

*********

The Project 64 etext of the Bard's Tale manual. Converted to etext by
anonymous, provided by Alex Slater

BARDT110.TXT, September 1996, etext #70.

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			The Bard's Tale
=====================================================================

The manual.

About Fantasy Role Playing Games The Bard's Tale is a fantasy role-
playing game. First in a series of Tales of the Unknown, this one is set
in the city of Skara Brae.

Like other fantasy role-playing games, there are three objectives you
will be trying to accomplish. How you do this is up to you...

Your most important goal is to complete the quest built into the game.
In The Bard's Tale the city of Skara Brae is threatened by an evil mage
called Mangar. You must find Mangar and "persuade" him to release the
once-harmonious city from his
evil control.

But Mangar is protected by layers of obstacles, mazes and evil henchmen.
Your second goal is to develop characters capable of surviving these
barriers.  These characters are your alter ego in The Bard's Tale. They
act according to your commands, but over the course of the game they
change, much as real peopledo over a lifetime. They improve their skills
in magic, combat, stealth, etc.  They amass wealth and treasured
objects. And they worry about dying too soon.

Your third goal is to explore the entire world of The Bard's Tale.
There are numerous goodies, puzzles, and special places in Skara Brae.
Part of the fun is' finding them, and discovering the layout of this
fantasy world.  How do you get into the walled off towers? What's in the
castle? Where are the legendary catacombs of Skara Brae?

Table of Contents
A Quick Overview
Characters
Places
The Combat System
The Magic System
Conjurer Spells
Magician Spells
Sorcerer Spells
Wizard Spells
Bard Songs
Spell Key Glossary
Tips from the Underground
Items

So turn the page and got started. awaits. Skara Brae awaits

A QUICK OVERVIEW
An orientation for beginners, a quick start guide for experts.
How to Use This Manual

This manual has three parts.  This overview is designed to give first-
time adventure gamers a quick sense of the overall gameplay and give
experienced fantasy role-players all they need to know to start quickly.

The rest of the manual is reference material about how various parts of
The Bard's Tale operate, including character building and development,
places and mapping, the combat system and the magic system.  There is
also a listing and description of' all the magic spells and the
beginning items available in The Bard's Tale. Finally, there are hints
and clues interspersed throughout the manual.

1.  Command Summary Card
Inside the front flap of your album cover is a Command Summary Card.
which lists keystroke commands, disk utilities and step-by-step
instructions for starting up.    If you are an experienced adventurer,
this card gives you most of what you need to know; the rest is covered
in this section.

2.  Adventurer's Guild
The ADVENTURER'S GUILD is where you start each time. This is the ONLY
spot a party can be formed, characters created, or characters saved to
disk.

3.  Use the Pre-Built Party
For your convenience, you will find a pre-built party already waiting -
for you when you enter the Guild for the first time. The party is called
*A Team. They are even outfitted with weapons and armor affordable to
characters of their humble stations. For more about characters and party
selection see pages 3-6.

4.  Use City Map on the Package
On the inside of your "album cover" is a map of Skara Brae. You'll need
it. Notice : -2 walled-off towers (wonder what's in there?). -A castle
protected by Guardian Statues. -Temples for healing, Equipment Shop for
purchasing mote weapons. Taverns for drink and gossip, Roscoe's for more
spell energy. -You'll have to find the Review Board (where levels are
awarded and magic is taught) on your own.

Mapping the dungeons and mazes is up to you. You even have to figure out
how to get into the mazes on your own. One clue: each of the 16 mazes is
set up on a 22 by 22 grid. North is to the top of the screen, East is to
the right, Be sure to go to every square; there are lots of specials.
For more about the City of Skara Brae see "Places" on pages 7-8.

5.   Combat Only your first 3 characters and the first 2 rows of
monsters can attack in hand-to-hand combat.

There are several new combat commands, including Party Attack, for
fighting between party members; Bard Song, for making magic by playing
music;  Hide in Shadows, to avoid combat.

for more information see "The Combat System" on pages 9-1 0.

 Magic
There are 4 classes of Magic Users, each with
unique magical capabilities:.

Coniurers can create objects and heal aventurers;
Magicians bestow  magical effects on common items;
Sorcerors create illusions and heighten awareness;
Wizards can summon and control supernatural creatures.

Sorceror and Wizard classes are not available to. t level adventurers.
To create one of these, you must change class of a   Magic User who has
achieved 3rd level magic spells in one (for sorceror ) or two (for
Wizard) other magical arts. Class change takes place in the Review
Board. A magic User who successfully learns all 7 levels of spells for
each  of the  4  Magic  Classes  is  an Archmage, one of the most
powerful character in The Bard's Tale. Once a Magic User leaves a class
he can never return to it.

Magic Users qualify to learn next level spells based their experience
levels, but it takes gold to actually learn the new spells.

Casting spells uses spell points in different amounts depending on the
spell. Spell points are regenerated automatically when a Magic User is
in the City in the daytime, and may also be regenerated in Roscoe's
Energy Emporium, or special "Regen" squares in some dungeons.

For more information see "The Magic System on page 11". Magic spells are
listed on pages 13-20.

7.  The Bard
The Bard makes magic by playing music. He needs an instrument, of
course. He can play in combat or during exploration, with different
effect. Only one tune at a time. And one tune for every experience
level. Then he needs to get a drink from any nearby tavern.

You can listen to his music or not.  See the COMMAND SUMMARY card for
details.

By the way, the Bard is not too shabby as a fighter.

8.  Time
Time waits for no one; Even without keystrokes, time passes, from day to
night and back again:

Nighttime is especially nasty.  The really evil monsters hit the city
streets at night, looking for characters just like you. And, what's
worse, you use up spell points faster, because spell points only
regenerate in daylight.

Now you know enough to get started if you are an experienced adventurer.
By the way, the tavern on Rakhir Street is the only tavern that serves
wine.  And that wine "goes down" easily. You may wish to drop by to wet
the whistle of your Bard. Good luck!

CHARACTERS

RACES
Humans are not the only race in the world of The Bard's Tale.  Others
are more magically inclined, stronger and smarter. Part of the fun of a
fantasy role-playing game is getting to know these different races, and
forming your party accordingly.
The races and their descriptions are:

HUMAN: While possibly being of hardier stock, this character is
nonetheless like you or me.

