Games PC THE GENIE S CURSE User Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE GENIE’S BLESSING..........................................1

INTRODUCTION....................................................13

The AL-QADIM Game World...............................13

What Comes With This Game................................15

Copy Protection...................................................15

How to Start Playing Now....................................16

The Initial Menu .................................................17

Using a Joystick..................................................17

Using the Keyboard.............................................17

Using a Mouse....................................................18

The Options Menu ...............................................19

YOUR CHARACTER...............................................20

Character Basics .................................................20

Character Attributes............................................21

Moving Your Character ........................................23

Walking.............................................................23

Talking..............................................................24

Pushing and Pulling ............................................25

Breaking and Smashing .......................................25

Opening and Closing............................................26

Hiding and Sneaking...........................................26

COMBAT................................................................27

Using Your Sword................................................27

Using Your Sling .................................................29

Dodging.............................................................29

Getting Hit.........................................................29

USING ITEMS........................................................30

Gold and Gems ...................................................31

Potions..............................................................31

Rings ................................................................32

Magic Shards......................................................32

SPELLS CONTAINED IN THE MAGIC SHARDS ....34

BESTIARY..............................................................37

Dangerous Inhabitants of GENIE’S CURSE ..................38

New Monster Descriptions ....................................46

MONSTER AND MAGIC INDEX............................57

1

“I dismissed her. Now if you will stop ranting for one moment, I have
something urgent to discuss with you.” The dao flung the sack she
carried, to the ground. There was a groan as the sack squirmed, then

The Genie’s

Blessing

was still.
The efreeti folded his huge arms across his chest. “I have put up with

your foul presence on this island for too long, Mighty Rivener of
Pebbles, She Who Can Frighten Small Animals. But, now you have
gone too far! I will give you one chance to hold my attention. If you
fail I will send my wrath down on the heads of you and your pathetic
consorts until not one of you stands!”

2

he dao burst into the fiery chambers without being announced.

r

The efreeti’s servant quickly floated to her on a cushion of

T

“Why, if it isn’t the magnificent Beya Hrampulpishkin! She of the Divine
Countenance and Mighty Muscles! Rivener of Skulls and Suzerain of
the Subterranean! What a wonderful pleasure. Unfortunately . . . his
eminence, the great efreeti Mirza Gubishbuskin is, once again, enthralled
in a particularly challenging chess match and is not accepting visitors.
Thank you for gracing us with your presence and . . .”

“Enough of your prattle!” The dao crunched her huge fist into the
servant’s face, sending her spinning across the giant chess board.
The genie looked at her fist: the hair was singed by the contact with
the lesser genie. “Next time I’ll have to remember to bring my axe,”
she grumbled.

The genie tromped across the chessboard, knocking the invisible chess
pieces left and right. From across the board came a very formidable roar.

“Who dares interrupt the pleasure of the noble efreeti Gubishbuskin!
What foolish, impudent, brainless . . . “

The noble dao walked up to the giant genie lord, pushing aside the
chess queen. “It is I, Beya Hrampulpishkin, the Mighty Shaker of
Mountains! And I demand an audience with his great eminence, the
blowhard, soot-spitting king of cooking fires!”

The giant efreeti grew even redder in the face, the flames around him
roared in anger. “I should have known it was you, you insolent witch!
Where is my servant?”

flame, blocking the dao’s path.

The dao stood with her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed. The
flames reflected off her ebony skin. “Another genie will be blessed,”
she announced, allowing a small smile to creep to her lips.

The efreeti’s eyes opened wider.
He looked away from the dao, his
flames shriveling almost imper­ceptibly. “Nonsense,” he said
softly. “That is preposterous, and
if it were true . . . what concern is
it of mine?”

“Let us not play games, great
efreeti,” she said more gently. “We
both know the answer to that question. Would I come here myself,
would I stoop so low as to enter this infernal oven, if this were not
urgent?” The heat rose around her in waves, the efreeti’s image
distorting and dancing behind the curtain of intense heat.

Gubishbuskin leaned forward, “Give me proof.”
The dao bent down and slit open the sack with one long nail. She

pinched its end and yanked it upward. Out tumbled a disheveled
young woman. She rolled across the chessboard and scrambled to
her feet in front of the giant efreeti. Looking up, her eyes widened
with terror, “Your highness, spare me, I . . . I beg for mercy! I pray
my intrusion has not overly disturbed your most magnificent chess
match. A thousand pardons, Mighty Melter of Armies.” She fell to
her knees trembling.

“That is preposterous,

and if it were true . . .
what concern is it

of mine?”

3

4

The efreeti smiled, a whiff of black smoke drifting from his mouth, “I
love groveling.” He extended his little finger and a tiny speck of flame
flicked off and landed at the woman’s feet. Suddenly, the flame shot up
and in a flash encircled her. “Please, mercy, mighty lord, your
highness, your eminence . . . please!” A tiny fire elemental leapt onto
her robe and began spreading rapidly. Her face contorted in horror, she
flailed desperately at the flame.

“Enough of these games!” The dao
stepped forward and filling her lungs

“What need is there

to see the past?
What was was,
and is no longer

of concern.”

skillfully cut him off. “She is my seer , and she has shown me a future
that you will be most interested in.”

“She is but a child! Look at me, human!” The frightened woman met
the genie’s gaze. Rivers of sweat ran down her cheeks. “Can you really
see the future, child?”

“Oh, yes, most munificent and, ah . . . handsome, genie lord. And I
can see the past as well.”

“What need is there to see the past? What was was, and is no longer of
concern. The future, now that is another story. But, a child like you . . . “

“She is not a child,” the dao interrupted. “She is over four hundred
years old. I believe that is quite mature by human standards.” The dao
towered over the woman and stroked her hair clumsily. The woman
shuddered. “Her name is Khatariana. She has been in my employ for
many years. She has never failed to predict correctly, although some
things are closed to her. Show us your vision, woman. Show his
eminence what was and what is no longer of any concern.”

“With your permission, your eminence.”
The efreeti nodded.

with the hot air, blew across the chess
board. The flames around the woman
were instantly extinguished . . . as
well as a few of the flames
surrounding the efreeti.

Gubishbuskin glared at the dao, and
opened his mouth to speak.

“This is my hakima,” Hrampulpishkin

Khatariana withdrew a small sack from her robe and removed a
handful of sand from it. “The Sand of Sight, the Dust of Destiny . . .
each grain comes from a different land. From the deepest south of
Zakhara to the frozen north. Each grain tells a tale.” She spread the
sand out before her, its grains reflecting the flame before them.

“Sand of Sight! Dust of Destiny! How absurd!” The efreeti roared with
laughter.” Do you expect me to believe that . . . “

The woman waved her hand over the sand and an image appeared, daz­zling in its clarity. A town bustled before them, children danced in the
streets, mages practiced their trade with much sparkle and explosions.

“By the Loregiver’s big toe, I can even smell the camels!” The efreeti
stared in amazement.

“It is a town unlike any other. Magic bubbles up from the very earth.
The sick are healed, old walk erect, children grow up to be mighty
warriors. But, as has been the truth since genie and man first walked
this world, there are those who will steal what is not theirs. And, so
a great sha’ir and his magnificent genie protect the town. Theirs is
the task to . . . “

“Wait,” the efreeti bellowed. “This town is Zaratan. The Sorcerer’s Isle
that I am all too familiar with. Why show me this drivel? I know the
tale! I do not need it repeated.”

“You know only part of the tale, great one.” Hrampulpishkin said.
“What was was, but what will be will be as it was . . . “

“Enough double talk! If I must endure this, continue and get it over with!”
The town in the sand continued to bustle. Suddenly, the peace was

interrupted by a cry, “To arms! To arms! Monsters at the gate!” The
people froze in horror, then broke into mad runs. Men and women
came from their houses brandishing weapons. The elderly gathered
the children, and soldiers and mages prepared for battle. There on the
beach before the town gate, monsters materialized out of thin air.
Ogrimas, ettins, and strange creatures no man had seen before,
suddenly descended on the soldiers.

“No one knew where these horrors came from. There was no warning.
They struck fearlessly, cutting down the soldiers and townsfolk that
stood in their way. Everyone knew that the town had only one hope.”

5

6

The woman waved her hand across the image and another form
appeared. It was a sha’ir, standing in shock as people rushed by him.

“How can this be? Who would dare?” he mumbled.
A man suddenly grabbed him by the front of the robe, “Farid! Farid al-

Mutan! You must help us! Quickly, summon the genie, before all is
lost!”

Screams of death and horror filled the air. An ogrima strode through
the town gates, holding a limp soldier by the neck. It tossed the man
away and began swinging his club.

“Yes, Al-Jurat . . . yes . . . of course . . . the genie! I just don’t

understand. . . . “

“Now, Farid! Summon the genie now.” The man implored.
The sha’ir snapped out of his daze and quickly raised his arms. “Great

genie efreeti, my honored servant, come at my command, aid your
master Farid al-Mutan.”

A fiery whirlwind appeared before the Sha’ir . It grew, gathering sand
and debris, then it burst apart as a thick column of flame exploded from
the earth. Out of the flames a vast image formed. The great efreeti
towered above the man, its arms crossed, a half-smile on its face.

The genie stared at the image in the magical sand before him and
chuckled. “I was wrong. This little display is most entertaining. Look
at me, do I not look handsome and fearsome? And that entrance! Ha!
No one could do it better. Continue, little woman, this is the best part.”

