Hey guys, I haven't had time for another gameplay update, but I thought you all might like to know the epic backstory of Cavequest, so I'm gonna post some quotes from the game's documentation. These files are available in full with the game (see the archive.org page I linked to in the first post), so if you enjoy the quotes you can download the rest if you like.
I'm quite fond of the flavour text for this game, but I have the advantage of it having thoroughly captured my imagination when I was a kid. What I'm not so fond of is naming the land after the game. "Cavequest", while a pretty good name for a dungeon crawl, is a pretty silly name for a place.
I'm not sure if I played this or read Lord of the Rings first, but either way, one of my first encounters with digging too deep.
That's some old testament stuff, right there.
I love the way that events are implied here. This guy actually knows more about what happened hundreds of years ago with the original inhabitants of the cave than he does of what happened to his contemporaries in the cave. Apparently it all just went to hell, and nobody who was there has made it out to tell the tale.
Anyways, he's calling on the gods to intervene again. Presumably without killing everyone and everything involved like they did last time. Fortunately, that's where we come in. As you may recall from the first post of this LP, I've been sent by Zeus.
Hey, I guess the armorer must be the narrator of SCROLL.OLD
I see his plan: exploit adventurers. He tells you about the monsters, the gear, the magic items, and the cave. So far we've seen three monsters. Let's see what he has to say about those:
I've been killed by all three of these, but Johnny D is close to invincible against them at this point.
The magic items that I've used:
Of these, I'll always have my magic cloak. I won't be buying any more light orbs, because Johnny can achieve the same thing with the talk command. Fire balls I might get some use out of, but the sphere of essence seems like a wiser purchase. So long as I've got quick fingers and my stamina holds, I can fire it off multiple times before enemies close in. Of course, so far just hitting things with my sword is working out fairly well.
I've set Johnny up with full plate, which is preventing my enchanting my armour at the moment due to the cost of doing so. Even without enchantment, so long as I keep my stamina up the enemies on level one are little threat. How level two will go remains to be seen, of course.
I haven't been using projectiles, and I'm not currently planning to. Enemies move too fast for me to line up shots. I assume on a 1985 computer things were a bit slower. If I start dying a lot in melee combat I might try talking to enemies to give myself time to aim projectiles, but it'll mean putting points into dexterity, which would be points that aren't going into wizard skills, and wizard skills don't seem to need aiming.
Good to know I didn't miss any secret doors back in level one. I'm hoping but not really expecting that level five will lead into the lands of the evil ones themselves.
What's all this talk of wandering monsters?
Random encounters. Great. I'm not sure if there are a fixed set of wandering monsters that can be killed off like the guard monsters in level one. If not, then I'll be able to grind indefinitely against them if need be. Otherwise, I might be facing a hard limit on available experience. Still, given how overpowered I came out of level one, there's probably enough to go around.
SCROLL.USE also has some nice flavour text about your trip into the caves. I've quoted the bit about the armourer above (and about the stick in a previous post), but here's some more:
Seems like a nice lady.
Seems like a terrible lady.
This I think is a nice touch. The enchantments wearing off when you leave I think is intended to encourage you to take longer trips into the cave and risk getting killed so you don't have to keep spending money, but they managed to fit in quite a tidy lore reason for it. The witch is draining magic from the caves (either to contain the evil seeping out or to power herself up, I guess), and the magic you take out of the cave is no exception.
Seems like a nice guy. I wonder if he's also hauling out the monsters that have been attacking the town?
Alright, now we're acquainted with the backstory.
Next time: Level 2
SCROLL.OLD
Hail and well met! I have a story to tell thee that thee
will not believe.
Welcome to the land of lore known as Cavequest. It be said
that a once great and thriving civilization existed on these
very lands. While their culture be very advanced compared to
ours, they were dwellers of caves in the mountains not far
from here.
I'm quite fond of the flavour text for this game, but I have the advantage of it having thoroughly captured my imagination when I was a kid. What I'm not so fond of is naming the land after the game. "Cavequest", while a pretty good name for a dungeon crawl, is a pretty silly name for a place.
SCROLL.OLD
They used advanced tools and had weapons I cannot claim to
understand, but, alas, their underground city and peoples
were claimed by a terrible fate. You see, they were not the
only ones living underground. The legend says that they, in
their wise expansion, broke into another set of caves that
were indeed vast and well used. That land, it be said, was
the land of the evil ones themselves.
