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1980-08-29
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THE BLACK CAULDRON
DALLBEN AND THE BOOK OF THREE
When he was just a baby, Dallben, gretest of enchanters in all Pyrdain was
abandoned in a wicker basket at the edge of the Marshes of Morva. There he was
found by three witches, Orddu, Orwen and Orgoch, and was taken to live with
them in their home at the center of the marsh.
As he grew, Dallben watched the witches in all they did, and learned their
powers of enchantment. On the day he left them to make a life for himself, they
made him a present of an ancient volumn entitled The Book of Three. "It holds
all the knowledge that was even known, is known, and will be known," said
Orddu.
Dallben wandered for many years. From his studies of The Book of Three, he
learned of death, and of birth; how the earth turns in its own time and in its
own way gives back what is given to it; how things lost may be found again; and
how one day ends for another to begin. He learned that the lives of men are
short and filled with pain, yet each life is a priceless treasure, whether that
of a prince or a pigkeeper. And, at the last, the book taught him that while
nothing was certain, all was possible.
THE YOUNG HERO
When Dallben acquired The Book of Three, he learned from its pages that the
hero who would free Pyrdain from the powers of darkness would come from no
station in life. He pondered these words for many years, but their meaning
remaind clouded. Finally, he set out to seek his future hero and to hasten his
coming. For many years he searched, yet all whom he questioned knew well their
station, whether shepherd or war leader, lord or farmer.
The seasons turned, and a grevious war was on the land. Dallben despaired of
his quest and turned his steps back toward Caer Dallben. One day, he chanced to
pass a battlefield. Many lay dead, noble as well as humble folk; even women and
children had not been spared.
From the nearby forest Dallben heard a piercing cry. An infant had been hidden
amoung the trees. From his wrappings Dallben could judge nothig of his
parentage, and only sensed with certainty that both mother and father lay on
that bloody field.
"Here, surely, is one of no station in life, an unknown babe of unknown kin,"
Dallben thought. He carried the child with him back to Caer Dallben. He called
him Taran.
The years passed, and Taran grew to be a fine, strong boy. He was a great help
with the household chores; most important of all his tasks was the care and
feeding of the pig, Hen Wen.
"I hink there is a destiny laid on me that I am not to know anything
interesting, go anywhere interesting, or do anything interesting. I'm certainly
not to be anything," complained Taran.
"If that is all that troubles you," said Dallben, "I shall make you an
assistant pig-keeper. You shall help take care of Hen Wen: see that her trough
is full, carry her water, and give her a nice bath every other day."
"That's what I do now," Taran said bitterly.
And he went on dreaming of the day when he would be a great warrior.
THE BLACK CAULDRON
Ond day, after many weeks of intensive study of The Book of Three, Dallben
emerged from seclusion and called Taran to him. The enchanter sat in a
comfortable chair by the fire, with the boy at his feet, and began his
narrative.
"Legend has it that in the mystic land of Prydain there was once a King so
cruel and evil that even the gods feared him. Since no prison could nold him,
he was thrown alive into a crucible of moulton iron. There his demonic spirit
was captured in the form of a great black cauldron.
"As his essence dissolved in the red-hot iron, the evil king cursed, 'My power
will not die; whosoever uses the black cauldron for evil will be all-powerful,
for my blood will flow with his, and together we will either rule the world or
destroy it.'
"For uncounted centuries the Black Cauldron has lain hidden, awaiting the
coming of one evil enough to unleash its power. An now, that which the world
has feared has come to pass. For the Horned King is just such a one."
Dallben beckoned toward Hen Wen, sitting in the corner of the room. She rose
and trotted toward him.
With his stick, the old man began to stir the water in a tub at his feet. The
pig moved closer to the whirling waters, and her eyelide drooped. Dallben
murmured softly:
"Hen Wen, from you I do beseech
Knowledge that lies beyond my reach.
Troubled thoughts weigh on your heart,
I pray you now those thoughts impart."
The water began to glow, and a vision appeared. Far away, a robed and hooded
figure stood at a castle window. He watched silently as a flock of gwythaints,
huge winged creatures, took flight. They circled overhead, then separated to
fly toward the four winds. Below, several troops of warriors crossed the
drawbridge and disappeared into the forest.
The water clouded, then cleared again. The sinister figure paced a room. For a
moment, his face was visible. Red eyes burned in a skeletal mask. Above the
mast rose two short antlers.
On the floor around him lay sprawled many huddled figures -- skeletons clothed
in full battle gear. The Horned King spoke. "Oh yes, yes, my soldiers. Soon the
Black Cauldron will be mine."
His shadow reared up, larger than life on the stone wall behind him. "Its evil
power will course through my veins, and I shall make you Cauldron Born!"
He raised his arms. "Those who do not bend to my rule shall be destroyed. I
shall be a god among men!"
