.........+.........+.........+........   ........+.........+.........+.........+
NOTE:
The instruction booklet included with the Spectrum version of Bloodwych
was not updated to match the Spectrum version of the program. Some of the
program functions work differently, and the screen diagrams in the booklet
do not match the Spectrum screen layouts.
I've included some notes in [] where I've spotted differences, and the
screen diagrams I've included are taken from actual Spectrum screenshots.
JimG
.........+.........+.........+........   ........+.........+.........+.........+


BLOODWYCH
(Image Works)


                                   BLOODWYCH
                                       -
                                AN INTRODUCTION


BLOODWYCH is a sophisticated role playing adventure game which utilises
all the advanced features of your computer. A lot of time and effort has gone
into making BLOODWYCH a unique experience in computer adventure games,
featuring:

	* An advanced character interaction system, enabling you to
	  communicate fully with all the creatures and people in
	  the game.
	* Sophisticated spell-casting and combat systems, 
	  enhancing the realistic gameplay.
	* An easy to use icon-based control system.
	* Stunning three-dimensional views.
	* And a whole lot more besides ...

This booklet contains background information and full instructions for playing
BLOODWYCH. This will allow you to quickly begin playing and enjoying the game.
At the end of this booklet you will also find some hints and tips on getting
the most out of BLOODWYCH. These will help you get easily into the more
advanced aspects of the game. Now turn the page and let the adventure begin
...



                                   CONTENTS

	Loading Instructions ............................. Page 4
	The Legend of Bloodwych .......................... Page 4
	How to Play Bloodwych ............................ Page 7
	Hints and Tips ................................... Page 17


.........+.........+.........+........ 3 ........+.........+.........+.........+


LOADING INSTRUCTIONS

Commodore C64 (128 in 64 Mode)
Disk - Type LOAD "*",8,1 press RETURN
Tape - Press the SHIFT + RUN/STOP keys together.

Amstrad CPC
Disk - Type RUN"DISC
Tape - Type 1 TAPE (on disk based machines)
       Press the CONTROL + ENTER keys together.

Spectrum
Disk + Tape (128k) - Select LOADER from the title menu; game will auto-run.
             (48k) - Type LOAD ""; press ENTER


The Legend of The Bloodwych ...

It has long been the custom among the people of Trazere to tell the most
ancient of legends; that of The Bloodwych, secret order of psychic mages. It
is said that many eons ago The Bloodwych ruled over the ancient and power-
ful city of Treihadwyl. There they secretly presided over the affairs of the
land of Trazere, meting out punishment and reward to its citizens, and
communing with the elements on their behalf. For many centuries the people
of Trazere lived in respectful awe of The Bloodwych, but while they rules the
land was safe. Safe, that is, until one black morn long before your grand-
father's great grandfather was conceived.

For there was among The Bloodwych one Zendick, second in power and mystic
arts to the Grand Dragon alone. But for all his power and wisdom, Zendick
was a creature driven by greed and ambition. He was no longer satisfied
with living in the shadow of the master mage, so he rejected the ways of The
Bloodwych and courted black and evil arts. After many years of devious 
plotting Zendick was finally ready to deal the blow he had long dreamt of, 
and that very day he called the powers of darkness to him and destroyed the
Grand Dragon, leader of The Bloodwych.

His Bloodwych brothers were unprepared for this onslaught, and thus were
unable to resist Zendick before he banished them forever to the astral
plane. It is said that Zendick's evil laughter could be heard resounding
across the whole land on that morn. All day and all night was his laughter
heard, and on the following day the skies darkened, and rained blood, and 
the land opened up, and many good citizens of Trazere were heard of no more.


.........+.........+.........+........ 4 ........+.........+.........+.........+


It is then told how in the many moons that followed Zendick called to
Treihadwyl many creatures of the night, and the goodly folk of the land
dared not walk forth after sunset. And slowly the city of mages was trans-
formed. There appeared above its ramparts forbidding towers and within them
lay great crystals of storing, slowly sucking energy and life from the land.
With this energy Zendick intended to summon a Lord of Entropy, incarnation
of pure chaos, who would dissolve the fabric of the Universe into the
elements from which it was forged. Then, Zendick alone would be free to 
recreate the world in his own image. He was, of course, quite mad. Chaos
would leave nothing but the crystals from which it was born.

