From: Iain Noble <71154.3234@CompuServe.COM>
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.sega
Subject: Shining the Holy Ark Walkthru V.2
Date: 18 Jul 1997 19:25:34 GMT

SHINING THE HOLY ARK WALKTHRU Version 2

This is an excellent RPG. The only drawback is that the "dungeons" are very
large and there are no Save Points within the dungeons. However with a bit
of planning it is possible to keep your characters alive and earning
Experience. But don't think that you can do any of the dungeons in one go,
except for the first one. Use the Angel Wing, or the Return Spell, to return
to a village, restore and save. Fortunately, even if the whole party is
defeated, you won't lose the items and Exp points that you have gained since
the last save. The pixies are very useful for a pre-emptive strike,
especially when you have found a number of them. I used the Leprechauns as
my default setting, particularly in caves or forests but I always changed to
the Pixies when opening a chest or crypt in case anything sprang out of it.
I also used the Auto Battle setting most of the time as the characters were
better at judging strategy than I was. It took me 55 hours but that included
checking everything and I still only got a 92% item collection total -
better luck to you.

DESIRE MINE Sent by Rilix, the King's advisor, Hero, Melody and Forte enter
the mine and defeat Rodi. Unfortunately at the end of the battle an escape
pod carrying three Spirits crashes into the mine and there is a cave-in. An
evil spirit takes over Forte and he disappears. Hero, Melody and Rodi are
badly injured and to save them the three Spirits infuse their bodies. Rodi
has also lost his memory and cannot remember why he was sent to the mine by
Sabato the sage. The party makes its way out of the mine. (Please note that
"searching" should be done on all sides of a rock, pillar, hole, etc. or as
much as you can get to). Items - Herb x4, Iron circlet, Leather glove, 160
gold coins.

DESIRE VILLAGE Talk to everyone and search everywhere. Agree to travel with
the halfling. The party can't get a room at the Pub until after they have
bumped heads with Basso and Lisa. Talk to the halfling in your room. Agree
to find the lost dog for the boy outside the church. Items - Quick chicken,
Arcane garlic.

FOREST OF CONFUSION Explore and search (every side of every tree) . When you
get to the pond, collect the pooch and take him back to the kid in the
village. Then go back into the Forest, to the pond and then through the
cemetery. First Boss - Wraith. (Get Energy bread). Meet with the halfling
who turns out to be a Ninja called Doyle and Rodi's right hand man. He puts
a mask on Rodi, and unlocks the crypt to reveal a secret path. Items - Herb
x2, Wooden staff, Bronze shell, Angel wing x2, Energy bread, Lucky cookie,
Middle shield.

FOREST CAVE Make your way through, checking every hole, rock, pillar, alcove
(you get the idea). Items - Antidote herb x2, Bronze staff, Feather robe,
Bronze brace, Herb, Magic nectar, Mithril ore, Angel wing, Scale suit.
Eventually you will reach the town of Enrich. Go to the pub and talk to
everyone. When you come out the first time a young lady in red with white
hair zaps the dog and then disappears (Elise). Talk to everyone in the town
- the rumour-monger will also get zapped by the young lady but not until she
has given you lots of information. You can only get into 2 houses but talk
and search in them both.

CASTLE Against everyone's better judgment you go up to the Castle. Have a
look round before you go into the throne room. Item - Stamina onion. After
an unpleasant interview you are dropped into the dungeon. Doyle appears (on
the ceiling, these Ninjas are versatile) and unlocks the door. Items - Herb,
Fairy powder. He tells you how to escape, through the well and the waterway.
In the dungeon well you will find the key for the doors. One door leads to
Sabato who gives you a task and more information. The other door leads to a
treasure chest.

ENRICH DUNGEON Work your way through the dungeon. You need to find the Goat,
Snake and Eagle crests to get into new areas. There is an exit to the town
via the town well so you can restore and save (but you have to walk there as
the return spell and item don't work). The monsters are chunky so don't go
too far each time; it's best to return when the Magic Points run out.
Eventually you will find the key to the Aborigine Mansion and receive
obscure instructions on how to find Galm. It's a good idea to write them
down. Items - Antidote herb, Iron brace, Power juice, Potion, Slash dagger.
Go back to town, talking to Sabato on the way. The two mercenaries in the
pub have disappeared, presumably on their way to the Mansion and the little
boy asks you to find his father who is one of them. (As there is a limited
number of items you can carry, including equipment, you can pawn rare items
which you have no immediate need for, such as the Crystal Key, at the Tool
Shop).

