INTRODUCTION
Game Types You can play two types of games in "FANTASY EMPIRES" -- scenario and campaign.
Scenario games depict certain historical and fictitious battles as well as situations with pre-defined startup conditions. This lets you get deep into a game without having to go through a detailed startup process.
Campaign games allow you to play a character over a succession of games, keeping the experience and power gained from game to game. In a campaign game you begin as a low-level character, and with each game accumulate experience and leadership.
When the game has loaded you are presented with a screen depicting the Dungeon Master and five buttons. Click on the type of game you wish to play, or "Exit to DOS" to quit the game.
Alternatively, you can load a previously saved game (see "Loading, Saving and Quitting" on page 25) by clicking on "Load", or watch the game introduction and demonstration by clicking "View Intro".
Overview of the Strategy Screen The destinies of your empire and the empires you face are controlled through the Strategy screen. The screen is centered around a map window -- directions given to your troop units and so on are executed by pointing and clicking at regions shown on the map display. Beneath the map window are two banks of buttons, separated by a smaller map window. And, watching over all, and perhaps even advising you in your task, is the Dungeon Master himself. He is surrounded by his assistants who bear the Orbs of Power and a platter of gold coins: your gold coins. The power is yours to command and you must use it wisely if you are to rule over Mystara.
The different features of the strategy screen will be described to you in the following guided tour.
Controlling the Game "FANTASY EMPIRES" is an intuitive game. Interaction between the game and player is conducted through the use of the mouse as much as possible. Most of the control devices in the game are based on the same mouse controls and are reused throughout the game. The different control devices are: buttons, cycle buttons, scrolls, and books.
Buttons are common user gadgets. Clicking on one activates whatever function is described on its top. Cycle buttons, as opposed to normal ones, are mounted in pairs and have up and down arrows on their surfaces. Clicking these allows you to scroll through a list of options available to you.
The scroll devices function in basically the same way as the cycle buttons. By clicking on the rolls of a scroll you can move through the list the scroll is displaying. You can also select different items on the list for whatever actions the scroll is being used for. The scroll has one line highlighted by means of a gold rectangle. If the scroll is full, you can cycle through the available options by clicking on the ends of the scroll to move through the display. If the scroll is full, an arrow appears on one of the ends of the scroll, indicating which way you should move through the scroll to view the extra entries.
Books are very much like scrolls, except that they look different and have two extra buttons. To cycle through the available selections, click on the pages to turn them. Pictures and text appear on the pages to describe that particular option. Hanging from the pages of the book are two colored ribbons, one red and one green. If you click on the red ribbon, your choice is canceled and the book disappears, leaving you to go back to the game. Clicking the green ribbon confirms your action, allowing it to take place.
During the game, these control devices fulfill many different purposes, but their functions are always the same.
Game Sequence "FANTASY EMPIRES" is played on a turn-by-turn basis. When all the orders on one turn are complete, the "End Turn" button is clicked and another turn commences.
Each player plays a turn commanding his or her troops before the next player begins their turn. After every player has done their turn, the order of play changes with the first player becoming the last, the second player first, and so on.
Navigating the World of Mystara The main feature of the Strategy screen is the map window. This main map window shows a small portion of the entire world. Centered below the map window is a smaller map view, showing the complete realm of Mystara. The section visible in the main map window is highlighted on the smaller one by means of a yellow box.
Moving around the map is as easy as moving the mouse. Move the mouse into the border of the map window, and the map scrolls accordingly. Clicking the smaller map window instantly moves the main map window to that location.
The main map is divided into 98 different regions. Each region is able to support or create a variety of troops. Needless to say, some locations offer distinct advantages over others.
You have no doubt noticed the colored shields dotting the landscape. These symbols represent the different competing empires in the game. Your own symbol will be centered on the screen when you first begin the campaign. As you gain regions, your shield symbol appears within the regions under your control. The shields also serve as information panels (see "Map Information Options" on page 10).
Viewing Units and Heroes Click on the "Region Status" or "View Empire" buttons on the Strategy Screen to find general information about units and heroes. Right-clicking on any given troop type or hero list allows you to view the unit/hero type, level, weapon used, and maintenance cost. In addition, the hero's magic item is shown.
Region Status You can view the statistics of each region by using the "Region Status" button. Clicking on this and then on a region slides a screen over the map window describing the various aspects of the selected region. This function only works on your own regions -- in order to view an enemy region you must use the "true sight" spell, or the "crystal ball", both of which are detailed later.
The screen is headed in the top left with the region's name and its owner. To the right is a list of information containing the region type (inland, coastal, island, etc.), the region's worth, terrain type (desert, mountain, etc.), and how many regular and hero troops there are. There is also a list of what buildings have been built in the region and a picture of the current castle defenses, if any.
The bottom left contains a scroll listing all of the troops types and how many of each are present in the area.
Map Information Options As mentioned before, the shield symbols that appear on the map also serve as display boxes for information about the regions. Clicking on the "Map Information" button brings up an information box. By clicking on the up and down cycle buttons you can view the available map information styles. The default setting for map information is the ruling banner, which shows the playing character's shield.
The other options include viewing the different types of troops, magic-users, and siege engines present in each of your regions. Cycle through the options until the option you want is visible, then select "OK". After the selection has been made, the shield symbols change to reflect your choice.
| Banner | The "Banner" shield display shows each player's Imperial crest. The shield itself is in the color of all the troops of that particular empire. If the "Fog of War" option is in effect, other players' Shield icons are not visible until you are adjacent to them. |
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| Buildings and Contents | This information option shows items that are present in a friendly region, including (from left to right, top to bottom) armories, keeps, regular troops, heroes, towers, temples, and castles. |
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| Regulars | The Regulars shield display depicts the warrior types in a friendly region. From left to right, top to bottom it displays: elves, humans, shadow elves, dwarves, orcs, halflings, and undead. |
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| Heroes | This option displays the different hero characters present in a friendly region. From left to right, top to bottom it displays: magic-users, fighters, clerics, elves, druids, and dwarves. |
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| Siege Engines | This option shows the siege engines present within the territory it represents. From top to bottom: catapults, ballistas, and battering rams. |
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| Druid, Cleric, and Magic-User Displays | Each one of these options shows you if that particular type of spellcaster is present within the region. If there are none, then no symbol appears within the shield. |
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| Damage Crest | This option shows which of your regions have been attacked. From top to bottom, it shows combat damage and spell damage. |
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Assaying Regions Clicking the right mouse button on a region displays the income and the different troop types it can produce. It also tells you what historical kingdom the region is in. This is useful because each can only produce certain troop units depending on what sort of terrain it contains. Elves, for example, require forests and woods, whereas dwarves require mountains. The troops listed can be acquired by means of the "Train" button (see "Training Troops" on page 14). This function works on friendly, neutral, and enemy regions.
If no mode ("Train", "Move", "Quest", "Build", etc.) is selected. then clicking the left mouse button also calls up the region assay function.
Founding an Empire When you start a campaign your empire consists of one region with a castle, keep, two armories, and some gold pieces you can use to train troops or construct new buildings. In the upper right-hand comer of the screen, supported by one of the Dungeon Master's assistants, is a plate depicting the amount of gold pieces (GP) you have in your coffers.
The keep is a very important building, for it provides stability and law within the region. A region without a keep will soon fail into anarchy and be lost to chaos. Building a keep in any region you conquer is a very high priority if you intend to retain control of it the next turn.
Constructing Buildings Clicking on the "BUILD" button brings up the book of buildings. If you click on the pages, they turn allowing you to view the other buildings available to you. When you arrive at the building you wish to construct, click on the green ribbon dangling from the pages. The shields of the regions which you can build in will be highlighted. Click on the region in which you wish to construct the building and the Dungeon Master builds it. If you wish to cancel, click the red ribbon.
When you click on either the red or green ribbon, the book disappears. If you click on the green ribbon and then decide that you do not wish to construct a new building, clicking on any other button at the bottom of the Strategy screen exits construction mode.
