Autumn Hills

* Icon
* Map

**Autumn Hills** is the second area of The Messenger, the first level of the game with real gameplay. It is a fall-themed forest, always draped with a night sky and a full moon.

The west side of Autumn Hills is accessed from Ninja Village, and the east side leads to Forlorn Temple. In 16-bit, a southward pathway leads to the Catacombs.

## Appearance

Autumn Hills is a forest filled with red-leafed trees with brown trunks. The background sky is filled with stars, and there is a prominent full moon in the upper-left corner of the sky. Glacial Peak is also visible in the distance.

## Items

### 8-Bit

* Ninja obtains the Climbing Claws as his first free upgrade from The Shopkeeper.

### 16-Bit

* Ninja obtains the Key of Hope after a platforming segment that is only available in 16-bit.

### Linear

#### Power Seal #1

This Power Seal is located a few screens away from the Tower of Time HQ portal, up and to the right. A Power Seal symbol marks the wall in the upper-right corner of a long horizontal room. If Ninja owns the "Strike of the Ninja" shop upgrade, trigger a fireball projectile from a Ranged Kappa to the west, and wait for the fireball in order to Cloudstep to the upper-right wall. Alternatively, return back to this room during the second half of the game after obtaining the Rope Dart, and Rope Dart the upper-right wall in order to reach it. Climb the wall to reach the Power Seal room, a room filled with sawblades and a single swinging platform. Take the swinging platform over to the Power Seal while avoiding the sawblades.

#### Power Seal #2

In 8-bit during the later half of Autumn Hills, a Power Seal symbol is seen near a couple of breakable blocks in the lower-left corner of a certain room below a Ranged Kappa. Break the blocks to reach an underground pathway with a checkpoint and a giant gap. Above the gap are a giant spikeball hanging from a chain and two swinging platforms. Take the swinging platforms across the gap in order to reach the Power Seal room.

### Final

#### Power Seal #3

This Power Seal is found at the very beginning of Autumn Hills, in the screen above the first shop. Be in 16-bit in the upper-right corner of the room with the first shop, then climb up into the Power Seal room. Navigate the wind currents and avoid the sawblades to reach the Power Seal.

#### Power Seal #4

Be in 8-bit and return to the room with Power Seal #2 with the "Aerobatics warrior" shop upgrade. Destroy the breakable blocks in the lower-right corner of the room by using a downward Wingsuit attack. Rope Dart the metal rings, avoid swinging spikeballs, avoid floor spikes, and avoid falling to death in order to reach the Power Seal.

## The Shopkeeper's Dialogue

### Initial Dialogue

  Shopkeeper | Look, just keep going eastwards, and make sure you grab all these Time Shards you see lying around, I can use them to upgrade your abilities and artifacts. First one is on the house, enjoy!

### What is this place?

  Shopkeeper | Wouldn't you rather go back into the action anyway? Just buy a health upgrade or something and be on your way. Kids these days...

### Any stories to share?

*For the main article, see The Shopkeeper's Stories.*

  Shopkeeper | Alright, since you don't seem to appreciate me sharing some clever material for your next party, I suggest you move along.

### Level boss

  Shopkeeper | Oh that's... I didn't mean to... well... good luck.

## Trivia

* In the beta version of the game, the Tower of Time used to remain in place after it was entered, so the Autumn Hills background used to have the Tower visible at the top of Glacial Peak.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS4EvD-4ISI&t=395

## Interactive Locations Map

Ninja Village
Music Box
**Autumn Hills**
Rivière Turquoise
Forlorn Temple
Catacombs
Dark Cave
Tower of Time
Corrupted Future
Bamboo Creek
Howling Grotto
Elemental Skylands
Quillshroom Marsh
Sunken Shrine
Cloud Ruins
Glacial Peak
Searing Crags
Underworld