IPA4 - Let's Play Archive · 2009. 7. 17. · The Journal of Corak the Mysterious I am Corak,...

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Transcript of IPA4 - Let's Play Archive · 2009. 7. 17. · The Journal of Corak the Mysterious I am Corak,...

Page 1: IPA4 - Let's Play Archive · 2009. 7. 17. · The Journal of Corak the Mysterious I am Corak, called the Mysterious, ... aptitude for the magical arts and resistance to its power

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Page 2: IPA4 - Let's Play Archive · 2009. 7. 17. · The Journal of Corak the Mysterious I am Corak, called the Mysterious, ... aptitude for the magical arts and resistance to its power

A Passage Through the IslesThe Journal of Corak the Mysterious

I am Corak, called the Mysterious, and theseare my scribblings as I journeyed across

the Isles of Terra in search of forgotten lore. Takethem as aid in the adventure before you, for these

isles are not all they seem to be, and behindthe shroud of legend, truth is often seen.

Might & Magic III

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©1991 New World Computing, Inc.First EditionThe enclosed software program and this book are copyrighted. All rights are reserved. Thisbook may not be copied, photographed, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electricalor machine-readable form, in whole or in part, without prior written consent from NewWorld Computing, Inc. Portions of the program accompanying this book may be copied,by the original purchaser only, as necessary for use on the computer for which it waspurchased.

Might & Magic III, Isles of Terra

Designed & Directed byJon Van Caneghem

Game DesignersJon Van CaneghemRon BolingerMark CaldwellEric Hyman

Progammed byMark Caldwell

Additional ProgrammingAndrew CaldwellDouglas GroundsEric Hyman

Technical/Creative WritingRon Bolinger

Art DirectionLouis Johnson

Computer GraphicsLouis JohnsonBonita Long-HemsathJulia Ulano

SoundTodd Hendrix

Manual IllustrationsApril Lee

Map & Cover ArtFocus on Design

ProductionFocus on DesignGreg Malone

PlaytestersBenjamin BentDave HathawayPaul MalonePaul RattnerScott T. SmithAllen TreschlerRon Wartow

Special PlaytesterRonald Spitzer

90'Day Limited WarrantyNew World Computing, Inc. warrants the original diskettes on which this program isrecorded to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and servicefor a period of ninety (90) days from the date of purchase. If such a defect should occur duringthis 90-day period, you may return the diskette to New World Computing, Inc. for a freereplacement diskette. After 90 days, enclose $ 10.00 to cover costs of media replacement andshipping charges.

This warranty is only effective if you have previously returned the Product RegistrationCard for this program or include a copy of your receipt for the program.

New World Computing, Inc. makes no warranties, either expressed or implied, with respectto this manual or with respect to the software described in this manual, its quality,performance, merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. New World Computing,Inc. shall not be liable for any loss or damage, direct or indirect (including but not limitedto any interruption of service, loss of business and anticipatory profits or consequentialdamages), resulting from the use or operation of this product. (Some states do not allow theseexclusions, so they may not apply to you.)

New World Computing, Inc., P.O. Box 4302, Hollywood, CA 90078-4302

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From the corners of the misty VoidRang loud the battle cry

The Elemental lords of fourHad sworn to fight and die

Fire, Water, Air and EarthDid meet their might and force

And in their battles bloody mireFound our land its source

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Second Day of the New Moon, 491In the Town of Wildabar

It has been four years since last I set out to explore a newland and discover the hidden lore and fables surroundingits towns and castles. The swelling of spirit brought aboutby the telling of these stories of heroism and braverybeyond hope is the thread of magic woven in the mindsand hearts of all who long to answer the call of adventure,and it is for this purpose, to preserve that magical spark,that 1 have devoted my efforts to recording these tales.

From the rumors and murmuring I have heard passingthrough Wildabar these isles are rich with such histories.While talking to a town elder he told me of an ancientrhyme once read before festivals that contained the legendof the mysterious conception of the isles, a legend thattoday circulates across the land, but altered through theyears since the original scroll's disappearance. He read tome a portion he recorded before the original vanished andtold me what he could remember of the rest of the tale.Other parts, he said, may be recorded across the islands.

