The Hero-U Help Thread

[Rath Darkblade]

As for the Undead Protection - oh no! I thought that once I use a knife, trap or rune, they're gone for good so they're not worth the money. But now I've gotten too far in the game, and Joel is dead. Does that mean I have to go back to an earlier save?

That's a good question! I don't know how the game ends if Joel is dead, but I don't think his death causes a fail-state if you want to pursue that ending. It might affect the dialogue in several cut-scenes, though. I saved at the beginning of every day, so I usually reloaded if I was wasting time or didn't like my choices. But yes, if you want to save Joel, you'll have to go back a fair ways - at least to just after the mid-term. What day are you on?

I'm on day 34, at 8:34pm. How far back do I have to go?

[Datadog]

I'm on day 34, at 8:34pm. How far back do I have to go?

There's two ways (that I know of). My preferred way would be to go back a week and give yourself a few days to 1) find the undead protection in the crypt under the gazebo and 2) sneak through the catacombs to get a lay of the land and maybe solve some sidequest. That way, when Joel goes missing, you won't be lost. But you'll still have to face a powerful boss doing this. Although if you haven't resolved the Cellar or the Sea Cave quests yet, you'll miss out on items that can help you.

The "safer" way (and I learned this from skimming the Hero-U forums) is to find out where Joel is, either by fighting his captor directly or paying Joel's fence for his whereabouts, and then telling your friends about it at dinner or in class so you can get Moira to do the rescuing for you.

Whether you reload or not, it sounds like you can still finish the game as it is, if you want to check out the alternate ending.

[Rath Darkblade]

I'm on day 34, at 8:34pm. How far back do I have to go?

There's two ways (that I know of). My preferred way would be to go back a week and give yourself a few days to 1) find the undead protection in the crypt under the gazebo and 2) sneak through the catacombs to get a lay of the land and maybe solve some sidequest. That way, when Joel goes missing, you won't be lost. But you'll still have to face a powerful boss doing this. Although if you haven't resolved the Cellar or the Sea Cave quests yet, you'll miss out on items that can help you.

Hmm, I've resolved the Cellar quest... I am not sure about the Sea Cave quests yet. I defeated the Gog King and his guards - just - so I didn't feel confident enough to go on past the gate.

By the way, getting past the gate requires 8 BIG Bombs??? Really? Even at the rat's shop, that's 800 coins. I could never raise that much money. I know that I can win a lot of money at Poobah, but most of that has gone towards a school uniform (to get Terk off my back), some alternate clothes from Joel (for adventuring), and healing potions, bandages, or runes.

By the way #2 - I defeated the undead guardian in the crypt under the gazebo (again, just), but I never figured out what that skull amulet was for. Is that the undead protection? It didn't feel magical. What does it do?

The "safer" way (and I learned this from skimming the Hero-U forums) is to find out where Joel is, either by fighting his captor directly or paying Joel's fence for his whereabouts, and then telling your friends about it at dinner or in class so you can get Moira to do the rescuing for you.

Whether you reload or not, it sounds like you can still finish the game as it is, if you want to check out the alternate ending.

Er, what? I don't think I understand this. Who is Joel's captor? Who is his fence? I'm confused. (What else is new?)

[Datadog]

By the way, getting past the gate requires 8 BIG Bombs??? Really? Even at the rat's shop, that's 800 coins.

Sorry - I should clarify. It only takes ONE Big Boom to get through the gate. But in my playthrough, I used seven more throughout the game to clear later obstacles. You don't need to buy them all because you'll occasionally find them in chests. But for that gate, buying one Big Boom from Gregor will suffice if you don't find any.

By the way #2 - I defeated the undead guardian in the crypt under the gazebo (again, just), but I never figured out what that skull amulet was for. Is that the undead protection? It didn't feel magical. What does it do?

I reloaded an old game just to double-check this. When you defeat the skeleton warrior guarding the gazebo crypt, that skull necklace is the real prize. The "Necramulet" provides 50% protection against the undead's "Drain Life" ability when you equip it.

Er, what? I don't think I understand this. Who is Joel's captor? Who is his fence? I'm confused. (What else is new?)

