Games PC SACRIFICE User Manual

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
GETTING STARTED . . . . . . . . . .4
Download Free Sacrifice Maps . . . . . . .4
I. THE GODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Prologue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 The Book of Charnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 The Book of James . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 The Book of Persephone . . . . . . . . . .19 The Book of Pyro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 The Book of Stratos . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
II. SACRIFICE MENUS AND OPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
A. The Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Single Player Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Load Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Multiplayer Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Options Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
B. Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Graphics Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Sound Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Keyboard Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Miscellaneous Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 System Information Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
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III. THE GAME OF SACRIFICE . . .55
A. Creating a Character . . . . . . . . . . .55
The Character Roster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Multiplayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Single Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
B. The Game Lobby Screen and Game Settings Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Selecting A Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Game Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Game Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
C. Joining or Creating A Multiplayer Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
D. The In-Game Screen . . . . . . . . . . .62
Unit Selection Pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Soul Counter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Mana Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Life Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Mini-Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Spell Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
E. The Pause Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Mission Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Speech History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Save Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Load Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Surrender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Resume Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
F. Sacrifice Game Mechanics . . . . . . .67
Basic Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Camera Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
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Summoning Creatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Commanding Your Creatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Group Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 The X Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Formations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 Adding and Removing Units From Groups . . . . . . . 73 Commands Using the Mini-Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Using Special Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Mana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Altar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Mana Fountain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Manalith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Manahoar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Shrines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 Casting Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 Creature Health, Mana and Unit Color . . . . . . . . .78 All About Souls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 The Locals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Guardians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Altars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 Desecrating an Altar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Teleportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Quick Saving and Quick Loading . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
IV. HINTS AND TIPS . . . . . . . .84 V. SCAPEX LEVEL DESIGN INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 VI. SACRIFICE CREDITS . . . .116
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GETTING STARTED
Installation of Sacrifice
Place the Sacrifice CD into your CD-ROM drive. If your computer is AutoPlay capable, a Sacrifice menu will automatically appear on the screen. Select "Install Sacrifice" from the list of choices to start the installation program. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Sacrifice on your system. After the game is successfully installed, a Sacrifice shortcut will be added to your Start menu.
If your system is not AutoPlay capable, open the "My Computer" icon on your desktop, then select the drive letter that represents your CD-ROM drive. Double click on the "Setup" icon and continue as above.
Installation of Direct X 7.0a
Sacrifice requires Direct X 7.0a in order to run properly. If you are not running Direct X 7.0a on your system, then it can be installed directly off the Sacrifice CD. Insert the Sacrifice CD into your CD-ROM drive. If your computer is AutoPlay capable, select "Install Direct X 7.0a" from the list of choices that will automatically appear on the screen. If your system is not AutoPlay capable, open the "My Computer" icon on your desktop, then select the letter that represents your CD-ROM drive. Double click on the folder marked "DirectX7." Then double click "Dxsetup.Exe" from the icons that will appear. The setup program will launch.
Download Free Sacrifice Maps
Interplay and Shiny Entertainment thank you for purchasing Sacrifice. It is our hope that this product provides you with hours of exciting and challenging game play.
To further enhance your Sacrifice experience, be sure to explore <http://www.sacrifice.interplaygames.com>. Here you'll find free downloadable maps submitted by Sacrifice players from all over the world.
Registration is free, and members will be allowed to submit as many maps as they wish. All members have the ability to grade user submitted maps, and the best are eligible to receive exciting prizes.
Welcome to the Sacrifice Community!
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I. THE GODS PROLOGUE
"Being an excerpt from the Book of the Fyllid"
In the beginning there was the Creator. Where there was naught but the cold void, the Creator gave of his flesh, and thus was all matter born. Where all was dark, the Creator spread his arms and gave light, thus was born the stars, the moon, and the sun. Where there was naught but silence and loneliness, the Creator did spill his blood, causing the very beginnings of life.
This life manifested in a multitude of forms, from the ancient behemoths of Thryhring to our own people, the Fyllid. In those times we were the chosen of the creator, the keepers of the lesser beasts and defenders of all the realms. As befit our role as his primary servants, the creator gifted us with power. The power to shape the world, the very trees, the land, the beasts, even the untouchable essence of the elements was granted us. Our people grew heady with the gift of power, and some of us turned our face from the creator. The gift became corrupted, used for forbidden experimentation and malicious purpose.
It was then that the Fallen One, he whose name must not be spoken, tore asunder the earth. In the land of Golgotha, profaning and defying the very laws of nature, the Fallen One opened a permanent gateway from this world to the demonic realms of the nether. The strain of opening this unnatural portal took its toll upon the world and the earth began to shatter. The Fyllid and all of creation watched in stunned silence as the benevolent Creator warred with the Demons of the nether, but the forces of hell proved too much for even he. A cry of unspeakable anguish broke the silence and echoed in the minds of his children as the creator was forever banished from this existence. None of his children heard the cry so loudly as the Fyllid, for it was one of our own that had ultimately betrayed and murdered our master. Most were driven mad and hurled themselves from one of the newly formed floating islands or sat useless, gibbering and moaning.
For a time the Fyllid wandered these new realms seeking signs of our former master. What was discovered was the stuff of nightmares. The creatures of the land began to warp and twist,
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the very land was changing. The home realm of the Fyllid, known as Elysium, grew lush and green, seeming to welcome us, even after the horrible betrayal of the Creator. So too did the other lands twist, the high reaches of Empyria grew cold and desolate; the lush, sweltering lands of Helios erupted with liquid hot magma while the arid Glebe grew even more rocky and barren. Most terrible of all were the blasted lands of Dys, which lay near Golgotha. These lands grew pestilent and the very earth rotted.
