Games PC BETRAYAL AT KRONDOR User Manual

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Contents

Introduction by Raymond E. Feist.........4

Designer Notes .....................................8

Game Play ...........................................10

Getting Around in the Game........11

Getting Started .............................11

The Main Menu ..................................12

Start New Game ...........................12

Restore Game ...............................12

Preferences....................................13

Contents.......................................14

Quit to DOS ................................14

The Travel Screen ................................15

Moving the Party..........................16

Action Buttons —

Follow Road .................................16

Cast (Spellcasting) ........................17

Encamp ........................................18

Map..............................................20

Bookmark ....................................22

Options ........................................22

Save Game ...................................22

Talking to Other Characters ................23

Ratings and Skills.................................24

Ratings .........................................26

Skills.............................................27

Fairy Chests .........................................32

Inventory .............................................34

Examining Items...........................34

Equipping Characters ...................35

Keys..............................................35

Bags ..............................................35

Picking Up Objects.......................36

Transfering Inventory Items .........36

Using an Inventory Item...............37

Opening Locks .............................38

Eating ...........................................38

A Guide to Inventory Items ..........39

Combat................................................42

Initiative Advantage ......................42

Controlling Your Characters.........43

Thrusting with a Sword or Staff....43

Swinging with a Sword or Staff.....43

Traps ............................................44

More Combat Options .................44

Spellcasting...................................45

On Death and Dying....................47

Combat Strategies.........................48

Magic...................................................52

A Guide to Spells..........................54

Locations .............................................56

Entering Houses and Buildings.....56

Entering Cities..............................56

Shops, Taverns and Inns...............56

Buying Items ................................57

Selling Items .................................57

Temples........................................58

Teleport........................................58

A Guide to Locations....................59

People & Creatures..............................64

The Riftwar Saga .................................75

Credits .................................................83

Technical Support................................84

Customer Services................................85

A Special Offer from Doubleday..........87

Introduction by Raymond E. Feist

love games. ◆ It’s the little kid in me who refuses to grow up, the very same child who plays “let’s pretend” all day in his office and gets paid for it. ◆ I write highly improbable stories about people who find themselves living in a very unusual landscape: a world

populated by fantastic creatures, ancient magics, and rogues and villains of all stripe.

I’ve wasted hours in front of computers playing games when I should have been working, like most every one of you. My first encounter with a computer game was the infamous Adventure. I played it on the university’s computer when I should have been typing runtime exercises for my class in programming. Rather than work, I’d sit up all night in the computer center facing the alien-green screen of a flickering TTY terminal trying to find whatever silly item I needed to get to the next room where I’d find

another silly item I needed somewhere else. And, like most of you, every once in a while I’d think, “Why can’t these games be more like a good fantasy adventure novel?”

But games are one thing and books are another, right?

Seemed that way for years. Computer role-playing was either a glorified arcade game — with names of fantasy characters hung onto a computer graphic with no other relationship to the literary work it was based upon — or it was basic fantasy role-playing run by a computer: kick down a door, kill something, get treasure, go up in power, get better at kicking down doors, killing things and getting treasure, so you go to the next level where the doors are harder to break down, the monsters are tougher, and the treasure’s harder to find. After a while, it’s all pretty much the same.

Then over the last few years some folks introduced problem-solving. Sure, you still had to kill a lot of ugly-buglies to get the Wand of Chaos; but once you got it, you could defeat the evil wizard Wartface and save the kingdom.

Still a pretty pale imitation of a good fantasy novel, right?

So then folks added more colorful graphics and pretty pictures and sound and animation… and it’s still pretty basic stuff. For the most part.

By their nature, books and games ask you to do two different things. A book asks you to fasten your seatbelt while the author takes you for a ride. A game asks you to participate and make decisions. Given the nature of computers today, no matter how fast they evolve there’s still a limit to the amount of information you can put in a computer on your desktop, while the author of a novel can take you anyplace and show you anything. I have an unlimited special effects budget when I work and I don’t have to fret over memory size or how fast a CPU the reader owns. The mind is still the best computer for dreaming up wonders!

So, when John Cutter and the folks at Dynamix said they wanted to “design a game that felt like one of your books,” I said, “Right,” with a knowing wink and a nod. But, being polite, I listened and we talked. And we talked some more. You’re now about to experience the result of those talks.

Games can never be like books, but this new game, Betrayal at Krondor, is as close as I’ve seen a game get. How’d they do it? Dynamix put a lot of thought into doing more than drawing nice characters on the screen and giving them names from my books as they jump over trolls and duck fire blasts from wizards. They have more here than a simple arcade game or a simple fantasy game. They’ve put time and energy into saying, “What if the player was going to act as a character in a new book, one that takes place after A Darkness at Sethanon?”

Dynamix didn’t just license a game, hang character names on generic icons and call it a Riftwar Game! They spent hours talking to me about all manner of things in a heartfelt attempt to “get it right.” The object of the exercise was always to be the first computer game that felt like it was part of a good adventure novel.

Which is what this game has evolved into being. You possess what will be, I hope, the first in a series of games that, I believe, reflect the feeling of my work or as much as is possible in a game. When you cross paths with Prince Arutha or Jimmy and Locklear, they act pretty much as I expect them to act and, when you have decided what to do next, they react to your choice pretty much as I would expect. When you travel across the map of the kingdom, it’s pretty much the same map as you find in the books.

I feel pride and satisfaction that I was the author Dynamix chose to include in this project, that my work was the model upon which these beautiful works of “computer fiction” were based. I thank everyone at Dynamix for thinking highly enough of my original words to want to do it, and for listening to me when I put in my two cents worth. For those of you familiar with my novels, I think you’re going to recognize the

landscape and for you who haven’t read any of my work, I hope you’ll enjoy this visit enough to want to read some of the work upon which it is based.

So quit reading this and go play the game! Enjoy your visit to Midkemia.

About The Author

Raymond E. Feist was born in Los Angeles in 1945 and has lived most of his adult life in Southern California. He entered higher education a bit later than is usual and graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 1977. Feist first made publishing history with his epic novel Magician, which was later split into two novels: Magician: Apprentice and

Magician: Master. These were then followed up with the best-selling novels: Silverthorn, A Darkness At Sethanon and Prince of the Blood, all featuring the twin fantasy worlds of

Midkemia and Kelewan. He also co-authored a series of books with Janny Wurts featuring the deadly Tsurani culture in Daughter of the Empire, Servant of the Empire and Mistress of the Empire. Feist now writes full time and resides in San Diego, California.

Designer Notes

hile I have been an enthusiastic fan of roleplaying games for a number of years, I was

literature. ◆ The novels I looked at seemed to be little more than romanticized versions of Tolkien’s classic Middle Earth tales. ◆ Then I picked up a copy of Magician: Apprentice, by Raymond E. Feist. ◆ Here was a book filled with marvelous images of incredible worlds, and a real emphasis on character development, political intrigues, and military tactics and strategies. ◆ It was obvious to me that there was material for a great game here — heck, a hundred great games!

I called Ray’s agent the next day.

Ray was fantastic to work with. He consulted with us tirelessly, answering questions, and offering suggestions and advice. Together, we were determined to create a new story, an interactive computer adventure that would feel like a new Riftwar book.

We decided the game should be an interactive story. Characters would be multidimensional and capable of stirring the player’s emotions. The story would be carefully plotted with lots of surprises, a good mix of humor and pathos, and abundant amounts of mystery and foreshadowing to keep the player intrigued.

never a big fan of the popular fantasy

Balancing play against plot is the most confounding job any game designer can face on a fantasy role-playing game. In Betrayal at Krondor, we have integrated our plot so that it provides ample gaming opportunities, while also giving the player a sense of time, place and purpose. This is achieved, by making an on-screen map available to the player at all times; and by creating short term goals — the nine chapters in the game — which give us a unique opportunity to tell a progressive story that still gives the player plenty of freedom to explore and adventure without being confined to a scripted plot. Next, we built a tactical combat game with detailed character interaction and an elaborate magical system to please our most demanding fantasy role playing gamers.

The end result is that we are proud to have created a new, fulfilling direction for fantasy role playing entertainment and we look forward to creating future installments in our Riftwar Legacy. We think you will look forward to playing them.

— John Cutter

Game Play

etrayal at Krondor is an entirely new story based on the best-selling Riftwar novels by Raymond E.

interactive fantasy story divided into chapters like a book.

◆ Gameplay within each of the nine unique chapters is

totally non-linear; you do have a goal that must be accomplished before you can see the rest of the story, but how that goal is accomplished is entirely up to you! ◆ There is no time limit, so if you want to roam around the world talking to characters, killing monsters and finding treasure — that’s fine. ◆ In fact, at the beginning of the game this strategy may even be necessary to help you and your party prepare for the increasingly fierce opponents you will face as you head south to Krondor.

Each chapter contains a number of unique characters and monsters. Even though you don’t necessarily need to face the dangers of the Dimwood forest in Chapter One, there’s nothing to prevent you from going there — and you will find a new set of monsters if you choose to return there in Chapter Two! It’s almost like having nine different games for the price of one! Like a book, the characters you are playing with (or reading about) will change, leave, and reappear based on the chapter.

Feist, and is the first serious attempt to present an

The purpose of this section is to give an overview of game commands and functions. You will find installation and system specific controls on the Betrayal at Krondor Quick Reference card.

Getting Around in the Game

Betrayal at Krondor is driven by a point and click interface. (For information on keyboard commands, refer to your Quick Reference card.)

In general, the left mouse button is the action button. Clicking on an object with the left mouse button is equivalent to using the item that was clicked on. The right button is the examine button, use it to read a description of the item you have selected.

NOTE: There are many places in the game where you can use the right mouse button to read on-line help text. If you are not sure what a particular item does, try clicking on it with the right button to display a brief description.

Getting Started

Take action, use an item.

Examine object or read text.

After the opening animation, the Main menu will appear. (Press either mouse button or the Spacebar to skip the opening animation or to skip to the next “page” in a dialogue scene.)

Spacebar

Skip opening animation or skip to next “page.”

The Main Menu

Start New Game

Go to the Travel screen to begin game.

Restore Game

Use to restore saved games. The current directory is always highlighted in the Directories scroll box. If you have created additional directories using the Save Game option, select one by clicking on it with the left mouse button. Any games saved in that directory will show up in the Games scroll box.

Preferences

Use the Preferences section to customize the game to best match your preferences or to compensate for very slow or very fast computers.

Preferences include:

Step Size:

Small — The slowest but smoothest movement mode. The party takes small steps. Medium — Default mode. The party takes medium steps. Large — The party takes large steps for fastest movement.

NOTE: Changing step size does not affect gameplay. It will still take the same amount of game time to reach a given destination.

Text Speed:

Wait — Text screens wait for key press before advancing. Medium — Default mode, for average readers. Fast — Text screens advance very quickly for fast readers.

Sound:

Toggle sound effects on or off.

Music:

Toggle music on or off.

Combat Music:

Toggle combat music on or off.

Introduction:

Toggle introduction on or off. (If you load the game with the introduction turned off, it will skip the introductory sequence and go straight to the Main menu.)

Turn Size:

Small — The smoothest mode. The party turns slowly. Medium — Default mode. The party makes medium-sized turns. Large — The party makes large turns for fastest rotation.

Detail:

Minimum — The fastest mode.

Trees: Minimum number, small size Horizon: No Textured mountains: No Floor & ceiling textures: No Object filtering: Maximum

Low —

Trees: Low number, medium size Horizon: Yes Textured mountains: No Floor & ceiling textures: No Object filtering: High

Contents

At the beginning and end of each chapter you will view a noninteractive cinematic scene to advance the story and suggest your party’s goal for the upcoming chapter. Use the Contents page to view these sequences as many times as you like. Only the chapters you have finished playing will be accessible, based on games saved in the current directory.

High —

Trees: High number, almost normal size Horizon: Yes Textured mountains: Yes Floor & ceiling textures: Yes Object filtering: Low

Maximum — The slowest mode.

Trees: Maximum number, normal size Horizon: Yes Textured mountains: Yes Floor & ceiling textures: Yes Object filtering: Minimum

Quit to DOS

Exit the current game and return to DOS.

