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TUNIC Narrative Guide - Act 1: The Awakening (2/2)
Summary: Join the Ruin Seeker (that's our protagonist fox!) on his journey through a strange and vaguely familiar land. His inner thoughts are laid bare as we explore the unknown. Each step brings new mysteries to solve, new challenges to face.
This story is intended as a companion piece to the video game TUNIC - experience with the game is highly recommended. While this work is primarily an introspection on the world of TUNIC, it can also be used as a game guide to help you with your own discoveries.
I highly recommend playing this game, and if the early portions of this tale can help pull you into the mysterious world, you'll absolutely love experiencing it first-hand. Be warned: Act 2 and beyond have substantial spoilers as the game grows in scope, and discovery is an important part of what makes TUNIC an amazing adventure.
TUNIC: A Narrative Guide
This path leads to a verdant area with trees that make me hunger for marshmallows. Their roots twist and turn through marshy waters, or perhaps these are ancient canals. In the water along the way, I spy another chunk of gold. Perhaps it adjoins with the earlier piece. I ponder for a moment how it could have gotten here, but I realize I'm not even sure where it comes from. Is this area flooded? It's likely these bridges are newly constructed, given the age of the nearby stone.
Careful not to trip on the roots crawling all over, I press on and come to a raised shrine. This is somehow another Hero's Grave. Were there multiple heroes? Or is this simply a second place of worship? On either side of it are the biggest fox statues yet, towering foxes in robes, watching over the fallen champion. It may be my imagination, but the small statue that looks like me appears to be somewhat sad.
The nearby spyglass shows me a view of winding waterlogged passages. Chests, bridges, rope, a weird gator, and ahead - another statue. As I walk across a fallen column, a tingling radiates down to my tail tip. I feel an urge to check to the north for a secret path. That ledge I had been walking along felt very suspicious. Sure enough, there's a trail there, and at the end of it, I find another card. This time, it's a ring depicted alongside a shield.
Once back on the path, I spot what I believe is the fourth of these strange doors. This one appears inset a fancy looking building, lined with fox priests. I make note of its location, but otherwise give a shrug of my shoulders and press onward.
Resting at the goddess statue, I offer the defense idol, raising my defense to three. I then decide to check for secrets behind the weird well. Sure enough, I find something hidden. Another black void with the creepy skeletal shopkeep. It has more stuff for sale, but nothing that I can afford. Eventually, I can buy another potion, or even a golden coin. Better keep collecting the shiny bits.
Among the twisting paths, I find an offshoot that leads me to a new page.
Watch my bars, it says, and then it seems to be showing recovery items. Apparently, Ivy will help me to recover my stamina. If that becomes an issue, I can keep that in mind. Something about running to save stamina. Something regarding those weird cards I'm getting, which themselves are somehow related to the golden coins. It points me to page 20.
Some indicator for extra bombs from using a lot of them. A special technique that combines roll and sword? I will try that out later, I guess. The last bit is emphasizing some blue dots on the map. Eyes, maybe?
The back holds another page of the map, which delights me. The enemies of the area appear to be listed. The little goatmen from all over seem to be called Rudelings, and it says they have no souls. That sounds sad, but given how many I've had to slay, this may be a good thing. The gators are Chompignoms. Quite the mouthful. Some sort of fairies that apparently are part of the walls. There's even a boss. "Will kill you". Lovely. Lastly it seems there's a magic item, the Magic Dagger.
Looking at the map contents as a whole, I see some of the eyes page 26 showed on the map. They were behind the statue and well from earlier. Do they indicate the shop? The other one I found was in the Windmill in the Overworld. I look back through the other map pages where I find more eyes in those locations. That settles that, then. Blue eyes means a shop.
Discovery: Blue eyes on the map indicate the presence of a shop.
Mentally plotting a course through the map, I find myself somewhat turned around. Changing my thinking, I start at the belltower on the other page and trace the path the other direction. Atop the fancy building, there's a black skull. That's likely to be where this "Boss" can be found. From there the path weaves throughout, but it's a small area and I'm unlikely to get lost. I should do my best to explore fully, especially if there's a magic item to be found here.
New Goal: Defeat the boss blocking the path to the Western Belltower.
New Goal: Locate the Magic Dagger somewhere in West Garden. Probably.
The path to advance isn't immediately obvious, but I'm certain that there's a way. Trusting in my fox agility, I step carefully along a narrow fallen pillar that trails into the marsh. Beneath the crystal clear water, I see a path to walk, shallow enough that I won't be in danger.
Making my way to the next ruined island, there's an overgrown statue in disarray in the middle, surrounded by a lot of pretty flowers. This fallen statue looks a lot like the "Boss" of this area. If I compare it to the drawing, the full statue was likely several times larger. To face something of that size, I'll need to be more than prepared. I just hope it's not at full strength after all these years.
Poking my nose into various corners leads me to an effigy and to a mana fruit, as well as a shortcut back to the statue. Pressing forward leads me to a swarm of Fairies and pair of Chompignoms. Both sets combined proves to be quite the tough fight. I survive, but it makes me wish I had a way to attack at range, like those floating pieces of magic do.
With a few more battles strategically won, and a few more bits of treasure obtained, I come across a second statue. Just past it, there's an obelisk that I can't see a way to reach. Exploring instead to the north, I take a side path to a small island. Inside the dwelling and on a table is my side objective, the Magic Dagger. Before picking it up, I look around the room. It almost seems to be a workshop, with several inactive and damaged Fairies piled up on one side.
The Magic Dagger glows with a light not unlike the Fairies'. With awe, I take it into my hand and give it a swing. A shiver runs down my spine as it drains away part of my soul, my inner self, to let loose a torrential thrust of ice. What a powerful and intimidating item, but that secondary effect in my sense of self is something I cannot abide by. I must use it sparingly, unless I come to some sort of harm beyond my physical form.
Fighting my way past some dangerous threats, I get the feel for the new tool. Its use is a bit more limited than I had hoped, but against a faster foe it can help me get a few more blows in. Among my fallen foes, aside from shinies, I notice that a few yield bits of blue. Calling them to me, I feel my spirit refreshing itself.
Discovery: Some enemies drop blue bits that restore my mana.
On an overgrown side path, I come across a chest containing a bundle of feathers. I curl my nose at them and cart the delicate prize back to the goddess statue to find out what she will bolster for me in return. Offering it up, It turns out the reward is an increase of my stamina. On my next trip through my foes, I climb a ladder and find another tooth, so I bring that back as well.
Along the last bit of the path before this boss is a rope, which leads down to the shortcut I found earlier. Crossing over, I head to the other statue and activate it, feeling a bit anxious towards this impending challenge. This feeling intensifies when, upon my return, the air around me grows still and silent. Across the pathway, another statue, looking almost as broken as the one surrounded by flowers.
I approach with bated breath. The guardian suddenly comes to life, jumping to its "feet" and startling me. I immediately been hacking away at it. It seems equally confused, however, and begins trying to shoot at me despite being right up against its face. Sadly, this confusion doesn't last, and after backing me into a corner, it gets the upper hand and I fall to its might. I was close, but I could not defeat the Garden Knight.
"Will kill you." ... And so it does, over and over.
Deciding to change strategies after several clear and terrible failures, I remember to make use of the Magic Dagger I recently obtained. Even then, something was missing from my strategy. Eventually, I began to count its attacks. One, two, three. One, two, three. Between the waves of slashes or shotblasts, I would approach it and attack as much as I could get away with. Then I would shield, back away, and recover my stamina. Patience.
Towards the end of the battle, the rule of three is suddenly broken. The machine becomes more aggressive, adding a new step to its combo. At this point, with my rhythm lost, I resort to throwing my supply of bombs at it from a distance. Still not enough!