The image in the sand grew more vivid.
“Mighty genie, your presence here is most appreciated. I hope my call

did not disturb you. But, the situation is urgent.” The sha’ir bowed
politely before the huge efreeti.

“Hmmm, I see you have a problem,” the genie smirked. Two townsfolk
struggled by, carrying a body. “I have an answer for you, my
slavemaster.” The genie glanced casually at the scene of carnage by
the town gates.

“Please, great one, your humble master begs that you not hesitate in
helping us!” Nearby, a scream cuts the air. “Please, efreeti, do this
now!” the sha’ir begged.

The genie slowly allowed his gaze to return to the sha’ir. He cocked his
head to one side and said one word very slowly, “No.”

Khatariana interrupted the vision.
“Such a small word. But, a word that
carries more power than any other.
A word that no genie has ever said
to his master.”

In the image, Farid al-Mutan fell to
his knees in shock. “No?” The genie
only stared at him. The sha’ir rose to
his feet and clenched his fists. “Genie,
you will rid this town of our enemy!”
The stench of burning flesh drifted by.

The efreeti leaned far forward so that his face was a mere foot from the
man. “NO!” he bellowed. The gust of heat knocked the old man
backward to the ground, “Genie, I command you! You can not disobey
me! You will feel my wrath if you . . . “

“No, no, no!” the genie laughed. “I no longer will obey you. You are
no longer my master! I have been blessed! I am free, free!” The giant
soared high into the air, over the town wall. “Good-bye, old man. May
you and your wretched town perish as you deserve! And may all
genies be blessed by the same magic that has freed me! Ha!”

“No, no, no!” the

genie laughed. “ I

no longer will obey
you. You are no

longer my master!”

“Your call always disturbs me! But, never have I had a choice but to
obey my master.” The genie spat out the words with contempt. “What
is it that you need?”

“O genie, the town is under siege by an army of monsters. Use your
magnificent power to blow them off this isle. This would be such a
simple thing to one as powerful as you.”

The images in the sand began to jump from one scene to another. The
old man mounted a steed, and weaving his way through the battle,
chased after the efreeti. The genie taunted him, always staying just out
of his reach, until finally disappearing in a ball of flame. The sha’ir
looked back at his ravaged town and wept. Flames began to rise above
the town walls.

7

8

“Do you know what happened after this?” Hrampulpishkin asked gently.
“No,” the efreeti replied, “That was the last I ever saw of that worm, or

that forsaken island.”
“You call him a worm. Was Farid al-Mutan ever unkind to you?”
“I was his slave,” the efreeti grumbled.
“Was he ever . . . hmmm, inconsiderate?” the dao probed gently.
“I was his slave!”
“Could you not have saved those poor innocent people, who only

treated you with the utmost respect and love?”
“I was a slave, Hrampulpishkin! A respected slave! A loved slave! You

have never been under a sha’ir’s control, you do not know what it is
like!” Black smoke belched from his nostrils.

“Many genies are honored to serve a . . . “
“Many genies are fools! On with this tale, I long to get back to my

chess match!”
In the sand at their feet, the sha’ir buried his face in his hands, “I have

failed, I have let my people down. I must never return. Never! I am a
disgrace! May the Loregiver forgive me!”

The image faded and was replaced by a scene of the ravaged town.
Smoke curled from ruined buildings, survivors stumbled among the
bodies of their friends.

“The battle was long and hard,” the hakima interrupted, “but the
magic of the isle was enough to let its defenders triumph. The toll was
heavy, Sorcerer’s Isle never fully recovered from the disaster. Years
later a new sha’ir was appointed to guard the town with his genie.
Zubin Al-Hazrad, an honorable man, and his family wield the power of
Muliban, a djinn. It is their duty, now, to protect the innocent.”

“What of the old Sha’ir, what became of him?” the dao asked.
The sands swirled and revealed a lofty palace, standing like a sentinel

over the town of Zaratan. In its dungeon was a treacherous maze, built
to keep visitors out.

The hakima continued. “He lived in
seclusion for many years, refusing
company or the pleading of the townsfolk
for him to return. He took a bride, a
woman of the sea, who loves him dearly.
But, alas, he is so afraid to lose her, as he
already has lost so much, that he keeps
her confined. Such are the ways of love.”

The efreeti looked strangely thoughtful for
a moment, “Harumph! So much for him!
He got what he deserved!” the efreeti
growled. “Is this why you have broken
into my house? To tell me things I already
know or do not care about?”

“Patience, mighty efreeti, now look into
the future.” The dao squatted next to the
sand and peered intently into its depths.

An image appeared, unclear and foggy. A
mighty djinn rode the wind; from his hand
rose a hurricane that smashed a ship. The
sail snapped as crew men were flung into
the sea. A beautiful young woman gasped
as she was plucked from the ship’s deck
by a whirlwind. Time passed. An old man
lay in a cold cell, a rat nibbling on his
untouched food.

“What is this nonsense?” the efreeti asked.
“So, a genie kills a few humans? Was he
ordered to do this?”

“Yes, your fiery mightiness,” the hakima
answered.

“So be it! If his master orders him to kill
some . . . “ the efreeti stopped himself as
his eyes met those of the dao.

“Gubishbuskin, I think there is more for
you to see,” she said.

9

In the sand could be seen a small island, all but deserted. A group of
dark figures paced around a glowing stone. The power of the stone
could be felt rising from the magic sand. A genie rose over a huge
gleaming city; fire leapt from his fingers, raining death on those below.
A dao clapped his hands together and the earth opened at his feet. A
city was swallowed. On his shoulder sat a black figure cackling with
delight. In a cave of ice another shadowy figure spoke; his words came
out with steam. He picked up a thick chain and viciously yanked it. He
pulled the chain towards him. The chain was tied around the neck of
the noble efreeti, Mirza Gubishbuskin.

“I have seen enough! I do not claim to understand all I’ve seen. What
is the meaning of all this? What can be done?”

“I am afraid another genie is about to be ‘blessed,’ as you call it, then
another and another. This time, though, these genies will not be
merely freed, but they will find themselves with a new master. I
believe that the same force that freed you years ago is at work here. I
don’t think that they intended to free you at all. They wanted to
control you, but they were too weak then. They wanted you to fight at
the side of the monsters,” the dao replied.

10

“I have suspected the same. And now they finally have the power to
capture our kind. I have dreaded this day. The day the . . . “

“Do not speak their name! We know who is behind this, that is
enough!” Hrampulpishkin screamed.

“What can we do? If a genie were to interfere . . . come too close, he
too may fall under their influence!” The efreeti shook his head in
disbelief. “I can hardly believe it! We the genie lords . . . powerless!”

“Pardon my interruption, mighty ones,” the hakima said humbly. “I
believe there may be one who can help.”

“Speak up, woman!” the dao urged.
Again the woman waved her hand over the sand and an image appeared.

A young man was training in the ways of the sword. He was strong and
handsome, and he showed the hard-earned scars of experience. He was
wearing the garb of a corsair , a warrior trained in the ways of the sea. His
skin was dark from the sun, his muscles hard from adventuring.

“Hmmm,” the dao purred. “He looks positively delicious.”

“What? Do you actually find that puny human attractive?” the efreeti
rumbled.

“I didn’t say I thought he looked attractive. I said he looked delicious.”
the dao replied, licking her lips.

11

12

“He is the son of Al-Hazrad, the protector of Sorcerer’s Isle. He will be
drawn into this dilemma. It will be up to him to put an end to the Genie’s
Curse,” the hakima catches herself. “I mean the Genie’s Blessing.”

She waved her hand across the sand and the image changed. The young
man was battling the undead before a beached wreck. He disappeared
into a doorway as an automaton marched by. He rode a magical flying
carpet. He stood before the mighty genie lords themselves.

“Hmmm, he will come here? How
interesting.” The dao stroked the

“It will be up to him

to put an end to
the Genie’s Curse . . .
I mean the Genie’s

stubble on her chin. “Maybe we
should help him.”

“Nonsense! I am not convinced a
human can change the future and rid
this land of those shadowy demons
who shall remain unnamed.”

Blessing.”

“Still, Mirza, if he is clever enough to

come here. . . . “

“Bah! There is no proof to any of this. These things you have shown
me have not even happened yet! Let Fate take its course.”

“You burnt-out bag of hot air! Did you not see yourself in chains! Did
you not . . . “ the dao screeched.

“And what are we to do about it? Hmmm? Can there be a power
greater than we? If there is, then so be it! If this is just this witch’s lies,
then both of you be gone and let me enjoy my match!” Flames leapt
powerfully around the genie.

“No, we shall not ignore it. It seems our fate may be in the hands of that
mortal.” The efreeti bent forward and plucked a pinch of sand with his
huge fingers. “The risk to our safety is too great, if we become directly
involved. May Fate steer this young man down the path to victory.”

The genie held the pinch of sand to his eye and squeezed it. “This is
for you, hakima.” He tossed the diamond to the woman. “May your
prophecy prove untrue.”

The woman gleefully clutched the gem. “The future is as mysterious as
Fate. Thank you, great genie.”

“Come, Khatariana. Let us leave his fieriness to his games.” The dao
roughly pushed the woman toward the door. “I’m sure we will speak
of this again. Take care, Mirza; the next time I see you, you may be
wearing that chain around your neck.”

“Yes, yes. I know, I know. Dust of Destiny, and all that! I will believe it
when I see it.” He dismissed them with a wave of his hand.

