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DESCENT TO UNDERMOUNTAIN
User Manual
128 pgs825.55 Kb1

Games PC DESCENT TO UNDERMOUNTAIN User Manual

Table of
Contents
Introduction
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Options Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Character generation
Quick Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Sex and Race (Generation Screen 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Character (Generation Screen 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Statistics(Generation Screen 3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Name, Portrait & Alignment (Generation Screen 4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Back to waterdeep
Waterdeep Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Khelben Blackstaff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Adventuring in Undermountain
Inventory (Low Res Mode) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Saving Your Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Non-Player Character Interaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Entering the Dungeon of Undermountain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Activating Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Spells and Magic Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Infravision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Levitation/Flying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
1
Thief Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Turning Undead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Detail Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Customize Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Appendix a: character races
Elves and Dark Elves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Appendix B: class descriptions
Fighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Mage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Thief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Multi-Class Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Appendix C: characters statistics
Constitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Appendix D: Monsters
Bats (Giant) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
Beetle (Giant) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Beholders (Standard) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Beholders (Spectator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Ghoul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Guardian Skeletons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Kobolds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Lich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Mephit (Ice) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Mephit (Lightning) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
2
Mummies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Ogre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Orcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Rats (Giant) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Shadow Fiend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Skeletons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Spider (Giant) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Spider (Large) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Trolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Appendix E: Weapons
Melee Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Other Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Appendix F: miscellaneous
Portals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
Tricks and Traps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
Life and Death in Undermountain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Hit Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Maximum Hit Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Current Hit Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Recovering Hit Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Experience Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Return to the Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Visit Khelben . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Appendix G: Advancement Charts
Fighter Advancement Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Priest Advancement Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Mage Advancement Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Thief Advancement Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Thief Class Addendum: How Thief Skills Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
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Appendix H: Spells
Mage Spell Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
Priest Spell Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
Gaining Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
How to Cast Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Spell Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Mage Spells Detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Level 1 Spells
Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Burning Hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Chill Touch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Color Spray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Detect Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Feather Fall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Jump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Magic Missiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Protection from Evil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Spider Climb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Sleep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Level 2 Spells
Continual Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Invisibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Knock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Levitate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Melf’s Acid Arrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Scare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Level 3 Spells
Dispel Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Fireball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Flame Arrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Fly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Haste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Hold Person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Hold Undead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Infravision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Lightning Bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Melf’s Minute Meteors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Slow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Level 4 Spells
Confusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Fear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
4
Improved Invisibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Stoneskin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Priest Spells Detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Level 1 Spells
Bless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Cure Light Wounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Detect Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Magical Stone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Protection From Evil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Level 2 Spells
Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Hold Person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Resist Cold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Resist Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Level 3 Spells
Continual Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Dispel Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Flame Walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Magical Vestment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Protection from Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Level 4 Spells
Abjure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Cure Serious Wounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Free Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Appendix I: Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Appendix J: CreDits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Interplay Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Interplay WEb Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
5
Introduction
You are a novice adventurer fallen upon hard times. With little but your fighting skills to carry you through the Realms, you have chanced upon a rumor that Khelben Blackstaff, the high mage of Waterdeep, is seeking able­bodied adventurers to undertake a task for him…and will pay well for their services. With no other opportunities before you, you have chosen to travel to the city of Waterdeep and answer Khelben’s summons.
You have a suspicion that Khelben’s call concerns Undermountain, the great dungeon located beneath the streets of Waterdeep. Constructed by the mad wizard Halaster over a millennia ago as a sanctuary, (and a sadistic playground of sorts) its depths have always been a source of unease for the citizens of Waterdeep. No one can say for sure if Halaster still lives in the labyrinth dungeon, but many brave souls have entered Undermountain searching for what remains of the mad wizard’s fortunes and magic. The end result is that Undermountain has become one of the largest graveyards in the Realms for all who are obsessed with adventure, wealth, or power.
You intend to seek out Blackstaff’s tower and make yourself known to the wizard when you enter the city. Hopefully, the task (and the payment it carries) will still be available when you arrive.
If his summons concerns Undermountain, then the risk will be great... but so too, shall the reward.
6
MENUS
You may use the arrow keys or the mouse to move around menus in Descent to Undermountain. Unless otherwise noted, hitting <ESC> will accept the current menu’s settings and return to the previous one. Some menus contain check boxes and switches that can be toggled by hitting <SPACEBAR>. Slider-type items are changed by using the left and right arrow on the
keyboard or by moving the mouse left or right when the option is highlighted.
