Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood

Posted by Joseph Howse.
First posted on 01 January 2010. Last updated on 22 January 2010.
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Spoiler alert! The following cheat contains spoilers in the form of hints, walkthroughs, guides, or solutions to the game. Viewer discretion is advised.
In this game, the player takes on the legendary role of Robin Hood, an outlaw who remains loyal to King Richard Lionheart (and to the lovely Maid Marian) during the reign of Prince John.

A notable feature of the game is its variety of winning and losing paths. The design avoids stalemate situations (the player's actions can always lead to an ending, even if it's an unhappy ending), yet particularly reckless actions can quickly close off the possibility of an ideal ending. This walkthrough attempts to cover both winning and losing paths. For each day of game time, the ideal path is presented first, and then the flawed alternatives are presented as a "bloopers" section for that day.

General tips

The action icon showing a bow and arrow means "shoot" or "threaten to shoot". A fast travel map (with an icon showing a compass) appears in the menu when it can be used. The file/options panel contains an Arcade slider to adjust the difficulty of arcade sequences. At the default level or lower, the arcade sequences are quite easy. However, if Arcade is set to the minimum, certain arcade sequences award no points.

Pay attention to the dialogs. They may contain instructions or clues that are not repeated.

Day 1

The game starts in Robin's cave. A hunting horn hangs on the wall to the right of Robin's bed. Take the horn. A small chest sits on the table to the left of the bed. Take money from the chest (Figure 1).

Go N to your followers' camp and engage in conversation. Optionally, follow Will 2N to the archery range to meet your newest recruit and also practice your aim. The archery practice works as follows. Click your bow icon on the trees to enter the archery screen (Figure 2). Take note of the flag on the screen's left side; it indicates wind direction. Aim the tip of your arrow toward the center of your target (one of the wreaths). Adjust only slightly for wind direction. Click (still using the bow icon) to fire. Click the bow icon on Robin's hand to reload. When you are done practicing, go back 2S to the camp.

Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 1
Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 2

Follow John 4W to the Overlook (the hill above Watling Street). John talks to you and leaves (to go visit the Widow and her sons, he says). See one of the Sheriff's men come down the street. Alongside him, he is dragging an unfortunate peasant woman. We infer that the guard means to harm her.

Go down to the street. Shoot the guard (using the bow icon). As the rescued woman is leaving, give her some money (one farthing is enough) to further heighten her gratitude.

Just in case you are reluctant to shoot the guard, the game also responds intelligently to other plausible actions. Offer him money. Blow the horn.

After finishing the scene with the guard and peasant woman, you can now access the fast travel map from the menu. You are free to explore many scenes but little can be accomplished yet.

Visit the Widow's cottage to meet her and her sons, who are spies for Robin. For some humor, talk to and "hand" the sheep. Leave this scene to end the day. Robin gets drunk and dreams of Marian.

Day 1 - bloopers

From the Overlook, just watch the guard and the peasant woman pass. Equivalently, go down to the street to meet them but then walk off without killing the guard. You may perhaps suffer for your apathy later; such choices affect the game's finale.

Visit the Jerusalem Pub in Nottingham, or shoot the sacred oak in Sherwood. Either of these actions results in Robin's immediate death.

Day 2

Robin wakes up in his cave. The emerald from his dream is now in his possession. Go N to the camp and hear about the cobbler Lobb, who wants to meet you in town. He expects you to bring a lady's slipper as a token of your identity. Also, you will need a disguise in order to slip past the town's guards.

Wander extensively in Sherwood Forest (manually, not via the map) until you encounter Marian. She is on horseback. A monk is whacking her with his staff. There is no time to ask questions, offer bribes or blow your horn; just shoot the corrupt cleric! Before Marian rides off, she rewards you by tossing her slipper (Figure 3) on the forest floor. Pick up the slipper. Blow your horn. Leave this scene; the day ends.

Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 3

Day 2 - bloopers

While Marian is under attack, simply wait or walk away. This action leads to an unavoidable death for Robin on Day 3.

