High-Bandwidth Version

Introduction

The world of Tol Andar is a strange place where medieval fantasy cliches meet cybernetic technology -- a story with a lot of potential. Unfortunately, some situations are less than fair, hence this walkthrough.

Please note that the walkthrough will basically shove you through the game as fast as humanly possible. It is definitely not a scenic tour: When you play at your own pace, you can occasionally stray to some locations Rodrigo has already visited before and get new snippets of conversation.

If you are in need of a hint (and you don't want to spoil your fun with a complete walkthrough), here are a few general pointers and a Question & Answer section to get you over the hard bits.

Should you need specific visual aid to accomplish a certain task, check out the Visual Hint for the Keystone Puzzle or the Visual Guide to Rent-A-Hero with screen shots from every location which might cause trouble. If you're up for it, now's the time to switch to the high-bandwith version of this walkthrough. Please also take into account the notes about this solve.

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General Notes

Double-clicking on a place will make Rodrigo scurry there quickly. WARNING: If you do this too often or too soon, you risk missing vital story clues. For instance, if you double-click on the cave in the introductory sequence, you will miss a rather funny punch line and a bit of plot information.

Clicking on something once may not be enough. Many places / persons / objects will only yield an object after you click on it twice in a row -- or more. Some objects will appear only after Rodrigo visits the place following certain other events. In a few cases, objects pop up only on his second visit.

One more thing: If you are color-blind, you don't stand a chance to finish this game. Get somebody to help out when you enter the critical area [trust me, you'll know when you've gotten there]. No, I don't know what the programmers were thinking, either.

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Questions And Answers

What's the goal of the game?

Save the world, of course.

How does Rodrigo get a commission?

Maybe Louis can help, after all, he runs a Hero Discounter shop. Maybe not... sometimes work just works right into Rodrigo's office. [details]

How do I get the sewage worker off the manhole?

Talk to Sancho. [details]

How do I get the Gold back?

Good things come to those who wait. In this case, you have to wait quite a while. Do go looking for the gold, but don't expect to be successful very quickly. [details, details]

How do I get through the smelly passage?

You don't.

How do I get the skipping rope from the girl?

Bargain with her -- offer another object. Hint: It is hidden in the same forest, but Rodrigo has to beat around the bushes a bit. [details]

How do I help the Dragon?

Scavengers will eat anything, even if it kills them. The forest is full of poisonous mushrooms and an extremely poisonous bush. [details]

How do I get into Endavin?

Rodrigo needs a cloak from Sancho's tavern. He will also need a cyberglove and hat, but first our hero has to help the ancient dragon out. Both monks and pirates insist on earrings as fashiaccessoriesres. [details, details, details]

Where are the other five keystones?

There's something about Jasmine, don't you think? She really knows how to shine. [details, details]

How do I get Jasmine out of the tree?

She may look hot, but she can't stand the heat. Straw burns quite well, did you know that? [details, details]

How do I light the straws?

Need a match? Look in the mines and drill even where it looks futile to proceed. Scan the surroundings closely after drilling. [details]

In what order do I have to place the keystones into the Artifact?

Look at the floor in Tharain's library in Esragoth. Walk out and come back in, repeatedly. Make notes.

(If you're a cheater, check out the file "S70_back.bmp" in the directory "\Game\Loc20\" on Disc 2 of the Game. [JS: Or check this link.])

The colors of the keystones don't seem to match the ones on the floor in the library?

When Rodrigo inserts a keystone into the artifact, the stone in the middle briefly lights up in the exact color.

How do I change the order of the keystones?

Rodrigo will have to pull them out and replace them. Usually, he will have to pull them all out and then put them back in.

What do I do after everything goes boom?

Make a wish. [details]

No, really, what do I do?

Have you never heard of wishing wells? Of course Rodrigo needs money for that... which you might find near the sewers. [details]

Do Cynthia and Rodrigo ever get it on?

You have a dirty mind, you know? But so do the programmers... [details]

How do I camouflage the boat?

Don't stretch your imagination too much. A little something might suffice... you might want to enlist the dragon's services again. [details]

Why do I keep getting more and more evil magicians confronting me -- I thought there were only six?