The vision faded and the water cleared. Hen Wen raised her head, and blinked
sleepily.
"The Horned King is searching for the Black Cauldron," said Dallben. "He must
not use Hen Wen's powers to find the Cauldron, for if he does, the mightiest
warriors will be unable to withstand him, and the free world will crumble under
his cruel yoke.
"All of us, even assistant pig-keepers, must do all we can to foil the Horned
King's ambition. The Black Cauldron must be found and destroyed if the world is
to be saved from certain doom."
WHAT IS AN ANIMATED ADVENTURE GAME?
A graphic adventure game is an illustrated adventure story in which YOU are the
hero. Stepping through an enchanted door into your computer, you BECOME Taran,
the main character. Your own wits and imagination shape the story from start to
finish.
Your task is to identify problems, the set about solving them in the most
creative way possible. The more creative your solutions, the higher your score
will be at the end of the game.
Your character is fully animated, but YOU move him around the screen, and
beyond. Use a joystick or the arrow keys on your computer to move around the
land. Detailed exploration is one of the keys to success in any adventure game.
HOW TO PLAY THE BLACK CAULDRON
EXPLORE each area of the game very carefully. Travel through eerie forests and
swim alligator-infested waters. Penetrate even the dark halls and dank dungeons
of the Horned King's castle.
LOOK everywhere. When you go somewhere you haven't been before, the first thing
to do is look around. You should get a description of the general area. Read
these descriptions carefully - often there is a clue to the game or an
indication that something in the scene bears further investigation.
PICK UP anything that isn't nailed down. Just about everything has a use
somewhere in the game. All objects you are carrying are listed on the "status"
screen (see your reference card to access the status screen).
USE the items you pick up to solve large and small problems in the game. Some
problems have obvious solutions. To unlock a door, use a key. To quench your
thirst, drink some water. Other problems require more imaginations to solve.
TALK to just about everyone you meet --but use discretion! Some characters
will be friendly and helpful. They will give you valuable information and
advice, even precious gifts. But some character's conversation can do you no
good. With these individuals, your best course of action might be to fight, or
to run and hide.
DRAW A MAP. It should include each place you visit, objects found, dangerous
areas -- any and every landmark you see along the way. Try not to miss any
area, or you may miss an important clue or item necessary to the completion of
your quest. And don't think that because you've been somewhere once, it will be
the same the next time. The population of Prydain can move around as well as
you!
Here's a typical map:
Throne room --- Hall
|
Hall
/
/
Big Tree -- Garden--/--Garden
| | / |
| | door |
Rock ----- Castle -- Castle
BE CAREFUL. The road you must travel is long and dangerous. Be sure to remain
alert at all times -- disaster may strike in the most unlikely of places!
SAVE YOUR GAME often. That way, if misfortune should overtake you along the
way, you won't have to start over from the beginning (see your Reference Card
for instructions on saving your game).
DON"T GET DISCOURAGED. If you come to an obstacle that seems insurmountable,
con't dispair. Explore the game some more, then come back later and try again.
Every problem in the game has at least one solution, and some have more than
one. Sometimes solving a problem one way will make it harder to solve the next,
and sometimes it will make it easier. If you're really stuck, you might try
backtracking to an earlier point in the game, then choosing a different path.
PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS
CAER DALLBEN (care doll-ben): Village that takes its name from the mighty
enchanter Dallben, who lives there.
CREEPER (cree-per): A green dwarf, main henchman of the Horned King.
DALLBEN (doll-ben): The mightiest enchanter in all Prydain, and Taran's foster
parent.
DYRNWYN (durn-win): The great sword of power.
EIDDILEG (idle-leg): King of the Fair Folk.
EILONWY (i-lon-way):The Princess of Llyr destined to help Taran in his quest to
free Prydain of the powers of darkness.
FFLEWDDUR FFLAM (flu-der flam): A wandering musician who carries an enchanted
harp capable of telling lies from truths.
GURGI (gur-gee): A cute, furry creature with a very large appetite. He is often
cowardly but capable of gret loyalty toward those who befriend him.
SWYSTYL (gwis-tle): Fairy who tends a safe-house.
GWYTHAINTS (gwi-thaints): Large, fierce birds that act as spies for the Horned
King.
HEN WEN (hen wen): Pig capable of telling the future and creating visions.
HORNED KING (horned king): The most evil and feared warlord in all of Prydain.
ORDDU, ORGOCH AND ORWEN (or-du, or-gok, or-wen): Three witches who live in the
Marshes of Morva.
PRYDAIN (pry-dane): Land in which he story of The Black Cauldron takes place.
TARAN (Tar-en): Orphan raised by Dallben, and assistant pig-keeper to Hen Wen.
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The Black Cauldron docs brought to you by The Southern Star.