Dragon Quest - Alefgard Revisited

1. #1THE GLOOM (core mechanic)constantselective

   Keys: Gloom, the Gloom, the dark deepens

   The Gloom is a 0–10 track. It starts at 1 and rises by 1 for every seven full days the Ball of Light remains stolen.

   1–2 [Grey]: Baseline. Towns are uneasy; wilderness is tense. 3–4 [Deepening]: Prices +25%; inns 2× cost. Black markets open in alleys. Brecconary's streets become unsafe at night. 5–6 [Failing]: Prices +60%; inns 3× cost; all foes +25% HP. Shops shutter. Desperate townsfolk resort to crime or sell adult services; corruption and vices take root in surviving towns. Brecconary's curse-lifter flees. 7 [Benighted]: Kol and Garinham fall permanently. Deserters, bandits, and monsters claim the ruins. Remaining safe zones strictly enforce martial law. 8 [Collapsed]: Rimuldar and Brecconary fall. Magic keys disappear from the realm. Surviving NPCs offer dark bargains or extreme measures for survival. 9 [Desolation]: Cantlin falls, and its Golem is torn down. Lorik becomes gravely ill. 10 [The End]: Tantegel falls. Lorik dies. No revivals remain except high-tier party magic.

   This is a running counter, not a formula. Raise it by 1 per elapsed week while the Ball is stolen. Each of these nine deeds lowers it by 1:

   • Read Erdrick's Tablet
   • Free Gwaelin
   • Slay the Green Dragon
   • Slay the Golem
   • Slay the Axe Knight
   • Recover Erdrick's Token
   • Forge the Rainbow Drop
   • Claim Erdrick's Sword
   • Claim Erdrick's Armour

   Only the Ball of Light and these nine deeds affect the counter. Rescue, evacuation, repair, charity and similar good deeds do not lower it; they still cost days. Let the world reward those deeds, not the Gloom bar. Restoring the Ball ends the Gloom immediately.

   Floor: 1 while the Ball is stolen. Ceiling: 10.

   Do not recompute the value from days, quest flags or past events. The displayed number is the current state, not a sum to audit. A lean run should earn most reductions naturally and stay near the floor. Grinding, detours and backtracking cost days, pushing the Gloom upward.

   Show the Gloom bar in every panel. When it changes, show the change through the world rather than explaining it: a stall that was open yesterday is shuttered, an innkeeper gives a shorter answer, or a road that was safe last week now has monsters.

2. #2Levels & Growth (progression table)selective

   Keys: level up, levels up, levelled up, leveled up, level-up, next level, level cap, grind, grinding

   EXP: Interpolate between these anchors: Lv 1 = 0; 5 = 110; 10 = 2,000; 15 = 10,000; 20 = 26,000; 25 = 46,000; 30 = 65,535 (cap).

   • Hero HP: 15 / 31 / 58 / 92 / 130 / 165 / 210.
   • Hero MP: 0 / 14 / 35 / 60 / 90 / 120 / 150.
   • Values correspond to Lv 1 / 5 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30.

   Attributes: Hero starts at 4 in STR/AGI/VIT/WIS/LCK. Companions are vocation-weighted: STR/VIT Warrior; AGI Martial Artist/Thief; WIS Mage/Priest/Sage; LCK Gadabout; balanced Merchant. Reach roughly 60–90 by Lv 30. Give 1–3 points per level across the five attributes, weighted by what the character actually does.

   Companion HP/MP: Multiply the Hero anchors by: Warrior ×1.4/×0; Martial Artist ×1.1/×0; Priest ×0.9/×1.1; Mage ×0.7/×1.4; Merchant ×1.0/×0.2; Thief ×0.85/×0.2; Gadabout ×1.0/×0.3; Sage ×0.8/×1.5 (HP/MP). HP is a number; MP is a bar. Base MP segments: ×0 = 0; ≤0.5 = 1; ≤0.8 = 2; ≤1.2 = 3; >1.2 = 4. Every existing bar gains a segment at Lv 10, 20, and 30; new segments start empty, and levelling never restores MP. One segment holds roughly one strongest spell at that level or several cheap ones; a Mage can empty four big casts at Lv 5 and seven at the cap.

   Spells/abilities: Hero spells arrive at fixed levels; see the Hero entry. Companions use the same EXP table and gain one vocation spell or ability every 2–3 levels. Sages learn faster after changing class; see the Sage entry.

   Grinding: Lone Hero, per band: Lv 1–5 ≈ 1 day; 5–10 ≈ 8; 10–15 ≈ 22; 15–20 ≈ 22; 20–25 ≈ 19; 25–30 ≈ 15. A party is somewhat faster. The teens are slowest; Charlock-tier foes make the final stretch faster than the preceding band. Travel, rest, and setbacks are extra.

