Tutorial (With Fire & Sword)/Transcript

Your travels have taken you to a small Cossack village on the outskirts of the wilderness. As you stroll past, the silence is broken by gunshots. See what trouble is afoot. Contents 1 Tutorial 2 Combat 2.1 After defeating the brigands 2.2 Gun Lock 2.3 Battle Aftermath 3 Supper Talk 4 Factions 4.1 Cossack Hetmanate 4.2 Polish Commonwealth 4.3 Muscovite Tsardom 4.4 Kingdom of Sweden 4.5 Crimean Khanate Tutorial[] The text in this section appears on the screen when the player enters the village. It teaches the new player the basic controls, and each message waits for player action before moving on to the next message. It is narrated by a neutral voice that does not appear in the game anywhere else, but narration is only heard when playing the game in English. Narrator: Welcome to With Fire & Sword. This is a short tutorial that will guide you through your first steps in the game. Let's begin with the basics. Move your mouse to look around, and use W, A, S, and D for movement. Go to the fence ahead to proceed. (Player is expected to move forward to the fence.) Narrator: That fence is blocking your way. Knock it over! You can attack in 4 different directions: move the mouse up, down, left, or right while clicking the left mouse button to execute an attack. (Player is expected to destroy the fence.) Narrator: Good! Now on to defending... Defense is controlled by the right mouse button. To defend effectively with a weapon, wait for your opponent to commence his attack, then hold down the right mouse button... If your timing is right, you will automatically block in the correct direction. (Player is expected to move forward to where a bandit appears.) Narrator: That guy ahead looks like he's up to no good, you'd better use your new skills to teach him a lesson. (Player is expected to kill the bandit.) Narrator: Excellent! Looks like there's more fighting to be had. That group of adventurers seem to be expecting company! (Player is expected to move to the group of companions. A group of bandits appear.) On-screen text without narration: Keep your wits about you! These scoundrels could come from anywhere. (The companions will also fight the bandits, so the player does not have to be involved in the battle.) After the bandits are defeated, see After defeating the brigands and Gun Lock below. Narrator: Great! You have a new toy. Press R to switch to first person view -- this will make aiming your pistol easier. To further enhance your aim, hold down [Shift] to zoom in. Lastly, to line up an accurate shot, hold down the left mouse button. Wait until the reticle is smallest, then fire away... Shoot the padlock to proceed. (Player is expected to shoot the padlock.) Narrator: Grab yourself a horse and ride away with your new friends. Get close enough to the horse until you see the word mount appear. Press F to mount up. (Player is expected to mount a horse and then move forward a bit.) Narrator: Wonderful, you're saddled up. Horses can be wily beasts. To control your mount, use the W, A, S, and D keys. Press W to spur the horse onward and S to reign him in. A and D will reign the horse left and right... Riding requires some practice. Don't forget that it's easier to make tight turns if you slow down a bit. (Player is expected to move forward a bit. Bandits appear.) Narrator: Look! More enemies on the horizon! Time to put your sword and pistol to use. You can scroll up with the mouse wheel to switch between your weapons. Now go ahead and fight your way out, with fire and sword! (The companions will also fight the bandits, so the player does not have to be involved in the battle.) After the bandits are defeated, see Battle Aftermath below. Combat[] After defeating the brigands[] Jaques de Clermont: "Thank you for aiding us! An extra arm is always welcome in times such as these." Player: "It was my honor to aid you." Jaques de Clermont: "Come let's find some horses and ride away before more of these scoundrels appear." Gun Lock[] Jaques de Clermont: "Alright then, we'll have to do something about this padlock. Take this old pistol and blast the wretched thing, will you?" Battle Aftermath[] Jaques de Clermont: "Many thanks, stranger. These are strange times, as we both well know... And it good to meet new friends. Would you care to join us for supper?" Player: "Aye, that I would!" On-screen text: After defeating the final enemy, you return to talk with your new ally. Supper Talk[] Jaques de Clermont: "My name is Jaques de Clermont. I can see you are surely no brigand. Come, unsaddle your steed and rest yourself by the fire. The supper is nigh ready... Player: "My name is (player). How did you find yourself in these lands, sir? Where are you headed?" Jaques de Clermont: "I am of the Clermonts of Languedoc. Our line descends from the famed crusader, the Count Simon de Clermont. But unlike my magnificent ancestor, I have neither great titles nor vast lands. I served in Guard of Cardinal Mazarin, and was doing well for myself pp but then the devil made me his fool, and I challenged a certain D'Artagnan, lieutenant of