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I finished the orc fortress (ie killed Kessa, and then escaped up past the gnolls), but I can't seem to progress the game after that. The giant fortress has a magical barrier, and the wizard tells me I should complete other quests first. However, I can't figure out anything I can still complete. The mountain fortress is sealed with a door I can't open, and I can't find anything additional to do in the orc fortress.

Please let me know if my games bugged or whether there is something I can do.

Hello Alexian, go back to the Orc Stockade and look for a key. As a general rule, I suggest completely cleaning out the areas you visit before moving on to the next ones.

I've completely cleared the main two levels and ran them over with a fine toothed comb. Unless there is a deeper level then I can't see how I could have missed a key. The engineer mentioned a laboratory, but I couldn't fully understand his directions at all and forgot exactly what they were.

As a side note, I think I had items not dropping properly in one battle. The battle in the caves against the evil dwarf the first time I beat him I got a cool axe but reset because the wizard died, the second time I beat him nothing dropped from the battle but a single knife. Not sure if the drop is random or not.

Spoilers: Normally the mountain key is in the possession of Sorceress Kessa. She's in the room with a Troll, an orc cleric and lots of orc guards. After defeating her the key will drop somewhere in the room. If you really can't find it, please zip your saved game and send it to me by email (enquiries@heroicfantasygames.com) and I will have a look.
Regarding non-essential item drops after a fight: some of the items will just disappear after you reload or leave the map. So if you want them, pick them as soon as you see them. Essential items, like keys, remain where they are dropped.

Hi Alexian, thank you for the saved game.

I have looked and... I found your key just 10 feet away from your characters. Look under the maimed corpse.

Haha thanks! Didn't even consider the fact the pesky corpses could be getting in the way.