Skip to content
Deasy Corporation
Logos
Theos
Work
Deasy Corporation
2026 AD
Games
Darkstone
Back to Classic PC Titles
Darkstone
DARKS
TONE
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
Warning:
To
Owners
Of
Projection Televisions .
.
.
.
…
.
…………..
.
……
.
…
.
………….
.
Preventing the Risk
of
Epilepsy .
……
.
..
.
..
..
….
..
.
.
…………
.
…
.
……………
..
..
.
Guidelines Ensuring the Best Conditions for Playing
… …
. .
……..
.
.
.
…………….
.
.
. .
.
…
.
Ill
STORY
The Land
ofUm
a .
..
.
…………..
.
………………..
.
….
.
. .
…
.
.
..
…..
.
.
….
..
.
..
2
INSTALLATION
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Installing the Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
DirectX⢠Installation Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
ABOUT DARKSTONE
Overview
….
. . .
….
..
…..
.
….
.
………
.
…………………….
.
……………
. . 8
Castes and Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Experience Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Life, Mana and Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The Town . . .
..
.
…….
.
.
……
.
..
.
…………………..
.
..
.
…. ….
…
.
…
.
……..
9
What Next? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Moving Around the Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Engaging in Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
PLAYING DARKSTONE
Notes About
All
the Menus .
..
..
……….
..
……………………
.
……….
…..
.
. .
. . 11
General Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11
Main Menu
…..
.
…
.
……………………………..
.
……
.
…
.
.
..
……
..
…..
.
13
Creating Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
15
Quick Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Essential Commands and Hot Keys for Starting the Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Game Interfaces: Interface Bar, Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
17
Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The Town
…..
.
……………
…..
…
.
….
.
…
..
.
.
..
….
…..
.
..
..
……………..
22
First Visit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Town Traders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Training Camp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
CONTENTS
(continued)
Game Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
27
Taking Your First Steps
in
Uma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
27
Information about Distributing Level Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
28
How Spells Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
28
Equipment, Weapons and Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
29
Enemies
………………….
.
………………..
..
……..
…
..
.
………
..
…….
31
Using Skills
………………………………………………………………..
32
Playing with Two Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
32
Active Decorative Items and Traps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
33
The Adventure Continues After Clicking "End"
………………………………………..
34
Multiplayer Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
34
APPENDICES
The
4
Regions
of
Uma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
37
The Heroes
of
Uma
……………….
..
…………
.
…
…
…….
..
……
…
…….
…
38
Historical Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
46
Spells and Their Effects
………………………
.
…
..
.
…
..
..
…..
..
.
..
..
…………
47
Skills
…………………………………………
…….
..
…
.
….
.
………….
48
Hot Keys and Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
49
Glossary
of
Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
51
Credits
………………..
..
……………………………………..
.
…….
…
.
52
FOREWORD
Warning:
To
Owners
Of
Projection Televisions
Still pictures or images may cause permanent picture-tube damage or mark the phosphor
of
the CRT. Avoid
repeated or extended use
of
video games on large-screen projection televisions.
Epilepsy Warning
PLEASE READ BEFORE USING THIS GAME OR ALLOWING YOUR CHILDREN TO USE
IT.
Some people are susceptible to epileptic seizures or loss
of
consciousness when exposed to certain flashing lights
or light patterns in everyday life.
Such people may have a seizure while watching television images or playing certain video games. This may
happen even
if
the person has no medical history
of
epilepsy or has never had any epileptic seizures.
If
you or anyone in your family has ever had symptoms related to epilepsy (seizures or loss
of
consciousness)
when exposed to flashing lights, consult your doctor prior to playing.
We
advise that parents should monitor the use
of
video games by their children.
If
you or your child experience
any
of
the following symptoms: dizziness, blurred vision, eye or muscle twitches, loss
of
consciousness,
disorientation, any involuntary movement or convulsion, while playing a video game, IMMEDIATELY
discontinue use and consult your doctor.
Precautions
To
Take During Use
⢠Do not stand too close to the screen. Sit a good distance away from the screen, as far away as the length
of
the
cable allows.
⢠Preferably play the game on a small screen.
⢠Avoid playing
if
you are tired or have not had much sleep.
⢠Make sure that the room in which you are playing is well lit.
⢠Rest for at least 10 to
15
minutes per hour while playing a video game.
1
HISTORY
THE
LAND
OF
UMA
"Draw closer, sit beside me and listen to the tale I have to tell about your land, the Land
of
Uma.
Today, you are called upon to play a vital role in the future
of
our universe. Your hearts bum with a fire which
darkness cannot quench. For you are the Pure
of
Heart, whose destiny
is
to
fight Evil. But before you engage in
battle, you must learn about Uma's history and thus come to understand why the threat
of
darkness still hangs
over the people
of
this planet, even today.
The Land
of
Uma was created in the mists
of
time by Life.
It
was indeed Life that fashioned this land,
sculpting its every contour, providing the blood coursing through the veins
of
its animals and the life-giving
source for its vegetation.
But the balance
of
the universe was under threat and Death had to be created to re-establish some degree
of
harmony. After all, this is why Life cannot exist without Death. Consequently, the plants began to wither and
bloodshed broke out amongst the animals, thus perpetuating the eternal cycle
of
life and death."
The Primeval Battle
"Thus elapsed thousands
of
years, which passively witnessed this unending, titanic struggle between Life and
Death as it transformed the peaceful Land
of
Uma into a battlefield. This period became known
as
the Primeval
Combat. It came to an end with Life emerging victorious, but the Land
of
Uma had now become one huge
mass grave. Out
of
the ashes
of
this destruction rose Mankind, representing the ultimate challenge to Death.
It went forth populating the world, imbuing the land and sea once again with Life. These men, your forbears,
created villages, tilled the fields to produce corn and planted trees and bushes yielding fruit and flowers.
This marked a golden age, an age
of
peace and harmony, but at the same time Man continued waging a relentless
war against Death. As a token
of
her gratitude for Man's toil, Life decided to assume human form as the goddess
Kaliba, the goddess
of
nature, and gave our ancestors magic powers."
The Dawn
of
Kaliba
"Our ancestors called this period the Dawn
of
Kaliba. The magic powers helped our ancestors to triumph over
adversity and allowed them to create magical creatures, the Dragons
of
the Dawn, which became Kaliba's
invaluable allies. They would protect the villages and castles, light the furnaces
of
our craftsmen's forges and,
with their sacred fire, would help the population through the harsh winters by warming up the
air.
The Dragons
of
the Dawn were not the only creatures
to
inhabit the Land
of
Uma. There were others, just as
gentle, which are now extinct. Among these were water-sprites, whose songs sounded like a babbling brook;
fairies, whose beating wings created rainbows, centaurs, pixies, imps, and many more
..
..
But the Dawn
of
Kaliba
was followed by the Wars
of
Darkness, which swept all these creatures aside like straws
on
the wind."
The
Wars
of
Darkness
"The Wars
of
Darkness marked the decline
of
Mankind. The Grim Reaper had licked his wounds and once again,
wielding his scythe, started to shed blood. He began to gnaw at the hearts
of
men, fueling their greed and
spreading jealousy and lies amongst them …
When I think back
to
this time, I can still vividly remember the deep distress which gripped the hearts
of
men;
the outbreak
of
bloodshed among them and the tears
of
the goddess, shed
in
great sorrow as she contemplated
2
the havoc wreaked
by
Death,
as
men killed each other in the pursuit
of
a scrap
of
land, power and money
…
This period
of
the War
of
Darkness also saw the demise
of
the magical creatures, especially the Dragons
of
the Dawn. Others were doomed to become creatures
of
Evil, as imps were transformed into goblins and fairies
into gorgons. But Evil's triumph over Life was not quite complete. Our goddess, Kaliba, overcame the distress
that burdened her heart and offered one final message
of
hope
to
mankind.
In
doing so, she called upon the
assistance
of
the druids who lived in the great forests
of
Uma. These druids were the devoted servants
of
Nature
and would willingly sacrifice themselves to ensure that Life would triumph.
In
order to make it a more equitable
contest and help the druids to drive Death beyond the confines
of
Uma, the goddess Kaliba gave them the gift
of
the Time Orb, fashioned from the Tears which dropped from her cheeks. The druids were now ready to bring
the Wars
of
Darkness to
an
end, and men wept as they recognized the madne s that had pos es ed them."
The Age
of
Harmony
"The Wars
of
Darkness ended about a thousand years ago. Following this, the druids who had survived this battle
against Death decided to break up the Time Orb to prevent it from being used for evil purposes. And so, the Orb
was broken into seven crystals, the seven tears
of
Kaliba. Each
of
these crystals was entrusted to an anonymous
guardian, whose mission it was to watch over the crystal and to pass it on to a new guardian, worthy
of
their trust,
before their death. But all the guardians knew that the day would come for them to be parted from their crystals.
And this day arrived when the Pure
of
Heart came to them.
During the course
of
this last thousand years, a period known as the Age
of
Harmony, the druids gradually began
to die out
as
men learned to co-exist in peace. Everyone then believed that Death would give up the fight and that
its creatures would disappear from the land
of
Uma forever.
In
order to ensure that this
would
happen, Kaliba
created an order
of
monks whose task was to guide Mankind along the long path
of
Life. And indeed, during these
thousand years the monks were utterly devoted to their task. But, how foolish to think that the Forces
of
Darkness
could be completely vanquished! How blind men were, not
to
see that Death was biding its time for the least sign
of
weakness, for a wicked heart that it could invade ….
And I am the being with that wicked heart, the Chosen One
of
Death. I am Draak, and I will spread my cover
of
darkness over this golden age, an era so wretched and lack-Juster compared to the Age
of
Darkness that is about to
dawn. I used to be one
of
Kaliba's monks and could see how weak and derisory the powers offered by the goddess
were. There
is
only one real power, and that is the power offered by Death, a power whose depth and strength
makes Kaliba's pathetic magic pale into insignificance.
When I was a mere monk I was called Drakil Tanan. By then, I was already fascinated by the magic
of
darkne , a
fascination which oon developed into
an
obsession. When night fell I would slip into the library and pore over the
forbidden texts, eager to learn the dark secrets
of
necromancy. I spent years
in
the vaults, where I raised
pecters and skeletons to become my slaves and help me fulfill
my
mission. But one day, the monks
of
Kaliba
uncovered
my
secret. And just imagine, those fools dared to pass judgement on me, Drakil Tanan, the great
necromancer. I therefore left the monastery without any regrets, leaving behind
my
old name and assuming the
new name
of
Draak.
Draak
…
a name which rises up like a funeral dirge, sounding a knell, the death knell for Kaliba. This name was
my
comfort during the years after I left the monastery.