Oh! I'm getting ahead of myself again!

Some big spoilers for the catacomb quest here: Joel is being held captive in the northwestern-most room in the catacombs. When you locate a magical barrier, you'll find him, but will have to fight a wraith that's guarding him. You'll then be prompted to track down and destroy the wraith's spirit vessel to finish the quest. If you fail, you'll be returned to the school. After that, the alternate solution is to tell the class about it to send a rescue party.

To find his fence, Joel would have to tell you about it before his disappearance. After every class, you normally see Joel selling his wares. In the week preceding his disappearance, asking him about "rumours" will have him direct you to a secret room in the catacombs (north from where you enter from the sea caves) to meet his fence. But to get into the room, you need to pay Joel for the password. You may have to talk to Joel every day before he tells you about it.

[Rath Darkblade]

Thanks! I'll give all that a try.

[Rath Darkblade]

Sigh. I just finished the game ... and failed.

It's probably my fault. I think I made five crucial errors:

1. I didn't explore the university early enough or found Sophia for Aeolus until it was too late. So I never got to gossip with her until nearly day 30. Whoops!

2. I tried to do too much with the electives, and picked herbalism/mushroom lore first (with Lady Moira) and then magic (with Lady Featherstowe). I did this because I thought that studying herbalism would allow me to create my own healing potions etc., but I couldn't work out a way to do this. What is Moira's class good for?

So I switched to magic because I heard that runes are very powerful. (And so they are, but I never got a chance to test them out, except for the rune that allows me to "zap" my dagger - that was fun).

3. I couldn't save Joel in time. I tried, but when I went into the catacombs, I wasn't prepared and I died. Apart from the undead protection amulet and lots of healing potions, what do I need?

4. Finally, I wasn't prepared for the invasion of the warrior drats. Aw, drat! I managed to survive long enough to find my way to the room where the giant proach used to be (and which I and Esme killed, ages ago), and so learned about the Drat Queen. But I never managed to figure out how to get to the Drat Queen, so Esme and Kent killed her instead.

Also, after the Rogue Master tested me on the big safe, he gave me a chance to ask him about the Drag infestation. I told him that perhaps, if I told Moira, she could deal with it - and he agreed. Yet the option to tell Moira never came up. What gives? Did I miss an update or something?

I still found the Raven statue and showed it off, but because I died twice - once in the sea caves (and was rescued by the pirate queen, I forget her name) and once in the catacombs (and was rescued by Kent), the rogue master deemed my O'Conner unworthy. And so my poor O'Conner was kicked out, even though I explored the sea caves pretty thoroughly and found many of the sea chests and their treasure, potions, magic rings and all - ARR!

5. Oh yes - and what do I do with the "To My One and Only" Ring? By the end of the game, Esme was paired off with Aeolus and I was left with either Sophia (who I never got to talk to - see #1) or Miss High-and-Mighty Pirate Queen who didn't want to give me the time of day, even after I found her map for her.

I don't get it. I made lots of friends at this school - the only people that were my enemies were Terk the Jerk and Sosi. The Librarian and Kwirk were acquaintances, Lady Moira and the Cook were BFF, and everyone else was a good friend - even Sophia, who I almost never talked to (:P @ self). Yet, I still end up getting kicked out.

Oh, yes ... I constantly came across panda-themed stuff in my exploration - panda pants, panda suspenders, a panda tiara etc. What is any of that stuff good for?

Oh, and one final thing. When I look at the equipment I can equip on myself, I see there's a slot for boots, a hat, and a side-arm (i.e. that I could even fight with two weapons). But I never found any boots; I never found a hat (except for the stupid panda tiara); and I never found (or figured out) how to fight double-handed, or whether that's even possible. Any ideas?

All right, sorry for how long this post is. I just put a lot of effort into my first playthrough, and it's very disappointing to fail right at the end...

[Datadog]

This is just based on my own experience. I don't know the game well enough to help entirely, but here goes...

1. I didn't explore the university early enough or found Sophia for Aeolus until it was too late. So I never got to gossip with her until nearly day 30. Whoops!

