PC World Interactive 7/PC World Interactive 7.iso/pcgames/aetest1/AEDOCS.txt

Text File | 1998-03-12 | 43KB | 1,046 lines

                        Ancient Evil



                        Instructions


This documentation, and the associated software program, are
Copyright (c) by Silver Lightning Software 1998.
All rights reserved.

Installation and Starting a Game

To play Ancient Evil, it must be installed on your computer
system. Your operating system must be Windows 95, and
your computer must be DirectX compliant.  DirectX is a set of
drivers used for making games run at high speed with
Windows 95. DirectX can be installed at the same time as you
install Ancient Evil.

To begin the test of Ancient Evil, run the file RPG.EXE

The Story So Far...

Alaric was always a mischievous child. He used to delight in
playing all kinds of practical jokes on his friends in the small
village where he lived. His favorite pranks involved petty
spells and incantations, taught to him by an old mage who
lived in a tower not far from the village. Simple illusions that
would scare his friends witless often left him rolling on the
ground in fits of laughter.

His parents were simple peasants, hard working but poor.
From an early age, Alaric decided that he did not want to
follow in there footsteps. He aspired to greatness, and hoped
one day to be famous and powerful. On the day of his twelfth
birthday, Alaric asked the old mage to take him on as an
apprentice. Initially, the old mage refused, saying that he was
to old to teach magic any more, and that he just wanted to
spend his twilight years in peace.

But Alaric was persistent. He demonstrated skill with the
mystic arts, and an amazing ability to learn new things.
Eventually the old mage gave in, and took Alaric on as an
apprentice. As promised, Alaric was a diligent and hard
working magician. He learnt at a rate the old mage had never
seen before.

Alaric never lost his twisted sense of humor. One day, after he
had been an apprentice for several short years, he decided to
set up a prank that would fool the entire village where he used
to live. He cast a fairly complex illusion spell, and suddenly
the entire village was surrounded by a teeming horde of vile
goblins, orcs, and ogres. Immediately, the town guard
mobilized to fend off the attackers. As the menfolk of the
village rushed at the horde to attack - swords, axes and spears
at the ready - the invaders rushed in. However, when the lines
met, the menfolk found that they were attacking thin air. Their
blows passed right through the holographic images of the foul
goblinoids.

A moment later, as the confused defenders continued to slash
and hack at their foes, a thousand goblins, orcs and ogres
turned into a thousand images of Alaric, laughing almost
uncontrollably. The menfolk, Alaric's father included, looked
dumbly at each other until they realized what had happened.

Unfortunately, the villagers did not share Alaric's sense of
humor. At a town meeting that night, it was decided
unanimously that the old mage was not to teach Alaric any
more magic. The town leaders approached the old mage and
told him of their resolution. Disappointed in the irresponsible
actions of his underling, the old mage complied and sent
Alaric away.

For 15 years, Alaric made a living as a 'magician for hire',
travelling across Olyndsia taking spellcasting work wherever
he could get it. Soon, his reputation spread, and his talents
became requested. Before long, he could demand exorbitant
prices for his spellcasting, be it simple charms spells, or
powerful battle magic.

Eventually, Alaric stopped travelling, and built a castle not far
from his childhood village. He had by this stage amassed a
considerable fortune, so the castle he built was quite large.
His skills were still very much in demand, so people from all
corners of the land continued to pay high prices for Alaric's
services.

Alaric could be described with just one word, that word
would probably be arrogant.  He consider all who requested
his services to be below him, whether they where simple
peasants (who he invariable turned away), or the Queen of
Olynsdia herself.  To Alaric, all people were merely talking
animals, to be pitied and scorned.

At the age of seventy, Alaric left his castle to find a new place
to live. He wished to escape the vile stench of humanity, to
spend time in solitude and get away from the pathetic scum
that constantly hounded him for favors.  After careful
consideration he chose a new home....the Crypt of  the
Ancients.

The Crypt was an old underground catacomb, located deep
within the Five Forests. Folklore told that the Ancients where
Demigods, responsible for building the world. When the
world was constructed, the trees planted, and the animals
created, the Ancients built a place to sleep to recover from the
great effort spent making the world, and left powerful spirits
to guard their resting place. No sane human ventured closer
than a league to the Ancient's resting place. Except Alaric.

