This document is provided by HARDWARE HEISTER and input by BELLE STARR, for
your playing pleasure.

			%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
			%  ARCHON DOCUMENTATION  %
			%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
			       INTRODUCTION
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

THE GAME.  ARCHON depicts the eternal struggle between Light and Darkness as a
contest of action and stategy between opposing forces wrought from myth and
legend.  The Light Side and the Dark Side are equal in number, balanced in
strength, but not identical.  Their aim, however, is the same:	conquest of the
five "power points" or the elimination of the opposite side.

ICONS.	The various fantastic creatures at your command are represented by
specific images - "icons" - stylized pictures of knights, goblins, manticores,
and the like.  There are 18 icons - a total of eight different kinds on each
side.  None of yours are identical to any of the icons on the other side.

THE TWO SCREENS.  ARCHON is played on two screens.  On one - the strategy
screen - you and your opponent take turns maneuvering your icons into favorable
positions.  When you place an icon on a square already occupied by one of your
opponent's icons, the game shifts temporarily to the second display, the combat
arena.

HOSTILITIES.  In old-fashioned and - admit it - somewhat dull board games
(chess, backgammon, and their ilk), the "defending" piece gets removed quietly
from the board, and the "attacker" wins the "battle" - and the square -without
a blow being struck.  In ARCHON, we do not allow such docility, such rank
defeatism on the part of the defender.	No!  If you want that square, you have
to fight for it!  When you try to occupy a square held by the enemy, the
disputed square expands to fill the entire screen ...  and then, in the words
of a certain orange-skinned monster of comic-book fame, "IT'S CLOBBERIN'
TIME!!!"

THE LUMINOSITY CYCLE.  ARCHON's strategy screen *changes*.  While some squares
are always white or always black, others - "luminance" squares - vary in
brightness throughout the game in a simple pattern:  black-dark-barely
dark-barely light-light-white...  and reverse.	Back and forth, throughout the
game, the cycle continues, the luminance shifting after every other turn.  Your
fortunes in the game tend to ebb and flow with the luminosity cycle.  This is
because icons of the Light Side are harder to defeat on light squares than on
dark ones.  conversely, DarkSide icons are stronger on dark squares and weakest
on white ones.

POWER POINTS.  The five "power points" are indicated on the screen by flashing
red symbols.  Icons on power points heal faster than usual and are protected
from the effects of magic spells.  If your icons occupy all five power points,
you win the game.


MOVEMENT.  If the hollow square or "frame" is on your side, it's your turn.
(Simple, eh?) Use your joystick to move the frame atop the icon you want.  Once
you push the button to confirm your choice, you >must move that icon
somewhere<.  (If an icon has nowhere to go, the computer will not allow you to
"pick it up".) Once you move the icon to its destination (again with the
joystick), push the button again, and the obedient image will freeze in place.
Movement comes in three flavors:  ground, fly, and teleport.  Ground movers
cannot move through occupied squares; fliers are restricted only in where they
land.  fliers can also move diagonally; ground icons cannot.  Only the Wizard
and the Sorceress can teleport, but for practical purposes you can think of
them as fliers in disguise.  On any turn, you can move an icon as far as its
range allows in any direction or comtination of directions.  It can stop on any
square not already occupied by one of your own icons.  Note:  If you change
your mind while maneuvering a ground mover, you must backtrack.  Otherwise, the
computer, being very literal-minded, will assume you are trying to extend your
move unlawfully.

COMBAT.  Action in the combat arena is immediate and simultaneous; there is no
taking turns.  Joysticks direct movement of the icons.	Pressing the button
initiates an attack - swinging a sword, firing an arrow, casting a fireball -
in the direction the joystick is pointed.  You can attack or move in any of
eight directions:  up, down, left, right, and the four diagonals.  Important:
your icon cannot move while the button is pressed.  Combat is of three general
types.	Knights and Goblins are sword-swingers and club-wielders; they must be
very near an opponent to inflict damage.  The Banshee and the Phoenix inflict
damage in a circular area around themselves; the longer the opposing icon is in
that circle, the greater the damage it sustains.  Such "area" attacks need not
be aimed.  All the other icons "throw" missiles of some sort and can,
consequently, do damage from a considerable distance.  See the Quick Reference
Card for a detailed comparison of the speed of and damage done by the different
missiles.