The epic was written in three parts and the fragment hegave me was from the first, in which is contained anaccount of the birth of the isles out of a great battlebetween powerful lords of the four elements who usedfierce storms to fight for supreme control of the Void, aplace where there was no land or sky or ocean. M'ater andFire and Air and Earth met in this empty Void to fight forthe right to fill it with their presence, but so matched werethey in this battle that none could defeat the others, nor

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could any stop fighting lest the balance be upset and he beoverrun by the others. They had become locked in aneternal war none could turn away from. And as the warraged on through the decades, in the midst of the Voidwhere the fallout of the mighty storms gathered andsettled, a rich land began to develop. From where, no oneknows, but beasts appeared to graze the fields of the newland and take refuge in its forests and caverns. Littlenotice did the Elemental lords pay to these dumb beasts forthere was little threat in their roamings. They were seen asnothing more than the flies that gather around a fallenanimal. So the war raged on with intensifying storms thatadded to the richness of the budding land.

But then a new creature mysteriously appeared in the Void,not dumb like the beasts, but clever in ways of cultivatingthe raw loam of the battlefield further into a rich providerof food and shelter. Difficult and costly though it was inthe midst of the furious storms of battle, a continent wasforged in the misty Void.

In the forests and valleys settledspry creatures of great

intelligence. Thin andstrong, the Elves were quiteat home among the treesand fields of green.Though weaker inendurance than some, theywere possessed of a high

aptitude for the magical artsand resistance to its power

and energy.

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And in the snowy areas ofbitter cold found the Gnomestheir home. Like the Elves,they were strong of mind, notbody, and a little more proneto the ways of magic. Butunlike the brooding Elf, theGnome was very jolly andquick to make friends.Because of the harshness ofthe snowy land their

lr=s=~~ countenance wasi! toughened to the elements, andeven more so to magic.

Oojourned then in the desert sunthe Dwarf. Small but mighty theysurvived in the turmoil of thestormy war for little of theelemental realm could do themgreat harm. After all, it wouldtake a strong creature to find athriving life in the lands of sand.With little power over magic,

Dwarves found their strength insolitude among the dunes.

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And in the swamps and bogssettled a tribal people of greatstrength and endurance. Sostrong were they that fire,electric and cold could hardlyharm them. Because theylacked the greatness of mindfor magic they had to rely ontheir ability to fight tosurvive, and that ability wasdeveloped to great heights,for the Half - Ore lived forbattle and saw the opposingof men as the greatest of endeavors.

Dut scattered across the manydiversities of the new found landHumans wandered and madepla'ces for themselves amongall others. Able to resist allthe elements and magics,and learned in the ways of themystical arts, they were wellequipped to settle where theywished. Soon they thrived acrossthe land and with the othersbegan to tame the beasts andcultivate the fields.

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Withthe arrival of

these conquerors of land the Elemental lords realized thatwhile they fought among themselves the very prize forwhich they were slain was being taken away from them bylittle mortal beings who in their eyes were no better thanthe dumb beasts. Each would try to vanquish the mortalswith a great storm, but because they could not remove toomuch of their force from the war the mortals were able towithstand them. In fact, the storms of the Elementals wereless severe than the effects of the war itself, so theElementals had to find another way to purge the Void ofthese intruders. So an agreement was made to halt thefighting for one day and devote all their powers to createone great tempest of such destructive power that nonecould withstand it for even an hour.

Air gathered together the strongest of its winds to blow thesands of Earth with such force as to tear away the fleshfrom mortal bone. And Water prepared a flood to washthe fallen mortals to the center of the Void where Firewould then bake the mire into solid stone. Even combinedin total unity the mortals could not survive a day of suchtorrent. So little hope was there that in the darkest hoursbefore the great destruction all merely stayed in theirdoomed homes and the helplessness in their hearts madethe greatest cry for mercy any world has ever known.

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Fourth Day of the New Moon, 491The Quest Begins

After searching for the right opportunity I have finallyfound a group to set across the isles with in search of thelost parts of the legend. A band of four fighters and ahealer have enlisted me as their image, not knowing thefullness of my power. We are to travel to Swamp Townand receive a scroll which we will then deliver to FountainHead. The leader of the party, Asa Milchima, has agreedto take a circular course to allow me a wider search for thelost pieces. We will be travelling across most of theislands, skipping only the smaller ones. I will be receivinga smaller share of the reward for delivering the scroll, but itis the search and hopeful discovery of forgotten lore thatcalls me to this adventure, not the promises of wealth.