In addition to castle walls and one keep, you can build up to 8 buildings in a region, comprising of armories, temples, and towers:
| Keeps | 7,500 | Keeps are vital to the welfare of a region. Through the presence of a keep, law and order are preserved within the region. If a keep is absent from a region it loses between 50 and 100 troops per turn until a keep is built. If there are no occupying troops in the region, it reverts to neutrality. You must build a keep if you wish to retain control of a region. |
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| Armories | 15,000 | Armories allow troops to be trained and created. Depending on which region the armory is located in, different troop types can be created. For example, if an armory is built in Rockhome, then dwarves can be trained, and if it is built in Alfheim, elves can be trained. Each armory allows you to train up to three units of troops. |
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| Temples | 12,000 | Temples train clerics. A temple may train only one cleric at a time, and his training takes four turns to complete. Of course, you may build multiple temples. |
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| Towers | 10,000 | Towers train magic-users. As with a temple, towers may only train one magic-user at a time, and the process takes four turns to complete. |
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Castle
Walls | Small | 20,000 | The walls of a castle provide security and defenses against foreign intrusion. Walls come in four sizes: small, medium, large, and extra-large. There are only three ways into a castle. You can break the doors down with battering rams, break the walls down with catapults, or, use a wizard or druid's magic. A small breach in the wall or door is enough to allow your troops access inside. An extra-large castle has several sets of doors, so it is more difficult to break in with battering rams. |
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| Medium | 30,000 |
| Large | 40,000 |
| Extra Large | 50,000 |
Training Troops Troop units are the backbone of your empire. Without troops you would not be able to hold any regions under your sway. They defend regions, perform peacekeeping duties, and are able to invade other regions.
To train troops, click on the "Train" button and then on the region which will train them. All the regions which have available troop training buildings (armories, temples, and towers) will be highlighted. Remember that to create regular and non-magical units the region must have an armory. When the region has been selected, the Training screen slides in to cover the map.
The Training screen consists of a picture of the troop type with a price and the number of turns it will take to train that troop type on the left side of the menu. The right side contains a scroll of all the troop types that region can generate, a thumbnail sketch of the buildings in the region, and a small bank of buttons to control the training process.
Click on the desired unit type, then click on the "Train Troops" button. This purchases the highlighted unit.
When you select the "List" button, the picture side of the training screen is replaced by the troop list. The troop list has two columns, each divided into two further columns, marked Type and ETA. When you order a unit it is queued for training, and appears in the list something like this:
The ETA column indicates how long you must wait before that unit becomes active. This is important because some units require more time to be produced than others and armories can only work on 3 units at any one time.
If, after you have selected a troop type to train, you decide that you do not wish to train that troop type, fight-click on the troop type in the troop list to cancel its training. This can only be done on the turn the troop type is purchased.
Each armory has 3 training areas with which to produce troop units. This means that the armory can work on 3 different units at a time. If the armory's areas are full, then you must wait for a unit to be completed before ordering more troops. However, you can have more than one armory in a region producing troops.
Moving Troops To be able to attack other regions and maneuver your troops into defensive positions you need to be able to give your troops movement orders. Do this with the "Move" button.
To move troops from one region to another, first click the "Move" button. This highlights the regions which have troops in them available for movement. Click on the source region; all adjacent regions become highlighted signifying legal moves. Finally, select the destination region. When this is done, the Troop Movement panel appears.
Troops may only move into adjacent regions or move by sea. If you inadvertently select an illegal move, you are asked to start another move.
The screen has two scrolls on it. The scroll on the left lists the troops in the source region and the one on the right lists destinations. Between the two scrolls is a "Transfer" button. Clicking on a scroll highlights the glass orbs on the scroll's rollers. When you push the "transfer" button, the selected troop types transfer from the highlighted scroll to the other scroll, one at a time. Keeping the "transfer" button pushed down results in a quicker transfer rate. If you transfer too many and wish to put some back, click the other scroll and then "Transfer" to return them.
Simply clicking on a hero character's name is sufficient to transfer him or her to the destination region.
Note: Clicking the right mouse button on the transfer button with a troop type selected causes all troops of that type to be moved into the destination region.
When you are done transferring troops, click the "OK" button to confirm the action. This sends your troops off on their long journey. They will arrive at their destination in the next turn if they moved by land. See "Traveling by Sea" on the next page for details on moving by sea.
Travelling by Sea You can also move your troops by sea. If you select a region bordered by a sea as your source, you are told how long it will take to travel by sea. At this point you can either confirm or cancel the order by clicking on the appropriate buttons. Clicking on "OK" brings up the troop transfer screen as usual, while "Cancel" returns you to the map window.
Sea travel allows you to move troops across great distances as opposed to adjacent regions. Of course, the greater the distance between start and finish, the longer the journey. In addition, sea travel costs one gold piece per turn, for every person you send on the journey. Heroes cost their level times 2 gold pieces per turn of the journey.
Conquering Other Regions Hostilities occur when two opposing forces meet within the same region. So, if you wish to take over a region, all you have to do is move your troops into a region already occupied by another character.
Near the start of the game, most of the regions are controlled by neutral native groups who oppose conquering forces. You should keep in mind that when trying to take over a neutral region, you will lose between 50 and 100 troops per turn until you build a keep to restore order. This means that if you move too few troops into a region, they could all be lost before you are able to build a keep in the next turn.
The level of the troops attempting to take over a neutral region has an effect on the amount of casualties they sustain. Regular troops suffer the normal amount of casualties, i.e., 50-100 troops per turn until a keep is built. Veteran troops lose 25-50 per turn, and Elite troops suffer 16-33 casualties per turn until a keep is established in the region.
Viewing Your Empire's Worth A complete listing of statistics for your entire empire can be obtained by clicking the "View Empire" button. This screen shows the total number of buildings and troops of each type, total income and expense for your empire, and a scroll containing a list of heroes (along with their levels of experience), troops, and siege engines throughout the empire.
Quests Campaigns can often be won by more than military might and planning. Sometimes, ancient artifacts can be used against a more powerful enemy, either as a battlefield tool, or to gather intelligence about your opponents.
Acquisition of magical items involves sending your hero characters on dangerous quests. If you are lucky, they return with some magical item in their possession; if not, they perish deep in the heart of Mystara.
Quests also enable your hero characters to gain experience and thus increase their fighting and leadership skills.
When you send a hero on a quest he disappears into the world for a while, then re-appears later -- if he doesn't get killed along the way! During this time, he is not actually present in any of your controlled regions and is unable to participate in any battles which occur. If a hero returns to a source country that has been taken over, the hero will die.
To send a character on a quest, click on the "Quest" button and then on the country containing a hero -- these countries will be highlighted -- and a screen appears bearing a list of available heroes on the left and a list of possible quests on the right. The quests range in difficulty, with the easiest (Veteran's) being at the top and the most dangerous (Forbidding) at the bottom. Just click on a quest from the buttons on the right and then select a hero or heroes from the list on the left. When you have assigned quests for all the heroes you want, click on the hero to send them on their way. Once you click on the hero, there is no way to get him back before he has finished the quest or has been slain while on it.
The more dangerous quests reap greater rewards. The most powerful magical items can only be gained through the most difficult quests.
Communication in Mystara Throughout the game you will need to communicate with the other characters, either to request aid, offer treaties, or just to give a word of warning to them. For this purpose, clicking the "Message" button brings up the Message screen.
In this screen there are four spaces reserved for the portraits of the characters who are playing against you. Beneath these are their corresponding shield symbols.
To send a message, click on the character you wish to send the message to and then click on the message type you wish to send. There are three different message types: Message, Aid, and Treaty.
The first of these, Message, allows you to send a text message to another player character. Aid allows you to send monetary aid to any of your allies, perhaps in the hopes that one day they will return the favor. Beware, though, for some of the characters are less than trustworthy. Treaties can be offered to other characters as well. If accepted, the treaty allows peace between two neighboring empires for a certain amount of time.
When you have selected the type of message to send, you are asked for the message text. Type it in and press Enter/Return.
