                        THE LEGEND OF ZELDA:
                            MASTER QUEST
                       *** Companion  FAQ ***

                     by Steve Unfred, aka Radien
                        AIM nick: "RadienAIM"
                            ICQ: 2810798

For more help, visit my Hosted Quest Forum here:
http://www.purezc.com/forums/index.php?s=a207a078fc7a818b4e0995e044f1610f&act=SF&f=78


-----------------------------
 GENERAL TIPS AND STRATEGIES
-----------------------------

Since this quest is based on the style of gameplay seen in the
1st and 2nd quests, which are now quite old, some of you may be
used to a rather different style of ZC gameplay by now. However,
many of us still appreciate "old school." My goal has been to
emphasize the fun parts of the old style while fixing the
not-so-fun parts. :)

The best way to prepare for Master Quest is to replay Zelda 2nd
Quest... or perhaps even to replay BOTH of the original Zelda
quests. However, many of you will not want to do that. If this
is you, then read on!

The following is a list of old Zelda strategies. They were in
the original two quests, and they still hold true in Master
Quest. After that section, I'll introduce some new strategies,
and then a short list of things that are different from the
original 1st and 2nd quests.


== OLD ZELDA WISDOM -- OVERWORLD ==

(All of the following is always, or almost always true)

1. On the overworld, bomb rock faces to find caves. Bomb, bomb,
and bomb some more.

2. Burn green bushes to find stairs. Burn, burn, and burn again.

3. Play the whistle sometimes, as it will occasionally (though
rarely) make stairs appear.

4. Overworld screens that once had a secret passage on them in
the 1st or 2nd quest will sometimes -- but NOT always -- have a
secret passage in the same place.

5. Boulders and graves are often for pushing. (Note: in the
original, overworld boulders could only be pushed up and down;
now all pushable rocks are four-directional)

6. Regardless of their new locations, the whistle will take you
to the ORIGINAL locations of all 8 of the Triforce dungeons. The
matching warps are determined roughly by corresponding dungeon
location, rather than the level number.

7. You will always be rewarded for buying and acquiring as much
equipment as possible before entering the next level. Some
useful items to find and/or buy are the the Blue Candle, the
Magic Shield, the Arrow, the Bait, the Blue Ring, the White
Sword, and the Magic sword.

8. Also remember that there are four additional Heart Containers
that can be found somewhere on the overworld. On top of the
three you start with, you can have a maximum of 16 hearts.


== OLD ZELDA WISDOM -- UNDERWORLD ==

(All of the following is always, or almost always true)

1. In rooms with blocks, sometimes pushing a block will open a
shutter or make a stairway appear. According to tradition,
Master Quest uses "template rooms" -- rooms with block
formations you've seen before in the original Zelda. As a
general rule, if you find the pushable block in a template room,
the same block will be pushable every time.

This is USUALLY the first block on the left, aligned on the same
horizontal row of tiles across the center of the screen. Always
check this block first.

2. When in doubt, defeat all enemies. If you try to push any
blocks in dungeons, you must always defeat the enemies first.
This will also sometimes result in important items, such as
Keys.

3. When in doubt, bomb walls. Walls are always bombable in the
same spot, so you need only check it once -- it'll be in the
center of each wall.

4. When in doubt, try walking through walls, where a passage
WOULD be. Some walls are false, and you can walk right through
them.

5. The Boomerang, Magic Boomerang, Bow, Red Candle, Wand, Magic
Book, Raft, Ladder, Whistle, Red Candle, Magic Key, and two bomb
upgrades are all found in the first eight dungeons. Level 9
always contains the Red Ring and the Silver Arrow.

6. Every dungeon looks like... well... something. If you have
the map, you will usually be able to figure out what it's
modelled after. Oftentimes this is a creature with eyes, or some
other portion which leaves a blank space surrounded by mapped
rooms. If an unmapped room like this seems suspicious,
investigate it! Quite often, you can find a way into it, one way
or another. Keep looking!


== NEW TIPS AND STRATEGIES FOR MASTER QUEST ==

1. In at least one way, Master Quest is a little more consistent
than the previous 1st and 2nd quests. EVERY dungeon in the game
has one item room. Some dungeons will have more than one item,
but always one item room. You will always need that item, sooner
or later. Find that item room!

2. Some items that have functions above ground now have similar
uses in dungeons, as well. Try a few of them out.

3. Make use of whistle warps and 3-stair warps, when you get
access to them. They are your most convenient form of travel.

4. Unlike Zelda 2nd Quest, in Master Quest, you should always
use the keys in the dungeons you found them. No backtracking to
previous dungeons is necessary for keys. You also don't ever
have to buy keys, although you can if you're stuck.


== CHANGES PRESENT IN MASTER QUEST ==

1. Remember how, in the original Zelda, you were instructed to
seek out the aid of hint-giving old men on the Overworld when
you were stuck? Remember how those hints were usually virtually
useless? Well, NO MORE!! In Master Quest, if you are stuck, the
BEST thing you can do (besides look at this FAQ) is to search
the Overworld for secret caves and stairs. Old men always give
hints that are relevant to *something.*

2. Additionally, there are fewer secret caves on the overworld
that lead to useless stuff you already have access to, like
potion shops and gambling games. Keep looking; the worst you can
find is usually a useful hint.

3. Remember how, in the original Zelda, you were given a
*negative* incentive to search for caves and stairs, because so
many of them had those annoying "door repair charge" rooms?
Remember how annoyed you were, because the only way to know they
were there was from past experience? Well, NO MORE! Master Quest
has NO door repair charge rooms whatsoever. :D

4. Fire from Candles and the Magic Book no longer hurts Link! They are now much more useful, so make good use of them once you've found them.


--------------
 STARTING OFF
--------------

Question:
Where is the wooden sword?

Hint:
Did you listen to Impa? It's on an island.

.....

Answer:
It's where level 1 used to be. From the starting point, go 1
screen east, 4 screens north, and 1 screen west.


*********

GENERAL ADVICE:

Try looking around for some ways to earn money and buy the blue
candle before you go to level 1.


---------
 LEVEL 1
---------

Question:
Where is level 1?

Hint:
Level 1 is also in a tree stump, but not the same one.

.....

Answer:
Find the "tree at the dead end." It's in the northeastern corner
of the overworld map.
Welcome to level 1, the "Sealed Chambers."

*********

Question:
Where are the keys in level 1?

Hint:
Do what you normally had to do in Zelda 1.

.....

Answer:
Find all the rooms and kill all the enemies in them. You'll need
to bomb one of the walls, too.

*********

Question:
Where's level 1's dungeon item?

Hint:
Do you remember which blocks are pushable in any given room?

.....

Answer:
There is a room you have to bomb into, and it contains a bunch
of Ropes who yield a key. Push the firrn block on the left in
the very center row. That is the block you usually want to push
in most LoZ-style rooms.

*********

Question:
I defeated the dragon boss, but the shutter wouldn't open and it
left a key instead of a Heart Container! WTF?!

Hint:
Well, maybe it wasn't really the boss. :) Try to see where you
haven't been yet. There's a secret route somewhere.

.....

Answer:
From the dragon's room, walk south through two false walls. Once
you get to the other side, you'll need bombs for the eastern
wall in that room. You can reach the east wall by pushing the
blocks.

*********

GENERAL ADVICE:

It'd be best if you tried to buy things you know you're going to
need as early as possible. Right now you should at least buy the
arrow. You're going to need it. Do you have the Blue Candle yet?

*********

Question:
Okay, now where's level 2?

Hint:
In Master Quest, level 2 is the dungeon in the hills that was
level 5 in the first quest, though the location has moved
slightly.

.....

Answer:
Try walking into the waterfall. Watch out for the swarms of
tektites on that screen.

*********

Question:
Where are the keys in level 2?

Hint:
Did you get the map? Try looking for rooms shown on the map that
you haven't made your way into yet.

.....

Answer:
Most of the keys are in bombable rooms. You'll need to use
secret passageways to access the four quadrants of the dungeon,
too. The path that eventually leads to the boss is also the one
that contains the most keys.

*********

Question:
Crap, the room with the blue Goriyas and the shooting statues is
hard!!

Hint:
Keep at it! They have something you want.

.....

Answer:
Try using the bow and arrow along with bombs. Keep moving, and
avoid their boomerangs as your first priority. A Magical Shield
helps here, too. The blue Goriyas will yield you the wooden
Boomerang.

*********

Question:
I found a secret passageway that takes me back to the beginning
of level 2! Then I bombed a wall and fought a Gohma, but all I
found was a replacement key, the compass, and a weird dark room.

Hint:
Did you buy the Blue Candle?

.....

Answer:
The dark room may be jumbled with blocks, but one of the blocks
is in a position where it can be pushed. Light the room up, kill
the keeses, and find that block! You'll find a goody inside.


*********

Question:
Fighting a Manhandla in level 2 is a pain in the ***!!

Hint:
Sorry. :(

.....

Answer:
There are two ways to do this: either attempt to place a bomb
exactly in its center and kill all the heads at once, or try
weakening each of the heads with you sword or arrows before
killing any of them. Then, fire away, and hope you kill them all
before it kills you. As always, keep moving.


*********

GENERAL ADVICE:

So, you're itching to get the Blue Ring and the White Sword by
now, eh? Well, hold your horses. The Blue Ring is very difficult
to get at this point in the game, and you can't get the White
Sword without the item you find in level 3. Try level 3 and see
how you fare.


