MYST EXILE

Title: Myst Exile
Producer:
For: PC
MS Word Currier New
Original Created: 9/05/09
By: Ghidrah
Revised: 12/13/2019
EMaul: Ghidrah_@hotmail.com

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If anyone wishes to use this guide on their site, I would like to know. I 
don't have a problem with its use by others on Gaming forums, FAQ sites, or 
being copied for personal use. I'd like to know if it's to be used on a site 
though, just so I could drop by to ensure it hasn't been altered. So please 
send me your sites URL.
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As with all my guides, find some legit trick I missed, I'll give you credit 
for it in the guide and an insert amendment to the guide where it will be 
used. 
As long as the trick, shortcut, etc., etc., can be validated by me without 
the use of any kind of cheat codes if (codes) exist for the X Box version of 
the game.
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MENU

1. BRIEFING
2. REVISIONS
3. CONTRACTIONS
4. WALKTHROUGH
5. PUZZLE SOLUTIONS
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1. BRIEFING

8/15/2015
It's a good thing I recently read through the entire guide, I found a couple 
3 errors in Solutions, I'm pretty sure one was a typo and another an omission 
in a puzzle solve. I still blow as a writer but at least I was able to 
correct the errors. In the process I added more in-game info to help in 
solving puzzles. 
 
3/11/15 
(NOTE)
I pretty much thought I had lost all my Myst games, shortly after Frankie 3 
died I discovered to my extreme dismay that they no longer made the quality M 
boards for the CPU. I installed XP on Frankie 2 and refused Vista when 2 
died; I liked XP. When #3 died early in 2012 I built "Frankie 4" and even 
though the ASUS site said the board would work with XP, it did not. Forced to 
buy Win 7, I still didn't want anything to do with Vista or Win 8. I 
discovered many of my older PC games wouldn't install let alone play. The 
games that did install and start have anomalies that distort the video or 
freeze the PC up. I did a bunch of web searches tried patches that didn't 
work Myst 1 froze up; I couldn't more than a few feet off the dock.

Then in late 2014 I read a post that spoke of GOG.com, that they were able to 
recode Myst 1, 2, URU and 5. Many members at GOG complained of issues with 
all 3 versions of Myst 1, so I stayed away but I did purchase Riven, URU and 
EOA. I've played Riven and URU a bunch of times since the purchase and the 
few anomalies that exist haven't prevented me from playing either. 

I recently read a couple posts about Exile working with Win 7 64 bit, I swear 
I did all the things mentioned except maybe running as administrator. So I 
tried installing it last night, before starting the game I entered 
(Properties) and clicked for XP sp3 and run as Admin. It started and is 
running. I'm currently playing through EOA and am just about to leave 
J'nanin; so far the only anomaly I've found that is an issue is the game 
freezes 50/50%, maybe worse when using the Windows button to exit to desktop. 
When I attempt to return to the game the cursor/mouse is frozen. If this is 
the only issue I'm good.

Here's how I get out of the freeze; press (Control/Alt/Delete) then press 
cancel, when I get back to the game the cursor moves as it should. 

OBSERVATION

Myst Exile, the third game in the series, and like all of Myst's stories is 
full of killer puzzles, puzzles requiring deductive reasoning. The thing is, 
for some (like me), some puzzles can freak you out because they appear so 
obscure. As difficult as this may be to believe, even the meanest puzzle in 
Exile requires only basic reasoning. However for this to be true one must 
explore everything and keep (VERY GOOD NOTES) of all oddities and points of 
interest. Even items one might consider insignificant. You never know what's 
going to be important later in the game. The better your notes the easier the 
puzzles will be to solve.

I've played through Exile too many times over the last 5 plus years to 
reliably count. However I still recall the route I took and believe it or not 
I still have the notes taken from the 1st time through.

It's the game's job to hide info and confuse the player. They do this with 
color or lack there of by hiding targets in monochromatic backgrounds or by 
placing so much junk in front of and around the target that it becomes 
invisible, especially if you're zooming through the age. So it pays to keep 
detailed notes of where you've been and what you've seen and done while 
there. This may seem like over kill but the time saved not freaking out, (as 
much); back tracking or restarting will be worth it. 

Regarding leading with the hand, it may seem boring, (ok it is boring) moving 
slowly and exploring everything with the hand to expose interactive objects 
takes time. But the rewards are worth it, especially when it comes to the 
puzzle solutions in Saavy's pages.

PUZZLES

Each world has one main puzzle to solve, but, said puzzle may have multiple 
mini puzzles to solve so that you can get to it. Some puzzles require you to 
perform a number of tasks in a particular order to succeed, one item out of 
order and the puzzle fails, so, it pays to keep track of the task sequence so 
you can change/move or eliminate an aspect of it without useless repetition. 
Some puzzles may require you to move from one end of the age to the other and 
back to complete one task in a series so keep track of your locations.

HAND ICONS AND TARGETS

I'm not thrilled with the game engine, (I wish there were more options) but 
its simplicity works. Basically you need to look for the, (Acrobat reader PDF 
hand icon thing) which tells you that there's something you can interact 
with. Because you can interact with it, it may be a target item and part of a 
puzzle solution. Find out what it can do and write it down for future 
reference.

PUZZLE SOLVING

I always feel best when I'm able to solve a puzzle on my own. If I'm stumped 
and need help, I feel better if the help comes as a well placed hint. Leading 
to a self discovered solve instead of handing me the answer is my preference. 
So for the majority of the puzzles in Exile the help will come in the form of 
observable clues and how to use them to solve a puzzle instead of having the 
answers handed out. For those not wanting to work on the puzzles the answers 
will be given for each age in the order of appearance at the end of the 
guide.
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2. REVISIONS
 
3/12/15
(NOTE)
This update clears an error of omission, on the Lava room puzzle; the change 
will be made in solutions.

12/13/19
Issue some players having moving the Red Knob in the Lava Rm puzzle, the 
change will be included in the Solutions section of the guide.
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3. CONTRACTIONS

Big Bird= "BB"
Electrified Cuttlefish Thing, (ECT)
Elevator Plant= "EP"
Humongous Bulbous Plant= "HBP"
Journal Entry= "JE",
Mad Brad= "MB"
My Friend= "MF"
Orange Magnifying Flower= "OMF"
Pink Telescope Flower= "PTF"
Rabbit/Rat Thing= "RRT"
Saavedro= "Saavy"
White Amplifier Flower= "WAF"
White Reflector Flower= "WRF"

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4. WALKTHROUGH

4.1 Tomahna
4.2 J'nanin
4.3 Voltaic 
4.4 J'nanin, (ret)
4.5 Amateria
4.6 J'nanin, (ret)
4.7 Edanna
4.8 J'nanin, (ret)
4.9 NARAYAN
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"Follow the hand and investigate everything"

4.1 Tomahna

You begin at and outside the home of Atrus, Catherine and their baby girl; 
Catherine comes outside to greet you and suggests waiting for Atrus in the 
study. Explore the study; Atrus will enter the room when you move from the 
desk area to the Releeshahn book on the pedestal and click it. After Atrus 
hands you his journal, (notes taken when writing Releeshahn) some wacko, 
(played by Brad Dourif, who has made a career portraying psycho puppy 
characters) links into the room. 

He chucks a fire bomb steals the Releeshahn book and drops a different 
linking book as he vanishes. The game has MF grab the linking book so that 
you may follow Whacka-mole to wherever it is he fled off to.
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"Follow the hand and investigate everything"

4.2 J'nanin
(NOTE)
As you link into this age and the 4 others you get a circling bird's eye view 
of the goodies you'll encounter as you trek about correcting all the snags MB 
created in an attempt to strand Atrus in one of the 4 worlds. So pay 
attention to what circles below, you'll be moving through eventually.
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Beat feet after MB; follow him to an island with three huge ivory tusks 
around the perimeter and one big honkin, (tower) tusk in the center topped 
with a roundish purple building. When you land on J'nanin you'll snatch a 
glimpse of MB tearing off up and over a boulder and disappear behind an 
outcrop of stone. 

If you immediately follow him you'll see MB enter the roundish purple 
building at the top of the tower tusk. You can't get in from here, but you 
can look around and size up a big chunk of the island. From the walkway, 2 of 
the perimeter tusks can be seen. As you move away from the building toward 
the boulders a portion of the 3rd tusk can be seen to the right of the 
central tusk. 