In
the bowels
of
this land,
my
torrent
of
supplication was
an
wered and I became the disciple
of
Necromancy. My powers were enhanced and, at the same time,
my
soul
became ever more consumed
by
my
obsession, plumbing depths known only by Death itself. Ah yes, the Grim
Reaper soon realized what
an
invaluable ally he had in me. And just as the goddess Kaliba had given the druids the
Time Orb, I was made privy
to
the ultimate secrets
of
Necromancy.
3
I was now able to return to the goddess Kaliba's heavenly kingdom. But, I have to admit that this was a grave
error. It was still far too soon
to
challenge Kaliba, even though I had already used my newly acquired powers to
devastate the gold and silver towers
of
her kingdom and set ablaze the wings
of
the angels protecting her.
The battle between us lasted a day and a night with Kaliba emerging the victor, damn her! However, prior to my
defeat, I had dealt her a cruel blow.
In
the heat
of
the struggle, I grabbed one
of
her hands and took it down to the
bowels
of
this land. Using my powers
of
Necromancy I corrupted this hand, turning it into an instrument
of
my
revenge: the Astral Hand.
Armed with this artifact, I made my way to the Dragons
of
the Dawn cemetery, where I intended to raise up from
the ashes the most powerful dragon
of
all, the Dragon Lord, but not
in
his previous incarnation where he was
subservient and loyal to man. I wiped his mind and stole his magic so that I could be transformed into a dragon
…
Now I am able to devastate this world, capture its people and allow Death to feed on their souls. Kaliba's monks,
these same ones who dared to drive me away, tried to make me see reason. They wanted us to meet face to face.
How their feeble attempts were in vain. I cast them into the flames
of
Hell for their pains, and with their ashes still
smoldering I put a curse on the Order
of
Kaliba. I was then able to turn some monks into demonic skeletons,
utterly devoted to my cause …
You
will feel my vengeance, you wretched people. My wings will cast a long shadow over this land, plunging it
deep into darkness. I will use your bones to build my throne and your souls to feed my subjects. And
as
for you,
the Pure
of
Heart, you may well think that you can re-create the Time Orb to prevent me from destroying the land
of
Uma. But do not delude yourselves. I will not let you find the seven crystals that make up the Time Orb and
defeat me. I will track you down wherever you are, you wretched creatures. And you will die because no one can
defy with impunity Draak, the necromancer and Dragon Lord …. "
4
System Requirements
Minimum Configuration
Operating system
Processor type
Video card
Resolution
Free hard disk space
RAM
CD-ROM drive
DirectX (suoolied with CD)
Input devices
Recommended Configuration
Operating system
Processor type
Video card
Free hard disk space
RAM
CD-ROM drive
DirectX (suoolied with CD)
Input devices
Multiplayer Mode:
For 2 to 4 players
â˘Via
LAN: IPX (recommended) or TCP/IP
INSTALLATION
Windows 95 or 98
Pentium 233
MHz
MMX
(or Cyrix
or
AMD equivalent)
4 MB 3D AGP
or
8 MB Direct 3D PCI compatible
accelerator card
16 Bit colors
170MB
32MB
8X speed with a Windows 95/98 CD-ROM driver
DirectX6. l
or
later; DirectX6 Media
Keyboard, mouse
Windows 95 or 98
Pentium II 350
MHz
(or Cvrix
or
AMD equivalent)
4 MB 3D AGP or 8 MB Direct 3D PCI compatible
accelerator card
380 MB
64MB
8X speed with a Windows 95/98 CD-ROM driver
DirectX6. l or later; DirectX6 Media
Keyboard, mouse
⢠Via Internet: TCP/IP (recommended) or IPX via KALI
INSTALLING
THE
GAME
Note: DARKSTONE was specifically developed
to
run under the operating system Windows 95 or 98 and
does not run under MS-DOS.
Disk Preparation:
Before you install any software, it
is
critical that your hard drive be in proper working order. We recommend
running ScanDisk and Disk Defragmenter. ScanDisk searches your hard drive for any lost allocation units as well
as any cross-linked files and directories. Disk Defragmenter ensures that your data is sorted properly. Failure to
verify this may result in corrupt data.
l.
First, run ScanDisk. To start ScanDisk, left-click on the START button from the Taskbar.
The Start menu opens.
2.
From the Start menu, select RUN. Then, in the Run dialog box, type scandisk and click OK.
5
Once the program starts, ensure that you have selected THOROUGH
in
the Type
of
test section, make sure
there
is
a check mark
in
the AUTOMATICALLY FIX ERRORS box and select the hard drive you are
in tailing the game to (e.g., C:). Once everything
is
set
up
correctly, click START to have the program scan
the drive and correct any errors.
3.
Next, run Disk Defragrnenter.
To
start Disk Defragmenter, left-click
on
the START button from the Taskbar.
The Start menu opens.
4. From the Start menu, select RUN. Then,
in
the Run dialog box, type DEFRAG and click OK.
As
with
ScanDisk, select the drive you are installing the game
to
and click OK.
DIRECTX⢠INSTALLATION NOTES
Read This Section Completely Before Playing Darkstone Or Installing The DirectX Drivers.
DirectX is
an
Application Programming Interface that allows Windows
"'
95Mmdows"'98 based applications
to have high-performance, real-time access to your hardware.
It
also reduces the complexity
of
installing and
configuring your hardware. This makes the DirectX API well suited for Windows"'95/Windows"'98 games.
Darkstone uses the DirectX
6.1
API (the latest version
of
DirectX at the time
of
release) and includes DirectX 6
files which you can install.
The DirectDraw, DirectSound and Direct3D components
of
DirectX may require updating your video, sound or 3D
card drivers respectively, for proper operation
of
these components. Using video, sound and 3D card drivers that
do not have DirectX
6.1
support will result
in
display, audio and 3D problems in DirectX
6.1
applications. During
the installation
of
DirectX 6.1, your video, sound and 3D card drivers will be updated
if
required. The DirectX
6.1
files included with Darkstone includes drivers for most video, sound and 3D cards from the major manufacturers
of
the e peripherals. For new hardware, and for lesser-known brands
of
peripherals, you may have to contact your
manufacturer to obtain drivers that have DirectX
6.1
support.
After installing DirectX 6.1, check to see if your video, sound and 3D card drivers have DirectX 6.1 support:
l.
Click the Start button
on
your Windows
"'
95/Windows
"'
98 Taskbar. Then click Run ….
2.
From the Run dialog box, type c:\program files\directx\setup\dxdiag.exe then click OK.
The DirectX diagnostics program gives you information
on
your video, sound and 3D card drivers.
To
check your
video card drivers click
on
the Display l tab, to check your sound card drivers click on the Sound tab and to check
your 3D card drivers click
on
the Display 2 tab. On each
of
these screens, the Drivers section tells you whether or
not your driver is certified by Microsoft as supporting DirectX 6.1.
If
your driver
is
reported as 'Certified: Yes' your device has DirectX 6.1 support and should work properly
in
DirectX 6 applications.
If
your driver
is
reported as 'Certified: No' your device does not have DirectX
6.1
support and may experience
problems running DirectX
6.1
applications.
If
this is the case plea e consult the notes section at the bottom
of
the
DirectX Diagnostic Tool application. Windows 98 users may also consult the [Troubleshoot] button, accessed
from the [Still Stuck?] tab.
Important Note: During the installation
of
DirectX 6.1, the setup program detects whether or not your drivers can
be updated successfully.
If
the driver being replaced has not been tested or replacing the driver
is
known
to
cause
problems, the setup program warns you accordingly.
We
recommend you abide by these warnings.
6
Installation:
You
should install DARKSTONE as follows:
⢠Start the Windows
95
or 98 operating system.
⢠Ensure that your desktop is set up for
16
bit color (65536 colors
).
⢠Insert the DARKSTONE CD
in
your drive. The DARKSTONE installation screen automatically appears
(unless the auto insert notification option has been disabled).
If
this
is
not the case, run the AUTORUN.EXE
file supplied
on
the CD.
⢠Click Exit to quit the game without installing it.
⢠Click INSTALL to start the installation procedure.
⢠Follow the on-screen instructions (please read the DirectX Installation Notes section on pg.7 before
selecting the Direct installation options).
Installation Folder:
â˘
If
you wish to install DARKSTONE
in
the default directory (C:\Program Files\Delphine Software\Darkstone
),
click Next
in
the installation folder selection dialog box.
â˘
If
you wish to install the game
in
another folder, click BROWSE … , then select the destination folder into
which you wish
to
install the game.
You
will be prompted
to
confirm the directory selected. Click OK.
The installation folder selection dialog box appears again. Click Next and continue the installation.
â˘
You
can decide how much hard disk space the game installation will occupy by selecting one
of
the
following options:
–
Typical installation: The game will be installed automatically with the
mo
st frequently used option
s.
This
is
the recommended installation for most players.
–
Compact installation: The game will be installed automatically with the minimum
of
options required.
–
Customized installation:
You
can customize your options. This is the recommended installation for
experienced players.
Note: The more game options you have installed, the better the performance you will attain.
Starting the Game:
⢠Start the Windows 95 or 98 operating system.
⢠Insert the Darkstone CD
in
your drive.
â˘
If
you have inserted the CD
in
your drive after Windows
95
or 98 has been started, the Start screen will appear
automatically (unless this option has been disabled). Click EXIT to quit the game, or START to begin the game.
Alternatively, you can:
⢠Open the Start menu from the Taskbar and select Programs.
⢠Click Darkstone\Darkstone to start the game.
Tip:
If
you wish
to
start Darkstone even more quickly, you can create a shortcut directly onto your desktop.
To
do
this, open the folder where Darkstone has been installed, right-click the Darkstone program icon and, holding
the button down, drag it onto your desktop. Release the button and select "Create shortcut(s) here".
To
start the
game you will now only have
to
double-click on the shortcut icon you have
ju
st created.
TROUBLESHOOTING:
Refer to the "Readme.txt" file, available from the root directory
of
the CD-ROM.
7
ABOUT DARKSTONE
This section
of
the manual outlines the basic principles
of
DARKSTONE.
If
you are already quite familiar with this type
of
role-playing game, you can proceed
to
the next section:
"Playing Darkstone".
Note:
If
you wish
to
quickly find the definition
of
one
of
the key terms and expressions used in this game
(displayed
in
italics in the text), please refer to the Glossary at the back
of
the manual.
OVERVIEW
The aim
of
DARKSTONE is to complete a number
of
quests.
You
should recover the seven crystals to re-create
the Time Orb, which is the only means
of
being able to defeat the infamous Draak.
