The Timelord’s Handbook

By Harry Lafnear

A Clue Book & Companion Manual For

Time Bandit:
The Arcade Adventure
By Bill Dunlevy & Harry Lafnear
Copyright © 1989, 2010 by Harry Lafnear
All rights are reserved. No portion of this book may be copied, transmitted
or otherwise distributed in any form without the written permission of the
author.
The Timelord’s Handbook is a companion manual to Time Bandit, an original
software program created for the Atari ST by Bill Dunlevy & Harry Lafnear.
Amiga conversion by Timothy Purves. IBM/Tandy conversion by Timothy
Purves & Harry Lafnear. Cover art by Dean Armstrong.
Time Bandit is copyrighted © 1985, 1987, and 1988 by MichTron, Inc.
The Timelord’s Handbook does not suspend or alter the copyright of the original
Time Bandit software or documentation.
Time Bandit text, graphics, and art appear in this book by permission of
MichTron, Inc.

eBook version 1.3

 Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Using this Handbook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Part 1: Third-Edition Manual ......................9

Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Treasures, Adventures, and Treachery Too . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
To the Spirit of the Challenger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
The Arcade Adventure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Activating Your Time Portal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Loading on the Atari ST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Loading on the Amiga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Loading on the PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
The Main Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Selecting Controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Starting a Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Watching the Demo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Viewing the High Scores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Travelling Through Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Using the Timegates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Escape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Treasures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Bounty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Regeneration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
The Quest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Special Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Text Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Saving and Loading Game Buffers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Friends, Foes, & Other Hazards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Life-Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Portals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Characters & Creatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Denizens of the Timegates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Monsters of Fantasy and Ancient Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Vermin of the Old West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Horrors of the Future and Deep Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Duel Mode and “Shadows” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Part 2: The Clue Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

General Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Choosing the Proper Joystick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Playing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Overall Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
The Blanket Verse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
The Lands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Deciphering the Maps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
The Timegates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Ancient Egypt
The Sentinel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Cheops’ Curse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
The Guardian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Fantasy Lands
Castle Greymoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
King’s Crown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Underworld Arena. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
The Old West
Bomb Factory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Ghost Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Hotel California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Arcadia’s Shadowland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Future Worlds
Gridville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Major Hazard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Omega Complex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Deep Space
Darkside Dare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
The Excalibur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Welkin Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Part 3: The Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Timelord History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
The Alantian Book of the Past . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Beginning With Death. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
As Time Passes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
The Kiri Invasion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
The Hand of Faight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Secrets Known and Unknown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
The Time Bandits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Timelord Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Temporal Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Why Four Dimensions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
The True Structure of the Universe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Time Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
The Quickest Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
The Paradox Effect, Part 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
The Paradox Effect, Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
The Source. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
The Writing on the Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
The Colling 723 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
The Weapon’s History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Its Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Here, Now, Real . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Part 4: Perspectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

The New Timelords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Those Who Made It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Those Who Will . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Creating The Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Origins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Advancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Breakthroughs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
The Timelord’s Handbook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
To Sequel or Not to Sequel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Bill Dunlevy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Harry Lafnear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Kevin Potts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Timothy M. Purves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Part 5: The Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Using This Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

What Are Those Bordered Pages?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Organization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Txet Sdrawkcab!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
The Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
The Sentinel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Cheops’ Curse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
The Guardian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Castle Greymoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
King’s Crown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Underworld Arena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Ghost Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Shadowland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Gridville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Major Hazard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
The Excalibur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
The Great Artifacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Invulnerability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

The bordered pages at the end of this book contain information

about the Time Bandit adventures. Reading this material may spoil
the fun of solving the puzzles on your own. For less revealing clues,
see the Clue Book on pages 35–103.
 Introduction
In 1985, Bill Dunlevy and I co-authored a home-computer video
game called Time Bandit for the Atari ST. That wasn’t the game’s first
incarnation, nor its last, but it was the one that made the biggest impact
on the players and on the authors. An impact that evidently lasts to this
day.
After 25 years, the game lives on: Time Bandit appears on nostalgia
websites, game forums, YouTube videos, and more. Occasionally,
there’s even interest in porting the game to a cell phone or some
modern game console. I am a bit stunned, and entirely gratified, that so
many people all over the world keep a little corner of their lives open
to our old video game.
If you’re new to Time Bandit, you might wonder why anyone still
cares about it. After all, the game is terribly primitive by today’s more
cinematic standards. Still, it really was something special in its day: the
game-play was quick and smooth; it had detailed, colorful graphics;
there were hundreds of unique levels; and it had a wide variety of
puzzles to solve. In short, it was fun.
For some people, it still is fun. A surprisingly large number of
people now use emulator software to run the old Atari ST or Amiga
versions of the game on their modern PCs. With the software and
instructions so readily available on the Internet, Time Bandit is enjoying
quite a renewed popularity.
However, with the game’s recent resurgence, it's not all love. There
are some frustrations. After all, some levels and puzzles in Time Bandit
are very hard. Maybe a bit too hard—though we actually knew of that
when we first released the game. Indeed, the original version of this
Handbook was created back then to give players some immediate help.
It’s just that the publisher was never to release it.
Well, since fans have given the old game a bit of modern life, I’ve
decided to follow their example and release this book now, myself.
Though it’s been retooled for modern printing and electronic delivery,
I’ve tried to preserve the “retro” quality of the original galleys of the
book, right down to the strange clip art and awful poetry.
Have at and have fun. Or as we used to say: The conquest of time
and space awaits you.

7
 Using this Handbook

“When the story is your own, don't be anxious for its ending.”
—Timelord Histories.

Welcome! This manual represents my response to the flood of

questions and comments I've received regarding Time Bandit. I truly
hope that it repays some part of the support and enthusiasm you've all
shown. Thank you, and pleasant journeys.
This book houses clues, tips, and stories that document the realm of
the Timelords both in fact and fiction. The Handbook is divided into the
following parts:

• Part 1: Third-Edition Manual

The Time Bandit game manual has been expanded, updated, and
illustrated for easier use.

• Part 2: The Clue Book

Discover the legend behind each land, as well as playing tips, maps,
and clues to help you over the rough spots.

• Part 3: Fiction
Learn the history of the Timelords, and the basic principles of their
amazing technology.

• Part 4: Perspectives
How was Time Bandit created? Who are the people behind the
scenes? Has anyone reached “The End?”

• Part 5: The Answers

The bordered pages. When you're totally stumped and the clues in
Part 2 are of no help, you'll find all the answers here.

The bordered pages at the end of this book contain information

about the Time Bandit adventures. Reading this material may spoil
the fun of solving the puzzles on your own. For less revealing clues,
see the Clue Book on pages 35–103.

8
 PART 1:
THIRD-EDITION MANUAL

9
 Getting Started
T H I R D – E D I T I O N M A N U A L

(The original TRS-80 cover art)

(The original Atari ST manual cover)

10
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 11

Treasures, Adventures, and Treachery Too

“Time was running out. It does, you know, even for time travellers.
“I ran through the crumbling halls of a forgotten castle, the musty
grip of medieval air tight in my throat. I had been running for what
seemed to be an eternity. Running from hideous beasts from the
darkest of legends.
“I already had one of the great Keys in hand, its reassuring edge
stinging the flesh of my grip. And though my final goal was close, so
were the razor claws of the shambling nightmares in my pursuit.
Worse, I could not pause for an instant in defense, for an even deadlier
foe was tracing my path through the winding halls. He would surely
find me if I lingered an instant longer.
“I turned the final corner, diving toward the last Lock blocking my
escape. I anticipated the rainbow flash of time displacement and the
heavy smell of ozone soon to be my reward. But with a terror only my
kind may ever know, I saw another Bandit emerging from the doorway
ahead: my partner in Time! We’d had disagreements in the past (the
present and future as well), but I felt sure that I’d finally run out of luck.
“Leaving me barely a heartbeat’s time to consider my fate, he fired.
The resounding blast of impact rockets split the fabric of space, racking
my body with pain and the sure knowledge of slow disintegration. But
I endured, steadied myself, and fired back. My missiles roared with
untamed energy, bouncing off walls and crackling the air, a few to rest
hungrily upon his armor. When the smoke cleared, I was alone. As for
my partner, nothing but his Shadow remained.
“Stumbling forward, I inserted the great Key into the Lock. I
stepped into the Way Out, returning home at last.
“But at the Timegates there can be no rest. Great wealth and
adventure are scattered throughout the lands, but only for those willing
to seize it.
“Where next? Ghost Town? Omega Complex?
“Walking quickly through the maze of portals, I chose one and
entered, welcoming my next adventure, oblivious to the vengeful
Shadow tracking my every move.”
—Timelord Histories
12 THIRD-EDITION MANUAL

To the Spirit of the Challenger

To those who seek their limits and strive to reach further. To those
who go up against the odds and win out through persistence. To those
who test themselves against their hopes and yet find time enough to
dream.
We, the authors, offer the labor of these last several months (indeed
a couple of years in development) in the hope of reaching just a few true
challengers. Creating Time Bandit has definitely challenged us. It is now
our turn to challenge you.

The Arcade Adventure

Welcome to a game that offers a bit of something for everyone. By
adding the elements of a text adventure to the environment of an
arcade game, we feel that we’ve created a game of great variety.
In its most apparent state, Time Bandit is primarily an arcade game.
Because it was designed by game players, for game players, our goal
was to provide detailed graphics, fast, responsive action, and a
virtually endless variety of screens and levels.
As the animated “Bandit,” your goal is to blast the renegade
“Guardians” and escape from the lands they’ve overrun. You’ll need to
search high and low to locate the Keys that will remove the Locks
blocking your way. Perfect that, and the Quest beckons: locate the
Great Artifacts and break the Gates of Time. Along the way, you’ll find
everything from frenzied shoot-em-ups to a familiar dot-eating game.
Some of the lands contain text-adventure messages. In these lands,
we test not only your arcade skills, but your logic and wit as well. You
must answer riddles, manipulate items, and solve the mystery
enshrouding the land.
To make matters even more interesting, the Duel Mode lets two
people play simultaneously. Will you work together, or is it every
Bandit for himself?
There’s something new and at every turn. The conquest of time and
space awaits you. Enjoy.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 13

Activating Your Time Portal

(Loading the Game)
Different versions of Time Bandit run on the Atari ST and
Commodore Amiga, and under PC DOS. The Atari ST and Amiga
versions will also run under Windows on the PC using a software
emulator. In fact, the emulated versions now perform better on modern
PCs than the old, native PC DOS version does.
A precision joystick is highly recommended for this type of game,
though keyboard controls may be used. However, in the Duel Mode
(for two players), at least one joystick is required.

Loading on the Atari ST

1. Turn on your computer.
2. If your machine has TOS in ROM, put the Time Bandit master disk
in Drive A and relax. The program starts automatically.
3. Otherwise, boot-up using your TOS disk.
4. Put the Time Bandit disk in Drive A.
5. Use the mouse and double-click on the icon of Drive A.
6. Double-click on the BANDIT.PRG icon when it appears.
7. The program will then load and start itself automatically.
Note: Since Time Bandit lets you save a game in progress, and also saves
the high scores to disk, please leave the un-write-protected program
disk in the default drive during play.

Loading on the Amiga

1. Turn on your computer.
2. If your machine has KickStart in ROM, put the Time Bandit master
disk in Drive DF0 and relax. The program starts automatically.
3. Otherwise, boot-up using your KickStart disk.
4. When the machine asks for the WorkBench, insert the Time Bandit
master disk in Drive DF0.
5. The program will then load and start itself automatically.
Note: Since Time Bandit lets you save a game in progress, and also saves
the high scores to disk, please leave the un-write-protected program
disk in the default drive during play.
14 THIRD-EDITION MANUAL

Loading on the PC
Running the DOS Version Under Windows
1. Turn on your computer.
2. If running from a floppy drive, insert the Time Bandit disk into an
appropriate drive.
You may also run the game from a hard drive. Just copy all the files
from your master Time Bandit disk to an appropriate folder.
3. Use Windows to open the folder with the Time Bandit files.
4. Double-click on the BANDIT.EXE icon or filename.
5. When the gray loading panel appears, press any key.
6. When the panel opens, use the arrow keys or press V to select VGA
(for best graphics), and then press Enter.
7. Enter the password.
For copy protection (sorry), the game requests a specific word from
the original manual. Assuming you no longer have the old manual,
use the list on the following pages. Just type the appropriate word
and press Enter. The game will then start.
If the list doesn’t include the correct word, press Esc or X to exit the
prompt, and try reloading the game for another word.

Resolution Problems?
If the game appears too large or too small for your screen, press Alt-
F10 to try using full-screen mode. If the game window minimizes, click
on the game’s tab in the Windows task bar.
If full-screen mode doesn’t work (maybe you’re using an external
monitor connected to a laptop), try changing the resolution of your
desktop:
1. Press F10 to exit the game.
2. Right-click an empty region on your desktop, and select Properties
from the pop-up menu.
3. On the Display Properties window, select the Settings tab.
4. Use the Screen Resolution slider to select a lower resolution since
Time Bandit was originally designed for 320x200 pixel output.
5. Click Apply to test the resolution change, and OK to accept it.
6. Retry running the game.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 15

Most of the PC Passwords...

1 1 26 hazards 1 6 88 infinite 1 15 88 rocket
1 1 52 ghost 1 7 68 greater 1 16 6 blocking
1 2 8 welcome 1 7 92 lafnear 1 16 9 heroes
1 2 32 never 1 8 16 periods 1 16 79 mimic
1 2 41 home 1 8 35 greatest 1 17 12 player
1 2 63 brave 1 8 51 careful 1 17 24 shooting
1 2 75 adventurers 1 8 62 prepare 1 17 77 theories
1 3 23 certain 1 8 94 credits 1 18 68 intelligent
1 3 45 reflects 1 10 3 tempted 1 18 96 digital
1 3 57 entrance 1 10 47 indeed 1 19 19 via
1 3 71 crawl 1 11 21 function 1 19 73 perspective
1 3 84 break 1 11 36 cubes 1 20 25 whatever
1 3 93 improved 1 11 38 antigrav 1 20 69 suddenly
1 4 2 adjust 1 11 39 advised 1 20 80 quickly
1 4 7 scattered 1 11 70 exodus 1 20 83 temporal
1 4 35 enforcers 1 11 71 historians 1 20 84 principle
1 4 39 alliance 1 12 37 vogue 1 21 37 these
1 4 63 beware 1 13 21 rank 1 21 81 sound
1 5 11 idea 1 13 61 bandit 1 21 97 thank
1 5 95 provided 1 14 30 return 1 22 94 scenarios
1 5 97 regular 1 14 76 one 1 23 38 restricted
1 6 9 defend 1 15 45 gauntlet 1 23 76 simplest
1 6 58 incredible

2 1 32 strategy 2 5 4 learning 2 11 20 controlled

2 1 45 arena 2 5 31 pivot 2 11 67 cultures
2 1 51 factory 2 5 75 looking 2 14 28 buffer
2 1 62 excalibur 2 6 48 dropping 2 14 87 announced
2 1 79 creating 2 7 23 pulsing 2 14 95 picasso
2 2 41 sweet 2 7 38 enraged 2 15 35 physically
2 2 61 deadly 2 7 47 mystic 2 15 41 roaming
2 2 68 increased 2 7 48 earth 2 15 67 settlements
2 2 77 unravel 2 8 45 choose 2 15 71 cooperation
2 3 5 study 2 8 61 warped 2 16 4 riches
2 3 9 copy 2 9 8 variety 2 16 26 beneath
2 3 37 slithering 2 9 30 button 2 17 36 spinning
2 3 38 trusted 2 9 45 realm 2 19 37 menaces
2 3 47 pyramid 2 9 59 return 2 19 95 catalogs
2 4 33 regarding 2 10 2 color 2 20 72 answers
2 4 43 shepherd 2 10 59 station 2 21 3 hours
2 4 53 unwary 2 10 78 particles 2 25 93 proudly
2 4 80 perform 2 11 11 proper 2 29 92 lumpy
2 4 81 discovery
16 THIRD-EDITION MANUAL

3 1 23 feature 3 5 49 elements 3 10 73 retreat

3 1 28 load 3 6 11 blessing 3 10 79 since
3 1 96 purves 3 6 35 nothing 3 12 29 bandit
3 2 52 sure 3 6 36 attacked 3 13 2 software
3 2 58 dungeon 3 7 22 landmarks 3 13 24 collect
3 2 59 fusion 3 7 43 manner 3 13 68 present
3 2 80 speed 3 7 58 major 3 14 89 fiction
3 2 94 dunlevy 3 7 80 light 3 15 73 prevent
3 3 81 travel 3 9 19 keyboard 3 16 30 positions
3 4 16 something 3 9 20 begins 3 18 21 necessary
3 4 17 personal 3 9 39 monsters 3 19 32 vacation
3 4 28 status 3 9 76 four 3 20 8 matters
3 4 48 others 3 10 35 fantasy 3 20 11 monitor
3 5 5 master 3 10 69 monsters 3 24 95 contact
3 5 13 digital 3 10 72 something

4 1 35 timegates 4 5 81 devices 4 11 41 banks

4 1 75 rhetoric 4 5 86 compared 4 11 84 virtually
4 2 15 panel 4 6 12 replace 4 12 32 replenish
4 2 47 presence 4 6 67 brutal 4 12 36 crystals
4 2 51 terrible 4 7 15 letter 4 12 73 secret
4 2 59 reactor 4 7 29 viewing 4 13 31 precious
4 2 90 science 4 7 57 ergonomic 4 13 73 peaceful
4 3 5 meaning 4 7 69 observers 4 16 13 michtron
4 3 17 provided 4 8 61 recognition 4 16 22 information
4 3 87 weapon 4 8 85 unknown 4 16 85 question
4 4 19 choose 4 10 53 frigid 4 20 74 officially
4 4 44 ransom 4 11 9 password 4 21 26 valuable
4 5 22 missiles 4 11 27 hammer 4 25 86 students
4 5 70 special

5 1 72 broke 5 5 83 traveller 5 12 19 technical

5 1 84 resultant 5 6 6 beasts 5 12 49 mystery
5 2 26 creatures 5 7 58 deserves 5 13 83 threshold
5 2 49 carved 5 8 9 make 5 14 6 lingered
5 2 55 arcadia 5 9 44 guardian 5 14 38 dispatch
5 2 57 activate 5 9 48 enough 5 14 70 leaders
5 2 61 suspended 5 11 55 capsules 5 18 31 another
5 2 63 deepest 5 11 74 reopened 5 20 87 bystanders
5 2 92 versions 5 11 82 energy 5 25 69 attempt
5 4 13 regular 5 11 88 predicted 5 27 69 invasion
5 4 88 through 5 12 8 perfect
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 17

6 2 48 protector 6 6 72 troops 6 14 79 vibration

6 2 58 future 6 8 4 natural 6 18 93 consultant
6 2 69 divider 6 8 32 trouble 6 19 71 important
6 3 6 crumbling 6 8 47 managed 6 21 82 resulting
6 4 52 original 6 8 78 certain 6 22 9 future
6 4 58 complex 6 9 24 touch 6 22 83 pressing
6 4 79 moment 6 9 35 deflected 6 23 37 vortexes
6 5 71 remained 6 9 55 plunder 6 24 88 marksman
6 6 15 arrow 6 9 61 phasing 6 25 78 speaking
6 6 22 landscape 6 9 67 human 6 26 71 subtle
6 6 57 public 6 10 52 tingles 6 26 72 spread

7 2 13 analog 7 6 39 dangerous 7 10 51 sturdy

7 2 27 elsewhere 7 6 43 sorceress 7 10 53 probably
7 2 53 unnatural 7 7 8 game 7 11 62 assemble
7 3 23 green 7 7 25 advance 7 11 68 artifacts
7 3 49 watchful 7 7 70 hungry 7 11 72 burying
7 3 97 service 7 8 51 bombs 7 12 19 about
7 4 17 addendum 7 9 19 variety 7 15 47 egyptian
7 5 52 presence 7 9 80 softened 7 16 32 regain
7 5 75 conduct 7 10 41 impression 7 16 69 military
7 5 85 character 7 10 45 gaining 7 21 27 hesitate

8 1 27 objects 8 3 64 record 8 7 45 freedom

8 1 68 millennia 8 4 14 need 8 12 71 portal
8 1 69 complex 8 4 63 headlong 8 14 26 hazards
8 1 80 problem 8 5 68 philosophy 8 28 73 completely
8 2 2 assume

9 1 5 artifacts 9 7 67 meteors 9 10 75 damage

9 2 63 island 9 8 53 wailing 9 15 3 project
9 3 41 journeys 9 9 19 devices 9 18 70 history
9 4 55 familiar 9 9 69 accidents

10 3 24 trapped 10 5 47 dormant 10 10 52 apparition

10 4 27 message 10 10 48 riddle 10 20 3 devoting
10 4 43 quark

11 2 31 notice 11 9 22 playing 11 10 55 triggering

11 5 62 overrun 11 9 30 messages 11 15 45 insidious
18 THIRD-EDITION MANUAL

The Main Screens

The Title Page appears when the program starts. From this screen,
you may set control devices for each Bandit, begin a one or two player
game, watch the Demo, or view the High Scores.