ELF : Patterned after the Tolkien elf, the elf is slight of build,
frequently taller than a human, and very inclined to magic.

DWARF: The Dwarven people are short and stout, extremely strong and
healthy, but not amazingly Intelligent (i.e, excellent fighters).

HOBBIT: Hobbits are slightly smaller than Dwarves but are nimble and
dexterous.  Just the right make up for a rogue.

HALF-ELF These crossbreeds are usually blond and fair-skinned, like
elves, and get some added size and strength from their human ancestry.

HALF-ORC: An orc is a large, goblin-like creature often found working
for evil wizards. The Half-orc, being half human, is not quite as
despicable as his orc parent, but you wouldn't want to date one.

GNOME: Gnomes closely resemble Dwarves, but have less hair and even
shorter tempers. - They are also more magically inclined, as a rule.

CHARACTER CLASSES
 In fantasy role-playing games, characters choose different "Classes" or
professions. There is no single best class; each has its own strengths.
Your characters must use teamwork to succeed.

Class selection is the most important aspect of creating a character in
the Bard's Tale. There are ten different classes of characters, but only
8 can be selected for a newly generated character. Class types carry
with them different abilities and limitations, as are roughly covered
below:

WARRIOR: the base fighter-type in The Bard's Tale ,warriors can use
nearly every weapon there is.  For every 4 levels of experience after
the 1st Warriors get an extra attack ability in combat.

PALADIN: Paladins are fighters who have sworn to abstain from all evil
and to uphold honour and purity in all places.  They can use most
weapons and even some that no other fighters can. They get multiple
attacks at higher levels. They also have a greatly increased resistance
to evil magic.

ROGUE: a professional thief with so-so combat ability, the rogue can
hide in shadows, search for traps and disarm them. Without a rogue your
party will pay very dearly for the booty it wins.

BARD: The Bard is a wandering minstrel. You'll see him with a tankard of
ale in front of him in the less reputable taverns--the rowdier the
better.

Bards were once warriors, and can still use most warrior weapons.  But
they turned to music instead and now play songs with an almost magical
effect on other characters. Bards don't get the warrior's advantage of
extra attacks in combat anymore --but their magic is so unique, it is
almost impossible to survive in Skara Brae without one.

Any true Bard has 6 tunes on his lips, though to play them he must have
an instrument equipped. A song played as the party is exploring is long-
lasting and continues even after the party returns from combat mode,
even if other songs were played during combat. Any songs played during
combat are abbreviated and so create different magical effects than the
full non-combat versions.  The shorter combat versions don't endure as
long either, only one round of fighting.

Only one Bard tune can be played at a time. If a second one is played
while the first is still playing (by the same or a different Bard), the
first will end. A Bard can play as many tunes as he has experience
levels before his throat gets dry. Then it's off to a tavern for a drink
to rejuvenate his voice. Tough duty, but someone has to do it.

Bard songs vary according to the difficulty of the dungeon. When the
going gets tough, the Bard goes drinking.

HUNTER: an assassin, a mercenary, a ninja. The hunter can use most
weapons, and has the ability (which grows with experience) to do
critical hits in combat (i.e, to attack a nerve center or other vital
area and instantly kill an opponent). A good skill.

MONK: a martial artist, an almost inhuman fighting machine trained to
fight without weapons or armor. The monk can use them, but, at higher
levels particularly, often does better without.

CONJURER: one of the 4 classes of Magic Users, Conjurers deal in the
physical creation and manifestation of real things (like fire, light,
healing).

MAGICIAN: another of the 4 classes of Magic Users, Magicians deal with
magic as it affects
physical objects (i.e., enchanting a sword, making armor stronger,
making a dungeon wall disappear).

SORCERER: Sorcerers are Magic Users who deal with the creation and
manipulation of illusion. Due to the power of sorcerer spells, this
class is not available to newly created characters.

WIZARD: Wizards are Magic Users who are dedicated to the summoning and
binding of various supernatural creatures. These creatures are not
friendly to humankind and trying to control them is extremely hazardous.
The Wizard-class is not available to new characters either. For more on
magic classes, see page 11.

CHARACTER ATTRIBUTES
Each character you create has five basic attributes which define his
physical and mental prowess. When you create a character each attribute
is randomly assigned a value from 1 to 18, with the higher number
reflecting higher capability.

STRENGTH (Shown as "ST" on the screen): Strength is physical power and
chiefly affects the amount of damage a character can do to an opponent
in hand-to-hand combat.  Make sure fighting characters are strong.

INTELLIGENCE ("IQ"): Intelligence is mental power. A high intelligence
rating will enable your Magic Users to get bonus spell points.

DEXTERITY ("DX"): Measures agility & nimbleness. A high score makes your
characters harder to hit and helps them strike the first blow in combat.

CONSTITUTION ("CN"): Measures healthiness. It takes more damage to kill
a character with a high constitution score.  This is reflected in bonus
"hit points", the character's life span.

LUCK ("LK"): Luck is an ambiguous attribute, as it has a number of
unseen effects on gameplay. For example, lucky characters are more
likely to resist evil magic and avoid nasty traps.

OTHER CHARACTER STATISTICS
ARMOR CLASS ("AC"): This statistic reflects the level of protection a
character has from physical attack. In classic fantasy role-playing
style, the armor class starts at 10 for a totally unprotected, unarmored
character with low dexterity, and goes down to -10 (called LO) as his
protection improves by armor, spells, or other means.

HIT POINTS ("HITS"): Hit Points measure the damage a character can take
before he is killed. The "Hits" statistic shows his potential at fullest
health, rather than current status.

CONDITION ("COND"): Condition shows the character's  present number of
hit points.  For example, if a character with 10 Hit Points is wounded
for 7 hit points, his Condition will drop to 3. Another wound of 3 or
more hitpoints will kill him. If he is fully healed, his Condition will
return to the full 10 again.  (Even though his Condition score changes,
his Hit Points stay at 10.)

SPELL POINTS ("SP PT"): This shows current spell point status. Points
are used up with each cast of a magic spell. If a Conjurer has 20 spell
points and casts a Mage Flame spell at a cost of 2 spell points, his new
total would be 18.  A character's maximum spell points are listed in his
view-character mode.

