Your objective in The Sword And The Sorcerer is to escape from a maze of 225 locations. Escape is only possible if you:

1. find the three pieces of the exit key, and
2. find the bolted door leading to freedom

There are nineteen different types of creatures inhabiting the maze. There are also thirteen weapons from which to arm yourself and gold, magical potions and food to collect.

You move around the maze using the arrow keys. When you move, you will turn to face the direction you moved in. i.e. pressing the right arrow key four times will take you round clockwise in a circle (providing you have doors to go through!).

If you enter a room with a monster, you will no longer be able to use the arrow keys to move. You are however left with certain other options.

Attempting to 'bribe' a monster is risky. Some of them cannot be bribed; and even those who can don't always accept. If a bribe is accepted, it will cost you a random amount of gold which depends on how much you are carrying. You may offer a bribe only to find you do not have enough to pay; you will then be attacked!

You may 'run'. This will turn you around and put you back in the room you just came from). This will cost you five strength points.

You may 'attack'. Each weapon does a different amount of damage against each different type of monster. If you choose this option, one round of combat is fought. If the monster is not killed, it will attack back (different damage versus different defence weapons). If you are not killed you may continue. If you are not happy with the weapons you are using, you may elect to 'change weapon'. You will then be asked if you wish to change your attack or defence weapon (press 1 or 2).

The screen will then display a list of the weapons you are carrying, and note which weapon you currently have ready to attack with. A further indication will show you with which weapon you will currently defend yourself.

If you are changing your attack weapon then no attack weapon will be marked, and vice versa for defence. To choose a new weapon (or go to your old one), press the number key opposite it on the display. If you press 9 you will have no weapon ready. If you elect to change weapon and there is a monster present in the room it will receive a free attack. It also takes a turn to use your new weapon at its full effectiveness. You may change weapon at any time.

If at any time you wish to know what you are carrying, press 7 for inventory and you will see a full list of what you are carrying. You are given a magical sword, a romal shield, two food and a magic potion at the start of each new game.

If you see an object you wish to pick up, then press 8 to take it.

Note: If you are carrying more than eight objects you will have to drop one by pressing the key opposite it in the inventory. You may not take an object if there is a monster in the room.

If your strength falls below 1 then you are dead.

Drinking a potion restores your strength to 100 depending on how weak you are. Eating food restores a random amount of strength.

Note: If you are not carrying a magic potion or any food then you will have to press 3 to cancel this choice. You may not eat or drink with a monster present.

The Q (quit) key is included for really desperate situations, and will allow you to start the game again.

This program is entirely menu-driven and the only keys needed are the arrow and number keys. It is advisable to make a fresh map each time you play, as although the maze is always the same you are placed at random and the relative movement system is most confusing at first; hence it is unlikely you will get to know your way around.

Each time you kill a monster there is a good chance it will be replaced by a different one. Don't kill everything you meet, 'run' and go around it. This is another good reason for making a map.

If you then need to come back through a place where you know there is danger, you will be able to choose your weapons in advance accordingly.

CLOADM (ENTER)

The program runs automatically.