Without a word to anybody, Alaric sealed his castle and left to
settle in the forest near the Crypt. For thirty years, no human
saw him. When Alaric's castle was found deserted, various
rumors spread about his disappearance. Most thought he had
died. Some believed he had been slain by demons he had tried
to summon, others thought he had suddenly succumbed to old
age. After a few short years, Alaric became a part of folklore,
a memory from the past, one of the most powerful mages ever
to have lived, but now gone.

Such was Alaric's arrogance, he believed that he would be
quite safe in the Crypt, because his magic skill made him as
powerful as any demi-god. What transpired during the thirty
years of Alaric's absence was never known, however one day,
he simply reappeared. Again rumours spread across Olyndsia.
The fact that this legend of the past should suddenly reappear
was unusual in itself, however the fact he looked not a day
over seventy, instead of a century as he really was attracted
the most comment. Many didn't trust Alaric, and suspected
that something foul and evil was afoot, particularly when they
found out where Alaric had been.

During his absence, Alaric had changed considerable. He lost
his contempt for humanity, and approached all people as
equals. Again, he offered his spellcasting services, however
now at a greatly reduced price. No job was too petty or menial
and all that could pay were accepted. Alaric's fortune soon
grew immeasurably larger.

Then one day, without warning a notice appeared on the
public notice board in Keyle, the capital city and Olyndsia's
seat of power. Alaric wanted construction workers to help him
built a new extension...to the Crypt of the Ancients. Alaric
guaranteed the safety of the workers, and offered to pay very
well. It took many months to find people who would venture
near the Crypt, but eventually the workforce was amassed,
and construction began.

All of the workers took an oath not to tell of the work they
did. This oath was not really necessary, as Alaric cast spells
on the workers so that they wouldn't remember what they had
built.  It did help explain why no information was available
about what the extensions were or there purpose. After 60
years had passed, and Alaric had spent the majority of his
fortune, the extensions were complete. Alaric sealed the
entrance so that none could enter the underground world he
had created.

Soon afterwards, another notice was placed on the public
notice board in Keyle, and the nature of the Crypt extensions
became clear. Alaric offered a prize of 10000 gold coins for
anybody who could discover 'Alaric's Secret'. The challenge
was simple...enter the Crypt, discover the secret Alaric had
hidden within the Crypt, and find the teleporter that would
return them to the forest. Alaric stated that the challenge was
quite difficult and gave no clue as to the nature of his secret.
He merely stated that the Crypt would prove lethal to those
not suitably prepared.

Immediately, dozens of adventurers signed up for the
challenge. Skilled warriors, mages and rogues alike all
accepted the challenge in the hope of being the first to
uncover the ancient arch-mages secret. In the early days, great
crowds would gather to watch as contestants were teleported
into the Crypt.  Much to everybody's surprise, none that
entered the Crypt were ever seen alive again.

The Secret quickly gained a notorious reputation, and the
Crypt was again feared and talked about in hushed tones in
taverns and households across Olyndsia. Again the stories of
evil spirits became popular, and the supply of contests dried
up. Alaric increased the reward to 20000, and then 50000 gold
coins, but still only a few brave souls let greed override fear,
and attempted to defy the odds by living to tell of what was
located in the Crypt.

For over a century, the Secret remained undiscovered.  During
that time, Alaric lived to see 290 years of age, yet didn't
appear to age a day. Challengers continued to die in the Crypt
and the people continued to invent ever wilder stories about
what was located under the forest. That was until the day a
veteran soldier named Jetraal made history by discovering the
Secret. Although he was missing for about a week he was
eventually found in the forest bleeding and near death by a
passing traveler. Once nursed back to health, Jetraal claimed
his reward, and became a celebrity across all of Olyndsia.

Great crowds would gather to ask him of his adventure, but he
would always refuse to answer such questions. He explained
that the reward still stood, and that Alaric still wished for
adventurers to attempt to discover the Secret. Alaric and
Jetraal became friends (a first for Alaric ), and the Challenge
again became a popular event. Jetraal's birthday became an
annual day of celebration, and potential contestants would
compete in a series of games to determine a winner who
would then be allowed to take the challenge.

For the next fifteen years this continued, until Jetraal
mysteriously died. Thousands attended his funeral, including
Alaric, who still looked just 70, despite being over 310 years
old. After a period of mourning all across Olyndsia, life
continued as before. The Jetraal Day games, as they became
known, continued for the next 300 years, and during that time
would-be heros continued to gamble there lives within Alarics
Crypt. They all lost.



It was two weeks before Jetraal Day.