EXPERIENCE POINTS: This measures abilities gained by experience, the
higher the number, the better the character. Characters get experience
points for successful combat, according to the difficulty of the fight
and the number of characters who survive. The amount is indicated after
every successful combat. A character's running total of
experience points is indicated in view -mode.

GOLD: Gold is the unit of currency in this world. Your characters start
with just barely enough gold to buy the armor and weapons they need to
survive. There are two ways to get rich enough to buy better equipment:
taking gold from the monsters you defeat in combat or  selling items you
find in dungeons. The first way is more fun.

LEVEL ("LV 1"): Level is a general measure of
achievement within a character's class. Level 1 is a novice, Level 13,
for example, is required to become a Master of a Magic User class.

The Review Board will promote a character to higher levels based on his
experience points, but only upon the character's in-person request. An
advance in level is very important because it generally means an
increase in attribute scores, hit points, spell points and other
abilities.

SPELL LEVELS (e.g., "MAGI 1"): This shows the highest group of magic
spells a character can use in any of the 4 classes of Magic Users. There
are 7  groups of magic spells for each different class.

To learn a new group of magic spells (a "spell level"), a Magic User
must advance two experience levels.  (NOTE: spell levels and experience
levels are not the same thing!) For any of the four magic classes, a
Magic User advances as follows:

  Experience Level    Spell Level
 =======================================
	1	    	1
	2	    	1
	3	    	2
	5	    	3
	7	    	4
	9	    	5
	11	    	6
	13	    	7
	14 and up   	7 maximum


To change class to Sorcerer, a Magic User must first have learned Spell
Level 3 (or higher) in at least one magical art. To change to Wizard, a
Magic User must first have learned Spell Level 3 (or higher) in two
other magical arts.

ITEMS: Items fall into 10 categories: Weapons, shields, armor, helms,
gloves, musical instruments, figurines, rings, wands, and miscellaneous.
Only one item of each type can be equipped for use at any one time. For
example, two different shields cannot be used at once to protect a
character, though the spare shield could be toted around.

Some items can only be used by specific characters.  For example, only
Bards can use musical instruments. An item which can never be used by a
character is marked with a {squiggle} when he examines it in his view
mode or in the Equipment Shoppe. An item which has been equipped is
marked with a {squiggle}.

A character can carry up to 8 different items.

How To Create a Character
1.  While in the Adventurer's Guild, select a race.

2.   Character attribute numbers  displayed are  a combination of genes
and luck. For each different race there is a lowest possible number
for each attribute (the "genes"). The computer then adds a random
number (the "luck") to each attribute.

3.  If you are satisfied with the "roll of the dice", choose a character
class, then  name this character. If you aren't satisfied "reroll the
dice."

4.   After being named, the character will be saved to disk, ready to
adventure.

PLACES

THE CITY MAP
There is a map of Skara Brae on the inside of the album cover your
program disk came in.  Notice that there are several important looking
places that are blocked off.  Like the castle, and the two. lowers
protected by locked gates. There must be a way to get in there, wouldn't
you think?

Use your map to guide you in Skara Brae. If you ever get lost just press
the "?" key and the program will tell you where you are and what time of
day it is.

UNMARKED BUILDINGS
Most buildings in Skara Brae are unmarked. But some of them are
inhabited by the corrupt creatures who have skulked into Skara Brae. So
kick in a few doors and find them. Remember that fighting is good for
you; it's the only way to build up enough experience to challenge
Mangar.  You should be disappointed when you kick in a door, screaming a
battle cry, and find it empty. No fun.

When you exit a building and enter the street, the building will be
behind you, and you will be facing the building or landmark across the
street.

THE ADVENTURER'S GUILD
The Guild is like a union hall where adventurers "hang out" hoping to
join a party. This is where you form a party, and where all adventures
begin.

GARTH'S EOUIPMENT SHOPPE
Garth is one of yesterday's almost forgotten heroes, now retired from
active adventuring to supply tomorrow's would-be greats.  At Garth's
Shoppe characters can buy armor and weapons, sell items, have items
identified, or pool all the party's gold for buying expensive items. Due
to a deal with the city black smith, Garth has an infinite supply of
basic armor and supplies. But unique items found in labyrinths, even if
sold to Garth, remain in his inventory only until they are sold.

Occasionally an item won in combat will remain unidentified.  This means
that its general type might be apparent (e.g. shield, ring), but not
which exact type (e.g. Dragon shield, Ring of Power). Garth can identify
this item for you...for a price.

THE REVIEW BOARD
The Review Board is a group of high level representatives from all ten
different classes. Upon your request in person, the Board will determine
whether a character has accumulated enough experience points for
advancement to higher levels. The Board teaches new spells to Magic
Users who qualify for higher spell levels, too, but charges for this
training.  It pays the rent.

You may have to do a bit of exploring to locate the Review Board. And
it's closed at night.

TAVERNS
Taverns are the Bard's favourite places for gossip and refreshment.
There's even a tavern named after him.  Watch him carefully though; the
Bard has a tendency to overtip the bartender.

DUNGEON DELVING
The term "dungeon" refers to any indoor labyrinth, desiged for mapping,
combat and puzzle interaction.  They take a variety of forms, from
towers to catacombs, and have a varied number of levels for each.   You
can go up or down to levels higher and lower than the one you're on via
stairways, portals, and teleportation.

Stairways are not visible from a distance. But when you move onto one
you will be asked if you wish to ascend or descend.

Portals are holes in the floors and ceilings, and are invisible from a
distance.   You will not go through a portal merely by standing on  it;
you  must first command your character to do so. If he jumps down
through a portal, he will be damaged from the fall unless he is using a
levitation spell.  The only way to go up through a portal is by
levitation.

The locations of dungeon entrances are well-kept secrets, but there are
plenty of hints in Skara Brae.

ROSCOE'S ENERGY EMPORIUM
If your spell points aren't recharging fast enough, go see Roscoe. But
be prepared for electrifyingly high fees.

TEMPLES
Temples are divine places of resurrection and complete healing. In fact,
this is the only place to cure characters who have been withered or
turned to stone. A resurrected character retains all the items, gold and
experience points he had before dying, but he comes to life with only 1
hit point. When he finds out how much it costs to be resurrected, he may
turn over in his grave.