Day 3

Leave your cave, go to the Overlook and wait until you see a beggar coming down Watling Street. Go down to the road and give the poor chap a farthing; in exchange, Robin gets the beggar's rags as a disguise.

Optionally, you can now visit many locations and talk to people to see how they treat a beggar.

Go to the map area in Nottingham labeled "Cobbler". For laughs, talk to the duck and cat in the street. Enter Lobb's shop on the E side of the street. Give Lobb the slipper. Learn about a plan to rob from Prince John, the Sheriff and the Abbott in order to fund King Richard's ransom. Lobb tells you to meet Marian in the sacred willow grove, in Sherwood. He also says that you need to show her a silver comb, which he gives you.

Go to the map and click on any destination. The day ends; Robin is just eager to get back to camp and get out of the beggar's clothes!

Day 3 - bloopers

Threaten to kill the beggar (by clicking the bow icon on him) and rob him. This is another misdeed that factors into the game's finale.

Give the beggar the emerald. The loss of this item has major consequences in the game's central storyline and finale.

Show Lobb the slipper if, on Day 2, you have failed to save Marian. A swift death falls on Robin's head.

Go to the pub and buy too many mugs of ale. Another immediate demise is in store for Robin.

Day 4

Go N from the cave into the camp. Will tells you that John might be at the Overlook. Go to the Overlook. Actually, John is not there, but a guard comes along with a captive poacher in tow. Go down to the road. You know the drill; shoot the guard and give the poacher a farthing before he leaves.

Optionally, if you are feeling diplomatic, you can attempt to bribe the guard with money or the emerald before you shoot. You can also attempt to call for backup by blowing the horn. Other actions may lead to bad results; see "Day 4: Bloopers", below.

Go to the willow grove. Give Marian the silver comb and learn that she needs you to recover a scroll from the Fen Monks' Monastery. Then, talk with her and show her the emerald. Marian possesses a diamond with a matching edge and, when the 2 gems are joined, they form a heart. Heed her remark: "Together, they could heal any hurt." Leave Marian's grove; the day ends.

Alternatively, in the course of this day, you can visit Marian first and save the poacher second; the day ends when you leave Watling Street.

Day 4 - bloopers

On Watling Street, offer the guard an item other than money or the emerald, 3 times. Alternatively, leave the scene without killing the guard, or do not come down from the Overlook in the first place. Your failure to act may affect the game's finale.

Day 5

Leave your cave. Hear from Alan that Tuck is "doing a bit of wool-gathering" (fishing for information) at the Widow's cottage. Go there. Find out that the Widow's sons are imprisoned and sentenced to hang.

Optionally, walk off into the forest and blow your horn. Will comes and tells you he is going to round up the men to discuss plans for freeing the widow's sons. He asks you to take over his watch on the Overlook for the meantime.

Go to the Overlook (whether or not you have talked to Will). See a monk of St. Mary's and a Fen Monk passing each other on the road below. Go down to block the Fen Monk. (The rest of Day 5 and Day 6 are reversed with each other if you block the monk of St. Mary's.) Robin demands the Fen Monk's robe and other possessions. The monk refuses. Optionally, offer him money or blow your horn. Threaten to shoot the monk (using the bow icon). He instead challenges you to a quarterstaff duel and you have the option to say "Aye" or "Nay". Say "Aye".

During your quarterstaff duel, you can attempt to strike a high, low or middle blow by clicking on the appropriate part of the monk. You can attempt to block a high, low or middle blow by clicking on the appropriate part of Robin.

Once the monk is killed, you get his clothes and 2 new inventory items: a whistle and a pouch. Go to the Monastery in the Fens. Head down to the shore. Blow the whistle. A boatman comes. "Hand" the boat.

You are ferried to the gate. Talk to the guard there. Give him first the whistle and then the pouch. He asks riddles about the gems inside the pouch. The game manual provides clues to the riddles. For each riddle, 3 stones must be selected in the correct order. Refer to your manual or solve the riddles by trial and error. You can save the game during the test, so the trial and error approach is feasible.

