DESCRIPTION

One night while milling about your cottage, you were captured by four brutes and taken to a mysterious cave to meet with a withered old man named Merlis. Ancient but wise, he informed you that as the heir of Apshai's greatest warrior, you must rediscover and reclaim the Temple of Apshai. By doing so, you will save the land, whose crops are withering, flocks are dwindling, and cities are dying.

Merlis also informed you that many of his bravest men have entered the dungeons to search for the lost treasure of Apshai, but none have returned. With his dying breath, he motioned toward a dagger and leather armor tunic and told you that you would find more powerful magic weapons during your quest.

Startled by the revelation that an awesome warrior exists within the branches of your family tree, you shook off any fear that may have crept into your consciousness. You set out at once to find and reclaim a safe passageway through the underground labyrinth to the fabled Temple of Apshai. Doing so will save the lands from poverty, famine and utter devastation.

You begin Gateway to Apshai with five lives and have approximately six-and-one-half minutes to explore as much of the section as possible. After your time expires, you will be transported to the next deeper area. There are eight levels to explore, each of which has 99 dungeons. When you begin a level, you can choose which dungeon of the level to explore. Each dungeon has around 60 rooms or so, making for a grand total of more than 40,000 different rooms.

As you make your way through the dungeon maze, you must fight off monsters and avoid traps (such as freeze, teleport and invisible) while picking up point-scoring necklaces, chests, chalices, crowns and other treasures. The finer the material the treasure is made out of, the more points you get. For example: jeweled treasure is worth 1,000 points while iron brings just 10 points.

In addition to treasures, you will pick up bows and arrows, keys, stun spells, agility amulets, luck charms, a map, a sword, chain armor, healing salve and other useful items and weapons. You are given six characteristics in this game: strength, agility, luck, health and lives. If your health falls to zero, you lose a life. Lose five lives and the game is over. ~ Brett Alan Weiss, All Game Guide