The Darke Crusade: walkthrough

The Jadin Amulet is a Special Item that can be found in this adventure. It adds 1 to your score to dodge missile / projectile attacks when picking a number from the Random Number Table.

Walkthrough criteria

The gamebook can be completed in many different ways. This walkthrough is compiled according to the following criteria, in order of importance:

1. assume that this is the first gamebook played, except when otherwise noted;
2. collect and use as many items as possible;
3. avoid combat as much as possible, especially the strongest enemies;
4. see as many illustrations as possible.

Getting started

Suggested disciplines

1. Kai-surge - Boosts your CS;
2. Assimilance - Increases your chances to get the Jadin Amulet.
3. Grand Huntmastery - Gives you a bonus to many random tests.
4. Deliverance - Unless (and possibly even if) your character already benefits from the Magnakai Discipline of Curing. This is because of a difficult event midway through the book, after which the +20 endurance effect can be crucial.
5. Grand Pathsmanship - Checked for a lot. If you are ranked Sun Knight, it helps avoid a dangerous fight in Antah.

If your character doesn't already benefit from the Magnakai Discipline of Weaponmastery, Grand Weaponmastery is an excellent choice as well. Kai-alchemy is also an excellent choice and has many uses throughout the gamebook.

Suggested equipment

You can take up to five items. If you don't already have equipment from other books, choose the following:

• Any one Weapon.
• Bow (Weapon);
• Quiver (Special Item);
• Rope;
• Potion of Laumspur (Backpack Item).

If you have already completed the previous gamebooks, all you probably need is the Potion of Laumspur, and the Rope if you don't have Grand Pathsmanship (and possibly the Quiver for more Arrows).

Useful items from previous gamebooks

• Oede (found in Book 5 and Book 13; backpack item): can substitute Grand Nexus in an instance, but don't use in that instance if you have Kai-alchemy. It can also be used to restore your Endurance after you are trapped in the temple and all of your Potions of Laumspur are consumed.
• Sabito (found in Book 7 and Book 13; backpack item): can substitute Grand Nexus in an instance. Not needed if you have Kai-alchemy.
• Green Key (found in Book 14; backpack item): opens a door. Not needed as you can still get through the door by figuring out a puzzle. The door can also be avoided, and there is no treasure gained by having it.
• Rendalim's Elixer (found in books 5, 6, and 8; backpack item): heals 6 EP.
• Haina Flower (found in book 11; backpack item) heals 5 EP if used immediately after a battle.
• Silver Flask (found in book 11; backpack item): 2 doses of 4 EP healing.
• Healing Potion (found in books 1 and 2; backpack item) heals 3 or 4 EP.

Special items and weapons from the first 12 books:

• Sommerswerd (found in Book 2): provides CS +8 and inflicts double damage upon undead; it has multiple other uses throughout the book.
• Silver Bow of Duadon (found in Book 6): gives you a +3 bonus to your results when shooting an arrow.
• Silver Helmet (found in Book 3): provides CS +2.
• Kagonite Chainmail (found in Book 12): gives you CS +3 and EP +1.
• Silver Bracers (found in Book 12): Provide CS +2 and EP +1.

Notes:

• There will be two unescapable test scenarios where you must pass or get killed. One of them is during the escape from Shugkona, another one is just before fighting Magnaarn. The latter is especially dangerous because of the 40% chance of instant death (20% with Kai Grand Guardian-ranked Grand Huntmastery).
• The most difficult part of the book comes after you find the Doomstone. You are forced down to 15 endurance points with limited options to restore endurance, and unfortunately enough, you start meeting foe after foe (you can avoid some of them if you have certain Discplines and rank, new characters are at a disadvantage). We recommend that you should have a starting combat skill of 31 or more as a result. Including special items and bonus CS from the previous two adventures, you can reach the CS of 50 to fight Magnaarn.
  • Besides the one free Potion of Laumspur, don't bring anything with Laumspur or Alether in its name as you will lose them. Other healing options that don't get lost include Oede, Rendalim's Elixer, Haina, Silver Flask, and Healing Potion.
• Several sections in the original edition are inaccessible, but these are made accessible in the Collector's Edition and the Project Aon editions by adding an additional option to some of the existing sections.
• Possible instant-death scenarios will be pointed out indirectly in italic text.
• The city of Darke was formerly known as Gamir. One of the seven Lorestones of Nyaxator is named after that old city. The other one is called Vinaldo.

