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/ XYPHUS SOFT-DOX \
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/ WRITTEN BY \
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/ THE PENGUIN \
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/ WRITTEN FOR \
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/ THE SOUTH POLE......[312] 677-7140 \
\ THE OUTPOST.........[312] 441-6957 /
/ TEMPLE OF DOOM......[805] 682-5148 \
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The World of Arroya
Ten thousand southern suns have passed since the Archmage Szhaalin
tore the very heart from the demon lord Xyphus and hid it in the
Arroyan continent. His life's work done, the mighty Szhaalin vanished
into the western wilderness, while the gravely wounded demon lord sunk
into caverns beneath the Earth to languish in eternal pain. Legend has
it that pieces of the demon's heart fell to the soil and formed small,
sword-shaped amulets of violet crystal from whence all magic springs,
and that somewhere in the very bowels of the Earth itself lies the
actual heart-a gemstine the size of a human head.
'Tis said that when the demon lord bled, tribes of goblins sprang from
the droplets of ichor-the Cotico, the Malakee, the Maripo, the
Sedento, the Mazanti, and the dread Azulus with their companion
Hellhounds. All of Arroya was forbidden to human kind by the beasts
and monsters that still dwell there. poisonous serpents and oversized
vermin roam the plains, while all manner of the dead-that-walk are to
be found in the hills and forests. All the men that have ventured into
the lost continent have vanished without a trace, save for occasional
survivors sprouting half-mad ramblings that gave birth to legends
surrounding Arroya.
Some thirty years ago a conqueror was born. Some men say that Das is
the descendant of the great wizard Szhaalin, while others scoff at
such talk, calling it the foolish tales of old women...I tell ye that
there is much wisdom in the tongues of women, but heed ye what ye
will. In his short lifetime Das has overrun most of the known world,
aye, and has brought it to order and justice, albeit with the edge of
the sword and the purification of the torch. It is said that men need
a strong leeader to follow, one who holds little in esteem save might
and force. Das is such a one, a man to be reckoned with, a mover of
continents and oceans. Perhaps such a ruler is needed before poets
can sing and painters can render the beauty which abouds in this
world...
The progress of Das has come to a halt at the borders of Arroya. While
his legions were easily capable of subduing the civilized world, they
came not prepared to face the tribes of goblins and the forces of
demonic magic that hold sway in the lost continent. Only through the
use of mercenary troops recruited from the nomadic bands of humans,
elves, and dwarves that live on the costal plains of Arroya can
victory come to Das. It is told in song that a small band of
wizardlings and warriors, no more than four strong, can slay the
long-suffering demon lord Xyphus and open the lost continent to
subjugation. As long as Xyphus lives, no matter how sorely wounded,
his demon minions shall roam the land and Arroya shall never fall to
mortal hands. Das has promised suzerainty over the Central Steppes of
Arroya to the one that slays the demon lord. None have managed to
claim the reward...
The kingdom waits.
The Geography of Arroya
The Lost Continent of Arroya is a subtropical wilderness consisting of
vast plains and sweeping forests dotted with lakes and crisscrossed
with swif-flowing rivers. The inland Sea of Mithral is populated with
rather large serpents and krakens, rendering it impossible to cross
unless one has wings. There are several major mountain ranges around
the continent, as well as a few small mountains and dormant volcanos.
At certain times of the year, some rivers can be crossed, but the
force of their flow is such that there are no clearly marked fords.
There are also rumors of underground rivers and lakes, but no one who
has ventured underground has survived long enough to map them. Many
of the rivers are surrounded by dismal swamps inhabited by some rather
unpleasant creatures. While the marshes can be crossed, it is rather
slow going.
The Korayan Mountains in the eastern part of Arroya are so tall and
steep that they have traditionally been considered to be an
insurmountable barrier. These mountains are the home of the fierce
Korayan Falcon and the famed Spider People of Selcham Pass, a
particularly nasty tribe of four-armed mutant orcs.
But perhaps the most striking aspect of Arroya is the northeastern
part-the Enchanted Plains. These are broad expanses of sand and
sawgrass where inexplicable forces seem to be at work. There are
areas of these plains that no human can cross, yet monsters roam about
them freely. Philosophers have debated the reasons for such phenomena
over the centuries, but none has found the solution to the mystery
posed by this landscape.
