Dungeon Master Encyclopaedia

Note: This English text only manual does not include the prologue.

Written by JWX from 777-Team, brought to you by Sewer software, checked and corrected by Sewer rat

Chapter 1: Choosing your champions

Beyond the entrance to the dungeon lies The Hall of Champions, containing the souls of the champions who perished in the Dungeon. Before you can begin your quest, you must choose a party of no more than four of these champions to lead into the dungeon. The champions are imprisoned in mirrors along with their clothing, weapons and other possessions. To free a champion from the mirror you must move the mouse pointer to the mirror and press the left button. This brings forth a menu which describes the champion's qualities and shows his or her possessions.

Each champion is distinguished by the physical attributes of health, stamina and Mana (magical energy). The value of each of these attributes is shown in the lower left corner of the menu as two numbers separated by a /. The first number shows the current level of each attribute. The second number is the maximum level. The current level will rise to the maximum level as the champion rests and will fall as the champion suffers injury, wields weapons, or casts spells. Each champion also has three bar graphs at the top of the screen which show the current values for health, stamina, and Mana as a percentage of the maximum. The champion's possessions are shown as pictures inside light grey boxes. The boxes represent space in the champion's backpack or sheath or other places to keep an object. You may pick up an object when the mouse pointer is shown as an empty hand by moving the hand pointer over it and pressing the left mouse button. Notice that the hand pointer changes to resemble the object picked up. Now you can move this object to another location and place it there by pressing the left mouse button again. If the new location is already filled by another object, pressing the left mouse button will swap the object you are holding with the object there. Some boxes represent places where only certain objects will fit. For example, only shoes will fit on your champion's feet.

There are two special locations shown as an eye and a mouth. Objects may be examined by moving them over the eye and holding down the left mouse button. Objects are eaten by moving them to the mouth and pressing the left mouse button; however, only certain object are edible. A champion may have developed skills as a Fighter, Wizard, Ninja or Priest. You can review these skills by touching the eye with an empty hand and holding down the left mouse button. Fighters are skilled users of heavy weapons and generally have greater physical strength than other champions. Ninjas are skilled users of precision weapons and are also noted for their thiefly skills and abilities. Wizards can marshall the forces of the magical realm for combat. And Priests are masters of the healing arts, being able to use their magical energy to create restoring potions and other remedies.

Champions also have the additional attributes of strength, dexterity, wisdom, vitality, anti-magic and anti-fire. You may review these by touching the eye with an empty hand and holding down the left mouse button.

Strength increases the striking power of the weapon and also allows the champion to carry greater loads (such as armour). Dexterity is the precision with which a champion can wield a weapon and dodge blows. Ninjas possess higher dexterity than other champions. Wisdom affects a champion's ability to learn spells and recover Mana. Vitality governs how fast a champion recovers from wounds and resists injury. Anti-magic helps resist magic attacks and anti-fire helps resist injury from fire. If you resurrect a champion, he or she will return to life exactly as they were before death. Resurrected champions remember all the skills and abilities of their past life. If you reincarnate a champion, they will lose their past memories and skills and take on a new identity. However, these skills are converted to greater physical attributes.

Regardless of whether you choose to reincarnate or resurrect a champion, each champion will be able to learn new skills or improve on existing ones. Fighters and Ninjas gain more fighting ability by fighting. Priests and Wizards gain more magical skill by learning and casting spells. Champions can specialize in one skill, or learn a mix of all four skill areas.

Chapter 2: Choosing the party leader

When you have selected at least one champion, the mouse pointer will change from an arrow pointer into a hand pointer whenever it moves into the dungeon view or in near an object box. The hand pointer represents the hand of the party leader. The leader's name is always shown in a different color at the top of the screen.

The leader is your direct link to the dungeon. The leader can pick up things your party finds, open and close doors, or do other actions in the dungeon. To select a new leader, move the mouse pointer until it points to the name of the new leader and then press the left mouse button.

To pick up or put down objects, point with the mouse and press the left mouse button. You will not be able to pick up all the objects you can see in the dungeon, Some objects are too far away.

The leader can also throw objects. To throw an object, pick it up and move it to about eye level and then press the left mouse button. The object will travel as far as the leader can throw. Remember, it is the leader who is throwing, and gains throwing practice.

The leader's hand can also move levers, press buttons, or operate other controls found in the dungeon. To operate a control, the party must stand directly in front of the wall that contains it. You will not be able to reach the control from any other position. Some things, such as locks, may require a special object, such as a key, to operate them. For example, to open a lock you must pick up the right key, move it over the lock, and then press the left mouse button.