The Travel Screen

rom the Travel screen

Spell Glyphs

you can control the

movement of your characters, open chests and doors, and examine items.

◆ You may also view

maps, initiate dialogues with new characters, shop for weapons and other items, or camp to rest and heal.

The Travel screen is divided into two parts. The upper section contains the main view window. The lower section contains six Action buttons and up to three crystal globes, each representing a different character in your party.

Main View Window

Crystal Globes

Action Buttons

Movement Icon

Moving the Party

Click on the Movement icon to move the party forward or back, or to turn to the left or right. Hold the mouse button down on the forward or back button and the party will move in that direction until the button is released. (For information on changing your step or turn size, see Preferences on pages 13-14.) A compass in the center of the Movement icon, rotates to indicate the direction the party is currently facing.

It is not always possible to walk between mountains or hills that are very close together — even though it may appear that your characters could slip through. Generally, when you bump into the base of a mountain, your party will automatically turn to one side. In “tight” spots you may find it easier to navigate using the overhead map (see page 20).

Action Buttons

The six Action buttons on the lower right side of the Travel screen are available to the player at appropriate times. They include: Follow Road, Cast, Encamp, Map, Bookmark, and Options.

Follow Road

You must be standing in the center of the road to choose this option. The Follow Road button is active when an illustration of a road receding into the distance appears on it. When selected, the image on the button will change to a road with an arrow, indicating that the party will now automatically follow the road.

When Follow Road is selected, the party will follow the main road wherever it leads if you hold down the forward button on the Movement icon. The only time the party will stop is if the road forks or comes to a “T.” In this case, use the Movement icon to turn in the direction you want to go, then continue as before. It doesn’t matter if your party is facing straight down the road or not, when you move forward, the party will

automatically turn to follow the path. Select the button again to toggle Follow Road off. NOTE: It is not possible to move off the road when this mode of movement has been activated.

Cast

Select the Cast button to display the Spellcasting screen. (This option will not be available unless there is a spellcaster in the party.) A list of available spells will appear on the right. Magic symbol buttons at the bottom of the screen can be selected to access groups of spells.

Within the circle on the left is one of up to four magical symbols, each neatly dividing the circular region into a number of smaller segments. Each segment can contain one unique glyph for each spell known by the caster. Moving the cursor over these glyphs will display a description of the spell in the parchment area on the right.

Spell Glyph

Gemstones

List of Available Spells in

Current Spell Group

Magician selected

Magic Symbol Buttons

To cast the currently displayed spell, press your left mouse button. If the spell can be cast within a range of Health/Stamina points, the gemstones around the circle will be highlighted. The number of highlighted stones represents the number of the magic user’s Health/Stamina points that will be used in order to cast the selected spell. To complete the spell, click on a gemstone. Spells that require higher Health/Stamina points are more powerful and effective, but carry the disadvantage of weakening the caster. (For more information on Health/Stamina, Ratings and Spellcasting see pages 26 and 45.)

To determine if there are spells active, look at the symbols at the top of the Travel screen.

When there is more than one magical character in a party, you can select a different magician by moving the cursor to the appropriate character globe and pressing the left mouse button. This is a non-combat option only.

Encamp

Use the Encamp option to rest your characters and to heal them when injured. Generally, the party should camp at night when it is difficult to travel without a torch or magic spell to light the way.

When you select Encamp, a gemstone-studded sun dial will appear in place of the main view window. The current time of day is indicated by a highlighted stone that shows the location of the sundial’s shadow. The upper half of the dial indicates day, the lower half indicates night.

To sleep for a specific amount of time, click the left mouse button on one of the stones around the outer ring to select the time you want to break camp. (Once the shadow begins to move you can select the Stop button at any time.)

Camp Until Healed

Camp until all of your injured or tired characters are at full strength, or until you hit the Stop button. You can monitor the Health/Stamina and Rations of each character in a message window to the right of the sundial. The Health/Stamina of injured characters will be highlighted in red.

Sleeping in the discomfort of the wilds will only restore a character to approximately 80 percent of his potential Health/Stamina rating. The rating will return to its normal black color when this figure is reached. The names of characters suffering from a debilitating condition (sick, drunk, plagued, poisoned, etc.) appear in red.

NOTE: The Encamp option is not possible when enemy opponents are nearby.

Highlighted Stone

Map

Selecting Map will display a map of the party’s immediate surroundings in the main view window. The buttons at the bottom of the screen will be replaced with the following options: Follow Road (not shown), Full Map, Zoom In, Zoom Out, Encamp and Main. The triangle in the center of the screen indicates the party’s current position.

Zoom In, Zoom Out

These buttons allow you to zoom in for a very close view of the map, or zoom out for a wide view of your surroundings.

NOTE: You can move your party in this view using the Movement icon. Traveling on the Map display is very fast (particularly when you are zoomed in close), but carries the disadvantage of not allowing you to see interesting and possibly valuable items beside the road, or dangerous adversaries in your path.

When you are in an underground dungeon, mine or sewer, the Map function works a little differently. In these situations, the entire map is initially dark, indicating the fact that the characters are entering a new and unfamiliar area. As the party wanders around, more of the map will be revealed. This option is very useful to show you places where you have and have not been should your party find itself lost underground.

Full

Map

Zoom

Out

Zoom

Encamp

Main

Select this button to display the Travel screen.

Full Map

This button switches to a full screen map showing all the major roads, cities and towns in the kingdom. (Cities are indicated by white points, smaller towns appear on the map as brown points.) A small flashing icon indicates the location and direction of the party.

Move the cursor over the points on the map to display the names of towns or cities.

Click on the Exit button in the lower right corner of the screen to return to the map of the party’s immediate surroundings.

Bookmark

Use Bookmark to quickly save a game in progress without leaving the Travel screen. Your game will be saved under the file name “Bookmark.” (This file is available in each directory. Every time the Bookmark option is selected, the previously saved Bookmark is overwritten.) The Bookmark icon will only be visible when a directory has been set up using Restore or Save Game.

Options

Left click on the Options button to start a new game, restore and save games, change game preferences, look at the Contents page, or quit to DOS. (For more information on Preferences see page 13.)

Save Game

To save games in progress, simply click on the requester box beneath the list of saved

games. You may then type in a file name using as many letters as will fit in the box. These games will be saved in the highlighted directory in the Directories scroll box.

To create a new directory, type in a directory name in the requester box. Directory names must be a valid DOS 8-character directory name without an extension.

To delete the currently highlighted directory in the scroll box, left click on the Remove Directory button and then click on Yes to confirm your choice. (This option will remove the directory and all games contained therein.)

To delete the currently highlighted game in the scroll box, left click on the Remove Game button (This option will remove the single highlighted game).

Talking to other characters

Some dialogues are initiated automatically. Others can be initiated by clicking on a character when the cursor changes to the word “TALK.” Following a short, noninteractive exchange, some characters will allow you to ask them questions about a variety of topics. Possible questions will appear as Keyword buttons at the bottom of the screen. Left click on any button to find out more about the selected subject.

NOTE: The more you know, the more your character can learn by asking questions. Asking questions using Keyword buttons will open up new keywords with that character or other characters in the game.

Ratings and Skills

o examine the skills and ratings of characters in your party, right click on the desired character’s

globe. ◆ This will display the ratings and skills of

each character.

Ratings will be displayed at the top of the screen. Skills are represented at the bottom of the screen using swords. A red bar graphically represents the numerical figure displayed just above it.

NOTE: Skills displayed in red indicate that skill level has changed since you last viewed it.

A picture of the currently selected character is displayed in the upper left corner of the screen. Left click on it to cycle through the other characters in your party, or right click on it to read background information about the character.

NOTE: A character can only improve skills by practicing them. To improve the rate at which a skill increases, select the sword handle that represents the desired skill. The fewer skills you select, the greater the increase. The more skills you select, the slower they will increase. Skills also improve slowly if none are selected.

Understanding Ratings and Skills

Each character in the game has four ratings — Health, Stamina, Strength, and Speed — and a number of skills including Lockpicking, Haggling and Stealth.

While it isn’t necessary to understand the way ratings and skills work in order to enjoy the game, you may be interested in learning more about how these calculations are made. Each rating and skill has a potential value and a current value. The current value is an indication of a character’s condition at that moment in time. In other words, if a character with a Stamina of 32 is hit with a sword, his potential Stamina will remain 32, but his current Stamina will drop. By resting after combat, your current skills and ratings will return to their potential values.

NOTE: You may find some useful items or potions that could cause a large, though temporary, increase in your current ratings or skills, when used in combat. The effect of these will generally wear off following the battle.

Improving Potential Ratings and Skills

Improving your characters’ potential ratings is very difficult. Ratings have no upper limit and changes will usually show up as gradual improvements over time.

Skills will vary from 0 - 100 and will increase the more they are used. For example, a character’s Lockpicking skill will go up a fractional amount each time he successfully picks a lock. (The closer this number gets to 100, the harder it will be to affect an increase in the skill.)

Conditions

A character may find himself suffering from any one of a number of debilitating conditions during the game (sick, drunk, poisoned, plagued, etc.). Names of characters suffering from a condition will be highlighted in red on the Encamp screen. Some conditions will be alleviated by prolonged rest, others may require the services of a temple. Sick characters can only be healed by resting for extended periods of time.

Ratings

Health/Stamina

Health and Stamina, though separate ratings, are added together to determine a character’s overall physical condition. When a character is injured, damage sustained is subtracted from his Stamina rating. When this has been depleted (i.e. Stamina = 0), his Health rating begins to go down. If a character’s Health rating drops all the way to 0, he is critically injured.

The ratio of the current Health rating to the potential Health rating affects the remainder of a character’s ratings and skills by a proportionate amount. If a character’s current Health is 50 percent of his potential Health, his other ratings and skills will automatically be 50 percent of their potential values.

EXAMPLE: A character with 35 Health points and 10 Stamina points is attacked during a combat round and receives 10 points of damage. His Stamina will drop down to 0, but his Health will remain at 35. The rest of his ratings and skills will also be unchanged. If the next stroke does an additional 10 points of damage, his Stamina will remain at 0, but his Health will drop by 10, from 35 to 25. His current Health is 71 percent of his potential Health. Therefore, his other current ratings and skills will drop to 71 percent of their potential values, as well. (His speed, for example, will drop from 5 to 4.)

While resting or after using a restorative, a character’s overall physical condition will begin to go up; his current Health will increase first until it reaches the potential Health, then his current Stamina will go up until it reaches the potential Stamina.

Strength

This rating represents a character’s physical strength and determines the amount of damage a character can inflict in hand-to-hand combat. It will decrease when the

character’s Health is reduced. Strength will improve, slowly over time, with each successful sword or staff strike. Current Strength can sometimes be modified by magical “strength boosters,” which can cause a temporary increase above the potential rating — but only for the duration of the combat in which they are used.

ncient Midkemian legends tell of quicker ways to

Speed

This rating is expressed in terms of “steps.” It indicates the number of steps a character may take during his turn in combat. A character’s potential Speed rating will not change over the course of the game.

Skills

Defense

This skill, expressed as a percentage, is part of the calculation to determine how many Health/Stamina points a character will lose due to a successful enemy strike in combat. Defense simulates a character dodging or ducking slightly so as not to receive the full effect of a blow. A high Defense skill will also cause enemy opponents to miss more often.

Crossbow Accuracy

This skill indicates how accurate a character would be if he fired at an enemy two steps away. If the skill is 45 percent, your character will have a 45 percent chance of striking an opponent 2 steps away. (These figures assume you are firing a “normal” quarrel. You may find some quarrels that perform with better accuracy.) Remember accuracy is also affected by distance. The further a character is from his opponent, the less chance he will have to hit him.

increase potential Strength.

Melee Accuracy

The accuracy of your characters when fighting with a sword or staff is based on this skill. The weight and class of sword being used also affect the character’s chance of hitting an opponent.

Casting Accuracy

This skill is only used for magical spells that require line-of-sight targeting and are, therefore, affected by distance.

Assessment

This combat skill affects how much information can be gathered by a character when using the Assess option during combat.