Once you correctly answer the riddles, you are allowed inside the Monastery (seen as a map). Walk to the refectory, the central room with the tables. (You may need to click on rooms more than once to first get a description and then go there.) The Prior is in the refectory (Figure 4). He speaks to you and leaves. Exit the refectory and go to the NW tower, where the Prior is torturing a jester. The Prior orders you to take over and then he leaves. "Hand" the pulley on the wall to free the prisoner. His name is Fulk and he is King Richard's man. He asks you to find his coded verses, which the monks stole.

Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 4

Optionally, talk to any of the rats in the torture chamber. Yes, the rats talk too.

Exit the torture chamber and go to the study in the top of the SE tower. The Prior is reading and, apparently, drinking. "Hand" the goblet of wine on his desk (Figure 5). Oops! While the prior is away changing his robe, take the scroll closest to the wine spill (Figure 6). "Eye" the shelves. Take the scroll in the bottom-center notch of the close-up (Figure 7); it is the text Marian described. Also read the lower of the 2 scrolls in the center-right notch of the close-up; it describes the Monastery and gives a clue about your escape route. Leave the study.

Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 5
Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 6
Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 7

Go back to the torture chamber and give the verses to Fulk. Follow Fulk to the secret exit. Give him a farthing. "Hand" the boat to row over to the gate surrounded by gargoyles. "Eye" the gargoyles and then, in order, "hand" the gargoyles described as "thoughtful", "lean and hungry" and "foolish". (Back in the study, the scroll about the Monastery itself gives the relevant clues.)

You and Fulk escape. Fulk gives you his verses and a magical Ring of Water. He says the Abbot stole a matching Ring of Fire. Fulk also cryptically hints that his verses may help Robin to "unlock" the Ring of Fire. Fulk departs and the day ends.

Day 5 - bloopers

On Watling Street, say "Nay" to the monk's challenge and shoot him instead. This cowardly attack may contribute to a suboptimal finale.

Alternatively, leave the road without killing the monk, or do not go down in the first place. This gaff actually has no effect on the course of the game; another monk comes the next time you visit the Overlook.

At the Monastery, disobedient or suspicious behavior is punished by death. At the gate, try twice to get back in the boat. Try twice to "hand" the guard. Make an error in answering any of the riddles.

Leave the prison tower without freeing Fulk. Your score drops each time you leave and return.

Once Fulk leads you to the secret exit, dally there or go back to the torture chamber, the study or the front gate. Your failure to make a hasty escape has predictably fatal consequences.

Day 6

You wake up in your cave, as usual. The Fen Monk's robe is on the floor. You can change into and out of it here, yet for the moment you need not do so.

Optionally, don the Fen Monk's robe and visit various places to see how strangers react to a member of this sinister Order. Then, go back to your cave and put on your outlaw clothes to get some real work done.

Today, the Widow's sons are sentenced to hang; you must stop this injustice from being carried out. Leave your cave and go to the Overlook. A monk of St. Mary's comes along. Go down to confront him. Either threaten to shoot him or simply "hand" him. He surrenders his robe to you and Tuck puts him to work in the camp.

Now you are disguised as a monk of St. Mary's. Go to the Sheriff's castle in Nottingham. Give the gate guard a penny as a bribe so that he lets you enter the dungeon and talk to the boys.

Go to St. Mary's Abbey in Nottingham. "Hand" the gate to enter the building. (The inside is shown as a map.) Go to the laundry room, immediately to the NW of the entry hall. Get the 3 (an interesting number...) robes hanging on the wall. Leave the laundry room and go to the refectory, the SW room. Talk to the Abbot there. He says he is getting frustrated with his efforts to open a puzzle box, which harbors a magical Ring of Fire. His orders are to bring him some ale from the pub. Pick up the empty ale cask in front of the Abbot (Figure 8).

Optionally, go to the chapel in the N end of the Abbey. There, you may encounter a monk whom you can "hand" for some dialog. From the chapel, you can go N again (through either of the 2 doors) to the hedge maze. There is nothing to accomplish here yet, though entering the area does earn you some points.

