Introduction

Welcome to The Pit 4.17, the latest release from Midas Touch Software. This document has been prepared with the new player in mind. It explains step by step by step how to play, with special attention to new features introduced in this version.

Background

Regal City had a problem. Thieves and vagrants owned the streets, tormenting honest merchants and ambushing visitors. And if that weren't bad enough, those few honest citizens that could swing swords were teaming up into gangs of vigilantes, adding to the violence.

In a fit of desperation, King Reginald Hornbluff cleared out the dust and debris from the town square and constructed a huge arena. Then, he issued an invitation for the thieves and vigilantes to meet in the town square and settle their differences publicly. This appealed to the egos of both groups; they agreed to appear.

On the night of the big event, the stands were packed with innocent townspeople wanting revenge. King Hornbluff was not a stupid man, he charged the townspeople 3 gold pieces a head to watch the fight and sold sausages and beer at an outrageous markup.

The first battle between the thieves and the vigilantes was bloody, violent, and extremely profitable. So profitable in fact, Hornbluff scheduled a rematch.

As time passed, the duels in the arena became more and more popular. Young men who would have turned to thievery now became gladiators, earning fame, glory, and no small amount of gold.

Hornbluff sent his men to capture monsters from the surrounding territory to challenge these warriors. After many years, Hornbluff added dungeons to keep all of his pets.

Today Regal City is a legend. Warriors come from all around for a chance at honor, glory, and a quick buck. Hornbluff's Arena, known simply as The Pit, features battles between some of the strangest and most powerful creatures in the land.

Rumor has it that even the Gods themselves will visit to smash foolish mortals wishing to challenge them.

These fights are profitable, but usually very short.

And that's where you come in: a lowly farmer's boy ready to seek his fortune in Regal City. You've done odd jobs along the way, sweeping stables and tending livestock, and you've saved every penny for a sword and armor once you get there.

Maybe one day you'll become one of the true legends, an Immortal. Or perhaps just a dark spot on the floor to be swept away with the sawdust.

Either way, it's in your hands.

Screen Layout

The basic screen of The Pit is divided into 3 basic areas. The Player Information Box, the Visual Display Area, and the Command List. Occasionally the game will you use pop up windows to display information. For example, selecting the Instructions option will change the top half of the game to context-sensitive help.


Player Information Box

In the upper left corner of the screen is the Player Information Box. It looks like this:

                                   YOU                    
                                 JOHN DOE                 
                     HAND WEAPON Hands                    
                    RANGE WEAPON None                     
                           ARMOR Loin Cloth               
                     PROJECTILES None HEALTH   20(  20)   
                           LEVEL 1                        
                           SCORE 000000000                
                     ATTKS/PHASE 1                        
                            WINS 0       LOSSES 0         
                       WIN RATIO 0.00%                    
                    GOLD IN HAND 00000000 GOLD PIECES     
                    GOLD IN BANK 00000000 GOLD PIECES     

Each line tells you something about your character's capabilities:

• Hand Weapon: This is the weapon you use at close range. You can only have one hand weapon at a time.
  
  
• Range Weapon: This is your long range weapon. You can only have one of these also.
  
  
• Armor: This is the type of armor your character has to protect him from attack. Better types of armor offer better protection.
  
  
• Projectiles: This is the number of arrows or other projectiles you currently have on you. Remember, when you're out of projectiles, you can't use your ranged weapon.
  
  
• Health: When opponents hit you they do damage and subtract from your health. When your health is 0, then you're character is dead. The number in parenthesis is the total amount of health your character has when he is fully healed. The number outside of parenthesis is your current health.
  
  
• Level: Your level in the game reflects your power level in relation to all the other players. The higher the better. It is adjusted by your score, which is raised by killing monsters and other players.
  
  
• Score: This is your total score in the game. The higher your score, the higher your level. It is increased by killing monsters and other players. The amount of gold and magic you have does not affect your score.
  
  
• Attks/Phase: This number determines how many times you can attack per phase of combat, and how many times you can move. It increases as you go up levels.
  
  
• Wins: The game keeps track of how many times you win at combat. It helps determine your place in the rank listing.
  
  
• Losses: And of course, it also keeps track of how many combats you lose.
  
