THE SPECTRUM GAMES DATABASE

HEAVY ON THE MAGICK

PUBLISHER
Gargoyle

AUTHOR

YEAR
1986

CATEGORY
Adventure

CONTROLS
Keyboard only.  The game works using a keyword system rather
similar to that used in 48K BASIC - press the initial key and the
whole word appears:

     Left     - L      Right       - R (within current room)
     North    - N      North-east  - NE       North-west  - NW
     South    - S      South-east  - SE       South-west  - SW
     East     - E      West        - W

     Halt     - H (abandons current command/string of commands)
     Swap     - Z (swaps window 1 information)
     Options  - O (returns to option screen)
     Examine  - X object    (examine named object)
     Pick up  - P object    (pick up named object)
     Drop     - D object    (drop named object)

     Invoke   - I demon     (invoke named demon)
     Blast    - B object    (blast named object or monster)
     Freeze   - F object    (freeze named object or monster)

You can talk to creatures with the formula "name, object" (the
quote marks are necessary too). For instance, "Magot, help" will
ask the demon Magot (if he's present) to help you.


INSTRUCTIONS
Insulting a high-level wizard is not a good idea, as Axil the
Able has just discovered. He's been teleported from his favourite
pub, the Golden Thurible, straight into the dank and dangerous
dungeon of Collodon's Pile. It would be a good idea to find a way
out...
 
Starting the game on the option screen, Axil's vital statistics
- Stamina, Skill and Luck - are automatically generated by the
program. You can't alter these but you can re-allocate them
(option 6, Realign Status). This way, you can get a satisfactory
combination of starting values. If you run out of Stamina, you'll
die; your Stamina and Skill together affect the outcome of
conflicts; your Luck influences virtually everything you do.
Stamina is sapped by conflicts but can be regained by taking food
or drink, while Skill and Luck can be enhanced by using other
special objects.

Having entered the game, you'll notice that Axil is a mere
Neophyte (hence his alternative nickname, Axil the Barely
Adequate). As you progress through the game, though, he'll gain
experience and hopefully advance some grades. At the bottom of
the screen are three information windows. Window 1, the
left-handed one, gives miscellaneous information such as your
current inventory; you can cycle through its screens by pressing
Z. Window 2, the middle one, gives current information and is the
one on which you enter your commands. The third window, on the
right, shows your current status.

Wandering around the caverns of Collodon's Pile (see KEYS,
below), you'll sooner or later run into a hostile monster such
as a Wyvern or Ghost. This means combat, which is entirely
magically-based (Axil being a total physical coward). You are
armed with a Blast spell which, if you are lucky, will kill the
creature. Be aware though that some monsters can hurt you more
than you can hurt them! Some creatures, however, can be helpful.
Look out for Apex the Ogre - recognisable by his dumb grin - who
can be of help to you.

Other inanimate objects can be of help too. Look out for the
spellbook in the starting room. There are also a number of
magical keys around, to open magical doors; they may not look
like keys, but they only need be dropped by a lock to be
effective. Other locks can be opened by magical passwords; say
"Door, [password]" and they will open. Finding the necessary
password may not be so easy, though...

Also in the starting room is a tattered copy of a magical volume
entitled "The Net, being the Grimoire of Gugamon the Mage". The
little that remains of this ancient work is reprinted below:

"Be Thou warned - attempt no conjuration except that Ye possess
the right Talisman; neither approach nor touch a Spirit... Place
Ye the talisman on the ground and proceed with thy invocation
from a distance; but, let it be known to the Wise, that the
presence of such Things that are comfortable to thy Chosen
Spirit, will ease the Translation of such knowledge as may be
imparted.

"And here, for those with eyes to see and Wit to understand, are
the Names and Natures of the Princes...

"ASMODEE, the Great Destroyer, whose number is 122 in the House
of Mars, whose aspect is that of the Basilisk; whose colour is
Green and whose plant is the Nettle and who bows to all Gems Red.

"ASTAROT, the Spirit of Assemblage, whose number is 1376 in the
Sign of Gemini, whose appearance is Legion, who moves through
Rock Solid; whose pantacle is a Flaming Sword, whose perfume is
Wormwood and favours the Orchid and the Magpie and bows before
the Lustre of Tourmaline.

