The Diamond Key

Like "going to hell the second time", which can end up completely impossible if you do the Groat fight, which seems like the thing you SHOULD be doing narratively, and get too many guards killed randomly, which then leads you past the town where you can get the rat. Not to mentuon you have to first replay enough to know the right person to talk to, then guess the right chemical combination, THEN fight the demon and lose (itself not very likely, as a character strong enough to find the demon in the first place is likely to be strong enough to avoid a hit) THEN pass that skill check.

Guess that knocking out the priestess would be a GOOD thing to do, even though everything you taught by both Kianmay and the Darken Wood is about staying away from unnecessary violence AND because talking to her normally clearly shows her to be good and discourage violence against her - AND then FAIL a luck check - a luck check which is technically difficult, sure, but a luck value of ~18 is also easy to get to by that point, even reasonable to shoot for if you aim to get the Firesword. If you first pass the luck check, guessing that you'll see something far more interesting if you fail is really difficult.

Why are we not allowed to use rope and grappling hook to climb the wall at 117 and 251?

It's weird that literally everything is automatic at 251.

Auto-fight with the orc beast at 351 is also hardly the best experience.


322 being such a long and non-interactive paragraph also isn’t that satisfying. We are often given fairly obvious choices to be suspicious or not (i.e. with the oxen), but here, he can handle everything automatically, from conversing with the barman to going over the gate.

WHY can’t we use the lockpicks at 322, and instead have to rely on ludicrously blunt plot armour?

123 feels so weird after clearing out the Groat’s band, and also perhaps the whole vow to deal with the orc excavators.

Ref 182 is possibly the worst of auto-choices.

How does the protagonist’s and Kianmay’s surprise at the orcs’ written language makes any sense after they had already seen the tax collector write?

Interaction with Zarim staying unchanged even if you interacted with the other High Priest before is predictably disappointing.

You can talk to the merchant guards at 396 even if you already have done that before.


We can just get bitten and turned into a werewolf, and not receive any reaction from Kianmay about it at all? Can’t ask if her powers would work at that either, not to mention attempt the Key?

AND BECOMING A WEREWOLF DOES NOT EVEN ALTER ENDING 800?

727 is NOT altered if you had already seen Kianmay’s wings?

Why is it that even after going through the trial for becoming Champion of Light and doing everything right, we STILL cannot do anything to interrogate Laremidan, and our only options are to wait to kill him openly or stab him in the back?

Same for the sorcerer pretending to be High Priest. It's incredible that the option to incapacitate him effectively REQUIRES you to attack the priestess unprovoked, and even though he is literally unable to cause you harm if you have the Armband (the very armband which REQUIRES compassion to get), you always kill him automatically otherwise?

For that matter, how can you even kill the High Priest once he does take the Key?

And if the Key can revive the recently dead...wouldn't this have allowed Kianmay to revive so many casualties on your way? From fallen guards to at least some of the opponents? The main argument is that the revived ones would often just want it for themselves, but it's rather undercut by the way she wants to deal with Raul. (For that matter, what stops her from reviving evil people then sending them to sleep?)

The Wolf is so laughably OP, he has to be one of the few characters capable of confronting Outsider!'s Aria at the peak of his powers. Thing is, all the spiel for how good and honourable he is in spite of being a werewolf rings rather hollow after the story about him always decimating his OWN soldiers - which you NEVER get to confront him on.

Same for the King of Darken Wood - why can't we ask him to explain how all his philosophy gels with CONDEMNING AN ENTIRE TOWN TO DEATH BY PLAGUE, not to mention two interlopers who appeared to have the best of intentions, all for the sins of one? Not to mention that it was the wood which came to that town, not the other way around.

At the same time, our protagonist finds a talking crow who claims to be the king of a wood THAT JUST WIPED OUT AN ENTIRE TOWN - and he "ignores the claim of royalty" and has no sense to be polite, even obsequious, to someone who obviously warrants that?

Worse, someone described as a talented liar in the first ref cannot lie about being a dragon worshipper to the obviously dangerous priestess, and predictably gets blasted for it? Why are we not allowed to leave after we got the notes from the orc tome but before we have investigated the dig?

Being "unable to help them" at 426 when we literally have the ring of keys is amazing.

The complete irrelevance of seeing Kianmay's secret early on is also amazing, in the worst way.

Predictably, the King of Darken Wood does not care that we have already killed a goblin at 43.

Also predictably, 770 is NOT altered if you had already read the sorcerer’s letter about the queen.

The dialogue about the golden apple with the demon unchanging if you DO know what it is is a further continuity issue.

Interesting that we have the option to show necromancer’s wand to Kianmay, but not the zombie rat.

Or that the Wolf’s guards do not care about the zombie rat.

Or that we are afraid of the amulet, but not the hell axe.

Why can't we argue that Kianmay seen with Darm must be an illusion when we already know of his powers?

It’s actually EASIER to kill Darm with a normal dagger than a crystal one if you have the armband?!

I have no idea whether 801 bypassing your armband was cool or awful.

The description of Gilmore’s tent is good, but 182 being completely non-interactive DETRACTS A LOT from the experience. I do NOT want to read about my character covering a lot of territory on his own and then suddenly burning stuff and indirectly causing others' death in a single paragraph - I want to control all of that.

It’s so weird that everything at 304 is non-interactive as well. No checks for all the complicated actions you have to do - again, considering how great the rewards are.

Options at 1052 seem to make absolutely no sense considering how much holy power you would have already seen by then?