  
• Win Ratio: This is a percentage based on your wins and losses, it's a good way to tell how well you're doing in the game. If you have a low ratio, you may consider fighting weaker opponents to boost it.
  
  
• Gold in Hand: This is the amount of gold you're carrying. Be sure to put it in the bank before you exit the game, or an opponent that kills you can take it.
  
  
• Gold In Bank: This is the amount of gold you have safe in the bank.

Visual Display Area

This section shows you graphically what's going on in the game. It has displays for all of the various places you can go.

Main Menu

• <W> Weapons/Arms Shop: This command takes you to the weapons shop where you can buy and sell weapons and armor of all kinds.
  
  
• <*> Healer: This command can save your life. When your health is low just go visit the healer to be restored. But, as we all know, doctor's don't work cheap.
  
  
• <T> Tavern: This command takes you to the Tavern where an intrepid young adventurer can get drunk, lucky, beaten and robbed all in the same place. Strange and wonderful things happen in the tavern, if you think dodging thieves is worth it.
  
  
• <M> Magic Shop: This is where the truly wealthy can buy magic items.
  
  
• <A> Arena: This letter takes you into The Pit itself.
  
  
• <G> Gambling Hall: It's almost as easy to lose money in gambling hall as it is in the Tavern, but you'll have a lot more fun in the process.
  
  
• <C> Challenge/View: The most popular option in The Pit. Remember you can only challenge one player per game. It's always a good idea to <V> View a player before you take him on.
  
  
• <!> Multiline Chat: When you enter this area you can chat with all of the other players that are in THE PIT. And if you have the nerve, you can challenge them to a little bit of one-on-one combat.
  
  
• <L> Log of Day: This option lets you see who has been killing who for the past couple of days.
  
  
• <S> Suicide: An option for the truly desperate. Any character truly disgusted with his station in life may choose to end it with this command.
  
  
• <+> Deposit: It's always best to put your gold in the bank before you quit the game. If you are defeated with gold in your hand, your opponent can take it.
  
  
• <-> Withdraw: You'll need to have your gold in hand before you try and spend it at any of the various locations.
  
  
• <O> Options: This lets you change optional info about your character and configure the game to your personal taste.
  
  
• <I> Instructions: This command pops up the context- sensitive help screens.

Sub-Menus

Weapons/Arms Shop

• <H> Buy Hand Weapon,
  <R> Buy Ranged Weapon,
  <P> Buy Projectiles: Just select the appropriate letter for the item you want to buy, and you'll end up in the Buy Menu. Just arrow down to the item you want to buy and press <B> to purchase it or <H> to haggle for a lower price. You can only attempt to haggle three times before the storekeeper kicks you out.
  
  
• <Z> Sell Hand Weapon,
  <W> Sell Missile Weapon,
  <C> Sell Defense: These commands let you trade in your equipment for gold. Pressing the appropriate letter will pop up the sell window where you will be offered a price for your item. You can <A> Accept, <R> Refuse, or <H> Haggle for a higher price.
  
  
• <I> Instructions: This command replaces the top half of your screen with the context-sensitive help screens.
  
  
• <+> Deposit Gold: This command is provided so you can put your gold away after your purchases.
  
  
• <-> Withdraw Gold: This command lets you take old gold from the bank without leaving the shop. Storekeeper courtesy.

Buy Menu

This menu comes up whenever you choose to buy an item. Just arrow to the appropriate item and press <B> and the gold will automatically be subtracted from your account.

You can also press <H> to try for a lower price. If you haggle more than three times the storekeeper will kick you out.

And, as always, <I> will bring up this help screen.


Healing Shop

• <A> All Wounds: This command will restore your character to full Health. Make sure you have enough gold in hand to cover it.
  
  
• <S> Some Wounds: This command will give you an input space at the top of the healer's pop up window asking how much you would like to have healed. It also shows the maximum number of points you can afford to restore.
  
  
• <P> Poison Cured: Obviously, this command cures you of being poisoned.
  
  
• <D> Disease Cured: And this one cures you of having a disease.
  
  
• <B> Blindness Cured: And this one cures your blindness.
  
  
• <H> Healing Potion: Just to make things a little easier in a tough battle, buy a healing potion and take a swig when you need it.

