Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight manual
Moonstone THE HISTORY OF THE QUEST ------------------------ A very scared time is upon the people.A time that decends once every thousand years. As the Druids will be only to happy to tell you,this is the season of the Moonstones!Danu,the spirit of the moon,has turned his attention away from the activities of the cosmos to those of the earth.It is during such a time that the Gods bestow a fabulous gift to the graetest warrior in the land;a gift of ultimate power!But first such a warriow would have to prove himself. Thus,the first warrior to compete"The Quest of the Moonstones"will recieve this great blessing.But any warrior considering such a quest must be prepared to wander the surrounding land,enduring many hardships,risking life and limb all the while. The land comprises four vast territories.To the northeast are the Northern Wasteklands,home to giant Baloks that inhabit this great rocky territory. To the northwest are the Misty Moors,with the great tribes of vicious Troggs. Southwest lies the Great Forest,infested with the cunning Ratmen.And finally to the southeast you will discover the Wetlands,where half plant,half humanoid Mudman stalk human prey inside their vast swamp. Over all these territories the Great Dragon roams high in the sky,searching like a hawk for the next traveller to eat or plunder. Hidden deep in the middle of the four territories at the very heart of the land,lies the most sacred of places,"The Valley of the Gods",wherein can be found the sacred Moonstones. To completethe quest,you will have to assume the arms and armour of a knight. Then you must explore all the lands that surround you to find the four keys which will give you access into the Valley of Gods. Along the way you will have to defeat many creatures and retain their gold and magic treasures to increase your strength so that you might survive the perils of the shadowy half world that lies within.Once the keys are found,you will then make your way to the Valley to find the sacred Moonstone,fighting horrible demons of immense power and strength. Once a Moonstone is acquired,you must then race to Stonehenge to present the fruit of your quest to the great Moon God,Danu.However,there are four possible Moonstones that are each keyed to a different phase of the moon,so you will have to wait for the right moon phase before you may complete your quest. But wait! Did you think you would be alone in the quest? Of corse not!All the great knights of the land know of this most sacred of events.So there will be other great warriors looking to be the first to complete the quest.You will certainally have to do battle with many mighty warriors befrore your quest is done. Moreover,you are bound to encounter the dreded Black Knights,who wander the land trying to convince any who will listen that the Druids are heretics, slaying any who do not.They particularly hate the quest of the Moonstones and will track down any who participate,especially if they are close to completing the quest!These knights are renowned for their ability to raise their skills during combat.They are never beaten until they are slain! After long,careful thought you decide to surrender to the fates and the strength of your metal.Donning your warmest clothing and grabbing your trusty sword and armour you set off,swearing to be the first to complete the quest or to die trying:for none can resist the pull of the Moonstones. KNIGHT'S STASTISTICS -------------------- Strengh,Endurance, and Constitution ----------------------------------- The knight's abilities describe what you can do physically in the game in terms of numbers. Strength is a measure of how strong you are in combat.The more strength a knight has,the more damage you will inflict upon your opponents. Constitution is a measure of how much physical punishment a knight can withstand before you collapse.The higher your constitution,the more damage you can take before losing a battle. Endurance is a measure of how much physical activity a knight may endure before you become exhausted and must rest.The higher your endurance,the further you can move in a day. A knight's abilities can be temporarily raised by various normal and magical items.They can also be raised permanently by a magical gift from either the wizard Math,or by the Mystic.You can also permanently raise your abilities through "experience". EXPERIENCE: Experience is earned by successfully conquering a lair.1 point of experience is earned for each lair that is cleared.2 points are earned if the Dragon is slain.3 points are earned when the Guardian id defeated. In a 3 or 4 player game,for each point of experience earned,either strength, endurance, or constitution can be raised by one point(at the knight's choice). In a two player game 2 experience points are required and in a one player game,3 points. LIFE POINTS:Life points are a measure of how close to death a knight has become,due to injuries sustained during combat.Each knight starts the game with 5 life points and every time you lose a combat,a life point is lost.When you are reduced to 0 life points,you ar edead and for you the quest is over. There are many ways to raise your life points.You