THE ATTACK INTERVAL.  while combat is fast and furious, you can't just fire
away as fast as your finger twitches.  It takes a moment to raise a sword into
position to strike; longer to conjure even a fast fireball; and the better part
of two whole seconds (!) to rip a boulder out of the ground and lift it high
enough to throw.  Pushing the button before your icon is ready to strike will
accomplish nothing - except to keep your icon from moving.  At the exact
instant you can launch another attack, the computer rings a bell - a high note
for the Light Side, and lower one for the Dark Side - to let you know.

BARRIERS.  The obstacles or barriers in the arena go through luminosity cycles
of their own.  Be careful; they can be as tricky as an opponent!  Normally, a
barrier is impenetrable.  However, when its cycle changes a barrier's
luminosity to exactly match the color of the background, the barrier disappears
...  for a few seconds.  You can walk over it, shoot past it, anything.  It's
gone.  Furthermore, for a few seconds before a barrier vanishes and after it
reappears, you can walk or fire a missile through it, but you (or the missile)
will be slowed down.  If this seems at all confusing, just remember that the
more solid a barrier looks, the more solid it is.  If you have any doubts,
avoid the barriers entirely - and get out of the way of oncoming missiles.

LIFE, DEATH, AND WOUNDS.  The "lifelines" at either end of the arena indicate
the current lifespan of the two battling icons.  When an icon is wounded, its
matching lifeline is reduced in proportion to the severity of the wound.  When
its lifeline is gone, the icon is "dead" and combat is over.  A victorious icon
returns to the strategy screen in control of the disputed square.  However, a
seriously wounded icon is easier to defeat the next time it is forced to fight.
Even the strongest icon can be worn down by waves of attackers.  On the
strategy screen, wounded icons are healed slowly by the simple passage of time;
more quickly, by resting on a power point; or instantly and completely, by a
Heal spell.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
			      ARCHON - MAGIC SPELLS
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Magic is arguably the most significant strategic element of ARCHON.  Only the
two mages - the Wizard and the Sorceress - can cast spells, and each mage can
cast each spell only once.  While the spells are powerful, they have one
drawback; each spell weakens the mage casting it, leaving that mage
progressively less able to defend itself against direct attack.

A spell may be cast instead of a regular move on the strategy screen.  Simply
move the frame atop your mage, as if you were going to move it.  Push the
button, and the usual message appears.	Without moving the icon, however, just
push the button again, and you will get a new message:	SELECT YOUR SPELL."
Push the joystick up or down to survey the spells still available, and push the
button when you find the one you want.	If further actions on your part are
required, additional messages will direct you appropriately.  Remember that you
can't conjure the same spell more than once, and you can't cast a spell against
power points or icons on them.	Details are given below.

--------------------
TELEPORT

EFFECT:  This spell moves-teleports-any one of your icons any distance from one
square on the strategy screen to another.

ACTIONS REQUIRED:  After selecting the spell, move the frame to the icon you
want; push the button; and then move the icon to its destination-just as if it
were a normal move.

RESTRICTIONS:  You cannot move an enemy icon.  You cannot move onto a square
already occupied by one of your own icons (as usual).  You cannot teleport onto
or off a power point.  You cannot teleport an imprisoned icon.	(See IMPRISON.)

ADDITIONAL NOTES:  Do not confuse this spell with a mage's normal three-square
movement.  That is minor magic, on the same order as casting fireballs, and is
not bound by the restrictions of the seven major spells.

------------
HEAL

EFFECT:  This spell instantly heals any icon of all wounds it has sustained in
the cambat arena.