FOREST OF ABORIGINE Check every tree... Don't bother to do the Cemetery yet.

ABORIGINE MANSION Explore and check. The green doors with broken door knobs
can be smashed open using the Dash action. Basso will join your party (slow
but powerful). Find the Old Key which will open the red doors. Find the Holy
water to use in the room with the floating furniture. Pick up the Book and
use it on the bookshelf with a gap in it. Then collect the Wind-up Key for
the clock. Boss - Time Warrior. After you defeat him use the lever in the
room he came out of to open the door in the graveyard catacombs. Items -
Iron shell, Broadsword, Royal crest, Potion, Fairy powder, Druids robe, Holy
water, Old key, Wind-up key, Mithril ore, Silver tiara, Power staff, Steel
suit.

CEMETERY Check every tree, tombstone and crypt. Find the stairs to the
catacombs. Items - Chain mail, Power shield, Angel wing, Steel sword.

CATACOMBS Explore and check. Go up the stairs. Boss - Vampire. After you
defeat him, Galm appears and after talking to you tells you to go to the
South Shrine and gives you the Gravity Stone. (Sell the Aborigine key and
the Old key). Items - Fairy powder, Lucky cookie, Quick chicken, Protect
milk, Haste ring, Potion..

MOUNTAIN CAVE Very long and very tortuous. The snake keeps on blocking your
path so you have to detour through frozen areas where you slide on the ice.
(Warning - some very nasty enemies appear from the holes in the ice so put
the right or left pixies on). You will have to fight the Tail Viper three
times. After the third battle with it the Head Viper (Boss) will immediately
appear before you have a chance to heal the party. It's very easy to be
defeated at this point. Items - Life ring, Lucky cookie, Power brace,
Mithril ore, Potion.

FAR EAST VILLAGE Rodi's home village. Full of Ninjas hanging around being
enigmatic. Again talk to everyone and check everywhere. Upgrade your
equipment, looking at the sale items as well as the usual stuff. If you have
enough money you may be offered special equipment that is not listed. You
will be told more about your destiny.

SOUTH SHRINE It's very easy to get lost, and confused here. The only good
news is that you don't get attacked while on the ceiling. Find the Magic
Mattock in B2 on the East side. The only way to get into the North side on
1F is via the spiral and the ceiling. Make your way through the shrine on
the floor and the ceiling; although it looks very complex, there is usually
only one route you can follow. You will reach a place where there is a gate
for which you need a key. The Stone Key is in B1, south side on the ceiling,
in a crypt. Open the gate and continue until you find B1, centre. I leave
you to work out the puzzle (the only hint is - Aquamarine is 1). When you go
to pick up the sword, a Witch (Boss) appears. After defeating her, pick up
the sword and exit the shrine. Items - Shield tiara, Elixir, Angel wing,
Protect milk, Quick chicken, Stone key, Dragon orb, Mithril ore, Arcane
garlic, Power juice, Magic mattock, Critical juice, Energy bread.

FAR EAST VILLAGE Heal, save and pawn anything you don't need. When you visit
the Master of the village, various characters burst in. Akane will join the
party to guide you into the Enrich throne-room. (As this is the first time
you have reserve team members, you will be relieved to know that all the
party, including the reserves, get the Exp points).

