I N T RO DU C T I O N

You’re holding The Chronicles of Darien. Inside, you’ll find a description of the

dramatic and often tragic events that led to the present war.

There are many sides to every story; in this case, there are four — Aramon,

Veruna, Zhon, and Taros. The history of Darien is followed by a presentation

of the four points of view that correspond to the four sides involved in the war.

Take the time to review the forces on each side. It’s good to know what can and

cannot hurt you.

 TA B L E o f C O N T E N T S
One: Three: Fo u r :
I N S TA L L I N G T H E G A M E S TA R T I N G A N E W G A M E P L AY I N G T H E G A M E
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 1. Quick Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 1. Game Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 3. Interface Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Standard Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 2. Game Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 The Orders Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Installation without Autoplay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 3. How to Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Mana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 The Build Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
Installing DirectX 6.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 4. Working with Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Personal Mana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Conjuring Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
DirectX Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 5. Main Title Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Summoning Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Uninstalling Total Annihilation: Kingdoms . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 6. Playing the Adventure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Other Orders, Commands and Fun Stuff . . . . . . . . .73
Improving Game Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 7. Play the Machine/Skirmish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 2. Game Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Adjusting Your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 8. Game Options Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Choosing the Mouse Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Adjusting Game Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 9. Starting a New Opponent Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Main Battle Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Installation Troubleshooter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Creating a New Multiplayer Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Battle Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Customizing Multiplayer Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Mini-maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Joining a Multiplayer Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Information bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
T wo : Unit status bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
T H E C H R O N I C L E S O F DA R I E N
The story behind the game. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN ONE: INSTALLING THE GAME

3. Double-click on the CD-ROM icon. DirectX Troubleshooting

O n e : I N S TA L L I N G t h e G A M E 4. Double-click on the SETUP.EXE icon. This launches the
installation program.
If you run into any video/audio problems after the installa-
tion of DirectX 6.1, but earlier versions of DirectX are
installed and working fine, you may restore your original
SYST E M R E QU I R E M E N TS S TA N D A R D I N S TA L L AT I O N
Installing DirectX 6.1 DirectX drivers by following these steps:
Single Play Installing Kingdoms Total Annihilation: Kingdoms has been designed to take
1. Click Start, Settings, Add/Remove Programs.
Minimum 200MHz, 32mb RAM, Microsoft or fully compat- 1. Close all running applications. advantage of Microsoft’s DirectX 6.1 video and audio
drivers. You need to install DirectX 6.1 for optimum game 2. You’ll see a list of programs that are present on your
ible mouse, 4x CD-ROM Windows 95 or 98, 100mb hard 2. Place the Total Annihilation: Kingdoms CD in your system, including DirectX.
drive space, 100% Direct Sound Compatible Sound Card, performance.
CD-ROM drive.
VGA 16-bit color or better. 3. Click on the DirectX entry, and then on the Add/Remove
3. Wait for the installation menu to appear. When it does, To install DirectX 6.1 and/or to check whether you have
Button in the lower right-hand corner.You’ll see a list of
click the Install button, then follow the on-screen DirectX 6.1 already on your system, click on the Install
NOTE: It’s good practice to have some free space DirectX components on your system.
instructions. DirectX button in the installation menu. The DirectX 6.1
on your hard drive at all times, preferably at least 10% installation program will check your system for earlier 4. Click on the Restore Drivers button. This will restore
of your hard drive capacity. NOTE: Make sure to check out the README file for the DirectX versions and report what it finds. your previous DirectX drivers.
latest information about the game. You’ll see its icon in
Multiplayer the Kingdoms folder/shortcut menu. If no DirectX components are found, the installation Uninstalling Total Annihilation: Kingdoms
Internet orLAN connection required. For Multiplayer games program will automatically install DirectX 6 on your system. To remove Total Annihilation: Kingdoms from your system,
you may need more RAM and a faster machine than the Installation without AutoPlay use the Uninstall program included with the game.You’ll see
If earlier versions of DirectX are found, you’ll see them listed
minimum system listed above, as network games make high If you do not see the installation screen appear automati- the Uninstall icon below the game icon in the Windows
with the version numbers. Click on the Re-install DirectX
demands on your system. cally after inserting CD into your CD-ROM drive, follow shortcut menu. Do not uninstall the game simply by
button to update your DirectX drivers to version 6.
these steps: dragging the Total Annihilation: Kingdoms folder to the
* If you have already installed DirectX 6.1 or better onto Recycling Bin. This will leave some of the game’s compo-
1. Close all running applications. nents installed on your system.
your system, you do not need to perform this process.
2. After inserting the Total Annihilation: Kingdoms CD
into your CD-ROM drive, double-click on the My NOTE: Almost all video and sound cards support DirectX.
Computer icon on your desktop. However older video or sound cards may not be compati-
ble. Contact your video/audio card manufacturer to
obtain updated drivers compatible with DirectX.
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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN ONE: INSTALLING THE GAME

Improving Game Performance Adjusting Game Options I N S TA L L AT I O N T R O U B L E S H O O T E R

Large numbers of units and structures can considerably You can improve game performance by adjusting the follow-
slow down the game. You can try to improve performance ing options: The Game Doesn’t Install
with some of the following commonsense adjustments to Check whether you have enough space on your hard drive
1. Turning off or reducing unit sounds and chat through and whether the CD-ROM drive is working properly.
your system or by adjusting the game options.
the Sound and Interface buttons in the Game Options
Screen. Game Won’t Run
Adjusting Your System
You can improve game performance by adjusting the follow- 2. Turning off shading, anti-aliasing, and shadows through Check whether you have any free space left on your hard
ing system settings: the Visuals button in the Game Options screen. This will drive and whether the CD-ROM drive is working properly.
result in less impressive graphics, but faster game play. Check for programs running in the background. Ensure you
1. Close all other applications. have Direct 6.1 or better installed. Try a complete restart. If
3. Slowing down the game speed with the slider available
2. Check your system for programs running in the through the Interface button in the Game Options the game still does not work, contact our Technical Support
background (for example, virus-detection programs). screen. Department (contact info on page 76).
These can not only slow the game down, but also result
4. Make sure the Resolution slider is set to 640x480 in the
in lockups.
Visual settings of Game Options. Higher resolutions
3. Run Scandisk and Disk Defragmenter (provided within require considerably more system resources.
Windows 95 and 98).
In addition, in Single-Player Skirmish or Multiplayer games,
4. Check the startup menu for applications loading
you can improve game performance with the following
automatically whenever you boot up your system, and
options:
disable them.
5. Buy more RAM or a faster computer. 1. Reduce the number of computer opponents.
2. Select a smaller map.
3. Restrict the number of units that can be built
(Multiplayer only).

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 TWO: THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN

against which there was no defense. mere humans immense magical powers, as well as
Fortunately, the Five Wizards of Kandra were as wise as immortality.

T wo : T h e C H RO N I C L E S o f DA R I E N they were powerful. While they instantly knew of any trans-

gression of their code — called the Laws of Life — and T H E F I V E L E G AC I E S
doled out appropriate punishments, the Wizards never The Kandrans were quick to recognize the value of mogrite.
M A N Y T H O U S A N D S O F Y E A R S A G O , T H E W O R L D O F D A R I E N WA S
abused their position. They knew that any bending of the All of the five mogrite stones ever found were incorporated
UNITED INTO ONE: THE KINGDOM OF KANDRA.
natural rules inherent in the manipulation of Mana would into items known thereafter as the Five Legacies: a pendant,
have disastrous consequences. And so, any personal joy a bracelet, a scepter, a ring, and — a throne.
THE ANCIENT KINGDOM OF KANDRA T H E M AG IC A L P OW E R S OF derived from their immense powers was tempered by the Four of the Legacies symbolized the four elements —
The Kandrans were a race as old as Darien itself, and their THE KANDRANS weight of equally immense responsibilities. Earth, Water, Wind and Fire — while the fifth stood for the
strict but benevolent rule stretched to the most faraway The Kandrans were masters of magic — even an average Kandran Wizards practiced their magical arts at special, amalgamation of the four elements into one entity: the
corner of their dominion. This rule was exceptional in one Kandran was capable of such simple, useful feats as turning sacred sites that enhanced the power of the magic. These world. Thus, the pendant containing the mogrite stone
respect — it was not upheld by a vast bureaucracy, an water into beer or dissolving an ugly body wart. It is believed sites, marked by a circle of standing stones, probably known as the Stone of Darien symbolized Earth, and the
omnipresent spy network or garrisons of soldiers in every that the Five Wizards of Kandra held enough power to contained extraordinary concentrations of Mana. It is an bracelet with the stone known as the Soul of Kandra
little town and village. The Kingdom of Kandra drew its destroy the entire universe. At least part of this power was established fact that these sites retain special magical symbolized Wind. The scepter topped with the stone known
power from the Kandrans’ mastery of Mana, the currency believed to come from a secret artifact known as the Heart properties even today. When Mana was used on a truly as Angvir’s Flame symbolized Fire, while the ring with the
of magic. of Thesh. It was rumored that the Heart of Thesh gave its massive scale, a rare mineral would sometimes result. small but incredibly pure Macha’s Tear symbolized Water.
possessor the ability to summon a devastating force, a force This was known as mogrite — a substance that gives The biggest mogrite jewel, symbolizing the world as a

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN TWO: THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN

whole, was known as Modron’s Eye. It was mounted on the wounds and injuries and incredible longevity. It also turned train a talented Kandran for the Wizards’ post; the training collapse of the Kingdom of Kandra. Was it a Wizard making
top of the Throne of Ludd, an imposing throne sculpted out that the mogrite stones incorporated into the Five was very strict, conducted in conditions similar to solitary a vicious bid for ultimate power? Was it a bitter acolyte, a
from blackstone, a Darien rock as hard as steel. Legacies were of unequal power. Modron’s Eye stood out, in confinement. One set of acolytes had already died without frustrated Wizard-in-waiting, putting his hard-gained
The Five Legacies were put in the custody of the Five particular, for it gave its owner — or custodian — practical ever putting their hard-gained knowledge into practice.And knowledge to devious ends?
Wizards of Kandra. Each Wizard was responsible for a immortality. The uniting principle behind the Five Wizards so, the candidates-in-waiting whispered and grumbled, No one will ever know.
particular Legacy for a single year. At the end of every year, was their equality as regards one another. Now, the custo- sometimes publicly, which was a scandal without precedent
the Wizards exchanged the Legacies among themselves. This dian of the throne with Modron’s Eye was more fortunate in Kandran history. T H E D AY O F T H E G R E AT C A L A M I T Y
was meant to underline the fact that the Wizards were not than the others. What we do know is that exactly 427 years — to the day —
owners, but merely custodians, of the Five Legacies. What’s more, the Wizards’ new, long lifespan wasn’t that T H E FA L L O F K A N D R A after the Wizards took custody of the Legacies, Darien was
pleasing to all the Kandrans. The resentment arose very In happier times, the Five Wizards would have instantly been struck by the ultimate disaster. All natural laws suddenly
T H E D E C L I N E O F K A N D R A N C I V I L I Z AT I O N slowly; the Kandrans were a people who enjoyed long lives in aware of the discontent. They would have righted the ceased to work. Farm animals swelled and burst as their
The Kandrans thought that putting the mogrite Legacies general — the average Kandran could hope to live well in wrongs, punished the wrongdoers — if any — and things bodily fluids instantly transformed to gas. People died
under the Wizards’ care would ensure continued peace and excess of a hundred years. But after two generations of would have returned to normal. But the Wizards were horrible deaths, bones snapping as their bodies twisted
security. Alas, they were wrong. Kandrans had gone by, and the same set of Wizards contin- increasingly involved in a power struggle. By that time, they into impossible shapes, eyes popping clear of their
As time went on, the Wizards realized that possessing a ued to govern the kingdom, eyebrows were being raised and all had their favorite Legacies, and of course the most contorted faces as their heads swelled and cracked open like
mogrite stone meant much more than greatly increased questions asked. coveted prize of all was the throne with Modron’s Eye. overripe grapefruits. In the Kandran capital, the enormous
magical powers. Mogrite also gave its possessor such They were asked most loudly by the five acolytes chosen The final calamity struck without warning. There are no belusa trees lining all the main streets shriveled and split
benefits as immunity to sickness, almost instant healing of to succeed the reigning Wizards. It took thirty-six years to records, no evidence of what exactly led to the catastrophic lengthwise, spilling smoking sap. Seas and lakes hissed

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN TWO: THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN

and steamed, rivers became rocky canyons, and mountains It was as if Nature had decided to nurse the world back the day of the Great Calamity as Day One. And so we know weren’t necessary. To most of Darien’s new people, admitting
roared and crumbled into stony plains. Finally, the land itself to health; slowly, the scattered survivors of the disaster grew today that agriculture became possible again in Darien so much as an interest in the magical arts was the social
groaned horribly, and a devastating earthquake swept into clans and tribes. But however far away and out of touch towards the close of the First Millennium; that the Second equivalent of confessing to a fancy for gruesome murder.
Darien far and wide. they were, all those freshly born pockets of civilized life Millennium ushered in the appearance of numerous new This was how things were.
It was all over in a couple of heartbeats.A terrible silence shared one belief, one attitude: an absolute abhorrence of the species of flora and fauna; and that by the end of the Third Until Garacaius.
fell over the tortured land of Darien, and then a bloody rain magical arts. Merely speaking about the existence of the Millennium, most of Darien’s scars had overgrown with lush
came down and fell for three nights and days. Kandran plaything that had laid low the land meant severe fields and forests. By the middle of the Fourth Millennium, T H E BA B Y I N T H E WO OD S
punishment. nearly all of the tribes inhabiting Darien had reestablished It was a special day — the last day of the Fourth
T H E H E A L I N G O F DA R I E N The enormous store of magical knowledge accumulated contact with one another. This spurred progress, and many Millennium. Pesco the fisherman was busy poling his boat
Incredibly, handfuls of life survived — among them, a few by the Kandrans was lost.And as hamlets grew into villages, areas of knowledge grew by leaps and bounds, not least along the thickly wooded shore. It wasn’t easy — a mist had
dazed witnesses of the cataclysm that had just passed. They and villages into towns, there developed a new faith: a because finally the various surviving crumbs of Kandran settled on the water, and Pesco had to watch out for floating,
did not know why they had been spared and didn’t dare to belief in the essential rightness of things as they were. If knowledge became available to all. dead wood, a task made even more difficult by the
speculate. For immediately following the catastrophe, something was a certain way, that was the way it was meant However, one area of Kandran knowledge was left occasional screen of reeds. He was in a great hurry though,
Darien was blessed by a period of incredibly clement to be. untouched. Of course it had to be the most important matter because the evening was to be full of festivities to mark the
weather that lasted the better part of a century. New water of them all: Kandran magic. To the creators of Darien’s new coming of the New Millennium, and this hurry was his
springs burst open across the land, deserts slowly filled with T H E N E W DA R I E N civilization, magic was a Pandora’s box of misfortune that undoing. The flat-bottomed boat suddenly reared up like a
seas of swaying grass and birds began to twitter yet again, The healing of Darien took thousands of years. The newly would devour anyone who dared open it. startled horse as it struck a half-submerged trunk, and
perched on the branches of young saplings. emerged tribes had adopted a new calendar, starting with By that time, laws prohibiting magic-related activities Pesco got very wet.