With each passing year the land about Treihadwyl became bleaker and colder.
The city itself seemed to radiate evil, infecting all who strayed within its
influence. Trazere and its people became but a shadow of all they had been
before, and the birth of each child, and the harvesting of the crops, 
became times for weeping, not rejoicing. Once a great mob, armed with little
more than their wits, marched on the city, determined to end the blight that
had ruined their lives. Only one man returned, half-starved, his flesh
scorched and bare. He barely had time to utter the horrors he had seen before
his final breath shuddered through his body and his soul mercifully joined
those of his fallen comrades.

Now, as I write this infernal record, there seems little more to live for.
Disease and despair pervade the land, and the lust for life our forefathers
had will never be enjoyed by their children. All that remains is to pray. 
Pray that some day The Bloodwych will return and avenge us.


Helveth Sharpquill, Scribe.
Written by his own hand this 13th day of Seth, in the
four thousand and eighty first year of the dark.


... somewhere, deep in the Realm of Souls, a mind was reaching out, calling
its companions towards it. Unseen like the wind, the spirits of many came
together. Formless though they were, each mind linked, sharing its thoughts
with the others. No word was uttered, no sound made, but within the astral
void a thought took shape.


.........+.........+.........+........ 5 ........+.........+.........+.........+


"Bloodwych are we, immortal mages, seekers of light. We must not be defeated,
brothers. The black art of Zendick has thrived for too long. He must be
destroyed, and the right time is now. Zendick's influence is grown too strong.
The Lord of Entropy is gathering his power, and will soon begin his plague of
destruction. If we do not banish him to the realm of chaos then all will be
lost ...

"Saldar and Vestryl, you are charged with the most important task any of the
Bloodwych have ever undertaken. You must find the last sixteen champions of
Trazere, and link your minds with the worthiest two. Then, if the Universe is
to be saved, you must lead them into the heart of Treihadwyl, and once there,
find and destroy the crystals of storing. Go now, and may the spirit of the
Bloodwych be with you ..."

Murlock Darkheart awoke to find himself in the gloom of a cold stone passage-
way. He groaned as he sat up, his eyes misting over with pain. Immediately he
remembered the previous night. Strange that so many adventurers should have
arrived at the same lonely tavern in one evening. That, he promised himself,
would be the very last time that a drop of mead passed his lips. How was it
possible that a powerful and dignified mage like himself could have ended up
carousing with common fighters? He would never again be able to look his 
fellow spell-casters in the eye.

Right now, though, his main concern was getting out of the filthy hole he had
wandered into in his drunken stupor. As he walked on, Murlock's heart began to
sink. The corridors seemed to go on for ever, winding about each other like an
enormous maze. He was beginning to wonder if he was destined to become rat 
fodder in this godless place, when he thought he caught a glimpse of something
moving ahead of him. And surely enough, as he rounded a corner he saw a figure
heading off into the darkness. If his eyes did not mistake him, it was one of
the adventurers he had encountered in the tavern the night before.

Darkheart was about to give chase when a sudden nausea came over him and he
fell to the ground retching. His head seemed about to explode, and he become
confused by strange visions of things unknown to him. But his pain was not
long-lived. The sickness soon subsided and was replaced by a comforting
presence. As he recovered, Darkheart realised that something very strange had
happened to him, but he was not afraid ... the Bloodwych were with him.


.........+.........+.........+........ 6 ........+.........+.........+.........+


                             HOW TO PLAY BLOODWYCH

You are one of the Bloodwych. You must take the persona of one of the last
sixteen champions of Trazere. You must first explore Treihadwyl, recruiting
more champions, and gathering items to aid you in your task. Once you are
prepared you must get the four crystals of storing from the towers. Take them
to the fifth tower and there destroy Zendick, and banish the Lord of Entropy
to the realm of chaos. To do this you will have to defeat the agents of
Zendick. The Lord of Entropy has transformed many of the citizens of Trazere
into weird monsters, and twisted the minds of many into those of psychotic
killers. Some of these citizens may aid you, but many will try to destroy you.
Good luck in your mission, and remember, the spirit of the Bloodwych is always
with you.