In
order to achieve this objective, you have to destroy all your enemies and learn to survive
in
hostile regions and
in
the depths
of
dark mazes. But, there is more to this than meets the eye. It isn't simply a matter
of
making your
way through these places, brutally exterminating anything that moves en route.
CLASSES AND ATTRIBUTES
To
play the game you have to choose one from several characters belonging to different classes (Warriors, Wizards,
Thieves, Priests
…
).
The class your character belongs to determines his strengths and weaknesses.
For example, the Warrior's main asset
is
his physical strength, whereas the Wizard relies more on his extensive
knowledge
of
magic. Therefore, the former would overwhelm his opponent best
in
direct combat, while the latter
would rather keep his distance and cast spells.
These various attributes are integrated into the game by defining, at the start
of
the game, a set
of
four
attributes (strength, vitality, dexterity and magic). Each
of
these attributes
is
allotted a number
of
points, which
varies depending on the class. The higher the number
of
points allotted
to
the attribute, the greater the influence
this attribute will have on the character's actions.
The game, therefore, begins with the members
of
each class possessing the following four attributes: strength,
vitality, dexterity and magic, which are particular to them. These attributes are likely
to
develop during
the course
of
the game.
EXPERIENCE LEVEL
Your character also has another very important attribute: experience level. Your hero starts the game with
very little experience. He has been well trained, but is a complete beginner
in
the field. So, his experience level
starts at the lowest level:
1.
But as your character takes on opponents, his experience level will rise. In fact, he
accumulates experience points every time
he
engages
in
combat and raises his experience level each time he reach-
es a given total
of
experience points determined
by
the game. He then acquires level points which should be di
s-
tributed among your character's attributes so that he can advance.
You
have to decide whether you want to develop
his strong points further or strengthen his weaknesses.
LIFE, MANA AND FOOD
Your characters also have another three attributes, which have to be clo ely monitored during the game. These are
their life level (vital energy), mana level (magic power used for casting spells) and food level (physical energy).
8
Your character's life level can
be
reduced in
combat
and his
mana
level
can
fall through casting spells.
The
food
level can drop in relation to the
amount
of
physical effort expended.
If
you
don't
have vital energy you will die.
If
you
don't
have
mana
you
won't
be able to use any magic.
And
if
you
don't
have a bite to eat, your character will simply
get
weak
and die.
Fortunately, while going through the mazes you will
be
able to find vital supplies to restore your energy levels. You
will also notice that your character's
mana
level will rise again automatically at regular intervals during the game.
The Town
You begin the
game
in the town, which is a populated area harboring no enemies. You will
meet
various
people
who are likely to help you in your quest. You can buy and sell arms in
the
town, as well as magic spell books,
scrolls, potions and food. You will have to
be
quite discerning
in
how
best
to spend
your
money
to
ensure
that
you
are fully prepared when
the
time comes.
What Next?
Once you have been around the town you should explore other different lands and discover the entrances to various
shady places (dungeons, cellars, caves
…
).
You should speak to the local people, fight monsters, gather and use
various objects (weapons, scrolls, gold pieces, food etc.). IBtimately, you may succeed in completing your quest.
â˘
Whether
your
character survives
or
not will
depend
on your ability to handle all
of
these parameters.
â˘
The
experience levels represent successive stages in the characters' development and should not
be
confused
with the various
game
levels, represented
by
the different mazes which the player has to explore.
MOVING AROUND
THE
GAME
You
move
your character around using the mouse only.
To
move
your
character, place the cursor
on
the
spot
you
want
your hero to
move
to and left click.
The
character
will then
move
to the selected spot.
If
you hold
down
the left mouse button and point the cursor in the desired
direction, your character will carry on moving in this direction for as long you keep the left mouse button held
down, providing he
doesn't
encounter any obstacles in his path.
Your character can either walk
or
run (see the relevant icon in the
Game
interfaces: Interface bar section on pg.17).
ENGAGING IN COMBAT
You are likely to encounter numerous ruthless enemies on your journey. You should, therefore,
choose
your
weapons wisely.
Some
types
of
weapons, such as swords, are intended for close combat, whereas others, such as
bows, are intended for ranged attacks. Choosing the right weapons to deal with the creatures threatening you
means that you have already achieved your first milestone
on
the path to victory.
To
engage
in combat, place the
mouse
cursor on your
opponent
and click
the
left mouse button. Your character
may
move
closer until the opponent is within range and then
make
his first attack. However, further action
may
be
required.
The monsters you come up against also have certain vital energy reserves.
The
injuries you inflict will reduce their life
level by the appropriate number
of
points. This number
of
points is determined by a number
of
influencing factors,
in
particular: the type
of
weapon, your character's experience level and all their various attributes.
9
Continue to left click on your opponent until he loses all his life points and dies. The speed
of
the clicking motion
will determine your character's speed and agility.
But
beware!
You
may also be savagely attacked by an enemy, and each time you are you will also lose life points.
The number
of
points lost will mainly depend on the monster's strength and on your character's type
of
protection
(helmet , armor, magic amulets, rings, etc.).
Apart from conventional weapons, there are also several spells you can use, and with quite a toni hing effect.
These are more effective against some monsters than others.
Note: See also the Game overview: How spells work (pg.28) and Appendices: Spells and their effects (pg.47) sections.
You
can also develop a number
of
skills that will also assist you in your adventures.
Note: See also the Game overview: Using skills (pg.32) and Appendices: Skills (pg.48) sections.
You
should
gradually succeed in devising a number
of
combat strategies which will take into account the strengths and
weaknesses
of
your various enemies.
10
PLAYING DARKSTONE
This section
of
the manual contains all the information you need to know to
play
DARKSTONE.
It contains
an
overview
of
the essential features
of
the game.
Unless otherwise specified, when the term "click"
is
used alone in the text, it is taken to mean that you
should click with the left mouse button.
Note:
If
you wish to quickly
find
the definition
of
one
of
the key terms and expressions used in this game
(displayed in italics in the text), please refer to the Glossary at the back
of
the manual.
NOTES ABOUT
THE
MENUS
GENERAL MENU
.-_
~-
….
/f
l,-
,;
I
I
,
….
~
–
'
'
I
-'
,
.
'
I
J(
~
â˘
'
â˘
:~~
./
I
,.
'
J
.~
'
l
Ocm
Game
Load
a
Game
..-
Conriyur.alion
I
C11~dils
Exit
gam~
–
~~
-:
.
..
~
The main menu appears every time you start the game after it has been installed.
It
gives you the following options:
Click on:
New
game
Select this option to start a new game.
Load
a
game
Select this option to continue a previously saved game.
11
Configuration
Select this option to access the audio and video configuration options.
12
Note: Click "Language"
to
select the
Language
for on-screen text and dialogue or "Options"
to
access sound and other settings.
IFX
Mme
Voaa
lllllllDoâ˘
·~
11
'l'm,:nml
*Tllllle
llDnm!Mt
11
ammi..
Ol'I'
II
OIMlltMRTtoN
°'
RCTloN
IN
'Ml
1111D11
II~"°"'°'
RCTloN
The
"Options" menu enables you
to
alter general volume levels, as well as the volume
of
the sound
effects, music and voices, by sliding the markers on the strings.
You
can also check the boxes
to
enable the following options:
"Shadow" (adds shadow effects during the game)
"Reflexions" (adds metallic reflective surface
to
weapons and objects)
"Texture filtering " (enhances picture quality, with fewer pixels)
"Dithering" (affects the shade
of
the colors)
"Sub-titles
off
' (removes sub-titles).
Confirmation
of
Action
in
the Shops
Credits
Select this option to view the names
of
all
those involved
in
creating this game.
Exit
game
Select this option
to
quit the game.
MAIN MENU
You
can access the main menu at any time during the game by pressing the ESC button on the keyboard or by
selecting the MAIN MENU icon on the interface bar.
You
are given the following options:
Click on:
Continue
Select this option
to
resume the game you just quitted.
Restart in Town
Select this option to bring your character(s) directly back to the town. Please note that
if
you go back
to
the town while your characters are still alive, they will lose all the objects they had. These objects
will remain at the place you were when you selected this option.
Save a Game
Select this option to save your game.
Note: Click UPDATE
SA
VE
to
over-write the previous game you saved or
NEW
SAVE
to
save the game
as a new file.
Load Game
Select this option to resume a previously saved game. Select the game you want to play from the list
on the left and click OK.
Note:
If
you have saved several versions
of
the game, you should delete the versions you no longer
need by clicking on the left button and then clicking the tomb
in
the left-hand
comer
of
the screen.
13
14
Configuration
Select this option to add sub-titles or modify the audio and video settings (see the General Menu
ection on pg.11
).
Quit
Select this option to quit the game and return to the main menu.
CREATING CHARACTERS
Note: Refer to the "Installation" section on pg.5
for
information on how to start DARKSTONE.
â˘Once
you have started DARKSTONE, click NEW GAME, then ONE PLAYER.
â˘
You
can now create a character. Firstly, click CREATE A CHARACTER, then choose your hero from
among the different classes: Warriors, Wizards, Thieves and Priests.
You
can display the description
of
each
character and their attributes
by
clicking the character's icon in the banner at the top
of
the screen, or
by scrolling through them one by one using the small right and left arrows in the banner. When you have
decided
on
your ideal hero or heroine (each class contains both male and female characters), display its
description again, type
in
the character's name and confirm by clicking CREATE.
⢠The character's name will now appear
on
the scroll on the left
of
the screen, along with the character's icon
surrounded by a description
of
his attributes. Move the icon to the slab on the right
of
the screen into
one
of
the empty boxes and click again.
â˘
You
can create a second character
to
accompany your hero by repeating the steps given above.
â˘
If
you want to play with just one character, then you should only put one character on the slab.
If
you want
to play with both characters, then you should put both characters on the slab.
⢠Next, click OK, then NOVICE to select the difficulty level. Please note that you will not be able to move on
to
a higher difficulty level until your character has acquired the necessary experience level.
You
are now ready to start the game.
Selecting Previously Created Characters
⢠The game stores information on all your characters and their most recent attributes.
If
you want to
re-use 1 or 2 characters you previously created in a new game, repeat the steps given above. Rather than
selecting CREATE A CHARACTER, however, select directly,
in
turn,
the icons from the list
of
available
characters (the scroll on the left
of
the screen) by clicking on them and moving them to the slab with a left
click. Finally, click OK, then NOVICE.
â˘
If
you want to remove a character from the list, click on its icon on the scroll, move it above the tomb
(bottom left comer
of
the screen) and click again.
15
QUICK START
Essential commands and hot keys for starting the game
Action
Keyboard/Mouse
Move
Left click the desired place.
Pick up or select
an
object
Left click the object.
Put
an
object down
Left click the spot where you want to put the object down.