Selecting Controllers
The Title Page shows which game controller each Bandit is set to
use. You can switch between Keyboard or Joystick ports for each
Bandit. Press F1 to change the controller to be used for Bandit One, or
F2 to change Bandit Two’s control device.

The Title Page, displaying selected control devices

Starting a Game
From the Title Page, press 1 for a One-Bandit game or 2 for Duel
(Two-Bandit) Mode. Pressing any other key advances you to the High-
Scores Page.

Watching the Demo

After a short while, a Demo begins if a game is not started. The
computer controlled Bandit then charges through the first levels of the
lands. Watch it for some valuable pointers.
To quit the Demo and return to the Title Page, press Q.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 19

Viewing the High Scores

The High-Scores Page shows two sets of scores: the Timelords (the
six all-time-highest scores) and Today’s Heroes (the six highest scores
of the day).

The High-Scores Page

For a complete record of the accomplishments of any Timelord,

press the function key (F1-F6) corresponding to the Timelord’s rank.

A tally of individual accomplishments

The daily scores are reset whenever you end the program. The
Timelords are saved to disk.
On the PC version, Timelord scores can be reset (if desired) by
deleting the TIMELORD.HS file from the disk (using the appropriate
operating system tools).
You can begin a game from the High-Scores Page by pressing 1 or 2.
Any other key returns you to the Title Page.
 Travelling Through Time
T H I R D – E D I T I O N M A N U A L

(The original TRS-80 cover art)

20
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 21

The Controls
Main Controls
• Arrow keys: Moves your Bandit in the desired direction. For
diagonal movement, press the proper combination of keys.
• Spacebar: Fires a missile in the direction your Bandit is facing.
• Esc: Exits adventure messages.

Optional Controls
• Joystick: Moves your Bandit in the desired direction. Use the fire-
button to fire a missile or to exit adventure messages.
• P: This activates your unlimited Timestop device. To resume
normal play, press the Spacebar.
• Q: Quit Game option. Press Q twice to stop play and return to the
Title Page, or any other key to resume play.

PC Overdrive
Because different PC systems run at different speeds, the PC DOS
version of Time Bandit has an automatic speed control to make
playability on all systems more consistent.
On slower machines (circa 1990), the game runs as fast as possible.
If you have performance problems running Time Bandit in VGA mode,
you can increase speed by using CGA instead. This may be more
practical than getting a faster computer, but hardly as satisfying.
On faster machines (circa 1990), Time Bandit reaches a maximum
speed chosen for good playability. On powerful systems, the program
must actually slow itself down to be more playable. However, if you
prefer, you can run the game “full tilt:”
Press the TAB key to turn speed control off or on.
On modern PCs, the game may actually run too quickly for non-
cybernetic individuals to play, even with speed control turned on. If the
game becomes obviously too fast, I suggest using an emulator to run
either the Atari ST or Amiga version of Time Bandit.
22 THIRD-EDITION MANUAL

Using the Timegates

You begin each leg of your venture from a place called the
Timegates. The Bandit appears near the middle of the playing field.
When he has fully materialized, you can move him around and fire
missiles through the air.
As you explore the Timegates, you will see 16 objects dotting the
landscape. Each of these small objects represents the Gate to a different
time and place.

The Timegates, with destination Gates in the playing field,

and the Bandit’s information on the side.

By moving the Bandit onto a Gate, you are transported to a new

land. A new playing field will appear, along with the name of the land
at the bottom the screen, and your Bandit’s special information (score,
Life-level, etc.) at the side.
Later, if you survive to complete the level, you will return to the
Timegates where you may choose another Gate. Depending on your
choice, you can try the next level of the same land, or attempt to
conquer a new land. Information on each land can be found starting on
page 42.
In addition to the various Gates, a signpost appears at the very
center of the Timegates. This is the Timegates Journal. From here you
can check the level for each land, and use the Save/Load feature (see
page 26). To exit the Timegates Journal, press ESC on the keyboard (or
the fire-button if you’re using a joystick).
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 23

Objectives
Escape

Once you go into a new land, you are trapped! To escape, you must
use the pulsating Keys (worth 150 cubits) to open the pulsating Locks
(worth 250 cubits). When you pick up a Key, it appears beneath your
score. You can then open any Lock. You can carry only one Key at a
time, and it only opens the first Lock you touch. When all Locks are
opened, you can reach the Way Out. You will then be returned to the
Timegates to choose another land.

Treasures

Collect the various treasures along your journey. We won’t tell. The
first treasure you reach in each land is worth 100 cubits, the second 200,
the next 300, and on and on!

Bounty
Shooting the evil Guardians (nearly anything that moves!) is
always fun. Not only do they crackle and sizzle, but depending on your
degree of bravery (Manner), you will be awarded up to 50 cubits
bounty! Fast action and heroic efforts are well rewarded. Your current
Manner and bounty value are shown beneath your score and Life-level
indicator.

Regeneration
Regeneration is vital to the Bandit’s survival. You receive one extra
Life-level for every 1,000 cubits you earn.
24 THIRD-EDITION MANUAL

The Quest
Each land in the Timegates (except for the Excalibur)
has 16 different levels: four major phases (1 to 4), each
with four sub-levels (A to D). Each time you reenter a
land, you advance to the next level. As your skill
increases, you will be able to go farther into each land,
seeing new areas, creatures, and situations appear. The name of the
land and the current level are displayed on the bottom of the screen as
you play.
Six of the lands contain items of tremendous power and
significance. These are the Great Artifacts. Locating them is certain to
bring you health, wealth, and power. As with any object of value,
however, the Artifacts are well hidden and well defended. No one said
this was going to be easy.
It is the ultimate goal of the Bandit (and the ultimate challenge from
the Creators) to conquer the game: defeat phase 4D, the last level of
each land, find all the Artifacts, and reach... whatever happens then at
“The End.”

Special Movement
Some lands feature objects that affect your motion:

One-way doors allow you to pass only in a certain

direction. They are shown as green arrows pointing in the
way you can pass.

Ladders give you access to upper areas. A ladder poking

out from a pit leads down.

Be wary of pits that have no ladder. Who knows where

they lead, or if you’ll ever get back.

Red, pulsing transporter disks transport you instantly to

distant sections of the land: up, down, sideways—you
never know.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 25

Text Adventures

Some lands contain mysteries which must be solved in order to

claim some special reward or escape from the land. Scrolls, books, and
other items may contain valuable clues. You can read them simply by
moving the Bandit over them.
In some messages, you may even find objects which you can pick
up, carry, and use elsewhere!
Occasionally, you will have to answer a question or decide on some
action. If you wish to exit a message without inputting anything, press
your fire-button (Esc if using the keyboard). To answer, just type in
your response and press Enter. Responses should be stated as simply
as possible, usually with one or two words. You should generally
follow one of these examples:

Verb/Noun format for actions:

“You see a hammer lying next to a box. Command?”
GET HAMMER [Enter]
OPEN BOX [Enter]

Direct format for specific questions:

“Do you accept the King’s quest?”
YES [Enter]
“The guard asks, `Who sent you?’”
KING QUARK [Enter]

The verbs GET and USE are the basis of most commands. Try them
first. If one command doesn’t work, try restating it in a number of
different ways. Don’t hesitate to write down notes and special codes.
Read everything very carefully; subtle clues and changing text are easy
to overlook.
Finally, in most messages, the command INV (short for Inventory)
provides a list of the things you are carrying.
26 THIRD-EDITION MANUAL

Saving and Loading Game Buffers

The task ahead is long and dangerous. No one expects you to
accomplish it in one sitting, and absolutely no one expects the Bandit to
make it without dying. To make things easier, you can save the status
of your game to disk, then load it again later. You can even resurrect
yourself after an “unfortunate” death.
T o u s e e it h e r t h e
Save or Load feature,
you must go to the
signpost at the center of
the Timegates.
From the signpost,
type S and press Enter
to save your game, or
type L and press Enter
to l o ad a p rev io u sl y
saved game.
The game provides
multiple “Buffers” (or
storage bins) that hold a
number of different
saved games at the same
time. When asked which
buffer to use, input a
number:
• 1 - 6 on the Atari ST
• 1 - 2 on the Amiga The signpost, and
• 1 - 9 on the PC the Timegates Journal.

If using a floppy disk, be sure your original Time Bandit disk is un-
write-protected in the proper drive and press Enter.
A message is displayed when a buffer is done being saved. A tone
is then sounded to let you know if the action was successful. If you do
not hear a tone, the program could not find the original game disk or
was blocked by the write-protect tab. Correct the situation and try
again.
Note: When saving a game to a buffer, the old contents of that
buffer are erased. You may want to record on paper which buffers you
use and what is in them. Also, a One-Bandit game cannot be loaded
during Duel Mode play, and vice versa.
 Friends, Foes, & Other Hazards
T H I R D – E D I T I O N M A N U A L

27
28 THIRD-EDITION MANUAL

Life-Levels
You start your adventure as a stout Bandit with 14 Life-levels.
However, if any of the creatures, traps or other perils catch up with you,
you lose one Life-level.
If you are hit when your Life-level is empty, the Bandit is dead! That
is, unless you reload a saved game buffer (see page 26) or are playing
in the Duel Mode (see page 33).

Portals

Evil creatures, known as “Guardians,” enter the lands through

Portals, shown as magic pentagrams, crossbones, and white
transporters. Before a Guardian emerges, you’ll see strange activity on
the Portal. Beware running over it then. It could be an ambush!

Characters & Creatures

Denizens of the Timegates
The Bandit
Look, it’s you! Handsome devil, eh? Hi mom!

Shadows
When travelling with a partner, sooner or later, whether by
slavering monster or “stray” bullet, one of you will have an
“accident.” Behold the result. Shadows can’t be killed, but
are easily stunned.
Enforcers
These craft roam in search of Bandits who have “nothing
to do.” Any Bandit caught by them is “escorted” to
whichever land is in greatest need of help. Enforcers are
invulnerable, but can be deflected.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 29

Monsters of Fantasy and Ancient Egypt

Lurkers
These things are the Guardians’ spies. They were once
human, but as with many of the creatures seen here, have
been altered by the effects of time travel, physically
absorbed by the lands they roam.
Ogres
These Guardians have become enrapt by the atavistic
attitudes prevalent in these lands. They have “gone
native,” forgetting their past and technology, but not their
purpose: to protect their treasure at all costs.
Lions (Atari ST & Amiga Versions)
In a den near the Arena, these creatures are alternately
starved and fed human prisoners. When released into
battle, these crazed animals want only one thing: your
blood! Some of them are excellent trackers.
Margh Worms
These huge creatures can do the damage of a freight train,
but they’re rather clumsy, turning only when attacked or
blocked by a wall. While one Worm may tempt you as easy
bounty, beware shooting it in the torso, or you might just
double your trouble instead.

Cubes
These strange, living crystals are very rare. They are also
impervious to the Bandit’s weapons. The most you can
hope to do is deflect them away with the force of your
missiles.
Glaives
These blades act as an enchanted security system. Glaives
move in a straight line, reversing direction when they hit a
wall. They are virtually indestructible, but can be out-
maneuvered if you time things carefully.
30 THIRD-EDITION MANUAL

Vermin of the Old West

Snakes
These slithering critters infest all corners of the Old West.
They twist and dodge very quickly and are much smarter
than one might think. Fighting them in close quarters can
be quite deadly. Snakes can also be found in Fantasy lands
and Ancient Egypt.
Spiders
Of the unusually large variety, of course. The smaller,
natural version of these beasts were once in vogue as pets
among the Guardians. They have since been altered for
size and predatory instincts. Spiders can also be found in
the Fantasy lands.
Bombs
These “smart” bombs are the effect of illegal technology
brought to an unprepared world by the Guardians. Handle
with extreme care, as these rolling menaces explode when
hit with your missiles. Stand clear or prepare to dodge the
blast!
Twisters
These miniature tornados sweep through the streets of
Ghost Town. As vortices of wind, they cannot be killed.
You can, however, cause them to change course with a
barrage of missiles.
Ghosts
These Guardians have lost their lives, but not their evil
will. They roam the lands, trying to regain mortal existence
by stealing the life essence of others. Fortunately, they’re
easily dispelled by your weapons. Ghosts also haunt
Fantasy Lands and Ancient Egypt.
Spirits
Though resembling Ghosts, these vengeful souls appear
only in cemeteries or when called by enchantment. Fueled
by an intense hatred of all that lives, some have the
strength of six men and the capacity to drain a number of
Life-levels.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 31

Horrors of the Future and Deep Space

Death Droids
Once trusted, these service droids did Man’s menial and
dangerous tasks. After a skillful reprogramming, the
Guardians have convinced them that Man should be their
servant instead. Now, enraged and united, they’ve turned
their cutting lasers up to full blast!
Seekers
These small assassination devices float on an antigrav
cushion for speed, and are known for their ability to lock
onto and track a target. They sometimes travel in clusters
or clouds, making them a very difficult force to dispatch.
Angry Elmo
Here we see the sad result of Guardians whose machines
do everything for them. As the “brains” behind the
mechanical horrors listed above, their bodies have become
mere blobs. Still, they can be quick and dangerous when
the need arises.
Maker Pods
These sentry robots, once designed to guard restricted
corridors, now house “Elmo” bodies too weak and slow to
move by themselves. They are protected by a quad-cluster
of seekers which break off and attack when fired upon.
Watch Tribbles
These vile creatures appear only on the planetoid
Voracious-12. They are dangerous enough when left alone,
but actually split into two or more creatures when fired
upon!
Aliens (a.k.a. Klingons)
These ruthless Aliens are the dread enemies of the human
race. Currently, they have formed an alliance with the
Guardians and are hatching a plan which, if successful,
may spell doom for the free universe. Most are armed. All
are dangerous.
32 THIRD-EDITION MANUAL

Comets (Atari ST & Amiga Versions)

It is unknown why these metallic ice-balls behave so
unpredictably. Some say that they are tossed around by
Welkin Island’s rampant energy fields. Others swear that
they are alive! Whatever the reason, they’re too dangerous
for closer inspection.
UFOs (Atari ST & Amiga Versions)
No one has ever seen the occupants of these strange craft,
but then again, that’s probably for the best. These ships are
immune to the deadly energies of Welkin Island, but can
be destroyed by your weapon fire.

There have also been reports of other bizarre creatures lurking in

some lands. You are advised to be on your guard!
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 33

Duel Mode and “Shadows”

When you select a Duel Mode (Two-Bandit) game, two people can
play at the same time. Both will be playing in the same lands, but each
will have his own viewing area.

Duel Mode: Twice as powerful. Twice as deadly.

Bandit One is dressed in yellow, and his viewing screen is located

on the left side of the screen. Bandit Two is dressed in light blue, with
his playing screen on the right.
You can work together against the evil Guardians, or shoot it out
between yourselves! But if one Bandit dies, it isn’t necessarily the end
of him...
The first Bandit to die will return as a Shadow! The Shadow can
haunt the other Bandit, aiding or hindering his progress. How
mischievous the Shadow feels toward the other Bandit usually depends
on the circumstances of his death. The Shadow can shoot creatures (and
the other Bandit) and steal treasure, though his score will never
advance. The Shadow is temporarily stunned when hit by a creature or
shot by the other Bandit.
34 THIRD-EDITION MANUAL
 PART 2:
THE CLUE BOOK

35
 General Strategies
T H E C L U E B O O K

36
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 37

The Legend and Lore

Of The Timegates War
The Timegates were built by a powerful race,
To study the reaches of all time and space:
Retrieving the lost archives of old
And learning the lessons tomorrow may hold.

These Lords of Time did not interfere,

Afraid that ghastly effects would appear.
To alter the course of natural time
Was held to be the most sinister crime.

But some insisted on using the Gates

To become “Guardians” and change the fates
Of all the worlds and all their souls,
And they seized the Gates to further their goals.

The Guardians rode on a wave of change

Through castle, starship, and desert range.
The riches they found were beyond all measure;
Taken by greed, they now hoard their treasure.

Into all this confusion the Time Bandit goes.

Among the Guardians he finds only foes,
For he takes the treasures that they wish to own,
And carries them off for reasons unknown.