With no potions remaining, and no more Boom Bombs, I sling the Magic Dagger, hoping for the best. I freeze it in place, an inch from death's door. Taking the moment afforded to me, I hack into its joints, and stab into its glowing eyes that remind me of the pattern on the golden door.
This time, I succeed, counting my blessings for the form of immortality the goddess is granting me. With the barrier standing between me and the Western Belltower removed, I made my way across the grand bridge and continue my quest.
The bell looms above me. Climbing the ladders, I anxiously strike the second bell, patience spent in my previous ordeal. A grand fanfare sings and the sky lights up. Now to visit the goddess behind the golden door, and claim my prize. I drop the drawbridge and head towards the Sealed Temple.
It's at this point I notice that I somehow gained another Boom Bomb. I was certain I had used them all during the fight against the Garden Knight, but after resting I seem to have a new one. It's almost phantasmal, or otherworldly in how it looks. There's definitely something different about it. I recall the hint on page 26, as well as the text on page 17. This must have been what it was talking about. I throw the bomb as a test and rest at the statue again. There, the bomb has returned. Another gift from beyond.
Discovery: Using lots of bombs will grant refillable bombs that recover when I rest. This is shown in the inventory with a +1 by the bomb type.
Upon approaching the Sealed Temple, I notice the two statues have glowing eyes now. Unlike the pleasant blue glow of the other goddess statues, these two are glowing purple. How peculiar, if not mildly unsettling. I touch my paw to the large door, tracing the hexagonal pattern lightly. Light bursts from the edges, and the door springs to life.
Stepping back, the door swings open and then slides into place. Once inside, I am met by three robed foxes. Well, a statue of three foxes, in any case. None of them appear to be the goddess, however. At the base is a plaque. It shows a trio of hexagons, something that's becoming a recurring motif at this point. However, I can't understand what it's trying to convey. Three something. Maybe this temple was built by these three?
The scenery is nice. To the sides is a pair of ponds, with little fish swimming around. Above the statue is another pair of giant goddess statues. Then, beyond that, there is a huge open chamber. In the middle are three sets of floating rings, and in the middle of those is a sort of prism.
In fact, not just a sort, the same sort! It looks just like the one in the vision that was trapping the goddess. Upon examining my surroundings, there are pedestals with holes in three of the corners, each seeming to want a different color of... something.
I had entered the temple expecting to meet with the goddess. Instead, I find that the spiritual prison where I first met her may instead be the whole of her reality. Perhaps I am meant to unlock this to free the goddess, and the goddess herself is the one with the treasure. That would make sense, if I consider her to be bestowing me with the power of immortality. I am her champion, and it is my quest to set her free.
Revised Goal: Break the seal that imprisons the goddess and/or obtain the great treasure.
In the back of the room, I notice an arch, cresting above a narrow path, and leading to a ladder. Following it around, I come across another page. I hope this will shine some new light on how I might free her.
I cannot make sense of this page. There's so little here. The only two things I can glean from it are this imposing obelisk, of a form I am familiar with, and something about holding A for 3 seconds. I'm simply not sure. What will this do? I suppose the only way to find out is to go to one of these obelisks and try. Two of the three I've seen have been out of reach, but the one under the Western Belltower is one I've even laid paws to.
New Goal: Experiment at the obelisk under the Western Belltower.
This page appears to depict the inner temple, with the rotating rings and pedestals. It shows me holding aloft three shining rocks of the same colors that the pedestals were asking for. Perhaps this is my next goal, to find these and return them?
New Goal: Find the three colored hexagons to open the seal in the temple.
Outside, I find a hidden ladder leading up to a telescope, but after looking through it I spot nothing of value. It does help me to find my bearings, though. Further west, I find a shining golden obelisk, not unlike the fragments spotted in the water by the West Garden. In front of it lays a staff with a red glow. Taking it into my paws, I play around with it. It appears to shoot fiery bolts at the cost of my spirit.
Heading the other direction, I find a large staircase. Still lost on where to begin this new phase of my journey, I ascend it. A short trek becomes a long journey into a snowy mountain. My fur bristles and the snow tickles the insides of my ears. This place feels unlike my earlier destinations. It feels instead like I'm making a sacred journey to the end of the earth. At the end of the long path, I find another page at the steps of a weird door.
Here's page 20. It was referenced several times, and seems to tell about the card items I've been picking up. The only one I have from the list here is the Cyan Peril Ring. Going by syntax and iconography, I would say it probably increases my defense when I'm in a state of peril. There seems to be more listed on page 51, but who knows when I will find that. My best bet is going to be to experiment, it seems.
The next section is telling me how to equip them, but thankfully I already figured that out. The last part however, that's telling me something new. These coins I've been finding can apparently be thrown into the wells. There's also what seems to be a checklist, and my rewards come after three, six, ten, and fifteen. The next time I see a well, I should try using my coins, and seeing what the reward is.
New Goal: Throw three Golden Coins into a well.
What's all this, then? Hints! Excellent! Can I make anything out? Temple, keys... and the rings I saw before. So my theory there is correct. I need to bring three keys to the temple. I guess the hexagons count as keys. Below that is something else about them. It shows something resembling the obelisk and points to page 24. That's the page I just got just before this. I definitely have to check out an obelisk now. They're going to be related to getting these three colored keys.
The next hint is something about a place called The Ruined Atoll, and it has an icon with what is quite possibly those golden squares I've been seeing. I still don't know how to use them, though. Next is something that's oddly shiny. Page 49... I don't have that one yet.
In the art here, I appear to be trying to make sense of the language. I agree, art-me, it hurts the head. There's something important about the dot found at the bottom, something about separation of the glyphs... Nope, too much. I can't even find where to begin. Moving on.
This hint says something about check-points and "Dead", followed by another picture of the obelisk. It looks like the icon is the goddess statue. Are those called check-points? I guess that makes sense, since I revive there. The last hint mentions an "old burying ground", which is some sort of graveyard I guess. I don't know anything else about it, though.
Looking around, the door in front of me seems completely impassable. Important, but quite imposing. Other than that, that seems to be everything here. I guess I'll climb back down, at least the journey is easier downhill. Reaching the bottom, and returning to the Overworld, I decide that now would be a good time to take a break and reflect on my journey. Taking a seat in the grass, I stare up at the sky and watch the clouds.
Up to now, I've awoken in a strange land, with no knowledge of who I am. Absent any goals, I set out to explore, and found rumors of a great treasure. I also met a goddess who pleaded for my help, and is capable of returning me to life.
My quest had me journey through a forest where I found a means to defend myself, through a well and a tomb where I fought against darkness, and through a flooded garden where I faced my strongest foe yet and put every bit of my experience into practice.
This allowed me to enter the temple, where I discovered the prison holding the goddess captive. My quest to ring the belltowers has become a quest to collect three hexagonal keys. If I have to fight anything like the Garden Knight again, this new quest will be the opposite of easy.
For now, I will continue to seek treasure in these ruins. There's still much to explore, with many mysteries to unravel. Stretching my legs and tail, with a wiggle to my toes, I stand up and set out once again, questing for these hexagons.
Current Goals
✔Locate the Magic Dagger somewhere in West Garden. Probably.
✔Defeat the boss blocking the path to the Western Belltower.
✔Ring the Western Belltower.
✔Open the Golden Door.
★ Find the three colored hexagons to open the seal in the temple.
★ Break the seal that imprisons the goddess and/or obtain the great treasure.
★ Throw three Golden Coins into a well.
★ Experiment at the obelisk under the Western Belltower.