I never discovered what Sophia's deal was, so I don't think she's critical to your endgame success. In fact, she might be a detriment. I have a theory she's a spy for your teacher, and telling her any rumours or secrets about your classmates is a mark against you.

2. What is Moira's class good for?

I missed taking the second half of her class because I messed up on an exam, but making potions and pills are part of the 2nd half. The 1st half is all about mushrooms, and after you take the class, you can collect mushrooms from the caves and under bushes to use for health, poison antidotes, and magic resistance.

3. I couldn't save Joel in time. I tried, but when I went into the catacombs, I wasn't prepared and I died. Apart from the undead protection amulet and lots of healing potions, what do I need?

At this point, it's just about skill and preparation. Days before Joel disappeared, I already did a sweep of the catacombs and cleared out a lot of enemies, so I knew the layout. But what really helps is a high stealth stat. I avoided most fights just by sneaking past enemies.

4. Finally, I wasn't prepared for the invasion of the warrior drats. Aw, drat! I managed to survive long enough to find my way to the room where the giant proach used to be (and which I and Esme killed, ages ago), and so learned about the Drat Queen. But I never managed to figure out how to get to the Drat Queen, so Esme and Kent killed her instead.

To stop the drat invasion, there's a dungeon of challenges behind the creepy picture in the library. But to get inside, you need to talk to the right people on the right days during the invasion. I'm not sure if it's doable if Joel is dead, since he'll tell you about the painting, but both the librarian and Thomas should help you get inside. Much like catching the Qwirk, you just need to wait it out day after day until you can get inside.

5. Oh yes - and what do I do with the "To My One and Only" Ring? By the end of the game, Esme was paired off with Aeolus and I was left with either Sophia (who I never got to talk to - see #1) or Miss High-and-Mighty Pirate Queen who didn't want to give me the time of day, even after I found her map for her.

Interesting! I paired myself with Esme, and I later found Aeolus crying that she rejected him for me. I guess she would have said yes to him otherwise. But I'm not sure what the ring is for, other than wooing somebody who might already like you. I think in order to win someone's affections, each person has different standards for your behaviour. Plus you have to give them the appropriate gifts.

I don't get it. I made lots of friends at this school - the only people that were my enemies were Terk the Jerk and Sosi. The Librarian and Kwirk were acquaintances, Lady Moira and the Cook were BFF, and everyone else was a good friend - even Sophia, who I almost never talked to (:P @ self). Yet, I still end up getting kicked out.

I'm not sure what the requirements are, but solving the game's main side-quests might help you stay in school. Help Esme defeat the Giant Proach, help Katie find her hidden treasure, rescue Joel yourself, help visit Thomas' grandfather during Spooky Nights, and stop the Drat invasion in the dungeon yourself. There's also the Qwirk quest, and a few ghost-related challenges, though they may not be necessary.

You mentioned you were kicked out because Katie and Thomas both had to save you? Did you help either of them finish their quests? I'm just wondering.

Oh, yes ... I constantly came across panda-themed stuff in my exploration - panda pants, panda suspenders, a panda tiara etc. What is any of that stuff good for?

I think those are just fun items. They're heavy on defense, so I always equip them in the caves and catacombs, but it costs me charm whenever I forget to take them off before talking to my friends.

[Rath Darkblade]

This is just based on my own experience. I don't know the game well enough to help entirely, but here goes...

1. I didn't explore the university early enough or found Sophia for Aeolus until it was too late. So I never got to gossip with her until nearly day 30. Whoops!

I never discovered what Sophia's deal was, so I don't think she's critical to your endgame success. In fact, she might be a detriment. I have a theory she's a spy for your teacher, and telling her any rumours or secrets about your classmates is a mark against you.

From what I understand, talking to Sophia is a quick way to raise your Charm score (which is useful for Flirting-with-a-capital-F). I read a guide or two that tell me that if I talk to Sophia every day, not only can I help Aeolus with his personal problems, but also I can teach Shawn about how to be charming. I doubt that she's a spy - she's more of a gossip.