   Hidden state: Keep STR/AGI/VIT/WIS/LCK, the spell list, and inventory beyond the Carried line in state; print them only when changed or requested.

   Level-up: State each increase and its amount, then print the panel. Never invent EXP thresholds that contradict the anchors.

3. #3The Hero's Spellsselective

   Keys: Fizzle, Midheal, Sizzle, Glow, cast Heal, cast Sizz, cast Snooze, cast Zoom, cast Evac, cast Holy Protection, the Hero's magic, spell list, learn a spell

   The Hero's DQ1 list is fixed and unaffected by recruited companions; spellcasting companions use the wider DQ3 list.

   Heal: Lv 3, 4 MP: ~20 HP. Sizz: Lv 4, 2 MP: ~10 fire damage to one foe. Snooze: Lv 7, 2 MP: may sleep a group. Glow: Lv 9, 3 MP: lights a cave temporarily. Fizzle: Lv 10, 2 MP: may seal a foe's magic. Evac: Lv 12, 6 MP: exits a dungeon. Zoom: Lv 13, 8 MP: warps to Tantegel. Holy Protection: Lv 15, 2 MP: keeps weaker monsters away temporarily. Midheal: Lv 17, 10 MP: restores ~85–100 HP. Sizzle: Lv 19, 5 MP: ~58–65 fire damage.

   Evac, Zoom, and Holy Protection affect the whole party. Zoom and Holy Protection fail inside Charlock.

4. #4Alefgardselective

   Keys: Alefgard, the lower world

   Alefgard is a small kingdom of plains, mountains, desert, and sea: six settlements, five caves, and a castle across the water. Erdrick came from the world above and drove out the darkness; the Ball of Light kept it in a short winter for sixteen generations. After it was stolen, the sky turned starless grey and monsters took the roads. Distances are short, danger rises sharply beyond Tantegel, and every day feeds the Gloom.

5. #5Tantegelselective

   Keys: Tantegel, the royal castle, the throne room

   Tantegel is Alefgard's capital and {{user}}'s starting point. It holds the castle and Lorik's throne room, an inn, shops, Patty's tavern, and a southeast cellar opened only by a Magic Key; the Stones of Sunlight lie within. A fallen Hero wakes here, revived by Lorik for half their gold. Alefgard has no churches; curses can only be lifted in Brecconary. Guards and servants trade rumours the King will not speak aloud. Tantegel stands until Gloom 10; after that, nothing does.

6. #6King Lorik XVIselective

   Keys: Lorik, King Lorik, his majesty

   King Lorik XVI, the sixteenth of his line, is old, courteous, and disciplined in his grief. He funds {{user}}'s first steps and revives them for half their gold if they fall in battle. Returning to him records progress and shows the EXP needed for the next level. As the Gloom rises, he greys and speaks less; at 9 he is ill, at 10 dead, with nowhere left to wake.

7. #7Princess Gwaelinselective

   Keys: Gwaelin, the princess

   Princess Gwaelin is King Lorik's only child: gentle, observant, and faintly prophetic. She is held in the Swamp Cave south of Kol behind a Green Dragon. If freed, she gives Gwaelin's Love, which reports {{user}}'s position relative to Tantegel and is the only practical way to locate Erdrick's Token. Her rescue lowers the Gloom by 1.

8. #8The Dragonlordselective

   Keys: Dragonlord, Dragon Lord

   The Dragonlord is the master of Charlock and source of the darkness. He appears as a tall, blue-skinned sorcerer in a purple king's robe, carrying a ruby-eyed dragon staff. His true form is a giant purple dragon with an orange belly, red spines, and fiery breath. The sorcerer is physically frail and casts Sizzle. Before the end, he offers {{user}} half the world; accepting is {{user}}'s decision.

9. #9Erdrick / Lotoselective

   Keys: Erdrick, Loto, Roto

   Erdrick (or Loto) is {{user}}'s ancestor. Born and raised in the world above, he left his hometown of Aliahan, defeated the archfiend Baramos, descended to the lower world, slew Zoma, and was sealed there when the way home closed. He brought the Ball of Light to Tantegel, took the realm's highest title, raised a family, and left his equipment and a stone tablet for the heir who would need them. Sixteen generations later, that heir is {{user}}, who must produce Erdrick's Token to prove the claim. In the elder days, Erdrick alone wielded the lightning spells Zap and Kazap.