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN TWO: THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN

The water wasn’t deep. Pesco stood submerged to his carefully through the moss and tangled grass — he was The baby! He could see it was a little boy. THE HUMBLE FISHERMAN

waist, spitting out curses and wringing out his cap. When it barefoot, and the ground was covered with sharp, dry twigs. He already had nine children of his own. Even if he’d It is recorded that on the fifth day of the sixth month of the
was dry enough to put back on his bald head, he did so, and He found the baby almost right away — he practically found this one untainted by evil…he just couldn’t afford sixteenth year in the Fifth Millennium, a youth named
took stock of the situation. It quickly dawned on him that all stepped on it after he pushed past through a pair of prickly another mouth to feed. But he could find someone else to Garacaius passed the final examinations at the Ugarit
the fish he’d caught earlier were enjoying newfound bushes. The baby lay on a patch of open ground, naked as take care of it, couldn’t he? But there wasn’t any sense Academy and left this famous school under a cloud.
freedom — he’d humanely but unwisely left them alive. nature had made it, with nothing but a tiny leather pouch thinking about it. The pouch… Before graduation, each student was required to submit
He was about to start cursing again when he heard the baby tied by thongs to the baby’s foot. Pesco grasped his club firmly. He raised it and held it an essay on an extracurricular subject. The subject didn’t
cry. He listened, staring wide-eyed into the mist; the cry Pesco’s thick, scarred fingers untied the thongs with high for a moment. really matter — what mattered was the student’s ability to
came again. amazing deftness. He pulled the pouch open, peered inside But…the baby! The baby, the baby, the baby! argue a point in a logical and convincing manner.
He waded through the water, then hesitated, standing and reacted as if he had just looked death in the face. He With a shriek of dismay, Pesco threw the makeshift club Prize-winning essays included “The Joyful Fly: An
knee-deep before a twisted tree bending from the shore; he jerked his head back and flung the pouch into the forest as after the pouch, hearing it crash and tear through the shrub- Examination of the Relationship Between Selected
had never seen a tree like that before. The third cry came. far as he could. Those pale, softly growing grains — they bery. He cursed as he picked the baby up, cursed as he Household Insects and Wildberry Jam,” and the sensational
Pesco was suddenly seized with a grim foreboding of had to be something magical! The infant had a pouch of carried it back to the boat, and cursed most of the long “Stories My Mute Father Never Told Me: Adventures in
something about to happen. Dark-eyed with fright, he didn’t some unnatural substance attached to its foot! way home. Carpentry.” Young Garacaius, however, had dared to write
even notice the drops of water that ran out from under his Pesco’s breath came in ragged gasps as he scrabbled Pesco had always cursed a lot, and that was why he a treatise on…Mana, and the role of magic in the natural
cap and down his face. The clammy air was still. Then around, looking for a suitably large branch or rock. He found fished alone. world!
Pesco’s arm shot out as if of its own accord and grabbed an his weapon and stood over the baby, trying to summon the To many, this confirmed Garacaius as a suspicious
overhanging branch. Moments later, he was treading determination he needed. character. To start with, it was well known that he attended

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN TWO: THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN

the Academy through the help and protection of the Leimar answer any questions about Garacaius’ origins. to gather speed and slow to stop, and that the submerged For the first time in his long, hard life, Pesco had enough
clan, which practically ruled Ugarit. Yet he had repeatedly Garacaius had nowhere to go, so he stayed. He went out hull would never be watertight. But his arguments were in money to spend every weekend in the village inn, drinking
stated that he was not a member of the clan, most recently fishing with old Pesco — the first person ever to do that — vain — Garacaius was as stubborn as a mule, and in the end as if there were no tomorrow and pinching any shapely
when tensions between the Leimar and the Balistan clans and the old man was quietly grateful for a companion who the old man gave up. female bottom within reach. One weekend, staggering back
briefly flamed into armed hostilities. When asked about his did not object to his rude manner and helped with tasks he By the beginning of the next fishing season, the boat was home after a night of libations, poor old Pesco fell into a
birthplace, Garacaius claimed to come from a fishing found increasingly difficult. What was more, before long the ready. To everyone’s amazement, it was almost as easy to roadside ditch half full of water from a recent rain. Mean
village south of Ugarit. But a couple of students passing young man showed a flash of talent that amazed the fisher- maneuver as the traditional flat-bottomed craft. What’s tongues said he was asleep before he hit the water.
through that very village quickly found that none of its man. more, its superior stability allowed the use of a sail in But there were also whispers that Pesco said Garacaius
inhabitants had ever heard of Garacaius. In short, he was relatively strong wind. Before long, Garacaius and Pesco had used unnatural talents to secure a rich catch on every
already somewhat suspect by the time he submitted his T H E B OAT T H AT C H A N G E D DA R I E N were making long voyages to hitherto inaccessible fishing trip, and that there was an ugly argument, a fight.
scandalous paper. All over Ugarit, doors leading to The boat Pesco used had a flat bottom, like all Darien craft. fishing grounds. The fact is, Pesco the old fisherman was dead drunk, and
prospective employers firmly slammed shut. Its shallow draft meant it could easily skim the waters on It was during one of these longer trips that Pesco finally drowned in ankle-deep water. Suddenly, Garacaius found
Garacaius did not ask for anyone’s help. He left Ugarit calm days and penetrate any encountered river with ease. told Garacaius how he had found him, as a baby abandoned himself resented. Pesco’s family held him partly responsible,
and made his way to the fishing village he thought he’d come However, the slightest storm could be extremely dangerous. in the forest. It isn’t clear whether he mentioned the magical although just a month earlier they couldn’t praise him
from. His Leimar “relatives” had told him about the poor After a lot of nagging, Pesco agreed to help Garacaius pouch. What is known is that Pesco and Garacaius began enough for his role in turning around Pesco’s fishing
fisherman who couldn’t afford the upkeep of a child. He build a new boat with a revolutionary design featuring a returning from their trips with immense hauls; in one fortunes.
found Pesco, by then bent with age, though still cursing as deeper draft. Almost half of the hull was to be underwater! voyage, they would net more fish than all the remaining A week after Pesco’s death, Garacaius loaded his few
fluently as ever. To his chagrin, the old fisherman refused to Pesco argued a boat like that would be difficult to steer, slow fishermen in the village. belongings onto his boat and sailed west out of the village

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN TWO: THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN

harbor and into the open sea. The fishermen mending nets who claimed to have invented a truly seaworthy boat excited own in all the principal ports of Darien and became one of just returned from another journey and the relief had
at the end of the pier glanced up from their work from time a lot of interest. its richest citizens. He established his center of operations in loosened their tongues, they described many extraordinary
to time and looked at the solitary sail. It grew progressively Within a short time, Garacaius had all the support he Estoril, Irgiron’s largest town. He built a magnificent house things.
smaller, lingered as a white spot on a sea lit golden by the needed to begin building an ocean-going ship. He retained for himself, containing what was said to be the biggest They spoke of ghost cities, and stone houses along paved
setting sun, then disappeared. the oarsmen — Darien craft were traditionally powered by library in Darien. avenues populated by no one but birds and wild animals.
seamen’s arms rather than wind — but added a large square But Garacaius did not seem to enjoy the fruits of his They described strange creatures, some half animal and
THE GO OD FORTUNE OF sail. As he explained to the merchants, the stability provided efforts — more and more he left business affairs in the half human, and others that clung to life although their eyes
THE MERCHANTS OF IRGIRON by the ship’s deep draft allowed the use of a sail in almost hands of trusted associates and disappeared for months on had rotted out of their sockets and most of their flesh
Irgiron, an island located right in the center of Darien, had any weather. Furthermore, the deep hull offered the private expeditions. He explored all of Darien’s seas and was had decayed and fallen away. The men spoke also of
always been an important trading center. At the dawn of possibility of large cargo holds — Garacaius claimed his rumored to have set foot on some of the unexplored, strange strange places — circles of immense stone slabs where
the Fifth Millennium, Irgiron was home to a dozen vessel would be able to carry as much merchandise as half lands beyond Darien. He made long voyages inland — on the very ground glowed with a soft, moist light.
trading houses that kept a firm grip on most of Darien’s a dozen of the traditional craft, and carry it in safety. one of those, he reached the lost city of Waleph; its inhabi- But the very next day, when asked to explain or to
intercontinental trade. He was right. Within a few years, Irgiron’s population tants had been cut off from the rest of Darien for five elaborate, the men that had sailed with Garacaius would
The merchants of Irgiron weren’t as well off as they doubled. New manufacturers popped up almost weekly, thousand years. shake their aching heads and mutter denials. However, one
could have been, because the flat-bottomed trading vessels and the Irgiron merchants grew fat and happy. thing they were all happy to say, whenever asked, was that
in use at that time were notoriously unseaworthy. As a T H E S T R A N G E V O YA G E S O F G A R A C A I U S Garacaius was an exceptional man and that they trusted
result, the merchants lost as many goods to the sea as they THE RISE OF GAR ACAIUS The men who accompanied Garacaius on these voyages were him with their bodies and their souls. This strange mention
managed to trade. Therefore, the appearance of a young man As for Garacaius, he had established trading posts of his very close-mouthed. On occasion, especially when they had of the spiritual sent shivers down the backs of most

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inquirers, and discouraged further questions. Aidenfel in the land of Aramon, and in the scuffle Aramon’s interrupted by bloody flare-ups that lost their fire after a federation adopted the name of Veruna, an ancient Kandran
The longest of Garacaius’ expeditions, which took him to House of Buriash took the opportunity to seize some couple of furious battles. word signifying deep regard for the truth.
the heart of Zhon, lasted nearly two years. When he disputed land. And so it went.
returned, his retinue was increased by a new companion: a Within the year, every single clan and noble house of THE BIRTH OF VERUNA THE TRIUMPHS OF GAR ACAIUS
beautiful woman, as dark-haired and dark-complexioned Darien was engaged in hostilities of some sort against one However, by the fifth year of the war, things changed. The It soon became apparent that the Kandran link went beyond
as Garacaius was fair. Normally this would have excited or more enemies. The web of communication Garacaius numerous independent factions, most of them grouped the name. Veruna’s forces, led by Garacaius, repulsed all
much comment, and Lasha, the dark-haired beauty, would had woven with his ships spread the disease of war to around the noble houses, clans and tribes of Darien, finally attackers with astonishing ease. In the sixth year of the
have been the object of many inquisitive stares. But times every shore. merged into four distinct sides. Three of these contestants war, one of the noble houses of Aramon, the Dernhest,
had changed during Garacaius’ latest absence. Things Garacaius tried to remain uninvolved, but it was hardly wanted to pursue the conflict to its bitter end. The fourth — suddenly declared itself an ally of Veruna, and by the end of
weren’t normal. The whole of Darien had been swept by possible. Within a month of his return, his trading post on a federation of island city-states sought immediate peace the year the entire continent of Veruna was in Garacaius’
the flame of war. the island of Caora was raided by sea brigands, and the and the settling of differences through negotiation. This hands. In the seventh year of the war, Garacaius took the
islanders were put to the sword. Garacaius led a small army pacifistic attitude was not surprising, for the island cities southern land of Zhon. But there were also growing rumors
T H E G R E A T C I V I L WA R O F D A R I E N of volunteers out to punish them, and before he knew it he were constantly fighting hostile forces, having found that the leader of the forces of Truth had used magic to
It all started in the land of Taros, the land Garacaius had left was involved in half a dozen squabbles with various armed themselves caught in the middle of the global battlefield. subdue his opponents.
so many years earlier to seek his fortunes at sea. The clans of factions. It was no surprise that the city representatives elected In the eighth year of the war, Garacaius invaded Taros.
Leimar and Balistan had one of their periodical skirmishes, The Great Civil War of Darien lasted eight years. For the Garacaius the leader of the island federation. After all, the His army came ashore not a mile from the fishing village
only this time the House of Ontinor felt obliged to put in its first five, it wasn’t so much a full-fledged war as a series of islands had been his base of operations for many years, and that had been his home. But the village was lifeless — its
two coppers’ worth. The Ontinor was linked to the House of ongoing skirmishes — short intervals of peace were he was widely respected. What was significant was that the inhabitants had fled, expecting to be massacred. That

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evening, the great leader was thoughtful and sad as he stood these wretched aspiring magicians were hurriedly pulled fortified walls. A long and terrifying silence fell, and at long island conferred various strategic advantages. Garacaius’
at the edge of his army’s camp, watching the sun set over the out of the dungeons and ordered to save the forces of Taros last the mist began to dissolve. A moment later, Garacaius already magnificent house was rebuilt and expanded into a
lifeless houses. from a certain defeat. As luck would have it, with their very rose from his knees and led his army into a deserted city. true palace.
first effort, the newly appointed Wizards managed to blind a The entire population had vanished into thin air; it was a On the day he assumed power, Garacaius made a famous
THE REAPPEAR ANCE OF MAGIC cavalry detachment scouting the approach route to Taros’ very quiet occupying army that marched in. Each throat speech to the Darien nobles assembled in the new
It was an appropriate portent for what was to follow. The capital, Elam. was gripped by realization that Garacaius was a Mage, a parliament. He revealed that he had been actively
Tarosian campaign turned out to be the most savage of the Historians agree that Garacaius was beside himself with Mage whose powers equaled those of the infamous Wizards pursuing magical knowledge for many years, and that in the
entire war. The noble houses of Taros ceased all infighting fury upon hearing the news. He immediately ordered a of Kandra. course of his expeditions he had recovered all Five Legacies,
and presented a united front to the invading army. forced march on Elam, and demanded an instant, uncondi- the heirloom of the Kandrans. In a famous speech known
Hopelessly outnumbered, the Taros nobles turned in desper- tional surrender from the city’s defenders. When it was T H E N E W M AG E E M P E RO R O F DA R I E N later as the Oath to Darien, Garacaius swore never to abuse
ation to that old, secret weapon of the Kandrans: magic. apparent that a surrender was not coming, Garacaius After this final victory, there was no question as to who the magical knowledge he had acquired, and to use it only
Taros had always had an unfair share of Darien’s magic retreated to his tent and emerged wearing a ring no one had should rule the newly united world of Darien. There was in the direst necessity and in accordance with the wishes of
potential. There is a theory that attributes this to the active seen before. Stepping out in front of the line of his troops, he only one possible candidate: Garacaius. his people. Moreover, Garacaius swore never to use magic
volcanoes in the Kaf range, which forms the continent’s raised his arms and cried out words in a strange language, He moved swiftly, establishing the new Darien capital in for personal advantage, no matter the circumstances.
rocky spine. The cells of the Judicial Palace in Elam had then quickly knelt down and bowed his head. To a man, his the city that had been his home for some time: Estoril, on the
always contained at least one unfortunate soul put away entire army, fifty thousand strong, did the same. island of Irgiron. He was probably at least partly motivated THE REIGN OF GAR ACAIUS
for showing an unhealthy interest in the magical arts. Now, Witnesses said a strange, dark mist then descended on by sentiment for Irgiron, for that was where he had made his In the years that followed, Garacaius kept his oath. His new
with the armies of Garacaius quickly advancing inland, Elam, silencing the jeers and insults of the soldiers lining the fortune. More coldheartedly, the central location of the empire suffered many growing pains. Civil war flared

