                       **** COMPLETE HERO'S QUEST DOX ****
                             Typed By: White Knight
                                On May 05, 1990  

WHAT IS HERO'S QUEST?

Hero's Quest combines the character development and combat that are typical of
fantasy role-playing games with the basic adventure game concept of exploring a
world and solving its puzzles.  "So You Want To Be A Hero..." is the first
Hero's Quest scenario.

The essence of role-playing is that you must try to think as your character
would when faced with a dilemma.  In Hero's Quest I, you can choose from three
basic character types -- the strong fighter, the mysterious magician, or the
wily thief.  Each has the same goal; to be named Hero of Spielburg.  Each
character will however, set about accomplishing that goal in a different way.
The magician may use spells to overcome some obstacles, but might not survive a
physical battle with a monster.  The thief must find a crafty way around the
same problem that the fighter or magic user would approach differently.

Experience can be a tremendous asset to you as a hero.  Your attributes will
improve as you play the game.  Tasks taht are beyond your ability early on may
become less difficult as your skills improve.

Conversation is one very important element of Hero's Quest.  You will meet many
strange people and creatures in the valley.  To learn about the valley and your
quest, it will be necessary to speak with everyone you meet.  Like your
character, the beings you meet will have distinct personalities, and their
skill and knowledge may lie in different areas.  You'll want to ask specific
questions, and find out all you can.

Every hero must deal with his share of foul and ferocious monsters.  If you
want to be a hero, you'll have to fight or avoid them, as they don't tend to
favor discussion.  Each battle you fight will provide you with valuable
experience, and many victories will yield treasure that you will need to buy
food and equipment.

A hero's life isn't always serious, though.  Between desperate encounters with
terrible monsters and life and death decisions lie many light-hearted, humorous
and downright silly moments.  Spielburg is a strange place with a multi-faceted
personality, as you will soon see.

COMBAT

DISTANCE COMBAT                           CLOSE COMBAT

   Thrust or Swing                           Thrust
          8                                     8
 Dodge        Duck                        Dodge   Dodge
     4        6                             4       6

          2                                     2
        Parry                             Shield Block

If you feel that the situation has gotten out of hand, you can type escape, or
press [CTRL-E] to retreat.

Remember to always search the body of your opponent after winning a battle, for
some creatures carry money or other useful items.

THIEF SKILLS

Thief characters have two special skills; 'Pick Locks' and 'Stealth'.  To use
these skills type pick lock to gain entrance to a locked door, or sneak to move
quietly.  When you are finished 'sneaking', type walk to resume walking
normally.

MAGIC

A Magic Userr begins the game with one spell:  ZAP.  He can read and learn more
spells as he finds or buys scrolls.  The spells he possesses will be listed in
his inventory.  Also listed will be the number of Magic Points (MPs) needed to
cast a spell, and the level of skill the character has in each spell.  His
spell casting will improve with practice.  To use a spell, type cast (or press
[Ctrl-C]), then type [NAME OF SPELL].

The MANUAL:

How to Be a Hero

So you want to be a Hero...
Take this simple one minute test to see if you have the "right stuff" to become
a student of the Famous Adventurers'Correspondence School for Heroes:

You are having dinner with a powerful and influential izard and he starts to
make rude remakrs about 'Muscle-brained adventurers.' Do you:

A. Kill the Wizard and upset the magical balance of the entie universe by
breaking his spell preventing the ruption of the volcano that then spews lava
over the peaceful nearby town.

B. Ignore his remakrs and pass the salt.

You'd be surprised how many would be Heroes choose option A. But here at the
Famous Adventurers's Correspondence School for Heroes, we know that the correct
response, is course, C. You, too, can become a useful and productive member of
the Hero community by taking this simple course in 'How to be a Hero.'

THE HERO
What is a Hero?

Hero is the title for which all adventurers strive.  A hero must be
trustworthy, loyal, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty,
brace, clean and reverent.  Be he (or she) figter or wizard, thief or man (or
woman) about town; he (or she) is the desire of all women and the envy of all
men (or perhaps the other way around).

How do I become a Hero?

To become a Hero, you must first become an adventurer.  Adventurers are most
often Fighters, Magic Users, and Thieves.

