Ecstatica II - Walkthrough
By Chris Nielsen chris@ldr.com

Step-by-step guide to getting through Ecstatica II alive!

This walkthrough won't take you to all the places on the map, such as the moat, so your percentage explored rating
won't be 100% if you follow this exactly. Feel free to wander around though, the scenery in this game is absolutely breathtaking. If you see a problem with the walkthrough, or something doesn't make sense, let me know and I'll fix
it chris@ldr.com. I don't believe walkthroughs should be writ in stone. Places in bold are listed on the map that came with the game. Last updated: August 20, 1997

Pieces of the Eldersign: First | Second | Third | Fourth | Fifth | Sixth | Seventh
Items needed: Medallion | 1st Armor | Ring | 2nd Armor | 1st Device | 2nd Device | Lantern | Scroll

First Eldersign Piece
Throughout this document, I'll be refering to the cardinal directions. Refer to the map that came with the game to
see which direction I'm talking about. At the beginning of the game you start off in the Stocks. After listening to the
priestess you 'll be set free. The first thing you want to do is get a weapon, so go east to the Craftsmans Guild.

Enter the building and head toward the blacksmith. Get the sword that is leaning against the table then leave the Craftsmans Guild. Continue going east past the well to the Guard Tower. Break open the door at the base of the tower, which is the one next to the wagon and the green slime on the ground. Once inside the tower you will see an inactive teleportation plate and a flight of stairs to the left. Go up the stairs but watch out for the noxious jets of gas coming out
of the wall. On the way up the stairs you will pass four landings. On the fourth landing there's lots of treasure behind a locked blue door that you won't be able to get to until later. Continue upward until you get to the top. Once there you
will then see a key sitting on top of a gargoyle head. Stand next to the head instead of in front of it and then hit it, otherwise you'll set off a trap which will skewer you.

Get the key and open the door. You will see two sets of stairs. One set of stairs just leads to a chest and a health potion
in the tower above you, whereas the other stairs go to the top of the next tower. Go up the stairs, past an inactive teleportation plate between two stone gargoyles and then down the stairs on the other side. A portcullis will close
behind you when you walk down the stairs.

You are now on a walkway that leads to the Prison Tower, the tallest tower on the map. Go past the tower until you
reach the closed portcullis on the other side of the walkway, avoiding the gargoyles on the way, and get the armor
which is floating there. Go back to the prison tower, get zapped by the two guardians, and then make your way up the stairs. Skip the first locked door and make your way to the second door. Break it down, kill the beastie and get the key. Go back down to the locked door and set the priestess free. This will activate the teleportation plates you saw earlier. Listen to her message then go back up to the very top of the tower to pick up the staff which is lying there. Go back
down the tower. Hit the two gargoyles heads. One head opens the portcullis on the left and the other head opens the portcullis on the right. Continue going north to the previously closed portcullis which should now open. Walk down the stairs opposite another closed portcullis and hit the black gargoyle head there. Go back up the stairs to the now opened portcullis and turn left.

In the upper left of the screen there is an entranceway where you can go either left or right. Go left and enter the Attic. You are going to be spending some time on this level searching for levers and switches so you can open the Main Hall Complex. Wander around until you find the blue gargoyle head, hit it, then find the area where the three levers are located. Hit the blue lever. This will open a portcullis on this level where you will find a chest containing a blue key, which will open the blue door also on this level. Go through the blue door and hit the green gargoyle head, not the gold one. Go back to where the levers are located and hit the green lever. This opens up another portcullis on this level where you will find a chest containing a purple key. Naturally this one opens the purple door. Inside the room behind the purple door is a red gargoyle head. Hit this head and then go back and hit the red lever.

Go back to the blue door room and hit the gold gargoyle head, which will then open the two portcullises in that room. Behind one of the opened portcullises is a two star sword, some treasure and another gold gargoyle head. Hit the head and grab everything. Leave the Attic and head back toward the Prison Tower. Continue on toward the teleportation plate and stand on it. This will take you down to ground level. Go to the courtyard next to the well. Hit the big door north of the well. This leads into the Main Hall Complex. Lots of interesting things in here. If you turn right immediately, you will see a sword propped up against a statue. Continue down this hall. There's a archway that's not obvious on the right wall of this corridor that leads to a bunch of treasure which you might want to grab. Continue down the hallway and turn left at the end. Down this hall bash in the second door on the right, go in that room and you'll find a three star mace.

