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Background
Long ago, Lord Soth was a brave Knight of the Rose before the Cataclysm. One day he rescued the elven maiden Isolde Denissa, took her home to Dargaard Keep, committed adultery with her, and killed his wife. Then Paladine told him that he would be forgiven if he went to Istar to stop the mad Kingpriest, preventing the Cataclysm. Unfortunately, he would have to give his life to save the world, as Huma did centuries before. Unlike Huma, Soth failed. Along the way to Istar he was waylaid by elven women claiming that Isolde used his absence to romp with the guys. An angry Soth returned to Dargaard Keep just as the Cataclysm hit. Soth refused to save Isolde and their son. The Cataclysm twisted Paladine's gift. Instead of dying, Soth turned into a death knight who could not die. His servile knights became death knights, his soldiers turned into skeleton warriors, the horses into nightmares, and Dargaard Keep blackened to an ugly shape. Soth waited there in misery for 300 years, terrorizing only on a small scale.
Right before the War of the Lance, Kitiara Uth Matar, the Dragon Highlord of the Blue Dragonarmy was brave enough to enter Dargaard Keep and ask for Soth's services. Soth agreed to help her in return for the elfmaiden Laurana's soul. He couldn't take it in the end because Paladine protected her. He then secretly coveted taking Kitiara's soul and thus continued to serve her. He helped her reconquer eastern Solamnia then attack Palanthas. At the Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthas, Kitiara was killed and Soth bound her soul to him. He then returned to Dargaard Keep.
Lord Soth still dominates eastern Solamnia through Black Robe mages, Evil priests, and a LOT of undead. In addition, the remnants of the Blue Dragonarmy are still around, even though its leader is dead. Soth himself is formidable because he can't be killed! He got a little mad when you killed his death knight Sir Lebaum, so he has plans for revenge, as well as domination of Krynn!
I brought my Human Rose Knight, Silvanesti Ranger/Majere Cleric, Qualinesti Fighter/Red Mage, Silvanesti Mishakal Cleric/White Mage, and Kender Thief/Kiri-Jolith from COK. I created a Human Paladin to add to the team.
Gargath Keep
A year after your victory over Myrtani, you're invited to Gargath Keep to party. The party is then crashed by a now-undead Sir Karl, riding a death dragon! Kill the skeleton warriors and nightmares. Then go upstairs and talk to the commander. Disagree with Sir Garren to attack the undead, and volunteer to help. There's the bank at (7,5), a temple at (6,9), weapons shop at (5,6), training hall at (10,11), and an inn at (6,4). Take cemetery duty, and walk and talk to the priest. Then go to (9,5) and meet the Dread Wolf, one of Sir Karl's underlings! Deal with the critters, and then you get saved. Go back to the commander and pick any other job. Whatever you do, you'll fight priests and mages. Afterwards, talk to the commander, and hear about Sir Thom's dream. You'll get the Sleepstone and you are asked to find the Dream Merchant in Kalaman.
Kalaman
Go see the commander of the Knights, Sir Daine. He introduces you to his girlfriend Ariela. Tell them about Sir Karl and the Dream Merchant. Ariela tells you to go to the bazaar. There's a shop at (6,6) where you can appraise stuff. Go to (2,3) and you'll meet sivaks. Apparently Kalaman has been infiltrated by the Blue Dragonarmy. Kill them, continue and discover that the Dream Merchant has been taken. Walk around until the Knights tell you that the baddies got away. Return to the town proper and walk around until someone drops a slip of paper. It's from the kidnappers! Apparently these guys are against Soth too, so maybe they can be trusted. Return to the bazaar and wait at (5,5) at night. Dragons will come with the Dream Merchant. Is the Blue Dragonarmy opposing Soth? Who is their leader? Listen to them and give the stone. Then the Dread Wolf shows up! Kill its minions and take the cleric scroll with heal, raise dead, restoration. Run SW to the inn and heal. Go see Ariela and she tells you to go to Vingaard Keep. On the way out you are attacked by sivaks who want the stone.
