Greetings again adventurers! It's a traditional dungeon crawl in Allansia this time round. As the constellations are unfavourable in this part of Allansia there will be no sorcery here (well, one incantation) but plenty of swordplay.

A priceless golden dragon is hidden within a labyrinth in Allansia but, even if you find it, you need to insert both of it's emerald eyes before it can be moved. You have been provided with one of the eyes and must now find the other, and the dragon itself, then return them to your patron in order to receive your share of the spoils.
To ensure your return you have been given a slow acting poison and will only receive the antidote if you return to your associate. Therefore, time is pressing....

Surprisingly for an Ian Livingstone title, the game is not especially tough on the stats.
Some of the opponents you will face later on seem quite daunting but there are some extremely generous skill bonuses on the optimum route, if you survive the easier battles early on.
The greater challenge is finding the correct route. Many wrong choices are punished with severe penalties to your stats or instadeath endings.
To make things somewhat tougher, you do not receive the customary potion-of-your-choice at the start. Also, in hardcore hero mode, you do not receive any provisions.

In Adventurer mode it is not too difficult, providing your starting skill & luck are good.

In Hardcore Hero mode with maximum skill of 10, plus good stamina & luck, you still have a decent chance.

There are only six Steam achievements for this title.
Three are self-explanatory: Free-read win, Adventurer win & Hardcore Hero win. Simply follow this guide to complete the quest in each mode.

One of the other achievements Eye Don't Believe It is also completed during this winning walkthru. It is indicated where it occurs.

The remaining two require minor detours from the optimum route and are unlocked as follows:

Thunderdome: Follow the walkthru until you have destroyed the giant sandworm with the crystal dagger, but take the staff (-1 sta) after you open the chest. Then continue on the main walkthru until you encounter the evil wizard, but use the staff of thunder instead of the moonstone brooch.

He Slimed Me: Continue on from the previous achievement, then when you encounter the old man sitting on a chair at the t-junction, go right instead of left. You have the silver armband. Ignore the store room door. Decide to turn back. Make a run for it past the death slime. (instadeath ending)

You start with one emerald dragon eye.
Search the hut first. +axe head

Go right.
Try to force the door open.
Skill test. Pass: ok, Fail: -1 sta (Keep trying until you succeed.)
Walk past the mirror and continue.

Ignore the well and walk around to the far door.

Ignore the woman and continue along the corridor.

Enter the room. (with the dark oak door)
Pick up the card. +5 g.p.

Enter the room.
Fight the three rats: Sk 5 St 4, Sk 5 St 3, Sk 5 St 2
Drink some of the liquid. +2 sta, +small dose of potion of healing (Only use this if instructed.)

Try to open the door. Fight goblin Sk 5 St 5
+ chainmail, +1 skill

Wait for the owner of the laugh. -2 skill, -2 sta

Jump down into the room below.
Open the chest. +5 g.p.
Take both items. +crystal dagger, +silver box

Walk over the bridge and carry on.

Go right. Drink at the fountain. +2 sta
Sit on the throne. +1 skill, +1 sta
Ignore the next door and continue.
Retrace your steps to the last junction.

(This next room is optional for completionists. You can finish the game with only four keys, but this potentially risky encounter provides the fifth key. If you just wanna complete the game with four keys, ignore this door and continue below at **.)
Open the door. Talk to her.
Fight 1st vampire bat: Sk 5 St 4 (It inflicts 3 sta per hit.)
Fight 2nd vampire bat: Sk 5 St 4
You are not wearing a gold bracelet.
You must attack 37 plague rats:
Each round you kill (1d6 + your skill). If there are any remaining you lose 1 sta.
Then, fight snake witch: Sk 10 St 6 (It inflicts 4 sta per hit. If you lose 3 attack rounds, you die unless you use your potion of healing)
Grab the emerald. -1d6 sta
Tell her she is ugly. +bronze key 85, +7 g.p., +garlic, +large tooth

**
Ignore the ogre and continue up the corridor.
Examine the object. Put it around your neck. Leave it on. +1 luck

Luck test. Pass: ok, Fail: -3 sta
Fight giant spider: Sk 7 St 8
+ iron key 34, +glass ball, +broken dagger, +sharp stick
+1 skill, +1 sta

Open the door.
Try on the iron breastplate. +1 skill, +1 luck
Take the leaves.

Ignore her cries and walk on.