The Adventurer's Guild

Meeting Hall and employment agency for all would-be heroes, the Adventurer's
Guild will become your home away from home.  This is wwhere you go to have your
exploits recorded in the log and to boast with your peers.  You can obtain
information about ho's wwho in the local area.

The bulletin board is a good place to find out about jobs available and wwhat
rewwards are posted.  Be sure to check out the bulletin board in the Guild hall
nearest you for announcement that could further your career.

There is an Adventurer's Guild in nearly every major town just waitinf ro you
to sign in and be counted among the ranks as a 'real' adventurer.

THE FIGHTER

What is a Fighter?

The fighter is the most popular of the adventurer vocations.  Simple and
straightforward, he vies the world as an opportunity to test his strength and
courage against the universe. A fighter is one who, when faced with a foe, take
arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, ends them.  He is the artist
whose body is his paletter.  Exercise is his daily bread.  The fighter relishes
every battle wwith any foe, for though he is beaten and blackened and bruised
and blemished beyond all recognition, he knows that he is the better for it
all.

How do i become a Fighter?

To become a fighter, you must begin by developing your strength and skill with
weapons.  Your sword will become your right hand (assuming, of course, you are
right-handed).  You shield is your lifeguard that plunges before you to
iinterpose itself between you and the wave of horrible, slayering monsters.
Physical labor becomes a pleasure, for every ache and pain will remind you of
those hard-earned muscles.  Encounter each enemy with exuberance, for the
experience will be exhilarating as long as it doesn't exterminate you.

How do I fight?

If one wishes to become a fighter, it is wise to obtain a sword and shield at
the earliest opportunity.  We do not recommend unarmed combat against a
monster, as you can be 'dis'-armed rapidly.

Basic sword work consists of the thrust and swing.  The trust is the deft
skewer of the opponent's mid-section, quick and to the point with a minimum of
mess.  The swing, on the other hand, is a slicing motion designed to release as
much of the opponent's interior components as possible.  While the swing
inflicts, more damage, the trust is quicker.  Preference is a matter of
personal taste and whether or not you have a strong stomach.

Defense largely depends upon the use of the dodge, block and parry.  While
there are those who believe that 'real' fighters do not need such wwimpy
defensive techniques, most surviving Heroes attest to their effectiveness.
Trying to defeat a monster hile ignoring the basic defenses usually results in
ex-heroes.

Dodge, in theory, is moving out of range of the opponent's weapon.  Your
agility is a major factor in how well you manage this.

Block is placing the shield between you and the attack designed to lead you to
an untimely demise.

Parry is using your sword to prevents the foe's weapon from similarly cleaving
your skull.  Quick reflexes and practive make block and parry into true
lifesavers.

THE MAGIC USER

What is a Magic User?

Master of mystery, propounder of power, intimate of intuition, the Magic User
is the intellectual among adventurers.  The Magic User must master his mind to
mold the mysteries of the ages.  Through the use and control of the magical
spell, the Magic User can selectively alter the fabric of the universe and
create things out of whole cloth.

Spells are usually learned by reading specially created scrolls that brand the
spells upon the brain.  They can be purchased at specialty shops, gained from
kindly old wizards, and frequently found in the oddest places.  Scrolls are of
no use to those without Magic skill or those who already know the spell, so the
neophyte is encouraged to inquire about scrolls frequently.

Spells are cast by using the magical energy the Magic User stores in his body.
This Power pervades the world, but only one trained in the mystical arts can
actually absorb it.  The amount of energy a spell takes depends upon the
potency and duration of the particular spell.

How do I become a Magic User?

To become a Magic User, you must first find a teacher of the craft.  Many towns
and villages have Magic Users who, for a modest fee, are willing to impart the
spark that will ignite the mental light and illuminate the ultimate abilities
of the student.  Once the mind has been opened to magic, it can be filled with
arcande lore, spells, curses, cures and trivia about obscure creatures that
never fails to impress the locals.

Magic Users have a reputation for being mysterious, and much of their time is
taken up maintaining this illusion.  To this end, mirrors are useful for
practicing facial expressions, and a repertoire of moods ranging from 'Haughty
disdain for fools who ask stupid questions' (ideal for when you don't know the
correct answer) to 'Complete and Utter Concentration So Don't You Dare Disturb
Me' (perfect for catching forty winks, particularly if you can master sleep
with your eyes open), will come in handy.