BLOODWYCH is played using keyboard or joystick, which mimic the functions of
your computer's mouse controller. Amstrad and Spectrum offer the opportunity
to define keyboard functions. If you wish to use the joystick select this 
option and push your stick as prompted. Most of the functions of BLOODWYCH
are activated by using the joystick to move a pointer (in the shape of a small
arrow) over an icon and then pressing the fire button to activate that icon.
Player one's pointer is blue, player two's is red.

[Neither the instruction booklet or cassette inlay say what the initial   ]
[keyboard control settings are, so it's essential to select the "define   ]
[keyboard" option first.                                                  ]
[As far as I can see, the only joysticks which can be used with the       ]
[Spectrum version of Bloodwych are those which map to keyboard characters,]
[such as the Cursor joystick.                                         JimG]


                               ABOUT CHARACTERS

The character selection page (see Figure One - BLOODWY1.GIF) shows the 
sixteen available champions. To inspect a champion click on the Shield
representing that character. The champion will then appear in one of the
Player Boxes to the right of the screen, together with their attributes 
displayed in the Character Scroll. Click on the Bag icon to view the
character's inventory. The Bag icon will now become a Book icon. Click on this
to view the character's Spell Book. The Book icon will become a Scroll icon.
Click on this to return to the Character Scroll. See sections on spells and
the inventory for an explanation of these displays.

If you now wish to view another champion you can do so by clicking on the
appropriate Shield. You may view as many champions as you wish in this way.
When you have chosen a suitable champion, click on the Suit icon (the playing
cards) to confirm your choice. When both players (in a two player game) have
selected their champions the game will begin. Ensure you select all the 
champions you wish to take as you will not meet them again. Each player may
select up to four champions to make up a party.

[In the Spectrum version, clicking on the Suit icon finishes character    ]
[selection, even if there are still selection slots available. To select  ]
[more than one champion, click on an empty selection slot in the middle of]
[the screen and then click on a champion to be assigned to that position. ]

Psyche Types
There are four psyche types, each indicated by a different suit of cards. Each
psyche type has different strengths and weaknesses. The types are:

Fighters, good in combat                 Spades
Mages, excellent at casting spells       Clubs
Adventurers, all-rounders and diplomats  Hearts
Archers / Assassins                      Diamonds


.........+.........+.........+........ 7 ........+.........+.........+.........+


                              [BLOODWY1.GIF here]
                       FIGURE ONE - SELECTING A CHAMPION


Any psyche type can attempt and perform actions normally associated with
another type. They may, however, not be very adept at it.

Character Attributes
Clicking on the Scroll icon (Figure Two - BLOODWY2.GIF) will call up the
Character Scroll for the currently selected leader. This shows the following
character attributes:

LEVEL          This is an indication of your character's experience. This
               affects all of your basic skills and speciality skills. The
               higher your Level is, the more competent you are at everything.

STRENGTH       This affects how easily you hit during combat and how much
               damage you will inflict on your opponent.

AGILITY        This also affects your skill in combat, as well as your ability
               to dodge attacks.


.........+.........+.........+........ 8 ........+.........+.........+.........+


CHARISMA       This is an indication of how much influence you have over
               other characters.

HIT POINTS     This shows how much damage you can take before dying.
               Hit Points can be restored with appropriate potions, spells,
               or by resting. The first figure shows your current Hit Points,
               while the second figure shows the maximum number of Hit Points
               you can reach.

VITALITY       This is an indication of how much energy you have. If your
               Vitality drops to zero you will start to take damage. Potions
               and spells may be used to assist in recovering your Vitality.
               As with Hit Points, the first figure shows your current Vitality
               while the second shows your maximum Vitality.

FOOD           This bar shows how well-fed a character is. If the bar is short,
               a character is hungry and will soon require food. The Food level
               influences the speed at which Vitality is recovered.

Click once anywhere on the screen to revert to the main control display. The
important attributes for the current leader are also displayed in the 
statistics box situated to the right of the leader icon. The three bars in the
box show, from top to bottom: hit points, vitality, and spell points.


