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T H E K I N G D O M O F S Y R E E I I I T H E D E P T H S O F H E L L based on the novels by Lord Steven Copyright 1998 Everlasting Software Our gratitude goes out to Lord Steven for allowing us to re- create his world. A VISITOR'S GUIDE TO SYREE History by Lord Steven, Earl of Backwater WELCOME, TRAVELLER, TO Syree! 'Tis a kingdom full of courage, of chivalry, and of honour! Ah, but 'tis also one full of history. The peaceful kingdom which thou dost see before thee wast not always this way. The fields are stained with the blood of valiant men and women who gave their lives to purge the land of tyrants, evil souls, and wicked sins. Syree, like its sister kingdoms which also inhabit the land of Sheol -- Garrett and Zoar -- is a magnet for those who wouldst crave unrighteous power. It wasn't until King Emara took the throne that the land finally knew a lasting peace, freed from the petty wars of neighbouring kingdoms which sought to expand their domain. Over time, conflicts didst come again to Syree, but the kingdom stood tall and proud, unconquerable by the minions of evil. One day, though, a terrible war raged across the land. The people rallied behind their banner, ready again to defend king and country. The battles were fierce, and many fell. The dark prince was strong. Stronger than any foe who had come before him. Then suddenly, the unthinkable happened . . . Syree fell. Rancit now sat upon the throne as king. Strong wast his hand, and evil. He ruled with a hammer and vice, and the people groaned under him. Hope, though, never waned. For prophecy foretold that the line of Emara did not die in that fateful day, but lived on! And that if the true and rightful king could be found, he wouldst dispatch the evil tyrant who stole the kingdom and oppressed the land. Quietly, the search began. Ever careful were the people, for Rancit had ears everywhere. Long was the quest, and treacherous indeed. But the king wast eventually found. And he, who wast but a child himself, dispatched Rancit with a thrust of the tyrant's own sword. Telbor now sat on the throne of his forefathers. Relieved from the oppression of the wicked king, the land again blossomed under righteous rule. But evil continues to live on in the world we occupy. Twice now, since Telbor assumed the throne, hast dark forces attempted to come to Syree. The first such manifestation wast of an Evil Wizard who assumed control of the kingdom of Garrett. The tale of his rise to power and his eventual destruction is chronicled in The Kingdom of Syree I. Not long after the Evil Wizard's defeat did a new threat come to the land. This time, the Keeper of the Power did die, and it was up to the forces of Good to find the new Keeper before Evil could. The heroic struggle of the people, and Telbor's Lord Champion who eventually found the child, is told in The Kingdom of Syree II: Black Magic. Today, the new Keeper is established, and all is peaceful. Syree continues to be ruled by the good King Telbor, whilst Zoar enjoys the guiding hand of Ashad and his queen Mirlan. The once proud kingdom of Garrett, sadly, is still without a king and continues to suffer. Perhaps one day someone shalt rise up to claim the throne of Dakar. Until then, Garrett remains uneasy, caught in the middle of a fractional war between three lords who claim right of ascension. For now, though, countryside travel is safe. Enjoy thy visit to the land of Sheol and the kingdom of Syree. Adventure doth await! L O A D I N G T H Y G A M E The Kingdom of Syree III: The Depths of Hell requires an IBM or 100% compatible computer. 386 speed is required, though 486 or better is recommended. A VGA monitor and DOS version 5.0 or later is also required. SoundBlaster support is available and is highly recommended. At first, you will need to run the install program. Simply copy the install program and files to the directory you wish to install Syree 3 in, and the program will install itself. Once installed, type SYREE3 to start the game. When the game starts, the menu choices are as follows: G - Game Registration (Register your copy of The Kingdom of Syree III: The Depths of Hell.) R - Return to the View (Go back to your view of Hell.) C - Call Forth thy Character (Begin a new game.) J - Journey Onward (Continue from last saved position.) E - Exit program P - Play Music (Listen to different songs in the Syree III package. Registered version only. Must have installed the SoundBlaster Effects Accessory Pack for this command to be available) T H E C O M M A N D S A - Attack thy foe with thy readied weapon in thy indicated direction. B - Board a ship, mount thy horse. C - Cast a spell. Thou must know the name of the spell to cast as well as have the magic points necessary to cast it. Some spells may also require certain objects to be in thine possession before working. E - Enter a towne, village, dungeon, castle, etc. F - Fire thy ship's cannon. G - Get a visible object. I - Ignite a torch. J - Jimmy lock. Must have a special key. K - Klimb a ladder, staircase, etc. May be used for climbing or descending. L - Look at an object and identify it. M - Music toggle. Toggle thy SoundBlaster music and effects on or off. Must have installed the SoundBlaster Effects Accessory Pack for this command to be available. O - Open a door. Q - Quit and Save. Saves thy journey to disk. R - Ready a weapon. Must be in thy inventory. S - Search in the specified direction for anything not immediately visible. T - Transact with people, merchants, etc. U - Use an object in thy inventory. W - Wear some armour, chosen from thy inventory. X - eXit dungeon, disembark ship, dismount horse, etc. Z - Ztatus. Shows a list of thy attributes and inventory. <Cntl-E> - Exit to DOS. Dost not automatically save thy progress. Thou must use command _Q_ for that. <Cntl-H> - Hints toggle. Toggles colour-highlighted conversation hints on or off. Registered version only. <Cntl-S> - Sound toggle. Toggles PC sound on or off. T H E L A N D S O F S H E O L Sheol comprises three distinct land masses. Syree to the north, Garrett to the southwest, and Zoar to the southeast. Beyond Sheol are vast oceans which stretch forth for months of sailing. So people born in Sheol generally remain all their days. Syree is the largest land mass. Her castle sits on the shores of Great Syree Bay and is used as a focal point for all travel. North and slightly west of Castle Syree is the towne of Phanteo Eifcon which houses one of the largest libraries in the kingdom. Northeast of the castle is Barren Sheol, perhaps the oldest city in the land. Certainly its design and architecture speaks of a towne which was crafted rather than one which just happened. West of Syree, past the mountains, lies the mystical city of Lost. Here, one may find the wisdom of the wizards. A towne which prides itself on its knowledge of the arts. Syree's sister kingdom is Garrett. Though she has known much sorrow, the land still holds her regal beauty. The ruins of castle Garrett can be found on the west side of the Neralli Mountain Range. West and just north of the castle, lying near the shores of Garrett, is the towne of Dixon's Landing. Founded by Bellal Dixon, this towne was built up from a small shipping port-o-call to one of the main import/export destinations in the entire kingdom. Proceeding southeast from the castle, weaving thy way through the mountains, one can find the hallowed towne of Yew. Here, they devote their lives to serving God and their fellow man. All visitors to Sheol are encouraged to visit this special place. Directly east of Garrett, resting on the eastern shores of the land, is the port city of Marie. Bustling with activity, it is a favourite stopover for those heading between Zoar and Syree. Zoar is a kingdom founded on gallantry. Virtually everyone will tell you that they are descended from some prestigious line or another, and in many cases they are not exaggerating. Castle Zoar, built from fine marble, overlooks the eastern shore of Zoar Lake. West of Zoar is the towne of Cirry. Formerly called Tarenn, it was renamed in the honour of one of its citizens who married the king of Garrett and then fell when the Evil Wizard conquered the kingdom. Northeast of Zoar, at the end of the peninsula, lies Allanah. Built up from a small village, it still retains its close-knit charm. Scattered throughout the three kingdoms, thou shalt find several villages and even a hut or two where some families have decided to settle on their own. And, of course, there are the dungeons. It seems we shalt never be rid of those hellholes. Found in the mountain ranges, few people dare to brave their depths. Fewer still return. M E R C A N T I L E Sheol survives and thrives on the economy generated by its mercantile class. Whether it is a humble farmer hoping to sell enough of his crop to survive the winter, or a powerful lord who oversees the vast expanse of his lands, everyone depends on the merchant for the movement of goods. There are many different merchant and guild classes in Sheol. Depending on how prosperous a particular towne or village is, thou mayest find several tradesmen dealing their wares within the city limits or merely a single foodstand from which a simple farmer eeks out a meagre living. The wise traveller shalt compare prices between the different locals, for one shopkeep mayest offer a true bargain on one item whist charging extortion rates on another. Stock up when thou art able, for who knows when the need may arise for a stout weapon or extra rations and thou art found wanting. ADVENTURER'S GUILD - Thieves Guild is a more apt description. But they certainly do stock some of the best supplies for those who prefer to wander off the normal paths of civilisation. From torches to light thy way in the dark dungeons to skeleton