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The Humble Guy's HumbleDox
Presents
Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight: Complete Game Manual
Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight
MOONSTONE PC ADDENDUM CARD
Installing Moonstone to your Hard Disk
Log into your A: drive and type 'INSTALL'. Follow the on screen
instructions to configure Moonstone for your PC.
Playing Moonstone from Floppy Disks
Log into your A: drive and type 'MS' [enter]
Moonstone requires at least 620k of Free Base Memory. You may have
to adjust your CONFIG. SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT to free up enough
memory.
We strongly recommend that you set up a Disk Cache when playing
Moonstone. For further information refer to your MSDOS user guide.
Additional note for Soundblaster users
In order to play Soundblaster sounds you may need to set up your
Soundblaster in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
The default setting is as follows:
SET BLASTER=A220 17 Dl T4
If this does not activate sounds when playing Moonstone, then your
Soundblaster is not at it's default settings. Consult your
Soundblaster manual to set it up correctly.
You will also need to set up expanded memory in order to hear
Soundblaster samples. Using EMM386 or another Memory Manager set up
at least 400k of expanded memory. This area of memory is used to
store all the samples used in the game.
THE HISTORY OF THE QUEST
A very sacred time is upon the people. A time that descends once
every thousand years.
As the Druids will be only too happy to tell you, this is the season
of the Moonstones! Danu, the spirit of the moon, has turned his
attention away from the activities of the cosmos to those of the
earth. It is during such a time that the Gods bestow a fabulous gift
to the greatest warrior in the land; a gift of ultimate power! But
first such a warrior would have to prove himself.
Thus, the first warrior to complete "The Quest of the Moonstones"
will rece;ve this great blessing. But any warrior considering such a
quest must be prepared to wander the surrounding land, enduring many
hardships, risking life and limb all the while.
The land comprises four vast territories. To the northeast
are the Northern Wastelands, home to giant Baloks that inhabit this
great rocky territory. To the northwest are the Misty Moors, with
their great tribes of vicious Troggs. Southwest lies the Great
Forest, infested with the cunning Ratmen. And finally to the
southeast you will discover the Wetlands, where half plant, half
humanoid Mudmen stalk human prey inside their vast swamp.
Over all these territories the Great Dragon roams high in
the sky, searching like a hawk for the next traveller to eat or
plunder.
Hidden deep in the middle of the four territories, at the
very heart of the land, lies the most sacred of places, "The Valley
of the Gods", wherein can be found the sacred Moonstones.
To complete the quest, you will have to assume the arms and
armour of a knight. Then you must explore all the lands that
surround you to find the four keys which will give you access into
the Valley of the Gods.
Along the way you will have to defeat many creatures and
retain their gold and magic treasures to increase your strength so
that you might survive the perils of the shadowy half world that
lies within. Once the keys are found, you will then make your way to
the Valley to find the sacred Moonstone, fighting horrible demons of
immense power and strength.
Once a Moonstone is acquired, you must then race to
Stonehenge to present the fruit of your quest to the great Moon God,
Danu. However, there are four possible Moonstones that are each
keyed to a different phase of the moon, so you will have to wait for
the right moon phase before you may complete your quest.
But wait! Did you think you would be alone in the quest? Of
course not! All the great knights of the land know of this most
sacred of events. So there will be other great warriors looking to
be the first to complete the quest. You will certainly have to do
battle with many mighty warriors before your quest is done.
Moreover, you are bound to encounter the dreaded Black
Knights, who wander the land trying to convince any who will listen
that the Druids are heretics, slaying any who do not. They
particularly hate the quest of the Moonstones and will track down
any who participate, especially if they are close to completing the
quest! These knights are renowned for their ability to raise their
skills during combat. They are never beaten until they are slain!
After long, careful thought you decide to surrender to the
fates and the strength of your metal. Donning your warmest clothing
and grabbing your trusty sword and armour you set off, swearing to
be the first to complete the quest or to die trying: for none can
resist the pull of the Moonstones.
KNIGHT'S STATISTICS
Strength, Endurance, and Constitution
The knight's abilities describe what you can do physically in the
game in terms of numbers.
Strength is a measure of how strong you are in combat. The
more strength a knight has, the more damage you will inflict upon
your opponents.
Constitution is a measure of how much physical punishment a
knight can withstand before you collapse. The higher your
constitution, the more damage you can take before losing a battle.
Endurance is a measure of how much physical activity a
knight may endure before you become exhausted and must rest. The
higher your endurance, the further you can move in a day.
A knight's abilities can be temporarily raised by various
normal and magical items. They can also be raised permanently by a
magical gift from either the wizard Math, or by the Mystic. You can
also permanently raise your abilities through "experience".