WATERDEEP SCREEN, MAIN MENU
The Main Menu offers the following choices:
NEW GAME Start a new game of Descent to Undermountain.
This will take you to the character generation screen where you may create a new adventurer. (See Character Generation section.)
RETURN TO GAME Return to a game in progress.
LOAD GAME Resume a previously saved game.
OPTIONS Takes you to the Options Menu. (See next page.)
QUIT Quit the game and return to DOS/Win 95.
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OPTIONS MENU
MUSIC VOLUME Changes the volume of music being played.
FX VOLUME Changes the volume of sound effects.
REVERSE STEREO Allows you to reverse the stereo sound channels.
This is sometimes necessary for earphones, speakers, or extension cables that are wired incorrectly.
HI-RESOLUTION Allows you to toggle whether you want the game to
be in a low-resolution or high-resolution when you enter Undermountain.
8
Character
Generation
CHARACTER CREATION SCREENS
When you select “New Game” from the main menu, you will find yourself at the first of four character generation screens.
Descent to Undermountain offers a great deal of freedom in character creation. Rather than playing a generic character with little or no ability to improve or advance, you can choose a race, statistics, and a class (or multiple classes) for your character that suits your style of play.
Descent to Undermountain takes place in the Forgotten Realms®Campaign Setting and uses the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons® rules produced by TSR, Inc. It’s a world filled with a variety of races, such as humans, half-elves, elves, drow, dwarves, and halflings. These six races can belong to a combination of four career classes: a fighter, priest, thief or mage. Each of these classes has its own advantages and limitations.
QUICK CHARACTERS
On character creation screens one and two, there is a shield with a question mark located in the upper left that generates a “quick character” when it is clicked. This quick character has a respectable set of statistics and is available for immediate play. All you have to do is choose your character’s name, portrait, and alignment, and you’re ready to play. If you don’t feel like spending the time to generate a character on your own, “quick character” is the option you should use. You may randomize the whole character or proceed through any of the character generation steps and randomize at each step.
Sex and Race
Character Generation
Screen 1
The first screen is where you choose your character’s race and sex.
Quick Generation:
(Shield with a question mark located in upper left corner.) If the Randomizer is pressed without first selecting race and gender from this screen, then the Randomizer will jump to the Statistics Screen and choose your race, gender, class and a set of statistics for you.
If the Randomizer is pressed after you have selected race and gender, then the Randomizer will randomly create a character with the race and gender you have selected.
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Scroll Back Shield:
(Shield with a skull located in the lower left corner.)
Pressing this shield returns you to the main menu.
Scroll Forward Shield:
(Shield with a skull located in the lower right corner.) Pressing this shield after you select your race and gender allows you to go the next screen, the Character Class Selection Screen. You cannot advance to the next screen until you choose your race and gender.
Escape Shield:
(Shield with a skull located in the upper right corner.) Pressing this shield returns you to the main menu.
Race and Gender Selection Book: (An open book in the
middle of the screen, with the left hand picture of a male of the selected race, and the right hand picture of a female.) If you
select on the figure on either page with a single left mouse button click, the figure rises from the page. If single-clicked again, the figure recedes into the page. If the page is turned while the figure has risen from the page, it recedes back into the page. You may choose one of the following for your character; either male or female.
Human
Half-Elf
Elf
Drow
Dwarf
Halfling
For more information on these races (and their advantages and disadvantages), consult the Character Races section in this manual’s Appendix. Gender incurs no advantage or disadvantage in the character creation process, but gender will sometimes cause your character to be treated differently by NPCs.
If you return to this screen after already having selected a race and gender (i.e. elf male), the main screen will default to the race and gender you have already selected. If you decide to choose a new gender and race (after you have already selected one and gone through screens two, three, and four) the character process begins again, canceling any choices you have made in screens two, three, and four.
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Shield that takes player Back through Selection Book:
(A skull shield on the lower left of the left book page.) Pressing this shield turns back a page in the book, displaying a new race. The book cannot turn back past the human male entry.
Shield that takes player Forward through Selection Book:
(Appears as a skull shield on the lower right of the right book page.) When the forward arrow is single-clicked, the book
“flips forwards” a page, displaying a new race in the book . The book cannot turn forward past the halfling female entry.