keys which open inconveniently locked doors, these hard-to-find shopkeeps are an invaluable resource, even if somewhat overpriced. But then, what didst thou expect? Thou art dealing with thieves! ARMOURY - A fine blade in thy hand is well come, but surely thine enemy hast had the foresight to arm himself as well. Alas, if only thou didst have something to protect thy fragile skin. Fortunately, this need is goodly served by thy local armoury. From simple cloth armour to the aristocratic plate, these artisans of the forge shalt custom tailor a suit to thy exacting needs. Be prepared to pay a hefty sum, though, for such skill dost not come cheap. Like thy weapon, used armour can be sold back, but thou shalt find the buy-back price to be less than generous. FOOD MERCHANT - Grown mostly in the villages, every population centre boasts of at least one mercantile from which thou mayest procure rations for thy travels. Sold in packs, it sometimes seems that an abacus would be an essential tool to discover whom is offering the best deal. But the effort is worth it, for, next to thy weapon and armour, food shalt be thy largest expense. HEALING GUILD - Countryside travel, even in these peaceful days, is fraught with hazards. And woe to him who strays off the beaten path. For those to whom fortune hast not been kind, thy broken and beaten body can find restoration from these kindly souls who run the local healing guilds. From the curing of poison to the wholesale healing of thy person, thy needs shalt surely be met here. Thou mayest even stock up on restoratives which thou mayest carry along with thee during thy travels. Who knows when the need for an elixir for poison or salve for festering wounds shalt arise? Probably when thou art far from help. HORSE AND TACK - Vast are the continents, and days shalt thou spend travelling across their breadth. But if thou dost obtain an equine companion, thou shalt surely never be want for company, and thou shalt shorten thy travel time as well. Their only drawback is that they can not enter population centres or dungeons, and, like frigates, thou art allowed only one at a time. These strict laws are a holdover from the days of Rancit when supplies were scarce. The times are indeed better, but the law still stands. INNKEEPER - If thou dost find thy journeyings to be wearing on thy mind and body, perhaps a comfortable night's stay at one of Sheol's fine inns shalt revitalise thee. Townes boast the most opulent of lodgings, though some prefer the quaintness which can be found at a humble village inn. Price, of course, varies as well, depending on thy choice of location as well as what is available. PUBLICAN - Ah, the local pub. What towne wouldst be complete without one? Here is where the citizenry gather to indulge in each other's company over a cold draught, sharing stories of gallantry, adventure, gossip, and perhaps a tall tale or two. The flavour of each pub is different in every locale as well as how much alcohol one wouldst find in their ale, so thou mayest wish to indulge carefully. Remember, though, that drunkenness is prohibited in the three kingdoms. SHIPMASTER GUILD - With the strong currents of the oceans of Sheol, a stout ship is required for sea travel. From the local shipwright, thou mayest rent a boat for a one way journey or, if thou dost indeed carry a large purse, become master of thy own vessel. If renting, be sure to disembark only if thou art sure of obtaining a way back. Thy hired hands shalt only take thee one way and have no qualms about leaving thee stranded for the rest of thy days if thou dost choose to step off thy ship on a deserted island. Be warned! Even some populated islands have no shipwright of their own to speak of. Travel carefully. Be advised that current law allows only a single ship per owner. If thou dost already own a frigate, buying another shalt cause thee to forfeit the original. WEAPONS GUILD - Although more peaceful than in times past, only the most foolhardy wouldst travel the countryside without a stout weapon at his side. Crafted from the hot irons, it takes years of training to master the craft of the weaponsmith. As such, thou should be expected to pay a premium for his services. Weapons merchants are more common in the large cities than in villages, but sometimes a bargain can be found in the most uncommon of places. Used weapons can be sold back for scrap, though profit is rarely made this way. T H E P E O P L E O F S H E O L Sheol's beauty is not limited to her landscapes. Verily, it is the people who make up this fine land which imbue her with her legendary charms. As thou dost travel from village to towne to castle, thou must not miss out on the opportunity to interact with the various folk whom thou shalt come across. Who knows what thou mayest learn? When conversing, some people shalt simply give thee a greeting or a quick remark, whislt others shalt gladly engage