User manual GAMES PC SECRET OF THE SILVER BLADES

[. . . ] Map Illustration: Jim Krogel (West End Studios) Technical Writing: Marie Butler-Knight and Jon Van Caneghem Special thanks to our playtesters and everyone else who made this project possible. warrants the original diskette on which this program is recorded to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of purchase. If such a defect should occur during this 90-day period, you may return the diskette to New World Computing, Inc. After 90 days, enclose $5. 00 to cover costs of media replacement and shipping charges. [. . . ] The world is divided into towns (there are five), underground caverns and dungeons, open terrain, rivers and seas, and mountainous areas. In general, the more dangerous an area is, the more treasure you can expect to find there. . . if you survive. Towns are important because they contain: Shops where food, weapons, armor and other equipment may be purchased. Training grounds where characters may advance to higher experience levels, provided they have the required number of experience points. Inns where characters must be taken for safe harbor at the end of each game session, if the game information is to be saved. Underground caverns and dungeons contain multiple levels, with the danger (and possible gains) increasing at each lower level. Mountains and bodies of water frequently offer only one route of passage, which may be heavily guarded by dangerous monsters. While detailed maps of the world provide you with a certain measure of security, they by no means guarantee your safety. Monsters may take up residence at any time in areas that were once free of danger. Follow your maps, but be prepared to improvise. Your Characters Any character that you create - regardless of class, race, alignment or sex - starts out a little wet behind the ears. A character's EXPERIENCE LEVEL is a measure of that character's power and abilities. Since monsters usually guard treasure of one sort or another, more advanced characters will also have greater opportunities to increase their wealth. Quests As you journey, you will meet various inhabitants of the world (other than monsters) who may offer you quests, or seek your assitance on their own quests. You will always have the option of accepting or refusing any quest offered. However, if you accept, you must complete the quest in order to gain experience points. If you abandon a quest before it is completed, your characters may actually lose points, unless you are released from your quest by a spell or other encounter. Spells Only certain classes of characters may cast spells. (See Appendix A. ) There are 94 different spells, divided into CLERIC and SORCERER spells, with 7 SPELL LEVELS in each division. Characters who may cast cleric spells may not cast sorcerer spells, and vice versa. The level of spell which a character may cast is determined by his/her experience level. When you first begin, concentrate only on Level 1 spells, since these are the only spells which beginning characters will be able to cast. Most spell casting characters begin with a small number of spell points and gain additional points with each experience level reached. All spells are completely described in Appendix B of this book. Details and Options Character Statistics Each character receives a random rating from 3 to 18, in each of 7 vital statistics. Because these ratings establish a character's strengths, weaknesses and abilities, they also determine his/her class (knight, paladin, archer, cleric, sorcerer, robber). [. . . ] NAME: Slow COST: 3 SP TYPE: Combat OBJECT: All monsters DESCRIPTION: Places an invisible force field around all monsters' feet, slowing them down to 1/2 their original speed and putting them farther back in order of combat. NAME: Weaken COST: 3 SP+1 Gem TYPE: Combat OBJECT: All monsters DESCRIPTION: Weakens all monsters, reducing each monster's Hit Points by 2 and Armor Class by 1. NAME: Web COST: 3 SP TYPE: Combat OBJECT: 1-5 monsters not in hand-tohand combat DESCRIPTION: Wraps 1-5 monsters in a supernatural web, preventing them from fighting for the duration of combat or until they escape. Level 4 Sorceror 1. NAME: Acid Arrow COST: 4 SP TYPE: Combat OBJECT: 1 monster DESCRIPTION: Attacks with corrosive acid that inflicts 3-30 damage points, unless the monster is immune to acid. [. . . ]