The Prisoners of Time: walkthrough

Baylon's Fungi is the only acquirable item that can be used in future books - it lets you take a potentially-safer path in Book 13, The Plague Lords of Ruel.

Walkthrough criteria[]

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

assume that several previous adventures have been played, except for some items;
collect and use as many items as possible;
avoid combat as much as possible, especially the strongest enemies;
see as many illustrations as possible.

Getting started[]

Suggested Magnakai disciplines[]

Weaponmastery with bow and main weapon (e.g. Warhammer if you have the Bronin Warhammer). Unless you have both Huntmastery and Divination, avoid Weaponmastery with 2-handed weapons since there's a possible fight in which you must fight 1-handed. Weaponmastery with Broadsword is also important, since you will be using either the Sommerswerd or a Broadsword in an important fight.
Nexus
Divination
Curing
Psi-screen
Psi-surge
Huntmastery
Pathsmanship

Suggested equipment[]

Any weapon will do, but avoid two-handed weapons unless you have both Huntmastery and Divination (and avoid them anyway if you have a Shield):

Sword
Warhammer
Dagger
Axe

It is highly recommended to take the following two items:

Bow (Weapon)
Quiver (Special Items), containing six Arrows.

Take all the disposable and consumable backpack items. Carry your Gold Crowns.

Useful items from previous gamebooks[]

Shield: CS+2, also required in one instance.
Silver Helm: CS+2
Silver Bow of Duadon: Adds 3 to your score when instructed to fire an arrow.
Chainmail Waistcoat (found in book 4; special item): +4 EP.
Padded Leather Waistcoat: (found in books 3, 6, and 7; special item): +2 EP.
Dagger of Vashna or Jewelled Mace.
Kalte Firesphere (found in book 3): Better than the Torch and Tinderbox
Grey Crystal Ring: acquired in The Jungle of Horrors.
Psychic Ring: picked up in The Cauldron of Fear.
Concentrated Alether: picked up in The Caverns of Kalte.
Ordinary Alether potions: very useful, given the difficulty of fights.

Walkthrough notes:[]

1. There are several options that will lead you to instant-death results. These will be pointed out indirectly in italicized text

2. The Grey Crystal Ring and the Psychic Ring will be useful when fighting the Shadow Reavers.

3. The Villains of Sommerlund and the Chaos Master are among the most difficult unavoidable combat fights in the Magnakai series. You will need a high combat skill coupled with several special items and lore-circles mastered in the previous adventures in order to complete this adventure. Potions of Alether, especially the Concentrated Alether found in The Caverns of Kalte, are also good to have. There are 8 unavoidable combat fights in this adventure.

4. It's extremely unlikely to complete this adventure with a newly-created character. This is because of the difficulty of the fights: there are two unavoidable foes with 38 Combat Skill. A new character would have at most 19 (natural) +3 Weaponmastery +1 (Lore Circle of Fire) +2 Mindblast (since Psi-Surge doesn't actually result in less loss of Endurance) = 25 CS. This puts a new character at a massive -13 CS against the Villains of Sommerlund. Against the Chaos Master, you get +8 CS from the text, but it is immune to Mindblast; the combat ratio is still -7.

5. It is up to you whether or not to carry the Sommerswerd. Bringing the weapon makes the fight against the Chaos Master more difficult (CS = 44), but the remaining fights (there are many unavoidable ones) become much easier, especially the fight against the Villains of Sommerlund (CS = 38). Without the Sommerswerd, the Chaos Master is significantly easier to defeat (CS = 38, and you get to use a +8 CS weapon anyway) but the Villains are much harder. Note that bringing the Sommerswerd can cause continuity issues if you chose to leave the weapon behind in book 9. As book 10 follows immediately from book 9 (and book 11 follows immediately from book 10), you would not have had the chance to return to the Kai monastery to pick up the Sommerswerd.

6. If you choose to bring the Sommerswerd, your maximum combat skill against the Chaos Master is 46 before the use of potions (see below, with an extra +2 bonus from the text). If you choose not to bring the Sommerswerd, your maximum combat skill against the Villains of Sommerlund is 37 before the use of potions (see below, with an extra +1 bonus from the Bronin Warhammer; however if you have the Bronin Warhammer you will not have the Silver Bow of Duadon). Note that all these numbers include Psi-surge, which does not actually help you take less damage. With Mindblast instead of Psi-surge, your maximum combat skill before the use of potions against the Chaos Master is 42 with the Sommerswerd, and 35 against the Villains of Sommerlund without the Sommerswerd.

7. Your maximum combat skill is 19 (natural) +4 (Skion-Kai weaponmastery) +8 (Sommerswerd, if you bring the weapon) +5 (Lore circles) +2 (shield) +2 (silver helm) +4 (Psi-surge, if applicable) = 44. With the suggested Magnakai disciplines you will only have +4 from Lore circles. The two toughest fights in this adventure are against the Chaos Master (who is immune to Mindblast but not Psi-surge), and the Villains of Sommerlund (who are vulnerable to Mindblast).