Disturbing rumors had began to circulate about the ghost of
the ancient hero Jetraal appearing in the Five Forests, warning
travelers of impending doom. Most who saw this apparition
fled in terror before hearing what it had to say, however the
few sketchy reports seem to indicate the same message
'Beware the ancient evil is rising...he cannot be trusted'.  Of
course, anybody foolish enough to admit to having seen this
ghost was labeled insane, and cast out from society.

You were sitting in a tavern, counting your money after doing
a bit of 'sword-for-hire' work for the local villagers. The
bandits who had been raiding the outlying farmsteads were
know being picked over by crows, and the mayor of the
village had paid you the money he had promised. After a few
ales, and a solid meal, you were feeling decidedly contented.
Then your mind started to wander, as you thought about what
you would do when the reward money ran out.

At a nearby table, a group of villagers were discussing the
upcoming celebrations for Jetraal Day. Suddenly it was
obvious...you would discover Alaric's Secret. You had
thought about it enough times, and were considered by many
to be one of the finest 'swords-for-hire' in the land, not to
mention your growing skills with the Mystic Arts. With
renewed purpose, you headed for your room to get some
sleep, before making an early start for the Five Forests in the
morning.

A week later, you reached the edge of the First Forest. The
Jetraal Day games, and the Crypt of the Ancients, lay two
days further south. You nudged your horse into a canter, and
soon  were enveloped by the forests thick leafy canopy. About
an hour later, the sun was beginning to set so you decided to
make camp for the night.

Despite the cacophony of forest sounds surrounding you,
sleep came easily that night. You dreamt of your upcoming
adventure, of the many traps and pitfalls you would
overcome, and the reward you would receive as you become a
hero. Suddenly, a face appeared in your vision, a stern face,
weathered and old. It spoke, 'Wake up'.

With a start, you awoke and sat bolt upright. As you
instinctively reached for your sword, a swirling mist morphed
into a human shape. It was a man, tall and muscular. His eyes
were sad, his face lined with grief. Transfixed and paralysd
you watched at the ghostly figure stepped forward. He then
spoke to you,

'Greeting traveler, fear me not, I mean you no harm. When I
lived, I was known as Jetraal. I have seen the horrors you now
go to face. Be warned...an ancient evil is stirring. You must
enter the Crypt, and stop Alaric before it is too late, else
Olyndsia is doomed.'

As quickly as it appeared, the ghost of Jetraal vanished in a
swirl of gray mist. It was then you realized you were shaking,
and not from the cold.

Character Generation

Before entering the Crypt, you must generate a character.
Your character is your persona for the quest you are about to
undertake.

A character has four main attributes. These are,

- Strength. A measure of physical strength, it determines
damage caused to foes in combat.

- Dexterity.  A measure manual dexterity, it determines accuracy
in combat and with ranged weapons.

- Toughness.  A measure of resistance to blows in combat.
Toughness is a combination of the ability to ignore pain,
and to take blows without being injured.

- Intellect. A measure of mental ability, it determines the
success and power of spells.

These attributes are represented as numbers. The higher the
number is the better the attributes.
E.g. A strength score of 4 is a relative weak human, whereas a
strength score of 20 is incredible strong. When you generate
your character, the attributes will range from 4 to 7.

Your first decision is to select a career specialization. You
have four choices,

- Warriors are specialists at hand-to-hand combat. Warriors
require high strength to seriously maim foes, and high
toughness to withstand the onslaught of a savage battle.

- Spellcasters are adept at casting spells.  A spellcaster
requires high intelligence to memorize and control their
incantations.

- Rangers are good at healing and using ranged weapons
(i.e. crossbows). A ranger needs above average intelligence
for healing and dexterity to shoot straight.

- Thieves are skilful at picking locks and hiding in shadows.
They require high dexterity to manipulate locks and sneak
around in shadows.

A character's specialization is a guide to what they are best at.
For example, a spellcaster is best at casting spells, however
that does not mean they can only cast spells. They may, with
practice, be able to pick locks, or fight with an axe. Whilst a
character generated as a spellcaster will always have an
advantage when casting spells, the development of that
character is entirely up to the player. If they choose to pick up
a sword and use it more than they cast spells, then the
characters combat ability may eventually exceed there
spellcasting ability.

Each character has a number of other scores,

- Health is a measure of how 'alive' your character is. The
higher this score is, the more vital and alive you character
is. If your character's health falls below zero, they will die,
and the game will end.  Health is depleted by being hit in
combat, and replenished by healing, resting, or eating.

