Catch up on the latest and greatest Stonekeep videos on Twitch. Sign up or login to join the community and follow your favorite Stonekeep streamers! A walk through of the first level of Interplay's 1995 RPG Stonekeep. Including how to find the secret super powerful dagger, hold on to your hats.
CoverStonekeep is in many ways a perfect encapsulation of the PC gaming scene of the mid-90s. It was a time of remarkable ambition matched by the breakneck speed of technological developments.
The pace at which hardware was iterating and improving meant that it was often a struggle for developers to keep, a pitfall that Stonekeep was hamstrung by, stretching an initial development timeline of nine months to over five years.The game itself reflects the spirit of that time as well, when many of the systems and mechanics we take for granted in games today were first being introduced and refined. It takes risks in ways games today rarely do, spending tremendous amounts of money to create lavish motion captured graphics and FMV only to completely scrap huge portions of them for something new (and also untested). At this time, the and Might and Magic series were falling out of favor with all but the most devoted gamers, and Stonekeep tries to distill the classic elements into a package that would take advantage of the CD-ROM and wow them visually, without becoming too complicated. It is a little simplistic in that regard – there’s no character customization in the beginning, and technically only one playable character, though NPC companions do join from time to time.But its ambition isn’t limited to graphics, its entire design stretched the confines of standard RPGs of that era in some very novel ways. It uses games like as a template, being utilizing real-time combat, though with full screen visuals and (relatively) smooth scrolling movement animations.
While at its core it’s a fairly traditional first-person dungeon crawler, it does feel more modernized, and introduces elements like a magic system that requires you to collect runes and engrave them onto wands to cast spells.The ability to customize spells and alter their properties according to the player’s whims or needs is an evolutionary step beyond the standard magic systems in other RPGs of that era, which largely leaned into the Dungeons and Dragons template of pre-defined spells with very specific, limited effects. The spells in Stonekeep are much more modular and dynamic, meaning players could tailor them to specific battles or situations, and they also represented a hard won reward for exploration and discovery. Ever spell represents a level of personal investment on the player’s part.The combat is fairly rote for first person dungeon crawlers (just attack, attack, attack), but the motion captured animations give the enemies a unique sense of momentum and threat. When a trio of goblins are rushing at you with swords drawn, you get a real sense of impending danger that most RPGs can’t convey. Unfortunately the attractive (and spendidly animated) enemies aren’t matched by the environments, which are almost universally bland and repetitive. Not only does a constant stream of grey and brown backdrops dull any sense of epic adventure, it makes finding your way around much more difficult, with very few actual landmarks to navigate by.That’s one of Stonekeep’s key failings, actually.
It’s incredibly easy to get lost in the game’s many, layered labyrinths, so unless you’re taking copious and detailed notes (something, to its credit, the game’s journal and map facilitates) you’re going to spend a huge amount of your play time backtracking or trying to find the next section of dungeon to explore.There’s not a lot of story to keep driving you forward, either, though Stonekeep does present an interesting mythology constructed around a pantheon of gods that each represent one of the worlds in our solar system. A dark force has imprisoned these nine gods and trapped them in the titular keep, and it’s up to the young hero, Drake to save the day. Drake was also terrorized by the same dark god as a child, in a cringey but very memorable FMV sequence at the beginning of the game, which reportedly cost somewhere in the ballpark of half a million dollars, or ten times the game’s original budget. It’s as poorly staged and acted as you’d expect from a mid-90s FMV sequence, and one can’t help but wonder while enduring it how that $500,000 could’ve been repurposed.The story starts strong (despite the very rough quality of the video intro) but quickly fades into the background, and the game becomes much more focused on gameplay than narrative. This isn’t a bad thing, though, because constant FMV sequences would likely do more to pull players out of the setting and any sense of immersion than enhance it. And much of the later story elements are delivered diegetically, through scrolls you uncover in chests or NPC characters you encounter as you explore, so they’re not jarring and do just enough to remember why you’re plumbing these depths in the first place.Puzzle elements are fairly spartan, but they do exist, and largely rely on the adventure-game-like dynamic cursor to solve. Mostly the cursor serves as a targeting icon for attacks, but move it over interactive objects or other characters and it will change accordingly to reflect the action Drake will take when you click.
For puzzle solving this generally means pulling levers or pushing secret bricks and the like, and there’s a great deal of satisfaction attached to uncovering some of the game’s esoteric secrets. The problem is that during a normal playthrough you’re extremely unlikely to find those secrets unaided, because most of them involve a lengthy ritual that isn’t suggested in game in any way.Take for instance the case of the very sharp dagger. At the beginning of the game it’s possible to attain a powerful weapon that will be immensely helpful in the early stages of your journey, especially when you’re a novice and need to level up your abilities (Stonekeep employs an Elder Scrolls-esque skill system, where you improve your skills by using them). It’s a huge boon but, without a strategy guide, it’s incredibly unlikely that you’d pull the first lever three times, push a secret block to reveal another hidden lever, walk through an invisible wall, and push yet another secret block to reveal the dagger itself.
And nothing in the game so much as suggests it’s hidden there, much less how you would go about attaining it.It’s a strange design decision, hiding some of the best content behind indecipherable secrets, and other than as a ploy to sell strategy guides, who knows what the rationale was for deploying it so frequently here. It’s one of several reasons why Stonekeep is actually better played today, with the wealth of FAQs and maps available, than it was at release.
