I already played this game as a Paladin, and now I am playing as a hybrid Wizard with all skills learned (I was originally a figher to passed the WIT test, and I kept changing back to fighter in each game until I got to QFG V where changing to fighter made me lose all of my hybrid skills)

I was originally planning on doing what I did the first time through... do all of the possible side content I could before starting the rites. I became Arena Champion on day 30 like normal. I later found out that arena participants can die after certain rites are performed, so my first question is what happens if you haven't finished the Arena and Kokeeno and Magnum die. Does it just skip their time where they are champion, thus making the arena quest shorter or does it mess up the arena quest?

My other question relates to the blackbird quest. If I wait 30 days before starting the rites, does this lock me out of the blackbird quest? Or will Elsa show up to do the quest even if it isn't quite time for her to show up during the rites quests?

These questions are connected because I don't want to screw either quest up, but if I wait too long I might miss the blackbird quest... and if I move through the rites too quickly and arena combatants die, I don't want it to stop the progress of the arena quest line before I become grand champion.

I forget if it makes the arena quest shorter, but it doesn't ruin it.

However, if you're a Fighter, you'll be missing out on the points for fighting Kokeeno and Magnum.

As for the latter question, the blackbird quest happens at a certain point in the Rites - so long as you've shown Elsa the Thief Sign. It doesn't matter what day it is, though.

Ah okay. Thank you for the response.

Well I am wizard so those arena points don't apply to me, so that is good. , If I don't have to fight those two, I assume it doesn't repeat champions, thus making it last a shorter amount of time.. But since my character was originally intended to be the fighter type who has studied magic and thief skills (thank goodness they let every class equip all fighter type gear! I just miss out on 50 point bonuses to strength and offense), I wanted to finish the arena for role playing purposes.

As for the blackbird quest, I read about people having problems for waiting too long and the chief thief contest ending because all of other contestants folded before they got to the rites where Elsa was supposed to show up.

So it seems to me my best bet is to go ahead and start the rites early instead of waiting because it won't ruin the arena quest and might even make it shorter, and then I run less of a risk for people dropping out of the chief thief contest, thus ruining the blackbird quest. Unless, of course, there is a way to keep the other thieves in the contest from dropping out too early...

It doesn't make the arena portion shorter. It's just that all those matches will be shorter and will show up as "Forfeits" in the Dead Parrot.