Vingaard Keep
This place can get real confusing. Find the Dream Merchant's place in Crook Street- it has a half-closed eye. If anyone stops to demand payment, say yes and select a character who has no money. Then exit and they'll leave. At the Merchant's place you'll see the dream. Return and get the interpretation: you gotta first find the guy with dark robes, and then you hafta find the Knight. Then ask how you can then safely sleep, and the merchant will ask you to go into his dreams. Do that, and kill the 3 waves of baddies- do not wake up when the Dread Wolf prompts you to! Now you're done with the Dream Merchant. Find the shop with the lit candle, enter and buy a candle. Take the red door in the shop. Continue only thru red doors despite the voices in your head. You'll eventually meet Sebas Astmoor. He used to be a cleric of Majere, but then Lord Soth corrupted and recruited him. He then left Soth after finding.. something. Talk to him and answer his questions in a non-idiotic manner. He won't help you until you fight the evil at the High Clerist's Tower. So go there!
High Clerist's Tower
During the War of the Lance, Sturm Brightblade died defending the Tower from Kitiara's forces, and thus the dragonarmies were prevented from reaching Palanthas. After the War, Kitiara used flying citadels to bypass the Tower and attack Palanthas. The Tower has never fallen to assault. When you go there the Knights don't believe anything's wrong, until you enter the crypt. Destroy the skeletal warriors. Meet and recruit Sir Durfey. Fight more baddies. At the intersection go right, and go SW to Sturm's grave (the red dragon escaped, don't bother looking). Sturm's gone! Continue into the catacombs.
Here there's one big tunnel and a lot of little tunnels. At the end of each small tunnel are zombies you can kill. Sir Garren has betrayed the knights! Go thru the big tunnel and fight waves of baddies. Kill Flare, the red dragon. Continue, getting a Short Sword +4 and Staff-Sling +3, and then a Hoopak +3 in various battles. Finally you meet Garren, and take away his sword. Lord Soth arrives, and you should block his blast against Garren. Go left to the exit and fight Soth. You'll recover some bodies but not Sturm. Then Soth regenerates! He makes fun of you and leaves. Exit and return to Vingaard Keep. Go see Sebas again, and he'll tell you to go to the Dragon Pit in the NW mountains.
Dragon Pit
When you enter you meet Maya. She tells you that this is Sir Karl's base, that she gonna take care of him, and then she tells you to get lost. Go down the passage and take the 1st left. Maya flies across the chasm and leaves you here. Go to (13,2) and take the secret door. Explore all the rooms before passing the arch. In one of them you meet the Dread Wolf. Kill his minions and go to the altar, getting Plate Mail +3, Shield +2, a cleric scroll with restoration (x2), resurrection and a white scroll with cloudkill, cone of cold, hold monsters. Go thru the arch and head south, then east, then round a corner and thru the entrance. Take the first left and go left again to find another entranceway. Go thru the doors and meet Sir Karl, and he tells you to get out. He also mentions something about the Dark Queen returning to Krynn. Follow him and you'll have the big fight with the Dread Wolf. After killing it, it warns you that Takhisis will resurrect it when she returns. This is not a good omen. Continue and watch Sir Karl impale Maya with the Dragonlance. She lifts him into the sky, leaving you to fight Karl's death dragon! The Dragonlance falls to your feet conveniently right after killing the dragon. Continue and take the treasure which has Plate Mail +2, Leather Armor +3, and a Short Bow +2. Go to meet Sebas in Vingaard, only to encounter sivaks! Kill them and find an earring of Ariela's! She's working for the Blue Dragonarmy! Go to confront her.
Kalaman
At Kalaman, you'll see Ariela kill Daine, and discover that she works for Dragon Highlord Kitiara!! Didn't Kitiara die in Palanthas?! Anyway, kill Ariela's buds and get the Long Sword +3 and a red scroll with fire shield, iron skin, disintegrate. When the knights leave, Ariela turns into a red dragon! Kill her, take the Elixir of Youth and follow the shouts in the passage ahead. Enter the bazaar and head SW, and kill the baddies. Get the Dart of Hornet's Nest and Banded Mail +2, and instead of saving Sebas you save a knight. He has a message from Sebas to go to Dulcimer, enter Voice Wood and get the Rod of Omniscience, which Sebas hid from Soth.
Dulcimer
This undead town is pretty much safe until you start killing things. In fact, the mayor lich warmly greets you and asks you not to enter Voice Wood nor enter Town Hall. The bartender at the Tavern offers free drinks (but don't take them!) and the keeper of the Inn offers you a room (and don't rest in it!). In return for these guys' gratitude, you'll destroy them. Free the prisoner near Town Hall and hear his story. Try to enter Voice Wood and you'll get stopped by a spectre. Listen to it and discover that you have to kill the nice lich to break the magic barrier to Voice Wood. Go to (14,0) and kill the zombies to get a Long Sword +4, 4 darts +3, a scroll of protection from dragon breath, and a potion. Enter Town Hall and take the right-hand room. Kill the guards, leave, and re-enter to kill the second group of guards. Go to the left-hand room and defeat the lich. Afterwards, RUN to the vegetable garden. Find and destroy the lich's phylactery at (2,13) among the rotten asparagus. Now you can enter Voice Wood.