Use
an
object/Eat/Read
Right click the object.
letters or spell books
Attack
Left click the
enem_y.
Attack without moving
Hold down SHIFT
+
left click.
Prepare a spell
Right click (the cursor will change into a cast spell icon).
Cast a spell
Left click the target after preparing it (cancelling a spell: right click
outside the target) or casting a spell directly without preparing it:
right click the target.
Use skills
Right click (after selecting a skill).
Speak to a character
Left click the character.
Display a character's
Press the I key or right click with the mouse on the character's icon
in
attributes/O~en
the inventory
the interface
bar.
Close the inventory
Right click on the character's icon or press the I
key.
Zoom in and out
Arrow keys UP/DOWN
Change the viewing angle
Arrow keys LEFf/RIGHT
Level map
5 (on the numeric keypad),
TAB
key or the map button on the
interface
bar.
Save a game
ESC key, then select "Save a game" option.
Quick save
Q
Pause game
ESC
key.
Quit inventory and
SPACEBAR
shop dialogs and windows
Quit a camera sequence
Left click or ESC
Note: A complete list
of
commands and hot keys is provided in the Appendix.
16
GAME INTERFACES
Note:
If
you use the mouse
to
point at the various interface buttons, a line
of
text will appear giving the function 's
description and the relevant hot
key.
Interface
Bar
This
is
permanently displayed at the bottom
of
the screen throughout the game.
Icons
and
Buttons
Character icon
This icon provides a summary
of
your character's attributes.
Clicking the right mouse button displays the inventory.
Clicking the left button determines which character you want to move
(in 2 character mode).
Bars
Life bar
(red):
This
bar
indicates your character's current life level.
If
the
bar displays 0, your
character
will
die.
Mana bar (blue): This bar indicates your character's current mana level.
If
the bar displays
0,
your character will not
be
able to use his magic powers.
Food bar (yellow): This bar indicates your character's current food level.
If
the bar
displays 0, your character
is
hungry and will lose life points.
Quick Items ("belt," 4 slots)
This item provides your character with ready access to 4 small objects, such
as
potions
(healing, poison reversal) or scrolls. This means that your character can access these
objects without having to use the inventory.
You
can put these objects back
in
the
inventory at any time and replace them with others (See Game interfaces: Inventory
section on pg.19).
Note:
If
you are playing with one character, you can access the objects directly from the belt by clicking
F5, F6,
F7
or
FB.
If
you are playing with two characters, click
F5
to
FB
for
the first character and
F
1 to
F4
for
the
second. Each key corresponds
to
each slot on the belt and to any object attached. Alternativel
y,
you can right
click the object's icon
if
you wish to use
it.
Note:
If
you have several copies
of
the same object in your inventory, another copy will appear on the belt once
the one already there has been used.
17
18
Spells and skills list box
This box displays the names
of
the spells, along with their level, or the names
of
the
skills acquired.
If
you
don't
have enough mana to cast a spell, the spell name will be highlighted in red.
Left click on this box to scroll down the list
of
spells and skills stored.
Right click on this box to open the Book
of
spells.
Note: For further information, please see the Game overview: How spells work
section on pg.28.
"Skills" icon
Skills are particular abilities acquired by your character during his adventure.
Left click on the icon to display the next skill in the list box.
Right click on the icon
to
open the Skills window (list).
Note: For further information, please see the Game overview: Using skills section on pg.32.
Rest
This icon allows you to rest.
If
you rest, you can recover all your life and mana points.
But you should beware;
if
any
of
your opponents are about you
can't
have a nap.
Run/walk
This icon allows you to detennine the speed your character moves around at,
in
other words,
whether he runs or walks.
If
your character is running all the time he will have to consume
lots
of
food.
Places visited
This icon enables you to access the places visited menu during the game. Click on the name
of
the
place you want and your character will go straight there. This is ideal when you have gotten lost or
moved away from an area you want to get back to.
Main menu
This icon brings you to the Main menu.
Note: For further information, please see the Playing Darkstone: Main menu section on pg.11.
Map
This icon displays the game map. This will guide you through the dungeons and lands.
It
only
shows the places you have previously passed through.
Message record
In
One Player mode this icon allows you to display the record
of
any dialog
your
character has had
with the characters you have met during the game.
In
Multiplayer mode, these icons allow you to display the record
of
any dialog
your
character has had
with other players you have met during the game, as well as with the characters.
Note: For further information, please see the Playing Darkstone: Multiplayer options section on pg.34.
S!1iT
h
RMOl
lR:
'26
J)I
{Rl4-0/
4()
JU:<XJIRJ~:
4<l
STH
Description box
When
you point at an object
or
character with the mouse cursor,
its description is displayed.
—
Solo/ally mode
In
One
Player mode, this icon only appears on the interface bar when you are playing with two characters.
It
allows you to link up the two characters (the second character will automatically accompany the first
character everywhere) or to split them up (the character you
don
't control will stay and
wait
for you).
In
Multiplayer Mode, these icons are available and allow you to switch between ally and solo
mode, and vice versa.
Note: For further information, please see the Game overview: Playing with
2
characters (pg. 32) and
Playing Darkstone: Multiplayer options (pg.34) sections.
Inventory
The inventory is where you store the objects that you
have
acquired during the game
or
have
bought
in town.
The
left side (1) is the
Bag
where you
put
the objects you cannot use immediately.
The
right side (2 to
7)
represents your character's body and the equipment
he
is carrying on him currently.
I
–
Bag
–
Objects acquired during
your
adventure are placed in
the bag. However, the amount
of
room
is limited! You should
arrange your objects efficiently so that you can get as
much
into
it as possible.
If
there
i
no more room in the bag and the inventory
is closed, the object you want will drop to the ground.
If
you
really want an object, you have to get rid
of
another object, either
by
dropping it on the ground (by clicking on the object in the
inventory, and then clicking on the ground)
or
by selling
it
in the
town. Finally, you should also note that a magic object's powers
are not effective when it is in the bag.
2 –
Torso
–
This allows
your
character to
put
on the various types
of
armor and capes found in the game, thus providing tougher
resistance against the enemy's blows.
19
3
–
Right hand
–
This is for holding any weapon you wish
to
use.
4
–
Left
hand
–
This is for carrying a shield or torch.
If
you choose a two-handed weapon, such
as
a bow, large axe,
etc. you will need to use your left hand, and so
won't
be able to carry a shield or a torch.
5
–
Head
–
Should you encounter a helmet during the course
of
the game, place it here for added protection.
6
–
Neck
(2
places)
-This
is for wearing the various amulets found in the game. They enhance your
character's attributes.
7 –
Hands
(4
places)
–
You
can wear 2 rings on each hand, which will provide you with magic powers.
To
put an
object on your character, click on the item you want from the bag, place it on the part
of
the body you require and
click again.
â˘
If
your character already has an item on this part
of
the body, this will be replaced by the new item.
You
should put the previous item back in the bag, by simply left clicking on the desired spot.
⢠Follow the same procedure for the objects on the belt (interface bar).
Note: Objects in the inventory highlighted
in
red cannot be used because your character doesn't have
the necessary attributes.
Attributes
This section describes your character's different attributes. This information appears when you open the inventory.
Strength
This represents your character's physical strength.
As
you increase its value you will be able
to
inflict greater
damage on your enemies.
You
will also be able to wear heavier armor and use heavier and more powerful weapons.
Magic
This represents your ability to manipulate nature's energy.
As
you increase its value you will improve your
ability to stock up mana. This will provide you with larger stocks
of
mana, even though the mana bar seems to
remain at the same level.
20
This is particularly useful when casting very powerful spells.
Dexterity
This represents your character's degree
of
accuracy when hitting an enemy and his agility in dodging enemy
blows. This influences your chance
of
hitting the enemy and the amount
of
damage inflicted.
Vitality
This represents your character's life level. The higher the value, the tougher your hero is.
Level
This represents your character's experience level.
Your character accumulates points every time he engages
in
combat. There
is
an
experience bar in the interface
(below "EXP.") which indicates where your points total stands. When the bar is completely filled you move up
an
experience level.
Level points
When you move up an experience level, you win a number
of
points to be distributed among the four main
attributes: strength, magic, dexterity and vitality.
II
Note: When you move up an experience level during the game, a
'+'
symbol will appear
and flash on your character's icon.
Please remember to distribute the points you have won.
You
do this by clicking on the
"+"
buttons
to
the right
of
each attribute, increasing them as required.
Lifg.
The first figure indicates your character's current life level, the second, the total level
of
his life bar. This level
increases when vitality points are added.
Mana
The first figure indicates your character's current mana level, the second, the total level
of
his mana bar. This level
increases when magic points are added.
Food
This indicates the amount
of
food consumed by your character.
If
your character uses up a
Jot
of
energy running
or fighting, the level drops much more quickly than usual. Your character replenishes his stocks by taking food
from the bag by right clicking on the necessary item.
Victories
The first figure indicates the number
of
enemies killed, the second, the number
of
times you have beaten Draak.
Armor class (AC)
This indicates how well equipped your character is with items
of
protection (armor, shield, etc.). The higher the
armor class, the better protected your character
is
against attacks.
Hit%
This indicates the chance your character has
of
hitting
an
opponent.
21
Damage
This
is
the possible range
of
hit points your character can inflict on enemies with a successful attack, determined
by the type
of
weapons used and when he hits the enemy. A a result, the latter's points total will decrease by the
same amount.
Magic resistance
This indicates your character's resistance
to
attacks based on pure magic.
Fire resistance
This indicates your character's resistance
to
fire, when used
in
certain attacks.
Poison resistance
This indicates your character's resistance
to
poison.
Note:
You
can find and use objects that will increase your character's resistance
to
magic, fire
&
poison.
Gold
During your adventure you will find gold
in
chests or at the feet
of
defeated enemies. This
is
the currency
used by your character and the traders.
The Town
At the start
of
each game you will always find yourself back at the gates
of
the town. This is a key place during
your adventure, an important meeting point. As you are likely to come back here quite often during the game,
make sure you go on the guided tour that follows to get to know it well.
First visit
You
should begin your visit by speaking to the guard at the entrance to the town (Bill). Listen carefully to what
he has to say (he
is
particularly fond
of
offering invaluable advice) and follow his instructions.
Don't
be afraid
to speak to all the other townspeople as they all have very important information to give you. Have a look around
the town and go into the shops.
You
can also go on a guided tour
of
the town led by Murray (the second guard)
at the entrance to the town.
Note:
To
interrupt a conversation, click on END
or
press the space
bar.
Town traders
The traders in the town have a whole range
of
services to offer which can help you during your adventure.