★ Explore the beach (when convenient.)
I resume my search by heading north, where I descend a few ladders before reaching a dead end, raised drawbridge taunting me from the other side. Ah, but wait... As I ponder my next path, my ears are drawn to the nearby waterfall. As is common in this place, a secret is hidden behind it. Inside, I find some shinies, but nothing else stands out to me.
Looking closer on the second level, I find a place to go that's out of sight. It leads to a lever, granting me a new path and shortcut. I return to the goddess statue to rest and contemplate where I should go. I want to look into the obelisk I found when exploring the old well, I want to experiment with what page 20 said about the Golden Coins, and I want to look around the beach for a little while.
Heading west, I reach the ladder for the old well, and navigate my way through the multiple shortcuts I previously unlocked. I eventually reach the room of purple, and I walk up to the obelisk with caution. Well, let's give this a try. I kneel and focus my thoughts, and after a few seconds, light begins to swirl around me. The obelisk glows bright, reacting similarly to the golden door. It stretches itself out, before sinking into the ground with a screech.
Behind me, the conduit I passed across is now illuminated in the same manner as the others of the room. Are these a source of power for the area? If so, what have I activated? My curiosity pulls me back along my path, tracing the glow under my feet.
Discovery: Holding A next to obelisks will activate them, providing power to nearby objects.
Stepping past some tentacled skulls and a treasure previously looted, the glow extends into the corner. The conduit reaches the wall and disappears, leaving me scratching my head. However, the closed chest nearby tells me that this path was not previously available to me. There's no chance I looted the other chest and not this one. Inside, I find another Golden Coin. Adding it to the others in my pockets, I now have four.
Checking my map, I note the room on the other side of the wall. Before I leave, I check to see if the conduit continues. No, nothing. It must have simply opened the path to that chest. This certainly won't lead me to any hexagon keys. Crossing the item off my list, I return to the surface and look around for a normal well.
With a look through the spyglass atop the Old House, I spot a well within short walking distance. Fighting through the Rudelings, I check the well. My mind fuzzes a bit, but nothing happens. The thought then crosses my mind to simply throw them in. Hoping for the best, I take one into my paws and then flick it into the depths. As it splashes at the bottom, a pillar of light erupts. I repeat the process, emptying my pockets. Two coins. Three coins.
With a bit of fanfare, something mysterious happens, and I seem to have been awarded something almost ethereal. Checking my inventory, it seems to be another augmentation spot for a new card. I can either put on the ring with the sword, or the ring with the shield. I decide to go with the ring with the shield, increasing my defense when in peril.
Discovery: When enough golden coins are thrown into the well, new card slots are obtained.
Tossing in the last coin in my possession, nothing happens beyond the beam of light. With another item crossed off, I set out to look around the beach. In my earlier haste to claim the shield, I neglected any real exploration. Passing through the opened gate, I descend the stairs and fight my way through a horde of Rudelings.
Tossing my ethereal Boom Bomb, I shatter the Envoy's shield and then finish him off from a distance with the Fire Rod. Before I go down the ladder, I check around a bit more on my current level. To the west, I defeat an Autobolt and lay claim to a chest hiding behind it. Within, a new card, one depicting a large heart. This one is depicted on page 20. It's called the Lucky Cup, and has a 15% chance for... something. For enemies to drop a heart, I guess. Hearts are good. Sure, let's equip that instead of the ring.
Sand squishes between my toes as I drop to the bottom level and look around. To the east, a funny looking island with some shinies in a chest. To the north, a waterfall - that means secrets! I trace a path behind it and make it to the other side of the river's mouth, where I find a new page of the booklet.
A new map page, dotted with obelisks and trees. It connects to the previous page, where the words Fortress of the Eastern Vault are visible. In the upper corner, it details some new enemies. Custodians, caretakers of the area, magic users, a note to put out their candles. Spyrite and Sappharach, a set of spider enemies that seem to be impersonating the shinies I've been accumulating. I think I remember fighting some in the East Forest.
I see a few shops in the area, and there's a path connecting to "Beneath the Earth" on page 30, likely the portion that is covered in more spiders. I note the obelisk within the area. However, as important as that seems, there's something even more important. A reference to the golden squares, along with the Hero's Graves. A single word is emphasized twice, and it points to page 24. That is the page where I learned to kneel in front of the obelisks. Could that also be the method to interact with these other two objects?
New Goal: Try holding A at a golden square.
It seems this area can be reached to the east. Perhaps that is what lies beyond that shortcut I recently opened by the main temple.
New Goal: Explore the Fortress of the Eastern Vault.
This page is short and decorative. It adjoins the beach map, and is likely the name of that area. There's also a note by an image of an obelisk, with the number 4 standing out. On the next page, the map for Ruined Atoll, I note that there are four numbered obelisks.
New Goal: Activate the four obelisks in The Ruined Atoll.
Resuming my exploration of the nearby beachfront, I note the presence of something out of place. Shifting my view, I see it is a chest, and within, another Golden Coin. At the end of the path, a dead end, but I do make a small note that there's another piece of broken golden monument. Perhaps it's from the same one, or perhaps there were many.
As I head back, I remember something important. Secrets are everywhere. Everywhere. On a hunch, I check underneath the pathway above, and find myself in a dark cave. Surging ahead, I get a sudden wave of vertigo as I discover I'm floating on emptiness. A chest is before me, and I continue towards it. I then run smack into an unseen wall, falling on my bushy tail. Rubbing my muzzle, I extend my paws around me and realize that there's more than one wall. They're all around me.
Using the maze trick, I place my hand to the left side wall and follow it around the room. Slowly, my path encircles the chest, and I make it to the center. Inside, an incredible 255 shinybits. A worthwhile detour! Not only did I discover some new goals, but I got a hefty sum of funds to spend in the shop.
Leaving the room in the same way I entered it, I decide to explore some to the south before tackling a new goal. I fight off an Autobolt and obtain a new packet of crystal powder. On the other side, I find a waterlogged cave with a very imposing sign. Within the room are several Autobolts, and with the water denying me the ability to move quickly, and myself in a somewhat weakened state from reckless exploration, I decide to return here at another time
Revised Goal: Explore the dangerous cave on the beach.
Following a sandy path, I enter the area of the Ruined Atoll. It isn't my intended destination, but it can't hurt to look around some. I see a little birdie, who runs from me when I try to approach it. To my surprise, it disappears under the large bridge, yielding a secret path in an otherwise pathless area. At its end is a new card, a bracer or vest, it's hard to say. It's not listed on page 20.
As I exit, my eyes are drawn to the golden square at the top of the bridge above me. A conduit of purple energy flows from it. I look around for a way to reach it, and come up empty. For now, I press on with my beach exploration. Further south, the path continues to a pair of Autobolts. One chest can be reached, containing a decoy, but the other seems to require something that I lack.
A ladder leads me to a new conduit. Following it further, I exit to yet another secret path I overlooked, at the back of the windmill. Stopping inside to visit the skeletal shopkeep, I find myself short of funds to purchase either the Potion or the Golden Coin. Disappointed, my ears and tail droop as I exit back into the sun.
Outside, a golden square. I should try kneeling on it and seeing what happens. With a shiver down my spine, my vision flashes and I find myself once again in the ghostly, mystical realm where I met the goddess. Around me, several squares. Some are white, and some are black. The one I entered at is white, illuminated. That means that of the eight I can see, four are activated. There's also a large staircase, which beckons to me.
Discovery: Holding A activates the prayer action, allowing me to interact with my surroundings in new ways.
Discovery: Golden squares are teleporters that allow me to travel between locations.