---------
 LEVEL 3
---------

Question:
Okay, where's level 3?

Hint #1:
Level 3 is in the Lost Woods, which is west of the big lake;
it's the same forest where you found level 3 in the first quest.

Hint #2:
Having trouble finding it? Perhaps you lack an item that could
help you. The item isn't necessary, but it'll make things a lot
easier.

Hint #3:
Did you miss something in level 2?

.....

Answer #1:
Level 2 has two items. The second is the Red Candle. Did you get
it? If not, go back to level 2, and check the level 2 portion of
this FAQ.

Answer #2:
One of the bushes on the Lost Woods' "maze path" screen is
burnable. That's the entrance to level 3, known as "The Forest
Stronghold."


*********

Question:
Okay, I'm in level 3, but all I can find are a bunch of
dead-ends!

Hint:
Are they really, though?

.....

Answer:
Bomb, bomb, bomb. If you don't have bombs, go buy them. Or go
out and kill Moblins. They drop them occasionally.

*********

Question:
Where's the map?

Hint:
Did I mention bombs?

.....

Answer:
In the southwestern portion of the map, there's a room with a
brick floor tile. That's one of the few bombable /floor tiles/
in this quest. It leads to the map.

*********

Question:
The old man says "The northwesterly gargoyle guards the way
below." Huh??

Hint:
Dude, always listen to old men spouting nonsense. They know what
they're talking about. Where have you seen something that could
be described as a gargoyle?

.....

Answer:
Level 3's entrance is the room you want. It's the statue in the
northwest corner.


*********

Question:
What do I do with the statue you just mentioned?

Hint:
Did you get the map? What is this dungeon shaped like?

.....

Answer:
It's shaped like a bomb. This will be a running theme for this
labyrinth. Bomb the statue to reveal a secret passageway. If in
the future you get stuck again, try bombing walls.

*********

Question:
I found a room with some water, sand, Gibdos, and Pol's Voices.
How do I get across?

Hint:
Do you have a way to cross that water?

.....

Answer:
Come back later in the game. You can't access the room on the
other side of the water at this point.

*********

Question:
Where's the dungeon item room?

Hint:
It all involves block-pushing and wall-bombing. And fighting, of
course.

.....

Answer:
From the entrance, bomb the right wall. Keep opening doors and
bombing until you reach the diagonally-split room with the
Wallmasters and Pol's Voices. Push the block in the center row
on the left, and you can reach the room to the south. Defeat the
Darknuts, proceed, then defeat the Zols in the vertically split
room (use your Bow), and push the center block furthest to the
/right/ to open the stair.

*********

GENERAL ADVICE:

The item in this labyrinth is the whistle. The whistle is handy
on the overworld. Why not leave the labyrinth and look around?
If you want whistle hints, skip to the next "overworld" hints
section.


*********

Question:
I've found all the keys I need in level 3 and most of the
dungeon has been mapped out. I know where the boss and the
Triforce are since I have the map and compass, but how do I GET
to them?

Hint:
Is there a possible route you're not trying just because you
think it wouldn't exist in a traditional Zelda game?

.....

Answer:
Try bombing into the Triforce room from the north. Surprise! ;)
The room is split, so you can't get the Triforce now, but you
CAN bomb the left wall once you're inside. The rest is pretty
straightforward. Proceed on and you'll find the boss: Digdogger.

*********

GENERAL ADVICE:

This particular advice is IMPORTANT!

Don't try to enter level 4 without the Blue Ring, White Sword,
and a Magic Shield. Just as one of the old men will tell you,
it's suicide! Unfortunately, this means you're going to have to
do a lot of exploring first. The upside is that there are now a
lot of goodies you have access to. That's why the next section
focuses on the overworld.


-----------
 OVERWORLD
-----------

Question:
Where is the White Sword?

Hint:
It's pretty close to where it was originally. But you can't get
it without a certain item.

.....

Answer:
At the top of the Lost Hills is a cave surrounded by water. Play
the whistle, and a path to the cave will appear. The White Sword
is inside. In fact, you may want to leave level 3 to get this
once you obtain the whistle. It will help you defeat the level 3
boss.

*********

Question:
Okay, how do I get to the top of the Lost Hills? The old route
doesn't work!

Hint:
If you pay the old man at the top of the waterfall, he'll give
you hints. The first is nearly useless, the second is a bit of a
puzzle, and for the third one he pretty much tells you outright.

.....

Answer:
You don't want to pay him? You cheapskate. :P Okay, the new
sequence for the Lost Hills is south, south again, north, and
north again.

*********

Question:
How do I get through the Lost Woods? The old route doesn't work
here either, and going north makes me exit the Lost Woods
instead of going east!

Hint:
The old woman in the southwest corner of the map once again will
give you information for a small fee. Pay the middle amount if
you want a decent hint, and the full amount if you can't deal
with another riddle.

.....

Answer:
Man, you're stingy. Alright... the new sequence requires you to
"turn around once" before proceeding. That means go east, south,
and then west twice.

*********

Question:
Hey, the Power Bracelet isn't where it usually is! What gives? I
want to use the 3-stair warps.

Hint:
You'll have to do without those shortcuts for awhile.

.....

Answer:
You can't get the Power Bracelet until after level 4. Check a
later question if you're still stuck after finishing that level.

*********

Question:
How do I get to Spectacle Rock? It's blocked off.

Hint #1:
There's an old man somewhere who will tell you "Find the ancient
tree and burn it."

Hint #2:
This means you should be attempting to burn the large, brown,
dead trees that you find.

.....

The one you want is just south and several screens west from
where Spectacle Rock should be, as the keese flies.
The secret shortcut you find there will lead you to Spectacle
Rock. This time you should bomb the right "eye," rather than the
left. There's another secret shortcut inside, which leads you
to.... Death Mountain Trail! Once you arrive, be sure to find
the underground fairy spring near the entrance.

*********

Question:
Where's the Blue Ring?

Hint:
The Blue Ring is quite a long trek away from home. In fact, it's
at the end of a long hike up Death Mountain.

.....

Answer:
The Blue Ring is located in the new bonus overworld area, which
is Death Mountain Trail, the highest parts of Death Mountain.
(before you start, make sure you have 250 rupees!) Need
instructions to get to Death Mountain Trail? Check the previous
question.
To get to the Blue Ring, advance up DMT until you've crossed the
extension bridge. It's dangerous, so bring a Magic Shield and
ready your boomerang. Two screens further and you'll be there.
Read on if you're still stuck...

*********

Question:
What? I can't get that far. I'm just west of the bridge. The
ladder I need to climb is out of reach.

Hint:
That ladder is in a pretty precarious position, propped up on a
ledge like that...

.....

Answer:
Use an arrow to knock it down.

*********

Question:
Okay, I still don't see any Blue Ring.

Hint:
Check one screen north from the ladder.

.....

Answer:
Bomb the big rock in the center of the screen. That'll take you
to the shop which sells the ring you're looking for. Be sure to
read this next question while you're there.

*********

Question:
Where can I find the Letter?

Hint:
It's very near the Blue Ring. You can get both the letter and
the ring in one trip, if you're very careful.

.....

Answer:
One screen west of the large bombable rock that leads to the
Blue Ring shop, there are some stairs and a HUGE Lynel ambush
waiting for you. Be very, very careful here, and don't be afraid
to use arrows and hide to avoid their swords. To the left of the
base of the stairs, at the back wall, there is some rubble. Try
bombing there.

*********

Question:
Okay, I did what you said above, but I can't go any further up
the trail.

Answer:
Hold yer horses! You don't WANT to go any further... not just
yet. Go back down and explore the lower levels for now.

*********

Question:
The bonus overworld area is so dang far away. Are there any
shortcuts?

Hint:
Yes, there's one. Did you notice any paths blocked off on the
way up?

.....

Answer:
At one point you'll see a rock roadblock in front of some
stairs. It can't be bombed from above, but it can be from below.
That will lead to a backdoor shortcut from the Graveyard armos
area. You can only open it up once you've taken the "front door"
route (and removed the roadblock).


---------
 LEVEL 4
---------

If you've prepared by doing what I've said above, you'll be
ready for level 4. Even so, it will be no cakewalk. Make sure
you bring some medicine just in case, and don't be afraid to run
past enemies without fighting if you can avoid it.


*********

Question:
Where do I find level 4?

Hint:
It's not far from where you'd expect it, but unfortunately
you'll have to walk around to get to it. Bring bombs.

.....

Answer:
It's one screen north and one screen east from where it was in
the first quest... if you could swim, that is. Take the
Graveyard route to the base of Death Mountain, then go south to
the northwest shore of the lake. Find the "corner" screen which
is mostly water, and bomb the rockface to your right.
You are now stepping into dangerous level 4: known as
"Sorceror's Rock."

*********

Question:
I'm inside level 4. There's one crazy room with randomly
scattered blocks and a stairway I can't reach. What's up with
that?

Hint:
A lot of those blocks are pushable. But which ones, and how?...

.....

Answer:
You will have to re-enter this room SEVERAL times during the
level. Your ultimate goal is to get to the stairs, but first
you'll have to get the dungeon item from elsewhere. Remember,
though, that you must enter this room at least /once/ from each
direction of the compass. Doing so will allow you to progress to
new areas.

*********

Question:
I'm really confused. Where's the map? It would be very helpful.

Hint:
Try going northwest.

.....