You have to successively destroy them to succeed. Every time they hit you, you have to start again. The correct sequence is hard-wired but there doesn't seem to be any logic in the progression. [details]

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Special Notes

Some objects and people in the game may have slightly different names in this walkthrough from the ones used in the game. The reason for this is that the version I played was not in English. Please e-mail your corrections to MOATMAI at AOL dot COM.

Please do also note that the walkthrough tries to be as complete as humanly possible, going so far as to indicate in detail which paths to take. Having suffered through one of SinJin's solves where he just wrote "go there" without even providing a minimal hint as to how to accomplish this feat, I decided not to take anything for granted.

Please don't distribute this solve without full credit. The most up-to-date version can be found at the URL http://www.hellonearth.com/hints/rentahero.html -- this page will provide links both to an ASCII version and a HTML version of the solve. There are also screen shots to clear up some minor problems.

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Introductory Sequence

Inventory: DragonBlaster Deluxe

During the introductory sequence, when Rodrigo asks you to pull his blaster, do so. After defeating the dragon, he will ask you to click on the cave's opening: Follow his advice to see whom you have managed to rescue.

Item lost: "DragonBlaster Deluxe" (disappears from inventory)

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Smashville: Rodrigo's office and thereabouts

Inventory: nothing

Instead of pondering whether he should rename his bureau "Rodrigo's Princess & Princes' Rescue Service", Rodrigo will automatically walk into his office. Exit the office and walk to the elevator on the right side of the screen. Go up and enter Louis' "Hero Discounter" shop. Talk with Louis until he keeps saying the same things. Exit Louis' quarters and return to Rodrigo's office.

Sit down behind Rodrigo's desk (click on the desk); a dwarf named Ramil will enter. Keep the conversation going until Namil leaves -- you now have a mission and some gold. Stand up and click on the desk again to retrieve the advance from the desk's drawer. Exit the office.

After the following inevitable mishap you take the elevator downstairs to talk to the worker standing there. Keep talking to him until Rodrigo decides the guy should better be left alone. Take the lift up and climb into Rodrigo's glider, heading for Sancho's Tavern. [JS: view image with glider destinations]

Item obtained: "A bag full of gold"
Item lost: "A bag full of gold"

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Smashville: Sancho's tavern

Inventory: nothing

Help the leather-clad woman (the Leatherette)who is being harassed by two idiots by clicking on her. Enter Sancho'stavern and walk to the tables upstairs. Talk to the strangeruntil he feels harassed. Things happen by themselves. Re-enter Sancho'stavern, point your mouse to the lower end of the screen and enter the mainroom of the tavern. Talk to Sancho until he gives Rodrigohis whistle. Exit the tavern and climb back on the glider, heading backto Rodrigo's office.

Item obtained: "The stranger's cloak"
Item obtained: "Sancho's whistle"

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Smashville: Rodrigo's Office and thereabouts

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle

Once you step off the glider, click on the whistle.Take the elevator downstairs and enter the sewage system.

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Smashville: Sewage System

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle

Inside the sewage system, exit to the right. In the next screen, walk allthe way to the left. The bag is in the water. Clickon it. Pull the crank. Exit through the door next to the crank. Cross thenext screen. Climb up the ladder, back to the surface.

Item found: "A bag full of gold"
Item lost: "A bag full of gold"

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Smashville: Rodrigo's Office and thereabouts

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle

Go back to the main floor and climb on Rodrigo's glider. Exit Smashville by clicking at the top of the screen. In the selection screen, choose the forest as your destination. [JS: view image with global destinations]

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The Forest

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle

Go down. Click on the brushwood on the right. After listening to Rodrigo'sreminiscences, click again -- you will now find a teddy bear. [JS: view teddy bear position] Walk up and, on the screen with the glider, up again. Talk to the small girlwith the skipping rope until you run out of arguments. Offer her the bear.Walk down, climb onto the glider, heading back to Smashville.

Item obtained: "Jean Jacques Pierre V"
Item lost: "Jean Jacques Pierre V"
Item obtained: "A skipping rope"

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Smashville: Rodrigo's Office and thereabouts

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle, Rope

Take the elevator down to the lower level, climb back into the sewage.

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Smashville: Sewage System

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle, Rope

Inside the sewage system, exit to the right. In the next screen, walk allthe way to the left. Standing next to the crank, click on the skipping rope in the inventory. Pull the crank. Walk to the right. In the nextscreen, continue to the right. You will now exit the sewage system. Don'tmind the head peeking out of the sewage tube (Rodrigo's being tailed, butthere's nothing to be done about it).

