Nice! I made to the middle of the lake with 5 down and the sun in hand, right in the middle of night 4, but then I couldn't get the water serpent to approach me until just before dawn. I had to paddle around an extra 5-6 markers before I encountered him, otherwise I would've had plenty of time. Any advice? Also haven't found an NBAS method, but given things happen sometimes when you exhaust options or waste time in certain places/times/night/day, I don't feel totally sure. And there are lots of dialogue and options that vary depending on the order of when you visit them, and some places like being visited multiple times. A few other notes 1) You can summon the rock demon at the temple if you it collapse on top of you, or if you sleep by the well and are confronted by the Klattamen. Neither does much and is a waste of the item, but I wonder if there are other places it's more useful. I could've sworn I saw that as an option somewhere in the black elf caravan, but when I did it in a later play with the tooth I couldn't find it again. 2) What will be different if the sun serpent is left/destroyed/kept? I usually want to hold onto him to see what he'll do in Mampang. 3) Anyone figured out what triggers the last guy at the end being sad about the Analader wreaking havoc? I got it with only one beacon pointed over the second half of the bridge, but it didn't get near Tinpang or the fisherman's hut, so I was confused. 4) Is Shadrack the tree? Anyone been able to "meet him again"? 5) Is it just me or do the stories of the mountain sorceress and the revived mountain corpse not match up? And why does the corpse have no recollection if you've already met the sorceress, and react violently if you say you want to kill the Archmage? Odd. 6) Someone mentioned being able to follow Dadu-Ley, but I haven't been able to get that option, even when visiting with no spirit.
So now that people have started trying speed runs, what's the best way to go about it? I've gotten a 5 day, 7 Serpent kill run, but it's hard to see where I could cut off time. My route is: Spoiler - Go to Shadrack's, get the Galehorn - Go through Elthara at the tree, then up to the bridge - Across the bridge using OAL and HUF - Straight up the mountain, kill the Moon Serpent, I stepped downhill to get the Oak Sapling Staff from the Sham (could lose that part) - Jump downhill, go to Fenestra, get the whistle, crack the Orb, kill Sun Serpent - Go south past the hut (I went inside to get a Holy Water, I could lose that part) - Go up the tower, shine the beacon on the southern tower next to the stone circle so I can use it to warp back - Travel south, bypass the Klattaman village, go south to the stone circle - Repeat the chant, kill the Time Serpent with MAG and FIX (or JIG, without the Staff) - Break down the tower door, warp north to the tower by the bridge, shine beacon to repair the bridge - Walk west to the bridge climbing point, go west some more, kill Fire Serpent - Walk back east, climb bridge, go east across the bridge - Kill Earth Serpent - Walk to the shore, blow whistle, row with ferryman across Lake, kill Air Serpent when he transforms - Row south, kill Water Serpent (problem is I have to row around waiting for him to show up before disembarking on the Xamen road) - Exit boat at the south shore, travel to exit I'm wondering if it would be faster to go to Bria's from Shadrack's place. You could get the Green Metal Ring there then jump down the chimney there, kill the Time Serpent, then walk north to kill the Sun and Fire Serpents, climb the bridge and walk west to kill the Moon Serpent, then go east across the bridge, kill Earth, then get the Air and Water when crossing the Lake. I think killing the Air Serpent near the bottom of the chimney means there's probably no boat to take across the Lake, so it might be better to avoid him? Obviously, you miss a lot of magic items and every health upgrade making runs for speed, I'm not sure it will even be worth it but it's fun to experiment.
I've made several updates to the item document, which now includes all the Serpent's locations and stamina increases. Also added alot of new item locations; while I'm sure there are still a few missing I'm fairly certain I have most of them penned down. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iFhkEHUfEtyuj5YtD7hcguSaUvCMrRgbmvNTkFugMUw/edit I'm currently doing a quick write-up of my 4-day speedrun, which I'll also post there once it's finished.
Sorry; I mis-spoke. I meant that I had just completed a run with Lorag, not that I had written it specifically down. I've already put two walkthrough transcripts in this thread, anyway. Respectfully, Brian P.