can pay a healer in the cities.A potion of healing will raise life points.If you go to your home village and you have less then 3 life points,then your village druids will heal you for free.The last possible way of raising life points is to offer a magic item to Danu at Stonehenge.Life points are divided up into hit points.If during combat your current hit points are reduced to 0 then you will lose the combat and a life point.Hit points can be healed at the healer or through healing potions.Knights also heal naturally each day that is passed. The Phases of the Moon. ----------------------- The phases of the moon are the key to the success of your quest.Once the cycle of the moon matches your moonstone you must reach Stonehenge to fulfil your quest before the cycle changes.Only then will you successfully complete the quest.As a knight with such a Moonstone in your possession,you can be sure that the other knights will stop at nothing to destroy you. Throughout the game,the phases of the moon will change constantly.This affects the strength of some of the creatures and is key to the powers contained in the Moonstone.After each knight has had three turns(each knight gets one turn per day),the moon advances one phase.The order of the phases are as follows: Full/Three Quarters/Half/One Quarter/New/One Quarter/ Half/Three Quarters/Full........... *************************** *** LOOK AT PICTURE ONE *** *** *** *** part A *** *************************** Movement:Your position on the map is shown by an icon.Move the joystick in the direction that you wish to move.When you come in contact with another icon,that icon will start to glow.At this point you may choose to encounter that icon by pressing the fire button. Forests,mountains and swamps slow your movement down considerably and increase your chance of encountering wandering monsters outside their lairs. During your turn you have these keyboard options. SPACE BAR - Displayscurrent knight's inventory. E - Ends your turn early so you may rest and recuperate your hit points. Lairs. ------ In each territory there are six lairs to be explored.Each lair is filled with a certain number of monsters that must be defeated in order to acquire their treasure.Only one lair in each region contains one of the four keys required to enter the Valley of the Gods.Once a knight acquires the treasure from a lair,you are awarded an additional experiance point. The City of Highwood. --------------------- Located within the misty moors,where the high circle of the Druids resides, is the seat of religious power.The great druids are very secretive and don't generally deal with outsiders.One exception is that they trade artifacts of a magical nature for religious research in the High Temple.To discover the cost of an item,move your pointer over it's icon and the value will be displayed at the top of the screen. The City of Waterdeep. ---------------------- Located within the wetlands you will find the home of Mythral the mystic.He is renowned for his ability to lift a knight's soul into higher cosmic plane. When your soul is returned to your body,yuo will find that your abilities have been either raised or lowered by 1 point.It is a gamble you must take if you put your trust in Mythral.You may increase your odds with Mythral by donating more gold.A minimum of 10 gold pieces should be donated to improve your chances. Within the walls of both Highwood and Waterdeep,you will find many interesting characters.Healers,Inn-Keepers and Merchants.Some of these should be of more than academic intrest;the potions and weapons they will sell you will save your life! HEALERS:The healer charges 10 gold pieces to heal a knight to full hit points and 15 gold peices for each life point.You must be at full hit point status before the healer can heal life points. TAVERNS:A popular game played in the taverns is 'Dragon Dice'.The game is run by a Dragon Dice Master and is played by placing a bet (ranging from 1 to 5 gold pieces)before rolling 3 'Dragon Dice'.If one of the following combinations is rolled,in any order,then the corrisponding patback ratio is won: *************************** *** LOOK AT PICTURE ONE *** *** *** *** part B *** *************************** MERCHANTS:Merchants sell armour and weapons.The prices are as follows: --------------------------------------- ITEM | PRICE | --------------------------------------- THROWING DAGGER | 2 GOLD PIECES | BROAD SWORD | 10 GOLD PIECES | CLAYMORE SWORD | 25 GOLD PIECES | CHAINMAIL ARMOUR | 30 GOLD PIECES | PLATEMAIL ARMOUR | 50 GOLD PIECES | BATTLEPLATE ARMOUR | 75 GOLD PIECES | --------------------------------------- Villages: Each knight has his own home village from which you start at the beginning of the quest.No other knight may enter your home village under any cimcumstances. If,when you return wounded to your village,you will have less than 3 life points your senior village druid will heal you to full hit points and grant you a free life point.This kind gift is only granted 3 times throughout the course of the Quest. Wizards Tower: The mighty wizard Math,the most powerful mage in the land,resides in his desolate tower in the northern wasteland.If he is pleased to see you he will bestow upon you