2. What is Moira's class good for?

I missed taking the second half of her class because I messed up on an exam, but making potions and pills are part of the 2nd half. The 1st half is all about mushrooms, and after you take the class, you can collect mushrooms from the caves and under bushes to use for health, poison antidotes, and magic resistance.

Interesting. I read in a guide that if you take the First Aid elective, you can use the “paraphernalia” object in the infirmary and use them to make more bandages. How many more? Unlimited bandages. And how much time of your day does this take? None. So taking First Aid might be useful.

Now granted, in combat, you a good healing potion or pill is going to be your best option. But in-between battles, when Shawn has taken a decent chunk of damage and you want to heal up before another battle? Using 10 bandages is easy as pie and the game gives you a way to – literally – make hundreds at no cost.

Is taking the Magic elective better? I tried taking one of First Aid and one of Magic. Is it best to concentrate on Magic?

Oh, and I never took the Science elective. What's that one all about?

3. I couldn't save Joel in time. I tried, but when I went into the catacombs, I wasn't prepared and I died. Apart from the undead protection amulet and lots of healing potions, what do I need?

At this point, it's just about skill and preparation. Days before Joel disappeared, I already did a sweep of the catacombs and cleared out a lot of enemies, so I knew the layout. But what really helps is a high stealth stat. I avoided most fights just by sneaking past enemies.

Fair enough. But with Stealth, you can only raise it by 5 points every day by sneaking around. After that, you have to wait until the next day to raise your skill. So if you've done it on one day, there's no point sneaking any more (unless you're in a dangerous situation, naturally!)[/spoiler]

I tried doing a sweep of the catacombs, but I didn't know about the undead protection so I died and Thomas saved me. Is there a map of the catacombs somewhere? Or the wine cellars, or the sea area?

Oh yes - and I heard a lot about Pirate Zombies and the Zombie Pirate Captain, but I never ran into them. What's their deal? Where are they?

4. Finally, I wasn't prepared for the invasion of the warrior drats. Aw, drat! I managed to survive long enough to find my way to the room where the giant proach used to be (and which I and Esme killed, ages ago), and so learned about the Drat Queen. But I never managed to figure out how to get to the Drat Queen, so Esme and Kent killed her instead.

To stop the drat invasion, there's a dungeon of challenges behind the creepy picture in the library. But to get inside, you need to talk to the right people on the right days during the invasion. I'm not sure if it's doable if Joel is dead, since he'll tell you about the painting, but both the librarian and Thomas should help you get inside. Much like catching the Qwirk, you just need to wait it out day after day until you can get inside.

Ah... right. I tried getting in there once, but the librarian just glared at me and told me not to touch it. So I wasn't sure what that was all about. You mean the spooky painting with the wizard and dim green light, yes?

5. Oh yes - and what do I do with the "To My One and Only" Ring? By the end of the game, Esme was paired off with Aeolus and I was left with either Sophia (who I never got to talk to - see #1) or Miss High-and-Mighty Pirate Queen who didn't want to give me the time of day, even after I found her map for her.

Interesting! I paired myself with Esme, and I later found Aeolus crying that she rejected him for me. I guess she would have said yes to him otherwise. But I'm not sure what the ring is for, other than wooing somebody who might already like you. I think in order to win someone's affections, each person has different standards for your behaviour. Plus you have to give them the appropriate gifts.

Ah. i think I understand about each person's different standards for my behaviour, but what are the appropriate gifts for them? I know that Esme likes roses and Katie is 'meh' about them. But what gifts should I give them?

I tried giving Katie one of the magical rings (the one that raises all your stats - can't recall its name) and Esme got mad at me because apparently "I give a ring to every lady I meet". *shrug* Shawn got out of it by saying that he gives rings to all the pretty ladies. Maybe I messed up, then?

I don't get it. I made lots of friends at this school - the only people that were my enemies were Terk the Jerk and Sosi. The Librarian and Kwirk were acquaintances, Lady Moira and the Cook were BFF, and everyone else was a good friend - even Sophia, who I almost never talked to (:P @ self). Yet, I still end up getting kicked out.