ENRICH DUNGEON and CASTLE Return to Enrich and go into the waterway. Make
your way to the Northeast of the dungeon until you find the pier where Akane
summons the magic boat. Warning - once in this area there is NO way to get
out; as there are 2 major battles in the throne-room it might be worth
saving your Magic Points. Items - Life candle, Brave apple, Potion. When you
reach the throne-room, you will fight 2 Evil Spirits (Bosses), and then
Rilix and 2 Evil Spirits. This is probably the toughest battle so far. After
Rilix is defeated, Panzer takes her away to Godspeak. You receive the thanks
of the King and more information from Sabato, now reinstated as the King's
advisor. Forte joins the party. Pop down into the dungeaon where all the
doors are now open and find the Light of Hope. Go into town and talk to
everyone. (At some point Doyle will join your party but only if you look for
him. Go to Far East village; if the Master talks about Doyle, then go to
Desire Village where Doyle is disguised as a tree).

WEST SHRINE Use the Sacred Sword to break the magic barrier and make your
way through the dungeon using the turtles, and geyser lifts. Find the Eyes
of Truth (they actually reveal an invisible path) and try them when standing
at the north end of the island with the slates . When you walk across the
path, you will immediately be attacked by the King Snail (Boss). After you
defeat him, Galm appears with Lisa whom he has rescued from Elise. Lisa
joins the party. Pick up the Mirror Shield. (Try for Doyle if you haven't
already found him). Items - Goddess tears, Potion x2, Heat axe, Mithril
ingot, Elixir, Evil ring, Battle armor.

EAST SHRINE Use the Mirror Shield to break the magic barrier. Make your way
through the shrine up the plant ladders, picking up the first four Crystal
pieces (rod, shield, eyes and scales). You will need to fall down some of
the holes to get further. Use the Crystal items on the statues holding the
stone tablets. This will re-activate the Water of Life. Then use the Crystal
Jug on the Water of Life and take it up to the fourth floor. Warning - when
you use the Crystal Jug (full of the Water of Life) on the withered plant,
it will immediately attack you. (No gratitude). Mad Blossom and 4 Spit Seeds
(Bosses). After you defeat them, pick up the Holy Pendant (aka Serpent's
Tooth). (Try for Doyle if you haven't already found him). Items - Mithril
ore, Holy crest, Mithril ingot x2, Life candle, Goddess tears x2, Lucky
cookie, Holy rain, Fairy powder, Power juice, Elixir x2, Power juice,
Stamina onion.

TOWER OF ILLUSION Go back to Enrich Castle and talk to Sabato and the King.
The doors to the Mural room will open and you can get into the triangle on
the wall. Talk to everyone in Mirage Village and upgrade your equipment.
Items - Stamina onion, Elixir, Protect milk Solve the riddle of the stone
tablets (this is the most difficult/irritating puzzle so far, the complete
solution is at the end of the walkthru). Make your way through the first
floor using the levers to change the direction of the water flow. Pick up
the Lunar Shard. Get to the lever on the centre of the north wall. This will
bring down the main stairs to the second floor. Work your way up the floors
until you find the Moon bas-relief and use the Lunar Shard; the ceiling will
come down and you can then activate the stairs to the next floor. Then find
the chest with the Solar Shard on 6F and take it to the second floor and use
it. All the water in this area will drain away and you will find a spiral to
get onto the ceiling (you don't need the gravity stone). Then drop down (up)
the holes until you reach the area that was blocked off on the top floor. As
soon as you walk into this area Blader (Boss) attacks you. He is fast and
attacks twice in each round; try and keep everyone alive. Then stand on the
circle in the floor and you will be transported to the High Priest who
performs the Evolution Ceremony. Items - Elixir x2, Force blade, Mithril
ingot, Power juice, Potion, Dragon mail, Protect milk, Angel's robe, Light
of hope, Holy rain, Energy bread, Shining mail, Elemental orb.

GODSPEAK Go into Desire Mine through the opening that you exited from at the
beginning. Work your way through the mine on the ore carts (beware the Cart
Ghosts). You need to change 2 points to progress further. Items - Potion,
Mithril ingot x3, Royal circlet, Demon claw, Elixir x3, Demon staff, Shining
sword, Goddess tears. Then you arrive in Godspeak and meet Rilix and 2 Evil
Vampires (Bosses). After defeating them, Galm appears and then Panzer
activates the Holy Ark. Then you fight Panzer and 2 Evil Bodies (Bosses). At
this point you will need Hero to be at level 28/29 and the others just a
little lower. If you get beaten (as I did the first time) go to the East
Shrine and find a place where a Hattari - 3333 Exp points + 999 from 10
Leprechauns - always appears. You should be able to get everyone's levels up
quite quickly; plus they occasionally drop Dragon orbs.
 