A character can learn a number of things by taking a moment to “size up” his opponent. By studying an opponent’s movements, he might determine that a particular foe is very quick or very slow. He might notice a limp or see him favoring one side of his body over the other due to an injury. Some of the things you will learn in this way will be more valuable than others; the higher the Assessment skill is, the more information will be displayed. The information is displayed through an opponent’s ratings.

Weaponcraft

The Weaponcraft skill is employed whenever you use a whetstone to repair a damaged sword. The figure you will see by a sword when it is in Inventory, indicates its condition. This number will go down slightly each time the sword is used in combat.

When you repair a sword (by dragging the whetstone over it and releasing), the sword’s condition will improve — assuming it has not recently been repaired. The higher the character’s Weaponcraft skill, the more the condition will improve.

It is important to check your sword often as the blade will gradually suffer damage until it is essentially a worthless piece of metal. It will last much longer if you keep it in good repair with a whetstone.

Armorcraft

The Armorcraft skill is employed whenever you use an armorer’s hammer to repair a damaged suit of armor. Beside each suit you will notice a percentage which indicates the condition of the armor (100 percent would indicate perfect, undamaged armor). The percentage will go down slightly each time a character is hit.

When you repair a piece of armor (by dragging the armorer’s hammer over it and releasing), the armor’s condition will improve — assuming it has not recently been repaired. The amount that it improves will depend on the Armorcraft skill of the person who is repairing it. Armor will regain a percentage (equal to the character’s Armorcraft skill) of the condition that has been lost.

Your armor will be much more effective if you keep it in good repair using an armorer’s hammer.

Barding

Barding is a skill that can be used in taverns to gain gold. If your skills are good enough (or the patrons are drunk enough), you will be paid for your efforts. The amount of gold you receive and the Barding skill level required to “loosen their coin purses” will vary greatly from tavern to tavern. In general, there is more gold to be had in larger city taverns. However, these patrons also tend to be more discerning and will throw you out if your music is not to their liking.

To bard, move the cursor up to the tavern interior and find the lute. As you move the cursor over it, it will change to the word “BARD.” Press the left button to complete the action.

Practice Barding

If you can find a practice lute, you can practice your skills by going to a character’s inventory and selecting it. Then click on the Use button. Repeated practice will cause that character’s Barding skill to increase.

Haggling

Haggling is an important means of lowering the price of items for sale. You will notice that prices vary, sometimes dramatically, from shop to shop. This is based on the whims of the shopkeeper, who will attempt to make as much profit as possible. Generally, you will find better prices in the larger cities and towns.

When the party enters a shop, each item for sale will be displayed with a price. When you pick up an item using the left button, and drag it to one of the character globes at the bottom of the screen, a menu will appear with the following choices:

Accept — Left click on the Accept button to buy the item at the advertised price.

Decline — Return to the shop view. Haggle — Not all shopkeepers will haggle, but if you select this

button you can attempt to get the price of the item reduced by haggling with the shopkeeper. Your chance of success will be based on the Haggle skill of the character attempting to purchase the item. Be careful. If the attempt is unsuccessful, the shopkeeper may get angry and refuse to sell you the item at all.

Lockpicking

This skill indicates a character’s ability to pick locks, though it is also used to disarm traps. When confronted with a locked chest or door, the Lock screen will appear. (For information on the mechanics of picking locks, see page 38.)

Scouting

The Scouting skill allows the character to detect enemy ambushes as the party is moving around in the world. The party member with the highest Scouting skill is automatically chosen as the party’s scout. If an ambush situation is detected, a warning message will appear. At this point you have two choices. You can continue and risk running into an ambush, or try to go back or “around” the situation.

Stealth

This skill is used when one of the characters in your party has detected a potential ambush situation with his Scouting skill. The chance of successfully sneaking past is directly related to the Stealth rating of the worst party member.

It is also used when you select an opponent in an attempt to gain an initiative advantage. Once again, the chance of successfully “sneaking up” on an enemy and catching them off guard is directly related to the Stealth of the worst party member. (See Initiative Advantage page 42 for more information.)

Fairy Chests

“A fairy chest in ears of corn, Drew me from my way, But when I spied its lock I cried For answer I would pay...”

— The Fuller’s Jig

In the Kingdom of the Isles, a farmer will occasionally stumble across a strange locked chest in his fields. Folk myth contends that these are “fairy chests” containing items lost by individuals who have somehow displeased Banath. They are actually boxes which traveling Moredhel use to pass messages back and forth. (Most kingdom couriers refuse to travel in the lawless Northlands and will not venture past Inclindel Pass or Cutter’s Gap.) In peace time, these locked chests contain only messages and harmless scribblings between mercenaries. When hostilities flare within the Kingdom, however, they are often used as secret highways to pass weapons, communiqués, poisons and other items of intrigue.

Moredhel chests possess “wordlocks,” a series of small cylinders onto which have been inscribed letters of the Moredhel alphabet. Once the letters on the cylinders are rotated to form a pre-designated word (this is accomplished by moving the mouse up to a letter and clicking on it with the left mouse button), the catches on the box are automatically sprung. Most of these chests also have a steel plate (inscribed in Moredhel) affixed to them with a puzzlelike rhyme so that forgetful couriers can still make their appointed rounds. A typical Moredhel clue plate might read:

Prince Arutha, from his lofty perch, Will find our troops without a search. His men will fall, his castle too, And then what will Prince Arutha do?

Answer: Die.

While most citizens dismiss the existence of these boxes as hearsay, there are a few scattered scholars who have been known to point travelers to sites where these boxes can be found. To read clue plates, someone in your party must be able to read Moredhel.

Inventory

o look at the items a character is carrying, select the character’s globe with the left mouse button. ◆

The items that character is carrying will appear on the right side of the screen. ◆ Items a character is equipped with will appear on the left.

Examining Items

Right click on an Inventory item to get a description of it. For more detailed information about weapons or armor, select the More Info button on the left side of the screen. The information available will include the following:

Base Dmg — Base damage for swords is displayed for swinging and thrusting. This figure takes into account a character’s Strength rating. (Crossbow damage is calculated based on the damage of the quarrel +/- the damage of the crossbow.) Accuracy — Each melee weapon modifies the Melee Accuracy skill for both swinging and thrusting. (Crossbow accuracy is modified by the crossbow value +/the quarrel value.) Armor Mod — Represents the percentage of the base damage being deflected by the particular armor type. Active Mods — Combat modifiers that are currently affecting the weapon. (These are not represented in the base damage display.) Resistances — Resistances that may be in effect for a particular piece of armor. (Armor can be made resistant against any of the active Mods. For example, substances can be found or bought that will make your armor resistant to Flame damage.)

Bless Type — If an item is blessed, the type of blessing will be displayed here. Racial Mod — Weapons and armor designed for a particular race will not be quite

as effective when used by a member of a different race. Indicates the race an item was designed for.

Equipping Characters

If a character is not equipped with a crossbow or a suit of armor, you will see an empty frame. To equip a character with these items, pick up the item by moving the cursor over it and clicking and holding the left mouse button. Then drag the item over to the equipment area on the left side of the screen and release the button. The empty frame will disappear and the character will be equipped.

NOTE: Fighters must have a sword and magic users must have a staff at all times. Also, it is possible to trade or share items by dragging them down to an appropriate character’s globe.

Keys

To look at the party’s keys, select the key ring icon at the bottom of the screen. To get a description of each key, click on it with the right mouse button. The number beside each key shows how many of that key the party is carrying.

Like gold and silver, keys are automatically collected and pooled and don’t take up room in anyone’s Inventory. For this reason, they cannot be dropped. They can, however, break when used in the wrong lock.

Bags

Should you want to lighten your load of items, you can drop items into a bag by holding down the left mouse button over an item. The key ring will then turn into a bag. Drag the selected item down to the bag icon, and release the button. The bag will then be dropped and the party can return for it later. The bag icon will replace the key ring as soon as an item is selected.

NOTE: If you hope to retrieve items you have dropped in a bag, be very careful where you drop it. A bag dropped in the middle of an open field or near a town will be easily spotted and will probably be empty when you return. If you want to remove something valuable from your Inventory, the safest hiding place is inside a locked box or chest. You will find these as you explore. (For more information on locked boxes and chests, see pages 32, 38.)

Picking Up Objects

The opportunities to add items to your Inventory are countless. You can buy items in shops, receive items from other characters and pick things up along the way. Some objects in the world — dead bodies, holes in the ground, and bags, for example — will instantly reveal their contents when you click on them with the left mouse button. Boxes and chests may also be opened this way, though you will find that many of these items are locked. (See pages 32, 38.)

When the Inventory screen appears for a particular object, you will see an icon appear in the lower right portion of the screen. It will be highlighted, indicating that you are currently looking at the Inventory for that object. To give an item to a player, click on it with the left mouse button, hold the button down, then drag it to one of the character globes at the bottom of the screen. When you release the button, the item will disappear into the selected character’s Inventory.

Transfering Inventory Items

View items in your Inventory, switch weapons, or transfer an item to another character by clicking on the desired character globe with the left mouse button. You must be standing beside a character you wish to switch or transfer items with.

NOTE: Viewing inventory uses one combat turn, whether an object is actually used or not.

When transfering a number of items, the Transfer menu will appear. If you want to give another party member only a portion of a group of selected items, left click on the greater than/less than symbols to change the number of items designated on the top button of the menu. Click on the share with party button to let the computer divide the selected items between all party members.

Using an Inventory Item

To use an item in a character’s Inventory, left click on the item and then on the Use button. You may also double click on an item to use it. Some items must be combined with others. For example, you can use a whetstone to sharpen a sword blade by picking it up, dragging it over the blade, and releasing it.

he Scent of Sarig spell can help

magicians detect booby-trapped boxes and chests. ◆ If you opt to disarm such an item, the

Opening Locks

When the party is confronted with a locked door or chest, the Lock screen will appear. A lock will be visible on the left side of the screen, and the party’s keys and any picklocks they have collected will be pooled together and displayed on the right. The party member with the highest lockpicking skill will automatically be highlighted at the bottom of the screen. To choose a different character, left click on the desired globe. Right click on the lock or keys to get a description of each. This information could help you make a better choice. Be careful, if you attempt to use the wrong key to open a lock, it may break.

To attempt to open the lock, select a key or picklock with the left button, drag it over to the lock, and release it. A character’s Lockpicking skill is a factor when attempting to pick a lock. Like the keys, lock picks can break, especially when a character has a low

Lockpicking skill and is working on an especially difficult lock.

Eating

Each character in the game will automatically consume one ration per day. (They will disappear from his Inventory at the end of the day.) Each ration represents one day of food, so a character with seven rations will be fine for one week before he starts to lose Health/Stamina points due to hunger.

character with the best Lockpicking skill will automatically be chosen to make the attempt.

NOTE: If you transfer a packet of rations to a starving character it will be eaten immediately, rather than at the end of the day.

A Guide to Inventory Items

Following are a few of the unusual but useful items you will encounter on your journey. Items may be bought, found or given to you. Be on the lookout for stray objects as you travel. Even the most insignificant seeming items can prove to be essential later in your travels. (See page 34 for information on using items.)

Broadsword

A broad-bladed sword meant for hacking, but not particularly effective for lunging. Due to its weight, it is a damaging but none too accurate weapon.

Medium Crossbow

The standard issue weapon for Midkemian archers. It is fairly accurate and powerful.

Bowstring

This kind of string can be used on light or medium crossbows when the bowstrings break. It cannot be used on the Heavy Crossbow. Drop the bowstring on the crossbow to use.

Silverthorn

Silverthorn is easily recognizable due to its distinctive silver thorns on a rose-like stem and its corpulent red berries. It is a deadly but detectable general purpose poison and is especially well suited for treating weapons. Each berry may be used for one application.

Naphtha

Naphtha is highly flammable. Applied to a sword blade it can cause extensive flame damage to an opponent.

t is called a Bessy

“

Mauler. ◆ Why it is

named after Bessy is not known, but it is indeed a mauler.”

A Darkness At Sethanon

— Baru

Lightning Staff

The Lightning Staff is an ancient magical tool. With this item, magic users can call forth a bolt of lightning, without losing Health/Stamina Points.

Glory Hand

The Glory Hand is the shriveled hand cut from a thief who was hung at midnight. When used in conjunction with the Nightfingers spell, it allows the user to magically steal almost any item from a combat opponent, then it crumbles to dust.