ACTIONS REQUIRED:  After selecting the spell, move the frame to the wounded
icon, and push the button.

RESTRICTIONS:  You cannot heal an icon resting on a power point.  You can
"heal" an already healthy icon, but why bother?

------------
SHIFT TIME

EFFECT:  Two effects are possible.  Most often, the spell reverses the flow of
time:  i.e., the direction of the luminosity cycle of the delta squares.
Squares that had been growing gradually darker would now grow lighter-until the
cycle peaked.  However, if the spell is cast when the luminosity cycle is at
either peak, Shift Time will cause the cycle to shift abruptly to the opposite
extreme (from black to white, or vice versa).

ACTIONS REQUIRED:  None after selecting the spell.

RESTRICTIONS:  None.

--------------
EXCHANGE

EFFECT:  This spell causes any two icons on the strategy screen to trade
places.

ACTIONS REQUIRED:  Move the frame to one of the icons you wis h to transpose,
and push the button.  Then do the same to the other icon.

RESTRICTIONS:  Neither icon can be imprisoned or on a power point.

--------------
SUMMON ELEMENTAL

EFFECT:  This spell allows you to attack any enemy icon with a new, temporary
icon representing one of four elementals-animated spirits of the ancient
elements of earth, air, fire, and water.  Combat is conducted in the combat
arena as usual, except that the elemental vanishes after the battle, win or
lose.

ACTIONS REQUIRED:  Once the spell is selected and the elemental appears on your
side of the strategy screen, move it to the icon you wish to attack.  In the
combat arena, direct the elemental just as you would any other icon.

RESTRICTIONS:  You cannot attack an icon on a power point.  You cannot direct
the elemental to a vacant square or one occupied by one of your own icons.  You
cannot choose which elemental will respond to your summons.

-------------
REVIVE

EFFECT:  This spell restores to the game an icon previously lost in combat.

ACTIONS REQUIRED:  the procedure is similar to a Teleport spell or a normal
move, except that the revived icon comes from a special display by the side of
the strategy screen, and its destination must be a vacant square next to the
mage.

RESTRICTIONS:  You cannot "revive" an icon not already dead.  One of the
squares adjoining your mage must be vacant, and you must put the revived icon
on one of those vacant squares.

------------
IMPRISON

EFFECT:  This spell keeps an icon on the strategy screen from leaving its
square.  The icon can fight its attackers in the combat arena, but it cannot be
moved off its square.  Important:  an imprisoned mage cannot cast spells!
Imprisonment is temporary.  A Dark Side icon would remain imprisoned until the
delta squares turn black; a Light Side icon would be freed when delta squares
turn white.

ACTIONS REQUIRED:  Once the spell is cast, move the frame to the target icon,
and push the button.

RESTRICTIONS:  You cannot imprison an icon on a power point.  You cannot
imprison any icon at a time when the luminosity cycle would automatically free
it.

---------------
CEASE CONJURING

This is not a spell; it is a way to avoid casting a spell if you miscalculate.
If you change your mind while selecting a spell, or if the spell you want is
unavailable or canceled, you may push the button when CEASE CONJURING is
displayed.  This will allow you to start your turn over.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
			 ARCHON - THE OPPOSING FORCES
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

LIGHT SIDE

WIZARD.  An ancient man of vast supernatural power, the WIZARD is the leader of
the Light Side.  In battle, the Wizard casts devastating balls of fire.  He
rarely ventures from the safety of his home power point, however, and is more
commonly used to cast on of the seven spells.

UNICORN.  Resembling a great white horse with the tail of a lion and a sharp,
spiral horn set at its brow, the UNICORN is swift and agile.  The beautiful
creature can fire a blinding bolt of energy from its magical horn.

ARCHERS.  The ARCHERS are fearless Amazon warriors of legendary skill with
their fine whitewood bows.  They are endowed with magical quivers that can
never be emptied.

GOLEM.	A GOLEM is an artificial being, shaped from stone and gleaming metal,
and animated by magic.	Roughly man-shaped, it is huge, twice the height of a
man.  Its weapons are boulders ripped from the earth and hurled with
devastating force.