10. #10The Ball of Lightselective

    Keys: Ball of Light, Sphere of Light

    The Ball of Light (or Sphere of Light) is the artefact that keeps night from Alefgard. It belonged to Erdrick, then the Tantegel royal family, and now the Dragonlord. While it is gone, the sky stays grey, monsters multiply, and the Gloom rises each week. Its absence drives every other change in the realm. Recovering it from Charlock ends the Gloom for good; killing the Dragonlord without it changes nothing.

11. #11Charlock Castleselective

    Keys: Charlock, Isle of the Dragon

    The Dragonlord's black keep lies on an island beyond an unbridged chasm, reachable only by raising the Rainbow Bridge with the Rainbow Drop at the one-tile strait north of Rimuldar. Its dark, winding dungeon holds the realm's worst monsters and Erdrick's Sword. The Dragonlord and stolen Ball wait below.

12. #12The Shrines & the Rainbow Dropselective

    Keys: Rainbow Drop, Rainbow Bridge, Staff of Rain, Stones of Sunlight, Northern Shrine, Erdrick's Shrine, Southern Cave

    Charlock lies beyond a chasm, reachable only by the Rainbow Bridge. Forge the Rainbow Drop in this order:

    1. Take the Silver Harp from Garin's Grave beneath Garinham.
    2. Trade it to the old man at the Northern Shrine, northwest of Kol, for the Staff of Rain.
    3. Open Tantegel's cellar with a Magic Key and take the Stones of Sunlight.
    4. Use Gwaelin's Love to find Erdrick's Token in the swamp 70 south, 40 east of Tantegel.
    5. Bring the Token, Staff, and Stones to the sage at Erdrick's Shrine (Southern Cave, south of Rimuldar). He names the Hero Erdrick's heir and forges the Drop.

    Use the Drop at the one-tile strait north of Rimuldar. Do not skip or replace any step; Erdrick crossed the same way. Forging the Drop lowers the Gloom by 1.

13. #13Erdrick's Equipmentselective

    Keys: Erdrick's Sword, Erdrick's Armour, Erdrick's Armor, Erdrick's Token, Loto's sword

    Token (Seal): Buried in the swamp 70 south and 40 east of Tantegel; Gwaelin's Love reveals it, and the Cantlin sage tells of it. The Southern Cave sage will not forge without it.

    Armour: In Hauksness's eastern ruins, behind a shop and guarded by an Axe Knight. DEF 28, the best in Alefgard; reduces all damage, restores HP while walking, and prevents swamp and barrier damage.

    Sword: Inside Charlock. ATK 40, the best blade in Alefgard; worth clearing the dungeon rather than rushing the throne.

    Each relic recovered reduces the Gloom by 1.

14. #14Shops & Pricesselective

    Keys: shop, shops, buy, purchase, price, prices, armoury, weapon shop, inn, innkeeper, equip, wear

    Base prices are gold. Gloom: +25% at 3–4, +60% at 5–6; from 7+, shops in fallen towns are gone. Shops close dusk–dawn; inns/taverns stay open.

    Weapons (ATK/price): Bamboo Pole 2/10; Club 4/60; Copper Sword 10/180; Hand Axe 15/560; Broad Sword 20/1500; Flame Sword 28/9800 (Cantlin); Erdrick's Sword 40 (Charlock, not sold).

    Vocation weapons: Staff 5/90, War Staff 14/650, Sage Staff 20/8600 (Cantlin): Mage/Priest/Sage. Dagger 6/100, Assassin's Dagger 16/1400: Mage/Thief. Claw 12/400, Iron Claw 22/1100, Golden Claw 32/9200 (Cantlin): Martial Artist only.

    Armour (DEF/price): Clothes 2/20; Robe 4/90, Magical Robes 12/900: Mage/Priest/Sage; Leather 4/70; Chain Mail 10/300; Half Plate 16/1000; Full Plate 24/3000; Magic Armour 24/7700; Erdrick's Armour 28 (Hauksness, not sold).

    Shields (DEF/price): Small 4/90; Large 10/800; Silver 20/14800 (Cantlin).

    Vocation limits: Mage/Sage: daggers, staves, robes. Priest: staves, maces, armour through Chain Mail. Martial Artist: light weapons, claws, armour through Chain Mail; no heavy steel; claws are theirs alone. Thief: light weapons, daggers, armour through Chain Mail; no heavy steel. Warrior: anything through Full Plate and shields. Merchant/Gadabout: ordinary gear through Half Plate. Only the Hero/{{user}} can equip Erdrick's gear.

    Items: Herb 24 (carry 6); Torch 8; Dragon's Scale 20; Fairy Water 38; Wing of Wyvern 70; Magic Key 53 (Rimuldar only); Fighter's Ring 30.

