


  Welcome to 'Dungeons of the Necromancer's Domain', a computer fantasy
role playing game.  You will find that this is somewhat more than just
a clever computer game, that the characters you create may contain a
tiny bit of yourself, and that the urge to return and explore just one
more level down, if not carefully controlled, can begin to take precedence
over work, family, eating, sleeping...

  If you still wish to go on, I will help you create a character who will
bear your weapons and armor and accompany you into a labyrinthine dungeon
filled with fearsome monsters, fabulous treasure and frightful perils.

  If you are patient and skillfull, your character will live to grow
in power and wealth, and will be able to explore deeper and deeper into
uncharted regions from which few return.  But be warned!  If you are too
bold or too greedy, you won't survive long.

  As long as it remains alive, your character will remain in the character
file, waiting for you to return and bring it to life.
^

     Characters have these attributes:

        Type                  Strength
        Level                 Intelligence
        Experience            Wisdom
        Gold                  Constitution
        Hit points            Dexterity
        Spells                Charisma
        Dungeon               Magic possessions

  Most of these attributes are displayed during your expedition.  It is 
often quite important to watch them, as you will see.

TYPE

There are three character types:  fighter, magician, and cleric.  Each
has some advantages and disadvantages.  Fighters are much better in
combat and harder to kill, but magicians and clerics can cast spells.
^

LEVEL

Level is a general indicator of your character's overall power.  It is
determined by experience and determines hit points and spells.  There
is essentially no limit to the level a character can attain.

EXPERIENCE

Experience is gained by killing monsters (immediate) and gathering
treasure (cumulative).  In order to advance a level, you must double
your experience.  This total is updated continually during your
expedition, therefore you may advance a level at any time.

GOLD

Each treasure you find is worth some amount of gold.  A temporary
running total is kept during your expedition and added to your permanent
total when you leave the  dungeon.  A portion of your temporary total
also is added to your experience.  Your permanent gold total is used to
buy weapons, transportation between dungeons, etc.
^

HIT POINTS

Hit points represent the number of wounds you can absorb in combat.  Each
time you advance a level, they increase.  You should watch this number
very carefully in combat as you don't want to let it fall within range
of a fatal blow.  If you are lucky enough to find a magic ring, it will
recover some lost hit points for you each time you move.

SPELLS

Four levels of six spells each are available to magicians and clerics.
Also, fighters can find magic wands which can give the finder the
ability to cast spells.  Spells can be cast at any time.  Each time your
character gains a level you will be granted more and higher level
spells.

DUNGEON

There are five dungeons supplied with DND:   Anacalagon, Black Mountain,
Mount Galurung, Shelob's Lair and Urukhai Cavern.  Transportation between
dungeons is available in the store.
^

STRENGTH

Strength is of great importance to fighters as it partially determines
how well they can fight.  Magicians and clerics, however, do tend to run
out of spells every now and then...

INTELLIGENCE

Intelligence is critical for magicians.  It determines the power of
spells.

WISDOM

Wisdom means to clerics what intelligence does to magicians.

CONSTITUTION

Of all the initial attributes, constitution is the most important to
all as it determines hit points.
^

DEXTERITY

Dexterity is also very important as it determines the probability of
blows landing, spells working, and the ability to avoid falling in pits,
etc.

CHARISMA

Charisma controls the ability to cast some spells.

MAGIC POSSESSIONS

Previous adventurers who were not fortunate enough to return alive have
left all sorts of valuable possessions in the dungeon.  You may find
weapons, armor, shields or even elven boots and cloaks.  All of these
things will help you but none so much as a magic ring of regeneration,
which recovers some lost hit points each time you move, allowing you to
wander far from the safety of the entrance.
^

  When you enter the dungeon for the first time, stay near the entrance
and by no means, fight dragons or anything else higher than level 1.  If
you lose more than a couple of hit points, evade if you can and run!  If
you reach the door, your hit points and spells will be returned.

  I can't tell you too much more about what you will find in those dark
and slimy passages.  I am not stupid, er, brave enough go inside myself,
but of those who have ventured within and returned alive, some have muttered
of being suddenly transported to another room nearby, or of finding
magnificent thrones with magic runes, and colored fountains which may 
grant great favor or great harm.

  Many creatures have inhabited these caverns since their creation,
somewhere in the mists of time, and most of them were quite evil or
disgusting.  One old story tells of an order of demented monks who built
altars which still exist, although partly in this world and partly in
theirs.  Another tells of dwarves who made secret doors which may be
seen only if you happen to stand in the right spot.
^

  But the legend that holds the most interest for fools, I mean adventurers
such as yourself is that of the orb, an enormous eye-shaped gem which, if
gazed into, grants its finder immortality.  They say it was created and
hidden by a mad wizard long, long ago and still waits deep in the musty 
tunnels and dank caverns, guarded by enormous dragons and, er, well, never
mind.

  The last and best advice I can give you is to use the keypad with one 
hand and map your route with the other.  Some have found a pad of graph 
paper useful.  If you don't make a map, you will surely become lost and 
die.  I have warned uncounted novice adventurers in the past, most rooms 
and passages look the same in the dark.  But they never listen ...

  If you need help during your expedition, type 'H'.
^

When you get the "Move>" prompt the following keys are meaningful:


        W=North                        7=Evade  8=North  9=Up   -=Cast
A=West  S=Stay  D=East                 4=West   5=Stay   6=East
        X=South                        1=Fight  2=South  3=Down +=<CR>
                                       0=Help      .=<DEL>

Other keys:
    H = Help
    . = <DEL>
    + = <CR>
    C = Cast a spell
    Q = Quit your adventure
    P = Pray to the nameless God
    K = Kill yourself
    ? = Redraw the screen
^