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occasionally, as participants of the Great Civil War settled peace. He began devoting more and more time to his and slashed at the sea. The children panicked, and the Emperor seemed to lose all interest in the well-being of his
scores now long overdue. Never, not in a single instance, did children, and it seemed to suit him. Garacaius had always boat capsized. Garacaius was an excellent swimmer and empire. Trouble followed trouble — across Darien, old
Garacaius reach for the awesome weapon at his disposal. All been a somewhat restless man, with a face that reflected the managed to save the four children, but his beloved wife, wounds were reopened and new ones were made. Garacaius
conflicts ran their course, all disputes were settled by very tensions running through his soul. Now he appeared Lasha, drowned. acted ignorant; he dismissed agitated couriers with a weary
earthly means. There were even those who grumbled that a relaxed, at ease…almost happy. The squall passed as swiftly as it came, but things had wave of hand and returned to his private hell.
timely spell was preferable to having one’s insides pierced by changed forever. Garacaius could have saved everyone by Eventually a deputation from all of Darien’s tribes and
cold steel. T H E T R A G I C D E AT H O F E M P R E S S L A S H A using magic.Possibly he wanted to, but hesitated to break his noble houses assembled in Estoril. After a day of debate,
The first years of the rule of Garacaius were also marked Tragedy struck as it always does: out of the blue. One day, solemn promise. By the time he made up his mind, it was the gathered nobles decided to present Garacaius with a
by a personal note. The First Mage Emperor (a title he was Garacaius took his family sailing in the first boat he had ever much too late. demand: Rule, or step down in favor of one of your
said to detest, but which had been conferred upon him by a built, the vessel that revolutionized ship design in Darien. It That morning, as the family clambered onto the boat, children. In this way, the nobles hoped to avoid the
fearful, but grateful populace) became officially betrothed seemed safe enough; he didn’t intend to venture beyond the Garacaius was a man in the prime of life — and thanks to possibility of infuriating Garacaius — one does not pick a
to the dark-haired Lasha, whom he had met on his last Estoril harbor. The weather seemed perfect — sunny and the Legacies in his possession, he could look forward to fight with a mighty Wizard. And if Garacaius’ successor
expedition in the land of Zhon. Four children resulted from windless. But at sea, weather can change in the blink of an many years of perfect health. That evening, Garacaius was a would turn out to be wise, all the better. If stupid, he or
this union, and their appearance was held to be a miracle of eye, and, after all, Estoril and the island of Irgiron lay in the crushed old man. And in the days that followed, he sank she could be manipulated.
harmony. There were two boys and two girls, and one of each middle of a vast ocean. deeper and deeper into grief, tortured by his conscience. Garacaius instead chose a compromise. He did not
was fair; the others, dark. The squall hit the harbor like a striking snake. One resign, but he put practical control of Darien into the hands
By the time his children were of age, Garacaius had moment, the water was as placid as a pond. The next, foam- T H E W E A K E N I NG OF T H E M AG E E M PEROR of his children. To each, he gave part of the empire that he
quelled all remaining unrest; Darien was in a state of total flecked waves reared up as savage blasts of wind whipped Time passed, but did not heal the wound. The Great Mage thought most appropriate. To his daughters, he gave what

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best agreed with their temperaments; to his sons, what best proceeded to develop it even more, founding new cities, Thirsha to Zhon was an inspired choice. Before long, the Flame. Once again, it seemed to be a wise appointment —
fit their abilities. As he made the appointments, Garacaius building roads and bridges, and establishing the famous stubborn, half-wild tribes of the continent were firmly within a year, Lokken had quelled all unrest with a brilliant
also gave each child one of the Five Legacies. Possessing Aramon Academy of Engineering and Design in the newly under her control, and the tribesmen reverently referred to mix of diplomacy, brutality and magic.
them would ensure that the new rulers would command built provincial capital, Kaluen. To cement his grip on power, her as the Huntress. Garacaius’ daughter Kirenna was his youngest child, and
more power than any scheming nobleman could ever hope Elsin received the Legacy with the mogrite Stone of Darien Garacaius’ younger son and third-born child, Lokken, the one that most resembled her father. The resemblance
to achieve. mounted into a pendant. had shown great promise. But after Lasha’s death, much of included a love of the sea that survived her mother’s drown-
Garacaius’ second-eldest child was a daughter named his early brilliance seemed to be replaced with many ing. As soon as she was old enough, Kirenna left Estoril for
T H E F O U R C O R O N AT I O N S Thirsha. Strikingly similar to her black-haired mother, undesirable traits. Garacaius dearly loved the dark-headed long trips onboard trading ships visiting the farthest corners
His first-born son, Elsin, called Elsin the Fair, was renowned Thirsha loved the land of her mother’s birth, the land of Lokken, perhaps even more so than Elsin, and he believed a of Darien. Her co-sailors quickly dubbed her the Sea
for his open and just nature. Practical, down to earth and Zhon. She was happiest when hunting deep in the bowels of hungry mind, when not fed properly, turns to feed on itself. Mage, for Kirenna had an uncanny knack for anticipating
honorable, Elsin was nevertheless somewhat less than an untamed forest, and spent whole weeks out in the country So he decided to give Lokken plenty to think about. changes of weather and piloting a ship safely through the
brilliant — his desire for justice outweighed all other with just a single groom for company. Lokken received dominion over Taros. This ancient thickest fog.
considerations. The one area where he shone was the science Thirsha received dominion over her beloved Zhon, the continent, some of whose tribes proudly claimed to predate Kirenna received the dominion of Veruna and the ring
of engineering, with its straightforward, unbendable laws wildest and least explored of Darien’s continents.With it, she the Kandrans, was almost constantly troubled by distur- with the mogrite stone known as Macha’s Tear. Among her
and rules. received the bracelet containing the stone known as the Soul bances of one sort or another. The four noble houses of Taros first decrees were the abolition of all internal taxes and the
Elsin received dominion over the land of Aramon, of Kandra. It was particularly appropriate, for the forests of all harbored grievances against one another, and much of doubling of wages paid to experienced seamen. The inhabi-
perhaps the finest of them all. Aramon was the most Zhon contained many mysterious ruins dating from before the land lay wasted by years of fighting. Together with Taros, tants of the islands that formed the federation of Veruna had
developed of Darien’s continents, and Elsin quickly the Great Cataclysm. As with Elsin and Aramon, sending Lokken received the scepter with the stone called Angvir’s a ruler who instinctively knew what her people did best;

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within a short time, Veruna came to command a virtual of a gallery called The Wonders of Zhon, exhibiting unique night-long vigils left him looking even more frail and
monopoly on sea trade. handicrafts and works of art from that exotic land. After finished. Gudnor’s hand tightened on the box of pomade
Garacaius remained to oversee the first years of his night had fallen, the assembled public was to be treated to a given to him by Kirenna, and he entered the Thone Room.
children’s rule. He was a forlorn figure in the Estoril palace, performance of the Fire Eaters of Taros, a group of artists A moment later, his agonized cry shattered the morning
a sad old man seated on the fifth Legacy, the blackstone skilled in manipulating fire in all its shapes and forms. peace.
Throne of Ludd. Although the mogrite Eye of Modron The day of the great celebration began with a rosy dawn. For Garacaius was not in the Throne Room. The Throne
topping the throne assured health and vitality, each new day The white stone floors of the Estoril palace seemed to be lit of Ludd was empty.And where the stone known as Modron’s
aged Garacaius by a week. He seldom spoke, and most of pastel peach and orange as Gudnor, personal groom to Eye had been, a cavity yawned mockingly.
those who tried to talk to him received no more than a sad Garacaius for the last forty years, walked from chamber to
stare in answer. chamber in search of his master. He was determined to
restore at least some dignity to the man he had loved and
THE END OF AN ERA served twoscore years, for on this day Garacaius would have
Ten years passed. All of Estoril prepared to celebrate the to make several public appearances.
tenth anniversary of the Four Coronations. Among the It seemed Garacaius had not slept in his bed, and now, as
scheduled attractions were a sea parade featuring the finest Gudnor approached the Throne Room, his brow was
ships from Veruna’s fleet; the inauguration of the Darien furrowed with concern. It would be unfortunate if his master
Exhibition, featuring awe-inspiring machines and other had chosen to spend yet another night alone on the throne,
examples of fine engineering from Aramon; and the opening staring at the night’s shadows with unseeing eyes. Such

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the Sea Mage of Veruna,insist that their father’s law be obeyed anyone when it is appropriate for her to practice magic, and

T h e Fo u r Re a l m s — or else.
In the East, Taros is in open rebellion against the
she supports Lokken in his right to do whatever he pleases in
his domain.
constraints imposed by the long-absent Garacaius. Lokken The preceding centuries have already seen several bloody
I T H A S B E E N 1 5 2 7 Y E A R S S I N C E G A R AC A I U S D I S A P P E A R E D.
initiated his reign by using magic to subdue and terrorize the conflicts between the sibling Monarchs. Aramon has fought
H I S C H I L D R E N , A L L O F T H E M G R A N T E D I M M O R TA L I T Y B Y T H E L E G A C I E S I N
rebellious noble houses of Taros. Emboldened by his success, Veruna over the barren land of Kuvera in the northwest, and
T H E I R P O S S E S S I O N , C O N T I N U E TO RU L E T H E I R R E S P E C T I V E D O M A I N S . he has been practicing magic with growing intensity, going so over several islands in the Sea of Mannan.The pirates of Zhon
far as to reshape the land to his pleasing. This has resulted in prey on Verunan ships and slaughter their crews. Zhon tribes

However, all this is about to change. the patron saint of Veruna is Lihr, a mighty sea god. unexpected consequences. The Kandran Laws of Life stated repeatedly raid the rich coast of Aramon, whose Monarch

For the last couple of centuries, the differences between All four kingdoms have previously fought one another, he who manipulates Mana is like a swimmer borne along by a retaliates by launching punitive expeditions deep into Zhon

the four monarchs have become more and more pronounced. but now a great divide is opening between West and East. swift, powerful current. While one may use it to one’s advan- territory.A seemingly implacable hatred exists between Taros

The emergence of four different “state” religions is another Ever since Garacaius disappeared, the kingdoms of tage, trying to control or alter its course leads to tragedy. and Aramon, who have fought several full-scale wars on

sign that the former unity of Darien has been shattered Aramon and Veruna have been loyal to Garacaius’ great oath Lokken insists everything is going according to plan,but that’s ideological grounds.

beyond repair. Previously, all Darien worshipped the same renouncing the use of magic in any but the most extreme not how it looks. Each side has many valid grievances against the others,

gods. Now, most citizens of Aramon wear rings bearing the circumstances. They have concentrated on building their South of Taros, deep within the woods of Zhon, Thirsha and tempers have reached a boiling point.The Four Monarchs

silver Hand of Anu, Lord of Light, while the people of Taros power through economical means — where Aramon excels in the Huntress is also a regular practitioner of magic. Proudly are assembling armies and readying for imminent war.

worship a terrible dark deity called Belial.All religious inhab- industry and internal development, Veruna is a trade power- independent, the Huntress has responded to the demands of
itants of Zhon worship Tammuz,the Goddess of the Hunt,and house. Both Elsin, ruler of Aramon, and Kirenna, Elsin and Kirenna with haughty scorn. She will not be told by

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ARAMON held in your hand and with one mighty blow split the stone Lokken and the army of Taros aren’t the only threat.Your
You stand on the steps of your palace in Kaluen, the city you in two. Then you picked up both halves in turn and threw sister Thirsha, the ruler of the wild continent of Zhon, has
THE ARMED FORCES OF ARAMON
designed and helped build with your own hands. You reach them onto a waiting cart. You didn’t say anything, merely grown increasingly hostile in the preceding years. She has Aramon’s strengths are readily apparent: the Mage King Elsin
out and touch one of the two columns flanking the entrance. commands infantry and cavalry that are unmatched in the world
throwing the three workmen a look of quiet contempt. That hidden herself in the mysterious city of Ulasem, deep within of Darien. Aramon’s fighters are unmatched with the sword and
You remember the stonemason showing you how to hold the evening, whispers of the feat of strength replaced the Zhon’s wilderness; all contact has been lost. It seems you’ll battle axe. Elsin’s armies can also boast of heavy artillery and
strong defensive structures, making Elsin’s land might the most
chisel, how to strip the stone away in thin, even flakes. grumbling from the tents. It had been a lucky blow that had have to fight Zhon as well as Taros. Fortunately, Kirenna and potent in the world. A conspicuously less formidable aspect of
Elsin’s armed forces are the magicians. Save for holy men — the
You always believed in leading by example. All of Darien split the stone, in more ways than one. the mighty navy of Veruna are likely to be on your side. Acolytes of Anu,who specialize in the healing arts — Elsin avails
knows that Elsin is a king whose deeds follow his words. It It took many years of hard work, but you have Victory in the approaching war won’t be easy. The himself of very little magic,holding,more so than his siblings,to
his father’s precepts. His long-standing relationship with his
wasn’t so in the beginning. Do you remember the day you succeeded. All of Aramon came to enjoy prosperity. Kaluen eastern coast of Aramon is horribly exposed — both Zhon sister Kirenna,the Sea Mage of Veruna,has brought with it sound
precepts in ship building,making for a respectable Aramon navy.
started building your city, Kaluen? It had been a long march has become one of the most admired cities in Darien. No and Taros lie just across the water. And there’s always the
to the building site, and you led the column of workers on E L S I N O F A R A M O N ( T H E M AG E K I N G )
army can be considered equal to Aramon’s steel-clad possibility of treachery. It took a long time to reconcile the The Mage King Elsin is the benevolent monarch of Aramon. Elsin wields a
foot, sharing their hardship. Yet on the first night after your mighty mogrite long sword — which he uses to direct immense magical
warriors, and even the unruly noble houses of Aramon have noble houses of Aramon to the fact that they all must bow to energy. He possesses a Legacy that gives him regenerative powers. Elsin is
arrival, when you walked among the tents and listened to the the founder of Aramon — he can build Tier 1 structures. His spells are
finally accepted you as their unquestioned ruler. Elsin, the Mage King. The House of Buriash was especially Lightning, Meteor and Earthen Wave.
voices coming from inside, you heard scorn, not praise.What But now, things have changed. Your brother Lokken, as bitter — its lords had ruled Aramon in the past.
Tier 1
fool would walk when he could ride? Why would anyone always, disobeyed the rules laid down by your father. He has Take the time to review your forces. You need to know WA L L Built by: Elsin and Mage Builder
build a new city for a capital? Most often used for protecting vulnerable sides of
been using magic with wild abandon and terrifying results. them well, if you want to win against the Tarosian undead Aramon encampments, Walls are made tough — stone
That first morning you saw three men struggling with a construction with a spiked barbican on top. While good
You’ve heard he’s raising an army of undead to invade and the wild beasts of Zhon. at keeping infantry and cavalry at a distance, Walls
small boulder. You pushed them aside, lifted the pick you can be fired over by catapult weapons and crossed by flying units.
Aramon.