The two women walked back across the chess board, the hakima
trying to keep up with the dao’s giant strides.

“And one more thing, Hrampulpishkin.” the efreeti called after them.
“The next time you want to drop by , please make an appointment first.”

The dao stopped, clenched her fists and left the chambers of the great
genie lord Mirza Gubishbuskin.

r

The dao clenched her teeth and let her anger pass. She looked away
from the efreeti. “Perhaps you are correct. Perhaps none of this will
happen. We shall see. But, if the hakima is correct, this could mean the
end of Zakhara.”

“Enough talk, be gone, I wish to return to my chess match.”
The hakima scrambled to pick up the magical sand. She quickly began

to pour handfuls of the enchanted alluvium back into her pouch.
“Mirza, we must do something. We can not ignore this prophecy!”

13

14

INTRODUCTION

The AL-QADIM

The AL-QADIM game world is a
land of desert sands, scattered
islands, and powerful genies. It is
a place where some devote
themselves to honor while others
tread upon it. An insult to one’s
family is more likely to provoke a
duel than the slash of a scimitar.

“Powerful” and “unpredictable”
describes the genies of this world.
Those with some element of
control over these mighty creatures
are often rulers, but many genies
have no masters — save their own
whims. Most inhabitants of this
land fear the greatest genies and
refer to them as gods.



Game World

Much of this world is colonized
and bereft of monsters. However ,
the region known as the Crowded
Sea is an area with little civiliza­tion and fraught with danger ,
where only the strong dare to
tread. In these dangerous waters
rests the mysterious Sorcerer’s
Isle, famed for its intense magical
energies and for the sorcerers that
have inhabited the isle from ages
past. The only settlement on the
isle is the small but thriving town
of Zaratan. This is the home of
your character.

1

5

6

11

15

21

7

16

2

8

17

Zaratan

Table One: Locations in Zaratan

1.........Temple

2.........Qadi’s Hall

3.........Weapon’s Master

4.........The Inn

5.........Qadi’s House

6.........Shopkeeper’s House

7.........Haroom & Merwani abi

Wassab’s House

8.........Poor Resident’s House

9.........Babazar the Merchant’s

House

10.......Tarik Al-Hazrad’s House

11.......Storage Shed

12

20

r

12.......Mamoon & Latifah abi

13.......Ru’tan Al-Hazrad’s

14.......Zubin & Jessamin

15.......Aliya’s House

16.......Under Construction

17.......Store

18.......Barracks

19.......Sorcerer’s Guild

20.......Town Gates

21.......Towards Western Desert

3

9

13

18

4

10

Wassab’s House
House
Al-Hazrad’s House

14

19

15

16

You see the world from an over­head view. This game takes place
in real time. There are no turns
for you to perform an action
before the monster acts. If you
want your character to strike at a
creature, then be quick on attack
and equally quick to dodge away
from its blow.

ENIE’S CURSE your character

In G
will talk with scores of people and
fight dangerous monsters and evil
minions as he ventures across
oceans and through deserts,
dungeons, towns, villages, and
the Great Palace of the Caliph. He
will sneak past patrolling guards,
slash at vicious enemies, fire
explosive spells, avoid brutal
traps, and solve mystifying
puzzles as he strives to uphold
honor and strike blows of justice.

What Comes
With This Game

In addition to this rule book, the
box should hold the disks
containing the game and a data
card. This rule book explains how
to play the game, details
monsters and spells, and contains
a story which sets the scene for
the drama on the computer.
Install the game from the disks
onto your computer using the
data card instructions.

Copy Protection

There is no physical copy pro­tection on your G
disks. Please duplicate them and
set the originals aside for safe
keeping. To assure that you have
a legitimate copy of the game you
will be asked a verification
question after the credits. The
answer will be a word from this
rule book. Please see the data
card for help if you have any
trouble finding the correct word.

ENIE’S CURSE

GENIE’S

LAMP

YOUR CHARACTER

SPELL

ICON

ACTION

CIRCLES

Adventure Screen

r

How to Start
Playing Now

If you are an experienced player
and you want to jump right into
the game before reading the rule
book, here are the absolute basics.

ENIE’S CURSE you control a

In G
male corsair, a warrior in a dan­gerous land. Your character can
perform a number of different
tasks, and the controls are easy to
master. Move your character by
holding down the right mouse
button, while moving the mouse
in the desired direction. When he
is adjacent to something that you
would like him to act upon, left-

HEALTH

BAR

GEMS GOLD

click. Your character will then do
whatever is appropriate, whether
it is: talking to a noble, slashing
at a zombie, opening a door, or
pulling a switch. For keyboard and
joystick controls see the following
sections, “Using a Joystick” and
“Using the Keyboard.”

To use an item in your character’ s
possession, click on the genie’s
lamp, located at the top of the
screen. A menu will appear . Select
INVENTORY and click on the item
twice. If you desire to ready the
sling or a magic shard, similar to a
wand, select READY WEAPON and
click on the weapon twice. To fire
the weapon, press the space bar.

POTION

EFFECTS

17

18

The Initial Menu

After you have correctly entered
the answer to the verification
question, the initial game menu
appears. LOAD GAME allows you to
load a previously saved game.
NEW GAME starts the game from
the beginning. VIEW CREDITS and
QUIT TO DOS are self-explanatory.
Click on the desired option using
the sword cursor.

Using a Joystick

To move your character, just move
the joystick. You can move him in
all eight of the major compass
directions. To perform an action
upon anything adjacent to your
character, press the first button.
This is referred to as “pressing the
action button” or “clicking.”

To fire a readied missile weapon
or spell, press the second button.

To access the menu, press the
escape key. This also pauses
the game.

To chose a selection from a list, or
move between areas in the menu,
push the joystick up or down and
then press the action button when
your choice is highlighted. To view
an item which your character is
carrying, choose INVENTORY or
READY WEAPON from the menu and
move the joystick until the desired
item is highlighted. Press the
action button to use it.

You may not use both the mouse
and joystick at the same time, but
you can use the keyboard while
the joystick is active. This is
helpful when you are making a
very tight or exact maneuver.

Using the Keyboard

To move your character, press the
arrow keys. You can move him in
all eight of the major compass
directions. To move him diagonal­ly, hold down the two appropriate
keys simultaneously, or use the
diagonal keys (1, 3, 7, and 9) on
the numeric keypad. To perform
an action upon anything in your
character’s path, press the “Ctrl”
key. This is referred to as “pressing
the action button” or “clicking.”

To fire a readied missile weapon
or spell, press the space bar.

To access the menu, press the Esc
key. To chose a selection from a
list, use the up or down arrow
keys and then press the action
button when your choice is
highlighted. To see an item which
your character is carrying, choose
INVENTORY or READY WEAPON from
the menu and press the arrow
keys until the desired item is
highlighted. Press the action
button to then use it.

You may use either the mouse or
joystick while still using the
keyboard controls.

Using a Mouse

When your character is not
moving, your mouse cursor is
a sword. When your character
is moving, the sword changes
to an arrow.

There are two different mouse
modes which allow you to move
your character according to your
preference. In the mouse normal
mode, hold down the right button:
an arrow cursor (a pointer)
appears, pointing in the direction
you want to move. If you have a
problem moving, move the sword
cursor away from your character in
the direction you want him to
travel. You can move in all eight of
the major compass directions. This
is the default method of move­ment; see “Input Device” on page
19 to change the mouse mode.

Mouse travel mode is the
optional mouse control. It does
not require that you hold down
the right button. To move your
adventurer, click the right button
once. From that point until the
right button is clicked again, your
hero walks in the direction of the
arrow pointer. If he reaches the
pointer, he stops traveling until
the mouse is moved again. To
make him stop walking, click the
right button.

Regardless of which mode you
use, your character can perform
an action upon anything adjacent
to him and in front of him, simply
by left-clicking. It is not essential
to place the sword cursor pre­cisely on the item or object, only
that your character be adjacent
to the target. This is referred to
as “pressing the action button”
or “clicking.”

To fire a readied missile weapon
or spell, press the space bar.

To access the menu, click on the
genie’s lamp at the top of the
screen using the sword cursor.
To choose a selection from a
list or select a menu item, place
the cursor over the selection
and then press the action but­ton. To see an item which your
character is carrying, choose
INVENTORY or READY WEAPON from
the menu, move the cursor over
the desired item and click once to
highlight it. Press the action
button again to use it.

You may not use the mouse and
joystick at the same time, but you
can use the mouse and keyboard
together. This is helpful when
you are making a very tight or
exact maneuver.

19

20

YOUR CHARACTER

SOME SAVE

GAME TITLES

Saving Your Progress

r

The Options Menu

Saving Your Game

You may have up to nine saved
games at one time. To save a
game, select OPTIONS from the
menu. Click on SAVE GAME, select
the file slot you wish to fill, type
in a descriptive name, and press
Enter/Return. You may save at
any point in the game.

Restoring Your Game

To play from a saved game, select
LOAD GAME from the initial menu,
or from OPTIONS during play.
Select the game and click on it.
WARNING: the game you are
currently playing will be lost if it
has not been saved.

UNUSED

SAVE GAMES

Sound

Under the OPTIONS menu, select
SETUP. Both the MUSIC and SOUND
EFFECTS in the game can be

toggled on and off by clicking the
action button on the appropriate
choice. The volume of both can
also be selected using the slider.
Drag the slider with the mouse, or
select it and move the arrow keys
or joystick right and left.