Walkthrough[]

Bracket nodes represents mandatory sections.

Part I: Yanis - The Beholder[]

(1) When you land at this plateau, you will lose some Endurance points. Take shelter behind the mound of stones. It is an entrance to the hunter's tomb. A torch or the Firesphere will help you to see in the dark. Don't take the rod though. If you have improved Pathsmanship, the Yoacor leader is asking why are you violating the tomb. Simply tell him that you've arrived here by the Shadow Gate. Otherwise, communicate with him directly.

(50) Investigate the adjoining room to gain special meals that restores 3 EP each.

(317) You are being invited to meet the Beholder. He will talk about your arrival and the Lorestones. Psi-screen eases the pain from his mindprobe and you will then enter a transporter to Vhozada.

Part II: Thas - Serocca[]

(228) You have arrived at Vhozada. Your goal is to find Serocca, so head to the stream but avoid the strange monolith. If you have Curing, you can take as many Senara meals (+3 EP) as you want that fit in your backpack before continuing.

Note: You should have either a Rope (+10% to avoid falling to your death) or at least 4 meals remaining (to avoid a CS25 fight) when you arrive at Hagadar depending on the route you take to enter.

(215) When you reach the city, just approach the gate and the guards will take you to Serocca.

(58) Serocca will tell you where the Lorestones are, where to go after finding them, and an interesting story about her and the Beholder. You can restore any endurance points lost so far.

(4) On your journey to Tolakos, you will be asked whether to stop at a village. There are no drawbacks to stopping, but if you have Curing, not stopping lets you grab a Haina flower that is effectively a better Potion of Laumspur (note you must have a meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points - you cannot use Huntmastery while riding in a chariot).

(117) Near the bridge, improved Huntmastery will warn you of the breakage in the middle. If you do not have the discipline, you should wake your escort up and use Animal Control to stop the onipa; if you don't have Animal Control either then leap from the chariot. Improved Pathsmanship will warn you of an ambush at the bridge.

(282) If you have both Huntmastery and Divination, then you can avoid combat here. Follow T'uk T'ron to the bridge, then ignore the incoming Agtah and attempt to repair the bridge. If you have Nexus, use it; otherwise avoid using a rope. Then dispatch an enemy with a bow and arrow and talk to T'uk T'ron before running away.

If you don't have both Huntmastery and Divination, then doing this results in at least a 10% chance of instant death (40% without Animal Control). Unless your combat skill or current ENDURANCE is low, it is likely preferable to follow T'uk T'ron and help defend the chariots instead. There will be two unavoidable fights, possibly three if you fail to win the second fight within three rounds. Regardless of your choices, your escort is overwhelmed by the Agtah pack.

Part III: Field of Meledor - Lorkon[]

(114) After a long trek, you have crossed the field. The three people are Lorkon's scouts, awaiting for your arrival. Hide behind the trees and communicate with the scout leader either with Divination, or approach them with your hands up, so that they won't accidentally shoot you.

(207) You are taken to Lorkon's camp and he will tell you about the location (the Field of Meledor) and their battle with the Chaos Master. You can stock up on whatever arrows and weapons you need, as well as acquire a new backpack if you don't have one; however if you do not need new weapons or arrows, it's safer to leave at once.

If you choose to check the weapons store, you'll encounter tiny orange growths, which are Khetu Spores. They are poisonous and you should not eat them. Next, if you do not have improved Pathsmanship there's someone who will be ambushing you and you will need to do a dodge test. If you are hit, you must have Mentora-level Curing. If you are grazed, you can get the Baylon's Bough fungi. If you have improved Pathsmanship, you eliminate the creature safely.

(185) Odel the scout will brief you of the buildings around. Your immediate destination should be the Grand Sepulchre.

(131) This puzzle switch can be mind boggling but basically the symbol to be chosen is an inverse of the top left (42).

(54) If you are not carrying the Sommerswerd, you should enter the treasure vault and get the Ironheart Broadsword. Without the Broadsword the Chaos Master will kill you instantly.

(200) It turns out you're not the only one seeking the Lorestones. The scarlet warrior is unavoidable. To gain a combat headstart, fire an arrow (it doesn't matter where you aim as the results are identical). No matter the outcome, the warrior (or his mount if you automatically-killed the warrior) escapes with one of the Lorestones. You will need to fight some Agtah scouts to gain the other Lorestone, after which you get to restore your ENDURANCE to its original level. Afterwards, the scarlet warrior's sword tells you he's from Hagadar.

(246) The Chaos-creatures are beginning to flood into the area, and the entrance into the Grand Sepulchere is guarded by three tentacle monsters. Avoid them and head to Baylon's Tomb. The puzzle switch is slightly tougher than the entrance switch to the Grand Sepulchre, but switch B (253) is the answer. Investigate the sarcophagus to get two Silver Flasks and restore four EPs.

