Interceptor Micros
Is now Interceptor Group.
Token of Ghall
Type: Character graphics
Written 1983 by G. M. Elton [writing] and Richard Paul Jones [production].
Runs on:
Comments: A truly awful game.
Package blurb: It was not a night to be abroad.
Lighting silhouetted the trees, freezing them momentarily
into looming, clutching ghouls -- the wind twisting their
grasping limbs and moaning through the grass.
The traveller pulled his cloak tighter around him as he
sheltered in the lee of an overhanging rock, hunched over a
cold, spluttering fire. It was not a night to be abroad.
With the night screaming around him, the traveller settled on
his haunches and mulled over the old crone's tale.
The night before had been much different spent as it was at a
roadside tavern. There, for a few coppers he had joined a
small company of fellow travellers in a mug of hot wine and a
welcome bowl of gruel. One of the travellers, a bent old
crone, had no money to pay, but the landlord was loth to turn
her away.
One of the party called for a story and the old crone gladly
obliged in return for her board.
They settled around the hearth, their bellies and their pipes
full as the old woman began to talk...
The traveller shivvered [sic!] as he recalled her story --
then, in a warm room full of companions, merely a tale -- but
now, alone on a wild night, not to be taken so lightly.
Her story was of a time long past, or was it still to come?
The crone would not be certain. It seems that at that time
the land through which he was now travelling had been ruled
by a great and good king -- Ghall. His rule was just and the
land flourished.
There came a time when jealous eyes were turned upon his
kingdom -- jealous, covetous and evil eyes.
From the mountains in the north came the invader -- evil
swarms of ill formed beings -- Devils, Demons and cavorting
Imps all led by their dark Lord Ctullho.
King Ghall and all his forces went against this horde, but
mere courage and force of arms were no match for the evil
magic of Ctullho and his band.
Fighting a desperate rearguard action, Ghall retreated to the
caves in the western borders. There he invoked the aid of
Ghunlhi -- long dead warrior hero, entombed in the marshes to
the east.
Together the spirit of Ghunlhi and the hands of Ghall
fashioned a Token of mystical aspect and instilled within it
all that was good in the land -- the spirit and soul of the
kingdom.
Ghall then went forth from the caves in order to hide the
Token where Ctullho would never find it, and pray that
sometime it would be recovered by a warrior with the bravery
and cunning to restore it to the kingdom, and vanquish the
evil Ctullho.
Leaving the caves, Ghall's only daugther was enmeshed in an
evil web of magic and imprisoned within the form of an
animal. Not long after, Ghall himself was captured, but not
before he had safely hidden the Token.
Though he was taken to the Castle of Shades and tortured, he
never revealed the form or the whereabouts of the Token.
To this day, Ctullho keeps his head as a trophy.
The old crone had cackled with laughter as she stood and
pointed at each one of them in turn, "who will recover the
Token? ...will you? ...or you?". Her finger rested on the
traveller, "Or you?".
The traveller remembered the look in her eyes as they bored
into his. Was it the wine that made him stand and shout
"Aye!"? If it was, it had now worn off.
Here in the wilderness he had come to find a Token he was not
sure existed and which he would not recognise if he saw it.
Here in the wilderness, amid unknown terrors, he had come,
alone.
It was not a night to be abroad.
Comes the morning, traveller, what will you do?
 Heroes of Karn
Type: Bitmap graphics/Music
Written 1983 by Ian Gray, Tony Greer [Spectrum graphics], Chris Cox [music], Richard Paul Jones [production] and David M. Banner in Basic (mostly).
Runs on:
Comments: Your task is to rescue four heroes that are caught under
different spells. This game probably has the slowest graphics
of any adventure game on the Commodore 64 (they're quite fast
on the Spectrum) - some take around one and a half minute to
draw. The game also has other characters to interact with, but
they can only do two or three things each!
Package blurb: In the hall of His Majesty Callastheon, Emperor of the Seven
Lands, Lord of Karn, the feasting was over. On fur-draped
benches around the roaring fire, the nobles of Karn awaited
the entertainers.
Daeron the Wise, minstrel of Karn, walked slowly across the
hall. Today, Karn was the hub of a rich and mighty empire,
but, Callastheon recalled, it had not always been so. For
long ago, in the days before the Cyrennic dynasty came to
power, the forces of good and evil fought in Karn, and the
deeds of that time were still remembered at the Feast of the
Midwinter Moon.
Daeron entered the firelight, and began his tale -- a tale of
deeds great and terrible, of battle and victory, conquest and
defeat -- the story of the Heroes of Karn.
`Your Majesty, my Lords, citizens of Karn.'