The Creators now offer the Bandit a dare

Taking a strength, skill, and cunning rare.
Will the challenge be met by a true champion,
Or will the Bandit flee, admitting we’ve won?

The first task is to find the Great Artifacts

That the Guardians stole from the treasury racks.
Great beauty and meaning these Artifacts hold,
Giving prestige and power to the Bandit that’s bold.

A real master can actually conquer a maze

By defeating 4D, its most ominous phase.
The Gates can be broken, one by one,
But reaching “The End” has rarely been done.
38 THE CLUE BOOK

Choosing the Proper Joystick

Time Bandit is a game of intense action. Fast response is vital. For
this reason, we urge you to use a precision joystick.

For the Atari ST & Amiga

The key word is precision, not cost or size. Don’t fall prey to
gimmicky joysticks with big grips or flashy extras.
Here’s how to test the precision of a joystick: shake the thing hard.
If the stick wiggles, the device is too sloppy. Next, hold the thing tightly
on a flat surface and push the stick forward, back, left, and right. If the
stick travels more than an inch in any direction, it’s not precise enough
for a game of this speed.
Standard Atari joysticks are very good. My personal favorite,
though, is Suncom’s Slik Stik. Amazingly, both joysticks can still be
found for sale on the Internet.
And then there are those who want to use the mouse... sigh!

For the PC
Using an standard PC analog joystick? Going mad? Don’t despair;
there is a precision alternative. You can play Time Bandit using digital
joysticks like those mentioned above.
Using a special LPT joystick adapter cable, you can attach an Atari-
style joystick to your PC’s parallel printer port. Although MichTron no
longer exists to sell the original version of the adapter, there are a
number of websites provide wiring diagrams so that you can make
your own.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 39

Playing Tips
Here are a few things you may notice (and take advantage of)
during your journey. Use these tips to get an edge over the Guardians
(or another Bandit).
The Pivot: This technique lets you stand in one spot while turning to
firing missiles in different directions. To execute this technique,
stop (don’t move or fire) for just an instant, then press and hold the
fire-button. Once the fire-button is pressed, you can use the controls
to fire in any direction without moving. To resume moving, release
the fire-button for an instant and go.
The Key: Keep an eye on your Key indicator. Don’t waste time looking
for a Key when you’re already carrying one, or going for a Lock
after forgetting a Key. Wasted time is wasted Life-levels.
Treasure Freeze: Most creatures stop when you take away one of their
precious treasures. The more valuable the treasure, the longer they
pause with worry. A smart Bandit times treasure pick-ups carefully.
Surprise! When you drop down a hole, spring up a ladder, or teleport
to another location, it takes a moment for the creatures to notice.
Use your immune time to get to safety.
Shaking the Hounds: Creatures generally do not climb ladders or use
teleporters. Using such devices yourself is a quick way to shake
your “devoted followers.”
Carry a Compass: Wherever you go, be mindful of the general direction
to the Way Out. That will give you a good reference for making a
mental map of the land.
Don’t Flip Out: When you enter a
land, be sure to take the “flip” into
account: A levels are mapped nor-
mally, but B levels are mirrored
up-down, C levels are mirrored
left-right, and D levels are turned
totally upside-down.
Positioning: In enclosed spaces, take small steps. Standing in halls,
corners, or doorways limits the directions creatures attack from.
Blast the area ahead until secure, and only then move on. In open
areas, the strategy is reversed: run for it. Creatures will have less
time to react, countering their tendency to surround you.
Be a Hero. Be honest and persistent in your adventures and fate will
smile upon you. Lie and cheat, and you may find yourself on the
path to ruin. The trick is to be both heroic (successful) and a Bandit
(rich) at the same time.
40 THE CLUE BOOK

Use. Simple. Phrases. In the adventures, remember that “GET object”

and “USE object” are the most common commands, and that “INV”
lists the objects you are carrying.
Save Me! Save your game often and in a different buffer each time. This
will back-up your position and let you relive important battles and
try to improve them.
Me and My Shadow: The initial exploration of a land may go more
smoothly if you take a friend. You cover twice the ground, come up
with twice as many good ideas, and have twice the Life-levels
between you. Even a Shadow can be helpful. Use this for
exploration only, though, because you get half the playing field,
half the reaction time, and half the cubits.
Hey, Watch Out! Communication is vital in the Duel Mode. Watch the
other Bandit’s screen and use verbal signals (Comin’ through!) so
that you don’t accidentally shoot each other. Also, warn the other
Bandit before you activate a power capsule in Shadowland, or get a
treasure anywhere else, so that you’re both ready to take advantage
of the result.

Overall Strategy
Experienced Bandits keep the following in mind:
Never go into an easy land when you are at or near full strength.
Your Life-levels top out at 15, and you will just waste any extra Life-
levels that you earn. Instead, use the easy lands for healing yourself
after a big battle in a tough land.
Since the Bandit starts off with 14 Life-levels, use this powerful
position to immediately attack the land you think is going to cause the
most trouble later. We’ll take a wild guess that it will be Darkside Dare.
Build Darkside up to high levels as quickly as possible. Use the early
(and hopefully easy) levels of your next-most troublesome lands to
replenish your lives as needed.
When Darkside becomes too difficult, concentrate on advancing the
levels of the next harder lands (probably Bomb Factory and Welkin
Island). This time, use the early levels of the moderately difficult lands
to regain your strength.
In this way, you will always have a selection of very tough lands
ready for an attempt to conquer, and a variety of easier lands to
“vacation” at and rebuild your strength.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 41

The Blanket Verse

When Congreve said that music soothes the savage breast, he never
had this poetic travesty in mind. Yet, such a power is indeed hidden in
this verse. Search for clues showing what deeds in which lands will
unleash the power. Take no word for granted (a good idea for dealing
with clues in the rest of the Handbook as well):

If you seek a strength that none can refute,

Then puzzle the puzzle with wit resolute.
Hardship will pass as wind through the trees,
And friends will surround you though once enemies:

You’ll break a mad heart by downing the hatch,

But wobbly knees make a slippery catch.
And a tower of metal might seem a cruel meal,
But a vigorous stride makes rethought a misdeal.
And then too a deed both selfless and pure,
Makes bothers abate and steps true and sure.

To focus yourself without batting an eye,

Will give you the wings through danger to fly.

Prevail over odds set to decimate,

And you’re certain to win this Herculean fate.
 The Lands
T H E C L U E B O O K

42
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 43

Deciphering the Maps

In the following sections, each land is covered in more detail. The
information includes:

• The story of the land

• Its Timegates icon
• Its status as an arcade or adventure land
• The number of levels
• The number of Keys, Locks, and Treasures in each level
• The difficulty factor of the levels
• And any specific clues, maps, and playing tips

Maps are included for any land that contains sections of great
physical challenge or confusion. In such areas, familiarity and
advanced planning can save your Life-levels.
In most cases, maps of both A and B levels are shown. By a quirk of
geometry, the same maps illustrate C and D levels simply by tuning the
book upside down.
The following symbols appear in most of the maps. Other special
symbols are explained in the maps’ accompanying text.

The Bandit’s starting position

Key
Lock
Way Out

Treasure

Small Obstacle
One-way door
Ladder up
Ladder down
Pit
Teleporter

Creature portal
Fireball or Glaive
Land hazard

Message or adventure item

 The Timegates
T H E C L U E B O O K

S G

The Sentinel 46 142 Shadowland 80 157

Cheops’ Curse 50 143 Gridville 82 157
The Guardian 56 144 Major Hazard 84 157
Castle Greymoon 60 146 Omega Complex 88
King’s Crown 64 151 Darkside Dare 90
Underworld Arena 68 151 The Excalibur 94 158
Bomb Factory 72 Welkin Island 100
Ghost Town 74 152
See bold pages for clues.
Hotel California 78 See italicized pages for answers.

44
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 45

Home, Sweet Home

This valley is the focal point of your journeys
through time. It is from here that you select each
adventure, and it is here you return upon success.
Your journeys are closely monitored. The record of
your progress through the lands is kept up-to-date, and
is made available upon request at the Timegates Journal, located on the
signpost at the center of the land.
Another invaluable service is also provided at the Journal. Free of
charge, you can have an updated impression of your time-trace saved
to the Banks of Information. Then, at your request, or in the event of
demise, a reserved time-trace can be restored to corporeality.
The Timegates is a place of marvel, but there is never rest. The
roaming Enforcers testify to the urgency of the quest that awaits you.

Clues & Tips

Enforcers, Enshnorcers?
When caught by an Enforcer, you are tossed into an open Gate,
selected completely at random. This is especially dangerous when
you’re trying to reach the Journal to save your progress after a tough
battle. One slip and you may be forced into another difficult battle
before you can replenish your Life-levels.
If you can’t make it to the Journal, get as close as you can and dive
into an easy land (perhaps Hotel California or Omega Complex). You’ll
gain a few Life-levels and come out in a better position.
Finally, there is a way to make the Enforcers leave you alone for a
while. Check the Blanket Verse.

Shadow Showdown, or Oh No, Not Again!

An angry Shadow is more dangerous in the Timegates than
anywhere else. If the Shadow reaches the Gate to Darkside Dare, you
could be doomed! Easier yet, he could leap into the closest Gate at
hand, over and over and over, making it advance to a deadly level.
The cure: blast the wayward Shadow the instant you get back to the
Timegates, stunning him. You may lose a few Life-levels in the fight, but
it could be your only hope. Beware though, the Enforcers may find him
stunned.
Well, there’s always diplomacy. That or revenge.
 The Sentinel
T H E C L U E B O O K

46
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 47

The Western Sphinx

This inscription is carved into the base of the Greater
Sphinx: “Look unto the Sentinel, ever watchful protector
of the sacred tomb. Desecrate these halls and know
sorrow and fear forevermore. The elements of fire and
stone shall rise against you, driven by the wrath of Apep.”
It is said that as long as the Sentinel stands guard, no one can enter
the Pharaoh’s tomb. Can you wrestle the secrets from these walls, or
will the Bandit fall victim to their desperate curse?

16 Levels: 1A-4D
Plenty of action and mystery. And rocks.

Attributes 1A-1D 2A-2D 3A-3D 4A-4D

Locks/Keys 2 3 4 6
Treasures 2 3 4 6*
Areas 1 2 2 4*
Difficulty Easy Medium Hard Ugh!
* More if you can find the secret passage.

Clues & Tips

A Few Scratches on the Stones
Behold the first of a pair!
It is true that good things come to those who wait.
Patience in the right place yields a rich reward.
And on an untranslated tablet:
48 THE CLUE BOOK

Buried Alive!
A cave-in has wiped out the lower passages of this land. These
maps show the old paths where you must blast through the rubble.

Ladders and pits are marked with letters and arrows. To find where
one leads, locate its matching letter on the floor indicated by the arrow.
For best results, follow the letters alphabetically.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 49

Letters A, D, F, and H are one-way pits. K and M still indicate Keys

and Messages.

These maps show the areas as they appear in 4A and 4B. For maps
of 4C and 4D, turn the book upside-down.
 Cheops’ Curse
T H E C L U E B O O K

50
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 51

Apep Watches
Guarded by the presence of the Twin Sphinxes, the
tremendous pyramid, burial tomb of an ancient
Pharaoh, lies abandoned. Or rather almost abandoned,
for the Guardians have come to this land in search of the
dormant powers said to lie at the heart of the Pharaoh’s
tomb.
The mystic powers are found to be all too active, though, and not
even the Guardians have managed to navigate all the twisting corridors
or pass the deadly traps. Something great indeed must be hidden in
these ancient halls. As you approach the answer, you will hear the curse
of the ancient protector Apep. Will you challenge the ancient powers,
or is there another way into the tomb?

16 Levels: 1A-4D
A special adventure links all three Egyptian lands.

Attributes 1A-1D 2A-2D 3A-3D 4A-4D

Locks/Keys 1 2 3 3
Treasures 2 4 5 7
Areas 3 3-4 8 15
Difficulty Easy Medium Medium Baffling!

Clues & Tips

Some Scraps of Parchment
The Great Eye shall yield before the signs of power.

The regal twins hide golden secrets:

Search the first of two in the first,
And the second of two in the other.

He who thrives on darkness and fear,

Is defeated by the strength of light.

When in the presence of power, focus your energy.

After proper reflection you’re sure to cross the maelstrom.

52 THE CLUE BOOK

The Ancient Builder’s Plan

The twisting halls of this land have baffled many adventurers.
Now, the chambers of the Great Pyramid are revealed...
For clarity, some internal walls have been lightened. Also, each
ladder and pit is marked with a letter and an arrow. To find where it
leads, follow the arrow to the indicated floor and match the letter.

Level 3A and 3D:

 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 53

These maps show the areas as they appears in A and B levels. For
maps of C and D levels, turn the book upside-down. Also, in lower
levels, some of the areas shown are not available.

Level 3B and 3C:

54 THE CLUE BOOK

Level 4A and 4D:

Letters H, O, and L (hole?) are one-way pits. Letters K, M, and W

stand for Keys, Messages, and the Way Out as usual.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 55

Level 4B and 4C:

These maps show the areas as they appears in A and B levels. For
maps of C and D levels, turn the book upside-down. Also, in lower levels,
some of the areas and objects shown are not available.
 The Guardian
T H E C L U E B O O K

56
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 57

The Eastern Sphinx

Behold the Guardian, forever vigilant protector of the
Pharaoh’s final resting place. Some say it holds the
secret to Cheops’ Curse. Others say it holds only danger
and death.
Once inside the first chamber, you will find four
steep shoots dropping down into darkness, to the very foundations of
the earth. Which shafts will be open this time, and where will they lead?
There’s only one way to find out.
You may be lucky enough to reach the exit, but only with the
greatest skill can you wrestle away the Guardian’s secrets.

16 Levels: 1A-4D
Action challenges and text-puzzles.

Attributes 1A-1D 2A-2D 3A-3D 4A-4D

Locks/Keys 1 2 4/3* 5/4*
Treasures 2 2-3 7 8
Areas 3 3-4 4 4
Difficulty Easy Medium Hard Difficult

* There are two exits. Pick the correct one for a bonus challenge.

Clues & Tips

Some Scraps in an Old Notebook
Behold the regal’s second!

Bound with gossamer lashes,

Two pupils are held in the spectres’ room.

Beyond the Double Locks and the hopeless Magic Maze,

Lies the Sphinx’s greatest riddle.
Buried in stone are your greatest clues.

None too soon can you seek the sight of the Sentinel:
The first four ways rounds will then fall before your feet.

After stating the specters’ solution, seek the wisdom of Jones.

58 THE CLUE BOOK

The Slides
These pictures, carved well after the Guardian was constructed, are
found on the walls of the first chamber:

An Ancient Allegory
A cracked tablet in the depths of this structure contains another set
of untranslated glyphs:
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 59

Cavern of the Worm

The Worm has difficulty reaching some points in this maze. Safe
spots are marked by an X. If you’d rather battle than run, stand in the
numbered spaces and fire in the direction shown. The number at each
spot indicates its level of safety. However, do not use the battle
positions when the Worm is crossing through a shaded area.

These maps show the area as it appears in A and B levels. For C and
D maps, turn the book upside-down.
 Castle Greymoon
T H E C L U E B O O K

60
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 61

The Lost Protector

Your adventure takes place at the ruins of the once-
majestic Castle Greymoon. As you would learn from the
local shepherd (Flak is his name), the good King Quark
ruled here until his power, in the form of a mysterious
being named Kelveshaan, was kidnapped by the
Sorceress.
Now all manner of foul beasties stalk the land. If only you could
find the Sorceress and rescue Kelveshaan!
But, alas, there are complications. Somehow, Kelveshaan has
escaped his captor and disappeared. Now both the King and the
Sorceress offer great rewards for his return. Searching high and low,
castle tower and dungeon depths, a resourceful Bandit may test his
mettle and fill his pockets!
And if this isn’t enough to worry about, a rather tetchy Mad Hermit
wants to play cards with you!

16 Levels: 1A-4D
Includes special puzzles and a text-adventure.

Attributes 1A-1D 2A-2D 3A-3D 4A-4D

Locks/Keys 2 4 5 6
Treasures 2-4 4-6 5-7 7-8
Areas 1-3 3-4 4-6 6-7
Difficulty Easy Easy Medium Medium

Clues & Tips

Meet the Mad Hermit
The Mad Hermit shuns all
visitors—except “when the Sun sets in
the East.” Impossible? Not in a land
where enchantment rules. Where’s a
good compass when you need it?
T h e r e m u s t be o n e a r o u n d h e r e
somewhere...
62 THE CLUE BOOK

♣ Clubs
To win this round of the Mad Hermit’s card game, you must find
the object which makes the best club.
If you’ve managed to visit the cellars of Greymoon during previous
games, you may have noticed that the Hermit’s actions haven’t really
been all that mad. In most ways, the old man seems rather ordinary.
Listening closely, however, you soon realize that you can hear him
softly mumbling.
Straining to hear the Hermit’s quiet talk, you pick up pieces of his
humble ravings:

“Lose today, win tomorrow.

“The brightest move... the lightest.
“The one you seek feeds a demon!
“It lived, it died, an yet it stirs.
“See with your eyes, not with your feet.
“Hang it up!” he finally shouts. You’d better make your move.

♥ Hearts
Now you must find something to represent hearts. This time, you
can hear the Mad Hermit softly humming...

“What a wonder: King’s best wine.

“None for you? No, this one’s mine! Ha ha!”

“It breaks, it trumps, it ever beats,

“But what dope told you that it bleats?”

“It flows in a river the color of flame,

“Man, beast, and grape, the greater’s to claim.
“And even when shed for the good of life’s game,
“The price of life’s water is more of the same.”

“Seek the peasant for his wares,

“But bring no critters down my stairs!”

“No more talk: too much to do!

“Set the chairs right, tables too.
“Busy, busy, boo hoo hoo...
“I know I’ll get no help from you!”
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 63

♠ Spades
Grave-dirt! That’s what he wants this time. He knows full well the
catacombs are haunted. Well, there’s more than one way to settle a
spirit. Once again, the Mad Hermit quietly mumbles...

“Let sleeping Spirits lay? Hmmm...

“Don’t repeat yourselves.
“A fool and his Life-levels are soon parted...
“One man’s rocks are another man’s pebbles?
“A sitting stone gathers no glory...
“Oh, blast it!” he cries, and then falls silent.

♦ Diamonds
The Mad Hermit claims you will need something of great magic to
beat his hand this time. Assured of his victory, the smug old man
murmurs only one thing:

“In the third of four of the fourth,

“Seek the third of four of the Fourth.”
 King’s Crown
T H E C L U E B O O K

64
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 65

Into the Warlock’s Warren

The good King Quark has been robbed of his
most treasured possession: his Kingdom’s Crown!
The ruthless warlock DiffEq holds it for ransom.
Of course, the King can never submit to this
scoundrel, and so he offers a great reward for his Crown’s return. He
warns, however, of the dangers awaiting at the warlock’s stronghold:
“To succeed in your quest, you must endure the deadly Crypts,
navigate the Meandering Maze, pass the Guardian Glaives and survive
the Spirit Chamber.”
Okay, no one said this would be easy.