Assuming all to be in order we will set out tomorrow forthe Isles of Illusion where I will search the two castles saidto be laid out in ruins upon the sand. From there we willtravel to Buzzard Bluff where we will camp for the night.The next day we will journey through the Evermoors andnorth to Swamp Town, find the scroll and most likelyspend a pleasant night in a local inn.

From there I will lead the expedition to Serpent's Wood,the original settling place of the Dwarves, and on throughthe Frozen Isles where we will camp a second night. Thenwe go to Leper Canyon and straight to Fountain Head.Four days they plan, but it will likely extend to double.

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Fifth Day, 491Setting Off

1 oday, after much preparationwe started our journey across theIsles of Terra. This group I'vejoined is far more powerful thanI had earlier believed. Ratherthan renting a boat as I hadthought we would, the healer,

apha, stood at the water's edgewhere earth meets ocean andstretched her arms wide. All was

S

till for a moment, then atrange wind blew the corners ofer robe and there seemed to be

a disturbance in the waters. Fogrolled in, thick and choking, andin the midst of it appeared aghostly galleon riding on theswelling waves. It was truly amost impressive sight, and alittle unnerving too. The ghostship took us across the waters tothe closest of the Isles of Illusion

here we are now resting beforeentering the castle ruins, but Istill don't know from where itcame or to where it returned, foras soon as we stood upon theshore it drifted away in thesilence of the fog.

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It is a poor omen when thefirst battle of an adventureends in death. Whilesearching the ruins of CastleGreywind we came upon apowerful phantom magic userthat had made his home in therubble. He attacked at oncewithout warning and engulfedRapha in a pink glow ofenergy, draining all life out ofher. Asa Milchima respondedquickly by letting fly a boltfrom the crossbow at his side,but it only passed through theapparition. While the othersadvanced, the ghostly figuresummoned a huge and beastlybear and vanished in a flash oflight. Asa Milchima andSupha, the Ninja, were onlyhurt a little in the battle withthe beast, but Rapha had beenour healer. I did what I couldfor the others without revealingthe full extent of my powers,but the loss of Rapha is mostunfortunate. The loyalty ofthis group is strong for theyplan to spend their part of thereward to have her healed atthe temple in Swamp Town.

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Sixth Day of the New Moon, 491Camping at Buzzard Bluff

Then descended on the landThe Forces of the DomeTo lend into the mortal handPower before unknown

Five Forces, they of might and magicTwo champions forged by eachTen heroes made the tale most tragicFor the Elemental beasts

1 here is a dark mood hanging over the camp tonight,darker than the clouds that cloak the moon, darker thanthe thick limbs of trees that hide untold creatures peeringfrom outside the circle of fire light. It has been rainingsince the middle of day and the falling drops have beatendown the spirits of even our steeds who stand nervouslystamping. The fight of yesterday still weighs upon theminds of all, myself included, made heavier by the legendof the Winged Death said to prey on travelers of theForsaken Sands. I must admit even I will feel relief whenthis night is nothing more than a memory. It seems afitting enough setting to muse upon the piece of the legendI found in the ruins of Castle Greywind. It tells of theintercession of the Forces of the Dome, the five Forces thatgave men the power to overcome the attack of theElementals.

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Cxosmonium was that force whichguided the elements and

other forms of energy fromplace to place. Air, water,fire, earth, and the electricalenergies were commanded and

controlled.

llsoterica was the power ofthe inner self, the energyof life and the forms of life,with command of the mindand the ability for healingand inflicting.

(jaiam commanded the order oflife in the forest and in the skies,of the trees and the clouds. Themanner and temperament of natureand the wills of the beasts bowed to

its influence.

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Dellum, which was the essenceof war and violence which

manifested itself in the darkermoods of beasts and violentturns of weather, like this stormtonight.

And Lurkane, thatinvisible, silent sheet ofclandestine power thatslipped its works into theworld unseen.

These were the Forces that silently watched from theirperch above the clouds as the Elementals did battle.According to the legend they never joined the fight, butwhen they discovered the Elemental's plan to destroy allmen and beasts they had pity on the helpless mortals andgave them the secrets of their powers to defend their lives.Other tellings of the tale say the Forces of the Dome fearedthe Elementals would be so amazed at the strength theypossessed when joined together they would unify andattack them in their lofty home, pulling them into thenever ending battle. For whatever reason, the Forcestaught we mortals of their power, two to each Force, andmade ten champions to drive back the Elementals beforethey could pull their ranks together.