Five new Gods appeared to take the place of the Creator. Of the five it was our Lady Persephone who took us in. Grateful were we that any God would accept us into their fold and ever since we have served our Lady faithfully. We stand guard against the enemies of our Lady. We are ever vigilant, for it is the Fyllid who know intimately the price of failure.
-Athelas
THE BOOK OF CHARNEL
I am Charnel, God of Strife, Lord of Slaughter, Master of Death. Where there is pain, I am there. Where there is suffering, I flourish. Where there is joy… yes, well, one could hardly have joy without another’s suffering, no?
I am called a villain, but mine is a doctrine reflected in the unspoken truths behind all other philosophies. Recognize that truth, my child: Strife is the single element most essential to meaning and existence. Without conflict, without struggle, all of creation might as well be so many unmoving, unfeeling stones. Without me to hate, who would have cause to call themselves holy or just? Oh, only a fool would seek contentment in peace and tranquility.
Come see, come see. I hold dominion over the lands of Stygia, which coil with serpentine grace, engulfing the holdings of my foes. Vile and putrid ground, formed of the flesh of the dead, running with rivers of blood, plagued by swarming vermin--ah, it gives me chills whenever I think of it. Here you will find obsidian gateways to demonic realms, an especial treat for unwitting guests. Witness also the cruel prisons wherein are tortured those rare souls among my enemies who are worthy of such attention, and perhaps a random assortment of others to keep the cells occupied. Oh, but do not overlook the mockeries called villages, populated by mindless zombies--you really must appreciate their simplicity--whose greatest ambition is to toil and die in my
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service. Well now, those of low ambition deserve what they get, no?
But I believe you know this, and that is what has brought you to me. If you possess both the hunger and the courage to embrace it, you may yet prove worthy of greatness. And if not, to strive and to fail... to be cast down into an eternal torment worthy of your failure. Ah. I almost envy your mortality.
Envision success. Envision only success. A morose attitude is most unbecoming in a servant of death. Now then, allow me to share with you something of the powers which will be yours to command, assuming you earn a place in my hierarchy, and assuming Acheron or one of my other servants does not strike you down out of jealousy... or cruelty.
Necromancy
Under my guidance, you will have the opportunity to learn the black art of necromancy. Be warned, wielding necromantic magic is no simple task, for my way is not one of blind, clumsy force. You must balance open destruction with more subtle devices. Above all, my servant, you must understand that everything has a cost. Learning to balance these costs, learning to use your pain as a weapon, lies at the heart of necromancy.
Insect Swarm First, however, you will learn to inflict pain. It will be a simple matter to summon a ravening Insect Swarm to harry and wound your foes. Damage
done by this swarm will heal you. Spell Summary – Swarms of bloodsucking insects shot at a foe.
Protective Swarm As your control over the lesser creatures advances, you will learn to summon a
Protective Swarm, which will absorb damage intended for you and deal injury to any foes foolish enough to come within it’s reach. Again, any damage they do will heal you.
Spell Summary – A protective shield of swarming insects that damages any enemies foolish enough to come into contact with it.
Slime Your next lesson will be simple and undeniable:
Corruption, in magic as in life, stems from fouling what
was once pristine and pure. Using this spell you can cause the air over you enemies to foul, emanating forth a ball of
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putrid slime. Anyone coated with this slime will be slowed, more susceptible to damage and less capable of inflicting harm upon you.
Spell Summary – A ball of viscous goo that covers an enemy from head to toe, slowing its movements to a crawl and reducing its stats.
Animate Dead Your devotion to necromancy will eventually grant you the ability to animate corpses on the battlefield, so that your minions will rise up even as
your foes strike them down. Spell Summary – Restores life to your dead units by targeting
their soul.
Demonic Rift The next barrier for you to pass through separates our world from the demon realm. Even a small
Demonic Rift will unleash great carnage. It’s the perfect spell to support your creatures in a melee - the demons unleashed will only attack your foes.
Spell Summary – Rips a hole in the earth through which evil spirits rise to attack.
Wailing Wall Then you will learn to awaken the spirits of the damned, who will rise up to form a barrier of
misery and sorrow. Any who pass through the Wailing Wall will be slowed to a crawl and stripped of their energy. Archers will be unable to attack, melee attackers unlikely to reach you before they die.
Spell Summary – A wall of pulsating, tormented souls that saps the life and mana from enemies who pass through it.
Plague Along with these new powers over demons and
the dead, you will gain greater mastery over the forces
of disease. In time, you will learn to unleash a terrible and deadly Plague over a wide swath of land.
Spell Summary – A dark cloud that rains gobs of disease over a section of land.
There are, of course, still greater powers that you may someday possess, but you must have patience. In time, all will be revealed. For now, you would do well to learn something of the creatures that will be under your command. For as enticing as casting spells is, a Necromancer must also learn to lead an army into battle.
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Minions
My minions are drawn from a myriad of sources: the pestilent, the corrupt, the dead and the demonic. Well, perhaps not as diverse a group as other gods, but it suffices. Be aware that none of my creatures heal themselves normally, but all of them are capable of restoring their health by harming others. And thus, their pleasure is born of pain. You see, my commitment to such principles is not in word alone. Also note the character summaries beneath my descriptions. Passive abilities come into play automatically when the creature attacks or moves. Special abilities however require mana and have to be activated by you in order to take effect! Not all of my minions possess special abilities. A final point I should like to impress upon you is that all ranged units require mana to attack in their normal fashion
Scythe The bony Scythe, armed with razor sharp blades atop its head, is a masterpiece of destruction. These swift, whirling, skull-faced horrors mercilessly rend the flesh from their victims with such pure delight, well, one can
hardly be surprised by their incessant cackles of malignant joy. Scythes feed off the creatures they butcher, regenerating health with every attack.
