GOLDEN PATH
   Part 1

 GOLDEN PATH, by Firebird, can be a quirky game. As of this writing
there is an end-game bug which allows you to finish the game but does
not allow you to collect all 100 points (steps). No matter what
point-earning tasks you accomplish, the game will credit you with 98
maximum. Future releases will, hopefully, solve the problem.
 Mapping directions in this game are a bit different from average. You
certainly can't go north or south (up or down on the screen) but often
you need to go northerly or southerly (high or low) on the two remaining
sides. In this walkthru, "northeast" will mean towards the upper right
corner, "southwest" will correspond to lower left, etc. Also remember
that you cannot move towards the top or bottom unless you're at an
intersection. If you want to move northeast and your character seems
determined to go southerly, then look for a spot where paths cross. Move
the curser there and try again.
 Note on keeping goblins at bay: In addition to your martial arts
skills, there are four objects in the game which will help keep the
vine-shortening goblins away: the spear, the hatchet, the flute and the
orb of protection. Three of these are not necessary to complete the game
(one has an additional purpose). With each use, these objects become
less effective against the little pests, and so, you may wish to have
all four in order to be able to switch them off.
 There's food to be found throughout the game, and some of it has a
specific use in the story. But eating the food will also help your vine
to stay healthy. There's an apple tree, a banana, a joint of meat and a
set of chopsticks next to a pot. Each one of these items will regenerate
when used (you can eat an apple; and when you return to the apple tree,
there will be another). Feel free to let these items keep your vine
healthy; but remember that each time you use an item, its beneficial
effect will diminish the next time you do so.
 Finally, don't forget that if your vine withers out during the game,
don't give up! If you're playing on the ST, hit the RIGHT mouse button
to reincarnate. Any other button will start the game over.
 Begin by putting the ring into a pocket. Don't use it for energy until
you're told to do so! Pick up the hint book and use it. (You need to use
it at least once to get a maximum score.) Take the parchment out of your
pocket, use it and drop it. Go southeast to the thief and get ready to
kick. About three kicks will knock the scoundrel on his face. Move to
the center of the screen then go northwest to the thief's shack. Inside
the shack take the fan and exit by going east. Put the fan in a pocket
and go over to the thief. Bend over him and take his bag of gold. Return
to the apple tree by going southwest, turn around on the bridge, and
this time go northeast to the beggar. Drop the bag of gold (don't expect
a "Thank you," but honestly it was the right thing to do) and leave the
screen to the northeast. Here is the dragon. You can either walk over
his hill or you can hold the fan in your hand and walk right by him
under the hill. Either way, exit to the east.
 You've entered the hill of the starving man from the southwest. Go
about half-way to the east, turn around and climb up the hill. Exit the
screen to the northwest. On the Bridge of Tranquility you must capture
Norman the Hedgehog (Spiney Norman of Monty Python?). He's a slippery
devil, but catch him you must. Put him in your pocket (A live hedgehog
in my pocket? Kinky!), then pick up and pocket the castle key.
 From the bridge turn around and exit east. Go past the starving man,
turn around and leave southwest. In the middle of the beggar's screen
pick up the flowers and continue west back to the apple tree. Keep going
west to the girl and drop off the flowers. She'll give you a lantern but
just leave it there for now. Exit west. You'll come from the southeast
to the temple guarded by a crocodile. Turn around and leave to the
northeast, where you'll find the miller. Listen to his story and
continue to the east. Here is the back entrance to the castle, in front
of which is a key to the dungeon. Climb up the steps and unlock the door
with the castle key which you can now drop. Run down the steps and pick
up the dungeon key, then go back up and enter the castle. You start out
in the garbage room and continue east to the dungeon.
 The poor kid in jail is the miller's son. Climb up the steps and use
the dungeon key to let him out. Now be careful: you want him to follow
you so you have to slow down. Move all the way to the west (left) and
let him catch up. Then go west back to the garbage room, making sure the
miller's child is following. If he doesn't follow, go back to the
dungeon and try again. Continuing west will not lead you to the back
entrance again. From the garbage room you go to the kitchen where you'll
see a set of chopsticks and a joint of meat. Pick up the joint of meat
and pocket it. The chopsticks are not necessary to complete the game,
but you should use them whenever the vine is looking a little weak.
Simply pick them up and use them right there at the boiling pot and drop
them when you're feeling better.
 Now take Norman the Hedgehog from your pocket. Go west from the kitchen
into the main hall. Drop Norman as soon as you enter -- Kim the guard
dog will ignore you and chase Norman. Exit to the east. This is the main
entrance to the castle. Make sure the miller's child is still following
you! Go down the steps and pick up the tweezers. Leave to the west and
don't panic! This is a baby dragon who will not set you on fire. The
little guy's got a thorn in his paw, and you have just the armamentarium
to operate. Use the tweezers then drop them. Now the baby dragon will
follow you if you let him. For now it really doesn't matter. Go
southeast and let the miller thank you for returning his child. Now you
need to find some water and a dragon's tooth for him so he can help you.