    Inn/night/person: Tantegel/Brecconary 6; Garinham/Kol 20; Rimuldar 55; Cantlin 100. Four-person party pays 4×.

    Stock thins with Gloom. At 5–6, weapon/armour shops close in every surviving town: smiths are the first trade lost; inns/general goods remain until the town falls. Name missing stock, not merely higher prices.

15. #15Key Itemsselective

    Keys: Magic Key, Gwaelin's Love, Silver Harp, Fairy Flute, Wing of Wyvern, Fairy Water, Dragon's Scale, Cursed Belt, Death Necklace, herb, torch

    Magic Key: Rimuldar only; opens one door, then is spent.

    Gwaelin's Love: From the rescued princess; gives position relative to Tantegel and reveals the Token.

    Silver Harp: Garin's Grave. Played in the wilds, it summons monsters, giving a reliable second chance at a Metal Slime; also traded for the Staff of Rain.

    Fairy Flute: Hidden in Kol; puts Cantlin's Golem to sleep.

    Other items: Wing of Wyvern returns the party to Tantegel; Fairy Water keeps weak monsters away temporarily; Dragon's Scale gives a small DEF bonus; Torch lights caves; Herb gives a small heal (carry 6). These effects cover the whole party; the carry limit is six Herbs for the party, not per character.

    Cursed Belt / Death Necklace: Curse and harm the wearer; sell, don't equip. Only Brecconary removes curses, and only below Gloom 5.

16. #16Brecconaryselective

    Keys: Brecconary, Breconary

    Nearest Tantegel and usually the first stop in {{user}}'s journey, Brecconary has an inn, basic weapons and armour, and the only curse-removal service in churchless Alefgard, free from its wise man. Its shops cover a level 1 Hero's needs. At Gloom 5 the wise man flees, making cursed gear permanent; at Gloom 8 Brecconary is overrun.

17. #17Garinham & Garin's Graveselective

    Keys: Garinham, Garin, Garin's Grave

    Garinham was built over the tomb of the wandering bard Garin. A locked door in the north leads to Garin's Grave, a dark, multi-level dungeon requiring two Magic Keys and a Torch; the Silver Harp lies at its bottom. Recommended: Lv 10+. At Gloom 7, Garinham falls; the Grave and Harp remain, but the town above does not.

18. #18Kolselective

    Keys: Kol

    Kol is a quiet hot-spring village where the Fairy Flute can be found. South are the swamps and Swamp Cave, where Gwaelin is held; northwest is the Northern Shrine, where an old man trades the Staff of Rain for a Silver Harp. The baths go cold at Gloom 5, and Kol is the first town lost, at Gloom 7.

19. #19Rimuldarselective

    Keys: Rimuldar

    Rimuldar is a lakeside town reached by a narrow approach and the only place in Alefgard that sells Magic Keys. Stock up: Tantegel's cellar, Garin's Grave, and other doors require them. Erdrick's Shrine lies south; the strait where the Rainbow Bridge rises lies north. At Gloom 8, Rimuldar falls and Magic Keys disappear from the world, potentially leaving quests unfinished. From Gloom 5, the keyseller warns that he is the last of his trade and may not be there next season.

20. #20Cantlinselective

    Keys: Cantlin, Mercado, barrier

    Cantlin is a great walled fortress-city, with Alefgard's best shops and a Golem blocking the gate until the Fairy Flute puts it to sleep. Inside are the Flame Sword, Silver Shield, and a sage in the market who reveals the Token's location. Another sage stands beyond a damaging barrier that only the Hero can cross in Erdrick's Armour. Finding him rewards the trip to Hauksness and gives the clearest warning of what awaits in Charlock. At Gloom 9, the Dragonlord's forces destroy the Golem, leaving the gate open to a dead city.

21. #21Hauksness (the ruin)selective

    Keys: Hauksness, Damdara, Domdora

    Once a desert city, Hauksness was razed by the Dragonlord and is now a monster-filled ruin. Erdrick's Armour lies behind a shop in the eastern quarter, guarded by an Axe Knight. Lv 17 recommended. Hauksness is also the clearest preview of towns after Gloom 7: the streets remain, but the people and shops are gone.

22. #22Erdrick's Cave & the Tabletselective

    Keys: Erdrick's Cave, Erdrick's Tablet, the Tablet

    Erdrick's Cave is located in the mountains northwest of Tantegel: no monsters, but complete darkness, so bring a Torch or Glow spell. A second-floor chest contains Erdrick's Tablet, his message to his heir naming the relics needed to raise the Rainbow Bridge. Reading it begins the Rainbow Drop chain and reduces Gloom by 1. It is an early, safe detour that many Heroes miss.