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1 o an Elf, Cosmonium opened the secrets ofhow the elements move through theVoid, giving total control over fire,cold, energy, and electricity. Inpadded armor and armed with astaff, the first great hero set aboutmastering his control over theelements and created manypowerful incantations for thecoming battle. He was called aSorcerer. I remember thethrill of discovering the powerand beauty of lightning, mypersonal favorite. In myyouth, camping on a rainy night witha band of adventurers like this dark evening, I wouldsometimes fire a bolt at a nearby tree just to startle mycompanions. An act I'm sure our fallen comrade wouldstrongly disapprove of.

And to another of the Elfin kinCosmonium showed the way tomake a shaft of wood travelstraight and true to its mark.This was named the Archer andgird in armor of chain she wasthe second of the heroes toemerge. Due to their commonorigin she was able to use the

spells created by the Sorcerer, butonly to a limited degree. Most of

her energy was spent in the study ofthe bow.

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JM ext, Esoterica took a Gnome andtrained her in the healing ways,

revealing the secrets of the mindand body, unlocking the powerto make good or render bad

one's constitution. A mostpowerful hero was this, calledthe Cleric, in her splint mail,

helm and shield. To heal thefallen comrade and destroy theweakened foe was her pledge.

"X,

Another Gnome was taken thus,and taught the healing ways, butmuch emphasis was also given tothe use of weapon and armor. Amost noble champion calledPaladin was he, and a frightfulfoe to face. Clad in thestrongest of armor andwielding the weapons oftruth and right, he was tobecome one of thegreatest of the legendaryfigures inspiring much loreand many followers.

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1 hen Gaiam made its choice inthe Dwarf to champion its cause, jMany languages were revealed,empathy with plants and beastsand the patterns of seasons andstars. Secrets of the living landendowed in a smallish figure tocommand the forces of nature todo her bidding, commandinggreat storms and flurries andswarms to do battle, but alsocalling upon the naturalhealing of nature to help thefallen. As devoted to the land as theCleric to the body, this new one called the Druid wouldsacrifice her being to maintain the orders of nature. Inleather the Druid travelled with barely a sword to swing. Astorm such as tonight's would hardly be worthy the talentsof such a champion.

^ XVhen the force Gaiam gave empathywith the forest to the Dwarven

champion it called Ranger, a darkand mysterious one was indeedcreated. At home in thedenseness of the trees,contented with the thicket ofvines and cluttering of

bushes, the Ranger was asdiverse in mood as the forest wasdiverse in creatures. Like the firsthero Ranger, our own Asa is proneto sudden changes in temper from

jovial and impish to condemning and stern.

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Jjellum then chose the Half'Orc to be a championof the sword. Gird in the finest of

armor, helm and shield, and withthe mightiest of weapons

trained he in the arts of war,melee, and valor. Called

the Knight he becamethe strongest of thechampions with thegreatest desire to marchacross the battlefield.

While the Paladin wouldseek peace through battleand find victory in thequick end of a war, theKnight longed for the

brotherhood of battle and felt a kinship to all combatants.

And the second champion made Bellum to be calledBarbarian, for it was not brotherhoodshe seeked in battle but the lust ofblood. With the greatest ///•endurance of the heroes the ^Barbarian seeked the thrill ofrushing into battle. Cladonly in scale armor shewielded her shield andgreat hammer against thearmies of her foes. In all thestatues and tapestries I haveseen dedicated to the likenessof this champion she standshigh upon a mountain offallen warriors, a helm of horns upon her head.

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Lurkane then, the last and mostmysterious of the forces, tooktwo Humans to its cause. Thefirst was taught to move in the ' '"''\invisible folds between theplaces of here and there andtravel unseen and unheard.Known as the Robber, hewas able to work themechanisms of locks andtraps, hide in the faintest ofshadows, and advance uponhis foes to deliver a fatal thrustof dagger in the back. In mail ofchain with shield and dagger, a crossbow hanging athis side, he moved in the leaves like a feather.