Answer:
If you lack a key, first check the previous question. Once you
have a key, you can pretty much just walk to the northwest
portion of the map. Don't take any secret passageways or search
for secrets until you've passed the room with the Dodongos. In
the next room, defeat all the enemies and push the block to open
the shutter. There's a Manhandla inside who yields the map.

*********

Question:
How about the compass? Where's that?

Hint:
Try fighting bosses in the northwestern portion of the map.

.....

Answer:
If you need directions, check the previous question. Look for
the blue Gohma. It's in a non-hidden room, and killing it will
get you the compass. Unfortunately, the reason it's easy to get
is because it's not very useful...

*********

Question:
Okay, I think I've figured out how to navigate the crazy room
with the scattered push-blocks. But once I go through the north
door, a shutter blocks me off. Why can't I go further?

Hint #1:
Can you narrow down the different things that open shutters in
dungeons?

Hint #2:
Is there anything you can't reach from where you're standing?

.....

Answer:
Continuing through the scattered-block room will not be as
simple as leaving the room and going right back in. In the room
to the north with the shutters, there's a block you can only
push after coming from the north door. You'll have to go around.
However, there are things you can do here. Go west to access a
new area of the dungeon.

*********

Question:
I just found a walk-through wall, but it teleported me two
screens away from where I started. Why?

Hint #1:
Do you have the map? Explaining it will be easier if you do.

Hint #2:
An old man somewhere will tell you about "stepping into the eyes
of the mask..."

.....

Answer:
Level 4 is shaped like a mask. Like many dungeons, the eyes have
a secret. However, that doesn't mean you can just enter them. If
you try to walk through a wall and into an eye, it will teleport
you to the /other/ side of the eye. This means you will end up
crossing your own path in this dungeon.

*********

Question:
I'm short on keys again. Help?

Hint:
Remember the scattered block room? How about just north of it?
One screen east from that room, there's another key, but there's
a shutter blocking it.

.....

Answer:
You'll have to come through the north to open the two shutters.
However, since there are two shutters, you'll have to enter from
the north TWICE in order to explore both areas. Go through the
east shutter door first and get the key. Then go around once
more, and this time remember to go south to the scattered block
room once you open the shutter.

*********

Question:
Following your directions, I've gone a long ways into the
dungeon, and it's getting hard. How do I avoid getting lost?

Hint:
Most paths through the dungeon have some misleading open doors
that will force you to return to one of the rooms near the
dungeon entrance.

.....

Answer #1:
If you're in the northwest quadrant, search for secrets before
proceeding further north. At the end of the northward route,
there's a one-way passage back to the start.

Answer #2:
If you're in the north and central portion of the map, avoid
going too far west. It'll lead you to the same one-way passage
as above.

Answer #3: If you're in the southeast quadrant of the map,
always avoid going south, unless you're backtracking.

*********

Question:
Where's the friggin' ladder already??

Hint:
Have you actually walked through all four doors in the scattered
block room? :) If so, then you're on the right track at least.

.....

Answer #1:
Once you do the above, try going north through the mask's right
eye. (Yes, you have to walk through walls)

Answer #2:
After that, you have to cross your own tracks. After going
northward through the right eye, go west once and then bomb the
south wall. Walk through the door you've made, and then enter
the right eye from its west side.

Answer #3:
After that, go one screen north, and then continue east until
you get to a dead-end. Defeat the blue wizzrobes, and push the
usual block. Bingo!

*********

Question:
Awesome! I have the ladder! ...Now what?

Hint:
You'll need one more key. It's pretty easy to reach.

.....

Answer:
Near the entrance, there's a dark room with a lot of orange
wizzrobes. Defeat them, and cross the water with the ladder to
get the key.

*********

Question:
Great, but that didn't answer my question. Where to now?

Hint #1:
Remember the scattered blocks room? You haven't gotten to that
stairway yet, have you?

Hint #2:
You still haven't entered the scattered blocks room from the
EAST. There's a shutter in that room, but you couldn't open it
before.

.....

Answer:
That's because you need the ladder to open the shutter. There's
a shortcut to that room near the dungeon entrance, by turning
east into the room with the water and blue wizzrobes. North from
there is the room you want. Look for a pushblock switch. Since
the blocks are up against the water, you'll have to push them
while standing on the ladder over the water.

*********

Question:
Ack! Wizzrobes and Bubbles and Like-Likes!!... You put a room
THAT hard right before the boss?...

Answer:
You don't have to fight them. :P Just be patient, wait for an
opening, then unlock the door and enter the boss room.
Inside is your first Gleeok, and it'll be a nasty one with all
four heads. All the old strategies apply.


-----------
 OVERWORLD
-----------

Time to take a break again. You now have the ladder, and you
know what that means? That's right, you can reach places you
couldn't before, and that means you should do so.

*********

Question:
Do I want a FREE Heart Container?

Answer:
YES! So, go to the east shore of the main overworld, and look
for the two docks separated from shore by water. Use the
ladder... free Heart Container, right where it was in both of
the other original LoZ quests.

*********

Question:
Mmmm... Heart Containers. Any other ones I can get now?

Hint #1:
Yes. And you passed by it on the way to the Blue Ring. It's in
plain sight.

Hint #2:
It's below the extension bridge on Death Mountain Trail. Can't
figure out how to get down their, can you? Try looking somewhere
other than down.

.....

Answer:
That rock peak with the skull on it looks suspicious... Well,
bring out your letter and walk across to it! Ladders aren't good
just for crossing water, you know. :) On the ledge, bomb the
rock face, and you'll find a cave which leads you down to a
lower ledge. Defeat the Lynels, climb the ladder, and you're
back up on the original screen; Heart Container within reach.

Unfortunately, after finishing the first four labryinths, you'll
still be two Heart Containers shy of being able to equip the
Magic Sword. So I won't bother telling you how to get to it
until you have the full 12 Heart Containers you need. Now, on to
level 5...


---------
 LEVEL 5
---------


Question:
I can't find level 5. Is having the ladder enough?

Hint #1:
No.

Hint #2:
Is there any item you're still missing after all this time?
How about the Power Bracelet?

.....

Answer:
Remember how the whistle warps in LoZ 2nd Quest senr you to the
OLD labyrinth locations, rather than the new, relocated ones?
Well, they still do in Master Quest (except for the Lost Hills
dungeon, since that would allow you to skip the maze path after
level 2). This means that by using the Whistle, you can access
the island level 4 was originally on, even though you don't have
the raft yet! Give it a try.

*********

Question:
Okay, that didn't help. All I found was a cave leeding to the
eyes of level 4, and some rupees. Neat, but I still don't have
the bracelet.

Hint:
Where was the bracelet hidden in the original Legend of Zelda?

.....

Answer:
It was under an Armos. Check the Armos in the bottom-left on the
island.

*********

Question:
So, now where in the world is level 5?

Hint #1:
You'll need make use of the item from level 4 to get to it, as
well as the Power Bracelet (referred to in the previous two
questions).

Hint #2:
It's on a screen that didn't used to have any secrets.

.....

Answer:
This secret is quite obscure, so please forgive me, I found it
amusing. ^_^ Chances are you'll run into it if you simply
attempt to use the ladder wherever you can.
You've no doubt gotten the heart container in plain sight just
offshore on the eastern edge of the map, right? Well, go one
screen north. Walk out onto the second platform. Ah-ha! Link
instead pushes it, revealing a hidden staircase. Whooda thunk
it... Welcome to level 5, "The Submerged Labyrinth."

*********

Question:
Yay, level 5 at last! What loot is in store for us here?

Hint:
Doesn't this look a lot like level 2 in the first quest?

.....

Answer:
There's a room full of Goriyas and traps and two statues, and
it's just north of the entrance. Defeat them, and you get the
Magic Boomerang. It was a long wait, but you've earned it. :)
(especially after that fight...)

*********

Question:
A map would be nice. Where is it?

Hint:
It's quite nearby, though the room's entrance is decently
hidden.

.....

Answer:
In the room where you got the Magic Boomerang, walk through the
east wall. The wall is guarded by traps, so time it right.
There's a Patra on the other side, and a lot of water to cross
while fighting, so be ready. Your reward is the map.


*********

Question:
And where's the compass?

Hint:
Remember Zelda 1's obsession with "secret" rooms that aren't on
the map? Do you have the map? Look for a likely candidate.

.....

Answer:
The map is shaped like an ocarina with three visible finger
holes. The westmost "hole" contains the compass. Enter it by
walking through the wall from the west. A blue Gohma guards the
compass. Try to use the ladder effectively when you fight;
there's water in the room.

*********

Question:
Hmm... a dead end peninsula, and a room with a Triforce emblem
and water. What's here?

Hint #1:
Think... water. What do I have for water?

Hint #2:
What's this dungeon shaped like?

.....

Answer:
It's shaped like an ocarina. Play your ocarina, and just like it
does on the overworld, the water will recede. :) Be sure you
stand on the Triforce emblem when you do it. No doors appear,
but you can walk through the east wall. It's a one-way wall. If
you want to go back, you can return to the previous rooms by
going south through a one-way shutter.

*********

Question:
...Okay, I didn't find anything there but another dead end.

Answer:
There's an old man in this dungeon with an important hint. There
are some keys to find, as well. Might as well go back and
explore the western portion.

*********

Question:
Crap! What's up with these boss monsters? There's so much water
I have no room to move!

Hint:
You don't have to deal with that water, you know...

.....