 GOLDEN PATH
   Part 2

 From the miller, go northwest to where the baby dragon (get your hands
off his teeth!) should be waiting. Take the bucket and let him follow
you to the west. Here's a well which you would not be able to approach
without the dragon because of a "water sprite" (sounds like a wet
Commodore graphic). With the baby dragon following you, go about half
way across the screen, turn around and go northeast up to the well. Use
the bucket and you'll get some water. (Try approaching the well without
the baby dragon sometime because the graphic of the water sprite is
worth seeing.) Leave the well then turn around and go back to the east
-- you're done with the baby dragon. Go east a second time to be back
where the miller is, and drop the bucket.
 From the miller go east back to the castle's rear entrance -- you don't
need to unlock the door again. Go up to the door and enter. Go east past
the trash and the dungeon and into the hallway. As you enter, pick up
the spear and put it in a pocket, then continue to the east through the
front door. To the east of the door is the bridge; and to the east of
that is the starving man. Take the joint of meat out of your pocket and
give it to the man. He'll stuff his face and then give you a pole. Take
the pole and put it in a pocket. Go down from the hill, turn around and
leave to the southwest. Make sure you're holding the fan.
 While holding the fan, you can't be burned by the dragon's flame. Walk
under the hill until you are standing directly in front of him. You must
be in his blind spot because his flame has turned off! Put the fan in a
pocket, take out the spear and use it. Toss away the spear (not the
fan!) and help yourself to the beast's bicuspid.
 From the deceased dragon go west to the beggar, west to the apple tree,
and west again to the girl. Drop the fan and you'll get another gift
from her -- a flute which, when used, will drive away goblins. Go west
to the crocodile then turn around and go northeast. Drop the tooth and
the miller walks over to his mill and produces the demon-destroying
powder (he makes you wait about seven seconds). Take the powder and go
northwest to the wilderness; and then go west past the well, and pick up
the banana. Pocket the banana and take out the pole given you by the
starving man. Proceed west where you find a lake with a raft, a monkey
and a hatchet. Stand on the west-most edge of the raft and use the pole.
Once you are on the western side wait until the monkey wanders onto the
raft and then use the pole again, this time facing east.
 Once you reach the eastern side of the lake, throw away the pole and
take out the banana. Needless to say, the little simian will follow you
anywhere. Go northeast to the incense tower. At the top of the tower is
yellow incense, but there is no way for you to get it. Throw the banana
right at the incense. The banana will stay up in the tower and Cheetah
will go right after it. He'll knock the incense to the ground where you
can pick it up.