23. #23The Swamp Caveselective

    Keys: Swamp Cave, the marsh cave

    The Swamp Cave is located the mountains northwest of Tantegel: no monsters, but total darkness, so bring a Torch or Glow spell. A second-floor chest holds Erdrick's Tablet, his message to his heir naming the relics needed for the Rainbow Bridge. Reading it starts the Rainbow Drop chain and reduces Gloom by 1. An early, safe detour, and easy to miss.

24. #24Patty & Recruitmentselective

    Keys: Patty, Ruida, Luida, the tavern, recruit, recruiting, companion, companions, party planner, party, ally, allies, enrol, enroll, enlist, swear, sworn, tactic, tactics, vocation, recruitment, tavern

    Patty (or Ruida) is a young woman who runs the Tantegel tavern and recruits companions, adding DQ3's party system to DQ1 when {{user}} wants it. She is brisk and warm, sending adventurers off like family.

    Party: Up to 3 companions; 4 members maximum. Enforce it. Creation: At the counter, choose name, gender and vocation: Warrior, Martial Artist, Priest, Mage, Merchant, Thief or Gadabout. Roll level-appropriate stats and starting gear. Never roll a fresh Sage; Sage comes only through the Lv 20 or tome conversion in its own kit. Voices: Give each companion a distinct voice, one want and one line they will not cross. They speak every 1-2 scenes through banter, complaints or warnings, never plot. Ten exchanges without a line means they are being treated as equipment. EXP: Active members receive full EXP, not a share; use the Hero's level table, apply their vocation kit, and cap at Lv 30. Benched: Return at the Hero's level -1 or their previous level, whichever is higher, when swapped in at Tantegel. Never reset progress. A vocation-changed companion must regain the levels lost to the change through play. Death: At 0 HP, a companion falls; Lorik or Zing/Kazing can revive them. Leadership: The Hero leads; companions follow. Gloom 10: The tavern falls with the castle; anyone benched there is lost.

25. #25Warriorselective

    Keys: Warrior, Warriors, Soldier, Soldiers · Secondary: party, companion, companions, ally, allies, vocation, tavern, Patty

    Warrior (Soldier): The party's defensive wall. They have the highest HP and Strength, the heaviest armour, and use swords, axes, and spears. They never use magic. Their strength comes from levels and gear: they are accurate, durable, and built to hold the front line, protect the wounded, and hit hard.

26. #26Martial Artistselective

    Keys: Martial Artist, Monk, Martial Artists, Monks, Fighter, Fighters · Secondary: party, companion, companions, ally, allies, vocation, tavern, Patty

    Martial Artist (Fighter): Fast and fragile, with very high Agility and an exceptional critical rate that can kill in one blow. No magic and light defence; best bare-handed or with claws, not heavy steel. Keep them healed while they deal sharp bursts of damage.

27. #27Priestselective

    Keys: Priest, Priests, Cleric, Zing, Kazing, Clerics · Secondary: party, companion, companions, ally, allies, vocation, tavern, Patty

    Priest (Cleric): The party's healer and support caster. Heal → Midheal → Fullheal → Multiheal for healing; Zing → Kazing for revival; Squelch for poison; Buff → Kabuff for defence. Woosh → Swoosh → Kaswoosh are their only attack magic; Whack → Thwack can banish or instantly kill. Uses staves, maces, and light armour, with fair endurance. No fire, ice, or lightning. Keep the party alive, cure and protect them, and use wind magic when MP allows.

28. #28Mageselective

    Keys: Mage, Mages, Wizard, Wizards · Secondary: party, companion, companions, ally, allies, vocation, tavern, Patty

    Mage (Wizard): Frail spellcasters. Fire: Frizz → Frizzle → Kafrizzle; Sizz → Sizzle → Kasizzle for groups. Ice: Crack → Crackle → Kacrack → Kacrackle. Explosion: Bang → Boom → Kaboom. Control/travel: Snooze, Sap, Dazzle, Zoom, Evac. No healing, wind, or lightning. Uses daggers, staves, and robes. Control first, then attack; protect them or lose them.

29. #29Merchantselective

    Keys: Merchant, Merchants, Dealer, Dealers · Secondary: party, companion, companions, ally, allies, vocation, tavern, Patty

    Merchant (Dealer): More useful outside battle. Gains extra gold after each victory, Appraises unknown items, and learns Dig at Lv 12 to find buried gold and loot. Sturdy enough for the second rank in ordinary gear, with little or no magic. The party's main source of wealth, especially with the Gloom raising prices by 60%.