Open the gate and enter.
Fight gremlin: Sk 4 St 3
Eat some of the leaf paste. +1 skill, +2 sta, +silver key 14

Stand and fight. Fight two skeletons: Sk 6 St 5, Sk 5 St 6
Leave the helmet and walk on.

Open the red door.
Stay in the room. Tell him about your quest. +golden key 325

Follow the arrows.
Grab the shovel and dig. You have a crystal dagger.
Open the wooden chest. +27 g.p.

Follow the arrows further.
Pull on the rope. This is what you want to do. -2 sta
Fight the niblicks. -3 sta
Fight three niblicks: Sk 4 St 3, Sk 5 St 2, Sk 3 St 4
+copper key 192, +bronze shield, +1 skill, +2 sta
Read the scroll. +spell: "hole in the wall"
Climb back down the rope. +3 silver coins

Open the door.
Fight uglukk orc: Sk 8 St 8
Luck test. Pass: ok, Fail: -1 skill, -2 sta
Fight second uglukk orc: Sk 8 St 9 (You must fight three attack rounds.)
You do not need his help.
Search the bodies. +2 g.p., +3 brass buttons, +small brass bell, +fish hook
Search the cavern. +2 g.p., +silver armband
Uncork the bottle. Choose a magic item. +moonstone brooch

Ignore the chair and carry on.

Open the door. (You now have an ally: the dwarf Littlebig.)

Go right.
Prise the lid off the barrel.
Luck test. Pass: ok, Fail: -1 skill, -4 sta then, if you are still alive, regain 2 sta
+rope
Drop the doll on the floor. +ring of zombie control

Reach into the hole. +3 g.p., +silver cross, +kris knife

Use one of your magical items. The moonstone brooch.

Ignore him and go left. You are wearing the silver armband.

Ignore the chest and walk on.
Pull down the handle. Walk along the top of the stepping stones.

Ignore the hole and press on.

Run after him on your own. -1 sta
Fight two thieves: Sk 6 St 6 & Sk 7 St 5
+7 g.p., +picklock, +silver cross, +silver pin, +2 fish hooks

Sleep in the dwarf den. +4 sta, +info

Take a closer look at the items. (Bad dice rolls here can ruin your quest in hardcore hero mode.)
You are attacked by 1d6 +6 flesh grubs.
You remove 2d6 flesh grubs. -1 sta for each one remaining. If any remain:
You remove 2d6 flesh grubs. -1 sta for each one remaining.
(Littlebig then removes any still remaining.)
Open the leather bag. +2 g.p., copper bowl, long tooth, catapult & 3 lead balls
Read the scroll. +info
Take the sword. +skullsplitter sword, +1 skill
Walk on.

Go down the steps. You have "skullsplitter".
Fight verminspawn: Sk 10 St 10 (you have +2 a.s. for this battle)
Search the cellar. Open it fully.
Let him touch the glass ball.
You know the "hole in the wall" spell. Azang Bazang-zang.
Pick up the emerald. +2nd emerald dragon eye.
Steam Achievement: Eye Don't Believe It

Fight gigantus: Sk 12 St 12 (It inflicts 4 sta damage per hit. You have +1 a.s. for this battle.)

Dissuade him from doing so.
Drink the water. +1 sta
You have a ring of zombie control. Leave the bottle and walk on.

Climb the staircase. You have a picklock.

Follow the person who ran away.
Go right. Read the sheets of paper. +info
Drink the soup. +1 sta
Speak to her. Reply "yes". +info

Open the door with the green square.
Search the room.
Luck test. Pass: ok, Fail: You use the potion of healing.
Open the box. +elven boots, +1 skill

Crawl thru the tunnel. Fight the opponent to the left.
Fight doppelganger: Sk 10 St 10 (You have -2 a.s. for this battle.)
Search the cavern. +large gold coin

You have a rope. You are wearing elven boots.

You have some keys.
Use your keys (in any order) and you will receive the following clues:
one spear, three axe, four sword, five dagger
(If you also collected the bronze key, use it to receive the clue: two arrow. Otherwise, you can deduce that arrow must be two anyway.)

(You now know the order to remove the weapons.)
Spear. Arrow. Axe. Sword. Dagger.
You have two emerald eyes.
Fight sharcle: Sk 8 St 8 (You must win two attack rounds.)

You have successfully completed your quest and now have a priceless golden dragon, plus a great new friend. YAY!