22
Gunther, the blacksmith
Gunther can provide you with any equipment you need. At his premise you can buy, upgrade, repair and sell
every type
of
weapon, armor, helmets and shields you come across during the game.
Note: See also the Game overview: Equipment, weapons and protection section on pg.29.
You
should first select the rack appropriate to your character's class. This contains the equipment best-
uited
to his needs. But there is nothing to prevent you from looking at the other racks too.
â˘
You
can find out the price and feature
of
the various objects, by pointing at them with the mouse cursor
without clicking and a de cription box will appear displaying the relevant information for you
to
read.
⢠The value under the cur or is the price the trader agrees
to
sell or buy the item
at.
This price may vary
depending on whether your character has the necessary trade skill.
If
he does, he will be able
to
buy it more
cheaply and sell it for more than the object's stated selling price.
⢠The number
of
gold piece displayed at the top
of
the window indicates the total amount your
character(s) has/have.
⢠Click on
an
object
to
buy
it.
If
the inventory
is
open you should put your purchase
in
it.
If
it
is
closed the
object will be automatically put
in
the bag, unle s
it
is
full already.
If
this
is
the case you should open the
inventory and make some room for it (see the Game interfaces: Inventory/Bag section on pg.19).
23
24
Madame Irma
Irma offers some
of
her services free
of
charge, healing your wounds and detoxifying you when you have been
poisoned. She can also identify magic objects and remove spells from objects.
Perry, the Publican
The
publican can provide you with food and comfortable lodgings for the night for 100 gold pieces. This will
enable you to replenish your life, mana and food points completely.
Larsac, the Usurer
Larsac lets you deposit the gold pieces you have collected during the game at the bank, thus helping you to
create more room in your bag and to avoid being robbed.
Master Elmeric
Master Elmeric can provide you with all the spell books and scrolls available in the game, as well as various
magic objects. He has something for every size
of
purse. He can also recharge magic weapons for a few gold
pieces.
If
you have any spell scrolls you no longer require, you can sell them to him.
25
26
Master Dalsin
Master Dalsin takes sheer delight
in
teaching you, for a fee, certain skills which may prove
to
be very
useful later on in the game, e.g., "Medicine'', "Repairs", "Identification", etc. Each character has access
to
different skills.
Note: When you click on one
of
the traders, a menu appears displaying
the
options relating
to
the service they
offer.
You
should prepare
for
your adventure well by stocking up on
food
before leaving the town.
You
should also buy
at least one "magic door" scroll because in the event
of
any emergency (short
of
supplies, need
for
assistance
etc.), this allows you
to
return to the town immediately, and then to return
to
the place where you cast the spell.
Training Camp
Before engaging in combat you will have to learn weaponry and magic.
You
should, therefore, go and see the guard
of
the training area, and then the master
of
swords. Choose one
of
the
two types
of
sword by clicking above with the left mouse button and engage the troll in direct combat.
Once you have got to grips with this style
of
combat you hould then go and see the master
of
magic. Take the
magic staff and get ready
by
placing it on your right hand.
To
cast a spell you simply point at one
of
your enemies
with the mouse cursor and click on the right mouse button.
You
can use the scrolls or spell books you find during
your adventures
in
the same
way.
If
you want to leave the training arena, remember
to
place the weapons back on their stands.
You
are now facing the master
of
projectile weapons – select the projectile weapon you want. Go and stand in front
of
three targets.
To
be awarded the diploma, you have to hit the three targets at normal and high speed.
To
do this,
click
on
the targets while holding down the Shift key, so that your character remains perfectly still.
GAME OVERVIEW
Taking Your First Steps in Uma
You
are now ready to enter the hostile lands
of
UMA.
You
must remember that you are one
of
the Pure
of
Heart.
Your goal
is
to find the seven crystals to re-create the Time Orb so as to have a chance
of
destroying Draak, the
necromancer. The salvation
of
the land
of
Uma rests on your shoulders.
You
will firstly encounter the lands
of
Ardyl. It's no exaggeration to say that these lands are far from hospitable.
You
enter Ardyl as soon
as
you leave the town.
Begin
by
exploring the region.
You
are likely to meet people who can give you important information for the rest
of
your adventure.
You
should then look for the entrance to the first dungeon.
You
enter it simply by clicking on the entrance.
The dungeons are made up
of
several levels. In some
of
these levels you will find the crystals which will enable
you
to
put
an
end
to
Draak's reign.
27
You
have to search each level carefully, looking in every comer (even the shady ones), to ensure that you don't
overlook any objects that might be
of
vital importance later on.
During combat (see also the About Darkstone: Engaging in combat section on pg.9), the red bar above the enemy
indicates his life level. The numbers you see leaving your character and rising up to the sky like a soul
represent the life points lost with each blow.
As a final recommendation, you should save games often,
as
you can die very easily. Use the "Q" key on your
keyboard to make a quick save.
Information
About
Distributing Level Points
Remember to distribute the level points you have won among your character's four different attributes (see the
Overview: Experience level (pg.8) and Quick Start: Attributes (pg.20) sections).
You
are free to increase any
of
your character's levels
of
strength, magic, dexterity and vitality, but you should
think carefully beforehand about how you would like your character to develop.
At the start
of
the game, each class has two
of
the four basic attributes that are dominant:
⢠Strength and vitality for warriors
⢠Magic and dexterity for wizards
⢠Dexterity and strength for thieves
⢠Vitality and magic for priests
Adding points to these dominant attributes will reinforce your character's strong points.
If
you would
rather
try
to strengthen their weaknesses, add points to the other two. It
all
depends on the strategy you choose
to follow.
In
any case,
all
the attributes have an influence on your character's other features, and
consequently on his performance.
How Spells Work
The scrolls that you acquire during your adventure will enable you to cast a spell, just once. They don't use up
mana.
You
prepare a spell by right clicking on the scroll (in the bag or on the belt). The mouse cursor will then
change shape.
You
then select an enemy, object or place and left click to cast the spell.
Alternatively, there are magic spell books that provide you with the opportunity to learn spells, and therefore, be
able to use them
all
the time. These spells use up mana and require different levels
of
knowledge. The higher the
level, the more powerful the spell is.
It
may also have several variants.
To
attain a greater level
of
knowledge, your
character must ensure he has a high enough magic level, find another copy
of
the spell book and re-read
it.
Note: When you read a spell book you regain all your mana points (the bar
is
full).
Note: A spell book highlighted
in
red indicates that it cannot be read by the character, as he doesn't have a high
enough magic level
for
this book.
In
this case, the book's description indicates the level required.
When you find a spell book, put it in the inventory and right click
on
it if you wish
to
read
it.
The spell associated
with this spell book will then feature
in
the Book
of
Spells.
You
should use it when you feel it
is
appropriate and
as
often
as
you wish, providing you have sufficient mana.
28
You
can also assign a number key to it as a hot key, so
as
to save you time during battles.
To
assign a hot key:
1.
Open the Book
of
Spells, which lists
all
the spells available
to
you
(press the "B" key or right click on the list box).
2.
Click on the list box (see the Game interfaces: Interface bar section on pg.17) to select an available number.
3.
Hold the
"SlllFT"
key down while clicking on the spell
in
the list you wish to assign to this number.
The number will appear in the list box
,
followed by the name, and the spell will be stored.
You
can now select
the spell by pressing the corresponding number key on the keyboard or by scrolling down the list
of
spells
appearing
in
the list box. Once you have selected the spell from the list box you can click on the target with
the right mouse button.
->You can do the same for the skills
When you find an empty scroll you can assign any spell
to
it you want.
You
do this by left clicking on the list box,
scrolling down the list and selecting the relevant spell. Then right click on the scroll.
You
can,
if
you wish, give
this scroll to the second character,
if
you are in 2 character mode.
Note: Don't be afraid to use magic, even
if
it isn't your character's strong point. Some opponents are very difficult
to kill
in
direct combat, but might be got rid
of
more easily with a bit
of
magic.
Equipment, Weapons
and
Protection
You
will find numerous different types
of
weapons and protection (helmets, armor, amulets, rings etc.) during your
journey through the dungeons.
You
can also buy them
in
the Town and at various stages throughout the game.
29
The basic types
of
equipment have particular features (amount of damage inflicted
on
enemy, level
of
protection,
durability etc.)
and
thi
information
is
displayed
in
the description box, which appears when you point at these objects.
You
should, however, bear
in
mind that these objects don't last forever; they eventually wear out and break.
If
the
icon for any
of
these objects is highlighted in red
at
the bottom left or right
of
the screen, this means that the item
will soon be destroyed.
You
should get it repaired by the blacksmith to make
it
as
good
as
new,
or you should use
the "Repair" skill, if you have acquired
it.
The more skilled you are at it, the better your repair will be (see the
Using skills section on pg.32).
J
You
can also get the blacksmith to enhance these objects' features, but this will result in a loss
of
durability points.
J
In
addition to the conventional weapons for direct combat (swords, maces, staffs, etc.) and those for killing your
enemies before they can strike you ( pears, bows, throwing axes, etc.), there are also various other types
of
equipment that can be used to gain advantage
in
combat. These include:
⢠Weapon with pecific magic powers for: setting enemies on fire, poisoning opponents and draining their
energy like a vampire drains blood. As these are rare and powerful, they don't use up any mana.
⢠Equipment that changes your character's attributes: ring, amulet, armor, etc.
⢠Those connected with spell (e.g., invi ibility capes
…
).
These have their own stock
of
mana and use this to
cast their associated spell. There
is
another advantage to this stock
of
mana: it
is
rechargeable by Master
Elrneric or
by
using the "Recharging" skill.
⢠Those created from basic equipment. Later
on
during your adventures, you will come across concentration
runes (a kind
of
magic tone) which you will be able to use to make
new,
very powerful weapons which
can cast spells on your enemies during combat.
You
can create these objects as follows:
1.
Choo e the spell you want
to
assign to the object.
2.
Right click on the rune, then left click
on
the relevant object in the inventory. This object must not have
any magic powers
Note: Don
't
be afraid to resell any weapons or armor
you find
in
the dungeons that will just weigh you down.
Reselling items will make more room and earn you some
money.
You
should, however, ensure that you have some
spare equipment available.
Warning!
Some objects are cur ed. This means that there will be a nasty surprise
in
tore for you when you
try
to
use
them: instead
of
helping you, they will have a harmful effect
on
your character.
You
should, therefore, treat any
unknown objects with great caution. Any cur ed objects you have will be highlighted
in
blue. The only way
of
getting
rid
of
the curse is
to
go and see Madame Irma.
30
Enemies
Enemy
Goblin
On
your journey through the lands and mazes
of
DARKSTONE, you will encounter
an
impressive array
of
bea
ts
and creatures, each more horrid and murderous than the previous. There follows a description
of
the most prominent
of
these creatures:
⢠Spiders that are big enough
in
size
to
be able
to
poison your character when they bite
him.
