ARCANA

Arcana is a delightful arcade adventure with finely detailed 3D graphics and smooth horizontal
scrolling, featuring 30 special locations.

You are Baludar, specially selected for this task by the people of Estarion, Land of the 
Bright Elves.

Arcana, the Castle of Mysteries, holds the most potent book of Black Magic ever written, The 
Dark Clavicle. An evil king, Valarequil, rules the North Lands from Arcana.

Valarequil's ambition is great and his power terrible; he desires the srcrets within The Dark 
Clavicle. The Book is in a chamber within the castle with seven mighty demons guarding it.
The clasp of The Dark Clavicle is sealed and the Book cannot be opened. Not, that is, until 
Shedding-Moon Eve, the autumn equinox. Only at this time is the opening incantation for this evil
transcript revealed.

Your adventure in the labyrinthine passageways of Arcana will not be easy. You must explore the
castle and protect yourself from the evil creatures thaty haunt the place with magic bolts of 
luminous energy that you have brought from Estarion. You must locate seven talismans to 
counter-attack the terrific evil that guards the Book. You may also find things to help you in 
your fight. Finally you must locate ther Dark Clavicle and destroy it before it can be used to 
perpetrate any evil.

In the Great Hall of Arcana, Valarequil and his minions gather to celebrate the arrival of the
moment when the Book's secrets can be known. Only two and a half hours of twilight remain...

Arcana - Instructions

To load, hold down SHIFT and press RUN/STOP.

Joystick Port 2
Press space bar to start.
F3 to begin a new game.
F7 to pause.

Use the joystick to go in all four directions. Press FIRE to emit a magic bolt in the direction
which you are facing.

The panel at the bottom of the screen shows:
STATUS - space bar to change
TWILIGHT LEFT - counts down from 2 hours 30 minutes
LIFE FORCE - counts down from 100% when you are harmed
TALISMANS - number discovered so far
You may change STATUS with the space bar. 
You may use the Ring when you find it!

You must set out to explore the 30 special locations throughout the 4 levels of Arcana. Avoid or
fire at any strange creatures that attack you or that you discover. All the inhahitants of Arcana
are evil and will harm you.

You may move and FIRE in all directions; this is useful for disposing of enemies that come at you
in all directions. When you come to a division in the corridor, push in the direction you wish to
follow and you will see yourself at a new angle, having turned a corner. Arcana is maze-like and 
you are advised to make a map.

Some doors will he open, others may require a key or some force. Some levels in the castle have 
stairways to other sublvels. There is an ancient transport mechanism too, if you can work out 
how to use it.

There will be some horrible specimens in the rooms you visit - you must try to avoid them but 
some may he stunned by your magic holts or defeated by a special object. Have a good look round 
the objects and ornaments in the room, you will have to experiment to discover the secrets of 
Arcana. Even if you cannot find anything interesting in a room first time round, go back later. 
Objects you have collected may now be of use.

Designed and programmed for New Generation Software by Geoff Summer.

Produced by Virgin Games Ltd,
2-4 Vernon Yard, Portobello Road,
London W11 2DX.

