BLUTMOND Beckons

'Slash and Burn, Until it is Finished!'

The Blutmond is at its zenith, and evil stalks the lands again! It has been 200 years since the demon king, Ignisang, was slain... but a new threat has risen from his infernal ashes!

As the Epitome, you'll hack, slash, and blast your way through a WHOPPING 30 UNIQUE ENEMIES, traverse OVER 20 MIND-BOGGLING LEVELS, wield 12 NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN WEAPONS, in 100% AUTHENTIC BLUTVISION (patent pending) FIRST-PERSON VIEW!

You'll be amazed by EYE-POPPING 3D GRAPHICS in 100% FIRST-PERSON! You'll be terrified by the TERRIFIC SOUNDTRACK by the LEGENDARY ROCCO ROLLINS! And you'll read all about it in a FANTASTICAL FULL-COLOUR INSTRUCTION MANUAL!

See what critics have to say: 'Daggerfall Beware!' - Tinhendo Potency Magazine 'There'll never be better graphics than these!' - PC Player Magazine 'It's Hexen with guns!' - The Angry Video Game Bird

What are you waiting for, foolish mortal? BLUTMOND BECKONS!

🎶 BLUTMOND Beckons: The Official Soundtrack: https://suno.com/playlist/506d3a09-ffc0-4200-ad16-6a465d849dd1

LOST ALREADY, FOOL MORTAL? Good! By reading this instruction manual, you're showing a willingness to undergo the Five Trials of the Star and banish the Demon King Ignisang to the Hell he has arisen from! Perhaps you will do better than the other Epitomes before you...

THE WORLD The world of Vidyalbion is a land of swords and sorcery, where men and mer coexist, where foul creatures lurk around every corner, and where fantastical locales can be freely explored... for those brave enough to venture forth. Despite the many threats and treasures they guard, Vidyalbion has been at its most peaceful in generations, with good people acting so that evil may not prevail. But lately there have been stirrings: the soil of forgotten battlegrounds pulses with unnatural life. Whole towns riot in fits of impossible rage. A rot that turns lush jungles into gaseous wastes. And when the Blutmond - the blood moon - rises... so too shall the demon king Ignisang. Only then can one person save Vidyalbion: the Epitome.

THE EPITOME The Epitome is the hero of legend that shall, in Vidyalbion's most dire need, appear and smite the forces of evil. They are rarely the kind of person the prophets claim them to be, such as born of noble blood or chosen by the gods. Epitomes are simply people who act in spite of their fear, not in its absence, and don't back down from whatever is needed. Whatever their motivations, the Epitome fights for it long before they realise they are the ultimate hero. Epitomes can be any species, gender, of any background or fighting style, so long as they have the drive to fight for what they want.

THE FOLK OF VIDYALBION There are many species of Vidyalbion, all of which can be played, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. HUMANS are good all-rounders as the dominant species, and are adept in all classes. ELVES and DWARVES are longer-lived races that specialise in the Moxy and Guts traits respectively, at the cost of each others' better trait. And some folk don't just get statistical boons, but abilities: MINOTAUR can find the exit and heart of any maze without a map; KOBOLDS can breathe fire and grow wings with the blessing of their dragon pantheon; and REVENANTS can choose to side-step the land of the living and dead at any time, reaping the rewards and suffering the consequences of both worlds! But just because a member of a species is playable, doesn't mean they have to be welcomed. A SKELETAL Epitome might well save the world but people don't have to trust or like you. Choose carefully who you decide to be...

THE FORCES THAT BE: Vidyalbion is governed by gods of varying dispositions and domains. Priests gain special magics called Miracles to perform, depending on which god they choose to follow. Whilst many worship the gods to varying degrees, those who dedicate themselves to just one may find allies and enemies in equal parts. 🐲 THE CHUDAS LOT is the most commonly worshipped among the human settlements, taking up the vast majority of worship. The Chudas lot is governed by the ascended human Jorge the Ailslayer, depicted as a knight atop a shining metal dragon. Jorge is considered the ruler of the others in His Lot, such as Metalion (the god of blood, time, and defender of the faithful), Hallion (the god of hunts, vengeance, and watcher of the world), and Sentinel (the god of warriors, honour, and luck). 🧟 THE CULT OF E'D (pronounced 'ehd-ee') is one of the least reputable of organised religions (if they can be called such), worshipping the god of the grave, E'D. Little factual is known of E'D, other than It is a god of war, death, and in civilised lands, one of murder. Whatever the legends, cultists devoted to E'D are consistent in their worship with wild dance, babbling song, copious drink and rabid fights. Interestingly, E'D doesn't order Its followers to do anything: it would appear that imagery of E'D just brings this out in people, and Its influence has spread beyond It. 🌱 THE PRIMAL is not so much a god as the laws of the universe. It is the Four-Elements-And-One (earth, water, fire, wind, and spirit), coexisting and vying supremacy over one another. It requires no worship, but it can be drawn upon in times of need, and can turn against those who would seek to exploit it. It is most often worshipped by Shamans, but is also revered by the bestial races, and kobolds see dragons as the elements made flesh.