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G AT E Built by: Mage Builder H O R S E M A N Built by: Barracks Tier 2 Tier 3

A necessity when building Walls, a Gate allows access into and The Horseman rides a mighty horse and carries a sinister
out of defended positions. flail. His glistening iron armor sets him far apart from his S T R O N G H O L D Built by: Mage Builder BA R BA R I A N Built by: Keep
weaker counterpart, the Tarosian Black Knight. The Horseman This tower-like fortification is manned by a lone Cannoneer The skilled and powerful Barbarian broadswordsmen hail
is a good quick-strike unit but has no long-range weapons. who sees far and wide from his high perch. It is a structure from the highlands near Ullin’s Fingers. Taller and stronger
vital for the defense and safety of other unarmed buildings. than the average soldier, these muscled warriors are bred
L O D E S T O N E Built by: Every Builder Well armored, Strongholds are a valuable defense for army for war. Their endurance and initiative is unsurpassed, and
Lodestone is a dark luminous material available to all A R C H E R Built by: Barracks encampments. these lumbering soldiers are always up to engaging the enemy with their
Aramon’s Builders. It allows for the extraction and purification The Archer is the only Tier 1 soldier at Elsin’s disposal massive two-handed broadswords.
of Mana. Lodestones are vital for the raising of armies. that sports a ranged weapon. Very skilled with their
Like any structure, it can be destroyed by the wily to bows,Archers are lethal both as destroyers and defenders. K E E P Built by: Mage Builder
impoverish their enemies. Much more impressive than a humble Barracks, the Keep C A N N O N E E R Built by: Keep
is the source of the Elsin’s strongest, most durable units. The medium-sized, medium-strength mobile cannon
manned by the Cannoneer is an improvement over the
WAT C H T OW E R Built by: Elsin and Mage Builder C ATA P U LT Built by: Barracks Catapult; the damage it deals is much graver. It is
Watch Towers are a first line of defense for Aramon’s armies in Classically designed, these sturdy rolling platforms hurl however slightly slower and, like the Catapult, isn’t
the early stages of the war. Manned by capable archers, they large rocks for distance over small obstructions.A Catapult designed for close combat. The Cannonneer can hurl explosive cannonballs
can keep small armies at bay and are quite capable in support can do much damage, but cannot take much punishment WA R G A L L E Y Built by: Mage Builder
The War Galley is a versatile and well-armed naval vessel. over defending walls, unless stationed very close to walls or its target.
of defensive garrisons. itself, making it most effective behind your other units.
It can transport other units and take part in offensives
with its array of cannon. It is the entire Aramon fleet. T I TA N Built by: Keep
BA R R AC K S Built by: Elsin and Mage Builder S P Y H AW K Built by: Barracks Wielding massive sledges, Titans are a clan of smiths loyal
Training of Elsin’s Tier 1 army units takes place within the These highly trained, silent messengers have but one to the Elsin. They’re big, they’re brutish and their hammers
Barracks. The highest standards of medieval warfare are mission: reconnaissance. They fly high and fast, often even pack a heavy wallop. Titans fill out Elsin’s heavy infantry ranks.
taught here to future Swordsmen, Horsemen, SpyHawk, able to evade tracking arrows. They do not engage enemy T R E B U C H E T Built by: Mage Builder
This huge device is the ultimate in medieval artillery. Their smithing background gives units in their immediate
Catapults, Mage Builders and Archers. units and won’t last long if cornered. vicinity a bonus armor adjustment.
Bigger and more powerful than a Catapult, the Trebuchet
lobs explosive projectiles capable of leveling enemy
S WO R D S M A N Built by: Barracks M AG E B U I L D E R Built by: Barracks fortifications from behind your front lines. Its drawbacks M AG E A R C H E R Built by: Keep
The Swordsman is the valiant mainstay of Elsin’s ground The Mage Builder, an architect Mage among his warrior are a low rate of fire and frailty in close combat, so defend it well. Mage Archers are the elite Archers in Elsin’s armies. Firing
forces. Well trained, the Swordsman is the strongest of the brethren, is recruited in the Bastion. This mage is neces- slightly farther than standard-trained Archers, their arrows also
Tier 1 hand-to-hand combatants in the game. His expertise, sary for the building of Aramon’s Tier 2, and some Tier inflict more damage. In addition, Mage Archers can fire three
however, comes at the cost of longer training, and as a result, 1, buildings. If attacked, the Mage Builder can respond different types of arrows: Fire, Tracking and Paralyzing arrows,
more resources are used in the process. with a magic throwing hammer. depending upon their target’s weak spots and the archer’s personal Mana supply.

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VERUNA
A S S A S S I N Built by: Keep ANU: DEITY OF ARAMON The Dernhest House is probably the most loyal to Elsin; its lords Viewed from the window of your palace, the Lendran harbor
The Assassin is a covert operative that is quick and lethal for (Appears randomly, but only when an Acolyte of Anu is present.) seem to have little political ambition.
enemy units. Armed only with his throwing daggers, an The deity Anu is the defending patron of Aramon. When is a forest of masts. Each day, several dozen ships come in or
Assassin can cloak himself to move about undetected behind summoned, the Avatar of Anu will defend the children of T H E H O U S E O F H E L DA I N
enemy lines, until his personal Mana supply runs dry. Aramon and end victorious against any odds. Anu can also The lands of the House of Heldain lie deep in the interior of Aramon. Its leave on voyages to distant shores.You are the true inheritor
attack Aramon’s enemies and cause great ruin to opposition encampments. nobles traditionally aspire to become chivalrous knights. The morality of
AC O LY T E O F A N U Built by: Keep the Heldain lords may be questionable on occasion, but there is no doubt of your father’s maritime talents, for no other nation in
These units are grand masters of Earth spells. They have three The Noble Houses of Aramon that this noble house produces the finest cavalrymen in Aramon. All men
spells at their disposal: Earthquake, Meteor and Flesh Turned The four Noble Houses of Aramon generally maintain good relations with of the Heldain House seem to have an instinctive understanding of their Darien can match Veruna’s fleet.
Stone. They also have the added ability to resurrect most units each other; armed conflict is the exception rather than the rule. All four beasts, the rider and the horse acting as one in combat.
from the dead and heal the injured. Houses had, at one time or another, control over all of Aramon. Thus they The House of Heldain has been somewhat divided in its attitude to From your earliest years, you’ve loved the sea.As a child,
regard each other as equals and were initially resentful at having Elsin’s rule Elsin. Interestingly, the Heldain noble most famous for his independence,
courage and intelligence. Joreth, has always been a staunch supporter of Elsin. you’d spend hours staring at the blue-green water swell up
Tier 4 imposed upon them.

D I V I N E L O D E S T O N E Built by: Acolyte THE HOUSE OF AIDENFEL

and crash down on the sandy beach just a short walk away
Divine Lodestones are endowed by their builders with a THE HOUSE OF BURIASH
The House of Aidenfel, whose lands lie in eastern Aramon, claims to be the
stronger purification potential, allowing them to absorb Mana The House of Buriash is probably the most powerful of the four Noble Houses
most ancient of the four Noble Houses. It has produced a large share of
from the palace at Estoril.You would stand in the wet sand at
quicker than standard Lodestones. They require much more of Aramon. Its lands occupy most of northwestern Aramon, and its nobles
Aramon’s artists, men of learning and inventors. There is a rumor that the
time and Mana to be built. ruled Aramon immediately prior to the coronation of Elsin as Aramon’s Mage
House of Aidenfel is directly descended from the Kandrans, and certainly
the ocean’s edge, feeling your feet sink a little deeper every
King. The present Lord Buriash is rumored to retain grievances about the way
this is the Noble House with most links across Darien; its men and women
G O L D D R AG O N Built by: Acolyte
his family was removed from power.
often take spouses from overseas.
time the water kissed your ankles, leaving little rings of
The Lords of Buriash have always been warriors by nature, and peasants
This enormous dragon is Aramon’s most powerful unit; The most recent of these intercontinental marriages, that of the
only one of which can exist at one time however. With three
inhabiting their lands don’t have an easy life.
current Lord Aidenfel to a beautiful Taros aristocrat, has added to tension
foam.You refused to bathe after returning to the palace; you
levels of fire attacks, great range and hit points by the between Taros and Aramon. It’s said every Tarosian noble dreamed of
cartload, Gold Dragons are magnificent killers. THE HOUSE OF DERNHEST possessing this particular beauty, and there have been drunken boasts of
enjoyed the sticky skin, the salty taste you felt when you
This House is said to have come into existence as a result of a union between taking her back by force.
Verunan sailors and the fair maidens that northeastern Aramon is famous for. licked your forearm in secret.Your room faced the shore.You
Traditionally, the Lords of Dernhest have acquired wealth through commerce
rather than warfare, so there may be truth in this. However, the present Lord fell asleep and awoke with the sound of the sea in your ears.
Dernhest is determined to make his mark as a military leader and certainly
has the talent to become one. His one weakness is an inordinate fondness of Then came the sea voyages as you grew older.At first, the
good food and drink.
sailors laughed, but within a couple of years, you could

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN TWO: THE FOUR REALMS

navigate by the stars like a veteran captain. You knew the started with his raising customs duties, impounding goods
sea’s mood; you could sense a storm approaching even when and charging progressively higher anchorage fees. And the
THE ARMED FORCES OF VERUNA G AT E Built by: Kirenna
Gates are important fixtures in long stretches of Walls.
there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was as if the sea was you captains who have recently visited Taros speak of terrible Kirenna’s peacetime interests in cartography and shipbuilding The thick wooden doors allow access for traders and an
exit point for an encampment’s defenders.
have made her island nation the most dominant sea power in
and you were the sea.You knew where to find schools of fish things — empty ports, abandoned towns and corpses risen Darien.Veruna boasts many more ships than any of her siblings’
and where rocks lurked, even if you had never been to that from the grave and wandering among pools of hissing lava. navies, all of them seaworthy war machines. Veruna is also L O D E S T O N E Built by: Kirenna, Priestess
the only kingdom able to build water-borne defensive and Flagship Lodestone is a shimmering material
particular spot before. Several ships that had sailed for Taros have disappeared structures, protecting her coasts from seabound hostiles. available to all the monarchs. It allows for the gathering
However, Kirenna’s land forces are not to be underestimated. and purification of Mana. Lodestones are vital for the
Recently, things have become strange. At times, looking entirely. It’s fortunate that the skirmishes you’ve had with They are among the most diverse and technically advanced raising of armies, but like any structure they can be
destroyed in order to impoverish foes.
to the horizon from the hilltop palace above Lendra, you feel Elsin haven’t destroyed your friendship, for you can feel war in Darien.
G UA R D T OW E R Built by: Kirenna or Priestess
a mixture of dread and apprehension. There are strange coming, lurking just beyond the haze. T H E S E A M AG E ( K I R E N NA ) Manned by fearless Archers, the sturdy wooden Guard Tower,
Kirenna, master and monarch of the Verunan isles can build all Tier 1 on its own, is a good defense against small raiding parties.
monsters stirring somewhere in the waters. There is danger You turn away from the window; there is much to be structures available in Veruna. She is a fearsome and spirited warrior as Guard Towers are built tall to give the Archers inside a wide
well, wielding a powerful trident and able to hit enemies with a variety and unobstructed view of the terrain before them.
headed your way. You know this, for the sea speaks to those done. Your dominion is a collection of islands populated by of magical spells: Water Ball, Water Burst and Water Blast.
E N C L AV E Built by: Kirenna, Flagship or Priestess
who listen. seafarers, not soldiers. It’s essential that no enemy army ever
Tier 1 The Enclave is very similar to the Mage King Elsin’s
Barracks. Inside, Verunan foot soldiers are trained. This
There has always been animosity between you and gain a firm foothold on Veruna’s shores.You must control the WA L L Built by: Kirenna or Priestess
Tier 1 structure is not fortified and therefore defenseless
Most often used for protecting the vulnerable sides of
against enemy attack.
Thirsha — she never wanted to share in any of your pleas- seas, and it’s time to review the tools that will let you achieve encampments, Verunan Walls are well-made constructions
topped by a spiked barbican. Walls can keep infantry
ures, preferring instead to wander the forests of Irgiron. this goal. and cavalry at a distance, but offer little protection from PA R R O T Built by: The Enclave
catapults and winged enemies. Discovered on a Verunan island northwest of Zhon, these
After she had taken the crown of Zhon, she banned your highly intelligent tropical birds have been bred for speed
and their ability to relay valuable information back to
traders from that continent and actively encouraged Zhon their masters. Because of their size, these birds do not
engage the enemy.
pirates to attack your ships. Then Lokken turned hostile. It

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN TWO: THE FOUR REALMS

WA R R I O R Built by: The Enclave Tier 2 M A R I N E T R A N S P O RT Built by: Sea Fort M O RTA R Built by: Priestess
This basic foot soldier carries a long sword. Warriors aren’t During an alliance with Aramon, Veruna’s fleet was Mortars are large rotating platforms that lob cannon-
as well armored as Aramon Swordsmen. Still, Verunan S E A F O RT Built by: Kirenna or Priestess augmented by the massive Marine Transport. With its balls into the enemy’s ranks. The projectiles travel
Warriors are quite capable of taking the fight into the The Sea Fort is a collection of docks and buildings with an flat-bottomed hull, the Marine Transport has no problems a high, parabolic path that can clear the highest of
enemy’s kitchen. open slip allowing the production of Verunan ships. While with shallow water. defensive structures. However, the Mortar is vulnerable
sturdily built, the Sea Fort has no defenses and so relies on because of its stationary nature and slow reload time.
other units for protection.
C R O S S B OW M A N Built by: The Enclave M A N O F WA R Built by: Sea Fort
These long-range fighters are well-trained experts at The Man of War is a large, multi-decked warship that liter- F L OAT I N G T OW E R Built by: Flagship
their profession. Success in medieval warfare depends S K I F F Built by: Sea Fort ally bristles with cannon. A sturdy war ship, the Man of Floating Towers are a necessary defensive fortification for
heavily on these chaps being uninterrupted in their In peacetime, the Scout Ship serves as a fast transport War can also transport friendly units. the Sea Forts of Veruna. These wooden towers have a ballista
work, as they don’t fare well when enemy soldiers and for naval officers, and when the seas churn with atop their superstructure that can track and attack targets
monsters get too close. As with any arrow, their bolts are less effective violence, reconnaissance is the assigned task of this fast in a 360-degree arc.
against undead creatures than living targets. sailing vessel. Billowing sails power the ship, a pair of
Archers defend it. While not heavily armed, this ship can see far over the T R E B U C H E T S H I P Built by: Sea Fort

C ATA P U LT Built by: The Enclave

waves and is fast enough to escape a fight. This massive wooden vessel carries a large, incredibly
powerful Trebuchet on deck that packs a great punch.
Tier 3
The Catapult, a sturdy artillery piece atop a large The weak point of this fearsome craft is its slow speed M U S K E T E E R Built by: The Citadel
wooden platform, is a staple in any good army. Although H A R P O O N S H I P Built by: Sea Fort and weak armor, a result of the heavy Trebuchet. The Musketeers have very good range. These units need
slow-moving, the Catapult hurls man-sized boulders By any standard, the Harpoon Ship is a formidable battle ship Trebuchet has good range but takes a while to reload. spotters to hit targets at their maximum range. They
onto the heads of its targets. Catapults are also able to — very few of its unlucky targets survive more than a few almost never miss, are well clad in armor and can do
strike structures and units behind Walls and Gates. salvos from the powerful weapon on deck. heavy damage when lined up against enemy attackers.
C I TA D E L Built by: Priestess
The large, fortified Citadel is a beautiful spectacle with a
P R I E S T E S S Built by: The Enclave very serious purpose: units that are trained within its B E R S E R K E R Built by: The Citadel
The Priestess is responsible for much of the construc- F L AG S H I P Built by: Sea Fort massive walls are the most powerful of Veruna’s land forces. These wild, kilted warriors are absolute maniacs, well
tion of both Tier 1 and 2 structures. Although very The Flagship is a multi-purpose vessel — while its lone Archer It has no defenses of its own, requiring the help of its equipped for the lunacy of war. With either a pair of axes or
talented in conjuring and summoning, she has no can do some amount of damage to wooden hulls, its more students for protection. swords, these muscular bruisers can hack their way through
weapon with which to defend herself from enemy important task is construction. The Flagship can build Tier 1 almost any opposition. A spare short sword is saved strictly
offensive units. She is also a skilled healer and can be of great assistance to and 2 structures. for desperate situations.
BA S T I O N Built by Priestess
units behind the lines. This tower-like fortification is manned by a lone hardy soul
who can see far and wide from his position and holds the reins
of a powerful cannon. The Bastion is a structure vital for the
defense and safety of encampments and unarmed buildings.