Answer:
Play the ocarina! The water recedes, leaving you room to fight.
Noticing a pattern, here?... Make sure you are standing on solid
ground when you play it; it won't work if you're on the ladder.
You can use this in both of the mini-boss rooms in level 5: the
Gleeok, and the one with the Blue Gohma and tons of Wallmasters.
Using the whistle is compulsory in order to get the key from
Gohma.

*********

Question:
I've got some keys, but that old man's hint wasn't very helpful.

Hint #1:
Oh, was it? I thought it'd be rather obvious what you should be
looking for. Weak stone? What do we do with weak stone?

Hint #2:
We blow it UP! ^_^ You need to find some green, moldy stone.
It's probably not the dungeon walls, because they're already
moldy.

.....

Answer:
Over in the eastern portion, the room with the mummies has
statues that are greener than usual. Did you notice? Try bombing
the northeast one.

*********

Question:
Great! I've got the raft! ...Exactly HOW is this useful in a
dungeon?

Hint #1:
It is, actually. You just need a place to push off.

Hint #2:
/Sand/ works well for that.

.....

Answer:
Near the old man's room, there's a place where you crossed the
water with your ladder, earlier. Go to the north side of the
water, and push the block on the left. It reveals a sandy area
you can use to push off from. Once you get the key, just go back
the way you came using the raft. Don't worry about the
passageway that leads east; it's just a decoy.


*********

Question:
Okay, something's up here. I've checked every room for secrets,
but I've only explored half of the map! How do I get to the rest
of the dungeon?

Hint #1:
Well, maybe you HAVE explored all you can right now.

Question #2:
WHAT? I've found everything I was supposed to! This is the next
dungeon! I should be able to finish it!!

Hint #2:
Perhaps you're trying too hard. Why not take a break?

Question #3:
I'm not leaving until I finish this dungeon!!

.....

Answer:
Give up yet? Diehard dungeon-crawlers who refuse to come up for
air until they finish a level will have trouble stumbling across
this. Remember the place you went with the raft that got you a
heart container? Go there.
WTF? A back door?! ...Why, yes, a back door. ^_^ Who ever said
back doors were against the rules in the original Zelda? Go at
it!

*********

Question:
Okay, you meanie. I'm in the north half of the labyrinth. But
there's a room with so many Dodongos I don't have enough bombs
for them.

Hint:
You forgot to go back to level 3, didn't you?

.....

Answer:
The room you couldn't get to before in level 3 has a bomb
upgrade. You can get there by rafting across the pool of water.
That should give you enough bombs to defeat all the Dodongos.
It's also possible to get through without the upgrade by using a
few Dodongo-fighting tricks, but hey, you wanted the upgrade
anyway, don't you?

*********

Question:
I found a secret room that's filled with water. It's dark, and
there are lots of keeses. I can light the room with my candle,
and cross the water with the ladder, but the shutter won't open
on the other side.

Hint:
Perhaps there's a push block?

.....

Answer:
There is indeed a push block, but you need to play the whistle
to make the waters recede. Then you'll be able to reach the
center blocks. Among the two, push the one on the left. Remember
to defeat the keeses first.

*********

Question:
Okay, there was another key in that room, and I nabbed it up.
But when I went north, I was led in a circle. Where to?

Hint:
Chances are you have enough keys now. Are you sure there wasn't
any other trick to that secret route you just took?

.....

Answer:
Walk through the western wall into the middle "hole" of the
ocarina-shaped map. You can raft across the water to the other
side.

*********

Question:
There's a hungry Goriya in the next room, but I fed him and all
he did was open up two one-way paths to the southern half of the
dungeon! What a gyp!

Hint #1:
Don't worry, you didn't waste your money.

Question #2:
Oh? But haven't I already been to all the adjacent rooms before?

Hint #2:
Yes, you have. Remember what was in them?

.....

Answer:
The room north of the Hungry Goriya has a unique block puzzle
room, which you've probably already been to. Bomb the north wall
the Goriya used to be blocking, and you'll re-enter that puzzle
room from the south. The puzzle is unique because it creates a
"crossroads." You can only access the east door from the west,
and the north door from the south.
Solve the puzzle and proceed north. Does it look like you
blocked the north door with your block-pushing? Don't worry,
that tile that looks different is a switch. Press it, and the
blocks will reset, leaving the door once again unblocked.

*********

Question:
I'm right next to the boss room, but how do I reach it? Water is
blocking the way.

Answer:
Geez, you aren't into a routine yet? Play the whistle to drain
the water from the room.

Next comes two Digdoggers at once. It may be a little chaotic,
but chances are it'll be an easy battle. Get the Triforce, and
you're done! :)


---------
 LEVEL 6
---------

Question:
Okay! Where's level 6?

Hint:
An old man somewhere will tell you that a great beast once died
protecting a labyrinth.

.....

Answer:
This is an easy one. Many people find it well before they reach
level 5. Go to the desert and find the cattle skeleton. Bomb the
skull, and there ya go. You've just found the entrance to the
"Infernal Maze."


GENERAL ADVICE

Level 6, "The Infernal Maze," is colored the same as level 7
from the first quest. In the first and second quest, this
dungeon template had easy fighting, because it hardly contained
any enemies other than Goriyas. Well.. things have changed. Now,
a few dozen blue Darknuts roam the place.

It's much more dangerous now, but it's still a place which
offers a nice opportunity. Even though it's level 6, it should
be possible to get the item before you complete level 5, and
maybe even before level 4, if you are brave.

The catch is that it will be insanely hard to do it that early.
But the reward is great: none other than the Wand, a truly
butt-kicking item.

== KEYS ==

Infernal Maze is among the most key-heavy dungeons in the game.
Most of them are used to get to the dungeon item. Regardless,
you're going to need keys in order to advance. This portion of
the FAQ made not be very direct, but if you REALLY need help,
just read it all at once.

*********

Question:
Where can I find the level 6 map?

Hint:
It's in the northwest section of the dungeon.

.....

Answer:
Keep going north and west until you find a room with a bunch of
Darknuts and a shutter to the south (to get this far, you will
first need to bomb some walls and obtain a key). Defeat the
Darknuts, go south, and defeat the Manhandla and the Digdogger
to get the map.

*********

Question:
Where can I find the level 6 compass?

Hint:
It's in the northernmost tip of the dungeon.

.....

Answer:
...Northernmost, yes; however, to get there you need to go
through the eastern section of the dungeon. Refer to the next
question to find out about that.

*********

Question:
How to I get to the eastern section of the dungeon?

Hint:
Boom.

.....

Answer:
Go north from the level 6 entrance until you get to a room with
four traps, some Goriyas, and some Bubbles. Bomb the eastern
wall. Come prepared with extra bombs so you can defeat the large
numbers of Dodongos.

*********

Question:
Okay, I'm still looking for the compass. Where to?

Hint:
Find the room with two "eyes." Each eye is a pool of water with
a block in the middle.

.....

Answer:
In the above room, defeat all the enemies and blow the whistle.
The water will drain. Now, push the left block to open a secret
passageway. And read on to the next question if you want more
than the compass...

*********

Question:
Okay I'd like some keys while I'm at it. Are there any nearby?

Hint:
You're going to need to find an alternate entrance into another
"split room" you might have seen already from the other side.

.....

Answer:
In the room where you find the compass, bomb the south wall. Go
south, and defeat all the enemies. NOW you'll be in a position
to be able to reach the key that appears when they are all
defeated.

*********

Question:
MORE keys!! I need MORE!!!

Hint #1:
Did you get the one that's relatively near the entrance to the
dungeon?

Hint #2:
Did you check every wall in the eastern section?

.....

Answer #1:
From the entrance, go two screens north, one screen west, and
one screen north. This is a chaotic room, with traps and Goriyas
and Red Bubbles, but the reward is straightforward: one key.

Answer #2:
North of the Dodongos that protect the entrance to the
easternmost portion of the dungeon, there is a split room with a
bomb lying in the middle of it. Go around the outer portion of
the room and walk through the north wall. Fight with vigor to
survive: the room has bubbles, Goriyas, and loads of moving
traps. Your reward is another key.

*********

Question:
I'd like to know where I'm going here. Where is the dungeon
item? And the boss?

Hint:
If you've got the compass, you'll already know that the boss is
in the southwestern portion. The dungeon item in a ways north of
that.

.....

Answer:
Do you have the map yet? If you do, you'll know that the dungeon
is shaped like a wolf's head, facing left. The boss and the
Triforce are in the lower jaw. The item -- which is the Wand --
is in the snout. Now that you know where you're going, you need
to collect enough keys to get all the way through the snout.

*********

Question:
Okay, buddy, I'm STILL short on keys. Spill it.

Hint #1:
There's a secret area that will lead you to not one, not two,
not three, but *four* keys. Needless to say, this is a room you
can't miss if you want that Wand.

Hint #2:
There's something you probably missed near the dungeon entrance.

.....

Answer:
Go to the room near the entrance which has a bunch of blue
bubbles and statues that DON'T fire at you. Walk through the
eastern wall from here. You'll encounter a Gleeok. Defeat it to
get one key.

*********

Question:
Okay, one key. Now where's this treasure trove of keys you spoke
of?

Hint #1:
Did you get the key and leave?... You missed something!

Hint #2:
There's a secret passage in this room. Once you've killed the
Gleeok, push the block on the left-center. It leads to a
dead-end.

.....

