QUEST SOLUTION: | FIND VERHOFFIN'S DIARY
Promotion: This quest is not required to advance in the game, but is required for promotion to Mage.
Summary: Johannes Bem requires a quest of Mage candidates in order to prove they are worthy of promotion, and he has assigned this particular quest to the candidates in the party, telling them that the diary is probably in the Verhoffin Ruins on the Isle of Ashes, but that it could be in Drangheim.
How to do: As you might guess, the diary is in Drangheim, however you cannot go directly there and get it as it's in a locked house for which you have no key. So you will have to go to Verhoffin's Ruins first.
The following directions should enable you to get the diary quite early in the game; however they may require multiple re-loads of the game until you are able to adequately maneuver the party.
Once inside the ruins, turn right and go through the broken door. There is a chest here which you can loot if you didn't already do it earlier in the game, but make sure your Disarm Trap person opens it (as well as all the other chests in the Ruins). Once you've done this, SAVE YOUR GAME.
Now, jump into the water and swim to your right until you come to a ramp. Walk up the ramp to the broken wall, being prepared for an attack. Two skeleton warrior types are in the broken wall room. They are of the type which will regenerate once after they have been killed, so be on your guard from them until they leave their little pile of treasure (they are permanently dead once this happens).
Heal yourself up, then head down the corridor which was to your right as you came up the ramp. Stop outside the door there, with your nose up against the door and SAVE YOUR GAME.
Go to turn-based mode and open the door. You will see two Terrors, which are monsters that can take away 60 to 80 hp per hit. If you believe you can handle this, go ahead and battle them. Otherwise, follow these directions to avoid the fight:
In turn-based mode, enter the room and turn immediately to your right (don't go into the room any farther than necessary). You should see a table with a note and a key on it. Go ahead and read the note - it says something about the diary being locked in the study. Then pick up the key (you can pick it up from quite far away, but if you can't reach it, re-load from your save outside the door and try again until you can get it).
Double-click the enter key to go in and out of turn based mode very quickly. It should now be your turn again. If it isn't, and the Terrors got a turn, reload from your last save outside the door and try again until they don't.
Go back outside into the corridor and close the doors behind you with the Terrors still inside. They will not pursue you.
Now go back to the ramp. Wade into the water a little bit, then jump up on the ledge on the opposite side of where you first came in. Look straight ahead down the length of the water. You should see what appears to be another Terror at the end; however she isn't interested in you because right now you are too far away. You will be entering her field of interest soon, however, and will want her to chase you.
SAVE YOUR GAME. Then look at the map. From your current position, you will be walking as far forward as you can and then turning to go through the door on your right. When you are ready, run for that door. You should get the chase music (and a red light) as you approach it, which indicates that the Terror is chasing you. If she does not chase you (or if she catches you), reload from your last save and try again until she does chase but not catch you.
When you get to the door, before you open it, go into turn-based mode (get as close to the door as you can first). Then open the door. You'll see a Zombie inside the room facing you. Go into the room, then turn around and shut the door behind you to keep the Terror out. Now fight the Zombie. Be careful because he will regenerate. You are not finished with him until he leaves behind his little sack of treasure.
Heal yourself up and walk over to the door opposite where you came in. SAVE YOUR GAME, then open the door and fight the Zombie in that room too (who will also regenerate). Heal yourself after the fight and walk over to the door in the side wall, putting your nose against it. SAVE YOUR GAME, then go into turn-based mode again.
Now open the door. You'll see a Terror inside a small room. Behind her is a book on the floor, and behind that is a chest. It's possible to walk into the room far enough during the turn-based move to both pick up the book and open the chest. Regardless, you should be able to get in far enough to reach the book, which is what you want. If you're interested in the chest too, then keep reloading the game from your last save until you can reach it on a single turn-based turn.
When you've got the book, double-click the Enter key to go in and out of turn-based mode quickly. The Terror should not get a turn. If she does, reload from your last save and try again until she doesn't. Staying in turn-based mode, walk back out of the room and close the door behind you.
Walk back out into the room where you killed the first Zombie. There are two doors to your right - one at the end of a short corridor and one in the wall of the room. SAVE YOUR GAME and then choose the door that is NOT at the end of the short corridor. Look across the water and you should see another chest on a ledge there. Go on across and loot it. Then get back in the water and swim to the main hallway where you came in (look at the map to get your bearings).
Note: There is also another chest underwater near the ramp you did NOT use, if you would like to find it this trip.
Go on out of the Ruins and go back to Johannas Bem in Thjorgard. Ask him about that book he wanted, and you will get a dialogue which will let him take the book you found. Once he has it, ask him what he found out about it. He'll tell you it's not the right book, but that he does know where the correct book is now - it's in Drangheim, in a village, probably under someone's floor. He'll also give you a key so that you can get to it.
Go back to Drangheim. The house with the diary is the one out by the windmill that was always locked. Since you now have the key you can go inside. The broken floor is to your left as soon as you walk in the door. Hack at it a bit to break it up some more and then pick up the diary. Take it back to Johannas Bem in Thjorgard for your promotion (you will have to get his attention for the promotion after you hand him the diary). In addition to the experience and gold, the active character will also receive the spellbook for Eye of the Storm.
Return to Quest List read the adventurer's guide series email the editor  |