(40) The fight between the Meledorian people and the Chaos creatures is underway and it doesn't take long before the Chaos Master emerges. The Ironheart Broadsword gives you a headstart against this extremely tough creature. As soon as you defeat the Chaos Master, the sword must be returned back.

Note: There's a high probability that you will be killed because the Chaos Master's Combat Skill is quite high and you can be instantly killed if the combat ratio is -8 or lower. The Ironheart Broadsword gives you better odds than the Sommerswerd.

(173) You should get Arke, Lorkon's scout, to guide you to the Plains of Guakor.

Part IV: Plains of Guakor - Neverness[]

(5) Depending on the number you pick, you may have to fight a Giant Guakor or a Zhengha. If you are face the Zhengha, stand and wait for its arrival, then fire an arrow to bring down the creature (assuming your score is 9, with maximum bonuses applied). If you face the Giant Guakor Lizard, you have a 30-50% chance of controlling it with Animal Control, otherwise you need to fight the creature.

(193) You have now entered the Neverness. Psi-screen is very useful in this part of the adventure, especially when you face the Shadow Reavers. Next use Psi-surge to commence the psychic combat against them. The two rings Grey Crystal and Psychic Ring gives you combat bonuses here.

The combat scenario at (270) provides a reason why it is ideal to complete several adventures before fighting:

Conduct this mind combat following normal combat procedure, although, in this instance, Weaponskill bonuses cannot be used to increase your basic COMBAT SKILL score. Instead, for every Magnakai Discipline you possess over and above the first three skills, you may add 1 point to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of the fight. Also, if you possess a Psychic Ring, or a Grey Crystal Ring, you may add a further 3 points (per item) to your COMBAT SKILL. The COMBAT SKILL bonus for using a Shield does not apply here, nor do any bonuses for using Alether or any weapon-like Special Items such as the Sommerswerd. The only exception is the bonus granted for possessing the Silver Helm. Any bonuses to ENDURANCE due to armour should likewise not be applied during this combat.

(160) If you have mastered the Lore-Circle of Spirit, you can tap into the energy here to restore 1-10 Endurance points.

(209) You will encounter another nightmare sequence before you get a glimpse of the God Kai and arrive at Hagadar. Psi-screen helps eliminate the psychic shock and pain.

Part V: Hagadar[]

(51) You can choose to climb the cliffs or enter by the sewer. If you choose to climb up, you need to pass a climb-or-killed test. A rope and the Primate-ranked Huntmastery helps, but you have a 10% chance of dying regardless. If you choose to enter by the sewers, you will need either 4 meals or Animal Control to distract the sewer snake; otherwise you are forced to fight (CS = 25).

(70) Heal as much as possible before proceeding. Climb atop the temple roof to enter inside. You will finally get to see the Shadow Gate that will take you back home.

(84) The villains of Sommerlund are finally here together with your old enemy, Vonotar the Traitor. Together they are two difficult, unavoidable fights. The villains are tougher to fight. If you have Alether potions that you have not used in the previous adventures, consider using one now. If you still have the concentrated Alether from The Caverns of Kalte, you should also consider using it.

(120) Hopefully you have at least half of your initial endurance points remaining to defeat Vonotar. Once you have defeated him, step into the Shadow Gate to return home.

Trivia: Aieta the Wytch's (one of the Sommerlund villains) base is prominently featured in Autumn Snow and The Pit of Darkness spinoff adventure.

Appendices[]

Enemy roster[]

Only unavoidable enemies will be shown.

Unavoidable enemies[]

Enemy	CS	EP	Section	Avoid	Notes
Vonotar the Traitor	30	21	s.120	(unavoidable)	1. Immune to all psychic attacks. 2. You start the combat with -5 EP penalty.
Villains of Sommerlund	38	46	s.84	(unavoidable)	If you still have the vial of concentrated Alether from book 3, consider using it for this fight.
Shadow Reavers	34	40	s.270 / 41	(unavoidable)	Psi-Screen, Psi-surge will put you in psychic combat against them (see s.270 with a CS:EP of 25:40). A higher rank coupled with the two rings (Psychic and Grey Crystal) is desirable.
Giant Guakor	23	42	s.227	If you roll less than 6 or if you roll a 7-9 and have Animal Control.	Susceptible to all psychic attacks.
Chaos Master	44 / 38	62 /54	s.341/204	(unavoidable)	Immune to Psi-Surge. You must use the Sommerswerd or the Ironheart Broadsword. The Ironheart Broadsword gives you a higher combat advantage.
Agtah Scouts	26	21	s.68	(unavoidable)
Scarlet Warrior	29	38	s.206/97/22/274	(unavoidable)	Enemy will flee if EP score falls below 20.
Agtah Pack	34	40	s.10	1. You must have Nexus, Divination and Huntmastery to fix the bridge. 2. Dispatch an Agtah with a bow and arrow. 3. Run when you are told.	You must fight the first two rounds unarmed.