Go adventuring in the meanest, darkest, most definitely fatal set of dungeons you ever waved a sword around! There are more monsters in here than you ever dared to have nightmares about!

Fancy meeting a Mind Flayer for instance? How about being sized up by an intellect Devourer? If you live long enough (doubtful!) you might just get to shake hands with Asmodeus! Only once mind...

There is great gold and glory to be had here, but be very, very careful where you tread! You can save your game onto tape at any point if it all gets too much and carry on once you've recovered your nerve...

Find out how good you really are at adventure with this frantic fantasy. Not for the faint of heart or slow of sword!

Cells And Serpents is an adventure game set in an underground labyrinth of rooms. Each of these might contain one of an enormous variety of monsters (which could kill you), treasure or artifacts (which will increase your wealth or magical and physical capabilities). Your aim is to collect as much treasure as possible by delving deeper and deeper into the maze - and staying alive!

The first thing you will be asked is whether you wish to load a previous character. On the first time through the game you will have to key N for No. You will now be offered a choice of direction in which to move. Direction options are Left, Forwards or Right and you may also check your current "Status". The latter option will display your strength (hit points), the number of spells you have, your present level, treasure won to date, monsters killed, whether you have found a luckstone, and your score.

If you choose to enter a room, you will be shown what is in that room and may then decide whether to:

1. go in
2. call for help (which tells you the monster's strength)
3. leave, or
4. check your status

If you wish to go into the room, you must kill any monster present to recover any treasure it may be guarding. In this case you will be given the choice of:

1. COMBAT,
2. SPELL or
3. RETREAT

If you choose Combat then, if your hit points are greater than the monster's you will defeat it - but you will be weakened by the number of hit points that the monster had before you attacked it. A Spell might kill it or weaken it, but then again the monster could attack you!

If you choose to approach a door, you are given the oppportunity to listen outside - but the monsters don't always make a noise. Should you open a door and find an unexpected monster you will have to deal with it as best you can.

The deeper you go, the stronger the monsters become, but the more treasure you will find. Some monsters also guard artifacts that will add to your strength and magical powers. A Luckstone increaes the number of gold pieces you find. Should you be lucky enough to discover an exit, then you may escape - only to re-enter on level 1.

At any time when you have selected to examine your status, you may save your character and its present status so that you can continue the game at a later date. Place a fresh, blank tape in the tape deck and follow the instructions displayed on the screen.

The maze layout of Cells and Serpents is such that although you may progress forwards and downwards through the labyrinth there is a magical barrier that inhabits you from exactly retracting your steps, the rooms and exits may not be in the same place when you return! Beware of wandering monsters as well - and don't walk into the walls!

CLOAD (ENTER)

When the program is loaded, type RUN (ENTER). The program loads subsequent programs. Remember to type RUN to run each of them.