I'm not sure what the requirements are, but solving the game's main side-quests might help you stay in school. Help Esme defeat the Giant Proach, help Katie find her hidden treasure, rescue Joel yourself, help visit Thomas' grandfather during Spooky Nights, and stop the Drat invasion in the dungeon yourself. There's also the Qwirk quest, and a few ghost-related challenges, though they may not be necessary.

You mentioned you were kicked out because Katie and Thomas both had to save you? Did you help either of them finish their quests? I'm just wondering.

Hmm... I helped Esme defeat the Giant Proach, but although I found the missing map piece for Katie, I could never help her find her hidden treasure because I could never find out where to go to find it!

I also tried to rescue Joel myself, but I died before I could get there.

I never heard of visiting Thomas' grandfather during Spooky Nights. What's that all about?

Finally, I tried to stop the Drat invasion in the dungeon myself, but like I said, I never managed to make it to the Drat Queen because I couldn't get past the painting.

Oh yes - and I did finish the Qwirk quest myself, but I never managed to find out how to solve the ghost quests, except for the dog one in the library (and I guess that's the most obvious one). Any hints?

Oh, yes ... I constantly came across panda-themed stuff in my exploration - panda pants, panda suspenders, a panda tiara etc. What is any of that stuff good for?

I think those are just fun items. They're heavy on defense, so I always equip them in the caves and catacombs, but it costs me charm whenever I forget to take them off before talking to my friends.

Ah, okay. Yes, it's better not to wear those when talking to friends or you look ridiculous. I found that the leather outfit slightly raises your charm, IIRC.

Is there anything else that would raise your charm? I know the game allows you to wear a hat or different boots, but I never found anything like that (other than the Panda Tiara). Did you?

[Datadog]

I read a guide or two that tell me that if I talk to Sophia every day, not only can I help Aeolus with his personal problems, but also I can teach Shawn about how to be charming. I doubt that she's a spy - she's more of a gossip.

I didn't know she played a bigger factor in Aeolus' story - I'll have to check that out next time. I assumed she was a spy for Gerhard since she uses the secret passageways and some characters mention they see her lurking around the school at night. And at one point, she even asks me to steal a file from Terk's office for her.

I read in a guide that if you take the First Aid elective, you can use the “paraphernalia” object in the infirmary and use them to make more bandages.

I didn't know that! I just used First Aid to collect mushrooms!

Is taking the Magic elective better? I tried taking one of First Aid and one of Magic. Is it best to concentrate on Magic? Oh, and I never took the Science elective. What's that one all about?

I haven't tried the other two classes or spoke to those teachers, but I imagine Science would be all about building bombs and traps.

Fair enough. But with Stealth, you can only raise it by 5 points every day by sneaking around.

After getting the option, I spent the first few weeks sneaking around. An old QFG habit of mine.

I tried doing a sweep of the catacombs, but I didn't know about the undead protection so I died and Thomas saved me. Is there a map of the catacombs somewhere? Or the wine cellars, or the sea area?

Not in-game to my knowledge, but here's a fan-made map of the catacombs.

Oh yes - and I heard a lot about Pirate Zombies and the Zombie Pirate Captain, but I never ran into them. What's their deal? Where are they?

The zombie pirates are in the sea caves behind the gog-guarded gate. You'll need a Big Bomb to blast through. But it's not worth going in there if Katie hasn't asked you to recover the captain's key - otherwise you'll be turned around, or no one will be there. There's a point in Katie's quest where she'll ask you to recover either the captain's key or the skull key and that's when you can go in.

Ah... right. I tried getting in there once, but the librarian just glared at me and told me not to touch it. So I wasn't sure what that was all about. You mean the spooky painting with the wizard and dim green light, yes?

Yes, that's the place. It'll become available after a few days of poking and inquiring.

Ah. i think I understand about each person's different standards for my behaviour, but what are the appropriate gifts for them? I know that Esme likes roses and Katie is 'meh' about them. But what gifts should I give them?