THE CLASSES When you begin your adventure, you will start as one of the many classes. Your class determines your starting abilities in and out of combat. You don't have to stick to your class, but should a Wizard want to train as a Barbarian it will be time-consuming and expensive, and neither time nor material wealth are luxuries an Epitome can rarely afford. 🪓 BARBARIAN (Favoured Traits: Gains, Guts): Barbarians are berserkers who let their rage get the best of them and their foes, launching themselves at enemies that would make lesser men tremble. They are most comfortable with weapons with momentum, where they can get enough upswing before letting gravity finish the job. BARD (Recommended Traits: Jive, Moxy): Bards inspire those around their companions with their graceful movements and taunt foes with cutting words. 🛡️ KNIGHT (Favoured Traits: Gains, Jive): Knights are oathsworn warriors who draw their power from their conviction, able to wield any armour and weapon, trusting in the mundane more than enchantments. In Vidyalbion, a Knight who takes upon a quest much vow to finish it, lest their soul be marked to transform into the dread BLACKGUARD... 🔫 GUNSLINGER (Favoured Traits: Guts, Moxy): Gunslingers draw attention from their allies with booming weapons, or send their enemies fleeing with a single well-placed shot to a particularly important figure. Their weapons are slow to reload and expensive to maintain, the art of building and maintaining one's own firearm passed down solely by word of mouth. Despite the name, they are also trained to use short blades for when reloading is not an option. 🙏 PRIEST (Favoured Traits: Brains, Jive): Priests are the faithful servants of divine entities that live within Vidyalbion, using their gods' magics to heal and harm, as well as bless the land as they see fit. When becoming a Priest, one must choose their god (see page XX) in order to use their powers, and carry out their will to gain more boons. Depending on the god, a Priest's spells and gear will vary. 👻 SHAMAN (Favoured Traits: Brains, Gains): Shamans commune with the primal energies of the cosmos, be they they ancestor spirits, the land and its beasts, or the sun and moon to guide them. Every shaman is different, with their own rituals and prayers, but typically shamans prefer using magic over martial weapons, especially man-made ones, trusting entirely in their connection with the powers that be. 👣 TUMBLER (Favoured Traits: Brains, Moxy): The catch-all name for acrobats, thieves, and assassins, Tumblers use dexterity and low cunning to get their way around locks and pockets. While not the most formidable of classes, Tumblers pack light and use cudgels and short blades when they're not using the shadows and fast-talking as their main weapons. 🪄 WIZARD (Favoured Traits: Brains, Guts): Wizards draw their powers from arcane leylines and the magic innate to some creatures. Contrary to popular belief, these spellcasters are not bookish types: they must hone their bodies like labourers and fighters, lest the energies they absorb destroy them and wrack their immortal soul. Wizards can use spellbooks and enchant their chosen gear, but oftentimes prefer to cast in comfortable clothing and with a channel such as a rod or wand.

THE STATS: 🧠 Brains: A character's intellectual abilities. Their ability to read people as well as books. 💪 Gains: A character's physical strength. Their ability to manipulate heavy objects and grapple. 🦁 Guts: A character's overall health. Their ability to stave off the elements, toxins, fear and death itself. 💬 Jive: A character's charisma. Their ability to talk their way out of trouble, and others into it. 🫳 Moxy: A character's speed and guile. Their ability to react swiftly, dodge, and sneak about.

THE GEAR: Anything you find you can probably wear, but may incur penalties if it doesn't match your size or form. A serpentine monster's armour may reduce movement speed on a bipedal adventurer, and a centaur's horseshoes will be better smelted into something more useful. Weapons are the same: what may be a greatsword for a Dwarf might be a dagger to an Ogre, and so forth. Vidyalbion is always undergoing new and frightening technological advances, especially in warfare. Firearms are rare, but not impossible to find, and the forces of evil are always ready to imbue them with hellish force.

THE MAP: [On the double page spread is a map of Vidyalbion. In the centre is Towen, a humble town where the Epitome starts their adventure. To the North are winter tundras. To the South is a sinkhole leading to the core of the world and the Hells within. To the East are verdant jade forests surrounded by enchanted mists. To the West is a parched desert. And within each area are other settlements, cities, temples and landmarks... as well as the myriad legendary creatures that dwell there.

[The rest of the pages of the instruction manual are missing.]