Wizard and the Princess prologues

Wizard and the Princess included two prologues, one on the back of the box and another in the manual. They are intended to link together through the time traveling barbarian character known as the 'wanderer'.

Box
You are a happy wanderer passing through a village in the land of Serenia when you notice a large crowd. Being a curious wanderer, you saunter over to see what is going on. From the middle of the chaos you hear a bell ringing. As you get closer, you see the town cryer with a proclamation from the King of Serenia.

"Hear Ye!" "Hear Ye!", he cries. "His Magesty King George, has just suffered a terrible loss. His fair daughter, Princess Priscilla, has been abducted by the great and dreadful wizard, Harlin, to his castle beyond the Great Mountains.

The crowd is now hushed, waiting ot hear more. The town cryer then shouts, "His Magesty offers half his kingdom to anybody who can bring the princess back safely." That is all he has to say, but it leaves you shaking. Not only are you a happy wanderer, but you have an adventure as well and half a kingdom is a great reward. You decide to find her. But where are the great mountains? As you look around you see no mountains. Just a vast desert that seems never to end. You ask a villager where the great mountains are located, and he points to the north and tells you, "there are a great many dangers on the way to the great mountains, and the Wizard Harlin is very powerful and bad."

You thank the villager for his information and start off to the north. As you enter the desert, you check your belongings. You are carrying a flask of water, a small knife, a loaf of bread and a blanket. Not much for such a long journey, but it would have to do, for you have no money. And so, you are on your way.......

Manual
His bearded chin rested on his fists, a forefinger pointing toward his temple.

At a glance he appeared an old man, withered and wiry. But something shone from his eyes - secrets, dark secrets, evil secrets. And he began to speak:

"It was a time beyond history that I, Harlin the Malevolent, evil wearer of wizardry, faced the wanderer.

Spells fell to bravery and cunning, and the fair Princess Priscilla was rescued.

I called on the elements and created deserts and mountains to cross, oceans to sail and chasms to span.

But I'd underestimated the wanderer's resourcefulness. Through logic and luck, he overcame my magical obstacles.

He plotted his path meticulously, leaving no avenue unturned, no setting unexamined. He learned the passwords that magically opened paths where none existed.

I conjured up all the evil and dangerous creatures within my powers to block his way.

Still he pressed onward. His possessions were few to begin, but he learned quickly to use what he found along his way - sticks and stones, apples and crackers - to defeat my beasts of diversion.

Finally, I took shelter behind my magic. At last, I believed, the wanderer was defeated. I rested too easily. In the final hours of his search, he made his way through the corridors of my castle and solved my magical mysteries.

The princess was rescued; I was beaten.

But I do not accept defeat forever! My magical powers remain intact - just as strong, just as evil.

I can reverse the sands of time with a single spell and face a new adventure - and this time I won't lose!

Well then, my foolish friend, I offer the challenge. Should you accept, your only possessions will be a flask of water, a loaf of bread, a blanket and a knife.

Many have tried to defeat me; only one has succeeded."

"So, you accept! Well then, welcome to the beginning of your end!"

With a boisterous cackle, he faded into time, only to be replaced by a vision far more fair: the Princess Priscilla.

What the wizard Harlin warns is true - his magic is powerful and the obstacles great.

But the journey is far from impossible. I can only offer you a computer and a few words of encouragement. All else you must do on your own".


 * Plot Your Path or Perish

"The road to Harlin's castle is long and the path confusing. You'd be wise to mark your progress on a map. Show where you've been and what you've done along the way.

Take special care to map when you're in a maze - the bane of all adventurers. It may be a tunnel or a cave, or just a repeating scene.

Above all, try all directions. Otherwise, you'll never know what helpful object might be found or what unlikely route should be taken to rescue me.

I've enclosed a typical map for you to use."


 * A Last Bit of Advice

"I do not know the exact path to the castle. I know only that it is long and dangerous.

Remember though that the surest route is not always the straightest. The mountains may lie north through the desert, but your weapons may be hidden elsewhere.

You may travel the same road several times before progressing further. Don't be dismayed. It is part of Harlin's evil wizardry.

You'll need passwords at certain points in the game. Watch and listen carefully to find them.

The wizard is powerful and able to change his shape and that of others. Things are not always as they appear, and there may be beauty behind ugliness and evil behind beauty.

Occasionally, you'll lose all of your possessions. But be patient and determined, and you'll get them back.

There is no more I can say, except to wish you luck and speed; Harlin cannot hide behind his evil sorcery forever, for you have become the wanderer."

Behind the scenes
Later editions of Wizard and the Princess included two prologues linked together by the character 'wanderer' who was said to be the player "you" (a barbarian according to the Companion). One prologue appears on the box, and the other in the manual.

The manual prologue is a story that appears in the manual of several rereleases of Wizard and the Princess (first beginning with the c64 version). The prologue covers the point for when the wanderer ("you") was sent back into time into to the desert by Harlin. The original prologue story which appeared on the back of the box of most versions of Wizard and the Princess (including the C64 version), covers the point of time from when the wandered ended up in the desert to the point he entered the village, and hear's the king's reward.