This is something I have been thinking about. My last playthrough took a ridiculous amount of days but I ended up with a similarly ridiculous amount of useful stuff. So we don't know yet whether it is better to get there quicker with fewer items or late and expected but armed to the teeth with goodies.
Do you swim and lose all your provisions, or is there an option other than ZEN? The Moon Serpent also shows up Spoiler at the Timpang beacon if you haven't encountered it yet. Is it even possible to walk west on the restored bridge and encounter it, or do you just find Vancass? I don't think the time you save killing the Sun Serpent where you find it (and thus Spoiler killing Fenestra ) versus killing it later is significant. Best to dispatch it Spoiler by throwing it in the Water Serpent's mouth .
My best time getting every magical item but the rock demon tooth is 9 days. I also got +1 stamina in both Kariamma and the Klattaman village, but skipped casting TUF. I did it in 8 by skipping Kariamma and could probably shave off a bit by not sleeping at all. Since some people will be starting Sorcery 4 from scratch, it is my suspicion that the length of time you take won't matter as much as having good items and the clues from the serpents.
I have tested that and it is possible to get all magical/rare items + encounters (witches, flanker etc.) + permanent stamina + counterspells + serpents in 8 days or less. Which should be a pretty good deal. I don't think it is possible to achieve that in less than 5 days, though. Sorcery 4 will likely come out in one year. This will be the moment when we know for sure if there will be any horrendous outcomes when not making it in less than 5 day. Personally I doubt it.
Regarding the following: The priest on the pole mentions that the Spoiler water serpent attacks you when he senses your weakness ("If you must encounter him, I fear the only way would be to swim until he senses your tiredness") -- do you think that means that you have you be below a certain amount of stamina (or at least not at full heath) for him to attack?
I swim -- but I eat all my provisions before jumping in the water I did not know about the alternate location for the Moon Serpent. Worth seeing if that location allows for a faster run. I have tried lighting up the bridge so that the climbing spot is illuminated but the Moon Serpent location is not. You can come from the East and meet the Moon Serpent on top of the peak that way. However, you cannot cross back to the bridge. You need to slide down the mountain to the forest just north of the bridge, and it takes a little bit of time to come back down to the climbing spot. Also, an alternate way to deal set up encounters with the Air and Water Serpents is Spoiler to NOT have the whistle in your possession. Without the whistle, you will be given the option to swim, and the Water Serpent comes right away. Get to the nearest island, ring the bell to attract the ferry, and head straight for the dock dealing with the Air Serpent along the way.
NBAS Speculation There is a river (flowing in AT dry in CT) that starts from a cave that goes to the Lake. The cave is almost due East of the Forest Tower across the Horns. If there is a way to do a No-Beacon-All-Serpent run, I wonder if there is some way to go UNDER the Horns. Maybe a particular spell in the vicinity of the Forest Tower? NIP?
I also noticed that hole, but haven't found a way to use it yet. Maybe approaching it from the other side reveals some information. Also, yeah, the Moon Serpent shows up in the beacon at Tin Pang if you haven't killed it yet. The encounter is completely identical otherwise.
Hi, I have a question about one of the Serpents, the difficult-to-find one. I searched the thread and found some info but unfortunately couldn't find an answer to this question. Spoiler I visited the wizardress and got the crystal ball. However, I missed any clues that would have indicated that the Sun(?) Serpent is inside. I'm now walking around with the ball in my inventory. I thought it was just an opportunity to pick up another magic item. Currently I'm on the lake near the Time Serpent. How do I trigger something to happen to reveal the serpent inside the crystal ball? Thanks for any help!
When with the Sorceress, you need to Spoiler choose to look at the orb (you will have more than 1 opportunity) before your encounter with her ends.
Anyone else find it annoying how you can't revisit some places like the vendors at the docks and the little hill-house in the forest?
Spoiler When I've met him at Tinpang, I could only do one action before the fight (make fire naturally or cast one spell), but meeting him at the bridge has always let me SSS and then make fire somehow.
After you handle the boat alone you will also get messages a la "You feel tired" etc. the longer you sail around. Maybe it is connected.. maybe it is random.