Unit Type: Melee Passive Abilities: Replenishes life when attacking. Special Ability: None
Fallen The Fallen are, how do you say, corrupted versions of beings first formed by that simpleton James. They possess only a skeletal frame and rotting flesh, but this in turn attracts swarms of insects, which they can then send forth to attack their foes. Beautifully conceived efficiency, if I do say so myself. Further, the Fallen may adopt the form of a corpse, and while in this guise, restore
lost health. Quite ironic, wouldn't you agree?
Unit Type: Ranged Passive Abilities: Replenishes life when attacking Special Ability: Play Dead – While playing dead, its life will
quickly regenerate (The only Charnel unit to heal naturally without having to harm an enemy creature).
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Locust A bloated and far more insidious version of the sort of winged menace once found in the fens of Abaddon, the Locust was the first of my creations. Though the eons have passed and the fens are no more, the Locust lives on, relentless,
sucking the lifeblood and mana out of its victims. Of my minions, the Locust most of all gains power through dealing damage.
Unit Type: Air Passive Abilities: Replenishes life and mana when attacking,
drains life and mana from targets. Special Ability: None
Necryl If it were not so large, you might expect to find the Necryl creeping under a rock. It is unctuous, scaly, oozing, many-legged, and generally disgusting, but do not be deceived: its repulsive appearance is only a bonus. Its true
value lies in its ability to spread disease. A set of glands and bladders under its pestilent little proboscis allows it to project a stream of infectious bile, conferring a most ruinous and contagious disease on contact.
Unit Type: Ranged Passive Abilities: Replenishes life when attacking, disease cloud
poisons its target and prevents it from healing and replenishing mana. This disease cloud also makes victims susceptible to taking more damage. Be warned, as a diseased creature passes on the affliction to anyone it comes into contact with, your troops included!
Special Ability: None
Blight Carrion beasts have always held a special place in my heart, the Blight most of all. Its ragged little wings and numerous open sores are a testament to how thoroughly inured to pain and hardship is this flying storehouse of parasitic misery. In its jaws and belly, it carries a deadly cargo of Blightmites... thousands of little parasites which feast on its flesh and on the flesh of its victims. There are few sights more
satisfying than watching Blightmites raining down onto Druids or
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other such creatures who are incapable of attacking the Blight while it's in the air.
Unit Type: Air Passive Abilities: Regenerates life when attacking. Special Ability: Blightmites – Slows down enemy units via
parasitic infection.
Netherfiend Oh yes, the demonic Netherfiend. Since the Demon Gate of Golgotha has been declared off-limits to any god, there are fewer of them around these days. Those few who are in my service are delightful creatures capable of defeating most foes quite easily in single
combat. Netherfiends are mighty creatures comprised of taut muscle and sinew, and their hunger for souls is even more exquisite. Each soul that they devour adds to their strength, their ferocity and... lethal beauty.
Unit Type: Melee Passive Abilities: None Special Ability: Devour- By activating this ability, a Netherfiend
is able to consume a blue soul of a fallen comrade on the battlefield. Doing so will increase its attack power and resistance
to damage.
Deadeye Ever since Persephone brought those
pesky Gnomes, with their incessant tinkering
and generally meddlesome disposition, into this
world, I have known that with the proper
inducement they would make fine servants of
slaughter and mayhem. Only recently have my
efforts in this regard succeeded in producing the
Deadeyes. Like their cowardly, living cousins, Deadeyes prefer combat at a distance. To this end, they developed an extremely accurate weapon capable of firing a highly lethal poisonous needle, which not only does damage but debilitates its victim as well. These weapons are slow to fire and no replacement for massed of the Fallen, but you will find the use of a few of them highly efficacious.
Unit Type: Ranged
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Passive Abilities: Replenishes life when attacking, poisons its victims, making them less accurate. Also prevents the target’s regeneration of life and mana.
Special Ability: None
Abomination Not even I can tell you the origin of Abominations, but it is clear they are a perversion of nature far beyond any need for improvement by myself. Tall and gruesome, the Abomination reaches into its own body, pulling forth a quivering mass of corrosive blood and
intestine (I think) for use in long-range bombardment. It is no wonder they are not very accurate, but that is of little consequence. Their projectiles splatter on impact, affecting a wide area and, while in the air, trail deadly drippings of corrosive blood. It's poetry, I tell you.
Unit Type: Ranged Passive Abilities: Regenerates life when attacking. Thrown blood
and intestine damages all enemies between itself and the assigned target. When its thrown intestines strike the final target, all enemy units in the surrounding area will take damage.
Special Ability: None There are greater wonders which I have not yet disclosed to you,
for you are not yet ready. It is no surprise to see you are repelled and attracted at once, but which of these impulses will master you? Consider carefully, for a bargain struck with Charnel is eternal, and even death will be no escape.
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THE BOOK OF JAMES
I am James, God of Earth. You know, rocks and soil and stuff. Some nice gems too. It’s not all brown and gray you know. Just… mostly.
I would never claim to be the most exciting of gods, but I ain’t here to entertain folks. I’m here to protect ‘em and to guide ‘em. I’ll tell you straight up, if it’s peace and quiet you want, I’m your deity. Why should folks be questing for anything? Or go looking for trouble? Or stick their noses is other folks business? Or always muck about trying to change the world? This is the world. Feel it solid beneath your feet. I don’t see as there’s much need for change at all.
