Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone
Encyclopedia
Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone is a video game that was released in 2004 for PlayStation 2
, Xbox
and Windows PC. 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).
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 from 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.
armies. As he comes to the aid of wood elves captured by the orcs, a half-drow, half-elf named Zhai and a sorcerer named Illius join the battle. Ultimately, Rannek, Zhai, and Illius are driven into the nearby Gemspark Mines by a dragon, Caminus. Inside the mines, they accidentally release the warlords Ygorl and Cireka from their imprisonment in a Demon Stone. The three escape from the warlords and decide to join forces to imprison them again.
After evacuating the nearby wood-elf village of Cedarleaf, attacked by Cireka and her Githyanki soldiers, they visit Illius' mentor, Khelben Blackstaff, for advice. He says that they will need a new Demon Stone; one could be found in the possession of the Yuan-ti
people. As the three leave, Ygorl arrives riding Caminus and attacks Khelben's tower. The tower is destroyed as the three escape.
After they defeat the Yuan-ti and claim the Demon Stone, they go to see Drizzt Do'Urden, a drow that does not follow the normally cruel ways of his people, hoping he can help them find Cireka. He directs them to an abandoned portal in the Underdark, as that would be where she would feel most comfortable. When they find the portal, they also find Cireka and her Githyanki hoard ready to make use of it. As the three battle the Githyanki, Ygorl arrives with his Slaad
horde. Illius tries to imprison the two warlords in the Demon Stone, but Ygorl forces himself and Cireka through the portal before Illius can succeed. The three follow the warlords through the portal to the lair of Caminus. There, Cireka is killed by the dragon, and Ygorl flees through another portal. The three work together to slay Caminus, then pursue Ygorl through the portal.
The portal takes them back to Gemspark Mines. After fighting their way past Ygorl's hoard, they use a portal that leads to Limbo, where Ygorl waits for them. There, the heroes engage in a final duel with Ygorl, ultimately slaying him. They are welcomed back at Cedarleaf as heroes. Here, Khelben Blackstaff arrives through a portal, having survived the assault on his tower. He brings them the king's thanks and the offer of the untamed land of Vasa to be their own.
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.
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
and Windows PC. It is set in the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
(D&D), but the gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
only vaguely models D&D's structure. The story was written by R.A. Salvatore and features the voices of Patrick Stewart
Patrick Stewart
Sir Patrick Hewes Stewart, OBE is an English film, television and stage actor, who has had a distinguished career in theatre and television for around half a century...
as Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun and Michael Clarke Duncan
Michael Clarke Duncan
Michael Clarke Duncan is an American actor, best known for his breakout role as John Coffey in The Green Mile, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.- Early life :...
as Ygorl.
The hero of many of Salvatore's novels, Drizzt Do'Urden
Drizzt Do'Urden
Drizzt Do'Urden is a fictional character in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Drizzt was created by author R. A. Salvatore as a supporting character in the Icewind Dale Trilogy. Salvatore created him on a whim when his publisher needed to...
, 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
Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences , founded in 1996, is a non-profit organization that promotes computer and video game entertainment with the annual D.I.C.E. Summit event, where its Interactive Achievement Awards ceremony has been held annually since 1998...
and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
(BAFTA).
Characters and setting
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
Slaad
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, slaad are a fictional race of Outsiders that resemble giant humanoid toads of various colors.-Development and licensing:...
army. Cireka, general of the Githyanki
Githyanki
The githyanki are a fictional humanoid race in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. They are cousins to the githzerai. In the Dark Sun setting, they are simply called gith...
, 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 from 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.
Story
The game begins with Rannek, a human fighter, stumbling across a battle between two orcOrc (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, orcs are a primitive race of savage, bestial, barbaric humanoid.-Publication history:The orc was one of the earliest creatures introduced in the D&D game. The D&D orc is largely based upon the orcs appearing in the works of J.R.R...
armies. As he comes to the aid of wood elves captured by the orcs, a half-drow, half-elf named Zhai and a sorcerer named Illius join the battle. Ultimately, Rannek, Zhai, and Illius are driven into the nearby Gemspark Mines by a dragon, Caminus. Inside the mines, they accidentally release the warlords Ygorl and Cireka from their imprisonment in a Demon Stone. The three escape from the warlords and decide to join forces to imprison them again.