If you were sending a normal Message, that is all you would be asked to do. In the cases of Aid and Treaty, you are asked for further information. For Aid messages, you must set the amount of gold pieces you are sending to the other character. Treaty messages ask for the amount of turns you wish the treaty to last, and then the amount of gold pieces you wish to send as a peace offering.
Whether treaties are accepted or not depends on many factors. The trustworthiness of the receiving character, the amount of money you offer, the length of the term, and the overall military situation all affect the outcome.
Be warned, Treaty and Aid messages can greatly affect the course of the game. Broken treaties and accepted or offered aid can have other effects beside their intended purpose.
Using Spells Casting spells is much like constructing buildings. Clicking on the "Spell" button at the strategy screen brings up the spell book. Depending on your current level of magic and which types of spellcasters you have in your empire, different spells will be available to you. To cast a spell, turn to the appropriate spell page, click on the green ribbon, and then on the region you wish the spell to affect.
When you click on either the red or green ribbon, the book disappears. If you click on the green dbbon and then decide that you do not wish to cast a spell, clicking on any other button at the bottom of the Strategy screen exits spellcasting mode.
After this is done, the Dungeon Master directs the magical power to its target and the spell takes effect following a small animated sequence.
The number of spells you can cast per turn depends on how much magical power is at your disposal. Your spell power increases through the accumulation of certain magical items (staff of holiness, staff of wizardry, etc.), the number of spellcasters under your control, and their experience levels. The level of magical power is displayed to you by means of three colored orbs being held by the Dungeon Master's assistants. The red orb is magic-user power, the green, cleric, and the blue, druid. The stronger a certain magic power becomes, the more intense the light within its orb. Range has no effect on a spell's power. Any region on the map can be affected by a spell. Magic accumulates from turn to turn and is generated by the amount of magicusing characters under your control. Magical power increases every turn.
Using Magic Items Pressing the "Imperial Vault" button allows you to enter the Imperial Vault and view the potent magical artifacts contained within (if you have any). The cycle buttons on the Vault screen scroll through the different items in your possession, showing you a picture of each item as you move through the list. A small description of the objects is also shown.
As mentioned above, some objects placed within the magical vault immediately come into use as soon as they are discovered. Others, however, have to be activated and then targeted. To use these items, simply click on the "Use Item" button. The Magic screen dissolves to reveal the map. Now select the target region for the item and the item will take effect.
You should use magic items with care and forethought. The number of times you can use an item, or the number of charges it holds, is unknown, so it may run out at any time!
Role Playing in "FANTASY EMPIRES" Although "FANTASY EMPIRES" is primarily a strategic war game, role-playing plays a large part in how the other computer players react to your actions.
It is advisable to play the game in accordance with your alignment, otherwise bad things might happen. Lawful player characters should, for example, honor treaties, should not use many undead troops, etc. Conversely, Chaotic characters can break treaties whenever they please. Neutral characters should try to find a balance between the two.
Alignment is a major motivator for characters. Each alignment grants benefits and imposes restrictions on that character which define how that character should go about playing the game. A character can also change alignment, but not without penalty. A shift in alignment for a player character means a drop in experience level and also a substantial amount of loot taken from the player's coffers.
How the player treats non-player characters is also a major concern. If a player breaks treaties often, other characters will regard him as untrustworthy and will act accordingly. If a player sends aid to other characters, his actions will be remembered in times of need.
Optional Extras The Game Preferences screen, accessible through the "Preferences" button on the strategy screen, allows you to control some presentation features of the game. Through this screen you can adjust the music, sound effects, DM effects, and advice in order to speed up the game. Click on the appropriate buttons to toggle them on and off, or drag the meter levels to the desired positions.
The "DETAIL LEVEL" button toggles the ratio that each combat figure represents. For example, a 20:1 ratio would mean that each figure on the screen represents twenty men. This option does not effect hero representation. Note: A high ratio may increase your game speed during combat.
Additionally, you can modify the keyboard control settings here by clicking on the "CONFIGURE KEYS" button. You can toggle between joystick and keyboard control with the "ATT. CONTROL" and "DEF. CONTROL" buttons here. The current control is listed on the appropriate button. The "CALIBRATE JOYSTICKS" button is also available, just cick and follow the on-screen prompts.
Also available on this screen is the option to view character statistics and backgrounds. Clicking on "View Character" brings up the Character Sheet screen, which functions exactly the same as the one mentioned in "Selecting a Character"
The "Simulate Battles" button allows you to toggle the action sequences on and off. The button cycles through three different options: "Always", "Prompt", and "Never". "Never" is the default and means that you will always play out the action sequences. If you have "Prompt" selected and a battle involving your countries occurs you will be asked if you want to play the action sequence or not. "Always" leaves the computer to abstractly handle the battles without any player intervention. Using the "Always" option can greatly speed up a campaign.
Loading, Saving, and Quitting To save the game, click on the "Load/Save" button at the main strategy screen. The map window is covered by the Load/Save screen.
The three buttons placed in a small bank to the right of the scroll control which action you wish to do: loading, saving, or exiting to the Main Menu. Clicking on either "Load" or "Save" causes the scroll to unravel, displaying a list of game slots. Any previously saved game names appear on this list, and any untilled slots appear as "Empty Slot".
To load a game, simply click on "Load" and then on the game you wish to load.
Saving the game requires you to enter a descriptive name for the game you are about to save, but follows the same format as "Load". Click on "Save", select the slot you wish to save to, and then follow the instructions. If you are saving over a previously saved game slot, you will be asked for confirmation -- click "OK" if you are sure, then enter the new game name and hit Enter/Return. Your game will then be saved to disk for later use.
The "EXIT" button allows you to quit the game and returns you to the main menu screen without saving the game. Remember that this ends the game you are currently playing -- if you wish to continue at a later date you must "Save" the game before exiting.
Ending the Turn and Turn Sequence When you have done everything you wish to do on a particular turn, click on the "End Turn" button to progress to the next turn.
Experience in "FANTASY EMPIRES" Experience plays a large role in the game, defining everyone's abilities and powers.
Experience is measured in "levels," with each successive level of experience being harder to attain. By performing certain actions, characters gain "experience points," and when they get enough points they advance to the next level.
Levels range between one and thirty-six, with first-level characters representing normal civilians and the highest levels representing the epitome of power. As experience levels rise, characters gain more hit points, attacks, and other abilities.
Every character in "FANTASY EMPIRES" can gain experience, although it is done in different ways.
First of all, your player character gains experience with each completed campaign. After you have won a game, you receive experience points and undoubtedly will advance a level. This change will be visible in the next game, where you will have increased income and other benefits granted to you by the next level. As stated, higher experience levels are harder to obtain, so as you rise higher you will have to complete more games in order to continue advancing.
Taking on higher-level opponents grants you more experience points should you defeat them, but of course, the risks are greater. Conversely, defeating characters whose experience levels are lower than your own will not afford you much experience.
Secondly, your heroes gain experience by questing and fighting in battles. If a hero returns from a quest, even if empty-handed, he will generally advance a level. The more challenging the quest, the more experience the hero gets out of it. This means that a relatively tame quest will not give a high-level hero much experience.
If a hero participates in a battle and survives, he gains a level. Battles usually have high mortality rates and surviving them is quite a feat. In fact, if you only have low-level heroes it would be best to keep them out of front line combat until their experience improves.
Regular troops gain experience by participating in several battles. If a certain unit of troops survives at least two battles, it is classified as Veteran. If Veteran troops survive another battle, they become Elite. Note that for troops and heroes to gain experience, more than 50 enemies must be killed in battle.
Magic in Mystara Magic and magical items are potent tools. They can be used for offense, defense, and intelligence-gathering. Beware, though; however strong you might think you are as a wielder of magic, it can also be used against you.
Spellcaster Magic To be able to cast magic spells, you must train magic-users and cleric characters from the countries you control. Not every country is capable of producing clerics or magic-users, so you must seek one out if you do not possess one.
When you do have a region that can produce spellcasters, build a temple (clerics) or tower (magic-users) and begin training your spellcasters. As magic is a particularly difficult thing to master, whether it is through a deity or by the power of the mind, spellcasters take four turns to produce. However, the wait is worthwhile.
