Guild Woods

Once your first lesson is over, it’s time to pit your Stick against some real enemies. Head east to Guild Woods and introduce your new pointy pal to the Beetles marked by the red dots on your map.

Beetles are feeble foes, so don’t expect much of a challenge. Just take your time and ensure you collect the Experience Orbs expelled from their twitching bodies.

Afterward, return to the Heroes’ Guild and tell the Guildmaster that you’re ready to begin your Apprentice Training.

Apprentice Training

As an apprentice (and strapping teenager now, thanks to the passing of time), you’re expected to prove your worth in Melee, Archery, and Will combat. You can repeat each test to earn bonus items, so don’t move on to the next stage of training without them.

Melee Training

Start your Melee lesson by meeting the Guildmaster at the combat ring. Equip your brand-new Iron Longsword and prepare for a crash course in attacking, blocking, and dodging. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll go toe-to-toe with Whisper again, but she doesn’t put up much of a fight.

Archery Training

To begin the next stage of your training, make your way to the Archery range. Talk to the Guildmaster and he’ll present you with a Yew Longbow. Fire a few arrows at the stationary dummies and you’ll face a second test against moving targets.

Will Training

Once you’re ready for your third and final test, make your way south to the small island near the Demon Door. It’s time for a battle of Will and you have 30 seconds to land a Lightning blow on as many dummies as possible. Your auto-lock should latch back onto a target as soon as it’s recovered so simply wait a few seconds after three consecutive strikes, then start over.

Once you’ve completed Will training, select ‘Play with Whisper’. Head to the Guild Woods and prepare to do battle against some Bandits. There’s no way across the river, so use your bow or fry them with lightning to clear the area. If you’re injured, Whisper will heal you—but it’s far from a tough fight. You won’t get much for your efforts beyond a few Experience Orbs but then it’s not all about materialistic gain, right?

Pre-Graduation Side-Quests at the Heroes’ Guild

If you want to earn a few bonus items during your time at the Heroes’ Guild, take a stab at the four side-quests dotted around the map. Be warned, though; these are only available up until your final exam against Maze in Guild Woods.

Baking A Pie

Visit the building at Point A and you’ll find a cook in desperate need of four red apples to finish the pie she’s baking. As luck would have it, the fields near Guild Woods’ entrance are strewn with Cooking Apples. Gather them up, return to the cook, and rejoice at your brand-new, health-restoring Blueberry Pie.

The Foot Race

At Point B, you’ll find two men arguing. If you choose to accept their speed challenge, you’re given 50 seconds to leg it to the Guild’s Demon Door and back. Make haste—not forgetting to use the ‘run’ button—and victory, plus the tidy sum of 25 Gold, will be yours.

Shooting Sparrows

Once you’ve earned the Yew Longbow from Archery training, make your way to Point C on the map. Chat to the man here and you’ll be challenged to hunt the seven sparrows nesting on rooftops and in the gardens to the east. Each kill earns you 5 Gold and +1 Renown, with a 25 Gold bonus awarded for slaughtering them all. Note that sparrow killing is, unsurprisingly, considered an Evil deed.

Scythe and Maze

Visit the second floor of the Guild tower in the south and you’ll find Scythe and Maze, deep in portentous conversation. What’s more, the room’s bookshelves contain two more tomes to add to your burgeoning collection.

The Final Exam

You can take your final exam immediately after completing your Will training. However, if you chose to play with Whisper, you’ll need to meet the Guildmaster back in the Map Room first.

Once the cutscene has played, you have one last chance to complete the Guilds’ various side-quests. Do so then prepare to take on Maze, deep in Guild Woods. Keep track of his position on the mini-map and remember your auto-target as you unleash Melee, Archery, and Will attacks—in that order.

With Maze suitably convinced of your Hero credentials, the first chapter in your epic tale is complete. Sit back, enjoy your graduation ceremony, and smile inwardly as you receive your shiny Guild Seal reward.

Back in the Map Room, step into the light and use your mass of newly acquired Experience points to beef up your stats and Spells. This completes the Guild Training quest and earns you several valuable parting gifts: two Resurrection Phials, two Health Potions, a Mana Potion, an Apple Pie, and a Lamp. Assign the Lamp to your Quick Menu for easy access in Albion’s darker recesses then prepare to step out into the world.