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                                  PRESENTS
                    SECRET OF THE SILVER BLADES RULE BOOK
                      
                         Amigatized by Orage Rouge
                Thanks to Lazarus Long/NASA for the original!

         Introduction.
 
Welcome to the Official Advanced Dungeons and Dragons computer product,
Secret of the Silver Blades, a Forgotten Realms Fantasy role-playing
epic.  This game is based on the rules and background created by TSR, Inc.
and a story line created especially for this game.

The people of New Verdigris have uncoverd an ancient evil that threatens
to close forever the mine that is their livelihood.  In desperation the
miners gathered up the whole of their treasury and sacrificed it to the
Well of Knowledge, beseeching the ancient artifact to send them heroes to 
combat the monsters -- Your Party of adventurers are those heroes.
 
When you regain your senses after being brought to the Well of Knowledge,
the Mayor of New Verdigris explains that the mining town is desperate for
heroes to save it from the evil that has been unearthed.  The mayor will 
give you several magical items and money to purchase equipment.  You should
distribute the items to the members of your party and then go into the town
to finish outfitting your adventurers.

             Transfering Characters from Curse of the Azure Bonds


Secret of the Silver Blades will accept characters which were created and
played in Curse of the Azure Bonds, to transfer charcters use the
REMOVE CHARACTER FROM PARTY command in the Party Creation Menu
to take characters from their adventuring parties, then use the
ADD CHARACTER TO PARTY command to put them in a Secret of the Silver 
Blades party.

           Using Menus


All commands are menu based, and the concept of the active character is
central to the game.  Outside of combat the active character's name is
highlighted on the display.  During combat the active character is 
surrounded with a cursor at the start of his combat segment. 

During combat the active character is chosen automatically according to 
a character's initiative and random factors.  Other times the active
character may be selected by you before choosing commands.

If a command affects the whole party, just select the command.  If the
command effects one character make that character active and then choose
the command.

           Beginning to Play


To begin playing the game you must load a saved game or generate 
characters and band them together into a party.  This first menu
gives you the intial options :
  CREATE A NEW CHARACTER
  ADD CHARACTER TO PARTY
  LOAD SAVED GAME
  EXIT TO DOS

Create New Charcters - is used to build a character.  Detailed information
about character, races, classes and so on is available in the journal.
(The Journal will be released soon! Be Patient - Lazarus).
This command displays the following menus to define the character.
 - Pick Race - lists six races a player-character can be in the Forgotten
Realms.
 - Pick Gender - lists the sex the character can be.  Gender affects
the characters maximum strength.
 - Pick Class - lists the class or classes the character is qualified
for based on race.
 - Pick Alignment - lists all the possible alignments for the character
based on character class.

The computer randomly generates the character's ability scores.
If you are not happy with the character's scores you may roll them again.
Remember that you can use the MODIFY CHARACTER command on the Party
Creation/Hall Menu to change the character's ability scores and hitpoints
( HP ) after the character has been generated.

Name Character - provides a 15 letter space to type in the character's
name.  This name will be automatically saved to disk.

Select Combat Icon - allows you to design the shape that will represent the
character in combat.  Customize this icon to represent the character's
favorite weapon, armor, and colors.  Different computers and graphic
adapters have different capabilites, experiment to create the best icon
for each character.

      Add Character to Party

Allows you to add characters to the party from the saved game disk.
A party is a group of characters composed of up to six player characters
(Called PCs) and up to two non-player characters (called NPCs).  A party
should have a balanced mix of characters with different classes.  You 
will also need to indicate the last game the character adventured in.


           Party Creation/Hall Menu

Drop Character - elimnated a character from the party and erases him
from the saved game disk.  A dropped character may not be recovered.

Modify Character - can change the characters ability scores and HP.
Use Modify Character to change a character generated in Secret of the 
Silver Blades to match a favorite AD&D game character.  A character
cannot be modified once he has begun adventuring

Train Character - (from Hall Menu only) increases a character's level
when he has gained enough experience points (XP).  Choose the character
to train and if he has sufficent XP he will be able to advance one level.
If a character has gained enough XP to advance more than one level,
he will advance one level and then lose all XP in excess of one point
below that required for advancement to the next level.  See the
section on Experience Points in the Journal for an example.
Advancing in levels takes no game time.  When magic-users
advance, they may add a spell to their grimoire (spell book). See
the Maximum Level Limites by Race, Class, and Prime Requisite chart
in the journal for level limites.  There is no charge for training
characters.