Answer #1:
Dead-end? It's not really a dead-end. In reality, all four of
the walls can be walked through. But some of them lead you back
to places you've probably been. Walk through the south wall for
starters. Defeat the enemies and grab the key that appears. Then
leave.

Answer #2:
You need to go back to the Gleeok room and take that secret
passage again. Once you're back in the dead-end room, walk
through the north wall. Defeat the twin Digdoggers and nab the
third key in the series.

Answer #3:
So, you defeated the Digdoggers. Time to leave, right? WRONG!
Walk through the west wall from the Digdogger room. You'll reach
a split room, but from this side you can take the key that
appears when you defeat the enemies. Woohoo! FOUR keys in one
wing!!

However, there's one more key in this dungeon. *ducks flying
rocks* ...Wait... don't kill me!! >_< You don't need to worry
about the last one until you go for the boss.

*********

Question:
So now I've got loads of keys. Lead me to the Wand, dangit!

Hint #1:
Head towards the wolf's snout. In other words, the northwestern
wing.

Hint #2:
The path to the Wand will lead you through several rooms full of
Darknuts which you don't have to fight. Then, a two-headed
Gleeok surrounded by an utter storm of bats and fire-shooting
statues. North of that, another room where you need only avoid
the Darknuts and open the locked door. Then, a Patra.

.....

Answer:
Trouble? The path didn't end at an item room? Well, go back to
that Patra room. Once it's dead, you can push a block.
Badda-bing. It's Wand time. Goriyas, run and hide.

*********

Question:
There's a dude selling info nearby. What's that about?

Hint:
Directly east of the Wand room is an old man selling advice.
He's pretty no-nonsense about it, so pay up. Just as he says,
it's info you'll NEED to know.

.....

Answer:
Lemme guess... you're broke. 9_9 Well, alright. His most
expensive answer is "West, North, East, North, will lead you to
the stone door's threshold." One of his other answers quite
clearly states that this is the directions to level 7.

*********

Question:
So, where's the boss?

Hint #1:
Go to the southern portion of the map and head west.

Hint #2:
There's a cross-shaped push block room which blocks your
progress west. Go south and a shutter will close behind you, but
it will re-open if you defeat the blue Darknuts and Goriyas, so
ignore the stairway and go back north.

Hint #3:
The last key is nearby.

.....

Answer #1:
In the room with blue and red Goriyas plus Wallmasters, walk
through the northern wall. Go prepared... there is a "big
circle" Patra on the other side. After this dangerous fight,
you've got your last key.

Answer #2:
After this, you'll have to loop back around and start over on
your path towards the boss room. Fortunately, though, most of
the enemies will remain dead if you go directly back to where
you were. Keep going west and be aware that not all rooms will
require you to defeat the enemies before proceeding. They are
narrow rooms, though, so you'll have to kill at least SOME of
them.

*********

Question:
omg BOSS! Any pointers?

.....

Answer:
You're up against two Manhandlas and a bunch of fire-shooting
statues. It's not the most dangerous boss fight in the game, but
definitely not easy, what with the dozens of fireballs flying in
all diretions. My advice? Bring medicine and bombs, and ready
your Wand. Don't be afraid to go on the offensive.


-----------
 OVERWORLD
-----------

Have you finished levels 1 through 6? Did you get all the Heart
Containers in the previous "Overworld" section of this FAQ? That
means you have... 1, 2, 3, 4... OMG! Twelve Heart Containers!!
Magic Sword here we come!!

*********

Question:
That's all well and good, but I don't have the faintest clue
where to find the Magic Sword. Where is it?

Hint #1:
Start out on Death Mountain Trail.

Hint #2:
Look in the southeasterly portion of DMT.

.....

Answer:
You'll need to open up two secret paths to get to it, each with
a particular puzzle. Read on to find out how to open them.

*********

Question:
I see a cave leading to some stairs that go down... but I can't
reach them. Where does that cave let out?

Hint #1:
Well, it lets out above, so you'll have to go north a screen.
There, you'll see three boulders and a spot in the middle of
them marked with a flat rock.

Hint #2:
Have you ever seen this formation before? Perhaps you've never
played Zelda 2....

.....

Answer:
Stand in the middle of the three boulders and play the Whistle.
A stairway appears! This is a reference to "Three-Eye Rock,"
which was the entrance to the sixth palace in Zelda 2: Adventure
of Link. Yes, this is a little obscure for Master Quest; if
you'd searched around long enough you might have found a clue
about what to do at that location.

*********

Question:
The cave below leads to the stairs I saw before, but at the
bottom of the stairs, there are two rock dams. One of them
blocks my way, and it can't be bombed. What gives?

Hint #1:
This is the second puzzle. Unfortunately, you can't solve it
here. Go back up and backtrack.

Hint #2:
That water's coming from somewhere. Perhaps you'd better follow
it upstream?

Hint #3:
There's a waterfall falling into a pond. Do you remember what we
do with waterfalls?

.....

Answer:
We walk into them. Now that you have the Power Bracelet and the
Ladder, you can push that rock out of the way, then use the
Ladder to cross the pond and walk into the waterfall. The cave
will lead you below, where you can walk around on top of the
cliffs next to that rock dam you saw before.
There's also a cave with a woman inside, which you can reach
with your Ladder, but she doesn't seem too helpful, except to
tell you bombs won't budge the dam itself. However....

*********

Question:
How do I break that damn dam, already?

Hint #1:
Are you still on the west side of the screen with the dam, on
top of the rocks? Good. Look around.

Hint #2:
Do you know what's stronger than bombs? Immense water pressure.
And apparently you don't have enough of that pressure, because
the dam is still holding.

Hint #3: Perhaps if you redirected the water that is currently
cascading down the mountain...

......

Answer:
The answer here is to block up that waterfall. Fortunately,
there's a rock arch right above it. Stand on your ladder so you
can place a bomb smack-dab on to of that arch, and watch the
rocks block up that waterfall, just like your girlfriend clogs
up your drain with her long hair!

...Okay, so maybe your girlfriend doesn't use your shower. _;
Or maybe you don't have a girlfriend.... but that's irrelevant,
because the DAM IS BROKEN!!

Now... go around and use the three-eye rock entrance to go
downstream. It seems Abei has set up shop in a very pretty area.
(even if it was hard enough to get to... grumble...) Now, the
Magic Sword is yours! ...And it's a good thing, cuz you're gonna
NEED it.


---------
 LEVEL 7
---------

Question:
Alright, where is level 7?

Hint #1:
There is almost always a traditional "Graveyard" dungeon. This
would be the one.

Hint #2:
It's actually in the same place level 6 was in LoZ 1st Quest.
However, The contents of that screen have changed.

.....

Answer:
Try walking through the northern rock face. Bingo! It appears
there's a maze path. You can also walk through the west and east
walls, as well.

*********

Question:
Sigh, another maze path. How do I get through?

Hint:
The old man in level 6 was selling info that would help you
here. Didn't you pay him anything?

.....

Answer #1:
The combination is West, North, East, North.

Answer #2:
So, the secret sound played, but the screen looks the same? Try
pushing a few graves and see what turns up. Bingo. Those stairs
you found will lead to level 7, "The Forgotten Catacombs."

*********

Question:
The first thing I encounter is a looooong string of rooms going
eastward, with lots of Bubbles, and apparently nothing of value.
There is one offshoot that leads north to a Gleeok, but I can't
get into the room to fight it. What gives?

Hint #1:
You'll have to go around.

Hint #2:
I bet you're saying, "duh!" ...Okay, it involves false walls.
Again.

.....

Answer:
Go one screen east from the passageway that WOULD have led you
northward. Walk through the north wall. Be warned: there are two
difficult battles with Wizzrobes and Bubbles before you can make
it to the Gleeok. The Gleeok itself will actually be relatively
easy by now, if you have the Magic Sword.

*********

Question:
More locked doors...? CALL THE LOCKSMITH!

Hint:
It's behind another false wall.

.....

Answer:
Go back to that long west-east string of rooms. Keep going east
and checking north walls until one of the north walls turns out
to be walk-through. On the other side, use arrows or preferably
a Wand to dispatch the Like-Likes and bats, and you'll get a
key.

*********

Question:
Mind giving me directions to the map before I go further?

Hint:
Yeah, it's somewhere along the southernmost portion of the map.

.....

Answer:
Remember that long west-east string of rooms we know and love?
Go east as far as you can. Then go a bit further, aka bomb the
wall. Defeat the Aquamentus.
It leaves you nothing? Not bloody likely. Walk through the east
wall. Bingo. The map, and some free Zol "sword fodder" in case
you need rupees and hearts.

*********

Question:
Dead-end! I passed another "crossroads" puzzle room and came to
a dead-end room that gives no secrets that I can find... I can't
find any other false or bombable walls. Where to?

Hint:
Are you SURE that's a crossroads room?

......

Answer:
It may LOOK like a "crossroads" room where you can only go north
from south, but look carefully: a few key blocks are missing.
Take advantage of it by working out a way to go west. Pick up a
key in the west split room while you're there, and then go back.
Now you'll be able to move the blocks to allow you to go east.
(By the way, you can't go back the normal way, now, due to the
way the puzzle room works)

*********

Question:
Here's a room with a bunch of bats and a ring of blocks. I kill
the bats, and a bomb item appears, one shutter opens, and a
stairway appears as well, but the other shutter doesn't open.
Weird. What's up?

Answer:
Nothing in particular. This is the way you get back to the
earlier part of the dungeon. The stairway in the center is a
distraction you shouldn't worry about. You can't reach it from
the outside.

