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→Potions
===Potions===
<p style="text-align: right;">(Page 41)</p>
One form of magic that is still strong in the West is the brewing of elixirs that can have a variety of beneficial effects on the imbiber. By far the most common of these draughts are healing potions, which can instantly mend torn flesh and knit broken bone back together. Mana potions are infused with raw magical energy to restore the abilities of spell casters that have expended their power. The old church is sure to have a strong supply of both types of potions, as the clergy used them to care for the sick and wounded. Locals skilled in herbcraft may also be able to supply your character with potions, for the right price. It’s known that the greatest of the Horadrim alchemists created strange concoctions that permanently affected the drinker.
''To drink a potion, right-click on it when it is on your belt or in your backpack. You can also use the potion’s hotkey if it is on your character’s belt.''
===Scrolls===
By carefully preparing special parchment with magical inks, a focus for spells can be created. Such magical scrolls provide the reader with the ability to cast a spell that they normally may not know, without expending any mana. Very powerful spells cannot be used by the untrained, however, for the cryptic symbols upon them are difficult to comprehend. The act of casting the spell drains the scroll of all magical power and causes the parchment to crumble to dust instantly.
''To cast a spell from a scroll, either right-click on a scroll that your character is carrying, or use the Speedbook to prepare the spell. Spells from scrolls will appear on a red background.''
====Books====
<p style="text-align: right;">(Page 42)</p>
More valuable than gold to any sorcerer, books may contain clues to quests, spell formulas, or other pieces of knowledge. The time of the Horadrim is considered to be the greatest age of magic, when untold discoveries in the arcane arts were made. These powerful mystics used every ounce of power at their command to preserve humanity. Although the Eastern mage-clans keep watch over vast libraries of magical tomes, it is suspected that a great part of this knowledge was lost when the last of the Horadrim died. There may be lost works beneath the church that could bring some of these ancient magics to light…
''You can discover a book’s contents by left-clicking on it when your character discovers it. Books that contain spell formulas can be carried by your character to trade - or to study. Rightclicking on such books will increase your ability with a specific spell. No single book can teach your character all that there is to know about a spell, however. The more books that your character reads on a specific spell, the greater his or her ability with spell will become. Mastering a spell requires intimate knowledge of the ways of magic, This is reflected by an increasing magic requirement to memorize the spell.''
====Gold====
During the long reign of peace that existed in Khanduras most towns and cities agreed upon a standard gold coin to use in trade. The Church of Zakarum has tried to have its own currency accepted as the new standard, but so far it has gained little acceptance. Although it would seem that the minions of the Three would have no use for gold coins, many demons hoard all the wealth that they can find.
''To drop a specific number of coins, right-click on gold in your character’s inventory. Type in the amount of gold that you wish your character to drop, and press the Enter key.''
==Spells and Magic==
<p style="text-align: right;">(Page 44)</p>
===The Nature of Magic===
{|align="right"
|<center>“Either slain thou shalt gain<br>
heaven, or conquering thou<br>
shalt enjoy the earth.<br>
Therefore arise, son of Kunti,<br>
unto battle, making a firm<br>
resolve.<br>
Holding pleasure and pain<br>
alike, gain and loss, victory<br>
and defeat, then gird thyself for<br>
battle: thus thou shalt not get<br>
evil.”</center>
<p style="text-align: right;">- The Bhagavad Gita</p>
|}Magic is an extremely powerful force, the manipulation of which is carefully studied, frequently learned, but it is never fully mastered. Enchantments exude an aura that can be sensed by many, but years of training are required to properly exploit the Mana that pervades our world.
Some scholars use natural manifestations to explain the workings of the universe. In a common archetype, the physical
world is likened to the sky while the ethereal realm of magic is set as the ocean. If we follow this line of thought, spells are much like the turbulence that occurs where the two interact with each other. During the Sin War, Demon and Angel alike wrought powerful magicks that threatened to tear the fabric of reality apart. The physical and magical realms began to blur and merge, which, in our archetype, would be the equivalent of a fierce hurricane.