The only thing Katie accepted from me was a piece of headwear I collected from our quest together. So maybe look at quest-relevant or personal items. For me, roses were a big winner with all the teachers. I didn't give anyone a ring since wearing them helped my stats.

I never heard of visiting Thomas' grandfather during Spooky Nights. What's that all about?

Some nights, you have to spy on Thomas talking to the painting in the upper east wing (hide behind the statue). I think if you do it enough times, talk to Thomas a lot, and do enough hero work, you'll be invited on Thomas' personal quest. Thomas does quite a lot when nobody's looking (always saving you from the catacombs and finishing your quests), so you probably have to be on Thomas' level first. When the ghosts appear in the castle, keep talking to Thomas for three nights and see what happens.

Oh yes - and I did finish the Qwirk quest myself, but I never managed to find out how to solve the ghost quests, except for the dog one in the library (and I guess that's the most obvious one). Any hints?

Most of the ghost quests are 1) Talk to the ghost, 2) go find an object or kill a monster, 3) come back to the ghost. A few of them can be solved by stealing from the Hall of Heroes. Other ones, you'll have to track down a creature or wraith. For the guy in the crypt, you'll have to find his wife's grave in the catacombs and put a rose on it. And there's another one where you have to challenge a minotaur. Otherwise, none of the quests are really complicated, time-based, or necessary (unless you want the prizes).

Is there anything else that would raise your charm? I know the game allows you to wear a hat or different boots, but I never found anything like that (other than the Panda Tiara). Did you?

Choosing "polite" options works. I kept trying to be clever, so my smarts went up, but my charm never rose past 40.

[Rath Darkblade]

I read a guide or two that tell me that if I talk to Sophia every day, not only can I help Aeolus with his personal problems, but also I can teach Shawn about how to be charming. I doubt that she's a spy - she's more of a gossip.

I didn't know she played a bigger factor in Aeolus' story - I'll have to check that out next time. I assumed she was a spy for Gerhard since she uses the secret passageways and some characters mention they see her lurking around the school at night. And at one point, she even asks me to steal a file from Terk's office for her.

She does! Aeolus even asks you to speak to her for him. She's the first woman he falls in love with. Aeolus seems to fall in love pretty easily, doesn't he? First Sophia, then Katie, and finally Esme.

And they accuse ME of giving rings to every girl I meet...

Is taking the Magic elective better? I tried taking one of First Aid and one of Magic. Is it best to concentrate on Magic? Oh, and I never took the Science elective. What's that one all about?

I haven't tried the other two classes or spoke to those teachers, but I imagine Science would be all about building bombs and traps.

Hmm. I took the Magic elective for a semester, and at first it's about Sensing Magic - this gives you a hint about whether a door you're about to enter is magically trapped, or whether there's a magic around. After that, it's all about making your own runes. I suppose that Magic is useful for damaging monsters or protecting yourself from their magic, whereas First Aid is all about - well - healing yourself, obviously. If Science is about building bombs and traps, that's good too. Nothing like a good trap for making sure that a monster doesn't move while you whack at it. Of course, some monsters like Wraiths, Lemures, and Skatters are immune to traps, but everyone else including Skeletal Warriors, Zombie Pirates, and even the Zombie Captain are not.

On the other hand, what is good against undead? How can I protect myself from them (other than the amulet that I find on the Skeletal Warrior that I fight under the Gazebo?)

Oh yes - and I heard a lot about Pirate Zombies and the Zombie Pirate Captain, but I never ran into them. What's their deal? Where are they?

The zombie pirates are in the sea caves behind the Gog-guarded gate. You'll need a Big Bomb to blast through. But it's not worth going in there if Katie hasn't asked you to recover the captain's key - otherwise you'll be turned around, or no one will be there. There's a point in Katie's quest where she'll ask you to recover either the captain's key or the skull key and that's when you can go in.

When does that happen? I can't recall Katie coming up to me and saying "Hey Shawn, let's go hunting for the captain's key or skull key" or even similar - she never even mentioned it. I got her the map, and she said something like "Oh Shawn! I could kiss you!" but she never said anything else about that afterwards. i got tired of waiting, and I got past the Gog-gate, but there was no one there. Just a whole bunch of treasure!