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The Dragon's Ravine

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle

Walk to the right. Click on the Dragon until he invitesyou to see the dragon cementery with the scavenger creatures. Go back tothe dragon (click on the lower edge of the screen), talk to him until theconversation stops and go back to the left. Don't enter the sewage tube,but walk into the forest instead.

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The Forest

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle

Walk to the right. Click on the little red mushroom. Go back left. Walkdown. Walk to the left. Walk up. You should now be facing a poisonous bush. [JS: view poisonous bush] Click on the mushroom in the inventory, check out the snail action. Takesome leaves from the bush and retrace your steps to the dragon's ravine(down, right, up, up, right).

Item obtained: "A mushroom"
Item lost: "A mushroom"
Item obtained: "Poisonous leaves"

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The Dragon's Ravine and Cementery

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle, Leaves

Walk to the right past the dragon and head towards the dragon skull. Click on the skull, then click on the jaw of the skull. Now click on the thorny bush on the right-hand side. Once again, click on the skull and then on the bush. Rodrigo will move the bush aside and uncover the skull's auditory canal.[JS: view position of auditory canal] Click on the canal to enter.

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Inside the Dead Dragon's Skull

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle, Leaves

Click on the Leaves in the inventory -- now you will have to leave. Click on the dead dragon's jaw to exit the skull. Wait for explosive results and head back to the left and then bottom, to the dragon.

Item lost: "Poisonous leaves"

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The Dragon's Ravine

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle

Pirate attack! Good thing you were nice to that dragon.Pick up the cyber glove and the hat and return to Smashville through thesewage system (left, left, click to the crank, right and back up the ladder).

Item obtained: "The pirate's hand"
Item obtained: "The pirate's hat"

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Smashville: Ranama's Monastery and Observatorium

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle, Hand, Hat

In Smashville, return to Rodrigo's glider and saddle on. Head for Ranama's Monastery (click the zone slightly to the right next to the houses on theleft. Make Rodrigo exit the monastery and watch the secret behind Ranama's flying trick. Climb back onto the glider to return to the monastery andhave a little talk with Ranama who's now embarrassingly earthbound. Exit the monastery, have Rodrigo climb back onto his glider and exit Smashville.

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Endavin: Outside the Town

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle, Hand, Hat

On the selection screen, choose Endavin, the town on the right. Click on the guard and then click on the left to leave.

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Smashville: Ranama's Monastery and Observatorium

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle, Hand, Hat

In Smashville, climb right back onto Rodrigo's glider and head for the observatorium (again). Walk towards Ranama, click on him and then and point your mouse at his earring. Click on it several times, until the Monk turns his head. Now be quick and click it again. [JS: view earring position] Rodrigo will make a quick exit.

Item obtained: "Ranama's earring"

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Endavin: Outside the Town

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle, Hand, Hat, Earring

Back in Smashville, man the glider and exit Smashville. Re-visit Endavin.Witness the exchange at the gate between the guard and the Stranger from Sancho's tavern (who turned out to be an undercover pirate after all). Click on the guard and then on the gate.

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Endavin: Inside the Town

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle, Hand, Hat

Inside, head to the right and click on the pile of rubble, twice in succession. (For all I know, the pin is a McGuffin, i.e. useless). Head back to the entrance and enter the tavern.

Item obtained: "A safety pin"

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Endavin: Inside the Tavern

Inventory: Cloak, Whistle, Hand, Hat, Pin

Click repeatedly on the pirates at the table. When they pull up a giant jug, click on it. The results are predictable: Rodrigo loses his consciousness and all his worldly belongings.

Item lost: everything

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Endavin: In the Dungeon

Inventory: nothing

Talk to your fellow prisoner, the beautiful but extremely verbose Jasmine, until she runs out of exposition. Click on the upper left-hand dungeon windowto get even more exposition -- slowly, the plot is coming together (or is it?). When the dialogue starts over, click on either side of the screen to move away from the window. Click on the haystack in the middle of thefloor. Click again.

Item obtained: "Straw"

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The Forest

Inventory: Straw

Walk up, follow Jasmine to the left. Pass the gate of Esragoth.