Experience
Experience is earned by successfully conquering a lair. 1 point of
experience is earned for each lair that is cleared. 2 points are
earned if the Dragon is slain. 3 points are earned when the Guardian
is defeated. In a 3 or 4 player game, for each point of experience
earned, either strength, endurance, or constitution can be raised by
one point (at the knight's choice). In a two player game 2
experience points are required and in a one player game, 3 points.
Life Points
Life points are a measure of how close to death a knight has become,
due to injuries sustained during combat. Each knight starts the game
with 5 life points and every time you lose a combat, a life point is
lost. When you are reduced to 0 life points, you are dead and and
for you the quest is over. There are many ways to raise your life
points. You can pay a healer in the cities. A potion of healing will
raise life points. If you go to your home village and you have less
than 3 life points, then your village druids will heal you for free.
The last possible way of raising life points is to offer a magic
item to Danu at Stonehenge. Life points are divided up into hit
points. If during combat your current hit points are reduced to 0,
then you will lose the combat and a life point. Hit points can be
healed at the healer or through healing potions. Knights also heal
naturally each day that is passed.
The Phases of the Moon The phases of the moon are the key
to the success of your quest. Once the cycle of the moon matches
your moonstone you must reach Stonehenge to fulfil your quest before
the cycle changes. Only then will you successfully complete the
quest. As a knight with such a Moonstone in your possession, you can
be sure that the other knights will stop at nothing to destroy you.
Throughout the game, the phases of the moon will change constantly.
This affects the strength of some of the creatures and is key to the
powers contained in the Moonstone. After each knight has had three
turns (each knight gets one turn per day), the moon advances one
phase. The order of the phases are as follows:
Full / Three Quarters / Half / One Quarter / New / One Quarter /
Half / Three Quarters / Full...
Movement
Your position on the map is shown by an icon. Move the joystick in
the direction that you wish to move. When you come in contact with
another icon, that icon will start to glow. At this point you may
choose to encounter that icon by pressing the fire button.
Forests, mountains and swamps slow your movement down
considerably and increase your chance of encountering wandering
monsters outside of their lairs.
During your turn you have these keyboard options.
SPACE BAR- Displays current knight's inventory.
E - Ends your turn early so you may rest and recuperate your hit
points.
ENCOUNTERS
Lairs
In each territory there are six lairs to be explored. Each lair is
filled with a certain number of monsters that must be defeated in
order to acquire their treasure. Only one lair in each region
contains one of the four keys required to enter the Valley of the
Gods. Once a knight acquires the treasure from a lair, you are
awarded an additional experience point .
The City of Highwood
Located within the misty moors, where the high circle of the Druids
resides, is the seat of religious power. The great druids are very
secretive and don't generally deal with outsiders. One exception is
that they trade artifacts of a magical nature for religious research
in the High Temple. To discover the cost of an item, move your
pointer over its icon and the the value will be displayed at the top
of the screen.
The City of Waterdeep
Located within the wetlands you will find the home of Mythral the
mystic . He is renowned for his ability to lift a knight's soul to a
higher cosmic plane . When your soul is returned to your body, you
will find that your abilities have been either raised or lowered by
1 point. It is a gamble you must take if you put your trust in
Mythral. You may increase your odds with Mythral by donating more
gold. A minimum of 10 gold pieces should be donated to improve your
chances.
Within the walls of both Highwood and Waterdeep, you will
find many interesting characters. Healers, Inn-keepers and
Merchants. Some of these should be of more than academic interest;
the potions and weapons they will sell you will save your life!
Healers
The healer charges 10 gold pieces to heal a knight to full hit
points and 15 gold pieces for each life point. You must be at full
hit point status before the healer can heal life points.
Taverns
A popular game played in the taverns is 'Dragon Dice'. The game is
run by a Dragon Dice Master and is played by placing a bet ( ranging
from 1 to 5 gold pieces) before rolling 3 "Dragon Dice". If one of
the following combinations is rolled, in any order, then the
corresponding payback ratio is won:
SEE DICE.TIF for a Diagram of the Dragon Dice dividends.
Merchants
Merchants sell armour and weapons. The prices are as follows:
Throwing Dagger. ... 2 gp Broad Sword......... 10 gp
Claymore Sword...... 25 gp Chainmail Armour.... 30 gp
Platemail Armour.... 50 gp Battleplate Armour.. 75 gp
Villages
Each knight has his own home village from which you start at the
beginning of the quest. No other knight may enter your home village
under any circumstance. If, when you return wounded to your village,
you have less than 3 life points your senior village druid will heal
you to full hit points and grant you a free life point. This kind
gift is only granted 3 times throughout the course of the Quest.