thee in a whole conversation. To those outgoing folk, it is accepted custom in Sheol that when thou dost greet someone, thou shouldst inquire of his NAME and JOB. It is a wonderful icebreaker, and from their reply, as well as what thou dost obtain from the initial contact, thou mayest determine what else thou shouldst inquire of directly from what they say or thou dost see. For example, if thou dost come across a knight who is carrying a flashing sword and is hunting orcs, thou mayest wish to ask about FLASHING, SWORD, or ORCS. Inquiries are always single words expect for proper nouns. Thus, thou wouldst ask about the towne of PHANTEO EIFCON and not simply PHANTEO or EIFCON. Punctuation, of course, is always removed. If thou art asked a question, a response is the courteous thing to give. Thou shalt know if such is required of thee by the prompt YOU ANSWER. If thou dost wish again to see the initial description of the person with whom thou art conversing, or wish to hear his opening greeting again, simply say LOOK. To end a conversation, say GOOD BYE or just BYE. There are many different trades and classes in Sheol, and here we have broken them up for you for ease of reference. The classes are as follows: ARCHER - Known by their lincoln green attire, archers are fearsome warriors, their longbow being an accurate and deadly weapon. But their hearts are not all bent toward the field of battle. Archers make some of the best known bards in the land, their tales delighting young and old alike. CLERIC - Those who has dedicated themselves to purity and to God, clerics make their home in the wooded towne of Yew. Schooled in the mystic arts, these holy folk will refresh thy spirit as well as thy body. One is never the same after talking with a cleric. FARMER - One of the main economies of Sheol is farming. Though looked down upon by those of better means, a farmer is a humble, hardworking fellow. Residing in villages and travelling to the townes to sell their goods, farmers are often up on local gossip and news. GUARD - Big, buff, and sometimes not too bright, the guards keep order in the townes and castles. Don't let their stoic expressions fool thee, though. They are quick with the sword and very brave. JESTER - More of a pest than an entertainer, they are allowed to continue their harassment because the kings seem to like them. Though we still don't know why. KING AND QUEEN - The rulers of the various kingdoms. Telbor in Syree, and Ashad and Merlan in Zoar. Wise and kind, they are generally much beloved by their people. KNIGHT - These noble men and women form the backbone of kingdom defence. Ah, what tales of gallantry thou couldst hear from a knight, each one more daring than before and each no less true. Thou shalt surely learn of courage when thou dost sup with a knight. MERCHANTS - They run the shops and are the mainstay of the economy. Merchants are always dealing with different types of people. As such, they tend to hear a lot. For local information, a merchant is a goodly source. PALADIN - The elite of the knights, a paladin is the epitome of courage. SCOUT - Much like a traveller, scouts get around a lot, though they tend to wander off the beaten path a little more often. TRAVELLER - Like thyself, one who travels the countryside, indulging in the different peoples of the land. Verily, who knows what tales of adventure one couldst hear from a traveller. Travellers are very welcome in the local communities, for they oft bring news from far away lands. WIZARD - The lost city is where these mighty men of magic live. Full of wisdom and powerful in the arcane abilities, anyone who is seeking to learn of the world beyond our own is encouraged to talk to a wizard. T H A U M A T U R G Y There is another realm out there. A realm beyond sight, sound, or touch. He who can learn to tap this realm can, with practice and patience, perform what could only be called thaumaturgy - the working of miracles! Those who have learned this arcane ability jealously guard their secret. Battles have been won or lost on the basis of who knew what spell. What we do know is that all magic in the land is held and channelled through the Keeper. All have access to this power _ woe be to mankind should the Keeper be evil! In order to cast a spell, thou must know the name of the spell and possess the necessary magic points in order to cast it. The current Keeper, as opposed to the last, is more elemental in nature, and thus more spells than usual require a catalyst to work properly. Wizards, if thou art able to get one to share his knowledge with thee, can train thee as to which spells require what in order to be cast. As the new Keeper hast only been recently established, the magical world is still in flux. Many of the spells which once formed a wizard's basic magical foundation no longer work. The search is still on for new spells to fill the gaps. As of today, the following are