This guide is an optimized walkthrough of Teron for a non-combat merchant play-through. If you do things out of order, it’s possible that some paths will be closed to you, or you won’t have the skills (or reserve skill points) necessary to pass certain checks.

I recommend having at least three running saves in addition to frequent quick-saving. If this is your first time playing, be aware that at the bottom-right of the screen is a button that returns camera focus to your character. That can be very useful for your quality-of-life.

Many times in this guide, I’ll use a local map or world map area’s name. (The area name is bolded, for example the "tavern".)

Either way, I used fast-travel. (Hit “M” for the map and click on a name to fast-travel. Note that you can switch between local and world map at the top-right of the map screen.) If you don't fast travel then it is possible to trigger an event that is best saved for later, so beware.

And now our journey begins...

During character creation, reduce STR DEX and CON to 4, then increase PER to 8, and INT/CHA both to 10. Increase trading and streetwise to 3, keep the rest of your points in reserve. Alternatively, keep streetwise at 0 and increase it to 3 after you speak to Feng and have purchased the Eye of something-or-other, which can be used much later in the game. (You give up the chance to gain 3 skill points and pay Feng 100 gold, but it gives you an extra option towards the end-game if you have the Eye.)

When the game starts, go talk to Linos. Head to Neleos, negotiate the price when you have a [trading] option, then leave.

Go to Feng. Use the [streetwise] option, then pay him. When he asks you about something else, ask him how grateful he’s talking about, then use the [trading] option to increase your payment.

Head to the nearby inn. Talk to the merchant outside it, use the [merchant][streetwise] option. If you want to learn more about the game world, go inside and listen to the storyteller, ask all of the questions, then you will have an [intelligence] option to get some interesting information. Talk to the innkeeper if you like. Do not talk to Cassius yet, we will take care of him later.

Proceed to the imperial forum, where a preacher has gathered a crowd. Listen to him, then approach when the crowd disperses. Hear him out, use the first [intelligence] option if you like, do NOT use the [streetwise] option, then do NOT use the [intelligence] option about how he’s calling people to war. Continue talking to him if you like, but end the conversation by telling him that he’s given you lots to think about. Enjoy the House Crassus reputation.

Continue further and talk your way in. Talk to Dellar, do NOT try to [impersonate]. Accept his task, ask if he can tell you anything else. Now ask if there's anything else you can help with. Accept this task as well. Open up your map (hit the M key, then click on the "world map" at the top right.) Head to the bandit camp, negotiate with Esbenus, learn about his past if you like, then return to Teron.

Head to the merchants plaza and speak to merchants until you get information about someone who’s been buying supplies on a regular basis. Now go to the Shantytown. Find and speak with Rhaskos, convince him to spike the wine, use your knowledge of [trade] to get a discount and then pay him.

Visit Cado’s tavern, talk only to Lucius, take a [streetwise] bet and profit. Exit the tavern, go behind it and you should encounter a girl being accosted by a drunken man. Use the [streetwise] option, then get away.

Now go speak to Linos inside the Commercium’s guildhouse again. Report about Gracius' map, then ask him what you should do now. Accept the task to investigate what’s going on with the Imperial Guard. Increase persuasion to 2. Take the time to speak with Zenon one room over and ask for tips. (You should now have a skill of 2 in etiquette and 3 in persuasion.) Talk with the Commercium alchemist (in the right-most part of the building) and tell him you want poison, use the [Commercium] option to get the real stuff, then return to the Shantytown and give the poison to Rhaskos. Do not go to the outpost yourself.

Head back to Cado’s tavern. Pay your respects to Cado, then play a game of chance with Mercato and use the [intelligence] option. Use [streetwise success] to get him to talk, then report back to Linos.

Now go back to Dellar at the palace. First, ask him about his past and ask for tips. Now tell him about the bandit camp, use the [intelligence] option then [persuade] him to hire the bandits to attack the mine. Now go back to the bandit camp, increase your trading to 4, then talk to Esbenus and convince him to attack the mine with [persuasion/trading]. You will now escort the hostage back to Dellar, who joins you on a journey to the mine.

Pay Esbenus the 1,000 coins, after all it's only money and you can always make more, plus it gives you extra skill points pretty soon. First, loot the barrels at the wall on the left, then explore inside and liberate the chest in the farthest chamber.