Climbing it, I find a copy of the temple entrance. The door is open, and the sword-carrying goddess statues lie dormant at its sides. The path behind it is invisible, as it always seems to be in this place. Just beyond it, I see the goddess in her prison. Around her, I see the many items I have offered to her.
Upon my approach, she regards me with curiosity. I kneel before her in prayer, as I have been doing elsewhere, and she nods at me with a kind smile. Perhaps this, too, is some fragment of her power that has been granted to me.
With a nod and a wave, I bid her farewell to resume my quest. I decide to check the center teleporter. Inside, I find an ominous room, with the emblem of three hexagons and a gigantic sword. It looks to be the same sword as the one carried by the goddess statues. This must be her's, but why would she need such a powerful sword? I try praying to the sword, but nothing happens. With a touch of concern, I leave the room and try another teleporter.
The one underneath the stairs leads me to a claustrophobic room made of alloy. It has no exit, leaving me with no choice but to teleport away again. With only one other teleporter left to try, I activate it and find myself in the Ruined Atoll. That's strange, I was expecting to be taken to the one on the small island I washed ashore on.
Regardless, I have found a way to enter The Ruined Atoll. I take a moment to refresh myself at the nearby goddess statue. Looking through the spyglass, I see a decayed land, with some fox statues in the distance. I'm now faced with a choice. Should I continue to explore here, or return and seek entrance to the Eastern Vault? There's also that other teleporter that calls to me.
It's settled, I will return to where I arrived and check that teleporter, then decide between the two locations. Beelining there, grateful for the interwoven pathways, I kneel and pray at the early teleporter. Within, I find myself unable to progress anywhere, but I also find a new page.
This is the front index page of this booklet. There appear to be at least 52 total pages. I've collected quite a few, at this point. On the back is...
Also known as "The Story" according to the Table of Contents. I can only make out a few portions of it. A civilization. Something called the Holy Cross. And the mythical Power to Defy Death. I see foxes worshiping the three-hexagon symbol. I see them worshiping the goddess, who holds a purple gem. In the background, an obelisk with the same purple color. How are the two related?
With nothing left to glean from the new page, I close the manual and consider where to go next. The Maps section of the Table of Contents listed the Eastern Vault before the Ruined Atoll. That's as good of a reason as any to explore it first. I return to the main goddess statue and then head east. The sign before me says "Forest Fortress."
Before following it, I check the other path where I find a shortcut drawbridge to lower. Checking my map one last time, I find myself grateful to have found that page at the beach. This place may have been much harder to locate had I not taken the time to explore.
Current Goals
✔Experiment at the obelisk under the Western Belltower.
✔Throw three Golden Coins into a well.
✔Try holding A at a golden square.
★ Explore the Fortress of the Eastern Vault.
★ Activate the four obelisks in The Ruined Atoll.
★ Find the three colored hexagons to open the seal in the temple.
★ Break the seal that imprisons the goddess and/or obtain the great treasure.
★ Explore the dangerous cave on the beach.
List of Discoveries:
• I can roll by pressing the A button while moving, and run by holding it afterwards.
• I can open my inventory by pressing LB. Here, I can assign items to X/Y/B. The stick feels most comfortable under X. To exit the inventory, I need to press LB again.
• The stick can crush jars, but cannot remove bush barriers or grass.
• Press and hold LT to lock onto enemies. The camera shifts some as well. Damaged enemies have a visible health bar.
• Resting at these statues will recover my health, andpossibly more..? function as a checkpoint.
• Collect manual pages in order to better understand the world around me. Much within cannot be understood, but some pieces can be deciphered and interpreted.
• The manual can be navigated with the left stick, and other buttons can further change how it is viewed.
• Mechanical levers like this will operate nearby contraptions such as doors. Make them a priority, but activating them seems to take some time. Be careful.
• I cannot die. When I die, I return to life at a nearby statue.
• My"corpse" Echo-of-Self can apparently be used as a weapon, though perhaps not a very strong one.
• Some paths are hard to see. Hold the lock-on button to get a different view.
• Time doesn't stop when accessing the inventory.
•Firecrackers Boom Bombs are thrown a distance and will explode after a delay.
• There are paths that exist which are extremely well-hidden. I should keep track of them after I find them.
• Potions can be used with RB, restoring my health.
• There are shortcuts I can unlock to make backtracking easier, keep an eye open!
• Using a statue will respawn enemies.
• Some pages have maps. My location is marked on them, helping me to more easily navigate.
• There are shops in the world which will sell items for treasure.
• Grass can catch fire and burn across a distance.
• I can shield by pressing and holding RT.
• Secret paths are everywhere. Everywhere!
• Shielding slows my stamina recovery rate. Sword swings pause stamina recovery entirely. Do not overuse! Strategy is important!
• Enemies can sometimes hurt each other.
• I can "offer" items to the goddess, along with treasure, to increase my abilities.
• I cannot roll or run in water.
• Activate shortcuts whenever possible to save time.
• I can equip these "cards," but the effects are unknown.
• Some walls hold unprompted secrets. Pressing A next to the wall can sometimes press hidden switches.
• Collecting three potion fragments will complete a new Magic Potion.
• Blue eyes on the map indicate the presence of a shop.
• Some enemies drop blue bits that restore my mana.
• Using lots of bombs will grant refillable bombs that recover when I rest. This is shown in the inventory with a +1 by the bomb type.
• Holding A next to obelisks will activate them, providing power to nearby objects.
• When enough Golden Coins are thrown into the well, new card slots are obtained.
• Holding A activates the prayer action, allowing me to interact with my surroundings in new ways.
• Golden squares are teleporters that allow me to travel between locations.
List of Items:
• Inventory: Stick, Sword, Shield, Lantern, Magic Dagger, Fire Rod
• Cards: "Halo Fox", "Sword, Ring", Cyan Peril Ring, Lucky Cup, "Bracer/Vest" + 5 Golden Coins
• Potions: 3 Full Bottles, 4 Fragments
• Upgrades: Attack - 2, Defense - 2, Health - 1, Potion - 3, Stamina - 1, Mana - 0
• Pages: 2-3, 10-21, 24-35
• Expended: Key, Old House Key
Author's Notes:Assuming everything works, I'm pushing things to their limits here... Well that didn't work according to plan. Looks like I found the character limit around here. So much for a single upload with this! Still, a reduction from 6 to 2 isn't bad. Ahem!
Greetings from the author! Thanks for making it to the end of the first act of TUNIC. What you've seen written here may line up with your own experiences, but chances are that there are things you or I have done differently. The timing which you made your discoveries, the items you found, the side paths you went and explored.
The beauty of TUNIC is that much of the game can be accessed from the very beginning, depending on how you choose to explore and how much you know about the secrets of the game. What I've written here is crafted based on the intended core path through the quests as they are laid out before you. This allows me to explore the psychology behind the placement of items, the timing of knowledge as it is drip-fed to you.
Every section of this story has its own individual post in my scraps, each with their own Author's Notes to read through. I recommend taking a peek if you're enthusiastic about that sort of commentary. Either way, thank you so much for reading! I would love it if you take the time to share your own experiences. Otherwise, give it a favorite, share it with a friend. Engagement makes our world go 'round.
Thumbnail created using the press kit's wallpaper and logo. The custom text contains a secret.
Search Tags: Zelda Link mystery mysteries explore exploring exploration gameguide walkthrough help steam psychology psychological island ruin ruins "the heir" vixen foxy foxes offering offerings secret secrets quest adventure
This story is intended as a companion piece to the video game TUNIC - experience with the game is highly recommended. While this work is primarily an introspection on the world of TUNIC, it can also be used as a game guide to help you with your own discoveries.
