Welcome to Morgul.

Morgul is an altered copy of MORIA V5.5.  A detailed listing of my alterations
can be found further into this file.  First of all, I should tell you what
you need.

This particular version is the PC version (compiled using TC++).  The
files required to run this are: 

MORGUL.EXE: the main executable.
MORGUL.SCR: with this ZIPped version it should be a 0 length file.  If you
        do not have this file, don't panic, just use your favorite editor
        to create a file with a single space character.
ORIGCMDS.HLP:
OWIZCMDS.HLP:
ROGLCMDS.HLP:
RWIZCMDS.HLP: these four files are the command help files.  If you don't
        have them, simply never use the help command.  But then you wouldn't
        be able to figure out what each key does.  These are very similar to
        the Moria files of the same names.
NEWS.: this file is the copyright notice and appears as the opening screen.
MORGUL.CNF: this is the configuration file for MORGUL.  It is a direct copy
        of moria.cnf.  You need this file.

Other non-essential files present are:
FEATURES.NEW: this file contains information on new features found in Morgul
        and its Moria predecessors.
MORIA.TXT: this file should be used as the main manual for Morgul, as not
        that many changes have been made to how to play the game.
MORIA.FAQ: this is a 'frequently asked questions' file, documenting many of
        the inner secrets of Moria, and all still apply to Morgul.
SPELLS.DOC: information on character spells.
EXP.DOC: information on experience points.
SPOILERS.: some spoilers for Moria, and consequently for Morgul.
MORGUL.TXT: the file you are reading now.

Well, now for the important stuff.  What does MORGUL give you?

a)      Targetting.  This feature allows the player to set a creature or
square to be the temporary target of all future spells, throws/fires, and 
other pertanent abilities.  To enter targetting mode press 'X' in moria 
command mode, or 'a' in rogue command mode.  This sets you into monster 
selection mode.
        If monsters are within LOS of your character, the computer will give
you the choice of each _according_to_their_position_in_the_monster_list_, not
by proximity.  You may 'recall' as in look (but unlike look, you will not then
skip to the next monster).  Once a particular monster is targetted, it
remains targetted until the monster is destroyed, a new target is selected,
or the level is exited.  This allows the teleport in, attack, teleport out
style of attacking to maintain the target, and not lose it due to being out 
of sight or range of the monster.
        By pressing 'l' in monster selection mode, target selection switches
to position.  Using the direction keys, the targetter moves around the screen.
If you select the square a monster is in, the square will be selected, and
the target will remain in the same place if the monster moves away.
        To turn off targetting, enter Target Selection ('X') then press the
escape key ('ESC').
        The effect of targetting is to increase the powers of all characters.
Bows now actually have some use.  Tagging a heavy duty bad thing across a
room no longer requires the character to reposition himself.

b)      non-straight lines.  This is primarily a function of targetting, but 
it does require some mention on its own.  If you like to see those fire balls
work their way across the screen and slam full force into the bad guys, they
still will, and they don't even have to be in one of the 8 straight 
directions.  This feature only works with targetting.

c)      Warrior slicing attacks.  In an effort to increase the strength of the
warrior, a special ability has been added.  When a critical hit occurs (the
2-5x damage hits), there is a chance that one of the monster's attacks may
be hacked off (like a dragon's claw, novice warrior's sword arm, an Emperor
Lich's finger, etc.).  The probability depends on the critical multiplier
and the character's level, running from 2% (2x, 1st level) to 40% (5x, 40th).
Beyond a statement of the fact that something occured, there is no
identification of what was struck off.  To be totally sure that that Lich
lost its exp. drain, you've got to slice it four times; therefore, the
ability is mostly luck, and simply an added bonus if you get lucky.

d)      unique creatures.  To win the game all 9 of the Nazgul must be slain
in order.  Like the Balrog of Moria, these Nazgul teleport out of Destruction
spells.  If you leave the level a Nazgul is on, you'll simply meet him
again elsewhere.  In a related note, the final creature is 'the Witch-king
of Angmar' -- the greatest and most evil of the Nazgul.  Catch him on the
75th level.

e)      Undead exp. drains have been altered.  Percentage drained now
depends on the monster's level.  The lowest drain is about 0.8%+damage roll
for spectres, while EL's now drain from 3-4%.

f)      Many new monsters have been added.  Purple dragons, Maxwell's dragons
(based on the Maxwell's Demon concept), Clerics of Morgoth, Black Knights,
and the horrible Basilisk (beware!!!!  It can kill the unprepared character 
outright) are in the list, but are not necessarily the worst of the new 
beasties.

g)      Enemy spell casters now have bolt and ball spells in their repetoire.
One notable new spell is the Unholy Orb.  Some other monsters have had their
spells changed (so that high level spell casters don't cast low level spells).

h)      Mages now take damage from their own spells.  This means Mages and
Rangers will want to keep their distance from ball spells.  Switch to bolts
when the bad guys get close, that's what the monsters will do.

i)      All monsters have had their levels changed.  Maximum monster level
(excluding unique and specials) is now 50th.  This means Protection from
Evil is basically useless.  Once I figure out a reasonable solution, I will
release a new version.  With the increased character abilities, I had to
find some way to make things tougher, and this was the easiest method.