"BELEZBAR, the Master of Flies, whose nature is Deceit and
reveals all Deceit, whose number is 20, in the Firmament of
Stars; who reveres the Amaranth and Musk and all manner of
Locust; who bows to startling Turquoise.

"MAGOT, the Diviner, who knoweth the situation of Hidden
Treasures, whose aspect is that of a Baboon; whose colour is
Yellow and whose number is 443, in the Realm of Air, who craves
the scent of Galbanum and bows to secret Topaz and Chalcedony.

"And the number of Magick is 11; but the number of the Great
Abyss is 24..."

CHEATS
(Gargoyle/July 1986) Totally novel and brilliant interactive 
graphic adventure.

To reach the Collodon's Pile exit, perform the following 45 steps...

1 Get Grimoire
2 E,N,N,E,E,E
3 "DOOR, SILENCE'
4 N (You will now be granted the Magick Grade of Zelator!)
5 S,W,W,W,N,E
6 BLAST, BLAST, BLAST (or as many as it takes)
7 N, NE
8 PICK UP NOUGAT
9 SE,S,S,SW,SE
10 BLAST, BLAST, BLAST (or as many as it takes)
11 PICK UP SCROLL, TRANSFUSION, TRANSFUSION.
12 NW,NE,N,N,NW,SW,S,W,W
13 BLAST, BLAST, BLAST (or as many as it takes)
14 PICK UP CLASP (this enables you to walk through the fire)
15 E, S, S, E, E, E
16 PICK UP SCROLL
17 W,W,W,N,N,E,N,NE,SE,N,S,W,SW,SE
18 EXAMINE TABLE.
19 PICK UP NUGGET, DROP NOUGAT (geddit? groan!) (you can now 
   destroy werewolves just by walking through them)
20 NW,NE,W,N,SW,SW,E,S,S,NW
21 "DOOR, WOLF" (the door opens)
22 N,NW,W,W,S,E,E
23 PICK UP GARLIC, PICK UP BAG
24 W,W,N,E,NE,SE,NE,SE,SW,E,blast?,NE,E,S,S
25 PICK UP LOAF, W
26 "DOOR, LUNACY" (the door opens)
27 N, DROP CLASP, PICK UP KEY
28 SW, W, SW, S, S, NW
29 EXAMINE TABLE, DROP KEY (the door opens)
30 N, W, EXAMINE TABLE, DROP BAG (the door opens)
31 N,SW,SE,SW,E
32 EXAMINE CHEST, PICK UP SLAT
33 W,NE,W,N,N,PICKUPKEY,E,S,e,s,SE,NE
34 DROP SLAT
35 SW,N,N,NE,E,NE,S,E,N,N,W,SW,W,NE, NW, SW, NW, W
36 PICK UP KEY
37 E,SE,Ne,SE,SW,E,NE,E,S,S,W,"door,lunacy",N,SW,W,SW,S,S,NE
38 EXAMINE TABLE, DROP KEY
39 SW, NW, N, W, PICK UP BAG
40 E,S,SE,NE
41 DROP NUGGET, DROP GARLIC, pick up slat
42 n,SE,E,RIGHT,DROPBAG,N,SE,S,S,W (the slat kills the Cyclops)
43 W, W, LEFT, DROP KEY (the door opens)
44 N, SW, W
45 "DOOR, ELEVEN", N
Made it! You're now at the exit to Collodon's pile!

..or you can try the following..

1. Get Grimoire
2. E,N,NW
3. "Door,Wolf
4. N,NW
5. Invoke Astarot
6. "Astarot, Pilefoot
7. W
8. "Door,Eleven


SCORES RECEIVED
Crash: "An original, animated adventure". RATING : 9/10 (CRASH
#29, June 1986)

GENERAL FACTS

NOTES

                           HEAVY ON THE MAGICK DOC
                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
                            TYPED BY VAXALON 1993
                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Axil the Able stood in three inches of stagnant water and surveyed one of
 the most dismal dungeons he had ever been thrown into...30 seconds earlier,
 he was sitting in front of the ox-roast in that famed haunt of the Occult.
 The Golden Thurible engaged in his favourate pastime of Wizard-Baiting.
 
  What a good story Axil was telling - a new one about Therion, a certain 
 moon creature and a rather gullible Elf - really, the sudden silence of his
 audience should have warned him. The crowd parted as Therion strode across
 the floor, dangerous in all his 10 degrees.
 