- Spell Energy is a measure of how much magical force your
character has available to channel.  When this score
reaches zero, they are unable to cast spells. Each spell uses
spell energy when it is cast.

- Experience Level is a measure of how much adventuring a
character has done. The more experience a character has,
the more effective they are as an adventurer. As your
characters Experience Level increases, so too will their
Attribute Scores and maximum Health score.

- Spell Experience is a measure of your character's spell
casting ability. Each spell has a level, or degree of
difficulty. E.g. an Unlock spell is level 3. You can only
cast spells of the same or lower level as your Spell
Experience. Therefore, you cannot cast an Unlock spell
until your Spell Experience reaches 3.

- Maximum Weight is a measure of the weight of items your
character can carry. This score is directly related to you
characters strength.


Gameplay

Using the Mouse to Move :

To move to a particular location, you should be looking to
where you wish to move to. Click once to look in the correct
direction, then click again to start walking. You can select a
new location to move to whilst walking by clicking on the
new location.

To turn and face a different direction when standing still, left-
click on the floor location you wish to look at. If you are
already looking in that direction, you will walk to that
location. Hold down the ALT key whilst you left-click to
override the walking action.

You can run to a new location by holding down the SHIFT
key when you click on a destination.  If you have turned on
the `Always Run' feature via the Options Menu, you do not
need to hold down the SHIFT key.

To stop walking before reaching the target location, click the
right mouse button.

Using the Keyboard to Move :

Use the LEFT or RIGHT CURSOR keys to turn left or right,
respectively. Hold down the CURSOR UP key to walk
forward, or the CURSOR DOWN key to walk backwards. (
Note : It is only possible walk backward using the keyboard ).

As with the mouse, use the SHIFT key to run, unless the
`Always Run' option is on.


Interacting with the environment :

The Use Icon is the means to interact with almost everything
in the dungeon. To open a door, click on Use Icon, then the
door. To sleep, click in the Use Icon, and a bed, or your
bedroll. To eat something, click on Use, then the food. Items
such as food, keys, etc. must be in your inventory to be used.
If an item is worn or carried, such as boots or weapons, your
character portrait screen will be displayed. The cursor will
change to a hand holding a stick. The shortcut key for Use is
'U', or 'O' to open a door your character is facing.

Character Portrait screen :

When you click on the Character Icon the Character Portrait
screen will be displayed. The shortcut key to display the
Character Portrait screen is the SPACE BAR.


To use an item that is in your inventory, click on it. If it is a
weapon, it will be put in your weapon hand, gloves will go on
your hands, boots will go on your feet, etc. To remove items
you are wearing, click on them and they will be returned to
your inventory.

To scroll through your inventory, click on the arrows to the
right of the last inventory position or use the LEFT and
RIGHT cursor keys.

Below your character is a layout of all of the rune stones you
are holding. Runes stones are used to cast spells. See the Spell
Casting section for more information.

To identify what something is, click on it with the right mouse
button. A description will be displayed just below the rune
panel.

Click in the small red cross, or press ESCAPE to exit the
Character Portrait screen and return to the game.

(Note : The game is paused while the Character Portrait
screen is displayed.)


Picking things up :

To pick up an object, click on the Get Icon, then left click on
the item you wish to pick up. Your inventory will be
displayed in place of the icons. Items in the dungeon will be
highlighted as the mouse cursor passes over them. The mouse
cursor will change to a hand. The shortcut key to Get/Drop
items is 'G'.

You can scroll through your inventory by left clicking on the
small arrows to the right of the items, or by pressing the
LEFT or RIGHT CURSOR keys.

Right-click or press ESCAPE to cancel the Get operation.

If the mouse cursor is over more than one item when you
click the left mouse button, a menu is displayed showing the
items you can pick up.

To drop an item you are carrying, left-click on the Get Icon,
then the item in you inventory to wish to drop.

Identifying objects in the dungeon :

To see what something is, click in the Identify Icon, then click
on the object. The mouse cursor will change to a magnifying
glass. As you move the mouse cursor around the screen, a
short description of objects you can see will appear. Click
either mouse button or press ESCAPE to stop identifying
items. The shortcut key to identify objects is 'I'.

Searching for secret doors :

To search for a secret door, stand near a wall, then click on
the Search Icon. If a secret door is found, you will be asked if
your wish to open it. The shortcut key to search for secret
doors is 'S'.