There are also a number of mini bridges spanning ledges and many areas with 
steps cut into the cliff face leading down to water, there's a pool or pond 
in the center of the island which pretty much rounds up all the major points 
of interest. 

So while you have a minute open up the journal Atrus gave you and read it. If 
you're anything like me you nearly fall asleep, it's pretty boring. Atrus 
gets all bound up trying to figure out how to go about writing Releeshahn. 
The only thing of note is a few groups of highlighted words in bold font.
 
For me, aside from getting into the tower and strangling MB, the 3 perimeter 
tusks seem to be the most interesting attractions on the island, so I'm 
heading for the closest tusk for a look see. Down the rungs and left past a 
red pedestal lens is a bridge to the 1st tusk.

Tusk #1

The tusk sits on the edge of a huge rock outcrop and it has a black plaque 
with a decal in it, (it looks like a thick circle/ring thing). Explore and 
discover all items of interest. Odds are you'll likely find a hole in the 
rock 1st so climb down and explore. You'll be standing on a platform/walkway 
and there's a huge barrel blocking your way to a door. Look around, there are 
boulders breaking the surface of the water, a vertical object and with a 
closer look a series of rungs imbedded into the rock wall across the cavern. 

Climb out, locate the rungs and climb down. It's a pedestal with 2 levers. 
With a little experimentation you can figure out how to maneuver the barrel. 
I figured smashing the barrel through the door would do the trick but it just 
bounced off the door, "tough door". So spend a minute figuring out how to get 
the barrel out of the way clearing access to the door. 

Once done return to the door and enter. Discover the floor to the tusk is 
missing. The solution should be obvious, big barrel, open door and a little 
lever pulling. Once you're able to walk into the tusk you'll find a pedestal 
with a round flat top and 4 concentric rings, each ring has one bead that can 
be moved around the ring. There are 8 marks fixed to the pedestal face like 
the cardinal points of a compass. You can mess with the beads but there's no 
way to know what positions to move them to, so exit the tusk and return to 
the starting point.

Tusk #2

As you head back to where you entered J'nanin take note of what appears to be 
the next closest tusk, climb down the rock rungs to the sand and go left. 
Cross over the rocks and water and go up slope past the purple lens. Take 
note of all the pedestal lenses surrounding the island. Between the purple 
lens and a yellow lens ahead is a series of steps leading down slope and left 
to a bridge leading to the 2nd tusk. When you get to the far side of the 
bridge there's no access to the tusk door, take note of the melon things 
growing from the side of the ledge. 

Examine the area, another bridge continues to your left leading to steps cut 
into and up the rock wall. To your right there are rungs leading down 
possibly to the pond level. Look down past the rungs there's another ledge 
below, so take the ladder down. There's a big plant with a big honkin yellow 
tipped stamen in front, explore for grab icons and do so. You can grab the 
plant from behind and point it at stuff; the plant captures and magnifies 
sound. You can hear the bridge creak, the water in the pond and if you hold 
it up high you can hear waves splashing against the island. 

The plant's function means it is likely to be a target item for a puzzle. 
There's a glass globe fixed to the cliff face but you can't interact with it. 
It seems out of place. Climb back to the bridge and continue on to the 3rd 
Tusk. In a moment you'll discover that the path is a dead end leading to 2 
lens pedestals. Return to the stone pillar between bridges and the rungs 
leading to the pond. As you move back and forth over the bridge, look down to 
see a small building at water level attached to the base of the Central Tusk. 
Climb down to the water level and explore. Take note of the little teepee 
thing on the boulder against the cliff and the small water plant next to it, 
both have squeezable interactive bulbs at their tops. 

The teepee has a rabbit/rat thing, (RRT) in it but it won't come out. I can't 
tell whether it doesn't like the water, me, the plant or all 3. If you 
squeeze the bulbs in the proper order you'll discover how much it lurves the 
melon things just past it. Take note of what happens when the RRT squeaks.

What do we want to do?
1. Get into all the tusks

What do we know so far?
1. There are 3 satellite Tusks, at least 2 of them have doors and emblems on 
them.
2. Access to the Tusks requires solving a puzzle.
3. Tusk #1 already accessed has a bead or marble device and a cage suspended 
above it.
4. We found a big flower that magnifies ambient sounds like water, wind and 
creaking objects.
5. We found an RRT; the RRT has a squeak that excites clumps of melon things 
causing them to swell up. The RRT then feeds on the swollen melons.
6. There is a tract of melons on a ledge leading to Tusk #2.

What do we need to do?
1. Gain access to Tusk #2.

Take note, there's another black plaque thing on tusk#2; this one has a bird 
like image. Once you access Tusk #2 you discover that it also has a bead/ring 
pedestal and like the first tusk, you have no idea what positions the beads 
must occupy to be useful. From this point you can safely assume that the 3rd 
tusk will also have an access puzzle and a bead/ring pedestal inside. So for 
me I'm heading back down to the water and exploring the little building at 
the base of the tower tusk.

Tower Tusk

Once in the building you're channeled right, pull the lever to lower the gate 
and enter. There's a little ornamental pond to the right and there's a 
pedestal with a button. To the left a gated door and ahead another room like 
the 1st including a lever and exit door. Push the pedestal button, enter the 
room, explore and take notes on all interesting things within. There's plenty 
of junk to play with, eventually you should find a book, read it and discover 
MB is someone named Saavedro, (A.K.A. Saavi, Saavy or MB for Mad Brad) and 
this is his diary, read all of what little there is. Some pages are blank and 
some seem to be missing. Stupid fly never learns! There's 3 scales in the 
room 2 of them balance black, blue/green and brown balls.

(NOTE)
Saavi's diary is missing some pages and entries. There are symbols on the 
upper right corner of the right side page. Take note of the symbol/s and draw 
them out in the order from 1st to last. With a little study you'll see the 
pattern and discover that the diary has at least 17 entries 11 are missing 
and 6 of them are still in the book.
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When you're done move to the elevator and play with it. Examine everything 
you can about it and take notes. There's a grab-able lever to the right of 
the elevator that can be accessed from inside it or out. Enter and locate the 
lever, pull it and go for a ride. Carefully observe your ride up and down. 
Once you come to a stop you'll see that Saavi is indeed coo-coo for coco 
puffs and with much hate for Atrus' family and surely seeking revenge for his 
imprisonment. 

The exit outside is locked, the lock is blocked by the elevator and there 
isn't access to the room Saavi is in. Tap the green button and watch your 
descent through the floor grate, notice the recess below the sitting position 
of the elevator in the lower level. Exit the elevator and figure out if and 
how to get below it. Once you figure the puzzle out, hey Moe! There are 
bright blue lights in a hole below the elevator pad and you did see a ladder 
so climb down for a Boo. You have discovered the 3rd puzzle on this route. 
Once you look at the bright blue items in the hole their images should be 
familiar.

What do we want to do?
1. Access the upper central tusk area, the 3rd satellite tusk and smack 
Saavi.
2. Get the elevator properly oriented so that we can either exit the upper 
level of the tusk and or enter the Tusk.

What do we know?
1. Saavedro is in the upper central tusk.
2. Something is preventing the elevator from orienting to the upper room and 
the exit door.
3. There are 4 interactive devices below the elevator pad that can and or 
must be manipulated.
4. We have Saavy's diary and it has pictures!!!

What do we need to do?
1. Carefully study the pics in the diary and then alter the devices below the 
elevator pad.
2. Try the elevator again.

Once you're up into the tower tusk explore.

Tower Room

(NOTE)
I'd save here, this could take a while and odds are your up coming solutions 
with the wall balls may differ somewhat from what the game requires. 
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Explore the room, pick up and read JE#4 (Journal Entry #4), on the floor. 3 
balls on the circular wall and a grab-able blue button, push the blue button, 
watch the ceiling video and when done go to one of the balls. I went to the 
"SNAIL" ball, (what the image on the ball lens and corresponding tusk looks 
like to me). All balls have 2 levers, and a series of concentric rings just 
like the ones seen so far in the tusks. You must grab the screen to move it 
left, right, up or down, when moving the screen notice the beads moving 
around their own rings. The left lever is the lens zoom and moves the 3rd 
bead in the 3rd ring. The right lever focuses the scope and moves the 4th 
bead. 

