TAG Characters

Here are the main characters you will find during the course of the game, they are in order of appearance when I played through the game. Seem as The Ancient’s Gates is not strictly a linear game, you may come across them in a different order. Some of these may be spoilers for the game so I recommend reading up on a character as and when its mentioned in the game.

Rynn

Rynn is a young woman in her early twenties who grew up in a small remote village situated in the foothills of the mountains on the great central continent of Drakan. Like almost all small human settlements, life was hard work; a constant struggle to survive from one winter to the next and the threat from neighbouring Wartocks was ever present. Many families were very poor and mainly relied on income from selling weapons and other wares to the various traders that sometimes passed by. Journeys to the nearest town in the district were few and far between. After the death of her parents in a Wartock raid, she was left alone to look after her younger brother Delon but she was often aided by the village priest, Atimar who quickly became like an uncle to them.

Rynn, although at heart a simple village girl and not very well educated, made up for it in exceptional combat skills which she learnt quickly after the death of her parents when her hatred for the Wartocks was the strongest. Within time, she was promoted to one of the village guards and was known as a respectable and honourable fighter amongst her village people. She is often very over confident, believing she can deal with almost anything as long as it involved her sword…

Arokh

Arokh is a living legend who served in the Order of the Flame over 600 years before Rynn’s time. He is a fire dragon of the Elder Breed and originally came from the warmer, south eastern continent where he was born along with his two brothers and one sister. When he was very young, he decided to seek new lands and adventure and travelled with his father to Surdana, the district in which Rynn’s village is situated. His father soon joined the Order leaving Arokh to more or less fend for himself which formed an instant bitter relationship between father and son. Angry and disillusioned and unable to travel home again, Arokh settled down and some years later, met Heron, an early 40’s aged warrior who served as a protector for his village and its people. After being friends for a few months, the two decided to bond and become members of the Order of the Flame, which had been around for many years ensuring peace throughout the world. Together they served in the Order for a couple of hundred years – Heron benefiting from Arokh’s long life span and within time they became highly respected and skilled warriors.

Tragically after about 400 years of the Order’s reign, a huge war broke out between the Order and the Dark Union, one of the Order’s greatest foes, lead by the traitor war mage Navaros and his dragon Kaeros. Eventually, after 3 years of fighting, the Order’s forces were seriously depleted and they arranged a last stand against Navaros. Heron and Arokh were entrusted with the Runeblade – a powerful sword that could open rifts which they used to try and kill Navaros. Unfortunately, victory came at a price; the forces unleashed upon Navaros’s defeat resulted in Heron’s death along with the remnants of the Order with him. Navaros himself was sucked into the rift when the runeblade pierced his heart. Arokh and Rimril were the only survivors of that last battle and afterwards Arokh, saddened by the death of his bonded and his entire family, returned to his cave to go into eternal sleep. His soul crystal was buried within Heron’s tomb beneath the village temple.

The great red dragon is a knowledgeable and intelligent creature who speaks very politely and distinctly upper class. He is a magnificent beast with an almost perfect, well formed muscular body and he knows how handsome he looks – and he’s proud of it. He tends to fancy himself and like most male dragons, believes he is god’s gift to females.
With his high opinion of himself and his reputation, he likes to associate himself with high ranking military and the nobles of the world rather than ‘ordinary people’. He has little time for common villagers and farmers regarding them worthless and not of much use to society. In fact he enjoys his authority and gets a kind of sadistic pleasure from making people kneel before him and lick his feet. He worked hard during his life to accomplish his status symbol and is proud to be the saviour of the world and his achievement even though it resulted in the loss of his bonded.

Human knights

These humans are the defenders of the ancient city of Surdana, the only remaining city of the Order which survived the Dark Wars and the test of time. General Dherimon is their commander and is one of your prime contacts for information.