That’s the attitude folks’ take in the Glebe. They look after
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themselves and don’t much get in each other’s business. A fellow’s farm is his castle, if you take my meaning. It’s a place of tranquility and prosperity. I see to both of ‘em, and the people are glad for it. Now don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying there’s no room in the Glebe for someone to be great or to stand out or to do amazing things. What I’m saying is that nobody’s gonna tell you what it means to be great. You get to decide that for yourself. I, for one, think this attitude is more likely than not to bring out the best in folks… and it causes a whole rock-load less headaches in the meantime.
Tramping about with some other god, you’ll never be as safe as you would be in the Glebe, with the earth to shield you and provide for all your needs. The truth of it is, if you want to reach great heights, my granite’s the best foundation to build on. It don’t matter what you bring or where you want to go. I got room for it here, and I’ll do my best to see that you get everything what’s coming to you. That’s a simple promise from a simple god. It’s even written in stone, if you like.
Geomancy
If you want to help me out, you’d best learn a thing or two about geomancy. That’s a fancy name for earth-type magic, which is just my kind of thing. As you learn more about it, it’ll prolly be just your kind of thing too.
Rock What could be simpler? You take a big Rock and cast it at something you mean to knock down or smash
up. I know folks what do this the old-fashioned way, more power to ‘em. But a geomancer can do bigger and better rocks--even when there’s none handy--and don’t risk straining his back nearly so much.
Spell Summary – Hurls a giant rock through the air to strike a selected target.
Skin of Stone I do believe you oughta protect
yourself, and there’s no defense quite like a Skin of
Stone. There ain’t too many things what’ll hurt you when you use this spell, and it don’t even slow you down any or hinder your spell-casting none. You may be wondering how somebody with skin made of stone can be nimble enough for all them fancy hand gestures and the like. Well, duh. It’s magic.
Spell Summary –Encases you in a shielding layer of stone.
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Soul Mole When the occasion for a fracas arises, you ain’t alone out there on the battlefield (Or in life, but I
won’t preach at you). If you’re a decent type at all, the Yeomen of the Glebe will be anxious to fight by your side. That’s when you need the Soul Mole. When one of your fellows bites the dust, you use the ole mole to grab up his soul from a distance. That way, you don’t get hit by whatever did him in.
Spell Summary – Summons a burrowing creature that travels to blue souls on the battlefield so that you don’t have to retrieve them. (They’ll come to you!) A soul mole will also knock over any units in its way, stunning them temporarily. Once a soul has been retrieved by a mole, it will be blue to everybody! Beware of other wizards stealing the mole’s soul out from under you.
Erupt Sometimes, the direct approach ain’t the best way to win a fight. When the odds are stacked against
you, a well-placed earthquake can be just the thing to shake things up. Erupt builds up pressure under the ground and releases it in a sudden blast, sending big old shockwaves radiating out. If you want to maim, stun, displace and otherwise distress a cluster of enemy troops, it’s not a bad way to go. Not a bad way to go at all.
Spell Summary – Ground rises up, then smashes back down, sending out a shockwave that temporarily stuns foes.
Halo of Earth So many rocks, so little time. Another way to deal with a big group of unfriendly fellows is to
surround yourself with a Halo of Earth. Not a ring of lots of little stones, but a big ring of big stones. You set ‘em spinning above you, and they go off flying when a proper target comes nearby. Mix that up with some of them other abilities we already talked about and nobody’ll want to be on your bad side.
Spell Summary – A swarm of rocks that hovers over you, automatically firing when an enemy unit comes within range.
Wall of Spikes There comes a point when the enemy is scared. A Wall of Spikes is a great way to keep them
from going anywhere. I mean, these things hurt a lot if they get you and the wall extends pretty darn far. I don’t want to get too strategically complicated on you, but there’s also times when you’re not quite ready to face the other guy. Wall of Spikes again.
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Spell Summary – A wall of stalagmites that rises out of the earth to block and stab your enemies. All enemies that attempt to pass through will be slowed and take damage.
Bombardment Despite the power of my geomancers, there are still those who aren’t content to leave the
Glebe in peace. Well, when you meet a fellow that dense, I say the best thing for it is rocks, rocks, and more rocks. That’s exactly what Bombardment is. Right out of the ground near you, up into the air and down, down, down on the heads that most need a little rattling. If that don’t learn ‘em, well, you can always try it again.
Spell Summary – Mortar fire that shoots rocks into the air for the purpose of raining hurt over a wide spanse of terrain. The bombardment will deform the landscape as well, due to its sheer power!
Of course, that ain’t all there is to geomancy, but that oughta be enough to give you the general idea, so I figure it’s time to tell you a little something about the kind of fellas who’ll help you protect the Glebe.
Yeomen of the Glebe
The folks that live in the Glebe are all hardy, stalwart types. You may have heard they’re none too swift. Well, that’s true of how quick they are on their feet, but don’t take that to mean they ain’t quick on the uptake. No, a smart fella learns to take advantage of his environs and that’s what the Yeomen of the Glebe do… so mostly, they’ve learned special things to do with rocks. Also note the character summaries beneath my descriptions. Passive abilities come into play automatically when the creature attacks or moves. Special abilities however require mana and have to be activated by you in order to take effect! Not all of my yeomen possess special abilities ya know. Finally, all yeomen who fire ranged attacks require mana to attack normally. So if they be doin’ nuthin, ten-to-one they’re out of mana!
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Trogg It is common knowledge that the Troggs are simple, cave-dwelling folk. It is also common knowledge that they don’t talk much and aren’t skilled at much but thumping other folks upside the head. This is one of them cases when common knowledge ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. It is true that the Troggs live underground, and true that they ain’t much enamored of the common tongue, sticking when they can to their
own babble. That means other folks don’t know what they say. That don’t mean they’ve got nothing smart to say. Below the earth, they build the most amazing altars and idols and such. They perform elaborate rituals which must account for their near immunity to spells. Let other folks think it’s cause they’re too dumb to know they oughta be hurt. You’ll know better. And so will they.