Infinity Pool

The Infinity Pool is an ancient artifact used by magicians to magnify the effects of any combat spells that they cast. At first glance, it seems like an ordinary pendant — brown leather cord, brass catches, a small glass globe — but close inspection of the interior reveals thousands of scarlet points of light.

Bessy Mauler

The heaviest of the Midkemian crossbows, it is also the strongest available, able to put a dent in even the toughest armors. The power of the Bessy Mauler brings with it some sacrifice in accuracy.

Elven Quarrel

This elven crossbow load has a special accuracy modifier that makes it enormously accurate and long-ranged. Considered one of the best loads to have with a crossbow of any make, the Elven Quarrel is particularly effective if used with an Elven Crossbow.

Moredhel Lamprey

The Lamprey is a favorite weapon of Moredhel raiders. The blade edge is composed of a series of mini-blades useful for both sawing and slicing.

Torch

A branch or club wrapped with oil-soaked rags. Torches may be used indoors or outside.

Galon Griefmaker

This elven blade is an effective compromise between weight and accuracy. Highly accurate, it is weighted in such a way that it can be used to either hack or to stab, but is especially effective when swung. Like the Moredhel Lamprey that followed it, the Griefmaker has small teeth for sawing.

Herbal Pack

Usually containing the standard healer’s materials of alum and healer’s alcohol, herbal packs can help prevent deadly infections. A healing herbal pack can be used to double the rate at which a party member heals.

Weedwalkers

Worn inside the shoes, these magical green slippers greatly increase your stealth, improving your odds of creeping by enemies without being detected.

Restoratives

These small vials of green liquid are helpful for restoring Health/Stamina to injured or ill party members.

Picklocks

Complex sets of precisely crafted hooks, files, clips, pins and picks, good picklocks are usually fashioned from sterling silver. They can be used to open nearly every lock, depending on the user’s skill.

Whetstone

Use in conjunction with the Weaponcraft skill to maintain and repair chipped or broken blades.

Armorer’s Hammer

Similar to a ball-peen hammer, this hammer is needed by anyone who wishes to repair armor with their Armorcraft skill.

Rations

This is the food that each party member carries. Rations seem to travel best when wrapped in small packages with brown paper and tied with string. Food might include salted sweetmeats, hard rolls, sliced apples or strawberry tarts to last from one to fourteen days.

Combat

ombat can be initiated in a variety of ways. ◆ Most will occur while you are exploring, as your

assassins. ◆ Digging up a grave can also result in a combat situation, as deadly spirits known to Midkemians as “shades” will often attack the party.

party attempts to fend off attacking monsters and

Initiative Advantage

When you first spot an opponent, you can click on him/her with the left button to try to gain an initiative advantage. (The odds of this happening are based on your party member with the worst Stealth rating.) Once you’ve selected an opponent, you must immediately rush forward and attack to maintain an advantage. (It is possible for enemies to ambush your party, in which case they have the initiative advantage.)

If no one has an initiative advantage, the order of who goes first when the combat begins is based on Speed ratings. (This rating is also used to determine how far each of your characters can move per turn.) Imagine the combat area as a grid. (You can, in fact, press the “G” key on the keyboard to display a grid on the combat area. Press “G” again to turn it off.) Each “square” on this grid represents one step. A character with a speed rating of “5” can move five steps in one turn.

Controlling Your Characters

Combat is turn-based, so there is no time limit for selecting a character action. Since only one character can be controlled at a time, only one character globe will be displayed at the bottom of the screen. That character will also have a square-shaped highlight around his feet in the combat window.

To move the highlighted character to a new position, move the cursor into the combat view and move it until you see a green highlight square. This indicates a position the character can move to, i.e. a spot inside his movement range that isn’t already occupied by another character. Press the left button to move the highlighted character to that spot.

Thrusting with a Sword or Staff

You can only thrust at an opponent who is within range. If your character has enough Speed to reach the enemy character in one combat turn, he is in range. When you position the movement cursor under your opponent, the cursor will turn yellow. The information in the box next to your character’s globe will tell you his chances of hitting his opponent and how much base damage would be caused by a successful strike. Click the left mouse button to complete the action.

Highlight

Combat Option Buttons

Swinging with a Sword or Staff

Swinging a sword or staff requires a great degree of concentration and balance. You must be “in position” before this option will be available. This means your character must be lined up vertically or horizontally with his opponent while standing no more than one step away. Swinging will tire characters, lowering their Stamina; however, Health will not be affected.

To swing, target your opponent as you would for a Thrust, but click the right button. A message box will show the Accuracy and Damage values for both swinging and thrusting to help you decide on the best option.

Traps

During your travels you will undoubtedly run across magical traps left by devious enemies of the Kingdom. Keep in mind that spellweavers always design such traps with a “way out” to avoid accidentally trapping their own. Though little is known of these devices, scholars tell of dangerous crystals and “lines that must not be broken.” Floating “keys,” both crystal and solid, can somehow affect an escape.

To escape a trap it is often only necessary for one character to move “through” or “past” it. Be careful when moving your characters, they will only move in straight lines and when forced to go “around” an object or character, may select the wrong direction and move into harm’s way. Press the “G” key to turn on the “grid.” This will make escape easier.

NOTE: After one character has been moved, press th “R” key to “cycle through” the other characters (this works the same as left clicking on the character’s position to “rest” him) until you get back to the character you are controlling.

More Combat Options

The following options can be selected at the bottom of the Combat screen:

Fire Crossbow

You must have a crossbow and quarrels and be at least one step away from the nearest opponent to choose this option. When it is available, left click on the Quarrel icon. The last quarrel type fired is automatically selected. To choose a different load left click on

the button displaying the desired quarrel type. There are more quarrel types than there are buttons, click on the More button until you see the load you want.

Target an enemy by moving the cursor to the opponent’s feet. When the highlight appears at his feet you will see an information box displaying the Accuracy and base damage you can expect from the selected quarrel type. Left click to shoot.

NOTE: You cannot target opponents unless you have them in your line of sight. If another character or object is between an archer and his opponent, that opponent cannot be targeted.

Spellcasting

You must be standing at least one step away from the nearest opponent. The combat window will be replaced by a marble colored background on which you will see a circle studded with 30 small gemstones. A list of available spells will appear on the right. Magic symbols will appear on the buttons at the bottom of the screen, select these to access different spells. (Also see pages 17 and 52.)

When a spell is selected, the combat view will return and you may select a target by moving the cursor to an appropriate character or opponent. Left click to cast the spell. To cancel a spell, click on the Cast button, then choose Exit.

◆ Some spells will require that your target be within your line of sight (such as when

firing a crossbow). Such spells will indicate this in a message box when you move the cursor over their magic glyph.

◆ To see which spells a particular magician knows, select him with the right mouse

button, then click on the Spells button to bring up a list of all his known spells.

◆ Some spells will require special items. For example, Nightfingers can only be cast if

the magician has a Glory Hand in his Inventory.

Retreat

Selecting this option will not always be successful. In some combat situations, such as when caught in some magic traps, retreat is not possible. Also, if one or more of your party members go down in combat, the others will refuse to leave. If a retreat attempt is successful, the party will automatically fall back and regroup some distance away from where the encounter took place.

Try not to let enemy opponents retreat during combat. This is especially important early in the game, as retrieving items from the inventories of fallen foes is a crucial means of finding valuable items that can be used or sold in nearby shops.

NOTE: Regardless of its success, an attempted retreat counts as one combat turn.

Defend

This option causes a character to assume a defensive posture, increasing the chance that he will successfully parry an incoming sword strike for one combat turn.

Assess Opponents

Each character in the party has an Assessment skill, that can be used during combat to “size up” enemy opponents. To use this option, left click on the Assess button and then on an opponent in the combat window. Assess Opponents uses one combat turn. The amount of information you receive is proportionate to the Assessment skill of the character.

Rest During Combat

Choose this option to allow a character to regain lost Health/Stamina points.

NOTE: Resting during combat increases the likelihood of your character being injured if he is attacked.

Auto-Combat

Left click on the Auto-Combat button to allow characters to begin fighting on their own, without your direction. This option is convenient in situations where victory is assured. To interrupt this mode and regain control of combat, left click on the Exit button at the bottom of the screen.

NOTE: Auto-Combat is unavailable when the party is caught in a magic trap.

On Death and Dying

Any characters who fall during combat can still be revived by the surviving party members following combat. Revived characters will be extremely weak and will recover much more slowly than from a normal injury. To help such characters recover, go to the nearest temple and pay for a Cure. If all of your characters go down, the game will end and you will be taken back to the Options page.

Combat Strategies

Swinging or Thrusting

When you attack an opponent during combat, several factors must be taken into consideration. First, the Accuracy of the attack, which you will see in the message window at the bottom of the screen once an opponent has been targeted. Accuracy is determined by the character’s current Melee Accuracy skill, which is then modified by the overall balance of the weapon being used.

Some swords are better suited to a swinging attack, others may be better balanced for thrusting. Also to be considered are:

◆ The current condition of the character (injuries and sickness will cause a loss in all

general coordination skills).

◆ The condition of the weapon (weapons are displayed with the percentage of their

effectiveness).

◆ The class of the weapon being used (a human fighter will not be quite as effective

using a Moredhel sword, just as a Moredhel would be less effective using a Kingdom blade).

◆ If the weapon has been blessed by the gods of a local temple.

To learn more about the strengths and weaknesses of weapons in your Inventory, right click on them.

The base damage of a melee attack is determined by the Strength rating of the character and the Damage rating of the weapon being used. Like the Accuracy figure described above, the overall condition of the character and the weapon, the class of the weapon etc., must also be considered.

You will find objects that can help increase the damage caused by your weapons. For example, a fiery substance called naphtha, though rare, can be used to create a fire-edged blade, significantly increasing the damage it will do. (To use, drag the naphtha over to your blade and release it.)

The following visual effects will be created when characters are hit with “enhanced” weapons:

Sword Icon Target Effect

Poisoned green drop Flash green Flaming flame Red sparks Frosted Blade snowflake Sparkle blue Clerical Enhancement 1 cross Glow white Clerical Enhancement 2 cross Glow blue

NOTE: Objects and potions exist that will make your armor resistant to many of these special enhancements.

Please note that the damage information displayed at the bottom of the screen when you target an opponent represents base damage. This figure will be reduced by the defensive skill and armor of your opponent.

In general, successfully striking an enemy with a swinging attack will do more damage than a quick, jabbing thrust.

STRATEGY TIP: The enemy cannot swing their weapons unless they are close enough to do so. Keep in mind that if you move a character into position, or choose a thrusting attack (your character will automatically move into position), you will be open to a swing maneuver on the opponent’s next turn. If possible, try to stay at least a step away and let your opponent come to you.

Crossbow Strategy

Each fighter in the game has a Crossbow Accuracy skill which, in conjunction with the distance the character is from his opponent, will determine the likelihood of a successful strike. Other things affect this accuracy as well, such as the condition of the character, (a drunk character, for example, will have a significantly harder time using a crossbow) the condition of the crossbow, and the accuracy of the load (elven-fletched quarrels fly truer).

Be extremely careful when targeting enemy opponents. Errant crossbow shots are very unpredictable, and could easily strike a character in your party who is nearby.

The amount of damage a character can inflict with his crossbow is based on the crossbow type and condition and the amount of damage associated with the type of quarrel loaded.

STRATEGY TIP: You can view accuracy and damage information for each type of quarrel you possess by choosing a load and targeting an enemy. Information about your current load will appear in the message window. Repeat the process to view information on other loads. This should help you choose the best load for the current combat situation.

Defense Strategy

Choose this combat option when you feel the enemy is about to attack. The effect is to raise a character’s Defense percentage, protecting the

character from losing too many HealthStamina points. Another advantage of this option is that successfully parrying a blow will sometimes leave an opponent open for a melee attack on your next turn. The effectiveness of this attack will be slightly greater than normal.

Enemy Intelligence

With time, you will recognize many differences in enemy intelligence and motivation. For example, you will find that some of your opponents will attack recklessly, while others will be more cautious, stopping to rest before stepping back into the fray. A group of Moredhel who happen across your characters while on a routine patrol will be much more likely to retreat, once injured, than a Moredhel party assigned to protect a strategic pass through the mountains.