You wanna go to the clear area on the far eastern side. First, go to (5,13) and (5,9) and kill baddies. At the east clearing be nice and don't attack fairies. Agree to defeat Soth and you'll get the Rod of Omniscience. Walk south and west to escape the now-confusing Woods. You're now ready to fight Soth.
Dargaard Keep
Go to the Keep and say, "Denissa" to enter. Kill the guards and meet Lenore, a supposed thief who's here to filch money for her kids. Die-hard Dragonlance fans will recognize her face and real identity. She'll leave when you encamp or after you go to the second floor, and she'll take Durfey with her. Find the maid and talk to her. Then go to the western part of this floor and find the servants at (1,4). They can't leave until you destroy all 4 patrols and destroy the orb at (3,1). After doing so, they'll give you the key to exit Dargaard thru Soth's throne room into Cerberus Graveyard. Explore around until you find Soth's throne room (alternately, if you enter the Keep via Cerberus Graveyard, you'll start here). Go thru the north wall in the NE corner. Approach the next door and you'll hear chanting. Immediately burst in and kill the priests. Then go to the altar and take the 2-handed sword +3. Continue on and you'll find a thumping coffin. Ignore it and go up the stairs.
Floor 2 has portcullises that you have to open by going into an adjacent room and finding the lever. Kill the spectres and vampires upon reaching this floor. Continue, go to a side room, kill the vampires, and open the 1st portcullis to continue. Kill the death knight and friends and free the clerics from the High Clerist's Tower. Continue and you'll have to go thru a secret door and kill golems to open the 2nd portcullis. You'll reach an intersection, and go left. Kill the priests and watch people get turned to rats. Go thru the western door and go to (7,3) to find Plate Mail +4, wand of lightning, the Necklace of Missiles, a potion, and a red scroll with bestow curse, power word blind, flesh to stone. Return to the intersection, go east and go thru the south door and read the incantation to make the people normal. Return to the first intersection and go east and kill a death knight and his minions to recover Sturm's body. Continue and take the stairs.
Floor 3 has choices of doors. At the first threesome of doors take the left one. Continue, take the center door, and finally take the left door. Lenore rejoins you after all this, and she says that the death knights have taken Durfey. Soon you'll run into a pair of statues that tell you not to advance. Kill them, and in the next room is Durfey, but he's undead! First kill his friends (who drain levels!), then kill him. In the room with poison doors, take the passage in the NE corner. Eventually you'll meet Soth. He's hanging out with 4 other death knights and a bunch of iron golems.
After this tough fight, you'll have the chance to use the Rod on Soth before he regenerates. Do that, and then Lenore reveals herself as Kitiara, and she tries to grab the Rod. Whatever you do, she screws up and both Soth and her are teleported to Ravenloft. You can read all about their new adventures in the book Knight of the Black Rose.
You are teleported to the High Clerist's Tower, and you are told that the evil forces have no more leaders. You are also thanked for recovering Sturm's body, and then you are set loose to do whatever.
Unlike COK, this game is NOT very linear- you don't have to do all the adventures in order. This is because they have similiar difficulty. There are not as many differences between 8th and 12th level (DKK, this game) as between 2nd and 8th level (COK). In COK, the enemies get tougher: you start off fighting baaz draconians and white dragons, and you end up fighting auraks and red dragons. The enemy warriors and spellcasters also go up in level. In this game, the only draconians are sivaks and the enemy NPCs have the same level throughout the game. The following adventures can be done anytime in the game, with some exceptions. They are listed from easiest to hardest.
Gluten's House
This place is nestled in the mountains between Gargath and Throtl. Enter and Gluten the dwarf greets you and challenges you to answer his riddles. Go thru the door, and approach the wall. The answers to the riddles are: 'water', then 'hands' , then 'ring.' Destroy the baddies and search the rooms. Eventually you'll meet the lich and his friends. Kill them and get a mace +4. Next you'll have to find a secret door in the wall to escape. When you do, Gluten gives you the Girdle of Giant Strength and a red scroll with iron skin, stone to flesh, power word stun.
