List of Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord Monsters

Overview
Go into maze, kill evil wizard.

Background Story
The evil wizard Werdna stole a very powerful amulet from Trebor, the Mad Overlord. He used the amulet's power to create a ten level maze beneath Trebor's castle. That was five years ago. Since then, Trebor has created a training centre in the upper levels of the maze from where he sends heroes further down to kill Werdna and get him the amulet. So far, no one has succeeded.

The Quest
It is the heroes' task to retrieve the amulet. To achieve this, they obviously have to face Werdna on his maze's lowest level.

The Castle
The Castle is basically the game's starting menu. The player can choose to enter several locations - once he has picked up at least one character at Gilgamesh's Tavern:


 * Temple of Cant
 * Boltac's Trading Post
 * The Adventurer's Inn
 * Edge of Town

The Edge of Town
This is also a menu. From here, the player may choose either to let his characters enter The Maze, where the real, 3D action starts, or he may choose one of the following options:


 * Training Grounds
 * Utilities
 * Leave the game (rather self-explanatory)

The Maze
Each of the maze's ten levels measures 20x20 squares. Coordinates are given by going east and north from the level's lower left corner (0E/0N). However, space is not always fully used. There are many areas of solid rock. Teleporting into such an area results in a party being immediately lost forever!

The first four levels are in fact the "proving grounds of the Mad Overlord" Trebor, as the player will discover in Level 4. They were created to train heroes until they are found worthy to descend deeper into the maze in order to slay Werdna and retrieve Trebor's amulet.

Level 1
Two special items, the Key of Silver and the Key of Bronze, have to be collected in this level. The allow access to areas in Level 2. They can be found when the corresponding statues are searched by the party.

Places of interest:


 * Bronze Statue (13E/3N): Searching results in gaining Key of Bronze
 * Silver Statue (13E/18N): Searching results in gaining Key of Silver
 * Gem encrusted statue (13E/5N): Searching results in being attacked by Murphy's Ghost
 * Entrance stairs (0E/0N)
 * Stairs leading to Level 2 (0E/10N)
 * "Area out of Bounds" with
 * Teleport back to the Castle (9E/19N)
 * Lift leading to Levels 2-4 (10E/8N)

Level 2
Places of interest:


 * Stairs leading to Level 1 (12E/7N)
 * Silver Smog (8E/12N): Can only be passed with the Key of Silver
 * Bronze Smog (8E/7N): Can only be passed with the Key of Silver
 * Statue of Bear (9E/18N): Searching results in gaining Statue of Bear
 * Statue of Frog (12E/4N): Searching results in gaining Statue of Frog
 * Indestructible Door (4E/11N): Can only be passed with the Statue of Bear
 * Indestructible Door (4E/12N): Can only be passed with the Statue of Frog
 * Bronze Statue (4E/16N): Searching results in Key of Gold

Level 3
This is truly a training ground. No vital information or special items can be gained in this level. Only the monsters have become slightly tougher. For the first time, the party will be confronted with monsters that can decapitate - instantly kill - a character, such as Capybaras and Lvl 3 Ninjas. Also, the heroes might become familiar the hard way with level-draining Shades.

Places of interest:
 * Stairs leading to Level 4 (1E/8N)

Level 4
This level is divided into three areas. One of them is an ordinary dungeon part. It can be reached by stairs from Level 3. To proceed to Level 5 in this area, the party needs the Statue of Bear.

Places of interest:


 * Stairs leading to Level 3 (10E/18N)
 * The image of a bear (17E/12N): prevents access unless the party has got the Statue of Bear.
 * Stairs leading to Level 5 (17E/7N)

The second area cannot be reached by stairs, but by the elevator from the Area out of Bounds in Level 1. This is the heart of the training grounds, where the characters will find the key to access the lower levels by using another elevator.

Places of interest:


 * Private Express Elevator (10E/2N)
 * Testing Ground Control Center (10E/14N)
 * Monster Allocation Center (12E/15N)
 * Treasure Depository (8E/15N)

There is also the "area between the areas". This consists of two vast spaces, where nothing is really happening. There are two one-way doors through which the party can re-enter the ordinary dungeon. Why does this area exist when there is no normal access to it? Its very existence, including the one-way doors, is a nicety, of which there are few in Wizardry I. In case the characters unleash a teleport trap, they don't die horribly in solid rock. This way, they have got a chance to return to the maze proper.

Trivia

 * The names "Werdna" and "Trebor" are the first names spelt backwards of the programmers Andrew Greenberg and Robert Woodhead.