Action Modes :

There are three action modes.  They are Attack Mode, Cast
Mode and Jump Mode.

The right mouse button enacts the current action mode. If you
are in Attack Mode, clicking the right mouse button will
swing/fire your current weapon. In Cast Mode, the right
mouse button will cast your current spell.

To change action mode, click on the Action Mode Icon. The
Action Button will reflect the current action. If you are in
combat mode the weapon you currently hold will be
displayed. If you are in Cast Mode, your current spell will be
displayed. If you have not memorized a spell, or your action
is jumping, the Action Button will be blank.

To change your current weapon or spell, click on the Action
Button. This will either display the Character Portrait, or spell
menu.

If you are in Cast Mode, and do not have a spell memorized,
right-clicking will display the spell menu. For more
information about spell, see the Casting Spell section.

The shortcut keys to quickly set a different action mode are
'A' for Attack Mode, 'C' for Cast Mode, and 'J' for Jump
Mode.



Combat :

Before you fight beasts, arm a weapon at the Character
Portrait screen.

Click in the Action Button until a sword is displayed, or press
'A' to set your action mode to Attack Mode. Click with the
right mouse button to swing/fire your current weapon.

If you are using a hand-to-hand weapon (e.g. a sword) your
character will turn to face the nearest creature within striking
range. If no creatures are within striking range, your character
will swing in the direction they are facing.

If you are using a crossbow, position the mouse cursor over
the monster you wish to fire at. The monster must be standing
roughly in front of the direction you are currently facing. If
the monster is too far to the side of your position, or behind
you, the crossbow will fire in the direction you are facing.

Jumping :

Hold down the right mouse button to charge the jump Power
Bar. The longer you hold down the right mouse button, the
longer the jump will be.

Automap :

Your Automap is contained within your inventory. To use it,
click on the Use Icon, then the Automap. The shortcut key to
use your Automap is TAB

You can scroll through levels using the arrows in the bottom
right corner of the map. Click on the red cross to return to the
game.

Sleeping :

To sleep, use a bed or your bedroll.  Sleeping restores health
and spell energy, but you may be attacked if you are not
careful about where you sleep.  Always put your torch away
before sleeping.

Eating :

To eat, use the food you are carrying. If you are starving, you
cannot cast spells, so eat regularly. Eating also helps keep
your strength up, and increases health. To see how hungry
you are, left-click on the Health Bar, or press `H'.

Opening and Closing Doors :

You open or close a door by Using it. If you are facing a
doors, pressing `O' will open or close it also.

In some case, a door may be locked. In this case you will need
to find a key. Keys are generally color-coded. Once a key has
been used to open a door, it is discarded. Other doors may
require the operation of devices such as switches, levers or
pressure plates to open and close.

Chests :

You may occasionally come across treasure chests during
your travels. To open a chest, Use it.

Chests may be locked, in which case you will need lock picks
to open it. Other chests may be trapped. You can search for
traps and disarm them before you open the chest.

You can left-click on items in the chest to take them, left-click
on items in your inventory to place them in the chest. Right-
click on items to identify them


Options Menu :

- Saving/Restoring games
To save a game, click on the Options Icon. Select `Save
Game' from the menu. Next, select a save position. Finally,
type in a save name.

- To restore a game, select `Restore Game' from menu, them
the game you wish to restore.

- Sound
Use the sound menu to change the volume of digital sound
effects, and CD audio music.
(Note : Setting the volume of music or sound effects is
equivalent to turning them off)

- Shadows
Use the Shadows Menu to change 3D shadow rendering
options. Shadows take up a large amount of processor time to
calculate, and may slow down the game on lower
specification CPU's. You can turn shadows off completely,
only render player shadows, or renders shadows for monsters
and the player.

- Hints
This options toggle the blue text hints on and off. It is
recommended that you leave hints on until you are familiar
with the user interface.

- Always Run
This options toggle Always Run on and off. When Always
Run is on, your character always runs, without the need to
hold down the SHIFT key.

- Abort
Use this option to end the game, and return to the main menu.
( Note : Your game is NOT automatically saved. Save before
you abort, if you wish to.  )

- Continue
Use this option to return to the dungeon.