Unit Type: Melee Passive Abilities: Immune to Magical Damage Special Ability: None
Earthfling In the Elder Days, the Earthflings
arose from the spirit of the soil. Rocky, grainy,
sandy, soft. A little bit of everything went into
these fellows, and they’ve haven’t forgotten it.
As the Earthflings say, "You’ve gotta know where
you come from to know where you’re going." So
they can draw soil up from the ground they’re
standing on and send it a-flying outta their
mouths, but that ain’t all. They can change their whole bodies into one big rock what’s nigh invulnerable. That’s staying in touch with your roots, that is.
Unit Type: Ranged Passive Abilities: None Special Ability: Rockform – Turns an Earthfling into a large
boulder, making it nearly immune to damage.
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SACRIFICE
Gargoyle If you’ve ever heard a real good sculptor speak, he’ll tell you the statue’s already in the stone. All he’s gotta do is chop away the parts that aren’t it. That’s pretty much how it is with Gargoyles. Sometimes, a rock don’t care that it’s made o’ stone: it’s just gotta fly. Well, as I said before, I’m not one to judge a body’s
dream. More power to ‘em I say. But it’s hard work for a rock to learn to fly, so if you meet one, don’t be surprise if it’s a bit of a crusty curmudgeon, if you take my meaning. And once they’ve learned to go flitting about regular like, they want to stay airborne as much as possible. So even though they’ve got some mean-looking teeth, don’t expect them to go biting anybody. No, they prefer to stay aloft and spray down a shower of stones. Whatever works, I say.
Unit Type: Air Passive Abilities: Rock attacks from the air do area damage. Special Ability: None
Basilisk The fearsome legends you prolly heard
about Basilisks are greatly exaggerated. They are creatures of middling size and no great physical attributes or mental acuities. But you can’t blame folks for not checking ‘em over too
closely, cause it is true that they can turn a body to stone with a single gaze. The transformation is only temporary, mind you, but that don’t bother the Basilisk. He can always do it again.
Unit Type: Ranged Passive Abilities: Attack turns enemy units to stone, rendering
them immobile and useless for a limited time. However, a side effect is that petrified enemy units are harder to damage.
Special Ability: None
Taurock Some folks will tell you that the
Taurock is a big bull (or bear) of a creature
what’s covered its hide with rocks. Others’ll say
it’s a pile of rocks that’ve learned to run about.
Hardly matters which is the truth, does it? The fact is the ole four-legger is tough as a rock and strong as a bear (or bull). Just try getting in one’s way if you want to see what I mean.
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Unit Type: Melee Passive Abilities: As it takes damage, its defenses increase.
Therefore the more it takes damage the harder it is to kill. Special Ability: None
Boulderdash In the badlands, prey is scarce, but rocks aren’t too hard to come by. The Boulderdash is one badlands predator what’s learned to make the most of its surroundings.
As you might expect, it can shoot out these rocks, and the things hit hard enough to kill lots of critters outright. Smack! Just like that. But that ain’t all. A Boulderdash shoots out three rocks at a time in a narrow spread. Yeah, they’ve even got a little saying about it: "Two birds with one stone is good fortune, but three stones with one shot is good tactics." Not exactly poetry, but it gets the point across. Same goes for the Boulderdash.
Unit Type: Ranged Passive Abilities: Boulderdash shot splits into three parts,
making it possible to hit multiple enemies at once. (Or to do triple damage to one large target.)
Special Ability: None There are a few more creatures—ancient, rocky, and none too
common—who you may have a chance to command. But that’s a ways off and I’ll teach you about those if and when you’re ready. Well then, if you think the Glebe is the place for you, I’ll help you get settled in. I’m sure you won’t regret it.
Ikarus You’ve heard me say that I like the world the way it is. That don’t mean I got a problem with folks what got the spirit of invention. Good ole honest ingenuity is something to be used, if it’s what comes natural
to you. Just ask the inventor of the Ikarus. He took some fellows, strapped wings on their arms and taught them to fly.
Nowadays we got a whole society of fellows with homemade wings. They gotta carry lots of glue on ‘em, in case them flappers start coming apart, so they’ve gotten good at dropping this glue on enemies and mucking up their movement. But when it gets down to a brawl, it ain’t about tricks up their wings. They like to get right in there with the fisticuffs, where they put their upper
SACRIFICE
body strength to good use. Yep, folks used to laugh about my flying men. Not no more. Not one bit.
Unit Type: Air Passive Abilities: None Special Ability: Stickbomb – Slows enemy units down with
thick glue.
Flummox Flummox, of course, is just what we call a battle-trained lummox here in the Glebe. I mean, I seen the usefulness of the mountain lummox, same as Stratos and Pyro, but here’s
the difference: I didn’t see no need to get all fancy like they done. No, I let mine stick to flinging rocks. It don’t sound like much, but I think it’s often best just to let folks stick with what comes natural to ‘em. Believe me, they’re a lot happier than their counterparts in Pyroborea and Empyrea.
Unit Type: Ranged Passive Abilities: Rock attacks cause earth tremors around the
target. All units in the area are temporarily stunned. Useful for interrupting spell casting.