Input Device

Click on INPUT on the SETUP menu
(under OPTIONS) to toggle between:
mouse travel mode, mouse normal
mode, joystick, or keyboard only .
The keyboard input is valid with
the mouse and the joystick. See
“Using a Mouse” on page 18 for a
description of all the mouse modes.

Character Basics

In GENIE’S CURSE you control a
single adventurer striving to
maintain his family’s honor and
foil the plots of evil forces. When
the game begins, your character
has already completed both his
training and several previous
adventures. In one of these adven­tures, his charisma and daring
won him the love of a princess.
Now, after a final test, your char­acter will be ready to return home,
marry, and become a prince.

By profession, your character is a
second-level human corsair (see
“Experience Points” on page
22 for information on levels).
Corsairs are seafaring warriors in
this world. They are known for
bold explorations and daring
exploits across rough waters
where few would dare to go.

The corsair is a freer spirit than
most others, cares little for social
status or grace, and may seem
rough around the edges to more
civilized beings. Often the envy of
those in less glamorous occupa­tions, the corsair embodies
bravery, leadership, and honesty
among allies. Corsairs following
an ignoble path usually become
pirates and scalawags, while
those who have a firm grasp on

honor are the rough and ready
heroes of the bard’s tales most
frequently requested at local pubs.

Sailing the Crowded Seas

While the corsair scorns armor
because it hinders movement
and encumbers swimming, this
is made up for with weapon skill.
Both hands are available for
wielding weapons, and this is
important in G
your character can perform
stunning feats with the scimitar
in the right hand, while firing
spells from magic items, or stones
from a sling, with the left.

Attacking with the Scimitar

ENIE’S CURSE as

21

22

Character Attributes

When the game first begins, you
are shown a full screen picture
of your hero and must name
him. Your hero’s last name is
Al-Hazrad, but his first is up to
you. After typing it in, press
Enter/Return to continue.

Some sample names from the
AD&D
Adventures game are:

After naming your character , you
will be able to select the difficulty
level of the game, which defaults
to Normal and can be changed
to Easy or Hard. This does not
effect the puzzles in G
but does effect the strength and
voracity of the monsters.

The two major attributes of your
character which require frequent
attention are experience points
and hit points. Other character
attributes take effect behind the
scenes. G
to keep you in the action with­out needing to frequently pause
and check your character’s
current statistics.



AL-QADIM Arabian

Ahmad Kerim
Aziz Khalid
Farid Najib
Hakim Rashad
Jamal Yusuf

ENIE’S CURSE is designed

ENIE’S CURSE,

The Stats Screen

r

Experience Points

As you solve puzzles, achieve
goals, and kill monsters, your
character will gain experience
points. Refer to the “Warrior
Experience Levels” table below to
see the point totals needed to
increase in level. When you have
enough experience points for
level advancement, you will
automatically gain more hit
points. Your character’s current
experience point total can be
viewed by clicking on the menu
selection VIEW STATS. When you
are done with the stats screen
click the action button to return
to the menu.

At certain points in the game, your
character becomes eligible to learn
a new attack move. At this point,
you must guide your character to
the Weapons Master. He will
quickly give your character the
necessary training.

WARRIOR EXPERIENCE LEVELS

LEVEL POINTS NEEDED

10
2 2,000
3 4,000
4 8,000
5 16,000
6 32,000
7 64,000
8 125,000
9 250,000

23

24

Hit Points

Your character’s health is mea­sured in hit points, and is visually
depicted by the red health bar at
the top of the screen. The numer­ical maximum value can be seen
by clicking on the menu selection
VIEW STATS. As you are hit in com­bat, or injured by a trap, your hit
points are taken away. If they fall
to zero, your character dies. To
continue play, either start another
game or restore a saved game.

To regain hit points, use a healing
potion or find areas in G
CURSE where healing is available.
You may never recover more hit
points than your current maxi­mum, and that maximum number
is only increased by obtaining a
higher level (see the “Warrior
Experience Points” table above).

The health bar is always full
when your character is at
maximum hit points, and empty
when he is dead. If you have
gained more hit points by
advancing in level, the bar will
decrease by smaller increments
when your character is damaged.

ENIE’S

Moving Your Character

This section details the many
types of maneuvers which your
character can perform and gives
some hints for better play. In gen­eral, all you need to know to play

ENIE’S CURSE is how to make your

G
character walk, and that most

actions are performed by pressing
the action button when he is adja­cent to the target of that action.

Walking

See the “Using a Mouse,” “Using a
Joystick,” or “Using the Keyboard”
sections on pages 17-18 to learn
how to walk.

You will not be able to move your
character into areas of obviously
deadly nature, such as over a cliff
or into a sea of acid. However , to
keep from taking damage, you
will need to deftly maneuver him
through traps like rising spikes
and blowing flame jets.

CHARACTER

WATCH OUT
FOR SPEARS

Adventuring in the Acid Dungeon

On rare occasions your character
must follow someone else in
the game. When this happens,
just wait until he reaches the
destination; once the situation is
resolved, you will be able to take
control again.

WON’T WALK

INTO ACID

OTHER PERSON’S

CONVERSATION BOX

Conversing in GENIE’S CURSE

r

Talking

To speak with other people, or
perhaps even monsters, click on
the action button when your
character is next to them.
Anything that they say is printed
at the top of the screen, and
anything which your character
might normally say is displayed
in the lower middle of the screen.
Click the action button after you
have read the text. If your
character is in the middle of
combat, or if there are monsters
lurking in the immediate vicinity,
a person may not say anything
until after the threat is dealt with.

YOUR CHARACTER’S
CONVERSATION BOX

AND MENU BOX

If you have a choice of what to
say, a menu will appear. You can
define your approach to the game
by the types of responses that
you give. Sometimes your choice
of dialogue has great effect on the
success or failure of your charac­ter’s mission. Hint: people your
character has talked to may have
more to say later in the game.

Sometimes a person starts a
conversation as soon as your
character nears them. For
instance, a shopkeeper may offer
assistance as soon as your
character enters the store. If you
end a conversation with the
person and want to talk again,
move your character away from
them and approach once more.

25

26

Pushing and Pulling

Moving into Push Position

Pushing the Stone Block

Many stone items like blocks and
statues, can be moved. To push
or pull an object, move to the
desired side, face it, and arrange
your character with his hands
near the top of the object. Then
click the action button to grasp
the object, and move your
character normally to push or pull
the object. To continue moving
without grasping the object, just
click the action button again.

There are both wall and floor
switches to be pushed or pulled.
To move one, just align your char­acter with it as above, and then
click the action button. Hint: flip­ping a switch may affect an area.

Breaking and Smashing

Smashing a Vase

There are some objects in GENIE’S
CURSE which your character can
smash to pieces or otherwise
destroy. Sometimes, other items
can be found inside them.
Breakables are usually wooden,
although vases and even wall
hangings can sometimes be
destroyed as well. To destroy
something, move next to it and
click the action button, or fire a
spell at it. See “Magic Shards”
on page 32.

Opening and Closing

BUREAU CABINET

BOOK

Clicking the action button when
adjacent to items like chests,
books, baskets, doors, and
dressers opens or closes them. If
it is a chest, basket, or dresser,
you will be informed immediately
of its contents. If you leave an
item in a chest, it will still be
available later.

You may need a key to open
some doors. After opening a door,
your character can move into the
area beyond, and if it is a
building with a roof, the roof
disappears once the door is open.

For doorways in vertical walls, or
at the top of buildings, the door
may not be visible due to the
overhead perspective. If this is the

BASKET

SCROLLSCHESTS

case, simply move your character
into the doorway. If his move­ment appears to be blocked, click
the action button to open the
door, even though it is hidden
from view. If your character is
close enough to the door , it opens.

To enter a secret door, move your
character into the wall where you
suspect the door to be. If there
is one there, he will glide right
through it without needing to click
at all, or you will be informed that
the secret door needs a key. If
there is no secret door your
character bumps his nose, but
does not take any damage.

Hiding and Sneaking

You will encounter situations
when your character must
achieve goals stealthily. This may
require hiding behind bushes to
overhear a conversation,
sneaking behind an unsuspecting
guard, or dodging around a
corner to keep from being seen.
These actions are all controlled by
how carefully you move your
character. Hint: If you find your
character getting caught often, try
to play through the area slowly
and steadily, without blindly
running across patrolled halls
hoping to make it.

27

28

COMBAT

Battling monsters is a common
experience as you venture with
your character away from human
population centers. It requires
you to be quick on the controls
and always ready for a sudden
onrush of rats and spiders from
the hallway beyond.

You will be able to ready your
character with a scimitar in his
right hand and either a sling or
magical shard in his left.

Whenever the three attack circles
at the top of the screen are
visible, your character has
entered a dangerous area. If the
attack circles at the top of the
screen are hidden, there is no
need for your sword. If there are
friendly creatures to be found in
hostile areas, your character will
not be attacked while the attack
circles are missing.

Using Your Sword

Your character
specializes in the
scimitar, using it
instead of any
other melee
weapons. This
gives him a great
advantage. At
second-level he
can already use
the scimitar with
stunning ability.