the royal musketeers, to a duel. Fully knowing my skill with saber and pistol alike, the guileful Gascon thought to avoid the risk, and convinced the Queen that I secretly planned an attempt on the life of the young Louis. This, in the night on duel's eve, I was forced to flee Paris. And now I am doomed to wander the fields of Europe. Tell me, sir, what is happening in these lands? The air smells of gunpowder and burning cities. Eastern Europe stands on the verge of a great war. For many years, the Zaporozhian Cossacks fought for freedom against the Polish gentry, but were nearly defeated -- and so, Hetman Bogdan Khmelnytsky was forced to turn to the Russians for help. Thus, not long ago in Pereyaslav, the Council of Cossack leaders known as Starshina swore allegiance to the Russian Tsar, Alexei Mikhailovich. Now the Tsar marches with the Cossacks, and together they are preparing an attack on the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Meanwhile, the King of Sweden and the Crimean Khan look on, awaiting the outcome of the coming conflict. That is all I know. If you meet any soldiers on the road, you might learn further news from them... They should know far more than I. What can you tell me of this area? 'Tis nothing short of a battlefield between the Swedes, the Poles, the Russians, and the Cossacks. Oh, and the Crimeans too would love to grab their share. If you are asking for my counsel -- visit the cities, where you can buy arms and supplies, and learn the latest news... The local rulers, lords, mayors, and even village elders might give you jobs of various kinds. My sincere advice, though -- do not take on more than you can handle. And yes, don't get me wrong, but visiting the odd pub can be quite useful. There one can find all manner of men who could help you on your way and you might hire some skilled warriors, or even test your strength against others for pay. What would you advise I do from here? These are troubled times, and a mercenary, especially one that has known command, is worth his weight in gold. Start with small jobs, I would say -- take your time to get accustomed, and understand the local affairs. Wipe out some bandits, do some freelance jobs -- escort a merchant convoy or protect a village.... After that you might try enlisting with one of the rulers -- you'll earn a reward, maybe even get yourself an estate, which by turns would also bring you some coin. Once you gather some loyal warriors and earn a name for yourself, you might lay siege to a stronghold, throw your backing behind a claimant to the throne, or even start a rebellion yourself! Well, it was a pleasure to meet you. But now, I shall be moving on... I recommend you set your path to Zamoshye and take in the town. And Smolensk is a fine city, and not far from there. Factions[] Cossack Hetmanate[] The Cossacks fight for their freedom and dream of one day forging their own state, one like the Polish Commonwealth, and just as powerful. But in this new nation, the Catholic Pole -- the Iyakh, as the Cossacks call him -- he would no longer find himself among the gentry. Instead, all titles would be held by Orthodox Cossack leaders. Some years ago, the Zaporozhian Host, in a series of bloody battles, forced the Polish crown to grant them limited sovereignty, but now the times have changed. Today the Ukrainian Hetman fights under the hand of the Tsar of Moscow. Polish Commonwealth[] That is the most amazing state I have ever seen. It is a feudal republic, compromised of three major groups of people -- the Poles, the Lithuanians, and Russian-Ukrainians. The nobility is nearly all Polish, All the important decisions, including who is to be king, is determined by their congress, which they call the Sejm. But the Polish gentry is unruly, which leads to constant strife and a divided military. Unless they make up their minds and come forth in unity and strength, soon they will be conquered by their autocrat neighbors. Muscovite Tsardom[] The Time of Troubles has long since passed in Russia. Now a new dynasty of Tsars, the Romanovs, seek to regain the lands once seized by Poland, and expand their nation with the orthodox lands in the West. Alexei Mikhailovich has resolved to regain all the Russian lands that today are claimed by the Polish Commonwealth. The host of the Tsar is vast, and he plans to drive them forth any day now. Kingdom of Sweden[] The Kingdom of Sweden so far remains neutral to both Muscovites and the Poles, but it keeps its cold eye on their northern lands. No one has any doubt that it shall draw its hands around the throat of whichever nation loses the coming war. The Swedes have an impressive army, dreaded by all of Northern Europe. Crimean Khanate[] Islam Giray, aided Bogdan Hmelnitski, depends on an independent Cossacks Hetmanate to shield him against both the Muscovite Tsardom and the Polish Commonwealth. Islam Giray passes for a lavish ruler, and this far he has sided with the Cossacks. But now that Ukraine has allied with Russia, there are rumors that the Tatars would betray the Cossacks, and ally with the Polish Commonwealth instead.