When you get close enough, a gnome will start kicking a dog to death. The dog can join your party (it’s an excellent melee fighter), so you might want to step in and either buy the dog from the gnome, or intimidate the gnome into leaving.
If you want the dog in your party, you should head for it first thing in Ashbury so the gnome doesn’t kick it to death when you’re not looking.
2 – Ashbury Hostelry
3 – City Hall
Outside, you can talk to Chester Miller, the mayor. He’ll explain that he’s in a bind, that the town wants to build a statue to Lord Bettington, but that the townspeople can’t decide anything about it. Agree to help.
Inside City Hall, as soon as you get close enough to the podium, the people nearby will start asking you questions. Depending on your Intelligence and Persuasion, they’ll either like or dislike your answers. You’ll need at least 10 Intelligence for the quest, and more is better, so buy an Essence of Intellect from the elven trader (#24) if necessary, and then use it just before reaching the podium. You should have just enough time to answer all the questions before the potion wears off.
Here are the best answers:
“It is right and fitting that Ashbury should honor its heroes.”
“Hierarchical design principals require a central location.”
“An issue of municipal bonds would easily raise the funds.”
“We will bid the project competitively and take the lowest bidder.”
“Probably a metal statue of some kind. It will last longer.”
“Take an inch and you have a mile.”
Other answers might work if your Persuasion is high enough. If the townspeople like all of your answers you’ll receive 2300 experience, and you’ll earn the reputation as an Orator of Ashbury. The more questions you get wrong, the less experience you’ll receive.
4 – Side Arms and Saltpeter
5 – Fenwick’s Fine Clothing and Accoutrements
6 – Ashbury Premium Armature
7 – The Crooked Staff
8 – Ashbury Sundries
9 – Evil Witch’s House
If you’re good-aligned, the evil witch will attack you when you approach her house.
10 – Good Witch’s House
If you’re evil-aligned, the good witch won’t do anything when you approach her house. Does that seem fair?
11 – Peony’s Fyne Herbs
12 – Kendrick Wales’ House
The first time you talk to him, Wales will let you know that he’s the author of The Curse of T’sen-Ang, but he won’t tell you anything about the book. Later you’ll get to read a copy of the book, and learn how Wales picked up the information to write it.
13 – Scientist’s House
Outside the house, you can talk to Theodore. He’ll tell you that he contracted a piece of platemail from the scientist who lives in the house (but who hasn’t been seen in a fortnight), and he’ll ask you to go inside the house and fetch it for him. You can find the platemail in the house’s basement, guarded by an automaton. In the chest with the platemail you can find a schematic that will allow you to make your own automatons.
When you give the platemail to Theodore, you’ll receive 800 experience and 200 (or 300) gold. Since the basic machined plate is pretty good, and the reward is pretty bad, you might want to keep it for yourself if you have a technological aptitude.
Geoffrey is a necromancer studying Ashbury’s cemetery because of the “zombie problem” it has. He’ll tell you that a famous necromancer named Malachi Rench is buried beneath the cemetery, and that some powerful artifact probably got buried with him, causing the current problem. At the end of the conversation he’ll ask you to deliver the artifact to him, and, if you’re evil, he’ll even join you.
After you’ve explored beneath the mortuary (#16) and found the Gem of Malachi Rench, you can give it to Geoffrey for 1500 experience and 500 gold.
16 – Mortuary
You can find a pair of fire elementals inside. They’re guarding an Inferno Hammer, but they’re probably more trouble than they’re worth, since any time you attack them you’ll damage your weapon, and any time they attack you they’ll damage your armor. They’re also tough to kill.
Beneath the mortuary, there are three levels of passages. At the end of the third one you should find the Gem of Malachi Rench lying on the ground. Nearby in a coffin you can pick up the Mace of the Damned.
Theo is a Throwing expert. He’ll give you a couple easy but annoying quests:
Kill the three pigs that have been damaging his crops. The pigs are located to the west, but they’re good-aligned creatures, and so any good-aligned companions you have will complain when you attack them. So tell them to wait, and then attack the pigs. When you return to Brightstart after completing the task, you’ll receive 1700 experience and 50 (or 75) gold.
Put the boulders into the cart. The boulders are big (8×8) and heavy (4000-5000 stone), so you might want to skip the quest or come back to it when you’re stronger. Once you’ve put all five boulders in the cart and returned to Theo, you’ll receive 1700 experience and 50 (or 100) gold.
19 – Gypsy
20 – William Thorndop
Thorndop is the Firearms Master. He’s also of the Halcyon Order, and he’ll tell you how the order helped him to start his penance (for all the years of selfishly using guns) by removing his thumbs and index fingers. He’s carrying a Looking-Glass Rifle, but, obviously, don’t kill him to get it.
21 – Ashbury Prison
Inside the prison you’ll find Guido Lightouch and Jerrold Aymes. If you post their bail, they’ll offer to train you to expert status in Pickpocket and Backstab, respectively.
22 – The Meager Draught
If you run through all of the rumors with the bartender, one of them will put the Ancient Temple on your world map.
23 – Raymond’s Fine Spectacles
If you didn’t get a pair of Wheel Clan spectacles from Thorvald on the Isle of Despair, you can get Raymond Pierce to make them in his shop. Just ask him what sorts of wares he carries, and then ask him to make you some custom spectacles. He’ll charge you 1000 gold and also require a Kathorn Crystal.
24 – Elven Trader
Among other things, the elven trader sells Li’tani, which is required for the Ancient Gods quest.
25 – Barrel
The barrel contains The Hand by Frederick Von Hapsgood. You might need the book when you travel to the Isle of Despair. Just make sure you don’t upset Edward Teach (#26) when you open the lock on the barrel, since you’ll need Teach to get to the isle. If you have to pick the lock, first stand on the other side of Teach and talk to him. That will turn him around, preventing him from seeing the chest.
26 – Edward Teach
He’ll take you to the Isle of Despair. If you worked with Gilbert Bates in Tarant then he’ll take you for free. Otherwise you’ll have to pay 500 gold. Also, realize that you can only visit the island once, so it’s a good idea to save your game before you leave.
27 – Sea Captain
For a price, he’ll give you passage to a variety of cities. But you must have visited the cities or have a reason for visiting them first.
I love RPGs, MMOs, and weird little indie games. Anything that lets me build and decorate or just has a really good story. I've spent hundreds of hours in Bethesda games and even more time modding them. I also play a lot of World of Warcraft.