Play with the snail lens long enough and you'll locate the snail tusk and 
find a plaque or window on it with the same snail image as the one on the 
lens. Take note of the bead ring's positions on the ball.

What can we safely assume?
1. The image on the scope screen and Tusk match and maybe insert, match or 
overlay.
2. The ring beads probably act as coordinates/passcode for said tusk.

What do we want to do?
1. Acquire the bead settings from a ball to test on a pedestal in a tusk.

What do we know?
1. The wall balls have concentric rings with beads just like in the 2 tusks.
2. The rings have markers that resemble cardinal points on a compass.
3. The ball has 2 levers, one zooms and one focuses, 
4. Each lever moves a bead 
5. You must grab the screen to move it up, down, left or right and this 
action moves 2 beads.
6. Each wall ball lens has a symbol etched on it that matches the symbol of 
the tusk it can focus on.

What do we need to do?
1. Move the screen and levers of the wall balls to orient their beads on the 
co-ordinate rings and write them down. 

Tusk #3

Once done exit the tusk, I was very tempted to access the closest tusk, but 
decided to explore the 3rd and final tusk. In retrospect I would have had 
more fun going for Tusk #1. On my way to the 3rd tusk I find a couple of odd 
devices on the dunes, as I approach the devices I see another device off 
island. Of the 3 pedestals one has a wheel on it the other a purple disk and 
the thing on the water has a dome on it. Turn the wheel and see the dome 
turn, keep turning it and see a beam of light emanate from the dome to the 
purple disk and from the disk to a pedestal with the Yellow colored gem about 
20 feet back at your 6.

Go to the Yellow pedestal, notice a beam of light emanating to the left and 
then look into the lens. You see the damaged top of a pedestal missing its 
lens. You can turn the lens you're at by grabbing the low metal ring, do this 
and see that the beam of light that pointed at the missing lens now points to 
the right, look into the lens and see that it now lined up with a Blue gemmed 
pedestal close to where you landed on the island.

If you follow the beam of light to the next pedestal and orient its lens to 
the next colored pedestal you'll travel to all the lenses positioned over the 
island. When you approach the last lens and direct it you'll see it points to 
a device positioned in front of Tusk #3. Make your way to #3, examine the 
device in front of the tusk and then approach the door to open it. Discover 
the door will not open; see that there is a round thing on the door above the 
latch lever that has colored buttons on it. You can push all the buttons but 
nothing happens.

What do we want to do?
1. Figure out the color combination of the lock on Tusk #3s door.
2. Gain access to Tusk #3.

What do we know?
1. Tusk #3 has a lock on the door.
2. The lock has 5 buttons and the buttons are color coded Red, Green, Yellow, 
Blue and Purple.
3. There are 7 pedestals with colored gems spread out over the island, 2 of 
the colors, red and yellow repeat.
4. The door lock combination is likely made up of a sequence of colors 
represented by the colored pedestal lenses. 

What do we need to do?
1. Press the correct sequence into the door lock

Once inside the Tusk it's confirmed, all tusks have same set up. So we're in 
Snail Tusk #3 and have the co-ordinates for it let's see where it takes us. 
Enter the co-ordinates onto the pedestal and then link out to Voltaic.

(NOTE)
This is where I discovered the importance of accuracy regarding the zoom and 
focus levers for the wall balls in the central tower and that each ball is 
slightly different in its requirements for focus and zoom positions. Where 
one ball requires zoom to have a perfectly matching overlay and focus to be 
crisp another does not. 

In all instances the positions required to lower a book cage in a tusk are 
absolute, there are the 4 cardinal and 4 intermediate points marked but there 
are actually 16 points available. The co-ordinate must be as close to perfect 
as possible. So, for example if you stop a bead in the 2nd ring half way 
between E and ENE the solution will be wrong and fail. The correct position 
will be at E or ENE, so whenever you end up with situations like this keep a 
note so you can try either position for the solve.
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___________________________________________________________________________

"Follow the hand and investigate everything"

4.3 VOLTAIC

There's lots of rocks in this place, small ones, big ones and really, really 
big ones. Explore the outside, there's a cobble stone tower with a big locked 
metal door, a space aged looking thing with a J'nanin linking book inside it 
and the metal walkway MF is walking on. Close by and over the water another 
cobblestone tower with a platform on top and further away what looks like a 
dam, sluice gate or maybe a river lock.

Follow the walkway into the cliff face, 4 clicks in you arrive at a side 
tunnel on your right. Look further along the main tunnel and see how it opens 
up into a huge cavernous hole in the ground. There're lots of big time metal 
structures.

I head right into the side tunnel for a quick like reconnoiter. You'll find 
some Saavy pages, JE#1 pick'em up and read. Deeper into the tunnel you come 
to a locked door and a blue lit tunnel dog legged to the right. Take the dog 
leg; shortly you come to a ladder on your left and a dark screen to the 
right. Climb up and see the dam/sluice gate, (not a lock) thing from the 
opposite side and a red valve wheel. Try it one time to see what it does then 
spin it back and climb down; continue along the tunnel. There's a broken 
porthole on the left just past the ladder with an interactive object within. 
Further along the tunnel it opens up, there's a locked door and a flooded 
manhole to the right.

What do we want to do?
1. Open 2 locked doors.
2. Climb down the manhole to see what's there.

What do we know?
1. There's a ladder that leads to a valve wheel that operates the flood gate.
2. A darkened screen to right of ladder has 5 interconnected icons.
3. A broken porthole that allows access to water wheel fins.
4. A flooded manhole opening
5. 3 large round and locked doors

What do we need to do?
1. Try each item one at a time observe, reevaluate and proceed.

It took me a couple tries to organize the sequence, once the 3 parts of the 
puzzle is complete take a look at the dark screen, 2 sections are lit up now 
and you can sort of make out what looks like the water wheel and a pentagonal 
object. It doesn't look like the big door near the manhole but, said door now 
has a pale green light glowing above its handle and can now be opened. Once 
opened climb down and locate the viewer, learn more about the exploits of 
Sirrus and Achenar. Follow the narrow corridor to a huge room with a big 
round tank thing at its center. The tank has 5 panels attached to its side 
they're numbered 1-5 and rise above the tank. Hmm, 5 panel, pentagon, maybe 
this is the icon on the screen. 

Move to panel #1 in front of you, you can interact with the panels, when you 
do you see what looks like 3 circuit breaker chains. Move around the tank and 
check the panels as you go; they're all pretty much the same. Locate JE#11 at 
panel #3 and read it. So, I'm going to interact with panel #3's circuit chain 
thing. It has 6 large buttons set vertically 3 per side. The circuit grid is 
made up of 3 horizontal chains; the top left and right buttons operate the 
top circuit and so on with the remaining buttons and chains. 

(NOTE)
Without much consideration it seems obvious that the chains need to be 
connected by the vertical links, (nodes that point up and down) so it seems 
to be a matter of using the buttons to move the chains left and right to find 
the correct connections. 

Where one may get confused and maybe give up is that as far as I can tell 
there isn't a repeatable solution to this puzzle that I can find, it changes 
every game. The only assistance I can impart is to move the 3 chains back and 
forth make all the visible vertical connections and then move onto the next 
panel. Eventually when all panels are connected the doors lock up.

The thing is you could solve the puzzle in just a couple moves or it could 
take a couple minutes solving one panel before moving to the next. Eventually 
the tank locks down and makes another set of connections at the screen near 
the ladder leading to the water wheel. Be patient and plod along till the 
game takes over and locks the tank down.
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Return to the side tunnel and check out the screen beside the ladder there 
are now 4 icons lit up. So far I can't make out what the 2 new icons 
represent; one of them looks like a coil spring the other flat black thing. 
From there head back to the main tunnel turn right and head out into the big 
honkin hollowed out cavernous area with all the big metal things. Explore the 
area; discover that the big tower is an elevator, (a metal band spirals from 
top to bottom) and that you may safely assume the coil thing on the screen is 
the elevator. Continue along the lower level to the stand alone lever and 
pull it. 

Watch the big half round dome thingy open up and then close. Even though 
there isn't much to do it will make sense a bit later in the game. When done 
get back to the elevator, find JE#8 at the back of the elevator, read it and 
then head back up to upper walkway. Continue to the end of the room and to 
the ladder and have a look about. A thing, sort of suspended looks like it 
might be a dirigible with a deflated balloon. Make your way down the ladder 
and into the next area; examine everything, close up and far away.

