Five of your characters should train in the use of a bow (short/self, long, elvish). The only trainer of these three weapons is the elf Tyrolliar, who lives in a tree far south from Brettle. ·One of your characters should instead start by training with a close-combat weapon and act as "bait" for enemies (a dwarf, usually).
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Dwarves move more slowly than the others, and enemies will get too close to let them use a bow. Therefore, they should better train with their starting weapon. In Brettle, Hvrad can train most dwarf "newbies", whereas a Trollbane/Orcbane should go to Mornag in Htron, to the north.
When a character reaches the maximum skill for his/her bow, it is time to improve close-combat skills. There are four special weapons in the game: a greatsword, two halberds and a great axe; the last two characters (the ones least fit for close combat) should train with the scimitar.
The greatsword trainers are Zachary in Htron and Rhunholland in Olanthen (need hexadecimal editing).
The halberd trainers are Nigel at the Halfway House and Morwin in Pearl-of-Avalon (need hexadecimal editing, too).
The great axe trainer is Fistan, at the threeroads just outside Brettle.
The scimitar trainers are Mornag and Zachary, both in Htron.
During quest battles, characters equipped with long or self bows will often finish their arrows long before the end of the battle. A heavy crossbow deals far more damage (second to an elf bow only), therefore it can take down more enemies during a quest battle. Eventually, every character can gain from a training with the heavy crossbow, except for those skilled with the elf bow or the light crossbow. The trainer is Fistan, at the threeroads just outside Brettle. Two classes start with the light crossbow skill: the trainer is Mornag in Htron.
There is a 9th weapons trainer in Shellernoon, but he teaches nothing of interest.
"I had left my home for a short time when Ruffians broke in and stole the Gavel!" Gavel? "The Gavel is the ancient symbol of the Aldermen's Guild. For six centuries have we, the most respected of three city guilds, kept it safe. But last week a gang of Ruffians, no doubt under Pildar's command, seized our Gavel and escaped into the Tantowyn!" Hatred and hope mingle in her eyes. "Go now, return our Gavel and earn our favor!"
Jonathon
"I forged a weapon for a warrior last week. He said he was attacked by some Ruffians!" Ruffians? "Yes, Ruffians were following the River Passing just into the Tantowyn!" Tantowyn? "You must be new to this region. The Great Wood to the west is called the Tantowyn."
The exact position of the bushes is random.The river Passing, that passes through the city of Brettle.8 Ruffians
There are several reason to choose this quest as the first one.
The enemies are humans, and you should anyway buy spells that affect humans to heal the humans in your party;
there are just eight enemies, while the next quest counts twelve of them;
all the ruffians are concentrated in a small portion of the battlefield, so they can be found easily.
The River Passing runs south-west from Brettle. Follow it until you reach the ruffians camp.
The party starts at the southern end of the stone path. All ruffians are on the river island to the north.
Enemies can be lured on the bridge one by one and ambushed when they get at its southern end.
The gavel (represented by a sword, like any item) is in the last house on the islet. In order to get there, all eight Ruffians are in the way, and must be defeated.
Cheap strategy: a kelden could fly over the river, lure some Ruffians away from the last house, steal the gavel and flee. The kelden should be naked to save endurance and fly longer and faster; his hands should be empty in order to grab the gavel. This is actually a bad strategy: the Ruffians hold a lot of weapons and armor that can be sold for a good amount of money.
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Ryan
"I have heard the Guild of Knights had their Standard taken! Stephen must be upset!"
Stephen
Standard? "The city's proud flag, entrusted to our guild, has been stolen beneath our very eyes. Never has the Knights' Guild suffered so. The bastard Pildar has mocked our heritage! Our guild would be most grateful to he who would slay the Bandits and reclaim our flag! Perhaps there is still hope! Be quick now! My men said they were last seen heading north!"
Ryan (again)
Bandits? "They like to lurk along the Krell Way and ambush people who travel along it!"
Endle
Krell Way? "The Krell Way! The road that brought you into town if you came from the northwest!"
"Ast sarak 'dar natak! An eternal pox on all the worthless Knights of the land!" Knights? "Groveling worms! Shak arytan drafac obys!" Distant thunder rumbles its ominous reply. "Our guild owns an enchanted quill. Without it, our magics cannot be written. Those bumbling knights allowed Ghouls to enter the city and make off with it! "Il quada tak um sesta!" The smell of sulfur fills the air. "Go now, and recover our guild's quill from those spawn of death."
Ghouls? "I used to encounter many ghouls when hunting wild Bronk as a youth. Those were the days." Bronk? "Never heard of them, eh? I used to hunt them down south in the Elven forests. Good luck!" Elven? "The strangest Elves come from the Klvar Wood. It is the biggest wood in the south."
"I had to clean my place for nearly half a day after those Magic users stayed here!" Magic? "They said they had been down in the Klvar wood. Said some Ghouls ambushed them. Huh!" Klvar? "Go out of town and head south along the road. After about a day, head south some more!"
Benjamin