Cavequest
         

         
         
                            History and Descriptions



         
         
         
         
         




         
         
         
         Lightwave Consultants                         September 1985
         P.O. Box 290539
         Tampa, FL  33617
         
         
         
         

         
         
                      Copyright 1985, All Rights Reserved.
                                             
         The Cavequest distribution diskette, of which this manual is 
         one file, may be freely copied and distributed.  This manual 
         may only be distributed as a file on a distribution diskette. 
         



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         Hail and well met!  I have a story to tell thee that thee 
         will not believe. 
         
         Welcome to the land of lore known as Cavequest.  It be said 
         that a once great and thriving civilization existed on these 
         very lands.  While their culture be very advanced compared to 
         ours, they were dwellers of caves in the mountains not far 
         from here. 
         
         They used advanced tools and had weapons I cannot claim to 
         understand, but, alas, their underground city and peoples 
         were claimed by a terrible fate.  You see, they were not the 
         only ones living underground.  The legend says that they, in 
         their wise expansion, broke into another set of caves that 
         were indeed vast and well used.  That land, it be said, was 
         the land of the evil ones themselves. 
         
         Once the evil ones learned that there was indeed a life 
         outside of their well-honed paths they invaded the land of 
         the humans taking life and property with little regard.  Even 
         this advanced civilization, with its advanced culture, could 
         not stop the onslaught. 
         
         Then the gods intervened.  They sent down torrential floods, 
         quakes, and spewed the earth forth to destroy and bury 
         everything and everybody that was in the caves. 
         
         Centuries passed, and this small village that you see before 
         you grew out of an outpost from the people of the north.  A 
         few years ago a small boy, playing in the mountains, 
         discovered the entrance to the caves.  Our governor, noticing 
         the advancement of the artifacts found there, ordered the 
         excavation of the caves.  Curse him! 
         
         Everything went smoothly until the fifth level, the arena 
         level, was excavated.  Rumor has it the humans again breeched 
         the land separating good from evil.  Many have died, and many 
         went into the caves to stop the evil, but never returned. 
         
         There now be attacks on the village!  The people here hope 
         that the gods again intervene to help us before its too late! 
         
         Since you be interested in the caves, perhaps I can tell you 
         all I know. 
         
         There be ten known types of monsters in the cave.  Here be 
         the descriptions in order of "toughness:" 
         
         The skeleton be a very slow creature and some say easily laid 
         waste. 
         
         The Giant Bat be much quicker than a skeleton, and often 
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         can be upon you before you can react! 

         The Giant Bug be slower than a bat but faster than a 
         skeleton.  Their fangs can pierce many types of armor. 
         
         The Giant Leech be a fairly slow sort, but feeds on the blood 
         of humans that enter the cave. 
         
         The Giant Rat be nearly as fast as a bat!  Their appetite be 
         described as insatiable and they often travel in small herds. 
         
         The Great Slime be a very slow monster, but can seep through 
         the most secure armor! 
         
         The Lizardman be as fast as a bat, and his huge mandibles can 
         crush any man-made metal. 
         
         The Antman be one of the swiftest monsters in the cave, his 
         legs, traveling in perfect motion maneuver him on top of you 
         unless you react quickly!  They often wander through the 
         caves and seem to come out of nowhere. 
         
         The Giant Squid be slightly slower than an Antman, but his 
         crushing grip will make the heartiest traveler look like 
         jello soup. 
         
         The Zombie be the swiftest creature in the caves.  He be 
         human, like you and me, but brought back from the dead.  As 
         he be already dead, you must chop, fry, beat and pulverize 
         him before he will stop his relentless attack. 
         
         Here be descriptions of the magic items you can purchase from 
         the witch: 
         
         The magic cloak be a device of protection.  It adds strength 
         to your defensive coating, and while the witch will sell you 
         as many as you want, their strenth be not additive so one be 
         all you need.  The magic cloak works on any human.  The magic 
         cloak be permanent and need not be called upon to be useful. 
         
         The talisman be an enchanted bauble that, when called upon, 
         lowers the chance that a wandering monster will show in the 
         room you be currently in.  You must be a level 8 wizard or 
         better to use the talisman.  The talisman be permanent.  With 
         many rooms, a single application of the talisman will be 
         enough to stop wandering monsters from entering the room 
         forever.  Some rooms will require a second application and a 
         very few rooms will require a third.  Be warned, however, 
         that you may think a room be safe when in reality it be not.  
         Stay ready! 
         
         The light burst sets forth a tremendous burst of light.  
         Monsters, blinded by the light, will not move.  You must be a 
         level one wizard or better to use a light burst.  If you try 
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         to pick up a treasure or attack the monster he will shake off 
         the effects and attack you!
         
         The fire ball be an explosive that seeks monsters before 
         detonating.  It will destroy all the lower level monsters and 
         seriously wound higher types.  You must be a level 8 wizard 
         or better to use a fire ball. 
         