Go to the pub. Give the cask to the barkeeper. He mentions a shortcut (a secret passage) from his cellar back to the Abbey. Talk twice to Harry, the man seated in the SE. You agree to gamble with him. Give him money to place your wager. His game is Nine Men's Morris. Unless you are already familiar with this game, look up its rules before playing against Harry.

Once you win against Harry, he gives you a magical amethyst stone that can be put in a cup to prevent drunkenness. "Hand" the gate in the back of the pub. The barkeeper lets you into his storeroom. The secret passage is in the third barrel, counting from foreground to background, in the row of 4 barrels. "Hand" that barrel's tap, not just its lid (Figure 9).

Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 8
Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 9

The secret passage forks in 2 different directions: N to the castle and E to the Abbey. Go E, N. "Hand" the door and find yourself back in the refectory with the Abbot. He asks you to drink with him. Say, "Aye." The Abbot tells another monk to put the puzzle box in the Abbot's room. Put the amethyst in your cup. Talk to the Abbot to garner information about the treasure Prince John is going to send. Wait till the Abbot gets drunk. Search ("hand") him to get his purse. Also take the empty cask again.

Go to the Abbot's room in the SE of the Abbey. Search under ("hand") the pillow on the far side of the bed; the box is there and you take it. "Hand" the pillow again to put it back in place. Optionally, look in the closed trunk to find out more about the Abbot.

Leave the Abbey and return to the pub (via the front door, not the secret passage; the cellar is locked). Return the cask to the barkeeper and pay him 12 pennies to cover the Abbot's bills. Notice that the barkeeper occasionally goes to fill a bucket, lowered through a hole in the ceiling.

Go into the cellar and enter the tunnel via the barrel again. Go N. "Eye" the crack in the secret door. The guards are arguing over how to get money for another bucket of ale. They leave to try to borrow the money. "Hand" the secret door to enter the dungeon. Put 3 pennies and one farthing on the table. Go back out the secret door; watch as the guards return, find the money and leave again to fetch the ale. Reenter the dungeon. Open the trapdoor and use the monks' robes on the hole. Robin makes a rope out of the robes' belts. The boys escape into the tunnel and disguise themselves.

Return to the pub via the cellar. Say, "Aye," when one of the boys asks whether it's safe to proceed. Head for the main exit. The Sheriff stops you to beg for a blessing. Talk to him in order to bestow a mixed blessing. Leave; the day ends. The grateful Widow tells you about her past and gives you a golden net. The boys join the band as outlaws.

Day 6 - bloopers

On Watling Street, you can give money to the monk but it is a waste because he will keep the money and still refuse to give you his robe peacefully. You can also leave the monk alone but you will just have to make another trip to the Outlook to wait for the next monk to come.

There are many ways to die in Nottingham. At the castle gate, try to bribe the guard with the Ring of Water. After the Abbot asks for ale, return without it, twice. When drinking with the Abbot, forget to put the amethyst in your cup, or refuse to drink with the Abbot and then return to the refectory, twice. After stealing the box, return to the refectory via the tunnels and wait there while the monks talk about you. When attempting to rescue the boys from the dungeon, open the secret door without first checking the peephole or anytime after you have already been inside (except to place the coins). When you are in the dungeon, either tarry there or walk W, further into the castle. When escaping via the pub, walk past the Sheriff without blessing him.

There are also several ways to mess up without actually dying. At the Jerusalem Pub, show the Ring of Water to Harry. He becomes suspicious and refuses to gamble with you. When the Abbot asks you to drink with him, say, "Nay," and leave. After having entered the prison via the secret passage, leave without putting the money on the table or freeing the boys.

The game is actually quite forgiving if you fail to accomplish much on Day 6. Anytime after you have visited the town disguised as a monk of St. Mary's, return to your cave, change into your outlaw clothes and go outside to blow your horn. The outlaws gather to devise an attack plan instead of a covert rescue. You may choose from among the plans that the men propose. Your decision determines how many outlaws die in battle. Will's tactic is the best (or least bad), while Much's tactic is the worst. Over the course of the game, losing too many men makes it impossible to capture the treasure train on Day 11.

