Bags of gold/coins on your path are dots, and keys are dashes.
Partial Answer: Items Collected-- .- --. .. -.-.
ANSWERMAGIC
1. Fighter - Suiting Up!
You have 9 types of armor you must wear, and 2 choices for each, but which of the two?
Notice anything strange about those names?
Each pair of names sounds like real English words that are opposites.
Partial Answer: Right itemsTake the first word of each of these pairs:
Gorget - Agree over Disagree
Gauntlets - Good(eon) over Bad(mar)
Helm - Virtue over Cin(dy)
Shield - Correct(i) over Incorrect(sun)
Greaves - Smart(en) over Dumb(a)
Braces - Just(in) over Unfair
Girdle - Zenith(um) over Nadir
Boots - Pos(sy) over Neg(gritte)
Breastplate - Yes over No(bby)
Your total negative AC should be -24
You'll want to wear each armor piece in order from head to toe (shield to boots).
Do a ceasar shift of the first letters of each item's name (+2 is equivalent to -24)
ANSWEREXCALIBUR
2. Magic-User - Memorizing Spells
The given orientation of each scroll is a clue for how to fill in the grid
You want to put each word into the grid so that the center of the word aligns with a reasonable
description given by the intersection of the grid's labeled axis words. For example DISINTEGRATE is REMOVE OBJECT.
Partial Answer: Completed Grid
You need to now again "combine two ideas" that you haven't used yet to finish the puzzle
Add the row and column values for each grey square to get the right order in which to read their letters
ANSWERHARRY POTTER'S WAND
3. Cleric - Turning Undead
Partial Answer: Completed MapLeft to right, top to bottom:
Skeleton Devourer Spectre
Mummy Skeleton Spectre
Zombie Spectre Devourer
Zombie Vampire Skeleton
You have answers, you need an index to extract letters. What piece of information haven't you used yet?
Look at the size in grid squares of each of the lairs on the map use that to extract from the name of the monster.
ANSWERLucy's Cordial
4. Thief - Picking Locks
Your code sheet will be very useful for this puzzle.
You need a KEY in different encoded forms
Top Left LockHmm, coiled springs and cylindrical tumblers what code sheet column might apply?
Top Left LockThis is morse code. Just add the key.
Top Left LockLiterally add K-E-Y in morse code into the white space for the key
Top Left LockNow read morse from bottom to top (as if the lock were turned right-way up)
Top Left Lock ANSWERCLADDING
Top Right LockYou have 3 sets of 5 boxes. What code sheet column could apply?
Top Right LockThis is binary. Just add the key.
Top Right LockLiterally add K-E-Y in binary code into the spaces
Top Right LockNotice 5 bits stick out the top, and 5 stick out the bottom. you need 2 letters for the blanks.
Top Right Lock ANSWEROF
Bottom Left LockWhat code sheet column do those characters remind you of? You need a NEW code sheet!
Bottom Left LockThis is Pig Pen.
Bottom Left LockRotate the dials (in your head or cut them out) until you can spell K-E-Y in pigpen down from the top center
Bottom Left LockNow read the 6 o'clock side of the lock in pigpen too.
Bottom Left Lock ANSWERTHE
Bottom Right LockWhat code sheet column haven't you used yet? That EYE is a clue.
Bottom Right LockThis is Braille. Just add the key.
Bottom Right LockBlacken the bumps on the box corresponding to the letters of K-E-Y in braille. Each 2x3 rectangle is a letter.
Bottom Right LockNow read the circled letters left to right, top to bottom.
Bottom Right Lock ANSWERFIRE DRAKE
FINAL ANSWERCLADDING OF THE FIRE DRAKE
Meta - You Slayed the Dragon!
This is a deduction puzzle. Start with putting the line containing "last 10 damage needed to slay the dragon" in the last slot.
The dragon's damage will be consistent based on which attack he uses. So his tail will always do 5 damage.
As you can tell from the "20 damage kills you" line, his fire breath always must be avoided by using your cloak
You'll want to heal when you're down to exactly 1 hit point.
His jaws will do more damage than his claw
Once you have the right choices, notice which item you used for each line.
Apply the Initative value as an index on the puzzle answer corresponding to the item you used on each line
ANSWERSTEALTHIER
MetaMeta - A New Year's Gathering
You need to place the rectangles on the first page into the empty boxes on the second to answer the trivia questions.
Each month's theme can act as a slight hint to the answer as it should be at least loosely related.
The unused boxes are EV, LTHI, and RTHD
Additional Hints
1. Not real estate nor theft
2. The title is "Now Here's My Plan"
3. Christoper & Josie
4. Lady Jane Grey was the 9-day queen
5. http://parksandrecreation.wikia.com/wiki/Congressman_Murray
6. You burn the first part. The city has a Native American name.
7. Not things tyou pick up, nor is it shortsteel.
8. It's a shortcut through space and time, and Worf was one of these.
9. The first book in the series, when he was still a lieutenant, is called The Road to the Rim.
10. This year it's what Trump and Clinton awaits, and the 'exit' one of these will give early results.
11. He was the president between the Bushes
12. Elk are also known for the first part, and Eisenhower also promised the second part (Peace & ____)
TRIVIA ANSWERS
1. Property, Stealing
2. A Book of Futilities
3. Walken, Bissett
4. Bradgate Park
5. Barkley, Robot
6. Calories, Milwaukee
7. Droppings, Longwood
8. Wormhole, Klingons
9. Grimes, Chandler
10. Election Day, Polls
11. Bill Clinton
12. Antlers, Prosperity
Use the number in/under each box as an index into that box to know which letter to extract for the final answer
ANSWERAuld Lang Syne
Bonus - Songs of the Bard
"Across" is meant to clue you to look for an acrostic
Each song's lyrics spells an acrostic for a number and a Performer or Band's name (except Garb)
Save the number for later indexing, all you need is the title and text to find a popular real song name
"Colorful" is your second hint to choose the right song
Each puzzle song title is reminiscent of the non-color words of the right title
Each puzzle song text is reminiscent of some lyrics to the right son, which you can use to confirm.
Partial Answer
The Songs:
Red, Red Wine (UB40)
Orange Crush (R.E.M.)
Yellow Submarine (Beatles)
Green River (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
Blue Moon (The Marcels)
Purple Rain (Prince)
Now use the number to index into the song titles (NOTE: You didn't need to actually figure out Greensleeves as you knew it would start with G)
Rainbow color order is the correct ordering of the letters