DQ9 Encyclopedia

14. Upover, the Magmaroo and the Gortress

The wyrmlight bow opens the way to Upover

  1. Evac, then go to Wormwood Canyon, west of Wormwood Creek. Stand on the dragon's-head stone and shoot the wyrmlight bow: a bridge of light spans the canyon. The mayor apologises and sends you to Greygnarl.
The game's own summary

By firing an arrow from the wyrmlight bow, your hero has made a bridge of light appear over Wormwood Canyon, once known as the Wyrmward. Seeing this, Mayor Doffish realised he had been wrong not to trust your hero, and has asked him to travel to Upover and meet with Greygnarl.

Greygnarl defeated (the Magmaroo)

  1. Upover is in the middle of Wyrmsmaw: go round the mountains. Talk to the mayor (north-east), then to the guard by the cave right of his house.
  2. Climb The Magmaroo. At the summit, Greygnarl attacks you at once.
Battle: Greygnarl 2,280 HP · 15,500 EXP
The game's own summary

Upon arriving in the mountaintop village of Upover, your hero learnt that a black dragon called Barbarus was defeated by Greygnarl three hundred years ago. Your hero has been told to go to the summit of the Magmaroo and verify this directly with Greygnarl himself.

your hero climbed to the summit of the Magmaroo in order to ask Greygnarl about Barbarus, the black dragon he is said to have defeated three hundred years ago. Greygnarl engaged him in combat, yet despite having been shown mercy at the last moment, still refuses to trust your hero.

Upover defended from the Empire (Hootingham-Gore)

  1. Greygnarl, beaten, doesn't trust you. Try to leave (a scene), Evac, then Zoom to Upover: soldiers of the Gittish Empire are attacking the village gate. Talk to the man in purple armour to fight (Fright knight and Stenchurion).
Battle: Fright knight 432 HP · 2,180 EXPStenchurion 300 HP · 1,380 EXP
The game's own summary

Upon returning to Upover, your hero came across some soldiers who said they were from the Gittish Empire attacking the village. A lieutenant by the name of Hootingham-Gore appeared for just long enough to declare the Empire's intention to destroy Upover and Greygnarl with it.

Drunken Dragon brought to Greygnarl

  1. The old lady at the Magmaroo entrance passes on Greygnarl's message: come back alone, with a barrel of Drunken Dragon, brewed in the village's underground storehouse (stairs west of the old lady).
  2. Before going back up, leave your companions at the Stornway inn: you must be alone.
  3. At the summit, give Greygnarl the barrel: he gives you the Gittish seal. Barbarus appears; talk to the beast blocking the southern path and defeat it (Aggrosculpture), then talk to Greygnarl again.
Battle: Aggrosculpture 296 HP · 2,280 EXP
The game's own summary

The old lady from Upover has delivered a message from Greygnarl, saying that if your hero goes alone with a keg of Drunken Dragon to the top of the Magmaroo, the grumpy old dragon might listen to what he has to say. Drunken Dragon is brewed in an underground storeroom in the village.

Having learnt that he needs to go to meet Greygnarl alone with a keg of the dragon's favourite drink, your hero began searching for some Drunken Dragon. He has managed to acquire a keg from the underground brewery in Upover.

Your hero gave the keg of Drunken Dragon he had acquired to Greygnarl at the summit of the Magmaroo. By way of thanks, the dragon gave your hero a Gittish seal. But just then, the black dragon Barbarus appeared and attacked.

Prisoner in the Gortress: Sterling's plan

  1. Greygnarl gives you the dragon warrior outfit (Dragon warrior armour, helm, gloves, trousers, boots): wear all of it and climb on his back. He sacrifices himself against Barbarus; you fall and wake up a prisoner in the Gortress.
  2. Examine your cell door, go up the stairs and talk to Sterling, your cell neighbour and the prisoners' leader: the Gittish seal shields you from the electric field, and he has an escape plan.
The game's own summary

Having witnessed your hero's courage in defeating enemies sent to destroy him, Greygnarl has given your hero the dragon warrior's outfit. Apparently, if someone wearing it rides on Greygnarl's back, the old dragon will be able to take to the skies once more.

Greygnarl, with your hero, clad in the dragon warrior's outfit, on his back, launched himself skyward to meet Barbarus in combat. Sadly, Greygnarl was forced to lay down his life to save Upover. Your hero fell from the defeated dragon's back, and was captured and taken to a prison called the Gortress.

Your hero has met Sterling, the prisoner occupying the cell next to his. Sterling is apparently some sort of leader among the inmates, and seems to be able to give your hero a lot of information.

While imprisoned in the Gortress, your hero has met Sterling, the leader of the inmates. Realising that the Gittish seal that your hero holds can overcome the shield fields confining the inmates, Sterling has revealed that he has a daring escape plan.

The breakout begins (Gortress)

  1. Visit the graveyard, examine the barrier, talk to the soldier in the east corner then the one in the south corner (on the left), then to Sterling by the central bridge: the day ends.
  2. The next day, go near the gallows (north): a prisoner narrowly escapes execution and Sterling launches his plan.
  3. Leave the Gortress, Zoom to Stornway and pick up your companions (and re-equip them).
The game's own summary

Having witnessed an inmate of the Gortress nearly being executed, Sterling decided to put his escape plan into action. He has asked your hero to enter the guard tower on the other side of the shield fields and switch off the shield field generator inside.

Celestrians freed, off with Sterling on the Starflight Express

  1. In the watchtower, defeat the Lethal armour and switch off the electric field generator. Sterling opens the next door for you; heal in the blue light.
  2. On level 1, defeat Goreham-Hogg: his chest holds the Ultimate key.
  3. Go down and open every cell: free the four Celestrians. Barbarus attacks, but Sterling calls the Starflight Express with his railwayman's whistle.
Battle: Lethal armour 454 HP · 1,680 EXPGoreham-Hogg 2,470 HP · 17,500 EXP
The game's own summary

Your hero and the other inmates of the Gortress have been following Sterling's plan in an attempt to escape. In order to help the others, your hero has infiltrated the guard tower and switched off the shield field generator inside.

While escaping from the Gortress, your hero has been asked by Sterling to help him free the inmates held in the maximum security solitary confinement cells. Your hero has managed to defeat the Gittish Empire's Lieutenant Goreham-Hogg, and can now go about releasing them.

While escaping from the Gortress, your hero has been asked by Sterling to help him free the inmates held in the maximum security solitary confinement cells. On his way to release them, your hero defeated Lieutenant Goreham-Hogg, and obtained the ultimate key.

With the ultimate key in hand, your hero has made his way to the bowels of the Gortress, and freed the four Celestrians who were being held there.

Having freed the four Celestrians who were being held in the depths of the Gortress, your hero was attacked by Barbarus. Thankfully, Sterling summoned the Starflight with his official pilot's whistle, and he and your hero managed to make it back to the Observatory.

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