If you do not steal the Abbot's box, Marian obtains it and gives it to you on a later day. She is tricky.

Day 7

Leave your cave and go visit Marian in the willow grove. Give her the scroll from the shelves of the Monastery's study. She tells you about the druid hand code and several other important things: the town fair, the Queen's spy, and the Green Man. Record the druid code (Figure 10). Show Marian the emerald again to remind her of your mutual love and the transience of life.

Go the sacred oak and then S. Wait for a pixie to come along and throw the golden net ahead of the pixie, in its path (Figure 11). If you miss the pixie, just pick up the net and wait again. The captured pixie leads you back to the sacred oak and wakes the Green Man, who agrees to help you if you can answer his riddles. You must spell out the answers in druid code on Robin's hand. Note that some hotspots actually lie beyond the fingertips. Click on the center of the palm to mark the end of an answer. Click on the string of letters that is already spelt in order to delete the last letter. You must get 3 riddles right and not more than 2 wrong. The riddles include "beehive", "cheese", "coin" "comb", "eye", "feather", "fur", "snow" and "wood". Once you have answered the riddles and received the ability to call on the forest for protection, leave the scene; the day ends.

Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 10
Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 11

Day 7 - bloopers

Answer 3 of the Green Man's riddles incorrectly. (That forest spirit really plays hardball.)

Day 8

Leave your cave and go to the Overlook. See a yeoman approaching and go down to stop him. Give him money in exchange for his clothes. With your newest disguise, go to the fair in Nottingham. Optionally, talk to everybody around the fair (Figure 12). There are numerous cameos of Sierra staff and references to other Sierra games. Also optionally, follow and talk to the lady in the blue dress, whom you see walking away when you first enter the fair.

Go W from the fair's entrance, on the S side of the fence. Give a farthing to the peg legged beggar in the SW corner of the screen.

Go W again. Give 2 pennies to the man in the thatched booth. He sells you some perfume, which he sends to Marian for you.

Go W once more again. Give a farthing to the beggar lying on the green rug. Order a scarf for Marian by giving 6 farthings to the man standing by the end of the fence. Give 2 farthings to the man in the colorful booth. In return, he tells your fortune.

Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 12

Find a scholar who is beardless and wearing a gray robe. He (like several other folks) wanders around the fair. Based on the pictures in his books, identify the appropriate coat of arms, as per Marian's instructions on Day 7. Check the game manual in order to match the names and images of the coats of arms—or do it by trial and error. After you pass this test, give the scholar the scroll.

Continue as far W as possible, to the archery range. Pay a penny to the guards as an entrance fee. Start shooting the targets (by clicking on them with your bow and arrow icon). The archery controls are the same here as for the practice glade in Day 1. Once you fire several practice shots, the contest begins. You must win 3 rounds. Then, the prize of the golden arrow is yours. The day ends when the tournament is over.

Day 8 - bloopers

Try to do things in the town while wearing a monk's disguise again. On Watling Street, try to shoot the yeoman or blow your horn. At the fair, give the scroll to the scholar who wears greens robes, lacks the correct coat of arms and is accompanied by 2 guards (Figure 13). These actions are (unsurprisingly) terminal.

Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 13

Letting the yeoman pass undisturbed may create an (uncharacteristic) impasse in the game. If Robin is down on Watling Street (rather than on the Overlook), he hints that he may intercept the man again further S along the road, but in practice, this course of action does not seem to be possible, so you are left stuck.

A defeat in the tournament is, of course, possible and it prevents you from achieving a full score and raising the maximal funds toward the King's ransom.

Day 9

Leave your cave and go to the sacred oak. Wander the surrounding forest screens until you are chased by the Sheriff's men. Return to the oak grove and "hand" yourself to invoke the forest's protection. Spell the druid name for "oak" ("duir", as stated in the game manual) on your palm. Robin temporarily turns into a tree and escapes the notice of the Sheriff's men. Alternatively, you can stumble across various other kinds of groves in the forest and use another druid tree name as appropriate.