Haunted Pirate Ship
Apparently an Evil Priest had cursed this ship. Find it NE of Kalaman along the coast. Use a rope to enter. Kill the zombies, take the N door, then go west and fight the spectre captain and his friends to get a mace +4. Return to the passage and take the next door to the right to fight wraiths and get treasure. Continue along the passage and take the stairs down. Kill all the rats and find the secret door near the stairs. You'll get a Long Sword +3 and Banded Mail +3.
you vs. a Really Big Tree
Find this place SW of Turef in a forest. Some fairies ask you to save their Really Big Tree. Tell the fairies you'll save the tree, and don't exit it! Inside you can't use any magic. Wander around, killing the wraiths, wyndlasses, and the whisper spiders. You'll meet a Black Robe and fire minions, and killing them will yield the Periapt of Protection from Poison and Boots of Speed. You'll then release the fairy warrior and you'll heal the forest with the wand.
Village of the Darned
Go in between the rivers NW of Vingaard Keep to find this place. A meteorite has fallen here, and ever since things have sucked. Basically you must free the sorcerer, go where the meteorite is and kill its guards, and you get Olin's Quarterstaff, Ring of Protection +2, and a white scroll with death spell, delayed blast fireball, globe of invulnerability. Then find the imposter sorcerer and kill him.
Gargath Keep
After exposing and killing Ariela, you might wanna return to Gargath. If upon entering you see a rope dangling, there's a spy! Go to the commandant's room and you'll meet a sivak. Kill him or take him prisoner. Leave the Keep, and when you return at some point the Keep will be under attack by the Blue Dragonarmy! Fight the 2 waves of baddies and enter the Keep. Walk around the Keep until you fight the 2 blue dragons. Then return to the gate and fight the jerks to get a wand of fireballs. Pursue them past the gate and kill, and you'll be asked to report to the commandant. Do so, and you'll be rewarded with experience.
Cerberus (1 of 3)
After Ariela's death, you might wanna head to Cerberus. Before that, buy a gnome's hair carpet in Kalaman. Enter the town and talk to Zakarie at (2,0). He'll tell you that the mayor of Cerberus was murdered, and he also asks you to save those imprisoned in Dargaard Keep. Go to the Tavern at (9,7) and learn more about the mayor's murder. Then go to (13,6) and sell the rug for 1000 stl. There's a fortune teller at (15,15) who won't help much. Now go to the graveyard!
Cerberus Graveyard (2 of 3)
First, go to (10,13) and call the dog. Check out the cleric's chapel at (2,14). Now go to the funeral at (5,8). No matter what you do, you'll be attacked by undead. Destroy them, and the entire graveyard will then awaken. Cerberus will be invaded. First, fix the problems here. Go the the gravedigger's place at (2,1) and take his ruby, destroying it. Apparently this guy removed the good wards and installed those of evil. Dig up the good wards and go to (8,0), (8,13), (15,7), and (0,7) to replace them. Now return to Cerberus.
Cerberus (3 of 3)
Go north to town hall, kill the undead, and enter. The townspeople need Zakarie to open the armory so they can kill undead. He won't be at his house. Try the fortune teller's place, and you'll see Zakarie being held by a bunch of Black Robes. Kill them all and return to town hall. After Zakarie removes the barrier, go to the armory and get the Gauntlets of Ogre Power, Ring of Prot +3, Chain Mail +2, and the Mace of Disruption.
Kua Tuo's Slave Ship
Along the river near Vingaard Keep, you'll sneak into a slave ship run by Kua Tuo. Go to the slave gathering and they'll tell you to set fire to the ship at the temple. They also tell you not to start any fights before then. Go north and take the 1st door to the left, and kill the baddies. Continue and kill and you'll get Chain Mail +4, Long Bow +3, and 10 arrows +3.Return to the main passage and continue. In the dining area ignore the Kua Tuo's insults, and then continue without fighting. At the temple, quickly rescue the slave from becoming sacrificed, and start the fire. Continue on and find the captain's chambers. Kill those who pick fights with you, and search when the option is given. You'll find a Mace +4 at (14,5). Then exit the hold and kill those who are blocking the way to the bow. Rush to the bow and escape.
Throtl Keep
After you drove the hobgoblins and the White Dragonarmy from this place in COK, Soth's Evil Priests and undead retook it. The Temple and Catacombs no longer exist, but otherwise it's the same Keep. Enter and kill Lessiter's welcoming committee. Walk around and kill everything that you meet. Meet Sarah at (5,1). Get a Composite Long Bow and 10 arrows +2 at (14,13), and there's more treasure at (1,11) and (5,7). Killing the priests at (5,9) will yield a wand of ice storm. Kill Lessiter and save Michael at (4,2).