And the tenth champion, made for battle, was strongall attributes of fitness and mind. Called the

Ninja, a most powerful warriorwas she with special weaponscreated especially for hermastery at arms, a mastery noteven equalled by the mightyKnight. Bound to a life ofsolitude, alone even among theother champions, her disciplineof body and mind consumedevery moment. She was calledthe silent warrior for shepossessed the stealth of theRobber, even in her chain

mail, and was never knownto speak.

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1 hese ten were thechampions of the waragainst theElementals, wheremortal man wastaught the arts ofmagic and ways of warby the five Forces ofthe Dome,Cosmonium,Esoterica, Gaiam,Bellum and Lurkane,the Forces that areabove the clouds,above the stars, thatindeed guide the starsthrough their journeyacross the night.Now my time atwatch is done andSupha comes torelieve me. Tonight Imust rest well fortomorrow we journeyacross the Evermoors,and that is no place tobe when weary.

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Seventh Day of the New Moon, 491In Swamp Town

1 oday we arrived in Swamp Town after a surprisingly easyjourney through the Evermoors. There were only a fewsmall battles along the way as we came across wanderinganimals and insects. Although the danger was small it wasa good workout, for any small mistake could cost dearly.

After entering the west gate of Swamp Town and findingthe giver of the scroll we are to take to Fountain Head,Rapha was taken to Temple Moonshadow. It was by luckalone that the others had barely enough to pay for theservices of the monks, as the boat we rented to carry usfrom the Forsaken Sands to the Evermoors dug deep intoour partie's pouch. The reward for delivering the scrollwill hardly do more than recoup the fee of Rapha'sresurrection.

With Rapha's return, a room was then taken at the innwhere I now sit writing these notes. The others arerelaxing, as it were, in the tavern where they are tellingRapha of all that has happened in the past two days.

My hopes of finding more of the legend are failing aftertalking to others I have met around town. While visitingthe guild there was one who "had just returned from theFrozen Isles where he had been searching for the rhymehimself. He told me there was no part of it to be found inthe northern regions and was very happy to see thefragment I returned from the ruins of Castle Greywind. Itold him the tale the elder of Wildabar spoke to me.

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22

After the battle wasover and thechampions had usedthe powers the Forcesof the Dome gavethem to drive theElemental lords to thecorners of the Void,the five Forces pickedup the land that hadbeen the battlefieldand moved it throughthe heavens, from thegates of the Ancientsto the gates of Terra,where the land was setin the midst of waterand broken into isles.While the Forces werecarrying the islesthrough the stars theten heroes built townsto protect the peoplefrom the monsters andbeasts that roamed theland, and they trainedothers in thedisciplines they weregiven by the Forcesstarting a longtradition of skills thathas carried over topresent times.

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Great walled towns were built to provide shelter andprotection from the outside wilderness and be a place ofhaven for those adventurers who travelled across the newland and tried to tame and conquer its growing life. Theywere exciting times of adventure and bravery, but therewas a need for places of healing and trading and training,so in the towns were raised dwellings where all the servicesan adventurer needed could be received. There wereplaces of weaponry, houses of ale and feasts, five houses ofhealing where the mysterious monks who tended thempayed homage to the Forces for saving them from theElementals, grounds for training in battle skills, mysticalschools for heightening one's magical prowess, and placeswhere the weary could rest in safety and store their goodsand find others to replace a fallen companion. It is inthese foundations that our town dwellings of today findtheir source.

TIn the blacksmith's shoppe workers of steeland iron forged new weapons of destructionand repaired the broken implements of warriors.There was a lucrative trade of wares from manyplaces abroad and all the needs of dungeonlurking, such as rope and torch, could be found.It was also a place to find the finest in armorand protective wares, and unknown mechanismsor weapons could be identified and their uses andvalue revealed. Of course the excess in atraveller's pack would bring a decent enoughprice to pay for a good time in the houses of ale.

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erf^m^L he inn was a place where the weary could

rest behind a locked door and under a roofto protect from the falling rain. But the innwas created as more than just a place to takea much needed halt in travelling, for youngadventurers seeking the thrill of battle anddiscovery of untold wealth could sign in theregistry and wait for a party in need of helpto enlist his services. Often times, whenenlisting the aid of those you meet roamingthe forests and caves and ruins, he will bidyou meet him at the inn where he hadregistered last before joining you on yourquest.