Wizard's Tower
The mighty wizard Math, the most powerful mage in the land, resides
in his desolate tower in the northern wasteland. If he is pleased to
see you he will bestow upon you either a magic item, money, or
choose to raise either your strength, constitution, or endurance by
one point. If he is annoyed by your insolence however, he will turn
you into a toad for a number of turns. The more often you visit him,
the more likely he is to become annoyed.
Stonehenge
This is a very sacred location, second only to the Valley of the
Gods. This is where the channels to the gods are most strongly felt.
The first knight to present a Moonstone during the correct phase of
the moon will have proven himself to be the greatest warrior in the
land and will be lifted up to the heavens to sit by the gods for
time immemorial.
Stonehenge can also be used for healing purposes. If a
knight offers a magic object, you will be healed to full hit points
and receive 1 life point.
Other Players and Black knights
You may challenge other knights to battle by moving onto them. To
the victor goes the spoils, and the loser edges ever closer to death
and failure in the quest. The victor may take either all the losers
gold pieces or one object . If, however, the winner takes the last
life point from the loser, then the winner gets all the loser's
gold, objects, and magic objects.
Valley of the Gods
Once you have collected all 4 keys and you feel strong enough to
endure the wrath of the Guardian, you may then enter the Valley of
the Gods located in the centre of the 4 territories. If you defeat
the Guardian in battle, you will be granted a Moonstone. While you
remain within the Valley, you are untouchable by other knights.
MONSTERS
Troggs
The Troggs are a terrible humanoid race that exist in all four
territories. They are highly intelligent with a society very similar
to humans, whom they hate with a burning desire for forcing them to
live in places deemed unfit for humans. They use hammers, axes and
spears in combat and have terrible war beasts that they've raised on
human flesh. The tribes that exists in the Misty Moors are
exceptionally vicious and renowned for their strength and skill in
combat.
Ratmen
The ratmen are a small, carnivorous race that exist in the trees of
the Great Forest. They are not very strong, but are always found
together in large numbers and are exceedingly agile. They are often
referred to as "Moon Devils" because they seem to grow stronger as
the moon waxes. It is also known that these little creatures carry a
deadly disease and if you are bitten by one of them you must be
quickly healed by the healer or drink a healing potion, or you will
surely perish and fail in your quest.
Mudmen
This strange race that infests the Wetlands seems more like a colony
of intelligent plant life found in the mud than an actual animal,
but sages say more research is needed. They are hard to see as they
just appear to rise out of the mud, overpower a knight and drag him
down into the mud to do unspeakable thinqs to him.
Dragons
Dragons are huge, flying, fire breathing lizards. They are cruel and
greedy by nature and fly around the four territories looking for the
next traveller to slay and plunder. Dragons are exceedingly
dangerous in combat and difficult to slay. If a dragon defeats a
knight, he will take all his gold pieces and one magic object
(unless he reduces that knight to 0 lives; then he will take
everything). However, whoever slays a dragon will take over it's
accumulated wealth and magic objects.
Baloks
Baloks are vicious humanoids with huge jaws, long teeth and powerful
limbs. Legend has it that Math magically engineered these beasts in
his youth to act as guards for his tower, but the experiment failed
and they have since escaped and multiplied. They now stalk the
northern wastelands in search of prey and are one of the most feared
of creatures.
Trolls
Trolls are vicious creatures that feed on human flesh. They are
large, hairless humanoids that fight with huge clubs capable of
striking down the mightiest warrior with one blow. These legendary
creatures are greatly feared throughout the land.
Black Knights
These rogue knights serve a religious sect called 'The Dark Hall of
Purity' that believes the druids are blasphemous and must be
stopped. They wander the four territories searching for followers of
the druids who are trying to acquire the Moonstones, in order to
prevent them from completing their quests. The Black Knights have an
uncanny ability to grow more skilled in combat and strength during
an encounter.
Guardians
The Valley of the Gods is guarded by sinister demons. Only the best
warriors in the land will ever stand a chance against a guardian.
They can drain points from a warrior's abilities and when they
defeat you in combat, they take 3 lives instead of 1. It is
essential that you must possess the best armour before you join
battle with a guardian, or else it will be a short extremely
one-sided battle.
MAGIC ITEMS
To invoke a magic item, bring up the inventory screen of the knight
by hitting the "SPACE BAR". Then, using the joystick move the dagger
pointer over the magic item you want to select and press the fire
button.
Potions, scrolls, and gems (except the Moonstones) disappear after
one use. Other magic objects have unlimited uses. Each magic item
has its own market value determined by the druids in the High Temple
in High Wood.