There are also rumors of large areas of underground tunnels and
caverns, where it is said the once-great Demon civilization still
resides. There may be some truth to these rumors as not very many
Demons are spotted above ground...Nevertheless, it is common knowledge
among the Arroyan Dwarves that there are, indeed, numerous tunnels in
the southwest of the continent, come quite large, while others are so
narrow that only a human child can pass through them.
Outposts
Through the Lost Continent there are scattered forts and trading
posts. The forts are the only signs of the invasion of Arroya by Das
the Conqueror, who you serve. In these forts you can rest, be healed
by skilled conjurors (at no charge) and purchase supplies. Most of the
forts are hard pressed by the local tribes of goblins, orcs, and
Demons. Often you will be called upon by the commanders of these
garrisons to carry messages to other, similar outposts.
The trading posts are scarce and hard to find. These wilderness stores
are manned by those who can live with either side in the great war,
and who pledge allegiance to no ruler. They are permitted to exist in
Das because they aid his troops and scouts, while local tribes find
them to be the only source of good metal weapons and armor. Healing
services are provided at the trading posts as well, at no charge to
the wounded character.
Character Races & Professions
There are three races in Arroya from which player characters can be
recruited. They are Elf, Human, and Dwarf. Each race has its strengths
and weaknesses, some of which may not become apparent until later in
the campaign. Choose your party carefully.
Elf - The Arroyan elf is not a true native of the continent, but
rather a descendant of a band of elves that came to Arroya centuries
earlier under the leadership of the warrior-king Ellanyl. An outcast
from his homeland, Ellanyl led his colony to the Lost Continent in
search of a new home. He rashly burnt his three long ships immediately
upon his arrival on the coastal plains of Arroya and subsequently was
killed, along with all of his skilled carpenters, in a Demon raid
within a year of his landing. The surviving elves established small
settlements in the coastal forests and have managed to eke out a
meager existence until the present.
Elves are small people, averaging perhaps five feet in height. They
are very quick and agile, and are most at home in the woods. They are
good fighters and spell casters, although they tend to tire quickly if
using heavy weapons.
Humans - The Human is the only true Arroyan race from which characters
may be recruited. For hundreds of centuries they were slaves of the
Demon civilization, and their numbers diminished yearly under the
harsh treatment they received at the hands of their cruel masters. The
slave race of Humans eventually died out, but not before runaways had
escaped into the mountains and formed small outlaw bands that still
survive till this day. The Humans of Arroya hate Demons above all else
and will fight them to their dying breath.
The Human stands between five and a half and six and a half feet tall,
usually weighs 150-250 pounds, and is at his or her best wielding
heavy weapons. They are not as hardy as Dwarves, but a lot tougher
than Elves.
Dwarf - The Dwarves of Arroya are recent arrivals to the Lost
Continent. They first touched her shores a paltry two hundred years
ago, in search of precious metals. The dwarves are a race of miners,
and thrive in rocky, mountainous terrain. They are also at home
underground and are valued for their acute sense of direction in
subterranean passages. They have no love for Demons or any of the
goblin tribes that inhabit Arroya, and are handy in a fight.
The tallest dwarf stands but four feet from head to toe. They are
uniformly stocky, usually outweighing their Elven counterparts. Common
wisdom is that a Dwarf can stand three blows for every two another
race receives in a fight. However, they have very short legs and are
not fond of running, a trait which makes them laggards on any
expedition.
Professions
There are two classes of player characters in Xyphus: Fighter and
Spellcaster.
The Fighter can use any weapon except the Xiphoid Amulet, but may not
cast spells or use magic other than in the form of magical weapons and
armor enchantments.
The Spellcaster can fight a little, using clubs or maces, but is
unable to wield an edged or advanced weapon. A spellcaster can,
however, cast spells, provided that he or she possesses a Xiphoid
Amulet. There are no restrictions on the armor that a spellcaster may
use, but both armor and spells are expensive in Arroya and gold is
scarce.
Character Creation
One may have up to four characters in Xyphus, although that number is
not required. To create characters, simply type in their names when
asked to do so by the program, and choose their professions. Depending
on their race and profession, they will be given their proper hit
points, skill factors and movement abilities.
Should you succeed in winning the game with a party of four, you might
consider tackling it with fewer player characters...
Playing the Game
The game Xyphus consists of six separate scenarios, each one tougher
than the previous one. The average playing time of a scenario ranges
from 3 - 12 hours, depending on the skill of the player. There are
three components to playing Xyphus, the Master Disk, the Scenario
Disk, and the Game Disk. The Game Disk must be created by you. The
game is always played on the Game Disk you create. Any number of Game
Disks can be created with characters unique to that game.