STRATEGY TIP: If you can determine which character in the enemy party is the leader, go after him first. If he is killed or chased away, the rest of his party will be much more likely to retreat.

Some enemy parties will include a leader, archers, and possibly a spellcaster or two. Spellcasters, in addition to casting offensive spells, are particularly dangerous because they can also use their powers to heal injured comrades.

Almost every opponent you will come across has a weakness of some kind. Find this weakness and exploit it. Many opponents will also be resistant to certain things. A giant spider, for example, will have a natural resistance to some poisons as they are substances manufactured by its own body.

Poison

Poison will affect characters much more severely during combat than when they are merely traveling.

“...you must stay to the off-hand side. ◆ With the big swords, your opponent gets one swing, then you’ve got an opening —”

— Prince Arutha

Magician: The Author’s Preferred Edition

Magic

wo kinds of magic exist on Midkemia: magic of the Greater Path and magic of the Lesser Path. ◆

practitioners of the magic arts. ◆ Long before the Riftwar with Kelewan, when the Greater Path magic was brought to Midkemia, the forerunners of the Lesser Path began their explorations into the nature of the universe, especially into the nature of magic. ◆ These early magicians became tribal shaman, medicine men, and witches and warlocks.

As civilization rose, so did the estate of the Lesser Path, though never as quickly nor as high. Old superstitions die hard and the Lesser Path magicians became objects for distrust, fear and even active persecution. As a result, most modern Lesser Path magicians tend to be solitary creatures, rarely gathering in large social groups. Even those that live in cities tend to have few friends or acquaintances. The exception is at the Academy Of Magicians, a place where many who walk the Lesser Path have found fellowship in the brotherhood of magicians.

Lesser Path magicians are the original human

In general, the Lesser Path magician is seen as a person who is involved in the “craft” of magic while the Greater Path is seen as the path of scholars. This is partially incorrect, as those who follow the Lesser Path possess a great deal of knowledge about the nature of magic. But it is generally true that Lesser Path is a talent, while the Greater Path is associated with scholarship. Lesser Path magicians approach their education in a much more ritualistic manner than do those of the Greater Path.

At one time it was believed that Greater Path and Lesser Path powers could not be combined; but Pug, the most powerful magician in Midkemia, proved that it was possible to use the Lesser Path skills he had learned as a young magician on Midkemia, and the Greater Path skills he learned as an adult. Pug now teaches both Lesser and Greater Path magic at his academy at Stardock.

(For information on Spellcasting, see pages 17 and 45.)

“

nyone who employs magic must have a

focus for the power he uses. ◆ Priests have power to focus their magic through prayer; their

A Guide to Spells

The wilds of Midkemia are filled with dangerous and menacing foes. Sometimes your only defense is powerful magic. You can learn spells from other characters in the game or from scrolls that you buy or find. To learn a spell from a scroll, you must click on it with the left mouse button, then click on the Use button. The scroll will disappear. Following are some of the spells you may find at your disposal.

incantations are a form of prayer. ◆ Magicians use their bodies, or devices, or books and scrolls.”

— Master Magician Pug

Magician: The Author’s Preferred Edition

Flamecast

Creating a deadly ball of flame that travels from the caster to the enemy, the Flamecast spell is used only in combat. It causes damage to anyone within two steps of the target, if hit.

Skyfire

The Skyfire spell can only be cast on a character who has some sort of metal on his person: metal armor, a metal helmet, a metal sword, etc. It is delivered much like Flamecast, though it takes the form of a lightning bolt channeled from above.

Hocho’s Haven

Hocho’s Haven creates a surrounding wall of energy that will protect the target from receiving damage from any and all attacks. The wall disappears when its limit is exceeded.

Gift of Sung

Gift of Sung (Sung is the god of healing) can be cast on any party member except the caster. It facilitates a one to one health transference from the magic user to the recipient. The recipient can’t exceed his health rating.

Grief of a Thousand Nights

Effective only on sentient creatures, this spell is used to immobilize single enemy targets. When cast on an enemy, the creature suddenly falls into a deep melancholy, lost in recollections of past sorrows. The victim will remain in place until the spell is overcome or wears off.

River Song

This spell summons a Rusalki who fights for the player. After combat she returns to her element.

The Unfortunate Flux

When cast on an enemy, the victim begins to sweat an amber-colored liquid. Soon, elemental sprites appear and begin to consume the liquid and the victim along with it.

Stardusk

This spell allows the party to “see” in the darkness of night. It can only be used outside. Once cast, the scene appears as though it is daytime.

Invitation

Invitation is a strategic spell that draws the enemy into close range for combat. It is especially effective against enemy archers or spellcasters as they may be drawn too close to cast or shoot.

Final Rest

This spell must be cast on a dead Nighthawk or Black Slayer. This is a final blessing from Lims-Kragma that allows a humanoid creature to return to the Drawer of Nets. If it is not cast, and there are other Black Slayers in the immediate area, dead Nighthawks will become Black Slayers.

“

agic, by its nature, is

unstable. ◆ Occasionally a spell will become warped — why, we don’t know — to such a degree, it… tears at the very fabric of the world. ◆ For a brief time a rift occurs, and a passage is formed, going… somewhere.”

— Kulgan

Magician: The Author’s Preferred Edition

Locations

Entering Houses and Buildings

To attempt entry, click on a house or building with the left mouse button.

Entering Cities

Access larger cities on the map by approaching them. When the party gets close enough, a message will appear asking whether you want to actually enter it or not.

Should you choose to enter, a map view will be displayed as the party automatically follows the nearest road into the city. Upon arrival, the town will be displayed in the main view window. As you move the cursor over the town, you will see it change, indicating actions you can take and places you can go. For example, if you move the cursor over a particular building and the word “TAVERN” appears on the screen, you can left click to enter the tavern.The cursor might also change to a magnifying glass, which indicates things that can be examined more carefully by clicking with the left button.

Shops, Taverns and Inns

You can enter most shops, taverns and inns by left clicking on them. When you move the cursor over a shop’s interior, it may change to the words, “BUY/SELL.” Clicking the left button will cause the shop’s inventory to appear. To exit from this screen, move the cursor down to the shop description. When the cursor changes to the word “EXIT,” press the left button. Some shops have “Repair” areas that may be clicked on. In such shops, the cursor will change to “REPAIR,” giving you the option of repairing weapons or armor for a price.

Buying Items

When the inventory for a shop is displayed, the shop icon in the lower right corner of the screen will be highlighted, indicating that you are looking at the inventory for the shop. Purchase items by dragging them down to one of the character globes at the bottom of the screen. You will then have the option to purchase the item for the advertised price, exit without buying the item, or Haggle with the shopkeeper in an attempt to lower the price. (For more on how to Haggle, see page 30.)

Gold sovereigns and silver royals are the primary methods of payment in Midkemia. Ten silver coins are roughly equivalent to one gold coin.

Selling Items

Sell an item by clicking on a character globe to view that character’s inventory. Then, drag an object down to the shop icon in the lower right corner. A message will appear telling you how much the shopkeeper will offer for the item. You can sell the item for that price or exit without selling anything. Shopkeepers will offer less for damaged items. It may be useful to make a note of these locations. To return to the shop inventory where you can buy items, select the shop icon.

ancy shells and gemstones can be

traded and will generally bring a good price in shops that deal in such items.

Temples

From here you will be able to teleport to other locations on the map, cure ailing characters, bless items in your inventory or speak with the priestesses or priests of the temple.

Teleport

Most of the temples in the game will have a special pattern on one wall. Upon entering a temple, the party will automatically make note of this special pattern to teleport back to the current temple from some other temple.

To teleport, move the cursor to the pattern, when the cursor changes to the word “Teleport” press the left mouse button. You will see the game map indicating your current location. If there are temples available for

you to teleport to, they will be marked. As you move the cursor over other temples, the menu in the upper left corner will tell you its name and how much it will cost you to teleport there. Click the left mouse button to complete the operation.

Enter

This option allows you to enter the cloisters where you will have the following options:

Talk — Talk to the priests or priestesses of a temple. Bless — Bless your armor and bladed weapons. When the Inventory screen

appears, move the cursor over the item you want blessed. When the cursor changes into the shape of a hand, press the left button. Cure — This option can be used to remove any conditions a character may be suffering from (i.e., poison), but it will not improve Health/Stamina points. A character who has been injured in battle cannot be cured if he has no specific condition (i.e., poison or plague).

A Guide to Locations

The land of Midkemia consists of a multitude of colorful and sometimes mysterious towns and landmarks. Following are some of the places you may encounter during your travels through Midkemia.

Krondor

Krondor is the traditional home of the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of the Isles. Located beside the Bitter Sea, it is the capital of the Western Realm. Once a trading outpost in Keshian Bosania, it has a long and turbulent history as numerous princes and dukes have struggled for control of the city. During the time of the Riftwar, it was temporarily seized by Guy du Bas-Tyra at the command of mad King Rodric, but was later rightfully restored to the ConDoin line. It now is peacefully ruled by Prince Arutha and the Princess Anita.

Palace

Though built as a fortress to withstand attacks from both land and sea, visitors from foreign lands receive warm welcome from the royal family and their servants. Located within the main court of the palace are the enclosed sleeping quarters of the royal family and their servants, the throne room, a well-appointed banquet hall, a recently redecorated gymnasium and a minor shrine dedicated to each of Midkemia’s gods.

Sewers

Also known as the Thieves’ Highway, Krondor’s labyrinthine sewer system

extends for miles beneath the city of Krondor. The underground passages are completely controlled by the Mockers, a guild of thieves ruled by a mysterious figure known as the Upright Man.

Sarth

Tall, iron-banded wooden gates straddle the roadway. A stone wall a dozen

feet high stretches around Sarth, which had once been a fortress. Around the

ancient tower, a larger single-story keep building had been added as well as

two outbuildings.

Sarth is maintained by the Brothers of Ishap, a religious order that worship

the god Knowledge. People often travel to Sarth in search of the answer to a question that can be answered nowhere else. Long before the Brothers of Ishap found the keep, it was maintained by a Keshian robber-baron who was

eventually assassinated by the local peasantry.

The Vaults

Located under the old keep at Sarth are large vaulted chambers with shelving

along the walls and free-standing shelves in the center of the rooms. All shelves are packed with books. From the top of the hill to the lowest level there are over a thousand chambers housing thousands upon thousands of

books. The vaults are tended by Brother Anthony and Brother Marc.

Romney

Not so much a town as a meeting place, Romney is a bustling hub of hawkers calling their wares. In every direction, carts, colorful tents and even more colorful characters fill the landscape. Travelers passing through often get caught up in the general carnival atmosphere that pervades the place.

Black Sheep Tavern

The Black Sheep Tavern is a two-story structure that also serves as an inn for the those coming off the dusty road. Its strange L-shape seems to indicate that an addition has been made onto the original structure, thus enlarging it to accommodate the increasing numbers of people beginning to stream through the town. Inside it is a very standard tavern where one can acquire food and drink.

Fletcher’s Post

Run by a sly-looking elven owner, the Fletcher’s Post exclusively deals in exotic archer’s goods, particularly elven arrows. The proprietor has been known to teach a few elven spells for a handful of gold.

Stardock Annex

The annex is really nothing more than simple sleeping quarters adapted into a tiny shop for the use of magicians visiting the Ishapian brothers. Rudimentary magical items such as, Rings of Prandur, healing salves, and scrolls, are available here.

Highcastle

Highcastle was easily overrun by the Moredhel in the Battle of Sethanon during the Great Rising. Since then, Prince Arutha has realized his weakness in the North and reinforced the fortifications there to discourage any further incursions into the Kingdom of the Isles. Highcastle is essentially a frontier fort town that guards Cutter’s Gap.

Sar-Isbandia (Armengar)

Armengar was completely destroyed during Murmandamus’ march to Sethanon. Only recently have the Moredhel returned to claim their “prize.”

Scavengers have erected small tents while others live in the burnt-out rubble. A faint smoke still drifts over the town, issued from the mouth of a hole where the keep once stood.

