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In days of old, Atelan, the Lord of Time, was besotted
by a fair maid by the name of Fianna. So in love was
Atelan that he gave her the legendary Coronet of Arien,
the wearer of which would become immortal. Though not
accepting Atelan's feelings for her, smart girl that
Fianna was, she still accepted his generous gift. Soon,
however, Atelan discovered his love was never to be
returned and he flew into a rage, taking back the Crown
from his love and casting it into the depths of Doriath.
And there the coronet has lain, venomously guarded by
the minions of this dark place.
Recently
Mage and Lore Master, Elidaan, has discovered the scroll
of Fianna and learnt of this sad tale. As there wasn't
much to do and Elidaan fancied being immortal, he decided
to brave the sanctuary of Doriath and have a go at retrieving
the Crown of Arien.
This
is where you come in, your job to guide Elidaan through
Doriath to his final goal. You enter Doriath with no
possessions and very a small repertoire of spells. Around
the caves of Doriath you find various items and spells
encased within casks which are opened by passing over
them, whereupon you are told of the new addition to
your inventory.
Apart
from the different spells, the objects you encounter
are of five different types. Stamina Potions boost Elidaan's
energy, which is displayed as a percentage at the top
of the screen. Using this potion at the right moment
can get our hero out of many a tricky spot. Portcullis
Keys allow passage through any portcullis barring the
way, while Trapdoor Keys are used to get past trapdoors.
Fungata Potions cure Elidaan of any ill effects caused
by the mushrooms growing in some caves, while Cloronar
Potions are used as a defence if they are drunk when
standing next to a plant or shoot. Each object can only
he used once, though a store of them may be built up.
Along
the top of the screen is a set of five symbols, each
depicting one of the different objects you find. Underneath
each symbol is displayed how many of that particular
artifact you are carrying. To use an object you position
a cursor over the symbol you want with the F1 key. Hitting
F7 then activates the object.
There
are nine spells you could collect in addition to the
one you are given upon entering Doriath. Different spells
kill different creatures, and to wield one you must
hold fire and press down. The spell then appears and
can be controlled with the joystick.
The
game is presented in classic arcade adventure style,
using a standard flick screen method. Elidaan can go
left, right, and also levitate for short distances.
To travel between some sheets you must use a rope. About
the cave there are various nefarious characters, all
willing to sap your stamina. Some of these foes are
a mite more malevolent than others, some of them firing
arrows at you. In some screens you may be unfortunate
enough to come across the odd dragon or two, spitting
deadly fireballs. If you're foolish enough to guide
Elidaan into the dragon then it's game over. Facing
slightly less powerful foes, you find that 'Game Over'
only appears when your stamina drops below 2%.
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