Star Trail : Realms of Arkania II An Unofficial FAQ (v3.04)
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I have cobbled together this FAQ of info for Star Trail from a number
of messages posted by people to usenet; if I've not credited you for
info in the game please forgive me, it's not intentional - see the
end for a credit list. I have rounded off the FAQ with some data at
the end noted from spells and experience in the game.
The FAQ is split into general questions and questions on particular
parts of the game. If you have any additions/corrections, pop them
in an e-mail to me. I will try to answer questions if you mail me, but
if my real work load is high excuse me if I can't reply or am slow
replying.
Enjoy! Tim (tjc ecs sotonacuk)
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WHAT IS STAR TRAIL?
Star Trail is touted as a "fantasy role playing simulation", the
reason being that there is a lot of attention to detail in the game.
The game system is based on the popular German role playing system
called "Das Schwarze Auge", which has been revised many times and
Star Trial is based on the latest version.
The game comes with a manual, reference card and a fold-out colour
map of the realm. The map covers about 400 by 300 miles of land,
and has over a dozen villages/towns marked on it. The manual is
70+ pages, thoughtfully written and well indexed. There are no
details of monsters or weapons in the manual, but there is enough
info to get you going and involved in the game. A separate clue
book (I don't have it) retails for #13.99 or so.
The game features 3D graphics in towns and dungeons (similar to
'Arena: Elder Scrolls', but oddly without the people - encounters
either yield pop-up menus or combat). Combat is isometric and
turn-based with good, but not great, graphics. On the CD version
there are combat sounds, including spell chants. Travel between
towns is done on an overhead map, with movement restricted to
paths that you find.
Characters can be from any of 12 races, and have around 50 skills
they can develop, and a larger number of spells. You can skip a
lot of the detail by playing in "novice" mode. There's a fair
chance that if you'd like a cross between 'Arena' and 'Betrayal at
Krondor', you'd like this game.
Overall Star Trail is a great game; the combat is fun though a
little clumsy. There is a lot of attention to detail which may
annoy some people, and the plot is perhaps a little too open at
times. Definately worth buying from the bargain bins though!
The prequel to Star Trail is "Blades of Destiny".
The sequel (due soon) is "Shadows over Riva".
For a review of Star Trail, see:
http://www.gamesdomain.com/gdreview/reviews/pc/strail.html
(or .co.uk rather than .com for the Games Domain UK mirror site).
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GAME SPECS
The reference card says the game needs a 386PC or better (486/33
is recommended), 4Mb RAM (though it says only 2Mb on the box!),
580k of free base RAM, 670k min EMS and 64k min XMS (which is a
bit of a pain, especially on the CD version). The CD version,
which I have, takes up about 35Mb of HD space too. Sound support
looks good. I played on a DX2/66, 8Mb, SB16 with no trouble.
Graphics appear to be regular VGA.
The game comes on 3.5" disk or CD; I got CD and thus have some
extra graphics (though I'm not sure where!) and digitised speech,
which seems to pop up in cut scenes. To install the full game
from CD to HD would take over 100Mb, but luckily you only need a
fraction of that to play off the CD. Copy protection is a one
word lookup the first time you save in any game session.
There are no big patches for this game. There is one which fixes
the faces when importing characters from Blades of Destiny, and
another for people with 32Mb systems - both should be available
on the Games Domain (which mirrors the Patches Scrolls area).
Star Trail will run under Win95. I simply set the program
properties on the shortcut icon I made to prevent it from going
to MSDOS mode and it ran fine and smooth with all the sounds.
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ADVENTURING
Star Trail has a relatively free-flowing plot; there are some
linear elements, but you can spend a lot of time wandering
rather aimlessly early on! Be warned though certain parts *are*
linear, like you should not enter the swamps until you have been
to Lowangen.
To start off, save the woman being attacked by Orcs SW of the
town you begin in - this gets you a bonus two levels of experience.
Then make your general way towards the Finsterkamm and the dwarven
pit. The quest in Gashok isn't too hard and can be completed
early in the game by low level characters.
General
(Q) My characters get ill a lot - what can I do?
Buy sleeping bags as soon as you can; these cut down on colds
and flu-type infections dramatically. Always carry herbs for
healing and curing disease. Early in the game sell off excess
ones as the cash is more useful to you.
(Q) How much food/water should I carry?
It depends where you are exploring; in mountain and desert areas
you should carry at least two full water skins each and probably
at least 6 ration packs (you can top these up with overnight
foraging).
(Q) Where can I get alchemy recipes?
There aren't too many around. It may be that Realms of Arkania I
recipes will work. You'll find two in the Dwarven Pit.