Walkthrough

Part I: Hellswamp

(1) You will be briefed of the war between the Lencians and the Drakaarim on your way to Vadera. Your companion on this adventure is Prarg, whom you may have met in the Battle of Cetza in Book 10.

(80) Now that you have been smuggled into Battle Isle, your first goal is to find a boat that will allow you to go into the Hellswamp. Grand Pathsmanship will warn you of two Lencian scouts ahead and avoid a possible crossbow bolt from them. If you do not have that discipline, your other alternative is to use Kai Grand Guardian-ranked Assimilance level or roll a 1 or more to evade them (Sun Knight-ranked Kai-alchemy prevents the death scenario).

(60) As you sail into Dakushna's channel, you are entering the Ciquali camp and you're presented with a choice of channels. The left channel will avoid the Ciquali ambush. At sundown, you have arrived at the outflow of the River Gourneni. You should set up camp at the west bank to avoid the Gorodon attack.

(107) The following night, you will arrive at Bear Rock. Kai Grand Guardian-ranked Animal Mastery lets you summon two timber wolves who help guard your camp and alert you to the Akataz dogs. Otherwise, volunteer for the first watch, then use Kai-surge or Kai-alchemy (secondary measure) to deter the wild dog.

(215) You can investigate the sounds, and then enter the cabin via the window. You will encounter a Drakkar sergeant, which you can avoid or attack without consequence. Search the cabin afterwards for free items, especially the Signet Ring which will be useful later.

Part II: Shugkona

(90) You can enter Shugkona from south or east. If you choose south, you will have a fixed 30% chance to have to fight against Drakkarim troopers. If you choose east, you can improve your odds of avoiding combat if you have Kai Grand Guardian-ranked Huntmastery or Assimilance (with both the chance of being detected is only 10%). However, if you are detected in the east path the fight is notably harder.

(178) You fell into the cellar and then your friend Prarg has been captured by the Drakkar. Hide in the stables to get a few items of interest if you do not have those.

(118) It's time to rescue Prarg. It is safest to not use your bow and instead use Kai-alchemy to Mind Charm a lancer so you can take his horse and charge. If you don't have that Discipline, but have Weaponmastery with Bow, choose to fire an arrow to kill the executioner. Your archery score has to be 6 or more (+3 with SIlver Bow of Duadon, +5 with Weaponmastery/Grand Weaponmastery). You will still need to ambush the lancer to take his horse. If your bow skill is poor, don't shoot and deal with the lancer directly instead.

(63) This is the first unavoidable pass-or-killed scenario. If your current Endurance score is 12 or higher, there's only a 10% chance to die here (otherwise it's 30%). Then use either Kai Grand Guardian-ranked Kai-surge or Kai-alchemy to divert your enemy and escape.

(31) Your horse is exhausted and depending on the outcome, you may either crash land or the horse jumps bravely, before continuing your trek. There's a cabin nearby. You can either take a horse and risk a Drakkar shooting at you (30% chance of instant death), or safely abandon the horse and head to the forest on foot. You will encounter a Mawtaw if you're on foot in the forest. You can kill the beast without having to fight it if you use a Bow and strike true.

(192) Sun Knight-ranked Grand Pathsmanship will warn you of thin ice. If you do not have that skill, the secondary action is to use a Rope to rescue Prarg, but it will cost you 3 EP to revive him. If you don't have a rope, attempt to smash another hole close to where he is trapped. If you fall in the water, Magi-magic lets you avoid having to fight with the lake monster. After you've saved Prarg, you'll either give him a spare meal, or forage for food for him.