Text Section:
(A piece of parchment to the right of the book.) As the player pages through the book, this section displays relevant information on the race displayed in the book.
Cursor Text Description:
(Wooden panel at the bottom of screen.) As the player moves the cursor over each of the hot spots listed above, this section defines what each of the hot spots does.
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HOT KEYS
Pressing the following keys on this screen perform various functions:
Esc
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Return to Main Menu.
Page
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Go forward to the Character Class Generation
Up
Screen (Screen 2.)
Page
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Return to Main Menu (same as Escape.)
Down
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Go back a page in race/gender selection book.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Go forward a page in race/gender selection book.
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Character
Character Generation
Screen 2
This screen is where the player chooses his character’s class (or classes): demi­human, fighter, priest, mage or thief. Each of these classes is detailed in Appendix A of the manual.
Scroll Back Shield:
(Shield with a skull upon it located in the lower left corner.)Pressing this shield returns you to the Race and Gender Screen (Character Generation Screen One.)
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Scroll Forward Shield:
(Shield with a skull upon it located in the lower right corner.)When the shield is pressed after choosing class, you advance to the Statistics Screen (Character Generation Screen Three.) You cannot advance to the next screen until you have chosen at least one class for your character.
The Randomizer/Quick Generation:
(Shield with a question mark located in the upper left corner.)If the Quick Character Generation button is pressed without having selected anything from the Class Screen, the Randomizer jumps to the Statistics Screen (Character Generation Screen Three) and chooses a class and statistics for you. If the Randomizer is pressed after you have selected a class (or multiple classes) from this screen, then the Randomizer randomly creates a character with the class(es) the player selected.
Escape Shield:
(Shield with a skull on it found in the upper right corner.)
Pressing this shield returns you to the main menu.
Choose Fighter:
(Appears as a closed scroll with a character sketch in the upper left of the screen.) If the scroll is clicked, the figure of the
fighter rises out of the page. This means that you have selected the fighter class for your character. Clicking on the figure again withdraws your selection and causes the fighter figure to settle back into the page. If the player cannot make any more selections while the fighter is selected (e.g., a human who chooses the fighter class), single-clicking any of the other scrolls does nothing until the fighter is de-selected.
The fighter class is discussed in more detail in Appendix B.
Choose Priest:
(Appears as a scroll with a character sketch in the upper right of the screen.) If the scroll is clicked, the figure of the priest
rises out of the page. If the player cannot make any more selections while the priest is selected (e.g., a human who chooses the priest class), single-clicking any of the other scrolls does nothing until the priest is de-selected.
The priest class is discussed in more detail in Appendix B.
Choose Mage:
(Appears as a scroll with a character sketch in the lower left of the screen.) If the scroll is clicked, the figure of the mage rises
out of the page. If the player cannot make any more selections while the mage is selected (e.g., a human who chooses the mage class), single-clicking does nothing until the mage is de-selected.
The mage class is discussed in more detail in Appendix B.
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Choose Thief
(Appears as a scroll with a character sketch in the lower right of the screen.) If the scroll is clicked, the figure of the thief rises
out of the page. If the player cannot make any more selections while the thief is selected (e.g., a human who chooses the thief class), single-clicking any of the other scrolls does nothing until the thief is deselected.
The thief class is discussed in more detail in Appendix B.
Cursor Text Description:
(The wooden bar along the bottom of the screen.)
As the player moves the cursor over each of the hotspots listed above, this section defines what each of the hotspots does (see below.)
HOT KEYS
Pressing the following keys on this screen will perform various functions:
Esc
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Return to Main Menu.
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Page
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Go forward to the Statistics Screen.
Up
Page
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Return to the Select Race and Gender
Down
Screen.
Statistics
Character
Generation
Screen 3
This screen is where the character generates the raw statistics for their character-their Strength, Intelligence, Dexterity, Wisdom, Constitution, and Charisma.
Scroll Back Shield:
(Shield with a skull upon it appearing in the lower left corner.)
Pressing this shield returns you to the Class Selection Screen.
Scroll Forward Shield:
(Shield with a skull upon it located in the lower right corner.)
Pressing this shield advances you to the Name and Alignment Screen (Character Generation Screen Four). You must have generated statistics before you can advance to the next screen.