I highly recommend playing this game, and if the early portions of this tale can help pull you into the mysterious world, you'll absolutely love experiencing it first-hand. Be warned: Act 2 and beyond have substantial spoilers as the game grows in scope, and discovery is an important part of what makes TUNIC an amazing adventure.
TUNIC: A Narrative Guide
Act 1: The Awakening (1/2) | (2/2)
Act 2: The Questagons (1/3) | (2/3) | (3/3)
Act 3: The Heir (1/2) | (2/2)
Act 4: The Golden Path
Act 1, Part 5 - Of Gardens and Temples
This path leads to a verdant area with trees that make me hunger for marshmallows. Their roots twist and turn through marshy waters, or perhaps these are ancient canals. In the water along the way, I spy another chunk of gold. Perhaps it adjoins with the earlier piece. I ponder for a moment how it could have gotten here, but I realize I'm not even sure where it comes from. Is this area flooded? It's likely these bridges are newly constructed, given the age of the nearby stone.
Careful not to trip on the roots crawling all over, I press on and come to a raised shrine. This is somehow another Hero's Grave. Were there multiple heroes? Or is this simply a second place of worship? On either side of it are the biggest fox statues yet, towering foxes in robes, watching over the fallen champion. It may be my imagination, but the small statue that looks like me appears to be somewhat sad.
The nearby spyglass shows me a view of winding waterlogged passages. Chests, bridges, rope, a weird gator, and ahead - another statue. As I walk across a fallen column, a tingling radiates down to my tail tip. I feel an urge to check to the north for a secret path. That ledge I had been walking along felt very suspicious. Sure enough, there's a trail there, and at the end of it, I find another card. This time, it's a ring depicted alongside a shield.
New Item: Card #3 - "Shield, Ring"Once back on the path, I spot what I believe is the fourth of these strange doors. This one appears inset a fancy looking building, lined with fox priests. I make note of its location, but otherwise give a shrug of my shoulders and press onward.
Resting at the goddess statue, I offer the defense idol, raising my defense to three. I then decide to check for secrets behind the weird well. Sure enough, I find something hidden. Another black void with the creepy skeletal shopkeep. It has more stuff for sale, but nothing that I can afford. Eventually, I can buy another potion, or even a golden coin. Better keep collecting the shiny bits.
Among the twisting paths, I find an offshoot that leads me to a new page.
New Item: Page 26/27Page Analysis: #26 - "Survival Tips"
Watch my bars, it says, and then it seems to be showing recovery items. Apparently, Ivy will help me to recover my stamina. If that becomes an issue, I can keep that in mind. Something about running to save stamina. Something regarding those weird cards I'm getting, which themselves are somehow related to the golden coins. It points me to page 20.
Some indicator for extra bombs from using a lot of them. A special technique that combines roll and sword? I will try that out later, I guess. The last bit is emphasizing some blue dots on the map. Eyes, maybe?
Page Analysis: #27 - "West Garden Map"
The back holds another page of the map, which delights me. The enemies of the area appear to be listed. The little goatmen from all over seem to be called Rudelings, and it says they have no souls. That sounds sad, but given how many I've had to slay, this may be a good thing. The gators are Chompignoms. Quite the mouthful. Some sort of fairies that apparently are part of the walls. There's even a boss. "Will kill you". Lovely. Lastly it seems there's a magic item, the Magic Dagger.
Looking at the map contents as a whole, I see some of the eyes page 26 showed on the map. They were behind the statue and well from earlier. Do they indicate the shop? The other one I found was in the Windmill in the Overworld. I look back through the other map pages where I find more eyes in those locations. That settles that, then. Blue eyes means a shop.
Discovery: Blue eyes on the map indicate the presence of a shop.
Mentally plotting a course through the map, I find myself somewhat turned around. Changing my thinking, I start at the belltower on the other page and trace the path the other direction. Atop the fancy building, there's a black skull. That's likely to be where this "Boss" can be found. From there the path weaves throughout, but it's a small area and I'm unlikely to get lost. I should do my best to explore fully, especially if there's a magic item to be found here.
New Goal: Defeat the boss blocking the path to the Western Belltower.
New Goal: Locate the Magic Dagger somewhere in West Garden. Probably.
The path to advance isn't immediately obvious, but I'm certain that there's a way. Trusting in my fox agility, I step carefully along a narrow fallen pillar that trails into the marsh. Beneath the crystal clear water, I see a path to walk, shallow enough that I won't be in danger.
Making my way to the next ruined island, there's an overgrown statue in disarray in the middle, surrounded by a lot of pretty flowers. This fallen statue looks a lot like the "Boss" of this area. If I compare it to the drawing, the full statue was likely several times larger. To face something of that size, I'll need to be more than prepared. I just hope it's not at full strength after all these years.
Poking my nose into various corners leads me to an effigy and to a mana fruit, as well as a shortcut back to the statue. Pressing forward leads me to a swarm of Fairies and pair of Chompignoms. Both sets combined proves to be quite the tough fight. I survive, but it makes me wish I had a way to attack at range, like those floating pieces of magic do.
With a few more battles strategically won, and a few more bits of treasure obtained, I come across a second statue. Just past it, there's an obelisk that I can't see a way to reach. Exploring instead to the north, I take a side path to a small island. Inside the dwelling and on a table is my side objective, the Magic Dagger. Before picking it up, I look around the room. It almost seems to be a workshop, with several inactive and damaged Fairies piled up on one side.
The Magic Dagger glows with a light not unlike the Fairies'. With awe, I take it into my hand and give it a swing. A shiver runs down my spine as it drains away part of my soul, my inner self, to let loose a torrential thrust of ice. What a powerful and intimidating item, but that secondary effect in my sense of self is something I cannot abide by. I must use it sparingly, unless I come to some sort of harm beyond my physical form.
New Item: Magic DaggerFighting my way past some dangerous threats, I get the feel for the new tool. Its use is a bit more limited than I had hoped, but against a faster foe it can help me get a few more blows in. Among my fallen foes, aside from shinies, I notice that a few yield bits of blue. Calling them to me, I feel my spirit refreshing itself.
Discovery: Some enemies drop blue bits that restore my mana.
On an overgrown side path, I come across a chest containing a bundle of feathers. I curl my nose at them and cart the delicate prize back to the goddess statue to find out what she will bolster for me in return. Offering it up, It turns out the reward is an increase of my stamina. On my next trip through my foes, I climb a ladder and find another tooth, so I bring that back as well.
New Item: Stamina Upgrade #1New Item: Attack Upgrade #2Along the last bit of the path before this boss is a rope, which leads down to the shortcut I found earlier. Crossing over, I head to the other statue and activate it, feeling a bit anxious towards this impending challenge. This feeling intensifies when, upon my return, the air around me grows still and silent. Across the pathway, another statue, looking almost as broken as the one surrounded by flowers.
I approach with bated breath. The guardian suddenly comes to life, jumping to its "feet" and startling me. I immediately been hacking away at it. It seems equally confused, however, and begins trying to shoot at me despite being right up against its face. Sadly, this confusion doesn't last, and after backing me into a corner, it gets the upper hand and I fall to its might. I was close, but I could not defeat the Garden Knight.
"Will kill you." ... And so it does, over and over.
Deciding to change strategies after several clear and terrible failures, I remember to make use of the Magic Dagger I recently obtained. Even then, something was missing from my strategy. Eventually, I began to count its attacks. One, two, three. One, two, three. Between the waves of slashes or shotblasts, I would approach it and attack as much as I could get away with. Then I would shield, back away, and recover my stamina. Patience.
