Neopets : The Darkest Faerie

Neopets: The Darkest Faerie was an action-adventure game released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 console, developed by Idol Minds. Its production was overseen by team members at Neopets, and is largely based on the Neopets online game.

## History

Development for the game began in 2003, when the Neopets team originally planned to release the game for the PlayStation with The Code Monkeys. However, the team eventually realized the limitations the PS1 posed and decided to remake the game for the PlayStation 2.

On November 16th, 2005, the game was released.

## Plot

The game takes place in the land of Neopia, based on the world of the online game Neopets. The story follows Tormund, who is a fictional anthropomorphic Neopet species called a Lupe. Eventually, he joins forces with Roberta, who is an Acara. Tormund is a farm boy who dreams of becoming a knight, while Roberta is a diplomat of the kingdom of Brightvale who wishes to be a sorceress.

Long ago, an evil faerie known as The Darkest Faerie was imprisoned under the Maraquan sea, completely turned to stone by another faerie known as Queen Fyora. After years of being trapped this way, Fyora's spell became weak and The Darkest Faerie was able to escape her prison.

The main story follows four acts.

### Act 1

The first act follows Tormund Ellis, a farm boy living with his parents and younger sister. One day, his father asks him to bring a package to Meridell, the nearby kingdom. As he leaves the farm, he notices an old Techo being harassed by thieves. He saves the old Neopet, who then gives him a mysterious amulet.

Upon arrival to Meridell, Tor's package is stolen by two Meerca thieves, but he is able to retrieve it with the help of another Lupe, at this point known as the Old Knight.

Tor continues his task and delivers the package, and is then asked if he wishes to become a squire. He agrees, and is able to eventually train under master-at-arms Torak. He eventually gains the title of knight after saving Cogham village. However, immediately after there is trouble at Illusen's Glade, and the King of Meridell sends many of his knights, but not Tor.

When the knights fail to return, Tor heads over to the woods to see what has happened. It turns out that a tribe of Werelupes had invaded Illusen's Glade and planned to trap the faerie Illusen. When Tor goes to save her, it is revealed that The Darkest Faerie is behind it and has brainwashed the Werelupe King, and now Illusen. When Tor escapes, he finds that dark clouds are now covering the sky, monsters have appeared, and everyone seems to be brainwashed.

He heads to Meridell castle only to find it taken over by The Darkest Faerie and her three sisters. After escaping from them, Tor jumps into a sewer pipe and is spat out into a body of water.

### Act 2

The second act is set in Faerieland, and follows the second protagonist, Roberta. She is visiting Faerieland from the kingdom of Brightvale, of which she is a diplomat and niece of Brightvale's king Hagan. She is coming to Faerieland with Seradar, the court sorcerer of Brightvale who has also been teaching Roberta sorcery.

The two of them are visiting to meet with Queen Fyora about the dark purple clouds which are covering Meridell. They are told to wait until Fyora is finished with a council meeting before they can see her. In the meantime, Seradar waits in the library. Roberta meets an old woman who asks her to help find her pet Harris, and in exchange gives her an amulet.

After this, Roberta asks Seradar to give her some sorcery lessons. After running a few tasks and creating a makeshift wand, Seradar gives her some lessons. After this, Roberta and Seradar meet with Queen Fyora. She tells them she has also noticed the clouds and had sent word to lllusen about them, but has yet to receive an answer. She promises them that when Faerieland is next over Meridell (as it is a floating kingdom) she will investigate. Roberta and Seradar are then shown to their rooms to rest for the night before they depart.

However, after Roberta falls asleep she is awoken to strange noises. When she goes to Seradar, she finds he has become brainwashed. After leaving their quarters, she hears a cry for help and discovers that the old woman she had helped earlier is imprisoned by The Darkest Faerie. Roberta rings tower bells to distract her, and goes to save the old woman. She tells Roberta that she needs to escape, and Roberta eventually hitches a ride on her Uni. However, during flight a monster knocks into her Uni and Roberta falls down to land.

### Act 3

As Tor washes up onto a beach, Roberta falls onto the beach's shore. Tor runs to her to see if she's okay, but monsters begin to attack them. Afterwards, they both realize they are wearing the same amulet. Roberta tells Tor that her uncle is King Hagan, and he should be able to help them. So they travel to Brightvale to speak with him.

King Hagan tells them that other areas have also been swallowed up by the clouds. After Roberta informs him their amulets offer protection against the clouds, he allows them to venture out and try to stop their spread. Afterwards, Roberta suggests they look in the library to try and find info about The Darkest Faerie. During their research, they discover that The Darkest Faerie was imprisoned by Fyora using Fyora's Rod after the dark faerie destroyed the lost kingdom of Altador. This rod is now said to reside in the Meridell Treasure Vault. Tor and Roberta decide to locate the rod in order to stop The Darkest Faerie.

As the pair leave Brightvale, they are attacked by the Gelert Assassin, sent by The Darkest Faerie to stop them from preventing her plans. However, the Brightvale guards help them ward him off. Soon after, Tor and Roberta come to the Brightvale bridge, but it has been destroyed. They decide to travel to Bogshot to speak with the bridge builder there, Brendel.

Upon arrival, they discover that the inhabitants of Bogshot swamp have come down with a plague known as Squamata. The apothecary of the town tells them he can create a remedy, but needs three different berries found throughout the more dangerous parts of the swamp to do so. Tor and Roberta venture out and collect the berries, defeating a serpent who is guarding the last black berry they need. The serpent also seems to be tied to the dark clouds there, and once defeated the clouds lift over Bogshot. The apothecary is able to cure Brendal, and he rebuilds the bridge to Meridell.