Casting Spells :

To cast spells, you must first memorize them. To memorize a
spell, you must have the appropriate rune stones. The runes
stones you currently possess are displayed on the character
portrait screen. There are 26 runes, one for each letter of the
alphabet. Each letter represents are power or property. E.g. X
means Death. Runes are grouped together to cause an effect.

Spells can be memorized before they are required. Click on
the rune bag to display the spell memorization screen. For
each level of spell, there is a menu listing the spells you can
memorize. Click on the spells you wish to memorize. You
cannot 'unmemorize' a spell, unless you cast it. The shortcut
key to memorize spells is 'R'.

The total number of spells you can memorize is displayed at
the bottom of the spell memorization panel. This total is based
on a combination of your characters Spell Level and
Intelligence score.

After you have prepared your spells, ensure you action mode
is Cast Mode, then click on the Action Button to display a list
of spells you have currently memorized. You can choose
which spell you wish to make current.

To cast the spell which is current set the Action Mode to Cast
Mode, and right click. The action that follows will vary
depending in the particular spell. Some require you to select a
target, others require no action on your part.

To cast a projectile spell, such as a fireball, or magic missile,
position the cursor over the monster you wish to fire at, them
click the right mouse button.

Note that wearing armor can cause a spell to fail. Also, if the
character does not specialize in spellcasting, the spell might
fail. If a spell fails, it does not use any spell energy.

If you have cast a spell which lasts for a length of time you
can cancel it from the spell menu panel. Select 'Cancel a
Spell' then the spell you wish to cancel.


Spell Hotkeys :

Spells can be associated with special hotkeys to make casting
faster and easier. The hotkeys are the number keys at the top
of the keyboard. Depending on your character's
specialization, up to 10 hotkeys can be set up.

To set up spell hot keys, press 'K'. A list of current hotkeys
will be displayed.

To change a hotkey, press the number key you wish to
change, or click on the slot. The spell casting panel will be
displayed. Select the spell you wish to associate with the
hotkey. The same spell can be assigned to multiple keys, if
desired. Once a spell is linked to a hotkey, the connection will
remain, even if you do not have the spell memorized.

To cast a spell associated with a hotkey, press the appropriate
number key. If you have the spell memorized, the Action
Mode will be set to Cast Mode, and the spell will be cast. It
will also become the current spell.



Spells :

Here is a list of the spell available in Ancient Evil, with the
runes required to memorize it, and a short description of what
it does.

            Runes        Description
Level One
Shock            AEH        Damages visible creatures.
Heal Light Wounds    BNT        Light healing
Identify Magic          CHR             Identify magic nature of weapons and items
Candle Flame        CNR        Create a small light source
Magic Arrow        AHQ        Fire a magic dart

Level Two
Fireball                AFQ             Fire a magic fireball
Hold            DJM        Stops a creature from moving
Stone Skin        KYT        Aids in combat
Slow Disease        VNT        Slow the effects of disease
Resist Fire        KFT        Reduce the effects or fire

Level Three
Lightning Bolt        AGQ        Fire a magic lightning bolt
Fear            CUD        Cause a creature to flee in panic
See Reality        JWE        See through magic illusions
Shifting Image          WTM             Create illusion image of self
Torch Light        COR        Medium strength light
source

Level Four
Deaths Door        XND        Reduces a monsters health to 1-6 points
Heal Serious Wounds    BOT        Strong Healing spell
Remove Curse        JYT        Remove curse from a cursed item
Unlock            CJM        Unlock a door
Summon Servant        DHN        Summon creatures to fight monsters

Level Five
Firewall                FSQ             Fires several fireball around player
Hold Time        KLE        Stops time
Revitalize        BVT        Heal, cure poison and feed.
Escape            MTZ        Teleport to nearby location
Daylight                CSR             Powerful light source

Level Six
Lightning Storm        GSQ        Fires several lightning bolts around player
Magic Wall        HZT        Create protective field around player
Invisible               WJT             Renders player invisible to dumb creatures
Horde            DHO        Summon several servants
Death            XOD        Kills a single foe



Spell Descriptions

Level One Spells

SHOCK
This spell will cause all visible creatures to be damaged. The
amount of damage caused varies depending on the casters
Spell Level and Intelligence score. A Shock spell will rarely
kill monsters, and is sometimes ineffective against tougher
creatures, such as minotaurs or demons.

LIGHT HEAL
This spell will replenish a small number of health points. It
does not cure poison or diseases. The spell is more effective
for higher level casters.