j)      Probably the first modification you will notice is the character 
generator: customize your characters right down to their history.  You CAN
start with an 18/00 in one of your stats, should you wish.  The maximum 
points you can use are the same as the maximum the random generator would
allow (ever wonder why you couldn't start with 18's in everything as a human
in Moria?).  To add to a characteristic, press the capital letter in that 
stat, and then add or decrement as described at the bottom.  The character's 
background can be totally rewritten.  Those who like challenges can try the 
minimum characteristics that the character can have.  I take no 
responsibility at all for your character.  If you take a character with 
18/00 STR and 18/50 DEX and then complain the game was too easy at the 
beginning, that's not my problem.

k)      I have changed the probabilities on character backgrounds.  Human
heroes from upper class backgrounds (even Kings now) are far more likely
than lower class.  Looking at the _Lord_of_the_Rings_, there were two human
heroes -- Aragorn (true heir to the throne of Gondor, ie. son of a king) and
Boromir (son of the current ruler of Gondor, so at least the son of a Royal
Line, if not a Prince himself, no less could be worthy of the stewardship).
Who slew the Witch-king?  The daughter of a King's sister (ie. Princess).
Legolas was of the Royal Line of the Elves of his region.  Gimli was, if I
remember properly, also not far from the line to one of the Dwarven thrones.
Gandalf wasn't human anyway (but he ranked above everybody except possibly
Galadriel and Celeborn since he came out of the West).  Only the hobbits
were of the commoners, and that only because their was no hobbit Royalty.  I
have also added Dark Elves.  These are not the Drow found in AD&D, but are
simply Elves who switched sides to work for Morgoth.  As a decendant of these,
I am assuming that your characters switched back to fight against Sauron and 
the Nazgul, so your characters are still of the Good or Neutral variety 
(loath that I am to use AD&D terms for anything, these two do still do a good 
job of describing characters' general attitudes).

That's about all I have added so far.



Concerning the warrior slicing attack
_____________________________________

I am not of the opinion that this ability should become actively usable, like
a bash.  It seems to me that if it were, the most powerful character in the
game would be the warrior.  All it would take is a little speed, and the
warrior could simply keep trying to slice, using the slice/backup/slice/etc
method until the enemy monster was toothless, then the warrior would simply
slash it into nothingness.  The slice does not affect spell casting or
breath weapons, so those are still intact.  I may be off-base, and this may
be the solution to the warrior debate (at least I have heard of nothing
better for equalizing warriors), but you tell me.


Concerning targetting
_____________________

Unlike the warrior slice, I have playtested the targetting mode, and I like
it.  Earlier versions used targetting for everything (imagine trying to open
doors with a spot in the room targetted), so I fixed that recently.  The
teleport in, ball spell, teleport out style is now far easier than before,
but targetting is simply a time saver.  If you use that method, you knew it
was quite powerful; now, it is simply faster.  If you targetted a square in
a room, be careful.  I have wasted spells when something new walked in,
forgetting I targetted a square so I could hit all of those gnats in one shot.


Concerning blink bunnies!!!
___________________________

Sorry.


Concerning the future of Morgul
_______________________________

Does it have one?  I don't know.  Depends on my Internet access in future
years and my continued inclination to bother with the game.
I do have other modifications in mind.  These do NOT include druids or major 
spell casters.  I like the class choices as they are.
I will consider reasonable weapon and item suggestions.  I am considering a
Vorpal Blade type for increasing Warrior Slice success probabilities.  I
am disappointed in the low appearance probabilities of Gauntlets and Boots,
so I will probably up them slightly.  Anything that might make some
characters consider giving up the standard Amulet of the Magi/Crown of the
Magi/HA combination will be looked at seriously.  
I am intent on creating special Levels.  Examples may be a level with only
Orcs and Trolls.  Maybe an Ant level with a Queen.  Perhaps a Level on which
you meet only people (hey, the bad guys have to train somewhere).
Colour.  This is fairly low on my list.


Tolkein's Timeline
__________________

        As mentioned elsewhere in this document, the Witch-king is truly slain 
by a woman during the War of the Ring; whereas, in Moria, Gandalf does not 
actually claim to have slain the Balrog.  This presents me with the difficulty 
of where to date this game.  I claim that this game takes place in the year 
2955 of the Third Age.  Mount Doom has just re-awakened, and the Nazgul are 
gathering Sauron's strength.  Chief amoung them is Minas Morgul, where the 
main assault against Minas Tirith will be launched.  For whatever reason you 
choose, the Witch-king must be delayed.  Should the Nazgul succeed in their 
task of taming Morgul, its full might would overwhelm Gondor.
        Your task is to attack the Witch-king and cause him to fail to control
Morgul.  Legend states that no man will slay the Witch-king.  He can, however,
be forced to leave his current body and return to his master, where he will
be reformed.  Even this is a victory, for this should be enough to prevent
the rallying of Minas Morgul.


My Beef
_______

My one beef with Moria is that humans are allowed to be Mages.  No human ever
uses magic in any of the books J.R.R. Tolkein ever wrote, except as one
small aside when describing those who became the Nazgul.  They were said to
have been amoung the best Warriors and Sorcerors of their age.  That's it --
the ONLY mention.  It is not said if they were the best before or after they
accepted the Rings of Power.  Personally, I believe after, simply because
no other humans use anything that can be called magic.
My two cents worth.

Hey, you got a beef?  Catch me on rec.games.moria.

Chris Wilde (cdwilde@somewhere.or.other)