16 Levels: 1A-4D
Special action challenges.

Attributes 1A-1D 2A-2D 3A-3D 4A-4D

Locks/Keys 1-2 3 5 3
Treasures 2 4 5 6
Areas 1 2 3 2
Difficulty Easy Medium Amazing Ouch!

Clues & Tips

A Sticky Situation
The ladderless pit in level 4
leads down to a room of very
intense action, but don’t be
intimidated by all the motion. The
Glaives cannot hit your entry
position. Stay calm and time your
moves carefully.
Also, watch your back for
trailing attackers. And if you
happen to be a Shadow, maybe
you should sit this one out.
66 THE CLUE BOOK

Some Writing on the Walls

After four bouts with the maze, the deadly warriors await.

The difference between one-hundred and zed,

The minion of Zardoz are buried undead.

The restless soul mutters, “mumble!”

The word is the warp.

From first of one to last of three, the road is not paved in gold.

In the bottomless depths, Yellow shines past,

Blue flows by, first to the last.
But never for Blood, made to stop fast:
After a score but for four stones have been cast.

A figment sent on the work of a King,

Declining unheeded may feel the trap sting.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 67

The Meandering Maze

This maze appears in level 3. Many have lost their Life-levels to its
long, winding halls. Maybe a map will ease the toll:

These maps show the area as it appears in A and B levels. For maps
of C and D levels, turn the book upside-down.
 Underworld Arena
T H E C L U E B O O K

68
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 69

Gauntlet of Doom
Although built by medieval men, the Underworld
Arena reflects some older Romanesque attitudes.
Gladiators battle in the Arena for the Emperor’s favor,
but like to dispose of intruders as well—particularly
Time Bandits.
The Arena itself is of a very devious design. If you manage to
survive long enough to win your freedom, there is still danger. Choose
the wrong exit, and you must journey into the underground realm of
the Margh Worm to find the last Key!
Later, there’s the danger of gaining the Emperor’s approval. And
why is this dangerous? Once the Emperor recognizes your skills, he
will command that you battle an ever larger Margh Worm to the death!
(Anything for a good show.) Then if you choose the wrong exit, there is
the Warrior’s Gauntlet to face! It’s do or die in this insidious coliseum.

16 Levels: 1A-4D
Action related adventures.

Attributes 1A-1D 2A-2D 3A-3D 4A-4D

Locks/Keys 2 3 4 5
Treasures 4 5 4 6*
Areas 2 2 3* 3*
Difficulty Medium Medium Hard Difficult

* One extra in the Duel Mode.

Clues & Tips

The Exit, Please
Which way out? Left or right? If you know some, you’ll guess the rest:

The last set is not the second three.

In the middle, two sets are the same.
Reverse the pairs left abandoned,
As the first piece is too dull to claim.
70 THE CLUE BOOK

The Lair of the Margh Worm

The Margh Worm’s path is partly predictable. Some spots of the
maze provide good cover, blocking the Worm from attack on all but
one side. Stand in the spots marked and fire in the direction shown. A
number by each spot shows its degree of protection.

These maps show the area as it appears in A and B levels. For maps
of C and D levels, turn the book upside-down. Also, some of the objects
shown are not available in the earlier levels.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 71

The Gauntlet
Here, you must face a number of deadly tests. In the map below,
“trigger” spots are marked with an X.
In the Lightning Chamber, run along the marked path.
When you first step into the Glaive room, the rushing blades will
bounce away. You have lots of time to plan your run.
In the Duel Mode, each Bandit has his own track through the
Gauntlet. If your exit is blocked by a boulder, just move into the alcove
near the boulder to lift it again.

These maps show the areas as they appear in A and B levels. For
maps of C and D levels, turn the book the other way.
 Bomb Factory
T H E C L U E B O O K

72
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 73

Zero Survivors
“There’s been a terrible accident at the ol’ Bomb
Factory!” That’s what people say, but you know better.
The bombs seem unnatural, almost alive. And the
machine making them? It’s completely out of control.
There’s something strange going on in this land, and it’s your job to
shut it down. If only it was that simple.
Careful with your weapon fire: those bombs go off at the slightest
provocation. And watch where you step; with all the recent fireworks,
the floor isn’t as sturdy as it used to be. If the bombs don’t get you, one
slip into the snake-infested cellar might!

16 Levels: 1A-4D
Pure arcade action.

Attributes 1A-1D 2A-2D 3A-3D 4A-4D

Locks/Keys 1 2 5 6
Treasures 3 5 6 7
Areas 1 2 2 2
Difficulty Easy Medium Difficult Deadly?

Playing Tips
Recognizing Duds
“Dud” bombs make for easy points. They do not explode when
shot, and are easy to recognize: they are the slowest rollers.

Quick-Draw
If you see that a rolling Bomb is definitely going to hit you, shoot it!
You’ll may be hit by the explosion, but at least you’ll get some Bounty.

The Snake-Pit Shortcut

Don’t worry about the holes to the Snake-Pit so much that you
allow Bombs to hit you. In fact, because of the “Surprise” factor (see the
tips on page 39), you may wish to dive into the holes when danger
threatens! The underground path can even be a shortcut if you’re less
than half-way through the maze.
 Ghost Town
T H E C L U E B O O K

74
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 75

Forgotten, But Not Gone

Are you sure you’re alone? This was a thriving (even
rowdy) place just... how long ago? Before the mines
dried out. Maybe some of the original inhabitants are
still around somewhere. You can certainly feel a
presence watching. Then... a voice?
“Help me, please...”
A girl’s voice! In that building...
You race toward the old café. You enter quickly and look up just in
time. Your spine tingles as the ghostly apparition hovers closer.
“Help me,” it calls. “Please, please, pleeeeease...”

16 Levels: 1A-4D
Includes a text-adventure.

Attributes 1A-1D 2A-2D 3A-3D 4A-4D

Locks/Keys 1 2 3 3
Treasures 3-4 4-5 4-7 5-7
Areas 1-2 3-4 6-7 8-9
Difficulty Medium Medium Hard Hard

Clues & Tips

From the Journal of Luke Selleck
Nine evil riders blew into our town:
Their villainous acts brought everything down.
They’ve cheated the Sheriff from a fair fight,
By cutting his throat as he slept in the night.
They’ve looted the mines, and sacked the land,
They’ve cut down all who dared make a stand.
Last night the rest met to decide what to do,
I told them to grab up their guns and be true.
I woke up preparing to do battle today,
But the folk which ain’t dead have done slipped away.
There’s just me, my daughter, and Molly here now,
But I vow not to rest till we beat them somehow.
76 THE CLUE BOOK

The Lay of the Land

This simplified map shows the area as it appears in A levels.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 77

The Letters and the Law

Nine evil corpses, nine metal tags,
A nine letter word to span the quag.

The Sheriff caught One before he died. 1A

The draw of Two and the waitress was tied.
Three got careless with his pick.
And Four found his dinner made him quite sick.
Five got greedy in the old vault.
Six says his nature just isn’t his fault.
Luke blasted the mines, trapping Seven and Eight,
Then stamped out Nine... just an instant too late.

There are four good souls that cannot rest:

Set them at peace to hasten your quest.
See that a promise once made is not broken
And the spirits thanks will grant a great token.

To Be Continued...
Like an old-time western, this adventure comes in installments. At
various levels, new things appear for you to puzzle over.
Some problems, like opening the vault, can’t be solved until you’ve
accomplished things in earlier levels. If everything goes well, the
adventure can be completed as early as 3C. It is a good idea to check
every building in each level so as not to miss new events.

Sets of Nine
There are five possible sets of
letters. Here they are with a clue to
their true order:

A E E H L R S S T

E E E G L MN N T

E E I O R R R T Z

A C E I MN R S T

A C E E H N N R T
 Hotel California
T H E C L U E B O O K

78
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 79

Spirits Served Since 1824

Something unnatural lurks just out of sight in these
halls. Is it the troubled spirit of some unwary traveller,
or something else entirely?
As you explore the first three flights of the old
building, things seem normal enough. But don’t go into the cellar if
you’re afraid of the dark, and visit the attic only if you dare!
Try not to worry too much though. That wailing sound behind you?
Old buildings just creak when they settle. And that blast of frigid air?
It’s probably just the wind.

16 Levels: 1A-4D
Action, action, action.

Attributes 1A-1D 2A-2D 3A-3D 4A-4D

Locks/Keys 1 2 3 4
Treasures 3 4 5 7
Areas 2 3 4 5
Difficulty Easy Easy Medium Medium
 Shadowland
T H E C L U E B O O K

80
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 81

Virtual Vacation
Take a journey to Arcadia, electronic realm at the
heart of the machine universe. In Shadowland, the
digitized Bandit finds himself on the eerie playing field
of a familiar arcade game.
There are no Keys and no Locks. Instead, you must
adhere to the Rules of the Game: sweep the field clean of dots to escape.
Only the Shadows attest that this isn’t just a game anymore.
These Shadows are the husks of dead Bandits, reprogrammed to
defend the capsules they once came to plunder. You are their last hope:
trigger the power capsules to suspend the Shadows’ conditioning, then
rescue the blue Shadows for Bounty. But beware: the Shadows will
attack when their conditioning is reasserted.

16 Levels: 1A-4D
Pure arcade action.

Attributes 1A-1D 2A-2D 3A-3D 4A-4D

Locks/Keys 0 0 0 0
Treasures 0 0 0 0
Areas 1 1 1 1
Difficulty Easy Easy Medium Medium

Cubit Values: Dots are worth 10 cubits and power capsules are worth
50. Bounty for blue Shadows begins at 100 cubits and increases with
each Shadow rescued, up to 400 cubits maximum.

Playing Tips
Shadowland is the best place to earn Life-levels: especially in early
levels. Save this land for “healing.”
Sweep away dots in an organized way. If you leave stray dots
laying about, you may have trouble finding them later.
The dots near the Shadow generator are the most dangerous to
reach. To be safe, clear them after triggering a capsule.
Between power capsules, the Bounty value for rescuing blue
Shadows resets to 100. For a better score, prevent the value from
resetting by triggering a new capsule before the old one runs out.
Finally, use the teleport zones at the sides of the maze to lose
tracking Shadows and for momentarily immunity from attack.
 Gridville
T H E C L U E B O O K

82
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 83

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

As you prepare to activate the teleporter serving as
the entrance to the tremendous city-complex ahead, you
receive this message:
“Welcome to Gridville, city of tomorrow. Bringing
the latest technical advances to the public, this unique community
provides a totally ergonomic lifestyle. Public zip-tubes and the latest in
security systems complete the high-tech setting. If you are accepted for
residence in this ideal community, youtvv vrriipp–”
The message ends. Abruptly.

16 Levels: 1A-4D
Includes unique challenge areas.

Attributes 1A-1D 2A-2D 3A-3D 4A-4D

Locks/Keys 1 2 3 4
Treasures 3-6 4-7 3-6 4-7
Areas 2-3 3-5 5-6 6
Difficulty Easy Medium Difficult Worse

Clues & Tips

Makers of Death
Maker Pods release a cluster of four Seekers when shot. If you are
surrounded by too many of these Maker Pods, it may be best to sacrifice
a few Life-levels and just run away without firing. If you blast the Pods,
the cloud of released Seekers could overwhelm you.

The Alien’s Keep

The teleporter near the Way Out sometimes leads to an Alien
hideout. There are extra treasures there, as well as extra dangers.

The Duel of the Cube

Another teleporter sometimes appears behind a one way door in
the second room. It takes you to a cache of dots guarded by a single
Cube. If you can avoid this guard, the dots are worth over 1,000 cubits
(enough for a Life-level). And if you get a treasure before you enter the
room, you can even get a head start on the Cube.
 Major Hazard
T H E C L U E B O O K

84
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 85

General Suffering
Enter the dungeon of the future. A large array of
treasures have been stored here, waiting for the Bandit
bold enough to claim them. Dodge past increasingly
complex patterns of fireballs to reach your treasures,
and prepare to face the incredible creatures at the heart
of the maze. One thing is certain here: Major Hazard deserves the name.
16 Levels: 1A-4D
Plenty of action challenges.
Attributes 1A-1D 2A-2D 3A-3D 4A-4D
Locks/Keys 1 2 4 6
Treasures 2 3 4 6
Areas 1 1 2 4
Difficulty Hot Burning Blazing Inferno

Clues & Tips

Admirable Advice
Shock is your greatest enemy here. When surrounded by lots of
moving objects, some people experience “expanded event awareness.”
Even if they are in no danger, they get confused and panic. You must
remain calm if you are to survive.
Use the following maps to learn the paths of the fireballs. Just stay
out of their lanes and ignore them until you need to cross their paths.
Unlike creatures, fireballs won’t swerve to get you.
Concentrate on avoiding creatures. It is far less harmful to be hit by
a fireball than a creature. Creatures just keep coming back. Once you
take out a fireball, it’s gone for good. It can even be worth such a
sacrifice if you have to cross the fireball very often.
Fireballs in small areas are very tricky. It helps to stand right next
to the fireball, against one of the walls it bounces on. Use the Pivot (see
page 39) to face in the proper direction before you run. Watch the
rhythm of the fireball and go a split second after it hits the wall on your
side. The natural delay in your reaction time should make for perfect
timing.
Grouped fireballs aren’t as tough as they look. Try approaching
them from different angles. What’s impossible from one vantage may
be simple at another. Once you find the right spot, if you avoid the first
fireball, the rest will avoid you.
86 THE CLUE BOOK

The Security Plans

In the following maps, the lanes traversed by fireballs are shaded.

These maps are accurate for the PC version of the game. The layout
is only slightly different for the Atari ST and Amiga versions.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 87

These maps show the areas as they appears in A and B levels. For
maps of C and D levels, turn the book upside-down. Also, in lower
levels, some of the areas and objects shown are not available.
 Omega Complex
T H E C L U E B O O K

88
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 89

Power Plant or Discotheque?

Earth’s first quantum reactor plant: welcome to the
dust-free land of triple-redundancy fail-safe mechanisms.
Impressive, to be sure, considering the deft precision
that balances the ferocious energies blazing at the heart
of the complex. All perfectly safe unless the unthinkable
happens.
Now, thanks to the Guardians, the unthinkable is common: Omega
Complex is on the verge of a runaway radiation event! Each return trip
takes you deeper into the heart of this sprawling power station.
Eventually, the whole station begins to pulsate with ambient radiation.
Temporarily protected by your armor, you must close this land before
disaster strikes!

16 Levels: 1A-4D
Wild arcade action and eye-melting animation.

Attributes 1A-1D 2A-2D 3A-3D 4A-4D

Locks/Keys 1 2 2 3
Treasures 3 4 5 8
Areas 1 2 4 5
Difficulty Easy Easy Medium Hard*

* Especially on the eyes.

 Darkside Dare
T H E C L U E B O O K

90
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 91

The Well of Madness

This deadly complex is suspended directly above
the event horizon of the largest black hole known:
CoreStar, Galactic Centerpoint.
Darkside, once a peaceful research station, has been
overrun by the Guardians’ allies. Now, moved toward
the tremendous black hole, nearly to the brink of annihilation, the
passages have been warped beyond recognition. The walls shimmer,
caught between reality and “something else,” phasing in only on
contact.
With the aliens preparing to harness the immense power of the
phenomenon below and bring an end to all humanity, you must stop
them, or die trying.

16 Levels: 1A-4D
A mind-numbing action battle.

Attributes 1A-1D 2A-2D 3A-3D 4A-4D

Locks/Keys 1 2 3 4
Treasures 2 4 6 8
Areas 1 2 3 4
Difficulty Medium Hard Aaargh! Certain Doom?

Clues & Tips

Basic Illumination
Observe the most hostile of all the lands. With deadly aliens
patrolling an invisible maze, the odds seem totally stacked against you.
Well, here are a few tips to help even things out:
Light up as many walls as possible between yourself and the alien
Portals. You’ll be open to fewer angles of attack that way, and earn a
slight Bounty as well (10 cubits for each wall). Use diagonal motions to
light walls as you run.
Run as fast as possible through this land. Stopping lets the enemy
regroup and get in front of you. Use the maps below to make a bee-line
to your objectives.
In levels 3A-4D, shoot as few aliens as possible. The more of them
you blast, the more often the others will fire back!
Finally, take a serious look at the Blanket Verse.
92 THE CLUE BOOK

Darkside Bright

These maps show the land at its most complex. In lower levels,
many of the areas shown are not available.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 93

These maps show the areas as they appear in A and B levels. For
maps of C and D levels, turn the book upside-down.
 The Excalibur
T H E C L U E B O O K

94
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 95

A Typical Episode
After investigating some strange activity on
Planetoid Voracious-12, the legendary starship
Excalibur and her heroic crew are in grave peril.
By the time the Bandit arrives, the crew is missing
and the ship has been disabled by a powerful alien attack force.
As the enemy plots to invade a secret research station and unleash
a new terror on the free universe, the ship begins its plunge to
destruction on the hostile planetoid below.
Now it’s up to you to save the ship, the crew, and all humanity. In
other words: business as usual.

4 Levels: 1A, 2B, 3C, and 4D

Includes a full-scale text adventure.

Attributes 1A 2B 3C 4D
Locks/Keys 1 2* 3* 4*
Treasures 3 5 6 7
Areas 7 7 7 7
Difficulty Easy Medium Hard Difficult

* You must complete part of the adventure to reach your Keys.

Clues & Tips

You’ve been walking the narrow halls of the Excalibur for a long
time now. New Guardians arrive every instant, but there’s still no sign
of the ship’s original crew, or of your missing Keys! Hungry for clues,
you press on.
Suddenly the deck at your feet comes to life. Levelling your weapon
at this new menace, you find only an abandoned book, its pages stirred
by your footsteps.
When you get a chance to examine it, you see you’ve found an
Officers’ Manual. Flipping through the pages, a number of sections catch
your attention...
 96 EXCALIBUR: FNCC 1201

State of Emergency
Civilized races have definite duties to one another. One of these
duties is to aid individuals in distress. Only barbarians would sit by
and watch as fellow beings struggle for life.
It is vital to interplanetary relations to insure that no Fleet starship
fails its humane duty. To this end, a Fleet Law has been established:
Federation Code: Fleet Vessels, 14a, Emergencies
A Fleet starship shall respond to the immediate aid of any
vessel determined to be in a State of Emergency. Aid shall then
be proffered in accordance with the Emergency Response
Procedures.
The first responsibility of any Fleet Captain remains the
safety of his own ship and crew. A Captain should take no
action deemed as beyond reasonable risk. The judge of such
decisions, of course, shall be the Captain’s conscience. Only
where Emergency Response Procedures fail shall a Command
Investigation be conducted.