                               MOVING CHARACTERS

When moving or performing any other significant action in BLOODWYCH it is the
currently selected party leader who performs the action. The other members of
the party respond on their own initiative. The current leader is indicated by
a box around their Suit icon (Figure Two - BLOODWY2.GIF). To change the current
leader simply click twice on the appropriate Suit icon. Note that the leader
does not necessarily have to be at the front of the party.

It is possible at any stage to change the marching order of the party. To do
this simply click once on a member's Suit icon. This will now become grey. Now
click once on the new position and the marching order will change appropriately.

Movement is achieved by clicking on the appropriate movement icon (Figure Two
- BLOODWY2.GIF). Note that Turn Left or Right makes your character turn through
ninety degrees on the spot, whereas Step Left or Right makes your character
move left or right without facing in that direction.


.........+.........+.........+........ 9 ........+.........+.........+.........+



                              [BLOODWY2.GIF here]
                         FIGURE TWO - THE MAIN SCREEN


When a movement icon is activated it will flash briefly and your character
will move appropriately. If you attempt to move into a space that is already
occupied, by a pillar or another character for instance, the icon will flash
but no movement will occur.

Stairways
To ascend or descend a stairway merely step onto it. It is not necessary to be
facing the stairway to do this. If you turn on a stairway you will move up or
down depending on whether you were initially at the top or the bottom.

Doors
Doors can be opened or closed by clicking on the Door icon (Figure Two -
BLOODWY2.GIF), or by clicking on the door in the 3D display. If you have
previously cast a continuous spell, or there is a spell waiting to be cast,
then the Door icon will be concealed by the Spell icon. In order to use the
Door icon it is necessary to first cancel the spell. Attempting to open a 
locked door will result in the word "LOCKED" appearing. Locked doors can be
unlocked with an appropriate key or spell. See the sections on spells and the
inventory for an explanation of how to do this.


.........+.........+.........+....... 10 ........+.........+.........+.........+


                                    SPELLS

Clicking on the Book icon calls up the Spell Book display (Figure Three -
BLOODWY3.GIF). Clicking on the arrows above the book will turn the pages of
the book forward or backward. Clicking on the central double arrow will close
the book and return to the main control display.

Preparing spells
To prepare a spell you must first click on one of the four runes on each page.
Only known spells may be selected, and these are coloured after their magical
alignments (green, blue, red, or yellow). A spell not yet known will be in
grey and cannot be selected. The currently selected spell is identified below
the spell book by its name, colour, and present cost. If no spell is currently
prepared the area below the book will have grey stars and there will be no
spell named there. The


                              [BLOODWY3.GIF here]
                         FIGURE THREE - THE SPELL BOOK


.........+.........+.........+....... 11 ........+.........+.........+.........+


cost of the spell selected may be altered by clicking on the arrows either
side of the current value. Raising the cost of a spell will improve its power
and cast percentage, but also the size of the drain on your spell points.
Lowering the cost of the spell will make it use less spell points but will
decrease its power or cast percentage. Your current maximum spell points are
shown beneath the spell. Successful use of a spell will increase your
proficiency at that spell which will make the spell cheaper and/or more
powerful for future casts. A spell which has been prepared will remain so
until it is cast or another spell is selected or the party sleeps.

Casting spells
A spell is cast by clicking on the Star icons either side of the spell name.
If the spell book is closed before a prepared spell is cast then the Door icon
will be replace by a Star icon, which may also be used to cast the spell. If a
character has a spell prepared when entering combat, then the spell will be
automatically cast first. It is not possible for a character to cast a spell
which requires more spell points than they currently have available. A spell
with a low cast percentage may fail and this will be indicated by an approp-
riate message. After casting a spell the caster will endure a temporary
penalty on all spells while he recovers from the effort of casting. This
recovery time is longer for higher level spells.

Spell Effect
All spells have a variable effect which is a combination of your ability as a
magic user, the energy you expend on a spell, your experience in the spell
being cast, and luck. The cast percentage bar gives a clear indication of
whether you are likely to cast the spell successfully. Once your ability to
cast a spell reaches 100% the effect of the spell begins to grow stronger.