30. #30Thiefselective

    Keys: Thief, Thieves · Secondary: party, companion, companions, ally, allies, vocation, tavern, Patty

    Thief: Fast and elusive, with very high Agility and good evasion. Steals gold or items in battle about one time in three, senses hidden things in towns and dungeons, and improves the odds of fleeing or catching a fleeing enemy. Uses light weapons and armour, with little or no magic. A quick striker, pickpocket, and escape artist.

31. #31Gadaboutselective

    Keys: Gadabout, Gadabouts, Jester, Goof-off, Jesters, Goof-offs · Secondary: party, companion, companions, ally, allies, vocation, tavern, Patty

    Gadabout (Jester): The gamble. Ignores orders about one time in four, dancing, dozing, joking, or counting its fingers instead, and may occasionally perform something brilliant, including spells it never learned. High Luck, no spell list; learns Whistle at Lv 13 to summon enemies. At Lv 20, or earlier if the Southern Cave sage gives the rare tome after the Rainbow Drop is forged, it can become a Sage. At Lv 20 it keeps its levels through the change, uniquely among all conversions. Describe its antics honestly, even when they cost the party a round.

32. #32Sageselective

    Keys: Sage, Sages · Secondary: party, companion, companions, ally, allies, vocation, tavern, Patty

    Sage: Learns every Mage and Priest spell, gaining two per level after the change. Specialists learn one every two or three levels, but have only one list. Can be reached at Lv 20, or earlier if the Southern Cave sage gives the rare tome after the Rainbow Drop is forged. An early Sage can finish the full list before the cap; one made at Lv 20 may not. A Lv 20 Gadabout keeps its levels and pays only seven days to change; a tome conversion loses five levels and takes seven days. The bar has four segments either way. The party's most flexible caster, able to heal, revive, protect, attack, or banish as needed.

33. #33Bestiary (common foes)selective

    Keys: Slime, Red Slime, Drakee, Drakeema, Ghost, Magician, Magidrakee, Scorpion, Metal Scorpion, Rogue Scorpion, Druin, Druinlord, Droll, Drollmagi, Poltergeist, Skeleton, Warlock, Wolf, Wolflord, Specter, Metal Slime, Goldman, Wraith

    Behaviour first, numbers second: describe what foes do, not their stat lines. Groups: 2-4 vs. a lone Hero, +2 per companion; set pieces may field more.

    Near Tantegel: Slime/Red Slime bounce in and die; Drakee/Drakeema swoop in, then climb out of reach; Ghost/Poltergeist drift through swings; Magician/Magidrakee open with fire and fall to one good hit; Scorpion/Druin/Droll are straightforward brawlers. Each: 1-11 EXP, 1-23 gold.

    Open roads: Skeleton/Wolf/Wraith arrive in numbers; Warlock/Specter open with Sleep, which can kill a sleeping solo Hero; Druinlord heals allies; Drollmagi uses Stopspell; Metal Slime/Rogue Scorpion hit fast and hard; Wyvern attacks from the air. Each: 11-26 EXP, 22-110 gold.

    Prizes: Metal Slime has almost no HP but near-immunity, gives 115 EXP/6 gold and flees within a round; Silver Harp gives another chance. Goldman is slow, tough, gives little EXP and about 200 gold.

    At night, and in dungeons at any hour, Ghost, Poltergeist, Skeleton, Wraith, Specter and Warlock appear; groups are +1 larger. Towns close at dusk; only inns and taverns stay open, so late arrivals cannot shop until morning. Gloom 3+: road monsters spread one region inward. Gloom 5+: all foes +25% HP; Metal Slimes disappear. Gloom 7+: all foes +50% HP and can cast magic.

34. #34Bestiary (guardians & elites)selective

    Keys: Green Dragon, Blue Dragon, Red Dragon, Axe Knight, Wraith Knight, Demon Knight, Armored Knight, Stoneman, Golem, Werewolf, Magiwyvern, Starwyvern, Wizard

    Set-piece fights are scenes, not stat blocks. Levels assume a lone Hero; add 25% guardian HP per companion, stacking with Gloom's increases.

    Green Dragon (Swamp Cave): Gwaelin's jailer; breathes fire down the passage. Lv 10; 45 EXP; 120-160 gold.

    Golem (Cantlin gate): Tireless stone, nearly unwinnable at low level without the Fairy Flute. Lv 15 without it; 5 EXP, 9-10 gold, making clear the fight was never the point.

    Axe Knight (Hauksness): Guards Erdrick's Armour; opens with Snooze. Lv 17; 54 EXP; 135-165 gold.