Chapter 3: Operating the game

The game screen is divided into three main areas (examine the picture on this diskette). Information about your champions in shown at the top. Menus for controlling the game are shown on the right; and the large area at left center shows either a view into the dungeon or the inventory for a particular champion.

The four pictures on the screen's right upper corner show a top view of the champion's in the dungeon. Each picture indicates the position and facing of the champion. The top of the screen is the forward direction. Notice that the color of each champion's picture matches the color of his or her bar graph.

It is important to pay attention to how champions are positioned. Champions using swords, or other swung weapons, must be adjacent to threats they are attacking or their attacks will not reach.

To switch the position of two champions, move the mouse pointer over one member of the party and press the left mouse button. The mouse pointer changes to become the champion's picture. Now, move this figure over the picture of the champion you wish to swap with. Press the left mouse button again to make the change.

All champions normally face forward. However, when threatened, champions will turn to face the threat.

Under these figure lays the name of any object held by a champion shows here.

Under that name are the six movement buttons which turn and move the party inside the dungeon. The twisted arrows on the upper line turn the party by 90 degrees without moving in any direction. The left and right arrows move the party left and right by one step without changing their facing. The up and down arrows move the party forward and backward one step.

You may move or turn the party by placing the mouse arrow over one of the screen buttons and pressing the left mouse button.

Chapter 4: Controlling your champions

Each champion is represented by a box at the top of the screen which shows their name, their status and what they are holding in their hands.

The three bar graphs show, from left to right, the champion's health, stamina and Mana. When a champion is injured the heath graph will drop. When it reaches zero, the champion will die. When stamina drops below half the champion's carrying capacity will drop. The Mana graph will drop as the champion uses up magical energy to cast spells.

Each champion has two hands. The hand on the left is the "ready" hand. It holds ammunition for range weapons such as bows or crossbows. A range weapon will not work unless the ready hand holds the ammunition it needs. After firing a range weapon, the ready hand will automatically draw new ammunition from the quiver.

The hand on the right is the "action" hand in which the champion normally holds a weapon or other "action" objects. An action object has special abilities. For example, a sword can thrust or a wand may cast magical power. Note: some actions that a weapon or object can do may be beyond the current abilities of a particular champion. For example, a novice fighter may need to practice swinging a sword before he or she can advance to parrying or thrusting. Also, some objects, such as a bow, may require the champion to have another object, such as an arrow, in the ready hand.

Each champion has an action button which shows a picture of the action object the champion is holding in their action hand. You press the action button to make the champion do something, such as fighting, with their action object. Note that not all objects are action objects. The action button will be blank if the champion in holding an object which is not an action object. Also, all champions have actions they can perform with bare hands. The action button will show an empty hand when the champion's action hand is empty. When you press a champion's action button you will see the champion's action menu for that object. Note that it can vary between champions.

Chapter 5: Casting spells

Every member of the dungeon party can learn to cast magical spells. However, casting spells requires skill and practice. Spell casting draws upon magical energy, or Mana, stored in the champion's body. Beginning magic users can hold only limited quantities of Mana and thus can only cast low level spells. But, with practice, the novice spell caster can progress to higher levels.

The spell casting box is above the action buttons on the right side of the screen. It is actually divided into the three different lines or parts. To cast a spell, you must first select which champion will cast it. The top of this menu is a series of selector buttons for each champion. Select a new spell caster with the mouse pointer and press the left mouse button. The name of the new spell caster will then show on the first line of the spell casting box.

The second line in the spell casting box includes the symbols which represent the basic magic syllables of a spell. To prepare a spell, the magic user recites the syllables that make up the spell by moving the mouse pointer, in turn, over each symbol and pressing left mouse button. As the syllables are recited they appear inside the cast button on the third line, which is the button directly below the symbol buttons. Each symbol recited drains the Mana level of the spell caster. Note that some symbols require more Mana to recite than others. If the champion's Mana drops too low, he or she may not be able to recite all symbols.

Pressing the recant arrow causes the last syllable uttered to be called back and removed from the spell. This may be used to correct mistakes. However, the Mana expended in voicing the syllable is lost.

Once a spell is formed, pressing the cast button, which is the third line, will cast it forth. A champion may attempt any spell, but beginning spell casters may not have enough Mana to cast more advanced spells. Also, some spells only work if the champion casting it has attained the proper experience level. Other spells may require the caster to hold a special object in one of their hands. For example, a spell to create a healing potion requires an empty flask.