To begin boot the Master Disk. You will be presented with two
choices:
(A) - CREATE NEW GAME DISKETTE (B) - CONTINUE EXISTING GAME
Select (A). You will then be asked to enter the number of characters
(1-4) for this game. Using four characters is recommended the first
time through. Less than four makes for a very difficult game.
Once you have selected the number of characters in your party, you
will then be asked: ENTER THE NAME OF CHARACTER 1. Upon naming your
first character, you will be asked: SELECT RACE: H)UMAN D)WARF E)LF.
Choose your race carefully and remember that balanced parties are the
key to success in Xyphus.
Upon choosing the character race, you will be asked: SELECT F)IGHTER
OR S)PELLCASTER. Choose the profession you wish that character to be.
Finally, you will be shown the character as it exists and asked:
CHARACTER OK? (Y OR N). Type "Y" if you are satisfied with the
character or "N" if you wish to start over.
Repeat the sequence for the remaining characters in your party.
Once you have created your party, you will be asked: ENTER NUMBER OF
DISK DRIVES (1 OR 2)? Type in the appropriate number.
If you have one disk drive, you will be told to put a blank diskette
in the drive. This will be your Game Disk. Press the spacebar to
continue here, and throughout the process of creating the Game Disk.
You will be told to insert the Scenario Disk at the appropriate times.
Be patient, there is a lot of data on the Scenario Disk and you will
have to swap disks a number of times. The program will always tell you
when to do so.
If you have two disk drives, you will be told to put a blank in Drive
two and the Scenario Disk in Drive one. The program will then create
your Game Disk.
Once you have created your Game Disk, you will always use it to play
Xyphus. Each time you boot up the Master Disk, choose the (B) CONTINUE
EXISTING GAME option and insert your Game Disk when asked to do so.
NOTE: During the play of Xyphus there will be pauses after battles and
victories to allow you to read displayed messages. The computer is
waiting for a keypress. Pressing the spacebar will continue the game.
Controls
Xyphus can be played with the keyboard (Macintosh users should see
special instructions). The map in Xyphus is based on a system of
hexagons, thus you may move any of your characters in any of six
directions - Northeast, East, Southeast, Southwest, West, and
Northwest. The keys to use are:
Y - Northeast
H - East
B - Southeast
V - Southwest
F - West
T - Northwest
G - Remain for one turn in the same spot.
NOTE: Should you wish to move the entire party as a group instead of
moving your characters, simply hold down the CTRL key while pressing
the key for your chosen direction. Common sense should tell you that
any party can only move as quickly as its slowest member. This is true
for Xyphus.
Combat
The keys for combat are the same as for movement. Combat takes place
when a player chracters moves next to a creature and then chooses to
strike at it by attempting to move through it. Should you attempt to
fight something using group movement capability (holding down the CTRL
key in conjunction with a direction key), your party may move, but
will refuse to engage in combat.
Other Important Keys
0 - Rest & Heal. This command will put the player character into a
trance of approximately 10 moves, during which his or her endurance
level will return to full strength and 4 points of damage will be
healed. However, a character in a trance is extremely vulnerable to
and will be unable to defend against an attack until he or she
awakens.
P - Purchase. The purchase command serves two very important
functions. Whenever it is invoked, the current Experience Point total
of the character is checked to see if a new level has been reached. If
so, you will be advised of the advancement and your chatacter will be
awarded extra Hit Points. It is a good practice to hit "P" whenever
you enter a trading post or a fort, regardless of whether you intend
to purchase anything or not.
Also, whenever you enter a trading post or a fort, you have the option
of purchasing new weapons, spells, or armor. Pressing the "P" key will
enable you to do so. You will then be shown a menu:
(A) ARMORY SHOP
(W) WEAPONS SHOP
(M) MAGIC SHOP
(/) CHARACTER STATUS
(SPC) EXIT
Choosing any of the above options will in turn lead to a new menu.
Entering the Weapons, Armor, or Magic shop will show you a list of
available merchandise and the current prices for each item. You may
choose to buy whatever you canb afford.
Finally, when your party has completed assigned tasks in the scenarios
and are all gathered in the destination fort, selecting "P" will end
the current scenario and move the party to the next one.
Choosing (/) - Character status - will provide the following two or
three screens of information (This option may be chosen at any time
during the game):