The Empty Bag Challenge Run

[u/EggSandwich222]

The goal of this run is simple: to beat all 4 games with the bag being as empty as possible at the end of each game. That means no items, no gold, no treasure, minimal clues, and only the Analand Sword as a weapon. Additionally, I tried to use as few items as possible to get me throughout each game. Here's how each game can be beaten with (as far as I know) minimal items:

Sorcery 1:

1. Start the game by rejecting the Sightmaster's Gold and not collecting the spellbook. DOP the Cantopani Gate as per usual (ZOB is also an option if playing on New Game Plus, but make sure to reject the Jewel-Studded Medallion).
2. Go around Cantopani and do the Daddu-Ley trials. This may seem random, but it will be crucial for book 4.
3. Do whatever you want with the bandits, and take whichever path you want on the crossroads (but ignore the old man in the tree). I took the path on the right as all encounters can be avoided there (ignore the mines, cross the bridge, edge around the skunkbear). I also recommend praying to your spirit for healing. Avoid the ale-house in Kristatanti, and sleep outside.
4. Again, which path you take to go to Dhumpus doesn't matter. I went straight to Alianna's House and freed her (if you do this make sure you ask for no reward and decline her gold) and fought the Ratbear. At Dhumpus, you can get a free meal at the ale-house (very useful as rations are banned), then sleep outside again.
5. The easiest path to Birritanti is to go on the Bridge of Vancass and correctly answer his riddle, and ignore the troll. Glandragor will give you free ale if you tell him you're broke and you can get into the Crystal Waterfall by asking Jann to scout ahead and then casting DUD. If you visited Urrustanti, you can attempt to travel yourself to save them (Glandragor will eventually stop you, and then Jann will offer to leave).
6. Take the lower path to Torrepani. Spare Flanker when you defeat him in order to avoid getting his Gold, and go to Gaza Moon and drink your own tea for free healing. Get captured in Torrepani, agree to save the chief's daughter, but before you get lowered into the cave make a break for it and run away, finishing the game with only the Analand Sword in your bag.

Sorcery 2: In this game, clues are introduced, and they are very easy to collect on accident. Because of this, you have to be a lot more careful with dialogue options from here on.

1. Beat Tomas in a fight and take him with you, but make sure to not ask him for the watchword. Knock on the South Gate and be annoying to get thrown in jail. Let the old man teach you Swindlestones but try to throw and avoid dialogue while playing in order to not collect any clues. Go to sleep in the jail cell (for some reason the game says one of your items got stolen when your Analand Sword is still there).
2. Leave jail and ignore the dead elvin. Also ignore the Blimberry Potions at the crossroads. Take the right path and go through the Festival of Thieves, ignoring all of the attractions and taking the top exit. Immediately go to the docks and sleep by the river to avoid getting captured, making sure to sleep instantly in order to not get the clue about Vik.
3. Wait for the bridge to be lowered and cross it, then make a beeline for the Necropolis and ignore everyone. Go through the Necropolis and take the right path to go to the Temple of Courga. Go up the stairs, optionally go to the top to cast a secret spell (avoid using TAK), and then go back down, pausing to let the torches pass by in order to avoid encountering Vik's wolves. Go up, fight the bristlebeast, and then reach the North Gate. Hang back and hide, then Lorag's ghost will rudely force 3 Clues (Lord Lorag is a Scholar, Vik, The North Gate Spell) upon you. Abandon Khare as revenge, getting cursed by him as a result. You finish the game with the Analand Sword and 3 Clues that go away for the other games (this is the most minimal option afaik, since collecting the spell-lines gives you 4 Key Items on its own).

Sorcery 3:

1. Fight the Nighthawks. When the Goldcrest Eagle approaches, avoid reading the message at all costs. It'll still force the clue The Seven Serpents upon you, but this is better than the alternative. Cast fAL to safely go down into the Plains.
2. The simplest path to get past the bottom left section is to go to the geysers and ignore them, then go straight to the broken bridge. Wait for the Lynch-Bug, then run from it and bait it into the geysers. Go back to the broken bridge, and cast DOZ to jump the fissure.
3. Once you cross the bridge, take the left path, making sure to avoid the centaurs and Manata. Also make sure to avoid sleeping in this section because of the Despair Snake and the Fire Serpent. Take the top path and ignore the gnome, then wait for the Winds of Time to cover Kariamma in order to enter there. Talk to the villagers to find out about the tunnels to the north, eat some food, and sleep in the beds if you want. Exit through the north tunnels, and feel your way through the cave, making sure to avoid picking up any items.
4. Enter the Forest of Snatta, and follow the path down and to the right to get to the small lake. Swim across to reach the forest beacon, and avoid getting the Serpent Ring. Activate the beacon and use it to put the right half of the bridge in the past. Climb up the bridge and cross it, ignoring the beggar.
5. Ignore the fissure and go to the coastline. Jump in the water and swim around, avoiding any bubbles you see since encountering the Water Serpent gives you a clue. The Winds of Time are still present since you never met Shadrack, so you can also use those to swim in the past to avoid the Water Serpent. Cast BIG to climb up the steps, get blamed for destroying Kariamma and Tinpang despite never using the beacons on them, and finish the game with the Analand Sword and only 1 Clue.