Tips from the Underground: Places
============================================
1.  Your first three dungeons should be the sewers, the catacombs and the
castle (in that order).  Each is progressively tougher.  Don't
attempt the catacombs without a party of level 9 or higher
characters.

2.   Explore and map every square in every maze. There are "Magic Mouths"
that give hints. There are 1-of-a-kind magic items and spell
regeneration zones. Good maps will show you the logical spots for
Secret doors and secret rooms, too.

3.  Avoid traps. Higher level rogues are excellent at opening chests, but
when in doubt use the "Trapzap" spell. TRZP is guaranteed to work
with no harm to the party, unless, of course, the trap is protected
by even more powerful magic. In fact, you can use TRZP to disarm any
traps you encounter. Gas Cloud traps have doomed many brave but
foolish adventurers. If you set off a trap and nothing happens, you
were lucky not good. You could have been killed.

4.  Be sure that your party is fully healed before entering a new
dungeon.

5.  When you are finding your bearings in a maze, remember that each
succeeding level goes UP in a tower or castle and DOWN in a dungeon.

THE COMBAT SYSTEM

The Bard's Tale is a game of fighting. It's the only way to build
experience. Fortunately, Mangar and his gruesome creatures are very
evil, so don't worry about their feelings. Kill them, if you can.

Combat with "monsters" (the generic term for all opponents) occurs both
randomly and at set locations. You can also initiate intra-party combat
at almost any time, in case one of your members is turned to the dark
side. At the outset of combat a list of  foes  will  be  given,  broken
down  into  the number of foes in each group. The maximum is 99 monsters
per group, with up to four groups.

Combat is divided into a series of "rounds," like a boxing match. At the
start of each round, each of your characters must decide what action he
will undertake in the upcoming melee, unless, of course, your party
decides to run away:  A menu of possible selections will appear for each
character. These options are as follows.

Attack foes: To physically assault  foes in the first or second group of
monsters.

Party attack: To assault another member of the party, including special
members.

Defend: Do not interact this round  reduces chance of being hit.
Use an item: Make use of a magical item held in the character's
inventory and currently equipped. This may require specifying a target
for the effect.

Bard Song: Bards can play a short tune to affect the party or the
foremost group of monsters in some fashion.

Cast a spell:  Cast a spell at the party or a group of foes.  The spell
code must be entered, and a target identified.

Hide in shadows: A rogue can try to avoid combat altogether by hiding
and, if successful, will be skipped as a target of attack in the
upcoming combat round.

The first three characters in your party can be attacked physically by
monsters, and can attack back. The last three characters can only be
struck by magical attacks, and can only attack back with magic. This
simulates your first three characters being up on the front line of
attack, with the last three characters acting as backup in case one of
the first three is killed. The first two groups of monsters are in a
similar position; they are the only monsters who can attack or be
attacked physically.

Once all the choices for your characters have been entered, the round
begins. The most dexterous characters or monsters usually make the first
strike, but luck, character level and character class also affect this.
In evenly matched fights, the outcome often depends on which side gets
in the first blow.

The rate of scrolling of the combat messages can be speeded or slowed.
See the Command
Summary list of keystrokes for details.

At the end of a combat round, dead monsters will be removed from the
ranks of your foes, and dead characters will be shuffled back to the end
of your party. A fresh group of monsters may also advance into the first
two ranks to give their fellow monsters a breather.

At the end of combat, treasure and experience points will be split among
the battle's survivors.

SPECIAL MEMBERS
The special  slot  (marked  "S")  is  for  monsters who can become part
of your party. They can join by :

1.  Being summoned or created as an illusion, or some other artifice
related to a cast spell, or
2.  Introducing themselves to the party and offering their services as a
comrade.

Specials  cannot  be  controlled  in  battle; they choose their own
attack mode and generally go after the primary group of monsters the
party is facing. Specials are cleared out of the S slot when killed.
Illusionary specials (created by a sorcerer) are cleared out if any foes
disbelieve them.

If a non-illusionary special is attacked by another member of the parry
for any reason, it will turn immediately hostile and fight until
defeated!

Tips from the Underground:  Combat
==============================================
1.  Usually the highest dexterity character attacks first.   For
particularly nasty monsters (like blue dragons) attack with your
highest dexterity characters first. Your less dexterous characters
may not survive long enough to get in a first strike.

2.  Use your spells and Bard songs to lower the armor class of your
entire party. The lower the better.

3.  If  you are attacked by more than 2 groups of monsters, concentrate
on Magic Users first. If you cannot kill off all the magic-using
monsters, you may want to cast anti-magic spells to protect against
illusions, possessions and other spells.

4.  You can minimise damage by killing off all but one monster in either
of the first two attacking groups. As a general rule, attack groups
with only one monster last, unless it is a deadly monster.

5.  Many of the undead monsters are capable of draining experience
levels, turning characters old and grey or even turning characters to
stone. Treat the undead with respect. In other words, kill them
quickly.

6.  Be prepared to die a lot with level 1 and 2 characters. Especially at
night. Especially when you don't have any weapons and are just
walking to Garth's Shoppe. It might even be a good idea to stay close
to a Temple at night, so you can quickly heal any wounds.

7.   Fill the special slot quickly. Conjure or summon a monster or create
an illusion, if necessary. The special member will take a lot of heat
off your fighters. Monsters tend to attack special members first.

8.  Monsters are smart. They usually attack your most vulnerable
characters first, unless one of your members represents a significant
threat.


THE MAGIC SYSTEM

Magic is power.   It can make the difference between success and failure
in The Bard's Tale.

It is not always necessary or wise to rely on magic, though, because
magic is by no means foolproof. There are  some  places  where  magic
never functions, and some monsters who are highly resistant to spells.
Sometimes you just have to wade in with fists flying and get dirty.

The best way to tell that your party has wandered into an anti-magic
zone is that all residual spells except light spells are cancelled.

Residual spells are magic spells that keep working for more than just an
instant.  Light spells, trap detection, secret door detection and
magical armor are some examples. Most residual spells cause a graphic
symbol to appear in the central blank strip on the screen, to keep the
player aware that the duration hasn't yet expired.