Vomicum: lamp oil, shurin bulb, mandrake.
Hylailian fire: 2 brandies, licorish, 2 lamp oils.
Some players report these parchments as reading like nonsense,
so manybe you need some skill to read them...
There are three more later in the game:
Moneymaker (Phex temple)
Magic drink (Phex-temple)
Sleeping drink (temple of nameless)
(Q) The markets seem always shut?
No. The markets arrive one day a week in Kvirasim (Fireday) and
Gashok (Praiosday). Time your visits to the towns accordingly or
spend a few nights in an inn.
(Q) Which "obscure" spells might I need later?
These will help - the last two are certainly important:
Teleport Spell
MELT SOLID (Temple of Nameless One)
BANE GHOSTS (Temple of Phex)
The most useful spell in combat is often the (blinding) lightning
spell which lets you get free attacks on an opponent.
(Q) Why do I lose movement points (MPs) for no apparent reason?
The more you carry, the more hindered you become, and the less
you can move each turn in combat. It pays to spread the load
around, and the Gridles of Strength and magic Water Skin you
find earlyish in the game are thus very valuable.
(Q) What combat techniques work best?
The secret is to gang up and outnumber opponents where possible,
due to the way parrying works. Make use of the "blindness"
spell, which will incapacitate an opponent for a few rounds.
Obviously, where possible keep your spellcaster(s) protected behind
a shield of fighters. Remember you can split your party, so you
don't *have* to send everyone into combat - a spellcaster could
just boost fighter stats and never enter a (planned) fight.
(Q) How do you know if the miracle button is working?
As long as time passes each time you press it, you know that the
miracle button is working.
(Q) What is spending money in temples good for?
Spending money in temples and praying afterwoods will become quite
useful - depending of the temple you will get:
repairing weapons, raising magic resistance, feed the group,
call back from death, and others.
(Q) Why is getting experience so hard?
Fighting the same monster type a second time gives much reduced
experience. The most experience seems to be gained by solving
the mini-quests in the game, rather than by fighting.
(Q) What's a good party mix?
The official clue book suggests three different parties:
1. Hocus Pocus-
Green Elf -- Ice Elf -- Silvan Elf -- Druid --
Magician (of combat) -- Magicienne (Two helps)
2. Fight! Fight! Fight! -
Warrior -- Thorwalian -- Dwarf -- Huntress --
She-Rogue -- Magician (of combat)
3. Brains & Brawn-
Warrior -- Dwarf -- Green Elf -- Silvan Elff --
Druid -- Magician
There's no real bad party mix, unless you're really silly. But
do try to get the important spells listed elsewhere.
See also Eric's notes at the end ...
(Q) Where do I get an alchemy set?
You will find one in Finsterkoppen.
(Q) How do I poison my weapons?
To poison a weapon, simply use the poison (with the use option in
the item menu. It will poison the primary weapon. As for its
usefulness, I wouldn't go into a major battle without my weapons
poisoned. It can more than double the damage from a hit and can
incapasitate that foe for the entire fight (by screwing up the
monster's stats). But if you fumble a hit ...
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THE PLOT
Notes are listed here for the various areas in the "plot" ...
the basic thread is: help woman, then go to Gashok, Dwarf Pit, Lowangen,
Swamp, Blood Peaks, Tiefhusen and finally Tjolmar (Temple of Nameless).
Gashok
Situated just north of Lowangen, the town of Gashok has at least
one quest to solve.
(Q) I've heard the sword and bow of Atherion (sp?) mentioned,
but haven't run into them in any of the dwarven pit/orc cave/phex
temple (i've been through them all in this or other games...).
where do you run into them?
To find these weapons you'll need to investigate the burnt out
mill in the town. Ask around about it, one good place in particular
is the market place area. The clues should lead you out of town
to Artherion, and you can then help him.
The Dwarven Pit
The pit is in the Dwarven town in the Finsterkamm mountains.
Herein lies the salamander stone and a few other handy items
including a magic waterskin and a number of +5 STR belts.
It is important NOT to rob anything (the altar, the graves and
the axes) else you'll anger the Dwarven god. You may find
a rope, spade, crowbar and more than one lockpick useful for
the pit. Oh, and a torch and tinder box.
(Q) How do I get in?
You can use the back entrance, but better still ask the priest
in the temple of Ingerimm (inside the mountain) about the pit
three times and he will give you the key.
(Q) How do I get out?
Either go out the back way, or get the key from the gnome and
leave by the main entrance. The back tunnel will collapse the
first time you pass through it. The back exit is at the lowest
level. Just keep climbing down (not using the stairs) till you
can go no further. Or you can leave a character with a key
outside the double door entrance.
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