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN TWO: THE FOUR REALMS

A M A Z O N K N I G H T Built by: The Citadel Tier 4 The Noble Houses of Veruna T H E H O U S E O F JAT H A
The Amazon Knight is Veruna’s version of fast cavalry, able Most of Veruna’s thinkers and government officials come from the House of
to hurl her spear with lethal accuracy. Endowed with a D R AG O N O F L I H R Built by: Priest of Lihr The four Noble Houses of Veruna have almost always coexisted amicably, the Jatha. Its lands occupying just a few small islands on Veruna’s southern fringe,
heroic sense of valor, these fighters can help to win most This massive green dragon is Lihr’s personal pet and only one exception being a short war fought between the House of Aenir and the the House of Jatha had always sought to spread its influence through wise
battles with the strength of their endurance. one may be commissioned at a time. Three attacks, Fire House of Iuli, brought about by a territorial dispute. Otherwise, the most diplomacy rather than commercial or military power. However, the members
Breath, Water Ball and Tsunami, and more hit points than warlike measures the Houses ever take against one another are temporary of this illustrious House are no meek pacifists. Present command of Veruna’s
any other Verunan units make the Dragon the most potent commercial boycotts. war fleet lies in the hands of Lord Il-Jatha.
D I R I G I B L E Built by: Citadel weapon at Kirenna’s disposal. Veruna had been the adopted home of Garacaius; in contrast to other
The Dirigible’s main use is as a reconnaissance The House of Jatha has close ties with Aramon. After the Great Civil War,
dominions, the houses accepted its Mage Queen with enthusiasm. many Jathans settled around the city of M’Hari on Aramon’s northeastern
platform. They are very, very slow, but from the great
height at which they float, they enjoy a very long line D I V I N E L O D E S T O N E Built by: Priest of Lihr shore. The close relations between this noble house and Aramon’s House of
of sight. The gondola riders can drop explosives onto The Divine Lodestones built by the Priests of Lihr allow faster THE HOUSE OF AENIR Dernhest have greatly contributed to the creation of an alliance between
ground targets or fire arrows at other flying units. collection of Mana, but like their smaller cousins, are still Aenir is one of the two Houses that share lands on Veruna’s biggest island, Aramon and Veruna.
vulnerable to attack. They require much more time and energy Vidara. Originally a clan of hunters, the House of Aenir entered the commer-
to be built. cial scene later than its rivals. Its relatively weak commercial presence is THE HOUSE OF IULI
C RU S A D E R Built by: Citadel compensated by the fact that the House has produced the majority of Veruna’s
A result of a Verunan alliance with Aramon, this religiously The moment Garacaius “rehabilitated” the Kandrans, confessing that he had
P I L L A R O F L I G H T Built by: Priest of Lihr fighting men —most of the archers on board Veruna’s fighting ships come been a student of their sciences, at least one noble house on every continent
motivated adventurer is armed with a gleaming broad- from the lands of the House of Aenir.
sword and serves as a powerful addition to Veruna’s This magical obelisk is neither an offensive nor defensive tool. began to claim blood links with the mysterious, ancient race. In Veruna, it was
Instead, it radiates energy that heals the wounded within a The House of Aenir has been an especially loyal supporter of Kirenna, the House of Iuli.
infantry. This heavy infantryman is a Tier 3 unit — hoping to score points over its closest competitor — the House of Iuli. It has
much stronger and more durable than a Warrior. fixed circle. The magical energy works only on Verunan units. There is some evidence to support the claim that the House of Iuli was
Left unguarded by Warriors or Crossbowmen, this structure also been recently successful in having an old territorial quarrel resolved Veruna’s first merchant house, dating back long before the islands were united as
is vulnerable to attack. mostly in its favor. one nation. The House of Yddyn might have produced the finest seamen Veruna
P R I E S T O F L I H R Built by: Citadel ever had, but it was the House of Iuli that made all those voyages profitable.
Only the most devout magicians are deemed worthy of T H E H O U S E O F Y D DY N Originating on the island of Vidara, the House of Iuli led the colonization
the title of Priest of Lihr.Years of study and worship to L I H R : D I E T Y O F V E RU NA
(Appears randomly, but only when Priest of Lihr is present) The House of Yddyn originated as a clan on the island of Athri, on Veruna’s of the island of Irgiron, establishing Darien’s then-premier city, Estoril. Several
Lihr add up to a wide range of powers. Most notably, eastern flank. Gradually, it moved on to colonize the neighboring islands of centuries later, when Garacaius arrived on the island, it was none one other
these holy men can traverse water on foot. The Priest The Water deity Lihr defends the faithful Verunans and
will fight in their stead on occasion. In times of apparent Caora and Gudrun. In later years, its ill-timed attempt to establish outposts in than the First Lord of Iuli that gave the future ruler of Darien help and support
is able to build structures and defend himself with a Water Ball spell. the barren land of Kuvera led to a sharp, short war between Veruna and he needed.
defeat and during glorious victories, the Angel of Lihr will
alternately protect his children and destroy the remnants of their enemies’ Aramon. In recent years, the power of the House of Iuli has waned. Its
armies and fleets. The House of Yddyn is said to produce Veruna’s finest navigators, reluctance to pay the taxes needed to maintain Veruna’s war fleet has earned
endowed with an almost supernatural sense of direction. However, this is not the house Kirenna’s disfavour. As a result, a disputed village passed into the
really surprising once one learns that Veruna’s easternmost islands are hands of the House of Aenir, and the house also lost control of the Office of
covered by mists much of the time. Customs and Commercial Taxes.

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ZHON Once they ceased being frightened, they behaved like material things, could never comprehend that or resist
This was once the heart of the Kandran empire. Now, big puppies… meddling in other people’s business.
THE ARMED FORCES OF ZHON
monkeys screech where priests have prayed and tangled Arriving in Zhon was like a dream come true. You Expeditions from Aramon have repeatedly forced their To an outsider, the armed forces of the Huntress Thirsha
vines cover crumbling altars. You stand on the crumbling appear the softest military power in the world. Thirsha’s
disliked busy Estoril, its streets packed with people and way into Zhon, ostensibly to look for ancient artifacts. enemies soon discover how misleading this impression can
steps of an ancient temple and smile at the scorpion that vehicles. Was it your sensitive sense of smell, with all those Veruna’s traders are constantly trying to convert your be, for Zhon’s forces are commanded by powerful Beast
Trainers and Beast Lords, as mobile as the monsters they
scampers by your foot. For no wild, living thing will ever body odors forcing their way into your nostrils, that made people into slaves of the material world. It’s time to put an summon. Guerrilla warfare is Thirsha’s strength. The Trainers
and Shaman bend magic to turn their charges — normal
harm Thirsha the Huntress, the Mage Queen of Zhon. They you feel slightly nauseous? Was it your keen eyesight that end to that. animals of all sorts — into loyal war machines, all of whom
are all your friends. made you see what was in those faces — because there were The forests of Zhon are your fortified walls, its craggy are mobile and quick to regenerate, for Thirsha’s armies grow
even as they move.
It has always been so, from the first time your shaky legs many faces, faces everywhere you looked, talking too loudly, mountains, castles.Your forces aren’t armed with swords and
THE HUNTRESS (THIRSHA)
carried you out of the Estoril palace. You can still see the smiling falsely, grimacing. A thousand misused masks. You guns, but with natural powers and brute strength. And now Thirsha, the Huntress, rules over the harsh and challenging lands of Zhon.
She, like her sibling monarchs, wears a Legacy that gives her supernatural
lemon tree in the corner of the courtyard and remember the thought, when a wolf wants to bite, it bares its teeth. And so that you have forged an understanding with the beasts of regenerative and destructive powers. She wields a magical spear and can
take wing to attack enemies with blasts of lightning, ball lightning and a
scent on your fingertips after you’d rubbed the leaves. It was do people, in a smile. the sea, you have a force that’s as effective in the water as it massive Wind Wave.

like a woman’s perfume, yet infinitely more alluring and The burghers of Estoril called the inhabitants of Zhon is on land.
Tier 1
elegant. Suddenly, you felt love for that tree, pure, true savages. You found those savages the best company you’ve With Lokken planning to invade Aramon, you’ll proba- L O D E S T O N E Conjured by: Every Builder
Zhon Lodestones are dark, glistening objects that allow
love, and felt loved in return. The others — Elsin, Kirenna, ever had — human enough to share complex thoughts, bly have to take on Veruna. If victory is to be yours, it has to the extraction and purification of Mana. Lodestones
are vital for the summoning of Zhon’s armies, but like
even Lokken — laughed when you told them. So you never animal enough to remain pure and simple. And sensible be achieved quickly — Veruna and allied Aramon command any structure, if left undefended, can be easily destroyed
by enemies.
told them anything again, not even after you’d made enough to understand that magic is part of Nature, just like vast resources.
friends with the wolves inhabiting the Irgiron forests. the morning dew. Elsin and Kirenna, with their fixation on

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B E A S T H A N D L E R Summoned by: Huntress and G O B L I N Summoned by: Beast Handler H A R P I E S Summoned by: Beast Tamer Tier 3
Beast Tamer The Beast Handler is a unit that through the Goblin warriors are the basic Tier 1 humanoid infantry- The terrifying Harpies: hellish birds with women’s heads and
use of magic transforms Mana into bloodthirsty warriors. man in the Zhon army. For lack of a handy weapon, bodies attached to giant vulture wings. Their burst of mind- D R A K E Summoned by: Beast Lord
If needed, he can turn his training whip on enemy units, but Goblins improvise, using human femur bones as clubs. altering energy can charm enemy units, making them turn on This small, dragon-like beast spews fire from its maw and
summoning is most decidedly his forte; the Beast Handler Goblins are not very durable warriors, but are cheap to their own kind and fight for Zhon. is itself immune to fire. An effective offensive creature, it
is better used for creating creatures to kill for him. recruit and always willing to fight. can fly into and out of battle in a blink. It is, like most of
the Zhon minions, very quick and agile.
BA S I L I S K Summoned by: Beast Tamer
S AC R E D F I R E Conjured by: Huntress and Beast B E A S T TA M E R Summoned by: Beast Handler and The Basilisk is a large crawling reptilian with ominously
Handler This Sacred Fire is a great equalizer in Thirsha’s war Beast Lord The Beast Tamer is a more skilled Beast Handler. glowing eyes of fire. Its weapon is its stare, with which S H A M A N Summoned by: Thirsha, Beast Lord
against the stronger armies of her siblings. This structure rapidly He has no weapons, wears little armor and his only responsi- it can turn enemies to stone, rendering them helpless The Shaman is a Zhon craftsman. Skilled in the
heals any nearby Zhon units. During guerrilla campaigns, Sacred bility is the construction of Tier 2 structures and the training against the onslaught of other Zhon creatures. summoning of the Sacred Dragon and the potent Divine
Fires in strategic locations are a key advantage. of very powerful Tier 2 creatures, which happily put his train- Lodestone, his tasks are very different from those of the
ing to “good” use. Beast Handlers. The Shaman has a medium-powered
H U N T E R Summoned by: Beast Handler K R A K E N Summoned by: Beast Tamer lightning attack at his disposal and enough hit points to escape a modest
The Hunter is a bear-like, swarthy highlander skilled in The mysterious Kraken remains submerged at all times. scuffle with his life.
the accurate throwing of a spear. Fast and lightly armored, Tier 2 The enormous long tentacles churn up a vortex of water
the Hunter is ready to aim its spear at enemies on land G RY P H O N Summoned by: Huntress that is hurled at enemy ships.
S T O N E G I A N T Summoned by: Beast Lord
and in the air. The Gryphon is a mighty lion with powerful dragon’s wings. In This huge, living catapult of a creature lumbers from grove to
battle, this huge beast’s rider wields a throwing spear, which it grove and throws boulders at passing enemies. Fittingly, these
BAT Summoned by: Beast Handler hurls from the skies. Not the strongest of units, the Gryphon B E A S T L O R D Summoned by: Beast Tamer Giants are strongly armored and resistant to projectile attacks.
The Beast Handler magically alters small flocks of bats depends on speed and agility — a typical guerrilla warrior. Beast Lords are the master trainers of Zhon. Their extensive
whose eyes and ears then become Thirsha’s. Fast-flying and knowledge of magic manipulation allows them to train the
providing a good line of sight, they are primarily scouting D E AT H T O T E M Conjured by: Beast Tamer highest tier of Zhon beasts. The Beast Lord is well armed,
wielding a bolo that he hurls with great accuracy. Beast Lords R O C Summoned by: Beast Lord
units that have no offensive abilities. Bats are very fast and One of the dubious fruits of a long-ago alliance with Taros is The Beast Lord creates and trains Rocs, the mythical
can escape some attackers. the Death Totem. This tall, foreboding statue fires a massive are invaluable, making them a primary target for Thirsha’s enemies.
avian monstrosity. Rocs aren’t combat units — they
lightning bolt that does a great deal of damage to enemies. have no weapons. Their main task in the Zhon air fleet
T R O L L Summoned by: Beast Tamer is transporting land-bound units over obstacles. The
This Tier 1 infantryman is a stout compliment to the Goblin. Roc has the unique ability to carry many units at once through the air.
Armed with a double bladed battle-axe and clad in thick,
durable armor, the Troll is a valued addition to the battlefield.