All spells have a point cost. In other words, all spells cost the mage
casting them a bit of his internal  energy. This energy  is  returned
automatically in direct sunlight, and may be regenerated at Roscoe's
Energy Emporium or in special regeneration zones you have to discover.

There are magical items hidden in the dungeons and carried by the
monsters of The Bard's Tale. Magical weapons do extra damage. Magical
armor gives extra protection. Other magical items radiate special
energies. There are even magic keys and talismans necessary to get into
certain important parts of the game. The most powerful magic items are
secreted in the most challenging dungeons and are guarded by ferocious
monsters. When you win one, you should be very proud and very happy.
They can be the key to success against the wickedest opponents.

To cast a spell, you type in 4-letter codes which are a rough
abbreviation of the spell name. The entire list of spells, codes and
spell paints required begins on page 13.

All Magic Users, even Level 1 novices, start the game with knowledge of
all level 1 spells in their magical art. Rather than learning one spell
at a time, Magic Users always !earn whole groups ("spell levels") of
spells at once.  It's the closest thing to mass production in Skara
Brae. Here is a description of the four magical arts.

CONJURING
Conjuring deals with the instantaneous creation of objects and effects
through the channelling of a mage's power. Conjurer spells are potent,
but not unlimited in effect, since the exercise of creation takes a
large amount of energy to produce even a moderate effect.

A conjurer can also produce effects that distort non-solid things to
produce new effects, like the distortion of space and time required to
teleport bodies to a new location.

MAGIC
Magic (meaning the art practiced by a magician) deals with bestowing
magical effects on common objects.  The items do not become magical, but
radiate fields of power for the duration of a spell (which is usually
the length of combat).

The gist of Magic is that it can increase an item's capability, give it
a totally new capability, or change its form to something totally
different.

Some examples: making a sword do greater damage, making dungeon walls
glow with a magical light or causing a wall to totally vanish for 1
move.

SORCERY
The byword of sorcery is, "seeing is believing." Sorcery  does  not
deal with  a  physical manifestation, but rather a creation of illusion
and a tapping into a heightened sense of awareness.

An illusion is an image envisioned by the spell caster, which he then
lays over the retinas of all who watch, augmenting this with appropriate
stimulation of nerve endings to fool the other four senses. The human
mind, believing an illusionary creation to be real, can be hurt or even
killed by it, unless it is somehow disbelieved.

A sorcerer, with the aid of his art, can also perceive certain special
things hidden from view.

WIZARDRY
Wizardry deals with the summoning and control of supernatural creatures.
The wizard has fewer spells than the other three classes, but his are by
far the most potent.

The creatures he can summon come from another plane of existence, called
the Negative plane. They join the special slot in the party, and will
fight until defeated.

The wizard has some ability to trap and control normal monsters, as
well.

Mages who have learned at least 3 spell levels in an art may elect to
change to another mage class at any time. Thus, a level 5 conjurer could
choose to become a level 1 magician. His experience points would be
reset to 0, but he would retain  his previous attributes, hit points,
spell points, and all knowledge of his conjurer spells. He would be
unable to learn any higher conjurer spells, however; once a mage leaves
a magic art, he cannot return to it.

A mage can become a conjurer, magician, or sorcerer as a second class. A
mage can become a conjurer, magician, sorcerer, or wizard as a third
class. A mage who has knowledge of all 7 levels of spells in all 4
classes is called an Archmage, and is one of the most powerful
personages in the world of The Bard's Tale.


==========================================================
==========================================================
SPELL KEY (see page 20 for glossary)


SPELL NAME					CODE
Description					Pt. Cost
						Range
						Duration


==========================================================
==========================================================
		CONNJURER SPELLS

==========================================================
Level  1 				CONNJURER SPELLS
==========================================================

MAGE FLAME					MAFL
A small, mobile "torch" will appear		2
and float above spell caster as he		View
travels.					Medium

ARC FIRE					ARFI
A fan of blue flames will from the 		3
caster's fingers, 1-4 hits of 			1 Foe
damage to a select opponent,			---
times caster's level.

SORCERER SHIELD					SOSH
The mage is protected by an 			3
invisible "shield" of magic, that 		Self
turns aside many blows that would		Combat
otherwise hit him.

TRAP ZAP					TRZP
This spell will disarm any trap 		2
within 30feet, in the direction the 		30'
party is facing. It will also disarm		---
traps on chests.

==========================================================
Level 2 				CONNJURER SPELLS
==========================================================

FEEZE FOES					FRFO
This spell binds your enemies with 		3
a magical force, slowing their 			Group
movements and them making them			Combat
easier to hit.


KIEL'S MAGIC COMPASS				MACO
A Compass of shimmering magelight		3
appears above the party, telling 		---
the direction they face.			Medium

BATTLESKILL					BASK
This spell Increases one of your 		4
party member's skill with weapons, 		Char
increasing the accuracy and			Combat
ferocity of his attacks.

WORD OF HEALING					WOHL
With the utterance of a single word 		4
the spell caster can cure a party 		Char
member of minor wounds, healing 2-8		---
points of damage.

==========================================================
Level 3 				CONNJURER SPELLS
==========================================================

ARCYNE'S MAGESTAR				MAST
A bright flare will ignite in front 		5
of a group of your enemies, 			Group
temporarily blinding them and causing		---
them to miss the next combat round.


LESSER REVELATION				LERE
This is an extended "Mage Flame" 		5
spell which also reveals secret 		View
doors.						Long

LEVITATION					LEVI
Partially negates the effect of 		4
gravity on the party, causing them 		Party
to float over traps or up through		Short
portals.

WARSTRIKE					WAST
Causes a spray of energy to spring 		5
from the caster's extended finger, 		Group
sizzling a group of opponents for		---
4-16 hits damage.

==========================================================
Level 4 				CONNJURER SPELLS
==========================================================
ELIK'S INSTANT WOLF				INWO
With this spell the caster can make 		6
a real wolf appear and join the 		Special
party, fighting in its defence.			---

FLESH RESTORE					FLRE
This powerful healing spell will 		6
restore 6-24 hit points to a party 		Char
member and cure poisoning and			---
insanity.