Blackwings and Bat Dragons

These feral dragons are found throughout many of Drakan’s lands. They pose a constant threat to any creature and are fiercely territorial attacking any foreign dragon entering their homelands. Their breath weapons vary depending on the environment but otherwise they are relatively weak and can be taken out quite easily by a couple of good archers. These dragons were never part of the Order and lack the powers of the Elder Breed making them useless as a human’s soul mate. Their nasty, fearsome nature also makes it very difficult for any being to actually like them.

Lady Myschala

The ruler of Surdana and its surrounding human occupied lands, she resides in the royal palace in the centre of the city. Within the palace strongholds lie many of the Order’s artefacts rescued from the rubble of the Dragon temple at the beginning of the Dark Wars. She was the one who learned of Arokh’s awakening and began to plan the rebirth of the Order. When Arokh returned to Rynn’s village, it was her that asked Jade to perform the call of the Order spell to alert him. Lady Myschala is the most important character in the game and you must keep reporting back to her during your progress through the game.

Jade

The proprietor of the magic emporium where you can go for advice on the Desert Lords and to purchase spells. Visiting Jade before going to the islands is essential. She can be found in the large tower near the palace. Jade is a foreigner to Surdana and originally came from the deep south fleeing to Surdana when her hometown was destroyed and its people enslaved by the Desert Lords. She was given refuge and later her own tower when her skills became apparent to Lady Myschala.

Trogs and Toadfist

Amphibian creatures that feed on humans, which dwell in swamplands around the world. You will come across them in the underground Shadowmire swamp near Surdana. They are tribal in nature and come in two varieties, the green skinned ones are pretty weak but the larger, brown skinned trogs have basic magical abilities and can snipe at you from a large distance with their lightning attacks. Their chieftain is known as ‘Toadfist’ and you may come across him during your trip through the swamp. Seem as his is the first boss of the game, he can be taken out quite easily.

Grull and Wartocks

These creatures look similar and are part of the same family. The Grull are usually stupid creatures and are often found near the larger, more intelligent Wartocks. Both of these creatures were once the elite ground fighting force of the Dark Union and they are now the dominant species of the planet. They are allies with the Desert Lords and seek to destroy mankind. In combat, the Grull are weak but the Wartocks are much stronger and some have basic magic skills hurling fireballs at you from a distance. Duck and roll to avoid their projectiles and hit them hard and they will go down.

The Inquisitor

Little is known about this undead creature; he resides in the underground tunnels beneath Surdana and with the help of his Wartock allies, carries humans off during the night for interrogation. The questions he asks are always the same; he appears to be asking about people and dragons of the Order who have been long dead. Humans that fail to answer his questions simply because they don’t know are always tortured and killed. It is presumed that he was once an agent of the Dark Union and has been awakened by an unknown force. The Inquisitor is a difficult enemy – his attack spells are absolutely devastating. Use a invulnerability potion if you have one.

Skeletons

Found in various tombs and crypts throughout the land, Skeletons are undead guardians of powerful artefacts usually found within these final resting places. They are also guardians of the four elemental blades and similarly powerful weapons. They also serve as slaves to some of the world’s magi and sorcerers. Skeletons are usually easily dealt with and do not pose much threat.

Bone Dragons

A bone Dragon is a skeleton or corpse possessed by a dragon spirit which produce powerful magical lightning as their form of attack. Seem as their breath weapon is so powerful, these are not to be taken lightly and its best to separate them and deal with them one at a time. You find out later in the game who brought these creatures back from the dead.

Kossa Vole

Again, little is known about this man but what is known is that he is a powerful sorcerer who has stolen a powerful artefact of the Dark Union which would be disastrous if he learnt how to fully use it. He also has the ability to hide his true self hiding in different host bodies making it difficult for his enemies to tell if they have really destroyed him. General Dherimon believed that he had killed him a couple of years ago but he has raised his head again. You will find him in his own realm created by arcane magic and populated by the undead. Bone Dragons guard the entrance to his realm making it virtually impossible for anyone to even reach him.

