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CD School House 9
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CD School House 9.0 - Wayzata Technology (1994).iso
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intro.doc
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Text File
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1984-10-16
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8KB
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205 lines
Welcome to DND, a computer fantasy role playing game inspired by
Dungeons and Dragons. This game is not for everyone. As Gary Gygax explained
in the foreward of the original edition of Dungeons and Dragons, those...
"... who lack imagination, those who don't care for
Burroughs' Martian adventures where John Carter is groping
through black pits, who feel no thrill upon reading Howard's
Conan saga, who do not enjoy the deCamp and Pratt fantasies
or Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser pitting their
swords against evil sorceries will not be likely to find
Dungeons and Dragons to their taste. But those whose
imaginations know no bounds will find that these rules are
the answer to their prayers. With this last bit of advice
we invite you to read on and enjoy a 'world' where the
fantastic is fact and magic really works."
^
If you dare, I will take you to such a world, but beware! You will
find that this is somewhat more than just a clever computer game, that
the characters you create may contain a tiny bit of yourself, and that
the urge to return and explore just one more level down, if not
carefully controlled, can begin to take precedence over work, family,
eating, sleeping...
If you still wish to go on, I will help you create a character who
will bear your weapons and armor and accompany you into a labyrinthine
dungeon filled with fearsome monsters, fabulous treasure and frightful
perils.
If you are patient and skillfull, your character will live to grow
in power and wealth, and will be able to explore deeper and deeper into
uncharted regions from which few return. But be warned! If you are too
bold or too greedy, you won't survive long.
As long as it remains alive, your character will remain in the DND
character file, waiting for you to return and bring it to life.
^
Characters have these attributes:
Type Strength
Level Intelligence
Experience Wisdom
Gold Constitution
Hit points Dexterity
Spells Charisma
Dungeon Magic possessions
Most of these attributes are displayed during your expedition. It
is often quite important to watch them, as you will see.
TYPE
There are three character types: fighter, magician, and cleric. Each
has some advantages and disadvantages. Fighters are much better in
combat and harder to kill, but magicians and clerics can cast spells.
^
LEVEL
Level is a general indicator of your character's overall power. It is
determined by experience and determines hit points and spells. There
is essentially no limit to the level a character can attain.
EXPERIENCE
Experience is gained by killing monsters (immediate) and gathering
treasure (cumulative). In order to advance a level, you must double
your experience. This total is updated continually during your
expedition, therefore you may advance a level at any time.
GOLD
Each treasure you find is worth some amount of gold. A temporary
running total is kept during your expedition and added to your permanent
total when you leave the dungeon. A portion of your temporary total
also is added to your experience. Your permanent gold total is used to
buy weapons, transportation between dungeons, etc.
^
HIT POINTS
Hit points represent the number of wounds you can absorb in combat. Each
time you advance a level, they increase. You should watch this number
very carefully in combat as you don't want to let it fall within range
of a fatal blow. If you are lucky enough to find a magic ring, it will
recover some lost hit points for you each time you move.
SPELLS
Four levels of six spells each are available to magicians and clerics.
Also, fighters can find magic wands which can give the finder the
ability to cast spells. Spells can be cast at any time. Each time your
character gains a level you will be granted more and higher level
spells. To see a list, type C (cast) and respond to LEVEL: with 0.
DUNGEON
There are currently five dungeons in the DND data base: Telengard,
Shvenk's Lair, Lamorte, the Warren, and the Cavern. Transportation
between dungeons is available in the store.
^
STRENGTH
Strength is of great importance to fighters as it partially determines
how well they can fight. Magicians and clerics, however, do tend to run
out of spells every now and then...
INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence is critical for magicians. It determines the power of
spells.
WISDOM
Wisdom means to clerics what intelligence does to magicians.
CONSTITUTION
Of all the initial attributes, constitution is the most important to
all as it determines hit points.
^
DEXTERITY
Dexterity is also very important as it determines the probability of
blows landing, spells working, and the ability to avoid falling in pits,
etc.
CHARISMA
Charisma controls the ability to cast some spells.
MAGIC POSSESSIONS
Previous adventurers who were not fortunate enough to return alive have
left all sorts of valuable possessions in the dungeon. You may find
weapons, armor, shields or even elven boots and cloaks. All of these
things will help you but none so much as a magic ring of regeneration,
which recovers some lost hit points each time you move, allowing you to
wander far from the safety of the entrance.
^
When you enter the dungeon for the first time, stay near the
entrance and by no means, fight dragons or anything else higher than
level 1. If you lose more than a couple of hit points, evade if you can
and run! If you reach the door, your hit points and spells will be
returned.
I can't tell you too much more about what you will find in those
dark and slimy passages. I am not stupid, er, brave enough go inside
myself, but of those who have ventured within and returned alive, some
have muttered of being suddenly transported to another room nearby, or
of finding magnificent thrones with magic runes, and colored fountains
which may grant great favor or great harm.
Many creatures have inhabited these caverns since their creation,
somewhere in the mists of time, and most of them were quite evil or
disgusting. One old story tells of an order of demented monks who built
altars which still exist, although partly in this world and partly in
theirs. Another tells of dwarves who made secret doors which may be
seen only if you happen to stand in the right spot.
^
But the legend that holds the most interest for fools, I mean
adventurers such as yourself is that of the orb, an enormous eye-shaped
gem which, if gazed into, grants its finder immortality. They say it was
created and hidden by a mad wizard long, long ago and still waits deep
in the musty tunnels and dank caverns, guarded by enormous dragons and,
er, well, never mind.
The last and best advice I can give you is to use the keypad with
one hand and map your route with the other. Some have found a pad of
graph paper useful. If you don't make a map, you will surely become
lost and die. I have warned uncounted novice adventurers in the past,
most rooms and passages look the same in the dark. But they never
listen ...
If you need help during your expedition, type L or H.
^
When you get the "Move>" prompt the following keys are meaningful:
W=North 7=Evade 8=North 9=Up -=Cast
A=West S=Stay D=East 4=West 5=Stay 6=East
X=South 1=Fight 2=South 3=Down +=<CR>
0=Help .=<DEL>
Other keys:
H=Help
.=<DEL>
+=<CR>
C=Cast a spell (0=Help)
Q=Quit your adventure
P=Pray to the nameless God
K=Kill yourself
?=Redraw the screen
^