POISON STRIKE					POST
This spell hurls porcupine-sharp 		6
needles from the mage's finger into 		1 Foe
a selected monster, poisoning it.		---

==========================================================
Level 5 				CONNJURER SPELLS
==========================================================

GREATER REVELATION				GRRE
This spell functions like a "Lesser		7
Revelation" spell, only it 			View
illuminates a wider area.			Long

WRATH OF VALHALLA				WROV
Makes a member of your party fight 		7
with the strength and accuracy of 		Char
ancient Norse heroes for the entire		Combat
combat.

SHOCK-SPHERE					SHSP
A large glove of intense electrical 		7
energy envelops a group of enemies, 		Group
doing 8-32 hits of damage.			---

==========================================================
Level 6 				CONNJURER SPELLS
==========================================================
ELIK'S INSTANT OGRE				INOG
This incantation will cause a real 		9
ogre to appear and join the party.		Special
						---

MAJOR LEVITATION				MALE
This will make the party levitate 		8
as does the level 3 spell, but its 		Party
effects will last until dispelled.		Indef.

==========================================================
Level 7 				CONNJURER SPELLS
==========================================================

FLESH ANEW					FLAN
This spell behaves like the "Flesh 		12
Restore" spell, except that it will 		Party
affect every member of the party.		---

APPORT ARCANE					APAR
Allows the party to teleport 			15
anywhere within a dungeon, except 		Party
for places protected by teleportation		---
shields.

==========================================================
==========================================================
		MAGICIAN SPELLS

==========================================================
Level 1 				MAGICIAN SPELLS
==========================================================

VORPAL PLATING 					VOPL
This spell causes the weapon (or 		3
hands) of a party member to be 			Char
covered with a magical field, 			Combat
which causes him to do an
additional 2-8 points of damage.

AIR ARMOR					AIAR
This spell will make the air around 		3
the spell caster bind itself into a 		Self
weightless suit of "armor".			Combat

SABHAR'S STEELIGHT SPELL			STLI
Causes all metal near the party to 		2
glow with a magical light, 			View
illuminating the surrounding area.		Short

SCRY SITE					SCSI
The walls themselves will speak, 		2
under direction of this  spell, 		Party
revealing to the spell caster			---
his location in the labyrinth.

==========================================================
Level 2 				MAGICIAN SPELLS
==========================================================

HOLY WATER					HOWA
A spray of water will emanate from 		4
the mage's fingers, doing 6-24 			1 Foe
points of damage to any undead foe 		---
(eg. skeleton, zombie, vampire).

WITHER STRIKE					WIST
Any foe at whom this spell is cast 		5
is likely to be turned old, thus 		1 Foe
reducing his ability to attack and		---
defend in combat

MAGE GAUNTLETS					MAGA
Makes a party member's hands (or 		5
weapon)more deadly, adding 4-16 		Char
points of damage to every wound he		Combat
inflicts.

AREA ENCHANT					AREN
This spell will cause the dungeon 		5
walls within 30 feet of a stairway 		30'
to call out, if the party is			Short
travelling toward it.

==========================================================
Level 3 				MAGICIAN SPELLS
==========================================================

YBARRA'S MYSTIC SHIELD				MYSH
The air in front of the party will 		6
bind itself into metallic hardness, 		Party
and will accompany the party when it		Medium
moves, as a sort of invisible "shield".

OSCON'S OGRESTRENGTH				OGST
Allows a member of your party to 		6
damage monsters as if he were as 		Char
incredibly strong as an ogre.			Combat

MITHRIL MIGHT					MIMI
Increases the armor protection of 		7
each party member by enhancing 			Party
their armor's natural strength by		Combat
magic.

STARFLARE					STFL
The air surrounding a group of your 		6
enemies will instantly ignite, 			Group
causing them to be burnt for 6 to 24		---
damage points.

==========================================================
Level 4 				MAGICIAN SPELLS
==========================================================

SPECTRE TOUCH					SPTO
This spell will drain a single 			8
enemy of 12 to 48 points of damage, 		1 Foe
as if touched by a spectre.			---

DRAGON BREATH					DRBR
Allows the mage to breathe fire at 		7
a group of foes, doing 8 to 32 			Group
points of damage to each.			---

SABHAR'S STONELIGHT SPELL			STSI
Makes all stone and earth within 		7
range of the party glow with 			View
magical light, revealing even secret		Medium
doors.

==========================================================
Level 5 				MAGICIAN SPELLS

==========================================================

ANTI-MAGIC					ANMA
Causes the ground to absorb a 			8
portion of the magical energies 		Party
cast at the party, frequently 			Combat
allowing the members to escape
all damage. Also aids in disbelieving
illusions and in turning back magical
fire, like a dragon's breath.

AKER'S ANIMATED SWORD				ANSW
A magical sword will appear and 		8
fight like a summoned monster in 		Special
defence of the party.				Combat

STONE TOUCH					STTO
This spell will often turn an enemy		8
to stone, or a stone monster from		1 Foe
living stone to dead stone.			---
But it doesn't always work.

==========================================================
Level 6 				MAGICIAN SPELLS
==========================================================

PHASE DOOR 					PHDO
This incantation will alter the			9
structure of almost any wall			1 Wall
directly in front of the party, 		1 Move
turning it to air for exactly
1 move.


YBARRA'S MYSTICAL COAT OF ARMOR			YMCA
Causes an effect like "Air Armor"		10
to cover every member of the party,		Party
lasting indefinitely.				Indef

==========================================================
Level 7 				MAGICIAN SPELLS
==========================================================

RESTORATION					REST
Makes all wounds disappear as your 		12
entire party is reforged into 			Party
unflawed bodies. Also cures			---
poisoning and insanity.

DEATHSTRIKE					DEST
This incantation is very likely to 		14
instantly kill one selected enemy, 		1 Foe
big or small.					---

==========================================================
==========================================================
		SORCEROR SPELLS

==========================================================
Level 1 				SORCEROR SPELLS
==========================================================

MANGAR'S MIND JAB				MIJA
The mage casts a concentrated blast 		3
of psychic energy at one opponent 		1 Foe
doing 2-8hits of damage for each		---
experience level of the mage.

PHASE BLUR					PHBL
The entire party will seem to waver 		2
and blur in the sight of the 			Party
monsters, making the party very			Combat
difficult to strike.

LOCATE TRAPS					LOTR
In a state of magically-heightened		2
awareness, the spell caster will be 		30'
able to sense a trap within 30 feet,		Short
if he faces it.