*********

Question:
Further on I find tons of Wizzrobes, blue Darknuts, and two
Manhandlas. Meanie. Anyway, the Manhandlas gave me a key, but
I'm stuck again.

Hint #1:
There's a possible secret you've seen before that you've
probably forgotten to check.

Hint #2:
The blue Darknuts are in a room filled with water.

.....

Answer:
Play your Whistle. The water drains and a stairway appears!
Ta-da!
WARNING: It's much easier to fight the Darknuts WITHOUT draining
the water. You might want to fight them using your Ladder before
you play the Whistle.

*********

Question:
Okay, the stairs led me to... the compass. And a dead-end? Is
that all?

Hint #1:
Nope.

Hint #2:
You can press a block in the right column to go back, but this
is not in fact a dead-end.

.....

Answer:
Bomb the east wall and proceed. Prepare for some minor bosses
with lots of fire statues.

*********

Question:
Whoah. That's a LOT of Dodongos. Do I HAVE to fight them?

Hint #1:
No.

Hint #2:
BUT...

.....

Answer:

You'll probably want to, if you can. Behind the shutter lies a
bomb upgrade. The catch is that you'll probably NEED a bomb
upgrade in order to defeat the Dodongos. Make sure you got that
upgrade that was in level 3.
If you run out of bombs, though, then don't worry about it. You
can go back later. Getting the upgrade isn't necessary the way
it was in level 5.

WARNING: Tough rooms ahead. Bring insurance.

*********

Question:
TWO Patras?!? Owch... any hints?

Answer:
Not really. :( They're very dangerous. If you used up your blue
and red potions obtaining the key in the previous difficult
room, do yourself a favor and GO GET MORE. You won't have to
repeat that last fight, though you'll need to re-navigate the
dungeon to get back to the boss.

The only advice I have is to take out the "big circle" Patra
first, but you will probably end up doing that anyway. Besides
that, use normal Patra tactics. Wait for it to make three
outward swoops, then close in and slash like there's no
tomorrow.

Got the 7th Triforce piece; level 8 here we come!

*********

Question:
No item? That's odd. But I've filled out every portion shown on
the map!! Should I move on to level 8?...

Hint:
No.

.....

Answer:
Yes, you should keep looking. The map may be filled out, and in
truth, you've explored all there is to explore underground. But
keep looking.

*********

Question:
Okay, wise guy. Tell me where the item is. I don't see anything
different here.

Hint #1:
Remember level 3 in LoZ 2nd Quest? You couldn't get the item
before you defeated the boss. Do you remember where you had to
search afterwards?

.....

Answer:
The Triforce room. Search the Triforce room. However, this time
it's a little different. Try pushing blocks in that room. And
there you have it.

********

Question:
Above ground?... Heh, sneaky. Now, again, where's the item room?

Hint:
This is the Lost Graveyard, otherwise known as the overworld
cross! There will be some secret passages here and there which
lead back underground, but most of them are dead-ends.

.....

Answer:
The southernmost tip of the overworld cross, which contains a
bunch of annoying Wizzrobes, has a grave you can push. And
inside you'll find...

*********

Question:
It's a BOOK?... I searched high and low for the MAGIC BOOK?!?

Answer:
Yes. ^_^ Believe me, you'll need it. Don't kill me.



---------
 LEVEL 8
---------

Question:
Level 8 is hidden so well that I'm ready to strangle you. Why do
I need the book to find it, anyway?

Hint #1:
Some random old man somewhere will tell you that you'd have to
burn down the entire forest to find level 8.

Hint #2:
HOWEVER... *another* random old man somewhere will tell you that
the entrance to the Stone Fortress -- the only remaining
labyrinth you haven't seen yet besides level 9 -- is but a few
steps away from its original location.

.....

Answer:
Remember where level 8 was in the 1st Quest? Go there. Now, on
the right half of the screen, try burning bushes that are
touching the /edge/ of the screen. You can do this with your
Wand, now that you have the Magic Book. See? The Magic Book
ISN'T totally useless. :D

Welcome to level 8: "The Stone Fortress."


GENERAL ADVICE - LEVEL 8

Normally, I'd start off right here with the question-and-answer
method of hinting. However, Level 8 is unique. Level 8 will be,
in some ways, quite different from the other levels so far in
Master Quest, but in other ways it will be like level 8 was in
the 1st Quest: very straightforward, but with lots of bosses.

However, there's a new catch. There are two ways to do this
level: the easy way and the hard way. In other words, players
who know exactly where to go will be able to *avoid* the most
difficult parts of the dungeon entirely. Players who DON'T find
the secrets, however, will be able to force their way to the
dungeon item by fighting some difficult mini-bosses.

Why is this so? Well, in case you're keeping tabs, the only item
left for your to find is the Magic Key. Level 8 has tons of
locked doors. The locked doors are in two major directions: one
of the paths leads to the Magic Key, while the other leads to
the boss. However, there are not enough regular keys for you to
reach the boss without finding the Magic Key.

The locked doors in the other section lead you towards the Magic
Key. You don't HAVE to open them, though. They merely lead you
through a series of shortcuts which let you avoid the difficult
mini-bosses.

What does this mean? Well, if you waste all your regular keys
trying to get to the boss, you'll come up short, and then have
to go find the Magic Key anyway. However, if you don't have any
regular keys left, you'll have to fight EVERY mini-boss in the
dungeon. Sound fun? I didn't think so.

The answer? First, find the map. That will help you search
effectively. Secondly, avoid rooms with super-difficult battles
when you can, because those are probably leading up to the Magic
Key or the dungeon boss. You, however, want to find the small
keys, first. Reaching them is easy... finding them is not.

Now, on with the questions...


*********

Question:
So, you say I really need the map, eh? Well, where is it?

Hint:
Go north. And keep going.

......

Answer:
Specifically, wander north until you find a room full of traps
and mummies. Bomb the northern wall. There are a few rooms from
there on which require you to defeat some moderately-difficult
monsters, but the rest is straightforward. The room with the two
Manhandlas will yield you a map.
Oh, by the way: some of the rooms I just told you to fight
through, you CAN skip, but first you have to know where to find
some keys. If you'd rather read on than find out for yourself,
it would be safer to find the keys and THEN get the map. It's up
to you.

*********

Question:
Okay, I've got the map. The dungeon seems to be shaped like a
right-facing dragon, bearing it's teeth. What does this mean to
me?

Hint #1:
There are spaces between its teeth. Have you heard any hints
about "dragon's jaws?"

Hint #2:
An old man somewhere will tell you something along the lines of
"it is possible to escape from the dragon's jaws unharmed."

.....

Answer:
What the old man is referring to is the nature of the "teeth"
rooms. Most of the rooms which are where the dragon's "teeth"
appear to be, are apparently traps, where a one-way shutter will
close on you and force you to take a secret passageway back to
the beginning of the dungeon.

...Or so it seems.

In the "jaws" area of the map, try walking through walls. Keep
walking through them until you can walk through no more, even
when you encounter rooms with one-way shutters that look like
dead-end traps. You'll find a lot of keys. Be happy.

*********

Question:
Dude, I have keys. Now how do I get the Magic Key, if I need it
so badly?

Hint:
Try to reach the "nose."

.....

Answer:
From the dungeon entrance, go north a bit, then northeast. Make
sure you aren't going towards the lower jaw -- that's where the
boss is. Once you're sure you're not going that direction, look
for locked doors and open them. Open every locked door. When you
come to a room with one shutter, one open door, and a boss, take
the open door, as there'll be another locked door on the other
side. And as we know, all locked doors here lead to shortcuts.

At the end, there's a Patra mini-boss. The Magic Key is near!

*********

Question:
The Magic Key is near, you say, but it's not here... What gives?

Hint #1:
There's an old man in this very dungeon who will tell you "the
chimera that has lost its fire is the one that is vulnerable."

.....

Answer #1:
"Lost its fire?" Hey, that could be a statue that doesn't shoot
fire while the others do! Get busy lookin'!

Answer #2:
It's in the room east of the Patra mini-boss. Do you know what
to do with the "vulnerable" statue? Pshaw. Bomb it, of course.

*********

Question:
Okay, Magic Key! What do I do now?

Answer:
Do I really need to tell you?... Look for locked doors, and open
every door you find! However, don't fight those mini-bosses you
skipped. There's no reason to do so, really, unless you like a
challenge (or you're masochistic).

*********

Question:
The boss is... a 6-headed Gleeok?? And fire-shooting statues...
great. What now?

Answer:
Kill it! There's no real secret here. Just try your best to keep
track of which fireballs came from statues, so you can block
them with your shield. This isn't actually one of the hardest
bosses, so keep a medicine on hand, be careful, and you'll be
fine.
However, when you defeat it, go east, not north. The north
passage leads to one of those "teeth" rooms, which is a
moderately annoying one-way trap.



Congratulations! You are now the bearer of the Triforce of...
Wisdom? Doh! No Triforce of Courage for you. Zelda's been using
this one... hmmm, smells like jasmine... oh well; I guess this
isn't so bad. Ganon, WATCH OUT!


-----------
 OVERWORLD
-----------

FINAL HEART CONTAINER

Question:
No way, I'm facin' Ganon in style! Where's the last Heart
Container?

Hint:
Huh? Er... Oh yeah. Last Heart Container. Right.
Okay, use the Wand in the forest again. It's nearby.

.....

