Blurb

You had a question mark on clearing the area in Oasis Fields. All you need to do to clear the area is walk from north to south. After using the contraptions in the NE to disarm pylons, all you have to do is walk from north to south along the visible track. The Unbound do not *see* you on this path. I highly recommend just getting through by the above method, but then re-entering from the west to kill the Unbound on that side. Wait for the Unbound to head north, then get through the pylons on the west (just one set, I think) to the nest in the southwest corner. Buff up and wait for him there. (Lightning attack, so have the spell cleanse group.) He's not that difficult as long as you can cure the lightning attack. This is really helpful because there is mandrake tincture in the nest and puresteel in the blue box. At this point in the game, I use the puresteel shield made by Fitz in Dera South Shore because it is the lightest weight shield and enables me to wear all the heavy special items. I hate losing the Agent's Shelter, but at 16 lb, it's gotta go.

It's too bad there isn't a "Takers" faction in G5. If the key ethical differences boil down in part to creation rights, an issue raised by *i, the folks in Kaz appear to be the only humane group in the mix. When you click on the creations in the pens in Kaz, you are told that these creations have been away from Shaper control for some time but, "The serviles are keeping them under control with simple, kind treatment." It's the only time during the game that I read any reference to kindness to creations, except lip service by a number of people. In sharp contrast, you get the message at the little vet hospital in Penta that the rebels don't treat creations with any more respect than the Shapers do. Barring a Takers faction in the game, I'd have to go with Alwan as the most honest and the most ethical. Astoria never seems to give a straight answer. In G1, the Awakened *seemed* like such a clear choice compared to the other two. But ethical lines have become increasingly blurred throughout the series. It's been difficult in each successive game to actually pick one that I agree with completely.

You must be with Litalia's group. The hint book says that you first speak with Alpha (the first Mind) who tells you the Synthesis Mind is erratic. Then go talk to the Synthesis Mind (in the far south of the level, kind of in the middle). With high leadership, you can get this Mind's help.

What character are you playing? That might make a lot of difference. I'm thinking it might be more easily accomplished with a Lifecrafter. Having a lot of creations, with at least a couple of them pretty powerful, really helps. When I was able to make rotgroths, I was able to clear out Gorash-Kel and then the Talis-Eye in Lerman's Pass. Before then, I kept going back and trying but failing. I was level 38 before I could get them.

Okay, it happened. Everybody died. But at least I'm on the right track. Thanks.

I'm following the hint book, and it says the door I came through shuts. It didn't. It says to put creations in the side tunnels. I did. Nobody's taking any damage whatsoever. Just waiting. Did you stand by the door, Uber, and then it actually opened?

I'm trying the power core because I keep "falling to the horde" in the lab. Problem is, PC and creations have been in the core waiting for the door to open and it hasn't opened in a half hour. I ate a sandwich, had coffee, read some e-mail, came back ... nothing. Is there a trick to this? I've looked for hidden levers and don't see any. Thanks.

Oh, wow, that's interesting, Thuryl. What was so strange was that the rots had her pinned against the wall so that she couldn't move. But she repeatedly flung herself between the PC and the healing machine. How'd she do that? Okay, I know it's part of the game engine to have something (like distance) to trigger a positive response, but it still made me chuckle. At long last, I tried to get my group out of there legally (without "exitzone") but she tore up the whole crew. It's hard to win against a character who can't be killed. Should have just started the level over with. Wasn't a difficult battle really.

You're right about distracting her, I think. After a frustrating half hour (maybe more) of trying different things, I found the cheat to get out of the zone and came back in and it worked this time because she was outside the house while the PC was sabotaging the power. The first time, I kept trying to lure her out of the house, but to no avail. Once she's in the room, she wants to stay there. I even had the creations surrounding her so she couldn't move, but she still healed. I tried to get them to lure her out, but she wouldn't cooperate. My mouse hand is killing me.

This is the place where Footracer has the strange orange healing machine. I keep trying to smash it, but she leaps and gets in the way, etc. This has been going on for 15 minutes and shows no sign of stopping. Am I doing something wrong? Thanks.

Thanks, Randomizer. I had a feeling it might be faction-oriented. I questioned everybody about three times and ... nothing.

I have noticed that both times I've played through this, I have not been able to get this quest from Trakovite Haven. Does anybody know who gives this quest?