Continuing spells
Some spells have a continuing effect. When these are cast an icon, representing
the spell, replaces the Door icon. The spell can be cancelled by clicking on
this icon. No other spells can be cast while a continuous spell is in use. If
another spell is cast from the spell book while a continuous spell is in use,
then this will also cancel the continuous spell. You may have another spell
prepared while a continuous spell is running. The prepared spell may either be
cast from the spell book, or by cancelling the continuous spell to reveal the
Star icon on the main panel.

Specialisation
All characters are specialised in one of the colours of magic according to
their alignment. This is indicated by the colour of the Suit icon and Shield.
Spells of your natural colour are easier to cast, easier to develop proficiency
in, and more effective than spells of another colour. Each colour of magic
represents a different sphere of influence.

	Green	Serpent Magic	represents the physical
	Blue	Moon Magic	represents the mind and illusion
	Red	Dragon Magic	is the use of fire and energy
	Yellow	Chaos Magic	effects the very nature of magic and life


.........+.........+.........+....... 12 ........+.........+.........+.........+


Spell Acquisition
Spades and Diamonds will receive a new spell every second level. Hearts will
receive one each level, and Clubs two per level. New spells are learned during
sleep, when a character may be visited by the Spell Faeries. One of the Spell
Faeries will visit a character during sleep and offer a spell, as long as the
character is due a new spell. If you are unhappy with the spell offered then
reject it and you will probably be offered a different one the next time your
character sleeps. If your choose to pay the Spell Faery then the spell will be
added to your spell book ready for use.

Here is a short description of the 32 spells:

SERPENT SPELLS

ARMOUR      - wear this spell with pride
PARALYZE    - a frozen life may well be a short one
COMPASS     - never get lost again
LEVITATE    - a genuinely light spell
WARPOWER    - you can have the strength of ten
RENEW       - cures everything except cramp
ARCBOLT     - an electrifying experience
FORMWALL    - for those who love walls

MOON SPELLS

BEGUILE     - coats thy tongue with silver
CONFUSE     - they won't know what hit them
CONCEAL     - what cannot be seen cannot be stolen
VANISH      - now you see me ... now you don't
TRUVIEW     - never again lose at hide and seek
ILLUSION    - real enough to hurt
MINDROCK    - for those who think they love walls
WYCHWIND    - just blow them away

DRAGON SPELLS

MISSILE     - one in the eye for archers
MAGELOCK    - why bother with all those silly keys
VITALISE    - you'll never feels so good!
DISPELL     - what magic makes, magic can destroy
FIREBALL    - a blast at parties
RECHARGE    - boosts the flattest of rings
FIREPATH    - lay down the red carpet
BLAZE       - no one shall pass this fiery blast


.........+.........+.........+....... 13 ........+.........+.........+.........+


SHADOW SPELLS

TERROR      - boo!
DEFLECT     - a spell a day keeps an arrow away
ALCHEMY     - the hand of Midas
ANTIMAGE    - never more worry about magic users
SPELLTAP    - the bane of all magic users
SUMMON      - you'll never walk alone
VIVIFY      - makes death look a minor inconvenience
DISRUPT     - known to some as "deathstrike"


THE INVENTORY AND MANIPULATING OBJECTS

                              [BLOODWY4.GIF here]
                          FIGURE FOUR - THE INVENTORY


.........+.........+.........+....... 14 ........+.........+.........+.........+


Clicking on the Inventory icon (Figure Two - BLOODWY2.GIF) will call up the 
inventory display (Figure Four - BLOODWY4.GIF). The inventory for each
character shows 12 (10 on the Spectrum) item slots. The first four of these
are for an item held in the left hand, an item held in the right hand, armour
worn, and shield. The classes of Clubs and Diamonds may only use small shields.
The remaining 8 are backpack slots. Below these slots is the character's
current armour rating. This indicates how effective the character's armour is
at absorbing blows. The lower the number is, the more effective your armour is.
Below this are the party's Suit icons. The character whose inventory is
currently displayed is highlighted with a box. The final two icons are the
transfer/use slot and the Exit icon. Clicking on this last icon will revert to
the main control display.

