Faxanadu/Dartmoor Castle: Difference between revisions

Interestingly, Dartmoor Castle is more than just an ordinary castle.  It is a fortress which encloses a town and two other castles.  You will enter from the right side of the highest level.  Among this top level, you won't find much of interest.  On the left side, there is what appears to be an abandoned settlement, with each of the four doors opening up to some room with a monster occupying the interior.  Since you can't use your weapons indoors, you are restricted to using magic.  The only door which is worth exploring is the second from the right.  Inside this empty shop is a Grimlock, and there is a 25% chance that a Red Potion will appear if you defeat it with magic.

Rather then explore the highest level, you will want to access the bottom of the middle screen and drop down through the gap in the floor.  The room below is split into two sections, the left and the right.  The left side contains a ladder that you can climb down to reach the level below, but the right side is where you should visit first.  Access the screen to the right to enter the final town in the game, the town of Dartmoor.

King Grieve swallowed the Dragon Slayer sword in a final act of desperation before he lost control of his mind in order to keep it out of the hands of the Evil One.  In order to get it back, you're going to have to defeat him.  He's quite powerful, like an enhanced form of a Ripasheiku.  In fact, his pattern of attack is extremely similar to that of the Ripasheiku.  He fires four fireball blasts before flying up to the ceiling and dropping back down to repeat the pattern.  There are a couple of strategies that you can employ.  For one, using an Hour Glass won't freeze him, but it will prevent him from breathing fire at you.  Another strategy is to use the powerful magic of Tilte.  Only a few well times blasts of this magic is enough to defeat him.  Whichever way you attempt to defeat him, make sure you have a few Red Potions handy and ready to use in case your health becomes critical.

Once he is defeated, grab the '''Dragon Slayer''' that he leaves behind.  With this item, you can now equip the trio of the sword and the Battle Suit and Battle Helm.  You need only select the sword to equip all three.  You are now at your most powerful offensively and defensively.  Before you leave, you need to find the cathedral in the castle and visit the Guru to obtain the key needed to open the door you passed previously.  From the bosses room, exit through the door, climb up the ladder, drop down to the floor and climb down the ladder to the level below.

Above the Borabohra, return to the left, drop down to the floor, and climb down the ladder to the room below.  There you will find the cathedral ('''4'''), whose entrance is guarded by a Rokusutahn.  Defeat it if you like and enter the cathedral.  With the Dragon Slayer in hand, the Guru will inform you that it was King Grieve who you just defeated.  He will give you the item that you need to access the final fortress of the game, the '''Ring of Demon'''.  Now you are ready to escape the castle, and return to the Town of Dartmoor for supplies and receiving a mantra.  There are a couple of routes out of the castle, but the safest one is to go back out exactly the way you came in.

Once you have received a mnatra from the Guru in Dartmoor and stocked up on Red Potions, you are ready for the final confrontation.  Return to the lower levels of Castle Dartmoor, and visit the room with the three doors ('''2''') that you were previously unable to access.  Now that you have the Demon Ring, you will find that you can enter the left door, only to be deposited outside of the middle door.  Approach the right door and push {{nes|Up|Dpad}} to enter the final fortress.