IDENTIFY MAGIC
You this spell to see the true nature of magic items e.g.
instead of a ring, you might see a Ring of Protection. The
length of time this spell lasts for varies, but is longer for
higher level casters.

CANDLE FLAME
The Candle Flame spell causes a small light source to float
above the caster head. This eliminates the need for a torch,
although the light is not quite as bright. It is especially useful
when casting spells in a dark area, as both hands are free, yet
the area is still illuminated. Also, it allows your character to
carry a shield, and still see what you are fighting. The
duration of this spell will be greater for higher level casters.

MAGIC MISSILE
When cast, this spell causes a ball of magic energy to shoot
from the casters hand. It will damage any monster it comes
onto contact with. To use this spell, position the mouse cursor
over the monster you wish to fire at, then click the right
mouse button. The monster you select should be standing
roughly in front of your character, otherwise the missile will
fire in the direction they are facing.

Level Two Spells

FIREBALL
A large ball of fire is created and thrown from the caster's
hand. As with the Magic Missile spell, the mouse cursor
should be positioned over the intended victim. A fireball
causes more damage than a Magic Missile.

HOLD
The spell causes a single monster to be held. The monster is
completely unable to move until the spell wears off. This is
usually a good time to hack the monster to pieces with your
sword, or run away. The effect lasts for up to a minute,
possible longer for higher level casters.

STONE SKIN
Whilst this spell is in effect, this spell makes the casters skin
tougher and able to resist blows in combat. It is the equivalent
to wearing leather armor, and is useful to characters that wish
to be protected in combat whilst still able to freely cast spells.

SLOW DISEASE
This spell will slow the effect of a disease, should the caster
become infected. Note that it is not a total cure, and that you
are advised to find one immediately. The effect of multiple
Slow Disease spells is not cumulative.


RESIST FIRE
The Resist Fire spell helps to lessen the effect of fire based
attacks. If the caster is hit by a fireball, or lava, the damage
they take will be reduced while this spell is in effects.

Level Three Spells

LIGHTNING BOLT
Similar to a Fireball or Magic Missile spell, a Lightning Bolt
spell hurls a ball of electrical energy at a particular foe. The
main difference with a Lightning Bolt is that once it strikes a
monster, it passes through and kills others behind. Lightning
Bolts, therefore, are especially useful in tight spaces and
corridors.

FEAR
This spell causes a single monster to flee in fear from the
caster. The caster selects the target, and watches them run.
The effect lasts for several minutes, after which the victim
comes back to their senses. Many undead creatures and
demons are immune to its effects.

SEE REALITY
This is an often under-rated spell. When cast, it allows the
caster to see the things they normally would not see. Its
primary use is to locate secret doors, however it also makes
invisible items and monsters visible to the naked eye.

SHIFTING IMAGE
The Shifting Image spell causes the caster to appear to be
moving, even when they are not. This is useful in combat
against some monsters, as they may become confused, and
thus hit with reduced accuracy.

TORCH LIGHT
The Torch Light spell is a more powerful version of the
Candle Flame spell. The light given off is the same brightness
as a normal torch.

Level Four Spells

DEATHS DOOR
This spell is targeted at a single monster. It reduces the
monsters Health to 6 points, regardless of what it was
previously. Thus the monster is said to be at Deaths Door, and
easier to kill with a weapon. A Spellcaster casting the spell
will reduce the monsters Health by an extra 1-4 points.

GREAT HEAL
The Great Heal spell is a more powerful version of the Light
Heal spell.

REMOVE CURSE
This spell will remove the magic from a cursed item (such as
a Ring of Degeneration or Wristbands or Bad Luck), thus
making it a normal item. Cursed Items are especially
dangerous, as they cannot be removed once worn. Only by
casting a Remove Curse spell will the curse be removed so
that the item can be removed also.

UNLOCK
This spell will unlock a single door, which your character
should be facing. Be warned that some doors can be
magically sealed. In this case, your Unlock spell will be
deflected, and you should search for a key. An Unlock spell
has no effect on doors that are opened by levers and pressure
plates.


SUMMON SERVANT
The Summon Servant spell causes a single creature, known as
a Servant, to teleport into the Plane of Material Existance.
Servants are magic creatures from the Plane of Mystic which
are loyal to their summoner. The Servant will obediently
follow the caster around, until such time as the caster is
threatened. At this time it will rush to attack the threat, and
will continue to attack until the threat is destroyed.

