the Masquerade Talisman
your crew were busy navigating a Schooner through treacherous waters when suddenly you find yourself in a nightmare world, the Schooner's gone, the ocean waves have gone, you and three others are sudddenly in a dungeon world so fiendish it must surely be a nightmare.
Is the Schooner here somewhere? or is this real or all just a masquerade? one thing is for sure, if your crew dont figure it out soon, the nightmare will end up being a short one.

Launch platform effectively offers 8 initial directions
1. North stairs : Lake woods
2. Eastern Stairs : Forest woods
3. Southern stairs : Old City
4. Western Stairs : Beach
5. drop down to Air Elementals : Brutal exploration
6. drop down to Fire Elementals : Suicidal exploration
7. drop down to Ugguardians : the Ugguardians are territorial and will not tolerate newcomers except on a Sunday
8. drop down to Skeleton Warriors : the warriors are well armed and good fighters

The standard beginning would probably be more likely the STAIRS to easier areas.
Courageous beginning would involve any of the drop down quests but your crew would more than likely be butchered in seconds.



STEP BY STEP Guide, the following do not have to be done in this order, they can be done in any order. 
1. North stairs : Lake woods
5. Leads to 

2. Eastern Stairs : Forest woods, foraging mainly
2. Leads to Tomb Sarcos (Mortar!) 

3. Southern stairs : Old City. TIP! look out for the damaged walls, these indicate a hidden passageway which leads to a rag tag den of netherdos , slay the netherdos in their vile den and gain a lovely set of reed armour into the bargain.
3. Leads to Dungeon Arena with pit in centre.

4. Western Stairs : Beach, concealed here is the warhammer and the shortbow. Zarchton Ruins , fight the Zarchtons then descend to Tomb.
4. Leads to Tomb throwing contest TIP : at Tomb throwing contest SAVE THE GAME, falling into the trench is not recoverable! NOTE in the trench are 4 wall locks, using 4 iron keys here teleports the crew to Healing Crystals hallway. 

5. drop down to Air Elementals : Brutal foes
 This to me is the big starting point, I would choose this to kick off the quest, just EVADE the Air Elementals as you cannot fight them as this stage. There is a wall button a couple of metres from drop down, press it to access a big open hallway that conceals an Acolyte Staff, heavy armour and a rapier. 
To find the rapier this early into the game would be a big plus, BUT involves tangling with these noxious Air Elementals, can you pull it off? [Rapier cannot be found in this section 99 seconds into the game]
5. Leads to Dungeon Arena with pit in centre. TIP!  just use the pit in the centre at an early stage in the game, side pits (if open) are just too challenging at this time. 

6. drop down to Fire Elementals : Suicidal exploration
6. Leads to SWAMP which leads to Dungeon East (Dungeon Arena with pit in centre)

7. drop down to Ugguardians : the Ugguardians are territorial and will not tolerate newcomers except on a Sunday
7. Leads to Advanced Push Blocks

8. drop down to Skeleton Warriors Barracks: the warriors are well armed and good fighters
8. Leads to push blocks TIP!  do not push the blocks straight into the centre. start with middle but just push 1 row forward and dont worry if you see that there are too many blocks to fit. When solved, return to Barracks, Armour Store is now open. Now move back to Push Blocks progress to find the Bone Blade and Air Essence! 

Side pits in Dungeon Arena with pit in centre:  North side pit, drops down to ROPE (TIP! dont leave the Air Elementals base before finding the rope) but a squad of rat infantry object to your visit first
Side pits in Dungeon Arena with pit in centre:  South side pit, drops down to 
Side pit in Old City drops down to Old Tomb area - revisit Start of Level to find rare potions. 

Ball Teleporters (are unlocked by defeating Swamp Skeleton Commander 1) 
Teleporter Room entrance : 
Daemon Head :
Damaged Wall : Castle (Shaman locks)
Grating :

Skull Key 1: Skeleton Commander 1 in Swamp
Skull Key 2: Skeleton Commander 2 in Swamp
Skull Key 3: Ball Teleporter Room
Skull Key 4: Ball Ugguardian Overflow area
Skull Key 5: N teleporter back to Old City


Green Gem : Get the Morning Star in Fire Elemental base (from Swamp) 


Overview:   Your crew find themselves on a platform with 8 ways to go, which is the way to go though?  The stairs look safer than the drops. But the drops could offer what the crew need, sooner rather than later. 
Somewhere in this maze is the gorgeous Talisman of Masquerade, it has magical properties according to the scrolls but the pitfalls along the way are many and deadly. Perhaps the crew would be better off loking for what is left of their schooner instead.