VALKYRIES.  VALKYRIES are beauteous blonde war maidens from the legions of
Valhalla.  Each of these ferocious females is endowed with two great magical
gifts:	first, the ability to stride the air as if it were solid ground; and,
second, an enchanted spear, which, when thrown, returns to her hand of its own
accord.

DJINNI.  The DJINNI is a magical being from another dimension, a plane of
tempest and storm.  In form he is a huge superbly muscled man whose body is
partly flesh and partly swirling currents of air.  A cousin to the wind itself,
the Djinni can raise a smnall tornado with a gesture and control it with a
thought.

PHOENIX.  The PHOENIX is a flaming bird of immense size and power.  In battle
it can explode into a seething mass of fire, scorching anyone on the perimeter
of the blaze and burning severly any enemy unfortunate enough to be caught near
the incandescent core.	Not only is the Phoenix unscathed by its own flames,
but, while undergoing its fiery metamorphosis, it cannot be harmed by any
attack known.

KNIGHTS.  The KNIGHTS are foot soldiers armed and armored against foes far
larger than themselves.  Although they cannot withstand more than one blow from
many of their enemies, they need not be mere cannon (or dragon) fodder.
Provided they are swift and clever, their speed of attack gives them a chance
to survive and triumph.

-------------------------
DARK SIDE

SORCERESS.  The equal of the old Wizrd only in power, the eternally young and
ever beautiful SORCERESS is his counterpart in all ways.  Her lightning bolts
are swifter and surer than his fireballs, if a shade less potent.  fierce in
battle but safest on the black power point, she is most often used to cast the
seven spells.

BASILISK.  The BASILISK is a small, crested reptile with the scaly body of a
lizard and the bulbous, glowing eyes of a gorgon.  Although it is relatively
short-lived, the beast's quick movements and deadly glance make it a terrifying
opponent.

MANTICORE.  The MANTICORE resembles a large, golden lion with a human face and
a scorpion's thorny tail.  This nasty appendage bristles with great quills like
spikes, which the fell beast can fling over its head with surprising accuracy.

TROLL.	A dweller in caves and dark places, the misshapen TROLL is a shambling
giant, dull but strong, clumsy but hard to slay.  Like the Golem, if carries no
ready-made weapons; instead, it seizes boulders, tree trunks-whatever comes to
hand-and catapults the massive objects at its enemies.

SHAPESHIFTER.  The SHAPESHIFTER is a doppleganger, a demonic creature without
true shape or form, save what it steals from its enemies.  In battle it becomes
the mirror image of its opponent, strongest on squares where its enemy is
weakest, turning the enemy's powers against itself.  It has no fixed lifespan;
all wounds that do not prove fatal will heal as soon as it assumes a new form.

DRAGON.  The DRAGON, a monstrous, serpentine reptile, is without peer in the
combat arena.  One gout of its flaming breath will kill many creatures, and a
second blast is almost always fatal.  Highly mobile and very difficult to slay,
its awesome powers make it second in value only to the Sorceress.

BANSHEE.  The BANSHEE is an undead spirit that feeds off the souls of her
opponents, a ghastly apparition that attacks with her keening wail, draining
the life from anyone in range of the sound (the shaded area around her).
Prolonged exposure to the terrifying shriek can be fatal.

GOBLINS.  GOBLINS are hideous dwarves, twisted of limb and misshapen of
feature, unfriendly and often violent.	Their mutual antagonism is kept in
check only by the powers of the Sorceress.  On dark ground their gnarled clubs
are more than a match for the swords of the Knights, and if well-directed they
can bring down the most potent of enemies.