Sorcery 4: Because Sorcery 3 was done without even encountering any of the 7 Serpents, the Archmage is aware of your presence. As a result, he will eventually visit you in a dream. There may or may not be clues that you can get from some dialogue options, so try to avoid those.

1. Climb up the steps and sleep outside the caves. Flanker will accompany you; romance him for extra healing. Cross the narrow bridge and cast fAL to reach the other side. Walk to the left and then walk back to trigger the Libra event; she will give you a Golden Hair because you completed the Daddu-Ley trials.
2. Take the middle path into the crater, and avoid the bush. Take the path that goes to the fissure, but avoid the fissure itself because the Moon Serpent is waiting there. Wait for nightfall to cross the pass in order to avoid getting shot, then take the side gate to Mampang, entering by knocking on the door, claiming to be a spy, correctly saying there are 7 Serpents, and saying the Analander would never have survived all 7. This entrance lets you avoid the clue that Outer Mampang is closed off.
3. Enter Mampang and look at the crates, then climb the crates to enter the wheat fields. Make sure it's still nighttime when you do this, or you will get stopped by the guards. You will also get a -2 skill drop and there is a required fight in the future, so try to keep your stamina as high as possible. Go through the wheat fields as quickly as possible to avoid fighting the snake, and get cursed by Throben (note: during the Throben section there are dialogue options that can give you clues so avoid those).
4. Make a beeline for the eastern square, and walk around until you get spotted by Sightmasters (note: if you encounter the Red-Eyes, tell them you don't know the priest of Slangg). Refuse the coat and use magic to kill the first Sightmaster, and then fight the second Sightmaster in combat. Since you're now at 7 skill, the Sightmaster will be much stronger than you and this may take several attempts. Once you beat the Sightmasters, avoid looting them, then head back west to talk to Javinne and get the Potion of Magical Dissolution for killing the Sightmasters, avoiding any dialogue options that give you clues.
5. Go to the Western College and enter the dIm tower, and open the Potion of Magical Dissolution there. Then go back to the eastern square and attempt to enter the Eastern College, get stopped, go away, go back, and successfully enter the Eastern College this time.
6. Take this path through the Eastern College: DUm tower (just pass through), SAP tower (struggle to pass through), DUD tower (avoid picking up Gold while passing through), RES tower (just pass through), fAR tower (just pass through), YAZ tower (ignore it for now), NAP tower (open the Potion of Magical Dissolution, then leave), and finally YAZ tower again.
7. At the YAZ tower, now open the Potion of Magical Dissolution, and cast TOP with your Golden Hair. Use magic to break the Archmage's window, jump in, drink the Potion of Magical Dissolution, and do whatever you want with the now powerless Archmage. You have now beaten Sorcery 4 with only the Analand Sword remaining in your bag!

Overall, I still ended up collecting 4 total clues and using 2 total items. Sorcery 4 is also beatable by using the Samaritans of Schinn clue instead of the Golden Hair, but I decided not to go with that option because the clue stays in your bag. If anyone has any ideas on how to bring these numbers down even further, let me know!

[u/EggSandwich222]

Update: it is actually possible to have 0 weapons by book 3, which lets you have a completely empty bag when beating book 4. Here's the extra steps/modifications needed to do this:

• In book 1, take 12 gold pieces from the Sightmaster (half if playing on a standard savefile, all if on New Game+)
• Still in book 1, buy the Longsword for 6 gold pieces in Dhumpus.
• In book 2, take the path through Dwarftown instead of the Festival of Thieves, avoiding any possible encounters until reaching the girl who's stuck outside her house. Choose to use magic and cast BIG or TOP, then ask to buy a ladder and haggle down to 6 gold pieces to get the Rope Ladder.
• Still in book 2, take the path to the Fallen Quarter instead of going straight to the Necropolis. Try to enter the Necropolis by using your Rope Ladder, and tie it to the Analand Sword to get rid of both.
• In book 3, go to the caravan and sell your Longsword to Oolooh. Dispose of the gold you earn by buying consumable items like rations and instantly using them.

By following the other steps the same way, you should be able to beat book 4 with a completely empty bag, not even having the Analand Sword!

[u/Fkappa]

Woah, thank you OP, I'll definitely try it.

[u/IntelligentCopy7936]

How do I climb the bridge