That's a great idea to make a walkthrough. I think it's interesting that you're adding reputation factors into it. Makes it easier to keep track of what statements you've made while playing. I like the specifics on how many leadership and mechanics points are needed for tasks. You might want to look at Schrodinger's walkthroughs, not to mimick his style, but just to get some ideas on how to organize. His are some of the best I've seen for games. He also gathered strategy input from some of the great players here and added that in, too. The thread title made me laugh. You might want to change it so you can get some more feedback. Some may not be interested in reading about a rescue mission involving Battle Gammas walking babies through dangerous terrain.

If you have done all these things, then your experience should come from Dominic in Penta. At least, that is how it worked for me. Again, after the fact because I visited Penta after doing all of this.

There are two bandit camps, so it gets confusing. One is in Murkwood and the other is in the Northwest Fen (the place with a whole slew of wretched artillas and where it's easy to get caught by the Unbound). In Murkwood, you have to read some papers in the bandit camp. I think they are in a room in that little cove just near the east exit of the level. The letters tell you how to reach the bandits in the Northwest Fen. I think if you don't read the papers, you won't find the hidden passageway to the south in the Northwest Fen. Those are the bandits that you will get credit for in the bandit quest. Did you go there yet?

Actually, the way it worked for me was that I got the reward and experience for getting rid of the bandits after the fact from Dominic in Penta. I didn't get the quest in advance from him. I was following the hint book and went to Noyde Pass first. If you did the same thing I did, you will get the quest from Dominic. Keep talking to him and you will get the option to tell him about it. You will get a nice reward and some experience. It was kind of strange because I think he told me to let Astoria know, but I didn't get the option to tell her anything about it. ETA: If by Guardian character, you mean Captain Herszen in HK, he gives you the Hunting Bennhold quest, basically just to vet rumors abou whether he is hiding in the fen. You report back on that part and the rest occurs from the Penta side.

Okay, this would have been nice to know. Saying be "sneaky" didn't help me too much since I tried and, repeatedly, they *saw* me and I couldn't seem to make it work.

Originally Posted By: Six-String Heart Having a middling reputation doesn't really help you. All factions are either rebel or Shaper, and having an extreme reputation doesn't hurt you. You can stay in between for a while, but it just makes neither side particularly happy about you. At what point does it become necessary to stop being wishy-washy? Is it some time after meeting all the faction leaders?

That wing*nut* is a total slacker. Just like his boss. Everybody else is out in the trenches while Rawal lazes around in his fortress plotting his rise to power in the bloody aftermath of the war. Well, I sure can't figure out how anyone got the goodies in the south chamber without a big bloody fight. I think a couple of decoys could work if they could live long enough to lure the weird birds out while the PC pillages. I didn't have the manpower. So I did what any self-respecting mercenary would do. I went in guns a-blazing. Four bugs and a roamer bursting into the room. The lazy wingbolts just hung out on the wall, so they were easily cornered. My crew was hasted, too. It wasn't a pretty sight. I was astounded. At the end of the battle, one bug hung to life by a thread. The others were almost without a scratch! Wow. Still can't get the Unbound, though.

I just launched a major stealth operation. I netted about 30 coins from a wingbolt's nest. I thought it was a suicide mission, but I was coming and he was going... passing each other by. I was great. I'm still counting my money. (What's wrong with this picture?)

Thanks, Thuryl. My memory of what I read is subpar on this, it seems. So it's the west entry directly under Agent Alurha's quarters? I was in the wrong place. heh

You're right. My mistake. It's an essence charm. I think.

I haven't contacted Tholoss yet, but the drakon is supposed to be in Travald's Crypt outside Gazaki-Uss. Others here will be able to tell you better where to find him. I think you can make a one-time appeal to change sects to Greta (or another character whose name I can't remember offhand), which works better, I think, if it's on the same side, pro rebel or pro shaper.

Originally Posted By: Screaming War Trall Astoria is on shaper council and you need rebel reputation to join her, right? Right. She's more or less in the middle ground, but a solidly pro shaper reputation would hurt your chances. Right now, I'm alternating between giving pro shaper statements and pro rebel statements because I'm either going to join Alwan or Astoria. Nobody seems to notice that I can't make up my mind.

I've read here that it's possible to steal the great gruesome charm from Rawal rather than fight the wingbolts. I tried battle mode to *sneak* into the south chamber, but they obviously *see* me. What am I doing wrong? Or do I need to wait until I can take on the wingbolts?