Nice initiative. :)
I've added a few comments, corrections, questions, and thougths...
> Q
> Easter Eggs?
>
> A
> On the first screen of the game, press 'o' (for Opal, the game's
> code name during development). To quote David Dunham, the
> producer: "All the starting advisors are from the development team,
> others are among the available leaders, and one other makes an
> appearance within a few seasons." [I've never been able to get this
> to work; just what is supposed to happen? If I press 'o' on the
> opening screen, the tutorial starts.]
I've never managed to get this to work either, I've tried it on both Mac and PC...
> Q
> How do I make a screen shot? I'd like to frame a picture of my new
> King's Stead!
>
> A
> Yes, you can satisfy your royal decorating urges.
> - On a PC, press the 'Print Screen' key. A bitmap of the current
> screen will be copied to your clipboard, which you can paste into
> the windows Paint accessory.
> - On a Mac (apparently) Command+Shift+Control+4 does the
> same thing (and people say EMACS is bad...).
Command+Shift+3 (whole screen) or Command+Shift+4 (selected area) saves the image to a PICT file. Command+Shift+Control+[3 or 4] saves it to the clipboard.
> [Short Game]
> Q
> How long do I have to hold the king/queenship to win?
>
> A
> Ten years. Consecutive years. Ten golden years.
Do they have to be consecutive years? I remember this being discussed a while ago, can't remember the conclusion...
> Q
> What is a small/average/enormous gift to another clan?
>
> A
> As a basic rue of thumb, 10 cows is miserly, 20 is customary, 30
> cows is generous. Again, this is highly dependent on relative
> strengths of your clan and the other, your leader's skill, active
> blessings, treasures and heroquests. Note that treasures, even
> "worthless" ones, are highly thought of.
Am I right in thinking 40 goods/cows is a standard price for a treasure? It always seemed a bit cheap to me...
> Q
> Everyone hates my guts! Help!
>
> A
> There are several approaches to this, depending on your clan's
> orientation. You can dig in and trust in the powers of the terrible
> and grim or you can travel the path of the trader and the sage. In
> dire straits, don't forget the wisdom of the cows: even the angriest
> male will ever follow.
And there's always the Chalana Arroy heroquest. :)
> Q.
> I keep losing parties! Help!
>
> A.
> Exploring Dragon Pass for Farmers:
> - Use Vinga's Pathfinder blessing
Does the Odaylian blessing (Tracking, I think?) help?
> Sometimes, even the biggest, most prepared parties go astray. I've
> lost a huge party exploring my tula!
No shit! I had a huge party - 5 thanes, 30 footmen, led by an Issarian with Heroic Bargaining and Very Good combat disappear without a trace on my own tula (after having explored it numerous times). I found a couple of bones a few years later... :(
> Q.
> I can't build more than a shrine to my favorite God! What's going
> on?
>
> A.
> First, check that you have enough trade goods. Shrines cost 10
> goods, Temples [40?--check], Great Temples, 100. If you don't
Temples cost 50.
> Also, some Gods are better than other Gods. That is, many Gods
> only can have a shrine, some a temple and some a great temple.
> The list is:
> Shrine: Ancestors, Barntar, Maran Gor, Odayla, Vinga
> Temple: Chalana Arroy, Lhankor My, Uralda, Urox
> Great Temple: Ernalda, Humakt, Issaries, Elmal, Orlanth
Odayla can have a Temple, Lhankor Mhy can have a Great Temple.
> Note that there have been reports of limits to building beyond these
> restrictions. It is unclear if this is a bug or one of the conditions
> above.
I suspect this is down to the number of worshippers.
> Learn HeroQuesting in just 21 Days!
> - Wait a while. Questing too soon after your last attempt greatly
> reduces your chances (a year or so).
Your advisors will councel against a quest if you did one the previous year or the year before that. Not sure how risky it is to try one every other year, but I tend to wait three years, just to be on the safe side.
> - Direct worshipers also have the best chance. Note that Vingans
> count as Orlanthi.
It seems this also holds for your clan leader (if you're playing an Orlanthi clan).. I don't think this is mentioned in the manual.
> - Some treasures can help.
Ooh, which treasures??
> Q.
> Who is...
>
> A.
> ...my warleader: The ring-member with the highest combat score.
> ...my lawspeaker: Ditto, for custom.
According to the manual, a worshipper of a war god (Elmal, Urox, Humakt, Vinga) will sometimes take preference over another ring member with a higher combat score. Likewise, a Lhankor Mhy worshipper is preferred for lawspeaker.
> Q.
> How do I get new nobles?
>
> if the omens say that children born in a year will have great
> destinies, it appears that the children of that year produce more
> nobles (so spend points on children during sacred time).
I've only had this happen once, I got two nobles 15 years later, both had very high abilities.
> There is a treasure that can help.
Which treasure? Where can I get this? Waant!! ;)
> Finally, an event can bring you a babe with Heroic potential.
I take it you're thinking of Kallyr?
> Q.
> Which shrines should I build?
>
> A.
> This varies so widely with play style that it impossible to give one
> answer. However, most agree that building a Barntar shrine (with
> either of Vigour or Plowsong) is important. Chalana Arroy is critical
> too, for both healing and curing.
It's usually enough to build a shrine, then you can switch between Healing and Curing depending on your situation.
> Later in the game, either Humakt and Maran Gor or Issaries and
> Lhankor My will become very important.
Or all of them. :) I tend to build all 6 Great Temples as soon as I can, and whatever other shirnes and temples I can support...
> Q.
> What effects do the various traditional enemies have?
>
> A.
> Trolls: There are several families of Dark Men in Dragon Pass,
> which the game tracks just as it does the other clans. They are
> all your enemies. Also, there is one area of the map you should
> definitely avoid. Several treasures can greatly help you. I think
> that one treasure, in particular, will only appear in a troll-enemy
> game [the iron spike].
No, I got this in a game where I had the Praxians as my enemy.
> Tada the Green: The nomads of eastern Prax will harry your
> steads, much like the horsepeople of the west. You can take the
> fight to them, but they have strong magic which can scour your
> tula and kill ring members. Towards the end of the long game,
> great help can come from humble beginnings.
Are you thinking of Derik the Praxian-Fighter?
>[Do you piss off the Uroxi too? Not sure.]
Not that I've noticed...
> The Salty Sea: Floods, wiping out crops and drowning your people
> and herds will be a constant problem.
You also get the weirdo who wants your help with the salmon heroquest - can have very nice effects. :)
> Q.
> OK, spoil me. Where should we explore first?
>
> A.
> The Quivin mountains are quite nice, as are the Dragonewt wilds. A
> first visit to the utter west can also be very profitable but is
> extremely dangerous. Don't forget your own tula too.
Kero Fin. Tarsh.
> Q.
> What does that crazy reptile want with its questions about what we
> think is important?
>
> A.
> What happens after he leaves? The gift will eventually lead to an
> important choice. Think well on your answer to its question and
> you will be mightily rewarded. The reptile is a magisaur by the way,
> not a 'newt.
Does this event lead to the Earthshaker eggs?
OK, maybe that was more than a few comments... So sue me! ;)
NH.
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