The Forces of Order sought to preserve our reality by limiting the power of mortal man. As a consequence, only the strongest wills can harness more than the most basic of magical effects. Even then, much energy is lost in the transition of power between the two Realms. As a practitioner of the arcane arts grows more knowledgeable he is able to create these effects with greater efficiency, resulting in spells that are more potent, have more endurance and drain less Mana in their casting.
===Firebolt===
<p style="text-align: right;">(Page 45)</p>
The true essence of Fire lies at the edge of Energy and Matter. It is, therefore, a fairly simple matter to shape Mana into a magical flame. Controlling a bolt of this fire as it flies towards its target is another matter entirely. As experience and knowledge with this spell grows, both the intensity of the flame and the speed of the bolt can be increased with the caster feeling less exertion.
===Inferno===
Inferno sacrifices the mobility of a Firebolt for pure damaging power. Rather than attempting to control the path and
cohesiveness of a single bolt, the caster conjures forth an individual, focused stream of flame. Although it dissipates
beyond more than a few paces, with a greater understanding of the forces at work the stream of fire can not only be
extended a significant amount, but also can be maintained for a few moments more. The heat of an Inferno is more intense than that of a Firebolt as more Mana is being converted into essential energy.
===Wall of Fire===
Magical fire feeds upon no earthly source, being fueled instead by the mystic energies known as Mana. While the heat of
conjured flames may cause normal matter to combust and burn on its own, the flames themselves will burn as long they
have Mana to draw upon. By carefully controlling the flow of Mana to a magical fire, its life-span can be extended well
beyond that of a Firebolt or an Inferno. The Horadrim were skilled enough to create torches that burn with an eternal
flame, but those abilities have been long lost. With this spell, the caster creates a wall of eldritch flame that will burn until the Mana in that area has been exhausted. As knowledge of this spell increases, the rate at which Mana must be consumed can be better controlled and the Wall of Fire can be made to burn longer.
===Charged Bolt===
<p style="text-align: right;">(Page 46)</p>
{|align="right"
|<center>“When all magic fails, rely on
three feet of steel and a strong
arm…”</center>
|}The true essence of Electromagnetism exists on the threshold of the Ethereal and the Physical Realms. While it is very efficient to transform Mana into electrical energy, it is extremely difficult to control. This spell calls into being multiple pockets of lightning which seem to have a will of their own. The caster is able to shield himself from the effects of these charges, but any creature - friend or foe - may be struck. Greater understanding of this spell allows more of these Charged Bolts to be formed, and their existence will be maintained for a longer period of time. The physical toll on the caster, however, increases as well, requiring more Mana to be spent.
===Lightning===
The caster of this spell seeks to control the discharge of electrical energy by focusing it into a single stream of Lightning. The effects of channeling this powerful force of nature onto an unprotected creature are awesome indeed. With experience, these bolts of lightning may be maintained for a longer period of time while requiring less Mana to be used.
===Flash===
The Flash spell was created to fight the servants of Baal, whose minions prefer to surround their enemies and attack from all sides simultaneously. To properly form most incantations, the caster must be able to concentrate long enough to complete the necessary invocations and gestures. With this spell, the caster draws in as much Mana as possible as quickly as possible from the surrounding area and concentrates it into a single point within his own body. This Mana is then released in a single burst of raw energy that dissipates very rapidly – and very violently. While this spell is usable only in close combat, it is extremely potent and will strike creatures on all sides of the caster.
===Holy Bolt===
<p style="text-align: right;">(Page 47)</p>
While the Horadrim were the greatest mortal spell casters ever known, not all of the followers of the Light were as proficient in magic as they were. During the quest to bind Mephisto, common soldiers were hard pressed to combat the seemingly endless tides of the undead that guarded the First Brother. During this time, Cathan, a devout priest who was also a fierce warrior, found that by invoking the powers of the High Heavens and then infusing them with the essence of Fire, a bolt of great speed and intensity could be created and used by those otherwise untrained in the use of magic. This Holy Bolt harms only the undead, making it far safer to use while on a chaotic battlefield.