You'll come across a manifold with relief valves, a pressure gauge and close 
by a lever. Around the corner there's a ladder and another valve, nothing 
works at this point. I would consider paying close attention to the pressure 
gauge, maybe even mark positions. So climb up to the platform above. Pick up 
JE#14 read it and have another look about before you roll the ball and enter 
the tube. When you exit take a gander, even though you're pretty much at the 
same height as the walkway it feels like MF is much higher. There's only one 
way forward take it to the other side of the cavern and enter the next area 
of the age.

Once in the tube locate the exit and drop down into the small room. 
Thoroughly examine the room and its contents, unlock the door to see that 
it's the locked door at the red and blue walkway intersection. Climb down the 
ladder, look out the porthole and see lava. Return to the upper level and 
move over to the round thing with the red knob near the window. Learn how it 
moves and what actions it provides. When done return to the lower room, look 
through the porthole and see that the lava is gone. Exit via the secure door, 
examine all there is to see; move to the round thing with RK and take a look 
at the mural on the wall, the scene is of fire and brutal conflict.

(SAVE)

What do we want to do?
1. Figure out how to provide water pressure or steam to the valves at the 
tower station.
2. Discover whether these devices provide the resource.

What do we know?
1. Valves may operate dirigible but require water or steam to function.
2. Devices in current room may provide heat for water or steam pressure.

What do we need to do?
1. Trial and error, keep track of the item used and the action taken so that 
you can reverse it or restart from the previous save.
2. The puzzle isn't difficult at all and the procedure is repeatable as far 
as the mechanics of solving the puzzle goes. 

(NOTE)
It's possible the big flat black thing may be the lava room. I now believe 
the last unlit icon may be the cobblestone tower at the beginning of the 
age's link in site. 
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Once you complete the lava steam generator thingy return to the red valve 
panel station #1 and discover it is now activated and it is indeed a steam 
valve manifold. Step back and look up; there are 2 more manifolds above, 
(very dark but seeable). Take note of the gauge, it has a red marker which 
might be important. Take note of the system as is so that you can return all 
items to their original positions. Test a valve or 2 and discover what the 
1st level valves produce, (degree or pounds of pressure in increments of 10) 
rise or fall.

What do we want to do?
1. Activate the dirigible. 
2. Get to the 3 levels of valves and manipulate them to get steam into the 
dirigible.

What do we know?
1. The valves manipulate the steam pressure.
2. The pressure gauge has a red line in the blue zone.
3. There are 3 levels of valves to operate.
4. There is a pipe from the valves that leads to the airship.
5. There is an elevator that allows one to reach the upper manifolds when the 
correct pressure is applied to the gauge.

What do we need to do?
1. Discover what action each set of valves provides
2. Once done decide what action to take regarding the dirigible.

Once you have reached each level on the tower and discovered what each
Manifold provides decide how it can help in relation to the airship. 

Once the ship is moving it will stop at the big round dome thing. Remember 
how the dome thing works? Beat feet back to the stand alone lever and give it 
a yank. Watch the airship move through the room and come to a stop. Enter the 
ship and ride it to the next stop, yeah you betcha it's another lever. You're 
back outside and you're at the one of the towers. Pull this one watch all the 
cool stuff and discover the final screen icon is indeed the cobblestone 
tower. Ride the ship for one last time to the floating tower and enter. 
Follow your nose to the goodies, once MF completes the drawing locate the 
linking book and return to J'nanin. 
___________________________________________________________________________

4.4 JANAIN

You link into the central tusk tower on J'nanin. You have a new page with an 
odd symbol on it, move to the blue thing and play with the high tech vacu-
form kit. Remember what Saavy did while you were watching through the window? 
Place the image from Voltaic onto the thingy and watch the little show. When 
Saavi is done ranting exit the tower. So, you have the co-ordinates to access 
the linking books in the 2 other tusks and already opened up all 3 tusks. The 
Circle Tusk is closest, so book to the rock, drop down and enter the Circle 
Tusk. Set the co-ordinates and link out.
___________________________________________________________________________

"Follow the hand and investigate everything"

4.5 AMATERIA

After circling Amateria you link into a sort of Gazebo as your starting point 
it's connected to another gazebo by a foot bridge. The 2nd gazebo has a 
J'nanin linking book in it and a bridge leading to a monolithic structure 
made up of long hexagonal stones. You're standing over water; to one side 
there's a rollercoaster like rail coming from a big bell shaped roof 
structure cutting through the gazebo and leading to a pier or dock. While 
facing the bell house you can see 3 pedestals on the left, examine the 
closest one taking note of the hexagonal grid on top. Another side of the 
gazebo has a ladder leading down to the water and a series of floating 
platforms.

I'm taking the floats route; continue on to solid or hexagonal green moss 
covered ground and take note of the big honkin building with the bell shaped 
roof and rails to and or from it. Does the symbol on the big door look 
familiar? Continue forward to find a gated passageway on the right, enter and 
pick up JE#6 and read it. There is a platform with a console at its center, a 
small sliding lever on the console and a big lever to the left of the 
console. 

Green Carousel 

Play with the levers, ooh look we're up high, the console has changed a 
smidge, there are now red pegs in a little tray. Examine the console and the 
carousel ahead and below. Take note of the rail system leading to and from 
the carousel, also the carousel rings on both sides. Each side has 6 rings, 
which closely resemble the 2 circles on the console, although the console 
circles have 5 holes each with 1 blanked out. Lastly, the left console circle 
has 1 hole plugged permanently with a peg. 

The Bell roof building appears to be at the center of the world and it looks 
like the puzzles are around the perimeter. The puzzles appear to be color 
coded and the starting or ending point is red. We're currently at the green 
puzzle and can see the blue puzzle ahead and to the left.

Pull the small horizontal lever on the console one time and pay attention to 
the event. Now put a peg in one of the holes on the left, pull the lever 
again and pay attention to the event.

What do we want to do?
1. Complete the circuit from the floating cupola to the twin carousels and 
back.

What do we know?
1. The 2 circles on the console look and act like the 2 carousels
2. Pegs can be inserted into the holes within the 2 console circles.
3. Each hole in each circle flashes bright white as it passes the 6:00 
position 
4. A peg placed in a hole falls through the hole when it passes the 6:00 
position.
5. The carousel stops and sends the ball to the opposite side of the carousel 
when a peg falls through.
6. The ball must land in a ring with a bottom to be carried to the next 
position.

What do we need to do?
1. Find out what positions the pegs must be placed to get the ball from the 
in feed rail to the carousel to the out feed rail from the carousel.

(NOTE)
This puzzle isn't as difficult as it appears it'll take some deductive 
reasoning and some trial and error to solve. The carousel's deception is due 
to the games 2 dimensional rendering, however if you pay attention to the 
mechanics of the ball, rings, their rotation and the cross over rails. You 
can solve within 6 tries.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

When the puzzle is solved the console will partially close up and show a clip 
of 1 of 3 bridges rising up from the water and then dropping back. Then the 
console closes up completely to reveal a pattern of clustered hexagons. Look 
familiar? Copy the pattern, lower the platform and exit the green area 
through the gate used to enter. Turn right and head for the blue roller 
coaster area.

BLUE, Roller Coaster

The Blue roller coaster Puzzle has 5 structures in a sort of circle with a 
gazebo at the center which connects all 5 structures by rail. As you approach 
the rail from the carousel, climb up and walk to the 1st available structure. 
Each structure is a large ring with an invisible and vibrating, (force 
field?) and a platform to the side. The platform has a hexagonal panel on the 
end post, inside the panel there are 5 odd shaped blue objects, (maybe 
crystals, I don't know) and at the center of the panel is a red pointer. You 
can change the position of the pointer to any of the blue objects by grabbing 
a blue object. 

Note the frequency at which each ring vibrates will change when a different 
blue object is chosen. All 5 ring structures have blue crystal objects on 
their roofs; the central gazebo has one hanging from its ceiling. 

Once you have inspected the structures walk toward the big red Bell house. 
Look to the right when you come to a stop, ahead and to the right of the bell 
house you can see another platform console, but you can't get there from 
here. Look up; it seems clear that the ball drops from the floating bell and 
onto the roller coaster rails. Turn around; follow what seems like the 
natural flow of the ball from the bell house through the central gazebo and 
through all 5 vibrating rings. See that you end up heading back toward a door 
on the side of the big red bell house at a point close to where you 1st 
stepped onto the rails. Draw out the path of the ball from the floating 
cupola to the bell house. 