Once the evil ones learned that there was indeed a life
outside of their well-honed paths they invaded the land of
the humans taking life and property with little regard. Even
this advanced civilization, with its advanced culture, could
not stop the onslaught.
I'm not sure if I played this or read Lord of the Rings first, but either way, one of my first encounters with digging too deep.
SCROLL.OLD
Then the gods intervened. They sent down torrential floods,
quakes, and spewed the earth forth to destroy and bury
everything and everybody that was in the caves.
That's some old testament stuff, right there.
SCROLL.OLD
Centuries passed, and this small village that you see before
you grew out of an outpost from the people of the north. A
few years ago a small boy, playing in the mountains,
discovered the entrance to the caves. Our governor, noticing
the advancement of the artifacts found there, ordered the
excavation of the caves. Curse him!
Everything went smoothly until the fifth level, the arena
level, was excavated. Rumor has it the humans again breeched
the land separating good from evil. Many have died, and many
went into the caves to stop the evil, but never returned.
There now be attacks on the village! The people here hope
that the gods again intervene to help us before its too late!
I love the way that events are implied here. This guy actually knows more about what happened hundreds of years ago with the original inhabitants of the cave than he does of what happened to his contemporaries in the cave. Apparently it all just went to hell, and nobody who was there has made it out to tell the tale.
Anyways, he's calling on the gods to intervene again. Presumably without killing everyone and everything involved like they did last time. Fortunately, that's where we come in. As you may recall from the first post of this LP, I've been sent by Zeus.
SCROLL.USE
When you are ready to leave the Land of the Gods, Zeus will
transport you to earth, where you will find yourself in a
busy market square. Noone notices your arrival, and you walk
to the armory where the armorer speaks.
Hey, I guess the armorer must be the narrator of SCROLL.OLD
SCROLL.OLD
Since you be interested in the caves, perhaps I can tell you
all I know.
I see his plan: exploit adventurers. He tells you about the monsters, the gear, the magic items, and the cave. So far we've seen three monsters. Let's see what he has to say about those:
SCROLL.OLD
The skeleton be a very slow creature and some say easily laid
waste.
The Giant Bat be much quicker than a skeleton, and often
can be upon you before you can react!
The Giant Bug be slower than a bat but faster than a
skeleton. Their fangs can pierce many types of armor.
I've been killed by all three of these, but Johnny D is close to invincible against them at this point.
The magic items that I've used:
SCROLL.OLD
The magic cloak be a device of protection. It adds strength
to your defensive coating, and while the witch will sell you
as many as you want, their strenth be not additive so one be
all you need. The magic cloak works on any human. The magic
cloak be permanent and need not be called upon to be useful.
The light burst sets forth a tremendous burst of light.
Monsters, blinded by the light, will not move. You must be a
level one wizard or better to use a light burst. If you try
to pick up a treasure or attack the monster he will shake off
the effects and attack you!
The fire ball be an explosive that seeks monsters before
detonating. It will destroy all the lower level monsters and
seriously wound higher types. You must be a level 8 wizard
or better to use a fire ball.
The sphere of essence attempts to draw all the life essence
out of the monster. It will destroy skeletons and bats and
wound others. You must be a level 7 wizard to use the sphere
of essence, and it be a permanent item.
Of these, I'll always have my magic cloak. I won't be buying any more light orbs, because Johnny can achieve the same thing with the talk command. Fire balls I might get some use out of, but the sphere of essence seems like a wiser purchase. So long as I've got quick fingers and my stamina holds, I can fire it off multiple times before enemies close in. Of course, so far just hitting things with my sword is working out fairly well.
SCROLL.OLD
There be five types of armor that you can purchase at the
armory. Each be heavier and costlier than its predecessor,
but offers more protection for you. Only a fool would
venture into the lower levels without good armor.
The types of armor be leather, ring mail, chain mail, partial
plate, and full plate. Noone knows for certain what type of
armor protects against which monster - there have been
precious few volunteers for testing! However, its rumored
that a fully equipped human - full plate, large shield, with
magic on the armor cannot be hurt at all by skeletons, bats
or bugs and only marginally hurt by leeches and rats.
I've set Johnny up with full plate, which is preventing my enchanting my armour at the moment due to the cost of doing so. Even without enchantment, so long as I keep my stamina up the enemies on level one are little threat. How level two will go remains to be seen, of course.
SCROLL.OLD
There also be two types of projectiles that you may purchase
at the armory. Spears and arrows. Spears will do much more
damage than arrows, but a single arrow will kill a skeleton
if it hits 'em, and a single spear will kill a giant bat.