Ah... right. I tried getting in there once, but the librarian just glared at me and told me not to touch it. So I wasn't sure what that was all about. You mean the spooky painting with the wizard and dim green light, yes?

Yes, that's the place. It'll become available after a few days of poking and inquiring.

Hmm. When can I start poking around in it - as early as Day 1? I presume that on Day 1, Shawn will be far too weak to explore that area.

Ah. i think I understand about each person's different standards for my behaviour, but what are the appropriate gifts for them? I know that Esme likes roses and Katie is 'meh' about them. But what gifts should I give them?

The only thing Katie accepted from me was a piece of headwear I collected from our quest together. So maybe look at quest-relevant or personal items. For me, roses were a big winner with all the teachers. I didn't give anyone a ring since wearing them helped my stats.

That's fair enough, but since you can only wear one ring at a time, wouldn't it raise your Friendship status with someone that you want to be friends with if you gave them a magical ring? I found at least three.

I never heard of visiting Thomas' grandfather during Spooky Nights. What's that all about?

Some nights, you have to spy on Thomas talking to the painting in the upper east wing (hide behind the statue). I think if you do it enough times, talk to Thomas a lot, and do enough hero work, you'll be invited on Thomas' personal quest. Thomas does quite a lot when nobody's looking (always saving you from the catacombs and finishing your quests), so you probably have to be on Thomas' level first. When the ghosts appear in the castle, keep talking to Thomas for three nights and see what happens.

Oh! You mean Darla's wing? I presume that I can't do that until I become good at sneaking, so I can sneak behind Terk after curfew... right? I only saw Thomas there once.

How good at sneaking do I have to be so that Terk doesn't see me? I'd rather not experiment too much or else I'd be caught and build up demerits very quickly. (Dash Terk and his demerits!)

Oh yes - and I did finish the Qwirk quest myself, but I never managed to find out how to solve the ghost quests, except for the dog one in the library (and I guess that's the most obvious one). Any hints?

Most of the ghost quests are 1) Talk to the ghost, 2) go find an object or kill a monster, 3) come back to the ghost. A few of them can be solved by stealing from the Hall of Heroes. Other ones, you'll have to track down a creature or wraith. For the guy in the crypt, you'll have to find his wife's grave in the catacombs and put a rose on it. And there's another one where you have to challenge a minotaur. Otherwise, none of the quests are really complicated, time-based, or necessary (unless you want the prizes).

Sigh... finding someone's grave in the catacombs sounds very complicated, even with a map. Even if I sneaked everywhere, it'd take until Day 23 before my sneak score got to 100. (See, you learn about sneaking on day 3, and you can only raise your stealth score by 5 every day. So it takes 20 days).

Do I have to do the quest for the guy in the crypt (i.e. finding his wife's grave in the catacombs and putting a rose on it)? IIRC, It took me an awfully long time to put together the gris-gris so that I could understand him. What kind of reward does he give?

Oh, and I heard about magical daggers (e.g. the Bone Sai, Stealetto, Inferno or Shivers daggers.) Any idea where they would be?

[Datadog]

On the other hand, what is good against undead?

Besides the amulet, there's also a pair of runes you can find/buy somewhere in the game. When you use them, one will create a damaging field for the undead, while the other will protect you from incoming magic. Infinite reuses, and very useful against Lemures and Wraiths, though I can't remember where I found them.

When does that happen? I can't recall Katie coming up to me and saying "Hey Shawn, let's go hunting for the captain's key or skull key" or even similar - she never even mentioned it.

After finding her map, she'll be waiting by a waterfall in the caves. That's where you can start your quest with her.

Hmm. When can I start poking around in it - as early as Day 1? I presume that on Day 1, Shawn will be far too weak to explore that area.

I did poke at everything since Day 1, so that might be the case. But usually the game prompts you as to when it's okay to start poking. When the students start chatting about the drat invasion at dinner, that's probably the time.

Oh! You mean Darla's wing? I presume that I can't do that until I become good at sneaking, so I can sneak behind Terk after curfew... right? I only saw Thomas there once.