Temple of Eortis

Constructed on an island, the Temple of Eortis is a monument to the god of the sea constructed eons ago when Silden was only a simple fishing village. White marble columns rise thirty feet into the air, supporting an equally heavy ornamented roof from which dolphin heads emerge in majestic poses. The temple is attended by the High Priestess of Eortis.

Sethanon

Once the site of a minor Barony, Sethanon has never been well defended and for this reason was destroyed in the infamous Battle of Sethanon. Now overgrown with weeds, it looks like a sad old ghost town, though a close look at it reveals signs of the battle that raged there. Once the battle was over, King Lyam decreed that the town should be abandoned as a memorial to those who fought and died there.

Lifestone Crater

The result of the eruption of the Lifestone at the end of the Great Rising, the Lifestone Crater looks like a huge lava flow. The mouth of the crater has a strange glow emanating from it.

People & Creatures

hroughout your travels you are sure to meet a number of interesting new people and creatures. ◆

very dangerous. ◆ Following are descriptions of some of the inhabitants of Midkemia.

Beware, as all are not as they appear and some are

Seigneur James

Once known as Jimmy the Hand, Seigneur James is the son of the Upright Man, the leader of the thieves’ guild in Krondor, though James is not aware of his heritage. Elevated to the nobility by Arutha, Seigneur James has taken his position of authority with reluctance and still wanders his old thief haunts in disguise. He is extremely loyal to Arutha, and will do anything that his liege lord asks him to do.

There is a cynical look that touches Jimmy’s face when he is about to go into a new or strange situation. Although elevated to the position of Seigneur in Arutha’s court, he is mischievous and has the air of a rogue about him.

Seigneur Locklear

The youngest son of the Baron of Land’s End, Locklear has been the constant friend of Jimmy since they were boys. His mind is razor sharp; an attribute that has made him a valuable asset to Krondor. Although physically slower than Jimmy, he can usually defeat him in rapier duels because of his shrewd combat strategies.

Seigneur Locklear sports a healthy tan year round as he often vacations near his father at Land’s End. He is one of the finest swordsmen in Midkemia.

Owyn Beleforte

Owyn is the son of a minor noble in the Eastern Kingdom but has been spared most of the treacherous politicking that occurs in other courts. Although he displayed some ability at magic while he was young, his father insisted on yoking him to the responsibility of the court. He has two older brothers Neville and Robert.

An extremely thin young man whose innocent blue eyes belie his age, Owyn’s magic is a force to be reckoned with. In many ways, he resembles the man he idolizes, Pug the Magician.

Gorath

Gorath looks as menacing as Owyn looks innocent. There is a haunting quality in

his eyes that seems wolfish, as if he is a creature on the run. A long scar, nearly

hidden by his hairline, traces the left side of his face from temple to cheek. The son of

a Moredhel father and a human mother, Gorath wears a beard that is not possible for

those of pure Elven and Moredhel descent. He does however have the lobeless pointed

ears typical of his kind.

Makala

A man of remarkable intensity and great mental resources, Makala is one of the

members of the Tsurani Assembly of Magicians, an organization of magicians to

which Pug belonged while he was living on Kelewan. Since the Riftwar, Makala has

been an avid student of the war between the Tsurani and the Kingdom, spending

a great deal of time visiting with Master Magician Pug discussing historical and magical issues.

Dressed in the mode of a Great One (the title which Tsurani magicians are given),

he always wears a voluminous black robe that hides his otherwise frail frame.

Pug

Orphaned at a young age, Pug was raised in the kitchens of Crydee in the Western Empire. Apprenticed to Kulgan the magician, he showed little magical promise initially. Pug was captured and enslaved by the Tsurani during the Riftwar. Seeing vast potential in the boy, the Great Ones of the Tsurani Empire began to train him in the magic of the Greater Path. When Pug returned to Midkemia, he helped bring an end to the Riftwar with the help of Macros the Black. He was also adopted into the royal family and awarded the land to begin his Academy of Magic at Stardock. His irresistible friendliness belies the fact that he is the unchallenged master of magic in Midkemia. Pug is the father of two, an adopted daughter Gamina who possesses telepathic powers, and William, his natural son.

Patrus

Before the days of Pug’s Academy of Magicians at Stardock, Patrus was kept busy with the buzzing questions of his young apprentices. Now, he finds himself without students, a fact that bothers him more than he cares to admit. Too proud to seek a scholar’s position at the Academy, he spends much of his time locked in the towers of Northwarden studying books he has borrowed from Sarth. From time to time he is called upon to work some minor magic or another, but few tasks truly challenge his abilities.

Although Patrus seems addle-brained at times, he is numbered among the most capable magicians in Midkemia. Wrinkled as yesterday’s laundry, his face is greatly expressive. Although he is balding, the sides of his head still foster white wisps of hair and his pointed chin is covered by a haze of beard. He walks with a slight hunch, is still fairly spry for his age and has no problem keeping up with his younger companions.

Delekhan

Leader of the unified Nations of the North, Delekhan was once one of Murmandamus’ field generals during the war of the Great Rising in which the Moredhel made a bloody

march to Sethanon.

He has risen to great power by taking advantage of the disunity among his people

following their humiliating defeat. With his power, he has terrorized various clans

into joining him in another siege on Sethanon, telling his people that Murmandamus is being held captive by the Kingdom of the Isles. To this end, he has hired a band of mercenary magicians (dubbed “The Six” by his advisers) who

help him to consolidate his power.

Always arrayed in battle gear, his mercurial temper is as legendary as his hatred for the

chief rival to the throne in Sar-Sargoth, Gorath of the Ardanien.

Brother Marc

Well regarded as a researcher among his brethren at the Abbey

of Ishap at Sarth, Brother Marc has a knack for finding

obscure scraps of information. Whether researching the

mating habits of the Kuilli birds of Kelewan or the chess

gambits of the ancient Keshian game masters, it is rare that he is unable to answer a visitor’s question. He is warmly

remembered by all who meet him as a man with a friendly

smile and gentle eyes.

Dubal An Loch

Dubal is a cantankerous dwarf who likes to mix it up with humans and elves from time to time. A veritable fixture at the LaMut’s Blue Wheel Inn, he can be found smoking his herbal pipe for hours while he chats about his old campaigning days. His left eye, scarred above and below, is covered by a milky white cataract through which he claims he can still see. Unlike the rest of his kin, he keeps his beard trimmed relatively close and his braided hair has become quite white.

Duke Martin

A man of few words, Duke Martin is always awkward in the presence of others. His narrow eyes seem strangely exotic, as if they could see through solid objects. His hands are elegant, well suited to pulling the bowstring of the magnificent Elven bow that is always at his side. His hair is black and tied in a short pony tail. A former ranger, Martin would prefer to avoid strangers, but is often sought after for his knowledge of scouting techniques.

“

surani are slaves to

politics, as any student of the Game of the Council can attest; while we of the Assembly are reputed to be above such things, we have our own factions and infighting, not always settled in a peaceful, bloodless manner.”

— Hochopeppa

Magician: The Author’s Preferred Edition

Sumani

For all of his fine training under the LaMutian corps,

Sumani retains much of his Tsurani raiding demeanor.

When he smiles, the expression is somewhat enigmatic; you

never know if he is truly pleased or not. His hair is black,

with streaks of silver beginning to appear. Most of the hair is

shaved at the rear of his neck except for one rat’s tail which he

adorns with silver bells. Like many of the Tsurani, he wears fur

and multiple-layers of wool as Midkemia is unforgivably cold in

comparison to his home-world of Kelewan.

Tomas

Though his basic nature is that of a man raised in the kitchens of Castle Crydee, Tomas is an individual of great power. A blue-eyed human with sandy hair, his features have changed through his contact with the terrible magic of the ancient Valheru, a race which once ruled all of Midkemia. His ears have become pointed in the elven fashion and his eyes possess a dim glaze left over from a once towering battle-madness. He is in his midthirties and is the consort to Queen Aglaranna of the Elves. It would take a very bold or very stupid man to contradict Tomas face-to-face.

“

ong before man or dwarf

Aglaranna

The Queen of the Elves, Aglaranna is often described as beautiful, though not in entirely human terms. Her pale blue eyes seem almost luminous in certain lights. Her face is finely chiseled with high cheekbones, a strong jaw and a full smile. A simple circlet of gold holds back her hair and reveals the lobeless, upswept ears that are the hallmark of her race.

Although she is well over two hundred, Aglaranna looks barely twenty, the legacy of her elven blood. She is married to the Warleader Tomas and she is a proud, fiery woman who has been a wise and much-loved leader to her people.

Katala

Katala’s calm nature, intelligence, and ability to deal with people tactfully have made her the natural leader of a diverse community of magic users and their families. A striking woman in her mid thirties with dark hair and large, dark eyes she commands the utmost respect and affection from those around her. Married to Pug, Katala came from Kelewan, the home of the Tsurani people.

came to this

world, the Valheru

ruled. ◆ They were part of the world, fashioned

from the very

fabric of its

creation, nearly

godlike in power and

unfathomable in purpose.

◆ …Upon the backs of the

great dragons they flew, no place in the universe beyond their reach. ◆ …This world was their dominion. ◆ And we were their creatures.”

— Queen Aglaranna of the Elves

Magician: The Author’s Preferred Edition

Moredhel

Distant relations to the Elves, the Moredhel have darker skin, hair and eyes and tend to be much more violent than their Elven counterparts. Having been close to the Valheru in ancient times, they are warriors by nature and relish combat.

Ordinary warrior dress usually consists of furred robes of bear or deerskin. Moredhel typically wear brown trousers with open vests and knee length boots.

Nighthawk

The Nighthawks are a guild of assassins who have crept about in Midkemia for several centuries, though they have only truly organized themselves in the past hundred years. They dress for concealment under the cover of night, so they tend toward entirely black wardrobes. Nighthawks have been known to turn into Black Slayers. Black Slayers are “undead” zombie-like creatures that have been brought back to life by evil means. Once killed, they will continue to rise until the player casts the “Final

“

he dark elves have

been attacking

Rest” spell on them.

castles on and off as far back as anyone can remember. ◆ And goblins… well, they’re goblins.”

— Master Magician Pug

Magician: The Author’s Preferred Edition

Rusalki

A Rusalki is the restless and often deadly spirit of a drowned girl that has come back near the body of water where she died. When people are near, particularly young men, the Rusalki will attempt to lure them close enough to kill them.

As spirits, the Rusalki have an ethereal presence and appear semi-transparent. Usually they take the form of a young girl, with tendrils of seaweed dangling from their arms.

Quegian Pirate

Though usually pirates by trade, there are a few landlocked freebooters among the Quegians who enjoy traveling wherever their services can be offered. Typically young, these mercenaries copy the gregarious mode of dress of the Eastern Empire. Highly polished boots, a red sash that drapes from left shoulder to right hip, and black pantaloons make up the usual ensemble

Giant

Giants look like very large human beings. Standing about ten feet tall, Giants are capable of hurling very large rocks. Little more than wild animals, they wear only minimal clothing. Giants will attack ferociously, if their territory is invaded.

Troll

Human-like, but short and broad, with long, thick arms that hang nearly to the ground, Trolls can walk on two legs but will often run on all fours. Their bodies are covered by a thick gray hide and their lips, drawn back, reveal long fangs. The ugly creatures rarely trouble larger groups of humans, but they will attack lone travelers or parties of less than four members from time to time. Trolls are feral creatures but easily manipulated. The Moredhel often use them for

attacks on the kingdom.

Brak-Nurr

These troublesome creatures live in the depths of caves and

mines, preying almost exclusively on the dwarves of the Grey

Towers. Their flesh resembles crumbled blocks of stone, allowing them to lie back in small culverts without attracting

notice. Small flecks of gold in their skin help them to lure

dwarven miners near enough for attack, though they have

been known to attack almost any creature without

provocation. They are quite broad and appear to have no eyes

The Riftwar Saga — An overview of Raymond E. Feist’s Riftwar books

rydee lies in the westernmost duchy of the Kingdom of the Isles.

◆ Here, an orphan

kitchen boy named Pug was made an apprentice magician. ◆ An

indifferent student of magic, he nevertheless rose to high station and became a squire of the court.