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Esragoth: Town and thereabouts

Inventory: Straw

After the guard welcomes you, click on the dwarf to the left. Ramil appears, click on him once he finishes hugging Jasmine. Once he stops givingRodrigo useful information, click on the right to exit Esragoth. When Tharainappears and invites Rodrigo into his library, click on the dwarf until hegives you the keystone and stops spewing out new information. Exit the library, talk to Nurgar, the Guard and wait for Jasmine andNamil to emerge. Click on Jasmine until she runs away. Enter the mines tothe left of the screen. [JS: view main mine entrance]

Item obtained: "The keystone of Tharain"

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Esragoth: The Mines

Inventory: Straw, Keystone

Grab the shovel and proceed to the left. Enter the tunnel in the middle (second to the left, to be more precise) and then go right. Surprise, the drilling device doesn't work. Click right, then left, then right. Click on the pick-axe, then on the rocks. Click on the right upper rock and then click on the pick-axe in the inventory. Now click the shovel in the inventory -- Rodrigo is now the proud owner of a cooking stone. [JS: view gloomstone position]

Click left, left and then go through the second tunnel from the right. Click on the middle tunnel to return to the drilling device. Click on the cooking stone in the inventory, then on the lever at the side of the machine (it's right behind Rodrigo, just click on him if you must).

Follow the machine: Left, left. Stop at the junction with the four tunnels and click on the shovel to activate the rail switch.

Continue down the second-to-right tunnel, continue to the right (you will notice that it is in fact physically impossible for the machine to take that route with the way the tracks are laid out, but that's Fantasy to you). Click on the lever to start the drill (the lever on the right-hand side of the machine), twice (!). Next to the tunnel entrance, you can now click on a box of matches which is hidden behind the leftmost rock, right next to Rodrigo's arm. [JS: view position of matchbox]

Activate the other lever of the drill (which makes it move), click at the tunnel, then left, left, middle, right. Activate the drill again, twice (there is an entrance barely visible behind the rocks).

You have found the secret passage, now you just need to retrieve the necklace from Jasmine. Exit the mines: Up, left, left, right, right. Then exit Esragoth to the right.

Item obtained: "A shovel"
Item obtained: "A pick-axe"
Item obtained: "A cooking stone (hot!)"
Item lost: "A cooking stone (hot!)"
Item obtained: "A box of matches"

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The Forest

Inventory: Straw, Keystone, Shovel, Pick-Axe, Matches

Head to the left into the forest. Head right, down. There's a tree to theright: Click on it (Jasmine's hiding up there) until Rodrigo realizes he cannot climb up. [JS: view Jasmine's tree] Click on the straw and on the matches. Click on the necklace which falls out of the tree. The heroic thing now would be to extinguish the flames, but it isn't strictly necessary.

Go back to Esragoth: Up, Left, Left, right. Re-enter the mine to the left and head back to the secret passage (left, left, middle, right) and enter the passage to the right.

Item obtained: "A necklace"
Item lost: "Straw"

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The Secret Chamber

Inventory: Keystone, Shovel, Pick-Axe, Matches, Necklace

Step up to the Artifact by clicking on it and select the necklace fromthe inventory. Rodrigo now has six stones in his inventory. Rodrigo willalways insert the stones clockwise, beginning at the top, and this is theorder to do it: Red, Turquoise, Blue, Yellow, Violet, Green. [JS: view order of stones] If you are unsure what the color of the stone is (the stones in theinventory are somewhat off-color), insert it into the artifact and it willglow in the proper color. As Rodrigo celebrates himself for his heroic action, things take a more sinister turn outside.

Item lost: "A necklace"
Item lost: "The keystone of Tharain"
Item lost: "A stone from the necklace (with a hole in it)"
Item lost: "A stone from the necklace (with a hole in it)"
Item lost: "A stone from the necklace (with a hole in it)"
Item lost: "A stone from the necklace (with a hole in it)"
Item lost: "A stone from the necklace (with a hole in it)"

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Concordshire: Cynthia and the Well

Inventory: Shovel, Pick-Axe, Matches

After Rodrigo wakes up, click on Cynthia's amplecleavage until she recounts what has transpired while Rodrigo was out ofit. Exit Cynthia's house by clicking into the lower left of the scene. Outside, click on the well for a lame joke. Exit to the forest to the left.