Return to the position where the ball rolls from the bell house and onto the 
roller coaster. Face the central gazebo and locate the huge black rib like 
structure to the left of the rail set. You can climb off the rail and down 
into the ribs and then walk across a series of stepping stones. Take your 
time and examine everything as you go, you'll pass by a mural just before 
entering the large cave area. The cave structure looks like it's made up of 
tall hexagonal geodesic tubes. Be on alert, shortly after entering the cave 
you'll find a set of steps cut into the wall on the left, climb up. Once up 
locate the platform console and move to it, find JE#3 near the console and 
read it. 

Pull the large lever on the left and ride up for a look see. The 5 roller 
coaster ring structures before you are laid out in a 12:00, 2, 4, 8 and 10:00 
fashion. Take note that the control panel has an exact representation of the 
5 odd shaped blue objects found at each of the ring structures. Pull the 
lever and watch what happens, the ball rolls through the Gazebo to the 12:00 
ring and bursts. Take note of the tall poll like crystals above the ring 
structures, they blink, but blink out of order from the route you may have 
estimated the ball should take. If you missed it send another ball through 
the puzzle and take note of the blinking order.

So what do we want to do?
1. We want to have the ball successfully maneuver through the roller coaster 
and reenter the bell house.

What do we know?
1. The route begins and ends from the bell house.
2. Each ring structure in the roller coaster vibrates; an improper vibration 
will destroy a ball.
3. Each ring structure has a panel with 5 settings, (odd shaped blue objects) 
and suspect relate to route orientation.
4. Control panel objects same as and oriented as vibrating rings objects.
5. On ball test, ring structure crystals blink out of sync to estimated 
route.

What do we need to do?
1. Adjust ring structure #1, (ball goes to 1st) at its panel and verify with 
a test run.

What did we learn?
1. The 12:00 panel was set at position #5 which matched the blink pattern of 
the 1st unadjusted test run. 
2. After setting the 12:00 ring structures panel from #5 to #1 the ball made 
it through 12:00 and was destroyed at 8:00, (the 2nd ring structure).
3. Our estimated path of the ball follows the route it took through the 12:00 
and 8:00 rings.
4. The blinking sequence of the ring structures is caused by the ring 
structure panel setting.

What do we need to do?
1. Reset the remaining 4 ring structure panels to follow the route estimated 
during the earlier walkthrough.

Once the ring panels have been reset and a successful run has been made the 
console will begin to close, stop and show a different bridge rise out of the 
water then drop back into it. The console will close completely and reveal 
another hexagonal pattern. See a pattern emerging? Draw the hexagonal pattern 
for future use, lower the platform and exit the area to the cave. Thoroughly 
explore the cave area, as you move through the cave you'll come upon a lift 
on the right. Ride the lift up, see the long trough or half tube, it sits on 
a balance beam. A harness hangs below the near end of the beam. To the left 
is an orange ball, (my monitor) do a close up on it and see that at least a 
1/8 of a section of a Blue/green ball is incorporated into it.

(NOTE) 8/13/20
I now believe the orange ball may be a brown ball, this would be more in line 
with the items found at the base of the central tower tusk in J'nanin.

As you exit the area pick up JE#12, read it and ride the elevator down to the 
lower level. Continue a bit further along the cave to an opening in the wall 
on the right that leads outside. Take the walkway and discover another 
control panel, ahead and above is the half tube. You're in a yellowish area.

Yellow Balance Beam

Look to the left, there's a little shack; you pretty much know what the 
console does so move to and explore the shack. As you approach the shack 
notice that a cable suspended from the left end of the beam is hanging inside 
the shack. Once in the shack note that the cable is actually a counter 
weight, there are 1/8 sections of black, blue/green and brown balls lying on 
benches.

Return to the control panel, rise up, pull the lever and watch the event. The 
panel has 3 small levers that alter the position of the fulcrum, (axle) back 
and forth along the beam, try a ball run on the 3 and take note of each 
result.

(NOTE)
All attempts will fail but each event highlights a different approach and 
failure sequence. 
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

What do we want to do?
1. Set the balance beam and counter balance in the shack so that the white 
ball will complete a circuit from and to the bell house.

What do we know?
1. Balance beam has adjustable fulcrum
2. Leading end of beam has harness with fixed counter balance weight
3. Trailing end of beam has counter balance cable with adjustable weights
4. The base of the counter balance in the shack is made up of 1/2 a brown 
ball, (I think).

What do we need to do?
1. Discover number and color of ball segments required to balance the beam.
2. Make a chart with color and combination possibilities and check them off 
as each fails.

(NOTE)
As for the different colored balls, you have some info from Saavy's bedroom 
below the tusk tower in J'nanin. Recall the scales highlighting the weight 
equivalents between the 3 colored balls, however the game throws a wrench 
into the mix with the balance beam, shack counter balance and orange/brown 
ball and harness. I can't see a clear relation that I can calculate when the 
orange/brown ball and fulcrum are added. I can't find any data on orange ball 
material. For me, this turns the puzzle into a common trial and error. The 
only thing I have to offer is that I was convinced one of the 1/8" sections 
is black. There are over 60 possibilities. I suggest saving before adding 
segments to the counter balance in the shack.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

SAVE

Once you have completed the balance beam puzzle the console will half close 
and show the 3rd and final bridge rise up from the water and lower back down 
to it. Then the console will close completely and as in the 2 previous 
Amateria puzzles a hexagonal pattern appears on the cover.

Return to the gazebo/LIP, to Amateria and locate the 1st of 3 pedestals. Pick 
one of the hexagonal diagrams, replicate it on the grid and click away from 
the pedestal. Once you have all 3 patterns correctly placed in each of the 3 
pedestals you'll gain access to the bell house. Enter the house, climb the 
steps to the seat spin it and sit. Push the button and listen to Saavy rant, 
when he's done locate the lever above the chair and pull it. You're in the 
Floating Cupola, ahead and below you is the LIP to Amateria. A device opens a 
book like thing with the final puzzle in Amateria. With a little imagination 
you may see the puzzle as a jumbled color coded road map. 

What do we want to do?
1. Access the only place on Amateria we haven't been to.
2. Complete Amateria to access the diagram.
3. Return to J'nanin.

What do we know?
1. Amateria is color coded by area and puzzle; there are 4 areas in Amateria.
2. The colored areas are Red, Green, Blue and Yellow.
3. The puzzles rely on and are connected by a rail system.
4. The rail system interconnects within the Bell house.
5. One section of the Red area hasn't been explored; likely the exit point.
6. The color coded puzzle matches the areas of Amateria and the 3 main 
puzzles.
7. We want to enter Red so there're 3 possible starting points, yellow, green 
and blue.
8. From solving the 3 previous puzzles we know the order of bridges rising

What do we want to do?
1. Align a route through the color coded puzzle out to the Red area just off 
the main island.

(NOTE)
If you missed one of the clues when solving the yellow, Green and Blue 
puzzles it'll take a little experimentation, but you'll quickly eliminate 2 
of the colored starting points.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Once you have the route lined up properly, look up there are 4 colored 
buttons to choose from. Push the correct colored button and the game will 
take over. Prepare for a wicked cool roller coaster ride through Amateria. 
Eventually you'll roll to a stop on the little red transfer station like 
place and MF draws up the bright white image. Once complete move down to the 
J'nanin linking book and link back to J'nanin.
___________________________________________________________________________

4.6 J'nanin (rev)

You land yet again within the tower tusk. Move to the blue vacu-form thingy 
and place the car image on it. When done Mad Brad appears overhead and taunts 
MF thinking you're Atrus, stupid hologram. So OK, exit the tusk and head over 
to the Bird/melon tusk.

The quickest way is to go left once you hit the beach. Set the correct co-
ordinates into the pedestal and link out when the book is exposed.
___________________________________________________________________________

"Follow the hand and investigate everything"

4.7 EDANNA

As you circle Edanna it looks like a giant ugly potato that kind of got 
slightly blown up inside a microwave oven. You land inside and not quite near 
the top but close, there's a sort of huge pink flower, (pink on my monitor) 
move to it and discover MF can interact with it. It's a pink telescope 
flower, (PTF) look into it and see a linking book inside a knotted mass of 
roots or something ... I don't know. As you look about the area you can see 
some tall thin plants with umbrella looking things spiraling up them.