Emergency Response Procedure

A State of Emergency is declared in these events:
Being attacked or threatened by Hostile Forces.
Witnessing threats against an ally or potential ally.
Receiving a distress call.
Failing to receive a response to hailing.
Finding a damaged or incapacitated vessel.
In case of Imminent Destruction:
Evacuate effected parties immediately.
After declaring an Emergency, establish the nature in detail:
Attempt to hail and communicate with affected parties.
Perform a physical scan.
Examine all crew logs.
Establish the sequence of events.
Verify the Captain’s log for accuracy.
Scan vessel for supporting physical evidence.
Establish the state of all ship systems.
Contact Fleet regarding the nature of the Emergency.
 FLEET OFFICERS’ MANUAL 97

In the event of Attack by Hostile Forces:

Barricade and repel forces from vital stations and information.
Evacuate non-essential personnel.
If you fail to repel attackers:
Surrender under humane terms, or
Abandon vessel for safe landing site, or
In a hopeless scenario, activate the Auto Destruct mechanism.
Expension Commitment:
A Fleet starship is committed to the protection of the Federation: its
peoples, their well-being, freedom, and authority. In the event of a dire,
profound, and immediate threat, the Captain may make any sacrifice
necessary to resolve the Emergency.
May the limits of this commitment never be tested.
Upon securing a vessel:
Attend medical aid to any in need.
Repair all vital Ship Systems.
Establish the location of all crew members.
Return all crew to their appropriate vessels.
Notify Fleet, and escort vessels to safe territory if necessary.

Ship Systems
Power and Life Support:
All Fleet starships have two energy sources: refined dilithium for
mainline power, and batteries for reserve.
The semi-organic properties of blue dilithium are ideal for generating
power and their unique helical structure even allows them to “heal”
somewhat when recharged. Unfortunately, their efficiency declines with
age and they must be replaced every few years.
Although lithium, the prime element of these crystals, is common,
no artificial process has yet been able to induce the internal helical
structure needed to activate it as an energy source. As a result,
dilithium mines fuel more than starships: they incite conflicts between
many starfaring groups.
If a ship’s dilithium power fails, battery power is automatically
tapped. Although batteries last many days in free space, they cannot
hold a tactical orbit (one that grazes the upper atmosphere) for very
long. Battle and warp travel are futile under battery power. If mainline
power cannot be restored, it may become necessary to evacuate the
vessel until a repair crew arrives.
 98 EXCALIBUR: FNCC 1201

Helm and Navigation:

Without Helm and Navigation, a starship is at the mercy of external
forces. Threats from distance, gravity, and hostile groups cannot be met
without the aid of self-determined motion.
To protect engine systems from conductive debris, engine access
panels are to remain securely closed at all times.
If properly maintained, Helm can instantly translate spatial
coordinates into safe, swift courses.
Shields and Weapons:
The Main Phasers are the first-line offensive weapon of a Fleet
starship. Phaser blasts are comprised of laser-energized particles
projected at light speed. When ordered to fire, their heat and abrasion
makes Phasers very effective against most defenses.
Energy shields provide the primary defence for a Fleet starship.
When shields have been battered down or deactivated in battle, a
vessel’s survivability is reduced to near zero.
Repair:
Functional ship systems are vital for survival. When a major system
fails, replace all damaged components immediately. Do not risk further
failure by attempting to doctor a faulty unit.
Under extreme Emergency conditions, time is at a premium. In
such situations, a Class 9 Engineer may opt to bypass or restore
damaged components. Only the highest-level personnel should
attempt such delicate actions. Lesser fluent technicians would only be
wasting time and resources.
Engineering should maintain a full inventory of replacement
components for all vital or fragile systems. Restock parts during regular
stops at Federation Outposts or Starbases.
Desk Logs:
All logs and bridge communications are automatically date-
stamped by the computer. The Stardate contains a sequence number
(S1, S2, etc.) to aid in reconstructing the order of events leading to
command decisions.
Identification:
In the event of injury to voice coded personnel, security computers
can identify authorized command persons through retina scan or
registered personal effects.
 FLEET OFFICERS’ MANUAL 99

Personal Emergency
Information is the seat of a Captain’s authority. Don’t be surprised
if vital facts emerge when rechecking data.
When caught in a hostile region without proper tools, go back to
basics. With proper engineering, simple or crude devices can help you
to reach your goals.
Intelligence is your greatest assets. Enlightenment is a key that can
open the most stubborn of doors.
There is strength in numbers. Allies can provide a vital base for aid.
When in doubt, don’t scream and shout: communicate.
Be wary of labels. Not all crates are packed the same, and
sometimes, not all the cargo appears on inventory.
Have you ever seen a Klingon loading crew? What do you suppose
they do?
Hiding from a conflict is an uncertain path. When it seems you can
go no further, you are never truly boxed in.
A Klingonese word puzzle: how well do you know the enemy?

D E A signal that the battle is over

D E A wrecreational activity
D E A property of adequately aged food
D E Making nine things easier to manage

Good relations will anchor your position as a valued crew

memeber. If problems do occur, a display of charm and cooperation
will work wonders for patching things up.
Luck has a definite role in an officer’s short-term fate. In the long
run, however, compassion and skill overcomes a lack of such erratic
fortune.
 Welkin Island
T H E C L U E B O O K

100
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 101

A Walk in the Dark

Brave the perils of deepest space in Welkin Island.
Glide through the vacuum in search of the Keys to the
Way Out. Beware though: one misstep could fling you
headlong into a black hole or set you sprawling through a
field of deadly energy!

16 Levels: 1A-4D
Arcade action with unique challenges.

Attributes 1A-1D 2A-2D 3A-3D 4A-4D

Locks/Keys 1 2 3 5
Treasures 3 4 5 7
Areas 1 3 4 4
Difficulty Medium Hard Difficult Lethal?

Clues & Tips

Black Holes... And TWO Shortcuts!
This land’s Black Holes are more frustrating than dangerous. They
can fling you anywhere... or nowhere. However, a bit of knowledge can
turn this into an advantage.
When you step onto a Hole, you randomly reappear at one of ten
places (marked with an X in the following maps). If those points are
close to your goals (near a Key or the Way Out), then jumping into a
Hole could be quite a shortcut.
Occasionally, when you step onto a Hole, nothing happens. The
teleportation effect is nullified for a brief time (a few seconds) and you
can safely cross the field. Use caution though: the odds of this
cancellation phenomenon are only about one in four.

Micro-Stars
The starfield is a very dangerous place: one wrong move and zap!
Spend as little time in the field as possible. If you look carefully at the
maps, you can find weak links. If it saves you a considerable distance
or provides a smoother path, you might want to sacrifice a Life-level
and clear out a star.
102 THE CLUE BOOK

Star Charts

These maps are accurate for the PC version of the game. The layout
is only slightly different for the Atari ST and Amiga versions.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 103

These maps show the areas as they appears in A and B levels. For
maps of C and D levels, turn the book upside-down. In lower levels,
some of the areas and objects shown are not available
104 THE CLUE BOOK
 PART 3:
THE STORY

105
 Timelord History
T H E S T O R Y

106
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 107

The Alantian Book of the Past

Beginning With Death
Alanta, the Timelords’ home world, was the third moon of Jeo, an
immense gas giant. Alanta was blue-green and active with life. It was
also a place of violent death. The land was scoured by tidal storms and
brutal earthquakes resulting from its close orbit around Jeo, and
pummeled by cometary meteors swept up by the tremendous gas
planet.
The people that evolved on Alanta were humanoid in form and
mind. They were adaptable, intelligent, and took their hardships well.
Some early cultures even hailed Jeo as a benign god that would
transform them, by trial of fire, into gods themselves.
Indeed, they were tried by fire, surviving the savagery of their
world only by their cunning inventiveness. Eventually, some managed
to fortify their underground settlements well enough to protect their
awakening societies. Where in the past nothing of beauty or heritage
survived for very long, their new settlements allowed the preservation
and rapid advancement of their culture and technology. Cities grew,
and advances in shielded architecture allowed them to break like
sprouts from the ground and sprawl in open splendor before the
presence of Jeo and the light of the sun.
With their technology effective enough to shield them, they struck
back at the skies. Advanced telescopes, rockets, and nuclear
technologies were developed to destroy the comets and meteors. And
finally, Alanta itself was moved away from the destructive influence of
Jeo, and into its own orbit around the sun.
The new Alantians prospered beyond their dreams. The people
came to measure the duration of their peaceful civilization in terms of
millennia. Life spans were increased through biological engineering,
and petty human differences were set aside in favor of the wisdom
inherent in age. Cut from its leash of destruction, the ancient culture
went forward to a vast understanding of science, philosophy, and
mind, and continually developed new methods to gain even greater
enlightenment.
108 THE STORY

As Time Passes
When their ingenuity finally broke the barriers of time, the
Alantians decided on a most ambitious project. They would go back
through time and retrieve the artifacts of their lost cultural heritage. But
to rescue the past, they realized that they must protect the present.
Engineers created the Time Divider, a device that buffered Alanta from
the effects that might occur in the present as a result of making changes
in the past.
With their heritage regained as a result of this project, these
“Timelords” set out to gather the accumulated knowledge of all
intelligent races in the cosmos, and to save the cultural objects which
would otherwise be lost forever in wars and other disasters. This
bounty was to be held in reserve, awaiting the time when the alien races
would find their place in the stars and join the Timelords’ noble
republic.
Thousands of portals to other worlds were constructed. Only the
most incorruptible agents, know as Travellers, were sent out among
them, for the temptation to use the artifacts for personal gain was too
great to trust to ordinary beings.
But with the Travellers went a plague of good intentions. Helpful
changes and benign interference went unnoticed until the Causal
Disaster struck. A chain of complex events led to a breach of the Time
Divider, and the erasure of much that the Timelords had worked so
hard to save. Even so, some groups maintained that it was the
Timelords’ duty to alter past events and speed up the development of
lesser cultures. But the majority vowed never again to tamper with the
course of natural time. They resumed their quest for knowledge as
mere observers, but only for a brief while.

The Kiri Invasion

It was believed to be the gravest of accidents that brought the Kiri
monsters to Alanta. The Kiri’s home world held two races: the Kiri-
Belan, a civilized people on the brink of perfecting star travel, and the
Kiri-Te’etla, a race of savage reptilians, considered barbaric and barely
sapient.
When the Belan finally reached out and discovered the Timelords,
the Te’etla acted. With a fierceness legendary to their species, and an
intelligence and military organization that even took the Timelords by
surprise, the cruel reptiles seized Belan weapons and spaceports, and
launched an invasion against Alanta!
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 109

Suddenly, an entire race of people that lived to answer the riddles

of life was faced with the question of its own survival. The Kiri-Te’etla
swept ruthlessly through the Timelord resistance, claiming the time
portals as their prize, and as gateways to further conquest.
In a last, desperate attempt to repel the Kiri invaders, the Timelords
reached back to change the past and negate the Te’etla threat even
before the invasion began. But to the Timelords’ further amazement,
the Kiri world was protected by a Time Divider! Here was the reason
the Timelords could not predict the invasion, and now the reason they
could not stop it.
Nothing could be done to save their world. The Timelords stepped
through one of the last time portals, and left one new one behind. The
invasion ended when the Kiri monsters opened this new portal. It lead
to the heart of an ancient star: a very large, very hungry, dark star—a
black hole.

The Hand of Faight

Vorstellon, a planet as safe and green as Alanta before the invasion,
was to be the Timelords’ new world. Before the exodus, only a few
Timelords knew the planet existed, and fewer yet knew its true location
in space and time.
When the Timelord refugees finally fled their home world, they
found that their leaders had planned very well. A complete network of
city-complexes and a vast array of smaller camps awaited them. But
someone else also waited, and he too had planned very well.
Villard Faight was a Timelord of high rank and privileged. He
knew the details of all the great projects, Vorstellon included. His ideals
were incorruptible, and he pursued his goals with an ambition that at
once frightened and inspired his colleagues.
Faight was also a member of the Guardians, a group that still
wanted to interact with other worlds and other times. To Faight, the
Kiri Invasion was irrefutable proof that the Timelords should change
the past to improve the present. During the invasion, attempts to
convince the rest of the governing council drove the frustrated Faight
to howl. “If you care so little for this world,” he had raged, “then so be
it, Alanta dies. Crawl away to your retreat on Vorstellon, and when you
find that it too is gone, remember this day.” Still, the council remained
hesitant. By the time they finally agreed to fight their war through time,
it was too late: Kiri was shielded.
110 THE STORY

None of this should give the impression that Villard Faight was
“good.” He was definitely “great,” but the distinction between great
good and great evil is a matter for less involved historians.
When the Timelords emerged on Vorstellon, tired and defeated,
Faight was waiting. His heavily armed followers easily forced the
Timelords into resigned submission, if not open cooperation.
As the Guardians took control, Villard Faight went straight to a
remote canyon on the other side of the world. Here were his treasures,
standing straight and tall in sixteen spots on the canyon floor. Only the
most important Timelords knew of this, and many of them had
perished in the Invasion. Faight looked down onto the dry valley with
immense pride. There stood his new Timegates.

Secrets Known and Unknown

Faight wasted no time in putting his ambitions to the test. His
Guardians flooded into the Timegates, changing time lines and altering
events to meet his subtle plans. Many Guardians failed to return to
Vorstellon; without the special training of the original Travellers, they
either failed to survive the rigors of time travel, or they broke away for
the riches on these new worlds. Whether Faight was blind to these
occurrences, or whether they fit some larger plan, was difficult to guess.
In a private chamber, one of the deposed Timelords spoke out on
this state of affairs: “I wouldn’t worry if Faight was truly insane,” he
had said. “His interference would lead to a temporary chaos then,
forcing his own troops to turn on him. No, there are greater patterns in
all of this.”
When pressed to expand on his views, the old Timelord could only
sigh. After a pause, though, he continued with new purpose: “Faight
has something to hide,” he declared. “He doesn’t care what changes his
Guardians make in time. He’s burying something, and I’d guess that
not even the Guardians suspect what it is. We must rise up and find
out!”
But it was never to be. In the next instant, Guardian agents burst
into the chamber. Neither the Timelord nor any from his audience were
ever seen again.
Not all of the Guardians were ruthlessly obedient to Faight’s
orders, however. There were those that had their own plans, and this
incident had stirred thought. Some questioned. Some even dug for
answers.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 111

Despite a lack of evidence, rumors of some mysterious treachery

swept Vorstellon. In the shock, some Guardians fled to the Timegates
or joined the Timelords in demanding that Faight be brought to trial.
Faight, hardly surprised, pointed out other Guardians who thirsted
for his power. “They spread these unfounded rumors,” he claimed.
“They had the Timegates, the entirety of time, to search for evidence
and none has been found! I took this world by force from an indecisive
government in order to protect it. That doesn’t make me a monster.”
But evidence did appear. A record brought back from time showed
a device delivered to the Kiri-Te’etla by Faight’s own hands: a re-
engineered Time Divider. “Forgery!” screamed Faight, “fraud!” He
then fled for his life.
Immediately, new Guardians arose, battling for power over
Vorstellon and the Timegates.
The Timelords, however, had taken enough. They stormed the
Timegates with weapons remaining from the Kiri Invasion. In civil war,
the Timelords broke the Guardians’ ranks, sending them to retreat
through the Timegates.
As the Timelords collected new records of the recent actions in time,
Faight’s secret seemed clear. It is the official view that a peaceful
alliance between the Timelords and the Kiri-Belans would have ended
the Guardians’ (and Faight’s) power. To prevent this, Faight reshaped
and organized the Kiri-Te’etla and gave them the knowledge they
needed to invade Alanta.
Faight knew the Timelords would eventually agree to use time
travel against the enemy, adding power to the Guardian political
perspective. But when the Timelords hesitated further, Faight took
more direct, and desperate, action. He delivered a Time Divider to the
Kiri monsters and retreated with his troops to Vorstellon.
Finally, Faight had been using the Timegates to slowly alter the past
so that the same results would have come about even if he had not
interfered, burying his secrets forever.
Whether Faight attempted escape through the Timegates, or tried
to hide on Vorstellon remains a matter of great debate to this day. The
Timelord leaders do not speak of Faight. They seem content with the
fact that he’s disappeared. Even the Timegates are of no service in
tracing him. Some say he’s already been captured, and interpret the
Timelords’ silence regarding Faight’s end as testament of their final
sentence of his crimes. A testament that for such hideous acts, some
unspeakable justice has been served.
112 THE STORY

The Time Bandits

And here we stand today. This is no longer history, but news of the
world’s events. With Faight and the Guardians purged from
Vorstellon, there still remains the problem of temporal interference.
The lands of the Timegates are undergoing drastic and violent
alterations at the hands of the escaped Guardians. Even so, methods of
reversing this evil tide seem nearly as distasteful.
Reluctantly, the Timelords have reopened the Timegates to any
who dare venture out. Bounties are being established, non-interference
codes repealed, and pardons granted. Every effort is being made to
entice the bold into battle.
And now, the first stalwart adventurers set out: remnants of the
Travellers, reformed Guardians, and various fortune seekers.
Some wonder whether this dubious group might cause more harm
than good: “I realize these measures are necessary,” remarks one
Timelord officially, “but I can’t help but feel ill at ease with such a mix
of Bandits! They’ve set aside most of our beliefs to follow these
adventures—at our request, true, but still... The end of this campaign
should ring in a much safer world. We’ll see an end to the Guardians
and probably these Bandits as well. Only the best of the brave will
survive out there. The rest will quit or die. I guess we’ll find out who
the heroes are. I just hope there aren’t many of them left at the end.”
Of course such rhetoric just goes to fuel the flux of adventurers into
the Timegates. They laughingly accept the name of “Time Bandits” and
fight to be the “Best of the Brave,” surviving to “The End.” Such is the
Time Bandit code. If one is looking for other rules of conduct, he is
certain to be disappointed, as many on the council point out at every
opportunity.
Even though the Timelords look upon this matter with trepidation,
virtually all of them agree that the Time Bandits are the only hope left
to undo the Guardians’ damage.

To be continued:
The ending is up to you...
 Timelord Science
T H E S T O R Y

113
114 THE STORY

Temporal Technology
“Like a river, time surges forward in a seemingly unstoppable rush,
bearing all who ride it ever onward. In a sense, we Timelords have found a way
to walk upon the shore...”—Timelord Histories
The following material is from the first set of lectures in the
Travellers’ Introductory Course, Timelord Observational Collegium:

Why Four Dimensions?

