking no matter what you tryto avoid it.

Have a go with a few of these suggestions and see where you get to - there are plenty of people ready to help (although I have taken so long typing this reply that carg who is Wyv will proably have beaten me and gotten the first answer in )

[Hoggar]

Oh... I seem to recall meeting a toad in the forest who attacked me. Does that mean the other toads hate me and wont let me in? If so, do I have to reset the game?

I thought I'd looked quite closely around those bars in the water. They are supposed to show if you run the cursor over them I hope?

[carg]

Davros, shame on you for trying to confuse a newbie about me! That's advanced stuff.
Hoggar, glad to see you don't give up after the first few difficulties. This game needs a bit of perseverance to really enjoy, but I expect you'll soon going to have fun.
The crystal in the crypt lies just beyond the gate, and you might have to move a bit to and fro to see it: it might be behind one of the bars. The cursor changes if you have the crystal targetted.
Toads you meet on the road are renegades (except Mekdawa obviously), so killing them is not a problem. To enter the toad village you'll need to climb a ladder that leads up from the closest of the three platforms. There is a bug that might make the toads hostile when you swim around the huts too much before talking to Ekbu, but if you've already told him the word Ukabu you'll be all right I guess.
About the potion quest: it hasn't happened to me yet, but I suspect the only way to get the quest accepted is to give the potion again, either by restoring or by stealing the potion from M. first.
A final word of advice: use different save slots. I have one I save to when entering a dungeon for the first time, and 3 alternating slots for the day-to-day saving. Save around every 10 minutes.

[Hoggar]

Thanks a million guys, will try it as soon as I get home. You know, this place is what keeps me trying on this game, if I didn't knew I could get any help I wanted here I prolly would have given up already.

Thanks again!

[Hoggar]

Oh, one last thing about the crystal. Do I have to dive into the water to see it or can I just wade around and look for it?

[Davros]

Dive Hoggar, get those locks wet - just duck your head under.