I give up, I've tried everything I can possibly think of, going everywhere several times and using items in the inventory even if I didn't really expect them to work just on the off chance that they might. I'm stuck trying to throw the stones at the ram where Tom hides by the oak tree and says he needs a slingshot to be able to throw that far. I have all the ingredients for the potion in the cauldron except the fairy mushroom which I think will be found in the meadow once the ram is gone. I also need an acorn and to get the ring from the crow, it keeps attacking me when I reach for it, can't get it to fly away. Help will certainly be appreciated.

Sierramindy,
We'll have to wait for someone who's played the game. :wave12:

Tom has a broken slingshot at home.
You need to repair it.
Maybe ask the Sage for more info. One info can be deduced to get you what you want.

Hi MaG,
I got the broken slingshot, but I never would have found it without your help. I saw the raincoat okay but always stopped there and never looked higher. I went to Tom's home thinking I knew it by heart and would never find the slingshot, but I found it almost immediately. I couldn't believe how easy it was when I knew it HAD to be there somewhere. But now the rubber band totally baffles me. Talked to the Sage about the ingredients, but he only talks about the three that I have already put in the cauldron: the crushed shell, the moss, and the purple flower. I've asked about the hobgoblins and all I found out is that they are small and to see one I have to CONVINCE myself that I believe in them and how does one do that I can't even imagine. So I obviously need more help. I have the gold ring to attract a hobgoblin, but that hasn't helped any so far. I've gone over everything so many times that I no longer register anything new. Nor can I think of anything new either. BTW, at the rift there is a boulder that Tom can lift up using the crowbar, nothing is under it and when I click on it, Tom just puts it down again so what is that all about? Earlier in the game I thought maybe it would crush the shell, but that never happened as the answer was fixing the mill.

1. rubber band - Is there not an ingredient in the list of the Sage that would help you with the slingshot?
2. Hobgoblins - Have you talked to Arnold about the horseshoe over the entryway of the smithy?
3. Boulder - You would see a use for that later when you have finished the Perpendicular Produce.

1. The list called for a leaf of the rubber tree which I had put into the cauldron. I had gone back when I knew about the rubber band but couldn't find anything except to get another leaf. I tried cutting the leaf to make a band, but that didn't work, so I went back and tried the tree again and this time I thought of using the knife on it. Eureka, that worked! Then the ram didn't do what I expected (I thought it would simply run away.) but instead ran into the tree so Tom got the acorn.
3. Then he went ahead and got the key from the bird and got the rope, so now I know why that boulder is standing up!
2. But the hobgoblins still are a mystery. Arnold says that iron stops them and I have the iron talisman, and a gold ring. And I assume I'm supposed to do something with them but haven't a clue.
4. I still need to find the mature faerie agaric?/mushroom and I'm guessing that is where the hobgoblins come into it, since the meadow didn't work out.

Yes - hobgoblins and the mushroom are connected.
Be sure to talk to Arnold about the hobgoblins. The Sage will tell you to do so.
Then Arnold will make a talisman for you.
The place to work this out is in the clearing.

Have you been to the clearing yet? Take a stroll at the beach again.
Do you have a spare fish?

Now I'm more confused than ever! I had the fish and talisman and went to the clearing (thought the hobgoblin would show in the tunnel) and put the fish in place (thanks to your question, since I thought it was the ring that would work) and the hobgoblin came riding in on the mushroom so I was able to finish the potion, went to the rift and poured it on the acorn and there was the tree. Tom tied the rope to it and to the standing rock and I figured he was all set to fly into space and land on the other side, but noooo, he says he can't do it yet or something like that. Soooo, what in the world is next?

Nevermind, I figured out what came next, silly me, I forgot to push the standing rock down to make the catapult, how dumb is that? After I posted, I got the idea that maybe I should talk to the hermit again, like maybe I needed another drawing for something to do on the other side, but no, that wasn't it, went back to the rift and suddenly I knew. Push the rock down! Sure enough, Tom got into the tree, used the sword (at least I got that right) and off he went. Wow! What a great ending, nuff said. Well, maybe I can add, I can't wait!
This was one really great game, I enjoyed every minute of it, and thanks to you, MaG, I was able to keep going to the end. I couldn't have done it without your help and the hints were so great too, not too much, but just right to get me moving again even if I didn't always get as far as I thought I would, since my solutions to problems just weren't what the game needed.

That's great. Glad you enjoyed it I had fun playing the game too.