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TA R O S

J U N G L E O R C Summoned by: Beast Lord TA M M U Z : D I E T Y O F Z H O N THE IHOM You didn’t intend things to turn out this way. But they did,
Jungle Orcs are the Beast Lord’s apelike creations, capable (Appears randomly, but only when Shaman is The Ihom tribe inhabits the northern part of Zhon. These fierce warriors
of laying waste to enemies with their massive paws. They present) When the Wrath of Tammuz appears on the spend their time attacking ships passing through the narrow straits and there is only one possible explanation. Someone else has
have no special immunities but benefit from Herculean battlefield, she can guard the creatures of Zhon with between Zhon and Taros, or alternately fighting a fellow Zhon tribe, the
stamina and the complete lack of pain nerves. unmatched ferocity. In an offensive capacity, Tammuz Kinik. The conflict with the Kiniks is so old, it has passed into tribal tradi- been casting spells against you. Not quite powerful enough
can be persuaded to rain death upon a visibly stronger enemy army. tion. To achieve manhood, an Ihom boy needs to bring a Kinik head. Since
W I S P Summoned by: Beast Lord Tammuz is a powerful deity, able to move to attack anything, anywhere. the Kiniks have a similar custom, it is only the extraordinary fertility to damage a potent Mage King, but enough to twist your
This mysterious flying creature fires lightning bolts at its enjoyed by the women of the two tribes that prevents Zhon from becoming
enemies. A powerful addition to Thirsha’s air forces, the Wisp The Known Tribes of Zhon seriously depopulated. magic around. And who could it be? Once again, only one
is a tough and speedy fighter, with a good line of sight. There is much uncertainty surrounding the exact number of tribes inhabiting
THE KINIK possibility: Elsin. That sanctimonious liar.
Zhon, as most of them have the nasty habit of killing all visitors. However,
thanks to lucky explorers who managed to observe and escape, four tribes The Kinik are the traditional adversaries of the Ihom. They occupy most
of eastern Zhon, with the heart of their territory lying behind natural It’s hard to believe you could have made mistakes all by
Tier 4 have been positively identified. Their shared feature is hostility towards any
barriers even other tribes find difficult to traverse. From behind this
outsiders that dare set foot on Zhon. yourself.You’ve always been the most adept magician among
A N C I E N T D R AG O N Summoned by: Shaman Zhon’s cities aren’t agglomerations of living people. Rather, they’re ruins semi-impenetrable barrier, Kiniks launch raids on Ihom territory. With
These impressive, ochre-hued dragons have existed for eons dating back to the time of the ancient Kandrans. Because of that, Zhon is an uncanny sense of timing, they often take place right after the Ihom are
in the world of Darien. The Beast Lord’s magic is only used heavy with loot from successful pirate attacks. It is thusly suspected that the four royal children. You remember the day your father
rumored to be the hiding place of many ancient artifacts, including the
to tame these ferocious predators and to give them the ability mysterious Heart of Thesh. Kiniks have magical, supersensual abilities.
to spawn on command. Flying on its huge webbed wings, The few successful attempts to trade with the Kinik revealed that took you to the site of an ancient battle. There were the
it rains down hellfire on its victims from its nostrils. It can also dish out Ball this tribe has a rich source of precious gems and metals. However, the last
Lightning and an impressive Shock Ring. T H E U RU nonviolent contact with the tribe took place centuries ago, and little is remains of a skeleton under a thorn bush. You looked into
The Uru is a tribe of hunters of exceptional ability. They inhabit forests along known about its present wealth.
Zhon’s western coast, and some centuries past were eager to trade animal the dark eyeholes of the grinning skull and suddenly saw
skins in exchange for tools and weapons. Since then, the Uru have become
D I V I N E L O D E S T O N E Conjured by: Shaman increasingly hostile and xenophobic. THE SEIRN beyond, into the world of spirits. Since then, this other world
Zhon’s Divine Lodestones require more time and Mana to The hunting skill of the Uru tribe makes the tribal members natural The Seirn are the senior race of Zhon. Although savage by average Darien
be built, but reward the effort with the ability to absorb warriors; they make particularly dangerous foes when fighting in their thick standards, the Seirn appears to be the most advanced of Zhon’s four major has been as much of a home as the one you were born to, the
Mana much faster than standard Lodestones. But unless home forests. The Uru were responsible for initiating the cult of Thirsha, tribes. Unfortunately, the Seirn is also the most secretive, and reports of the
guarded, they are easy prey for the enemy. worshipping Zhon’s Mage Queen as a Goddess in her own right. tribe’s advanced knowledge of magic cannot be verified. world of living flesh.
It’s known that Thirsha’s closest advisors come from the Seirn, and
that they are respected by other Zhon tribes, for even the battle-mad Kinik It became your goal to throw open the doors between the
give the Seirn a wide berth. The Seirn is also the guardian of the lost city
of Ulasem, reportedly Thirsha’s residence and Zhon’s de facto capital. two worlds. It was obvious that magic was the only key, no

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN TWO: THE FOUR REALMS

matter what laws said. For no laws would be needed once the land. Only one option remained: to return the dead to life,
spiritual and the material joined into one. and make sure no one stands in the way again.
THE ARMED FORCES OF TAROS G AT E Built by: Necromancer
Tarosian Gates are a necessity when building Walls,
At first, everything went so well.As punishment for your It may seem Aramon is the most powerful dominion in Lokken, more than any of his older Monarch siblings, uses magic allowing your armies access into and out of defended
encampments. They make for an intimidating threshold —
to its full military potential. Magicians and clerics are the cold
willfulness, you received the inhospitable land of Taros as Darien, but are material forces a match for legions of undead heart and odious soul of Lokken’s forces. Lokken’s Wizards
all blackened wood and carved rock, would-be opponents
face a grim sight when approaching. Sturdier than Walls, Gates can take a
your dominion. But within a few years, things had aided by magic? However, you cannot underestimate the manipulate weather, raise the dead and create abominable good pounding.
bloodthirsty monsters to fight in their stead. Lokken’s weakness,
completely turned around. The bloodthirsty clans of Taros secret reserves Elsin is sure to have.Veruna will probably be however, is his navy — his disinterest in peacetime trade has left L O D E S T O N E Built by: Necromancer and Dark
him with no real ships of value. Mason. Lodestone is a shimmering, crystalline material
put away their weapons, and thanks to your knowledge and busy battling Zhon — it’s entirely up to you to defeat available to all the Monarchs. It allows for the extraction
N E C ROM A NC E R ( LOK K E N ) and purification of Mana, and is therefore vital for the
use of magic, grassy meadows and sparkling streams Aramon. You must strike first and make it instantly clear to raising of armies. Like any structure, it can be destroyed,
The fearsome Necromancer rules Taros with hardened steel and ill enchant-
ment. Lokken’s biggest advantage over the other monarchs is his ability to thereby impoverishing an enemy.
appeared where before there had only been rocks and dry the other side who is doing the losing in this particular fight.
build all Tarosian structures himself, regardless of tier. Inspired by his interest
in the black arts, his creations rely heavily on magic and are often immune M AG E T OW E R Built by: Dark Mason
canyons. Only the ultimate spell, the one to unite the two One factor in your favor: the noble houses of Aramon aren’t Atop each Mage Tower sits a sharp-eyed magician who keeps a
to spells themselves. Lokken himself can cloak, and in battle is a cruel
opponent, smiting his enemies with a Fireball, Tracking Fireball or the lookout over the frontiers. When approached by enemy armies,
worlds, remained. entirely supportive of their Mage King. he throws powerful lightning bolts their way.
all-consuming power of his Fire Wave. Lokken can also torch foes with a
However, all the positive transformations on Taros had Before you strike, prepare yourself by reviewing your powerful volcanic blast.

C AG E D D E M O N Built by: Necromancer and Dark

been watched with jealous eyes. Yes, your dear brother and forces. Tier 1 Mason Placed around encampments, the Caged Demon is a
WA L L Built by: Necromancer and Dark Mason. frightful and dangerous obstacle to enemy armies. Furious at
sister weren’t happy with your success. Accusations were Like the other kingdoms, Tarosian Walls are a passive being caged, they spit fireballs at enemy units. They have much
form of defense. They can be created to surround other stamina and can take a lot of punishment before they fall.
followed by threats, as if anyone could dictate terms to an vulnerable structures, keeping the enemy’s fire and
arrows at a distance. Walls are built high and but are C A BA L Built by: Necromancer and Dark Mason
independent Mage King! And then, when threats didn’t not very effective at withstanding prolonged catapult attacks. Within the shadows of the Cabal, the spawning of the
Necromancer’s legions goes on. Using Mana, Cabals churn out
work, sabotage. Filthy, insidious sabotage. Land trans- ghoulish undead infantry. The training is quick and efficient,
rapidly producing large amounts of fairly competent units.
formations ceased to work, and a terrible plague swept the

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN TWO: THE FOUR REALMS

Z O M B I E Built by: Cabal DA R K M A S O N Built by: Cabal, Abyss and Temple I R O N B E A K Built by: Abyss F I R E S P O U T S Built by: Temple
It is not known exactly where Lokken unearths these recruits, Dark Masons are unique in that they specialize in spells for the This terrifying Stymphalion-like bird swoops down and These tarantula-like monsters do exactly what their name
but the blackened, undead Zombies are disturbingly human in construction of fortifications, defensive structures and some wreaks havoc among the enemy. It can fire exploding eggs suggests: they cover enemies in a blanket of fire. This terrify-
semblance. While very obedient and completely fearless, summoning buildings. Dark Masons carry no weapons with at its enemies and quickly retreat to a safe distance from ing creature’s greatest advantage is its ability to cloak itself
Zombies are slow and cannot match higher Tier opponents. which to defend themselves. would-be attackers. Its explosive eggs are most effective and lay ambush to its prey.
against buildings, slow-moving units and defensive structures.
G A R G OY L E Summoned by: Cabal
Although fearsome-looking, these leather-winged beasts
Tier 2 S K E L E T O N A R C H E R S Built by: Abyss
S K Y K N I G H T Built by: Temple
Atop the back of a winged, fire-spewing abomination,
are not armed. They do have keen eyesight and are an A B YS S Built by: Necromancer and Dark Mason These ungodly soldiers fire enchanted flaming arrows the Sky Knight is a fearsome — and usually final —
efficient means of gathering information about enemy The Abyss is an “officer school” of sorts for the with deadly accuracy. Able to fire at long range, Skeleton sight for any enemy that dare oppose him in combat.
movements and fortifications. Necromancer’s army. Units emerge from the Abyss after Archers can strike at an enemy before it can come too The fast, saurian creature that is his mount breathes
considerably more time than from the Cabal, but they are close. Lacking tendons and other connective tissue, these terrible fire at its rider’s command, and can swoop away very quickly when
more powerful fighters. units are too brittle to withstand close combat. the odds rise too high.
E X E C U T I O N E R Built by: Cabal
Executioners greatly improve the Tarosian ground forces. As its
W E AT H E R W I T C H Built by: Abyss
name implies, the Executioner never has any moral issues to
contend with, rushing at his enemies with his glaive, a long, Weather spells are this enchantress’s domain. She can Tier 3 F I R E M AG E Built by: Temple
The Fire Mage is a versatile Wizard with a selection of
sharp blade mounted on a short pole. Skilled, well-trained loose Tornado, Thunderbolt and bruising Ice Storm T E M P L E Built by: Necromancer and Dark Mason three fire-based spells: the short-ranged spell Death
professionals, they fight most zealously at the Necromancer’s bidding. spells upon her foes. The units that emerge from the advanced Tier Temple take Breath; the potent Fire Swirl, which is effective at long
longer to summon, but they are the Necromancer’s elite range; and Fire Storm, which is this mage’s most power-
warriors. The Necromancer builds this defenseless struc- ful spell. Each spell is more powerful than the last, but also more costly. The
B L AC K K N I G H T Built by: Cabal ture, but he builds it to withstand even very heavy assaults.
Clad in black armor, the Black Knight can accurately rain F I R E D E M O N Built by: Abyss Fire Mage’s talent also affords him some protection from fire.
arrows upon enemies from atop a sturdy yak-like steed. The Fire Demon is a classic small saurian creature
from a dark nether plane. They are fairly nimble and B L A D E D E M O N Built by: Temple M I N D M AG E Built by: Abyss
sure-footed and a great addition to an attack force. Blade Demons spawned in a Temple are quick, agile warriors. The Mind Mage is a fearsome sorcerer who preys upon
The fireballs it shoots are guided, and their relatively Their intimidating, red, bat-like arms do as much damage to his enemies’ biggest weakness: their minds. He makes
long range makes them most effective against naval and human targets. the minds of their enemies as their long swords do to their his enemies believe that his own brothers in arms are his
G H O S T S H I P Built by: Temple bodies. Fighting more vigorously than Zombies, Blade Demons
Although part of the Tarosian navy, the Ghost Ship isn’t strictly enemies, causing much havoc amid their ranks. This
inflict much damage upon their enemies. spell works against individual units and, for a larger sacrifice of Mana, against
a sea-going vessel — rather, it hovers magically and can
traverse land and sea with equal ease. It is armed to the teeth large groups of units.
with rapid-firing magical cannon, and the exploding energy
it lobs is most effective against other ships and slow-moving infantry.

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN TWO: THE FOUR REALMS

L I C H Built by: Temple B E L I A L – T H E D E I T Y O F TA R O S T H E H O U S E O F V E N TA R

The sinister Lich is literally quite a drain on its enemies — it (Appears randomly, but only when Dark Priest is present) The House of Ventar is engaged in almost perpetual conflict with the
approaches enemy soldiers and radiates a powerful life-stealing The patron deity of Taros, Belial, appears randomly, House of Balistan. Originally, the issue was control of the commercial
energy. It is especially useful against non-magic-using enemy depending on his capricious will. Once the Spawn of Belial rights in the Taros capital, Elam. Since then, individual vendettas that have
soldiers. The Lich’s tough skin can take much pounding. is present on the battlefield, he can greatly aid the defense accumulated on both sides are enough to keep a war aflame forever. The
of Tarosian followers or revenge them against their enemies. Belial can travel current uneasy peace between the two Houses is the result of Lokken’s
DA R K P R I E S T Built by: Temple anywhere on the map and can choose between a devastating claw attack or a brutal intervention.
The flying Dark Priest is a master of magical destruction. He radiating firestorm. Occupying isolated and barren territory in the northern part of
presents a regal image as he gracefully flies over land and sea Taros, the House of Ventar has never mustered enough power to become
prominent in Tarosian affairs. Instead, it tends to ally with whoever happens
on his flying carpet. His first two spells, Lightning and Ball
Lightning are both quick and effective against fast-moving
The Noble Houses of Taros to be at odds with Balistan. So far, this policy has brought little reward.
units. The third spell, Fire Bomb, uses more Mana than the first two but is a The Noble Houses of Taros are a very bloodthirsty lot, outdoing even the
more potent spell. Trained for war, the Dark Priest is a fearsome combat unit. Kinik of Zhon on several counts. For many centuries, Taros had been a THE HOUSE OF LEIMAR
He can also summon the Black Dragon and conjure Divine Lodestones. continent where treachery and murder were commonplace. Things improved, Leimar lays claim as the oldest and most aristocratic of the Noble Houses of
briefly, after Lokken was appointed its Mage King. Taros.As usually happens with such ambitions, the House of Leimar is said to
The last century has seen a series of catastrophic events overtake this be descended from a family of Kandran aristocrats that miraculously survived
Tier 4 unhappy land. While a full-scale civil war hasn’t erupted yet, the only way the Great Catastrophe.All members of the House of Leimar have some knowl-
B L AC K D R AG O N Built by: Dark Priest Lokken can prevent the Noble Houses from running amok is by directing edge of magic, and are proud of the fact that it was the Leimars who supported
The fearsome Black Dragon is among the strongest pillars of them at a common enemy. Garacaius until he reached adulthood so many centuries earlier.
the Necromancer’s military strength. They are so feared, even The principal noble of the House is Baron Leimar, a man of outstand-
among Tarosians, that only one is ever allowed to exist at one THE HOUSE OF ONTINOR ing cruelty and deviousness. Recent reports indicate he commanded the
time. Three powerful fire attacks make this creature invaluable Ontinor is the least violent of the Noble Houses of Taros. Most of Ontinor Tarosian forces that pacified the island of Zakum, which dared to declare
to any military campaign. lands lie on a large, semi-isolated peninsula on the western shore. This piece itself autonomous in the face of the wave of horrors sweeping Taros.
of geographical good fortune has meant that Ontinor has escaped involve-
D I V I N E L O D E S T O N E Built by: Dark Priest ment in most of the bloody quarrels that have turned Taros into a constant T H E H O U S E O F BA L I S TA N
The Tarosian Divine Lodestones are the backbone of the battlefield. The House of Balistan is famous for the bloodlust of its sons. Legend has
Necromancer’s magical abilities. Each provides more Mana The lands of Ontinor lie right across the water from Veruna, so its not it that many centuries earlier, the founder of the House of Balistan had
than lower-level Lodestones and requires much more time surprising that this Noble House is the principal importer and exporter of a vision in which he saw Paradise. The contrast with his own living
and Mana to be built. Taros. In addition to supplying other Tarosian Houses with imported goods surroundings inspired such hate that he turned into a homicidal maniac
and weapons, Ontinor maintains relations with most of the Noble Houses and subsequently passed the appropriate genes to his sons.
in Veruna and Aramon — or at least it did until recently. There is a saying that the sons of Balistan will arise from their graves
if there is more blood to be shed. Incredibly, most of Taros believes it’s true.