With those modern resources at your fingertips, it actually holds up really well, and if you can put aside the dated graphics and production values, it’s a fascinating look back at a very interesting period in game design. Series Navigation.
(Day), (Day Number) of (Month) in the year (Era) (Year) (The in-game date is dynamic, and varies on when the quest is taken.)The ruler of has marked on your map of the province of. Objectives. Receive 's dream bridge. Travel to the city-state of, in Hammerfell.
Enter, and speak to Queen Blubamka. Retrieve the parchment from Stonekeep. Return to Blubamka, and learn the Fang Lair's location.Walkthrough Dream BridgeWhen contacted, Silmane divulges information about the Staff of Chaos, the of, and her divination of the Fang Lair. 'The Staff of Chaos.I see you have strengthened your arm, and your mind, (Player's name). It is time we began this journey. This is the Staff of Chaos, the one item that can open the door between this world, and the dimension to which the Emperor has been banished. Used this item to destroy my corporeal form when I tried to warn the.
He knew that the Staff of Chaos was nigh indestructible, having been made from the essence of the Land itself. But in that he found the key.
As the land split, so did he shatter the Staff into eight perfectly formed pieces. These he scattered across the realm. I have been able to divine the location of the first piece, a place called Fang lair Do not change this to. 'Ria Silmane, dream bridging with the Champion.It is said that the Fang Lair was originally built by the Dwarves of Kragen. Legend has it that a Great drove the Dwarves from their home in the Dragon's Teeth, and took the Lair for itself. I only wish I knew the exact location.
Perhaps that are sages, or scholars who would know of this place. Somewhere in its dank depths lies the first piece of the Staff of Chaos. I wish you well, (Player's name). I do not think Tharn knows of your escape, but I can do little else in this form. I have tried to obscure your identity with a spell, but I do not know how well it will hide you. Take care for Tharn may be searching. Go forth with the blessings of the true Do not change this to.
Post-contact, the Champion must converse with pedestrians, mages and priests on the whereabouts of the Fang Lair.During search, the Champion will be told of the province of Hammerfell, and some connection between it and the Lair. (This may vary from being told of a break-in at Rihad Palace, or a new discovery in Hammerfell.) Further directed to the city-state of Rihad, the Champion is to hold audience with Queen Blubamka.Rihad PalaceWhen seeking audience with Blubamka, she greets the Champion with a task. 'Welcome to Rihad, (Player's name). I am Queen Blubamka, and I agree to tell you about Fang Lair, for a favor. You see, not too long ago a band of goblins, led by Golthog the Dark attacked this stronghold. They carried away with them much treasure, including a parchment which held within its writings clues to decipher the part of the Elder Scrolls which spoke of the location of the legendary Fang Lair.
Golthog and his goblins fled to an ancient and ruined fortress called Stonekeep, outside the city. I fear that a large band of mercenaries or soldiers will be unable to find them. A single person however, would be much more successful. Perhaps your arrival is fortuitous. If you would agree to try and recover this parchment, I will inscribe the location of the Stonekeep onto your map. If you are successful and return with the parchment, I will be able to decipher the location of Fang Lair. I promise to give you that location as reward for your help.
Do you agree?' The Champion should accept. Stonekeep lies near Rihad. Be careful, Golthog is crafty and evil. It is even rumored that he is a necromancer serving the. When you have the parchment, return with it here and I will find out the location of the Fang Lair for you.' Queen Blubamka smiles broadly and motions for you to take your leave.
PreparationPost-audience, the Champion should buy supplies, and sell what they've collected from the Imperial sewers. Arms and armor are found at., magical items and spells are available at the.
Potions of Healing and Heal True are extremely useful where rest isn't available, albeit being costly.The Champion should then travel to Stonekeep.Stonekeep – Stolen ParchmentStonekeep's map. The pink line shows the fastest way to reach the parchment (neon green dot).Stonekeep is located three days north of Rihad. The closest village is, a one day trip.Stonekeep is not small, however the parchment is luckily near the entrance. The adjacent map displays the most efficient path, but is not beneficial in loot or experience.The entrance to Stonekeep, with the throne in the background.Follow the right-hand wall, and enter the last door. Again entering the last door on that side in the new hallway.
Enter the room, and jump through the passage in the room's west wall. Descending, there is a group of up to ten to be dispatched. The Champion should then swim to the central island, where the parchment resides.The parchment.The island is guarded by a number of, who cause Disease frequently, more so than rats.At the center of the island, there are treasure chests with -based loot, which may need to be.
The parchment lies in the back. After claiming the parchment, a prompt will appear, restating its purpose.
'You have found the Parchment the court at Rihad can use to discover the location of the Fang Lair.' The Champion can then proceed to leave and return to Rihad, or choose to explore Stonekeep further. Stonekeep is relatively low-level, as there are only goblins, and sometimes even in the main sections.There is an iron key on the middle island due south of the entrance that can be used to open a locked door the farthest back of the conference room that is south of the island.
If they choose to go further south into Stonekeep, the Champion will encounter large groups of.The Champion should eventually find their way out and will head back to Rihad, where Blubamka will celebrate and reveal the Fang Lair's location.The Elder ScrollUpon returning to Rihad Palace and seeking Blubamka's audience, she greets the Champion. 'You have recovered the parchment! I hope you put Golthog into an early grave as well. Still, I will complete my end of the bargain.' Queen Blubamka motions to a courtier who respectfully bows and brings forward a pen.
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