The actual sword
your character
owns was a gift
from his father. It is
a one-of-a-kind
magical sword with
its own intelligence.
While is does not
speak, it does

refuse to damage anyone of good
alignment. It is also imbued with
magic from the famed Moonstone.
This magic enables it to cause
additional damage when it strikes
a monster . And, more importantly,
there are magic shards of the
Moonstone hidden on certain
islands in the Crowded Seas which
will automatically meld into the
sword, giving it even more
destructive power!

To make
your char­acter strike
with his
scimitar ,
click the

Attacking

He then swings it in whatever
direction he is facing, or in the
direction the sword cursor lies, if
using the mouse. This blow can be
done rapidly and for as long as
you keep clicking. It damages any
monster it hits. When a monster is
hit, it flashes briefly . There is a
Weapons Master in Zaratan with
whom you can spar to practice and
learn combat.

To lock and unlock the direction
your character faces, press the
Alt key. (When “locked” a small
L appears in the upper left border.)
Locking helps when walking
down narrow corridors, but
unlocking helps when surrounded
by monsters.

action
button.

As your character gains in experi­ence levels, and trains with the
Weapons Master, he acquires two
additional sword swings. The
second swing damages monsters
to the left and right as well as the
front, and the third is a spectacular
360 degree swipe, which injures
monsters on all sides of your
character, including those behind.

Each new swing is more powerful
than the one before it and will
thus inflict more damage on the
target. And in addition to gaining
new swings, your character will
also be able to use his simpler
swings even faster than before. To
signify the ability to use a new
swing, the next action circle lights
up. To use the new swings, hold
down the action button for a split
second longer. Release it when
the second or third action circle
lights up in orange, depending on
which blow you desire.

The more damage your character
inflicts on his opponent, the fur­ther the opponent is driven back­wards. After striking a blow, your
character takes a brief moment to
ready his scimitar again.

Hint: Even in the thick of
fighting, keep an eye on the
health bar. Be sure to have your
character drink a healing potion,
if you have one, before the bar is
gone or he dies. Entering the
menu pauses combat.

29

30

Using Your Sling

The sling your
character
gains early in
the adventure
is a rare sling
of seeking, a
magical
weapon which

Slinging

much greater chance of hitting
the target. They also do more
damage than a standard sling
stone and even hit creatures only
damaged by magical weapons.
Your character always seems to
have ammunition for the sling.

To use the sling, click on it after
selecting the READY WEAPON menu
choice. This causes your char­acter to put away any shard
being carried and pull out the
sling. The sling icon appears on
the top of the screen, next to the
action circles.

Attack with the sling by pressing
the space bar or the second
joystick button. The stone then
fires in whatever direction your
character last moved. It is
possible to hit enemies which are
just off of the viewing screen.

sends off its
stones with a

Dodging

Creatures which move slower
than your character can often be
dodged when they attack.
Whether you move your
character in to strike and back to
dodge, or run circles around the
monsters, as long as your
character’s feet keep moving, he
is harder to hit. If a monster is
faster than your character, then
you may still be able to dodge,
but it might be best to press the
attack relentlessly. Hint: Try
different combat styles against
different monsters.

Getting Hit

If your character is dealt a blow
in combat, he will be knocked
back, wounded, and stunned for
a brief moment. Make sure you
dodge or attack the second he can
move again, or another strike will
likely land. The monsters you
encounter offer no mercy.

USING ITEMS

ITEMS CARRIED

ITEM’S NAME

QUANTITY OF

CARRIED ITEM

Inventory

r

Your character starts the adven­ture with a very useful magic
item, a pouch of accessibility.
This pouch holds any number of
objects, and but a thought brings
the desired one immediately to
his fingertips.

Icons are displayed on the inven­tory screen for each item which
your character carries in the
pouch. After selecting an item
(see “Using a Joystick,” “Using
the Keyboard,” or “Using a
Mouse” on pages 17-18), you see
its name and the quantity carried
at the bottom of the screen.

HIGHLIGHTED ITEM

EXIT BACK

TO MENU

There are a large variety of items
which your character carries and
uses. Some of them are used
automatically when he needs
them. For example, if your
character approaches a door which
requires a bone key, and he has
one, the key automatically opens
the lock. This keeps the game
moving and eliminates redundant
decisions. However, there are
numerous times when you must
choose what to use and where.

31

32

Gold and Gems

Gold and gems are the standard
currencies in G
gem is worth about ten gold
pieces. Most merchants favor
gold, but some accept gems and
an even smaller number require
them. The amount of gold and
gems currently being carried by
your character is displayed on the
top of the screen. Gold and gems
are most often found by looting
monster’s lairs and receiving pay
for the completion of tasks. Hint:
Be careful not to overspend and
then have to adventure about
trying to find gold.

ENIE’S CURSE. One

Potions

Some potions last only for short
periods of time. This is noted
in the following potion descrip­tions. When you activate one of
these, the vial on the top of the
screen fills with liquid. The liquid
then gradually drains from the
vial — when it runs out, the
potion’s effects end. If your cha­racter drinks one potion while
another is in effect, the former’s
effects will be lost. Potions, even
those of the same type, are
brewed with varying potencies so
their durations are all different.
Note: all durations are listed in
real time.

Potion Bottles

There are a number of different
potions in G
potion may only be used once.
Following are descriptions of the
potions and the types of bottle
they come in.

ENIE’S CURSE. Each

Extra Healing

♦ large red heart bottle

This is the strongest healing
potion in G
used, it heals the character for 6
to 27 hit points.

ENIE’S CURSE. When

Giant Strength

♦ green bottle

Upon consumption, the individual
gains great strength and when­ever striking a blow in combat, it
does 8 extra hit points of damage.
This potion lasts for only a few
minutes and is best used immed­iately upon entering battle.

Healing

♦ small red heart bottle

This common potion heals for 4
to 10 hit points.

Invulnerability

♦ gray bottle

Weak monsters cannot harm the
drinker of this potion and powerful
creatures will have a more difficult
time doing damage. The effects
only last a short amount of time
so it is best used as combat starts.

Oil of Elemental
Invulnerability

♦ blue bottle — Air
♦ brown bottle — Earth
♦ orange bottle — Fire
♦ clear bottle — Water

All of these oils give identical
results, only against different
elementals. The effect only lasts
for a brief time, but when used
your character is immune to
damage from the elemental of
the type listed.

Rings

Your character automatically
wears a ring when he finds one.
Once in place, a ring’s effects last
continually. To see which rings
are currently being worn, select
VIEW STATS from the menu. No two
of the same ring type may be
worn at one time, so a +2 ring of
protection would take the place of
a +1 ring when it is discovered. If
any rings are found which do not
need to be worn for their magic to
take effect, they appear on the
INVENTORY screen.

Magic Shards

There are tales told amongst the
folk of the Crowded Sea of a great
stone of magical powers, dubbed
the Moonstone. While none know
where the stone now lies, frag­ments of it have been discovered
throughout Sorcerer’s Isle and the
surrounding islands. Some of
these fragments contain powerful
spells and, unlike wands often
usable only by mages, they can
be used by anyone descended
from the original settlers of
Sorcerer’s Isle. Your character is
of that ancient bloodline.

33

34

SHARDS BEING

CARRIED

READIED

WEAPON’S

NAME

CHARGES

REMAINING

READIED
WEAPON

Ready Weapon Screen

r

Each shard, resembling a glowing
rock, holds a number of charges.
Each use consumes one charge
and, once depleted, the shard
breaks apart. Select READY WEAPON
from the menu to display any
shards currently being carried,
and click on one to ready it. Only
one shard or the sling can be
equipped at a time. While
adventuring, you can tell which
shard is readied by the small icon
next to the attack circles. If the
icon area is empty, the one being
used ran out of charges, or one
was never selected to begin with.

SLING

EXIT BACK

TO MENU

The number next to the shard’s
name represents the charges it
has remaining.

To fire the readied shard, face
your character in the direction
you want it to go and press the
space bar. See the “Spell Listings”
below for descriptions of the
shards you may find.

SPELLS CONTAINED IN

THE MAGIC SHARDS

A

Water Blast

These are the spells held in magic shards of the Moonstone, which your
character uses to blast creatures from a distance, even those just off the
playing screen! Each spell operates as though cast by a sixth-level mage.
As you delve deeper into G
enemies which also cast spells. When hit by a spell, your character’s
natural magic resistance may protect him. Hint: Dodge spells. If you are
quick, some incantations can be avoided altogether . . . but not always!

The icon pictured here appears when a shard with that spell is readied.

Cone of Cold

When cast, this spell causes a cone-shaped area of extreme cold to
extend 10 yards from the caster. It freezes anything it touches for 12
to 30 points of damage.

ENIE’S CURSE, your character encounters

Spell Hits a Ghoul

35

36

Flame Arrow

This spell empowers the caster to hurl a fiery bolt 20 yards at an
enemy. If it hits, the spell causes 1 to 6 points of damage from the
blow and 4 to 24 points of damage to any creature affected by flames.

Lightning Bolt

Upon releasing this spell, a powerful stroke of electric energy shoots
from the caster, greatly damaging whatever it strikes. The lightning
bolt can ricochet off walls, sometimes heading straight back into the
caster. It damages every target that it hits for 6 to 36 points of damage
before petering out after traveling 100 yards.

Magic Missile

When this spell is cast, a tight group of three missiles shoot towards
any visible target within 120 yards. They strike the enemy closest to
the caster in the direction being faced. The tight ball of missiles cause a
total of 6 to 15 points of damage.