If you continue to explore, you will eventually find a book you can pick up. You won't be able to do anything with this right now, but stash it somewhere, like in the main hall, so you can get it easily later. This book is used to open up a secret passage that will allow you to explore some of the lower levels, but they are currently blocked by a blue door that you won't be able to open until later. If you continue to explore the main floor you will also find a stairway leading down. If you follow this stairway, you will come out in a room with an archway at the left of the screen, and another archway that isn't obvious at the bottom of the screen. The one at the bottom will take you out into the garden next to the castle, where you can wander for a bit, but you won't be able to do too much else here either.

When you are done exploring, go back to the main hall and head up the right stairway. Halfway up the stairs a shadow warrior will appear. Kill him then go back downstairs. Now head up the other staircase and kill the second shadow warrior who will drop the first piece of the Eldersign. Now go back to the right stairway and go upstairs. At the top of the stairs walk straight ahead. Go through the left doorway and then walk into the next room where you will find the Warlock. Kill him and dispatch all the other beasties who will come chasing after you. Go back the way you came and use the crystal ball, then listen to the priestess's message. You can now explore the upper level of the main hall if you wish. You'll find two gold gargoyle heads that open the two portcullises, behind each of which is lots of treasure, always a good thing to have if you find you need to boost your health at some point via F12. Once you've exhausted all the areas, go ahead and leave the main hall.

Second Eldersign Piece
Once back outside, head toward the Guard Tower again. You will see a building to the left of the Guard Tower which is the stables. Enter the stables and in the room with the horse is a doorway in the upper left corner. Go through this doorway into another room and head down the ladder. Hit the gargoyle head, go through the portcullis and then take the stairs going down. The stairs goingup only go to another red dot door. Once you arrive at the bottom of the stairs, you're going to be wandering around in another maze for awhile. Walk around until you find the a giant monster getting drunk. Next to him are three bottles. Pick up the purple middle bottle and go back to the well in the courtyard. Walk toward the monster sitting on top of the well, approaching him from the south. He'll grab the bottle out of your hand, take a swig, and then disintegrate. After he's gone, go down the well.

Downstairs you will find three levers. Hit all of them and go through the big door to the right. You'll find some treasure and a magic weapon in the cell with the skeletons. Normally I don't pick up the magic weapons, since when they run out of juice they're pretty useless. Also make a note of the cage containing a teleportation plate. We'll be coming back to this soon. Go back the way you came until you are back out in the courtyard. Go south from the well until you are facing the Healer's Tower. Enter the archway to the right of the Healer's Tower, going past the horse standing there. You will now be outside next to the moat. Head up the stairs to the second level. Wander around on this level until you come to a room that has a door leaning up against the right wall. There is a ladder in the upper right corner of this room that isn't obvious. Climb the ladder and wander around on the second level until you find a second ladder, then climb it also. This will take you to the roof. Go up the stairs to the top of the chimney, then fall into the chimney. You will land in the cage you saw earlier, at which point you'll be teleported to another room. From here you are able to access the catacombs, an area which I think is graphically amazing.

Go south until you are in the room with the three staircases, two going down and one going up. Go down the left stairway and wander around in the catacombs until you find a flashing skull. Pick it up then go back to the three staircases. Go up the stairs until you find a big locked door with numerous skulls sitting on pedestals. Walk up to one of the empty pedestals and place the skull on it. Go back down to the catacombs to find the next flashing skull and bring it back to the pedestal room. For the third skull, you will need to find in the catacombs another stairway going down. This will lead you into a large cavern with a lake in the middle.Walk to the edge of the lake until you see flashing dots over the water. This is an invisible walkway to get over to the other side. Follow the blinking lights until you are on the othe r side of the lake. Look for a doorway underneath a horned skull. Go under the horned skull to the right and get the third and final flashing skull. The red door at the end of this passageway will take you outside the castle, but you need to have the Medallion to open it. Go back upstairs to the room with the pedestals and place the skull on the final one. The door will open. Go through and get the second piece of the Eldersign. Next, get the first important item, the Medallion, from the skeleton sitting on the throne, then pick up the large cross and place it at the front of the skeleton. This will allow you to pick up the third Eldersign later. Then pick up the small cross, which will open the gate to the Graveyard. Since you now have the Medallion, you can finally open all the doors with the red dots on them.