With his best friend Tomas, Pug discovered the wreckage of an alien vessel from Kelewan, a world dominated by the mighty Empire of Tsuranuanni. After several of the Duke’s men studied the remains of the ship, they surmised it had come through a magical gate called a rift and feared warships would follow.

Leaving his eldest son Lyam behind, Duke Borric and his younger son, Arutha, led a company of men south to Krondor to warn Prince Erland of the possible attack. In the

“

here are mines throughout these

mountains, ancient tunnels under the Grey Towers… ◆ There is one mine that passes completely under the mountains, coming out on the other side of the range.”

woods they found themselves beset by Moredhel, but eventually escaped to the relative safety of the Mac Mordain Cadall, an ancient dwarven mine.

During the trek through the Mac Mordain Cadall, Tomas became separated from the group and found one of the last of the golden dragons, ancient and near death. The dragon told of his life and his encounter with a strange sorcerer, Macros the Black. Dying, he left Tomas with a magical gift of golden armor that would forever change his life.

When the anticipated Tsurani invasion came to pass, Borric took command of the Armies of the West and rushed into battle. Realizing the importance of learning more about the magical rifts, the Duke sent Pug into Tsurani-held territory, but the boy magician fell captive and was taken to Kelewan.

— Dolgan, King of the Grey Towers

Magician: The Author’s Preferred Edition

Enslaved by the Tsurani, Pug began a new life and fell in love with a girl named Katala, but was snatched away from his slave owner when it was learned he knew something of magic. Immediately he was taken to the Assembly of Magicians and began training in the Greater Path, a magic nonexistent in Midkemia.

Tomas matured into a warrior of stunning power, made so by his ancient armor, once worn by a Valheru — a Dragon Lord. Little was known of these legendary first people of Midkemia, save they were cruel and powerful and had kept the Elves and the Moredhel as slaves. Aglaranna, the Elf queen, feared Tomas was being consumed by the power of Ashen-Shugar, the ancient Dragon Lord whose armor he wore.

The Riftwar raged into its ninth year. Arutha feared they were losing the struggle and went to Krondor to appeal for help from the Prince. Finding the city besieged, Arutha was captured by the guild of thieves and was befriended by a young pick-pocket named Jimmy the Hand, who would figure prominently in the future prince’s life.

Pug attended the Imperial Games on Kelewan, commemorating the Warlord’s smashing victory over Lord Borric. Pug became enraged at the cruelty displayed at the games,

especially the brutal treatment of Midkemian prisoners. In a fit of rage, he destroyed the arena, shaming the Warlord and throwing the politics of the Empire into chaos. Pug then fled with Katala and his son William back to Midkemia.

In Midkemia, the war was going badly for the Kingdom of the Isles. During a mad offensive against the Tsurani, the King became mortally wounded and, lacking an heir, named Borric’s eldest son Lyam as the successor to the throne, also making Arutha the Prince of Krondor.

Eventually the Tsurani and the Kingdom sued for peace and brought the war to an end, but during the ceremony Macros the Black appeared and closed the rift between worlds. In the process, he was assumed to be killed.

All returned to the throne city of Rillanon for Lyam’s coronation, save Arutha and Pug who visited the isle where Macros had lived. A servant of Macros told them the sorcerer had destroyed the rift to avoid drawing attention to the Enemy, a vast and terrible power known to the Tsurani in ancient times who could use the rift to find its way to Midkemia.

For a year peace reigned in the Kingdom, but violence erupted once more as a member of the Nighthawks guild of assassins attempted to take Arutha’s life. Having saved the Prince’s life, Jimmy the Hand was forced to leave the Mockers and became a squire of the Prince’s court where he met Squire Locklear. Despite the differences in their upbringing, they became lifelong friends and comrades in arms.

Using Jimmy’s knowledge of the seedier elements of Krondor, the Prince created a plan to capture his assassins, but when confronted most of them chose suicide rather than surrender. One captive, a magically disguised Moredhel, rose up from the dead and called upon his master Murmandamus, the evil leader of the Moredhel Nations of the North.

“

here is an order to

things… a balance

imposed by Ishap,

Alarmed, Arutha told his advisers of the danger but decided to proceed with his plans to wed Anita, daughter of the former Prince of Krondor. Unfortunately, a Mocker assassin slipped into the wedding and made a second attempt to kill Arutha. He struck the brideto-be with an arrow tipped with a rare poison, Silverthorn.

the One Above All. ◆ The greater gods rule through the lesser gods, who are served by the priesthoods.

◆ Each order has its

mission. ◆ An order may seem to be in opposition to another, but the higher truth is that all orders have a place in the scheme of things.”

— Father Nathan

Silverthorn

While on a quest to find the antidote to the deadly Silverthorn and save Anita’s life, Arutha learned the Moredhel were acting on a prophesy that they would rise to power once the “Lord of the West” was dead. They believed Arutha was the “Lord” in question.

Pug determined that the dark forces behind Murmandamus’ incredible power were of Tsurani origin. The Enemy — the ancient terror mentioned by Macros’ servant at the end of the Riftwar — was attempting to find a way through the rift.

In Elvandar, Tomas was reunited with Pug who told him the Tsurani Enemy was trying to find a way into Midkemia. Pug also said both Kelewan and Midkemia faced their worst threat since the days of the Chaos Wars. He asked Tomas to come with him. Tomas agreed and, using his special powers, summoned a dragon, Ryath, upon whose back they could travel between dimensions and times.

Ryath took them to a being known as the Oracle of Aal who informed them that only Macros the Black knew the answers they sought.

In search of Macros, they travelled to the City of the Dead Gods where they discovered countless monuments. Tomas pointed out the gods and their duties and explained that originally Ishap had created a hundred gods, but only sixteen survived the insanity of the Chaos Wars to become the gods of Midkemia.

After he discovered yet another plot against his life, Arutha staged his death to throw his enemies off-track. While Krondor mistakenly mourned Arutha, he headed north to kill Murmandamus. At the boundary between the Kingdom and the territory of Murmandamus, the party was taken captive by strangers. They were led to the most militarily impressive city that any of them had ever seen — Armengar. They realized the

city would be one of the first major targets that Murmandamus would attack before heading into the Kingdom.

Pug and Tomas eventually found Macros in the garden of the mysterious City Forever, but also found themselves caught in a time-trap set by the Enemy who had stripped Macros of his power. They managed to outwit the Enemy and broke free from their temporal confinement.

“

e shall call our servants, the

goblins, the mountain trolls, the landstriding giants. ◆ All shall

At Armengar, Murmandamus attacked the city. Realizing they would be unable to hold the citadel from the Moredhel, Arutha and the city’s Protector, Guy du Bas-Tyra, ordered the city burned in an effort to incinerate Murmandamus’s army. Unfortunately the Moredhel leader escaped the city unscathed and Arutha and the rest of the refugees headed for Highcastle, the next stop on Murmandamus’s path.

En-route to assist Prince Arutha — Pug, Tomas and Macros passed through the Hall of Worlds, a place that gave them access to Midkemia. Tomas asked Macros about the Valheru. In response, Macros passed a hand over Tomas’s eyes and Tomas began to “remember” a past life as a Dragon Lord.

Years before, when Tomas had received the armor, he inherited the powers and mind of Ashen-Shugar, father of all the Valheru, who once strode the lands of Midkemia. AshenShugar, like the rest of his kind, was continually at war with every being that lived and was one of the most powerful entities in the universe. Tomas and Ashen-Shugar shared a mind-link that spanned centuries, both learning from the link and gaining qualities of the other. This was how Tomas had become a legendary warrior and how Ashen-Shugar learned the quality of compassion.

Eventually the gods of Midkemia came into being and the Valheru warred upon them. In the process, time and space became warped. This was the time of the Chaos Wars, when the Valheru warred with thousands of different races on thousands of different worlds. Finally, one of the Valheru, Draken-Korin, forged a tool to use in the war, the Lifestone, an item tied to all life in the world. Since the gods were also tied to that life,

come to serve us. ◆ We shall march into human lands and burn their cities.

◆ I shall erect my throne

upon a mountain of their bodies. ◆ Then, O my children, shall we spill blood.”

— Murmandamus

Silverthorn

the Valheru hoped to extinguish the gods with the Lifestone and escape through time, returning later to reclaim their world. Ashen-Shugar would not allow it and slew Draken-Korin. Later, as Ashen-Shugar grew old and tired, his life essence drained into his armor — the armor that was given to Tomas.

Macros explained that Murmandamus was likely to be swarming over Highcastle on the way to Sethanon, a city built on the ancient site of the Lifestone. They realized the Enemy was not a single entity, but was the combined will of all the ancient Valheru trying to come back and take Midkemia.

At Highcastle, the Moredhel armies massed for the assault and Prince Arutha discerned part of the Moredhel plan, though unaware of their goal. Realizing that Highcastle would be easily taken, he told the Baron to leave the castle; but the Baron insisted they could take anything the Moredhel threw at them. The battle went terribly wrong and the Baron was killed during a Moredhel raid. The Prince was finally able to convince the surviving Highcastle commanders to quit the castle and head for Sethanon.

Pug contacted his daughter, Gamina, and summoned the magicians of his magical academy and the armies from Kelewan to meet him at Sethanon.

Sethanon was under attack and the defenders attempted to hold out for the arrival of reinforcements. Confronting Murmandamus on the walls of the city, Arutha identified himself to the Moredhel as the “Lord of the West,” knowing Murmandamus was using this allegation to manipulate the will of his troops.

Tomas, Macros, Pug, Arutha, and Ryath descended to the Lifestone chamber far below the city. Macros informed them that if the Moredhel reached the Lifestone, it would mean the end of all life on Midkemia.

Murmandamus strode through the bodies of the dead and drew his magic from death itself. Steeped in power, he decided that he was now strong enough. He abandoned his monstrous army and headed to the chamber of the Lifestone.

Protected by a talisman from Macros, Arutha began an incredible duel to the death with Murmandamus. Pug and Macros tried to hold closed the rift that the Enemy was attempting to open with the help of Murmandamus.

After great effort, Arutha killed Murmandamus. In death, his true nature was revealed. He was not a Moredhel but a Pantathian snake priest, a race of beings dedicated to bringing their Valheru mistress, Alma-Lodka, back into the world. With his death, Pug and Macros felt a sudden surge of energy as the rift opened for a brief second, just long enough to let the ancient spirit of Draken-Korin into the room.

Tomas/Ashen-Shugar intercepted Draken-Korin as the evil Dragon Lord strode toward the Lifestone and the two began a fearsome battle. Finally, when it seemed Draken was going to activate the Lifestone, Tomas killed him and drove his golden sword through the Valheru and into the Lifestone.

For a moment there was a brilliant sparkle in the skies as the ghostly forms of the Dragon Lords appeared, but their power wasn’t equal to the powers of life that rejected them from the world. Suddenly everyone in the area was swept by a sense of joy and happiness. The Dragon Lords were defeated!

King Lyam dispensed titles and honors to the heroes of Sethanon while Pug and Tomas said a reluctant farewell to Macros. Ryath was mortally injured in the battle and Macros placed the Oracle of Aal into the dragon’s emptied mind and placed her in charge of the future defense of the Lifestone. Slowly, the veterans of the war went their separate ways.

Peace reigned. For ten years, the Kingdom prospered. Prince Arutha’s twin sons Borric and Erland grew into rambunctious teenagers; Squire Jimmy matured, becoming a much respected Seigneur of Krondor’s court; Pug returned to his Academy of Magic at Stardock and began a program of information exchange with the Assembly of Magicians on Kelewan, though refusing information specific to the battle of Sethanon; and Squire Locklear briefly entered military service under a daring garrison leader named Baron Moyiet who watched the Moredhel with an unforgiving eye. His watch would not go unrewarded.

Still bitter over their defeat at Sethanon, the Moredhel yearned, driven by a belief the Kingdom had tricked them and imprisoned their leader, Murmandamus. Battles raged between rival clans who sought to control the future of the Moredhel. Those who had migrated from the Green Heart during the Riftwar chafed to return to their ancient forests, but were captured or killed as various chieftains attempted to brutalize the clans into a fearful union. When at last a Moredhel chieftain named Delekhan seized control of the ancient fortress Sar-Sargoth, he vowed revenge for the wrongs done to the Moredhel as he unfurled a banner not seen for ten years… the battle standard of Murmandamus.