 GOLDEN PATH
   Part 3

 With the yellow incense, go southwest to the starving man. Go southwest
again past the dragon and west to the beggar. Continue west past the
apple tree and the girl to the crocodile. Drop the incense, turn around
and go southeast, back to the girl. This time pick up the lamp (the
flute also, if you wish, as protection). Continue east to the apple tree
and pick up an apple. Go southeast past the thief, being careful not to
use, drop or pocket the apple. Continuing east you'll pass a deadly
goat. Fortunately, some of his best friends are fruits so he won't hurt
you while you're holding the apple. Unfortunately, he'll want to follow
you as you leave so this time move fast so he stays stuck on his screen.
Go southeast to find another girl.
 At least she looks like a girl. If she gets close to you, you'll hear
some demonic laughter and see her for the demon in disguise she really
is. Drop the apple and take out your demon-killing powder. While holding
it, you can see through her demonic disguise even from a distance. Use
the powder and she's history. As she dies (laughing it up 'til the last)
she'll drop a bottle. For now just leave it there with the apple.
 From the remains of the demon, go northeast. Up at the top of a hill
you'll find three stones. Pick up one and go east. You'll find yourself
at the top of a valley through which flows a stream. The valley cannot
be crossed; but if you look down, you'll see a boulder which constricts
the flow of water. Carefully aim your stone at a spot right next to the
boulder and throw. If you've aimed correctly the water will now have a
very tight squeeze in between the boulder and your stone. Go back west,
pick up a second stone, and return east to the valley. You now need to
aim the second stone even more carefully so that it falls next to your
first stone and the boulder, cutting off the flow of water. Return west.
If you missed with either of the first two stones you can go back to the
valley with the third.
 Go southwest to where you killed the she-demon and this time go
southeast to the waterfall (the graphic is beautiful!). If you've done
your job with the stones correctly, you'll see an entrance in the
waterfall to a secret cave to the east. Enter it to find a treasure. The
only item you can take is the orb of protection, which is simply another
item which can be used to send the goblins running.
 Leave the cave by going west and then west from the waterfall to where
you killed the demon. Go back again northeast to where you found the
three stones, but this time turn around and go northwest. You'll be on a
hill just over another cave entrance, this one guarded by a nasty lion.
(You could have entered this screen from the other side by going
northeast from the goat, but you'd be in trouble.) The lion won't see
you. Nor will he see the boulder perched precariously above his path.
Stand behind the boulder and wait for the beast to pace under it. Now be
careful! This lion likes to stop part way and turn around! You only have
one boulder and only once chance to kill the lion. As he paces under the
boulder, KICK! The boulder will fall and the lion will be crushed. Make
your way down the hill (sorry about the lion innards) and turn around.
Enter the cave by going southeast.
 You'll quickly learn that this cave is the local goblin-ghetto, so move
fast and be prepared to call on whatever anti-goblin equipment you've
brought with you.
 The first room in the cave contains nothing, so simply go east. In the
next room be ready to kick: A moving skeleton will attack you. Three or
four kicks will reduce the thing to a pile of mouldy bones, one of which
you can take (though I have yet to find a use for it). Remove the
lantern from your pocket and go southeast into the next cavern. This
room, when dark, contains a massive pair of eyes (put the lantern back
in your pocket if you don't believe me) which will destroy your vine if
you remain in the dark too long. Also in the room is some red incense.
Drop the lamp and take the incense. Pocket the incense and arm yourself
with whatever anti-goblin gear you have.
 From the incense room go west back to the skeleton's remains. From
there go northwest, turn around and go northeast, cross the screen and
go southeast, cross it again, but this time exit northeast. This is the
old man you read about in the game's novella -- the man who was given
the special key by your father. Simply take the ring out of your pocket
and the key will drop from his hands. (It is now safe for you to use the
ring to restore your vine. You can use it only once and you MUST use it
in order to finish the game.) Take the key and put it in a pocket.
Again, arm yourself. From the old man's room go west, southwest,
northeast, southwest, and finally west.
 From the entrance of the cave you could go west back to the goat, but
don't: You have some equipment to pick up. Go back up the hill and exit
northeast. From the top of the hill, turn around and go southwest to
where you killed the she-demon. Pick up the bottle, which contains a
sleeping potion, and the apple. Holding the apple go west to the goat.
Move quickly, so the goat can't follow. Go west, past the thief, past
the apple tree, and past the girl to the temple. Drop the sleeping
potion. You need to make one last trip to the castle.
 Go northeast to the miller and east to the castle. Enter the castle and
you'll be at the garbage room which contains a box of matches. Take the
matches then go west to the kitchen, west to the main hall and turn
around to leave the castle southeast. At the main entrance go southwest
to the wilderness (home of the baby dragon), then east to the miller,
and southwest back to the crocodile and the temple.
 To finish the game, you need to have the matches, the red and yellow
incenses, the temple key and the sleeping potion. Stand at the edge of
the lake and use the potion. The crocodile is asleep and you can walk
across his back (just like Roger Moore in "Live and Let Die!") to the
temple entrance. Use the temple key to enter.
 Inside, put the red and the yellow incenses in front of the Buddah. Use
the matches twice, once facing the red incense and again facing the
yellow incense. Make sure that both are lit and stay lit. The Buddah
will open his eyes and the incense will rise up to the middle of the
room. After a short wait you will appear to die, but you will be
instantly reborn and young once again. Check your point total. If you've
only achieved 98 out of 100 and you've followed this walkthru, you've
encountered the program's end-game bug. Believe me, it's 100. Sayonara!
 GOLDEN PATH is published by Firebird Licensees, Inc.
 This walkthru is copyright (c) 1987 by Allen L. Greenburg. All rights
reserved.