HYPNOTIC IMAGE					HYIM
If successfully cast, this spell 		3
will make a group of your enemies 		Group
miss the following attack round.		---

DISBELIEVE					DISB
This spell will reveal the true 		4
nature of any illusion attacking 		Party
the party, causing it to instantly		---
vanish.

==========================================================
Level 2 				SORCEROR SPELLS
==========================================================

TARGET-DUMMY					TADU
A magical illusion appears in the 		4
party's special slot. Unable to 		Special
attack, it will serve to draw			Combat
enemy attacks to himself.

MANGAR'S MIND FIST				MIFI
A higher power "Mind Jab," does 3-		4
12 hits of damage to one foe, times 		1 Foe
the experience level of the mage.		---

WORD OF FEAR 					FEAR
This incantation will make a group 		4
of your enemies shake in fear, 			Group
reducing their ability to attack		Combat
and do damage.

==========================================================
Level 3 				SORCEROR SPELLS
==========================================================

WIND WOLF					WIWO
This spell creates an illusionary 		5
wolf to join the party. This and 		Special
other illusions are only effective 		---
as long as an enemy "believes" them.
Depending on power and location, the
monster may see through the illusion,
and cause it to vanish.

KYLEARAN'S VANISHING SPELL			VANI
The mage casting this spell will 		6
turn nearly invisible in the eyes 		Self
of his enemies, who will have great		Combat
difficulty in striking him.

SECOND SIGHT					SESI
The mage will experience heightened		6
awareness and be able to sense 			30'
stairways, special encounters, 			Medium
spell negation zones, and other
unusual occurrences.

CURSE						CURS
Causes a group of your enemies to 		5
fear you greatly, lessening their 		Group
morale and their ability to hit and		Combat
damage you.

==========================================================
Level 4 				SORCEROR SPELLS
==========================================================

CAT EYES					CAEY
The members of the mage's party 		7
will all receive perfect night-			View
vision, which will last indefinitely		Indef

WIND WARRIOR					WIWA
This spell will create the illusion 		6
of a battle ready warrior that 			Special
joins your party.				---

KYLEARAN'S INVISIBILITY SPELL			INVI
This invocation will perform a 			7
Vanishing Spell on the entire 			Party
party.						Combat

==========================================================
Level 5 				SORCEROR SPELLS
==========================================================

WIND OGRE					WIOG
This spell will create the illusion 		7
of an ogre, which will accompany 		Special
and fight with your party.	       		---

DISRUPT ILLUSION				DIIL
This spell will destroy any 			8
illusion fighting the party, and 		Party
any new illusions created later in 		Combat
the combat. It will also point out
any dopplegangers in the party.

MANGAR'S MIND BLADE				MIBL
A sharp explosion of psychic energy 		8
that explosion of psychic energy 		All Foes
that inflicts l0 -40 hits to each		---
and every enemy you face.

==========================================================
Level 6 				SORCEROR SPELLS
==========================================================

WIND DRAGON					WIDR
This incantation will create an 		10
illusionary red dragon to fight 		Special
with your party.				---

MIND WARP					MIWP
This spell will make a member of 		9
your party go totally insane. 			Char.
Useful for possessions.				---

==========================================================
Level 7 				SORCEROR SPELLS
==========================================================

WIND GIANT					WIGI
This spell will create an 			12
illusionary storm giant, to join 		Special
with, and fight for, your party.		---

SORCERER SIGHT					SOSI
This spell functions the same as 		11
the "Second Sight" spell, but it 		30'
will last indefinitely.				Indef


==========================================================
==========================================================
		WIZARD SPELLS

==========================================================
Level 1 				WIZARD SPELLS
==========================================================

SUMMON DEAD					SUDE
This spell will gate into our 			6
universe a zombie or skeleton to 		Special
fight for the party.				---

REPEL DEAD					REDE
This spell will do 16 to 80 points 		4
of damage to a group of undead 			Group
creatures.					---

==========================================================
Level 2 				WIZARD SPELLS
==========================================================

LESSER SUMMONING				LESU
This spell will gate into our 			8
universe a lower power elemental or 		Special
demon, who will (under protest)			---
join the party.

DEMON BANE					DEBA
This spell will do 32 to 128 points 		8
of damage to a single demon. The 		1 Foe
power to summon is the power to			---
destroy.

==========================================================
Level 3 				WIZARD SPELLS
==========================================================

SUMMON PHANTOM					SUPH
This spell will bring a medium 			10
level undead creature into the 			Special
party.						---

DISPOSSESS					DISP
This spell will make any possessed 		10
party member return to his normal 		Char
state.						---

==========================================================
Level 4 				WIZARD SPELLS
==========================================================

PRIME SUMMONING					PRSU
This spell gates in a medium level 		12
elemental or demon, to fight with 		Special
the party.					---

ANIMATE DEAD					ANDE
Gives a dead character undead 			11
strength, making him attack your 		Char
enemies as though he were truly			---
alive.

==========================================================
Level 5 				WIZARD SPELLS
==========================================================

BAYLOR'S SPELL BIND 				SPBI
This spell if successful possesses 		14
the mind of any enemy, forcing him 		1 Foe
to join your party and fight in its		---
defence.

DEMON STRIKE					DMST
This spell works like Demon Bane, 		14
but it will affect an entire group 		Group
of demons.					---

==========================================================
Level 6 				WIZARD SPELLS
==========================================================

SPELL SPIRIT					SPSP
This spell will gate in a higher-		15
level undead creature to fight for 		Special
the party.					---

BEYOND DEATH					BEDE
This spell will restore life and 		18
one hit point to a character.			Char
						---

==========================================================
Level 7 				WIZARD SPELLS
==========================================================

GREATER SUMMONING				GRSU
This spell will gate a greater 			22
demon into our universe and bind 		Special
him to the party.				---






BARD SONGS
============================================================

1. FALKENNNE'S FURY
This tune increases the damage your party will do in combat, by driving
them into a berserker rage.

2. THE SEEKER'S BALLAD
This song will produce light when explorin9, and during combat it will
increase the party's chance of hitting a foe with a weapon.

3. WAYLAND'S WATCH
This song will sooth your savage foes, making them do less damage in
combat.

4. BADH'R KILNFEST
This is an ancient Elven melody, which will heal the Bard's wounds
during travelling, and heal the party's wounds during combat.

