Vianden Castle Tutorial
Hello Traveller and welcome to Vianden Castle, in the Year 1485.
I can see that you are new here, so walk with me and let me show you some of the sights around the castle.
Collecting Badges
Come with me through the entrance gate but (before we explore the castle) let us take a quick detour.
Climb the ladders on your right hand side and enter the guard tower. Can you see the crossbow resting against one wall? Click on it.
Well done, you have found your first badge.
The castle is filled with many badges like this. There are secret things to be discovered all around the castle: inside cupboards, inside drawers or (sometimes) just laying around.
If you love collecting badges, you’ll love exploring the castle since there are so many to find.
Food and Drink
Anyway, let’s return to the pathway leading up to the castle. Walk along this until you reach a market on your left.
Click on something to eat (like a loaf of bread) and select ‘Purchase.’
The item will now be in your backpack.
Click on the shield icon in the lower left of your screen and open your backpack.
The food and drink icon is the first tab. If you click on the food item, it will be transferred to the selection at the bottom of your screen. Click on the food item (at the bottom of your screen) to add it to your avatar.
Whenever you click on the screen, you will take a bite from it and (after you have finished eating all of it) your hunger will be replenished.
If you feel thirsty, you may have noticed that there is already a water bottle in the selection at the bottom of your screen. There’s enough water in the water bottle to give you three drinks.
Use it sparingly and, whenever you see a water barrel or a well around the game, click on it to refill your bottle.
Using the Torch
It may be getting dark soon so (if you need extra light to make your way around the castle) click on the first icon at the bottom of the screen: the torch. You can use this for as often and for as long as you want.
It will help you see around the castle, if ever it gets too dark to see clearly.
Getting a Job
Anyway, let’s continue our walk up the main entrance. Continue up to the secondary gatehouse but do not pass through it.
Can you see a queue of people waiting by the fish stall? Let’s give the fishmonger a hand and earn some cash.
Walk into the fishmonger, so that a window appears on your screen.
Accept the job and then click on the customer at the front of the queue to find out what they want.
Follow the instructions and then click on the next customer, when the first one has left.
One-by-one, you can serve the queue of customers. You will get paid some extra money as soon as you click on ‘Finish’ at the top of the screen, on the right hand side.
Click on ‘Finish’ (top right hand side of the screen) and confirm the payment, so that we can continue exploring around the castle.
Secret Easter Eggs
There are lots of secret Easter Eggs hidden around the castle. Before we continue to explore the castle, did you see a small cannon poking through the wall? Go on, click on it - you know you want to!
Buying horses
Let’s continue around the castle.
Walk through the secondary gate and continue to your left, around the castle’s gardens.
When you finally pass through the wooden palisade gate, keep to your right. There is a groom standing there. Walk up to him. Click on and hold ‘E’ on your keyboard to open the ‘Horse Seller’ menu.
Now you can view a stable of horses. Perhaps (if you have enough money) you can buy one.
If you don’t have enough money, you will have to earn some. If you can afford it, select your favourite horse and buy it.
This is my horse: the white stallion. Isn’t he a beauty!
To ride a horse, click on the shield in the lower left of your screen, select ‘Horses’ and then pick the horse that you want to spawn.
To mount the horse, press ‘E’ on your keyboard. You can canter, gallop and jump (space bar) using your horse.
Try to dismount the horse afterwards by using the letter ‘Q’ on your keyboard.
Entering the Castle
Anyway, let’s make our way into the castle.
Find the flight of stairs that lead up to the entrance. Turn left into the castle. It’s huge inside and so it is easy to get disorientated. I’ll be brief before you wander off, to explore by yourself.
Buying Weapons.
When you enter the castle, enter the left hand door to find the armoury. There are lots of weapons that you will need.
Walk up to a solider. Then click on and hold the letter ‘E’ to view the weapons.
Whenever you buy these, they will appear in your armoury. You can find them by clicking on the shield in the lower left of your screen and then by clicking on ‘Armoury.’
Click on your chosen weapon to place it at the bottom of the screen. Then click its icon (at the bottom of the screen) to add it to your avatar.
You will need a shield and weapon if you want to be effective in battle.
Don’t worry, if you don’t want people to attack you, don’t wear the weapons. However, be warned, if you add a shield and weapon, you may become prone to attack from others too. ‘Those who live by the sword, shall die by the sword,’ is sometimes said!
Jousting
If you like fighting, visit the jousting area that lays outside of the castle.
Do you remember the large castle gardens and the horse groom from earlier? Please return there.
There is a rear entrance, out of the castle, just near the bee hives.
Take that exit and head down the embankment. You’ll find a jousting area there, where you can compete with a friend. Walk into one of the jousting tents to get ready and then you can take part in your very own tournament.
Characters
So, you want to become a magician, a priest, a Lord or someone else?
Just play the game for an hour or so and you’ll gradually accumulate experience. After a short while, you’ll have enough experience to become a new character.
Click on the shield in the lower left of the screen and then click on ‘Characters.’ This will open a selection of both male and female characters. Choose the one that you want and then, whenever you play the game again in the future, you will have the ability to become that character.
The great news is that you will be given clothes and a descriptor in the leader board too - so that you’ll look just perfect!
Buying Clothes
If you want to wear even more medieval clothes, you’ll have to find a tailor. Don’t worry, there is one at the jousting market as well as one in the castle. Just walk up to them and click on (and hold) ‘E’ to open a clothing shop menu.
There are so many clothes to choose from and (when you buy something) it will remain in your backpack (under the clothing tab.)
Do you remember where to find that? If you have forgotten, click on the shield in the lower left of the screen and then click on ‘Backpack.’
Summary
There is so much more to explore and discover in Vianden.
The castle is huge inside but we have covered some main tips to get you started. Just have fun and enjoy exploring around. We shall look forward to seeing you again, if you return.
Take care my friend! I’ll bid you farewell but, should we meet again, I’ll always be pleased to see you once more at Vianden 1485.