Clerics Clerics derive their power from the deity they worship. Their spells are granted by their patrons and they absorb magical power by praying to them. Clerical spells include "true sight" and "earthquake". Clerics also have the ability to turn or destroy undead crea- tures like skeletons. Because of their religious and ethical beliefs, clerics are unable to use edged weapons or any weapons which draw blood.
Druids If a cleric reaches the 9th level of experience, he or she is offered the chance to become a druid. Druids are priests of nature, able to command the elements with spells like "weather control", "call lightning", and "creeping doom".
Magic-Users Magic-users rely on their intelligence and knowledge of magic in order to cast spells. They gain magical power by casting spells from books. Magic- user spells include "meteor storm", "animate dead", and "death spell".
Creating spellcasting character classes is the same as training regular and hero troop types. Simply build the appropriate building, temples for clerics and towers for magic-users, and then use the "Train" button to create them.
Like heroes, spellcasters can be sent on quests for magical items and to gain experience.
| Cleric Spells and Abilities |
| Earthquake | Casting this spell causes the affected region's ground to shake violently, with the intention of destroying enemy buildings. This spell affects 20-50% of buildings and 10-20% of enemy troops. Also, there is a 10-25% chance of any castle walls in the target region being destroyed. |
| True Sight | "True sight" provides you with complete information about an enemy region. Casting this is effectively the same as using the "View" button, but allows you to view enemy regions. |
| Turn Undead | Using this ability allows the cleric to 'turn' or destroy enemy undead troops. It costs no spell power, unlike the other spells, but can only be used one time per game turn. Typically between 30 and 60 undead troops can be destroyed every time "turn undead" is used. |
| Druid Spells |
| Call Lightning | "Call lightning" is a relatively weak spell that damages buildings and troops by means of summoning an electrical storm. It damages roughly 20% of the target region's buildings and about 10% of its troops by creating a thunderstorm over its stronghold. |
| Weather Control | This spell is similar to the "call lightning" spell except that it creates a raging whirlwind which wreaks havoc on 25-55% of enemy buildings and between 10-25% of enemy troops in its target region. |
| Creeping Doom | With this spell, the druid summons a tremendous plague of insects to ravage his enemy's regions. This spell is one of the most powerful spells and should definitely not be underestimated. It will damage 20-60% of enemy buildings and 40-70% of troops. |
| Magic-User Spells |
| Death Spell | The "death spell" is potent anti-personnel magic. It has no effect on buildings at all and has a 20-60% mortality rate among enemy troops. |
| Meteor Swarm | "Meteor swarm" causes fiery rocks to fall from the sky upon your chosen target. It can damage 40-80% of buildings and 20-40% of troops in the target region. |
| Animate Dead | Using this spell, the magic-user can create armies of undead warriors, loyal to your command. Each use of the spell creates between 30 and 60 undead troops in the region of your choice. |
Magical Items Magical items are acquired by heroes who have been sent on quests and lived to tell about it. There are many different magic items; they come in two different flavors. The first group are magical items which are retained and used by the heroes who found them and the second are those which are kept in the Imperial Vault of the empire which found them.
Hero items include things like magic swords, rings, and items of clothing (boots, for example), which can be carried or worn by the hero himself. These items enhance the abilities of the hero in combat and other duties. A hero can only use one hero item at a time. If he is sent on a quest and he finds another hero item he must discard one for the other. This does not affect whether Imperial Vault items can be kept.
Magical artifacts that are kept within the Imperial Vault after the hero has returned are often of incredible power and have their own unique effects. Some may increase magical power, whereas others only have a limited amount of charges, becoming useless after so many uses.
Magic Weapons and Defenses
| Sword+1 | SW+1 | | Axe+1 | AX+1 |
| Sword+2 | SW+2 | Axe+2 | AX+2 |
| Sword+3 | SW+3 | Axe+3 | AX+3 |
| Bow+1 | BW+l | Mace+1 | MC+1 |
| Bow+2 | BW+2 | Mace+2 | MC+2 |
| Bow+3 | BW+3 | Mace+3 | MC+3 |
The most prolific of the hero items are basic weapons and defenses. Among these are the magical swords, bows, axes, and maces. The number following the item name (e.g.: +2) is an indicator of how effective or powerful the weapon or defense is. Magic weapons enable the user (in this case, a hero character) to be more capable in combat, hitting more often and doing more damage with each hit.
Each magic item has a four-letter abbreviation following its name in the descriptions below. This abbreviation appears next to the hero when he is listed in the game. Imperial Vault items do not have a four-letter abbreviation as they are not carried by heroes into battle. For magic weapons the abbreviations are as follows:
Some magical weapons, like the "sword of slowing", have special effects which are experienced during combat.
| Arrows of Teleportation | ARRW | Any target struck by one of these arrows is instantly transported away from the battlefield, with no means of getting back. These items have an infinite amount of uses. |
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| Sword of Extra Damage | SW-X | A potent weapon, the sword of extra damage inflicts grievous wounds on any target. |
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| Sword of Slowing | SWSL | When this weapon hits an opponent, the victim's movements are slowed down drastically, making him extremely vulnerable to further attacks. This sword affects any troop type: regular or hero. |
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| Boots of Speed | BTSP | When a hero is wearing these he is able to travel at double speed, allowing him to chase his enemies around the battlefield. |
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| Elven Cloak | EC | The elven cloak renders its wearer invisible to other players and troops on the battlefield. This invisibility improves the armor class of the hero. |
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| Gauntlets of Ogre Power | GAUT | Gauntlets of ogre power grant the strength of an ogre to the wearer. |
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| Girdle of Giant Strength | GIRD | The girdle of giant strength increases the wearers strength to that of a hill giant, enabling him to cause more damage on the battlefield. |
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| Ring of Fire Resistance | FRES | This artifact defends the wearer against an enemy magic-user's fire attacks. |
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| Ring of Protection+l | RP+I | While a hero wears this magic ring, his armor class is improved by 1. Improved versions of this item may be found. |
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| Medallion of Protection | MPRO | While a hero wears this medallion, his armor class is improved by 2. |
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| Displacer Cloak | DC | The displacer cloak causes the wearer to become displaced, appearing 2-3 feet from his actual position. This displacement improves the hero's armor class. The controlling character is able to see the hero's actual position at all times, however. |
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| Ring of Teleportation | TELE | Any hero wearing this ring is instantly teleported to safety should the Retreat order ever need to be given to his force. |
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| Ring of Regeneration | RGEN | Wearing this magic ring slowly regenerates the hero's hit points. |
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| Crystal Ball | This item functions in the same manner as the "View Empire" function on the strategy screen, except that it can be used to view one of your opponents' empires. |
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| Lightning Rod | A lightning rod allows the owner to cast call lightning spells without expending any power from the druid's blue Orb of Power; instead, the magical energy is taken from the rod's charges. |
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| Mirror of Life Trapping | The mirror of life trapping is a device which draws in your enemy, trapping him in a featureless plane within the mirror itself. When you use it, one hero in your opponent's forces is drawn inside the mirror, lost beyond all hope. The mirror, however, can only hold so many heroes. |
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| Mirror of Protection | When the mirror of protection is in your possession, enemy empires are unable to use true sight spells and crystal bails to spy on your regions. This item is in continuous effect from the time of its discovery. |
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| Rod of Dominion | With this item in your possession, all income from your empire is increased. |
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| Rod of the Earth | This item allows the user to create earthquakes without using any power from the clerical Orb of Power. Instead, a charge of power is taken from the rod. |
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| Rod of Necromancy | The bearer of this artifact is able to cast animate dead spells without any magic-users and without expending any magical power from the magic-user's red Orb of Power. Between 30 and 60 undead warriors appear within the target region. |
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| Rod of True Sight | Essentially the same as the cleric's true sight spell, but spell power is taken from the rod instead of the green Orb. |
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| Rod of the Winds | Allows the user of the object to create tomadoes, as per the druid weather control spell, in the target region. No magical energy is expended, except a single charge from the rod. |
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| Staffs: Holiness, Wizardry, Druids | These three items are active all the time when placed in the Imperial Vault. Each one increases the amount of power to one particular sphere of power: Holiness represents clerics, Wizardry, magic-users, and Druids, druids (of course). |
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Game Options
Campaign Options After you have familiarized yourself with the game controls, you may wish to experiment with different variations of "FANTASY EMPIRES" by playing the game with different options.