Tavern

This area is meant to be explored. Just have a few drinks and wait for the excitement.

One hint: When someone tries to steal from you, you will see a rapidly moving bar appear on the screen. Your objective is to press any key at the exact moment the moving bar meets the yellow line.

If you time it just right, you can catch the thief before he robs you.

Good Luck!


Magic Shop

This area has a miser of a salesman who has a cache of magic items to sell. You can choose to buy, sell, or identify magic items. And he will even give you details about your weapons for free.


Gambling Hall

Occasionally, after a long day of violence and gore, characters may feel lucky. The Gambling Hall lets you risk a few of your hard-earned gold pieces on games of chance. You can choose between:

• <J> Blackjack
• <P> 5 Card Stud Poker
• <R> Roulette
• <C> Craps
• <O> One Arm Bandit (Slot Machines).

The program follows typical casino rules for these games. Just remember, the odds are always with the house.


Arena

This is it. Hornbluff's Arena. The Pit itself. When you enter, the first thing you'll need to do is choose your opponent.

Here are the types of opponents, listed in order of difficulty. This listing may vary depending on how your sysop has edited THE PIT.

• <T> Trainees
• <W> Warriors
• <M> Humanoid Monsters
• <V> Veterans
• <C> Creatures
• <U> Undead Monsters
• <E> Elven Warriors
• <S> Sorcerers
• <H> Heroes
• <R> Random Encounters
• <F> Elementals
• <N> Norse Gods

This listing is editable by the SYSOP, so it may differ depending on which BBS you are on.

You also have some other options in The Arena.

• <+> Deposit Gold: This lets you store your gold safely for your next of kin.
  
  
• <-> Withdraw Gold: You can also take out gold should you need it.
  
  
• <*> Visit Healer: This takes you to the Healer Submenu (See Above), so you can heal yourself up and get back in the action.
  
  
• <O> Change Options: This lets you change optional info about your character and configure the game to your personal taste.

Battle Menu

Once you choose an opponent, the Visual Display Area will show you a graphic of the Arena placing you and your opponent in relation to one another.

IMPORTANT: Be sure your Number Lock is turned ON before you enter combat or you will have a very short career.

Use the Arrow Keys to maneuver your figure around the screen. If a fight is too much for you, try to maneuver your figure to the door. If you make it out, you forfeit the battle, but you will survive.

In combat, you have three options:

• <A> Attack with Hand Weapon - You must be in the space right beside an opponent to attack him with a hand weapon. This command will first ask you what direction you want to attack. Just indicate the proper direction with your Arrow Keys.
  
  The results of your actions will appear in the Upper Right Hand corner of the screen above the Battle Display.
  
  
• <F> Fire Range Weapon - You must be in a straight line from your opponent to use this option successfully. This command will ask you what direction you want to fire. Just use the arrow keys to indicate the proper direction and it will fire a missile in the right direction. You must be close enough to your opponent for your weapon to hit him. If you are right next to your opponent, he will automatically block your shot.
  
  
• <B> Beg for Mercy - A desperate option for when you find yourself outclassed. You can only beg for mercy BEFORE you have attacked your opponent. After you've tried to hurt him, it's too late.
  
  If it doesn't work the first time, just keep trying and hope for the best. Some opponents are more likely to give mercy than others.

Monsters

The Pit is filled with all kinds of strange and dangerous creatures. Hornbluff has allowed the most common to be examined by scholars. They have compiled this listing of creatures so the young warriors entering The Pit can have some idea what they're up against.


Humanoid Monsters

• Kobold: These runty little creatures appear to be scaled dog men of approximately three feet in height. They tend to retreat when their health is low. They would be considered weak opponents when in small numbers. But in larger numbers they can be quite lethal.
  
  
• Goblin: These ugly creatures appear to be green dwarfs approximately four feet in height. They are bold when their numbers are great. But in smaller numbers, they tend to retreat when serious damage is incurred.
  
  
• Orc: These creatures appear to be six foot tall brownish green pigmen. They attack viciously when given the opportunity. Generally they have little respect for life, including their own. They are known to fight to the death.
  
  
• Hobgoblin: These creatures are larger cousins of the Goblin. They appear as reddish brown giant men approximately seven feet in height. They always attack boldly. But they also tend to retreat when their life is at stake.
  