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The Forest, the Dragon's Ravine and back to Cynthia

Inventory: Shovel, Pick-Axe, Matches

Click on the upper right, then twice on the top until you are back at the Dragon's Ravine. Go right and click at the dragonuntil he tells Rodrigo everything he remembers. Return to the left and goback through the forest to Cynthia's home (down, down, down, left, down).

Click on the well and go back through the forest (left, right, up, up, up)to the Ravine. Look at the ground below the sewage tube -- the bag of gold's finally reappeared. [JS: view position of bag of gold] Head back to the forest to the well (you know the drill by now...) and once Rodrigo stands next to the well, clickon the bag of gold in the inventory. Click on the well until you exhaustits dialogue.

Easter Egg: Go into Cynthia's house, click on the open fire, then on Cynthia and then on the big bed.

Item obtained: "A bag full of gold"
Item lost: "A bag full of gold"

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The Dragon's Ravine

Inventory: Shovel, Pick-Axe, Matches

Go back to the ravine and click on the dragon until he lets you climb onto his back. Take a ride.

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The Island

Inventory: Shovel, Pick-Axe, Matches

Enter the hut and click twice on the window in the middle. Click twice on the windows to the left and the right, each. Click on the floor right under the middle window. Now click again on the window in the middle.

Click on Megophias until he has told Rodrigo everythinghe needs to know and the dialogue begins to loop. Exit the room and thehut to the left. Click on the path in the middle of the screen, click atthe hole and return to Megophias (up, left, click on middle window). Clickon the old man in his machine, leave and climb aboard the dragon once more.

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The Dragon's Ravine

Inventory: Shovel, Pick-Axe, Matches

Click on the left and then back into the forest (up). There, walk twice to the right.

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The Harbour of Smashville

Inventory: Shovel, Pick-Axe, Matches

Click on the barrels in the lower middle of the screen. [JS: view barrels in harbour] The mysterious,leather-clad woman (I call her Leatherette) whomRodrigo first met in front of Sancho's tavern willreappear. Click on the Leatherette until she agrees to show you a secret passage.

Go down the passage and click on the boat. Walk back to the dragon (right, right, left, up, right), climb aboard (click twice on dragon) and return to the island.

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The Island

Inventory: Shovel, Pick-Axe, Matches

Walk up the path next to the house and look around -- next to the hole, barely six pixels in size, there is a pirate flag. [JS: view flag position] Click on it. Go back to the dragon and fly back to the ravine. Now walk back to the harbour (left, up, right, right).

Item obtained: "The pirates' flag"

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The Harbour Of Smashville

Inventory: Shovel, Pick-Axe, Matches, Flag

Climb down the secret passage and when Rodrigo is standing next to theboat, click on the black flag in the inventory. Nowclick on the boat to get underway.

Item lost: "The pirates' flag"

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The Pirate Ship

Inventory: Shovel, Pick-Axe, Matches

Click on the chest which is blocking the way to the captain's cabin door. Click on the door and then on the Leatherette. Now Rodrigo can enter the door. Inside, the Virtual Ego Projector is lying on the bed. Click on it and on the wine bottle on the floor (even though the bottle doesn't do anything really), then click on the exit next to the battling pirate captain.

Item obtained: "The virtual Ego Projector"
Item obtained: "A wine bottle"

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The Harbour Of Smashville

Inventory: Shovel, Pick-Axe, Matches, Projector, Bottle

Walk back to the dragon (right, right and boom, you're there, the game abridges the rest of the tour) and climb aboard -- next stop, the Island.

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The Island

Inventory: Shovel, Pick-Axe, Matches, Projector, Bottle

Enter Megophias' hut (left, click on middle window)and click on the Ego Projector in the inventory.After a bit of dialogue, give the projector another click. We now enter Virtual Reality...

Item lost: everything

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Virtual Reality

Inventory: nothing

Click on the first Evil Magician. A line of characterswill appear on the lower hand of the screen. From left to right: The Dragon,the little Girl, the Leatherette, Jasmine, Louis, Ranama, Cynthia and Sancho.

Click on their faces in the following order to beat the six Evil Magicians: Little Girl, Leatherette, Cynthia, Louis, Sancho and finally the Dragon.

Now you will be asked to insert the first CD-ROM again. While inserting Disc 1, keep the SHIFT-Key pressed to keep the Windows Autostart feature from launching a second instance of the game (lousy programming).

Time for the brisk finale and a gut-wrenching song... see you in Rent-A-Hero 2!

GAME OVER

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