After evacuating the nearby wood-elf village of Cedarleaf, attacked by Cireka and her Githyanki soldiers, they visit Illius' mentor, Khelben Blackstaff, for advice. He says that they will need a new Demon Stone; one could be found in the possession of the Yuan-ti
Yuan-ti
The yuan-ti are a fictional species of evil snakemen in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. The species comprises a number of castes. In some campaign settings, the yuan-ti are descended from evil human cultists who mixed their bloodlines with those of serpents...
people. As the three leave, Ygorl arrives riding Caminus and attacks Khelben's tower. The tower is destroyed as the three escape.
After they defeat the Yuan-ti and claim the Demon Stone, they go to see Drizzt Do'Urden, a drow that does not follow the normally cruel ways of his people, hoping he can help them find Cireka. He directs them to an abandoned portal in the Underdark, as that would be where she would feel most comfortable. When they find the portal, they also find Cireka and her Githyanki hoard ready to make use of it. As the three battle the Githyanki, Ygorl arrives with his Slaad
Slaad
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, slaad are a fictional race of Outsiders that resemble giant humanoid toads of various colors.-Development and licensing:...
horde. Illius tries to imprison the two warlords in the Demon Stone, but Ygorl forces himself and Cireka through the portal before Illius can succeed. The three follow the warlords through the portal to the lair of Caminus. There, Cireka is killed by the dragon, and Ygorl flees through another portal. The three work together to slay Caminus, then pursue Ygorl through the portal.
The portal takes them back to Gemspark Mines. After fighting their way past Ygorl's hoard, they use a portal that leads to Limbo, where Ygorl waits for them. There, the heroes engage in a final duel with Ygorl, ultimately slaying him. They are welcomed back at Cedarleaf as heroes. Here, Khelben Blackstaff arrives through a portal, having survived the assault on his tower. He brings them the king's thanks and the offer of the untamed land of Vasa to be their own.
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 most powerful ranged attack; the other two can throw knives (Zhai) or axes(Rannek)). Zhai uses two daggers and becomes invisible in shadows—this is useful for sneaking up on enemies and killing them. BossesBoss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
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.
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.Characters
-
- Cireka, voiced by B.J. Ward
- DrizztDrizzt Do'UrdenDrizzt Do'Urden is a fictional character in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Drizzt was created by author R. A. Salvatore as a supporting character in the Icewind Dale Trilogy. Salvatore created him on a whim when his publisher needed to...
, voiced by Robin Atkin DownesRobin Atkin DownesBorn in London, England, Robin Atkin Downes is an English actor who is one of the most prolific voice-over actors in Los Angeles. He is well known for his work in film, television and voice acting... - Illius, voiced by Christopher Nissley
- Khelben, voiced by Patrick StewartPatrick StewartSir Patrick Hewes Stewart, OBE is an English film, television and stage actor, who has had a distinguished career in theatre and television for around half a century...
- Rannek, voiced by Dan Riordan
- YgorlYgorlIn the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Ygorl is the Slaad Lord of Entropy.-Publication history:Ygorl was created by Charles Stross, and first appeared in the first edition Fiend Folio ....
, voiced by Michael Clarke DuncanMichael Clarke DuncanMichael Clarke Duncan is an American actor, best known for his breakout role as John Coffey in The Green Mile, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.- Early life :... - Zhai, voiced by Vanessa MarshallVanessa MarshallVanessa Marshall is an American actress, voice actress and model. She is the daughter of actress Joan Van Ark. She got into voice-over work after being discovered at a one woman show.-Films:* Bagboy! - Mrs...
External links
- Demon Stone (official website)