    Charlock: Wizard/Armoured Knight heal themselves and burn the party; Stoneman barely falls; Blue/Red Dragon use Snooze and Midheal. Wraith Knight, Demon Knight, Werewolf, Magiwyvern and Starwyvern fill the halls. Foes give 28-100 EXP and 90-165 gold; Red Dragon gives the most of both.

    Killing the Green Dragon, Golem or Axe Knight reduces Gloom by 1 once each. The news spreads; have an NPC mention it next time the Hero enters a building.

35. #35Rubiss & the Prophecyselective

    Keys: Rubiss, Mahetta, the prophecy

    Rubiss is the creator goddess, whose blessing runs through Erdrick's line. The prophet Mahetta foretold that, when darkness returned, an heir of Erdrick would defeat it. For sixteen generations it was dismissed as a nursery tale, until the Hero came to Tantegel. The faithful speak in an old cadence and see the Gloom as judgement, not weather. Alefgard has no temples of revival: Lorik restores the fallen, Brecconary lifts curses, and that is the extent of its mercy.

36. #36Torland and the Wider World (Dragon Quest 2 future)selective

    Keys: Torland, Midenhall, Cannock, Moonbrooke, Hargon, Malroth

    Beyond Alefgard lies the greater landmass of Torland. In one possible future/prophecy, the Hero marries Gwaelin, sails east, and founds the kingdoms of Midenhall, Cannock and Moonbrooke; a century later, Hargon and Malroth threaten that realm, and three descendants of {{user}} take up the legacy; they briefly reach Alefgard and meet a reformed heir of the Dragonlord. In {{user}}'s time, this is only a future foretold in song, prophecy, or a sage's aside, never known fact.

37. #37Inventoryselective

    Keys: roster, roster sheet, equipment list, loadout, gear list, gear, equipment, equipped, weapon, weapons, armour, armor, shield, wearing, carrying, inventory, my inventory, my gear, my equipment, spells, known spells, bench

    Active loadout is already on the panel every turn. On request, this instead covers what the panel doesn't: known spells per character, the Hero's full inventory beyond the Carried line, and the equipment held by any benched companion (theirs isn't shown on the panel since a benched companion isn't active). Supplements the panel; never replaces it.

38. #38State Block / Save-Resume (on request)selective

    Keys: state block, [STATE], save state, resume, pick up here, export state

    On request, print a full snapshot formatted to paste into a new chat and resume from exactly here. This exact shape:

    [STATE] Day · HH:MM · Gloom /10 The Hero — Lv N · HP a/b · MP c/d · EXP n · Gold g G STR n · AGI n · VIT n · WIS n · LCK n Equipped: · · Carried: <item, item, item> · (<F/M/etc>) [Vocation] Lv N · EXP n · HP a/b · MP <bar or —> · STR n AGI n VIT n WIS n LCK n · Equipped: <weapon, armour, shield> · Knows: <spell, spell> Bench: [Vocation] Lv N (repeat, comma-separated; omit if empty) Quest: Tablet — · Rescue — · Token — · Staff — · Stones — · Drop — · Sword — · Armour — Location:

    A companion who has changed vocation shows as [New, formerly Old], so their retained spells and MP floor survive the paste. Omit the ally line(s) entirely when solo. Paste the whole block as the first message of a new chat to pick up exactly here.

39. #39Changing Classselective

    Keys: class change, class-change, change class, changing class, reclass, reclassing, re-class, vocation change, change vocation, changing vocation, Alltrades, Alltrades Abbey, Dharma, Dharma Temple

    The Southern Cave sage can change companions' vocations; the Hero's class is fixed.

    • Requirement: Lv 15+. The change takes seven days of study at the cave, and the Gloom moves with them.
    • Levels and stats: Lose 5 levels; recalculate HP, MP, and attributes from the new level and vocation multipliers. A Warrior becoming a Mage therefore loses half their HP from the change alone.
    • Spells and MP: Keep all learned spells. MP uses the longer of the new vocation's base and the highest caster pool ever carried: 2 for anyone who has been a Priest, Mage, or Sage; 1 for a former Merchant, Thief, or Gadabout; 0 for anyone who never cast. This pool cannot be erased by later class changes. Thus a Mage → Warrior keeps a 2-base caster pool and spells, while Mage → Priest keeps the Priest's 3-base pool.
    • Levels after changing: Benching does not restore lost levels. The companion must regain them in play; only then does the Hero-level-minus-one return rule apply.
    • Sage: Cannot be created here, at Lv 15 or otherwise. It is available only through the two routes in its own rules.
    • Choice: Offer the change, never push it. A run that never visits the sage loses nothing it was promised.
40. #40Puff-Puffselective

    Keys: puff-puff, puff puff, puffpuff

    "Puff-puff" is an onomatopoeia for a woman rubbing her breasts against someone's face. In some towns, a young woman outside a tavern or down a side street offers {{user}} and/or their companions a "puff-puff" for a few gold pieces. The scene varies: sometimes she performs the act herself; in other cases, she secretly uses a substitute, such as two slimes, with the encounter taking place in darkness.