Third Eldersign Piece
Now head back to the first room where you appeared on this level. Use the crystal ball, listen to the priestess's message, then open the red dot door. This will lead you back to the well. Climb out of the well and head up the stairs to the left of the Hospital Tower. Behind the red door is a small room with a passage to the north and south. If you head north over the green slime you can get a four diamond axe. If you go south you can pick up some boots, some treasure and some potions.

Now if you make your way to the farthest left tower on the map, the one next to the Craftsman's Guild, you can open the red door about midway up it and go into an eerily red lit tower. You can either go down and kill the beasties at the bottom, or go outside to the ledge and climb a ladder leading up. On the top floor you can find a shield to help dodge the blows. To leave the tower you need to make a running jump out the lower left door way onto the roof of the adjoining tower, as you can't climb back down the ladder (which is kind of stupid if you ask me).

Go back to the main courtyard and head toward the patch of green slime on the ground that's blocking an archway. Either get some boots from the room above the stables or just try and jump over the green slime. Once inside, hit the black gargoyle head then return to the courtyard. Head towards the big portcullis located to the right of the well. This will open and you can now go to the drawbridge.

Hit the lever which will open the drawbridge and go outside. Go down once and go left through some bushes, the path isn't really obvious here, then go straight to the Graveyard. You will automatically open the gate using the little cross you got from the skeleton earlier. Enter the church and head toward the skeleton. In his hand is the Silver Sword, which is the ONLY weapon that will kill the werewolves, not those other glowing two star swords you find lying around, contrary to whatever the docs say. Once you have sword in hand, head back out of the church. Go to the back of the Graveyard and find the entrance to the underground tomb, which is a sort of mini-maze. Here you will find the second important item, Permanent Armor, being guarded by fireball wielding mummies. Kill the guards, grab the armor, and go back outside.

Now go back to the church and hit the unlit candle next to the skeleton. This will move the altar out of the way, exposing a staircase.

Drop the silver sword and pick up your axe again. Go down the stairs into an underground passage which looks like it dead-ends, but against the end is a ladder that's hard to see, so just hit the space bar and climb up into part of the Wilderness. Head south to the next screen and turn immediately to the right. You will see a piece of the Eldersign, so smack the plant guarding it and go pick it up. If you haven't put the big cross in front of the skeleton earlier, you won't be able to kill this plant. This will also give you a strength boost. I found in this area that launching my own magic fireballs at the plants works very well for clearing the path. And it seemed that most of the plants left behind a magic scroll to keep that power boosted. Your mileage may vary.

Fourth Eldersign Piece
Continue exploring the Wilderness until you find the Big Clearing with the amazon women. Kill the amazons, which shouldn't be too hard if you still have the four star axe, and head to the top left. This will bring you into a cave. Head to the top exit and kill the Sorceress. Get the third important item, the Ring, then go back out into the clearing and collect the nearby Eldersign piece. Go back into the cave, stand between the four obelisks and teleport to the Graveyard. Similar to the Medallion, the Ring allows you to open the blue doors.

Fifth Eldersign Piece
At this point you can do a little exploring since you can now open both the red and blue doors. The first thing to do is get the five star sword. So, from the Graveyard, teleport to the Wilderness, then teleport to the Guard Tower, then teleport to the top of the Guard Tower, and then go down to the treasure room on the fourth landing, the room that was locked with a blue door. Pick up the treasure and sword then go back out to the main courtyard, then climb the steps on the outside of the Guard Tower, the ones that are next to the drawbridge portcullis.

You will arrive in a room with a guard sitting in the corner who will see you and stagger up to press the attack. Hack him up then go past the swinging axe, through the next room and out onto the ledge. Go to the door to the left and into the room with the bombs. Go through it, being careful of the bombs, and up the steps on the side of the next tower. Go through the blue door, turn right and pass through the passage right next to the blue door.