Human Change Class - allows human characters to become a dual class
character.  Dual class characters lose the advantages of their
first class until they exceed that level in the new class.
For more information about Dual Class characters look under
character Classes in the Adventurer's Journal.

View Character - displays a character. 

Remove Character from Party - tranfers a character from the party
to the saved game disk.

Save Current Game - stores the current game to the saved disk or
directory.

Begin Adventuring - Starts the Game!!


     Non - Player Characters (NPCs).

During the game the party will encounter non-player characters (NPCs).
They may talk to the party, attack or even offer to join the party.
There are two kinds of NPCs : those who volunteer to join the party
and those who will only give information or fight the party.  NPCs
that join the party are treated like player characters with a few
differences.  The computer commands the NPCs in battle.  They have 
morale.  If things are going badly for the party, NPCs may run!
Items can be traded to some NPCs, but they cannot be traded from
conscious NPCs to other characters.  If an NPC dies however you can 
use the TRADE command on the items Menu to take his items.  Only
TWO NPCs at a time may join the party and they may take a share of all
treasures found.


     Viewing Characters

The View command displays the character summary screen.

Characters have no money at the start of the adventure, although the
Mayor of New Verdigris will give the party some to help outfit them.
The party will accumulate wealth, in the form of gems, jewelry,
and some coins as they go.  The value of gems and jewelry varies,
and can only be determined by having the items appraised.  Coins
always have the same values.  Platinum coins are the most valuable
while gold and copper are more common.  The relative value of each
kind is :
       1 Platinum piece (PP) = 5 Gold pieces (GP) = 10 Electrum pieces
(PP) = 100 Silver pieces (SP) = 1000 Copper pieces (CP).

Encumbrance is the total weight the character is carrying.

Combat movement is how many squares a character can move during
a combat segment.  This is based on his readied armor, strength,
and totaly encumbrance.


      Character Status

OKAY - Status means that the characters has positve HP and can move and
fight normally.

UNCONSCIOUS - Status means that the characters has exactly 0 HP. 
He cannont move or fight, but is in no danger of dying.

DEAD - Status means that the character has kicked the bucket.
Non-elf characters have a chance of being resurrected with a Raise
Dead spell.  The character's chance of being resurrected is influenced 
by his constitution.  See the constitution chart in the journal.

Stoned - Status means that the character has been turned to stone.
The character can be returned to normal with a Stone to Flesh Spell,
which is availble at the temple in New Verdigris.  Magic Users may
also get a Stone to Flesh Spell if they are of high enough level.

Fled - Status means that the character fled from the previous
battle.  After the battle he will rejoin the party.

Gone - Status means that the character has been totally destroyed.
Nothing can bring the character back to life.

From the View Menu several options are available to inspect the active
character.  Not all these commands are available at all times.


    Items Menu

- Ready - is used to change the status of a weapon, armor, or other
item.  Only readied items can be used in combat.  A character
cannot ready more than two hand-held items at once.  Arrows and
crossbow quarrels are assumed to be in a quiver and can be readied
at all times.  Some items may take one or two hands to ready.
Some items can only be readies in either camp or combat.

- USE - Activates an Item.

- Trade - is used to transfer an item from one character to another.
Choose the character to trade to and then choose the item or items
to trade.  Remember that a conscious NPC will not give up an item
once he has it.

- Drop - Permanently removes an item from a character. Dropped items
can NOT be recovered.

- Halve - will divide a bundle of some items into two equal
bundles.

- Join - combines all similar items into one line.  No more
than 255 similar items can be joined on line line.  Some items,
such as poitions, cannot be joined.

- Sell - is described under the Armoury Menu

- ID - is described under the Armoury Menu

- Spells - is a listing of the spells a character has memorized and
can cast.

HEAL - is an ability of Paladins.  Paladins may heal two HP (per level)
of damage a day.  Select the heal command and then select the
character to be healed.  This command is only displayed when a paladin
has a heal available.

CURE - is another ability of Paladins.  A Paladin may perform one
Cure Disease per week at levels 1-5, two cures a week at levels 6-10,
and three cures a week at levels 11-15.  This option is only displayed
if the paladin has a cure available.



          Adventuring

After setting up your party and reading the background information 
in the Adventurer's Journal, it is time to head for adventure,
fame and glory.  During your adventuring the party will engage in
fierce battles, find treasures, and sometimes have to stop, recuperate,
and memorize spells for futre use.

 Adventure Menu.