Chapter 6: Inventory

Each champion has an inventory of items that he or she carries. To select the inventory of a particular champion, move the mouse pointer to the name of the champion shown at the top of the screen and press the right mouse button. Press the right mouse button again to return to the dungeon view. You can also go from one champion's inventory to another by moving the mouse pointer to a new name and pressing the right button again. This is an easy way to transfer objects between champions.

Party members may carry objects found in the dungeon. Places witch can hold an object are shown as a box. Some of these boxes represent things which a champion wears. For example, shoes or boots may be placed on a champion's feet.

The pouch is a handy spot for small objects.

The quiver carries arrows or thrown weapons. The champion's ready hand can automatically draw objects from here to reload during combat. Note that swords and some other weapons will only fit in the first slot.

The backpack is general-purpose place for storing objects. It has enough room for seventeen objects of any size.

Should a champion become injured, the box around the injured body part will change to red. Injuries affect the champion's abilities in ways that are related to the location of the wound. Injuries can be cured by drinking healing potions.

Object can be examined by moving them to the eye and pressing the left mouse button. This will show the object's weight and can sometimes reveal other things about it. What is revealed depends upon the skills of the champion examining it. Touching the eye with an empty hand shows the champion's current attributes and skill levels. The eye works for as long as the left mouse button is held down. A red box around the eye indicates that one of the champion's attributes has recently changed.

The champion can eat food or drink water or potions by moving them to the mouth and pressing the left mouse button. Only edible objects may be consumed.

The levels of health, stamina and Mana show more precisely the values indicated by a champion's bar graph for the same things. The left value indicates the current level and the right value indicates the current maximum for the champion. Note: as champions advance in level, the maximum value will increase. If the Mana maximum level increase, for example, this would mean that the champion has more Mana available for spell casting.

The LOAD value printed before the slash is the amount of weight the champion is carrying, represented in kilograms. The second value is the maximum weight that the champion can currently carry. If this line is printed in red, then that champion is overloaded and will move more slowly through the dungeon. Note that the party moves only as fast as its slowest member.

Pressing the ZZZ button will put the entire party to sleep. Sleeping is a fast way to rest and recover lost Mana, health and stamina. The party will sleep until you press the "wake up" button or they are roused by an attack.

You may exit the inventory by pressing the right mouse button, or by moving the mouse pointer over the exit box ("X") and pressing the left mouse button.

You can examine the contents of chests by bringing up a champion's inventory menu and placing the chest into the champion's action hand. This opens the chest and shows you what's inside. As long as the chest remains in the action hand, you can add or remove objects.

Pressing the figure of the diskette next to ZZZ button will freeze the game and bring up the save-game menu. If you can't finish the game in one sitting, you may save the current game and resume play later. Saving the game requires a blank formatted or unformatted disk. Unformatted disk must be formatted before the game can be saved on them. Note: There is a special format button provided for this!

Chapter 7: Game hints

Unlike other dungeon adventure games you may have played, Dungeon Master is a real-time adventure. This means that, just as in real time, the action doesn't stop while you figure out what to do. Because of this, preparation is all important. Your champions should have their weapons out and ready before they are surprised by hostile creatures. Remember, weapons are only useful if placed in your champion's action hand, and certain weapons, such as crossbows, require another object, such as an arrow, to be held in the ready hand. (See "Controlling Your Champions" in an earlier section.) If you have extra arrows, they should be kept in your champion's quiver. You champion will then automatically reload after firing the arrow in his or her hand.

Practice your spells when you have the chance, and learn to prepare useful potions in advance. The more you practice your spells, the faster your wizards and priests will grow in abilities. Don't be discouraged if your spells don't work reliably at first. Start by attempting spell with lower power symbols. These spells are easier for novices to cast and work more reliably. However, even if your champion's spell fail, the practice advances his or her level of skill. Also, remember the division of skills for magic users: creating potions and invoking magical defenses requires priestly skills, while most other magical skills are the domain of the wizard.

Fighters and ninjas need practice, too, it they are to get better at fighting. Try to choose your fights so that your champions have the advantage. This lets your champions gain fighting experience with less risk of dying. When facing danger, put your strongest champions in front and give them the best weapons. If a champion is using a swung weapon, such as a sword, he or she must be adjacent to the creature or the attack will not reach. Watch out for attacks from the rear and from the sides, and try to keep a retreat path open so you can fall back and let your champions recover. Here is where a few potions or spells prepared in advance can be real lifesavers! And, if the going gets too rough, run away.

Learn to be careful observer. Sometimes even the tiniest detail can be important. Perhaps a small but useful object lies just under your nose, or is hidden beneath another object you ignored. Did you notice the lever or hidden switch on the wall you just passed? Sounds can provide important hints too. Did you detect the telltale click of the hidden trap you just stepped on? Or did you hear the distant rattle of a door opening or closing?