===Healing===
The art of self healing is an invaluable ability, and it is for this reason that this spell has been preserved throughout the ages. When cast, Mana courses through the body, instantly knitting broken bone, replacing torn tissue and reducing the effects of shock and fatigue. With time, this spell can be developed to the point that it can instantly restore even those on the brink of death. The ability to heal others is much rarer, and those that can do so are greatly respected.
===Resurrect===
During the assault upon Mephisto's Fortress of Bone, the army led by the Horadrim was nearly overwhelmed by the legions
of the damned. As soon as one of the crusaders was slain in combat, his body would rise again as an undead warrior to
fight against his former companions. On the eve of what was to be the final attack upon the Fortress, a mysterious figure in white appeared before the Council of the Horadrim. This apparition revealed to them the secret of piercing the barrier between Life and Death. By Resurrecting the slain soldiers, they could be saved from eternal corruption. Those present at the Council swore an oath never to use this ability once the battle was over, but somehow the secret escaped. This spell has the power to bring a dead soul back to the physical world, but it must be performed at the site of the person’s death.
===Identify===
<p style="text-align: right;">(Page 48)</p>
Any object imbued with magic exhibits an aura that is easily noticed. To determine the exact nature of this enchantment, however, requires intense study and an extensive knowledge of arcane materials and symbols. While none have mastered the ability to memorize a spell of this magnitude, the Vizjerei have developed a means for the untrained to discover the secrets of an ensorcelled object by using a rare crystal that is extremely sensitive to magical
auras. This sensitivity makes it very fragile, however and the crystal will shatter if it is brought too close to an enchanted item. The very act of Identifying such an object also destroys the crystal. Scrolls and staves have been crafted that can be used to Identify magical auras. By using special inks and dyes that contain tiny grains of these crystals, the stability of the crystal is maintained until it is used to examine the enchanted object.
===Town Portal===
The Horadrim constructed numerous magical gateways between the mighty fortresses so that they could quickly concentrate their defenses against any incursion by the Demons. With but a thought, the Crusaders of the Light could transport themselves to predetermined destinations many leagues apart. Although the secret of creating these gateways has been long lost, it is still possible to use the pathways that are already in place. A Portal opened by means of this spell will always take the caster to the location of the nearest gate and remain open long enough to bring
the caster back to his point of origin. The Church of Tristram is built upon the remains of a Horadrim monastery, and it is quite probable that a gateway lies nearby.
===Telekinesis===
This versatile spell is derived from a training exercise that was used by the Horadrim. Once they reached a certain point in their training, acolytes were bound and locked in a cell, with the key to the door lying on the floor in front of them. The student had to unlock and open the door without being able to physically move. Through intense concentration and fine control, the acolyte could manipulate the key as if it was held by an invisible hand. Those that were able to open the cell door were allowed to proceed to the next level of training. There is some speculation as to the fate of those unfortunates that lacked the magical prowess to escape. Today, this spell serves as a reminder that what was once a simple mental exercise for the Horadrim is now a difficult spell known by few sorcerers. Telekinesis could prove very useful in the labyrinth, as there are many trapped doors and chests that could be safely
opened from a distance. By exerting greater force, at a cost in fine control, creatures can also be pushed away from the caster.
==Beastiary==
<p style="text-align: right;">(Page 50)</p>
{|align="right"
|<center>“All things roll here: horrors of<br>
midnights,<br>
campaigns of a lost year<br>
Dungeons disturbed, and<br>
groves of lights;<br>
Echoing on these shores, still<br>
clear,<br>
Dead ecstasies of questing<br>
knightsyet<br>
how the wind revives us<br>
here!”</center>
<p style="text-align: right;">- Arthur Rimbaud</p>
|}Accurate reports on the nature of the horrors that lie below the church come to light more rarely than survivors. I have attempted to provide a base knowledge of what awaits you by searching through our vast libraries for historical and scientific tomes recounting the Horadrim’s epic war against the Three.
I have summarized the information that I discovered. Due to the length of time that has passed since most of the original accounts were written, and the uncertainty surrounding the present evil that plagues this land, I cannot guarantee the veracity of this information. I do, however, believe that this information is as accurate as possible under these trying circumstances.
