TABLE OF CONTENTS
I am happy to make any corrections if more accurate information is discovered. If you have any comments, you can either post here or e-mail me at: [email protected]
All of the screenshots in this post were taken by me.
1. INTRODUCTION
49 Keys is a novel-style puzzle game with a heavy Lovecraftian theme, some medieval occult elements, and a few religious aspects. There is no RNG, combat, or character building - the game is about exploring the environment, reading through the thematic descriptions, and solving various puzzles. While it is similar to Omen Exito: Plague, has the same publisher, and is often bundled together in Steam deals, the two games were made by completely different development teams.
While 49 Keys has an in-game hint system (Insights and Revelations), these don't often explain how the solution is reached. Furthermore, the game keeps track of how often you access Insights and Revelations, which factors into your Evaluation score at the end of the game.
This guide explains how the various puzzle solutions can be discovered.
2. BEAR BLOOD INGREDIENTS
On the Third Floor of the palace there is a heavy statue that cannot be moved. After using the Silver Eye Drops on the blank parchment in the chest (in the room with the mirror and chest), you learn about Occult Powers and Mixtures, of which Bear Blood has a special use. After you obtain the Bow from the centaur statue by using the Red Eye Drops, you can then use the Bow on the bear in the NE corner of the Third Floor to get a vial of Bear Blood.
The Sun notes, which can be obtained from the parchment in the Master's room, reveal that:
Yellow-petaled plants that turn toward the Sun, along with all spices and medicines, are solar. Various animals (the brave, glorious and victory-seeking varieties) are similarly dependent on the Sun.
Combining these three ingredients creates a Vigor Potion which can be used to move the statue.
3. SATURN DOOR CONSTELLATIONS
After moving the statue you find a Lead Key which unlocks the Saturn Door in the SW corner of the Third Floor. In order to proceed, you need to move Venus, the Sun, and the Moon into specific positions.
The solution can be found if you return to the room with the mirror and chest. After examining the mirror, you can use the Red Eye Drops to receive the Arcane Phrases notes:
When the Moon catches fire in opposition to Venus, and Venus is in Scorpio: only then shall you access the occult power.
You need to place Venus on Scorpio (the scorpion), then place both the Moon and the Sun together in the opposite position from Venus.
4. SALAMANDER SCALE INGREDIENTS
After solving the Saturn Door Constellations puzzle, you find the remaining ingredients - Mandrake Leaves, Basilisk Eye, Phoenix Feathers, and Salamander Scales.
In order to protect against the flames in the fireplace you need to create a mixture that preserves. After referencing the Jupiter notes, which are also obtained from the parchment in the Master's room, you learn:
Relevant plants include mint...Along with them are dignified and wise animals, as well as the gentle and docile.
Combining these three ingredients creates an Ointment which lets you pass through the fireplace, completing the palace portion of the game and beginning the labyrinth.
5. MIRROR LOCATIONS
In the labyrinth, reading the inscription in the Mars Hall will tell you about the importance of a Mirror. You find the Mirror in the Eastern Corridor near the Saturn Hall. In the Southern Corridor near the Saturn Hall you will find a model of the labyrinth.
This displays the locations where you can use the Mirror to commune with vassal spirits in order to learn more about their masters who you need to summon.
In order to communicate with the vassal spirits, you need the Mirror notes that were previously mentioned and you also need to read the inscription in the Jupiter Hall, which is right after the entrance to the labyrinth.
The spirit in the NE is optional. You only need Ipos if you have been afflicted with the arcane illness and want certain endings or need to unlock specific achievements.
Also note that attempting to use the Mirror in the wrong room counts as an Error which affects your Evaluation score at the end of the game.
6. ORIAS PLANET
According to the vassal of Orias:
He serves a King who appears in the form of a spider, from whose back emerges the torso of a man with three heads: one of a cat, one of an elder, and one of a toad.
Each of the planetary halls has a descriptive statue of that king. The hall with the spider statue is associated with Venus. This is also the hall where you can access the upper level balcony (which takes you to the room where you commune with the vassal of Buer) or the lower level (which takes you to the big bird).
Thus when summoning Orias you have to correctly identify the associated planet as Venus.
7. MARAX WATCHTOWERS
In order to summon Marax, you have to correctly identify the King and Marquess Watchtowers.
In order to solve this you need the Reliefs and 49 Spirits notes, which can both be obtained from the Northern Corridor near the Mercury Hall.
The Reliefs note describes the position of each of the Kings:
Once you visit each of the planetary halls and associate each statue with each planet, you will know that:
For a speed run, note that the order you have to assign them is Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn. Thus the order is N, NW, W, E, SE, S. Think of it as an S-shape starting from N.
Next, you have to place the Marquess.
If you look up the details for the Marax spirit you are given the hint:
A Marquess always resides in the same Watchtower as the enemy King.
The ally/enemy relationships can be found in the 49 Spirits note. You can then figure out that the placement is:
For a speed run, think of it as tracing an S-shape from reverse starting from S.
8. BUER WATCHTOWERS
In order to summon Buer, you have to correctly identify the Prince and Duke Watchtowers.
You need to combine the ally/enemy information from the 49 Spirits notes with the additional hints from the ??? and Buer spirits.
The hint from the ??? spirit is that:
A Prince always inhabits the same Watchtower as the allied King.
This means that:
The hint from the Buer spirit is that:
Dukes always reside alongside a King and never in a Tower where allies or enemies dwell.
This means that:
9. IPOS SEAL
Both the Ipos seal and ??? name puzzles revolve around understanding the Revealed Table, which can be found in the Northern Corridor near the Moon Hall.
The Revealed Table shows 6 letters in red, which correspond to the beginning letters of the 6 spirits - Valefor, Orias, Marax, Buer, Ipos, and ???.
If you cross-reference the seals of Buer, Marax, Orias, and Valefor you will realize that the seals are not arbitrary figures - they spell out the name of the spirits when using the letters from the Revealed Table.
Thus, since you know the name of Ipos, beginning with the "I" in the Revealed Table, you can spell out Ipos and figure out the seal (starting in the SE corner).
10. ??? NAME
To figure out the name of the ??? spirit you do the opposite as with Ipos. With Ipos you had the name but not the seal but with ??? you have the seal but not the name.
Through the process of elimination of red letters, you can figure out that the ??? spirit starts with the letter "Z."
Comparing the seal to the Revealed Table, you can spell out the name "Zepar." Since the "Z" is on the bottom row, you can only move in one direction (starting in the SW of the seal) - there isn't space to start in the NE of the seal.