Special Ability: None
THE BOOK OF PERSEPHONE
We are the essence of life. Throughout the ages, We have been known by many names and in many forms. In this time and this place, it must suffice that we are Persephone. And in that name shall you find the Great Healer, who mends the ills of the flesh and cleanses the blemishes of the soul. And you shall come to know We have always stood beside you, in forms more familiar: The beauty and purity of the maiden is Our reflection. The comforting bosom of the mother flows from Us. The wisdom of the matriarch is but a shadow of Our own. Yea, We are the very essence of life.
Our vision is one of peace. Our path, of mercy. We see--as you must also--how those who do not follow Us have been deceived or corrupted by the forces of wickedness. Thus, in their weakness, have they been lured into an existence of treachery and debasement. We weep for them, knowing there is no greater sin against oneself than the failure to believe in one's own worth. And there is no greater sin against Us than the failure to stand by Our side in righteousness.
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Learn from their failure and do not fear to seek the greatness within yourself. For even as We are justice, you, as Our servant, must strive to be justice incarnate. So shall you find within yourself a greater good and greater might than would even have touched your dreams ere now. We promise that in the pursuit of justice shall you find peace within yourself.
Lo, and behold, even as Our teachings grant inner harmony, Our realms are a paragon of outer tranquility. Our lands are the rolling, verdant plains and sweet, sheltering forests of Elysium. These are the most resplendent and glorious realms in all the world, and Our creatures the most joyous and content. For all who follow Us, whether of mean birth or noble nature, share in the blessings of Our grace, and thus are the mighty instructed in Our love of humility. Indeed, the devout Fyllid, who provide Druids and Rangers to tend our sacred groves, hold themselves
not above the beasts of the field or the simple peasants who each day glory in Our divine mercy.
What, then, shall be your role, in Our grand design? Dare you choose to be a hero, to be an agent of justice? Or shall you fade into the obscurity, self-loathing and emptiness of a life unfulfilled? 'Tis common enough, if you seek an excuse for mediocrity. Innumerable are the souls who shrink from the call of destiny and shirk the mantle of greatness. Can you not see how meager and lowly are the forces which drive them astray? Fear, doubt, sloth, temerity. Are any of these a worthy match for that which you strive to be... that which you can and should be? We shall guide you down the true path if you so desire, and you shall possess power overwhelming, and Our covenant with you shall be as simple and strong as it is pure:
Love Us and We shall requite your love a hundred-fold. Defy Us and that day you shall surely die. The choice is yours.
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SACRIFICE
Mysticism
As a defender of Elysium, you shall be granted insights into the primal forces of life and nature. Much of what you learn shall grant you powers of protection and healing, but it is not the role of a mystic to award mercy and succor without discretion. For as you shall see in Us, compassion may hold dominion over the heart, but wisdom must temper the hand.
Wrath By now you must realize that justice cannot tolerate injustice. The iniquitous will claim this
intolerance is a sign that We are no different than they. Your first lesson shall be to observe how truly different they are from Us, for when touched by the spirit of your righteous judgment, the wicked convulse in pain, burned by the searing heat of your holy Wrath.
Spell Summary – A blast of energy that tracks and strikes its target with deadly force.
Ethereal Form Next, you shall study the limits of your
own nature. For, in seeking the holiness in yourself, you
shall learn to step beyond the constraints of the material world. When you attain Ethereal Form, no blows may harm you, no spells may confound you, and yet you shall find your ability to cast spells and command your army lessened not at all.
Spell Summary –The caster becomes a ghost, immune to attack. You may, however lose mana if attacked by mana draining spells or creatures.
Grasping Vines As your inner perfection grows, you will
find the forces of nature eager to aid you. In its simplest
incarnation, a tangle of Grasping Vines may be sent to reach out from the earth and hold fast a single foe. So long as the vines hold, you will find him at your mercy.
Spell Summary – Targets an enemy and holds it in place for a limited time.
Rainbow The Rainbow is a more sublime union of the
natural and the divine. It is the symbol of Our promise
to bring justice and peace to all who devote themselves to Us. Any who have faith in its transcendent beneficence will be aided in their hour of need. The Rainbow will arch from believer to believer, mending their wounds and restoring their spirit.
Spell Summary – A healing spell that travels from unit to unit.
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Rain of Frogs As you have seen, much of your training shall be in curative and defensive abilities, but there is
also a dark side to nature--a roaring, seething fury ready to strike out at those who profane Us. Once you are ready, We shall teach you something of this and unlock for you the secrets of calling forth a vengeful Rain of Frogs. True, it does not sound very dreadful, and true there are no great legends of the overthrow of evil to an amphibian deluge, but rest assured it is not for lack of power, but only because none who face the torrent of croaking judgment survive to tell the tale. (Be aware that frogs, being the simple-minded creatures that they are, will not be able to tell friend from foe. Get your units out of range before casting, lest they croak. Pardon the pun.)
Spell Summary - Small frogs rain to the ground and chase enemy creatures. The frogs leap on them first to slow them down, then explode causing damage.
Healing Aura To preserve the well-being of the faithful,
you cannot be content to react to the harm others inflict.
To this end, you shall learn to temporarily imbue your creatures with a touch of the divine. A creature so enchanted will radiate a Healing Aura, mending the wounds of true believers around it.
Spell Summary – Healing aura that emanates from a unit to heal others within range.
Vinewall In time, a mighty Wall of Vines shall be yours to command. Stretching forth across the landscape, these suddenly sprouting tendrils are capable of
entangling entire legions of your heretical foes. Spell Summary – Long wall of grasping vines that
ensnares enemies. Of the ways of Mysticism, that is all We shall tell you, but you
may be certain that there are mysteries holier still. Yet it shall serve better to leave this talk of spellcraft, and learn something of those living and breathing forces which Our mystics command, a collection of creatures We call "the Faithful."