It is known that the Three Brothers often acted through personal servants. While I would not classify all of these servants as Demons, they do represent the most horrible aspects of their Masters. What follows is what has been documented concerning the creatures that were known to serve the Brothers during their reign of evil. It should be noted that in their battle against the Seraphim, the Brothers would constantly twist and change their servants to best resist the powers that they were facing. Two demons of the same physical shape may have dramatically different weaknesses, depending upon the whims of their Master. The specific species described herein were those most commonly encountered by the Horadrim.
Take the greatest of care when journeying through the cursed lands. It is well known that the creatures of Darkness are a cowardly lot, and will attack using strength of numbers to their advantage whenever possible. I fear the knowledge contained herein is incomplete, at best, for there were no living witnesses of the most powerful horrors. If one of the Three has truly come free of his binding, he will call as many of these infernal servants to him as possible, as well as creating new and more powerful minions to command.
Vischar Orous<br>
Chief Librarian<br>
Zharesh Covenant<br>
Brotherhood of the Vizjerei
The Minions of Darkness fall into three categories, and are divided according to their masters. Study these words well, for this knowledge may be all that keeps your immortal soul from being devoured by the denizens of the underworld.
===Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred ''(Odium)''===
<p style="text-align: right;">(Page 51)</p>
{|align="right"
|<center>“I am Yesterday, Today, and<br>
Tomorrow, and I have the<br>
power to be born a second time.<br>
I am the divine hidden Soul<br>
who created the gods and gives<br>
sepulchral meals to the denizens<br>
of the deep, the place of the<br>
dead, and heaven...Hail, lord<br>
of the shrine that stands in the<br>
center of the earth. He is I, and<br>
I am he!”</center>
<p style="text-align: right;">-Egyptian Book of the Dead</p>
|}The legions of Mephisto are driven by a hatred of all living things - especially those who are pure of heart. He counts as minions both the walking dead, who forever seek vengeance upon the living, as well as a host of demonically corrupted creatures whose twisted limbs and misshapen bodies leave
them in eternal agony and rage.
====Skeletons ''(Ossium Animatum)''====
These are the skeletal remains of warriors who either died as soldiers in some dark campaign, or were betrayed by those they most trusted. Now animated by unnatural forces, these troops of the Damned forever seek new recruits to join their ranks. If our greatest fears do prove to be true, the skeletal warriors that are rumored to haunt the town of Tristram might well be the corrupted remains of the valiant Horadrim monks laid to rest in the catacombs beneath the church. Only an incredibly potent evil could have disturbed the peaceful slumber of these eremites.
Skeletons are usually found in places where the dead are laid to rest or at the sites of great battles. While physically fragile, they are never lacking in numbers, for those that fall to them in combat are damned to an eternal lust for living blood. Coupled with their unthinking rage, this makes them a
dangerous opponent.
====Zombies, ''(Cibus Animatus)''====
<p style="text-align: right;">(Page 52)</p>
Worm-ridden and reeking of foul decay, Zombies are formed from the corpses of men executed for committing the most depraved and degenerate crimes against the innocent. They are driven by both the hatred that consumed them in life and an insatiable hunger for the flesh of the living.
Tenacious and possessing stamina of infernal origin, Zombies and their ilk make for a difficult encounter. Fortunately, these undead minions are lacking in both wit and mobility which can be used to great affect against them.
====Overlords ''(Tyrannus Pinguis)''====
Even the Seraphim are not immune to the corruption of the Dark Lords. One such angel, Inarius, was proud of his beauty and boasted loudly of his purity and worth. His thoughts became so clouded that he believed himself to be above both Angel and Demon, and he left the High Heavens to form his own dominion. He constructed a great cathedral of mirrored glass and crystal, and followers flocked to him, drawn by his numinous charm and wealth. Once Inarius had gathered a sizable army, he decided to prove his power.