         The sphere of essence attempts to draw all the life essence 
         out of the monster.  It will destroy skeletons and bats and 
         wound others.  You must be a level 7 wizard to use the sphere 
         of essence, and it be a permanent item. 
         
         The pendant of Kort be the most potent of all the magic.  It 
         kills zombies.  You must be a level 18 wizard to use the 
         pendant of Kort, and it be a permenant item. 
         
         The ring of Zeus be a very useful and powerful magic item.  
         It transforms monsters to monsters two levels its junior.  
         You must be a level 15 wizard to use the ring of Zeus, and it 
         be a permanent item. 
         
         The cap of Merlin be another very useful magic item.  It 
         finds all the secret doors of the room you be currently in.  
         You must be a level 9 wizard to use the cap of Merlin, and it 
         be a permanent item. 
         
         The spell of Eliakim attempts to turn a monster into dust by 
         draining all its bodily fluids.  It will destroy all the 
         lower level monsters and seriously wound others.  You must be 
         a level 16 wizard to use the spell of Eliakim, and it be a 
         one-use magic item. 
         
         The spell of Gigos be an interesting one.  It rearranges the 
         internal organs of monsters.  This kills many of the lower 
         level monsters, but some monsters can still function, albeit 
         wounded, with rearranged organs.  You must be a level 11 
         wizard to use the spell of Gigos, and it be a one-use magic 
         item. 

         Magic salt will kill a Giant Leech, similar to the way salt 
         would kill a normal leech.  You must be a level 10 wizard to 
         use the magic salt, and it be a one-use magic item. 
         
         The healing potion will boost your health if it be under 100 
         percent.  You can carry as many of these as you have silver 
         for, but you must be a level 5 wizard or better in order to 
         drink one. 

         There be five types of armor that you can purchase at the 
         armory.  Each be heavier and costlier than its predecessor, 
         but offers more protection for you.  Only a fool would 
         venture into the lower levels without good armor. 
         
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         The types of armor be leather, ring mail, chain mail, partial 
         plate, and full plate.  Noone knows for certain what type of 
         armor protects against which monster - there have been 
         precious few volunteers for testing!  However, its rumored 
         that a fully equipped human - full plate, large shield, with 
         magic on the armor cannot be hurt at all by skeletons, bats 
         or bugs and only marginally hurt by leeches and rats. 
         
         There also be two types of projectiles that you may purchase 
         at the armory.  Spears and arrows.  Spears will do much more 
         damage than arrows, but a single arrow will kill a skeleton 
         if it hits 'em, and a single spear will kill a giant bat.  
         
         It be known that there be five types of blade at the armory.  
         The five types of blade be knife, daggar, short sword, broad 
         sword, and great sword.  Each be more damaging than the one 
         before it, but it will cost you a pretty penny more and be 
         heavier to carry.  A knife with very high strength be just as 
         effective as a broad sword with no strength. 

         The shields sold by the armory be well known in these parts 
         for their quality.  Handles never come off and the metal be 
         of the finest variety.  The small shield offers about as much 
         protection as leather armor, while the large shield renders 
         the same protection as ring mail. 
         
         There be 21 different types of treasure in the cave.  Some 
         rooms have little or no treasure while a few rooms be 
         bursting over with the stuff!  You may find 1, 10, 50, 100, 
         or 1000 coppers, silvers, or golds.  There also be small 
         diamonds, large diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and 
         copper ingots.  One gold be worth 10 silvers and 1 silvers be 
         worth 10 coppers.  
         
         The small diamond be worth 100 silvers, while the large 
         diamond and emerald be worth 200.  The ruby will fetch you 
         250 silvers while the sapphire will net you 225.  The copper 
         ingot be worth 20 silvers. 

         A single copper, silver or gold be weightless.  10 of any 
         will weigh 3, 50 will weigh 15, 100 will weigh 30, and 1000 
         will weight 50.  The small diamond, emerald and sapphire will 
         only weigh 2, the large diamond 5, the ruby 6, and copper 
         ingot will weigh a whopping 60! 

         Of the five levels in the cave, one and two have been pretty 
         well picked dry of treasure.  As these levels be less 
         dangerous than the ones deeper down, the townspeople 
         themselves have entered the caves and taken the treasures.  
         Level three and below be rumored to be burstin' with 
         treasure, enou' to make you rich for the rest of your life! 

         Of the excavation records, it be known that level one was a 
         multi-purpose level.  There be no wandering monsters and no 
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         hidden doors in level one. 
         
         Level two was used for storage.  There be a few hidden doors 
         in level two, but no wandering monsters. 
         
         Level three was the meeting level.  There be some wandering 
         monsters in level three, but no hidden doors. 
         
         Level four was the dwelling and sleeping level.  There be 
         wandering monsters and hidden doors there. 
         
         Level five be called the "arena" level.  The records say that 
         a huge arena was located in the level.  There be wandering 
         monsters and hidden doors.