Dragon Warrior/Northeast Alefgard

Enemies that you will encounter here:
 * Slimes
 * Red Slimes
 * Drakees
 * Ghosts
 * Magicians

Further to the east, you may also encounter:
 * Magidrakees
 * Scorpions
 * Skeletons

Proceed with caution
Northeast Alefgard can itself be divided into two regions; a west region and an east region. You will first journey to the west region by way of the bridge northeast of Tantegel Castle and Brecconary Town. You can probably safely explore this region by the time you reach level 5 (or a very well-equipped level 4), but don't stray to far from the bridge. The fact is that the enemies in the east region, closer to the village of Kol, are much stronger! While you might be able to hold your own against a Magidrakee or Scorpion, encountering a Skeleton would be bad luck indeed. You should wait for two things before passing into the east region: wait until you reach level 7 and learn the spell of sleep, and wait until you have purchased Chain Mail from Garinham.

Magic cast on you
Magic is going to become increasingly common in your battles with other monsters. Magicians and Magidrakees are far more common in this area, and they know the spell of Hurt. While their physical attacks do progressively less damage the stronger you get and the better equipment you buy, nothing can take the sting off of a Hurt spell. While the damage taken from Hurt fluctuates a lot compared to physical attacks, a lucky cast can hurt you substantially.



Magic that you cast
When you reach level 4, you can cast the spell of Hurt as well. Using Hurt can reduce the number of turns in a battle by quite a bit. However, using Hurt also costs 2 MP, and those may be magic points that you'll wish you saved for a Heal spell if things take a turn for the worse. Judge your remaining MP carefully and always remember to hang on to a few MP in case you need that life-saving Heal. By level 7 however, you learn the invaluable spell of Sleep. This spell can save your life more than Heal in certain scenarios. The fact is, both Scorpions and Skeletons, the two strongest monsters you will have encountered by this time, are fairly susceptible to Sleep. Don't hesitate to cast it on them and hit them while they're snoozing. Just remember that they may wake up at any moment, so be prepared to Heal yourself if they get a lucky strike in.

The rumor filled village of Kol
Kol is an interesting little village filled with interesting people. Talk of fairies, golems, and keys fill the air, but very little specific knowledge can be obtained. One thing is for certain: you can learn a lot if you listen to the right people. A mysterious man shelters himself away behind a poisonous swamp, and analyzes your weapon's strength. A guard who appears to be shirking his duties has the most valuable clue of all: Keys can be found in Rimuldar. Nearby, a man suggests that you may find Rimuldar to the south.

The Kol Shrine
To the west of Kol lies a shrine that can only be reached by traveling north of the mountain range that cuts across the west region of this land. The journey isn't too long, and once you step inside, you will find a hermit who proposes a test to prove your courage. He seeks to trade a Silver Harp for the Staff of Rain, but he gives you no clues as to where you might find such an interesting instrument. It's just one more thing to search for. You'll have to keep your ears and eyes open for clues. Don't forget to return here and visit the man when you find the harp.

Another detour
At this time, you may like to take a trip to Southwest Alefgard and visit the Mountain Cave. There are a few tough monsters in the lower floor, but it can serve as a good training exercise. You may even find an item that can give you an edge in battle. Do not travel too far south while visiting the Mountain Cave, or the monsters will quickly overwhelm you.

Swamp Cave
Enemies that you will encounter here:
 * Ghosts
 * Magicians
 * Scorpions
 * Druins

Additionally, there is a location with a specific encounter:
 * Green Dragon

First of all, in order to even approach this cave, you'll have to withstand a painful journey through a poisonous swamp. Keep your hit points high with Herbs or Heal spells. Once you get inside, you'll need a light. If you have a torch handy, light it. But even better would be the Light spell that you receive at level 9, which is a good level to reach before you enter this cave. Also, Half Plate armor would be a good idea as well. Not so much because of the enemies that you encounter in here, but because of what awaits you on the other side…

But there's another point of interest in this cave. If you travel down along the right side of the cave, you will reach a square where you'll have a frightening encounter with a Dragon. Since you need a Magic Key to explore the chamber that the Dragon guards, it would be wise to postpone this battle until you are stronger and have some keys to use. Even if you feel that you are ready, save the game before you embark on this fight.