I slowly make my way out of the area and over to the tall thin plant thing, 
discover it's a sort of spiraling elevator plant (EP). Getting off the EP at 
the top, and I'm nauseous; but I'm even closer to the top of the potato. 
Explore all, locate and move to the next PTF. See and hear the big honkin 
bird, (BB) as it flies about and then lands at its nest. Now, look into the 
PTF and see that BB has a wee bairn.

When you've had your fill of maternal avian gawking locate the only exit from 
the area and do so. As you make your climb toward the top of the potato, take 
note of the skinny/closed up elevator plant. At the tippity top of Mount 
Potato discover more fauna, a palm plant and big orange flower. Examine 
everything closely and learn what the plants can do. Hey Moe, the top of old 
baldy is now in full sun. 

Move to the flower and discover it is like a Magnifying glass, an Orange 
Magnifying Flower (OMF), look into the OMF, explore and discover the power of 
the sun and plant life in the age. Once the required target has been found 
and the EP swells up, return to EP #2 and ride it down into ugly, ugly Mr. 
Potato. I'm really nauseous! The route through the upper areas of the potato 
are very linear, it's either move forward or go back to where you were, there 
are no cleverly hidden paths.

A few clicks from the EP you come to, for the lack of a more precise 
reference a Plant Pool. Inside the pool is a kind of neon colored electrified 
cuttlefish thing, (ECT) the little sadist occasionally jolts the plant for 
whatever reason. As you explore a little further down the path you'll 
discover, (I don't know) a big translucent and veiny melon thing pretty much 
looks like the one popped with the OMF, albeit a considerably smaller 
version. Learn that you can interact with it and when you do it will be an 
enlightening experience.

The swollen melon now provides light to the area, a good thing. As you 
proceed locate Saavy's JE#10 read it and move on. Soon you'll come to a fork 
in the path, explore the left route and discover its limitations, as you head 
right at the fork you come up to a plant bridge that has melons growing from </pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
it like the type on J'nanin. As you move over the bridge you can hear Big 
Bird shriek. Continue along the path to a rolled palm and an acorn light. You 
can interact with the acorn, do so, bring light to the area and watch and 
take note of the palm unfurl.

Examine everything as you move over the palm leaf. To the right there's a 
small ledge with a couple things on it, locate and interact with the coat 
hanger like vine at the tip of the palm. Don't be surprised, if you try 
moving into what you believe to be the next area and it springs you back to 
the palm. Rotate with your hand face high and discover the only 2 places 
available to you using the vine and swing over to it. There's a crank 
connected to a cage crank it and the cage rises. Must be a trap, move to the 
cage and take note of the berries, and what do we have here, is that a 
modified teepee? Look familiar? 

What do we want to do?
1. Locate the path into the next area.
 
What do we know?
1. Light affects palm leafs
2. There's a hanger vine at the end of the palm.
3. There's a rope pull at the right side of the palm leading to the cage 
trap.
4. There's a crank on the small ledge that raises the cage.
5. There are berries on a bush thing that resemble the berries on J'nanin.
6. There's a small RRT teepee close by.

What do we want to do?
1. Set the trap and test it.
2. Make any adjustments and run it again.

Once you have access to the next area do so, use the acorn to light the area 
up, to date I haven't figured out what the rolled palm is for. Continue along 
the path to the giant pitcher plant, notice BB is stuck inside and you can't 
get to the plant to release her. It looks like a giant version of the plant 
in MB's apartment on J'nanin. Continue on the path, exit the potato for a few 
steps and re-enter. Another melon pops up along with a big mural on the wall. 
"SQUEEZE THE MELON"! Bring light to the area and observe the mural. Move to 
the fork in the path, it may be difficult to make out at 1st, even when the 
melon is lit it's kind of murky and if you're moving too fast you can miss 
the fact that there is a fork.

So, let's go right, take your time, look deep and see what there is to see. 
You can make out 3 big white flowers and an OMF, number the white flowers 1, 
2 and 3 as you pass them. Examine the flowers and discover they're mirrors or 
reflectors, White Reflector Flowers (WRFs). Point at another WRF and see it 
glow bright white. You can only get to WRFs #2 and 3 on this side of the 
potato. Return to the fork and take the left path.

Move carefully, locate and "SQUEEZE THE MELON ... SQUEEZE IT!" Below the 
melon is a plant basin, just like the one seen earlier higher up in Mr. 
Potato, I called it the plant pool. Continue slowly and carefully, locate and 
move to the viewer, listen to MB rant then move on. A couple of clicks later 
you come to a dead end, a rolled up palm/fern leaf thing. Hmm! return to the 
fork for contemplation.

What do we want to do?
1. Not sure yet but to get past the rolled plant seems reasonable

What do we know?
1. There are at least 3 WRFs and 1 OMF, 2 of the WRFs can be accessed.
2. There is a rolled plant blocking progress.
3. Rolled plants respond to light.
4. The WRFs channel and reflect light.

What do we need to do? 
1. Find a way to use WRFs to unfurl the big rolled up leaf.

Once you unfurl the plant return to it and discover a huge dark hollowed out 
husk of a plant stem big enough to crawl through. The husk has a 
bioluminescent fungus that provides a dim light kinda looks like fluorescing 
jewels kinda. When you make it up to the top, spot OMF #2, take a peak and 
see that it points at the swollen melon with the ECT. Look about and see 
WRF#4 above, follow the path to it and take a peak. You can see pretty much 
everything from this vantage point.

What do we want to do?
1. The only thing that comes to mind is the swollen melon.
2. Burst the melon and see what happens.

What do we know?
1. Melons can be burst with the concentrated light from an OMF.
2. We have 4 WRFs spread out over the area.

What do we want to do?
1. Adjust the WRFs to guide sunlight to OMF #2.

While you're still in the husk and as you make your way back to the fork to 
solve the melon puzzle take note of the dark hollow node leading off to the 
right from the main husk. 

Once you figure out which WRFs to direct the melon will burst and Big Bird 
will be set free from the big bad pitcher plant. Fly BB, fly and be free! Now 
that she's able to get back to baby. Redirect WRF#3 back to WRF#2 to unfurl 
the plant again. Return to the husk climb up to the hollow node, (now on your 
left) and follow it to the end. Shortly after entering the node you come 
across more pages to the diary, pick up and read JE#2. When you exit the node 
you're very close to the edge of the potato. Follow the path to the hanger 
vine and drop to the level below. Proceed slowly, there's a short fork on the 
right leading to a cool lift leaf.

(NOTE)
JE#2 is very easy to miss if you're moving too fast and not carefully 
examining your surroundings.

The lift plant is for a return to the upper levels incase you forget 
something, go for a ride for the heck of it.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

It gets darker still as you proceed along the path to the center of the 
potato. Shortly on the right a humongous bulbous plant, (HBP) #1 appears down 
and to the right, a few clicks later a path forking off on the left, there 
are little white mushrooms growing in the moss to mark the area. Continue 
along the original path and you'll eventually come to another WRF, access it, 
look about and take note of the effect the light has on the stamen things at 
the top of HBP #1, the stamen stand right up. For the moment I'm going to 
keep the light trained on HBP #1 because it seems like the logical thing to 
do.

Head back to the fork and bear right over the white mushrooms into another 
area. You come to another intersection, branching off left and right, further 
along to the right there are vine like plants with more white flowers. HBP #2 
is ahead and to the left, although it has unfurled and has a big honkin berry 
hanging from its vine. Close and to the right of HBP #2, is a mob of moth 
things flittering about the HBP's stamen. Continue along the path to the 
floor of the potato, there's a huge bluish vine/root thing with a hole in the 
side and the root appears to be hollow. 

To the left of the hole is a fungus pod, squeeze the pod and it expels spore. 
Explore the rest of the floor area, find another group of pods near HBP #2, 
squeeze one and take note of the results.

(NOTE)
I'd hate to meet up with the caterpillar that made the hole in that root/vine 
especially if it carries a stone mallet.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Return to the hole in the root/vine. Enter and follow the hollowed out path. 
Find, grab and read JE#16 then continue up to the top of an HBP. Once at the 
top discover you can interact with the plant's stamen, watch the results. One 
of the leaves is blocking the spores from floating up and away.