It be known that there be five types of blade at the armory.
The five types of blade be knife, daggar, short sword, broad
sword, and great sword. Each be more damaging than the one
before it, but it will cost you a pretty penny more and be
heavier to carry. A knife with very high strength be just as
effective as a broad sword with no strength.
The shields sold by the armory be well known in these parts
for their quality. Handles never come off and the metal be
of the finest variety. The small shield offers about as much
protection as leather armor, while the large shield renders
the same protection as ring mail.
I haven't been using projectiles, and I'm not currently planning to. Enemies move too fast for me to line up shots. I assume on a 1985 computer things were a bit slower. If I start dying a lot in melee combat I might try talking to enemies to give myself time to aim projectiles, but it'll mean putting points into dexterity, which would be points that aren't going into wizard skills, and wizard skills don't seem to need aiming.
SCROLL.OLD
Of the five levels in the cave, one and two have been pretty
well picked dry of treasure. As these levels be less
dangerous than the ones deeper down, the townspeople
themselves have entered the caves and taken the treasures.
Level three and below be rumored to be burstin' with
treasure, enou' to make you rich for the rest of your life!
Of the excavation records, it be known that level one was a
multi-purpose level. There be no wandering monsters and no
hidden doors in level one.
Level two was used for storage. There be a few hidden doors
in level two, but no wandering monsters.
Level three was the meeting level. There be some wandering
monsters in level three, but no hidden doors.
Level four was the dwelling and sleeping level. There be
wandering monsters and hidden doors there.
Level five be called the "arena" level. The records say that
a huge arena was located in the level. There be wandering
monsters and hidden doors.
Good to know I didn't miss any secret doors back in level one. I'm hoping but not really expecting that level five will lead into the lands of the evil ones themselves.
What's all this talk of wandering monsters?
SCROLL.USE
Monsters come in two basic types. One type of monster guards
a particular room. The second type of monster wanders about
the cave looking for intruders. Neither type will follow you
out of a room. They consider themselves winners by driving
you out. If there are guard monsters in a room, they will
continue coming out of their hiding places until you are dead
or have killed all of them.
Random encounters. Great. I'm not sure if there are a fixed set of wandering monsters that can be killed off like the guard monsters in level one. If not, then I'll be able to grind indefinitely against them if need be. Otherwise, I might be facing a hard limit on available experience. Still, given how overpowered I came out of level one, there's probably enough to go around.
SCROLL.USE also has some nice flavour text about your trip into the caves. I've quoted the bit about the armourer above (and about the stick in a previous post), but here's some more:
SCROLL.USE
After you are through in the armory, you leave the market
square and exit the village on the main street. Following a
trail into the mountains, you come across a ragged bungalow
near the entrance to what appears to be a great cave. An old
woman, fallow in looks, comes out to greet you. She
obviously is a member of the witches' covenant.
The witch addresses you directly and begs you to enter. In
the lair you notice a plenitude of magical items. The witch
explains that she has been casting spells against the cave
for eons, draining all the magic out of the cave.
Seems like a nice lady.
SCROLL.USE
While you are in the lair, you may purchase as much of
anything as you wish. The witch is not very honest, however,
and will sell you things you cannot use. Your blade and
armor can only take one treatment of magic, and while the
witch will sell you more, they are ineffective. Only one
magic cloak is all that you will need. The witch will sell
you more, but their powers are not additive.
Of the "items" list shown to you, some are permanent, some
can be used only once. The witch will sell you permanent
ones, even if you already have that particular item.
Seems like a terrible lady.
SCROLL.USE
Be forwarned, that when you leave the cave, the spells that
the witch has been casting will force the magic on your armor
and on your blade to leave you forever.
This I think is a nice touch. The enchantments wearing off when you leave I think is intended to encourage you to take longer trips into the cave and risk getting killed so you don't have to keep spending money, but they managed to fit in quite a tidy lore reason for it. The witch is draining magic from the caves (either to contain the evil seeping out or to power herself up, I guess), and the magic you take out of the cave is no exception.
SCROLL.USE
After leaving the witches lair you decide to enter the cave.
Once in the main chamber, a troll greets you and asks to
which level you would like to go to. After selecting a
level, the troll operates a pulley elevator device and lowers
you into the cave. He informs you that he will haul you out
when you step back onto the platform at the lower level.
Surprisingly, he does not charge you for this service.
Seems like a nice guy. I wonder if he's also hauling out the monsters that have been attacking the town?
Alright, now we're acquainted with the backstory.
Next time: Level 2
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