The universe we live in appears comprised of four dimensions:
three dimensions of space and one dimension of time. We say that
space has three dimensions because we can pinpoint the position of any
object in space using only three measurements: altitude, breadth, and
depth from the observer. An object in motion requires one more value
to define it fully: the time that it occupies each specific place it has been.
Hence four dimensions.
We ask you if this is not indeed a limited view of things. A view
imposed upon us as a result of our limited sensory experience. Why
four dimensions? Wouldn’t existence in fewer dimensions be simpler
to conceive and maintain? And if the universe is composed of more
than the simplest array, why not even more? Why not an infinite
number of dimensions?
Certainly, if one does not understand the basic principles of the
normal realm one experiences daily, how can one unravel the
principles required to gain control of them?
Fortunately, sentient beings are endowed with the power to reason,
and the ability to create via the imagination. With these tools used in
the proper proportions, an obstacle once immovable is understood as a
necessary part of the learning process and becomes the beacon to new
enlightenment.

The True Structure of the Universe

As science currently understands, there are actually eleven
dimensions: ten in space, plus the one unique dimension of time. As
outrageous as it seems, we are blind to seven whole dimensions! But
while inconceivable to our experience, they cannot hide from our
imagination. Through modern mathematics and physics, the nature of
higher existence can be not only considered, but utilized.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 115

Mathematics determines that arrays consisting of more than ten

spatial dimensions become recursive and redundant. As an element of
corroboration, Time theory (the unification of Ring and Ultraforce
theories) also shows that the simplest space manifold that can form a
self sufficient space-time universe must be explained in eleven
dimensions. How these eleven dimensions co-exist and operate
together is the next question.
The normal spatial dimensions are all extensions of one another. To
illustrate, imagine a point: an infinitesimal speck with no dimensions of
its own. A line, a one-dimensional object, is made from a string of such
points. A plane, a two-dimensional object, is formed by a tray of
parallel lines. Likewise, space is a three-dimensional field formed by a
stack of planes. Each time you extend an object in a new direction, you
are defining another spatial dimension.
But here is where things change: spatial dimensions above the
number three, contrary to romantic belief, do not extend away in the
same way the third dimension extends from the second. Instead, the
higher dimensions collapse inward and are tightly wound, like a spiral,
within the foundation of the first dimension. Hidden deep within the
realm of every single point in space is the doorway to a universe vastly
more complex than the one we experience: the amazing world of the
seven missing dimensions.
Long ago, scientists on the quantum frontier were fascinated by the
simple observation that particle/anti-particle pairs created in the lab
could affect one another instantaneously over a vast distance. When
one of the particles is intercepted and changed, the effect is reflected
instantly in the other particle, seeming to defy the maximum speed at
which anything (including the information in these effects) can travel:
the speed of light. It was as if these particle twins, separated at birth,
were suddenly found to be bound together telepathically.
It was by probing this phenomenon that the dimensional barrier,
and finally the time barrier, was broken. In following the “tunnel” of
energy that connects a particle of physical matter to its antimatter
counterpart, we can extend our vision in a startling new direction.
Not only does each point-particle act as a path to the higher
dimensions, but at the very top, the tenth dimension is twisted back to
the first dimension after passing through a peculiar “interphase.” Here
lies one of the universe’s greatest secrets: the control of time.
116 THE STORY

Time Theory
The dimensional interphase is, practically speaking, the source of
time. In it, we find the universe’s clocking mechanism. The interphase
can be visualized as an elastic band connecting the first dimension to
the tenth. This band vibrates continually, creating a resonance which is
passed on to the spatial dimensions. This complex pulsation is felt
throughout the cosmos, and every particle listens intently for its cycle.
Time is experienced and the moment defined simply by tuning to the
frequency domain of this vibration.
The waveform of this cosmic pulse is incredibly complex and
completely unrepetitive, though far from random or meaningless. We
now know it to be merely irrational, mathematically speaking, much in
the same manner as pi. Since we can measure this force and calculate
the pattern of it, it was thought to be short work discovering how to
manipulate it, thereby manipulating time.
In theory, all you need to do to create a window to another time is
to calculate the vibrational patterns of the interphase for a distant
moment in a distant place, and then force a small area of local space to
mimic it. The more energy behind the effort, the larger the window. Let
the calculated waveform continue forward at its ordinary speed and
the window becomes a doorway. Simple, but deceiving.
(To the astute student who recognizes that we have yet to explain
the source of the interphase vibration itself, take heart as that will be
covered later. For now, we leave it as an exercise in philosophy.)

The Quickest Computer

The basic problem with Time theory presented up to this point, is
in its practical execution. At the time of the concept’s birth, there was
no computer powerful enough to perform the calculations required to
open a doorway. The problem was not sophistication, but speed.
The quickest computers of the time took months to create a single
frame: a frozen window looking through time. And even then the
process was futile. The window behaved more like a wall.
Not even light could pass the frozen border created by the still-
frame calculations. Only by advancing the calculations at a fluid rate
could the “wall” be softened and looked through. And only by
advancing them at the rate equivalent to local elapsed time could a
doorway ever be opened.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 117

Computer performance did increase, and of course we achieved

our “windows.” This was to make it even more maddening when on
the verge of having our time-doorways we were stuck with a dilemma.
Despite extreme miniaturization, photonic circuitry, quantum
calculations, and even flattening space to nullify gravity’s effects on
slowing time, we still could not achieve the necessary speed. Computer
technology had reached a plateau for us. After all, information could
move across a physical circuit only as fast as the speed of light. This was
something we could not change. Fortunately, someone thought of a
way around it.
Actually, we’ve already discussed the foundations of the
breakthrough. Think back to our “telepathic” particle pair. In reality,
these particles are not separate objects at all. They are merely different
parts of a single, higher-dimensional object that touches our dimension
in two different places. This single object appears to us as two objects in
much the same way that a strand of wire, bent to touch both its ends to
the surface of a table, would seem to be two different objects to a lower-
dimensional being whose vision was confined to the tabletop. The main
difference here, however, is that the higher dimensions are not
extended from ours, but collapsed. Indeed, if our lower-dimensional
friend were to travel across the wire, he’d find the trip through our
extended dimension actually took longer than if he’d stayed in his own
plane. For us, however, because the higher dimensions are collapsed,
the opposite occurs. In fact, the distance is not merely reduced, it is
zero.
For time travel and the computers such an activity relies on, this
discovery was good news indeed. By sidestepping into the higher-
dimensions, data can be sent from point A to B instantly without
breaking the rules of relativity. With the speed problem solved, the first
Alantians stepped through the veil of time.

The Paradox Effect, Part 1

There is no such thing as a paradox. Those lax on the principles of
Time theory often ponder bizarre twists brought about by some
careless time traveller. A favorite questions is “what would happen if
you went back in time and killed your parents before you were born?”
If you were never born, how could you exist to commit the crime? The
argument runs in circles.
Fortunately, such things simply cannot occur. Time travel has rules,
and foremost among them is that a paradox is not possible.
118 THE STORY

We see daily how the sounds and images from time-portals to the
past are easily observed from this, the uptime side. This does not work
both ways, however. Time resists the “backward” flow of light, sound,
and materials through the portal. It takes a lot of energy break this
resistance, and this energy is the key.
Imagine time as a raging river and that we are normally anchored
to the bottom. The water sweeps over us, new with each instant,
bringing the passage of time. If we could exit the river and run
upstream, we could view the waters of the past. If we could set an
object in the waters there, we could send it to yesterday. But as you
place an object into the water, the current grabs it and threatens to
sweep it away. Only with great force can you press it down and hold it
there. The water spreads around the object, and the resulting wake
distorts the water downstream (toward the future). The larger the
object, and the more intense its interaction, the more water is displaced,
the more river it spans, the greater the current that pulls it, and the
more force you need to keep it there.
With this in mind, there are two possible states of active time travel:
complete temporality (a grip of absolute force) and threshold
temporality (a grip of limited strength).
In the state of complete temporality, a traveller is inserted into a
past time and supplied with all the energy required to sustain his
actions. The traveller has free reign to interact with his surroundings.
He can observe history, participate in it, and change it in any way. Time
then restructures itself around these changes, projecting them forward
toward the present. The energy needed to perform this restructuring is
bled from the traveller, who in turn is being supplied with energy from
his native time. [Editor’s note: this is the method of time travel that the
Bandits engage in.]
In a state of threshold temporality, the energy supplying a
traveller’s actions is limited. If the traveller observes the past and
makes no active move to participate, only a small amount of energy
escapes into the past. The mere act of existence and observation causes
only a minor ripple in time and presents only a slight energy drain. This
is the form of time travel the Timelord council prefers.
Temporality accounts for how changes in the past actually reach the
present. Paradoxes force these concepts to their breaking point, and
tragically beyond.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 119

The Paradox Effect, Part 2

Temporal Assimilation. These are dread words to a Timelord. This
is failed time travel, the effects on the traveller being quite dire. Picture,
pressing your object into the waters of time and suddenly losing your
grip. In this extreme case, the object is swept away, spinning amok in
the ferocity of time’s rushing current. There are different levels of
temporal assimilation, all of them bad.
Flash Assimilation occurs when an object is simply dropped onto a
portal without an energy line. In such an instance, the initial energy
used to break the resistance of the portal turns against the material in
transit. The resultant heat and radiation is usually enough to incinerate
the object before it fully passes the threshold.
Break Assimilation occurs when some object is given only enough
energy to cross the portal, or when the thread supplying a traveller’s
energy is cut. In this case, the object or traveller undergoes an amazing
change. The native time field uses the energy bled from the material to
“heal” itself, and minimize the ripple. If the object has a any potential
of creating a change, it is transmuted into something less volatile. A
plank of wood dropped into the ocean might present so little an effect
on the timeline that it could go virtually unchanged. A particle-beam
weapon, however, sent to a 20th-century military base on Earth might
be transformed into a tin can. The effect on a living traveller is similar,
and quite disastrous. Any assimilation is as yet irreversible.
Paradoxical Assimilation occurs when the traveller’s actions create
a greater energy drain than is being supplied to him at the portal.
Imagine holding an object into the river of time, when the object begins
to squirm and twist in your loose grip. A great deal of energy is
required to make even a slight change in time, but infinite energy is
needed to perform an action which makes itself undone. A traveller
would find his mental faculties becoming confused and distorted
simply by considering such actions. An active attempt to do such things
could cause loss of memory or physical control. If the traveller persists,
the condition could escalate to Break Assimilation. Embarking on a
mad quest to create a twist or loop in time is a sure way to experience
this tragedy.
120 THE STORY

[Editor’s note: After the Invasion and Civil War, the energy feeding
the Timegates was shut down and each Gate’s memory stacks were
purged. This marooned the Guardians forever in the lands to which
they fled and caused them Break Assimilation. They were thought to
have been completely absorbed: transformed into whatever creature or
object most naturally fit the shape of their will and the lands they
roamed. Unfortunately, although their physical character has changed
dramatically, the Guardians’ attitudes remain much the same. Where
they get the energy necessary to pursue their course of interference is
completely unknown, though some believe that there are hidden
generators on Vorstellon, or possibly even traitors helping them from
the recently reactivated Timegates.]

The Source
Up to this point, we have discussed the history and theory of
temporal technology. We have seen how it all works, where it is
practiced, and how it affects our current lives. There is one question,
however, we have left unanswered. We know how time enters and
effects our dimension, but that does not explain the source of this
mysterious vibration. Where does time come from?
The truth is that we are on the edge of our knowledge here. Most of
you will have heard by now that we are near another breakthrough.
Researchers believe they have traced the time-interphase vibration
back another step to its source. What they seem to have found is
incredible and new theories are being advanced almost hourly to cover
the results. [Editor’s note: This material was recorded prior to the Kiri
Invasion, at which time these “new” theories were put to routine,
practical use in creating weapons for the Timelord arsenal.]
By plying the interphase, a research team has extended dimensional
vision in an impossible direction. They’ve discovered a dimension that
cannot be considered a dimension. Some describe this as a “potential
reality.” Experiments indicate that this new direction is the path to
alternate universes, and that the interphase vibration is the result of
each universe’s attempt to equalize its energy level with every other.
The phenomenon of time could be compared to a cosmic storm. This
new theory describes the creation of time in a “multiverse” in much the
same terms as how weather patterns are created by the interaction of
the varying pressure fronts driven by the rotation of a planet, its local
solar energy, and any tidal forces.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 121

What drives this new phenomenon, and how it comes to be, are the
new questions of the day. And yet, these are really the same kind of
questions we have been asking all along. We will probably be asking
such questions forever, or until the day we look through a window of
reality and find our maker (so to speak) staring back at us. Even then,
we will probably continue to ask.

The Writing on the Wall

To close our last session, I’d like to wish all my students the best in
life. To those of you moving on to become Travellers, I feel confident
that you will do very well. Shortly, you should be on your way to field
practice, pending, of course, evaluation of your Ethics finals and
Psychological Profiles.
To the rest of you engineers, I’d like to remind you that you will be
responsible for pushing the science forward. When you hit a wall, take
inspiration from the history you’ve learned here: for on that wall are
likely to be written the answers you seek.
Good luck, everyone.
122 THE STORY

The Colling 723

The Weapon’s History
This is the weapon of the Timelord Army. It was originally created
by Derith Colling at the onset of the Kiri Invasion. The 723 was needed
to minimize the battle destruction on the Timelords’ home world. It did
this by affecting only specially selected targets: organic ones. After
construction, this weapon required no ammunition and very little
power. It had an infinite supply of projectiles, and completely
vaporized its target, leaving no debris. With one contribution, Colling
bought the time needed to prepare the Timelord defence and their
escape to Vorstellon.
Later, after the Invasion and the Civil War which followed, it was
announced that the 723 was to be reconditioned for use by the Time
Bandit force. Immediately, Colling was plagued with suggestions,
requests, and demands.
The Bandits needed the weapon to work against mechanical
creatures as well as the organic ones, while the Timelords wanted a
weapon that would ignore benign objects such as trees, buildings, and
innocent bystanders. It would do no good to purge the Guardians from
the Gates if the Bandits left behind a fiery wasteland.
Oh, and everyone needed it immediately.
Colling complied, incorporating everyone’s requests, but lost much
of his due recognition when it was discovered how he accomplished
the task. After all, he only changed the software.

Its Technology
The basic principle behind such an extraordinary weapon is Time
theory. It has been found that alternate universes coexist beside our
own, accessible through the dimension interphase between the first
and the tenth dimension. As there are an infinite number of these
universes, odds were good that at least one of them had the properties
Colling searched for. The prime requirement for the selected universe
was for it to be empty of (and yet compatible with) physical matter. A
vast computer and a single rocket were dropped into this universe. The
universe was promptly observed to behave as predicted, converting the
near infinite energy potential bound in its ten dimensions into an vast
number of three-dimensional subsets. In effect, this created an
uncountable number of copies of the original computer and rocket,
each in its own mini-universe. There it was: an inexhaustible arsenal.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 123

When firing the Colling 723, the gun tunes in to the general
“frequency” of the rockets’ universe set. Then, when the frequency
waveform is “observed” by a simple artificial intelligence module in
the gun, the waveform collapses as predicted by quantum physics,
randomly selecting one computer/rocket pair. The computer then
drops the rocket into this universe, aligning it with the direction of the
gun, and sets up a temporary force shield to protect the marksman from
the rocket exhaust.
When the rocket hits an obstacle, it measures the energy field of the
object in front of it and transmits this data back to its computer. The
computer then compares it to recorded data and decides whether or not
the rocket should explode, and programs it for the appropriate blast.
Finally, the computer dissipates its own mass and energy back into
its parent universe, thus maintaining a general balance of cosmic power
and keeping the multiverse tidy.
There should be a significant net energy loss somewhere, but no
one seems to be able to locate it. Many, including Colling, have claimed
that use of this weapon will eventually cause the waveform of this
universe to collapse, but military leadership claims to have tested this
claim and calls the anxiety totally unfounded. They have, however,
restricted the use of the 723 to cases of extreme necessity. The scientific
community would advice against using it all.
124 THE STORY

Here, Now, Real

From 1989
Though the above is obviously fringe fiction, I like to feel that it is
somewhat well-researched. Much of what is presented I see as the
logical, though admittedly stretched, conclusions of today’s “frontier”
physics. I have tried to remain consistent with the principles of
Einstein’s relativity theories, as well as quantum physics and current
cosmological understanding.
A note to the physicists: If I’ve blundered in my understanding and
bludgeoned your elegant laws, I apologize. On the other hand, if this
helps you to someday build time-portals, think of me in a footnote
somewhere.
For those interested in discovering more about the actual state of
frontier science present on Earth today, refrain from taking any part of
this fiction very seriously. Instead, you might like the following non-
fictional books. They cover these topics in a highly enjoyable and
down-to-earth manner. They have formed a good portion of my
understanding of such topics, and I respectfully credit them as my
bibliography:
• The Tao of Physics, by Fritjof Capra, 1984 Bantam Books.
• Looking Glass Universe, by John P. Briggs and F. David Peat, 1984
Cornerstone Library.
• Superforce, by Paul Davies, 1985 Touchstone Books.
• Beyond the Quantum, by Michael Talbot, 1988 Bantam Books.

As of 2010
I don’t know whether to be delighted or disappointed, but the
physics on which this material was based is still fairly valid. In fact,
some of the questionable fringe issues I took a stand on have since been
adopted with a bit greater confidence by the scientific community.
Hooray for me. I guess I’m a futurist.
On the other hand, 20 years is too long to go without a revolution in
physics. Students, I implore you: ask the strange and interesting
questions. And if this upsets your teachers, forge ahead and get the
answers yourself. I want my Pleiades vacation before I’m just a head in
a jar.
 PART 4:
PERSPECTIVES

125
 The New Timelords
P E R S P E C T I V E S

126
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 127

Those Who Made It

“As the Time Bandits battled control of the lands away from the
Guardians, the Gates were closed by the Timelords, one by one. Finally,
when none remained open, a small band of heroes stood proud in the
meadows above the Timegates’ canyon.
“We owe these people more than they know. Not only have they
achieved a task said to be impossible, but in doing so have proven that
nothing is beyond possibility and that heroes come in as many different
forms as do hopes and dreams.”
—Timelord Histories

It really can be done! As of this writing of the Handbook, the

following people are known to have reached “The End:”

• Kevin Potts, Pontiac, MI

• J. Weaver Jr., Novi, MI
• Janice Kydd, Brooklyn, NY
• Sheryn Baxter, Annandale, VA
• Daryl Holden, Sydney, Australia
• Mark Warner, Milwaukee, WI
• Dave LaTour, Duluth, MN
• Marcel Schoen, Switzerland

These individuals, and all others who accomplish this feat, carry
our highest esteem. They are truly worthy of their Timelord title.