Selecting an Inventory
To select a character's inventory for display, simply click on the appropriate
Suit icon. The character's name will be shown at the top of the display and
their inventory will be revealed.

Using the Transfer Slot
Clicking on any item in the inventory will cause that item to move into the
transfer slot where it can be easily manipulated. Similarly, clicking on an
empty slot in the inventory will cause any item currently in the transfer
slot to move into the empty slot. Hand slots are for anything, but weapons,
rings, wands and staves are only useful when placed there. The Armour slot is
for worn items, the Shield slot is for shields, and the backpack slots are
for anything.

To swap an item in the inventory with an item in the transfer slot, simply 
click on the item in the inventory and they will be swapped.

To drop an item in the transfer slot simply click on the place in the 3D
display where you wish to leave it. Similarly, to pick up an object, click on
the object and it will be moved to the transfer slot. If there is already
something in the transfer slot it will be dropped.

Arrows, Common Keys and Coins
These objects are shown with a number which indicates how many there are. One
click will move one object to the transfer slot. If you then make subsequent
clicks on the transfer slot you will move more.

Moving items between characters
To transfer items from one character to another, move the item to the transfer
slot then select the receiving character and move the item to an empty space
on their inventory.

Using an item
To use an item, like food, drink, or potions, put the item in the transfer
slot and then click on it. They will be consumed by the character whose
inventory is currently being viewed. When a food or drink item is in the
transfer slot the current food level of the character is displayed in the
message window underneath the 3D display for easy reference.


.........+.........+.........+....... 15 ........+.........+.........+.........+


Swords and other weaponry must be carried by a character in a Hand slot if
they are to be used. This is also true of staves, wands and rings. An item can
be in either hand slot but if both hand slots contain melee weapons the one in
the left hand will be used. If a character wishes to use a bow in combat the
bow and arrows must be in the hand.

Rifling dead characters
If a party member is with the party at the time of their death, then their
inventory will still be available for access. If the party member was away 
from the party at the time of death then the body must first be retrieved
before the inventory can be accessed. You may not access the inventory of
dead characters who were not members of your party.


                                    COMBAT

Combat occurs either when your party encounters a hostile creature, or when
your party initiates an attack on a creature. In combat you can take one of
six possible courses of action:


1. DO NOTHING      (this is not recommended)
2. RETREAT         by moving rapidly away from your adversary
3. ATTACK          by clicking on the Strike icon
4. DEFEND          by clicking on the Defend icon (this is useful if you need
                   to perform an action such as rearranging marching order)
5. CAST SPELL      (see section on SPELLS)
6. FIRE A MISSILE  by clicking on the Strike icon while you have bow and
                   arrows in your hands

During combat characters will follow the lead of your combat instruction and
generally act on their own initiative. You then have control only over the
inventories and spell books of your party's characters. The party leader will
not participate in the attack while you are examining an inventory or select-
ing a spell. You may change the party leader and marching order at will during
combat, and you can always try to run away. The party will continue to fight
until either all your characters die, or your foes die or flee. During melee,
missile weapons can only be shot by characters who occupy the rear two
marching positions. Blows can only be landed by characters who occupy the
front two marching positions. Spells can be cast from any position.

Combat status display
At any time that the part suffers damage, the damage done is flashed across
the hit character's Shield icon, and the status display will become a set of
vertical colour coded bars showing the current hit point level of each member
of the party. This display can also be seen at any time during play by
clicking on the party leader's image.

The damage inflicted by the party is shown in the two message windows along
with a miniature Suit icon to aid identification. The damage done by the 
party leader is shown in the small message window beneath the 3D display.


.........+.........+.........+....... 16 ........+.........+.........+.........+


                      COMMUNICATING WITH OTHER CHARACTERS

Clicking on the communication panel will greet any characters directly in
front of you. The options are:

OFFER          Offer an object in the transfer slot that you wish to exchange
               or sell. This is also used to offer gold during a purchase. The
               command may be used more than once during any given transaction.
               For example, if a monster says no to your offer of gold, then
               you may offer it more or less. This also works with trading
               objects when you may offer a different object.
               If you are not currently buying, selling or trading anything,
               then the offered object is presented as a gift.

PURCHASE       Enquire whether a monster or character has anything for sale.

EXCHANGE       Used to determine what object is being carried by a monster or
               character, and whether or not they wish to trade.

SELL           Offer item in your transfer slot for sale.

YES & NO       These icons are used to respond to questions.


                            MISCELLANEOUS COMMANDS

These are accessed, at the same time as the communicate menus, by clicking on
the status panel.

Exit
The Exit icon is used to exit from the current communication menu.

Disc operations
If the Disc icon is clicked by both players (in a two player game), the
current game can be saved or an old game restored.

Pause
Clicking the Pause icon will cause the game to be suspended for both players
until either of the Pause icons is clicked again.

Sleep
Clicking on the Sleep icon makes the party sleep. This speeds up the party's
recovery of hit points, vitality and spell points. Improved sleep can come
from facing a bed before clicking on the icon.


.........+.........+.........+....... 17 ........+.........+.........+.........+


Sleep is very important. Characters will only gain experience levels during
sleep and will only gain new spells while asleep. It is generally a good idea
to sleep after a battle.


                                 HINTS AND TIPS

Starting Up
* When you first play BLOODWYCH take time to experiment with the game's
  controls. Try using the various icons and menus, and see what effect
  different spells have. If you spend some time getting to know the more
  advanced features of BLOODWYCH you will find it easier to progress when
  you play the game in earnest.
* Always make a map. You will get hopelessly lost without one. Indicate doors
  and rooms on it. If you leave an object or character behind, mark the place
  on your map. It is also a good idea to mark the position of any pits or
  traps you come across so that you can avoid them in the future.

Combat
* Keep a close eye on the hit points of your party members and be ready to
  move someone to the back of the party or run away to recover. It is often
  a good idea to have your main spellcaster as party leader during combat,
  and have them at the rear of the party. In this way they can be casting
  spells while the forward characters do the fighting. Have some appropriate
  spells prepared before combat begins, because your characters first action
  will be to cast any spells they have prepared.

Magic
* Try to have a good balance of colour in your party. As a character will be
  much better at casting spells of their own alignment, get weaker spellcasters
  (like Spades and Diamonds) to learn spells in their own colour first. Some
  particularly useful spells should be learned by everybody. Do not be afraid
  of using magic - you can only get better.

Character Psyche Types
* Spades are the warriors of BLOODWYCH. They can use any weapon, armour or 
  shield. They usually have more hit points and strength than other characters,
  but do not make very good magic users.
* Clubs are the mages of BLOODWYCH. Although weak at low levels, they quickly
  become powerful as they learn spells and gain experience. A high level Clubs
  character makes a formidable adversary.
* Hearts are competent in all skills. They are the Jack-of-all-trades. They
  also have much nicer personalities than the other psyche types, thus making
  them far better negotiators.


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* The abilities of Diamonds lie in the areas of stealth, archery and observ-
  ation. If they attack a foe from behind they will inflict great damage,
  providing that they are using a suitable assassin's weapon. You will often
  notice things that would otherwise be overlooked if your current party 
  leader is a Diamond.

General
* Do not be too eager to discard an item that is no longer required, as most
  things can be sold or traded.
* Located within the halls are Regeneration Chambers. These magical locations
  will restore to life a dead character. Try to find these quickly and
  remember where they are.
* Do not be too eager to kill things - it's not easy being a monster, you know!
* When trading you will find it necessary to have the inventory displayed.
* Try not to be too greedy in a two player game. If you argue about some aspect
  of play, try to resolve it before you end up killing each other!
* BLOODWYCH is a large and sophisticated adventure. You will almost certainly
  not complete it in one session. You can easily save your position in the
  game by clicking on the Disc icon. The next time you load BLOODWYCH you will
  be able to restore your saved position and continue play from that point.
  You will also find it useful to save the game at regular intervals while you
  are playing. In this way you will not get caught out by any unforeseen
  disaster like your whole party being slaughtered or a power cut!



                                      END

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(c) 1989 MIRRORSOFT Ltd.