Escape Shield:
(Shield with a skull scrawled on it located in the upper right corner.) Pressing this shield returns you to the main menu.
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Generate Statistics:
(A rectangular button with two skull shields in the upper left corner of the screen.) Pressing this button generates the
statistics in the wood panels, below.
Random Stats Generator:
(A series of six wooden panels that rotate when the button is pressed.) When the button is pressed, the six wooden panels
in this section of the screen rotate, displaying six random numbers between 3 and 18.
When the screen first appears, the wood panels are all blank. When the button is pushed, numbers appear on the wood panel.
Parchment on Main Screen:
Completed stats display on the right hand side of the Random Stats generator to a piece of parchment with the following statistics listed: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.
To chose your character’s stats, click on the number on the random Stats Generator. This will cause the number to be displayed next to the cursor. Drag the number next to the desired stat, then click again. This drops the number on the Completed Stats display. When you place your number on a stat, relevant game information will be displayed next to it.
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If you wish to change the placement of your selected stat, click again on the number. The number once again appears next to the cursor. You may now reposition the number onto any of the six stats.
Characters have five bonus points that they can add to the completed character. To add bonus points to a stat, go to the Bonus Points box and click on it. This causes a number to appear next to the cursor. Drag that number to the desired stat, and click to place it.
Character classes have a minimum value for their primary stat (ie. fighters must be strong, priests must be wise, mages must be intelligent, and thieves must be dexterous. The Completed Stat Display will not allow you to place a number that is below a class minimum stat value.
If the player has chosen a race that gives them modifiers to their characteristics (i.e., a dwarf gains +1 to Constitution and -1 to Charisma), then the plank takes the modifier into account.
Whenever a fighter character has less than an 18 in the box and raises it to 18, it becomes 18/01 unless they are halfling (halflings are not permitted to have exceptional strength because of their small height and build). Each bonus point spent adds +10 percentiles to the exceptional strength.
Bonus Points Box:
(Appears as a wooden box in the lower right corner of the main menu.) When a player first comes to this screen, the number “5” is displayed in the box…the number in the box cannot rise above 5 or be reduced below 0. Pressing the stat modifier arrows causes the total in this box to change. The box always resets to 5 when the generate stats button is pressed.
Cursor Box Text Description:
(A wooden panel running across the bottom of the screen.) As the player moves the cursor over each of the hotspots listed above, this section defines what each of the hotspots does.
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HOT KEYS
Pressing the following keys on this screen will perform various functions:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Return to Main Menu.
Esc
Page
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Go to Character Generation Screen 4.
Up
Page
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Go to Character Generation Screen 2.
Down
Enter
Space
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Push button.
or
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Character
Generation
Screen 4
This screen is where the player chooses his character’s name, portrait and alignment (the way the character sees the world).
Scroll Back Shield:
(Shield with a skull upon it appearing in the lower left corner.)
Pressing this shield returns you to the Statistics Screen (Screen Three).
Name, Portrait and
Alignment
Escape Shield:
(Shield with a skull upon it located in the upper right corner.)
Pressing this shield returns you to the main menu.
Start Button:
(Shield with a skull located in the lower right corner.) After you have chosen a name, portrait, and alignment for your character, clicking on this shield takes you back to the Waterdeep screen and the game begins. Until you have chosen a name, portrait, and alignment, pressing this button does nothing.
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Name Selection:
(Box located in the upper right of the main screen.) Clicking on the box causes the cursor to vanish, and a pop-up menu appears which asks you to enter the name of your character. Type the name that you wish to give the character and press <Enter>.
Portrait:
(Portrait of character appearing in the middle top of the main screen.)
This is where your character’s portrait is displayed. Scrolling through the buttons below the portrait box rotates through the selections. Select the portrait that best fits your visualization of the character, or anything that catches your eye.
Portrait Scroll Buttons:
(Appear as two small shields with arrows beneath the portrait.)
Single-clicking the left shield causes the portraits to scroll back one, single-clicking the right shield causes the portraits to scroll forward one.