Part III: Antah

(14) You are now outside the main temple in Antah. To gain access to the entrance, you need to bypass the Tukodak. You can enter in safely either by using Kai Grand Guardian-ranked Assimilance, or Assimilance coupled with a Signet Ring (found in the cabin on your trek to Shugkona). Otherwise, you will have to roll to avoid fighting the Tukodak Guards.

(221) At the main double doors beneath the temple, use the code (5) to open the door. Then continue on.

(200) At last you encounter Magnaarn, but Prarg is again captured and the entire room you're in collapses. Your 16-day digging begins and you're prompted to reduce your EP to 15, together with losing all your meals and potions.

(239) Finally you've made it out of the rubble. After backtracking from the western passage, you head to a passage full of fungi. You can proceed if you have Grand Nexus or Sabito. If you don't have either, you can use Kai-alchemy later on to levitate out of the obstacle, or risk climbing the chasm wall above. If you choose to descend instead, you will have to make a difficult save-or-die test (30% chance even with bonuses from Grand Huntmastery, a Rope, and a rank of Kai Grand Guardian or better). If you do have Grand Nexus or Sabito, you can open the door with the Green Key (found in Book 14) or with the code 40. In all cases you'll eventually reach a dead Drakkar. Search the dead body to get the Silver Rod.

(347) Sun Knight-ranked Kai-alchemy will let you escape from the Tunnel Stalker faster.

No matter what path you choose, before leaving the underground complex you will encounter some Antah Wasps. You have to fight them unless you have Sun Knight-ranked Grand Pathsmanship. This is arguably the most difficult combat in the gamebook, as you are down to maximum 15 Endurance points, you can't recover them (unless you have the Magnakai discipline of Curing or some healing item from a previous gamebook which isn't Laumspur, such as Oede), and the enemy is immune to all psychic attacks.

(There is only one place in the complex where you find a plant that will allow you to recover 6 EP. To get there you need to descend the chasm instead of climb it, with at least a 30% chance of instant death, then ascend the steps to an arch. You also need to have Animal Mastery and get a lucky roll to avoid a Tunnel Stalker.)

Part IV: the trek to Darke

(300) Finally you've made it out of the temple. As you head back to the forest, Grand Pathsmanship will also allow you to scavenge scraps of food, restoring 3 EP. Then, Kai Grand Guardian-ranked Animal Mastery will allow you to call for a stag to guide you on your trek to Darke, but it is detrimental in this case, since there is a 50% chance to find a large Drakkar backpack with a Potion of Alether, if you do not have that discipline.

(188) You also find another scrap of food that you can restore some EPs from consuming. The next random test checks if you encounter Drakkarim who use your boat as target practice. If you do, just hide inside the boat.

To get the Jadin amulet, park your boat and continue on foot to Konozod. Then, you need to pass a hiding test score of 5 or more (Assimilance improves your chances), then go to the hiding place and uncover the items in the sack.

(150) The Lencian prisoners have asked you to aid their prison break. You will need to deal with the armoury guards first. Later, you get to restore some EPs and stock up with some equipment.

(39) There is no difference to searching either side of the town. You will eventually find a badly wounded soldier who talks about the assault of Darke. Afterwards, your Kai senses alert you to a possible ambush. There are two unavoidable tests to avoid damage, with Grand Pathsmanship providing bonuses. You then make contact with another group of mercenaries loyal to Lencia, League-landers of Ilion.

(208) On the flotilla approaching Darke, Animal Mastery will allow you to get information from the black crow of warriors (Zagganozod) coming from the northern side of the river. If you do not have Animal Mastery, you should insist they retreat to the river. There is a chance that you'll be forced to fight the Zagganozod.

(154) Two tough combats in a row, considering your weakened state. First you need to subdue a Lencian knight, followed by a group of Tukodaks in battle frenzy.