the only known spells which continue to work from the days of the former Keeper: BLEPO (15 magic points) - Reveal invisible Obes. A rather useless spell as there are no Obes about these days. EIDO (15 magic points) - See without shadow. Only works on the surface of Sheol. Good for seeing around mountains, through forests, etc. HAELAN (60 magic points) - A somewhat weak healing spell. NUFOL (5 magic points) - Extinguish a torch. This spell is basically a parlour trick. Of no real serious value. SHALAB THANATOS (55 magic points) - Offensive spell. Strikes thy foe from a distance. Effect is in proportion to the amount of wisdom thou dost possess. TEAWH GARRETT (0 magic points) - Transport to Garrett. Thou must be standing directly south of Castle Syree for this spell to work. TEAWH SYREE (0 magic points) - Transport to Syree. Thou must be standing directly south of Castle Garrett for this spell to work. T H E D U N G E O N D A R K Gone are the days when evil openly stalked our land. But alas, still are we not free from their dark presence. The dungeons, dark hellholes which pocket the three kingdoms, continue to serve as home for the most foul of creatures, both man and beast. Located in the mountains, the dungeons are also said to house the greatest treasures for those willing to brave the deep. Verily, there are those who have made fortunes harvesting the bounty which the dungeons can provide. However, it should be noted that the dead have very little use for money. From those who have braved the dungeon deep, it has been learned that the lower levels contain a king's ransom in treasure, fountains which can heal with but a sip of their magical waters, and creatures so foul that Hell itself hath rejected them out of fear of their power. Is thy soul worth untold wealth? A B E S T I A L I T Y Whilst we wouldst hope that thy journeyings would only be pleasant, we must acknowledge that adventuring dost carry its hazards for those who wouldst travel off the normal highways. We thus provide this bestiality shouldst thou encounter those who woudlst bid thee harm. May the information provided give thee the upper hand. RAT - About three feet long, this nocturnal beast hast sharp claws and a powerful bite. Fortunately, its hide is not thick, and a stout weapon and goodly armour shouldst be enough to dispatch this pest whilst protecting thy fragile skin. SNAKE - Land-bound cousin of the Sea Serpent, the snake is fortunately not of the venomous type. But it hast a strong jaw and coils. The unprepared warrior generally finds himself being crushed whilst having his arm bitten off. Do not underestimate the snake. SPIDER - The giant spider is a frightening apparition to behold in the dungeon corridors, especially when there is no place to run. A large set of mandibles is perfect for capturing its prey, though usually the spider waits for its venom to do its work for it instead. THEIF - Some sell their souls for power, some for money. Thieves fall into the latter category. With sharp swords and quick reflexes, thou must be careful when duelling with a thief, for they can even pick thy pocket whilst thou dost dodge one of their blows. CLERIC - Not all clerics follow the Light of Good. These fallen men of the cloth hath sold their souls for temporary power. Weaving magical spells and attacking thee at a distance with their slings, these clerics are determined to take as many as they can to Hell with them. ORC - Tough hides and large clubs; that is the best description of an orc. Thou wouldst be wise to better arm thyself before engaging one of these minions. TROLL - If only these creatures wouldst confine themselves to bridges! Trolls are becoming more and more of a problem. Stronger and tougher then orcs, their tough skin hath been known to break even a greatsword! SKELETON - Re-animated bones of long dead evil creatures, they hath come back to finish what they did not complete in life. This, of course, begs the question: How dost one kill something which art already dead? WIZARD - All have access to the Power, including those who wouldst dedicate themselves to the Darkness. These alchemists cast powerful spells, turning the very ground under thee to molten lava or calling forth the most vile of creatures to do their bidding. Challenge not a wizard of the Dark until thou art well armed and well experienced. CYCLOPS - These one-eyed giants shalt strike at thee with clubs made from the largest trees and boulders the size of houses plucked from the ground as one wouldst pick a daisy. Cyclops can take a terrible toll on thee before falling to thy sword. SEA SERPENT - Water-dwelling and fire breathing, Sea Serpents can destroy thee from a great distance even before thou hast had a chance to engage it in combat. SIREN - Ghostly apparitions who reach into thy body and pluck out thy organs, sirens hast also an additional weapon in their arsenal: their song. A siren's song will