They move
around very quickly.
⢠Giant Wasps which climb and
fly
, and are sometimes equipped with magic missiles.
⢠Medusa and Snake, both
of
which are highly poisonous.
You
will also encounter a whole range
of
other creatures who will do their utmost to ensure your demise:
long-armed trolls, vampires, mysterious wyvems, skeletons, rat men, ores, goblins and gorgons. These are to name
but a
few,
as
you will soon discover for yourself.
You
should watch your enemies' behavior closely so as to work out the best strategy
to
defeat them.
You
will
notice that some are more intelligent than others and will be able to avoid your traps.
You
will also notice that they
are not all affected in the same way
by
the same spells and attacks.
Enemy
Spectre
31
Using Skills
Skills can be purchased from Master Dalsin
in
the town. There are a whole range
of
sk:ills
and attributes that can
serve your character well once he has developed them.
The skill level ranges from 1 to 10. The higher the figure, the more competent your character is in that particular
skill and the more effective it will be.
When you are learning a skill, its name appears in the Skills window, which
is
displayed by right clicking
on
the
"Skills" button
in
the interface bar.
Some skills are hidden. Once your character has acquired them you don't have to actively apply them as they are
controlled automatically. When a
sk:ill
displayed
in
the list is hidden you cannot select it when you place the mouse
cursor on
it.
If
you wish to use the other skills available, left click
on
the "Sk:ills" button to display the list
of
skills and scroll
down the li t and select the relevant skill, then right click on the object or character you wish to allocate the skill
to.
Skills don't use
up
mana.
Note: For more information see the Appendix: Skills section on pg.48.
Playing With Two Characters
In
DARKSTONE you have the option to play with two characters at the same time, but only
in
One Player mode.
One
of
the characters
is
controlled by you, the other by your computer. This companjon can watch your back for
you, fight side by sjde with you and accompany you everywhere, unless you ask him to wait at a specific place for
you ("chain link" button). He
is
an
invaluable ally
in
battles.
At any point
in
the game you can select either
of
the two characters by cJjcking on their respective icons
in
the
interface bar.
Tip: It is recommended you choose two characters with complementary attributes. For example, by choosing a
Warrior and a Wizard you can combine strength and magic.
32
The character controlled by the computer can cast spells automatically. However, beforehand, you should select a
spell for him and specify the amount
of
mana he can use automatically.
You
specify this amount by clicking on the
mana bar and placing the level on the bar at the limit below which the second character will no longer be able to
use mana.
If
the icon representing the spell selected from the list box is flashing, this means that you have given
him enough mana to be able to cast his spell.
You
can do the same for the character you are controlling, but only
using the following survival spells: Healing, Antidote and Food.
You
are quite free to exchange objects between your 2 companions.
If
certain objects are not useful to one character,
they
may be to the other.
You
exchange objects by clicking
on
the object (in the character's bag), moving it to the
other character's icon and clicking again
to
put it
in
the latter's inventory.
If
the inventory is
full
the object will not be
transferred.
You
should then right click on the character's icon to open his inventory to make room for this object.
Active Decorative Items
and
Traps
l
In
Darkstone, your path
is
strewn with
all
kinds
of
ambushes, enemies and traps. As
if
this wasn't enough, there
are additional items within the environment that affect your character. Just some
of
these are listed below, but you
can be sure that the game will have other surprises in store for you.
Chests
and
barrels
These are used to collect objects and often contain food and gold. But you should be warned that they can explode!
Use the "telekinesis" spell (see the Appendices: Spells and their effects section
on
pg.47) to open them safely.
Desks
These can be used for hiding scrolls and magic spell books.
Doors
Doors open when you left click on them. They block the enemy's advance. It is, therefore, advisable not to open
them all at the same time, otherwise you may be quickly overrun.
Levers
Levers are used
to
open blocked doors.
If
there are several levers, you may have
to
click on them several times to
find the right combination.
Blue fountains
Blue colored fountains fill up your mana stocks, completely free
of
charge.
To
replenish your mana at a blue foun-
tain, simply click on
it.
If
you are
in
trouble, you shouldn't wander away too far from these.
Red fountains
Red colored fountains boost your life level by restoring life points.
Paving slabs/trap-doors
Paving slabs and trap doors are activated by walking over them, or by placing
an
object over them. They can
open doors, but may also be booby-trapped.
33
Teleporters
Teleporters are paving slabs that transport you to another place.
Puddles
of
acid
You
should avoid walking through any puddles
of
acid that you may encounter,
as
you will lose life points in
doing so.
Spikes
You
may come across booby trap
in
the form
of
spikes that move
in
and out
of
the ground.
You
have to pass at the
right moment to avoid getting impaled on them.
The Adventure Continues
After
Clicking
"End"
In
a game
of
DARKSTONE there are 7 quests to complete, with
21
different scenarios for each
of
these quests.
When you start a new game the 7 quests chosen by the program will be different from those
in
the previous game.
Each time too, a new environment is generated. The lands and mazes change topology from one game to the next.
The monsters, weapons and traps don't appear
in
the same places.
In other words, there are new adventures
all
the time
in
Darkstone, and never two the same. This ensures that you
continue to gain the same enjoyment out
of
playing Darkstone, even after several games.
MULTIPLAYER
OPTIONS
In
Multiplayer mode you can control only one character, but the objective
of
the game still remains the same: to
re-create the Time Orb and overcome Draak.
At the beginning
of
a multiplayer game, one player should be made game master. He is responsible for starting the
" es ion" and can allow other players
to
join
in
the game.
Playing a Game
in
Multiplayer Mode
l.
If
you are the game master:
First
of
all, click NEW GAME, then MULTIPLAYER from the menu that appears.
Select or create your character, then confirm your choice (see the Playing Darkstone: creating a character ection
on pg.
13)
. A screen appears displaying the services available.
You
hould then click
on
either
of
the two
communications protocols offered: TCP/IP or IPX.
Note: /PX is generally
for
I.AN
connections only, whereas TCP/IP can be used
for
both
I.AN
and Internet.
Once you have selected the connection mode the "Session" menu appears.
34
Click on Create a session
if
you wish
to
start a new Multi player game.
â˘
You
should then select the difficulty level. A in One Player mode, there are three levels available: Novice,
Expert and Master. Your character' experience level determines the difficulty levels that you can access.
⢠The game will then begin.
You
can either wait for the other players or carry on the game on your own.
Click on Load a game
if
you wish to resume a game which has previously been saved
..
⢠The last game played
in
Multiplayer is loaded and the game begins.
2.
If
you are not the game master:
You
initially follow the same procedure specified above for the game master:
⢠Click NEW GAME, then MULTIPLAYER.
⢠Select or create your character.
⢠Select the communication protocol.
Then, when the Session menu appears you should click Join a session.
For games using only TCP/IP, you will be prompted to enter the IP address (a series
of
numbers separated by
points) or the standard Internet address (starting, for example, with www)
of
the server or game ma ter you want
to connect to.
Note: The game master can ascertain his IP address by running the Windows 95 or 98 winipcfg.exe program,
which he should then pass on to the other players.
A screen will appear with a list
of
the sessions available. Please note that the game master selects the difficulty
level
of
the game on the basis
of
his character.
If
this is a level that you cannot access, you will not be able to join
that session (it will not even be listed on the scroll).
If
there are sessions available that you can join, select the one you wish
to
join, confirm and the game will begin.
You
will then be connected to the game master and the other players.
35
Saving a Game
Each
player can save the attributes associated with his character when he quits the game. Only the last player to
quit
the game
can
save
ALL
of
the relevant game information, including the location
of
objects found during the
adventure.
If
you wish to resume the game, this player should
be
the game master.
When
any player leaves the game, all
of
the vitally important objects
he
found to help complete his quest become
available again to the players remaining in the game.
They
are all located at the place this player's character was
when
he
disconnected.
Ally
Mode
Depending
on
whether you have chosen "ally" or "solo" mode, your ally may
or
may not
be
protected against your
attacks.
For
example,
if
you were to shoot him accidentally during
combat
he
may
or
may not
be
wounded.
It remains for you to find out!
Handling Messages
In
Multiplayer
mode
you can send messages and chat to one
or
more players.
You
can decide whether everyone ha access to your messages, or a select group
of
people, or just one particular player.
36
General Messages
You
can send a general message by clicking on the "message" icon in the interface bar or by pressing the ENTER
key.
When the dialog box appears, type
in
your message and confirm.
Individual Messages
You
can send a message to one particular player by clicking on the "message" icon
in
the interface bar or by
pressing the Enter key. Write the message
in
the following format:
@
followed by the name
of
the player concerned, followed
by
a space, followed by the message text.
For example,
if
you wanted
to
send a message just
to
a player called MERLIN, you would type in the text
in
the following format:
@MERLIN join me at the entrance to the town
Coded Messages
You
can also send coded messages by typing:
!
followed by the message text.
To
code and decode messages, you need
to
enter the guild code beforehand by pressing SH1FT
+
ENTER (this i the
code/decode key). When the dialog box appears, enter a string
of
characters
as
your code password and confirm.
Only players with the same code as you will be able to decode your messages. The others will only see a eries
of
meaningless text.
Note:
If
a character doesn't know the guild code, but has acquired the "Languages" skill, he will be able
to
decode all or part
of
your coded messages, depending on his skill level.
The 4 Regions
of
Uma
Ardyl
APPENDICES
The region
of
Ardyl has traditionally served
as
a refuge for Uma's fiercest warriors, as well as for the renowned
Amazons. It
is
now being threatened by the presence
of
goblins and skeletons.
Marghor
This region has long been the preferred haunt
of
Uma's most powerful wizards. They used to live
in
isolation from
the rest
of
their world,
in
towers hidden away in the depths
of
Marghor's forests. There used to also be sorceresses,
but now Marghor is under threat from the lizard and rat men, who have already burnt down the wizards' towers
and massacred many sorceresses …
Ormar
Ormar was home
to
the most loyal servants
of
the gods, and many monasteries were built
in
the region. Monks and
priestesses came here for training, as well as to strengthen their faith and learn the arts
of
magic and combat. But
with this region now being taken over
by
the Wyvems, the monasteries have gradually begun
to
disappear
…
Serkesh
This land instills fear and dread
in
Uma's merchants. Its roads are far from safe, despite being patrolled by village
police and guards, and there are very few that would dare travel along them unaccompanied. Serkesh
is
the most
barren
of
Uma's lands. Only recently, snakes have begun to occupy the land at a quite astonishing rate. According
to
some rumors, it is also inhabited by dangerous thieves, but who can be sure?