(36) You have now entered Darke and reunited Captain Prarg, but are faced with a locked door. The Silver Rod that you've found in Antah will unlock it to skip directly to the next node. If you don't have the Silver Rod, don't approach the door, or you will be forced to try and use (with high probability of failure) Kai-alchemy to open it. You will instead meet a Death Knight, which you can eliminate directly with a bow shot (one shot is enough), and then a trap which can be avoided with Grand Huntmastery or Grand Pathsmanship.

(42) The next unavoidable combat is a Tarhdemon, a polymorphed Nadziranim. The Sommerswerd or Kai-screen help you avoid its psychic attack, after which you must fight it to the death.

(66) The second unavoidable pass-or-killed obstacle requires you to jump across a fissure. You have a 40% chance to die here (20% if you have Kai Grand Guardian-ranked Huntmastery). After that, you must fight Magnaarn to the death to finish the adventure.

Appendices

Items

Useful items:

Item(s)	Node	Location	Use
Signet ring	215	After you leave the Hellswamp, choose to investigate the Drakkarim camp. Enter the cabin from the window to avoid a combat. Search the cabin for these items.	When you reach the temple of Antah (45), if you have Assimilance, but your rank is just Grand Defender (4 arts).
2 potions of Laumspur			Anytime! Each restores 4 Endurance points.
Brass key (green?)			You might assume the Brass key and the Green key are the same. Under Antah temple, if you have either Grand Nexus or some Oede or some Sabito, the green key allows you to open a door. Past the door is the less dangerous way to obtain the Silver rod.
Rope	178	You can take one at game start. Furthermore, search the stables (not the warehouse) in Shugkona for another one.	After you leave Shugkona, it can replace Grand Pathsmanship at Sun Knight rank once.
Silver rod	239	Under Antah temple, the less dangerous path requires Grand Nexus (or Oede or Sabito), then Grand Huntmastery. Otherwise, Kai-alchemy. Otherwise, climb upwards and get a bonus from Grand Huntmastery. When you see the corpse of a Drakkar, search it for the Silver rod. If you decide to climb downwards instead of upwards, when you pass the iron grill, choose to ascend the steps to the arch. There, you can get a dose of Floroa fungi.	It opens a door in the citadel of Darke, thus avoiding a fight with a Drakkar and a blade trap.
Floroa fungi			Eat them anytime to restore 3 Endurance points.
Potion of Alether	300	After you leave Antah temple, if you lack Animal Mastery, there is a 50% chance to find this item.	Drink it to increase Combat Skill by 2 for the duration of one combat. Best used against Magnaarn.
Jadin amulet	188	When approaching Konozod, avoid the river barrier and proceed on foot. You need Assimilance for an 80% chance to avoid combat with two Drakkarim, then search their bag.	Allows to add +1 to the random number chart whenever a normal projectile is shot against you.

Useless items:

• Hourglass (found with the signet ring, the Laumspur potions and the brass key)
• Boar whip (found after fighting the war-hogs at the entrance of Shugkona)
• Lantern, hourglass (found with the second rope)
• Empty bottle, ball of string (found with the silver rod)
• Bottle of wine, bowstring (found with the potion of Alether)

Enemy roster

Lone Wolf's average Combat Skill (assuming you picked a 5 when determining your initial CS) is:

• 30, if this is your first adventure;
• 35, if this is your first adventure and you picked Grand Weaponmastery;
• 49, if you completed all previous adventures and you collected all usable CS-boosting items. (Note: Picking Grand Weaponmastery only increases this score by 1 point in this case, since you already benefit from Weaponmastery).

Lone Wolf is at disadvantage if the Combat Ratio is -4 or less, i.e. if the enemy Combat Skill is 4 or more units higher than Lone Wolf's one.

