Greetings adventurers! It's off to the continent of Allansia again this time, for a classic FF forest adventure. There will be no assistance from the constellations this far from the Old World, so there's gonna be plenty (well, a bit) of swordplay required here.

The fabled hammer of King Gillibran III has been stolen from the dwarves of Stonebridge and taken into the sinister Darkwood Forest. Without it Stonebridge cannot hope to fight off the hill trolls who are preparing an attack. Somebody must brave the dangers of Darkwood Forest and retrieve the hammer before it is too late! This sounds like another perfect mission for the Analand Sorceress....

As you would expect from an Ian Livingstone title this game is potentially combat-heavy, altho if you follow the ideal walkthru it is actually remarkably easy. The only battle of any real difficulty in this guide is away from the winning route and is required to complete a Steam Achievement. (More about this later.)

You begin with 30 g.p. which enables you to purchase several useful artefacts at the start, plus you still get some provisions and the traditional potion-of-your-choice.

In Adventurer mode this is a simple quest. Even in Hardcore Hero mode it should still be fairly straightforward unless your starting stats are appalling.

I have also provided a walkthru for the original "standalone" version of this game on the respective page for those who are interested. This includes a full guide for completing the artwork gallery.
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2426460354

There are seven 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.

Two of the other achievements Getting A Handle On Things & Getting A-Head are also completed during this winning walkthru. (Hardly surprising as they are unlocked by collecting the two pieces of your quest. Not the most imaginative achievements really.) They are indicated in the walkthru where they occur.

The other two achievements can be unlocked by following the walkthru until described below:

Foolish Warrior:
At the start of the game, instead of following Yaztromo up the stairs, draw your sword and attack him. Then, still want to attack him.
He will turn you into a frog, unlocking the achievement.
(The quickest ever FF demise? This is even sooner than the quicksand in "Island Of The Lizard King"....)

Extinguished:
After you defeat the wild hill men go west at the junction.
But, at the next junction go north instead of continuing west.
Rub some hot mud onto your wounds. +4 sta
Fight pterodactyl: Sk 7 St 8
Follow the arrow.
You have a ring of light.
You have a rope of climbing.
Climb down the rope.
Eat a green-topped fungus. +4 sta
Look inside the barrel.
Take the shield. + emperor's shield, +1 luck
Open chest. +8 g.p., +1 luck
Leave the alcove.
Continue climbing.
Fight fire demon: Sk 10 St 10
(This is a potentially tough battle as it has an extra attack. Use your provisions or potion of healing & potion of fortune before fighting, if required, to increase your stamina/luck. If your luck score is good, use luck tests to try to defeat it in fewer attack rounds.) Defeating the fire demon unlocks the achievement.

Choose the Potion Of Fortune before you start.

Follow him up the stairs.

Buy the following items:
Glove Of Missile Dexterity, Armband Of Strength, Garlic Buds & Holy Water.

(To complete the achievement "Extinguished" you will also need to purchase:
Ring Of Light & Rope Of Climbing.)

Use the remainder of your gold on several Potions Of Healing.
(A Potion Of Healing is the same as one provision and is used in the same way.)

Go east.
Ignore the crow and go north.
Hide and let them walk by.
Continue walking northwards up the path,

Examine the cave.
Pick up a rock and throw it at the ogre.
You possess a glove of missile dexterity.
Take a closer look at the creature in the cage.
Unlock the cage door.
Fight goblin: Sk 5 St 4
+ Hammer Handle, +1 luck
Steam Achievement: Getting A Handle On Things
Leave the cave and continue northwards.

Luck test. Pass: ok, Fail: -1 potion of healing
Continue walking north.
Go west.
Go west.
Hide in the tall grass.
Keep going west.
Enter the hut.
Accept the challenge.
You have an armband of strength.
+ Dust Of Levitation

Continue east.
Ignore the vultures and continue.
Cross the river by the stepping stones.

You possess some Garlic Buds.
Continue north.
Luck test. Pass: ok, Fail: -3 sta
Attack the wild hill men: Sk 7 St 5, Sk 6 St 4
+ small silver key

Go west.
Continue west.
Walk quietly past him.
Ignore the hut.
Continue north.

Examine the building.
You have a small silver key.
Descend the stairs.
Light the candle.
Try to lift the stone slab.
You have Dust Of Levitation.
You have Holy Water. + Hammer Head, +25 g.p.
Steam Achievement: Getting A-Head

Hurry north along the path.
Give them what they want. (5 x 1 g.p.)

You have both pieces of the fabled hammer.

You have successfully completed your quest and saved the dwarves of Stonebridge. Yay!
+ gold helmet, +gems, +jewels