Towards the end of the battle, the rule of three is suddenly broken. The machine becomes more aggressive, adding a new step to its combo. At this point, with my rhythm lost, I resort to throwing my supply of bombs at it from a distance. Still not enough!
With no potions remaining, and no more Boom Bombs, I sling the Magic Dagger, hoping for the best. I freeze it in place, an inch from death's door. Taking the moment afforded to me, I hack into its joints, and stab into its glowing eyes that remind me of the pattern on the golden door.
This time, I succeed, counting my blessings for the form of immortality the goddess is granting me. With the barrier standing between me and the Western Belltower removed, I made my way across the grand bridge and continue my quest.
The bell looms above me. Climbing the ladders, I anxiously strike the second bell, patience spent in my previous ordeal. A grand fanfare sings and the sky lights up. Now to visit the goddess behind the golden door, and claim my prize. I drop the drawbridge and head towards the Sealed Temple.
Major Goal Complete: Ring the Western Belltower.It's at this point I notice that I somehow gained another Boom Bomb. I was certain I had used them all during the fight against the Garden Knight, but after resting I seem to have a new one. It's almost phantasmal, or otherworldly in how it looks. There's definitely something different about it. I recall the hint on page 26, as well as the text on page 17. This must have been what it was talking about. I throw the bomb as a test and rest at the statue again. There, the bomb has returned. Another gift from beyond.
Discovery: Using lots of bombs will grant refillable bombs that recover when I rest. This is shown in the inventory with a +1 by the bomb type.
Upon approaching the Sealed Temple, I notice the two statues have glowing eyes now. Unlike the pleasant blue glow of the other goddess statues, these two are glowing purple. How peculiar, if not mildly unsettling. I touch my paw to the large door, tracing the hexagonal pattern lightly. Light bursts from the edges, and the door springs to life.
Stepping back, the door swings open and then slides into place. Once inside, I am met by three robed foxes. Well, a statue of three foxes, in any case. None of them appear to be the goddess, however. At the base is a plaque. It shows a trio of hexagons, something that's becoming a recurring motif at this point. However, I can't understand what it's trying to convey. Three something. Maybe this temple was built by these three?
The scenery is nice. To the sides is a pair of ponds, with little fish swimming around. Above the statue is another pair of giant goddess statues. Then, beyond that, there is a huge open chamber. In the middle are three sets of floating rings, and in the middle of those is a sort of prism.
In fact, not just a sort, the same sort! It looks just like the one in the vision that was trapping the goddess. Upon examining my surroundings, there are pedestals with holes in three of the corners, each seeming to want a different color of... something.
I had entered the temple expecting to meet with the goddess. Instead, I find that the spiritual prison where I first met her may instead be the whole of her reality. Perhaps I am meant to unlock this to free the goddess, and the goddess herself is the one with the treasure. That would make sense, if I consider her to be bestowing me with the power of immortality. I am her champion, and it is my quest to set her free.
Revised Goal: Break the seal that imprisons the goddess and/or obtain the great treasure.
In the back of the room, I notice an arch, cresting above a narrow path, and leading to a ladder. Following it around, I come across another page. I hope this will shine some new light on how I might free her.
New Item: Page 24/25Page Analysis: #24 - "Unknown, Part B"
I cannot make sense of this page. There's so little here. The only two things I can glean from it are this imposing obelisk, of a form I am familiar with, and something about holding A for 3 seconds. I'm simply not sure. What will this do? I suppose the only way to find out is to go to one of these obelisks and try. Two of the three I've seen have been out of reach, but the one under the Western Belltower is one I've even laid paws to.
New Goal: Experiment at the obelisk under the Western Belltower.
Page Analysis: #25 - "Three ???"
This page appears to depict the inner temple, with the rotating rings and pedestals. It shows me holding aloft three shining rocks of the same colors that the pedestals were asking for. Perhaps this is my next goal, to find these and return them?
New Goal: Find the three colored hexagons to open the seal in the temple.
Outside, I find a hidden ladder leading up to a telescope, but after looking through it I spot nothing of value. It does help me to find my bearings, though. Further west, I find a shining golden obelisk, not unlike the fragments spotted in the water by the West Garden. In front of it lays a staff with a red glow. Taking it into my paws, I play around with it. It appears to shoot fiery bolts at the cost of my spirit.
New Item: Fire RodHeading the other direction, I find a large staircase. Still lost on where to begin this new phase of my journey, I ascend it. A short trek becomes a long journey into a snowy mountain. My fur bristles and the snow tickles the insides of my ears. This place feels unlike my earlier destinations. It feels instead like I'm making a sacred journey to the end of the earth. At the end of the long path, I find another page at the steps of a weird door.
New Item: Page 20/21Page Analysis: #20 - "Cards(?)"
Here's page 20. It was referenced several times, and seems to tell about the card items I've been picking up. The only one I have from the list here is the Cyan Peril Ring. Going by syntax and iconography, I would say it probably increases my defense when I'm in a state of peril. There seems to be more listed on page 51, but who knows when I will find that. My best bet is going to be to experiment, it seems.
The next section is telling me how to equip them, but thankfully I already figured that out. The last part however, that's telling me something new. These coins I've been finding can apparently be thrown into the wells. There's also what seems to be a checklist, and my rewards come after three, six, ten, and fifteen. The next time I see a well, I should try using my coins, and seeing what the reward is.
New Goal: Throw three Golden Coins into a well.
Page Analysis: #21 - "Hints and Clues"
What's all this, then? Hints! Excellent! Can I make anything out? Temple, keys... and the rings I saw before. So my theory there is correct. I need to bring three keys to the temple. I guess the hexagons count as keys. Below that is something else about them. It shows something resembling the obelisk and points to page 24. That's the page I just got just before this. I definitely have to check out an obelisk now. They're going to be related to getting these three colored keys.
The next hint is something about a place called The Ruined Atoll, and it has an icon with what is quite possibly those golden squares I've been seeing. I still don't know how to use them, though. Next is something that's oddly shiny. Page 49... I don't have that one yet.
In the art here, I appear to be trying to make sense of the language. I agree, art-me, it hurts the head. There's something important about the dot found at the bottom, something about separation of the glyphs... Nope, too much. I can't even find where to begin. Moving on.
This hint says something about check-points and "Dead", followed by another picture of the obelisk. It looks like the icon is the goddess statue. Are those called check-points? I guess that makes sense, since I revive there. The last hint mentions an "old burying ground", which is some sort of graveyard I guess. I don't know anything else about it, though.
Looking around, the door in front of me seems completely impassable. Important, but quite imposing. Other than that, that seems to be everything here. I guess I'll climb back down, at least the journey is easier downhill. Reaching the bottom, and returning to the Overworld, I decide that now would be a good time to take a break and reflect on my journey. Taking a seat in the grass, I stare up at the sky and watch the clouds.
Up to now, I've awoken in a strange land, with no knowledge of who I am. Absent any goals, I set out to explore, and found rumors of a great treasure. I also met a goddess who pleaded for my help, and is capable of returning me to life.
My quest had me journey through a forest where I found a means to defend myself, through a well and a tomb where I fought against darkness, and through a flooded garden where I faced my strongest foe yet and put every bit of my experience into practice.
This allowed me to enter the temple, where I discovered the prison holding the goddess captive. My quest to ring the belltowers has become a quest to collect three hexagonal keys. If I have to fight anything like the Garden Knight again, this new quest will be the opposite of easy.
For now, I will continue to seek treasure in these ruins. There's still much to explore, with many mysteries to unravel. Stretching my legs and tail, with a wiggle to my toes, I stand up and set out once again, questing for these hexagons.
Current Goals
✔
✔
✔
✔
★ Find the three colored hexagons to open the seal in the temple.