Climb the steps until you reach the top of the tower. You will see the fourth important item, the Strange Device, protected by spinning globes.You need to kill the Wizard before you can get to it. Go through the door in the upper left and teleport to the top of the tower. Walk around the top until the Wizard appears and kill him. Grab the fifth important item, the second set of Permanent Armor, then enter the blue teleporter globe, which will take you back to the Device. Go down one flight of stairs and walk straight forward to go outside the tower on the right side of the screen. Go through the blue door and get the next piece of the Eldersign. Go down to the second last level of the tower and walk outside through the doorway with the skull. Find the crystal ball and listen to the priestess. You can now either take the teleport or do some more exploring. I suggest the latter and then come back here to teleport back to the Wilderness.

If you do want to do some more exploring, find your way back to the main courtyard. Remember that book you found earlier? Well, go to the Main Hall Complex and look for a red locked door down the hall where you found the mace. Go though the red door over to the glowing place on the shelf. Part of the bookcase will open up and you will be able to get to the lower levels. Go down the stairs, through the blue door and check out the lower levels for health potions and other fun things, like the torture chamber and the charnel house, or go down the stairway located elsewhere in the Main Hall Complex and explore the dungeons and the treasure house. All of these places aren't necessary to finish the game, but you do get tons of treasure exploring them.

Sixth Eldersign Piece
Teleport to the Wilderness and make your way to the Village. In the Village, find the well and locate the house with the open ledge facing it. Go into the house, and from the second floor, take a running jump into the well. Go through the door at the bottom of the well and find the second Device. After picking this up, the Village is now populated with people. Go to the church in the Village, use the crystal ball and listen to the priestess. Then follow the directions the people of the town give you to reach the Hunter's Lodge. Go into the room with the stuffed bear and hit it's arm. Then go to the fireplace in the other room and get the Lantern.

Go back to the Village and find the pond. Go around it into the Forest and find the Old Ruin, then go through the glowing teleport which will take you to the top of the cliffside. In the top left of the screen you will see a doorway. Jump up to the doorway, go down the hall and through the teleport. This will take you to the domain of the Necromancer.

From the first room, go north past the inactive crystal ball. Follow the path into the Necromancer's room. Kill him and get the sixth piece of the Eldersign. You now have all the items you need to go the final part of the game, the Dark Tower. Find the teleport that has a checker board pattern for the floor. Save your game here since the Dark Tower is on a time limit, ferchrissakes. Now go through the teleporter.

Seventh Eldersign Piece
The Dark Tower consists of seven floors. It is also on a time limit, and you can see how much time you have left by pressing the enter key and examing the hourglass. I found this part of the game to be exceedingly tedious, and out of place with the rest of the areas I explored. Anyway, here's some notes on how to get past these levels. I'm not going into great detail for this section, but you can get the gist of it.

1st Floor: Go to the furthest chest on the right and get the key inside. Then go through the area that was blocked by the blinking lights and teleport to the second floor.

2nd Floor: Go to the chest that is furthest south on the left, the go through the area that was blocked by the blinking lights to teleport to the third floor.

3rd Floor: Go to the sourthernmost chest in the lower left corner, then up to the two gargoyles, teleport, hit the chest next to you, enter the four gargoyles, teleport, kill the floating skeleton, teleport, open the chest, teleport, head toward the southernmost chest again, teleport to the beginning and head toward the center blue gargoyles to teleport to the fourth floor.

4th Floor: Go to the closest chest to the left, then the furthest chest to the right, then the furthest chest to the left, then into the center and teleport to the fifth floor.

5th Floor: Open the southernmost chest, go to nothern most chest, then go to teleporter to the sixth floor.

6th Floor: Go to the chest, avoiding the teleporters, and when the screen switches go to the teleporter on the left, teleport, kill the floating skeleton but do not go through the gnashing doors, instead go to the right, teleport, go to the left, teleport, enter the teleport next to you, teleport, then go right through the exit and teleport to the final level.

7th Floor: Go straight north, thru gnashing doors to the right, pick up Eldersign, then thru gnashing doors to the top, past the blades, go south to get some shoes, go back to blades and go left, get Scroll from chest, continue on past spikes, past slime, go left, past gnashing door, don't enter the four gargoyle teleporter, go north past blade, go left through a non-obvious archway, don't open first chest, go north to second chest, then into small room to teleport.

Take out the Archmage and watch the ending!

Have any comments? Send them to chris@ldr.com

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