To enhance your Magic User reputation, develop your eccentricities.  Talking to
thin air does wonders for having those around you treat you with respect --
after all, they can't be sure you aren't talking to someone they can't see.

Get in the habit of using expressions like: 'I Know the Answer', in deep
mysterious tones.  Then smile and say nothing.  You'll soon have people
whispering 'He (or she) must be a Magic User!'

Common, Everyday Magic Spells

For the uninitiated, only a few minor spells are available.  These, however,
can become quite powerful as the Magic User becomes skilled in their usage.  As
with all skills, it takes practice to improve a spell, and as with all magic,
it takes intelligence to know when a spell is useful.

Zap

Leyden's Latent Lectrical Discharge spell, or as it is more commonly known, the
'Zap', is used chiefly for offensive purposes.  The spell is generally placed
upon a weapon such as a dagger.  When the weapon strikes an opponent, magical
energy is released.  Thus the spell is used to increase the amount of damage a
weapon can do.  It can be cast upon the weapon before it is needed, but only
one spell can be cast on a weapon at a time.  It is also unfortunate, but this
must be used in close combat.

Open

This useful little spell is particularly suited for absentminded spellcasters
who tend to misplace their keys.  Unless an item is designed to be used with
the spell, the 'Open' is limited to unlocking simple locks when first learned.
With experience, however, the spell can be used to open a variety of closed
objects such as doors.

Fetch

Lowenhard's Lariat of Legerdemain or as it is better known, 'Fetch', is a spell
to manipulate objects at a distance.  Upon casting, this spell creates an
energy field around a visible object and brings it to the caster.  With a good
deal of skill, it can be used to move objects from one place to another.  It is
limited to small, non-living objects.

Flame Dart

One of the most colorful and popular of spells, the 'Flame Dart' projects a
field of magical fire towards an object or thing.  The amount of damage
produced is directly related to the amount of experience with the spell.

Detech Magic

This spell is used to reveal objects that have spells cast upon them.  It can
also be used to find things made invisible by spells.

Trigger

R. Rogers' Reactivating Ritual, or 'Trigger' allows the caster to 'set off'
operating magical spells.  Thus the magic user can avoid damage from magical
traps or close doors with a snap of the fingers.  This spell is commonly used
in Wizard games.

Calm

This spell is used to prevent a combat situation.  The 'Calm' spell is cast
when first a monster is spotted.  The monster is bathed in an aura of
'Mellowness' and pauses for a moment to contemplate the universe and its belly
button.  The Magic User may thus beat a hasty retreat.  It affects only one
non-magical creature at a time and is limited at first to minor monsters.  With
experience, more aggressive creatures can be 'Calmed'.  However, do not try
this on dragons.  It is not practical to cast this in close combat or where
aggresive actions have already taken place.  For example, if you cast a 'Calm'
against a Saurus Rex about to take a bite out of you, the monster generally
just calmly eats you.

Dazzly

Erasmus' Razzle Dazzle produces a flash of brilliant magic that temporarily
blinds a creature eyeing the magic user.  The duration of this effect is
determined by the caster's skill in this spell.  This spell is quite effective
in close combat.

How to Play the Mage's Maze

The most popular entertainment among those of the magical persuasion is a game
known as "Mage's Maze."  Each Wizard has his own personally customized game
environment, suiting his or her peculiar predilections.  While each game is
thus somewhat different, all known examples share certain common features.

The object of Mage's Maze is to enable your game creature to reach the finish
point ahead of that of your opponent.  Since the creatures are self-willed (and
often very willful), the only way to achieve this is by encouraging your
creature to follow a correct route to the finish.  This is done by removing
obstacles, placing bridges and ladders, and otherwise providing a hospitable
path (or by impeding your opponent's creature).

Mage's Maze is played exclusively by casting spells.  Popular spells include
Trigger, Open, and Fetch.  Some variations use additional spells such as Flame
Dart, Zap, Darkness, and Invisibility.

The Trigger spell generally activates a pre-existing Shape Change spell on your
creature.  In one popular form of the game, each creature may take on one of
several sizes at any given time.  Each Trigger spell increases the creature
size up to some limit, after which the next Trigger switches to the smallest
size.  Of course, the creatures also interact in various ways -- a larger
creature may eat a smaller, or like-shaped creatures may be attracted to each
other.