★ Break the seal that imprisons the goddess and/or obtain the great treasure.
★ Throw three Golden Coins into a well.
★ Experiment at the obelisk under the Western Belltower.
★ Explore the beach (when convenient.)
Act 1, Part 6 - Loose Ends, New Beginnings
I resume my search by heading north, where I descend a few ladders before reaching a dead end, raised drawbridge taunting me from the other side. Ah, but wait... As I ponder my next path, my ears are drawn to the nearby waterfall. As is common in this place, a secret is hidden behind it. Inside, I find some shinies, but nothing else stands out to me.
Looking closer on the second level, I find a place to go that's out of sight. It leads to a lever, granting me a new path and shortcut. I return to the goddess statue to rest and contemplate where I should go. I want to look into the obelisk I found when exploring the old well, I want to experiment with what page 20 said about the Golden Coins, and I want to look around the beach for a little while.
Heading west, I reach the ladder for the old well, and navigate my way through the multiple shortcuts I previously unlocked. I eventually reach the room of purple, and I walk up to the obelisk with caution. Well, let's give this a try. I kneel and focus my thoughts, and after a few seconds, light begins to swirl around me. The obelisk glows bright, reacting similarly to the golden door. It stretches itself out, before sinking into the ground with a screech.
Behind me, the conduit I passed across is now illuminated in the same manner as the others of the room. Are these a source of power for the area? If so, what have I activated? My curiosity pulls me back along my path, tracing the glow under my feet.
Discovery: Holding A next to obelisks will activate them, providing power to nearby objects.
Stepping past some tentacled skulls and a treasure previously looted, the glow extends into the corner. The conduit reaches the wall and disappears, leaving me scratching my head. However, the closed chest nearby tells me that this path was not previously available to me. There's no chance I looted the other chest and not this one. Inside, I find another Golden Coin. Adding it to the others in my pockets, I now have four.
New Item: Golden Coin #4Checking my map, I note the room on the other side of the wall. Before I leave, I check to see if the conduit continues. No, nothing. It must have simply opened the path to that chest. This certainly won't lead me to any hexagon keys. Crossing the item off my list, I return to the surface and look around for a normal well.
With a look through the spyglass atop the Old House, I spot a well within short walking distance. Fighting through the Rudelings, I check the well. My mind fuzzes a bit, but nothing happens. The thought then crosses my mind to simply throw them in. Hoping for the best, I take one into my paws and then flick it into the depths. As it splashes at the bottom, a pillar of light erupts. I repeat the process, emptying my pockets. Two coins. Three coins.
With a bit of fanfare, something mysterious happens, and I seem to have been awarded something almost ethereal. Checking my inventory, it seems to be another augmentation spot for a new card. I can either put on the ring with the sword, or the ring with the shield. I decide to go with the ring with the shield, increasing my defense when in peril.
Discovery: When enough golden coins are thrown into the well, new card slots are obtained.
Tossing in the last coin in my possession, nothing happens beyond the beam of light. With another item crossed off, I set out to look around the beach. In my earlier haste to claim the shield, I neglected any real exploration. Passing through the opened gate, I descend the stairs and fight my way through a horde of Rudelings.
Tossing my ethereal Boom Bomb, I shatter the Envoy's shield and then finish him off from a distance with the Fire Rod. Before I go down the ladder, I check around a bit more on my current level. To the west, I defeat an Autobolt and lay claim to a chest hiding behind it. Within, a new card, one depicting a large heart. This one is depicted on page 20. It's called the Lucky Cup, and has a 15% chance for... something. For enemies to drop a heart, I guess. Hearts are good. Sure, let's equip that instead of the ring.
New Item: Card #4 - Lucky CupSand squishes between my toes as I drop to the bottom level and look around. To the east, a funny looking island with some shinies in a chest. To the north, a waterfall - that means secrets! I trace a path behind it and make it to the other side of the river's mouth, where I find a new page of the booklet.
New Item: Page 32/33Page Analysis: #32 - "Fortress of the Eastern Vault Map"
A new map page, dotted with obelisks and trees. It connects to the previous page, where the words Fortress of the Eastern Vault are visible. In the upper corner, it details some new enemies. Custodians, caretakers of the area, magic users, a note to put out their candles. Spyrite and Sappharach, a set of spider enemies that seem to be impersonating the shinies I've been accumulating. I think I remember fighting some in the East Forest.
I see a few shops in the area, and there's a path connecting to "Beneath the Earth" on page 30, likely the portion that is covered in more spiders. I note the obelisk within the area. However, as important as that seems, there's something even more important. A reference to the golden squares, along with the Hero's Graves. A single word is emphasized twice, and it points to page 24. That is the page where I learned to kneel in front of the obelisks. Could that also be the method to interact with these other two objects?
New Goal: Try holding A at a golden square.
It seems this area can be reached to the east. Perhaps that is what lies beyond that shortcut I recently opened by the main temple.
New Goal: Explore the Fortress of the Eastern Vault.
Page Analysis: #33 - "The Ruined Atoll"
This page is short and decorative. It adjoins the beach map, and is likely the name of that area. There's also a note by an image of an obelisk, with the number 4 standing out. On the next page, the map for Ruined Atoll, I note that there are four numbered obelisks.
New Goal: Activate the four obelisks in The Ruined Atoll.
Resuming my exploration of the nearby beachfront, I note the presence of something out of place. Shifting my view, I see it is a chest, and within, another Golden Coin. At the end of the path, a dead end, but I do make a small note that there's another piece of broken golden monument. Perhaps it's from the same one, or perhaps there were many.
New Item: Golden Coin #5As I head back, I remember something important. Secrets are everywhere. Everywhere. On a hunch, I check underneath the pathway above, and find myself in a dark cave. Surging ahead, I get a sudden wave of vertigo as I discover I'm floating on emptiness. A chest is before me, and I continue towards it. I then run smack into an unseen wall, falling on my bushy tail. Rubbing my muzzle, I extend my paws around me and realize that there's more than one wall. They're all around me.
Using the maze trick, I place my hand to the left side wall and follow it around the room. Slowly, my path encircles the chest, and I make it to the center. Inside, an incredible 255 shinybits. A worthwhile detour! Not only did I discover some new goals, but I got a hefty sum of funds to spend in the shop.
Leaving the room in the same way I entered it, I decide to explore some to the south before tackling a new goal. I fight off an Autobolt and obtain a new packet of crystal powder. On the other side, I find a waterlogged cave with a very imposing sign. Within the room are several Autobolts, and with the water denying me the ability to move quickly, and myself in a somewhat weakened state from reckless exploration, I decide to return here at another time
New Item: Potion Upgrade #3Revised Goal: Explore the dangerous cave on the beach.
Following a sandy path, I enter the area of the Ruined Atoll. It isn't my intended destination, but it can't hurt to look around some. I see a little birdie, who runs from me when I try to approach it. To my surprise, it disappears under the large bridge, yielding a secret path in an otherwise pathless area. At its end is a new card, a bracer or vest, it's hard to say. It's not listed on page 20.
New Item: Card #5 - "Bracer/Vest"As I exit, my eyes are drawn to the golden square at the top of the bridge above me. A conduit of purple energy flows from it. I look around for a way to reach it, and come up empty. For now, I press on with my beach exploration. Further south, the path continues to a pair of Autobolts. One chest can be reached, containing a decoy, but the other seems to require something that I lack.
A ladder leads me to a new conduit. Following it further, I exit to yet another secret path I overlooked, at the back of the windmill. Stopping inside to visit the skeletal shopkeep, I find myself short of funds to purchase either the Potion or the Golden Coin. Disappointed, my ears and tail droop as I exit back into the sun.