either a magic item,money,or choose to raise either your strength,constitution, or endurance by one point.If he is annoyed by your insolence however,he will turn you in to a toad for a number of turns.The more often you visit him,the more likley he is to become annoyed. StoneHenge: This is a very sacred location,second only to the Vally of the Gods.This is where the channels to the Gods are most strongly felt.The first knight to prevent a Moonstone during the correct phase of the moonwill have proven himself to be the greatest warrior in the land and will be lifted up to the heavens to sit by the Gods for time immemorial. Stonehenge can also be used for healing purposes.If a knight offers a magic object,you will be healed to full hit points and recieve 1 life point. Other players and Black Knights: You may challenge other knights to battle by moving onto them.To the victor goes the spoils,and the loser edges ever closer to death and failure in the Quest.The victor may take either all the losers gold pieces or one object.If, however,the winner takes the last life point from the loser,then the winner gets all the loser's gols,objects,and magic objects. Valley of the Gods: Once you have collected all 4 keys and you feel strong enough to endure the wrath of the Guardian,you may then enter the Vally of the Gods located in the centre of the 4 territories.If you defeat the Guardian in battle,you will be granted a Moonstone.While you remain within the Valley,you are untouchable by otheer Knights. MONSTERS. --------- Troggs: The Troggs are a terrible humanoid race that exists in all four territories. They are highly intelligent with a society very similar to humans,whome they hate with a burning desire for forcing them to live in places deemed unfit for humans.They use hammers,axes and spears in combat and have terrible war beasts that they've raised on human flesh.The tribes that exist in the Misty Moors are exceptionally vicious and renowned for their strength and skill in combat. Ratmen: The ratmen are a small,carnivorous race that exists in the trees of the Great Forest.They are not very strong,but are always found together in large numbers and are exceedingly agile.They are often refered to as 'Moon Devils' because they seem to grow stronger as the moon waxes.It is also known that these little creatures carry a deadly desease and if you are bitten by one of them you must be quickly healed by the healer or drink a healing potion,or you will surely perish and fail in your quest. Mudmen: This strange race that infests the Wetlands seems more like a colony of intelligent plant life found in the mud than an actual animal,but sages say more reasearch is needed.They are hard to see as they just appear to rise out of the mud,overpower a knight and drag him down into the mud to do some unspeakable things to him. Dragons: Dragons are huge,flying,fire breathing lizards.They are cruel and greedy by nature and fly around the four territories looking for the next traveller to slay and plunder.Dragons are exceedingly dangerous in combat and difficult to slay.If a dragon defeats a knight,he will take all his gold pieces and one magic object(unless he reduces that knight to 0 lives;then he will take everything).However,whoever slays a dragon will take over it's accumulated wealth and magic objects. Baloks: Baloks are vicious humaniods with huge jaws,long teeth and powerful limbs. Legend has it that Math magically engineered these beasts in his youth to act as guards for his tower,but the experiment failed and they have since escaped and multiplied.They now stalk the Northern Wastelands in search of prey and are one of the most feared of creatures. Trolls: Trolls are vicious creatures that feed on human flesh.They are large,hairless humanoids that fight with huge clubs capable of strikng down the mightiest warrior with one blow.These legendary creatures are greatly feared thruoghout the land. Black Knights: These rouge knights serve a religious sect called 'The Dark Hall of Purity'that believes that druids are blasphemous and must be stopped.They wander the four territories searching for followers of the druids who are trying to acquire the Moonstones,in order to prevent them from completing their quests.The Black Knights have an uncanny ability to grow more skilled in combat and strength during an encounter. Guardians: the Valley of the Gods is guarded by sinister demons.Only the best warriors in the land will ever stand a chance against a guardian.They can drain points from a warrior's abilities and when they defeat you in combat,they take 3 lives instead of 1.It is essential that you must posses the best armour before you join battle with a guardian,or else it will be a short extremely one-sided battle. MAGIC ITEMS. ------------ To invoke a magic item,bring up the inventory screen of the knight by hitting the 'SPACE BAR'.Then,using the joystick move the dagger pointer over the magic item you want to select and press the fire button. Potions,scrolls and gems ( exept Moonstones) disappear after one use.Other magic objects have unlimited uses.Each magic item has its own market value determined by the druids in the High Temple in the High Wood. Potion of Healing: This will heal a