I run into a guard called Relk who somehow recognises me as the avatar and attacks me on the spot. Hes easy enough to beat.

However, when I try to take some of the stuff he’s dropped the whole castle turns on me. I reload at this point and don’t take anything he leaves behind. Some of the characters in the castle have hinted about secret rooms so I go in search of these instead.

I find some tunnels in the basement, including some sort of red square that teleports me to a stange place with a giant floating skull. I reload and break the teleport by moving all the candles at each corner of it.

Just behind is a small room with some headless + the gem I was looking for.

I move onto the next world which is more than a little odd. There are bouncy pads all over the place which push me towards walkways that push me to the edge of the map.

Each corner of the map has teleport pads that take me directly to any other corner.

The sentient beings here are big floating balls called Tallorids.

After talking to one for a while he gets the hang on my language. Each of the race just has one function it seem, this one is supposed to make new Talorids.

I find another who makes runes and come across more runes than I could ever want (unfortunately all the same type except one)

The amethyst rod that I need for Killorn Keep is lying around.

I meet a historian who gives me the background of this world. The guardian has talked the Talorids into become so single minded about particular task and also reduced their sexes from 3 to 1. They now manufacture stuff for the guardian to use on other worlds. He tells me to speak to Futurian.

Futurian is just down the corridor. To put things right I will need to kill the Bluy Skup Ductosnore (who makes the new talorids) and created a new one using his own machine. I need the old storage crystal which is making its way to be disposed of in the lava (at a rate of a couple of cm a year). I need a control crystal which he has ready for me and I also need a delsignator whatever that is.

He informs me that he has told the guardian I would be coming and that all the Vorz will now attack me. There had to be a snag.

I head down a level by dropped through a hole in the floor and find the crystal I need right on the edge of the lava.

There is a room heaving with Vorz down here. They only take a single hit to kill most of the time which is just as well.

Inside is the machine which creates Vorz. Its powered by the delsignator I was looking for so I grab it.

Which the help of a scroll from the dialogicans, I get the data integrator to tell me how to create a new ductosnore.

The instructions are pretty easy to follow and a new ductosnore pops up ready to try to sort out all the changes the guardian has made.

Going back to the historian, he teleports me directly to the blackrock gem.

Thats another world done. I’m none too healthy so I sleep for the first time. I get a message from the guardian telling me he met Lord Draxinusum but I’ve no idea of the outcome (or if it really happened).

I clearly need to get a move on so its onto another world, the Scintilus Training Academy. I run into a mage who has been waiting to chicken out of a test for new mages for 63 years. He isn’t much help but just gives me a bit of background on the world. To get to the academy, I’m going to have to do this test myself. The fact I have almost no magical ability as I’m playing a fighter is not going to help.

The test actually doesn’t seem to require any particular ability. Its more a collection of 3D puzzles. In the one shown I have to jump on a load of pillars each with an arrow on it. The pillar in the direction its pointing vanishes when I land on it so I have to get the route right. None of these are too hard but there are about 6 levels of these puzzles. Where I do need to cast a spell there is always a wand lying about that has the required effect.

When I get to the end the academy is deserted. I find clues and a key to point me to their vault which sounds like a good place to go (I think there may even be a Vas rune in there). This vault is in the ethereal void which is basically the world I was in right at the end of Underworld 1. There is no slasher of veils chasing me around this time so its safer but I require telekinesis to press a button out of reach and don’t have enough mana to do this. I’m going to have to build up my magic skills and come back.

The gem is sitting in the middle of a pentagram. I grab it and head for the exit.

When I go back upto the castle Charles has found an ancient key but he gives me no idea of what it opens. There are still areas of the sewers I’ve not explored so I head back down there.

On the way I grab to spider egg I need. The spiders don’t take this too well.

The key opens up a door on the first level of the sewers. There is a non-hostile ghost in here + a treasure chest. The big treasure here is a moonstone. I found another of these in the academy. Unlike Underworld you need two of these, 1 to cast the spell on and one to teleport to for the gate travel spell. Its still no use as I don’t have the magic or a Vas runestone yet.

Kintara makes me the weapon. Its not a weapon in the conventional sense but can be used to stop the guardian drawing power from a place. Each of the worlds has some location where he draws his power from (it will be where he is strongest) and I need to go there and use this weapon to cut the link.

I head back to the goblin tower first. The troll is still here in the captains old office. He gives me a note from Bishop which tells me to find a mage called Zoranthus. I use the staff in Bishops cell and there is a minor earthquake.

Its the ice world again next. I find the ruins of the lost city Anonduros. The guardian pops up with a message as I arrive “Perhaps thou seest thy future here”.

I try the rod here and sure enough it works. A ghost talks to me and thanks me for removing the guardians influence. A search around the area reveals the elusive Mani rune I need to cast healing spells.

When I get back to Britannia again the ice is gone from the gem cavern. This must be something to do with me removing the link.

Its onto world 6 next. I immediately meet a guy who wants to be my slave…. He volunteers a load of information about the world. I’m in some sort of prison called the Pits Of Carnage. Prowess in battle in the only thing that matters here and there are four arenas for duelling to the death. I learn the the gem is in the hands of the worlds greatest fighter Dorstag.

The next person I speak to challenges me to a duel. These fights aren’t too hard and after a win 3 people seem to show me a bit more respect on the whole.

Dorstag is at the NW of the level. I’m obviously going to have to defeat him so I trick him into challenging me to a duel so I get to choose the arena. The battle turns out to be very difficult indeed and I have to repeat it about 10 times before I beat him. In the end I use up some of the magic wands I’ve been carrying around and hes just too strong for me to take out with a sword.

I hear stories about Zoranthus living on the levels below the pits which are rumored to be seriously dangerous. On the whole its not too hard to make my way through although I do run into a dire reaper who is just unbeatable. I give in and will come back for this guy later.

When I sleep to recover I have another message from the guardian. He is slowly taking over Britannia if he is to be believed. We all need to get out of this giant gem asap.

Zoranthus is living behind a maze of portculis’ and buttons. He doesn’t have much to say but does give me instructions for making a bottle to house a djinn. I remember the game well enough to know that I have to make myself into a djinn bottle at the end. I’ll need some basilisk oil before I can get started on this though.

Back at the castle, Nelson has something urgent to tell me but Patterson keeps breaking in. He is just about to tell me a spell to destory blackrock when Patterson snaps and stabs him to death.

He then attacks me barehanded. Suffice to say he doesn’t survive.

Patterson dies expecting the guardian to save him but he doesn’t of course. Thats 3 of our number dead thanks to the guardian (and Patterson) but hopefully the last.

The castle is in some shock after the news but Geoffrey has some good news. He says the gem is starting to weaken as he can hear it creaking.

Its back to Killorn Keep next to try to cut off the power there. I find another secret door this time around in the guards barracks. This takes me down a level and I run into a guard who wants me to leave immediately. I’m not about to do this of course – he claims to be more than he seems….

Sure enough as soon as I kill him he turns into a giant red daemon and I have to kill him again. I can’t get through the locked door behind him although I just remembered a key I found ages back in the basement on this world that I never found a door. I’m in the right place as when I step to the door and use the rod I get the usual earthquake so I’m near enough without having to get through. I’m missing the first rune still for the open spell and could really do with finding it so I could get through some of these doors.

I presently working my way back through all the academy exam levels to get to the academy and get to the vault this time + cut off the guardians power here. That would pretty much complete 6 of the worlds with just 2 to go + the business with the djinn.