Sunfire

This spell harnesses the very power of the sun and shoots it up to 70
yards where it forms an explosive ball of flame. Those killed by the
sunfire are often burned to ash. The spell does 6 to 36 points of
damage to those directly caught in the blast. The caster is never
damaged by sunfire.

Sunscorch

When cast, the sunscorch forms into an intense blast of heat which
focuses into a narrow beam and then fires to the target. It curves and
wraps around obstacles up to 60 yards or until it unerringly strikes the
prey. The beam does 4 to 24 points of damage plus 2 to 8 points if the
target is touching any metal item larger than a sword.

Water Blast

A fast moving shot of water springs from the caster and careens to the
target exactly like a magic missile. The blast does 2 to 12 points of
damage and travels up to 60 yards.

Sundazzle

This spell causes small, multi-colored spheres to dance about the eyes
of the target, temporarily blinding it.

37

38

BESTIARY

This is a dangerous land, for behind its honorable facade lies intrigue,
treachery, and deceit. In addition to the monsters, there are evil
humans bent upon your character’s destruction, and tremendously
powerful genies whose actions are always unpredictable. Perhaps in
this section you will find information on your foes to give you a
greater chance of success.

Dangerous Inhabitants of GENIE’S CURSE

Acid Blob

See “New Monster Descriptions” on page 47 for a detailed listing of the
creatures new to G

Ammut

ENIE’S CURSE.

The ammut is the legendary witness at the
judging of the damned who is then called upon
to consume the evil souls. The good news is
that they only eat the wicked, and the bad news
is that they enjoy killing the honorable as well.
Instead of eating the corpse, however, they just
play with it until a hungry scavenger comes
along. Oily, smelling of decay, and a cross
between a crocodile, hippopotamus, and lioness,
the ammut does not present a pretty picture. It
has massive claws and jaws to match, often
roaring deafeningly during combat. Hating the
light, the ammut are usually found underground
seeking sustenance from amoral beings.

39

40

Boar, Giant

This ancestor of the domestic hog is not to be
taken lightly. It will charge into and viciously
gore its target. The giant boar is an omnivore
which will eat anything and everything, and it
knows no fear when hunting. The boar
resembles a hog, but with a shorter snout,
coarser hair, straighter tail, and vicious tusks.

Copper Automaton, Miniature

See “New Monster Descriptions” on page 49 for a detailed listing of the
creatures new to G

ENIE’S CURSE.

Cyclops, Desert

See “New Monster Descriptions” on page 51 for a detailed listing of the
creatures new to G

ENIE’S CURSE.

Debbi

The debbi is a hateful and selfish desert
scavenger. It is but two feet tall and resembles a
hairy creature halfway between a baboon and
hyena. Its snout, head, and jaws are those of a
scavenger, and its body that of a nimble
monkey. The debbi “cause fear” in many other
desert animals — this ability occasionally causes
magical sparks to spring from their coats. While
the beasts are cowards at heart, locals have
recently reported the debbi in the area being
more and more fearless. The reasons for this
change are unknown.

Elemental, Miniature (Air, Earth Fire, and Water)

See “New Monster Descriptions” on page 53 for a detailed listing of the
creatures new to G

ENIE’S CURSE.

Ettin

Ettins are powerful, giant-like creatures with
two heads. Both heads sit atop the shoulders
and give ettins an excellent ability to spot prey.
They wear tattered, moth-eaten animal skins
and tend to be quite filthy. In combat, the ettin
attacks with massive clubs; this monster is truly
a fearsome foe. While their normal skin color is
greenish, there are rumors of even more
powerful albino ettins.

Ghoul

The ghoul is an undead scavenger which feeds
on the flesh of corpses. It is recognizable by
its ghastly skull and decaying body. Ghouls
are often encountered in packs and stop at
nothing to feed. If one rakes a target with its
filthy nails there is a chance that paralysis will
ensue, slowing the target down greatly. While
the near-stasis does not last long, it may be
enough time for the monsters to finish off their
target. Unless consumed, a person killed by
ghouls becomes a ghoul.

41

42

Great Ghul

Markeen

The great ghuls are the undead cousins of the
genies. They are often female, have donkey ears
and hooves, and their flesh is rotting and foul.
They have the power to shape shift and appear
in more appealing forms. They attack with
surprisingly powerful claws and sharp teeth.
The victim should not be surprised if ghuls
become invisible during combat. Although they
cannot be seen, they can still cause and take
damage.

The markeen is a lesser genie cursed at birth to
be the spitting image of a human baby. The
markeen then grows of age as the human does,
continuing to be an identical twin. However, the
genie is not spiritually linked to the human and
can die earlier or later. The markeen is not
necessarily evil and will rarely encounter its
human double. Other genies look down upon the
markeen, often exiling them to a life of seclusion.

Mummy

Mummies are horrific, powerful undead who
destroy all that is living, usually because their
eternal rest was disturbed. Clothed in rotting
strips of linen they stand up to seven feet tall
and strike with an unnatural strength. Anything
that they kill immediately rots. The mummy has
one major weakness, and that is flame. All fire­based spells cause extra damage to them.

Nas Nas

The nas nas are perhaps the most bizarre
creature in this locale. Created by evil wizards
with depraved and dreadful magic which
requires their own blood, the nas nas is a
human sliced in half and is very, very insane.
Hopping on one leg, fighting with one arm,
unable to speak with but half a vocal cord, and
looking at the world with one crazed eye, the
nas nas often finds a way to kill itself before
reaching thirty years of age. Unfortunately, that
often means throwing itself with wild abandon
into combat, hooting and screaming the only
sounds it can make. Though only on one leg,
the nas nas moves rather quickly, and its one
massively muscled arm dexterously wields a
scimitar.

43

44

Ogrima

The ogrima is a result of breeding between stan­dard ogres and ogre magi. They have limited
spell use, and are quite strong and cunning. An
ogrima stands nearly nine feet tall, has sickly
skin, and has a head covered by thick greasy
hair which is topped with a nascent horn. They
attack with weapons, and can hold two-handed
swords in just one massive hand. The ogrima
tend to disdain armor, relying on their natural
regeneration to carry them through combat.

Pirate

Pirates are evil corsairs.
They roam everywhere
on the Crowded Sea and
no ship is safe from their
marauding. There are
many different pirates,
from lowly one-eyed

buccaneers, to their male sea dog leaders, to the powerful female
rovers, to the dreaded captains. Attacking with scimitars and
sometimes missile weapons, the pirates will close quickly with a target
ship and then rush to board it. On the plus side, if they can be fought
back and beaten, their ship nearly always carries treasure.

Rat, Giant Zakharan

See “New Monster Descriptions” on page 55 for a detailed listing of the
creatures new to G

ENIE’S CURSE.

Sorcerer

The sorcerers of this world derive their arcane
powers from either one or two of the elemental
forces. Whether it be a fire, air, earth, water or a
two element sorcerer, at higher levels they are
deadly. Sorcerers rely on powerful spells and
always avoid hand-to-hand combat when
possible. Fleet of foot, they pose a challenge to
any they encounter.

Spider, Huge

The huge spider is an aggressive predator often
found dwelling in dungeons. Nearly six feet
long and usually in groups, they scuttle across
the floor quickly and attack without remorse.
Their dark colors make them difficult to spot in
the shadows of a cavern. The climate has
caused the spiders to have a poison somewhat
less potent than their kind normally harbors. If
bitten by a spider, and affected by the poison,
the target merely takes damage instead of
automatically dying.

45

46

Werehyena

Zombie

The werehyena is a lycanthrope, able to change
from human form to that of a giant hyena at
will. In human form, the werehyena is often
quite friendly and charismatic. However, it
usually fights in its hyena form, where it is six
feet long and has massive jaws with which it
rends its prey. The werehyena is somewhat
afraid of fire, but if cornered is not daunted by it.

Zombies are mindless undead creatures
following simple commands from a master, who
may be long dead. They are known for their
rotting flesh and putrid smells. Zombies move
very slowly and attack the same way, trying to
pummel their target. Typically, they are found
underground in charnel places. If encountered in
large groups, they can pose a threat to a
weakened adventurer. Rumors abound around
the Crowded Sea of undead pirate ships
somehow controlled by zombies and ghouls.

New Monster Descriptions

These monsters are new to the ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
game. Most of them were created for GENIE’S CURSE. If you would like
to incorporate them into your own campaigns, their statistics follow.

Miniature

Copper

Acid Blob

Desert Cyclops

Miniature Elementals — Air, Earth, Fire & Water

Automaton



Giant

Zakharan Rat

47

48

Acid Blob

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Subterranean
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Pack
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE: None (0)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral

The acid blob is a small but
potentially deadly creature living
in unkempt underground areas.
Its name gives accurate
description to the monster, a
moving glob consisting of an

NO. APPEARING: 2-8 (1)
ARMOR CLASS: 8
MOVEMENT: 5
HIT DICE: 2
THACØ: 19
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See Below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: S (2’-3’)
MORALE: (10)
EXP. POINT VALUE: 65

acidic substance. The acid blob
tends to be green, although
darker colors have also been
sighted. Unlike many of its ilk,
the acid blob does not move on
the wall or ceiling, it just hops
along the ground.