The Open spell may be used to remove obstacles or open doors in the game
environment.  The Mage casts Open, the concentrates on the offending obstacle.

Fetch is often used to move bridges, ladders, carpets, or other useful objects
around the game board.  After casting the Fetch spell, the Mage focuses on an
object, and must maintain concentration until it has been deposited on the
desired location.

Flame Dart is sometimes used to create an area of warmth to which the creatures
will be attracted.  Of course, most spells affect your opponent's creature as
well as your own, so caution must be aplied in their use.

THE THIEF

What is a Thief?

Sultan of Stealth, Chief of Chicanery, Potentate of Plunder, the Thief is the
master of many skills.  From subterfuge to hosuebreaking, Thieves live by their
wits.  Since the Thief cannot fight as effectively as the Fighter, or cast
spells as the Magic User, he seems to be the weakest of adventures.  However,
he is also the most powerful of adventurers, for he can get away with murder.

How do I become a Thief?

Agility is an important thing to develop if you intend to pursue the honorable
profession of purloining.  Most of the skills a thief uses are based on his (or
her) grace and dexterity.  There are many schools of thought that teach the
skills necessary:

Using Stealth is following the Way of the Rat; a slow, cautious scuttle with
all sense alert.  Climbing is following the Way of the Three-Toed Sloth, which
ascends above those who seek it and goes where they cannot.  Runing is the Way
of the Cockroach, which pauses first to assess the danger, then runs like mad.
Lock Picking is the Way of the Aardvark, which delicately inserts its tongue
into the terminte's nest to get out the luscious treasure within.  Throwing is
the Way of the Dive Bomber Beetle, which launches itself into the air and plots
a course straight and true until it hits something and bounces off.  All of
these disciplines must be mastered before you will know the One True Way of the
Thief.

You must become one with your lock-pick.  This tool can open doors into realms
you have only imagined.  The Thieve's Toolkit will allow you to see what you
have not seen before, and to go where you could not go.  Wonders will lie
before you, and become your own, for the Art of the Thief is to free others
from their need for material possessions and to teach them that inner peace
comes not from what you have, but from what you have not.  The Way of the Thief
is the Way of the Cuckoo Bird which, by laying its egg in other birds' nests so
that it hatches and kicks out all other eggs, reveals that unless you share
with others, you have nothing.  The Thief is thus the teacher of great
knowledge and truth.

what is a Thieves' Guild?

To aid the Thief on his never-ending journey of the True Way.  The Thieves'
Guild was created.  This benevolent organization was formed to give the Thief a
chance to socialize among people of like mind without having to watch his
purse, for this is the refugee from the petty worries of the world.  The
Thieves' Guild motto is 'Thou shalt not steal HERE.'  This is the place to find
those lock-picks and tool kits you crave.  Here is where you relieve yourself
of another's possessions and fence the items for cash.

How do I find the Thieves' Guild?

Thieves' Guilds, due to unfortunate social pressures, are forced to keep a low
profile.  Unlike the Adventurer's Guild that allows any scum off the street to
enter and call himself an adventurer, the Thieves' Guild allows only the true
followers of the Way to enter its portals.  Thus a series of secret signs has
been adopted.

To identify yourself as a Thief, you must make the proper 'Thief Sign'.  This
consists of placing your thumb upon your nose with the hand held perpendicular
to the face and the fingers outspread.  You then wiggle your fingers while
focusing your eyes on your thumb and patting your belly with the other hand.
This is the proper way to greet a follower and still retain your pocket money.

When searching a strange town for the Thieves' Guild, it is wisest not to be
too obvious about it.  Asking the sheriff where you can find the local Thieves'
Guild will at the very least make him suspicious of you and quite possibly get
you thrown into the local hoosegow.  Most local thieves will know what you are
asking for.  Remember to find out the password, for the Guild wishes to
discourage casual inquirers and spies.  Attempting to enter the Thieves' Guild
without the password is like picking a fight with a Troll; it's easily done,
but you'll be done in easily.