Eventually Hero walks off into the sunset.

PIXIES (44 out of a possible 50)
Pixies:
Maple (Forest of Confusion - pond)
Cherry ( Desire Village, on return of dog)
Willow (Forest Cave, B1, South side)
Palm (Mountain Cave, B1 - water)
Apple (Far East Village - barrel)
Lime (Enrich dungeon, B1 - jar)
Pear (West Shrine, 1F, east - water)
Baldric (Desire Mine, 3F - jar)
Fairies:
Daisy (Forest of Confusion - tree)
Iris (Forest Cave, B1, North Side - limestone pillar)
Camellia (Enrich Dungeon, B2 - alcove)
Peony (Forest of Aborigine, graveyard - tree)
Sisal (West Shrine, 1F, west - water)
Mimosa (East Shrine, 1F - tree trunk)
Primrose (Tower of Illusion, 4F - stone statue)
Clyde (Desire Mine, 2F - alcove)
Succubi:
Muran (Desire Mine, inside - alcove)
Dahlia (Enrich Town - alley wall)
Roberia (Enrich town well - alcove)
Orlea (Aborigine Mansion - painting)
Ripanos ( Mountain Cave, B1 - alcove)
Kathorea (South shrine, 1F, North - alcove)
Viola (Mirage Village - wall)
Lunaria (Tower of Illusion, 1F - alcove)
Natasha (Desire mine, 2F - alcove)
Incubi:
Lantano (Desire Village - box)
Enjewel (Forest Cave, B2 - rock)
Masakari (Enrich Town - fireplace)
Krupis (Forest of Aborigine, graveyard - crypt)
Liknis (Aborigine Mansion - painting)
Cypress (South shrine - crypt)
Aster (Enrich Dungeon, B2 - chest)
Adonis (West Shrine, 2F - grey pillar)
Croton (Tower of Illusion, 1F - stone statue)
Leprechauns:
Dana (Desire Mine, outside - wall)
Tak (Forest Cave, B2 - hole)
Morgan (Enrich Dungeon, B2 - treasure chest)
Kokus (Forest of Aborigine, graveyard - tombstone)
Zircon (Aborigine Mansion - pendulum)
Mangus ( Mountain Cave, 2nd icy area - treasure chest)
Darbie (South shrine, B1, south side - statue)
Solo (East shrine, 3F - stone pillar)
Stilt (Mirage Village - desert)
Eric (Tower of Illusion, 5F - alcove)

Plus the ones I didn't find - Lacey (Graveyard cataconbs, B1), Lily
(Mountain cave), Azalea (Far East Village), Plum (East shrine) and 2
others. My thanks to Hooi-Hong Lee (hhlee@sprynet.com) for his list of
items and pixies. Has anyone found the last two, incubus 10 and pixie 9?
Also three major puzzles remained at the end; is it possible to get
Freddie (Julian's father) out of Mirage Village? did anyone find the
little girl or had Elise eaten her? what was the significance of the
"suspicious looking wall" in the Castle?

Ann Noble
71154.3234@compuserve.com

Solution to the Tower of Illusion
The Tower is north. Stand on the first tablet (closest to the village).
Turn to the left and walk to the SW corner. Do not turn round but stay
facing the same way (out of the square). Press the B button and move 4
steps to the right. This will land you on the left-hand tablet and you
should hear a click. Turn to face the Tower and walk round to the NE
corner. Do not turn round but stay facing the same way (out of the
square). Press the B button and move right 4 paces. This will take you
to the right-hand tablet and you should hear a click. Stay facing the
same way and walk backwards 4 paces to the centre tablet. Again you
should hear a click. Assuming that you have heard 3 clicks, turn to face
the Tower and walk forwards to the top tablet. The Tower should now
appear. If you don't hear the clicks, shuffle around on the central row
of tablets until it works.

Thanks to Falcon (71055.312@compuserve.com) for helping me with this.