Answer:
One screen north of the Stone Fortress entrance, see? There's
one wide path that goes through the woods horizontally, and it
is intersected by two narrow, vertical ones. Look at the
leftmost vertical path. At the very top, where it touches the
north edge of the screen, there is a bush which you can burn
with your Wand. It's adjacent to that narrow path.

NOW, on to level 9.


---------
 LEVEL 9
---------

Question:
How do I get to Ganon's lair?

Hint:
Easy. Climb Death Mountain Trail.

.....

Answer:
Need help? Well, use the path you used to get to the Blue Ring,
and then keep climbing once you pass that point. If this is your
first time hiking to the top, take the left stairway first;
there's a pushable rock that acts as a switch to open up the
path on the right. Then go back down, take the right staircase,
and keep climbing to the top.

*********

Question:
I'm out of potions! Do I REALLY have to hike all the way back
down the mountain to get a refill?...

Hint:
Nope! Look around a bit.

.....

Answer:
Go one screen south from the highest peak of Death Mountain.
Look for some rubble at the base of the rock wall and set a bomb
there. What you'll find is a rather unconventional (but
affordable) means of restocking your necessities...

*********

Question:
Alright, I'm ready to enter level 9. Now how do I get IN?

Hint:
Any defining features at the top of Death Mountain?

.....

Answer:
See those flat rocks laid down on the ground, in the center of
the screen at the highest peak? Bomb the center ground tile.

You have now stepped into the gargantuan mountain fortress where
Ganon resides: "Death Mountain Peak."


GENERAL ADVICE

You will quickly realize that Death Mountain Peak is the only
dungeon in Master Quest to have multiple floors... four of them,
to be exact. You will also eventually realize that it is
frickin' huge. Just so you know, it weighs in at a grand total
of *120* rooms. Don't run away just yet, though. There are also
a few things about level 9 that will be simpler and more
straightfoward than other dungeons.

The first of these is the fact that level 9 has no secret
passageways. So, you may have four floors to deal with, but your
position on the map will move pretty consistently. In fact, this
is one of the vital strategies for success: keep track of the
rooms you think you'll need to get to, and then look carefully
on the map to find out how to get near that room. It will help
you figure out where to find bombable and false walls.

The second point of relief is that a lot of those 120 rooms have
no enemies in them: for the most part, that means the
stairwells. You won't have to fight much in rooms with
stairways.

The third point is that you won't have to repeatedly defeat the
enemies in each room just to proceed. The only times you need to
defeat them are when you want to try to push a block, and when
there's a shutter that looks like it might open. Since you
already have the Magic Key, you won't have to defeat enemies
just to see whether they leave a small key behind when the room
is cleared out.

The last point is that level 9 has shortcuts! :D These appear in
the form of split rooms with bosses in them -- you can only
defeat those bosses from one side of the room, but once you do,
you'll be able to push a block out of the way which reveals a
shortcut for future use. Navigation is still difficult, but if
you really pay attention, you can save yourself a lot of time
and difficulty.

With that primer, you should be about ready to go at it. One
last pointer before you start, though: as usual, level 9
contains the Silver Arrow and the Red Ring. However, unlike
previous quests, getting the Red Ring in Master Quest is REALLY
worth your time. The Red Ring will become accessible after
you've completed less than half the dungeon, and after that
point, the fighting really gets tough. So look for it. You'll be
glad you did.


*********

Question:

I just walked in the door, and the first thing I encounter is
one down staircase and that one room with torches where Abei
used to be. There are two doors. Too many decisions! Which way
do I go first?

Hint:
One of these doors leads to Ganon, the other leads to
*bumbumbumbum* CERTAIN DEATH!!

.....

Answer:
...Okay, I'm lying. The south door leads to the first portion of
the dungeon, while the north door leads to a shortcut you can't
use just yet. So, don't worry about going north for awhile. For
now, head on to the two lower floors.

*********

Question:
Alright, I'm confused already. Too many stairways and shutters!!
Where am I supposed to be going?

Hint:
The first portion of the dungeon you'll have access to is
comprised of one large loop and a few dead ends. The "loop" will
send you in circles, coaxed on by some annoyingly placed one-way
shutters. Once you find out how to stray from this loop to the
right places, you can move on.

.....

Answer:
Try to get to the bottom floor (F1). It shouldn't take long. The
stairways in this dungeon are a twisted mess which go up and
down all over the place, so you'll soon visit bits and pieces of
all four floors, rather than explore each floor all-at-once.
Once you reach F1, go north. If you see a room with no lava and
a bunch of blue Darknuts, you're on the right track. Go east,
and you'll be on your way into the first loop. Somewhere along
this loop, there is a bombable wall which will take you out of
the loop and to a series of new paths. Most of these new paths,
however, will lead you back to the beginning of the first loop.
The point is to finish the first task before that happens, and
move on to the next path.

*********

Question:
I'm stuck going in circles on Floor 1. How do I break out of it?

Hint:
The place to break out of the loop is near the end of the
circle, *just* before you get sent back to where you started.

.....

Answer:
As you go around clockwise in a big circle on F1, you will
encounter a room with eight fire-shooting statues and some
wizzrobes. From this room, DON'T go north. DO go west. The next
room has a bunch of Darknuts and some shutters. They won't open,
so don't bother fighting. From there, go south. In the room with
Bubbles and Like-Like's, bomb the south wall. Continue on south
and then east, defeat the Gleeok, and move on to the room with
more Darknuts and one shutter.

*********

Question:
I made it past the room with the Gleeok and the eight statues,
and to the room you were talking about, but it wasn't very
helpful. Going through the shutter led me back again. What am I
not doing that I should?

Hint #1:
This room has TWO paths. Both must be taken in turn.

Hint #2:
Bomb the east wall.

.....

Answer:
Stuck? I'm not too surprised. This is one of the dungeon's big
stumpers. You see, the path onward is through the west shutter,
but to OPEN the path you need to take the route through the
eastern bombable wall.
What does it mean to "open" the path? Why, it means to defeat a
boss. If you take the route through the up-staircase room with
the Rope 2's, you'll eventually find yourself facing a Patra in
a crowded room with scattered blocks. Doing so opens a shutter,
but that shutter leads you back, once again, to the start of the
loop, by way of a "crossroads" block puzzle and some one-way
shutters.
So, going through the shutter door will do you no good. When you
defeat the Patra, feel free to backtrack to the Blue Darknut
room. The rest is in the next question.

*********

Question:
From the Blue Darknut room with one shutter door on the west,
you say that going through the shutter door is the "right" route
if you do it at the right time. Then why do I get sent back to
the beginning?

Hint:
Just because it's the right route doesn't mean it's going to be
obvious what to do. Look for secrets to lead you to a new room
before the path sends you back to the start again.

.....

Answer:
On this route through southeastern Floor 2, you'll come to an
oddly-laid out room with red Wizzrobes, Keeses, and Wallmasters.
Defeat the enemies, and look for that pushblock. It'll open the
shutter to the east. Once in, you should see a familiar split
room. Push the block that's in your way, and you will finally be
able to proceed to the northeast portion of Floor 2.
If you HAVEN'T seen this room before, and instead what you see
is a nasty Patra flying towards you and no room to fight it,
then refer to the previous question.

*********

Question:
How and where do I get the Red Ring?

Hint:
This question assumes you have reached ALL the areas mentioned
in the previous questions. If you have, then it's okay to start
looking for it. You need to get to the southeasternmost portion
of Floor 1.

.....

Answer #1:
First, check the previous question to find out where you should
be right now. The correct place to be is just north of the
scattered-block split room which previously held a Patra, whose
butt you kicked thoroughly.
The room you are now in, after having gone north through a
"crossroads" block puzzle, is a room with a bunch of Like-Like's
and blocks in a spiral formation. Defeat the Like-Likes, push
the usual block, and go down the staircase.

Answer #2:
You're now on Floor 1, and the only direction you can take is
south.
Look like a dead-end? Nope, it isn't. Not at all. In fact, you
can walk through all three of the empty walls in this room.
However, two of those directions will lead you right back to a
place you've already been to many times. You have to pick the
right one in order to proceed.
Walk through the eastern wall. This leads you to a room you've
been before, but it's a "crossroads" block room, so you'll be
able to skip over to the easternmost portion of Floor 1 instead.
Defeat the two Manhandlas you meet and proceed south. From
there, walk south along the outer perimeter, bombing walls to
the south or east as necessary. You should eventually get to a
room with an easily-defeated oval Patra, and a well-earned Red
Ring item room as a reward. Ahh, the sweet smell of victory...

*********

Question:
How do I reach the northern and western portions of Floor 1?

Hint:
You are now upon the next major leg of your exploration of Death
Mountain. The stairway which leads to this section is in the
northeasternmost room of Floor 2.

.....

Answer:
It's hard to give hints on this one, because you essentially
have to follow the directions given in TWO questions ago. Make
sure you know how to get to that are before you read on.
So, I'm assuming you are now north of the scattered-block split
room where a Patra used to live, in a room with a spiral block
pattern and tons of Like-Likes. You should know that going east
from this room is worthless, so don't bother. All you see there
is a glimpse of a Gleeok you should be fighting, but can't
reach.
Instead, from the Like-Like room, walk through the northern
wall. THERE you'll be in a position to actually fight the
four-headed Gleeok. Be careful and use normal tactics to defeat
it. (Note: Once it's dead, you'll have access to a shortcut!
Check the next question if you want to use it.)
Once it is dead, go north and then east, and you will reach the
staircase I hinted at. You now have access to a very large
portion of Floor 1. However, there are lots of one-way shutters
which will try to lure you back into the center portion of Floor
1, so be careful and gravitate towards the outside of the map
when you can.