How to make friends and Influence Important People

Knowing who to know is crucial for the aspiring Hero.  Here are examples of
some of the types of people you are likely to meet, and ways in which you will
need to deal with them:

Rules

While the majority of Adventurers never get to meet the ruler of the land they
are in, nevertheless their lives are directly affected by him or her.  Rulers,
be they Kings or Queens, Dukes, Lords, or Sultans, have a profound impact upon
their environment.  A good ruler keeps his lands free from monsters, his people
safe from brigands, and his adventurers very bored.  It is hard to be a Hero in
such a place.  A bad ruler, on the other hand, neglects to maintain a routine
rout of monsters, ceases to retain a trained militia to break up the bad guys,
and in short, allows his (or her) kingdom (or queendom), castle, domain,
holdings, or empire, to go to pot.  This is where real Heroes are made.

Wizards

Wizards and other Magic Users should be treated with respect.  Even though they
may be testy and temperamental, weird and wicked, or silly and simple, it is
best to keep one's calm and be polite.  It is better than being a toad.

Peace Officers

Sheriffs, militia, constables, and cops are also good people to be polite
towards.  It is hard to be a Hero from inside the local dungeon.

Healers

Heroes are constantly undergoing intense and extensive physical damage during
the course of an adventure.  Healing Potions help restore vital body parts and
ease the pain.  Healers are a major source of Healing Potions.  Never annoy a
Healer unless you are covered by a good health insurance plan.

Guildmasters

Guildmasters are a useful resource for adventurers.  Guildmasters usually are
retired local adventurers and know must about the region.  They usually can
give information and advice about the local monsters.

Innkeepers

In order to recover from a hard day of adventuring, there is nothing better
than a nice warm meal and a snuggly bed.  Innkeepers are quite capable of
exacting vengeance upon a rude adventurer, whether by moldy bread and uncooked
stew or by the bedbugs, so it is best not to perturb them.

Shopkeepers

Shopkeepers and merchnats are good sources for need equipment.

Magical Creatures

There abounds in this land a wide variety of strange, intelligent creatures,
some of which have or use magic.  It is sometimes hard to tell monsters from
magical creatures since some monsters are magical.  Magical Creatures include
fairies, Faery Folk, Shapechangers, Dryads, and enchanted humans.  They al tend
to be powerful so it is recommended that adventurers approach strane creatures
with caution.

Famous Monsters of Adventureland

What would a Hero do without some horrible monster ravaging the countryside,
devouring large farm animals, depopulating the peasents, and causing insurance
rates to go up?  Monsters are the stuff that heroes are made of.  After all, it
is very difficult to rescue damsels unless they are distressed.

What is a Monster?

Razer of rules, annihilator of adventurers, bane of insurance salesmen;
monsters come in many colors, shapes and sizes.  The best way to determine
whether a creature is indeed a monster is to observe it carefully in its
natural habitat.  Here are some warning signs that could indicate a tendency to
being a monster:

1. Oozes green ichor that shrivels plants, corrodes metal and smells like
rotten turnips.
2. Eat people with it mouth full.
3. Collect half eaten corpses.
4. Drools, gibbers and slavers.
5. ATtack first and ask questions later.
6. Twitches it tenacles in anticipation of torturing tourists.
7. Will not eat his spinach.

Of course, this makes it difficult to tell a monster from your average
adventurer.  An easy rule of thumb is this--if a creature attacks, kill it--and
call it a monster afterwards.

The Humanoids

Goblins

Goblins are short, squatty creatures living in large colonies underground.
Although they seem cowardly at first encounter, they tend to observe an
adventurer and assess his (or her) weaknesses.  Once they regain their courage,
they tend to gang up on the unsuspecting hero.  It is not advisable to go
exploring a goblin hole unless accompanied by a party of Dwarves.

Kobolds

kobolds are distance relatives of dwarves, although neither will admit it.
They live in caves deep underground and shun sunlight and outsiders.  Small and
spindly, they do not fight very well.  However, they can be powerful magic
users and enchanters, so it best to be cautious around them.

Goons

Goons are semi-domesticated relatives of ogres.  Not actually a monster unless
you make them mad.  Goons are large, ugly and rather dumb.  With patience,
kindness and five years of extensive training they can be housebroken.

Giants

Giants come in many varieties and sizes.  They can be highly intelligent or
very stupid, extremely cultures or pure brute, patient and gentle or likely to
tear off your leg at slightest provocation.  Always use caution when dealing
with Giants.