Go to the Overlook. See a jeweler approaching and go down to confront him. "Hand" him twice. You obtain his clothes, a box of jeweler's rouge (red powder) and a parcel of fake jewels, meant to fool the Sheriff's wife. Use rouge on Robin to redden his beard.

Go to the castle in Nottingham and speak to the gate guard. He lets you in. Optionally, give the Sheriff's wife the box of rouge. Place the bundle of fake jewels on the table in front of the Sheriff and his wife. Robin claims to have a dragon's hoard in the forest and invites the Sheriff to come and see. Place the emerald on the table as further proof (though Robin keeps the emerald), or just click the walk icon as if to leave.

The day ends. The Sheriff is robbed of the payment he brings, and of his pride. Later, Marian visits the camp and asks Robin to visit her in the willow grove the next day to learn of a secret code to give to a knight of the Queen.

Day 9 - bloopers

Get caught by the Sheriff's men in Sherwood, either because you fail to reach one of the groves soon enough or you fail to use the correct hand code. Naturally, the guards kill you.

Threaten to shoot the jeweler. He surrenders his belongings but swears to see you hang someday. Depending on your overall behavior in the game, it may be more than an idle threat.

Alternatively, use the emerald to buy the jeweler's stuff. Will calls you a fool and he is right. That emerald means a lot to Marian and its loss is going to hurt her in a way you will not foresee.

While disguised as the jeweler, enter the castle without first using rouge on your beard. After 3 successful disguises, Robin's dazzling facial hair finally gives him away, and it means the noose.

As a less lucrative alternative to the jewel hoax, you can go to the castle disguised as the yeoman. Bribe the gate guard with a penny. Repeatedly talk to the Sheriff or offer him 3 pennies as a wager. Either way, he agrees to follow you into the forest to find Robin Hood. You rob him of the bounty he brings.

Day 10

At this point, you need to open the Abbot's puzzle box, in your inventory, if you have not already done so. A password is required. "Hand" Fulk's scroll (in your inventory) to open it and then "eye" it to read it. Remember the first letter of each tree named in the scroll (just the first letter in English; you do not need to translate to druid names). These letters, in order, are the password to the box. (The password may change from game to game.) Now, "hand" the puzzle box (in your inventory) and enter the code. You get a Ring of Fire from inside.

Leave your cave and hear that the Abbot has sentenced Marian to burn for witchcraft. "Hand" the Ring of Fire in your inventory to wear it. Blow your horn to call the men for a brainstorming session. Pick John's plan.

Go to the Jerusalem Pub in Nottingham. Head inside and talk to the barkeeper until he lets you into the storeroom. Follow the secret passage to the Abbey. Go to the chapel in the N end of the Abbey and then go NW (out one of the doors) into the hedge maze. Find your way to the exit in the N of the maze (Figures 14-18).

Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 14
Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 15
Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 16
Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 17
Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood
Figure 18

Robin rescues Marian and takes her to the willow grove. However, she is dying of smoke inhalation. Heal her by using the emerald on her. She tells you the password for the knight. This password may vary from game to game, so record it. The day ends.

Day 10 - bloopers

When attempting to rescue Marian, do not wear the Ring of Fire. She and Robin combust together.

As long as you are wearing the Ring of Fire, though, any of the alternative rescue plans may potentially succeed. Pick a plan other than John's. Again, Much's plan is the worst and Will's plan is the best (or least bad) of the solutions. Remember, a large loss of manpower may limit your prospects on Day 11.

At the Jerusalem Pub, you can bribe your way past the barkeeper or threaten to shoot him. The latter action may have dire consequences sooner or later; the former is just not the best choice in terms of points.

From the tunnels, go into the castle dungeon and then deeper into the caste. From the Abbey, go out the front gate and walk into the town. In the hedge maze, spend too long wandering. Any of these actions brings Robin to an immediate demise.

After rescuing Marian, wait for her to die in the grove. A happy ending is now out of the question, yet Robin may still potentially survive the game.

Day 11

Leave your cave and hear that the treasure train is on its way. Blow your horn to summon the men and discuss plans for an ambush. Pick Tuck's tactic and watch the results. The day ends.