Mezzidrel

The second real boss of the game who is found in the Andrellian Isles. She is a large two headed sea serpent who once was known as a neutral creature, neither on the Union or the Order’s side. She now has become allies with the Desert Lords and has been sent to protect the Isles from anyone who dares to stop their plans. Mezzidrel fires homing bolts of electrical energy that even follow you round corners. Fire at a distance, retreat and heal then repeat is the best way.

Bonegrinder

A Unique Grull; he actually has a large degree of intelligence; he is the one behind the artificial storms surrounding the Andrellian Isles. He created the storms to trap ships so he could loot them and kill their occupants. Slightly more powerful than a standard Grull, Bonegrinder is easily dealt with but he possesses a powerful staff which can inflict great damage on you if you get too close at the wrong time.

Snotmaw

Lairing in Kragmoor, Snotmaw is a Wartock chieftain who is behind all the attacks on Surdana. For some of you, you will never come across this enemy as you are only given the chance of defeating him after you open the first gate. He is not that tough but carries a deadly cleaver as a weapon so the best tactic in dealing with him is to simply get out of the way and use magic or bows then finish him off with your favourite sword.

The Wizard of Ravenshold and the Northmen

The Northmen and the Wizard are human inhabitants of the small town of Ravenshold. They will assist you greatly in reaching the second gate and they hold valuable information on the surrounding lands. You must undertake four sidequests for the wizard to gain items necessary for his spell which will enable you to reach Shiverbane.

Daemog

Daemog is a large yeti, creatures which have crawled back from extinction. You will meet him on one of your missions in the Northlands. Best tactic is use the clone spell if you have it and attack from a distance because if any of the snowballs he throws hits you, it will take away half your health.

Ice Golems

Found in the Northern Tundra, these strange beings attack anything that dares to enter their territory. They fire lasers from a great distance which freeze you solid after a few hits. These guys seriously deplete your armour so make sure you are wearing a good suit and avoid being hit. Best tactic with these guys is to use the trees and rocks as cover and attack them with magic or your bow.

Halfmen and Maulgak

Found in Shiverbane, the Halfmen are a cross between a human and a Orc. They run very fast and often attack in groups making them a formidable enemy. The halfmen never travel far from their homelands and many beings of Drakan are unaware of their existence. Their leader, Maulgak has been asked by the Desert Lords to guard the second gate. You will face him in his ancient arena which has been used for gladiatorial combat for centuries. He is a rather difficult adversary so the usual tactics of attack, retreat and attack again work well. Jump to avoid his ice ring attack.

Icewings?

I don’t know what the proper name is for these feral dragons but they are found in Shiverbane and have thick fur rather than scales so they can survive in the harsh environment. They are not as powerful as the Elder Breed like the Blackwings but they seem to be allies with the Halfmen. They fire an icy blast at you and are quite difficult to hit as they fly very fast. I found that the sonic breath works best.

Gothraul

Lord of the undead, Gothraul was one of Navaros’s greatest allies. He survived the Dark Wars and is the one behind all the undead humans and Dragons coming back into the world. He is neutral to the Desert Lords and works on his own but he would most definitely not want the Order of the Flame returning to the world so eventually he teams up with the Desert Lords to help them. He is supposedly one of the game’s toughest enemies but I found him quite easy to beat using the sword, Tempest (28AP). You will find him in his own off-world realm floating within a nebula in the void of space – maybe it was just me but the gravity in this area seemed to be less than normal.

Shaza and Tora

These two Dragonesses are of the Elder Breed but however are not on Rynn and Arokh’s side. Their brother, like them were traitors to the Order and some 600 years ago Arokh murdered him because of his wrongdoings. Shaza and Tora were once dragons of the Dark Union serving as assassins and they were condemned to eternal sleep at the end of the Dark Wars. Their souls along with many others belonging to dragons of the Dark Union were kept within a crystal in an unknown location somewhere within the Desert Lords’s realm. Upon Arokh’s arrival at the Saniguide,  **** **** called upon the elemental powers returning the dragon sister’s souls to their bodies and bringing them back from their centuries long stony sleep. Shaza and Tora were still angry at Arokh and quickly began to attack.