(NOTE)
If you've been diligent you've picked up the last of the Saavy journal 
entries, all together there are 17 entries in his journal/diary and it is now 
complete.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Head back to the floor and take the path back to the white mushroom 
intersection. One last place to look for answers, Go past the intersection 
and head for the white flowering hanging vines, continue past them till you 
come to another palm plant like the one at the top of the potato with the pod 
button at its base. Push the button and watch the results. Return to the path 
intersection and take a gander at HBP #2, it has closed up. So now what?

What do we want to do?
1. Frankly I don't have any solid direction, but whatever it is it should be 
toward completing this age.

What do we know?
1. HBPs react to light; they open and close, their stamen relax or become 
rigid.
2. The moths do not like pod spore.
3. MF can interact with the berry vines at the top of HBPs.
4. When you eject spores into the air and the moths move away the plant 
reacts physically.
5. The moths really like HBP stamen.

What do we need to do?
1. Try messing with the moths?
2. See what happens after messing with the moths.

Once you've organized your approach and the moths move away from HBP #2, 
there's nothing left to do in this area, maybe they went over to HBP #1, 
let's have a look yeah. Climb through the hollow vine and up into the top of 
HBP #2. The moths are there and the top of the HBP is open a bit. Yank on the 
stamen or sterile berry twigs whatever the heck they are and let the game 
take over. BB flies in, snatches the big ripe berry lattice and drags you 
along with her because you're kind of stuck in the berry bunch lattice.

Once you land in BB's nest locate the exit and beat feet out of there in the 
only route available. Lo and behold you're inside the vine/root mesh thing 
located at the beginning of the age. Right below you is the 3rd and final 
image required to access the book in the central tusk tower of J'nanin. Use 
the book and link back to J'nanin.
___________________________________________________________________________

4.8 J'NANIN

Once you land within the tower move to the device and use the image, use all 
of them if you haven't each time you've linked back. Once you install the 
last image Atrus will appear above in the viewer, he speaks to his sons and 
blinks out.

Access the book and link out to NARAYAN.
___________________________________________________________________________

"Follow the hand and investigate everything"

4.9 NARAYAN

After semi circling the structure you end up inside a circular building. Take 
your time to take in the structure, there isn't a lot of room but what there 
is of it leaves much to be digested. Look closely at the symbols on the walls 
and all items you can or will interact with. When you have all the notes you 
think you can use find the stairs up and climb to the roof. Once MF reaches 
the top of the stairs Saavy pops in from the penthouse door and then pitches 
another fit when he realizes MF isn't Atrus. But ... (... = silent pause) 
what are ya gonna do?

Before returning to the penthouse Saavy imparts some advice to MF, with a 
warning about linking books; some destinations aren't as desirable as others. 
I know the odds weren't good but I had to try the door after the game 
released MF. Explore the roof, locate the lever and turn it. Listen closely 
for a near imperceptible background hum. I'm thinking power source. Why on 
the roof? ... I got nuthin!

Make your way back to the 1st level to begin assessing your seemingly dismal 
situation. Grab something to drink on the way, this stew meat's dry, not 
tasty at all and will be hard to swallow. For me it's definitely the most 
difficult puzzle in the entire game without question.

What do we want to do?
1. Remove the shield blocking access to the lower level and air ship
2. Access to the penthouse.
3. Figure out how to get the orb things to work and figure out what they do.
4. Get the Releeshahn book back.

What do we know?
1. Lever on roof may be breaker for power source.
2. 6 drape symbols match the 3 age images and may be important.
3. Saavedro still has the Releeshahn book.
4. Can see distant objects past shield, likely accessible via air ship.

What do we need to do?
1. Figure out how to operate the orbs and lower shields.

In less than a minute with the 2 orbs it's obvious they're now powered and 
that the roof lever was a breaker/switch thing. The lever between the orbs is 
a shunt. What isn't blatantly obvious is what's inside the orbs and what 
they're for. After some contemplation I'm thinking each of the 4 
conglomerations is an interconnecting circuit. Take note of the hot, (red) 
lead wire connected to each grouping from the insulator between the inner and 
outer sections of the orb and the trailing cold, (white) line exiting through 
the center of the orb, anyway, that's my take on it. My guess is once the 
correct connections are made the circuit will light up, which correct 
connection is now the issue.

This is where the puzzle gets mean, I only have one thing to go on, one 
common thread after going through my notes and that's the 3 Age images at the 
bottom of my monitor. The images from Amateria, Edanna and Voltaic have 
matches on the drapes. Each image is made up of 2 parts; each part equals one 
of the symbols on one of the drapes. Apparently Saavy is wearing 2 of the 
drapes as a robe to cover his nasty bits. Red drapes, 2 tears at 1st drape 
set position and MB's haute couture togs says it all yeah.

(NOTE)
Each of the symbols has a name, (maybe a descriptive equivalent of the 
symbol) in any case the game places the images in the following order at the 
bottom of your screen, Amateria, Voltaic and then Edanna. I don't know, I 
think the game maybe prefers one to play ages in this order also. Anyway, my 
route didn't seem to affect the outcome; I made it here without too much 
issue.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

So, the Amateria image is a combination of the 2 symbols "Change and Force". 
The Voltaic image is made up from "Motion and Future" and Edanna is made up 
from the symbols "Nature and Encourage". This is encouraging but, here's the 
problem, broken down the 3 Age images make up 6 symbols and I'm guessing the 
way the circuits are oriented in Orb #1, it's going to take more than 6 
symbols to complete it let alone both orbs. If I have it right it's going to 
take 12 symbols placed in the correct positions in the 1st orb to make 
something happen and who knows how many in Orb #2.

Up to now most clues came from the pages of Saavedro's diary. However, after 
listening to Saavy rant on the roof, it's obvious he doesn't have a clue on 
how to get out of here. After going through his diary yet again I'm convinced 
of it. I got one thing left and that's my notes, it's a P.I.T.A. to go 
through them from the beginning but that's all I got. As it happens, the 
answer was in my notes, (well my notes lead to the answer). I dread going 
back to it since the 1st reading; frankly Atrus' journal could put a speed 
freak to sleep after a couple pages. It's almost as bad as playing an RPG and 
worse than watching someone playing one. You should have read it but if you 
haven't yet do it now read Atrus' journal. 

(NOTE)
The diary is related to the writing of Releeshahn and pretty much Atrus' 
mother, but there are very important items to locate. The items do stand out 
in a subtle fashion; so, if you pay attention you'll catch them.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

What do we want to do?
1. Solve the orb puzzle to acquire access to the lower level, air boat and 
penthouse. 

What do we know?
1. Orbs are groupings of interconnecting circuits.
2. Atrus journal has important data regarding orbs and drape symbols

What do we need to do?
1. Organize the journal data and match up drape symbols.
2. Correctly activate symbols in orbs.

(NOTE)
I suggest you duplicate each of the required symbols from the drapes for a 
quick reference when at the orbs. 
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Once you have the solution, ensure power is shunted to Orb #1 then set each 
symbol in its proper position within the interconnecting circuits. When all 
symbols in a circuit segment are set correctly the circuit will light up. 
When all circuit segments in orb #1 are correctly placed the shield blocking 
the lower level drops. Head down to the lower level to see what there is to 
see. Locate and snatch the Tomahna book then the remaining 3 word symbols. 
Copy the symbols to some notepaper. Return to the main level, shunt power 
back to Orb #2 and copy the remaining symbols into the orb. When complete the 
shields to the lower level will return but the outer shield will drop.

Saavy will pop in and perform a minor freak out, (too many years stuck on 
something MF solved in little time. Saavy promises to give Releeshahn back to 
Atrus if MF does what he asks. Remember all the videos and pages Saavy left 
in the ages visited? Take all you've learned about Saavedro and use it 
wisely.


(NOTE)
This is where the learning curve ends; there are 3 possible endings, 2 not so 
good. I'll leave you to them.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
___________________________________________________________________________

5. PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

J'NANIN

1. Tusk #1
The door must be open before the barrel can roll through, so to access the 
door the barrel must be to the right of the ladder. If you don't mess with 
the levers then this is the sequence of moves. Left up, Right down, L d, R 
up, barrel is right of ladder, move to the door, open it and return to 
pedestal. Move L up, L d, R d, and the barrel is now in the tusk. Move R up, 
ladder now ready to use. 
 