However, once Tor and Roberta get to Meridell's entrance, they find it is blocked by a wall of dark magic. Tor suggests they find Illusen to see if she can help, but remembers her charm was stolen by the Werelupe King. The two decide to head to Werelupe Woods to get Illusen's charm back.

Once they arrive, they speak with Sophie the Swamp Witch who tells them they need the Werelupe Fang Necklace, located in the crypts, to enter the Burrows. They go through the crypts and find the necklace after defeating a lost spirit, and then are able to enter Werelupe Burrows. Soon after, they split up to cover more ground. Roberta does find the charm, but is caught in a trap. Tor makes his way through the Burrows to the Werelupe King, where he sees Roberta captured. He fights the king, and is able to retrieve Illusen's charm and save Roberta.

The two then head to Illusen's Glade, but the Gelert Assassin destroys the lift to Illusen's treehouses. Tor tells Roberta his father may have a device that will allow them to get up to the trees. They head to his family's farm, but discovers everyone is gone except for Tor's sister, Lucy. She tells them that monsters kidnapped them and brought them to Shadowglen Woods. Tor and Roberta head to the woods, and defeat the Juppie monster who has held everyone hostage. After everyone is freed, Tor's father provides them with his Rope Gun.

Once back to Illusen's Glade, Tor and Roberta head up to the treehouses using the Rope Gun. They once again face the Gelert Assassin, but this time he intends to kill them. After Tor and Roberta battle and defeat him, they give Illusen her charm back and she removes the clouds from the glade. She also gives them a Faerie Globe which should allow them to get into Meridell.

However, once inside Meridell, the guards there easily spot them and drive them out. They head back to Brightvale to speak with King Hagan, who informs them of a Cloak of Heroes which can render the wearer invisible. This piece is located in Cogham Village, so the two travel there to obtain it. Upon arrival, though, they discover the village is deserted. The only one left tells them the Ixi Cheiftan captured them all and is holding them in the Meriload Mines. The pair venture out and free each villager, and finally defeats the Ixi Cheiftan and frees the mayor. As a token of gratitude, the village grants Tor and Roberta with the Cloak of Heroes.

Finally, Tor and Roberta are able to make their way into Meridell successfully. However, they can't find a way into the castle as it is locked. The two bribe a map salesman in the area to point them in the direction of the Thieves' Guild, who knows a way in. They tell them that they will help them get to Meridell's Treasure Vault if they can get them the Market Town Treasure. So, Tor and Roberta head off to Market Town.

Once there, they realize the town has been overrun by Dark Knights. The pair visit the Market Town Trader's Guild and hear that anyone who can save Market Town from the Black Knight's rule will be given the Market Town Treasure. So the two enter the Black Keep where he stays, and defeat him, dispersing the dark clouds. As promised, the Trader's Guild gives the two heroes the Market Town Treasure.

Tor and Roberta return to the Thieves' hideout and present them with the treasure. They show the two how to enter the castle's ancient sewer system, which leads to the Knight's Crypts. Eventually they come to the Treasure Vault and defeat the skeleton Draik prowling there. After this, they obtain Fyora's Rod and then head up into Meridell's dungeons. In the castle, they discover Skarl is still under control of The Darkest Faerie, being watched by her sisters. Tor and Roberta defeat them, and Meridell is restored. The pair now head to Faerieland on Roberta's Uni to return Fyora's Rod to her. However, once they arrive The Darkest Faerie tricks them by shape-shifting into the form of Fyora, causing them to give her the rod.

Once The Darkest Faerie switches back to her true form, Fyora manages to escape for a moment and fend her off. She tells Tor and Roberta to enter the portal she has created and find a lady named Jerdana. They listen and head into the portal, while The Darkest Faerie uses her magic to shrink Fyora and trap her in a bottle.

### Act 4

Tor and Roberta come to in a large building filled with statues. Although unsure where they are, they find a mosaic in the middle of the room which could help them figure it out if they find the missing pieces. They locate them around the building, and through the story the mosaic tells, discover they have arrived in Altador in the Hall of Heroes.

The old knight who had previously helped Tor appears, and inform the two of them that Altador is not entirely lost, being kept standing by a weakening field of magic by the sorceress Jerdana. However, in order to rid Altador of The Darkest Faerie's influence, Tor and Roberta must recover Jerdana as well as the four Altador founders.

Each founder is trapped as a stone statue in each of Altador's four districts, so Tor and Roberta traverse through each one, completing the trials that lead them to each founder's shrine. Once they have saved all four founders and free each district, Tor and Roberta head back to the Hall of Heroes. A corridor is revealed that leads them deeper into the building, eventually bringing them to Jerdana.

Jerdana is revealed to be the old woman who helped Roberta earlier. She gives them Jerdana's Orb, which can defeat The Darkest Faerie. She transports them back to Faerieland so that they can finally face the dark faerie. They use Jerdana's Orb to again turn her to stone, and release Fyora from her imprisonment. Neopia is now safe from The Darkest Faerie's reign, and Tor and Roberta are hailed as heroes.

## Gameplay

Battle takes place in real time, and with Tor you fight with a sword and shield, and as Roberta with a wand. Each character has Health and Magic. With Tor, magic is depleted only by using Motes. With Roberta, magic is used whenever she attacks.

Motes are special elemental powers that can be added to equipment to increase attack or defense against an enemy who is weak to that element. Each Mote also possesses a special power when charged up to use against enemies.

Equipment can be upgraded throughout the game by finding them throughout the land, in shops or in treasure. Each advance in equipment comes with better damage rates or defense.

Food found throughout Neopia can be used to replenish Health or Magic. There are many different types which range in the amount they increase. You can also find rare Red Neggs which can increase your maximum amount of Health.

Besides the main quests of the game, there are also a number of side quests that can be given to you by NPCs. In many areas of the game, there is also hidden treasure you can find by obtaining hidden treasure maps.