5. THE TRAVELLER'S TUNE
This melody makes the members of your party more dexterous and agile,
and thus more difficult to hit.

6. LUCKLARAN
This song sets up a partial "anti-magic" field, which gives party
members some increased protection against spell casting.

SPELL KEY GLOSSARY

Range		Terms
========================================================
View		Spell affects line of sight.
1 Foe		Spell affects a single monster, regardless of how many
		you face.
All Foes	Spell affects all monsters you face.
Group		Spell affects 1 of 4 monster groups.
Self		Spell affects spellcaster only.
30'		3 squares in the direction you face.
Char		One of 6 party members or special.
Party		Spell affects all 6 party members  and special.
Special		Spell affects "S" slot only; summoned creature enters
		combat next round.

Duration	Terms
========================================================
Combat		Spell lasts until all monsters or all party members
		are killed, or until party runs away.
Short		Spell lasts only a few minutes.
Medium		Spell lasts a little longer.
Long		Spell lasts twice as long as "Short".
Indef.		Spell lasts until party enters the Adventure's Guild
		or an anti-magic zone.

TIPS FROM THE UNDERGROUND
================================
Characters
1.  Don't be concerned about losing a Level 1 character. Just make
another one. But when your characters reach the 3rd level, back them
up regularly using your favorite disk copy program.

2.  If your favourite character gets killed, there are several things you
can do. You can resurrect him by magic or in a temple by spending
spell points or gold.  You can turn off the computer and reboot, and
your entire party will be restored, but without the experience, gold
and magic items they have won since the last time you saved game. Or
you can load the character from your back-up disk onto the main disk,
after first deleting the dead character from your main disk. NOTE:
you can only restore a character by rebooting if you have previously
saved your party by exiting the game when in the Adventurer's Guild.

3.   In "rolling" a character's attribute numbers, 17s and 18s can often
make a big difference, as follows:  Intelligence gives Magic Users
bonus spell points; Dexterity gives fighters (but not Bards) bonus
armor protection and first Strike capability; Strength allows
fighters to do extra damage in-combat; Luck allows Rogues to survive
even if they accidentally set off a trap; and Constitution gives all
characters bonus hit points.

4.  Most character races have at least one attribute they are
particularly high in. Pay close attention to starting attributes when
designing your party.

5.  Develop a Sorcerer fast. They are very useful in dungeons. Wizards
are extremely important in advanced levels; they can summon demons,
extremely powerful specials.   Develop an Archmage, too. You'll need
one, you'll want more.

6.  Your pre-built party, excellent for beginning levels, may not be the
best group for advanced levels. You may want to experiment with a
hunter, because his "critical hit" capability can vanquish superior
monsters, and the monk, who is perhaps the best fighter of all after
he reaches the 6th level.

7.  Warriors and other fighters often play less of a role against higher
level, magic-using monsters. But without the protection of their
armor and strong arms, your Magic Users would not survive long enough
to learn the higher level magic spells.

8.  Beware the Doppelganger monster. It enters your party and looks just
like one of your members.

Magic
1.  Don't venture too far into any dungeon without your maximum spell
points. A good rule is to leave a dungeon when you are down to one
quarter. of your maximum spell points.

2.  Manage your spell points carefully. Don't waste a spell if you can
accomplish the same thing without magic. Torches, for example, often
work as well as magic light spells. On the other hand, don't be shy
about using magic in combat. When in doubt, blast 'em with magic.

3.  Locate traps, second sight and sorcerer sight spells all identify
traps within 30 feet. Trapzap spell disarms all traps within 30 feet.

4.  Cast a long-lasting Bard spell right before entering a tavern. It's
like getting a free spell.


========================================================
========================================================
ITEMS
These are the basic items found in Garth's equipment Shoppe in unlimited
quantity:
Name		Description
========================================================
Torch 		For light in dungeons.
Lamp		Longer duration than a torch.
Broad Sword	Most damaging non-magic sword, only usable by fighters.
Short Sword	A lighter sword, usable by all but mages.
Dagger		Usable by all, not too effective.
War Axe		A heavy, damaging weapon, not usable by bards, rogues,
		or magic users.
Halbard		A combination battle axe and pike, the most damaging
		non-magical weapon.
Mace		The most powerful weapon a rogue can use; an armor
		crusher.
Staff		A simple, non-magical cudgel.
Buckler		A small round shield.
Tower Shield	A larger shield
Leather Armor	The lightest armor, wearable by all but magicians and
		conjurers.
Chain Mail	Light metal mesh armor, best against light weapons.
Scale Armor	Better still, difficult to pierce.
Plate Armor	Strongest non-magical armor.
Robes		Will dull old knives, but that's it.
Helm		Covers the head and saves the adventurers good looks.
Leather Gloves	Some protection for the hands.
Gauntlets	Metal gloves.
Mandolin, Harp,
Flute		Musical instruments for use by Bards.


Item Abbreviations
========================================================
FGN	An abbreviation for Figurine, a magical statuette
	which can come to life.
MTHR	An abbreviation for Mithril, an Elven metal with
	magical qualities.
ADMT	An abbreviation for Adamant, another magical metal.
DMND	An abbreviation for Diamond, one of the hardest
	substances known to man or monster.

Tips from the Underground:  Items
==========================================
1.  Generally, the more expensive the item is, the better it works.
Almost like real life.

2.  There are no cursed or bad items, unlike real life.

3.   Don't be stingy.  Equip your fighters with the best armor, weapon,
shield, helmet and gauntlets money can buy. After all, he can't take
it with him.

4.  Experiment with all items you find to determine their capabilities.
Magical items are key to success. Remember that an item may only be
magical for certain characters and classes, so trade items around if
you have to.

5.   Make sure some of your characters carry less than 8 items, or else
the party will never be able to pick up new magical items in the
dungeons.

6.  Whenever your party captures an especially interesting or powerful
magic item, save the party as soon as possible. That way, even if
disaster, strikes, you will never lose that powerful armor, weapon,
talisman or whatever.

7.  This manual is not protected by magic shields or air armor.  Don't
let your dog eat it.

=====================================================================

*********

End of the Project 64 etext of the Bard's Tale manual.

*********