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN THREE: STARTING A NEW GAME

H O W T O P L AY detail. There are of course many other strategies, but these

T h r e e : S TA R T I N G A N E W G A M E T O TA L A N N I H I L AT I O N : K I N G D O M S
Total Annihilation: Kingdoms is a real-time strategy game
two make for good examples.As you play, you’ll develop your
own strategy.
(RTS) in which players take the role of one of four immortal In the Quick Rush, a player will forgo defenses and large-
Video Option right strategic choices, but you must also move quickly — a scale resource-gathering in favor of constructing a large
monarchs of the magical land of Darien. You’ll have to use
Before you start up Total Annihilation: Kingdoms, you weak move made promptly is often better than a brilliant number of fast, inexpensive units. This way, the player hopes
every ounce of cunning, strategy and skill at your command
should run choose renderer, and select what video mode in one made too late. to quickly get the drop on his/her opponent, while they are at
to gather precious resources, build an army from the ground
which to play the game. If you have hardware acceleration, If you are new to real-time strategy games, make sure their weakest.
up, and lead your forces into battle!
you can select Glide, Direct3D or software. If you do not have you’re familiar with the structures and units at your The player using a Sustained Attack concentrates on
This section will provide an introduction to the game for
a video hardware accelerator card, you will only have the disposal, their place on the various unit hierarchies, and building a well-fortified base, gathering resources and
novice players. This is just an example of how to play the
software option available. understand their strengths and weaknesses. It’s also a good attacking with a large, well-supported army. Both of these
game, not a treatise on RTS gameplay. It is by no means the
idea to have some knowledge of the units and structures at strategies work well, especially in the hands of a master.
only way to play the game, because as you advance in skill
Quick Play your enemy’s command, too. Section II of this manual
and experience, you will invent your own strategies, discover Both can be defended against...also in the hands of a master.
To dive right in and start playing: provides descritptions of the four different Monarch’s struc-
new uses for familiar or unfamiliar units or even download Our in-between example is for the House of Aramon.Let’s
• Select Play Computer Opponent. tures and units. start on a basic land map against one opponent. Each player
completely new units and maps from the Cavedog
Total Annihilation: Kingdoms features 3D terrain. Treat starts off with one unit, the Monarch, which will appear in the
• Select a Map. Entertainment Web site.
it as you do terrain in the real world, because that’s how it center of the main screen at the start of the game.
• Select a Side. At its most basic level, playing Total Annihilation:
affects your units. Terrain will affect what your units can see Around your Monarch, you’ll see a radius of bright,
Kingdoms means balancing time and resources while
• Select OK. and what they can’t. If a unit is standing on a hill, it will see
efficiently constructing an army of valiant swordsmen or visible terrain surrounded by inky blackness representing
farther than units at the base of this hill. And units with unexplored territory. As you move around, more terrain will
crazed zombies. Each unit comes with a price in resources,
G A M E OV E RV I E W distance weapons will shoot farther, too. come into your Monarch’s line of sight. As you move some
and each unit requires a pre-set amount of time to build.
Total Annihilation:Kingdoms is a real-time strategy game. Finally, Total Annihilation: Kingdoms is a game in which more, previously visible terrain will fade into gray as it
Balancing these costs are units that deepen your pool of
The object of the game is to defeat your opponent by winning and losing are both fun. Don’t worry about win- moves out of view. This gray “fog of war” will show terrain
resources, and others that speed up your efforts.
carefully managing your units, structures and resources in ning too much when you’re fresh to the game. Just play, and you’ve visited, but not enemy units or changes that have
Let’s talk about the opening moves of two basic strate-
real time — you won’t stop to take turns while your have fun! occurred since your Monarch moved out of sight.
gies for beginning players, the Quick Rush and the Sustained
opponent manages his armies! You’ll win if you make the Attack, and then describe something in between in greater Your objective is to eliminate your opponent, and the

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN THREE: STARTING A NEW GAME

clock is running. You should use your Monarch to create a and build it directly on top of the Mana site.Once completed, key down, you can queue up multiple construction orders arrive on the field of battle. Your forces can “hit the ground
Barracks. Select him by left-clicking directly over the unit, or the magical powers of the Lodestone will increase your pool — once the Garrison is completed, the Mage Builder will running,” and save precious time. To do this, select the
dragging a square around him. The Monarch’s build menu of resources, which you will need to build bigger and more automatically begin constructing Strongholds, one after the Barracks, click the Move button, and click somewhere on the
will appear on the bottom of the screen, showing you all of powerful units. In the lower right-hand corner of your other. map you’ve already explored. Now, if you hold down the Shift
the units the Monarch is capable of constructing. screen you will see a crystal ball that will tell you your Mana About this time, the second Mage Builder should be key with the Barracks selected, you’ll see a ghost image
Select the Barracks in the lower right.Your cursor in the status. The numbers to the left and right of the crystal ball ready for action — select and order him to guard your first showing the path and end point. Any unit leaving the
main screen will show a “ghost image” of the Barracks — show the amount of incoming (left) and outgoing (right) Mage Builder via the orders menu. With the guard order, Barracks will automatically move to that spot. This
left-click to place the Barracks in the location of your choice. Mana. a unit will automatically assist with units they themselves command works for Move and Patrol. To issue more
If you are unable to build a Barracks in a particular location By this time, the Barracks will have turned out the first can build. With one or more helping out, you can speed commands to your units, simply hold down the Shift key —
(likely because of rough terrain, surface features or water), Mage Builder. Select and order him to start building a up any construction process. The extra speed comes at the next order will be added to the list of commands.
the ghost image will show an “X.” Sometimes placing a unit Garrison. Once the Mage Builder starts this task, select your an extra price in resources. Like everything else, balance is Let’s go back to your first Mage Builder, the one ordered
can be a bit tricky, but keep looking around and you’ll find a Monarch (once he’s done building the Lodestone) and move key! to build the Garrison. Select and order him to build a Wall.
spot. Once you choose the location of the Barracks, the the cursor over the sparkling image of the under-construc- Now, select your Barracks and start building other units Hold down the Shift key (to queue up build orders), then
Monarch will move there and begin construction. tion Garrison. You’ll see an animated hammer. Left-click, — Archers, Swordsmen, Horseman or Catapults. The order click and drag to order a section of walls to be built.You’ll see
After the Barracks are completed, select it with a left- and your Monarch will move to the Garrison and begin to in which you select units determines the order in which walls being placed wherever you move the cursor (don’t
click. The Barracks’ build menu will appear on the bottom. assist the Mage Builder in construction. With the Monarch’s they’re built. A left-click on the build button increases the move your cursor too fast or else gaps can appear in your
Left-click twice on the Mage Builder; you are issuing orders considerable power added to the Mage Builder’s, this will build number by one, while a right-click decreases the fortifications). This click-and-drag feature is particularly
for the Barracks to train two of these units, one after the speed up the construction process. Any unit capable of number by one. If you hold down the Shift key and left-click, handy when building walls or queuing up forces when you
other. Numbers will appear on the buttons to show you the constructing or summoning can be ordered to assist fellow the queue number will increase by five; hit Shift and right- are playing Zhon.
number of “queued” units the Barracks has in its build list. units in this fashion, and the intelligent use of this feature click to decrease the number by five. To order a structure to Now, select the completed Garrison. You’ll notice all the
While this process is started, take your Monarch and separates the good players from the bad! produce only one type of unit for an indefinite period, hold possible order commands for the Barracks can also be found
start searching for a Mana site, which appear as small circu- Select the Mage Builder while he is still constructing. down the CTRL key and select the unit. The structure will in the Garrison’s command menu, but a whole new set of
lar objects with glowing stars with some stone structures From his build menu, hold down the Shift key and select a now continue to produce that one type of unit, one after the more powerful units can now be built.
around it. There should be one nearby. If you don’t see it, Stronghold. Keeping the Shift key down, place some protec- other, until you order it to do otherwise. All Total Annihilation: Kingdoms units and structures
search a larger area — it’s around there somewhere. Once tive Strongholds around your new base. The ghost images Not only can you order a structure to build a whole slew have a place on an overall build hierarchy — the more
you’ve found one, select the Lodestone from the build menu will now appear everywhere you click. By holding the Shift of units, you can issue orders to those units before they even powerful the unit, the higher it is on the hierarchy. While all

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN THREE: STARTING A NEW GAME

four sides have distinctly different units and hierarchies, WO R K I N G W I T H R E S O U RC E S graphics and screen resolution. L OA D G A M E S C R E E N
they all have one thing in common: the more powerful the The resource in Total Annihilation: Kingdoms to manage is • EXIT closes the program and takes you back to the After you click ‘OK’ in the Battle Room, Skirmish Setup or
unit, the higher it is on the hierarchy, and the more time and Mana. This resource is shown in the lower-right corner. All desktop. Story Journal, this screen tracks the process of loading the
resources it takes to build. units cost a set amount to create, but the resources can be game. The master progress bar on the bottom gives an
Aramon has four levels in its hierarchy. The Barracks is modified in a number of ways: Playing the Adventure overall percentage on the lower right and the progress of
at level one, the Garrison at level two. In the Garrison, you In the Adventure, you’ll eventually play the role of all four specific elements on the lower left. In Multiplayer games the
can build an Acolyte, a construction-capable unit more • Building a Lodestone on a Mana site will increase your Monarchs as each battles the forces of its immortal siblings. slots in the upper left contain the names of the players and
powerful than the Mage Builder. The Acolyte of Anu can supply, based on the type of Mana site and Lodestone. You’ll use your units progressively, playing along in the rivet- shows you their individual progress. The name of the map
summon level four units and structures, such as the Dragon • For single-player missions, the starting Mana has been ing story that spans the world of Darien. The more you play, being loaded is always displayed in the upper right.
of Anu or a Divine Lodestone. Of course, the cost of all of set to a predetermined level. the more units are introduced and the more the story
these units increases as you move up the hierarchy. Every unit requires a certain amount of Mana to produce.As unfolds. There are also special, unique units that you will Play The Machine
Let’s select your offensive units (e.g. Swordsmen, that unit is produced, that Mana is used from your supply. If have to guide, keep alive and perform special tasks. We suggest playing the computer after you have played
Horsemen and Archers) and go looking for a fight. Select the amount of Mana you are using exceeds the amount you enough of the story to feel comfortable with the game.
Choosing Play Adventure from the Main Menu gives you a
them, either by clicking and dragging a square around them are bringing in and your stores are depleted, your produc- Selecting PLAY THE MACHINE will launch a game in which
new set of options. Select New if you have not started a new
or by selecting one after the other by holding down the Shift tion will be greatly slowed. Needless to say, it is a good idea you play against up to seven computer opponents.
game before.
key and left-clicking each one. Order them to move into the to keep your amount of Mana well above zero. Traditionally, this is good training ground for later multi-
unexplored sections of the map in search of the enemy. • PREVIOUS takes you back to the previous menu. player games, but you’ll probably fight a better Campaign
Once you’ve located enemy units, move the cursor over Main Title Options • START starts the story from the selected chapter. game, too. The Skirmish mode gives you instant access to
the units you would like to attack. The cursor will change to The Main Menu screen presents you with five options. • CHANGE NAME selects a different game name. the game’s most sophisticated units, whereas the Campaign
an animated attack cursor. If it doesn’t, this means your is arranged in a progressive learning curve.
• PLAY THE ADVENTURE starts a new single-player • NEXT CHAPTER selects the next chapter, if unlocked.
units cannot attack — some units and structures can be
story/mission game. • PREVIOUS CHAPTER selects the previous chapter. The PLAY THE MACHINE screen also gives you an oppor-
attacked only by certain types of units. You’ll need larger
projectile units, such as the Catapult, to attack structure and • PLAY AN OPPONENT starts a new multiplayer game. tunity to customize your game. The panel on the right lets
• LOAD GAME loads a saved game.
fortifications. you set starting conditions for yourself and the computer
• PLAY THE MACHINE starts a new single-player
opponents.
skirmish with computer opponent(s).
• OPTIONS allows you to adjust settings for sound,

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN THREE: STARTING A NEW GAME

• Player Name/AI Opponent lists the name and number Game Options S TA R T I N G A N E W O P P O N E N T G A M E Creating a New Multiplayer Game
of AI Opponents. The Game Options screen accessed through the OPTIONS To play Total Annihilation: Kingdoms against human and AI If you select Host A Game, a menu appears requesting a
• Side states the side of Player and AI. button presents a wide variety of choices. Many of these opponents, click on the Opponent Game button on the Main player name, game name and a password. There must be a
options affect game performance. Menu screen. user and game name listed for a game to start.A password is
• Color color of side.
optional. Once you have input a user and game name and
• Team allows team assignments. The Game Options screen can also be accessed during the The Select Connection screen will appear, giving you the click start, you will find yourself in the main Battle Room,
game with the F2 key. following connection options.
• Fog Of War turns on/off the fog of war. allowing the game host and players to choose from a
• Random Start Locations randomly select start • INTERFACE leads to a menu with Interface Options. • Boneyards play on Cavedog’s free online matchmaking number of options, such as selecting which side to play,
locations. Overall game speed, scroll speed, text on/off, number service. player color and team/ally. Other game information can be
and delay of text displayed on your screen. The Interface changed only by the game creator.
• Cheat Codes useable or not. • Update updates currently listed and accessible games.
button within the Interface Options menu lets you
• Monarch Expendable on/off of death of monarch choose between a left- and right-click mouse interface. • IP Search allows the entering of a game’s IP address. Customizing Multiplayer Games
ends game. This choice is discussed in Section IV — please see • Host a Game starts a new game with you as the host. Selecting a Map:
• Map Revealed on shows all of the map at all times. Table of Contents. • Join a Game takes you into the selected game. This option allows the game initiator to pick the map on
• Units allows the player to set the number of units • MUSIC opens a menu with Music Options. Music which that the battle will be fought. Once in this menu
• Select accepts the current highlighted option.
allowed in the game. volume and on/off. screen, you will see a small picture of the map, a brief
• Previous takes the player back to the previous menu description (size in screens and number of players it
• Map allows you to select a map to play on. • SOUND opens a menu with Sound Options. Sound (Main Menu). supports), a scroll window and Cancel/OK buttons. To view
• Map Information Window lists information about the (on or off), Unit sounds (on or off) and general effects
To obtain your computer’s address number, establish a a map, click on the map name in the scroll window, brining
selected map. sound volume. Turning Unit Sounds off or down can
connection to the Internet. Next, run a program called its picture into the map view window. To select a map, click
improve game performance.
• Options takes you to the options screen (see options). winipcfg.exe, which is located in your Windows directory. on it and select OK or double click on the map. Players can
• VISUALS opens a menu with Graphic Options. Screen A typical address consists of four groups of three digits each, view the selected map by selecting the Select Map option
• Previous takes the player back to the previous menu.
size can be adjusted from here, depending on your separated by periods (for example, 255.255.255.255). from the multiplayer battle menu.
• Play begins the battle. computer’s video card. The blood and damage bars can
also be set on or off from here.

