Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone

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Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone
Developer(s) Stormfront Studios
Zono Inc.
Publisher(s) Atari
Release date(s) 2004
Genre(s) Action
Mode(s) Single player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: Teen (T)
Platform(s) PC (Windows), PlayStation 2, Xbox

Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone is a video game that was released in 2004 for various consoles, including PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It is set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), but the gameplay only vaguely models D&D's structure. The story was written by R.A. Salvatore and features the voices of Patrick Stewart as Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun and Michael Clarke Duncan as Ygorl.

The hero of many of Salvatore's novels, Drizzt Do'Urden, makes an appearance in the game; he is a playable character during a portion of one battle.

Demon Stone was nominated for awards by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

Contents

[edit] Story

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

There are three playable characters in Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone, each with his or her own unique abilities. The human fighter Rannek is a master of melee combat. Illius, a sorcerer, casts spells to protect his friends or attack his enemies. A half-drow, half-wood-elf rogue named Zhai easily vanishes into the shadows before sneaking up on her enemy for the kill.

The two villains are equally enemies of the heroes and of each other. The first villain —Ygorl—is the leader of the Slaad army. Cireka, general of the Githyanki, is the second. The game's introduction explains that the only thing keeping each of them from taking over the realm is their hatred of each other. Fearing that the realm would be at the mercy of whichever villain was victorious, the great mage Khelben Blackstaff sealed them both within a Demon Stone.

The story develops as the three heroes battle two orc armies near the jewel-rich Gemspark Mines. A great red dragon, sent by Ygorl, leads the group to these mines. Once there, they unwillingly release Ygorl and Cireka out of the Demon Stone and into the world. The three heroes must undo their mistake by joining forces to right the wrong they caused ...before the realm is lost.

[edit] Story Line

Zhai, Rannek, and Illius escape the mines. Zhai leads the others to her hometown, Cedarleaf, only to find that it is being attacked by Cireka's army. Ygorl appears and says that he wants to take the Silver Sword from Cireka. The town is quickly destroyed, but the three heroes manage to save many elves and escape.

The three characters go to Illius' mentor, Khelben Blackstaff, who tells them that they must acquire a Demon Stone held by the Yuan-Ti people. Unfortunately, Ygorl arrives at this moment to get revenge on Khelben. The three heroes flee through a portal that leads to a jungle; Khelben does not escape. The group travels through the jungle, defeats the Yuan-Ti and their god at the temple, and acquires the demon stone.

Mithral Hall is the heroes' next stop, but they find it under siege by a tribe of trolls. They help Drizzt and the dwarves battle against the trolls. After the fight, Drizzt tells the trio of adventurers that he is needed at Mithral Hall and cannot go with them.

The three travel to the Underdark citadel, seek out Ygorl and Cireka, and try to seal them in the demon stone. Ygorl sends Cireka through a portal during the fight, which protects them from being trapped in the demon stone.

The warriors follow Cireka through the portal and come to the lair of Ygorl's red dragon. Cireka fights the dragon and dies, rendering the demon stone useless. Rannek takes up the Silver Sword and kills the dragon with it.

The heroes return to the Gemspark Mines. They use a portal to go to Limbo—the Plane of Chaos—and engage in final fight with Ygorl. During the battle, they learn that Ygorl manipulated them to come together and bring him the Silver Sword. The heroes kill him and return to Cedarleaf, which is recovering from the attacks, to find Khelben unharmed. The game concludes when he tells the adventurers that the King is very grateful and has given them command of an untamed realm.

[edit] Drizzt's Journal

One of the game's unlockable features is Drizzt Do'Urden's journal, quoted as follows:

Perilous forces are at work. The bards report that Khelben Blackstaff has gone missing, and that his tower lies in ruins. And I have received word that Illius, his protege and my friend from Silverymoon, is headed here with two companions: a human from Nesme and a half drow female. Despite my concern for Khelben and the danger these accounts fortell, I cannot resist a moment of pleasure at the thought that Illius is coming to me for help. I remember the trepidation in his eyes the first time we met. Well placed, I admit, when confronted by a drow. For I cannot deny that my people have earned the reputation that gives strangers pause. In Menzoberranzan, city of my birth, far below the surface, treachery and murder are ways of life. Is it any wonder that the elven gods long ago banished the drow? But Illius quickly learned that he needn't be afraid. For though I share the same birthplace and blood as the drow, I do not share their beliefs. Nor do I serve the Spider Queen, Lolth, whose tenets of enslavement and wanton destruction run contrary to all that I hold dear. Indeed, I came to the surface world to escape that, to find a life worthwhile and I expect that Lolth is not fond of my work here. For with my friends, Wulfgar, Cattie-brie, Regis and Bruenor, I serve the way of community, friendship and peace - three causes that boil Lolth's ichor. Word has also reached us of a Slaad Lord of tremdous power moving through the East. And I hear whispers from underground of a fearsome Githyanki general making her way to an ancient stronghold of her people. Somehow these events are all connected, and their outcome will no doubt have far-ranging effects across the face of Faerun. In my heart, I sense that the three travelers heading towards me are the key. I cannot abandon my duties at Mithral Hall in this uncertain hour. But if those travelers are searching for a way to find the Githyanki, then I must help them.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Gameplay

Players have control over all three characters and can change character at any time (after all three main heroes arrive). There are many fighting moves, and players must use each character's skills to play the game effectively. Rannek uses a sword and breaks things with his gauntlets. Illius fights with a staff and uses magic (the game's only ranged attack). Zhai uses two daggers and becomes invisible in shadows—this is useful for sneaking up on enemies and killing them. Bosses overpower characters in one-on-one fighting but can be defeated with the combined power of all three heroes. Although much of the game is hack-and-slash, there are several tasks that require the use of various skills.

[edit] Similarities to Other Video Games

The development team which created Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone also made the Lord of the Rings video games. There are quite a few similar moves and the combat is almost the same. However, this game allows control of three different characters, as opposed to one character in the Lord of the Rings games. And where some of the Lord of the Rings games offered co-operative play, Demon Stone is single-player only.

[edit] Characters

Main article: Demon Stone characters

[edit] External links

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