Part 4

Part 4



Welcome back, everyone. No, this is really the next part of the forest. Take my word for it. Still guards, still trees, still linear topography...



Did I mention Robin Hood can shoot arrows so hard they literally explode people into skeletons?



As usual, the guards are loaded with decent stuff. A gold coin and a loaf of bread might not seem like much, but thankfully if you get hit a lot it's not difficult to find healing items with every other enemy dropping something.

I'm not sure what the point of this stretch of forest is, because it's exactly two clearings wide and features nothing of interest.



This place on the other hand...

(Locksley Castle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QYq...feature=related)

- We are almost there. Just over that hill lies the prettiest castle in all England. Hot food, and real bed. Azeem.... home!



- (I hope he kept up with his insurance...)

- Oh no! Locksley Castle... in ruins!!!!!

- There are evil forces in this land!

- Father!! Where are you?



Erm... Robin shows no reaction to this, for some odd reason. Well, might as well go inside.



So, this is the interior of Locksley Castle. And it plays, what else, the Sherwood Forest music the whole time you're in here.



The weird white things that kind of look like evil cat ponies are apparently wolves. They can appear whenever a border of the screen is moved, and their spawn rate is fairly high in here. After a couple of seconds on-screen, they'll make a lunge towards Robin and then chase him down at average speed.



One arrow is all it takes to destroy them, but if Robin has the leather armor equipped they should be incapable of doing any damage to him at all. Plus, since their hit box is kind of odd, arrows will sometimes miss even when they should hit. Best to switch to the sword so you can save your firepower for better targets.

By the way, there's arrows everywhere in this stage. Literally, I got more than a hundred of them inside and outside the castle. The slaughter of Robin's family sure did leave plenty of spare ammunition.

Here's a couple other bits of unusually murderous wildlife. Don't be surprised if you can't see any of them, because half the time I can't either:



Rats. One of two enemies in here that can actually hurt you. They come at you and bump you around until they explode on you, sometimes dealing one point of damage.



Bats. Just like rats, they self-destruct on you in order to hurt you, but they're nigh inescapable. You're going to get splattered by them.



Lizard... pollywog... things. I couldn't even get them to identify themselves with the Look command. They also charge you, but their self-destruct is worthless for everyone; they can't damage you, and you don't gain any experience from their deaths.



Twenty seconds of ridiculously suicidal critters later, Robin reaches level 3!



A generous boost to all basic stats! Not bad.



Just ahead of Robin is possibly the most unintentionally humorous character in the game.



- Duncan?

- I thought you had abandoned us!

- Duncan, my father..

- Master Robin, you're here... it's a miracle.

- Are you deaf, Duncan... what happened to my father?

- A miracle... a miracle...

- You left him to hang like a common thief! Why didn't you cut him down? Why?

- Easy Robin... look at his eyes...

- They took my eyes, Robin...

- Who? Who did this to you?

- Guy of Gisborne, with the Sheriff and his witch, Mortianna looking on.

- I will not rest until my father's avenged.

- Your father's medallion, the symbol of Locksley, is yours now. Take it. Wear it with the honor your father did... It's not safe here. We had better go before Gisborne returns!



Not exactly the most amusing start, I'll grant you, but take a look at this guy:



Notice that, except for the Medallion in his inventory, this is exactly how Duncan joined my party: Blind and half-crazy in a ruined castle and wielding a leg of meat.

Let's take a look at the Medallion, shall we?



Oh... right. Umm.

Sorry Duncan.

In actuality, the medallion has no description and weighs 1 unit. You can have Robin wear it if you want to, but the leather armor is the better choice. It will serve storyline purposes later, however, so better not lose track of it.



- At least I can give you a decent burial.



(Three seconds of the Game Over music play, and then...)



Poof. No more dead Locksley.

What dangers loom around Robin and his band of... merry... men? What adventures lie before them? Next time, on Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, we-



Duncan NO-