Quazle
A funny thing happened in this gnomish village- somebody actually invented something that worked! Of course the other gnomes couldn't tolerate this, so the inventor hid himself away and set up traps. Then a renegade wizard from Myrtani's ill-fated army came by, killed the gnome, and from his fortified home he has been creating undead beasts. Upon entering this village, escape from the tour of worthless gnomish inventions ASAP. The Education Guild's at (10,13), Military Guild's at (7,14), Medical Guild's at (6,2), Sage's Guild's at (6,6), and the Council is at (14,9). Going to the various guilds won't give you experience, so just go to the action at (1,9). Destroy the machine and continue thru the poison gas area to the door ahead. Kill all those undead beasts and the wizard (tough fight) and get eyes of charming and 2 potions.
Turef
Sir Karl brainwashed Sir Garren and Cerberus's gravedigger by using cursed items. He brainwashed almost all the population of this hill dwarf village and kept the evil items here. You'll see these dwarves attacking a lone mountain dwarf riding a boar. Help this dwarf, Skomp, and he'll tell you about his quest to warn all dwarves about the growing evil. He then asks you to help find his boar. Go to (12,1) and learn from the scholar that Sir Karl's forces have stolen a manual that describes how to make ambushes. If you accidentally run into the ambush, RETREAT! Go to (13,13) add help Skomp unsuccessfully to catch his boar. Then go to (9,11) and meet a mother who asks you to spare her kid with the purple hat (but you can kill the other dwarves). Go to (13,7) and search for treasure. Now go to (2,1), wrestle with the purple-hatted kid, and kill everybody else. The kid will say that the book is hidden behind a shield. Go to (9,11) and take the shield (it's +4) and the book, and kill the guards. Return the book to the scholar and he'll tell you about the secret entrance past the ambush. Return to the mother and she'll give you the Cloak of Displacement. Go to the tavern at (7,10), buy a drink, and inquire, and the barkeep will tell you to get key #88. Go to the locksmith at (8,12), get the key, return to the bar, and wander around until you find the entrance. Follow the passage, saving the magistrate and getting gems until you're outside. Walk around the building and attack the ambush. Then return and go thru the door to fight guards and then 3 blue dragons. After you destroy the cursed items, go outside. If the Dread Wolf is still alive, you witness it killing Skomp's boar and you must fight a lot of hellhounds. If you killed the Dread Wolf, the boar is dead anyway. Pick up the body and take it to the person with meatless stew, and get a Short Sword +2.
Cekos
This town of magic has been taken over by the Blue Dragonarmy. At (2,14) talk to the old man. Meet Igorf at (7,5) and recruit him. He's really a copper dragon, and he'll help you in fights. He says that a treasure that belonged to his family is here somewhere. The barkeep at (13,7) will confirm that dragons had a treasure here. Tell the old woman at (7,13) that you'll save her daughter and you'll get a Quarterstaff +2. Free the prisoners at (2,8). Give money and talk to the bum at (11,6), and learn that the town statue talks. Go to (8,8) at night and the statue will give you a white scroll with Otto's irresistible dance, mind blank, mass charm. Kill sivaks and find a silver key at (11,1). Now go meet the mayor at (6,7), pester, and finally kill him. Find the secret passage beyond him and follow it through a guard post. You'll have to fight 4 blue dragons. After the fight, go to the store and buy as many +2 arrows as you can! Then go to Igorf's house and either give him the money or refuse. Finally, meet the old woman at her spot and get a reward of gems.
Tips
1. When you kill your 1st group of priests and mages, take their magic maces and staves if you don't have magic blunt weapons. You'll need such weapons to fight various undead creatures, such as skeleton warriors.
2. ALWAYS attempt to turn undead which can drain levels. Whereas you won't get XP for turned undead, you won't be minus entire levels!
3. Avoid memorizing cold-based, sleep, hold-type, or poison-type spells- they don't do much good against undead. Even the beloved stinking cloud isn't half the spell it was in COK.
4. ALWAYS target enemy priests before any other enemies, including mages. They have slay living spells memorized and they're just waiting to use them on you.
Unsolved Questions
What does the silver key in Cekos unlock?
After you destroy the lich in Dulcimer, why are the chickens in the coop still undead?
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