Alignment Selection:
(Appears as six options written on parchment on the upper right of the main screen.) In this section is a list of six alignments,
arranged in the following order:
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Lawful Good Neutral Good Chaotic Good Lawful Neutral True Neutral Chaotic Neutral
Alignments describe the character’s philosophy, their beliefs, and their values. In the Forgotten Realms, they also suggest goals which individuals and religions actively promote. The character’s alignment greatly influences how they deal with other people. A summary of each of these alignments is as follows:
Lawful Good characters believe in doing good for others, and believe that
this is best achieved through a disciplined life and through rules and regulations that promote fairness and justice.
Neutral Good characters care about kindness, generosity, and doing good
deeds. They don’t care about rules, laws, and order but will usually obey them as long as they don’t interfere with their ability to do good.
Chaotic Good characters also believe in doing good deeds, but hate rules,
orders, bureaucracy, or anything that might interfere with their personal freedom. Chaotic good characters believe that rules constrain people’s ability to do good and promote tyranny and evil.
Lawful Neutral characters believe that order and tranquillity is the ideal
which all should strive to achieve, and that order is more important than kindness, compassion, mercy, or the other goodly virtues. Lawful Neutral is the alignment of bureaucrats and those who promote authority.
True Neutral characters believe in preserving a balance between good and
evil, law and chaos. Many neutral characters point to nature and its endless cycle of creation and destruction which sustains life in the world as the perfect example of that balance.
Chaotic Neutral characters do not care about others, only about freedom.
Anything or anyone that gets in the way of personal freedom is the enemy. This is the alignment of self-centered people and also the alignment of those who hate authority. Chaotic Neutral characters do not enjoy or promote cruelty (that’s reserved for evil people.)
Evil alignments are not available to player characters in Descent to Undermountain.
Clicking on one of the alignments indent it. To change your selection, click on any other alignment.
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Cursor Box Text Description:
(A wooden panel across the bottom of the screen.)
As you move the cursor over each of the hotspots listed above, this section will define what each of the hotspots does.
HOT KEYS
Pressing the following keys on this screen will perform various functions:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Return to Main Menu.
Esc
Page
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Go to Character Generation Screen 3.
Down
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Back to Waterdeep
WATERDEEP SCREENS
After you have created your character, you find yourself in the main Waterdeep screen. From there, you have one route open to you-go to Khelben Blackstaff’s tower and learn whether he has any new quests for you.
KHELBEN SCREEN
(Tower just to the right of the mountain.) Khelben Blackstaff assists you in your adventures in Undermountain and supplies you with quests and other tasks to perform in exchange for monetary rewards. When starting a new game, you must visit Khelben first before any of the other locations become available to you.
YAWNING PORTAL INN
(Inn to the far left of the screen.) The Yawning Portal Inn is the most publicly known entrance to Undermountain. It costs a gold piece to enter and leave Undermountain.
TRADING SCREEN
(Marketplace just to the left of the middle of screen.) The Marketplace is where you can go to sell items you have found in the dungeon and buy additional supplies of arrows, crossbow bolts, darts, and other weapons you may need in the dungeon.
CITY GATES
(Lower Right of screen.) This returns you to the main menu.
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KHELBEN BLACKSTAFF
The Khelben screen is where the characters come to receive quests and receive rewards and commentary after successfully completing them. Visit him after you think you have accomplished something and he might give you a clue or a new quest. For each quest that Khelben grants you, he gives you a scroll that describes it in detail.
Exit Tower: (Appears as a shield in the lower right corner of the screen.) When
you click on the shield with the mouse, the player leaves Blackstaff’s Tower and returns to the Waterdeep screen.
Blackstaff Picture: (Majestic picture of Blackstaff in the center of the screen.)
Khelben Blackstaff, believed by many to be the greatest mage in Waterdeep.
The Display Box (Wooden frame box located in the lower left corner of the
screen.) This section displays the inventory items (and creature descriptions) keyed to Khelben’s speech during the game. They appear in the box when Khelben speaks about them during his quest assignments. The area cannot be activated by the player.
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KHELBEN’S SCROLLS
Khelben gives you a scroll describing each quest you receive from him. To use the scroll, go to the Inventory screen and drag the scroll to either the Use button, or onto the large armored figure that represents the character.
BLACKSTAFF SCREEN HOT KEY
Pressing the following key on this screen will perform the following function:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pressing Escape returns to the Waterdeep
Esc
Menu.
TRADING SCREEN
This screen is where characters come to buy and sell items.