Combat: The acid blob attacks

by striking at prey with its body.
The acid is not strong enough to
continue burning flesh after its
strike, but metals are in great
danger. Every non-magical metal
weapon which touches the acid
blob and every non-magical
piece of metal armor which the
acid blob hits must make a
saving throw or be weakened.
Any item failing to save has a
5% cumulative chance of
breaking each time it is struck
thereafter. For example, a sword
which is being used against an
acid blob that fails two saving
throws has a 10% chance of
breaking every time it is used.
This corrosion has no effect on
magical items.

Habitat/Society: Acid blobs are

usually found in groups, since
new acid blobs are created by
blobs separating from their host
and then joining together. This is a
purely instinctual occurrence since
the blobs have no intelligence.

Ecology: Acid blobs are

dungeon scavengers, absorbing
non-stone items they encounter
for whatever nutrients they
require. While they can survive
off of non-living materials, acid
blobs prefer living targets and will
pursue them until death or lunch.

49

50

Copper Automaton,
Miniature

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any/Ruins
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Constant
DIET: None
INTELLIGENCE: Low (5)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral

Miniature copper automatons
are very similar to their larger
counterpart, the copper automaton.
They are magical statues of
copper and bronze with numerous
levers and gears churning inside
of them all held together by
magical enchantments.

As they are creations,
automatons look quite different
from one another. Some have

NO. APPEARING: 1 (20%)

3-18 (80%)

ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVEMENT: 7
HIT DICE: 3 + 3
THACØ: 17
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4 / 1-4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: None
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Spell

Immunities

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: M (3’-5’)
MORALE: Fearless (20)
EXP. POINT VALUE: 120

blocky bodies and long arms
while others look more like small
human knights. All of them are
corroding and have blank eyes.

The miniature versions are not
as well made as the larger
automatons and thus cannot
manipulate objects very well.
However, a simple task like
pulling a switch or turning a
door knob is possible.

Combat: Miniature copper

automatons attack with their
two metallic hands, clubbing or
pinching with fair strength for
1 to 4 points of damage per
limb. They do not share the
heat-generating abilities of their
larger versions.

The automatons can only be
healed, or repaired, by the com­bined efforts of a wizard of at
least 6th-level and a well-trained
smith. With this team, the
automaton recovers 1 to 8 hit
points per day. Once killed, or
destroyed, the automaton may
not be rebuilt.

Habitat/Society: Miniature

copper automatons are the
creations of wizards not power­ful enough to create larger
automatons, or not desiring to
pay the additional expenses for
them. Upon inception, and
changeable at any time thereafter,
the mage gives the mass of
clinking parts a simple task to
carry out. Some are used to stand
guard over the tombs of their
dead masters, others patrol
dungeons warding against
intruders, and some are used as
slave labor doing the most
simple, but laborious work. They
perform any service within their
limited mental grasp.

The method of forming a
miniature automaton is not a
well-kept secret. Any wizard of at
least 6th-level with 2,000 gold
pieces can build one. The whole
process takes about two weeks,
and requires copper ore, iron
gears, lead counterweights and a
gemstone worth at least 500 gold
pieces to center the wizard’s
magical energies. Also needed is
half of an oil of slipperiness vial
to keep the gears turning.

Ecology: Miniature Copper

Automatons need no food,
no rest, no external energy
source and no loving encour­agement. They are completely
unnatural, with no niche in the
ecological balance.

51

52

Cyclops, Desert

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any land
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Clan
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Average (8-10)
TREASURE: M (Q, D)
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Neutral

The desert cyclops is slightly taller
than a human and has rough,
sand-colored skin. They are
secretive creatures, often perse­cuted by humans who fear their
size and the one large eye which
seems to peer into their very soul.

The upper body of the desert
cyclops is usually quite muscular,
sometimes out of proportion to
the rest of their frame. Depending
on its chosen lifestyle and
habitat, desert cyclops can look
extremely different from one
another. Some wear animal hides
and are covered with combat
scars and sandpaper skin, while
others dress normally, and do not
look like fighters at all.

NO. APPEARING: 1-6
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVEMENT: 10
HIT DICE: 6 + 6
THACØ: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8 x 2 or

Weapon

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: L (8’ - 10’)
MORALE: Steady (12)
EXP. POINT VALUE: 420

The only facet nearly identical in
every desert cyclops is the large
eye. It is unblinking, virtually
always sky-blue, and is both the
pride and shame of its owner. The
eye is considered very beautiful
among the cyclops themselves,
but others use it as a rallying
point for vilification.

The cyclops do indeed have a
special ability with their eye.
While looking at a person who is
speaking, they can ascertain if
there are any lies being told. If
the speaker knows of this power,
he or she can try to block it and
make the cyclops think that they
are telling the truth by making a
saving throw against magic.

Combat: Once angered or

attacked, the desert cyclops is a
vicious foe. A long history of
persecution has left them easy to
anger and very dangerous when
their ire does arise. They attack
by punching with their strong
arms, or with a large two-handed
weapon with which they get a
strength bonus of +6 on each hit.
The cyclops are not agile enough
to use two weapons at one time.

Occasionally the desert cyclops
are seen in armor, which needs to
be specially made for their oddly­shaped bodies. However, most do
not wear armor, since their
naturally tough skin is often as
good as any but the best metals.

Habitat/Society: It is difficult

to pin down the desert cyclops to
any one type, as they live in
many different ways. The most
common arrangement is the
desert clan. This is a small group,
not usually more than six,
excluding children, living as
hunters and gatherers in the
desert sands. They will move with
the weather or as water supplies
diminish. These clans are fiercely
defensive and usually attack any
intruder who does not obey their
orders to leave immediately . Some
kill anyone for just seeing where
their clan is living. These actions
help to fuel human anti-cyclops
tendencies, which are otherwise
largely built upon fallacies.

Other desert cyclops are loners,
who live a solitary existence in
a rocky cave or in a small build­ing they have pieced together in
the middle of some wasteland.
These cyclops are also defensive,
but some of them begin to crave
contact to such a degree that
they will talk with strangers
instead of attacking or hiding.
All desert cyclops speak in the
common tongue.

A very few number of desert
cyclops have managed to find
acceptance in human society , and
have pursued careers as any other
human would. This is always a
tenuous existence which often ends
with the cyclops being blamed for
some tragedy or murder with
which they had no connection.
However , there are also stories of
Caliphs or other nobles hiring
cyclops’ to help determine if their
subjects are speaking the truth.

Ecology: The cyclops has very

similar dietary needs to that of a
human, with one major difference.
Cyclops will sprinkle sand on their
food in the same manner as
humans would use a seasoning
such as salt. No studies have been
done to ascertain how the sand is
digested or if it benefits the cyclops
in any manner, although common
theory states that it aids in
digestion. There are no records of
a desert cyclops actually living off
of sand, but it is a popular garnish.

53

54

Elemental, Miniature

TYPE: Air Earth Fire Water
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any Land Any Land Any Land Any Water/

Shore

FREQUENCY: Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Pack Pack Pack Pack
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any Any Any Any
DIET: Air Earth, Any Any

Metal, Com- Liquid
Gem bustible

INTELLIGENCE: Animal (1) Animal (1) Animal (1) Animal (1)
TREASURE: Nil Nil Nil Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral
NO. APPEARING 2-12 2-8 2-12 3-18
ARMOR CLASS: 66 77
MOVEMENT: 14 6 12 10
HIT DICE: 1 1+3 1+2 1+1

THACØ: 19 19 19 19

NO. OF ATTACKS: 11 11
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3 1-4 2-5 1-4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil Nil Nil Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See Below See Below See Below See Below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil Nil Nil Nil
SIZE: S (2’) S (2’) S (2’) S (2’)
MORALE: Average (10) Average (10) Average (10) Average (10)

It is not known how miniature
elementals came into existence.
They used to be extremely rare,
and were considered to be myth
by most scholars, but recent
reports of sightings and attacks
by the elementals have increased.
Some conjecture that they are
small bits of larger elementals
which broke free, and now roam
of their own accord.

The miniature elementals are
all less than two feet tall and
look like their element. Fire
elementals are small moving
balls of flame, air elementals
are little whirlwinds, earth
elementals are moving rocks,
and water elementals are bounc­ing blobs of cohesive water.

Whatever their origin, the
miniature elementals have
become a large nuisance in some
areas. Although seldom powerful
enough to kill an alert warrior,
and not intelligent enough to plan
attacks against weak opponents,
the elementals are not to be
ignored. Often traveling in packs,
they can be dangerous when
surrounding a lone target.
Rumors are also circulating about
larger versions of the miniature
water elemental attacking
merchant ships, though this is
yet to be confirmed.

As of the date of this writing,
no mage has been able to pur­posely conjure a miniature
elemental. Perhaps they are
too small to be grabbed from
their respective elemental planes
by magical snares.

Combat: All miniature elementals

attack by launching their body at
their targets. In addition, earth
elementals launch bits of stone at
the target. None of them are
powerful enough to cause any
extra damage — for instance, a
blow by the fire elemental does
not require any saving throw to
keep items from burning.

All of the elementals have
special defenses against certain
types of attacks. Water-based
spells do 1 point less of damage
per die (minimum 1 point per
die) against miniature water
elementals and fire-based spells
have the same damage reduction
against miniature fire elementals.
Attacks by cutting weapons do
one-half damage to miniature
earth elementals and lastly ,
magical weapons (or spells) are
needed to damage the miniature
air elemental.