War would soon follow.

Credits

Designer & Director.................John Cutter

Original Story...........................Neal Hallford

Raymond E. Feist

Art Director..............................William M. McHugh

Lead Programmer .....................Nels Bruckner

Programming............................Steve Cordon

Timothy Strelchun

Lead Production Artist..............Mark Vearrier

Game Text & Event Design .....Neal Hallford

Assistant Designer.....................Tim McClure

Research & Development .........Darek Lukaszuk

Piotr Lukaszuk

Steve Cordon

John Leavens

Background Paintings...............D. Brent Burkett

Artists .......................................Robert Kraft

Viqqi Hippler

3-D Artists................................Damon Mitchell

Vance Naegle

Original Musical Score .............Jan Paul Moorhead

Sound Effects............................Christopher Stevens

Tim Clarke

Additional Sound Editing.........Ken Rogers

Theatrical Coordinator .............Sher Alltucker

Photographer ............................Dale Tendick

Production Assistants................Joseph Muennich

Chris Medinger

Ken Paulson

Puzzle Editor ............................Alan Roberts

Quality Assurance Manager ......Forrest Walker

Lead Quality Assurance

Analyst..................................Chris Singleton

Quality Assurance

Technician............................Dave Steele

Quality Assurance Analysts .......Dan Hinds

James Domico Duri Price Chris Medinger Joseph Muennich Gerald Azenaro Chris Hunt Zach Marcus Corey Reese

Robert Harrington

Technical Support Advisor .......Larry Buchanan

Costume Construction .............Laura Peasley

Nancy Manley

Barbara Williams

Kim Harris

Sher Alltucker

Prop Construction....................Douglas Zalud-Mackie

Sher Alltucker

Spider/Scorpion Wrangler ........Cowboy Mike

Manual Editor ..........................Barbara Ray

Manual Design .........................Sue Roberts

Box Cover Design.....................Roger Smith

Box Cover Art ..........................Roger Smith

D. Brent Burkett

Betrayal at Krondor is

based on characters created by Raymond E. Feist

Special Thanks

Bob Lindstrom, Dan Hinds, Janna Silverstein, Joel Mariano, Thomas Van Velkinburg, Kerrie Abbott, Rhonda Conley, Kyle Miller, David Aughenbaugh,

Jenny Gray, Mike Boyersmith, Stephen Abrams, April Abrams, Steve Barrett, Anita and Jon Everson, Dave Guinasso, Conan LaMotte, Tim LaSelle,

Ethan Munson, Bob Potter, Rich Spahl, Alan

Springer, Lori and Jeff Velten, Sean Murphy, Peter Lewis, Tito Pagan, Ivan Tomicic, David Sandgathe;

the Bob Squad: Bob Bauer, Kurt Engle, Rick

Overman; Backstage Dancewear

Betrayal at Krondor is based on the

Technical Support

If you receive an error message when playing or installing a Sierra or Dynamix game, refer to the following explanations and solutions.

CRC ERROR — This means you have a bad disk. It stands for Cyclic Redundancy Check, a way to check for disk errors. (See Replacement Diskettes, page 86.)

DATA ERROR READING DRIVE A or B — This means you have a bad disk. (See Replacement Diskettes, page 86.)

GENERAL FAILURE READING DRIVE A or B

— This could indicate you are trying to read high density disks with an incompatible low density drive.

YOU NEED “____” MORE BYTES OF FREE MEMORY AVAILABLE TO RUN THIS GAME

— There is not enough free memory to successfully run the program. You may need to boot your system with a boot disk. (See Boot Disk instructions included on the Quick Reference card.)

SECTOR NOT FOUND READING DRIVE A — This means you have a bad disk. (See Replacement Diskettes, page 86.)

Memory Requirements

Sierra and Dynamix programs require a large amount of memory (RAM) in order to function properly. If you are encountering difficulties and

(MS-DOS only)

want to see how much memory is available through MS-DOS, type MEM. If the “largest executable program size” line is below 604,160 (590K), please use a boot disk. (Minimum memory requirements may vary per game.) NOTE: Some games require expanded memory (EMS). If your game requires EMS memory and the MEM command does not indicate any EMS memory available, run the install program an choose to make a bootable floppy or follow the instructions on creating a boot disk on the Quick Reference card.

Boot Disk Instructions

For information on creating a boot disk for Betrayal at Krondor see the Quick Reference card.

Trouble-Shooting Tips

If you have created a boot disk (see the Quick Reference card for instructions) and booted your system with it before playing a Sierra or Dynamix game and still have problems, something else may be wrong. Following are some trouble-shooting recommendations from Sierra’s Technical Support Department.

• Boot your system with the boot disk you created.

• Reinstall the game under a boot disk environment.

• If you experience any form of program hesitation or lockups during game play and are using a Sound Blaster or compatible sound card, try the following temporary solution. For Sound Blaster or compatible sound card users, run the install procedure from the game subdirectory and select “Ad Lib” or “PC Internal

Speaker” for music. Please Note: This temporary solution does not give you the option to hear sampled sounds or speech that may be available in your game. For a permanent solution to sound card problems call Technical Support at Sierra On-Line or your sound card manufacturer.

• If you continue to encounter difficulties with your program, contact Sierra On-Line’s Technical Support.

“Robo Tech”

Sierra On-Line’s Automated Technical Support Representative

As part of our commitment to provide the best Customer Service in the industry, we offer a 24 hour automated Technical Support Line. “Robo Tech”— our automated Technical Support Representative, has answers to our most frequently asked technical questions and is available by calling our Technical Support Line at (209) 683-8989 (a touch tone telephone is required for automated support).

There is no automated voice response system in the U.K. at this time. Answers to many technical questions are available on the Sierra U.K. BBS at (44) 734 304227. To speak to an actual Technical Support Representative call (44) 734 303171 Monday through Friday, 9a.m. to 5p.m.

Customer Services

The best customer service in the industry — “You don’t just buy our games, you buy the support of the whole company.”

Sierra On-Line is dedicated to helping you with each and every question or problem. Whether it’s memory shortages, software compatibility, or any other issue affecting our products, we guarantee your satisfaction.

Customer Service

Contact the Customer Service Department, 1-800SIERRA-5, for issues pertaining to returned merchandise, back orders, defective merchandise, and general game information.

U.S.

Sierra On-Line Customer Support P.O. Box 600, Coarsegold, CA 93614-0600

1-800-SIERRA-5 (1-800-743-7725)

EUROPE (U.K.)

Sierra On-Line Limited Unit 2, Technology Centre, Station Road Theale, Berkshire RG7 4AA, United Kingdom

Technical Support

Direct questions on hardware and software compatibility to the Technical Support Department. Call (209) 683-8989 in the U.S. or (44) 734 303171 in the U.K. for convenient, person-to-person

technical assistance. If you prefer, you may contact Technical Support by Fax (209) 683-3633 in the U.S. or (44) 734 303201 in the U.K., or by mail. If you choose to write or fax us with your request, please give us detailed information on your computer system and the nature of your problem. In addition, please include your address and telephone number should we need further information.

U.S.

Sierra On-Line P.O. Box 800, Coarsegold, CA 93614-0800 Attention: Technical Support

Monday-Friday, 8:15 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. Call (209) 683-8989, Fax (209) 683-3633

EUROPE (U.K.)

Sierra On-Line Limited Attention: Technical Support Unit 2, Technology Centre, Station Road Theale, Berkshire RG7 4AA, United Kingdom

Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Call (44) 734 303171, Fax (44) 734 303201

Sierra Technical Support is also available through:

Sierra BBS*: U.S. (209)683-4463 or

U.K. (44) 734 304227

CompuServe-GAMAPUB, Section 11 (Technical

Support ID - 76004,2143)

Prodigy

(for Sierra: Technical Support ID- WBWW55A) (for Dynamix: Technical Support ID- WBWW55B)

America Online GEnie

*Answers to our most frequently asked questions are available through our Sierra BBS (U.S. only).

Boot disk instructions for other DOS formats are available for downloading from the Sierra BBS. BBS file name: BDALL.EXE

Hints

Game hints are available by phone, hint books, the Sierra Bulletin Board Service (209) 683-4463 or by mail. For an immediate response, call our 24 hour Hint Line at: 1-900-370-5583. In the U.K., call (44) 734 304004. Charges are 75¢ each minute. Long distance charges are included in the fee. U.K. customers will be charged the normal rate for U.K. telephone calls. Callers under the age of 18 must get their parent’s permission before calling the hint line. ABSOLUTELY NO HINTS WILL BE PROVIDED THROUGH OUR CUSTOMER SUPPORT LINES. At this time, the automated hint system is only available within the United States. All contents are copyrighted by Sierra On-Line and may not be reproduced in any form without written permission.

U.S.

Sierra On-Line Hint Dept. P.O. Box 200, Coarsegold, CA 93614-0200

24 hour Hint Line:

U.S. 1-900-370-5583 (75¢ each minute) EUROPE (U.K.) (44) 734 304004

Orders

Order games, hint books or hardware, redeem coupons, use special discounts, or get a list of software dealers in your area where you can purchase Sierra games by calling 1-800-326-6654.

U.S.

Sierra On-Line Sales Dept. P.O. Box 978, Oakhurst, CA 93644-0978

For direct orders:

Call 1-800-326-6654, Fax (209) 683-4297

EUROPE (U.K.) orders:

Call (44) 734 303171, Fax (44) 734 303201

Patch Disks

Please send your request to the Patch (repair) Disk address below. Let us know the game and disk size you are having problems with.

Sierra On-Line Dept. 10 P.O. Box 485, Coarsegold, CA 93614-0485

The Sierra No Risk Guarantee!

THE PROMISE: We want you to be happy with every Sierra product you purchase from us. Period. If for any reason you’re unhappy with the product, return it within 30 days for an exchange or a full refund...EVEN IF YOU BOUGHT IT RETAIL! (Hardware ordered direct must be returned within 10 days.)

THE ONLY CATCH: You gotta tell us why you don’t like it. Otherwise we’ll never get better. Send it back to us and we promise we’ll make things right. (If you bought it at a retail outlet, please send your original sales receipt.)

Limited Warranty Notice

The publisher of this software wants your continued business. If you fill out the enclosed product registration card and return it to us, you are covered by our warranty. If your software should fail within 90 days of purchase, return it directly to us, and we will replace it free. After 90 days, enclose $10 for

5.25" or 3.5" disks and return the software directly

to us. Sorry, without the registration card you are not covered by the warranty. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.

Replacement Diskettes

Should you receive faulty or damaged disks, send the original disk #1 in the size you need (3.5" or 5.25") to:

U.S.

Sierra On-Line Fulfillment P.O. Box 485 , Coarsegold, CA 93614 Attention: RETURNS

EUROPE (U.K.)

Sierra On-Line Limited Attention: Returns Unit 2, Technology Centre, Station Road Theale, Berkshire RG7 4AA, United Kingdom

Include a note stating your computer type and the size of diskette you need (3.5" or 5.25"). We will gladly replace your program free of charge for the first 90 days of ownership (please enclose a copy of your dated sales receipt with your request). After 90 days there is a $10.00 (£6.00) charge for 3.5" or

5.25" diskettes.

IT IS ILLEGAL TO MAKE UNAUTHORIZED COPIES OF THIS SOFTWARE

This software is protected under federal copyright law. It is illegal to make or distribute copies of this software except to make a backup copy for archival purposes only. Duplication of this software for any other reason including for sale, loan, rental or gift is a federal crime. Penalties include fines as high as $50,000 and jail terms of up to five years.

as a member of the Software Publishers Association (SPA),

supports the industry’s effort to fight the illegal copying of personal computer software.

Report Copyright Violations To:

SPA, 1730 M Street, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036

(202) 452-1600

This manual, and the software described in this manual, are copyrighted. All rights are reserved. No part of this manual or the described software may be copied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form without the prior written consent of Dynamix, Inc., P.O. Box 485, Coarsegold, CA 93614.

Betrayal at Krondor is based on the Midkemian Universe created by Midkemia Press and Raymond E. Feist. Portions © by Raymond E. Feist or Midkemia Press.

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Games PC BETRAYAL AT KRONDOR User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual