I finally managed to beat the resurrected Xinroch and become the Master Dark Knight!
Note that I say beat, not kill him. I really, really like that unlike every other boss (except Jenny), you don't have to kill him - I managed to cut off his arm, take the lost ruby sword and walk through the portal, leaving him to his own devices. I like to imagine there's now a one-handed Xinroch already planning how to bring me down from my new position.
Moments of note:
* I played "semi-natural" limbs game.
Three limb natural, one leg made of phoenix feather that Silva gave me after the vampire in the first vampire room bit my leg off.
* The zombie room dropped a nice ommel hair armor of great health that I actually used for the rest of the game - I'm a proof, guys, AOGH is actually viable.
* I did NOT get an ommel bone golem on the first golem floor, for which I was infinitely thankful.
* I managed to get myself trapped in a corridor between the two enner children. That was close and I only barely survived.
* The priestess level is still brutal once she manages to summon some necromancers. I guess I should just kill her immediately, but I don't have the heart to do so to a peaceful NPC.
* Earthquake really, really helps with the tactical level. I used two earthquakes (Silva and a scroll) and managed to open several shortcuts that made the level much more manageable.
* Gus spawned so late I totally missed killing him and only realized while reading my massacre history.
* The last level (where resurrected Xinroch dwells) was pretty intense. Mellis gave me an angel and I tried to eradicate as many mages as possible and then lure Xinroch away from them so I wasn't pelted with magic every turn. He killed my angel and nearly cut my limbs off before I managed a lucky hit and cut off his own arm.
* I killed Decos and co. and before leaving NA, cloned myself and left the clone in the village. Now when the Attnamese come in the spring, there will be someone to protect Tweraif.