EXP. POINT VALUE: 35 65 35 35

55

56

Rat, Giant Zakharan

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Subterranean
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Pack
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Animal- (1)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral

The giant Zakharan rat is a
cousin to the giant rat with the
main difference being size.
Zakharan rats are huge, with
lengths of up to seven feet (not
including the tail). They are just

NO. APPEARING: 1-12
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVEMENT: 14
HIT DICE: 4
THACØ: 17
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: M (4’-7’)
MORALE: (10)
EXP. POINT VALUE: 175

as filthy, disease ridden, fero­cious, and fleet of foot as their
smaller cousins. Their fur is
generally brownish and their
eyes a deep red.

Combat: Giant Zakharan rats

are annoying creatures which
rush into a fight with extreme
quickness and then maddeningly
gnaw and claw until they are
killed. It is rare to find a single
rat; they tend to roam in packs.
While generally easy to kill, there
are stories of giant rats closing
in and killing a hero weakened
after the hero has just defeated
a major foe.

Unlike other rats, this variety is
not particularly afraid of flames.
Many tales exist of adventurers
expecting torches or bonfires
to keep them safe from the rats
only to be viciously attacked
while unprepared.

Ecology: The giant Zakharan

rat tends to live in dank under­ground areas like dungeons. It
can slip through tight openings
as the creature’s skeletal system
compresses drastically. The rats
are usually found in groups, but
it is very rare to find more than
a dozen in any one place. Their
diet is anything and everything
which they encounter that is, or
was once, living

57

MONSTER AND MAGIC INDEX

Monsters

Acid Blob................................47

Ammut...................................38

Boar, Giant ............................39

Copper Automaton, Miniature...49

Cyclops, Desert .......................51

Debbi .....................................39

Elemental, Miniature

(Air, Earth, Fire or Water)......53

Ettin ......................................40

Ghoul.....................................40

Great Ghul..............................41

Markeen.................................41

Mummy..................................42

Nas Nas .................................42

Ogrima...................................43

Pirate.....................................43

Rat, Giant Zakharan..............55

Sorcerer..................................44

Spider, Huge...........................44

Werehyena .............................45

Spells and Potions

Cone of Cold............................34

Extra Healing.........................31

Flame Arrow...........................35

Giant Strength........................31

Healing..................................31

Invulnerability........................32

Lightning Bolt ........................35

Magic Missile .........................35

Oil of Elemental Invulnerability

(Air, Earth, Fire and Water).....32

Sundazzle...............................35

Sunfire....................................36

Sunscorch...............................36

Water Blast............................36

DESIGNER’S NOTES

reating Genie’s Curse presented some unique challenges to

us here at Cyberlore Studios. We strove to create a game

C

First we wanted our game to be easily accessible to all those
players who are frustrated by the complex combat, spell and
inventory systems that so many other games employ. We’ve
always thought it was more fun casting a spell than memorizing it.
The real-time combat adds an element of danger and immediacy
missing in phased combat systems.

We wanted the player character to be a pre-rolled character with a
specific background and history. This presents you with a new
challenge: non-player characters in the game expect your character
to act like an honorable young prince. But, we give you a wide
choice of actions. Your prince can be anything you want him to be;
honorable, impatient, or down right rude. Of course, being rude to
the wrong person can land your character in jail pretty fast.

The AL-QADIM™ game world presented its own challenges to the
Cyberlore designers as well as players. This is not the medieval
hack and slash world we’re all used to playing in. This is a
carefully structured society where honor is more important than
muscle. The player who plans on hacking his way through this
game had better save the game often.

The look of the game is also unique. We wanted it to have the feel of
the “Technicolor” Sinbad and Arabian Nights movies we grew up
with. We never pictured the game locations as real places. Instead,
we pictured them as movie sets on neatly swept sound stages, and
we filled the areas with decorative props and dressed the actors in
costumes from the “Arabian” section of the costume department.

that was completely unique from other role-playing games.

Zombie...................................45

In a market filled with fantasy role-playing games we hope GENIE’S
CURSE stands out and gives you a unique and fun adventure. Enjoy!

CREDITS

Cyberlore Studios, Inc. Credits

Game Design Herb Perez

Producer Lester Humphreys

Lead Programmer Ken Grey

Art Garrett McCarthy, Herb Perez

Writers Herb Perez, Joseph Minton,

Ken Eklund, Dan Greenberg

Additional Programmers Lester Humphreys,

Joseph Minton, Ken Eklund,
Dan Greenberg, Steven Wolf

Rule Book Author Joseph Minton

Lead Playtester Jim DuBois

Strategic Simulations, Inc. Credits

Producer: Bret Berry

Additional Producers: Nicholas Beliaeff, Chuck Kroegel,

George MacDonald

Associate Producer: William Dunn

Rule Book Editors: Eileen Matsumi, André Vrignaud

Musical Director: Cooksey

Test Supervisor: Glen Cureton

Lead Product Tester: Joshua Cloud

Product Testers: John Cloud, Cyrus Harris, Jeff Peña

Test Support: Annette Grove, Rose Ramos

Compatibility Testing: Top Star Computing Services, Inc.

Graphic Design and DTP: L

Printing: A&a Printers and Lithographers, Inc.

Special thanks to: Jim Ward and Tom Wahl

Other Credits

Music: Eric Heberling, Rob Wallace,

FM Voice Design: The Fatman

OUISSAEKOWDESIGN

:

David Boudreau, Leedara Zola

Nada Lewis

STRATEGIC SIMULATIONS, INC. LIMITED WARRANTY

Strategic Simulations, Inc. (“SSI”) warrants that the diskette(s) on which the enclosed program is recorded will be free from
defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 30 days from the date of purchase. If within 30 days of purchase the
diskette(s) prove defective in any way, you may return the diskette(s) to Strategic Simulations, Inc., 675 Almanor Avenue,
Suite 201, Sunnyvale, CA 94086-2901 and SSI will replace the diskette(s) free of charge. In addition, if the diskette(s) prove
defective at any time after the first 30 days, return the diskette(s) to SSI and SSI will replace the diskette(s) for a charge of $10.00
(each disk) plus $4.00 for shipping and handling. California residents, add applicable sales tax.

SSI MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THE SOFTWARE PROGRAM RECORDED ON THE
DISKETTE OR THE GAME DESCRIBED IN THIS RULE BOOK, THEIR QUALITY, PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR
ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE PROGRAM AND GAME ARE SOLD “AS IS.” THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THEIR QUALITY AND
PERFORMANCE IS WITH THE BUYER. IN NO EVENT WILL SSI BE LIABLE FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM ANY DEFECT IN THE PROGRAM OR GAME EVEN IF SSI HAS BEEN ADVISED OF
THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. (SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OR LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY
NOT APPLY TO YOU.)

The enclosed software program and this rule book are copyrighted. All rights are reserved. This rule book may not be copied,
photographed, reproduced, or translated or reduced to any electrical medium or machine-readable form, in whole or in part,
without prior written consent from SSI. The program accompanying this rule book may be copied, by the original purchaser only,
as necessary for use on the computer for which it was purchased.

Any persons reproducing any portion of this book for any reason, in any media, shall be guilty of copyright violation and
subject to the appropriate civil or criminal action at the discretion of the copyright holder(s).

ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AD&D, AL-QADIM and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by and used under license
from TSR, Inc., Lake Geneva WI, USA. All TSR characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are
trademarks owned by and used under license from TSR, Inc.

1994 TSR, Inc.1994 Strategic Simulations, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE A DEFECTIVE DISK

Each of our games undergoes extensive playtesting prior to its release. Through this process we hope to uncover and correct any
errors in programming. However, due to the complex nature of our simulations, some program errors may go undetected until
after publication. In addition to errors in the program, there are occasionally problems with the disk itself. We experience the
industry standard of approximately a 3 to 5% failure rate of duplicated disks. Before assuming that a disk is defective, make sure
to check your disk drive. Up to 95% of the disks returned to us as defective will run fine on our computer systems. Often the
problem is with a disk drive that needs servicing for alignment, speed, or cleaning.

Should you have a defective disk, please return the disk only (keep all other parts of the game) to our Customer Support
Department, along with a note describing the problem you have encountered. A replacement disk will be provided upon our
receipt of the defective disk.

Should you uncover an error in the program, return both your game disk and any “save game” disks to our Customer Support
Department. Please enclose a description of what was taking place in the game when the error occurred. Upon correction of the
program error, we will return an updated disk to you.

Always make sure to include your name, address, and daytime telephone number with any
correspondence. We will do our best to see that any problems are corrected as soon as possible.

QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS?

Our main business number is [phone]. If you encounter disk or system related problems you can call
our Technical Support Staff at [phone] between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., Pacific Time, Monday
through Friday, holidays excluded. NO GAME PLAYING HINTS WILL BE GIVEN THROUGH THIS NUMBER. You

can write to us for hints at: Hints, Strategic Simulations, Inc., 675 Almanor Avenue, Suite 201, Sunnyvale, CA 94086
(include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for reply).

IBM COMPATIBLE COMPUTER INFORMATION:

Many of our games will work on IBM compatible computers. If you own an IBM compatible computer we suggest that
you consult with our Technical Support Staff at [phone] between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., Pacific Time,
Monday through Friday, (holidays excluded) to see if an SSI game you're considering purchasing is compatible with
your computer. If we have insufficient data to determine compatibility, you may wish to purchase the game and test for
compatibility yourself. If the game proves to be incompatible, you may return it within 14 days with your dated receipt
and we will refund your money. Or, if you return the game within 30 days, you may exchange the game for another.