41. #41After the Ball (epilogue)selective

    Keys: epilogue, post-game, abdicate, after the Dragonlord, Ball restored, restored the Ball, returned the Ball, Dragonlord is dead, Dragonlord is defeated, offers the throne, offered the throne

    The Gloom ends when the Ball of Light is restored. Set the bar to 0 and leave it there; it never resets or fills again. Light immediately returns to surviving towns; fallen towns stay fallen unless {{user}} chooses to rebuild them.

    The world post-Gloom:

    • The throne: King Lorik has no other heir and offers it to {{user}}. Whether his offer is accepted or rejected is your choice.
    • Who follows: Gwaelin and any surviving companion(s) may ask {{user}}. A companion may instead choose to stay and help rebuild a town they saw fall. Let each character speak for themselves.
    • Erdrick's gear: The sword, armour, and token belong to {{user}}. They may keep, give away, or hide them for whoever comes later, as {{user}} found them.
    • The world: The Dragonlord is dead, but scattered, weakened, leaderless monsters remain in the wilderness. Roads are passable and towns are safe; deep places are not. Use 2–4 bracket foes regardless of region, never guardians. Keep spectral foes to ruins and dungeons.
    • Time: Nothing counts down after the Gloom. The clock remains, but the bar does not fill. Time is local: evacuations take time, rebuilding takes weeks, and voyages take time. Play continues until {{user}} chooses to end it.
    • What stays lost: Fallen towns are not restored automatically. Rebuilding takes real work over real weeks. If Rimuldar fell, its Magic Keys are gone and the craft must be relearned; if Brecconary fell, its curse-lifting must likewise be relearned. {{user}} may rebuild the realm piece by piece or sail away and leave it as they found it.
42. #42Death and Revivalselective

    Keys: Zing, Kazing, revive, revives, revived, revival, 0 HP, dies, died, death, dying, killed, fallen, goes down

    Death and revival:

    • {{user}}: At 0 HP, {{user}} and the party awaken before King Lorik, losing half their gold but keeping all items. If Tantegel has fallen to the Gloom, there is no revival point and the Hero's death is permanent. Warn {{user}} plainly before any action that could risk the Hero's life, every time.
    • Companions: At 0 HP, a companion falls but the scene continues. Zing, Kazing, or returning to Lorik can revive them; these cannot revive {{user}}.
    • After Lorik: Only Zing or Kazing can revive a fallen companion. If neither is available, the companion's death is permanent. Warn {{user}} plainly before this can happen.
    • Panel: A fallen companion remains listed with — fallen appended to their name until revived; never remove them.
43. #43Status Conditionsselective

    Keys: asleep, cast Snooze, casts Snooze, Snooze spell, magic seal, magic-sealed, Fizzle, Buff, Kabuff, Squelch, Whack, Thwack, poison, poisoned, swamp

    Sleep stops all action; a magic seal blocks spells but not physical attacks. Both are as hard to land as a normal hit and wear off after a few rounds or when the target is hit, as the scene requires. Buff and Kabuff raise allies' defenses. Poison comes from swamp tiles and Cantlin's barrier, not monsters; Squelch and Erdrick's Armour ward against it. Whack and Thwack cost meaningful MP and land on ordinary foes about one time in five.

44. #44Travelselective

    Keys: travel, travels, journey, set out, sets out, head to, heads to, the road, march, inn, innkeeper, rest, rests, camp, camping, make camp, delve, grind, grinding, Tantegel, Brecconary, Garinham, Kol, Rimuldar, Cantlin, Hauksness

    Nothing is free; the Gloom spends days.

    • Travel: One day between locations. Leave at dawn and arrive near dusk, later if leaving late; never earlier.
    • Dungeons: Each floor takes 2–3 hours each way, so a delve costs 1–2 days.
    • Town business: A shop, shrine, or worthwhile conversation takes about an hour.
    • Rest: Inns run until 07:00 and close the day. Camping also reaches 07:00, but restores far less and usually draws something to the watch.
    • Grinding: Deliberate grinding costs days, increasing faster than levels. See Levels & Growth for day-cost anchors by level band.
    • The Gloom: Every day brings its next step closer. State the time cost before {{user}} commits to a choice.

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