Minotaurs

Minotaurs are half-man, half-bovine creatures of great strength.  They tend to
be extremely bull-headed and charge whenever they see red.  Some do, howevery,
take more after the human side of the family.  When intelligence combines with
this sheer brute force, you have a foe worthy of Hero's skills.

Trolls

Large, sly and generally nasty, the common northern hemisphere Troll is
extremely sensitive to sunlight, so he lives in dark places and travels mainly
at night.  The skin of a Trool is like heavy armor and resits damage from
weapons and fire.  Unfortunately, the common southern hemisphere Troll, while
not as tough as his cousin, has a disgusting habit of rapid regeneration and
can heal wounds almost as quickly as a Hero can make them.  Fire prevents such
regeneration.  In general, it is always wise to know which hemisphere one is in
when dealing with Trolls.  The beard of a Troll is frequently used in making
potions.

Ogres

Ogres are big, ugly and stupid.  They are also very strong and aggressive.
Their hobbies include crunching bones and smashing skulls.  They tend to carry
around their prized possessions in chests.  It is not clear where the chests
come from, why Ogres get them, or how Ogres even open the chests.  These are
topics of heated debate among scholars.

The Inhumanoids

Saurus

Creatures of enormours appetites and very little brains, sauruses tend to do a
lot of running around.  The Saurus is scaly and lizard-like with highly
developed hind quarters upon which it runs, and small, under-developed front
legs used to grasp food.  Its large mouth is filled with sharp teeth.  Despite
its fearsome apperance, it is remarkably easily defeated by the seasoned
adventurer.

Mantray

Assumed to be of magic origin, the Mantray has the abilities of camouflage,
flight and controlled lighting.  Resembling a cross between a Manta Ray and a
Sting Ray, it lies in forested areas where it conceals itself upon the ground
awaiting the unwary.

Moose

A moose is a large, ungainly creature with great antlers. It is prized by
trophy hunters and as a result is oversensitive about losing its head.  It is
therefore extremely temperamental and has a wicked bite.

Bear

A hungry or angry bear can be a fierce opponent.  A quick swipe of sharp claws
can make mincemeat of the average adventurer.  A bear standing on its hand legs
is obviously a bear to beware.

Griffin

This cross between a lion and an eagle is usually found in the more arid
regions around mountainous areas, but an occosional griffin has been spotted as
far north as Spielburg Valley.  The mobility of flight adds to the danger from
the knife-edged claws and beak.  The Griffin has a curious affinity for mock
turtles.

Cheetaur

The Cheetaur is noted for its speed and cunning.  This cat-like creature with a
humanoid torso has a deadly slashing combination of claws and bite.  The
northern variety is more panther like and slower at running than its slender
soutern cousin, but retains its swiftness in attack.  Fortunately for the
locals inhabitants, Cheetaurs never prosper in the colder regions.

Saurus Rex

This monster resembles a saurus on steroids.  Recommended strategy for
encounters: Run away.

Dragons

Avoid entirely unless you are already a ceritified hero.

The Undead

Skeletons and Zombies

Animated skeletons, although rather disconcerting, are seldom a real thread to
a seasoned adventurer.  Assuming, of course, that the adventurer has more in
his skull than the skeleton.

The Zombie is an animated corpse that shambles along trailing bits of
decomposed flesh and extremities.  Disgusting and extremely smelly, they are
difficult to kill, being already dead.  The Zombies' annual convention is known
as a Jamboree.

Floating Spirits, Ghosts, Spectres, and Wraiths

Floating Spirits are a minor sort of ghost caused by desecrated graves.
Although they are graceful and even strangely attractive, they can draw out the
life from any unfortune who wanders into a graveyard at night without magical
protection.  Undead Unguent is commonly used to repel floating spirits and is
usually available at the local healer or apothecary.

Ghosts, Spectres, and Wraiths can be easily id by the feelings of intense cold
or fear that immediately precedes their apperance.  They should be avoided at
all cost unless the adventurer is a Wizard-class Magic User or a Paladin-level
Hero.

The Unknown

Night Gaunts

No one is certain just what these creatures look like since those who have met
Night Gaunts are dead.  Adventurers should be cautioned against sleeping in
unprotected wilderness areas at night because the Night Gaunts'll get ya if ya
don't watch out.
    
           Imported by Midnight Maniac & Mayday of PARADOX