Day 11 - bloopers

Pick someone else's plan instead of Tuck's. Much's plan is once again the worst and results in failure to capture the treasure and a significant demerit against Robin in determining the game's finale. Regardless of your choice of tactic, if you have lost many men in previous battles, you may fail to capture the treasure.

Day 12

Leave your cave and wander in the forest. The Sheriff's men chase you again. Go to a grove and transform into a tree, just like on Day 9.

Go to the overlook. Your men have stopped the knight and you automatically go down to meet him. You cannot leave the scene while the knight is waiting for you to interact with him. "Hand" yourself and, using the druid code, spell the password (revealed by Marian on Day 10). The knight does not recognize it. Shoot this imposture. Search his body to find a letter that proves his guilt and suggests the Queen's real knight is imprisoned in the Monastery. Optionally, talk to the horse. Blow the horn. John comes. Show him the letter. Leave the scene to end the day.

Day 12 - bloopers

If Marian is dead, you must go to the willow grove to visit her grave. There, "hand" yourself and spell "saille" (meaning "willow") in druid code. Marian's spirit tells you the password for the knight. This password is not absolutely necessary on Day 12 but it is on Day 13.

In Sherwood Forest, fail to escape from the Sheriff's men. On Watling Street, either show the knight the hand code twice or talk to him 3 times. Wait while he swings his sword. These actions are terminal.

Optionally, you can give the knight the emerald, the rings and money. You can simply recover these items from his body after you shoot him. Alternatively, if you do not search the body, your men do it for you.

Shoot the knight without attempting to test his knowledge of the hand code. You fail to maximize your score in the game, yet otherwise this preemptive act carries no consequence.

After killing the knight, go S or N without searching his body. Return to the knight's scene to experience a graphical glitch; John is standing there instead of the knight's corpse! "Eye" and "hand" John to confirm that the game is registering him as the knight's body. Leave the scene again to crash the game.

Day 13

You must rescue the true knight. Leave your cave and go to the Monastery in the Fens. Go down to the shore and wear the Ring of Water ("hand" it in your inventory). The will-o-th'wisps appear. Talk to them. They bring you a boat. "Hand" the boat. Follow the will-o-th'wisps to the walls. "Hand" yourself and use the druid hand code to spell "gort", the name for ivy. The ivy magically grows so it can support your weight. "Hand" the ivy. Go up 2 screens. There are 2 monks are talking on top of the tower, but they cannot see you. "Hand" the window.

You find the true knight in the tower cell. Give the false knight's note to the true knight. "Hand" yourself and spell the code (the one given to you by Marian). To escape, you must pass one last arcade challenge: dodge the rocks the monks throw. To do so, press the left and right (not up or down) arrow keys as Robin climbs down the vines.

The day ends. The game's finale plays. Assuming you have stayed quite close to the game's ideal path, Robin is awarded a title, Earl of Huntingdon, as well as Marian's hand in marriage. The Sheriff is arrested for treason, while the Abbot and Prior are banished. Little John becomes the new Sheriff of Nottingham and Tuck is appointed Abbot of St. Mary's.

Day 13 - bloopers

When you are rowing across the foggy waters, go any direction other than the way the will-o-th'wisps lead. You end up outside the Monastery gate, where the guards eagerly kill you. The weapon they use is a little different than usual if you row W from the foot of the tower.

While clinging to the ivy outside the prison window, before you enter, talk to the monks on roof above. Alternatively, after you leave the cell and are climbing back down, fail to dodge the rocks.

A series of poor decisions over the course of the game leads to a suboptimal finale. Robin may not get an earldom, Marian may not be alive to marry him, and he may even hang despite his loyalty to King Richard. Who would imagine a crusader king to be so judgmental?

Concluding thoughts

The game represents a dramatically different design philosophy from most other adventure games, in which losing paths (especially long and detailed losing paths) are rare. The possibilities for tragedy, callousness and folly are integral to the interactive story told by the game. The theme is simple—love and honor may conquer all—but en route, the twists and turns make this conquest all the more poignant.

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