`Long ago, in the reign of Beren, last of the Mountain Kings
of Karn, there came from the distant north a horde of fell
creatures, borne on the wings of Darkness. Dragons there
were, and Vampires, and weavers of Enchantment, and nameless
things from the deep places of the world. They swept down as
a dark gale upon the Halls of the Mountain King, and terrible
was the slaughter of men. From the Gates of Karn escaped but
those few of greatest might. Four was their number, and these
were their names:
`Beren the mighty, last king of Karn, master of all birds,
swordsman unsurpassed.
`Istar the Wise, lore-master of great wisdom and still
greater powers of magic.
`Haldir the Elf-lord, from the northern woods, greatest of
minstrels.
`Khadim the Dwarf, carver of stone, of small stature, yet
great in renown.
`These then were the Heroes of Karn, and mighty they were.
Yet not mighty enough, for one by one they fell, captives
bound with iron and stone and magic spell. And Darkness fell
on the land. Darkness unbroken -- until one day there came to
Karn a Stranger, from a strange land where men could fly, and
machines could think. And the Stranger went forth into the
wilderness, and fought with the Powers of Night, and released
the Heroes, and with them removed the Shadow from the land of
Karn for ever. Then the Stranger departed, and none know to
where.
`Nor do any know with certainty how he found the Heroes, for
they would not tell. Thus, the tale I now unfold may be fact
or legend -- who knows? Only the Stranger -- and he is gone.'
The Halls of Callastheon are dust and ruins. Daeron passed
long ago to the halls of his ancestors, and even the legend
he once told is forgotten. Who knows the true story of the
Heroes of Karn? Only the Stranger -- wherever he may be.
 Jewels of Babylon
Type: Bitmap graphics/Music
Written 1984 by David M. Banner [writing], Terry Greer [graphics] and Richard Paul Jones [production].
Runs on:
Package blurb: 3000 years ago, before the Christian era, a fabulous treasure
was created by master craftsmen in the old city of Babylon.
Such was the beauty of this collection, many men died to
obtain possession of them. The collection was known as the
Jewels of Babylon.
At the end of the 19th century the jewels were in English
hands. In a great gesture of friendship, Queen Victoria
intended to give them as a wedding gift to an Indian
Princess. On route from West Africa, the ship carrying the
jewels was attacked by pirates who took them and left the
crew for dead.
You are the sole survivor of the attack. After recovering
from your wounds, you vow to reclaim the jewels. After much
searching, you have located the pirate base on a remote
island. Your objective is to search the island, find the
jewels and return with them to your ship. Many dangers await
you on the island, be wary.
Forest at the World's End
Type: Graphics
Written 1984 by David M. Banner [writing], Terry Greer [graphics], Richard Paul Jones [production] and J.A. Banner.
Runs on:
Comments: Rescue the princess from the evil wizard.
Package blurb: In the continous battling between the forces of Light and
Darkness, the Princess, Mara has been captured by the evil
Wizard, Zarn. In a sneak attack on the palace, his henchmen
abducted her and have taken her to the Wizard's strong hold,
deep within the Forest at World's End.
Mara's father, the King, has called upon the forces of Light
for assistance. In response to his plea, you, the mightiest
of the ancient warriors, have been resurrected. You
materialise in the Great Valley at the edge of the terrible
Forest from which no one has ever returned alive.
Your objective is to locate and rescue the Princess and
return, with her, to the Great Valley. Little help can be
given as there are no maps in existence, but the forces of
Light have sent other messengers to help you. Be wary; the
dangers are great. Many foes await you in the Forest at
World's End.
Empire of Karn
Type: Bitmap graphics/Music
Written 1985 by Ian Gray.
Runs on:
Notes: Sequel to Heroes of Karn. A third game in the series was
planned, but apparently was never finished. The game has some
very primitive NPCs which can only perform one or two actions
each.
 After Shock
Type: Text only
Written 1986 by David M. Banner and Terry Greer.
Runs on:
 Crystals of Carus
Written by Richard Dawson, Claire Challis [graphics] and Tom Gibson [music].
Runs on:
Notes: This game was a kind of followup to Heroes of Karn and Empire
of Karn.
Comments: Pretty good.
 Message from Andromeda
Type: Graphics
Written 1986 by David M. Banner and J.A. Banner.
Runs on:
Notes: Only a few locations had graphics.
Comments: A science fiction adventure of the same type as Jewels of
Babylon and Forest at the World's End.
Asiento
Type: Graphics
Written 1987.
Runs on:
Sword of Kings
Type: Graphics
Written 1987.
Runs on:
Warlord
Written 1985 by David M. Banner and Terry Greer.
Runs on:
 The Zacaron Mystery
Type: Text only
Written 1986 by Ben Hall and Jonathan Nicholson.
Runs on:
Notes: Later re-released by Players Premier Software.
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