2. Tusk #2
To access the 2nd tusk, you must free the RRT from the teepee by squeezing 
the top of the plant and then the teepee. The RRT runs to the melons, squeaks 
and the melons swell up big time. Climb back up to the WAF, aim it at the 
RRT's position and release the WAF. When done the melons above you swell up 
and create a bridge to the 2nd tusk.

3. Elevator Puzzle #1
Pay close attention to the picture of the 3 pendulum mechanical puzzle. Each 
pendulum can be set in a top, middle and bottom position. Look closely at the 
3 horizontal lines in the pic, they show which position each pendulum should 
be in. From left to right is "Bottom", "Mid" and "Mid". The rest of the 
puzzles under the elevator are obvious.

4. Pedestal bead solutions
Circle, Bird and Snail. For ease of use I chose this method of orientation. 
There're 4 rings and 4 beads the rings are designated as outer most ring = #1 
and the inner most ring = #4 and the positions given in the order 1 through 4

(CIRCLE: NNW, ESE, S, W) (BIRD: NNW, WSW, S, SW) (SNAIL: SSW, W, S, E)

5. Tusk #3 
The entry door's color combination lock, starting from the wheel pedestal, 
turn wheel till water dome shines on purple disk near wheel. The light from 
the disk shines on the Yellow gemmed lens; stand between the incoming light 
and lens for proper orientation. Keep turning the lens till next colored lens 
appears, (there is also a faint beam of light emanating from the lens and 
points to next lens), repeat instructions. Keep track and order of lenses, 
last lens points at 3rd tusk. Not sure if order is same all versions of the 
game here's mine. (Y, B, G, R, Y, P, and R) this sequence repeats every time 
I play. 
_____________________________________________________________________________

VOLTAIC

1. Drain Manhole,
Turning red wheel at top of tower opens water gate, blocks manhole and drains 
it. Enter manhole, open door, operate crank. Exit, move to broken porthole 
extend water wheel paddles/fins. This generates the power required to 
activate and unlock the door near the manhole opening.

3/12/15
(NOTE)
This update clears an error of omission, pulling RK through middle slot 
before returning to Lava Observation Room.

12/13/19
(NOTE)
Regarding a Red Knob control issue some players may be experiencing in the 
Lava room. 
Grab knob and pull in intended direction. When knob comes to forced stop 
release knob and it will continue in the intended direction to complete the 
desired action.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
 
2. Lava Observation Room, 
Rotate red knob one time to lower platform and remove lava from gear room. 
Proceed to lower level and enter Lava Gear room via security door.

Lava Gear Room
1. Rotate RK CW.
2. Pull RK through middle slot
3. Rotate RK CCW.
4. Locate and activate button by 1 rotation.
5. Rotate RK CW.
6. Pull RK through middle slot.
7. Rotate RK CCW.
8. Pull RK through middle slot.

Return to Lava Observation Room and rotate the RK CCW once to raise platform 
and flood room with lava.  

3. Valve puzzle,
The valves are a simple math puzzle; manipulating them correctly allows you 
to attain the red line in the blue area of the pressure gauge. This funnels 
the correct steam pressure to the big red valve near the ladder and channels 
the steam to the dirigible. An open valve releases steam a closed valve 
channels the steam.

3 of the 4 valves at station #1 are functional the 4th valve is stuck in the 
closed position. Each valve provides 10 lbs of steam pressure each totaling 
30 lbs; Station #2 has 4 valves at 4 lbs each totaling 16 lbs and station #3 
has 4 valves at 1 lb each totaling 4 lbs for a grand total of 50 lbs of 
pressure.

To reach the 3rd level station, at station #1 close 3 valves, rise up to 
station #2 and close 3 valves then rise up to station #3. 

The total pressure available is 50 lbs; the resting gauge pressure sits at 41 
lbs from the red line in the blue area. 50 lbs minus 41 lbs results in 9 lbs.

1. Station #1 - close 3 valves, rise up to station #2 - close 3 valves and 
rise up to station #3 - close 1 valve and return to station #2.
2. Station #2 - open 1 valve and return to station #l open 3 valves and the 
needle is on red line in the blue area of the gauge.
3. Turn big red valve, inflate the dirigible.
_____________________________________________________________________________

AMATRIA

1. Green Puzzle
Control pedestal, left circle, pegs inserted at 12:00 and 2:00, right circle, 
peg inserted at 10:00.

2. Blue Puzzle
Standing with your back to the bell house walk the assumed path of the ball 
once it is dropped from the floating bell. As viewed from the floating 
platform control pedestal, the 1 through 5 Ring structures are at 8, 10, 12, 
2 and 4:00 from left to right. Send 1 ball; it is destroyed at the 12:00 ring 
but the odd shaped objects continue to move. Simply match the order of the 
odd shaped objects from the control panel to each ring structure in its 
assumed path.

Otherwise, the easy route is this, the order the ball rolls through the 
rings, 12, 8, 2, 10 and 4:00. Starting at the 12:00 ring go to its hex panel 
and move the pointer to blue object #1, (upper left, 10:00 position on 
control panel). 
From the bell roof building stay on the rail and you can easily follow the 
ball's 12, 8, 2, 10 and 4:00 route through all 5 ring structures, stop at 
each ring and move the red pointer to the next blue object. 

3. Yellow Puzzle
The counter weight in the shack requires 1 black segment and 2 brown 
segments.
The balance beam fulcrum must be set to far left.

4. Color Coded Map Puzzle
There are 9 segments to the color coded map, 3 rows with 3 segments per row, 
(think tic-tac-toe grid). -0- equals no turn of the particular segment, the 
numbers 1 or 2 equal the number of turns required to orient the particular 
segment correctly.

Row #1, 0/1/1.   Row #2, 0/2/0.   Row #3, 1/1/1.

Your path is Blue, (Bell House) Yellow, (Counter Balance Beam) Green, 
(Carousel) Red, (Bridge)
_____________________________________________________________________________

EDANNA

RRT Puzzle
Crank the trap up, shake a berry loose from the bush, push it past the trap 
and return to the unrolled palm via the slide and path. Once the RRT begins 
eating the berry spring the trap and watch the results.

Unfurling the Palm/Fern Puzzle
Return to WRF#3, access it, locate WRF#2 and aim WRF#3 at it. Move to WRF#2 
locate the rolled up fern; ensure WRF#2 is pointed at the rolled fern. Once 
the WRF#2 is adjusted to the fern it will unroll.

Bursting the Swollen Melon puzzle
The OMF is fixed on the swollen melon; move around and up to WRF#4, swing it 
over to and point it at the OMF. Return to WRF#3 and swing it right to WRF#1. 
WRF#1 is fixed on WRF#4; once the alignment is made the game takes over, 
bursts the melon and frees BB. 

This will only work if you remembered to squeeze the 2nd melon to get the 
fish thing into the little pool
_____________________________________________________________________________

NARAYAN

Orb/Symbol Puzzle

Read Atrus' journal, locate the 4 groups of highlighted, (bold font) words 
and the dates they were written. Their order and dates relate to their 
positions in the 1st and 2nd orbs. Move over to the drapes, locate and 
accurately copy the symbols onto some notepaper. It's "VERY" important to 
correctly recreate the symbols in the correct circuit, when you do the 
circuit will light up bright white. "Think Clock"

1. Good ending, 

Once Saavy is out on the veranda run up to the roof and kill the power to the 
orbs. Count how many times Brad screams "NO". When he's done ranting return 
to the main level and take the book from him, he'll go through another "NO" 
session and then crumble, (don't forget to keep a NO count). Move to the 
shunt and switch it then return to the roof return power to the orbs and let 
MB scoot off to his floating home.

2. Bad ending,

Once Saavy is out on the veranda shunt power to the other orb and Saavy will 
show you his appreciation by chucking Releeshahn out into whatever. Return to 
Tomahna and pass the bad news to Atrus and Catherine, all those poor people 
on Releeshahn will never have the ability to link out or have someone to link 
in forever. The poor, retched things ... Crap! I meant wretched but forgot 
the "w"!

3. Really bad ending,

Run up to the roof and kill power to the orbs, Saavy will do the no, no thing 
and promise to be good if you do him a solid. Switch power back on and in a 
rage Saavy runs up to the roof and clubs you to death, thereby trapped for 
who knows how long. There's no going back to Tomahna this time.
____________________________________________________________________________