Move - is used to change the party's facing or to move forward.  The
party can turn right or left, turn around, or move forward.  Normally
each move forward takes one minute of game time.  If the party has 
Search On, each move takes ten minutes.  

Area - Toggles between the Area and 3-D View.  In many regions this
command may not be available.

Cast - displays the Cast menu if the active character is a 
Spell-Caster.  See the Magic section for more infomation.  Some
spells have no effects in combat.

View - Displays the character screen and the View Menu.

Encamp - displays the Encamp menu.

Search - toggles searching on and off.  A party moving with Search off
is a moving at a normal rate of one minute per move.  With Search On
the party takes 10 minutes per move because they are checking for
secret doors, traps, etc.  When a Party has Search On, SEARCH will
be displayed on the screen to the right of the point of view
windows.  Because of the slow speed the chance of random encounters
is also greatly increased.

Look - is used to search an individual square.  A LOOK command acts
as if the party moved into the current square with Search on.

 
   Encamp Menu.

The Encamp Menu includes options like saving the Game, Resting to heal,
and memorize spells, and changing items such as game speed or party
orders.
   REST - Allwos characters to memorize spells and to heal
naturally.  Characters catch their normal sleep without having
to encamp.  When spells are momorized, the intial rest time is
established by the time necessary to memorize any spells selected
from the MEMORIZE command in the Magic Menu.  For every 24 hours
of uninterrupted hours of rest in camp, each wounded character
regains one HP.  Rest can be interrupted by encounters.  If possible
find safe places to take LONG rests, such as the Mayor's Residence
in New Verdigris or places that you are told are safe during the game.

Rest Menu - includes commands Rest,Days,Hours,Minutes,Add,Subtract,and EXIT

Alter Menu - included commands Order, Drop, Speed, Icon, pics, and Game 
Level and Exit.

Fix Command in Encamp Menu - is used to heal many wounded characters
with a single command.  ALl characters with first level clerical 
spells will memorize as many cure light wounds as they can, cast
them on the party, and then rememorize their previous spells
automatically.  FIX takes game time and may be interrupted by an
encounter.  Fix will not return HP to diseased characters, a
Cure Disease spell must first be cast upon them.


   Magic

To get the Magic Menu options, the active character must be able to cast
spells.  Spell-Casters can get a list of their memorized spells
from the Cast option of the Magic Menu or from the Spells option
of the View Menu.  They can get a list of their spells on scrolls
from the SCRIBE option in the magic menu.



    Civilization In The Game..........

The Mining town of new Verdigris will provide many valuable services
and supplies for the adventurer.  In the town you will find an armour,
hall, temple, bar, and the Mayor's and Mage's Residences.

The Mayor's Residence - is a good place to rest and gather information.
He will inform you of anything the people of New Verdigris have learned
since your last visit.  Whenever the party is in town, the mayor will
provide a safe place to rest and memorize spells.  While staying with
the mayor, the party may safely encamp to memorize spells and regain HP!

The Armoury - Provides a place to buy and sell equipment using the 
Armoury Menu of Buy, View, Take, Pool (to pool Money), Share,
appraise, and exit.

The Mage's House - is where you go to purchase magic items.  The
options that appear are similar to those in the Armoury Menu.

The Hall - is where the characters can advance levels.  Here you can
modify the party using the Party Creation / Hall Menu.

The Temple - offers healing spells and performs other clerical
services.  The commands on the Temple Menu are the same as those on
the Armoury Menu and the addition of the Heal Command.

The Bar - is a rowdy place full of gossip, stories, and information.
Buy a round of drinks and listen to the stories and pinch the Bar Maid's
Butt.

The Vault - will store money and equipment for you.  You may also
convert platinum pieces into gems.  One hundred platinum pieces
will usually buy you one gem. There is no charge for this service.

The Old Man - in New Verdigris is a valuable source of information
and clues.  All you have to do is FIND him.

The Well of Knowledge - is another valuable source to the players.
This Powerfull magic place is where the people of New Verdigris
wished for warriors (you) to combat the menace of evil.  The well
will also answer queries you may have about your adventure.
To gain information from the well you will need to feed it with
100 Gems before gaining information (expensive huh ? )

The Location of the Well is on the map of New Verdigris Area found
in the Journal.
        
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
        CALL: Destruction's Realm               (708) 474-4280
              Das Reich Zerstörung                 TRSI US HQ
              Le Royaume De la Destruction        Elites Only!
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<



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