sap thy energy if thou art in hearing distance. Thou must hastily destroy a siren or get out of its way. It is amazing how quickly one can be overcome by this unholy spirit. DRAGON - Cousin to the serpent, dragons are land bound and shalt incinerate thee with their fiery breath. Tough, monstrous beasts, dragons have long been a prize kill among knights. A prize mainly because there are so few survivors of a dragon battle. PHANTON - These poor, trapped souls have been imprisoned by evil to do their bidding. Verily, thou art doing them a favour by killing them. `Tis a favour hard to render, however, as phantoms are notoriously difficult to kill. DEAMON - Hell hath sent its own soldiers out to do its bidding. Deamons, these lieutenants of evil, enjoy torturing their victims before finally dispatching them. Remember, when tangling with a deamon, thou art truly going up against fallen angels. DEVIL - If deamons art lieutenants, devils are verily colonels in Hell's army. With pitchfork in hand, devils delight in skewering their victims, dragging them down to a fiery end. BALERON - Terrible, frightening creatures. Many legends of horror are born around balerons and the destruction and torment they bring. Strongly magical, these marshals of hate can fly and pass through walls, chasing thee for all time. Their scream alone hath been known to frighten men to death all by itself. Beware! GARGOYLES - Not much is known about the gargoyle, as there is not a single record of a survivor of a gargoyle encounter. If thou dost come across one, the only sage advise which can be given is simply to run. And pray. F R O M T E L B O R , S O V E R E I G N K I N G O F S Y R E E ON BEHALF OF the people of Syree, we welcome thee to our land. Thou hast travelled far to visit us, and we hope thy stay shalt be an exiting one. Whilst travelling our land, we urge thee to visit Castle Syree. She is the centre of our fine kingdom, boasting one of the largest museums of the three kingdoms, as well as a chapel which shalt serve thy spiritual needs. We also host the only known Altar of Enlightenment from which thou mayest seek growth. Our kingdom also boasts a fine library in the towne of Phanteo Eifcon and magnificent architecture in the city of Barren Sheol. Of course, one wouldst be remiss if one did not visit the island city of Hararita or the magical lost city. Sally forth, traveller! Adventure doth await! A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S This tome would not be complete without the expression of our thanks to those who helped bring you Syree III: Syree, Sheol, her inhabitants, peoples, lands, townes, etc., are all courtesy of Lord Steven. Special thanks to those who provided the speaking parts which inhabit the game. King Telbor appears courtesy of Theatricks. Original music by Mark Klem. Tile art by Randy Connelie. The paintings which you can find in Castle Syree and the castle of Lord Keef, along with the music which Mark Klem did not create, were found on the internet. No names were associated with them, and we humbly thank these unknown artists as they so well captured the feel which was being sought. If you find something which is yours, please do let us know so we can announce your splendid work to the world! Program code Copyright 1998 Everlasting Software B U G R E P O R T S Every effort has been made to ensure that your experience with The Kingdom of Syree III: The Depths of Hell is trouble-free. However, no matter how much research and playtesting goes into a game, those pesky bugs do find interesting places to hide. This is where we need your help. We're offering free registration (or a registration refund to those who are already registered) to anyone who is the first to come across a new, unavoidable, catastrophic bug in Syree III. Just let us know what the problem is (where did you find it, what did you do to find it) and send us your save-game files (*.sav) and we'll fix the bug, issue a new release version, and give you free registration. (Rules for free registration: You must be the first person to report the bug to us. The bug must not have already been fixed in a later release. The bug must be observable during the course of normal game play - no deliberate attempts to crash the game. The bug must be unavoidable and catastrophic. Determination of whether any reported bug qualifies for free registration shall be solely determined by Everlasting Software whose decision shall be final.) To report a bug, you may contact us at our e-mail address or via regular mail. See the readme.doc for current contact address. Y 2 K C O M P L I A N C E S T A T E M E N T The Kingdom of Syree III: The Depths of Hell has been tested and has been found to be Y2K compliant. This program will continue to operate normally after December 31, 1999. The system clock is used for the following operations: . Display of date and time . Initialise the random number generator