  
• Gnoll: These monsters appear to be humans seven feet in height. However, their heads are those of a hyena. They are unmerciful when they attack. Many have been known to fight to the death.
  
  
• Lizard Man: These reptilian creatures appear as humans with scales and lizard heads. They are vicious fighters, and tend to attack with range weapons as well as hand weapons. They are also intelligent and may occasionally fake a retreat.
  
  
• Bugbear: Bugbear's appear to be seven foot tall bears with large insect-like faces. They are not very smart fighters; But they make up for their intellect with powerful attacking skills.
  
  
• Wererat: These creatures appear to be rat men. They have the quickness and natural fighting skills of a rat. But they also have the intellect of a man. In large numbers these monsters are quite deadly. (They are rumored to have immunities to certain weapons).
  
  
• Ogre: These monsters appear to be giant men approximately nine feet in height. They are rather slow moving and dull witted. But their tremendous strength might well surprise you.
  
  
• Werewolf: These monsters are well known for their fierceness and constant hunger. They appear as wolf men, and are also quite skilled at fighting. (They are rumored to have immunities to certain weapons).
  
  
• Ogre Mage: These are one of the most powerful humanoid monsters that can be encountered. They appear somewhat similar to their distant cousins the Ogres, but that is where the similarity ends. They are smart, agile, and can score a tremendous amount of damage with both hand weapons and range weapons.
  
  
• Medusa: These creatures have the bodies of shapely women, but they have snakes instead of hair. Their greatest weapon however is their horribly ugly stare. Anyone foolish enough to come in contact with it can be turned to stone.
  
  
• Minotaur: These creatures appear to be large humans with a bulls head. They are cruel, flesh eaters. And their agility and multiple hand weapon attacks make them quite deadly at short range.
  
  
• Troll: Trolls are horribly deformed green walking nightmares. They are somewhat human in a distant sense. But their voracious appetite for human flesh makes them deadly indeed. They are incredibly fast, get multiple hand attacks, and even regain health while in combat. Lower level players may find these monsters too much to deal with.
  
  
• Hill Giant,
  Stone Giant,
  Frost Giant,
  Fire Giant,
  Ettin: All giants are similar. They range from fifteen feet to thirty feet in height. And they all cause a tremendous amount of damage on any attack they make. At long range they throw boulders. And at short range they attack with they throw boulders. And at short range they attack with either fists or giant weapons.

Creatures

• Giant Spider: These creatures appear to be spiders of approximately eight feet in diameter. They are fast and can inflict a poisonous bite.
  
  
• Centaur: These creatures appear to be horses with human torsos. They tend to attack with their hoofs when at close range. And may attack with range weapons at long range.
  
  
• Gargoyle: These monsters appear to be stone like demons of magical nature. They are intelligent hunters, and crave human flesh greatly. A Gargoyle can only attack with its hand weapons, but it has multiple attacks. However, they tend to retreat when odds are not in their favor.
  
  
• Owlbear: These creatures appear to be eight foot tall bears with owllike beaks. They are large and tend to be slow movers. But they attack fiercely if they ever get within hands reach of a player.
  
  
• Giant Ape: These carnivorous apes are larger cousins of Gorillas. They are intelligent hunters, and love human flesh. They are relatively weak unless they are within hand weapon range of a player. Range weapons are most effective on these creatures.
  
  
• Basilisk: These monsters appear to be eight legged reptilian lizards approximately seven feet in length. They move slowly, but their eyes are their deadliest weapon. If their gaze meets that of a player, the player is turned to stone.
  
  
• Manticore: These monsters appear to have the body of a lion, a human head and bats wings. These monsters incur most of their damage at long range, since they can fling multiple spikes at opponents as far as 180 feet away. In large numbers these creatures are virtually undefeatable.
  
  
• White Dragon: This dragon is solid white and is approximately twenty four feet long. It can either breath a freezing breath of cold air at opponents, or move within hand weapon range and attack with its claws and teeth.
  
  
• Hell Hound: These creatures appear to be solid black hounds with glowing red eyes. They are minions of evil and typically breath fire on long range attacks.
  
  
• Black Dragon: This dragon is solid black and is approximately thirty feet long. It can either breath acid at opponents, or move within hand weapon range and attack with its claws and teeth.
  
  
• Gorgon: Gorgons appear as bull-like creatures with thick metallic scales. They are quick and can cause a great deal of damage when striking with their horns. However, they can also breath a gas which causes all opponents breathing it to turn to stone.
  
  
• Chimera: Chimera are a grotesque mixture of many animals. Their hind quarters are this of a goat, their fore paws are those of a lion, and it has the wings of a dragon. It also has three heads, a fire breathing dragon, a lion, and a goat. Needless to say this creature is a walking abomination. And it can cause large amounts of damage from any range.
  
  
• Green Dragon: This dragon is solid green and is approximately thirty six feet long. It can either breath poisonous gas at opponents, or move within hand weapon range and attack with its claws and teeth..
  
  
• Beholder: These creatures appear to be floating spheres of approximately six feet in diameter. They have one large eye in the center of their body, and numerous eyestalks rising from the top of their body. This creature is crafty, and can fire a death ray forty feet away.
  
  
• Blue Dragon: This dragon is solid blue and is approximately forty feet long. It can either breath electricity at opponents, or move within hand weapon range and attack with its claws and teeth..
  
  
• Efreeti: These creatures appear as large floating giants made of fire. They can burn an opponent with their touch, or throw fireballs at long range.
  
  
• Red Dragon: This dragon is solid red and is approximately fifty feet long. It can either breath fire at opponents, or move within hand weapon range and attack with its claws and teeth..
  
  
• Pyrohydra: These horrible creatures appear to be large dinosaur like reptiles. However their large number of heads tends to set them apart, since they have ten of them. At long range the Pyrohydra will breath fire. And at short range they will get ten separate attacks. This creature is the most dangerous in this section.

Undead

• Skeleton: These are undead warriors of times long past. Animated by an evil priest or wizard, they are doomed to destroy all living beings. Their lack of conscious being makes them slow stalking opponents. They have no mercy for you as they tear into your living flesh with their skeletal hands.
  
  
• Ghoul: These undead creatures appear to be green slimy corpses. They feed on corpses and can cause paralysis with their touch. Ghouls primarily use their claws to slice human flesh.
  
  
• Shadow: Shadows appear as apparitions of tortured souls. They float toward opponents and drain levels of strength with their touch.
  
  
• Ghast: These undead creatures appear to be green slimy corpses. They feed on corpses and can cause paralysis with their touch. Ghasts primarily use their claws to slice human flesh.
  
  
• Wight: These undead are evil self-tortured men who entered death as creatures that shun the very life they cast away so willingly. They shun life and all it stands for. In their intelligent, yet undead state they can drain the very souls from any living creature simply by touching them.
  
  
• Wraith: These undead are evil self-tortured men who entered death as creatures that shun the very life they cast away so willingly. They shun life and all it stands for. In their intelligent, yet undead state they can drain the very souls from any living creature simply by touching them.
  
  
• Mummy: These undead are evil walking physical manifestations of men wrapped in cloth and buried in a tomb. Their evil nature and unholy hatred of life gives them tremendous strength, although they tend to lumber toward opponents slowly. Their touch is also known to cause disease.
  
  
• Banshee: These undead are ghostly apparitions of evil murdered women. They scream and cause a life drain to any opponent within the effective range of that scream.
  
  
• Spectre: These undead are ghost-like apparitions of evil men. They hate all living things, and can drain life levels with their touch.
  
  
• Vampire: Vampires drink human blood and are characterized by their fangs that grow upon will. They are incredibly fast and powerful undead. And they can drain the very soul from opponents by touch.
  
  
• Skeletal Warrior: These are undead skeletal warriors of great evil commanders. They generally carry many magical weapons and arms. They also can cause a large amount of damage from any range.
  
  
• Ghost: These are undead spirits of people who died without fulfilling something during their lives. They hate all living things because of their perpetually unliving yet non- dead state. They can cause level drain upon touch.
  
  
• Lich: These creatures are undead sorcerers or wizards that chose to live forever by maintaining themselves in an undead state. They have all of the former spell casting abilities they had while living, but they now have the advantage of an unfeeling, undead body to fight in.