On the "Set Up" screen two buttons, "Random World" and "Show All"/"Fog of War", display different options for how the campaign will be played.
"Random world" uses the Mystara map, but the territories have different properties -- each region's income and the types of troop units it can produce change from game to game.
The second option governs limited intelligence options. The switch toggles between "Show All" and "Fog of War". With the "fog of war" option selected, enemy troops not directly adjacent to your occupied regions are not shown.
The "Main Menu" button takes you back to the game selection screen.
TACTICAL (ARCADE) SECTION Whenever an army invades a region which is held by another player, a battle results. Battles are resolved through a fast-paced combat sequence, where you take control of your forces in order to defend or break through the castle walls.
Battle segments may be skipped altogether if you have selected the "Simulate Always" option at the campaign screen.
During a battle, both sides place their troop units on the battle map and give general orders affecting all of their units. The troops then fight by themselves, while you control any one of the heroes or units you have deployed on the battlefield.
You participate only in battles which involve you. All computer versus computer battles are simulated by the computer.
Setting Up a Battle (Placement and Orders) When a battle occurs you are presented with a screen depicting the scene of the battle. The map on the fight of the screen is divided into two sections. The attacking player places his or her units in the top section, while the defender places his or hers in the lower section. The left side of the screen contains a scroll with a list of troop types and their respective numbers in it.
The attacking player places his units first, by selecting a unit on the scroll, then positioning the cursor over the map display and clicking the left mouse button. At this point, a small icon representing that unit is displayed on the map. Each icon depicts a unit of 20 troops; in the case of heroes and siege engines, the icon represents one character or weapon. When all troop placement has been done, clicking on the "OK/AUTO" icon allows the defender to place troops.
If the "OK/AUTO" icon is pressed and there are still troops left over to be deployed, the computer automatically selects positions for the rest. Clicking "UNDO" removes the last unit to be placed on the map. If you click "UNDO" more than once the computer keeps removing units in the order you placed them. This is useful if you wish to reposition large amounts of troops.
When the units have been placed you can choose starting orders by clicking on the order bar, situated beneath the "OK/AUTO" and "UNDO" buttons. When you click on the button, it will cycle through the available options, as described in the section "Orders During Battle" on page 38. When you are satisfied with your battle plans, click on "OK/AUTO". You may then choose to support your troops with spells. See the section "Spells in the Action Sequence".
You may place up to 25 groups of soldiers (20 per group) per side in a single "round." Note: individual heroes and siege engines count as one entire group. If there are more than 25 groups on each side participating in the battle, the extra groups are left for reinforcements. When one group is destroyed, a reinforcement group immediately replaces it. This procedure continues until one side retreats, or is decimated.
The defender then places his troops in the same manner. If either one of the participating players is the computer, one of the placement screens will be omitted depending on whether the computer is the attacker or the defender.
When all troop placement has been done, battle commences.
Controlling Units and Heroes in Combat After you have placed your units and heroes, given your orders, and cast spells (if available), combat begins. You may, at this time, move individual units to any locations you desire on the battlefield.
In the case of units, you gain control of an individual trooper who becomes the unit leader. You may move and attack with this unit leader as you desire. The remainder of the unit follows the leader and attacks any enemies they come in contact with. When the unit leader dies, control jumps to another trooper in that unit who becomes its leader. In this way you can effectively control an entire unit until it is slain to a man.
In the case of heroes, you gain control of one of the heroes participating in the battle. Just like units, you may move and attack with this hero as you desire. When the hero is slain, your control jumps to another hero on the battlefield and combat continues. Another feature of hero control is the hero's ability to lead nearby units. Pressing the F4 key (attacker) or the F7 key (defender) enables the hero's leadership. Pressing these keys again disables this ability.
While hero leadership is enabled, the hero under your control acts as a unit leader and leads nearby units to whatever location you desire on the field. This allows you to maneuver units more quickly and easily. Once you have moved the hero and his accompanying units to your desired location, press the leadership key so that the hero may move away without the units following him. This way you can have him reach other units to maneuver. Hero leadership is only granted to the hero under your control. Computer-controlled heroes are not able to lead units.
Pressing the F1 key (attacker) or the F10 key (defender) passes your control to another hero or unit leader.
Orders During Battle While a battle is in progress, you may issue orders which will govern the overall behavior of your troops. These orders apply to all of your troops, not just individual units. There are four general orders: Assault, Harass, Barrage, and Retreat.
| Assault | Assault causes all of your troops to move toward the enemy and engage them with their weapons as soon as they are in range. Assault is an all-out attack. |
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| Harass | Issuing the Harass order causes all friendly elf, shadow elf, and halfling units to move to firing range and engage the enemy. All other units stay where they are until further orders are given. |
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| Barrage | Barrage instructs catapult, ballista, and missile units to open fire on any target within range, without moving toward the enemy. Since the range of the catapults and ballistas spans the battlefield, they do not have to move at all. |
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| Retreat | Retreat causes every unit to retreat at top speed toward the outside of the battlefield. If a soldier reaches the edge of the battlefield, he is assumed to have escaped the battle -- he is still alive and able to fight again, but not in the same battle he has just escaped from. Only heroes, regular troops, and battering rams retreat. |
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Spells in the Action Sequence If you have spellcasting heroes (cleric, druid, and magic-user) on your side in a battle, they will be able to cast spells to affect the outcome of the battle. To get your heroes casting spells, click on the "Spell" icon in the Action set-up screen. A panel appears with the available choices for spells depending on what sort of spellcasting heroes are present.
| Bless | If you have any clerics present you will be able to "bless" your troops. "Bless" enables your warriors to fight at an advantage against the enemy. Through divine power their weapons will strike true, causing more damage than normal. |
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| Control Winds | Druids can cast the "control winds" spell. Magical winds envelop the battlefield, disrupting missile fire of any kind. "Control winds" affects both sides, and thus can be a great equalizer in a battle. |
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| Confusion | "Confusion" spells destroy the enemy's discipline and order. Soldiers will totter about aimlessly and mindlessly attack anyone, even on their own side. Although this "confusion" only lasts a short while, a lot of damage can be done. |
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Game Controls The action sequences of the "FANTASY EMPIRES" game can be controlled by either joystick or keyboard, though the joystick option is recommended.
Keyboard controls Whichever method you choose, there are some functions of the game which are always assigned to the keyboard function keys.
| ACTION | ATTACKER | DEFENDER |
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| Jump to Next Unit/Hero | F1 | F1O | passes player control to another unit or hero character. |
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| Toggle Orders | F2 | F9 | cycles through the available orders: Assault, Barrage, Harass, and Retreat. |
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| Toggle Battering Rams | F3 | -- | activates battering ram units. They will begin to attack the doors of an enemy stronghold. If they are already active, pressing the toggle button again causes the battering rams to retreat away from the doors. (Applicable only to attackers.) |
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| Toggle Hero Leadership | F4 | F7 | surrounding units follow the Hero |
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| Battle Overview | F5 | F6 | allows you to see what each battle group or hero is up to. While you are viewing a hero with this feature you will not be able to control him. To control the hero you must select him with F1 or F10. |
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| Pause | P | P |
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| Go to Simulation | Esc | Esc |
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Joystick and Keyboard Controls All hero attacks and defenses are controlled through the joystick fire buttons (or their keyboard equivalents).
Fire button 1 initiates attack sequences, while fire button 2 initiates defense sequences.
The stick itself controls the hero's movements. Also, when no hero is selected, you can use your joystick to scroll around the battlefield in order to observe your forces in action.
The Action Screen The action screen, whether playing against the computer or another human player, contains the same information displays. Some of these displays are duplicated on the two player screen but function exactly the same as the single player display.
Current Orders This icon displays whatever orders your troops are currently under: Assault, Barrage, Harass, or Retreat.
Local Radar (Crystal Ball) The Crystal Ball displays the objects and troops surrounding the currently visible location. Keep in mind that this display has a short range. Troops are depicted as dots, colored the same as the side they represent. Arrows and other missiles appear as yellow dots streaking across the battlefield.
Battlefield Map This display shows the entire battlefield and the troop units present in it. Each dot represents a single group of up to 20 troops. The section of the map currently visible in your viewport is shown on the map as a yellow dot.
Hit Points Scale The amount of damage that the currently selected hero can take is represented by the sword. When damage is sustained by the hero, the sword slides a little further into its scabbard. When the sword is fully sheathed your hero has died.
Army Status The Army Status icon is similar to the Hit Points scale, except that it displays the condition of your entire army. As casualties on your side increase, the shield becomes progressively more damaged. When the shield is in tatters, you have lost the battle.
Battle Simulation If a particular battle takes a long time, it can be resolved abstractly by the computer without any player intervention. Press the Esc key when you wish the computer to take over.
Breaking into Castles In order to battle troops hiding within a stronghold you will have to get your troops inside the castle walls.
Castle walls may be breached by three methods -- you can use catapults to punch holes in them, you can use battering rams to break down the gates allowing your troops to run inside, or, you can cause huge breaches in the walls with the magic of your druids and magic users.
Battering rams must be ordered to attack the gates -- they don't attack the gates in an "Assault" or any other general order. Press F3/F8 whenever you want your battering rams to attempt to break down the gates.
After the Battle When the battle is over, you will be presented with two consecutive Battle Summary screens, showing how many casualties were lost on each side and what types they were and what buildings, if any, were destroyed. To dismiss each screen and get back to the game, click on the "OK" button.
Experience for Troops If your Regular troops survive two battles, they will advance to the next level, Veteran. After another battle your Veterans become Elite. For comparison, Veteran troops are roughly equivalent to heroes of level 3 and Elites equal to heroes of level 7.
These troops are distinguished on the Action Set-up screen by their colors; inexperienced Regulars are dark gray, Veterans are medium gray, and Elite are white.
Character Classes and Troop Races The following is a list of the character types available in the game. The words directly under each heading state how this character is featured in the game. "Player character" [P] means that you may use this class for your player character, "Hero" [H] means that you can purchase or train hero troops from this class or race and "Regular" [R] means that this class can be trained in quantity as troops to fight for your worthy cause.
| Elf | P | H | R | Elves are beings of slight physical form, tall yet thin, with pointed ears and pale complexions. However, they are very dexterous, particularly with bow weapons, and have an aptitude for magic. Player character elves are able to train better archers and more effective spellcasters.
Hero and regular elves use longbows but in close combat the hero makes use of a short sword. |
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| Magic-User | P | H | | Magic-users are practitioners of the ways of magic and thaumaturgy They are scholars and scientists, To this end, they are less inclined to physical matters, and are highly developed mentally. Magic-users can be very difficult opponents. Magic-users controlled by a magic-user player character are able to cast more effective spells.
Magic-user heroes use concentrated blasts of fireballs to destroy their enemies and are able to cast "confusion" spells to wreak havoc within enemy ranks. |
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| Cleric | P | H | | A cleric is a human character who is dedicated to sewing a great and worthy cause. This cause can be an immortal being, dedicated goal, or attribute; sometimes the cleric is serving only his alignment, and has no interest in immortal beings.
The abilities of a cleric include "turning undead" and casting the clerical spells of "true sight" and "earthquake". In addition, a cleric hero can cast the "bless" spell to aid troops on his side during a battle.
Clerics under the control of a cleric player character are able to cast more effective spells and turn away more undead on average. |
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| Druid | | H | | When a cleric attains the 9th level of experience, he may opt to become a druid; a cleric of nature. Druids concern themselves with the workings of nature, and are thus able to cast "lightning", "tornado", and "creeping doom" spells.
Druids throw magical acorns in battle and are also able to cast the "control winds" spell, which prohibits the use of missile weapons in battle. |
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| Fighter | P | H | R | The fighter is the most basic of all character classes. Fighters are well adapted to the martial arts -- tactics, training, and leadership. Because of this, troops under a fighter's control are able to fight at an advantage because of better tactics.
Regular fighters use long swords and shields in battle, whereas heroes use two-handed swords. |
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| Dwarf | P | H | R | The dwarven people are short, but heavy-set; they are proud warriors with an affinity for the earth and stone. They are resilient folks and as such make excellent fighters. Dwarven fighters under the control of of a dwarven player character fight at a bonus.
Dwarven heroes fight their battles with double-handed battle axes and regulars use hand-axes and shields. |
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| Halfling | | | R | Halflings are a peaceful folk. They like nothing more than to relax by the hearth of their home and tell tall tales of the wee folk. But sometimes, the state of affairs of the world places their homes in jeopardy and they are forced to take to arms. When they do, it is invariably with their slings, with which they are very adept.
Physically, the halflings are dexterous and short, ranging between 3 and 4 feet tall, with hairy feet. Due to their relaxed lifestyles many develop pot bellies and a chubby appearance. |
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| Shadow Elf | | | R | Some 2,700 years ago, elves living in what is now the Broken Lands discovered and accidentally triggered a powerful explosive device. Survivors of these elven tribes were irradiated by the explosion's fallout, and were driven underground to seek shelter from climactic changes. These surviving elves lived in the caverns beneath the earth for centuries, developing into the present day Shadow Elves.
They are much like the surface elves, but of paler complexions and hair colors. Shadow elves prefer the use of the crossbow to any other weapon. |
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| Orc | | | R | Orcs are large humanoids with pig-like faces. They are extremely brutish and have a great disdain for order. Authority in orcish society is asserted by force, and because of this morale is low.
Orcs make good warriors, both because of their large size and their temper. In battle, many orcs use heavy scimitars and shields. |
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| Undead | | | R | Undead warriors are feared by all. These creatures are brought to life with powerful enchantments. Warriors killed in an ancient battle, peasants who have perished in the wilderness -- all hear the beckoning call of the "animate dead" spell.
Although the weapons and appearances of the undead are varied and many, the undead in the game use long swords and shields. |
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Alignment Alignment defines the way a character thinks and what he or she places value on. A player character's alignment is in many ways the character's code of ethics.
| Lawfulness | The lawful character places a high value on the order and rigidity of life. The character believes that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Lawful player characters receive more income from their regions than any other alignment; however, they are not able to break treaties whenever they want to without invoking the wrath of the Dungeon Master. |
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| Neutrality | Neutral characters' motives change on the spur of the moment, reflecting their needs of the time. This means that the character's morals may be broken for the purposes of self-preservation. Characters do not gain any advantages for being neutral, nor do they suffer any disadvantages. |
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| Chaos | Chaotic characters believe that they are more important than anything else. They will do whatever has to be done for their own profit. Ethics enter into the matter only rarely, depending completely on the character's current disposition. Chaotic characters may freely break any treaties they make or agree to and are able to raise more dead through the "animate dead" spell than any other alignment, but they do not receive as much income from their regions. |
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Character Ability Scores A character's ability scores reflect his or her physical and mental characteristics. They provide a basis for visualization of the character and a way of determining how capable the character is. These statistics are numbers between 3 and 18, with 18 representing the best possible ability for that attribute. The ability scores are broken down into six categories.
| Strength | A measure of how strong the character is physically. This ability affects such things as how much damage the character can do in combat and how easily the character can lift heavy objects. A player character's Strength also directly affects how its heroes strike in combat. If Strength is high, then more damage and more frequent hits result. |
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| Intelligence | The character's mental power is defined by his or her Intelligence rating. This is an indication of how knowledgeable the character is and how capable the character is at figuring out problems and understanding concepts. A player character's Intelligence alters the effectiveness of magic-user spells. An intelligence score greater than 12 is an advantageous bonus, while a score of less than 9 is a penalty. |
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| Wisdom | This score defines how wise the character is. A character who is very intelligent may not be very wise. The difference between Wisdom and Intelligence is that the character may know how to do things, but might not have the foresight to think about the consequences of his or her actions. Wisdom affects clerics' spellcasting in the same way that Intelligence affects magic-user spells. |
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| Dexterity | Dexterity describes the physical prowess and hand-eye coordination of the character. A low Dexterity means the character is a klutz; a high Dexterity means that the character might be a gymnast. A player character's Dexterity affects how well heroes defend themselves on the battlefield. A high Dexterity means they will be hit less frequently. |
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| Constitution | Whereas Strength governs how strong a character is, Constitution reflects health and endurance. A character with a high Constitution could take a lot of punishment in battle, or run for long periods of time without getting tired.
Constitution affects the general health of the player character's heroes. High constitution modifies the hero's hit points with every level of the hero. For example, a player character with a Constitution of 15 increases its hero's hit points by +1 for every level of the hero. |
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| Charisma | Charisma determines the affability of the character and also the presence of his or her personality. Characters with high Charisma scores are likely to be great leaders, commanding a lot of respect from their followers. Charisma adjusts the income accumulated from regions under the player character's control. A score greater than 12 increases income, while a score lower than 9 decreases it. |
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Troop Types There are three different types of troops: regular, hero, and siege engines. Regular troops may be of human, elf, shadow elf, halfling, dwarf, and orc races, while only humans, elves, and dwarves may be heroes.
| Regular | The regulars are your average front line soldiers. They are armed with different weapons depending on their race. Human regulars, for example, wield swords and shields, while the elves are armed only with bows, and halfling carry slings. Regulars are trained in groups of twenty, so that when you order them on the troop list you are actually ordering 20 regulars. Regulars have rather weak defense skills and absorb the most losses during combat. |
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| Heroes | Heroes represent the leaders and champions of your empire. They are excellent fighters and as such, can only be produced by a few races. As they are skilled in the ways of fighting, they get a few more defenses and attacks in combats. Heroes can also be sent on quests to discover magical items. |
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| Siege Engines: | Siege engines are vital to "FANTASY EMPIRE" They are the artillery pieces in the game and must be used to breach castle walls, so that the regular and hero troops can attack them. They also play a large part in castle defense. |
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| Catapult | Catapults are large machines designed to hurl boulders great distances. They are used to knock down the walls of enemy strongholds. |
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| Ballista | Ballistas are essentially oversized crossbows. They fire huge, meter-long javelins and can kill many troops at a time. |
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| Battering Ram | Battering rams are the primary way of breaking into an enemy stronghold. They consist,long wooden pole with a reinforced cap at one end. Troops carry this device to the castle gates and ram it against the doors, hopefully opening them and allowing the troops access inside. |
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MYSTARA - Playground of the Immortals
Within the depths of the Prime Material Plane lies an astronomical oddity. Most worlds are spherical shapes of matter. ranging from stone and metal to globs of water or volumes of gas. While these "normal" worlds are solid, Mystara is hollow.
Mystara's general shape is a sphere with a hole at each pole. The ground around each polar opening is rounded, leading into the sphere. The atmosphere follows the ground's surface inside where the Hollow World exists.
There is no doubt that Mystara was created by the Gods. The immortals who gave form to Mystara also carefully populated it with hundreds of intelligent races, who continue to struggle for supremacy within their ever-changing world.
Because of the huge distances between the Known World on the surface of Mystara and the Hollow World within it, a cultural division exists. One is largely oblivious to the other, save for a select few who dedicate their lives to journeying between the two.
The immortals also view the Hollow World as a sort of zoo. Mystara is enveloped by a powerful enchantment known as the Spell of Preservation which allows the immortals to move entire cultures from the surface of Mystara to the Hollow World without the cultures changing due to the difference in environment. Great cultures on the verge of extinction are often relocated to the Hollow World, to be preserved.
"FANTASY EMPIRES" concerns itself exclusively with the surface, or Known World of Mystara. The Known World consists of 98 different countries, crossing seven different terrains, amongst them deserts, mountains, swamps, forests and grasslands. The peoples of the Known WorId are many and varied, and most are bent on world domination.
The Countries of Mystara The 98 separate regions oF Mystara are loosely grouped together into the Following 12 countries.
Alfheim Alfheim is a land renowned for its mysterious forests filled with magic and for the learning and valor of its elven inhabitants.
Alfheim is centered in the forest of Canolbarth, surrounded on all sides by the Republic of Darokin -- a former bitter enemy and now a fast friend. Other close neighbors include the monster-enfested Broken Lands to the north and west, Rockhome of the dwarves to the east, and Karameikos and the Five Shires to the south.
Alfheim is also the target of many Shadow Elf surface raids. The Shadow Elves wish to reclaim Alfheim for themselves, never forgetting that this was once their rightful home.
Republic of Darokinn One of the wealthliest countries in the Known World is Darokin, but the nation's wealth is not so obvious as that of countries such as Thyatis. In Darokin, the wealth is spread a bit more evenly throughout the population; Darokin's wealthiest people are not so ostentatious as Thyatis', but Darokin's peasants are far better off than Thyatis'.
The land itself is rich. The center of the country is dominated by a vast, flat region called the Streel Plain; this is the heartland of Darokin, where fully half the country's residents live. The farmers of the Streel Plain are able to grow enough to feed the whole country twice over. Near the plain is the mighty Lake Amsorak, a freshwater lake that provides a bounty of fish.
The people of Darokin, chiefly humans, are a notoriously hard-working lot. Most are driven by desire for success: each generation wants to live in better surroundings and educate its children better than the last. The government is a plutocracy -- rule by the rich -- but a very long-sighted one. The plutocrats believe that keeping the standard of living high and keeping laws fair throughout the social levels makes workers enthusiastic; so far, their approach has been very successful.
Ethengar Khanate This is a country of vast grasslands and arid steppes, blisteringly hot in the summer and bitingly cold in winter. Some parts of these steppes are veritable seas of grass, while others are more arid expanses barely able to support plant life, unable to sustain herds of animals.
The people of the steppes are Ethengarians. They are stout, yellow-skinned men and women with slight epicanthic folds to their eyes. They are nomads who move their herds of yaks, sheep, goats, pigs, and horses across the grassy plains. They live in yurts, a type of tent, and make no permanent communities.
They are a warlike people who are proud of their abilities as cavalrymen and archers. Normally, they vent their warlike natures on one another. Sometimes they are bound together by a great leader and threaten countries on all sides.
The Five Shires The land by the Sea of Dread is rich and green, with pleasant hills, fields, and valleys. There are large stands of woods here, and most of the land is fertile. The weather is moist (even in winter) and not particularly harsh; the worst seasons here are usually described as "scenic".
The population of the Five Shires is mostly made up of halflings -- or "hin" as they call themselves. In human lands, the hin have a reputation of being happy, roly-poly, inoffensive people with quick reflexes and self-indulgent habits. It is dangerous for a human traveler to carry that generalization into the Five Shires. In actuality, the hin are much like humans, although some do match the stereotype. Some are valiant warriors who have crushed invasions from the Black Eagle Barony or the Malpheggi Swamp.
Principalities of Glantri Glantri is a secluded land ringed by mountains -- and surrounded by mystery and intrigue. Glantri is separated by thick ranges of mountains from Wendar to the north; east are the Ethengar Khanates; south and southeast are the savage Broken Lands; west are the wastes of the desert of Sind.
The country is made up of stretches of hills and pine-forested mountains separated by long, narrow river valleys thick with farms and pastures. Glantri is broken up into many semi-autonomous principalities, each ruled by a Prince or Princess.
In addition, there are many smaller domains, whose rulers aspire for them to become full principalities, and other areas -- especially lightly-settled border areas and mountains -- which are governed by the country's ruling council.
Glantri is ruled by magic-users, and most laws favor magic-users above all other classes. Until recently, clerics were illegal; in the wake of the Wrath of the Immortals events, clerics are permitted in limited numbers and under scrutiny and restrictions. Dwarves are still not legal; if found within Glantri's borders, they may be chased out, killed, or captured and subjected to ghastly experiments.
The Glantrian population is made up of several different ethnic stocks, including elves, Flaemish Alphatians, Traladaran Karameikans, Thyatians, Ethengarians, and others.
Ierendi This is an island archipelago immediately south of the continent of Brun. The islands are volcanic, situated in a warm climate, and largely covered with tropical rain forests; they are known for their beautiful beaches and hospitable people.
The aboriginal inhabitants are known as the Makai; they are a brown-skinned people with friendly dispositions and generous natures. Later settlers, including Thyatians and halflings from the Five Shires, are a minority population, and have largely acquired the Makai attitudes. In spite of the population's mellow cheerfulness, the Ierendians have a history of formidable fighting prowess and have beaten back invasions from the mighty Thyatian Empire.
The Ierendians have a great affection for heroes. Though the islands are actually governed by a tribunal of officials elected from the nation's noble families, they retain a figurehead king and queen. The crown is not hereditary; Ierendi hosts an annual tournament where the new king and queen are chosen.
Grand Duchy of Karameikos Karameikos is a deep, dark land, still mostly wildemess although it has been occupied by man throughout recorded history.
Most of Karameikos is covered with thick forests, hardwoods and softwoods, and is largely unexplored. There are broad patches of rich soil, especially beside the Highreach River, so farming is good here.
There are several distinct cultures present in Karameikos.
The Traladarans, a pale, dark-haired people, have lived here for thousands of years. Energetic, romantic, artistic, and superstitious, they are descendants of the heroic bronze-age people called the Traladar.
They are ruled by a conquering class of Thyatians brought here forty years ago by Duke Stefan Karameikos. After the conquest, Karameikos named the old land of Traladara after himself.
There are also three elven clans here: the vigorous Cailarii in the central parts, the secretive and reclusive Vyalia in the north and east, and whole clans from Alfheim, taking refuge after numerous Shadow Elf raids on the surface.
There is much friction between the Thyatians and the Traladarans, but increasingly they are coming to think of themselves as a single country.
Minrothad Guilds Minrothad is an island chain whose inhabitants form a tightly-knit nation of traders, craftsmen, and service guilds.
The people of Minrothad belong to all races, but elves are the most common, with humans only slightly less numerous. No race is proscribed or overtly discriminated against on these islands -- though members of races who have no history of mercantile ability, such as orcs, had best prove their desire to behave like guildsmen before they will be accepted.
Regardless of their race, most citizens of the Minrothad Guilds admire money and trade more than anything else. To most of them, trade is far more important than clerical beliefs.
Rockhome Rockhome is the homeland of the dwarves of the Known World, the cradle of their civilization. It is a land where as many people live below-ground as above-ground, and where a handful of dwarves can hold the passes into the country against hordes of invaders, where the entire population can disappear into fortified caverns should Rockhome ever be invaded.
The dwarves are organized into a monarchy much like the governments of many human lands; the dwarf-king or dwarf-queen has considerable power but needs the support of the dwarven clan leaders and dwarven senators to accomplish much.
Rockhome dwarves value craftsmanship, family ties, personal honor, and maturity. They hold non-craftsmen, especially farmers (even their own!) in low esteem.
Thar and the Broken Lands Covering regions of rugged hills, mountains, and narrow canyons near the center of the Known World is an area thought to be abandoned by civilization. Few humans or demi-humans ever venture any distance from the treacherous merchant tracks along the Vesubia and Streel Rivers, but the Broken Lands are far from deserted.
Although the rugged surface may be baked by the sun of summer and frozen by the winds of winter, many are its inhabitants. These are denizens of the depths, nomadic hordes of darkness, and fierce caravan raiders. They are the Hordes of Thar.
The Broken Lands are a haven for orcs, goblins, trolls and many other foul beings. They call their country Thar, and the very word makes merchants tremble and old warriors shiver in the night. Thar is king of the Broken Lands.
Thyatis The nation of Thyatis, center of the Thyatian Empire, is small in size but large on influence and population. It occupies the southeast corner of the continent of Brun, giving it easy access by water to the whole south coast of Brun, to the islands and continents of the Sea of Dawn, and even to the southern continent, Davania.
Western Thyatis is dominated by rich flatlands, good for tillage and pasturage, as well as horse breeding -- one of the favorite hobbies of the region's nobles. Central Thyatis also has good farmlands, more hills, and easy access to all parts of the nation. The Island of Hattias is part hills, part forested lowlands; it is good land, but notorious for the racial intolerance and rigidity of its populations. Eastern Thyatis has good grazing lands for sheep and access to good fishing waters. And the northland hills, while not agriculturally productive, are rich in minerals and ores.
The Thyatian people are dark-haired and olive-complexioned. They are noted for their sophistication -- often called decadence by people from other lands -- and their pragmatism, which often leads to treachery in negotiations.
Emirates of Ylaruam The Emirates are thought of as a desert country, but the land is not made up only of sandy wasteland. The Emirates also contain hilly regions and arid grasslands.
The Ylari people fall into two categories: nomads, who live in the arid wastelands as herdsmen (of horses, cattle, camels, goats, and sheep) or even raiders; and hazan, the city dwellers and farmers. They tend to be intensely polite in the manner of their people, and are respectful of scholars, admiring of storytellers and warriors. But life is cheap in the Emirates, whose warriors are thought to kill too quickly and casually.
The Ylari are devout followers of the philosophies of Al-Kalim. Some are fanatics who oppose clerics of any other philosophies. Even those who are tolerant of other philosophies do not tolerate the presence of magic-users within the Emirates.
Bonus/Penalties for Character Ability Scores
SCORE STR INT WIS DEX CON CHA
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2-3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3
4-5 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2
6-8 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1
9-12 +0 +0 t0 +0 +0 +0
13-15 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1
16-17 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2
18 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3
Strength (Str) affects the amount of damage inflicted by heroes.
Intelligence (Int) affects the effectiveness of magic-user spells cast.
Wisdom (Wis) affects the effectiveness of cleric and druid spells cast.
Dexterity (Dex) determines how fast a hero can attack on the action screen.
Constitution (Con) determines the number of extra hit points gained by
heroes per experience level.
Charisma (Cha) alters the amount of income gained from owned countries.
Spell Effects Summary
% BUILDING % TROOPS OTHER
DRAIN DAMAGED DAMAGED EFFECTS
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Earthquake 150 20-50 5-20
True Sight 20 View enemy land
Turn Undead - 30-60 Undead Killed
Death Spell 100 20-60
Meteor Storm 200 40-80 20-40
Animate Dead 100 +30-60 Undead
Lightning 50 10-20 5-10
Tornado 100 25-55 10-25
Creeping Doom 100 40-70
Troop Data Table
TROOP TYPE TROOP COST (GP) TRAINING TIME (TURNS)
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Regulars(per 20 troops)
Human 500 1
Orc 550 1
Elf 3,000 2
Dwarf 600 1
Halfling 400 1
Shadow Elf 2,500 2
Heroes
Human 500 3
Elf 750 3
Dwarf 600 3
Cleric 900 4
Magic-User 1,000 4
Siege Engines
Battering Ram 1,000 2
Ballista 750 3
Catapult 2,500 4
BuiIding Data Table
BUILDING TYPE BUILDING COST (GP)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keep 7,500
Armory 15,000
Temple (Cleric) 12,000
Tower (Magic-User) 10,000
Castle, Small 20,000
Castle, Medium 30,000
Castle, Large 40,000
Castle, Extra Large 50,000
HINTS AND TIPS
It is often advantageous to send heroes on progressively more dangerous quests
as they accumulate experience.
Try to recruit elves as soon as possible. Elven archers can often be a deciding
factor in any battle. If you have them, keep them back from the main battle
and try not to let enemy troops get near them. Elves don't have any staying
power in a hand-to-hand fight.
If you have a lot of lower-level heroes participating in a battle, keep them
away from the action. Inexperienced heroes are easy targets and won't last
very long.
Chaotic troop types (Shadow Elves, Orcs, and Undead) are suited to fighting in
places like the Broken Lands and the Lands of the Black Sands and receive
bonuses for doing so.