***Optionally, you can now increase your Lore to 5 and Crafting to 4, and repair the control panel using the thingy that Ebenus gave you. Investing in Lore and Crafting will also let you get an artifact and some repayment in skill points back in Teron. If you do this it will unlock a lot of options and areas in the game that would otherwise be hidden since Lore and Crafting are particularly powerful, so consider if you want to learn about the world's lore in a single run or if you want to get a taste of it first, then come back to it more experienced when you unlock the secrets.***

Head back to Teron. You will have an audience with Lord Antidas. Do NOT pledge yourself to his House or service. Show him the map. Ask him about his House, but do not insult his ancestor.

Go to the town’s gate, approach the guards, then choose to talk to the refugees and ask for repayment ten-fold. Now find Aemolas to get repaid. Yeah, it's only one-fold but you get a bunch of skill points, AND you get to have your revenge on this liar! (Special thanks to Podgewiggle for pointing this out, much better payoff on skill points than what I originally wrote!) Since you have +1 word of honor from paying the 1000 coins to Esbenus, Aemolas will trust you with a quest to retrieve his buried treasure. Visit the village, parley and cooperate with the leader, and lead them back to Aemolas. He had it coming and then some.

Now go back to Teron and visit the inn, talk to Cassius, lure him to an empty house, warn him to leave however you like, and don't try to be a hero. Go back to Feng, tell him Cassius will no longer be a problem (hey, at least you tried) and accept the ring. Ask him various questions until you have the chance to ask him for advice. Streetwise should now be 4, decent! Now go to speak with Dellar again, get a warning from Antidas, speak to Dellar yet again and ask to speak with Master Cassius. You can learn some more information about the game world from him but the main reason we're here is to ask him to teach you. Now speak to Dellar one last time and ask to speak with Antidas. Present to him your 'magic' ring. Dismiss Master Cassius' doubts using [streetwise] a bunch of times.

Visit Feng's which has recently been vacated, go in the back and click on stuff until you get two separate skill point gains. (One of 'em improves your lockpicking by one, with 5 civil skill points left over, the other is just 10 civil skill points.)

***Assuming you took the optional "improve your lore and crafting", do the following:
Now head to the Healer and go down the alley to the right, which should lead you to a short tower that you can enter. Do so, then descend into it and examine the far wall. Repair it and get the artifact. As you leave, use [streetwise] and [trading] to your profit.***

OK, our time in Teron is coming to an end. It is time to go to the Boatmen and arrange the hit with Neleos, and "go see Antidas" yet again, but save your game before speaking with Dellar. You now have a chance to get an achievement… increase persuasion to 8 and streetwise to 6, and convince Lord Antidas based solely on your words. Now that you have your achievement, reload to before you spent all those points, and tell Antidas that you have no proof, then report to Linos. Don't mention forgery.

Speak with Mercato at the tavern again, pay Quintus a visit. Using [streetwise], convince him to give you his armor, then go visit the imperial guard barracks.

Approach the entrance, meet with Mercato wearing the armor, bribe the guard to get inside commander Carrinas’ quarters, but make sure Linos pays rather than yourself. Put your fancy merchant robes back on, then show your proof to Antidas. (OMG are you sick of Dellar and him yet?) Report to Linos, and feel free to ask him lots of questions, then go to bed and enjoy some well-earned rest.

A lot has happened overnight! Speak with Linos again, then approach Mercato at the barracks again, tell him to join Lord Antidas with the remaining guards, visit Antidas one last time with the good news, and report your success to Linos.

A few final things to do before we depart. If you want to skip these things you can do so, as it is a bit min/max of me and perhaps not very suitable for role-play, but if you fancy yourself a consummate and selfish merchant who cares only for power and money, perhaps you should visit the imperial forum one more time. Now go and speak with Dellar again, JUST KIDDING! Actually, go knock on the door of the house that's to the right if you are standing in front of the palace entrance, facing Dellar. Use your streetwise and impersonation skills to get some gems/rings and (more importantly) skill points!

You can also visit the undertaker at the graveyard to get some more information about the state of the world for the low low price of 5 imperials. (Might as well!)

OK, finally, it is time to move on. (Unless you wanna quickly see Dellar one final time and visit Cassius to find out what he can make of your artifact..!) Make sure you save, then get on your way to Maadoran, and good luck! You now have a ton of skill points saved up and a fair understanding of how to play the game. Just remember that you are a talker, not a fighter, and avoid combat at any cost!

This guide has been created to introduce the amazing world and stories of Age of Decadence to new players who may find the combat overwhelming or confusing but want to dive into the stories and richly crafted world of the Age of Decadence! Special thanks to the people who made it, Iron Tower Studios... this game is a rare gem and immersed me in the same way that Fallout 1 did. Cheers!

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