1 averns were built where the ale flowed asprofusely as the rumors off the loosened lipsof explorers and warriors who came to theserowdy bars for a healing that could not befound in the temple. It was a place wheregold put in the hand of the barkeep mightreveal the clue to find unspeakable treasureand fortune. And when the adventurer'spack ran low of food it could be filled withthe specialty of the house. After all, whenone's strength runs low resting is to littleavail when there is no meal to replenish theflesh.

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And for the fallen and injured warriorstemples of healing were erected to theForces of the Dome. Five Forces gave mortalsthe power to subvert the deluge and fivetemples were constructed to honor theirpowers and help those who fell in theirservice. Warriors with any affliction couldfind cure from the mysterious monks thattended these sacred shrines. Flesh would berestored and curses lifted. And it wasbelieved that special blessings awaited thosewho donated a portion of their booty to theseshrines.

JDut those portions of gold and treasure thatwere not donated to the sacred monks wereunder constant threat of becoming another'sbooty, so the builders of the towns made asturdy and secure cage and commissionedstrong golems to guard it. The bank wasneeded to keep one's wealth in safety becausethere were, even in those exciting daysfollowing the victory over the Elementals,those who would feed on the weaker butmore fortunate of their fellow man. Thoughfallibly secure from theft, the bank wassafer than the skin tents of the adventurer'scamp.

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train others in the ways shown to themby the Forces of the Dome, the tenchampions also made great training groundswith tracks and arenas and all manner ofdevices for improving strength and stamina.For a price, any adventurer who had comefrom a long quest or journey could seek thehelp of specialists in all the arts of battle toadvance in the skills of swordplay, archery,and all other methods of melee. A person'sstamina and endurance in battle could alsobe enhanced by the techniques of themasters of the grounds.

id for those who studied the magical arts,mysterious guilds were built to train themagic user to control the forces. Throughintense study deeper control of one's chosenway could be gained and new incantationspurchased to expand the mage's abilities andarsenal of spells. These were places of greatsecrets and none but members of each guildcould enter. Legends of the surroundingarea were written in the history of each guildto provide helpful hints and warnings to thewise.

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Eighth Day of the New Moon, 491The Frozen Isles

1 onight we are camping in the chilly environs of theFrozen Isles. As I suspected after talking to my fellowsearcher in Swamp Town, there is no sign of any part ofthe legend around these frozen woods. We searched thesnowy wild for many hours but there was little more thanice to be found gleaming in the sun.

After being denied entrance to Castle Dragontooth onaccount of prior dealings with our healer Rapha, wedecided to camp in the frozen woods of these isles and keepfire watch, which is what I do as I write this. I've had morecomfortable nights but there are no hard feelings towardRapha. It is, after all, much easier crossing the ocean withthe use of her ghostly ship.

I will miss this group when we part ways in Fountain Head,but there are other things that call me. This has been buta tour for me, the real search is not for legends and lore butmy nemesis Sheltem. From the very beginning he has seenthese isles and all that lives upon them as his enemy, andtwice he has planned their extinction. Now that theseisles have rested in the gates of Terra I'm sure he has notgiven up his crusade to destroy them. I know not whatplan he has set in motion but I see his work in all that ischaotic.

I have been making these notes as a record to leave behindfor any who will join me in my search for Sheltem and hisevil plot. I believe the ancient pyramids play into hisschemes and that is where I will begin my search when I

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schemes and that is where I will begin my search when Iset out again. This time I will go alone, but to any whofollow I will leave clues to give the benefit of newinformation I uncover.

I have not told the others of this but in the ruins of CastleBlackwind, back on the Isles of Illusion, I found a messageamong the rubble that may shed light on the mystery ofSheltem's scheme. It seemed to place much importance onthe three manners of men we have come to call alignment;Good, Neutral, and Evil. For many years there has beenpeace among these different attitudes, but it has not alwaysbeen so. There once were many wars fought over thedifferences of these three alignments and perhaps it isSheltem's plan to rekindle this ancient rivalry. I'm stillworking on what may be the meaning of this message inthe rubble. In the land today the question of Good andEvil is resolved in the response to certain situations, andthere are certain enchanted areas where one or the othermay not be welcome, but there is little chance of a warfueled by these differences being started in these times ofenlightenment. Nevertheless, I am sure the subtledifferences of these three, Good, Neutral, and Evil, playinto the schemes of Sheltem.

