Instructions for

Heavy On The Magick

Gargoyle, 1986

Written by Chris Owen, HTML'd by Arnt Gulbrandsen.

Controls

Keyboard only

Aim of the game

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...

Game play

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..."

Comments

"An original, animated adventure".

Rating

9/10 (CRASH #29, June 1986)

Now

A superb graphic adventure - even now it still oozes quality.

Keys

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.

Nettverksgruppa, 10/9-94, sinclair@nvg.ntnu.no