Inarius first laid siege to an infernal temple devoted to the worship of Mephisto, but made the foolish mistake of overestimating his prowess. The armies of Inarius laid waste to the temple and killed the dark monks that dwelled within. The Three Evils had considered the vain warrior a mere nuisance and amusement until this time, but this was an insult that they could not bear.
Mephisto himself is said to have appeared at the cathedral of Inarius. He laid waste to the church and the surrounding countryside. The Lord of Hatred took the proud archangel and his followers captive. He bound Inarius with tremendous chains and slowly tore the wings from the back of the angel. Great barbed hooks were then used to stretch out the once glowing skin and his features were distorted by vile powers. Many of the followers of Inarius were given as gifts to Baal and Diablo, but the rest were molded to match the bloated image of the now crippled angel. To this day, Inarius is said to be trapped in Hell within a chamber of mirrors, his eyelids torn from his face as he is forced to gaze upon his misshapen form for all eternity. His misguided followers now serve as Hell’s taskmasters, taking the anguish of their lost glory out upon the bodies of others.
<p style="text-align: right;">(Page 53)</p>
These grotesque demons have considerable brawn hidden beneath their layers of greasy flab. Do not underestimate their strength or their intelligence for crossing swords with them is ill advised. You will be far better served to combat them with ranged weapons or magic.
====Magma Demons ''(Dominus Ardor)''====
During the Great Conflict tremendous battles were fought in both the High Heavens and the Burning Hells. Both sides often carried the conflict deep within the realms of their enemies. During one epic battle into the very heart of Mephisto’s fiery lair, a group of brave Seraphim warriors fronted an assault against the Lord of Hatred himself. One of these angelic soldiers made a bold attack and struck a fierce blow that caused the foul blood of Mephisto to rain upon the ground. Each drop that fell seared through the crust of Hell itself and formed powerful demons shaped from molten rock. These demons quickly rose to the aid of their master, and drove back the forces of Light by striking them with thrown masses of lava that seared both flesh and bone with the intensity of the Burning Hells. The losses dealt by these Magma Demons were tremendous.
===Baal, Lord of Destruction ''(Excidium)''===
<p style="text-align: right;">(Page 54)</p>
{|align="right"
|<center>“O Rose thou art sick<br>
the invisible worm<br>
that flies in the night<br>
in the howling storm:<br>
has found out thy bed<br>
of crimson joy:<br>
and his dark secret love<br>
does thy life destroy.”</center>
<p style="text-align: right;">-William Blake</p>
|}The soldiers of Baal seek the undoing of the universe. They strive for ultimate disorder and destruction, and to this end covet the destruction of all they behold. Order is an abhorrence to them and these creatures are the manifestation of the forces of chaos.
====Fallen Ones ''(Nanus Improbus)''====
Swarms of these impish terrors have been known to come out of the night and tear apart a sleeping village in minutes. Small of stature and simian in appearance, these creatures possess surprising strength and unnatural agility. Other than killing, the only act which gives them pleasure is breeding, so
expect to encounter them in large packs.
The small size of these devils does fill them with cowardice, however, and this fear can be used against them. They prefer to attack under the guise of darkness and in large numbers whenever possible. If they are shown great strength, preferably by killing one of their kind, they will retreat and regroup. Do not turn your back on them, though, for their appetite for destruction will eventually overcome their caution and they will attempt to strike again.
====Goat Men ''(Aries Vehemens)''====
<p style="text-align: right;">(Page 55)</p>
The lieutenants of Baal are bred for strength, endurance, and cunning. These demons constantly train themselves in the art of war, for battle is their bread and the blood of innocents, their water. There are several known “clans” of Goat Men, each given a different gift from their Dark Master. It is believed that to earn their powers they once held mock wars in Hell for the entertainment of the Three Brothers. Do not expect them to fight amongst themselves on the mortal realm, however, for they much prefer to slaughter the innocent.
Like most of Baal’s spawn, the bestial Aries are incredibly strong and agile. Be especially wary of their archers, for they are renowned for the accuracy and power of their great bows. Fleet of foot, they may try to evade an unwary foe and then attack from a different angle.
==The Great Conflict==