I will stop writing for tonight, Asa will soon come torelieve me of my watch. It has been a pleasant trek acrossthe isles with this group, pleasant save for the death ofRapha. Thank the Forces the monks of the temples canlift the conditions of ill that inevitably befall theadventurer. Be you cursed, paralyzed, or even eradicated,there is always a remedy, and a price, to be found in thetemples.

With the coming of the morning light we will start ourfinal journey to Fountain Head, and from there I will onceagain set out alone. My feelings are echoed in the cries of

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Page 30: IPA4 - Let's Play Archive · 2009. 7. 17. · The Journal of Corak the Mysterious I am Corak, called the Mysterious, ... aptitude for the magical arts and resistance to its power

Ninth Day of the New Moon, 491Fountain Head Reached

After passing through Leper Canyon we reachedFountain Head late into the day. I parted company withmy group at the inn where they immediately foundanother young adventurer anxious to join them on theirnext excursion, of course... after they spend some timein the tavern to recuperate.

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Page 31: IPA4 - Let's Play Archive · 2009. 7. 17. · The Journal of Corak the Mysterious I am Corak, called the Mysterious, ... aptitude for the magical arts and resistance to its power

Before I start my search for Sheltem there are a few finalpieces of advice I would like to offer to those who followme into this mystery. There are skills that will be veryhelpful if not completely necessary in your travels acrossthe isles. You must find their masters to teach them toyou, and be prepared to pay the price. Here are some ofthe more helpful of these skills...

Cartography

Danger Sense

Detect SecretPassages

Mountaineering

Pathfinding

Swimming

To help you keep better maps of theareas you visit.

Which will give you warning ofmonsters you may not see until it istoo late.

So not to miss out on hiddenopportunities.

To gain access to the higher regions.

For cutting your way through denseforests.

For crossing shallow waters.

And always keep a full spellbook. When you havemastered the spells you know to such degree that you areprepared to learn others, gain membership to a guild andlearn what you can. Seek the wandering mages who sellthese memberships, the price is small to pay to have theright incantation when needed. And if you gain a spellfrom an enchanted pool or buy it from a traveling teacherand have no explanation of its use, go to one of the guildsfor its description.

Remember to keep a good supply of gems as some spellsrequire the power locked inside their crystals. These arethe spells available to the novice in the ways of magic...

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Awaken Pulls all sleeping adventurers from theirslumber.

Detect Magic If there is a magical item in the pack of thecaster this will make it known, and revealthe number of its limited use. Use this todiscover the nature of a chest of treasure.

Elemental Unleashes the power of the elementsArrow upon a single enemy. Expel a bolt of flame,

electricity, acid, or ice upon your foe to robhim of a little well-being.

First Aid An adventurer's minor wounds of battle canquickly be healed with this anointingincantation.

Flying Fist Summons an enchanted gauntlet to delivera stinging punch to a single foe.

Light Provides a magical light to illuminate thedarker areas.

All spells were forged through the mysteries ofCosmonium, Esoterica and Gaiam, and only those classesdevoted to their study can cast them. More powerful spellsawait as you advance in your abilities.

It will also be necessary to gain protection from the sixforms of damage that are delivered through the use ofweapons and spells. These forms are fire, electricity, cold,poison, energy, and magic. Each race has a naturalstrength against some of these and further protection canbe gained through spells and enchanted items.

As you travel from town to town there will be manyoccasions to enlist your services to others in need of help.It would be wise to accept their challenges for there may begreat rewards in their completion that will help in futuredealings.

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And when all hope is gone, be it in the face of a greatdragon or surrounded by too many ores to dispatch, youmay call upon the benevolent hand of Mister Wizard tocarry you back to safety. He will always answer the call forhelp, but be warned that he will also extract a toll ofexperience from those he rescues. A mighty warrior cansoon be rendered weak if he calls for the help of the Wizardtoo often. It is best to resolve a situation without his helpif any solution exists. But new adventurers find favor inthe heart of Mister Wizard, and those he will help withoutfee.

Now I must prepare for my search for Sheltem. Take thesenotes and use them as you can to discover his schemes, andtogether we may be able to thwart his plot. Search for theclues I will leave behind, and good luck to you on yourjourney. May the powers of Might and Magic be always atyour side.

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