It doesn't take a lot of sneaking to get past Terk or spy on Thomas. You middle-mouse scroll out wide to see the area, and when Terk has his back turned, sneak up the stairs. Save your game and test it out a few times to see what I mean.

Oh, and I heard about magical daggers (e.g. the Bone Sai, Stealetto, Inferno or Shivers daggers.) Any idea where they would be?

You earn them through side-quests, helping ghosts, fighting boss monsters, or you can purchase them from Joel or his fence. I couldn't tell you which quest/monster has which, though. The last one I got was the Inferno dagger, and that was after killing a Wraith in the library dungeon.

[Rath Darkblade]

On the other hand, what is good against undead?

Besides the amulet, there's also a pair of runes you can find/buy somewhere in the game. When you use them, one will create a damaging field for the undead, while the other will protect you from incoming magic. Infinite reuses, and very useful against Lemures and Wraiths, though I can't remember where I found them.

Probably in magic class? That's where I got mine.

Oh, and I heard about magical daggers (e.g. the Bone Sai, Stealetto, Inferno or Shivers daggers.) Any idea where they would be?

You earn them through side-quests, helping ghosts, fighting boss monsters, or you can purchase them from Joel or his fence. I couldn't tell you which quest/monster has which, though. The last one I got was the Inferno dagger, and that was after killing a Wraith in the library dungeon.

OK. I presume that fighting a Wraith would be very difficult ... what can I do to protect myself (other than the amulet and runes)?

[Datadog]

OK. I presume that fighting a Wraith would be very difficult ... what can I do to protect myself (other than the amulet and runes)?

Someone wrote a handy guide to fighting all the enemies in the game. The article on fighting wraiths quotes:

There are two Wraiths in the game, one which features very heavily in the plot and another which is found completely by accident if you go snooping around the deepest parts of the school. These are tough hombres, who have strong magic and strong melee attacks. They can be damaged by Sol runes, but Null runes are also good to protect yourself. They are immune to traps. Your best bet is to also slather some Eau d' Enchant on your weapon beforehand, pop some Fitness, Agility and Magic Protection Pills and have some healing potions handy. In addition, if this is Wraith Zac, you need to destroy his phylactery in a completely different part of the Catacombs. This can be done with the Bone Sai, Stealetto, Inferno or Shivers daggers.

So it's basically a brute force battle, like the Giant Proach. If you find/buy any special pills for temporarily boosting your stats or strengthening your weapon, save them for the first wraith fight. Also bring lots of healing potions.

Be sure to fight the first Wraith early in the day. After killing it, you need to go to the reflection pool room in the catacombs and destroy its 'phylactery' (a glowing vase). If you do it too late at night and run out of time, Shawn will go to sleep and the wraith will rise again.

[Rath Darkblade]

When does that happen? I can't recall Katie coming up to me and saying "Hey Shawn, let's go hunting for the captain's key or skull key" or even similar - she never even mentioned it.

After finding her map, she'll be waiting by a waterfall in the caves. That's where you can start your quest with her.

Where is Katie waiting for me in the caves? I gave her the half-map, and I went straight to the caves to explore and find her, but she's nowhere to be seen. Where would she be?

*******EDIT******

Never mind. I played on, and found Katie after I recovered her stolen map from Sosi. Then a few days later - the day after the mid-terms - she showed up. I got to play Poobah against the Pirate Captain and beat him! Huzzah! Now I am the Pirate Captain, and own all his treasure!

Is that the end of Katie's quest, then?

[Datadog]

Is that the end of Katie's quest, then?

Sorry for the late reply (was on vacation), but no, beating the pirate captain isn't the end of the quest. All he does is give you the key, and maybe his hat.

The whole point of the treasure hunt is to help Katie get past the locked door beyond the sea serpent. You'll need all parts of the key detailed in the map to open it, including the Captain's key, the Tattooed skull (Katie finds it if you beat the captain), and the Dead's Man Chest gem (which you need to trigger the pirate captain quest anyway). Then, once you're inside the locked door... that's a post for another day.