Enemies

Node	Enemy	CS	EP	Notes	Avoid
60	2 Ciquali (frog-men)	30 .32 34	27 .28 32	Ill.20	In sect. 60, pass close the mud huts. Otherwise, use Kai-Alchemy and escape from the ambush. Otherwise, use the bow and aim at the throat.
322	3 Gorodons (reptilians)	46	60	-	In sect. 322, set camp on the west bank. Otherwise, use Kai-Surge at Grand Guardian rank.
107	12 Wild Akataz dogs	38 .40	50 .55	Double bonus from psychic attacks.	Use Animal Mastery at Grand Guardian rank. Otherwise, volunteer for the first watch; 30% chance to avoid combat (70% using Kai-Surge). If chance fails, use Kai-Alchemy.
215	Drakkarim sergeant	30 .32	29 .29	Ill.04 No damage during first round.	In sect. 215, choose to avoid the Drakkarim camp. Otherwise, enter the cabin from the window.
90	- 4 Drakkarim trench-troopers - 5 Nad-jaguz hogs	29 .46	30 .46	Against the hogs: CS +2 with Animal Mastery	In sect. 90, enter town from the south; 70% chance to avoid the Drakkarim. Otherwise, 70% chance to avoid the Nad-Jaguz (+10% at Grand Guardian rank; +20% using Assimilance)
118	- Drakkarim lancer - 2 Death Knights	30 .38	35 .40	-	In sect. 118, avoid using the bow; then, use Kai-Alchemy Otherwise, use the bow (40% chance to avoid the Death Knights, +40% with Grand Weaponmastery)
230	Mawtaw (bear-like)	38 .43	50 .50	Ill. 02 Nearly immune to psychic attacks (Kai-surge adds only +1 CS).	In section 230, attempt to take a horse. Otherwise, use the bow (50% chance to avoid combat; +50% with Grand Weaponmastery).
192	Gartoth (giant water slug)	43	50	Ill.19	In sect. 192, use Grand Pathmanship at Sun Knight rank. Otherwise, use a rope. Otherwise, use Magi-Magic.
100	2 Tukodak guards	38	34		In sect. 100, use Assimilance at Grand Guardian rank. Otherwise, use basic Assimilance and the signet ring. Otherwise, 40% chance to avoid combat (+10% at Grand Guardian rank; +20% at Sun Knight rank).
239	Tunnel stalker (monkey-like)	43 .44	48 .49	Ill.06	In sect. 239, leave the room without opening the lock (or open it, then use Grand Huntmastery); later, use Kai-Alchemy; then, use it again at Sun Knight rank (search for the silver rod). Otherwise, choose to climb down to the lower passageway (30% success chance; +10% with a rope; +10% at Grand Guardian rank; +20% with Grand Huntmastery), then use Animal Mastery (40% chance to avoid combat, +10% per additional rank).
18	Tunnel stalker (monkey-like)	38	40	-	Avoid the previous tunnel stalker. Otherwise, use Kai-Alchemy at Sun Knight rank.
333 11 175	Antah wasps	40	30	Ill.16 Immune to psychic attacks.	Use Grand Pathmanship at Sun Knight rank.
188	2 Drakkarim escorts	30	32	-	While approaching Konozod, let the boat drift towards the barrier. You will miss the magic Jadin amulet in this case. If you want the Jadin amulet, you must pass a detection test (50% chance to avoid combat, +30% using Assimilance). If you succeed, search their loot for the Jadin amulet.
150	2 armoury guards	32	40	-3 CS for first round unless you have Grand Pathsmanship.	UNAVOIDABLE!!!
262	- 2 Zagganozod lancers - 1 Zagganozod captain	36 .37	38 .45	Ill.13	In sect. 262, use Animal Mastery (70% chance to avoid combat). Otherwise, return to the river (50% chance to avoid combat).
154	Lencian crusader	34	36	Ill.09	UNAVOIDABLE!!!
272	3 Tukodak guards	44	44	Ill.15	UNAVOIDABLE!!!
36	Death Knight	33	34	-	In sect. 36, approach the closed door and open it with the silver rod. Otherwise, use the bow.
42	Morphed Nadziranim sorcerer	42	42	Ill.03	UNAVOIDABLE!!!
66	Warlord Magnaarn with Nyras sceptre	50	36	Ill.05	UNAVOIDABLE!!!