knight to full hit points or,if he is already at full hit points,add 1 additional life point. Gem of Seeing: By using this magic item,you may look within a lair and see what treasure exists there.Upon invoking the Gem of Seeing you will return to the region map but your icon will appear as a crystal ball.To view the contents of a lair move the crystal ball over the top of the the lair and press the fire button. Sword of Sharpness: This magical sword does even more damage than a claymore sword. Ring of Protection: This magical ring increases the amount of damage you can take in combat.Upon taking this term you will see your hit points increase. Talisman of the Wyrm: This magical cross will reduce the damage from dragons by half.This effect accumulates so the more crosses you possess,the less damage you suffer.A knight should be sure to possess this item before doing battle with the Dragon. Scroll of Haste: When this scroll is invoked it will allow you to move twice as far as you normally could in one day.If cursed with a disease,you will only travel half your normal distance. Scroll of Acquisition: This magical scroll will allow you to take one object from another knight.Upon invoking the scroll you will see the inventory of the other knights on the right side of the screen.To select a different knight move the pointer over the top of the arrows in the centre strip and press the fire button.This enables you to rotate through the knights.When you see the knight you wish to plunder,move the pointer over the top of the item you wish to take from him and press the fire button. Scroll of the Hawk: When this scroll is invoked it will allow you to move to any location in the four territories with the exception of the Valley of the Gods.If this scroll has been cursed,you will be teleported to a random location on the map. Scroll of the Wyrm: When this scroll is invoked it will force the dragon to attack another knight. Using the arrows in the centre strip on the inventory screen select the knight that you wish to target.If the scroll is cursed,the knight that invoked the scroll will be attacked by the dragon.BE WARNED...!!!! Scroll of Protection: If you are a victim of an unprovoked attack,you will be prompted,if you so wish, to cast your scroll of protection in order to aviod the battle.If the scroll has been cursed though,it will cause your controls to be reversed during battle. Magic Key: There are four magic keys in the land.You must collect all four keys in order to enter the Valley of the Gods,there to meet the Guardian. MoonStones: You will be awarded a Moonstone upon defeating the Guardian within the Valley of the Gods.There are four possible Moonstones that you could be awarded.A full Moonstone,new Moonstone,or one or two Moonstones (one waxing,one waning).Each Moonstone will double the amount of hit points you currently have during the proper moon cycle of the Moonstone. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Amiga with 1 Meg of memory,1 or 2 joysticks. LOADING INSTRUCTIONS: Insert Moonstone Disk A into drive DF0: and turn your system on. KNIGHT'S EQUIPMENT: Each player starts out with padded armour,a long sword,10 throwing daggers (a knight can carry upto 10 daggers),and 10 gold pieces (a knight can carry upto 150 gold pieces).Each knight also begins the game with a strength,constitution, and endurance rating of 1,and 5 life points. GAME OPTIONS: Number of Players: Up to 4 players may play MoonStone. Gore Switch: This allows the player to turn the blood and gory deaths on/off. Practice: This mode allows 2 players to do battle with each other. Select Knight: Choose which knight you wish to be. To select a knight simply highlight the knight you wish to be and press the fire button.This will prompt you to type in your name if you wish.Once done press return,or the fire button. KNIGHT BATTLE MOVES. -------------------- Combat is done with the joystick(s).When the fire button is not pressed,the joystick moves the knight around.When the fire button is presses,the joystick executes 8 different combat moves.They are as follows: 1)Throw Knife: This throws one of the knight's throwing daggers. 2)Overhead Chop: This attack does twice the damage of a swing or thrust,but is easily avoided because of the time it takes to swing the sword. 3)Upward Thrust: Good for hitting opponents jumping over the knight. 4)Thrust Backwards. This is a thrusting attack directed backwards. 5)Swing. This attack sweeps the area in front of the knight. 6)Block. This defence allows you to block the swing attack. 7)Special Defensive. Invokes a special defence move which varies from monster to monster. 8)Lunge. This attack has the longest range apart from daggers. When a knight faces the other way,the controls flip along the horizontal(i.e. 1 and 3 switch,etc.). If your knight begins to flicker during battle,the game is warning you that you have 10 hit points or less left. Knight's Special Defence. Many of the monsters ahve special attack moves which render you helpless unless you use your special defence. *************************** *** LOOK AT PICTURE TWO *** *** FOR *** *** JOYSTICK *** *** DIAGRAM *** ***************************
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