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SACRIFICE
The Faithful
All who benefit from the blessings of Elysium are more than willing to aid in its defense. None must be forced into service. None must be offered recompense for their sacrifice. Thus, though many of our creatures are neither militant nor violent by nature, We have been able to choose those best suited to warfare to serve in Our armies. Unlike the heretical minions of Our foes, all of the faithful regenerate health, even in the midst of battle. Also note the character summaries beneath my descriptions. Passive abilities come into play automatically when the creature attacks or moves. Special abilities however require mana and have to be activated by you in order to take effect! Not all of my faithful possess special abilities. I should tell you however that all of my ranged units require mana to attack normally.
Druid In time of peace, Druids perform many sacred roles in Fyllid society, from the tending of sacred groves to the keeping of lore. In time of war, they form the heart of Our fighting force. Druids wield no weapons other than their fists, but can use words of protection to create a shield around themselves, protecting them from harm.
Unit Type: Melee Passive Abilities: None Special Ability: Lifeshield – Creates a full body shield that
reduces damage taken in battle.
Ranger Recruited from among the Fyllid, the Ranger holds sway over the darker heart of the forest. Using a bow skillfully crafted from the precious trees of the Daven Forest, each Ranger strives to attain perfection as a hunter and as a warrior, for they have taken as their creed the most martial aspects of Our teaching, and do not shrink from the tireless pursuit of personal greatness.
Of their arts, none is more unique than their mastery of tracking. At your direction, a Ranger will scry the location of the nearest enemy. Using a group of Rangers, you will find you can uncover the hiding places of all your rivals.
Unit Type: Ranged
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Passive Abilities: None Special Ability: Divine Sight – Shows where enemy units are
located, even when hidden or far into the distance.
Shrike Among Our creatures, the most pure are the simple songbirds. The Shrike, 'tis true, is one of these, but its gift is neither so simple nor so harmless as would be expected of such a creature: The minions of darkness cannot bear
the purity of the Shrike's song, which wounds them as surely as a Ranger's arrow. The druids, in seeing their fragile nature, have taught them the Lifeshield ability, which they can use to protect themselves from ranged damage.
Unit Type: Air Passive Abilities: Sonic attack knocks down targets, stunning
them. Good for interrupting enemy spell casting. Special Ability: Lifeshield – Creates a shield that reduces
damage taken in battle.
Scarab In the depths of the forest are a great
many creatures no outsider has ever seen. A few
of these, such as the Scarab, are called forth
when the need for them is great. Something like
a spider but far larger, the mystical Scarab spins
a web, but hers is not a web for catching prey, but a web of healing. Treat her well and she will serve you well.
Unit Type: Ranged Passive Abilities: Shoots a healing beam at your wounded
creatures in order to heal them. Scarabs are a supportive unit not meant for attack.
Special Ability: None
Troll Feared for their destructive might and regenerative abilities--which render them nearly impervious to harm and less capable of understanding the pain others feel--Trolls can be both fearsome and savage. Indeed, of
old, many of Our other followers warred against the Trolls and suffered from their raids. But one day, Athelas the Druid besought Us to grant them the gift of speech and thereafter taught them of Our name and instructed them in
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SACRIFICE
Our worship. Thus did the Trolls come to live in harmony with all the Faithful and become for us the bulwark of Our armies.
Unit Type: Melee Passive Abilities: Trolls regenerate life extremely quickly. Special Ability: None
Gnome It is clear to you, no doubt, that We seek out righteous souls from other worlds to serve us as Mystics. It is even so that you have been taken into Our presence. Long ago, We brought an entire race--the Gnomes-
-from another world. Such a thing is not often to be done, for the balances of nature must be respected, and even now there are times the crafty tinkers do test the limits of Our infinite mercy. Yet they are dear to Us, though not born of Us, and serve well in Our armies. They wield mighty Hand Cannons of their own invention, which, though slow firing, are very powerful, and make these otherwise timid creatures quite effective at defending Our justice.
Unit Type: Ranged Passive Abilities: Shots strike their target instantly when fired.
Allows for a greater chance of hitting moving targets. Special Ability: None
Gremlin In the first age, all of Our followers were simple creatures. Some of the Fyllid from that age now serve Us as Druids and Rangers, and We would enhance the abilities and intellect of a great many other creatures. The first intelligent race We bore were the Gremlins. They were raised up to serve Us as
messengers, and as not all come willingly when called to Our judgment, the Gremlins have learned to ensnare and draw to them those who resist Our summons. They are not schooled in the ways of war, but you may find their talents useful for dividing Our foes or holding them in check.
Unit Type: Air Passive Abilities: None Special Ability: Web Pull – Ensnares an enemy in a sticky web,
allowing it to be dragged towards the Gremlin. A useful method
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for trapping enemy wizards and pulling them away from the blue souls they desperately need on the battlefield.
Mutant As Great Mother, We accept even the most bedraggled and undeserving under Our wing, teaching them to find the greatness within themselves. In the Mutants you shall doubtless find the most clear example of this principle. These are truly wretched creatures, beset by a
grievous malady, by which their own bodies seem to war with themselves. Although this ill seems their greatest weakness, We have turned it to their advantage. Under Our care, they have learned to endure the pain of this loathsome affliction and rend from within their bodies the sprouting polyps in which its agents are concentrated. The diseased and hideous polyps may then be used as devastating projectile weapons which the Mutants throw across great distances, striking fear in the hearts of those who might otherwise abuse these miserable creatures.
Unit Type: Ranged Passive Abilities: While dying, a mutant’s body will shower
healing energy upon all your forces in the surrounding area. Healing doesn’t apply to enemy units of course. Thrown Polyps have area damage.