Sometimes it may be helpful to compile an accurate map of your surroundings. Maps can help you locate areas of the dungeon you haven't explore yet, or avoid reexploring a place you've already been. Also, a well drawn map can be an invaluable aid to a safe retreat from danger. A map can also help locate traps or solve tricky puzzles; but be warned, even a map can sometimes deceive.

Conserve your resources whenever possible. Torches only burn when held in a hand. So keep extra torches in a champion's backpack until they are needed. Remember to get fresh water whenever it is available, and grab as much food as you can get your hands on. Sometimes your only source of food may be the creatures you find and kill, so learn where they hide so you can get to them when you need them. Mana is also an important resource. If you have available Mana, you should use it to prepare potions, heal injured champions, or ready attack spells in advance. And, as mentioned above, practice makes perfect.

Chapter 8: The story of the origins of Magick

What knowledge of Magick we have conforms not to the rules of science, but to the arcane skills and unordered ways of art. Be therefore warned that the path to knowledge is not an easy road.

It is said that once, long ago, there was no Magick in the world save the ultimate Magick which giveth life. Later, mankind learned the use of Magick through the control of Mana. This mystical energy is the source of all Magickal power. Those skilled in the art draw its essence from all things and feel its power as they would feel the wind blow or see the sun shine. But to those unskilled it is unseen, unfelt, unknown.

Before you gain knowledge of Magick you must gain knowledge of Mana. However, this talent can only be a gift gained from another skilled in the arts. For it is truth of Magick that you must know Mana to gain Mana. Once gained, the knowledge lasts forever. Thus have I and others likewise passed the knowledge through generations. With practice and time your own skills can become as great as any who have lived.

Know ye that the power of Mana is a power of nature harnessed by the mind. What the mind can conjure, the power of Magick will carry out. Yet, this power is not gained by mere imagining. It requires a knowledge of the true order of things. Our mind must do more than imagine fire to summon it. It must look beyond and see instead the true nature of fire. From this need was born the art of spell casting.

A spell as a visualization and recitation that focuses the mind on a specific task and channels Mana to carry it out. A spell is made of symbols which have both a form and a name. The beginning spell caster learns to pronounce the name as the symbol is seen in the mind. Each symbol must be recited in the proper order to produce the intended effect. However, Magick is not commanded easily. Even with sufficient Mana and proper recitation, a spell may fizzle if the spell caster lacks the experience to cast it. To gain experience, the spell caster should first master the simpler spells before attempting those more difficult.

The symbols of Magick are divided into the four known influences of POWER, ELEMENT, FORM and ALIGNMENT. It is said that other influences were once known, but only these four are remembered today. Each influence is controlled by six symbols which represent the six basic orders of all things. The six orders can also be visualized as combining the four orders of the material plane with the two orders of the ethereal realm. Each order of each influence is represented by a specific spell-sound and symbol.

Lest you be too quick to overstep your abilities, know that each symbol recited draws from and depletes the store of Mana carried in your body. The amount of Mana required depends upon the syllables that make up the spell. The six orders of each influence require differing amounts of Mana to invoke. For the influence of power, the weakest order is the syllable LO, and the most powerful is MON. Thus, LO requires the least Mana to cast, and MON the most.

In time, your body restores Mana expended in casting a spell by drawing new Mana from the world around you. As you gain experience in your craft your body will learn to store more and more Mana. With patience and practice, a skilled user can command enough Mana to attempt the most powerful spells.

All spells commence with the invocation of power. The influence of power determines the strength of a spell. Choosing a higher power symbol increases the power of the final spell, but also increases the amount of Mana required to invoke other symbols.

After power, the influence of element is called upon to give substance to the spell. Element determines the fundamental effect of the spell. Many useful spells require only power and element. The Magick torch spell, usually an apprentice's first, invokes first power and then calls upon the element FUL to bring light from fire. As the novice gains experience with this spell, he can attempt higher and higher power symbols giving greater and more steady illumination.

Adding the influence of form to a spell channels the spell into a specific direction. The invocation of the form KATH, as an example, imparts explosive force to the selected element. Form is not required for all spells, but its influence greatly increases the versality of a spell.

The influence if alignment connects nature with the world of man: his possessions and his concepts of good and evil. Thus, these influences are less predictable and require a great deal of Mana to control. The novice would be well advised to leave this influence to the master and the master would be well advised to avoid this influence whenever possible.

As with all skills, only practice will guide the practitioner to higher levels of proficiency. And, only caution will spare him from foolish mistakes.