37
The Heroes
of
Uma
The Warrior
The Warrior
The finest warriors are born
in
the heart
of
Ardyl's forests. From their earliest years, they have to become tough
and develop absolute physical strength to be able to confront the dangers lurking
in
their region.
As
children, they learned to survive
in
the most hostile
of
environments, to overwhelm wild beasts with their bare
hands and, above all, to fight the goblins and skeletons which abound
in
their land. They have also put their many
expeditions
to
the various villages to good use by acquiring the mastery
of
swordsmanship. They usually end up
as
mercenaries or masters
of
arms.
These warriors are now the strongest men alive. Their powerful, yet agile muscular frame makes them formidable
opponents
in
direct combat. Their strength fills the lords with dread and there are very few that would dare
challenge them in single combat. They stalk their enemies with the patience
of
a hunting cat, and can swoop down
on them with the speed
of
a hawk. They do have once weakness, however: they dislike magic because they consider
it a demeaning means
of
combat. They prefer by far the incisive cut and hard steel
of
the sword
to
the use
of
spells.
38
The Amazon
The Amazon
Amazons are fierce horsewomen who live in the region
of
Ardyl. They are entrusted at a young age to a Mother
and soon become formidable warriors, showing no fear
of
either physical strength or magic power
s.
They learn as a group to compensate for their lack
of
physical strength through their agility and flexibility. Guided
by their Mother, they must continually undergo a serious
of
stern trials with the
aim
of
strengthening their spirit
and making them a match for any warrior. The worst
of
these "character-building" trials involve them venturing
into the goblins' den and bringing back the skull
of
their leader
..
.
The Amazons gain the upper hand
in
direct combat thanks to their agility and the way in which they can anticipate
their opponent's blows. Their enemies describe it
as
being involved
in
a relentless dance
of
death.
Similarly to the warriors, the Amazons have mastered the use
of
the sword, demonstrating impressive accuracy. It
is, indeed, very rare for them to use magic.
39
The Wizard
The Wizard
The greatest wizards come from the region
of
Marghor. Tradition has it that the ancient wizards always come to
Marghor to choose those who have the Gift to become apprentice wizards. This happens when candidates are in
their adolescence.
Their whole life is then turned upside down. They return with their master
to
his tower, a solitary place conducive
to reading and learning. These young wizards spend most
of
their time immersed
in
the spell books
of
the ancient
wizards. For years
on
end they wear their eyesight out poring over scrolls, spending endless nights
in
their master's
library. And then gradually, they begin
to
master increasingly difficult and complex spells.
Unfortunately, however, the wizards' towers have now disappeared since the lizard and rat men invaded the region.
They carried out attacks on the towers, killing may apprentices
in
the process ….
The young wizards have now been left with no alternative other than to fight for survival. But as they have never
handled weapons they can only rely on their magic powers to defend themselves,
as
they have always preferred to
concentrate on developing their minds, rather than their bodies. But, despite their lack
of
any physical strength,
they have managed to impress their enemies with the intensity
of
their spells.
40
The
Sorceress
The Sorceress
Very
little is known about the sorceresses' early years. Rumor has it that they learned their magic
by
themselves in
the shady clearings
of
Marghor's forests. Others allege that the goddess Kaliba, herself, took them under her wing.
The source
of
the sorceresses' power
is
Nature itself. And indeed, they have
no
match when it comes to knowing
the right plants to combine in order to create terrible spells.
But their most terrifying power, which may be seen
as
either a gift or a curse, is lycanthropy, which transforms
them into a beast, half woman, half wolf.
The sorceresses are universally feared on account
of
their potent magic. However, for some time
now,
the ingredients
that make
up
their strange concoctions have become more difficult
to
find. Worse still, the rat and lizard men have
overrun their territory. The Sorceresses realized that they wouldn't be strong enough to confront them, so they had
to
leave the safe cover
of
the trees and venture further out towards the villages.
The village inhabitants still eye them with mistrust, even today, but the sorceresses pay little heed to this as it is
vital for them to keep on the move, roaming the land
of
Uma in search
of
new ingredients that will enhance their
magic power .
41
The Monk
The Monk
In the past, before the darkness descended, many monasteries were established in the region
of
Ormar.
The prospective monks were sent to these monasteries where they became good men, enjoying the respect
of
all.
The monks spent many years in this place
of
prayer, learning various combat techniques and spells.
Although less accomplished than wizards or warriors
in
these respective arts, the monks have the advantage
of
being highly competent in the complementary disciplines
of
war and magic. Isolated from the rest
of
the world
in
their peaceful haven, they have bad years to master the use
of
blunt weapons (i.e. those weapons other than
swords). The staff has become their favorite weapon. They have also studied white magic, so that they can use it
to
help their neighbor and conquer Evil.
There are now far fewer monks than there were in the past. Nearly
all
of
the monasteries have fallen under attacks
from the wyvems sweeping across the region.
Monks now represent good, as well
as
life and its combat. They are still held in high regard because
of
both their
skills with a staff and their ability to heal wounds.
42
The Priestess
The Priestess
As
with the monks, the priestesses have divided their lives between religious devotion and learning the arts
of
combat and magic. The source
of
their strength
is
their faith and they fight in the name
of
the gods. In a world
increasingly threatened every day by the Darkness, they stand out as beacons
of
Good and Life.
During their travels they offer assistance
to
beggars, and they are quite prepared
to
take on thieves
in
direct
combat, or use their magic to alleviate the suffering
of
the sick.
43
The Assassin
The Assassin
In
order to survive, assassins often begin their careers by relieving merchants
of
their purses. From their youth,
they know how to move around
in
the dark without making a single sound and steal from sleeping travellers.
Their exploits always end up attracting the attention
of
the Thieves Guild
in
Serkesh. The assassins have settled in
this region, so that they can benefit from the lessons
of
more accomplished exponents than themselves. In time, the
most able
of
the young apprentices can even surpass their masters.
As
they are cunning and nimble, assassins often use projectile weapons when attacking their opponents
in
combat.
Even
if
they are capable
of
engaging in direct combat, they actually prefer
to
kill
their enemy even before he has
had the time to draw his sword or use his magic. This tactic is very effective against the serpents that are rife
in
the
region. The assassins have also mastered a number
of
spells.
44
The Thief
The Thief
The thieves' reputation precedes them
in
the region
of
Serkesh. All
of
these women have demonstrated at one time
or
other that they have the stuff
of
which thieves are made. Thus, they became members
of
the renowned Thieves
Guild, where they could develop their natural talents further.
Within the guild they learned to use their skills to break into merchants' lavish residences to steal gold and precious
jewels. They also learned how
to
kill sentries using projectile weapons and
to
set traps for travellers at nightfall.
Their skill set
is
considerable and make them very dangerous opponents, both
in
direct combat and when using
long range weapons.
45
HISTORICAL GLOSSARY
Life:
the cosmic force
of
Good and creation, which gave birth
to
the land and Nature.
Death: the cosmic force
of
Evil
and
destruction. Death came into being because
of
Life
to
maintain
the cosmic balance.
Pure of Heart:
these are men and women with a pure soul. The Pure
of
Heart's past or profession are not
an
issue;
they could be
as
assin
s,
and yet still have a pure heart. Only the Pure
of
Heart are entitled to receive the seven
crystals needed to re-create the Time Orb and confront Draak.
Draak:
the ally
of
Death and a powerful necromancer. He was a monk
of
Kaliba before he betrayed his order and
became a symbol
of
Darkness. He has the power to transform himself into a dragon.
Darkstone:
the force that drains the vital force
of
Uma's inhabitants and transfers it
to
Draak, making him even
more invincible. Deprived
of
their vital force, the people become weak and turn to stone.
Primeval Combat:
this is the showdown between Life and Death. Life emerged
as
the victor from this combat
and took
on
human form as the goddess Kaliba.
Goddess Kaliba:
the incarnation
of
Life and mother
of
all the gods. She founded the order
of
monks
of
Kaliba and
represents Good in the land
of
Uma.
Dawn
of
Kaliba:
this describes the harmonious period following the Primeval Combat, when men created a world
of
peace and harmony where Magic was used for good.
Wars of Darkness:
this describes the period following the Dawn
of
Kaliba when Evil corrupted men and drove
them to
kill
each other, plunging the world into all-out war and bloodshed.
Dragons of the Dawn:
they came into being through magic and were Man's protectors for a long time. They
perished during the Wars
of
Darkness.
Age
of
Harmony:
this describes the period following the Wars
of
Darkness. This period was brought about thanks
to the Time Orb.
Draak:
's appearance marked the decline
of
the Age
of
Harmony.
Time
Orb:
this was created from the tears shed by the goddess Kaliba when she saw mankind tearing itself apart.
The Time Orb was entrusted
to
the druids to vanquish evil from the hearts
of
men and was then broken into seven
crystals to prevent
it
from coming under the control
of
Evil.
Dragon Lord:
when the Dawn
of
Kaliba came to pass
in
the land
of
Uma, the Dragons
of
the Dawn appointed one
of
their number
as
lord
of
all the dragons. Draak discovered the Dragon Lord's skeleton and, using the Astral
Hand, was able to use it to transform himself into a dragon.
Astral Hand:
this came about following the confrontation between Draak and the goddess Kaliba in her celestial
kingdom. Draak was defeated but managed to cut off the goddess' hand before being driven back to the land.
Using his necromancy skills, he changed the hand into the Astral Hand,
an
extremely potent magic object.
46
SPELLS AND
THEIR
EFFECTS
ABSORPTION:
absorbs the enemies vital energy during combat. The player can pick up life points using this.
ANTIDOTE:
is
used to heal characters who have been poisoned.
BERSERKER:
increases the character's armor class, speed
of
attack and chance
of
gaining a hit during a certain
period
of
time.
You
can also win life points.
MAGIC
BOMB:
is
similar to a mine and explodes on contact with the opponent or when a certain period
of
time
has
elapsed. It can be used
to
booby-trap chests.
FIRE
BALL:
launches fire balls.
CONFUSION:
plunges
an
enemy into total confusion, making
him
go and attack his comrades.
DETECTION:
helps detect magic objects, which are then highlighted in blue.
DEATH
DOME:
creates a protection dome around a character. Anyone who tries to break through it will be injured.
SPARK:
throws sparks at a target.
HEALING:
provides healing.
HASTE:
allows you
to
move faster.
INVISIBILITY:
makes a character invisible to everyone, but
he
may be given away by his footsteps.
INVOCATION:
invokes a fire golem which attacks your enemies.
SLOWNESS:
slows down your enemy target's speed
of
movement and combat.