WHY can’t we loot any metal armour or proper swords from the dead soldiers at 67?! Indeed, why do we get a choice to try and steal a sword at 234, but can’t just loot one earlier?

We also do not get to loot a crossbow at 11? (Another ref devoid of checks for complex actions.)

Buying an extra blanket does not help to make our rest at 84 or at 178 any more comfortable?

We can knock out the old priestess to get the key from her, but not the sleeping paladin at 466, who is apparently not even a real paladin?

Failing to sneak into Gilmore the Groat’s tent suddenly takes you all the way to ref 360.

A bug here.

http://www.ffproject.com/cgi-bin/fbook2?n=18&a=0B0B15110D0D790000004000000006030600240142017A1500000A0100010003&b=20040010842A78E0108100000180404F884000400000000000000000&x=114649&s=2650199306&f=00000604D80123022A00000000000000000000000000000001020000&sz=0&l=728,756,3


454 may not actually give the golden ring?

Fine Sword and a dwarven Warhammer are literally the same?

You get the explanation of what a restoring potion is if you buy it, but not at 304.

Additional Information explains what Armour is, but not DB?

1, 11, 12, 13, 18, 21, 22, 23, 29, 34, 35, 54, 69, 77, 79, 82, 89, 99, 102, 106, 109, 112, 116, 117, 119, 120, 122, 124, 132, 157, 166, 171, 172, 176, 178, 179, 188, 189, 190, 195, 197, 200, 234, 237, 262, 264, 269, 273, 276, 277, 289, 301, 305, 308, 310, 315, 321, 322, 323, 331, 333, 336, 349, 353, 368, 373, 384, 391, 396, 399, 400, 404. 417, 422, 426, 432, 451, 464, 468, 485, 497, 498, 504, 508, 512, 519, 526, 539, 550, 558, 556, 561, 570, 575, 580, 581, 582, 588, 595, 602, 607, 609, 622, 638, 643, 650, 653, 670, 672, 673, 674, 681, 686, 690, 714, 716, 719, 727, 730, 731, 740, 741, 744, 747, 759, 763, 766, 770, 772, 807, 809, 817, 824, 888, 909, 911, 933, 934, 941, 949, 953, 1002, 1012, 1014, 1022, 1026, 1052, 1057, 1062, 1086, 1094

Background - A fair wage for three week's work. + as the door opens, letting on a gust of cool air (in?)

49 – no punctuation after the two options.

16
but can often by blocked by avalanches + his new-born state (?)

18
But only silence and the small of strong chemicals comes from the kennels.

20
a shaved headed man + a black robe that ends at his knee an (and?) enamelled breastplate worn over the top. + Tooled brown leather riding boots covering him from knee to tow.

21
and open you lantern long enough to extinguish it.

51

"Is he dead?" she asks.

"No," you reply. She looks disappointed, and glares at the corpse with hatred - really funny, and there should probably be another word here.

69
Apprehensively, you wait as (she?) begins to write on a sheet of parchment.
+
What did you say? (write?)

84
You make some jokes with the others travellers

87
Almost all of the glowing crystals are gone, gouge marks next to the holes indicated (indicating?) that they (have?) all been prised out.

+
when you suddenly here a voice and freeze.

+
The are two doorways

112
The paladin all dismount and forming a line move towards the together + using the starlight and the cover afforded by the scrubby by the roadside (?)


178
As your oxen-draw wagon (oxen-drawn?) + a few round stone-huts siting directly by the road-side. (?) + before you begin to see the signs of stone begin cleared away by pick and chisel. (?) + They give you a guide as you how long you have travelled,(?)

225
and you are suddenly gasped by some invisible force

234
She is silent in though for many moments,

247
A strange-looking women pulls the door open

310
pouring down through the crystal dome "Strange one, this vampire.

321
and his thick braided bread reaches his waist.

333
There be many avalanches recently. Hope you make (it?) through.

338
and leave him in a ticket of trees (thicket?)

368
a high vaulted ceiling above hang at intervals with chandeliers.
+
It is lit by a great coal bonfires

391
may fight and only kill if he choses to.

395
Will a man in the desert who comes up a golden goblet filled with water, + Take you golden cup and go!

+ Where did you come from, man? is weirdly anachronistic.

396
Then they will let you past (pass?) without delay.

408
a jet of of noxious gas is expelled.

435
After resting for a few moments, you start pulling on the rope, you haul your belongings through the pipe

458
Do you only believe in justice and order is it is easily achieved?"

459
to one of the other potential entrances :

495
just it case that makes a difference + her eyes half open + The guardsman all seem to accept this, but are far from happy.

500
The lighted door

502
also pass the doors to more official's offices

523
I can't do that," you reply.Do you want to

555
But its not good

625
painted in life like colours.

718
It is suitable for settling aflame burnables

736
as the powerful venom does it work.

740
then the locks on the click

807
the tree- thick body + Each one holds a pole- sword + She wears a sort green silken coat

833
You feel light a weight has been lifted from the room and your own shoulders.

846
When you are finished, two serpent woman

888
You listen at the doors, but heae nothing

905
Their snake parts are black scaled

931

trying to reunite with it at your new location You feel some resistance

1014


Anyone important own it? (owns?)

1026

of great value and beauty.However,

1087
small and made of wood more often that stone (than?) + Only the dark slate rooves are uniform. + Well cared for lawns + a life-sized statue of a woman in a flowing robe. He hands are empty + the shine of Aringarator the Dragon-Slayer.You are momentarily distracted + Perhaps you should prey for a blessing.