Special Ability: None Of the Faithful, these We have disclosed to you are not the most
wondrous. Yet, if you have heard any of what We have said, you need hear nothing more. What greater powers We command matter not, for even the least of Our creations possesses the potential for greatness. So also it is with you. Accept the wisdom of Our insight and be yourself the wiser. Know that you need no other spells or servants, no powers beyond the openness of your heart. It is time to cast aside all fear and doubt and set out to face your destiny, secure in the shelter of Our love.
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SACRIFICE
THE BOOK OF PYRO
I am Pyro. God of Fire. They will tell you I am the god of Destruction and Chaos, but that is not entirely true. Pyro is the spark of imagination and the engine of industry. Pyro is the bringer of knowledge and the bearer of light.
Why do they slander me? Fear and jealousy. I expose their deficiencies. Persephone demands order. What is wrong with order, you say? Nothing, except when it really means fearfully clinging to the past and never taking the steps necessary to improve the world around you. Order cannot be allowed to stop Progress. Charnel promises everyone strife. He glories in it, or so he pretends. The truth is Charnel is afraid. He never builds anything because what if it doesn’t work? If he loses a battle, he says, "What does it matter? My creatures were already dead." Cowardice! Then there is Stratos. Stratos is more craven than Charnel--if that is possible. At least Charnel pretends to stand for something. Stratos hides behind a veneer of neutrality and a supposedly noble love of the truth. Pity him most of all; for his lies are innumerable and he believes them all. And as for the god of earth… don’t get me started on him.
They are jealous of what Pyro has wrought: The great furnaces of Pyroborea burn day and night, channeling the souls and life blood of my slaves into the creation of ever more powerful machines. Machines to make machines. Machines to fix machines. Machines to design machines. The slaves are only fuel, you see. Oh, I make no denials about its brutality, but you will come to appreciate brutality. Not the random mayhem of Charnel or the false justice of Persephone. No, the brutality of the crucible. Honest. Purifying. Inescapable.
There is an odor here, acrid and sulfurous. The medley of burning flesh and metal. How sweet is that aroma! Some call it pain and chaos, but it is progress plain and simple. I know you are not yet ready to appreciate it. I know it is frightening. You must burn away those parts of yourself that cannot love the smell of progress. Burn them utterly and savor the stench. All my followers do. It makes them strong. It makes them make me strong. If Pyro did not bring them progress, they would cast him aside and find a new god. That is as it should be.
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Sorcery
Fire. The words do not exist to describe the beauty and the power of fire. Pyro would invent words to do the job, but this is unnecessary. Fire is already the best form of its own expression. Why be a poet of words, when you can be a poet of fire? That is what Pyro says. And that is why you will want to be a sorcerer, an artist with the flame.
Fireball Simple. Direct. Generate a large ball of heat and molten rock, and send it at your foes. There’s nothing quite like a good Fireball.
Spell Summary – Ball of fire that causes significant damage.
Fireform Here is a bit of the wisdom of Pyro. Remember it well: The best defense is a dead opponent. Fireform protects you by burning anyone who dares
come near you. If they’re dead, they can’t attack, can they? Spell Summary – A shield of flame that burns any enemies it
touches. Deal damage by running through a group of enemies, setting them alight!
Rings of Fire Patience is an important element of the discipline of sorcery. You must realize that not every foe
can be slain outright with a single blast of flame. Encircle opponents such as these with Rings of Fire, which continuously burn health bit by bit. Only the hardiest of creatures have any hope of surviving this spell.
Spell Summary – Envelops an enemy in a pulsating ring of flame, slowly burning it to death. While enveloped in the rings of fire, the victim will be slowed considerably.
Dragonfire Dragons are celebrated in the lore and
legends of this world and many others. They are revered.
They are worshipped. They are feared. What rubbish! Dragons get hungry. Dragons get greedy. Dragons die. What you really want is the dragon’s fire. Who cares about the lizard? A good sorcerer can summon Dragonfire with no snake at all and use it to smite several foes, one after the other.
Spell Summary – A flying dragon of pure fire is summoned forth, that strikes a number of targets before burning itself out.
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SACRIFICE
Explosion The name "Explosion" is a bit of an understatement. It is more like a ring of half a dozen
explosions, each delivering copious amounts of incendiary and concussive damage. Even the stoutest of creatures are sent careening through the air. Try this spell against low-level creatures who have been guardianed to a Manalith. That’s good fun.
Spell Summary – Ignites a targeted area with a flurry of small explosions. Creatures that are flung off cliffs will be lost, along with their souls.
Fire Wall We find that as a sorcerer grows in power, the
cowardice of his enemy grows as well. A well-placed Wall
of Fire can be just what you need to discourage the enemy from running away. It is also very useful for dispersing a line of enemy attackers.
Spell Summary – A long wall of flame that burns any who attempt to run through.
Rain of Fire Rain of Fire is a storm of fireballs directly
out of the heavens. Persephone talks of being in tune
with nature, and Stratos speaks of mastery of the elements, but tell me: Don’t you think they would teach their wizards to rain down a shower of burning death if they could? If you’ve seen a Rain of Fire devastate a throng of enemy warriors just once, you know the answer to that.
Spell Summary – A shower of fiery meteors will rain havoc over a targeted area.
Pyro could describe even more powerful spells, but some powers are so mighty you must see them to believe them. Stick around and you will see them all. I promise you that. Whether you join me or not, one way or another, the day will come that you see the full destructive fury of Pyro unleashed. Take that however you like.
But enough of spells. To be a good sorcerer, you must also learn to employ the creatures of Pyroborea to wreak havoc for you.
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