Outside, a golden square. I should try kneeling on it and seeing what happens. With a shiver down my spine, my vision flashes and I find myself once again in the ghostly, mystical realm where I met the goddess. Around me, several squares. Some are white, and some are black. The one I entered at is white, illuminated. That means that of the eight I can see, four are activated. There's also a large staircase, which beckons to me.
Discovery: Holding A activates the prayer action, allowing me to interact with my surroundings in new ways.
Discovery: Golden squares are teleporters that allow me to travel between locations.
Climbing it, I find a copy of the temple entrance. The door is open, and the sword-carrying goddess statues lie dormant at its sides. The path behind it is invisible, as it always seems to be in this place. Just beyond it, I see the goddess in her prison. Around her, I see the many items I have offered to her.
Upon my approach, she regards me with curiosity. I kneel before her in prayer, as I have been doing elsewhere, and she nods at me with a kind smile. Perhaps this, too, is some fragment of her power that has been granted to me.
With a nod and a wave, I bid her farewell to resume my quest. I decide to check the center teleporter. Inside, I find an ominous room, with the emblem of three hexagons and a gigantic sword. It looks to be the same sword as the one carried by the goddess statues. This must be her's, but why would she need such a powerful sword? I try praying to the sword, but nothing happens. With a touch of concern, I leave the room and try another teleporter.
The one underneath the stairs leads me to a claustrophobic room made of alloy. It has no exit, leaving me with no choice but to teleport away again. With only one other teleporter left to try, I activate it and find myself in the Ruined Atoll. That's strange, I was expecting to be taken to the one on the small island I washed ashore on.
Regardless, I have found a way to enter The Ruined Atoll. I take a moment to refresh myself at the nearby goddess statue. Looking through the spyglass, I see a decayed land, with some fox statues in the distance. I'm now faced with a choice. Should I continue to explore here, or return and seek entrance to the Eastern Vault? There's also that other teleporter that calls to me.
It's settled, I will return to where I arrived and check that teleporter, then decide between the two locations. Beelining there, grateful for the interwoven pathways, I kneel and pray at the early teleporter. Within, I find myself unable to progress anywhere, but I also find a new page.
New Item: Page 2/3Page Analysis: #2 - "Table of Contents"
This is the front index page of this booklet. There appear to be at least 52 total pages. I've collected quite a few, at this point. On the back is...
Page Analysis: #3 - "A long, long time ago..."
Also known as "The Story" according to the Table of Contents. I can only make out a few portions of it. A civilization. Something called the Holy Cross. And the mythical Power to Defy Death. I see foxes worshiping the three-hexagon symbol. I see them worshiping the goddess, who holds a purple gem. In the background, an obelisk with the same purple color. How are the two related?
With nothing left to glean from the new page, I close the manual and consider where to go next. The Maps section of the Table of Contents listed the Eastern Vault before the Ruined Atoll. That's as good of a reason as any to explore it first. I return to the main goddess statue and then head east. The sign before me says "Forest Fortress."
Before following it, I check the other path where I find a shortcut drawbridge to lower. Checking my map one last time, I find myself grateful to have found that page at the beach. This place may have been much harder to locate had I not taken the time to explore.
Current Goals
✔
✔
✔
★ Explore the Fortress of the Eastern Vault.
★ Activate the four obelisks in The Ruined Atoll.
★ Find the three colored hexagons to open the seal in the temple.
★ Break the seal that imprisons the goddess and/or obtain the great treasure.
★ Explore the dangerous cave on the beach.
Act 1, Intermission - A Journey's Reflection
List of Discoveries:
• I can roll by pressing the A button while moving, and run by holding it afterwards.
• I can open my inventory by pressing LB. Here, I can assign items to X/Y/B. The stick feels most comfortable under X. To exit the inventory, I need to press LB again.
• The stick can crush jars, but cannot remove bush barriers or grass.
• Press and hold LT to lock onto enemies. The camera shifts some as well. Damaged enemies have a visible health bar.
• Resting at these statues will recover my health, and
• Collect manual pages in order to better understand the world around me. Much within cannot be understood, but some pieces can be deciphered and interpreted.
• The manual can be navigated with the left stick, and other buttons can further change how it is viewed.
• Mechanical levers like this will operate nearby contraptions such as doors. Make them a priority, but activating them seems to take some time. Be careful.
• I cannot die. When I die, I return to life at a nearby statue.
• My
• Some paths are hard to see. Hold the lock-on button to get a different view.
• Time doesn't stop when accessing the inventory.
•
• There are paths that exist which are extremely well-hidden. I should keep track of them after I find them.
• Potions can be used with RB, restoring my health.
• There are shortcuts I can unlock to make backtracking easier, keep an eye open!
• Using a statue will respawn enemies.
• Some pages have maps. My location is marked on them, helping me to more easily navigate.
• There are shops in the world which will sell items for treasure.
• Grass can catch fire and burn across a distance.
• I can shield by pressing and holding RT.
• Secret paths are everywhere. Everywhere!
• Shielding slows my stamina recovery rate. Sword swings pause stamina recovery entirely. Do not overuse! Strategy is important!
• Enemies can sometimes hurt each other.
• I can "offer" items to the goddess, along with treasure, to increase my abilities.
• I cannot roll or run in water.
• Activate shortcuts whenever possible to save time.
• I can equip these "cards," but the effects are unknown.
• Some walls hold unprompted secrets. Pressing A next to the wall can sometimes press hidden switches.
• Collecting three potion fragments will complete a new Magic Potion.
• Blue eyes on the map indicate the presence of a shop.
• Some enemies drop blue bits that restore my mana.
• Using lots of bombs will grant refillable bombs that recover when I rest. This is shown in the inventory with a +1 by the bomb type.
• Holding A next to obelisks will activate them, providing power to nearby objects.
• When enough Golden Coins are thrown into the well, new card slots are obtained.
• Holding A activates the prayer action, allowing me to interact with my surroundings in new ways.
• Golden squares are teleporters that allow me to travel between locations.
List of Items:
• Inventory: Stick, Sword, Shield, Lantern, Magic Dagger, Fire Rod
• Cards: "Halo Fox", "Sword, Ring", Cyan Peril Ring, Lucky Cup, "Bracer/Vest" + 5 Golden Coins
• Potions: 3 Full Bottles, 4 Fragments
• Upgrades: Attack - 2, Defense - 2, Health - 1, Potion - 3, Stamina - 1, Mana - 0
• Pages: 2-3, 10-21, 24-35
• Expended: Key, Old House Key
Author's Notes:
Greetings from the author! Thanks for making it to the end of the first act of TUNIC. What you've seen written here may line up with your own experiences, but chances are that there are things you or I have done differently. The timing which you made your discoveries, the items you found, the side paths you went and explored.
The beauty of TUNIC is that much of the game can be accessed from the very beginning, depending on how you choose to explore and how much you know about the secrets of the game. What I've written here is crafted based on the intended core path through the quests as they are laid out before you. This allows me to explore the psychology behind the placement of items, the timing of knowledge as it is drip-fed to you.
Every section of this story has its own individual post in my scraps, each with their own Author's Notes to read through. I recommend taking a peek if you're enthusiastic about that sort of commentary. Either way, thank you so much for reading! I would love it if you take the time to share your own experiences. Otherwise, give it a favorite, share it with a friend. Engagement makes our world go 'round.
Act 2 begins on the next page...
Thumbnail created using the press kit's wallpaper and logo. The custom text contains a secret.
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Category Story / Tutorials
Species Red Fox
Size 2714 x 1357px
File Size 3.68 MB
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