These dragons are one of the most powerful air adversaries attacking simultaneously with homing life sapping energy. They also have a very large HP requiring you to hit them many times over before they finally die. An invulnerability and  / or invisibility potion is very highly recommended when fighting these two otherwise you will find it almost impossible to stay alive.

The Souless

These are the pawn of the Desert Lords and are very tough opponents. There is not much to be said about these guys other than to make sure your armour is good and you use a fast, high HP weapon.

Griffins

Found in the valley of the Fallen, Griffins are intelligent creatures and unlike Feral Dragons can be tamed and made to serve anyone as a powerful ally. They wear saddles as further proof that they carry a rider. Unfortunately for Rynn and Arokh, they are allies with the Desert Lords and are the hardest aerial opponents you will face. Not much to recommend with defeating these guys except to exercise caution so you don’t face too many at once. And definitely avoid their projectiles, they are absolutely lethal.

Desert Lords

The race of beings from the alien world of Sessool who came to Drakan after the Dark Wars and the fall of the Order. They are the main cause of the human suffering in the world and up till now, seemed unstoppable. Over the centuries, they allied with the Wartocks and many other races of the world building up a formidable force. Humans however were seen as a weak race and were initially ignored and left to go about their normal business. It did not always remain like this; over time, humans were killed or enslaved by their oppressors as the Desert Lords’s influence spread to other continents of the world. Now, they have come to Surdana and its surrounding region and because of you, it finally looks like their reign of terror will be over.

In the game, you may come across two Desert Lords in Shiverbane depending on your course through the level and this first encounter is surprisingly easy. They are easily defeated but their long distance spell attack can be very damaging if you don’t take cover. Seem as they float around, you may find a bow or magic the weapons of choice to take them out and use melee when they get close. Your next encounter with the Desert Lords is in Stratos, the floating islands from which they rule and here they are considerably harder to beat.

Elder Breed Dragons

Found in Stratos, these Dragons are identical to Shaza and Tora and are the result of a cloning experiment presumably using the said two dragonesses souls as the source. Of course they are not on your side and must be taken out as quickly as possible as they use the same life sapping attack of Shaza and Tora. Also, at the end of the Dark Wars, the remaining unbonded dragons on the Union’s side chose not to go into eternal sleep. It is not known what exactly happened to them and its possible that some you face may well be ancient adversaries that are very experienced in air combat. Seem as you also have the same breath weapon as them (assuming you picked up the Orb outside the Saniguide), return the favour and you will be rewarded with health upon a successful hit.

Flesh Mage

This guy is a deadly adversary, more powerful than the Desert Lords themselves and recently he has gone insane forcing the Desert Lords to seal him in his palace to prevent him from destroying everything. He also created the immortal Pain Golem who is guarding the last gateway to Surdana. Unfortunately, you must break the seal and enter his palace to be able to find a way to destroy his bizarre creation.

Jassad

The emperor of the Desert Lords who resides in Stratos. He is your ultimate goal in the game and he must be taken out to complete the game. I’m not going to say anything else about him so it won’t spoil the game for you.

Mala-Shae

You don’t actually see this character in the game but I thought I’d mention her seem as she would be the next character you come across had the game not ended upon Jassad’s defeat. Mala-Shae is the leader of the Immortal Spirit Dragons, the ancient ancestral spirits of all dragonkind. It was her that led most of the dragons of the Elder Breed into the sleep of ages and if she is brought back into the world so will the Elder Breed, the last dragons of the Order. Only then could worthy humans bond with these dragons and the New Order of the Flame will be born.

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