Those Who Will

You can do it too! The path to “The End” is certainly difficult. It was
designed that way on purpose. Where there is no challenge, there is no
adventure. If no event ever tested you, how could you learn what lay
within?
Endure! It is truly possible to reach your goal. Armed with a good
joystick, the knowledge in this book, and the will to go further today
than you did yesterday, you will make it. Apply that will to life, and
you can make it anywhere.
 Creating The Game
P E R S P E C T I V E S

Origins
In 1981, while still in high-school, Bill Dunlevy and I lived in
Waterford, Michigan. As I was building the foundations of my
computer and graphics knowledge, Bill had just received his first
programming break.
At a local computer club, Bill met Gordon Monnier. Gordon, a
photographer by trade, expressed an interest in one of Bill's game
programs. Called Dungeon Escape, it was a simple Dungeons&Dragons-
themed game written half in BASIC and half in machine-language for
the TRS-80 Model 1. Together, they decided to try publishing it.
Gordon converted part of his office to accommodate the new venture,
and dubbed it “Computer Shack.” And so it was that Bill begin his
game career.
Gordon used the success of Dungeon Escape to attract more
programmers, and thus expand the variety of games and utility
programs in his catalog. Eventually, Computer Shack become
MichTron, though Gordon still owed much to those early days,
including the company’s griffin logo, which was chosen to match the
theme of Bill's first game.
Bill went on to write a number of fast-paced, arcade-style games for
Gordon, and they all sold quite well. Of course, Bill would eventually
become the vision behind Time Bandit, but not without an infusion of
new artistic blood. That’s were I came in. All we had to do was meet.
Life is rarely that simple, however. Although we lived just a few
miles apart, Bill and I attended rival schools and had never met. And
though I owned a TRS-80, I’d never heard of Computer Shack or any of
Bill’s games. To complicate matters further, we both moved out of state
to attend college immediately after high-school. Fortunately, as fate
would have it, we selected the same school in Phoenix, Arizona, 1,800
miles from Waterford! Through the very round-about help of some
new friends in Phoenix, this is where we finally crossed paths and
began working together.

128
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 129

Bill showed me the programs he'd already made. My favorite,

Cyborg, was fast and sharp and did things that I thought were
impossible for the TRS-80. A bit in awe, I showed him the programs I
had been working on. I was nearly speechless when Bill offered me a
job creating graphics, levels, and documentation for his new games.
I started by helping him to wrap up Clash (a Joust clone), and then
we went on to work on something we called Pharaoh, which was
modeled on Konami’s Tutankham, which was popular at the arcade in
1983. For those who are unfamiliar with such classics: you wind your
way through a horizontally-scrolling maze, shoot tomb monsters, look
for keys to get past locks, and collect treasures along the way.
Our twist on the concept was to give the player a lot more freedom
in choosing which maps to visit. Pharaoh thus expanded into a more
adventurous Ali Baba, which finally became Time Bandit once we came
up with a time-travel theme. The rest is history.
Time Bandit was published for the TRS-80 Model 1 in 1983.
Although a marvel at the time, the game was rather primitive by
today's standards. It had low-res, monochrome block-graphics, lands
one-tenth the size of today's, and like its inspiration, scrolled only
horizontally.

Time Bandit on the TRS-80 Model I/III

Unfortunately, the TRS-80 was already becoming obsolete when

Time Bandit was released. The game market for that computer soon
collapsed, and Time Bandit passed quickly into obscurity.
130 PERSPECTIVES

Advancement
Wanting to give the concept a second chance, we rewrote Time
Bandit for the Radio Shack Color Computer. The machine had four
colors and much better resolution, which made it far better for games.
Since the graphics were finally equal to the game's action quality,
people no longer had to be told that “those lumpy things are trees, and
that squiggly thing is the Bandit.”

Time Bandit on the Radio Shack “CoCo”

On the Sanyo 550, Time Bandit took another step. With eight colors
and even higher resolution, the graphics were again improved. Also, a
Two-Bandit mode was included, and larger maps were added which
allowed four-directional scrolling.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 131

Breakthroughs
In 1986, Bill and I decided to put Time Bandit on the brand new Atari
ST. Sixteen-color graphics weren't enough: Bill wanted 3-D terrain, or
at least a simulation of depth. In addition to enhanced graphics, the
playability was vastly improved. Time Bandit became an arcade-quality
wonder. And it didn't stop there. The Atari ST's large RAM capacity
allowed for huge maps with lots of detail.
Partway through, the project took another turn. Bill wanted to add
special features to his Ghost Town map, to tell more of a story than the
arcade play could provide. To make it work, a built-in language for
graphic-activated text-adventures was added, opening up whole new
dimensions to the game. For the first time, the map design became a
larger task than either programming or graphics.
The adventure language was actually so versatile that some of the
ways I took advantage of it even stunned Bill. When Bill first saw what
I’d done for the summit of Cheops’ Curse, he told me it was impossible;
that his program just wasn’t designed to do that. It had taken me four
years, but I felt I’d finally achieved the same kind of respectful awe
from Bill as I had toward him from seeing his amazing Cyborg game
back on the TRS-80.
On the down side, what began as a simple, three-week conversion
turned into a seven-month project of epic proportions—all thanks to
the addition of our new adventure language.
And what a trying seven months they were! As the scope of the
project grew, we missed our deadlines left and right. Customers began
to grow impatient. Even our advocates at MichTron became restless.
There was a recurring complaint that Time Bandit had become
overblown. We were told that if we broke the game into a bunch of
smaller games, we would get it done faster and probably sell more
copies too.
However, neither Bill nor I liked that way of thinking. We forged
ahead, on track. Still, it wasn’t smooth. The pressure got to us at times.
Heated tempers and conflicts rose between us and threatened the
project to a halt a number of times. In the end, things always worked
out, and the project was finally called “done.”
The result was MichTron's all-time best-selling game, and a favorite
for game players worldwide.
132 PERSPECTIVES

Conversion
In 1989, MichTron enlisted Timothy Purves to faithfully bring the
Time Bandit to the Commodore Amiga. Underlying similarities
between the Atari ST and Amiga made the task relatively simple.
After a quick success, armed with a new knowledge of the inner
workings of the program, Tim decided to convert Time Bandit for the
IBM PC and Tandy 1000—computers that were not really well known
for their video game capabilities in that era.
As one might expect, this time there were complications. To smooth
out the project, I joined in as the program's consultant and graphic
expert. In the end, Tim couldn’t overcome all the system limitations,
but although the game was not quite as slick as on the Atari ST and
Amiga, Time Bandit was still the best action game on the PC for quite
some time.

The Timelord’s Handbook

The first version of this Handbook was written in 1989, in response
to the flood of letters Bill and I received from players looking for clues
to some of the game’s more complicated puzzles. And like the game
itself, the book took longer to develop than planned, but includes much
more than I’d ever imagined it would. In 1989, when the draft was
complete, I was sure this book was the best of its kind.
Unfortunately, MichTron entered rather turbulent times just as the
book was ready, and was never able to publish it. For the last 20 years,
it’s remained in my file cabinet, turning yellow.
But now, as 80s nostalgia conspires with emulator software to grant
Time Bandit renewed popularity, it seems time to give the Handbook a
little bit of the life it originally deserved.
Even so, it’s not been a simple task. The thing in my file cabinet was
a relic from before the dawn of desktop publishing. The old Handbook is
comprised of black and white text sheets with individual pieces of
composite artwork carefully pasted into place.
It’s been quite a ride salvaging the old text files, scanning the
illustrations, converting the screen shots, and stitching it all into a
modern book while keeping its 1989 character.
But hey, what are weekends for, otherwise?
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 133

To Sequel or Not to Sequel

Back in 1989, during the same time period this Handbook was first
being written, I had also started designing Time Bandit II: The Rings of
Faight.
In the new game, the Bandit, now famous for closing down the
Timegates, is captured and taken into a limbo dimension where he
meets the great villain of Timelord history, Villard Faight. Faight
explains that from his self-imposed exile in limbo, he's been able to see
changes sweeping throughout the galaxy, caused by massive
interference in the timelines. Where there was once a great, cooperative
interstellar civilization of which the Timelords were a part, there was
now interstellar war and internal chaos. He implores the untrusting
Bandit to figure out what's happening.
Along the way, the Bandit visits prehistoric lands and finds out
what really happened to the dinosaurs, prevents the destruction of the
Earth's newest space program, saves a medieval village from dragons,
and journeys into the digital world to cure an ailing artificial
intelligence.
Although I designed a number of maps on paper and created a lot
of new graphic tiles, the programming didn’t progress very far. There
was, however, a moment when Bill took interest again and suggested
reworking Time Bandit as a first-person shooter game, preceding the
entire Doom phenomenon.
Though well-intentioned, these ideas just weren’t to be. I could
blame family obligations, or careers, or economic factors, but I think
that perspective is a bit backward.
In my mind, the absence of new Time Bandit games isn't a failure.
Rather, the creation of Time Bandit for the Atari ST was a miracle. It
came during just the right window of time, at the cusp between the age
of the hobbyist programmer and the era of the big production
companies. Technology had just improved to the point where good
performance and graphics were first affordable, and Bill and I were
flush with the energy and ego of being in our early 20s, with big ideas
and few responsibilities. It was an amazing and unique time, and the
resulting game, being a product of that time, gave us an amazing and
unique ride.
However, though I am tempted to call this the end, Time Bandit's
recent resurgence in the emulation community certainly makes me
wonder. Who knows what might happen next.
 Profiles
P E R S P E C T I V E S

134
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 135

Bill Dunlevy
Bill is the author of numerous computer programs, each one a
decided hit. Besides four versions of Time Bandit, Bill's credits include:
Dungeon Escape, Cyborg, Jovian, Assault, and Clash for the TRS-80;
Cashman for the Color Computer and Sanyo 550; and Picasso, a drawing
program for the Sanyo 550.
Greatly inspired by the tales of J.R.R. Tolkien, Bill is an avid fan of
fantasy and such role-playing games as Advanced Dungeons and
Dragons. He sees role-playing as a means to freely experience new
worlds and likes to direct Lawful-Good adventurers through elaborate
and meaningful scenarios.

Harry Lafnear
In addition to the various versions of Time Bandit, Harry has
provided graphics and/or design aid for a host of programs: Cashman
for the Color Computer; Picasso, a drawing program for the Sanyo 550;
a graphics demonstration program for the Sanyo 775; 8-Ball and Pinball
Factory for the Atari ST; and Major Motion and Airball for the Amiga.
His Picasso art has appeared in the National Geographic Explorer
magazine, and twice on the cover of Soft Sector magazine.
Harry has also run the MichTron publications department “on and
off” for five years, designing and writing advertisements, catalogs, and
product manuals.
As an avid reader, Harry keeps a large collection of books,
including a rare original of Larry Niven's “backward” Ringworld.
Harry is also a talented poet (this Handbook not withstanding),
occasionally participating in open poetry readings.
136 PERSPECTIVES

Kevin Potts
Time Bandit for the Atari ST marks Kevin's first encounter with
game design. He was the chief guinea pig (playtester) and was
eventually invited to design two lands of his own: the Egyptian Sentinel
and Guardian.
Kevin also played the actual game we used for the high score. In
fact, at the time of his record, there was no Save-Game feature. In a
single sitting that lasted over five hours, Kevin earned half a million
cubits and solved many of the game’s riddles (including collecting
numerous Artifacts which we concealed from his record so as not to
spoil the surprise)—all without any hints from the programmers. It was
the fact that Kevin did this in one session that earned him the title
“Krazy Kev.” And not long after we added the Save-Game feature,
Kevin played through to complete the game.
Kevin enjoys movies, music, and sports. So far, his favorites are:
Trains, Planes and Automobiles; everything by the Alan Parsons Project
(when are they ever going on tour?); Red Wing's hockey.
Kevin elevated accounting, his profession, to an art form. His keen
sense of numbers and an appreciation of computers let him make
software like Lotus 1-2-3 practically stand on its head and dance.

Other Notable Playtesters

As Time Bandit was developing, none of our friends were spared
playtesting duties. Though they’re seldom credited for all they’ve
done, Bill and I truly appreciate their contributions. Thank you:

• Jim Curry
• Doug Frayer
• Dave Gabler
• Vince Polaski
• Chris Pombier
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 137

Timothy M. Purves
Tim’s credits for utility software extend nearly without end.
Among the most impressive projects are DS-DOS, an enhanced disk
operation system for the Sanyo 550, and the MichTron BBS, featuring a
true multitasking, multi-caller environment for the Atari ST and the PC.
More recently, as evidenced with Time Bandit, Tim has become
adept at faithfully converting a host of MichTron’s most graphic-
intensive Atari ST video games for the Commodore Amiga and PC.
Tim is also fluent in electronics. He's developed a hard drive
interface and a memory board for the Sanyo 550, the LPT Digital
Joystick Cable featured for Time Bandit, and more.
When he isn't on a computer, Tim takes enjoys improving his home
with light carpentry and landscaping. He also enjoys driving a fast car,
swimming in his pool, and target shooting. Mutually exclusive, of
course.
138 PERSPECTIVES
 PART 5:
THE ANSWERS

139
 Using This Section
T H E A N S W E R S

What Are Those Bordered Pages?

The answers to the Time Bandit adventures are printed on the rest of
the pages in this book. If you would rather figure things out on your
own, do not read anything on the bordered pages! If you want only a
little bit of help, read the Clue Book on pages 35–103.
Beyond this point, the bordered pages contain the “Scripts.” The
Scripts provide a detailed list of where you must go and what you must
do to solve all the text-adventures. There are also the “Sidetracks:”
reports on optional adventure deeds. These extras are not necessary to
solve any of the adventures, but they may come in quite handy!
Finally, the end of this section lists the location of all the Great
Artifacts, and points out one final tool for reaching “The End.”

Organization
The Scripts are separated by lands. Some lands do not have much
adventuring and are not covered by the scripts. If you’re concerned
about spoilers, check the table of contents before looking through this
section.
The answers are arranged in the order in which the actions should
be done. When you find what you need, you can close the book and try
to solve the rest of the adventure on your own.

Txet Sdrawkcab!
To help prevent you from accidentally seeing more answers than
you want to, the text you are supposed to type in is printed backwards:
Backward text is printed in this style: Remmah Teg
The above example says “Get Hammer.”

140
 The Scripts
T H E A N S W E R S

These bordered pages contain information about the Time Bandit

adventures. Reading this material may spoil the fun of solving the
puzzles on your own. For less revealing clues, see the Clue Book on
pages 35–103.

141
142 THE ANSWERS

The Sentinel
The Sign of the Ancient Masters
Get the Ankh from this land to pass Apep in Cheops’ Curse.

In 2A, you will find a scroll in one alcove of the main floor:
Hkna Teg (worth 1,000 cubits).

If he hasn’t before, Apep will now allow you to pass.

Sidetracks
Secret Passages in 4A-4D:
Stand still in the places shown below to trigger the opening of secret
chambers with extra treasures!

These maps show the areas as they appear in 4A.

These bordered pages contain information about the Time Bandit

adventures. Reading this material may spoil the fun of solving the
puzzles on your own. For less revealing clues, see the Clue Book on
pages 35–103.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 143

Cheops’ Curse
3A: Apep, The Ever Watchful
Do not confront Apep a second time unless you have either the
Ankh from 2A of the Sentinel, or the Scepter from 2B of the Guardian.
4A: Apep Returns!
To pass, you must have both the Ankh from 2A of the Sentinel, and
the Scepter from 2B of the Guardian.
4A-4D: The Pharaoh’s Tomb
In the summit of the pyramid, a swirling maelstrom surrounds the
Sarcophagus. It is impassible unless you blind Apep.
Focus the polished altars:
Go to each corner altar and note which side is curved.
Each lever rotates the nearest altar.
Turn the altars so that the curved sides face as shown:

Go to the altar nearest the Eye of Apep.

Retpecs Esu to activate the altar.
Go to the altar nearest the shaft of light on the floor.
Hkna Esu to deflect the light toward the altars.
Apep will be blinded when struck by the focused light, but there’s no
need to wait. Cross the pit immediately, and pick up the Artifact. You will
receive 7,500 cubits and temporary invulnerability.
144 THE ANSWERS

The Guardian
The Second Sign of the Ancient Kings
“The huge structure is unbelievably haunting. It is carved in the
image of a tremendous reclining Sphinx. Staring up at the half-sleeping
giant, I can’t help but get the feeling that it’s alive... a tremendous sand-
colored beast given rise from the desert itself.
“And as it lazily gazes back at me, I recall the legends of the Great
Sphinx that swallowed all who failed to answer its riddles. Walking
into the belly of the grinning monster, I wonder if the stories aren’t
true...”

Use the Scepter from this land to get past Apep in Cheops’ Curse.

In 2B, go to the scroll that appears near the Way Out:

Retpecs Teg (worth 1,000 cubits).

If he didn’t before, Apep will now allow you to pass.

Sidetracks
Riddle of the Spectres in 3C or 4A:
Go to the scroll in the Rock Chamber:
Answer Smaerd or Seramthgin for 1,000 cubits.

Riddle of the Sphinx in 3A-4D:

Here’s a special challenge. Pick the correct exit and navigate the
Magic Maze, and you’ll have a chance at the final riddle...

The Quest of the Two Locks–

Level Left Right Level Left Right

3A: Way Out Riddle 4A: Riddle Way Out
3B: Riddle Way Out 4B: Riddle Way Out
3C: Way Out Riddle 4C: Way Out Riddle
3D: Riddle Way Out 4D: Riddle Way Out
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 145

The Magic Maze–

These maps show the area as it appears in A and B levels. For C and
D levels, turn the book upside-down.

The Sphinx’s Riddle:

Go to the scroll on the far side of the Magic Maze:
Answer Nam for 5,000 cubits.

These bordered pages contain information about the Time Bandit

adventures. Reading this material may spoil the fun of solving the
puzzles on your own. For less revealing clues, see the Clue Book on
pages 35–103.
146 THE ANSWERS

Castle Greymoon
“This is a truly majestic land. I once thought of all castles as ancient,
clumsy, and dead. But here, I find myself swept up by the spirit of the
place. Here’s life at its most honest and robust!
“Even though most of the creatures here are Guardians, there
remains a peaceful, enchanting atmosphere. And speaking of
enchantment, is it possible that this feeling comes from Kelveshaan’s
lingering magic? I must look deeper here...”

