The adventure map presents an overhead view of the world, as seen from directly above the action. The graphical style is pixel-art, this is 100% old school fun. You see your town from the Adventure view (your farmer is busily tendering his fields, and the blacksmith is behind you, waiting for you to lead the way). After switching quickly to looking at the world map, you decide to head for the hills to take a look at the ore deposit, and decide how dangerous it might be for you to send a miner to the mountains to get the ore. You travel unhindered for a short distance when you run into your first trouble. A small pack of wolves is killed a bear ahead of you, and thinking that you trying to take their kill, they quickly turn on you and attack!
The first thing you do is hit your #2 key, which activates your Battle Cry ability. A buff icon appears next to you and the blacksmith’s character portrait in the party list. When you mouse over the buff, it indicates +5 attack power, duration 2 minutes. The wolves begin their attack, and you attack back with your sword by clicking on the desired target. As you do damage to the wolves, scrolling text shows how much damage each attack does, and a health bar above the target’s head shows their current health. There are 4 small wolves, and one giant pack leader. Shortly into the fight, the pack leader lets rip with a “Deafening Howl”, a debuff that has -5 attack power, effectively negating your battle cry. You realize that you need to get the pack leader first, and work you way to him by hacking down 2 wolves. You trigger the blacksmith’s “Mighty Blow” ability with the pack leader targeted, and the blacksmith lands a smiting blow that momentarily stuns the wolf, and you land a succession of hacks and slashes that downs the beast. With their leader dead, the other 2 wolves flee combat. You could pursue them, but you decide to let them go.
With the fight over, you examine your character to determine if you need any time to heal. You have lost 10 out of your 50 hit points, and the blacksmith has lost 20 out of his 40. Yikes! You decide that you need to heal, and click on the “rest” button on the interface. After a short time, both of you and the blacksmith’s health has returned to normal. You press on with your mission: explore the area around the ore deposit.
You reach the edge of the mountain range, and search for a while for a path or pass that will reach the ore deposit. You find a slender passage between the rocks which eventually opens up a bit to allow you to move freely. You pass some ominous signs of possible trouble ahead. Piles of skulls are on the ground, and the signs of battles fought are all around. Rounding the bend on the twisty mountain trail, you are suddenly attacked by two goblins! You proceed to combat and quickly dispatch them, and decide to press on, but rounding another bend, you are attacked by three more goblins. Again, you are able to dispatch them, but you are beginning to get worried. Another bend, another pack of goblins. After a close call (the blacksmith almost died!), you are victorious, but you can see ahead of you is the source of the ore, and it has been claimed by a goblin king! His banner is planted outside the mine entrance, indicating his ownership of the mine. To claim ownership, you’ll need to battle your way to the king himself, somewhere in the mine and then plant your own banner once the mine is clear. You realize that you don’t have the manpower to tackle this task, and you beat a hasty retreat back to town.
Back in town, you find that there are some visitors! One of them is an inkeeper looking for work, and the other is a former palace guard who has left to make his own forture. You have the option of inviting them to stay in your town, and you decide that they would both make good additions. Returning to the city builder screen, you choose to build an inn, which the inkeeper promptly occupies. You add the guard to your party, and you see that his “Taunting Call” ability has been automatically to the hotkey bar on the adventure screen. Mousing over this, you see that this ability draws enemies to attack the guard instead of whoever they are currently attacking.
By this time night has fallen over the kingdom, and you realize it might be prudent to set up a patrol to protect your town from any enemies that might attack. You decide that for now, the blacksmith is best suited for this task, so you return to the adventure map and right click on the blacksmith and choose “patrol”. This brings up a dialog with two choices: Town patrol, or custom patrol. You choose “Town Patrol” (you’ll figure out what “Custom Patrol” means later), and then choose “Evening” as the time of day to patrol. The blacksmith leaves your part and begins walking around the edge of the town. He will automatically attack any enemies encountered while he is patrolling, and he will patrol until the morning comes. You return to the City Builder screen and build a Blacksmith’s Shop, to give the blacksmith something to do during the day.
Part 3: The Goblins Come A Calling