LIGHT:
creates a luminous aura around your character. Its power depends on your character's experience level.
MAGIC
MISSILE:
launches magic projectiles.
WALL
OF
FIRE:
creates a wall
of
fire.
FOOD:
provides your character with food.
POISON
CLOUD:
produces a green cloud which poisons anyone who approaches it.
FORGETFULNESS:
causes you to temporarily forget spells for monsters and erases the enemy players'
pre-selected spells.
FEAR:
causes panic amidst the enemy lines.
STONE:
turns the target creature to stone.
MAGIC
DOOR:
creates a door that allows your character
to
go back and forward between the dungeon and town.
REFLECTION:
rebounds any spells cast or projectiles thrown at you onto your aggressor.
RESURRECTION:
allows you to revive your character.
FLAME
THROWER:
launches huge flames at enemy targets.
TELEKINESIS:
can be used to open
up
chests, pick
up
objects and pull levers from a distance.
TELEPORTATION:
allows your character to move instantly to anywhere he chooses. Please note that some
places are not accessible via teleportation.
47
STORM:
pushes back any enemy at close range
to
the thrower. Any enemy touching a wall gets damage points
against him.
THUNDER:
throws lightning bolts at the enemy.
MUTATION:
turns the enemy target into a chicken.
NIGHT VISION:
allows you
to
see the enemy better in dark areas.
SKILLS
LEARNING:
ability to quickly increase your character's experience.
TRADE:
ability to bargain over the price you want to buy or sell an item at.
COMMUNION:
ability to recover mana stocks more quickly.
LANGUAGE:
ability to decode coded messages (Multiplayer mode only).
MASTER OF ARMS:
ability to increase speed
of
attack and chances
of
a successful hit.
PERCEPTION:
ability to detect traps.
Other Skills
CONCENTRATION:
ability to enhance your character's physical attributes temporarily (strength and dexterity)
DEFUSING:
ability to undo traps.
DETECTION:
ability to detect magic objects.
EXORCISM:
ability to remove spells from cursed objects carried by another player.
FORESTER:
ability to find food.
IDENTIFICATION:
ability to identify all unknown objects.
LYCANTHROPY:
ability to change your character into a werewolf. (All the magic points are used for strength).
MEDICINE:
ability to heal others.
MEDITATION:
ability to temporarily increase your number
of
mana points.
ORIENTATION:
ability to display the entire map for the regions and dungeons for a given period
of
time.
PRAYER:
ability to increase your character's armor class.
RECHARGING:
ability to recharge the magic objects you have.
REPAIR:
ability to repair the weapons you have.
SILENCE:
ability
of
your character to move around without being noticed by his opponents.
THEFT:
ability to rob the characters you meet.
48
Distribution
of
Skills Available to the Various Classes
Warriors
Learning
Trade
Concentration
Master
of
Arms
Repair
Forester
Orientation
Hot Keys
and
Commands
Mouse
Left button:
Left button
+
CTRL:
Left button
+
SHIFT:
Right button:
Thieves
Wizards
Priests
Learning
Learning
Learning
Trade
Communion
Communion
Defusing
Identification
Exorcism
Identification
Languages
Medicine
Perception
Lycanthropy (sorceress)
Master
of
Arms
Detection (Wizard)
Silence
Meditation
PerceEtion
Theft
Recharging
Prayer
Movement, action (including,
SEeak:ing,
Eicking
UE
objects), attack
Change character's
SEeed
{walking/running)
Attack without moving
Throw (clicking on target), activate an object, reading letters or spell books
49
Keyboard
1,
2, 3, 4
5,
6, 7 and 8
Select a stored
SEell
or skill
B
Book
of
SEells
ENTER
0Een message window
ESC
DisElay or guit main menu
SPACEBAR
Return guickly
to
the game and close all menus
Fl,
F2,
F3
and F4
Use objects on the second character's Belt
F5, F6, F7 and
F8
Use objects on the first character's Belt
F9
Default camera mode
FlO
Camera
toE
down mode
Fll
"TRACKING" 1 camera mode
F12
"TRACKING" 2 camera mode
ARROW KEYS
LEFf/RlGHT
Camera rotation
ARROW KEYS UP/DOWN
Camera zoom in/out
G
Enable/disable solo mode
H
DisElay
histo!}'.
of
current adventure
I
Inventory
L
List
of
Elaces visited
TAB
I
Numeric keyEad 5
DisElay or guit
maE
(Num Lock OFF)
0
Enable/disable shadows
Page
DE
Change character
Page Down
Change character
Numeric keyEad 4 and 6
Rotation (Num Lock OFF)
Numeric keyEad 8and 2
Zoom (Num Lock OFF)
Q
Quick save
R
Enter rest mode
BACKSPACE
Run or walk
s
List available
SEells
SHIFf
+ARROW
KEYS
LEFf/RlGHT/UP/DOWN
Scroll through
maE
when disElayed
SHIFf
+ selected
SEell
Save
SEell
CTRL+ENTER
Enter guild code
T
0Eenlclose the Skills list
+I
–
Scroll through stored spells
50
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Interface bar:
this bar is always displayed at the bottom
of
the screen during the game.
You
can use it to access a
number
of
commands and to control your character.
See the Game intelfaces: lntelface bar section on pg.17.
List box:
this is a small field
in
the interface bar displaying the list
of
spells stored or the skills list.
See
the Game intelfaces: lntelface bar section on pg.17.
Description box:
this
is
the large field to the left
of
the interface bar which displays descriptions
of
objects or
characters when you select them or point at them with the mouse.
See the Game intelfaces: lntelface bar section
onpg.17.
Skills:
particular abilities, which can be very useful
in
completing your quest. Your character can develop these
throughout the game.
See the Game overview: Using skills section on pg.32.
For a complete list
of
skills,
see the Appendices section on pg.48.
Belt:
you can attach 4 objects directly to the belt. This provides your character with quick access to these items,
without the need
to
open the inventory.
See the Game intelfaces: lntelface bar section on pg.17.
Skills window:
this window displays a list
of
all
the skills acquired.
See
the Game intelfaces: lntelface bar section on pg.17.
See
the Game overview: Using skills section on pg.32.
Spell/magic books:
you can buy these
in
the town or find them during your adventures.
You
can learn a spell
from
each one.
You
will then be able to use these spells at any time, providing you have enough mana to do so.
See
the Game overview: How spells work section on pg.28.
For
a complete list
of
spells,
see the Appendices section on pg.47.
Identifying an object:
when you find a magic object, the term "unidentified" may appear in its description.
If
this
is
the case you have to identify it either by going to see Madame Irma or by using the "Identification" skill so that
you
can learn about what
it
does.
An
unidentified object may sometimes be a source
of
trouble, but most
of
the time
there
is
a pleasant surprise
in
store.
See the Game overview: Equipment, weapons and protection section on pg.29.
Inventory:
this stores the objects you have bought or found. These objects are either arranged in the bag or carried
by
your character as equipment.
See the Game intelfaces: Inventory section on pg.19.
Playing with two characters (or two character mode):
in Darkstone you can play with two characters, one
of
which
is
controlled by the computer, the other controlled by you.
You
can change character at any time by clicking
on
the relevant icon.
See the Game overview: Playing with two characters section on pg.32.
Book
of
Spells:
this lists
all
the spells you have mastered after reading the spell books.
To
find out how it is used and how the list is created:
See the Game overview: How spells work section on pg.28.
See
also the Appendices: Spells and their effects section on pg.47.
Shop:
These are available in the town. For example, you can by objects from the blacksmith. There are several
weapons "shops" (or "racks") where objects appropriate to each class are available.
See The
Town:
Town traders
section on pg.22.
Experience level:
your character acquires experience each time he enters into combat. This level increases as the
game
progresses. Definition:
see the Overview: Experience level section on pg.8.
51
Changing level:
see the Quick Start: Attributes section on pg.20.
Quest objects:
these objects (keys, crystals, etc.) are
of
vital importance in completing each level.
Scrolls: scrolls contain spells that all
of
the characters can use, but only once. They can be bought from Master
Elmeric or can be found at certain points during the various levels. Recharging a weapon: some magic weapons
have their own reserve
of
mana which can be recharged in town.
See the Game overview: Equipment, weapons and
protection section on pg.29.
Spells:
your character can resort to magic and cast spells.
See the Game overview:
How spells work section on
pg.28. See the Appendices: Spells and their effects section on pg.47.
CREDITS
Created and produced by
……………
..
…
.
……
.
………………………
…
Paul Cuisset
Artistic director
…….
…
………………………………………………
Denis Mercier
2D
&
3D graphics
…………………….
.
…
.
……………….
Denis Mercier, Frederic Michel
Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Cuisset, Claude Levastre, Benoit Aron
FMV Sequences .
…
…………………….
.
…..
Thierry Levastre, Frederic Michel, Romain Arnoux,
Eric Brestroffer, Thomas Vincent, Stephane Soubiran, Damien Coureau
Music
…………………..
.
………………………………………
Christophe Rime
"Darkstone" song:
Lyrics and singing
….
.
………….
..
………………………………………..
Audren
AudrenMusic written and performed by
..
.
….
.
..
………………..
….
..
..
..
.
..
. Christophe Rime
Soundtrack production, CD "Soul Preserves" Night
&
Day
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Audren
Soundtrack production, CD "Rime" Night
&
Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christophe Rime
Recording and mixing studio
………
.
……………………….
Louis Studio – Tienen, BELGIUM
Christophe Rime played Takamine and Ibanez guitars and used Steinberg software
"Darkstone" video clip
Producer and Storyboard and editing
…………………………….
.Thierry Levastre, David Tessier
Sound effects
…………………………………………………….
Johnathan Liebling
Art
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Jean-Michel Ponzio, Nicolas Bournay
International relations and product manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marie-Pierre Meyrignac
Legal matters:
…….
….
………..
.
……………………………..
Marie-Pierre Meyrignac
Development director
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bertrand Gibert
Marketing
&
Communication Manager
…………………………
.
..
Samantha Woods Marie-Rose
Executive Producer
…………………………………………………
Philippe Delamarre
Test manager
…….
.
…………
..
..
..
……………………………….
. Frederic Pierrat
Test team
…….
…
……
…
..
Jean-Louis Bruneau, Jean-Pierre Gueguen, Erwan Imbault, Mathieu Micout
Manual Writer
……………………….
…
.
…
………………………
…
Lolc Belland
Story editor
……..
.
…………………
.
…………………………….
Mathieu Gaborit
Dialogue editor
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jean-Luc Dumont
Ca
ting and audio recording
……………………………………..
Knockin'Boots Production
Quality assurance
…………………..
..
…..
…
…………
Samy "Lord Minus" Ben Romdhane
52