Exit Screen Button: (Appears as a shield in lower right corner.) When clicked
with the mouse, the player leaves the Trading Screen and emerges back into the main Waterdeep screen.
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Buy Button: (The left-most of the two buttons in the upper right corner of the
screens.) When the button is selected with a single-click, the Buy option for the items screen is displayed, showing all the items the shopkeeper has for sale and the shopkeeper’s price for them. When selected, the Buy button remains indented until the Sell option is selected. Only one button can be selected at one time.
Sell Button: (The right-most of the two buttons in the upper right corner of the
screens.) When the button is selected with a single-click, the Sell option for the items screen is displayed, showing all the items in your inventory and how much the shopkeeper is willing to pay for them. When selected, the Sell button remains indented until the Buy option is selected. Only one button can be selected at one time.
Item Display: (A list of items displayed on a piece of parchment on the left side of
the screen.) This area is broken down as follows:
Icon Quantity Description Cost
When the player comes to this screen from the Waterdeep screen it defaults to the Buy option. In the Buy option, it displays all the items the proprietor has for sale. By clicking the scroll bar on the right side of the parchment, the screen scrolls through the items the proprietor has in stock. In the Sell option, all the items in the character’s inventory are displayed on the sheet with a cost next to them.
Moving the mouse over any selection on the menu changes the color of the text (see Cursor Text Description, below). If the player single-clicks on a highlighted item or presses <Return> (see hot keys below) while in the Buy option, a pop-up window appears, asking if the player wants to purchase the item [Accept/Reject]. If [Accept] is selected, the item is purchased and placed in the character’s inventory. If [Reject] is selected, the pop-up box disappears. If the player is in the Sell Option and single-clicks on the item or presses Return, a pop-up window appears asking if the player really wants to sell the item to the proprietor.
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Weapon, Armor,/Miscellaneous Jump Toggle: (Appears as three large buttons
labeled “Weapons,” “Armor,” and “Miscellaneous” on the right side of the screen.)
If any of these three buttons are clicked, then the Display Menu jumps to the beginning of the selected items (i.e., to weapons, to armor, to miscellaneous items). When the player first arrives, the screen defaults to the start of the weapons list.
Cash Bar: (Located in the lower right of the screen.) This bar displays the current
amount of gold the character has in their inventory. Whenever anything is bought or sold, the number counter rapidly increases or decreases to the new cash total along with the jingle of coins.
Cursor Text Description: (A wooden panel at the bottom of the screen.) As the
player moves the cursor over each of the hotspots listed above, this section defines what each of the hotspots does.
TRADING SCREEN HOT KEYS
Pressing the following keys on this screen will perform various functions:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Return to Waterdeep Menu
Esc
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rotates through each of the selections
Tab
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Return
above one at a time, highlighting each. Selects/Deselects a highlighted option from
#1 To #5.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scrolls up one page on the Buy/Sell List.
Page Up
Page
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scrolls down one page on the Buy/Sell List.
Down
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scrolls up one line on the Buy/Sell List.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scrolls down one line on the Buy/Sell List.
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THE YAWNING PORTAL INN
This Inn is where the entrance to Undermountain resides. The owner of this fine establishment is Durnan, a former adventurer who is one of Waterdeep’s leading citizens – and one of its deadliest swordsmen. Durnan and his friend Mirt were among the first people to successfully adventure through the halls of Waterdeep. The Yawning Portal is built over one of the few publicly known entrances to Undermountain (a large well with a cage in the center). Would­be adventurers are permitted to go down into the dungeon, and usually do so with great ceremony, while wellwishers watch, cheer, and wager on whether they will ever return from the dungeon.
There are a number of regular patrons in the Yawning Portal:
• Mirt, the Moneylender, former head of the Waterdeep Thieves’ Guild
• Zariel, priestess of the goddess Tymora the Luckbringer, who heals adventurers (albeit for a very steep price)
• Nalbas, a halfling merchant (and some would say thief)
• Tolem, a dilettante who is actually one of the better swordsmen on the Sword Coast
• The mind flayer sage Sangalor of the Secrets, who sells secrets (for a price)
• Sabrae, a priestess of the drow goddess Eilistraee, one of the few benevolent goddesses of the drow
• Aleena Paladinstar, daughter of Lord Piergeiron, a capable mage who’s been forbidden to go on adventures by her father.
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