To solve this adventure, you must play cards with the Mad Hermit.
His lair is open four different times. Each time, he will present a new
puzzle. You must win at least three of the hands to get past the Mad
Hermit. You lose by answering his riddles incorrectly or by failing to
show up at the right time.

The Mad Hermit’s Lair

“The Mad Hermit will see guests only when the Sun sets in the
East.” This means whenever the map of the land is “flipped” left to
right: levels 1C, 2C, 3C, and 4C. Step onto the “whirlpool” teleporters
to be transported into his lair.

This map shows the area as it appears in level 4C. Some areas are
blocked off in lower levels. Arrows indicate special places mentioned
in the following text.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 147

1C: ♣ Clubs
You must choose an object in the Mad Hermit’s lair that best
resembles a club.

Talk with the Mad Hermit in his lair:

Answer Sey, you want to play cards.

There is one torch on the wall of this room:

Stand beneath the torch.
Answer Sey, that is your selection.

This wins the first round.

2C: ♥ Hearts
This time, you will need to make a deal with the Shepherd to get
what you need.

Talk to the Mad Hermit in his lair:

Exit the message.

Go into the “next room” and find a cluttered table:

Stand beside the table’s chair to find a bottle of wine.
Eniw Teg

Go above ground and find the Shepherd outside the castle:

Answer Ssenisub is the reason you are here.
Answer Eniw as payment for a sheep.
Answer Sey in regard to having a deal.
Answer Sey when asked about the Mad Hermit.
The Shepherd will then give you some sheep’s blood.

Return to the Mad Hermit:

Answer Sey, you are ready to answer.
Answer Doolb is what you have.

This wins the second round.

These bordered pages contain information about the Time Bandit

adventures. Reading this material may spoil the fun of solving the
puzzles on your own. For less revealing clues, see the Clue Book on
pages 35–103.
148 THE ANSWERS

3C: ♠ Spades
You will need to trade with a ghost to obtain fresh grave-dirt! You
could steal it, but the Spirits would retaliate.

Talk to the Mad Hermit in his lair:

Exit the message.

Go into “Clubs” room of the Mad Hermits lair:

Shoot the boulder, and go to the rubble.
Elbbur Teg

Find the alcove with tombstones and go to the mound of dirt:

Trid-Evarg Teg
“Who’s digging on my grave?” Answer whatever you like.
(Then Trid-Evarg Teg again to steal it, or...)
Elbbur Esu to get the dirt peacefully.

Go back to the Mad Hermit:

Answer Sey, that you are ready.
Answer Trid-Evarg is what you have.

This wins the third hand.

4C: ♦ Diamonds
You will need an object from the Fourth Tower to win.

Talk to the Mad Hermit in his lair:

Exit the message.

Cross to the Fourth Tower (see next page) and go to treasure chest:
Tsehc Nepo
Slatsyrc Esu to get the magic jewel.

Return to the Mad Hermit.

Answer Sey, you are ready to answer.
Answer Dnomaid is what you have.

This wins the final hand. The Mad Hermit will then let you pass
into a hidden tunnel.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 149

Go to the end of the tunnel and talk to Kelveshaan.

Answer On when asked about the Sorceress.
Answer On when asked about the King.
Answer On when asked if you claim the power for yourself.
Answer Naahsevlek holds the unicorn’s fate.

You will be given 10,000 cubits, temporary invulnerability, and an

Artifact.

The Magic Labyrinth

In the last four levels of this land, you must cross a maze of magic
teleporters to get your final key. The proper path through the maze is
marked with a line...

These maps show the area as it appears in 4A and 4B. For maps of
4C and 4D, turn the book upside-down.
150 THE ANSWERS

Sidetracks
Super Strength in 2C, 3C, and 4C:
In the Hermit’s lair, find the table that holds the King’s wine.
Eniw Teg
When you want to activate the wines magic powers, go to any
message in this land where the inventory (INV) command works.
Eniw Knird
Answer Lla is how much you drink.

Potions in 4A-4D:
Cross to the Fourth Tower and go to the treasure chest.
Tsehc Nepo
Stellep Esu for temporary invulnerability, or...
Sehsa Esu to trigger poison that drains 9 Life-levels, or...
Slatsyrc Esu to make a magic diamond, or...
Repap Esu to get 2,500 cubits.

Bonus in 4C:
Collect 2,000 cubits for winning all four hands.

These bordered pages contain information about the Time Bandit

adventures. Reading this material may spoil the fun of solving the
puzzles on your own. For less revealing clues, see the Clue Book on
pages 35–103.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 151

King’s Crown
1A: The Spirits of Zardoz
Go to the Scroll of Zardoz.
Answer Net is the number of Spirits.

This warps you to level 3D.

4A-4D: The Glaive Chamber

This is a very dangerous place for a Shadow. If he becomes frozen
in the path of a spinning Glaive, he could become stuck as the blades
bounce through him again and again.

4D: The King and His Crown

Go to the center of the Glaive Chamber.
Pick up the Crown as an Artifact.

Meet the King at the Way Out.

Answer Sey, when asked whether you give him the Crown.

The King will pay you 10,000 cubits, and let you keep the image of
the Crown as an Artifact.

Underworld Arena
Which Way Out?
Level Left Right Level Left Right
1A: Way Out Way Out 3A: Gauntlet Way Out
1B: Margh Way Out 3B: Way Out Gauntlet
1C: Way Out Margh 3C: Gauntlet Way Out
1D: Margh Way Out 3D: Way Out Gauntlet

2A: Margh Way Out 4A: Gauntlet Way Out

2B: Margh Way Out 4B: Way Out Gauntlet
2C: Way Out Margh 4C: Way Out Gauntlet
2D: Margh Way Out 4D: Way Out Gauntlet
152 THE ANSWERS

Ghost Town
Your main goal in this land is to lay the bones of the good spirits to
rest in 1C, 2C, and 3A. Whenever you forget the spirits or fail to keep your
promises to them, the spirits will wait for your deeds in future levels.
Another goal is to collect the nine letters on the Outlaw’s tags. The
various Outlaws are found in different levels all the way to 4C. Their
letters, when unscrambled, allow you access to the Outlaw’s Hideout.
The adventure can be completed as early as 3C if you can guess the
Outlaw’s password before seeing all the tags. See page 156 for a list of
the possible passwords.

Main Street, Ghost Town

 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 153

The maps on these pages show the areas as they appear in A levels.
Some areas are unavailable in early levels. Arrows indicate special
places mentioned in the text.
154 THE ANSWERS

1A: Outlaw #1
Go to the Jail:
Push the third lever to open the proper cell.

Go to the bones in the open cell:

Note the Outlaw’s letter.

1C: The Waitress and Outlaw #2

Meet Molly at the Café:
Answer Sey, when asked to lay her bones to rest.

When the ladder appears, go upstairs to the yellow skeleton:

Note Outlaw #2’s letter.

At the white bones (Molly):

Yllom Teg

Find Molly’s headstone at the grave-yard:

Yllom Yrub to put her spirit to rest.

2A: Outlaw #3
Go to the first floor of the mines:
Shoot the boulder in front of the yellow skeleton.
Go to the bones and note Outlaw #3’s letter.

2C: The Banker’s Daughter and Outlaw #4

Meet Ellen at the Saloon:
Answer Sey, when asked to lay her bones to rest.

When the ladder appears, go upstairs to the yellow skeleton:

Note Outlaw #4’s letter.

At the white bones (Ellen):

Nelle Teg

Find Ellen’s headstone at the grave-yard:

Neele Yrub to put her spirit to rest.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 155

3A: The Banker and his Vault

Meet Luke at the Selleck’s House.
Exit the message.

When the ladder appears, go upstairs.

At the white bones (Luke):

Ekul Teg

Go to the diary:
Note the number sequence.

Find Luke’s headstone at the grave-yard:

Ekul Yrub to put his spirit to rest.

Go the vault at the Bank:

Enter the combination from the diary to open the vault.

When the vault opens, go to the yellow skeleton:

Note Outlaw #5’s letter.

3C: The Good Outlaw

Meet this Outlaw in the back room of the Café:
Answer Sey, when asked to lay his bones to rest.

Go downstairs when the ladder appears:

Find the white bones (Tom).
Mot Teg

Find Tom’s headstone at the grave-yard:

Mot Yrub to put his spirit to rest and learn his letter.

4A: Outlaws #7 and #8

Go to the lowest floor in the mines:
Blast through the boulders.
Fight off the spirits.
Note the letters on each of the two yellow skeletons.

4C: The Last Outlaw

Go to the upstairs of the Post Office:
Note Outlaw #9’s letter.
156 THE ANSWERS

The Outlaw’s Hideout

Go to the “adding machine” in the Outlaw’s Hideout.
Unscramble the Outlaw’s letters to find the proper dial setting:
Sseltraeh
Nemeltneg
Ezirorret
Tnaercsim
Retnahcne

A bridge will then span across the tar pit. An Artifact worth 7,500
cubits is on the other side.

Sidetracks
Bonus:
Collect a 1,500 cubits bonus for burying the remains of all the
ghosts: Molly, Ellen, Luke, and Tom.

If I Knew Then...
You can take special advantage of the Save/Load feature to earn
3,900 cubits in extra treasure:

Save the game after completing 1A of this land.

Bury Molly in 1C.
Bury Ellen in 2C
Get the vault combination in 3A.
Reload the old game.
Open the vault in 1B!

These bordered pages contain information about the Time Bandit

adventures. Reading this material may spoil the fun of solving the
puzzles on your own. For less revealing clues, see the Clue Book on
pages 35–103.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 157

Shadowland
An Artifact worth 5,000 cubits appears in 4D. Pick up this object
before you clear all the dots... or you might leave it behind!

Gridville
Sidetracks
Treasure Challenge:
The transporter disk in the alcove opposite the Way Out leads to the
Treasure Room in these levels:
1D, 2B, 2D, 3B, 3C, 4A, and 4D.

Dot Challenge:
The transporter disk behind in the second room leads to the Cube
Duel in these levels:
2B, 3A, 3B, 3D, 4B, and 4C.

Major Hazard
Sidetracks
Master of the Maze in 4A-4D (PC Version Only):
In the room with the Way Out, use the random transporter disks
until you arrive in the Shadow room.
Go to the Security Console:
Answer 02 is the number (fireballs in the level).

You will be rewarded 3,000 cubits.

158 THE ANSWERS

The Excalibur
“Stepping among the Gates, I was suddenly struck by an image on
one of their monitors. The screen showed a marvelous spacecraft,
elegant and fragile looking despite its tremendous size. The Excalibur,
the Gate informed me. It was a pity that such a beautiful ship was in
trouble. Well, perhaps I could do something about that...”
Although you can get through most of the adventure in any of its
four levels, it can only be completed in level 4D.

The Vessels

This map shows the areas as they appear in level 1A. Arrows indi-
cate special places mentioned in the following text.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 159

1A: The Troubled Starship

This level can be solved without special adventuring.

2B: Voracious-12
To recover your second Key, you must find a way to beam down to
the planetoid.

Go to the rear of the Engineering Nacelle on the Excalibur:

Ignore the firing pin, it cannot be repaired.
Eriw Teg
Go to the Captain’s Chair in the Bridge section:
Exit from the message and then read it again.
Eriw Esu to reach the ring (worth 500 cubits).
Go to the security door on the lower deck:
Gnir Esu to open the door.
Find the book in the Captain’s room:
Get the transporter coordinates for Voracious-12.

At the Transporter console:

Set the transporter coordinates for Voracious-12.

Step onto the transporter to beam down and look for your Key.

3C: Starbase-4
Pilot the Excalibur to Starbase-4 and beam over to get your Key. To
do this, you must restore power to the Excalibur and man many of its
stations.

From the book in the mines of Voracious-12:

Get the helm coordinates for Starbase-4.

Go to the crystal deposit in the mines:

Slatsyrc Teg

Back at the Engineering console on the Excalibur:

Slatsyrc Esu to restore power.
Go to the Helm console on the Bridge:
Enter the helm coordinates for Starbase-4.
Ignore the Klingon Dreadnought for now.
160 THE ANSWERS

Go to the Communications console:

Get the Emergency Code.
Send the code to get transporter coordinates for Starbase-4.
Go to the Transporter console on the lower deck:
Enter the Starbase transporter coordinates.
Beam over to the Starbase to get your Key.

4D: The Devasha Brehk

To find your last key and also solve the adventure, you must board
the Klingon ship and discover its secrets.
Find the Klingonese crate aboard Starbase-4:
Etarc Nepo
Nip Teg
Edih to avoid the Klingon loading crew.
Go to the Communication console aboard the Klingon ship:
Get the “Drop Shields” code.
At the jail security door, the passwords are:
1A, Htaed
2B, Yaced
3C, Yortsed
4D, Etamiced
Talk to the Captain of the Excalibur in the jail (worth 500 cubits).
Go to the panel in the back of the jail nacelle:
Mrahc Teg
Lenap Nepo
Eriw Esu to short out the engines.
Go back to the doorway of the jail:
Answer Sey, to give the patch back to Lt. Moore.
Back at the Excalibur’s Communications console:
Send the “Drop Shields” code.
At the Excalibur Weapons console:
Nip Esu
Sresahp Erif to destroy the Klingon ship.
Exit the Excalibur:
The Captain will then award you an Artifact.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 161

Sidetracks
Valuable Crystals:
After you have restored power to the Excalibur, return to the crystal
deposit in the mines of Voracious-12:
Slatsyrc Teg again for 500 cubits.

The Hercules Serum:

The Hercules Serum is not needed to complete the adventure, but
having it may open new horizons. Because the serum is so powerful, it
has also been made quite difficult to reach. You will have to judge for
yourself whether the prize is worth the price!

Go to the research computer on Starbase-4:

Talk with the computer (or just press Enter) 8 times.
You will get a message that says “Try ”
Answer <><><><><><> to input the special symbols.
Note the long-range transporter code (with a missing digit).

Go to the long-range transporter:

Enter the transporter code (guess on the missing digit).

Step onto the transporters. If you guessed right, you will be sent to
the Hercules Cavern. A faulty guess costs you a Life-level.

Once in the cavern, go to the sign in the back:

Kcum Knird to use the power of the serum.

You will be granted a large dose of temporary invulnerability. Do

not drink the serum again until the next time you enter this land. Dis-
obey this rule and the overdose will cost you 20 Life-levels.

These bordered pages contain information about the Time Bandit

adventures. Reading this material may spoil the fun of solving the
puzzles on your own. For less revealing clues, see the Clue Book on
pages 35–103.
162 THE ANSWERS

Dual Hijinks:
Some interesting situations can occur in this land during the Duel
Mode...
If you move the Excalibur away from Voracious-12 while the other
Bandit is still down there, he becomes stranded on the planetoid until
you return! You should record the position of the planetoid before
moving the ship, so that you can return later. Remember, you too could
be stranded one day.
Also, if you destroy the Klingon ship with the other Bandit still
aboard it, then he too is killed (or at least reduced to a Shadow).
Well, you can always claim it was an accident.

The Federation Shield

This emblem is known
throughout the galaxy, and
depicts a silver rocket rising
through a wreath of stars.
The black oval represents
space and the unknown. Huddled
together against the darkness are
11 points of light and life, each for
a civilization in the Federation.
The star’s size indicates each
w or l d’s s ta tu s a s a fo u nd er ,
member, or colony.
The stars are strung in a
sparkling wreath. A laurel wreath
classically denotes wisdom and
intelligence. Here it also depicts cooperation. It is the unity of all
cultures that presses back the encroaching void. Without cooperation,
the isolated stars would be adrift in ignorance and blackness.
Most prominent is the rocket. It is through the exploration of space
that the members of the Federation are brought together. It is though
technology that defense, trade, and communications are maintained.
Here, the rocket is in the center, at the heart of the Federation, rising
upward to ever greater heights, breaching the wall of the unknown and
bringing light to the void of space.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 163

The Great Artifacts

These seven rare items bring power and prestige to any daring
enough to quest for them. Listed below are the lands and levels where
these items can be found, and a description of the powers these items
possess.

Land Level Effect

Castle Greymoon 4C The White Unicorn
10,000 cubits
Greater Invulnerability

King’s Crown 4D The King’s Crown

10,000 cubits

Cheops’ Curse 4A The Pharaoh’s Sarcophagus

7,500 cubits
Lesser Invulnerability

Ghost Town 3C The Gold Pocket-Watch

5,000 cubits

Shadowland 4D The Pac-Ghost

2,500 cubits

The Excalibur 4D The Klingon Dreadnaught

The End ? It’s still a secret!

These bordered pages contain information about the Time Bandit

adventures. Reading this material may spoil the fun of solving the
puzzles on your own. For less revealing clues, see the Clue Book on
pages 35–103.
164 THE ANSWERS

Invulnerability
Imagine it... No creature could hit you or shoot you. No Enforcer
could wisk you away. You could walk through the opposition as if it
wasn’t there. You’d easily finish those “impossible” levels. You might
even reach “The End!”
The power of invulnerability is very rare. In the entire scope of the
game, only 16 useful doses exist, lasting for a total of about 10 minutes.
It takes good planning to make the most of them.
Below is a list of lands where this power is available. The “lesser”
doses last 20 to 30 seconds each. These doses are perfect to use as
protection from the Enforcers in the Timegates. The “greater” doses can
last up to 2 or even 3 minutes: long enough to protect you for a good
distance as you streak through your most dreaded land. Beware
though, invulnerability is limited to creature effects. It does not protect
you from some types of land hazards.
Finally, try to get this power just before you exit the land. This will
help to extend it as long as possible into your problem lands.

Lesser Invulnerability:

Castle Greymoon: 2C, 3C, 4C

For drinking the magic wine.
See the Castle Greymoon “Sidetracks” on page 150.

Castle Greymoon: 4A-4D

For using the Iron Pellets in the Fourth Tower.
See the Castle Greymoon “Sidetracks” on page 150.

Cheops’ Curse: Once in 4A-4D

For reaching the Pharaoh’s Sarcophagus.
See the Cheops’ Curse scripts starting on page 143.

Greater Invulnerability:

Castle Greymoon: 4C
Granted by Kelveshaan for completing the adventure.
See the Castle Greymoon scripts starting on page 148.

The Excalibur: 1A, 2B, 3C, and 4D

For locating and using the Hercules Serum.
See the Excalibur “Sidetracks” on page 161.
 THE TIMELORD’S HANDBOOK 165

These bordered pages

contain information
about the Time Bandit
adventures. Reading
this material may spoil
the fun of solving the
puzzles on your own.
For less revealing clues,
see the Clue Book on
pages 35–103.
166 THE ANSWERS

These bordered pages

contain information
about the Time Bandit
adventures. Reading
this material may spoil
the fun of solving the
puzzles on your own.
For less revealing clues,
see the Clue Book on
pages 35–103.