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN

Selecting MultiPlayer Game Options: • START: Starts the game only after all players have
• USE MAP SCRIPT: Enables the map scripting for clicked their ready buttons.
multi-player maps.
Joining a Multiplayer Game
• WATCHING: Allows non-participants in LAN games to
Select a Game and select Join at the Multiplayer Main Menu.
watch the game.
Once in the Battle Room, a player can select his/her side,
• RANDOM START LOCATIONS: Selects random color and teams. All players must click the ready button
starting positions. to the left of their name before the game creator can start
• START LOCATIONS: Starting positions can be Set, or a game.
Random.
• MONARCH EXPENDABLE: On/off of death of
monarch ends game.
• MAP REVEALED: On shows all of the map at all times.
• FOG OF WAR: With this enabled you can only see non-
player forces and Mana sites that are inside your units
detection range.
• UNITS: Allows the player to set the number of units per
player in the game.
• SELECT MAP: Takes you to a menu where you can
preview and select the map on which you’ll play.
• OPTIONS: Brings you to the Options menu.
• PREVIOUS SCREEN: Takes you back to the select
multiplayer game screen.

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN F O U R : P L AY I N G T H E G A M E

can attack your enemy, while others will defend your base, • Repairing structures and healing units.
Fo u r : P L AY I N G t h e G A M E either by serving as a physical barrier or actively attacking
enemy units with built-in weapons. Lodestones, another
Conjuring units vary as to what they can summon, depend-
ing on which side you are playing. The build hierarchies for
type of structure, increase your Mana production. each side are very different. The listing in the back of the
This section discusses the game components — featured Lodestones built on a sacred site increases your supply of
resources, structures, and units — and how to control them Mana. The exact amounts depends on the sacred site and the Section Five of this manual contains hierarchy charts for book describes them in detail for you.
through the game’s interface. type of Lodestone. units and structures, as well as a short description of the Combat units are just that: units that by some means cause
structures found at the first three Tiers. As you progress, damage to another unit. They can use ranged or melee
Your amount of available Mana is shown by the crystal ball additional units and structures may become available…
GAME COMPONENTS in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. When your weapons, and some use magic.
Total Annihilation: Kingdoms has two resources: Time and cursor is over the battlefield, you’ll notice the Help Info in the Units Support units are units that cannot conjure or damage other
Mana. Both come into play when summoning objects or lower right contains a number indicating the current Total Annihilation: Kingdoms features a wide variety of units. Walls, Transport Ships and Lodestones are prime
casting spells. amount. To the right and left of the crystal ball, you will be fantasy units that fly, swim, walk and crawl. One of the examples of these types of units.
given your current use vs. current influx of Mana, numeri- unique features of Total Annihilation: Kingdoms is the ability
cally.“+”indicates how much Mana is flowing in per second. Ships in Total Annihilation: Kingdoms serve different
Time to add new units into the game. New downloadable units
“+ indicates how much you are spending per second. purposes. Most are scout or combat vessels, but some are
Each unit or structure takes a certain amount of “conjure will be accessible at www.cavedog.com. primarily meant for support roles. All ships can transport
time” to bring into existence, but the amount of time can be
Personal Mana The units in the game break down into three types: support, troops; each ship’s capacity depends on its size. However,
modified in a number of different ways. Conjure units such
Personal Mana represents each unit’s personal store of Mana combat and conjuring units. only specialized transport ships have the ability to stow and
as Monarchs and mobile conjurers can speed up the conjure
used for casting spells or using magic. Any unit that casts transport large assault units such as catapults and cannons.
time by assisting other units in the summoning process. Conjuring units have several functions:
spells will have a Mana bar located on the bottom informa- Ships load and unload units via the respective buttons in the
tion bar. A certain amount of Mana is required to cast each • Building new structures. Note that several construction
Mana game interface. To load troops, click the Load button and
spell. Mana regenerates over time. units can work on a single structure at the same time.
Building or summoning all units in the game requires an either select the unit(s) individually or use the mouse to drag
This significantly shortens construction time. To assign
outpouring of Mana. Each player starts with a store of Mana a box around an area of units.The units will then move toward
Structures an additional construction unit to a project, order it to
determined by the settings of each particular battle.And like the ship and be magically transported on board. To unload,
There are several types of structures in Total repair the building under construction.
time, your amount of available Mana can be modified, in simply click the Unload button and click on the stretch of
this case by the construction of Lodestones. Annihilation:Kingdoms. Some produce units with which you • Building new units. shoreline where you would like to unload your units.

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN F O U R : P L AY I N G T H E G A M E

Some units in Total Annihilation: Kingdoms are unique — them orders. The left mouse button is also used to click on a unit on the Main Map and move it to a new the explored terrain, your units and any enemy units that are
you are allowed to build a limited number of them, or deselect units, and within the Mini-Map. location by clicking where you want the unit to go on the visible to your units.You might be able to discern the general
perhaps only one. If you lose them in the course of a game, Mini-Map. type of unit (e.g. structure, summoning structure, water
they cannot be replaced, so a wide player will protect these The Main Battle Screen units, flying units land units) but no specific details about
units and use them only at crucial moments that might turn Once you have completed game setup and started a game of The Mini-Maps the unit. From this view, you can do everything that you can
the tide of battle, or perhaps the whole war. Total Annihilation: Kingdoms, you are taken to the Main There are two different Mini-Maps in Total Annihilation: on the smaller Mini-Map, but with greater precision.
Battle Screen. Most of it is taken up by the Battle Map, where Kingdoms. One is the small window screen in the upper
the action takes place. Note that units or structures selected on the Battle Map can
The Game Interface right-hand corner of the Main Battle Screen. The other is a
show their health bars. Health bars can be turned on and
Total Annihilation: Kingdoms is played almost exclusively To the side of the Battle Map is a panel containing a Mini- full screen Mini-Map, available by hitting the TAB key.
off with the “~” key. A green bar indicates good health;
with the mouse.You can configure your mouse to use a left- Map of the battlefield and the Build/Orders menu. The The upper-right corner of the Battle Screen features a small yellow, some damage; red, serious damage. The selection
click or right click interface, as you prefer. bottom of the Main Battle Screen features status bars map of the entire battlefield. This little map is useful for oval around a unit also reflects the health of the unit in the
In addition, you can also use the keyboard for certain handy showing you different information depending on where your keeping track of the situation and for quickly jumping from same way.
functions. A full list of all keyboard shortcuts is provided in cursor is located or what unit/structure is currently selected. one area to another.You can also move units and order them
the keyboard shortcut section of this manual. to fire on the Mini-Map, just like on the main Battle Map. To
The Battle Map quickly jump to a location, click on it within the Mini-Map.
Choosing the Mouse Interface The Battle Map shows the battlefield from an overhead 3D You can also scroll within the Mini-Map by dragging the
Choose your favored mouse interface through the Options perspective. New games typically start with an unexplored mouse and holding the appropriate mouse button. This
menu, which displays an Interface button. map; you have to explore it with your units to reveal the depends on your choice of the mouse interface.
battlefield and find the enemy. You can only view what your
• The left-click mouse interface uses the left mouse units and structures can “see” at any given time. Unexplored Units can be given orders within the Mini-Map, just like
button for selecting units and giving them orders. The areas are black. Areas that were explored by your units but on the Battle Map. This is particularly convenient when
right mouse button is used to deselect units, and to find are not currently under your observation will show as gray moving a unit a long distance or conducting long-range
a location within the Mini-Map. or fog-covered on the map. bombardment.
• The right-click mouse interface uses the left mouse The full-screen Mini-Map can be brought up by hitting the
Units selected on the Main Map can be given orders in the
button to select units, but the right mouse button to give TAB key. This will hide the normal Battle Map and fill the
Battle Map or by using the Mini-Maps. For example, you can
window with the Mini-Map. On this map you will see all of

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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN F O U R : P L AY I N G T H E G A M E

The Information Bar will see (e.g. a Level 5 Archer has gold shoulders and arms, a Unit orders can be queued up by holding down the Shift key. • Offensive units will aggressively pursue and engage
At the bottom of the Main Battle Screen, you’ll see a border Level 10 Archer has gold shoulders, arms and bow). For example, if you want a mobile summoning unit to move enemy units.
with some different bars on it. These bars and pictures from point A to point B, build a Stronghold, heal unit X, • Defensive units will fire upon enemy units within their
The top horizontal red bar in the left of the unit’s health bar
inform you about many things, depending on what the move from B to C, then patrol between C, D, E, you’d do the range but will not move from their current position.
and the blue bar below it is the unit’s personal Mana supply,
cursor is placed over or what unit is selected. following:
used for spell casting. The two bars on the right show the • Passive units will sit and watch, no matter what is
• Health Bar shows the health of the selected unit. health and personal Mana supply of an enemy unit if the • Select the unit and hold down the Shift key. happening to them or going on around them.
• Personal Mana Bar shows the personal Mana level of cursor is held over it. • Click the Battle Map on point A and then point B. Select The top set of three buttons controls magic and spell levels.
the selected unit, used for magic-related events. a Stronghold and select a location for the structure to be Most spell casters have three different levels of spells. The
• Experience Shield shows the experience and level of I N T E R FA C E M E N U S
built. Then select Heal and click on unit X. After that, lowest level (far left button) takes very little personal Mana,
the selected unit. select Move, click on point C, then select Patrol and click but does the least amount of damage of the units three spell
The Orders Menu on points D and E. types. The far right button is the most powerful spell the
• Mana Ball shows your Mana and productivity
efficiency. This menu changes visually for each of the four races, but Because you’ve held down the Shift key while issuing all of unit is capable of casting, which also uses up the most
functionality remains the same. There are five standard these commands, the unit will perform each task in turn. personal Mana. In between is a medium-level spell, doing a
The Unit Status Bar buttons on this menu. moderate amount of damage and using less Mana than the
Beneath the Attack and Guard buttons, there can be Utility
The Unit Status Bar appears at the bottom of the Main Battle • Move tells the currently selected unit/s to move where more powerful spell.
buttons. These will appear if the unit has some special
Screen. To access it, select a unit and hold the mouse cursor you click. functionality, such as the ability to Load and Unload troops As you move your cursor over the button, a description of
over it.You will be told what type of unit it is, and how many • Patrol tells the currently selected unit/s to patrol from for transport, clear obstacles or heal other units. what the button does will appear at the bottom of the screen.
enemy units it has killed.All units begin as a Novice with no its current position to where you click.
levels, experience or kills. Units with five kills become There are two sets of three buttons located lower on the
• Attack tells the currently selected unit/s to attack the The Build Menu
Journeymen, which improves their combat capabilities. menu. The lowest of the set of three are the order buttons,
target clicked on. The Build Menu will appear when you have a unit selected
Another five kills result in a rank of Master and another which control different functions depending on what type of
• Guard tells the currently selected unit/s to guard object that can summon or build another unit, such as your
improvement in the unit’s battlefield performance. unit is selected. They control the actions of the units when
that is clicked on. Monarch or summoning units. This menu will be on the
enemy units are within different ranges.
Use your construction units to repair veteran units often.You bottom of the screen and will show a list of units that can be
can visually tell veteran units by the gold coloration on their • Stop tells the currently selected unit/s to stop whatever produced.
uniforms. The more experienced the unit, the more gold you it’s doing.

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Technical Support:
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 THE CHRONICLES OF DARIEN F O U R : P L AY I N G T H E G A M E

Conjuring Structures • You will now see walls queued up in a line where you works for all functions of this menu and the orders can even • To unload, select Unload and click a desired location.
To conjure a structure, select the summoning unit and click have drawn. be staggered (e.g. move to point X, move to point Y, patrol The troops will unload and walk a short distance away
on the appropriate icon in the Build Menu. When you move This process works with all structures and units. between points A and B). from the unload point.
the mouse cursor over the Battle Map, you’ll see an outline of
the intended structure. A red “X” means you cannot build in Summoning Units Other Orders, Commands, Fun Stuff
the selected location. After you’ve chosen the building site, Veteran Status
To summon a unit, click on the appropriate unit-producing Area Attack and Load
click to start the construction process. Units in Total Annihilation: Kingdoms gain experience as
structure, then left-click on the desired unit’s icon in the You can instruct units to attack a group of enemy troops or
they destroy enemy units. As a unit advances, they can
To queue up construction orders, select the summoning structure’s Build Menu. Multiple clicks will form a produc- structures. To do this:
change appearance and gain effectiveness. As a unit gains
unit, hold down the Shift key and select each unit you would tion queue. Note that you can queue up units of different • Select the attacking units, either by selecting them experience killing opposing units, golden colors will appear
like to build and its location. The summoning unit will build types.You can also hold down the Shift key to queue up units individually by holding down the Shift key, or by click- on the unit or structure. The more gold appears, the more
each in turn, moving from one task to another automatically. in increments of five. ing and dragging a box around them. experienced the unit is.
If you hold the Shift button down, you’ll see ghost images of If you want to order the structure to only create one type of • Select the A (for attack) key or click on the attack cursor
that summoning unit’s queued tasks. With a Ctrl-click unit continually without interruption, hold down the Ctrl and draw a box around the units that you want attacked.
(clicking the mouse while holding the Ctrl key down), you key and select the unit. You will see “+++” in the unit • Your troops will now attack all enemy units contained
can change the unit’s orders without erasing the rest of the box, signifying that the structure will only churn out this within the box.You can hold the Shift key down to see a
build queue. type of unit until it is destroyed or told otherwise. To cancel “to be attacked” cursor on the selected units.
Total Annihilation: Kingdoms also has a feature to help facil- this function, right-click on the unit icon in the structure’s
A similar feature exists for loading troops onto ships.
itate the construction of town walls. Build Menu.
To do this:
• Select a unit that can build walls. Units can be built with “standing-orders,” that is, they will • Select the ship to be used for transport.
• Select a wall to be built and place it with a mouse click. come out of their unit-production structure and automati-
• Click on the Load cursor and then click and drag a box
cally move to perform a task. To do this, select the structure
• Without releasing the mouse button, hold the Shift key around the troops to be loaded. The troops will then
and click the Move icon. Units emerging from this structure
down and drag where you want the walls to be placed. begin loading one at a time until either there are no
will automatically rally to this point. The same process
more troops or the ship reaches its storage capacity.

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