  Therion raised a twig-like index finger and flung Axil several hundred 
 leagues across Graumerphy, into the dungeons beneath the dreary castle 
 called Collodon's Pile.
 
  In the dark twilight, Axil tutted - and then took stock. He was, at least,
 clothed : he carried a large leather pouch, and on a nearby table, there
 was a book.
 
  The title read as follows:-
  
  The Net of Gugamon - a grimoire : wherein is contained the proper rites for
 the Convocation of various Demonly Princes, the procurement of lesser 
 spirits, together with sundry workings, conjurations, manifestations, 
 symbols relating to all manner of Astral Phenomena : and so on for several
 more pages, in the rather turgid style thought necessary for such books.
 
  Unfortunately, apart from the title, there seemed to be little more than a
 rather tattered contents page. But they did'nt call him Axil the Able for
 nothing. So, with a flourish, he marched for the door in search of a way 
 out.
 
 
 DUNGEONS AND HOW TO SURVIVE THEM
  
  Dungeons are fairly unhealthy places, the best way to survive, is to Get
 Out. There are three seperate exits. To help you locate them you have a 
 book of spells (which you add to) and your wits, to hinder you there are
 Wandering Monsters, Demons, Traps, Tricks and puzzles.
 
 
 STARTING UP
 
  You may have noticed that the program has already generated values for 
 stamina, skill and luck. While you can't alter the values themselves you 
 can re-locate them - select option 6 and the values will be re-aligned.
 It depends if you think skill counts for more than stamina.
 
  When saving of restoring a game, you will be asked for a version letter,
 so keep a note of version letters.
 
 NOTE : However, that saving a game will deplete your stamina, so that save
 cannot be used as an easy way of getting around difficult choices, saving
 and restoring. Axil allows you to save Axil's current experience and Grade,
 and some items.
 
 
 COMMUNICATIONS
 
  Communicating with the program is done through window 2 (the middle window)
 in the section of Merphish.
 
 
 STATUS
 
  If you run out of stamina, you Die : your stamina and skill together affect
 the outcome of conflicts : your Luck will influence virtually all your
 actions.
  Combat will reduce your Stamina a lot, most other actions will reduce it a
 little, but taking food or drink may well increse it: the other objects will
 enhance your Skill and Luck.
 
 
 EXPERIENCE
  
  As you play, you wil gain experience : this will enhance your status, 
 advance your Magical grade, which will allow you access to items and
 knowledge not available to the lower grades.
 
 
 COMBAT
 
  All combat is magical - physical encounters with other creatures are 
 often fatal. If you decide to engage in combat, check your own, and the
 monsters' status before each round. Some Monsters and all Demons, may 
 have information which may prove useful, and often the status of a 
 creature will give you a clue of how to deal with it.
 
 
 UNLOCKING
 
  Most locks that yoy encounter are Magical Locks and need Magical keys,
 They might not be recognised as Keys but they need to be dropped by a 
 lock to be effective. Other locks are be opened by Magical Passwords.
 
 
 STUCK ?
 
  If your really stuck, ask Apex - or try examine OBJECT.
  
  
 MERPHISH AND HOW TO SPEAK IT
 
 All input is in Merphish.
 
 All commands take the form:
 Keyword (Object) followed by Return/Enter.
  
  Keywords are entered as just the first letter (occasionally two 
 letters as in North-East etc.) the names of objects must be entered in full.
 Unrecognized keywords will be queried.
  Commands can also be entered as a string, with each seperated by a comma,
 and a final Return.
  A single delete will cause the command back to the previous comma of Return
 to be "forgotten".
 
 There follows a list of Merphish Keywords:
  
 N.North         N.E.North-east      N.W.North-west
 S.South         S.E.South-east      S.W.South-west
 E.East          W.West              L.Left       R.Right
  
 H.Halt, this will abandon the command being actioned and the rest of any
 outstanding command string.
 
 Z - a special function to swap the information in Window 1.
 O - to return to Option Screen.
 X - (Object) Examine the named object.
 P - (Object) Pick up the named object.
 D - (Object) Drop the named object.
 
 Spells.
 