*********

Question:
You said that going north in the very first fork in the road you
encounter in Death Mountain will lead to some shortcuts you can
use later. Well hey, I'm about ready for some shortcuts. Can I
open one now?

Hint:
If you're reading this FAQ in order, then yes, you can. The
northern path of the fork actually leads you to two shortcuts,
and the first one you'll be able to open up is the one involving
the Gleeok.

.....

Answer:
Take the northern path, then go east to find the split room
which has (or once had) a 4-headed Gleeok. If that Gleeok is
FIRST defeated from the center portion of the room, you'll be
able to push the block on the left and enter the room from the
west side, thus completing the shortcut.
Refer to the previous question if you want to know how to
approach the Gleeok from the south, where you're in a position
to fight it.

*********

Question:
Okay, I'm in the northeast section of Floor 1. Where to?

Hint #1:
Don't go east or north from the staircase. They're just dead
ends.

Hint #2:
If you get locked out by a one-way shutter, remember where it is
on the map. That way you can walk around it if you actually
intend to advance. (Wandering around without paying attention to
where you're going will only get you more frustrated in this
dungeon)

.....

Answer:
By now you should have two remaining tasks: find the Silver
Arrow, and find Ganon's chamber. If you hear the boss roar
coming from the next room, and you don't have the Silver Arrow
yet, turn back immediately and backtrack to a room you've
already been in before!
Like I said once before, gravitate towards the outside of the
map. While doing this, head west. Soon you will be forced to
head south. If you KEEP going south once you originally start
off in that direction, you'll have the opportunity to take one
path. If you attempt to head west as early as you can, you'll be
able to take the second route. Read later questions to find out
which is which.

*********

Question:
Where's that guy that says "Go to the next room?"

Hint:
Heh. He had to make it into this dungeon somewhere. It's
tradition! ;) Anyway, he's in the northwest portion of Floor 1.

.....

Answer:
While this guy is there only for tradition, the area he's
located in is a good place to take a breather and get a couple
of hints. Remember in the previous question where I said "you'll
be forced to head south"? Well, that's only partially true. When
it looks like the doors turn south, start checking the west
walls for a false wall. When you find it, it will lead you to a
series of not-too-difficult rooms.
Once you find the false wall, keep heading west. Eventually
you'll hear a boss roar! You can't get to Ganon from this wing,
but now you know exactly where he is. Bomb the north wall in
that room. You'll find that old man telling you to go to the
next room. Do so, by walking through the east wall. You'll get a
clue about navigating this dungeon, though it's nothing I
haven't hinted to you already.

*********

Question:
Where can I find the Compass?

Hint #1:
It's in an area that appears to be (and essentially is) a trap
which sends you back to a higher floor. However, there's more
there than meets the eye.

Hint #2:
I mentioned the trap in the previous question.

.....

Okay, remember the stairway where you first accessed the
northeast portion of Floor 1? From that staircase, go west. Keep
going west until you walk through into a room enclosed in
one-way shutters which has an up staircase. Take the staircase
to the 2nd floor, and bomb the east wall. On the other side is
the Compass. Now, backtrack until you can get back to where you
were before.

*********

Question:
Which way to the Silver Arrow?

Hint #1:
It's on the "south path" that I mentioned two questions ago.

Hint #2:
You can find a bombable wall immediately after you walk through
a certain one-way shutter.

.....

Answer #1:
From the stairway where you first accessed the northeast corner
of Floor 1, go west. When you reach the blue centipede room, go
north rather than west. West leads to a trap door which forces
you to return to Floor 2. Keep this in mind and don't enter that
room. Instead, go around it. Once you're around it, head south,
as I mentioned before.

Keep going south. If a one-way shutter closes behind you, don't
worry; that's good. You're still on the right track, if you're
in a room you haven't visited before. After the one-way shutter
closes, check to see if there's an empty wall to the west. If
there is, bomb it. If there is an up staircase on the other
side, then you're on the right track.

Now that you're on the right track, the rest is pretty much a
non-branching route onward, with nothing worse than a dead-end
here and there. Read on if you need more help.

Answer #3:
Soon after the above, you should end up facing what appears to
be wave after wave of bosses. The good news is that each time
you clear a room, it will stay clear permanently. The bosses you
have to fight are three Digdoggers at once (ready that
boomerang!), two Patras at once, another Gleeok, and finally
another two Manhandlas.
Keep at it! The Silver Arrow lies at the end of this
non-branching road. When you reach it, you'll find yourself back
on Floor 4, just a wall's-breadth away from the dungeon's
entrance.

*********

Question:
I think I'm ready for another shortcut. Any available now?

Hint:
Yes. There is one specifically used for the road to the Silver
Arrow. It should be useful if you aren't able to defeat all the
mini-bosses in one go. Or, right after you've gotten the Silver
Arrow, and want to go back to a familiar area.

.....

Answer:
From the Silver Arrow route listed in the previous question,
you'll eventually arrive at a room passages with a down
staircase and passages open to the north, south, and east. Go
north, and you'll find a Blue Gohma. Defeat it, and you'll be
able to push the block on the right. You don't have to actually
go any further east right now, as it leads to an earlier area.
Just remember: from the "level 9 entrance" room at the beginning
of the dungeon, you can return to this area by going north,
taking the down staircase to Floor 2, and then walking west
until you see this familiar room.

If you're in a hurry to get out of the dungeon and restock, and
don't want to use the continue feature, the room directly east
from the down staircase contains some blue Bubbles and a few
Wallmasters floating about, who will kindly take you back to the
dungeon entrance.

*********

Question:
I'm ready to duke it out with Ganon! Bring it on!! ...Er. Where
is he?

Hint #1:
He's in the northwestern quadrant of Floor 1.

Hint #2:
However, you're going to have to meander a little bit through
other floors to get to him.

Hint #3:
But your final destination is still in the northwesternmost part
of Floor 1.

.....

Answer #1:
The first leg of this journey is easy. Go to the northeastern
section of Floor 1 and continue on as though you were going
towards the Silver Arrow. However, this time, instead of going
south towards the one-way shutters, simply head west until you
find an up staircase in the northwestern area of that floor.
There won't be any shutters along the way.

Answer #2:
Stuck? Once you've gone up the aforementioned staircase, go
south. Keep going south. If you hit a wall, bomb it. And keep
going south. You'll soon find a room with traps and vertical
rows of blocks. Push a block to open the next staircase. Read
on for the next leg.

Answer #3:
This portion of the route to Ganon's chamber is what I'd refer
to as the "bomb" area of Death Mountain. There are a lot of
bombable walls in one place. If you're out of bombs, or you want
to open up a shortcut to this area for later use (probably a
good idea), go one screen north and fight the Blue Gohma there.
That will allow you to push a block out of your way and access
an earlier part of the dungeon. Note where that shortcut is, and
go back to the last staircase room you were in.

Next, bomb the south wall of the staircase room and head south
through it. If you're short on bombs now, after you've walked
through the bombed wall, go east, and continue east until you
find a room with bombs for the taking. When you're done, keep
continuing west until you reach a Blue Darknut room. Ignore the
Darknuts and bomb the north wall. Go through it, and you'll now
be in the right position to head north through another
"crossroads" block puzzle. After that, keep going north. Stuck
again? Read on.

Answer #4:
You'll probably now be finding yourself in a "T" intersection,
as seen in the original Zelda. It blocks your progress north, so
you'll have to turn back. Return to the room one screen south of
here. From there, walk through the east wall. Ignore the
Wizzrobes in the next room unless they get in your way, and walk
through the north wall. Once again, avoid Wizzrobes and walk
through the west wall.

You're now in the right position to go north through this
pushblock intersection. In the next room, you'll have to fight a
Patra. After all is said and done, the north shutter will open
up, and the subsequent boss roar should clue you in that Ganon
is right ahead! If you're ready to fight him, go on north. If
not, you can retreat by taking the open door to the east.

*********

Question:
Alright, Ganon's room! Well, I'm willing to bet you made him
harder. Did you?

Answer:
Yes. :) But not by much. You remember those four statues in the
corners of his chamber? Well, now they shoot fire. The reason
this doesn't increase the difficulty by much, though, is because
Ganon's fireballs do much more damage than the statues do. So in
some cases, they may actually help you slightly by giving you a
second or so of invulnerability.

Here is my one bit of advice: In case you never noticed it
before, touching Ganon -- though he's invisible -- does a LOT
more damage than touching his fireballs. Thus, the most
effective strategy is to lash out with your sword frequently in
all directions, and only move to dodge fireballs. You'll hit him
eventually, and after several shots, you're one Silver Arrow
away from claiming victory.

*********


Did you just finish fighting Ganon? Congratulations! You've
completed The Legend of Zelda: Master Quest! If this is the
case, regardless of whether you used this FAQ a lot, feel free
to PM me or post in my hosted quest forum at www.purezc.com, and
I will give you a hearty thanks for playing my quest all the way
through. ^_^ I would also appreciate your rating, telling me
what you thought of this quest!

Also, if you find any inconsistencies in the FAQ or the quest
itself, please PM me or post in my forum on PureZC and let me
know ASAP so I can fix it.

Thanks for playing!

~Radien