Servants are ghost-like creatures, so can pass through solid
matter such as walls and doors. Servants will not attack
undead creatures (i.e. Zombies and Skeletons, etc.), devils or
demons. Servants attack by striking their opponents and when
contact is made, are able to drain Health from their victims.

Once a Servant has killed the threat to the caster, it will return
to its own Plane. Note also that Servants can only stay in the
Plane of Material Existence for several minutes at a time.

Level Five Spells

FIREWALL
The Firewall spell produced 8 fireball, which will target up to
8 enemies within visual range. This spell is most useful when
used in a large area when monsters are approaching from
several directions.

HOLD TIME
This spell causes time to seem to stand still for all monsters in
the same area as the caster. The effect lasts for several
minutes.

REVITALIZE
Revitalize is a powerful healing spell. It restores the caster to
full health, and cures poison and hunger.

ESCAPE
The Escape spell teleports the player to a new random
location. The new location is always within visual range of
the original. This spell is useful when you are surrounded by a
number of creatures, and wish to flee.

DAYLIGHT
This is the most powerful light spell. It creates a bright light
that is approximately twice as powerful as a torch.

Level Six Spells

LIGHTNING STORM
This spell is the Lightning equivalent of a level 5 Firewall
spell. Eight Lightning Bolts are cast, which target up to eight
creatures.

MAGIC SHIELD
This spell produces a set of magic energy globes that circle
the caster, and create a magic shield against enemy attacks.
The shield protects the caster from both monster strikes and
projectiles. A Magic Shield is useful when the caster is
outnumbered, or walking through an area that contains
projectile traps. The duration of the spell is always less that
one minute.

INVISIBILITY
This spell makes the caster invisible to most monsters. Whilst
in effect, the spell renders the casters person, and any related
items (such as weapons and magic lights) undetectable. The
effect lasts for several minutes or until the caster strikes a
monster.

HORDE
This spell opens a gate to the Plane of Mystic. This is the
home plane of the Servants. Whilst the gate is open, up to five
servants may come through to aid the caster. There is no
reason why the caster cannot cast this spell several times in
succession, thus creating a small army of loyal servants.

DEATH
When a Death spell is cast, a single creature is slain. The
caster simply selects a target, and casts the spell. The monster
will be blown to pieces in a huge explosion. Note that some
creatures, such as demons and devils, are immune to this
spell.


Keyboard Shortcuts

At all menus, the highlighted letter acts as a keyboard short
cut. Press that letter to select that option. The ESC will quit all
screens and menus.

During play, these keys are active :

SPACE BAR    :    Display Character Portrait screen
U        :    Set Use Mode. Use objects, such as doors, switches, etc.
G        :    Set Get Mode. Pick up and drop items.
I        :    Identify mode. See a short description of what something is.
S        :    Search for secret doors
. (period)    :    Center screen around character
O        :    Open door directly in front of character
ESC        :    Options menu
A        :    Set Attack Mode. Draw current weapon to attack monsters.
C        :    Set Cast Mode. Prepare to cast spells.
J        :    Set Jump Mode. Prepare to jump obstacles.
R        :    Spell Memorization. Prepare spells for later use
K        :    Setup spell hotkeys.
TAB        :    Display Automap
H               :       Shows current health, hunger and spell energy.
E         :    Use an Elixar of Healing

F9        :     Adjust mouse sensitivity
F11/F12     :    Increase/Decrease Gamma Correction level

Note : Get, Use and Identify modes are interchangable. I.e. if
you are in Get mode, pressing 'U' will change to Use mode
immediately.



Credits

Main Design and Programming             Paul Turbett

Graphics                                        Alex Radeski
                                                Dario Sorbello

Music                                           Simon Bennet

Painted Artwork                    Alistair Lockhart

Levels                                          Paul Turbett
                                                Stephen Handbury

Introduction/Endgame Sequence Graphics        Stephen Handbury

Introduction Design                             Ashley Wood

Playtester                                      Leigh Hamiester
                                                Andrew Lockhart
                                                Kate Handbury
                                                Dale Wright
                                                Andrew Mulvey
                                                Micheal Galvin

Thanks to :

Robyn and Paul Handbury; David and Lorraine Turbett; Janine Wood;
(Mrs.) Melissa Handbury; Alistair; Tiggah and Banshee; Bella
and Othello; Caffeine; Diet Coke; Now to War; Carlton
Draught; Pinhead; NMFC; Dan, Poul and Juha at Arise,