The Story
From the game manual:
Long ago powerful sorcerers, mighty warriors, and mythical beasts walked the land. In the kingdom of Kal Torlin, a fierce battle raged between the noble King Aronde and the ancient Evil, a dark sorcerer known as the Warlock Lord. Tempered steel and courageous knights were no match against his black magic, and soon the kingdom teetered on the brink of annihilation. In desperation, the king summoned the master wizard Lakmir to thwart the Warlock Lord's plans of destruction. The wizard guided a young warrior, Jair, to his birthright - the legendary Staff of Ages. With its power in hand, Jair vanquished the Warlock Lord, banishing him within the magical castle of Shadowgate. In recognition of his valor, Jair was first named Lord of the Westland and then eventually the king of all Kal Torlin. The timeless wizard Lakmir took up residence within the castle, a sentinel against the escape of the imprisoned Evil.
On hundred years have passed since Lakmir's footsteps echoed through Shadowgate's darkened halls - the once-proud edifice, now reduced to crumbled ruins by years of neglect. Treasure hunters plunder the recesses deep within the keep's chambers, while thieves and raiding parties prey on the unsuspecting caravans crossing the nearby hills.
It's on this day that Shadowgate's dungeon greets a new resident: a young Halfling named Del Cottonwood, the sole survivor of a caravan raid. Escape and death are the only options in the damp cells beneath the castle. Armed with his wits, Del is determined to find freedom.