 I - (Object) Invoke the named Demon.
 B - (Object) Blast the named object or Monster.
 F - (Object) Freeze the named object or Monster
 
 
 Here are some Merphish names:
 ASMODEE ASTAROT AXIL BELEZBAR BOOK BOX BOTTLE LOAF CANDLE CHAIR DEMON
 MAGOT OBJECT TABLE WALL MONSTER SWORD ROCK SIGN RUBY
 
 Conversation is carried out as follows - 
 "name.object"
 (the leading quote marks are necessary, the final quotes are optional)
  Where name is the name of a Demon, Monster or Thing that you are 
 addressing object is the name of the Demon Monster or Thing that you
 wish to be attacked or about which you require information or that 
 you wish to locate etc, depending on the nature of the creature you
 are addressing.
 
 ASMODEE - The great Destroyer whose number is 122
 ASTAROT - The spirit of Assemblage whose number is 1376
 BELEZBAR - The Master of Flies whose number is 20
 MAGOT - The diviner whose number is 443
 
  And the number of Magick is 11, but the number of the Great Abyss is 24.
 
 "BE THOU WARNED - ATTEMPT NO CONJURATION EXCEPT THAT YE POSSESS THE 
  TALISMAN, NEITHER APPROACH NOR TOUCH A SPIRIT, FOR THE DEMONIC FOLK
  ARE QUICK TO CUT MORTALITY TO THE BONE...."

HEAVY ON THE MAGIK - TIPS - TYPED BY VAXALON - 1994
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To pass the Vampires you need the Garlic.
To pass the slugs you need a Pellet.
To pass the werewolfs you need a Nugget.
To pass the Hydras you need a Snake.
To get the Pellet swap it for a Ball.
To get the nugget swap it for the Nougat.
To get past Rabak say Water.
To get past Water say Fall.
To get past the fire you need the salamander charm.

DOOR PASSWORDS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DOOR, SORONOROS
DOOR, LONG
DOOR, LAZA
DOOR, SILENCE
DOOR, WOLF
DOOR, ELEVEN
DOOR, LUNACY

WHICH KEY FOR WHICH DOOR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DOOR AT FLOX - ARIES KEY
DOOR AT HORNS - TAURUS KEY
DOOR AT TURO - GEMINI KEY
DOOR AT PURITY - VIRGO KEY
DOOR AT STINGS - SCORPIO KEY
DOOR AT ARROWS - SAGITTARIUS KEY
DOOR AT NANI - CAPRICORN KEY
DOOR AT RAINS - AQUARIUS KEY
DOOR AT ICHTHYS - PISCES KEY

TO RESURRECT AI
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 First you need the cauldron, then go and collect the ulna, the thigh and the
skull (the skull behind the wraith) and drop them in the cauldron.
(You'll have to take out the scroll first). Then say "CAULDRON, ACHAD".

TO RAISE PHOENIX
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 In one room there is a fire and nothing beyond it. In the fire is a nest.
Get the Shell and swap it for the egg. Go to the nest (while carrying the 
salamander charm) and drop the egg in it. Stand well back (to the right hand
side) and say "NEST, PHOENIX".

THE DEMONS AND THEIR CHARMS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MAGOT - SUNFLOWER
BELEZBAR - MANTIS
ASTAROT - SWORD
ASMODEE - ERLSTONE

MIXED TIPS
~~~~~~~~~~
 Naturally the first thing you must do is take your grimoire or spell-book,
this will increase your skill a bit and will let you cast the spells
BLAST, INVOKE and FREEZE. BLAST is the one for magickly destroying any
nasties that get in your way (although most monster can be avoided by not 
wasting time or going to pointless places).
 When you enter a room with a monster that you wish to kill, just press B 
(for BLAST) and enter it a dozen times or so. When the creature dies, 
press H (for HALT) and enter to stop the mindless BLASTing.
INVOKE call the demons Magot, Astarot, Asmodee and Belezbar. FREEZE suspends
and item/monster so that you can walk past without harm. It won't work on
everything, wastes stamina points, and lasts for a very short time so it 
should be used as a last resort.
 Apart from the Grimoire, the most useful thing in the game is your good
friend Apex the Ogre. Be careful you do not annoy him by BLASTing or 
bumping into him as you may well be killed. But, if treated with respect and
caution Apex will give you clues that are vital to solving the puzzles.
 Locked doors with tables by them need keys. Locked doors with ornate pillars
need passwords. For a door with a toll sign by it (ask apex) a bag of gold is 
the key (put it on the table).