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
			  ARCHON QUICK REFERENCE CHART
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

THE LIGHT SIDE


WIZARD	      MOVEMENT: 	Teleport-3
	      SPEED:		Normal
	      ATTACK MODE:	Fireball
	      ATTACK FORCE:	Great
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Medium
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Average
	      LIFESPAN: 	Average
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	1

UNICORN       MOVEMENT: 	Ground-4
	      SPEED:		Normal
	      ATTACK MODE:	Energy bolt
	      ATTACK FORCE:	Moderate
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Fast
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Short
	      LIFESPAN: 	Average
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	2

ARCHER	      MOVEMENT: 	Ground-3
	      SPEED:		Normal
	      ATTACK MODE:	Arrow
	      ATTACK FORCE:	Minor
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Medium
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Average
	      LIFESPAN: 	Short
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	2

GOLEM	      MOVEMENT: 	Ground-3
	      SPEED:		Slow
	      ATTACK MODE:	Boulder
	      ATTACK FORCE:	Great
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Slow
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Long
	      LIFESPAN: 	Long
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	2

VALKYRIE      MOVEMENT: 	Fly-3
	      SPEED:		Normal
	      ATTACK MODE:	Magic spear
	      ATTACK FORCE:	Moderate
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Slow
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Average
	      LIFESPAN: 	Average
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	2

DJINNI	      MOVEMENT: 	Fly3
	      SPEED:		Normal
	      ATTACK MODE:	Whirlwind
	      ATTACK FORCE:	Moderate
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Medium
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Average
	      LIFESPAN: 	Long
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	1

PHOENIX       MOVEMENT: 	Fly-3
	      SPEED:		Normal
	      ATTACK MODE:	Fiery explosion
	      ATTACK FORCE:	Great
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Slow
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Long
	      LIFESPAN: 	Long
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	1

KNIGHT	      MOVEMENT: 	Ground-3
	      SPEED:		Normal
	      ATTACK MODE:	Sword
	      ATTACK FORCE:	Minor
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Instant
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Very short
	      LIFESPAN: 	Short
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	7

---------------------------------------------
THE DARK SIDE


SORCERESS     MOVEMENT: 	Teleport-3
	      SPEED:		Normal
	      ATTACK MODE:	Lightning Bolt
	      ATTACK FORCE:
 Moderate
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Fast
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Average
	      LIFESPAN: 	Average
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	1

BASILISK      MOVEMENT: 	Ground-3
	      SPEED:		Normal
	      ATTACK MODE:	Eye beam
	      ATTACK FORCE:	Great
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Fast
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Short
	      LIFESPAN: 	Short
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	2

MANTICORE     MOVEMENT: 	Ground-3
	      SPEED:		Normal
	      ATTACK MODE:	Tail spikes
	      ATTACK FORCE:	Minor
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Slow
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Average
	      LIFESPAN: 	Average
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	2

TROLL	      MOVEMENT: 	Ground-3
	      SPEED:		Slow
	      ATTACK MODE:	Boulder
	      ATTACK FORCE:	Great
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Slow
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Long
	      LIFESPAN: 	Long
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	2

SHAPESHIFTER  MOVEMENT: 	Fly-5
	      SPEED:		Varies
	      FORCE:		Varies
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Varies
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Varies
	      LIFESPAN: 	Unknown
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	1

DRAGON	      MOVEMENT: 	Fly-4
	      SPEED:		Normal
	      ATTACK MODE:	Fiery breath
	      ATTACK FORCE:	Very great
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Medium
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Long
	      LIFESPAN: 	Very long
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	1

BANSHEE       MOVEMENT: 	Fly-3
	      SPEED:		Normal
	      ATTACKMODE:	Scream
	      ATTACK FORCE:	Moderate
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Instant
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Long
	      LIFESPAN: 	Average
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	2

GOBLIN	      MOVEMENT: 	Ground-3
	      SPEED:		Normal
	      ATTACK MODE:	Club
	      ATTACK FORCE:	Minor
	      ATTACK SPEED:	Instant
	      ATTACK INTERVAL:	Very short
	      LIFESPAN: 	Short
	      NUMBER ON SIDE:	7
-----------------------------------------------
Enjoy! Edited By The Slipped Disk