Potion of Healing
This will heal a knight to full hit points or, if he is already at
full hit points, add 1 additional life point.
Gem of Seeing
By using this magic item, you may look within a lair and see what
treasure exists there. Upon invoking the gem of seeing you will
return to the region map but your icon will appear as a crystal
ball. To view the contents of a lair move the crystal ball over top
of the lair and press the fire button.
Sword of Sharpness
This magical sword does even more damage than a claymore sword.
Ring of Protection
This magical ring increases the amount of damage you can take in a
combat. Upon taking this item you will see your hit points increase.
Talisman of the Wyrm
This magical cross will reduce the damage from dragons by half. This
effect accumulates so the more crosses you possess, the less damage
you suffer. A knight should be sure to possess this item before
doing battle with the Dragon.
Scroll of Haste
When this scroll is invoked it will allow you to move twice as far
as you normally could in one day. If cursed with a disease, you will
only travel half your normal distance.
Scroll of Acquisition
This magical scroll will allow you to take one object from another
knight. Upon invoking the scroll you will see the inventory of the
other knights on the right side of the screen. To select a different
knight move the pointer over top of the arrows in the centre strip
and press the fire button. This enables you to rotate through the
knights. When you see the knight you wish to plunder, move the
pointer over top of the item you wish to take him and press the fire
button.
Scroll of the Hawk
When this scroll is invoked it will allow you to move to any
location in the four territories with the exception of Valley of the
Gods . If this scroll has been cursed, you will be teleported to a
random location on the map.
Scroll of the Wyrm
When this scroll is invoked it will force the Dragon to attack
another knight. Using the arrows in the centre strip on the
inventory screen select the knight which you wish target. If the
scroll has been cursed, the knight that invoked the scroll will be
attacked by the Dragon. Be warned!
Scroll of Protection
If you are victim of an unprovoked attack, you will be prompted, if
you so wish, to cast your scroll of protection in order to avoid the
battle. If the scroll has been cursed though, it will cause your
controls to be reversed during battle.
Magic Key
There are four magic keys in the land. You must collect all four
keys in order to enter the Valley of the Gods, there to meet the
Guardian.
Moonstones
You will be awarded a moonstone upon defeating the Guardian within
the Valley of the Gods. There are four possible Moonstones that you
could be awarded. A full Moonstone, new Moonstone, or one of two
half Moonstones (one waxing, one waning). Each Moonstone will double
the amount of hit points you currently have during the proper moon
cycle of the moonstone.
System Requirements
Amiga with 1 megabyte of memory, 1 or 2 joysticks.
Loading Instructions
Insert Moonstone Disk A into drive DF0: and turn your system on.
Knight's Equipment
Each player starts out with padded armour, a long sword, 10 throwing
daggers (a knight can carry up to 10 daggers), and 10 gold pieces (a
knight can carry up to 150 gold pieces). Each knight also begins the
game with a strength, constitution, and endurance rating of 1, and 5
life points.
Game Options
Number of players
Up to 4 players may play Moonstone.
Gore Switch
This allows the player to turn the blood and gory deaths on / off.
Practice
This mode allows 2 players to do battle with each other.
Select Knight
Choose which knight you wish to be. To select a knight simply
highlight the knight you wish to be and press the fire button. This
will prompt you to type in your name if you wish. Once done press
return, or the fire button.
KNIGHT BATTLE MOVES
Combat is done with the joystick(s). When the fire button is not
pressed, the joystick moves the knight around. When the fire button
is pressed, the joystick executes 8 different combat moves. They are
as follows:
1) Throw Knife
This throws one of the knight's throwing daggers.
2) Overhead Chop
This attack does twice the damage of a swing or thrust, but is
easily avoided because of the time it takes to swing the sword.
3) Upward Thrust
Good for hitting opponents jumping over the knight.
4) Thrust Backwards
This is a thrusting attack directed backwards.
5) Swing This attack sweeps the area in front of the knight.
6) Block This defence allows you to block the swing attack.
7) Special Defensive Invokes a special defence move which varies
from monster to monster.
8) Lunge This attack has the longest range apart from daggers.
Throw Overhead Upward
Knife Chop Thrust
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
Thrust -------|------ Swing
Backward / | \
/ | \
/ | \
Block Special Lunge
Defensive
When a knight faces the other way, the controls flip along the
horizontal (i.e. 1 and 3 switch, etc.).
If your knight begins to flicker during a battle, the game is
warning you that you have 10 hit points or less left.
Knight's special defence
Many of the monsters have special attack moves which render you
helpless unless you use your special defence.
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